Hand-Selling Titles

As most library staff know, there are hundreds (thousands?) of captivating, mesmerizing, over-the-top wonderful titles out there that most people don't know about. And because it's fun (and our job) to link people with these yummies, we hand sell our favorite unknowns to customers. Here are some of my favorite lesser known fiction and non-fiction titles:

Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane
Trustee from the Toolroom by Nevil Shute
Sin Killer by Larry McMurtry
Telegraph Days by Larry McMurtry
Dead Man's Walk by Larry McMurtry
The Devil You Know by Mike Carey
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Resurrection by Tucker Malarkey
Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin
Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen
In the Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Fleming
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie King
The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz
Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon
The Next Thing On My List by Jill Smolinski
Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella
My Dream of You by Nuala O'Faolain
Match Me If You Can by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks
Austenland by Shannon Hale
Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder
The Last American Man by Elizabeth Gilbert
A Trip to the Beach by Melinda Blanchard
84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
Almost There by Nuala O'Faolain

If you have little known treasured titles that you recommend to friends, please share with us!

Working at the Library

Working at the library is amazing for many reasons (other than just being cool, of course). The other day I went out to lunch with a coworker and we found ourselves promoting the library. Our waitress saw our library t-shirts and overheard that we were on our lunch break. She got so excited and starting asking where the library was. We were right down the street but she had no idea she had a Columbus Metropolitan Library branch so close. She talked about using the Main Library but how it was so far away and she didn’t have a chance to go as much as she would like to.

It’s always interesting to me that the moment I mention I work at the library, everyone starts to get all giddy about it. I really do like my job for the most part, but it’s nice to get that extra boost from the community. Seeing people get all excited about where I work gets me excited about where I work too!

It always amazes me too that there are still so many people that have no idea where their closest library is. Do you know where your nearest library is? Do you use just one library or do you check out different branches for different needs? What’s your favorite thing about your local library?

Current Read: The Abortionist’s Daughter by Elisabeth Hyde

Gems of the African American Section

At first glance it may appear that the average African American section of a library or bookstore offers two types of books – the Terri McMillan-esque romantic rope-a-dope at one end and gritty thug lit at the other. In reality the range of work that actually appears in these sections is actually far vaster.

This isn’t true simply because institutions typically thrust books of any genre in this section so long as the author is a black American (though it doesn’t hurt). If we took out all of the books that have stand-alone sections in our collection now - mysteries, romance, science fiction, westerns, horror and fantasy – there would still be a lot of books left on the shelves.

The African-American sections located in our libraries typically contain some remarkable jewels that don’t fall easily into genres or, thankfully, stereotypes. My highest recommendations include:

Faraday’s Popcorn Factory by Sandra Lee Gould
If like love stories but want a twist now and then, this one may be for you. A woman working in a popcorn factory catches the eye of an otherworldly being who begins to woo her. There is some down-to-earth courting, some dramatic swells and some danger involved, and in the end the book is sweet and heady. Multiple narrators keeps it spinning a little more than it should, but it’s forgivable stuff. A truly unique story for the intellectual in you.

Dreamer by Charles Johnson
Written by multiple-award winning author Charles Johnson, this book is a tight, accessible story about Chaym Smith, a man who, thanks to his stunning resemblance to Martin Luther King, Jr., is asked to act as a stand-in for the icon during periods of the Civil Rights Era. Smith is almost everything that King is not, and the image of seeing King as a drunk, loud, boorish ex-veteran was an irresistible drama of the book. A great idea executed by a master storyteller.

Song Yet Sung by James McBride
An ensemble cast of characters set during the era of slavery participate in an epic adventure about the hunt for a young slave girl who has visions of the future. A sly commentary on contemporary culture and where it comes from, this book is adventurous and full of close-calls and wonderfully drawn characters on both sides of the issue. A must read!

Erasure by Percival Everett
Everett is one of the most prolific authors around, yet no one has heard of him. Erasure is as close as he’s ever come to a bonafide bestseller, and considering its premise, that’s no small feat. The book centers on Thelonius Ellison, a professor who, in a fit of frustration at being thought of as writing “too white” and suffering in the publishing industry for years, composes a parody of commercial street lit under a pseudonym, which subsequently becomes a bestselling book, lauded by critics and audiences alike. The book is something of a rollercoaster ride from there as his alter ego is asked to be on television, is offered millions for movie rights and more (or worse!). This is one of my favorite books, period, and is a stunning criticism of mainstream publishing today.

Ghost Stories

I am a sucker for a good ghost story. I don't necessarily mean a scary story, just stories with ghosts in them. I once read a book where a child was haunted by the ghost of another child who died on the Titanic. Through information provided by the ghost, they were able to expose the child's mother for abandoning him to save herself. I have no idea what the title was, but if it sounds familiar to anyone let me know. I've found a few books that stand out featuring ghosts.

Jodi Picoult's Second Glance brings a ghost hunter with a death wish to a rural Vermont town where a ghost helps him expose the shameful eugenics experiments conducted on the local Abenaki Indian tribe in the 1930's as well as uncover a murder. This is the only book I ever read by Picoult and as far as I can tell, the rest are nothing like this one. People often recommend her other work to me, but I just can't get over the lack of ghosts.

The Mercy of Thin Air by Ronlyn Domingue features the ghost of Raziela "Razi" Nolan, a young woman who died in 1928 when she slipped on the side of a swimming pool, bumping her head and then drowning. Razi follows a young couple home from a yard sale when they buy a bookcase that once belonged to Razi's fiance. Razi tells us the story of her life and how she wonders whatever happened to her beloved Andrew. Razi watches as the young couple, Amy and Scott begin to have problems. It turns out that Amy lost her fiance years before in a car accident and is having difficulty dealing with it now that she and Scott are thinking of starting a family. In the end we find out that Razi and Amy share a common connection.

Stephen King's Bag of Bones features both a good ghost and several bad ones trying to get revenge on a mean old man who did them wrong. Writer Mike Noonan retreats to his lake front home in Maine after the sudden death of his wife. Once there, he encounters a young girl and her mother living in a trailer park. The girl is the granddaughter of the richest man in those parts. He had disapproved of his son's relationship with a woman from the wrong side of the tracks and blames her for his alienation from his son and his subsequent death. The old man sets out to take the little girl from her mother until Mike starts meddling. He is encouraged to get involved by the ghost of his wife who leaves him messages on the refrigerator spelled out in alphabet magnets.

If you have read any novels featuring ghosts that you would like to recommend, let me know. I've only ever stumbled upon them on the shelf. It is hard to find them in the catalog without getting a lot of horror stories or non-fiction books about the paranormal.

Out of Africa

Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai grew up in a lush corner of Kenya in the 1940s--two decades before the country wrested its independence from Great Britain. During her lifetime she saw her people oppressed by greed and corruption--first by the Western government that colonized Kenya, and then by those Kenyans who freed the country and claimed to represent its interests.

In her memoir Unbowed, Maathai depicts colonization from the perspective of the colonized: she describes how Kenya's natural resources were devoured by an enormous colonial government, how Kenya's people lost their identity when their land was taken from them, and how they have struggled to recover it since. She ties Kenyans' disconnection from their land to the political oppression and discontent in the country today, and she offers a radically simple solution: the Green Belt Movement, an initiative to reclaim Africa's green spaces.

Maathai's involvement with Kenya's political, educational, and health care systems; her battles with the government to preserve Kenya's land and resources; her advocacy for women's rights and civil rights; her Kenyan upbringing and her Western education; and her personal struggle for equality as a woman, a Kenyan, and a human being--all make for an absorbing history of one woman's refusal to follow the status quo. It is en engrossing and inspirational read.

Have any other recommendations for an inspiring memoir?

ASRC: The Case of the Missing Detectives!

Adult Summer Reading Club here at Parsons has been packed with wall-stuffing displays!

We generated three separate displays for patrons at every age level that they could interact with to advance on their reading records. Here was the adult one, a little thing I like to call "The Case of the Missing Detectives!" Originally, I had it laid out so that there was a whole mystery aspect to it where you not only guessed who the detectives were, but who kidnpapped them. I removed the villain, but the rest of the project remained intact. Also, I primarily used detectives who were not only popular, but had been filmed at least once. That way people who might not read mysteries could also participate. And of course, the icing in any display should always be our collection: the mysteries themselves.

There was only one ringer!

American Wife and Me

I would never have expected to be able to listen to 19 CDs about Laura Bush -- not so much because of what I assumed would be our political differences, but more because I never thought her worth thinking about. (That is, for 19 CDs.) What makes American Wife remarkable is that it is a compelling portrait of a maybe-not-so-compelling person. Well, wait that's not fair -- Alice Blackwell isn't "plain" as much as the opposite of charismatic. Is that it? Has anyone else read or listened to this who can figure out why it worked? (Or didn't?)

(Also, for those who do know about Laura Bush's real life: did you find it rang true? I'm curious to know which parts were more fictionalized than others.)

Hollywood Noir at Its Best

Mixing history and fiction is popular lately. Ace Atkins' The Devil's Garden

blends fact in fiction in a delicious and dark hard-boiled detective story set in pre-code 1920's Hollywood.

Sam (later to become Dashiel) Hammett is a Pinkerton detective, hired to investigate the famous Fatty Arbuckle. Accused of killing an aspiring actress in a most sordid manner (rape with a Coca-Cola bottle--and this is a true part!), Arbuckle is villified daily by the Los Angeles press.

Hammett wanders through Hollywood's dark guts, interviewing fellow party-goers, trying to sort truth from lies in a city made famous by stories spun for its masses.

Writer Atkins has a great ear for dialogue, and has even included a 1920's Hollywood street map for the reader to follow the action. I was surprised to find so many facts in Atkin's novel: Hammett did work for the Pinkertons, and did, in fact, investigate the Arbuckle case.

But the dialogue is pure Atkins. This is one of those books that should be filmed. Maybe John Goodman as Fatty Arbuckle...

I AM a fan of books

In late May rapper Kanye West was quoted as saying “I am not a fan of books. I would never want a book’s autograph. I am a proud non-reader of books. I like to get information from doing stuff like actually talk to people and living real life.” The irony of him saying this is that he is now a published author. Funny how he wants people to spend money on his book but he is not a “fan” of books.

After I read about this, I was pretty upset. Something cool happened though, every time I expressed my anger and shared the story with friends or family who had not yet heard, everyone reacted in pretty much the same way that I had. All the sudden I was hearing everyone talk about how great books are and how dare he make these comments. It turns out that while Mr. West is not a fan of books, many people still are. I know I am proud to say I am a huge fan of books. Reading allows you to get away without actually having to move from your couch, patio, desk, etc. I like to get my information in more than one way too and getting out there and doing stuff is great, but reading about stuff is pretty cool too. Why are you a fan of books?

Current Read: The Condition by Jennifer Haigh, another book I’m glad to be reading this summer. I’m hooked on reading about this family, as they struggle through life facing challenges and I am hoping for a happy ending for them.

I Love Historical Family Sagas

I always enjoyed those books that followed several generations of a family like Sidney Sheldon's Master of the Game, the North and South Trilogy by John Jakes, and Princess Daisy by Judith Krantz. You don't see too many of these books nowadays. I was very happy to discover Penny Vincenzi's books several years ago. Vincenzi is a British author and her books have only been available in the United States for a few years now. The story of the Lytton Family begins in No Angel. It is 1904 and Lady Celia Beckenham, the daughter of an English aristocrat is determined to marry Oliver Lytton, the scion of Lyttons Publishing House. He is a commoner and Celia's parents are having none of it. Oliver loves Celia but is too honorable to pursue her against her family's wishes. Celia comes up with a plan to get her way. Soon she is pregnant and her parents reluctantly give her their blessing. Married life isn't as exciting as Celia thought it would be and motherhood soon loses its appeal. Celia is a bright young woman who wants to be more than women of her day were allowed. Her interest in the publishing business is rebuffed and she is encouraged to pursue charity work. Although it is against the rules, Celia befriends a young woman she meets through the charity. They are about the same age but this woman already has more children than she can handle and is expecting another one. Her husband is a drunk and often violent. In her misguided way, Celia wants to help the woman and offers to take in the little girl called Barty. A few years later, Celia's twin daughters are born. By taking Barty from her family, she would cause the girl to be in a kind of limbo. Because of Celia, Barty got to live in a big house, have nice clothes, good food and an education equal to any upper class girl but was never allowed to forget that she didn't really belong in that world. She would also face the resentment of her siblings who wondered why Barty got to be the lucky one. This conflict and its consequences will be fully explored in Something Dangerous.

World War I gives women like Celia a rare opportunity. The men were away at war and someone had to take over the jobs they left. Celia hires other talented women and together they keep the publishing house afloat. She is doomed to disappointment when the war is over and Oliver returns a changed man. He has been injured and is dismayed to see how much better Celia is at business than he had been. As soon as he is able, he takes his rightful place and fires all the women Celia had hired and worked with for years to make places for all the men returning from the war. In time, Celia is allowed back into the business, but their relationship has changed for the worst.

Celia woos a famous children's author to Lyttons and works closely with him. They soon begin an affair. Celia is stuck in a loveless marriage but knows that leaving Oliver is not an option. She finds herself pregnant with her lover's child and is advised by her mother of all people to make her husband think it is his. Oliver has long since been cowed by Celia and if he suspects anything, he doesn't let on. She ends the affair and makes the best of things with Oliver. The book ends with the birth of her son Kitt.

Something Dangerous is the story of Celia's twin girls and Barty through World War II and Into Temptation is the story of the family in the aftermath of Celia's death and also Barty's daughter Jenna.

Murder, Magic and Madness

I don’t often read non-fiction. I much prefer the fantastic worlds of science fiction or fantasy. But occasionally a book will come along with writing so crisp and a story so engaging that it makes me read outside of my comfort zone just to see what it’s all about. Has there ever been a book that you were surprised to find yourself reading?

For me, one such book was The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. The story fully lives up to the “murder, magic and madness” it promises in its sub-title, and does it so well that it was the 2004 Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime, the 2003 National Book Award Finalist for Nonfiction, and was on the shortlist for the 2003 CWA Gold Dagger award for non-fiction.

Larson frames his story around the lives of two men: Daniel Burnham, architect, and Herman Mudgett, otherwise known as Dr. H. H. Holmes, serial killer. As Burnham planned and constructed the towering “White City” that would hold the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, Holmes was constructing his own legacy of death, culminating in the three-story high, block long “Murder Castle.”

The highlight of the book is definitely when the two stories meet during the six month run of the Exposition, but I was kept on the edge of my seat until the very end, anxious to find out how events wrapped up.

The Devil in the White City is not for the faint of heart. True crime rarely is: it hits too close to home, and it can be a shock when you realize the horrific things that you’re reading about are not the inventions of an author sitting at a computer, but the actions of a real person. It is a fascinating read for those who want a chill up their spine this summer.

Series heaven

I'm always excited when I find a new series to obsess over. If I'm new to it and
it's been around a long time I'll have months of great listening. If it's a new series I'm biting my nails until the next installment is released. But a frequent question for both long running and newer series is...what is the chronological order of the titles?

Some series will show up on the library's computer catalog using an author, single title or series title search; look to the right of the screen and click on "series." Once located, you can reserve your title directly from this screen. If your series doesn't show, or is not complete, go to www.fantasticfiction.com for a complete list of series titles in order.

A few of my favorite series, in no particular order, are:
Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris
Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne series by Julia Spencer-Fleming
Wee Free Men/A Hat Full of Sky/Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett
Adelia Aguilar (Mistress of the Art of Death) series by Ariana Franklin
Chicago Stars series by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Alex Delaware series by Jonathan Kellerman
Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J. R. Ward
Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling
Berrybender Narratives by Larry McMurtry
Jane Rizzoli series by Tess Gerritsen
Spellman family series by Lisa Lutz

What series do you recommend?

cute Harry Potter story

Last week when I was working, a very young lady (couldn't have been older than 10) was asking me for some books in the Harry Potter series. I was getting them for her, and we were chatting about the series since I'm a big fan myself. She said she might re-read the last book but she wasn't sure, since she "hated" the ending. I was thinking she was perhaps referring to one of the many character deaths that occur in that book and was trying to think of something comforting to say. Then she bursts out "Hermione should have married Harry, not Ron!"

My jaw dropped. What was going through my head was: a) you're too young to care about that; and b) NO SHE SHOULDN'T!!! I managed to squeak out "noooooo" and something about Hermione and Ron being made for each other (obviously!), and that was pretty much it. She went on her way, and I just marveled at the sheer power of a well-told story.

Middlesex

Ever find out about a great book long after it was popular? Months ago I was in a class with some fellow library staff and we were all suggesting books to one another. Actually they were suggesting books, I was frantically writing down titles to add to my never ending book list. Someone mentioned Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides and I was intrigued by their summary. I thought it must have been a new book since I hadn’t heard of it before, but turns out it’s been around for awhile. I reserved it and patiently (okay not so patiently) waited for it to come in.

I was a bit leery when I read the back cover synopsis. It just didn’t sound like my cup of tea. I kept in mind though that of all the books I penned down that day, this was the one I reserved immediately. Within just a few pages I was hooked. I could not put it down. It was one of those long books that you want to finish because it’s so good, but can’t imagine finishing because it’s so good! I also realized after I got the book that it’s by the author of The Virgin Suicides which was a favorite read of mine some time ago, though I didn’t like the movie. Middlesex might be too complicated to make into a movie but I would love to see what they could do with it. If you are looking for a great read this summer, this one is on the top of my list from this year’s reads.

What books have you found out about much later after “everyone” had already read them? Were you surprised you had missed a great find? Were you happy to have finally caught on to a great read? What book has been your favorite read this year?

Current Read: Undoing I Do by Anastasia Royal

Beach Blanket Blog

During my recent vacation I took some time to scope out what everyone is reading around the pool and under the beach umbrella. You might be surprised to find out that what is popular this summer is suspense, romance and thrills. No light reads here.

Blue Smoke by Nora Roberts

Reena Hale thought becoming an arson investigator for the Baltimore Police Department was a challenge, until she met hunky next door neighbor Bo Goodnight. With a pyromaniac stalker threatening everything Reena loves, her relationship with Bo won’t be the only thing heating up.

Dying Breath by Wendi Corsi Staub

A summer on the Jersey shore sounds like the perfect get away for Cam Hastings and her teenage daughter. Cam soon learns that you can’t outrun your demons, no matter where you go. A serial killer is preying on children and Cam’s disturbing visions are about to become reality.

Killer Weekend by Ridley Pearson

Eight years ago in Sun Valley, Idaho, sheriff Walt Fleming bravely stopped an attempt on Attorney General Elizabeth Shaler's life. Back in town, Elizabeth prepares to announce her candidacy for president at a weekend conference. Her political aspirations are soon threatened by a cunning assassin who intends to finish the job.

Hot titles in the hot sun! Adventures await you. What do you plan to read during your summer getaway?

Visiting Fabletown

I’ll admit that I have always loved fairy tales. Not the Disney versions, where everyone always lives happily ever after, but the real Grimm ones – pun definitely intended. Two of my favorites are “The Juniper Tree” and “Bearskin” – has anyone heard of those? What are your favorite childhood tales?

As an adult, I sometimes feel a little silly pouring over the old fairy tales, but luckily the Fables series of comics has updated the stories and made them more accessible to modern audiences (and grown-ups!) The first collection in the series, Legends in Exile by Bill Willingham, tells the sad tale of how the Adversary – the faceless, nameless enemy – slowly took over the lands of the Fables and forced them into exile. They have managed to make a living in New York City but still dream of one day standing up to the Adversary and taking back their homes. The series is clever and fast-paced with memorable characters and striking illustrations. It can be fun to catch up with some familiar characters and see what they’ve been up to since their original stories – for example, who would have thought the Frog Prince would be a janitor in a high-rise, or that Snow White would divorce Prince Charming and become a deputy mayor?

Don’t be fooled, though – these fairy tales are not for kids. Jack of Fables, Prince Charming and Bluebeard are pretty serious playboys and the illustrators aren't above showing a bit of romance. Also, while most of the series is light-hearted, there is a war brewing with plenty of casualties on both sides.

If you’re curious about the fate of your favorite fairy tale character, I would suggest you pick up Legends in Exile and get caught up in the magic and adventure.

Books about books

Right now I'm reading the latest collection of Nick Hornby's articles originally published in The Believer, a magazine with contributors such as Amy Sedaris and Dave Eggers. In Shakespeare Wrote for Money, Nick Hornby, author of About a Boy and Fever Pitch, tells about the books he's bought and read.

Here's Hornby's praise of Fun Home by Alison Bechdel:

Fun Home has had an enormous amount of praise ladled on it already, and those of us who love graphic novels will regret slightly the overt literariness of Bechdel's lovely book (there are riffs on Wilde, and The Portrait of a Lady, and Joyce)-not because it's unenjoyable or pretentious or unjustified, but because it is likely to encourage those who were previously dismissive of the form to decide that it is, after all, capable of intelligence. Never mind. We'll ignore them.

I've never gotten into Hornby's novels, but I read his two previous collections of articles-The Polysyllabic Spree and Housekeeping vs. the Dirt. They're funny books and they've have given me some good suggestions for reading. Since Hornby is British, he reviews some books that don't get as much press in America.

Perfect Marriage of Narrator and Story

There are narrators who are intrinsically linked to specific stories or are so closely associated with a series that it would cause a laying down of earphones if they were replaced. They are THE voice of the protagonist and it would be difficult, if not impossible, to replace them. The following is a list of iconic readers to enjoy:

Jim Dale - Harry Potter series (by J.K. Rowling)
Simon Vance - The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (by Stieg Larsson)
Johanna Parker - Sookie Stackhouse series (by Charlaine Harris)
Will Patton - Dave Robicheaux series (by James Lee Burke)
Kate Reading - Can You Keep a Secret? (by Sophie Kinsella)
Anna Fields - Chicago Stars series (by Susan Elizabeth Phillips)
Stephen Briggs - Wee Free Men (by Terry Pratchett)
Barbara Rosenblat - The Indiscretion (by Judith Ivory)
Simon Jones - The Bartimaeus Trilogy (by Jonathan Stroud)
Davina Porter - Outlander (by Diana Gabaldon)

Who are your favorite narrators?

Talking About Books

Earlier this year, I spent Memorial Day weekend up in Cleveland visiting family and friends. That Sunday night a group of friends and I went out to a bar to watch the Cavs game. We were sitting around on a holiday weekend eating nachos at the bar watching the game, so naturally we started talking about… books. Yes you read that right, book talk at the bar. I didn’t even bring them up; someone else started talking about needing to create their summer reading list since summer was approaching. Then somehow that led to a much longer discussion on who was reading what lately and what they liked or didn’t like about it.

I love talking about books so I was quite happy with the discussion topic, but it still struck me as odd that in the last place I’d expect to be talking about books, we suddenly were. When you are out with a group of friends do you ask what they are currently reading? What books are making up your summer reading list this year?

Current Read: Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs by Chuck Klosterman
I really love this book! It is a set of essays written on pop culture and a fairly easy light read.

The Secret Life of Syrian Lingerie

Reason 70 million thousand I'm glad the library exists -- and I know this is going to sound a little strange -- is the book, The Secret Life of Syrian Lingerie: Intimacy and Design. When I came across this on the shelf, I was looking for anything about the history of clothing, for a project I was doing with kids. I picked it up and thought two things: 1. This won't be something I'll share with the kids (in part because of the scholarly treatment of the subject), and 2. Wow. I have to check this out.

I've had a chance to read most of this unusual book, and although I'm finding the topic unsettling and sometimes even offputting, I'm amazed by this slim guide to a world I knew nothing about. I'm impressed with the authors and editors, who had to overcome many barriers in order to publish this -- and grateful to my library for giving me the chance to discover it.