In the comic book series “Lazarus” by Greg Rucka, the world is divided into swaths of land each ruled by a different family. The nation states we currently know have been swallowed up by these families. Each territory is a feudal system with three distinct social classes — family, serfs and wastes. We do not see how the world became this way or, for example, how the Carlyle family came to control Duluth Minnesota. What we do see is a stark world of haves and have-nots where the haves use their ample resources to fight each other for more.
The central character is Forever Carlyle, the “Lazarus” of the Carlyle family. The lazarus for each family is a member chosen to represent them in combat. They have been trained their entire lives and artificially enhanced to be outstanding fighters. As Forever learns more about her family, her place in it and the way this world works she begins to question it. Continue reading “Know Your Dystopias: Lazarus”
Rachel Hollis has seen it too often: women not living into their full potential. They feel a tugging on their hearts for something more, but they’re afraid of embarrassment, of falling short of perfection, of not being enough. She knows that many women have been taught to define themselves in the light of other people– whether as wife, mother, daughter, or employee– instead of learning how to own who they are and what they want. With a challenge to women everywhere to stop talking themselves out of their dreams, Hollis identifies the excuses to let go of, the behaviors to adopt, and the skills to acquire on the path to growth, confidence, and believing in yourself.
A ground-breaking gripping account of the first 24 hours of the D-Day invasion told by a symphony of incredible accounts of unknown and unheralded members of the Allied – and Axis – forces by one of the world’s most lively historians. An epic battle that involved 156,000 men, 7,000 ships, and 20,000 armored vehicles, the desperate struggle that unfolded on 6 June 1944 was, above all, a story of individual heroics- of men who were driven to keep fighting until the German defenses were smashed and the precarious beachheads secured. This authentic human story – Allied, German, French – has never fully been told. Continue reading “Nonfiction Roundup: March 2019”
I’m excited to share these LibraryReads with you! We have a great variety of books for you including fantasy and a graphic novel, but if those aren’t your cup of tea, fear not, there’s something for everyone. Check out these newly-published librarian favorites:
“Led on a dark path, readers will quickly guess that there’s more to Alicia’s story than what meets the eye. But the big surprises lie in the deep betrayals and the shock of an ending. Dark, twisted, perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn, Paula Hawkins and Ruth Ware.” ~Amy Fellows, Multnomah County Library, Portland,ORContinue reading “LibraryReads: February 2019”
Posted on Monday, February 18, 2019 by Reading Addict
This task is rather hard to write about because it is so subjective. There have been a lot of books that people have handed me and said they were “just hilarious,” but I didn’t find them all that funny. I’ve also tried to pass on books I found funny to others just to have them flop. What can I tell you? A lot of humor comes down to timing. On the other hand, the task for the challenge is actually very easy, you just have to find a book, any book, that makes YOU laugh out loud. Maybe you can start with a comedian you really like and see if they have written a book, although that is no guarantee, either — Gilda Radner’s book was wonderful but it was NOT funny.
Posted on Sunday, February 10, 2019 by Reading Addict
William P. Gottlieb, Library of Congress (Holiday, Fitzgerald and Armstrong by William P. Gottlieb), derivative work: Piquito [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia CommonsJazz Appreciation Month is not until April, but let’s start early, especially since February is Black History Month, which should include jazz history, too. The very first jazz recording ever made was “Livery Stable Blues” by the Original Dixieland Jass Band on February 26, 1917. The entire band was white, led by coronet player Nick LaRocca, which allowed them the privilege of recording in a New York City studio just as the technology was being developed. Jazz actually began in New Orleans, and there were certainly black musicians who had been playing longer and better, but this first recording did allow the music to reach a broader audience. The form of jazz played by the ODJB is considered classic jazz and consisted of ensembles without an emphasis on solo artists. Just two years later, the band performed in London gaining an even wider exposure for jazz.
Valentine’s Day is coming up, and nothing says love quite like a totalitarian nightmare society or post-apocalyptic community of survivalists! The convergence of a romantic storyline and a dystopian world is actually not uncommon. Young adult novels often explore this territory, but it is not exclusive to that age group. Here’s a Valentine’s Day reading list where love is tested by bleak dystopias.
“1984” by George Orwell is a classic. It has contributed terms like Orwellian, thoughtcrime and Big Brother to our lexicon, but it is not commonly thought of as a story about romance. However, it is a romantic connection that brings the main character, Winston, into conflict with Big Brother. The government sees that kind of relationship between two people as a threat, and the feelings that develop between Winston and Julia in turn make the government a threat to them. I won’t spoil how it ends, but it isn’t with someone receiving flowers or with Winston holding up a boombox outside Julia’s window, although that would be very ‘80s. Continue reading “Know Your Dystopias: Romance!”
Posted on Wednesday, February 6, 2019 by Katherine
It’s finally February and that means more debut novels from first-time fiction authors! And, as always, you can find a more complete list by visiting our catalog. Here’s hoping you discover a fabulous new author!
Former professional dancer Anna Roux weighs a shocking 88 pounds, but doesn’t think she has a problem with food, even though she only eats apples. Her idea of splurging is eating popcorn once a week. Her husband Matthias — with whom she moved to Missouri from Paris — is concerned, and when Anna passes out in the bathroom, they take the drastic step of going to 17 Swann Street, a residential facility for treating eating disorders. Her diagnosis: anorexia nervosa. There Anna begins a feeding program where she is forced to eat — every bite a trial and success brings only guilt — attend therapy and groups sessions, and deal with her complicated emotions surrounding food as she fights her way toward recovery. Continue reading “Debut Author Spotlight: February 2019”
In July 1865, “Wild Bill” Hickok shot and killed Davis Tutt in Springfield, MO– the first quick-draw duel on the frontier. Thus began the reputation that made him a marked man to every gunslinger in the Wild West. The legend of Wild Bill has only grown since his death in 1876, when cowardly Jack McCall famously put a bullet through the back of his head during a card game. Bestselling author Tom Clavin has sifted through years of western lore to bring Hickok fully to life in this rip-roaring, spellbinding true story. Continue reading “Nonfiction Roundup: February 2019”
The setting of “Scribe” by Alyson Hagy is somewhere in the southeastern United States. The time that it takes place in is less clear. People are living in the wake of a civil war and an epidemic, both of which killed many and left the survivors damaged and uprooted.There is a government that operates in an autocratic manner, though their presence in the remote hills this story takes place seems limited. Locally the social order is dictated by the competing interests of a strongman and a family with control of a large amount of land. Travel is by foot or by horse. Goods and services are acquired through a barter economy. Continue reading “Know Your Dystopias: Scribe”
My butler says there are two types of people: those that clean and those that make messes. He believes the mess makers should learn from the cleaners. He gently broached the topic while I was having a corn-on-the-cob break. “Intriguing premise,” I hollered. I sat my cob on the ottoman my butler was nearly done shampooing. “I’m inclined to agree,” I said at a reasonable volume. I beckoned for the butter bucket. My butler fetched the bucket and prepared a fresh cob. “But how do we teach those messy folk?” Deep in thought, I scratched my chin with the cob and wiped my buttery hand on the carpet.
My butler sighed in agreement. “Perhaps you could read a book about tidying up.” He hurriedly added, “so that then you could share the message it conveys with those that need to hear it.” As an aside, he added that perhaps books about being self aware and improving one’s memory might also be of interest to me. Continue reading “The Gentleman Recommends: Jen Beagin”
