16 years after Caroline Crale was convicted of poisoning her husband, her daughter is determined to prove her mother was innocent with the help of detective Hercule Poirot. Because Poirot is investigating a cold case, he must rely entirely on the testimonies of those who were present at the time of the incident.
I’ve been reading through author Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot novels, and “Five Little Pigs” definitely stands out as one of the best (so far). I found the structure of the novel to be unique — utilizing third-person narration as well as first-person narrated testimony. The ending will certainly leave an impression.
Three words that describe this book: Mysterious, clever, slow
You might want to pick this book up if: If you like eccentric and highly intelligent detectives and murder-mysteries that rely just as heavily on what is said as what isn’t, you might like this book.
-Anonymous
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. We will continue to share them throughout the year.
After living more than 50 years in the same house — the very place where I grew up — my mom is moving. Undeniably, it’s the right time, the proper stage of life. But this process has evoked lots of emotion for her, as well as for me, my brother, our respective spouses and other family members: grief, frustration, indecision, excitement, possibility and trepidation. To be sure, practical mechanics and logistics matter. Van expenses need to be compared, old papers need to be sorted, heirlooms need to be passed along. These aspects require vast amounts of time, energy and organization. The intangible feelings involved, however, are much more complex.
I’ve gathered a list of books that appear relevant to what’s percolating inside of me as my mom navigates this transition. I ponder what methods will keep me sane as her fears bubble up, and I consider how I want to leave the state of my possessions in the future for my own offspring. Continue reading “Moving On”
Did you know that your library card gives you digital access to local and major newspapers, if you live in Boone or Callaway counties? I’ve written about this before, but the newspaper databases have been rearranged so I have an opportunity to revisit this. Want to learn more about it? Come with me … Continue reading “Read Digital Magazines and Newspapers, For Free, From Home!”
Here is a new DVD list highlighting various titles recently added to the library’s collection.
“Sinners” – Website / Reviews
In this horror film, twin brothers try to leave their troubled lives behind by returning to their hometown to start again. What they discover is that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.
“Eephus” – Website / Reviews
As a construction project looms over their beloved small-town baseball field, a pair of New England Sunday league teams face off for the last time in this drama/comedy film.
“A Complete Unknown” – Website / Reviews
A dramatization following a young Bob Dylan arriving in 1960’s New York. Forging relationships with music icons, his meteoric rise culminates in a performance that reverberates worldwide.
“Fallout” – Season 1 – Website / Reviews
Based on the video game series, this sci-fi show is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the denizens of luxury fallout shelters are forced to return to the complex universe waiting for them above.
“Thunderbolts*” – Website / Reviews
After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap, an unconventional team of antiheroes go on a mission forcing them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts in this action/adventure film.
Continue reading “New DVD List: August 2025”
Bill Bryson takes us on a tour of time, focusing on the Summer of 1927. Though his narrative focuses on life in the United States during those few months, he constantly deviates across time and space to make connections with world events, causes & eventual effects, etc. Bryson weaves a tale of big personalities, like Charles Lindbergh and Babe Ruth, while constantly reminding us that we all play a part in the construction of a national narrative.
I found “One Summer: America, 1927” a riveting book. So much so that I later listened to the audiobook version where the author treats us to a double dose of his humor — written AND spoken. The unfortunate parallels between human behavior then and now (1927 and 2025, respectively) are a sad reminder that we don’t often learn from our own human history and that some things seemed doomed to repeat.
Three words that describe this book: Revealing. Connecting. Humorous.
You might want to pick this book up if: I highly recommend this book (print and audio) to anyone seeking to make sense of our country and the impacts of shared experiences across cultures and societies.
-Tony
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. We will continue to share them throughout the year.
“North Woods” by Daniel Mason, will be the subject of the First Thursday Book Discussion on September 4 at noon in the Columbia Public Library.
“North Woods” was selected by a community vote, after a small committee of local residents narrowed down nearly 200 nominations to just two, to be this year’s Community One Read. Attending the book discussion is a great way to kick of the month of community activities that will be centered around the book. Hear other patrons’ opinions, discuss themes and share your ideas and questions. You’ll be primed to partake in the events throughout the month!
The discussion should be lively. “North Woods,” has been loved by some readers and less so by others. It has no shortage of imagery and symbolism for analysis: apples, rot, growth and fertility, to name a few. The story crosses a variety of genres and topics, changing with the passage of time across this small piece of Massachusetts.
Many great novelists and writers have engaged in dual careers. Isaac Asimov bridged the worlds of working physicist and science fiction author; Lewis Carroll was a lecturer in mathematics at Oxford and the pen behind wondrous and bizarre stories such as “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.” Philip Larkin was directing the University of Hull library while writing “The Whitsun Weddings” and many of his other great works of poetry.
What could be more challenging than holding down a full time job and producing great literary works? The very act of doing both requires, it seems, an extraordinary amount of ambition and remarkably precise time management skills—not to mention a brilliant and agile mind. Continue reading “Literary Links: Travel and Time: The Works of Daniel Mason”
Hey, there, comic fans! I’m back once again with some Quintessential Comics for you to enjoy! We’re currently wrapping up Summer Reading and the theme this year was Color Our World. To celebrate that, why not check out some of these graphic novels that incorporate color in interesting ways? I’ve attempted to include selections that either utilize color to enhance the narrative or are just really pretty, because why not? Let’s not waste anymore time and just jump right in.
“Asterios Polyp”
This has received praise for its use of color to convey emotion and provide insight on character perspective. What I find appealing about this entry is how it bounces between two narratives that each employ shades of color in very purposeful ways. You get a sense of warmth radiating from a character or sit with a feeling of longing all through the use of color. The premise for this one is relatively simple, while its themes are not. Our protagonist leaves behind his career as an architect in order to become a mechanic after experiencing a spiritual crisis. He possesses a very rigid worldview, which is only highlighted by the two prominent color schemes, one of which is used to signal past events that led to his current situation. It’s all a very interesting exploration of philosophy, identity, and subjective reality. Continue reading “Quintessential Comics: Color Our World”
Recently, I created a nonfiction book display composed of nothing but cute books. I set a couple of parameters for myself: they had to be adult nonfiction; I could not select exclusively animal books (a real possibility); and I would offer some variety. I decided to come up with a system for selecting books.
Cute books seem to come in a number of categories. Let’s start with the obvious: baby animals. In this category, we find “Nursery Earth: the Wondrous Lives of Baby Animals and the Extraordinary Ways They Shape Our World,” by Danna Staaf. Booklist says, “Case study after case 
study, like those of the 17-year cicada and the one-day mayfly, demonstrates that, despite obvious differences, every creature (humans included) experiences these cycles, and in ways that scientists can learn from: the two-year fertilization of elephant eggs, water births of salamanders and octopus, the internal hatching of seahorses within the father’s pouch.” I would argue that all baby animals are not equal in cuteness but they all have their place in the ecosystem. The variety of ways in which different creatures are brought into the world is certainly fascinating. If you want to jump straight into cute pictures, check out “Cute Animals for Hard Times,” from Chronicla Books. It has over seventy delightful animal photos to brighten your day.
An offshoot of this is adult animals. Here is a book by the always-cute baker, Kim Joy: “Bake Me a Cat: 50 Purrrfect Recipes for Edible Kitty Cakes, Cookies and More!” “Catering for a range of skill
levels, whether you fancy baking Tiger Buns, Meow Bao, Kit-tea Scones or a Happy Purrrrthday Cake, bring joy to your cooking and a smile to every cat-owner’s face with Bake Me a Cat!” Adorable. Continue reading “That’s So Cute!”
Below I’m highlighting some nonfiction books coming out in August. 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
“The Devil Reached Toward the Sky: An Oral History of the Making and Unleashing of the Atomic Bomb” by Garrett M. Graff (Aug 5)
The building of the atomic bomb is the most audacious undertaking in human history: a rush by a small group of scientists and engineers in complete secrecy to unlock the most fundamental power of the universe. Even today, the Manhattan Project evokes boldness, daring, and the grandest of dreams: bringing an end to World War II in the Pacific. As Marines, soldiers, sailors, and airmen fight overseas, men and women strive to discover the atom’s secrets in places like Chicago, Berkeley, Oak Ridge, Hanford, and Los Alamos. On August 6, 1945, the world discovers what the end of the war—and the new global age—will look like. The road to the first atomic bomb ends in Hiroshima, Japan, but it begins in Hitler’s Europe, where brilliant physicists are forced to flee fascism and antisemitism—bringing to America their determination to harness atomic power before it falls into the Führer’s arsenal. “The Devil Reached Toward the Sky” traces the breakthroughs and the breakneck pace of atomic development in the years leading up to 1945, then takes us inside the B-29 bombers carrying Little Boy and Fat Man and finally to ground zero at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. From Pulitzer Prize finalist Garrett M. Graff, “The Devil Reached Toward the Sky” is the panoramic narrative of how ordinary people grapple with extraordinary wartime risks, sacrifices, and choices that will transform the course of history. Engineers experiment with forces of terrifying power, knowing each passing day costs soldiers’ lives—but fearing too the consequences of their creation. Hundreds of thousands of workers toil around the clock to produce uranium and plutonium in an endeavor so classified that most people involved learn the reality of their effort only when it is announced on the radio by President Truman. The 509th Composite Group trains for a mission whose details are kept a mystery until shortly before takeoff, when the Enola Gay and Bockscar are loaded with bombs the crew has never seen. And the civilians of two Japanese cities that have been spared American attacks—preserved for the sake of judging the bomb’s power—escape their pulverized homes into a greater hellscape. Continue reading “Nonfiction Roundup: August 2025”
