Staff Picks!

 

With Rhythm and Roots upcoming we decided that instead of our usual display only featuring books about music that we would poll the staff for some of their favorite books.  Then we could set up a display of “Staff Picks,” using guitar picks.  Maybe a bit corny, but we had a lot of fun seeing what everyone chose.  The BPL staff certainly has varied interests!

That said, there were a few books that showed up on more than one list.  Here are some of those:

Two titles by TJ Klune kept turning up on lists. Klune writes strikingly original fantasies, peopled by memorable characters, and leaves his readers with a warm glow.   The House in the Cerulean Sea tells the story of Linus Baker, a bureaucrat who works in an office dedicated to checking on the care of “Magical Youth.” He lives a colorless existence until he’s sent to check up on an orphanage where he meets an amazing assembly, including a gnome, a dragon, and the mysterious Arthur Parnassus.  Oh, and the Antichrist.  Linus’ life will never be the same.

In Under the Whispering Door, Wallace Price’s life will never be the same, either—mainly because Wallace is dead.  He’s very disappointed and more than a bit angry when only five people show up at his funeral: his three law firm partners and his ex-wife, none of whom seem particularly upset by his demise.  This is probably because Wallace was, frankly, not a very nice person. The fifth person he doesn’t recognize. It turns out that she is his Reaper, sent to guide him to the waystation called Charon’s Crossing so he can pass into the afterlife. Charon’s Crossing is managed by Hugo, a ferryman who guides souls but Wallace is going to prove to be more stubborn than most.  Populated by a cast of delightful and unforgettable characters, this is another “feel good” tale by Klune that also tackles the big questions, like the meaning of life—and death.

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson showed up on three lists. The story is narrated by Mary Katherine, known as Merricat, who lives in an old mansion with her sister and an uncle.  A family tragedy has made them outcasts from the town, and Merricat must keep a watchful eye to keep outsiders away. While Jackson’s best known book is arguably The Haunting of Hill House, our staff members seem more drawn to this title.  We found the book to be deliciously atmospheric, with intriguing characters and a mystery at its core.

Japanese author Hiro Arikawa’s The Travelling Cat Chronicles touched the hearts of a couple of staff members.  The story is told from the point of view of a stray cat adopted by a kind young man who takes the cat on a trip to find a new home.  Warm, poignant, and ultimately uplifting, this tale has a special poetic charm all its own.

Another author who has done well in translation is Fredrik Backman.  His breakthrough book was A Man Called Ove, about a curmudgeonly Swede who takes a dim view of modern society in general and his neighbors in particular. His Beartown was the start of a series of books set in a town whose inhabitants live and breathe for hockey, their one claim to fame.  It’s since become a TV series for Netflix.

Jon Krakauer writes compelling non-fiction, so it’s no surprise that his name turned up on the lists. Into the Wild examines the life and death of Chris McCandless, an idealistic young man who set out on a search for truth and ended up dying alone in the Alaskan wilderness, while Into Thin Air is the author’s personal account of a climb up Mt. Everest in 1996.  That’s the year that a storm hit, causing the deaths of eight people in one day, and remains a controversial event in the history of mountain climbing.

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides was a debut novel that thrilled its readers, including two of our staff members.  Artist Alicia Berenson is a convicted murderer who shot her husband in the face six times, but since then has refused to speak.  A new therapist is determined to try to unlock the secrets she’s held since that awful day.

Finally, Agatha Christie is also included on a couple of lists, proving the classic, Golden Age mysteries never go out of style!

These are just a few of the selections that garnered more than one mention.  There could have been a lot of others, judging from the overheard murmurs of, “Gee, I should have included that one on my list…”

And as for displays, we do still have one set up featuring music—and genealogy! Rhythm and Roots indeed!

A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers

 

Reviewed by Kristin

Almost exactly a year ago I read and reviewed A Psalm forthe Wild-Built, the first in the Monk and Robot series by Becky Chambers. It was then that I fell in love with the characters Sibling Dex and Splendid Speckled Mosscap, and have been looking forward to the next in series ever since.

I love it when a book remains memorable even after such a time.

Dex and Mosscap—monk and robot—are still travelling and learning more about the societies from which the other came. Mosscap has an insatiable curiosity about the world around it, and enjoys meeting and understanding organic life whether they be human, marblehead turtles, purple crawler worms, or a leaf.

Mosscap is also discovering more ways to learn about the world, soon acquiring a pocket computer, downloadable books, and maps. Everywhere Dex and Mosscap travel, people are anxious to meet them and interact with the robot. Well, almost everywhere. In the Coastlands the roads and trails covering much of Panga cease, and the dwellers there have long chosen to avoid technology or travel outside their immediate area. When Dex and Mosscap approach, they are not sure if they will be welcomed.

The cast of characters in this second volume is diverse, including: members of Dex’s rather large family, Ms. Amelia who has her own collection of paper books to share with Mosscap, Mx. Avery who lives in an isolated village, and Leroy—the printer who creates 3D objects and who also makes Dex’s knees go a little wobbly.

Just like the first in series, this short novel had me bursting out with laughter at some of the dialog and situations in which Dex and Mosscap found themselves. The themes go much deeper than fun and games; deep philosophical musings unfold as the wild-built and the natural born of Pangan society explore their shared world. At a mere 149 pages, I have time for a second pass through before returning the book to the library to share with others.

Nevermore: Geiger, Ten Steps to Nanette, Cross Country, Monsoon Mansion

 

Nevermore August 16, 2022

Reported by Garry

Geiger by Gustaf Skördeman is a thriller all the way according to our reader. Agneta is a happily married Swedish grandmother who answers the phone and hears the word “Geiger”. Setting down the phone, she retrieves a silenced pistol from her drawer, kills her husband, and then vanishes. Sara Nowak is a detective who grew up knowing Agneta’s family and now takes on the investigation, one that will upturn everything she knew about the family and unlock secrets buried for over forty years.  ML

Ten Steps to Nanette: A Memoir Situation by Hannah Gadsby is the intensely funny memoir by the Tasmanian stand-up comic, and it packs a gut-punch. Gadsby is gay, has ADHD, and is on the autism spectrum. Our reader says that this book was absolutely fascinating in that it allowed her to get into Gadsby’s mind and see the way she puts the world together – an experience she has never before had in her many years of dealing with people on the spectrum.  NH

Cross Country by James Patterson is so engrossing it is a “burn the chicken” book according to our reader. The 14^th book in the Alex Cross series by Patterson, this thriller finds Alex investigating the gruesome deaths of an ex-girlfriend and her family in an upscale Washington suburb. Quickly becoming entangled in the brutal Nigerian underworld of D.C., Alex realizes he has to go to Africa to track down the powerful and diabolical “Tiger”, a warlord who employs an army of children to do his bidding. Fast paced and riveting, our reader definitely recommends this book for a thrilling, escapist read.  MS

Monsoon Mansion is a rags-to-riches-to-rags memoir by Cinelle Barnes, who grew up in the Philippines. When she was three, Barnes’ family moved into the Mansion Royale, a sprawling, decadent ten-room home in the Philippines. A few years later, a monsoon devastated large swaths of the country, Barnes’ father’s business collapsed, and he disappeared. Her mother’s lover took the reins of the family and tyranny descended, turning Barnes’ fairy-tale childhood into a nightmare. This tale of survival, told with grace and heart, really grabbed at our reader who praised Barnes’ honesty and extraordinary writing style.  CD

Also Mentioned: 

“Most Blessed of the Patriarchs”: Thomas Jefferson and the Empire of the Imagination by Annette Gordon-Reed and Peter S. Onuf

Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes

Invisible Child: Poverty, Survival, and Hope in an American City by Andrea Elliott

Who Was That Masked Woman? by Noretta Koertge

The Bangalore Detectives Club by Harini Nagendra

For Simon: A Journey into Truth and Reconciliation by Molly Walling

Switchboard Soldiers by Jennifer Chiaverini

Liberty is Sweet: The Hidden History of the American Revolution by Woody Holton

The Girl in Duluth by Sigrid Brown

Any Other Family by Eleanor Brown

Spiders of North America by Sarah Rose

The Woman’s House of Detention: A Queer History of a Forgotten Prison by Hugh Ryan

Trashlands by Alison Stine

So You Want to Start a Podcast: Finding Your Voice, Telling Your Story, and Building a Community That Will Listen by Kristen Meinzer

The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections by Eva Jurczyk

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

It should have been the library’s moment to shine. 

Not only had director Christopher Wolfe scored the acquisition of the rare Plantin Polyglot Bible, but he’d gotten it for only a half a million dollars—quite the steal.  The money had come from donors with deep pockets who enjoyed the privilege of a sneak preview; whether or not they really knew or cared about the book is questionable but they but do care about bragging rights.

There’s only one problem: Christopher suffered a stroke and is now in a coma.

Make that two problems: the Plantin Bible is missing.

Lisel Weiss was supposed to be taking a sabbatical, a break on the way to retirement, while she writes her own book.  Under the circumstances, she’s had to respond to the frantic call from the university president Lawrence Garber to step in during Christopher’s absence.  Lisel is sure the book must be in the safe in Christopher’s office but she’ll have to find a way to fend off those eager donors who want to see what their money bought. She will just have to find a way to stall them for a few days, until she can get the combination to the safe from Christopher’s wife.

Problem number three:  they open the safe and the Plantin Bible is not there.

Lisel wants to call in the police to report the possible theft but is overruled by President Garber who is determined to make sure the university’s reputation is intact.  Instead, he insists Lisel look for the book in house and keep quiet.

But how long can you keep such a thing a secret?

Problem number four:  a staff member has stopped showing up for work.

I’d heard very good things about this book, most calling it a mystery.  It is, but after the shocks in the opening chapters, it slows down to a lull.  I was frustrated by the lack of activity, the refusal to report the possible theft to the police to start an investigation. Instead, Lisel and a colleague, Francis, spend hours searching the stacks in the grasping at straws hope that the incredibly valuable volumes have somehow been mis-shelved.

This lull in the action almost did me in, to be honest.  But Jurczyk writes very well and very perceptively.  Lines such as “The air stank of wine and self-importance” or I was also unhappy at the way Lisel is treated: dismissed, overlooked, and sometimes overruled by the male staff members.  In turn, Lisel is struggling with her own marriage to John, an artist who apparently has had breakdowns in the past, but who now is almost the only one concerned for Lisel. She in turn seems to regard him with more pity than any other emotion.

The book is also a meditation on how women are perceived in academia, and in the way that institutions tend to become so entrenched in their own rules, traditions, and secrets that they can stagnate.

When the book does pick up, it moves at a wonderful pace.  Many things are revealed, both in regards to the missing books and in personal and emotional relationships.  It was all beautifully done and made up for the slowness in the middle.  Lisel is a fully realized character, complex, intelligent, and when it comes down to it, able to stand up for herself and her department.  Other characters are also intricately detailed, presenting small clues left behind before all (or almost all) is revealed like a magician’s trick. 

There is a deep love of books as physical objects here, especially near the end. The descriptions are wondrous, making the reader want to touch the books. It makes it easy to see why one would want to possess not a copy but the real thing.

 

I do recommend this book—just be aware that I found some problems with pacing. I think that if I were to re-read it, I would be more aware of all that was happening the lull and be less impatient.

Roadside Picnic by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky

 

Reviewed by Ben

The latest book I finished was Roadside Picnic, written by Soviet authors Arkady and Boris Strugatsky in 1972. The book is set in a remote town in Canada. Alien visitors have touched down and left at several locations on Earth, leaving behind them hazardous zones filled with unexplained anomalies, deadly traps, and advanced technology. Sealed off from the rest of the world by government authorities, people flocked to the towns surrounding the forbidden zones in order to traffic in technology and artifacts smuggled out of the zones by thieves--known as "stalkers." Roadside Picnic follows one of the best stalkers of them all: Red Schuhart. I enjoyed this book for its relative lack of exposition and eerie tension.

Exposition is something that really bothers me in movies and books. While Roadside Picnic had a few expository scenes, the book largely neglected to explain a lot of details and concepts. While this sounds aggravating, this lack of explanation actually lent a sense of mystery to the setting. It truly made me feel like I was observing an alien time and place. Seasoned stalker Red talks about "hell slime," "empties" and "traps" with a familiarity the reader cannot grasp. Other characters plug "spacells" into their cars and benefit from seemingly infinite fuel. Whether this was a writing strategy of the original authors or the result of gaps in translation from the original language, the effect is a trip into the unknown for the reader.

In addition, the book gave off an eerie tension throughout that kept me reading. This feeling was enhanced by Red's apprehensive moves through the forbidden zone, slowed by unseen threats that the reader does not fully understand or expect. Other anomalies add a feeling of mystery that enhances the experience, like the transparent entities that roam the zone, the dead rising from their graves and returning to their former homes, and the inherent suspicion and distrust between characters operating in an illicit trade.

Roadside Picnic is a compelling and intriguing adventure into a world both strange and familiar. The concepts in the novel work so well that various media have drawn from it. The book's influence can be seen in movies, video games and other books. First, the book inspired the classic 1979 film Stalker, which bases its plot on that of Roadside Picnic--the Strugatsky brothers were credited with writing the screenplay. Second, the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. PC game series borrows foundational concepts from the book, namely the concept of stalkers, forbidden zones, and dangerous anomalies. Finally, Jeff VanDerMeer's novel Annihilation—also a movie of the same title--draws on concepts that appear similar to some found in Roadside Picnic, such as mysterious forbidden zones filled with unexplained anomalies. These are only some examples of the classic Russian book's influence. This is not a complete list!

Nevermore: Cinderella's Dress, At Night All

 Reported by Garry

Cinderella’s Dress by Shonna Slayton is a re-imagining/continuation of the classic Cinderella story. Kate is a young woman working in the shops in New York in the 1940s. War tears Europe apart and Kate’s displaced Polish Aunt and Uncle arrive on her doorstep with a mysterious steamer trunk in tow – a trunk that contains the wardrobe of the real Cinderella. Protecting the trunk and its coveted contents is a task the women of Kate’s family have done for generations, and now it is Kate’s turn – whether she wants it or not. “Delightful, imaginative, and fun” were the words our reader used to describe this first in the Fairy-Tale Inheritance series of six books, all featuring twists on the classic Grimm’s fairy tales.  SH

At Night All Blood is Black by David Diop is the Booker Prize winning debut novel that follows the journey of Alfa Ndiaye, a Senegalese man who fights with the French in the trenches of World War I. Alfa’s best friend is shot and mortally wounded, and begs Alfa to kill him, sparing him a painful and prolonged death. Alfa can’t bring himself to do so, and the conflict between killing his friend and letting him die slowly begins to tear Alfa apart, even as he tries to make amends that are at once horrific and understandable. Our reader was amazed by the “hypnotic writing” in this multi-award winning, harrowing novel of a descent into madness, and very highly recommends it.  SC

Tennessee Curiosities: Quirky Characters, Roadside Oddities & Other Offbeat Stuff by Kristin Luna.  Did you know that the town of Erwin once hanged an elephant? That Camden is the location of the only fresh-water pearl farm in North America? These and myriad other weird, quirky and intriguing entries make this one very fun book that has struck a fire under our reader to go visit as many of the sites as possible.  KM

Also mentioned:

Leviathan Falls by James S.A. Corey

Nine Parts of Desire: The Hidden World of Islamic Women by Geraldine Brooks

Spirits and Smoke by Mary Miley

The Lioness by Chris Bohjalian

Walking to Wijiji: A Journey Overcoming Loneliness by Bunny Medeiros

Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr

Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman

Black Water Sister by Zen Cho

Chivalry (Graphic Novel) by Neil Gaiman and Colleen Doran

The Lost World of James Smithson: Science, Revolution, and the Birth of the Smithsonian by Heather Ewing

Artemis Fowl and Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident by Eoin Colfer

 

 

Reviewed by Ashley

 

I’m a big fan of rereading favorite novels- it’s easy to choose one based on my mood, to settle in for a nice visit to a place I’m already familiar with, to know I won’t scoff in disappointment and feel I’ve wasted some of the spare time that seems more and more scarce. I’m also often inclined to grab middle grade and young adult novels that I’ve enjoyed before, for even quicker trips to those comforting places. Having recently become disenchanted with my ultimate comfort series, and having an up-and-coming reader who I enjoy giving books to, I decided to revisit another series I enjoyed when I was younger. As such, I just finished up the first two novels in the Artemis Fowl series, written by Eoin Colfer in the early 2000s. 

Artemis Fowl introduces us to the cast of characters we follow throughout the series. The titular character is a twelve-year-old criminal mastermind, using all of the sources available to him to keep his family prosperous after the disappearance of his father. Aided by his bodyguard, Butler, he manages to become the first human to get his hands on The Book of the People, giving him insight to the fairy world and all the rules that govern the People. Enter Holly (the first female LEPrecon officer), her boss Commander Root, and their tech mastermind (Foaly the paranoid centaur). What follows is a vicious game of who can outwit who, all of the involved parties being convinced they have the upper hand and trying to outplay the others to get what they want.  

In Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident, we revisit Artemis, Butler, Holly, Root, and Foaly. They’ve all moved on with their lives in the year following the first book, taking what they’ve learned and growing from it. When a vicious goblin uprising in the fairy world reveals itself to obviously having a human on standby for assistance, the LEPrecon trio are certain they know exactly who to blame. Artemis and Butler have their own problems, though, and are trying desperately to save someone they thought lost. The two groups collide and manage to come to an agreement to work together to solve both their problems.  

I hadn’t read either of these books in probably ten years, but I was surprised to find that they held up to the fond feelings I carried for them. They were a bit more violent than I remember, and I did have to reassure myself on a couple of occasions that I knew the outcome wouldn’t be as bleak as it threatened to be for the characters. Also included was a fair bit of typical-of-the-time sexism, with a lot of heavy handed ‘look at how they underestimate the female character’ scenes. Thankfully, Holly’s a force to be reckoned with and is quick to prove that it is indeed underestimating to think she’s capable of anything less than the male leads. 

I did hit a storyline in the second book that I didn’t remember at all, and as I read through and found myself skimming quickly by those scenes which didn’t hold my attention, I realized I’d likely done the same thing on the first read-through all those years ago. Even with that bit, though, I still greatly enjoyed the novels and I have every intention of picking up the third one to finish the series, something I never got around to when I was younger. I’ll also finally be giving the movie that Disney+ put out in 2020 a chance- something I’ve been putting off until I could reread the source material.