It is understandable that the average American is pressed for time, what with all the vacation butlers take, and the various board meetings, galas and cocktail hours that beckon so vigorously. So, as you study the 12 recommendations this gentleman has made in 2016 searching for the one that is most worthy of your limited reading time, consider this a clue: The GENTLEMAN’S ULTIMATE RECOMMENDATION for 2016 is “The Nix” by Nathan Hill.
I’d like to write a few thousand considered and enthusiastic words about how great this novel is, but because I must prepare for a gala, I’m going to plagiarize myself from an article printed in last week’s Columbia Tribune and quote from the book. The quotes from the novel should be sufficient to persuade you that Nathan Hill has written a genius novel, and lazily plagiarizing myself should convince you that thoughts of the impending gala are thoroughly distracting me. Continue reading “The Gentleman Recommends: Nathan Hill”
I’ve never been very good about keeping New Year’s resolutions. Life gets in the way, and promises that I’ve made to myself can no longer be kept for a variety of reasons. So, this year I’ve made “End of the Year Intentions” (leaving out the word “resolution”), with the vague starting point of around mid-December. This way, I can hit January 1, 2017 running. Why not make this holiday season the healthiest and happiest ever? The library has some good resources to help you along that path.
In my extended family, we have at least one vegan, two vegetarians, two pesco-pollo vegetarians and many red meat eaters of various degrees. My saint-like parents, both in their early 70s and still incredibly vigorous, host a phalanx of in-laws, kids, grandchildren and others during Christmastime, and they cook as best they can to suit all their guests’ needs. This holiday, keep the cooking simple, healthy and easy, and follow some of the fantastic recipes in Isa Moskowitz’s “Superfun Times Vegan Holiday Cookbook.” I’ve suggested this delicious cookbook as a resource for the common family denominator and to support healthy eating habits. Continue reading “Healthy Holidays: Start Your New Year Early”
The days are shorter, the air is colder and holiday stress threatens to overwhelm holiday cheer. Distractions that provoke laughter, or at least inward chuckles, are in order. A satirical novel (or two), could be just what you need to divert your attention from your heating bill and anything else that ails you.
“Infinite Jest” by David Foster Wallace (Little, Brown and Company, 1996) is encyclopedic in size and scope, and satire features heavily among the hundreds of ideas battling for attention in its thousand-plus pages. Years are no longer represented numerically, but by whichever corporation has secured their naming rights. Much of the novel’s events take place during the “Year of the Depend Adult Undergarment.” And while “Infinite Jest” may not have forecasted the reach of the internet, it did take time to satirize the pull of entertainments. Specifically via the cartridge known in the novel as “The Entertainment,” a video so fatally compelling that its viewers become unable to do anything but repeatedly view it. It can be a challenging book, but it’s also bursting with pleasures and heart. Continue reading “Literary Links: Satire”
Here is a new DVD list highlighting various titles recently added to the library’s collection.
“Sherpa”
Website / Reviews / Trailer
Presented at the True/False Film Fest in 2016, this film focuses on the compelling stories of the Sherpas, the Nepalese mountain climbing guides who risk their lives to provide for their families. Director Jennifer Peedom set out to uncover tension in the 2014 Everest climbing season from the Sherpas’ point of view and instead captured a tragedy when an avalanche struck, killing 16 Sherpas. Continue reading “New DVD List: Sherpa, Particle Fever & More”
If life were fair, Shirley Jackson would have lived to a ripe old age and given us a dozen more books. Because life isn’t completely unfair, her influence lives on in the works of writers such as Neil Gaiman and Suzanne Collins. Jackson was born 100 years ago on December 14, 1916 and died unexpectedly of heart failure in 1965, at the age of 48. In that span of time, she managed to create a substantial collection of groundbreaking literature while simultaneously raising four children. All without a wife to help her.
Her experience of family life led to two memoirs of the snort-your-coffee variety. “Life Among the Savages” and “Raising Demons” are the forerunners of Erma Bombeck’s books, only with more edge. They need to be read as products of their time, as all of the adults smoke and nobody wears a seat belt. But many of the issues she coped with will still resound with parents today: playing musical beds when the whole family is sick, sports equipment everywhere, dealing with the IRS. Continue reading “Classics for Everyone: Shirley Jackson”
One of my favorite things is pairing someone up with a great book. Sure, I do it while working at the library, but I do it a lot when I hang out with friends and family, too. Because everyone is different, it can sometimes be a challenge. Some folks stick to one genre, while others are into the overall tone of stories — or other factors entirely. At the risk of no one needing me anymore, I thought I’d share some of the websites I use to make book matches (and find my own next read).
Don’t you hate it when you learn about a book only to find out it’s incredibly popular so there is a wait list to get it from the library? One of the great things about NoveList Plus (a book database you have access to with your library card) is that it provides read-alikes. You could look up that really popular book you placed on hold and see some similar books to read while you wait. Another cool thing about these read-alikes is that they are often hand-picked, and a real, living person explains why a particular book is recommended — no algorithms here! The read-alikes are located on the right side of the page when you’re looking at the detailed view of the book. Continue reading “Behind the Scenes: Book Recommendation Resources”
Today, December 7, marks the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor and the entrance of the United States into World War II. With the popularity of “All the Light We Cannot See” by Anthony Doerr there has been an surge of interest in fiction about WWII. So, in memory of Pearl Harbor and all the lives lost during WWII, here are some books that deal with the horror and hope, and the fear and courage found in wartime.
“Th
e German Girl” by Armando Lucas Correa
Berlin, Germany 1939. Nazi flags and emblems are draping the streets, and Berlin is becoming a dangerous place for Hannah Rosenthal and her family. Their home and possessions are taken away from them, but an escape route is offered via the SS St. Louis, an ocean liner that will carry fleeing Jews from Germany to Cuba. Even as they leave Berlin behind and begin to feel safe, tensions and rumors from Cuba once again cast a shadow of dread. Decades later, Anna Rosen receives a package from her unknown great-aunt Hannah that sends her and her mother on a quest to uncover their family’s past.
Continue reading “WWII Fiction for Fans of All the Light We Cannot See”
Here is a quick look at the most noteworthy nonfiction titles being released in December. Visit our catalog for a more extensive list.
TOP PICKS:
“The Undoing Project” by Michael Lewis
Perennial best-seller Lewis takes an in-depth look at the partnership between Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky, two Nobel Prize winning psychologists, whose work transformed our understanding of human thinking and decision making. Kahneman wrote the highly popular “Thinking, Fast and Slow.”
Continue reading “Nonfiction Roundup: December 2016”
Last night, our monthly book club met, and
once again, it was full of fun, energy, discussion and lots of laughter. Each month I come away with such a sense of gratitude for being a part of this group, and I wish everyone could have this experience. You see, our book club is completely made up of individuals that live in our neighborhood, and that unique element takes the connection between us to a whole different level. Before our meeting begins, women can be seen walking through the neighborhood on their way to the home of whomever is hosting the current month’s discussion, with their dish to share. As we arrive, there is fun discussion of neighborhood happenings, family news and updates on remodeling projects. (And yes, we even discuss the book.) I like to think this is what neighborhoods used to be like, before the onslaught of technology, transience and shifting school boundaries. Or maybe what it was like when women got together to work on a quilt or to do the canning for the winter. It is more than a book club; it provides a sense of community that was certainly missing for me. Continue reading “Book Clubs: The Community They Create and Resources to Start Your Own”
“History will be kind to me, for I intend to write it.” — Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Churchill is a historical figure who certainly was larger than life. The impact his life made on the last century is far-reaching. Churchill managed to capture much of this through his own writings, and there are numerous fascinating biographies that explore his long life, as well. The nonfiction connected to Churchill’s life is quite fascinating and can provide hours of good reading. For people who are more drawn to fiction, though, it’s worth noting that his life and role in history have inspired quite a few tales of fiction. Here are few of those books which you can check out from the library:
If you tend to generally stick with nonfiction, you may want to try “Winston’s War: A Novel of Conspiracy” by Michael Dobbs. This book is truly historical fiction — telling the story of real events from a fictional perspective. Churchill, an outcast from the British government during the 1930s, warned of the impending troubles of Hitler’s Nazi regime. Dobbs’ book offers a fictionalized look at how various figures in England during that time, including Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, King George VI, US Ambassador Joseph Kennedy and the BBC’s Guy Burgess, responded to Churchill’s warnings. Dobbs’ story is ultimately fiction, but it offers a lot of insight into why the real events played out the way they did. Continue reading “Exploring Winston Churchill in Fiction”
