In May 2023 I was diagnosed with a disorder with no cure and no end — just a few debatable treatment options and a sparse online community. Still, I was relieved to get an answer to a question I’d been asking for about a decade. It’s been over a year since a specialist identified my spasmodic dysphonia (a voice disorder, originating in the brain), and, now, I have new questions to ask: How do I carry my diagnosis with honesty and vulnerability, without letting it flood my identity? How do I stay hopeful through the grueling experiment of treatment? How do I help my loved ones understand?
Books have helped soothe the ache of these questions. Maybe they can do the same for you, whether your diagnosis is one of chronic illness, disorder, neurodivergence or any other ongoing condition. Continue reading “February Literary Links: Making Peace With Diagnosis”
“Kill Shakespeare Volume 1: A Sea of Troubles” collects the first six Kill Shakespeare comic books and re-introduces us to some of Shakespeare’s most famous characters, but in new roles, as they hunt for Will Shakespeare, wizard god. Killing Will and securing his magical quill is the quest of the bad guys in power (Lady Macbeth, Richard III), while the rebellion, led by Juliet and backed by Othello, have put their faith in a Shadow King to find Will and save his followers. Being a fan of Shakespeare is not a requirement to enjoy the story — especially with the fantastic art by Andy Belanger — however, I suspect it’s more fun to know a bit about the characters and to pick up on the small Easter eggs, like the evening spent at the pub known as Midsummer Night’s Dram. Like all of Shakespeare, there’s comedy, murder, plotting, mayhem, romance, confusion, innuendo, and a great storyline with complicated characters. For those who struggle with the very idea of Shakespeare as an enjoyable reading experience, the artwork in this comic tells the story as much as the writing.
Three words that describe this book: Epic, Graphic, Literary
You might want to pick this book up if: You like twisted fairy tales such as those told in “Once Upon a Time” or the “Land of Stories.”
-Melody
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. We will continue to share reviews throughout the year.
In the 6th Century BCE, the Greek philosopher Heraclitus said, “There is nothing permanent except change,” or something to that effect. Not a lot is known about Heraclitus but all these years later, that quote rings true. Change is something you can count on in life, be it good or bad, fast or incremental, painful or joyous. It is constant. How you handle the changes in your life makes all the difference.
There are different kinds of change, of course. There are changes we make purposely and changes that are thrust upon us. Along the lines of the former, human behavior specialist BJ Fogg, PhD brings us “Tiny Habits: + The Small Changes That Change Everything.” The book recommends tackling habit change through baby steps. According to “Library Journal,” “Throughout are a multitude of practical exercises and more than 300 recipes for tiny transformations categorized by various situations and challenges (e.g., work/life balance, destressing, healthy eating and sleeping well)… Fogg’s method has great potential to promote altered behavior in those who have sought help in other ventures with little success.” Continue reading “Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes”
Below I’m highlighting some nonfiction books coming out in February. All of the mentioned titles are available to put on hold in our catalog and will also be made available via the library’s Overdrive website on the day of publication in eBook and downloadable audiobook format (as available). For a more extensive list of new nonfiction books coming out this month, check our online catalog.
Top Picks
“Why We Read: On Bookworms, Libraries, and Just One More Page Before Lights Out” by Shannon Reed (Feb 6)
We read to escape, to learn, to find love, to feel seen. We read to encounter new worlds, to discover new recipes, to find connection across difference, or simply to pass a rainy afternoon. No matter the reason, books have the power to keep us safe, to challenge us, and perhaps most importantly, to make us more fully human. Shannon Reed, a longtime teacher, lifelong reader, and New Yorker contributor, gets it. With one simple goal in mind, she makes the case that we should read for pleasure above all else. In this whip-smart, laugh-out-loud-funny collection, Reed shares surprising stories from her life as a reader and the poignant ways in which books have impacted her students. From the varied novels she cherishes (“Gone Girl,” “Their Eyes Were Watching God”) to the ones she didn’t (“Tess of the d’Urbervilles”), Reed takes us on a rollicking tour through the comforting world of literature, celebrating the books we love, the readers who love them, and the ways in which literature can transform us for the better. Continue reading “Nonfiction Roundup: February 2024”
“To Kill a Mockingbird,” written from the point of view of a young girl in a small town in 1960s Alabama, is a poignant look at racism, classism and the basic human spirit. It certainly tackles difficult topics — unfortunately, these are topics that we are still struggling with today. However, seeing these issues through the eyes of a child gave it such a sweet simplicity that it gave me hope, like maybe if we all took a moment to think like young Scout Finch, we could really make things better. It was an excellent book that I look forward to reading again and again.
Three words that describe this book: Engaging, thought-provoking, charming
You might want to pick this book up if: I wanted to be reminded there are good people out there and that there is hope for change.
-Shelli
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. We will continue to share reviews throughout the year.
“That’s one, small step for [a] man… One, giant leap for mankind.”
~Neil Armstrong, July 20th, 1969
“Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise. Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds; to seek out new life and new civilizations; to boldly go where no man has gone before!
~Captain James Kirk, “Star Trek,” Stardate 1533.6 (actually 1966)
These two quotes are ironed into the brain of many a starry-eyed science fiction and space exploration lover. I know they’ve been in mine since I first watched William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy with my dad as a kid, while he told me stories of watching the Apollo launches when he was growing up on the Space Coast of Florida. The idea of going out and exploring that final frontier turned me into the sci-fi aficionado I am today. Continue reading “Where No Woman Has Gone Before: Women in Science Fiction and Space Exploration”
I loved “The Confident Parent” because it gives a global perspective on parenting, which I think is so important these days. As a parent in the US, it is easy to get anxious and stressed out while making sure your child gets the best start, succeeds in school, and is a contributing member of society. However, our children need us to lead by example and can sense our anxiety while we are trying to get everything “perfect.” This book includes a lot of great strategies and ideals that are a confluence of many cultures due to the author’s experience living and parenting in many parts of the world. My main takeaways from this book are to chill out, lead by example, and enjoy the journey.
Three words that describe this book: global, practical, timely
You might want to pick this book up if: You are a parent, grandparent, or caregiver.
-Megan
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. We will continue to share reviews throughout the year.
Presenting two women after my own heart: Lindsey Jordan (of indie rock solo project Snail Mail) and Maggie Nelson (author of, among many other breathtaking works, the prose-poetry collection “Bluets”). These two artists write about devotion, longing and self-revelation in ways that cut to the core. So, I’ve done the logical thing: Listed all 10 tracks on Snail Mail’s sophomore album “Valentine,” along with lyric highlights and emotional descriptors, and assigned each song a related quote from “Bluets” to guide your reading and/or listening. Happy yearning!
Continue reading “A Book and an Album: Valentine and Bluets”
“You?! You’re reading an Ali Hazelwood book?”
“Um, well, it is set around chess, so… yeah?”
Full disclosure, “Check & Mate” is the first Ali Hazelwood book I have read. I heard she generally writes steamy romance and that’s not exactly my preferred genre. This title is YA, and while there is romance and language, and even mentions of sex (fade to black), it is pretty tame. Whew.
So, why am I writing about this title you may ask? Chess. I love chess and have been playing for more than 25 years. Chess players generally can’t help themselves, we have to critique every mention of our game and we are perpetually frustrated by simple inaccuracies.
Oh, there will be spoilers, you have been warned. Continue reading “Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood”
Back by popular demand: paper quilling! We did this activity last year and before we were even finished participants were asking for it again. Paper quilling has been popular since the 15th century and is the art of using paper strips and glue to create simple or complicated shapes and patterns. Strips of paper are quilled onto a skewer, shaped and glued onto a canvas to create a picture. All supplies are provided. This is a more complex process, so fine motor skills win the day here! Join us on Saturday, January 27 from 2- 4 p.m. in the Friends Room of the Columbia Public Library. This program is for adults and registration is required — register early as these classes fill quickly.
For more ideas on decorating with paper, check out these library resources. You can also explore CreativeBug, which is our database on arts and crafts activities. You can view tons of creative jewelry ideas with instructional videos, on everything from wire-wrapping to beading to leathercrafts, and more are added monthly! You will need your library card and pin (your birthdate in MMDDYYYY format) to use this database.
Stay tuned for our future Crafternoons — bullet journals, basic embroidery stitching and painted rocks to name a few — in our program guide, on the website and on social media!
