A little bit of light reading

Lately, I've read a lot of books that made me think.  There weren't any that were particularly difficult to read, nor were they particularly serious, just a string of books that made me think.  A lot.  Frankly, it was getting a bit exhausting.  Sometimes I feel like I have a responsibility to read literature (imagine me saying that with a posh accent as if I'm in a tweed jacket with elbow patches).  But, sometimes, I just need a break.  With convenient timing, I received an e-mail announcing that Sophie Kinsella's new book I've Got Your Number was on the hold shelf waiting for me.

Now, I have a confession to make that is going to horrify you other chick-lit fans out there, so brace yourselves.  I don't like the Shopaholic series.  Becky Bloomwood irritates the bejeebers out of me.  Every time I tried reading one of the Shopaholic books, I found myself wanting to reach into the pages and shaking some sense into her.  I know, I know...sacrilege.  But, I've enjoyed Kinsella's non-shopaholic books like Twenties Girl and Remember Me, even though the characters are on the fluffier side, and I typically like the more serious chick-lit books she writes under her real name of Madeleine Wickham. 

I've Got Your Number is among Kinsella's best.  In Poppy, the eager-to-please bride-to-be who loses her engagement ring -- a generations old heirloom from her fiance's family, Kinsella has created a character who hits the right blend of a character who is flighty, but earnest and well-meaning.  On the same day, her cell phone is stolen, but she coincidentally finds one in the trash can of a hotel that she begins to use.  She begins to use the phone, which connects her to a business man and, of course, hijinks ensue.  The blend of light-hearted fun mixes well with more serious questions about Poppy's tendencies to put her own needs aside for others.  Throw in a dash of corporate intrigue, and it's a great story to entertain and amuse...and, ultimately, to provide a nice break from thinking too much. 

My vote goes to Taft 2012

As an Ohioan, of course I'd heard of William Howard Taft before.  Admittedly, my knowledge has been more or less in the range of knowing that on my presidential mood-indicator magnet, in which Lincoln indicates that I'm feeling "honest" and Grant means I'm feeling "Like 50 bucks," Taft indicates feeling "bloated."  I knew that the man who liked sandwiches was, himself, sandwiched between Teddy Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson and is the only person to have ever served in Congress, as president, and on the Supreme Court.  And, of course, the bathtub...what a sad (if amusuing) legacy to be remembered for getting stuck in the bathtub. 

But what if there was more mystique to Taft?  What if, rather than going on to be Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Taft disappeared on the day of Wilson's inauguration?  What if Taft then mysteriously reappeared in the fall of 2011?  Jason Heller's debut novel Taft 2012 presents a humorous, thoughtful answer to these hypotheticals.  When Taft appears out of the mud, he must confront the social, cultural, and political changes of the 100 years that have passed since his last memory.

What I found particularly interesting was not just the question of how the present day affects a man from the past, but how a man from the past affects us in the present day.  As the political season heats up, a non-partisan "Draft Taft" movement starts, calling for a return to the grass-roots, common-sense politics he espoused.  Heller deftly reminds the reader, though, that we are creatures of our environment and, through Taft's words, that politics was never as idyllically clean or as black and white as the lens of history makes it out to be.  If you're looking for a funny, thought-provoking quick read, check out Taft 2012. 

Truth is Stranger Than Fiction

Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction. I spoke to a mom recently who had concerns about her daughter's non-fiction reading selection for school. She'd prefer her daughter read a lighthearted fictional story. The story her 14 year old daughter selected to read was,  A Stolen Life: A Memoir by Jaycee Dugard. The mom took a glimpse through the book and decided it was too much for her daughter to handle. The story is about an 11 year old girl's abduction and discusses her captivity in the backyard of her kidnapper's home for 18 years. The remarkable part of this story is that despite many parole officer visits to this home, Jaycee was never discovered on the premises.  This is an in-depth look at the emotional and sexual abuse that Jaycee survived. I readily agree it is a difficult story for a child to read. I had concerns when my children's school had them read David Pelzer's  A Child Called "It": One Child's Courage to Survive . This is a true account of David's severe abuse at the hands of his mother and a father who was not strong enough to stop it. Fortunately, I had already read the story and I was there every step of the way when they had concerns and questions. 

Most of you know not all fiction stories are light hearted so even if your child selects a fiction story, they may end up with a story that seems like it is true. Earlier this year I read a story, Room: A Novel, by Stacy Donoghue that has many similarities to Jaycee's story.  The heroine was taken when she was young, sexually and physically abused for years and was able eventually to escape.

In the end it is a parent's choice what they allow their child to read, but... I strongly encourage all parents to support your child or teen. If they choose to read a potentially stressful non-fiction or fiction novel I recommend you read it for yourself. This  enables you to support them and gives you an opportunity to answer any questions they may have as they read.

If you prefer your child read less harrowing non-fiction (there are many) here are a few titles to consider.

Last dog on the hill : the extraordinary life of Lou by Steve Duno

Sophie : The Incredible True Adventures of the Castaway Dog by Emma Pearse

All Things Bright and Beautiful by James Herriot

Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom 

Return to Treasure Island and the Search For Captain Kidd by Barry Clifford

Soul Surfer : A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board By Bethany Hamilton

The Boys of Winter the Untold Story of a Coach, a Dream and the 1980 US Olympic Hockey Team by Wayne Coffey

The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition by Caroline Alexander

If you would like information about other titles available fill out a Personalized Reading List and we will create a list of titles based on you or your child's reading preferences.

Book Recommendations Sent To Your Email!

We at Fine Print obviously love reading.  But it's difficult, even for us librarians, to keep up with all the new stuff coming out.  But we have our ways.  And we would love to share one of those ways with all of you!  How would you like to receive reading suggestions that are delivered straight to your email? We've recently changed the look of our service and have even added some newsletters to our offerings! Try Fiction A-Z or NY Times Fiction Bestsellers if you enjoy everything Fiction. Maybe you'd prefer Nonfiction by trying our New Nonfiction and NY Times Nonfiction Bestsellers lists. The separate genres are covered with our Chick Lit, Fantasy, Mystery, and Romance lists. We even have a Business and Personal finance list!

Teens and children are covered, too! Try our Teen Scene newsletter if you're looking for some great Young Adult titles. Picture Books and Fiction for Kids are excellent if your child is just starting to read.

Click here if you'd like to check out the weekly, monthly and bi-monthly booklists you can receive from the library! Click the checkbox next to the lists you'd like to receive and then enter your email address at the bottom.  We have had some recent problems in which the confirmation email does not go through if someone is signing up for more that two newsletters.  Just send us an email at readersadv@wcpl.lib.oh.us with the newsletter titles you would like to receive if you want to sign up for more than two newsletters.

You've Seen the Movie Now Read the Book

This winter and spring are bursting with movies based on books. There are tons of Oscar nominees and upcoming releases to look forward too.  Why not read the books that inspired all those great actors, writers, directors, and producers to make their masterpieces?  As the saying goes: the book is always better than the movie--or is it? 

Let me know if you agree or disagree and try the following great books:

The Iron Lady--Oscar nominee--based on book The Iron Lady: Margaret Thatcher, from Grocer's Daughter to Prime Minister by John Campbell.

My Week with Marilyn--Oscar nominee--based on the book by Colin Clark.

The Hunger Games--one of the most highly anticipated movies since Harry Potter--Release date March 23rd--based on fantastic teen series by Suzanne Collins.

One for the Money--based on hilarious mystery series by Janet Evanovich. Released January 27th.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close--Oscar nominee--based on the book by Jonathan Safran Foer.

Think Like a Man--Release date March 9th--based on book Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man by Steve Harvey.

Game Change--Release date March 10th--based on book Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime by John Heilemann.

The Descendants--Oscar nominee--based on the book by Kaui Hart Hemmings.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo--Oscar nominee--based on Swedish crime thriller by Stieg Larsson.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy--Oscar nominee--based on book by John Le Carre'.

Moneyball--Oscar nominee--based on book Moneyball: the Art of Winning an Unfair Game by Michael M. Lewis

Big Miracle--Released February 3rd--true life wildlife rescue based on book by Tom Rose.

We Need to Talk About Kevin--Released January 27th--based on book by Lionel Shriver.

The Help--Oscar nominee--based on wonderful book by Kathryn Stockett.

And for the kids in all of us:

Dr. Seuss's The Lorax--Release date March 2nd--based on book by Dr. Seuss of course!

War Horse--Oscar nominee--based on book by Michael Morpugo.

Hugo--Oscar nominee--based on book The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick.

So let me know what you think!  Book or movie?

The Woman in Black

Okay, the holidays are over and spring is still a ways off, so what else have you got to do besides scare yourself silly? You may have seen trailers for a movie called "The Woman in Black," which just opened in theaters February 3 and stars everyone's favorite boy-wizard, Daniel Radcliffe. While I'm not pushing the movie on you (I haven't seen it, so I can't comment on how good--or bad--it might be), it's based on a book also titled The Woman in Black by Susan Hill. Within its pages you'll meet Arthur Kipps, a young attorney on the rise in London of yesteryear. When his boss sends him--alone--on an assignment to Eel Marsh House to settle the affairs of a recently expired widow, Mrs. Alice Drablow, he has high hopes that this will land him a much-desired promotion within the ranks of the law firm. Once he arrives, though, he finds himself in the middle of a spine-tingling mystery. Why are the townsfolk so standoffish about about Mrs. Drablow? And just who is the dreadful woman in black? Kipps is determined to find answers, but learning the truth has grave consequences, and by tale's end he wishes he'd never stepped foot in Eel Marsh House. This is a great story superbly written in the style of classic gothic novels, and also a long-running theater production on the London stage. So maybe the book won't exactly scare the dickens out of you, but it's a nice spine-tingler. And if you enjoy it, you'll probably like Susan Hill's other ghostly tale as well, The Man in the Picture.

In the Queue

The Dressmaker: A Novel by Kate Alcott

Just in time for the centennial anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, comes this historical novel about a young woman who survives the disaster but has a difficult time with the media frenzy that follows the tragedy.

Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James

P.D. James and Jane Austen—you can’t get any better than that. Catch up on Darcy and his wife Elizabeth Bennett at their grand estate, Pemberley. Life is wonderful until Elizabeth’s sister, Lydia, arrives screaming that her husband has been murdered!

Connectome by Sebastian Seung

Neuron by neuron, Seung and his colleagues are drawing a map to represent what Seung says is the real key to what makes us each individuals.

Respite for a political junkie (well, sort of...)

Nevada three days ago.  Minnesota and Colorado (and sort-of-but-not-really Missouri) tonight.  The campaign season is hopping and, dear readers, I must confess that I am a political junkie who's ready for a break.  As much as I love the political process, I sometimes think that if watching the legislative process is like watching sausage being made, then the campaign process is akin to watching that horrid video of chicken nuggets being made (Warning: if you've escaped that video so far, do NOT search it out.  You won't want to eat for days).  So, what's a girl to do?  Say it with me now: "Turn to fiction!" 

There are a host of political books to turn to, whether you want romance, thriller, or behind-the-scenes realism.  I'm not talking about books that have political messages or ramifications like 1984 or The Jungle -- I'm talking about books that are actually about politicians or government agents, and their lives.  I find it fun to get my fix of politics without having to think about the actual repercussions of it.  As with the best fiction of any genre, though, it can also be a great way to get a new perspective on an old situation and can inform my thinking about real situations -- just in a slightly more escapist way.  If you, too want some great political fiction, check out some of these:

  If you're looking for a political thriller, try Vince Flynn or David Baldacci.  Both write fast-paced, plot-driven, cinematic books involving political intrigue.  Try Baldacci's first novel, Absolute Power, about a president involved in a murder investigation, or Transfer of Power, the first in Flynn's series about the CIA's top counterterrorism specialist.

 

For a look at the lives of those inside the White House, try Nicolle Wallace's Eighteen Acres or Curtis Sittenfeld's American Wife.  Both provide a perspective on what it would be like to be married to the president.  Eighteen Acres focuses on the first woman president and her husband, while American Life is widely considered to be a fictional take on Laura Bush.

If you're looking for tales of campaigns or ascension into government power, check out All the King's Men, Robert Penn Warren's examination of corruption in Louisiana politics, or Joe Klein's Primary Colors.

What are your favorite fictional takes on politics?

Paranormal Romance

Do you like reading stories about zombies, werewolves, vampires? If you say yes,  you might want to try reading a paranormal romance.  They have action, adventure, fantasy, time travel, sci-fi and of course, legendary creatures. The one thing that will remain true with this romance sub-genre is that there will be a happy ending. Here are a few excellent Paranormal romances.

Destiny's Star by Elizabeth Vaughn is an amazing fantasy romance adventure. This is the 3rd in the star trilogy.  Destiny's Star is a classic love story about one talespinning guy who can't properly sit a horse, and a warrior who does not believe herself worthy of the bard. This novel is full of adventure. There are sword fights, magic, war, love political intrigue and justice.  Vaughn keeps your attention from the beginning until the end.  If you want to read the whole series begin with Dagger Star, then White Star and conclude with Destiny's Star. They are definitely worth the read even if you are not fond of typical romance stories.

Laurell K. Hamilton's Guilty Pleasures is the first in a vampire series. Anita Blake  is a necromancer and vampire hunter. In this time period vampires are protected by law, as long as they don't kill humans. However, when vampires go rogue it is Anita's job to track them down and end their existence. Jean-Claude is the second most powerful vamp and he is definitely interested in Anita for more than just her professional skills.

Shadow Game by Christine Feehan is a  New York Times Bestseller. Christine Feehan plunges readers into the darkest recesses of the mind as a man and a woman discover the terrifying power -- and the forbidden passion -- that could destroy them both.

Sins of the Heart by Eve Silver. A national bestselling author introduces a darkly sexy new series about forbidden alliances . . . and inescapable desires. This includes a feisty strong female heroine, Roxy and demigod Dagan. When they meet again after 11 years passion ignites. The two adversaries must work together to solve a murder mystery.

The Lefty Awards--Mysteries That Make You Laugh

While you are waiting for the groundhog to see (or not see) his shadow--how about trying a good mystery novel.  The Left Coast Crime (LCC) convention award nominations were announced Tuesday. "LCC is an annual mystery convention sponsored by mystery fans, for mystery fans.  It is held during the first quarter of the calendar year in Western North America, as defined by the Mountain Time Zone and all time zones westward to Hawaii."  The 2012 conference will be held in Sacramento, California at the end of March. Look at the following nominees in several categories:

The Bruce Alexander Memorial Historical Mystery Award, is given to mystery novels covering events before 1960.  This year's nominees are:

--Rhys Bowen, Naughty in Nice
--Rebecca Cantrell, A Game of Lies
--Ann Parker, Mercury's Rise
--Priscilla Royal, A Killing Season
--Jeri Westerson, Troubled Bones
--Jacqueline Winspear, A Lesson in Secrets

The Golden Nugget is a special award given to the best mystery set in California, in recognition of this year's location.  The nominees are:

--Jan Burke, Disturbance
--Michael Connelly, The Drop
--Janet Dawson, Bit Player
--Sue Grafton, V is for Vengeance
--Kelli Stanley, City of Secrets

The Lefty, is given for the best humorous mystery novel and the winner is chosen by convention attendees.  This year's nominees are:

--Donna Andrews, The Real Macaw
--Rita Lakin, Getting Old Can Kill You
--Jess Lourey, October Fest
--Kris Neri, Magical Alienation
--John Vorhaus, The Albuquerque Turkey (on order)

Try the LCC website for more information including past nominees and winners.  What is really interesting about these awards is that besides The Lefty, the awards given are based on the location of that year's convention.

I love humorous mysteries including those by Janet Evanovich and Sarah Strohmeyer so I am always looking for more to read.  What are some of your favorite funny mystery authors?