Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick Rothfuss

Patrick Rothfuss’s Slow Regard of Silent Things is, to say the least an odd book. I have seen it classified as “Epic Fantasy” because it’s book 2.5 of the Kingkiller Chronicles, but it weighs in at only 159 pages. There is a solid chapters worth on a soap making adventure. Rothfuss himself warns people away from the book, an odd move to say the least. But to be fair, this is the story of a fascinating, but exceptionally strange character in his Kingkiller chronicles. 

The story follows Auri, who lives below the University in what she calls the Underthing. You could call it a character expose, following Auri over the course of a handful of days as she explores the secrets of her world, lives, and prepares to meet Kvothe. Patrick brings the same poetic style as Name of the Wind, but condensed and with all the brilliant action and snarky dialogue thrown right out the window. What is left is strange, but extremely fitting to both the character and the world Rothfuss has created, a brief but excellent tale.

In the end, I definitely would recommend this book; however, I would also suggest that you first read The Name of the Wind and A Wise Man’s Fear to get a sense of the Rothfuss, the story, and of Auri. I realize that this exceeds 1500 pages, but if you are a fan of fantasy, every last page is worth it. The only down side is that Rothfuss is still in the process of writing the last book of the trilogy, but be patient, he will get it done.

Best Comfort Food Cookbooks

It's the time of year when snow is falling. The roads are slushy and not many people want to go out in the cold. Even the people who love snow end up longing for some nice hot soup or a home cooked meal to warm them up when they come inside. When your desire for something warm strikes open one of these great cookbooks for some wonderful recipes. You and your family are sure to love these delicious home cooked meals.  


Comfort Food Cookbooks

Bake Until Bubbly The name says it all. Visions of creamy, tender casseroles with a crust that is a bit crunchy and bubbling with flavor. These are simple one dish meals that will definitely warm you up! 

Comfort Food These are family favorites that have been passed down from generations. The beautiful color photography and great tales about each recipe will have you craving them before you are done reading the recipe. 


300 Sensational Soups This is the definitive collection of recipes for soup lovers everywhere.



The Italian Slow Cooker Finally a book that combines the fresh exuberant flavors of Italian food with the ease and comfort of slow cooking. 

Fix It and Forget It Christmas Cookbook 600 delicious recipes from home cooks across the country who want to feast with their loved ones without being exhausted, frazzled or getting stuck in the kitchen all day.

The Ultimate Slow Cooker Cookbook You'll never run out of flavorful meals with this massive photo filled compendium of delicious recipes.  

Make It Fast, Cook It Slow These recipes are affordable, delicious and nutritious gluten-free recipes which will please the whole family. 

Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook This comprehensive collection of 350 recipes combines the ease of slow cooking with the fresh, wholesome ingredients and exciting flavor's of today's kitchen.


Southern Living Slow-Cooker Cookbook 200 recipes that show you how to make delicious comfort food with little fuss.


Taste of Home Comfort Food Cookbook Diet A common sense approach to healthy and happy living. These recipes are nutritious and delicious!


The Gourmet Slow Cooker Regional Comfort Food Classics
Fall in love with your slow cooker again. These are sophisticated easy to prepare recipes that focus on comfort food across America.



If you have a favorite comfort food cookbook, which I did not list, tell me what it is, I'd love to give it a try.

Man-Made Disasters: Environmental, Nuclear, and Terror

Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial

Since September 11th was the 13th anniversary of one of America's greatest  tragedies, I thought I'd highlight the books and authors that are part of a genre called disaster books.  The definition according to Wikipedia is:

"Disaster books are a literary genre involving detailed descriptions of major historical disasters, often based on the historical records or personal testimonies of survivors. Since reportage of both natural disasters and man-made disasters is commonplace, authors tend to be journalists who develop their news reports into books."

This final week we will be covering more man-made disasters.  

Environmental

Bhopal Chemical Leak--Bhopal, India--Dec 3, 1984--3, 828 dead--worst industrial accident in history--around 1 am at the Union Carbide plant, forty tons of deadly MIC gas was released in a cloud that spread over 15 square miles, killing victims in their sleep--lies, misinformation, and under equipped medical facilities led to even more deaths--today it is estimated that 10-15 people die each day from chemical exposure in the areas surrounding the plant.

--Chemical Accident by Alex Woolf

--Catastrophe: the 100 Greatest Disasters of All Time by Stephen J. Spignesi

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill--Prince William Sound, Alaska--March 24, 1989--after running aground on a reef, 10.8 million gallons of oil spread over 11,000 square miles--$3-$8 billion in losses--it is considered one of the most devastating human-caused environmental disasters in history--25 years later, marine life is still dying and Exxon still owes Alaska $92 million in settlement money.

--The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill by Peter Benoit

--Not One Drop: Betrayal and Courage in the Wake of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill by Riki Ott

Gulf Oil Disaster/Deep Water Horizon Oil Spill--Gulf of Mexico near the Mississippi River Delta, USA--Apr 20, 2010-Jul 15, 2010--a gas explosion killed 11 crew and spilled 210 million gallons of oil over 68,000 square miles--dolphins and marine life are still dying in record numbers--health consequences for marine life and humans may last generations--as of Sep 2014, BP was found primarily negligent and reckless--with billions owed in settlements and fines, the company's future remains unknown.

--Fire on the Horizon: the Untold Story of the Gulf Oil Disaster by John Konrad

--Run to Failure: BP and the Making of the Deepwater Horizon Disaster by Abraham Lustgarten

Nuclear

Three Mile Island Nuclear Accident--Middletown, PA--Mar 28, 1979--$1.1 billion in damages--the worst nuclear power plant accident in US history--radiation was released into the air but caused no deaths--took 11 years and $973 million to clean up--it is still to early to know the full impact on the environment and population in the surrounding areas.

--Three Mile Island: Thirty Minutes to Meltdown by Daniel F. Ford

--Three Mile Island: a Nuclear Crisis in Historical Perspective by J. Samuel Walker

--Atomic Accidents: a History of Nuclear Meltdowns and Disasters... by James Mahaffey

Chernobyl Nuclear Accident--Chernobyl, The Ukraine, USSR--Apr 26, 1986--31 dead, 335,000 evacuated--the worst nuclear accident of all time--an explosion in the power plant blew radioactive gasses and debris almost a mile into the air--2 workers were killed instantly and 29 died of radiation poisoning over the next few weeks--the radiation exposure is expected to cause hundreds of thousands of new cancers and tens of thousands of deaths in the future.

--Visit Sunny Chernobyl: and Other Adventures in the World's Most Polluted Places by Andrew Blackwell

--Plutopia: Nuclear Families, Atomic Cities, and the Great Soviet and American...by Kate Brown

--Zones of Exclusion: Pripyat and Chernobyl by Robert Polidori

--Heavy Water: a Film for Chernobyl (DVD)

Terrorism

The Oklahoma City Bombing--Murrah Federal Building, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma--April 19, 1995--168 dead--before 9/11 it was the single worst act of domestic terrorism in the history of the United States--it was carried out by 27-year-old American in retaliation for the raid on the Branch Davidian complex in Waco, TX two years earlier--he was executed in 2001--on the site of the bombing is a memorial park with 168 chairs for the victims, including nineteen small chairs for each child that was killed.

--The Third Terrorist: the Middle East Connection to the Oklahoma City Bombing by Jayna Davis

--In Their Name: Dedicated to the Brave and the Innocent... ed. by Clive Irving

--American Terrorist: Timothy McVeigh and the Oklahoma City Bombing by Lou Michel and Dan Herbeck

--One of Ours: Timothy McVeigh and the Oklahoma City Bombing by Richard A. Serrano

The September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks--New York City, Washington, DC, and Somerset County, Pennsylvania--2996 dead--the worst terrorist attack on American soil--carried out by Al Qaeda terrorists--3 high-jacked planes were flown into both towers of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon--the 4th plane was taken over by passengers and crashed in a field in Pennsylvania--a large amount of fatalities occurred when the towers collapsed--411 emergency service people died after rushing to help--over 6000 people injured.
American Airlines flight 11 crashed into the north tower of the WTF (92 dead plus approx 1600 at the tower)
United Airlines flight 175 crashed into the south tower of the WTF (65 dead plus approx 900 at the tower)
American Airlines flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon (64 dead plus 125 at the Pentagon)
United Airlines flight 93 was heading towards Washington DC but passengers and crew fought back and the plane crashed in a field in PA (all 44 on board died)

--Dog Heroes of September 11th: a Tribute to America's Search and Rescue Dogs by Nona Kilgore Bauer

--Tower Stories: an Oral History of 9/11 ed. by Damon DiMarco

9/11 Pentagon Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery

--Firefight: Inside the Battle to Save the Pentagon on 9/11 by Patrick Creed

9/11 Flight 93 Memorial

--Flight 93: The Story... by Tom McMillan

Mumbai Terrorist Attacks (Taj Hotel)--Mumbai, India--Nov 26, 2008-Nov 29, 2008--164 killed and over 600 wounded--twelve coordinated attacks including shootings, bombings, and hostage taking--carried out by Pakistani members of an Islamist terrorist group--10 attackers killed, 1 tried and executed--the attacks drew widespread global condemnation.

--The Siege: 68 Hours Inside the Taj Hotel by Cathy Scott-Clark and Adrian Levy

Victims of the Boston Terror Attacks

The Boston Marathon Terror Attacks--Boston, Massachusetts--April 15 and April 18-19, 2013--2 pressure cooker bombs are detonated near the finish line of the Boston Marathon--3 people killed--2 brothers of Chechen-Avar descent are suspected--a MIT policeman is murdered--shootouts with police end with the death of the older suspect--the wounded younger suspect is later captured--at least 280 were injured--the remaining suspect will go to trial in 2015

--Stronger: Fighting Back after the Boston Marathon Bombing by Jeff Bauman

This is dedicated to all the victims. May we never forget your names.

The Gift

We all have a finite number of days to live our lives before skipping off into the light, but what if you could be given more time? What would you do with it? Would you waste it doing the same old things you’ve always done, or would you make a change? Novelist Cecelia Ahern (of PS, I Love You fame) tackles these questions and more in her heartfelt Christmas fable, The Gift. We’re introduced to philandering executive Lou Suffern, a man who always seems to have two places to be in at the same time. Lou is so dedicated to succeeding at his job that he routinely neglects those who love him the most: his wife, children, parents, and siblings. Neither the cold weather nor the approach of Christmas can slow him down (not when there’s a big promotion at stake), but one morning he meets a homeless stranger who stops him right in his tracks: Gabriel, or Gabe. Thinking that he’s doing both himself and Gabe a favor, Lou hires Gabe to work in the company mailroom, but the plan backfires. Gabe seems to know more about Lou than he should, and he has an uncanny knack of popping up when least expected. In fact, every time Lou turns around, there’s Gabe giving him unwanted advice about his inability—or unwillingness—to give his family the same amount of attention that he gives his job. It’s enough to drive Lou insane, but when Gabe offers him a magical gift of unparalleled value, Lou finally begins to see the error of his ways. Ultimately, this is a story about a good person who’s lost sight of himself and what’s important in life over the years, and how, with a little bit of faith, he finds himself again before his time runs out. If you love Christmas stories, you should definitely give this one a try! 

November's In the Queue

If you enjoy reading the hottest new releases and best selling novels, than it's time you got in the queue. This month there are spy thrillers, love stories and memorable biographies, which are sure to keep you turning pages.  

Fiction 

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie by Rita Mae Brown
A gripping new foxhunting mystery which is full of colorful characters, gorgeous country landscapes and the thrill of the hunt. 

A Map Of Betrayal by Ha Jin
A riveting tale of espionage and conflicted loyalties that spans half a century.

Dead But Not Forgotten Stories From the World of Sookie Stackhouse by Charlaine Harris
A group of writers chosen by Charlaine Harris have written short stories that pay tribute to our southern, mind reading heroine. 

Family Furnishings Selected Stories from 1995-2014 by Alice Munroe
These stories illuminate the quotidian yet extraordinary lives of men and women, parents and children, friends and lovers as they discover, sex, fall in love, part, quarrel and suffer defeat or even find their way in the world.

Chain of Events by Fredrik T. Olsson 
This is a thrilling debut  novel about humanity on the verge of crisis.

A New York Christmas: A Novel by Anne Perry
An irresistible tale of love, greed, murder and selfless devotion. 

Citizen's Creek by Lalita Tademy
This is a breathtaking tale of identity, community, family and above all, the power of an individual's will to make a difference.

New Novels from Best Selling Authors

The Escape by David Baldacci
The Promise: An Elvis Cole and Joe Pike Novel by Robert Crais
The Mistletoe Promise: A Novel by Richard Paul Evans
Die Again by Tess Gerritsen
Saving Grace by Jane Green
Saint Odd: An Odd Thomas Novel by Dean R. Koontz
Hope to Die by James Patterson
Private India: City on Fire by James Patterson and Ashwin Sanghi
Hush by Karen Robards
Betrayed: A Rosato and Associates Novel by Lisa Scottoline

Non Fiction
41: A Portrait of My Father by George W. Bush 
An intimate biography from the 43rd President about his father.

So, Anyway by John Cleese
This is a rollicking memoir by the legendary Monty Python comic as he traces his humble roots to his ascent in the entertainment world.

There Was a Little Girl: The Story of My Mother and Me by Brooke Shields
Brooke Shields explains her mother's role in Brooke's ascent into stardom.

Truth Be Told

On November 19^th, Washington-Centerville Public Library will be hosting author Hank Phillippi Ryan for a brown bag lunch discussion. The event is in conjunction with The Dayton Jewish Community’s 2014 Cultural Arts and Book Festival. Ryan will be discussing her most recent release, Truth Be Told, during an interview with library staff. There will also be time for audience Q & A and book sales directly following the discussion.

Truth Be Told is Ryan’s seventh mystery novel; the third novel in the Jane Ryland series. The novel opens with Boston reporter, Jane Ryland, investigating the rise in real estate foreclosures. She’s intent on focusing on the people affected by the foreclosures—the true human cost of these losses. However, things take a turn when a body is found in one of the foreclosed homes. Implications of wrongdoing begin to surface and grow as Ryland investigates the connections between the foreclosures and some surprising characters.

If you’re familiar with the Jane Ryland series, you’ll know Jake Brogan, Boston PD detective, can’t be far behind. The covert relationship between the two continues to simmer in this new book. However, Brogan is occupied, not only with Jane’s discoveries, but with a man walking in off the street to confess to a decades old murder. Not to mention, there might be some competition for Jane’s affection on the horizon.

The difficulty with reviewing mystery writing is to not spill the beans, but rest assured that Ryan deftly ties all of the plot lines together into another fantastic novel. If you aren’t familiar with Hank Phillippi Ryan’s work, she is worth investigating for both her writing skills and her many accomplishments in journalism. For her mystery writing, she has received three Agatha Awards, an Anthony, a Daphne, a Macavity, and the prestigious Mary Higgins Clark award. These awards are in addition to her 32 EMMYs and 12 Edward R. Murrow awards for excellence in journalism. The woman is a force to be reckoned with!