Udderly Good Reads!

The cow is of the bovine ilk; one end is moo, the other milk.
--Ogden Nash

July 15th was Cow Appreciation Day!  No, really it was.  So, to help celebrate and honor our bovine friends (or just read cool cow books), try one of the following moo-tivating titles:

Going Bovine by Libba Bray--All 16-year-old Cam wants is to get through high school. It’s not a lot to ask. But that’s before he’s given some bad news: a terminal diagnosis of "mad cow" disease. Which totally sucks. Hope arrives in the winged form of Dulcie, a loopy punk angel/possible hallucination. She tells Cam there is a cure—if he’s willing to go in search of it. With the help of a death-obsessed, video-gaming dwarf and a yard gnome, Cam sets off on the mother of all road trips.

Till the Cows Come Home by Judy Clemens--Stella Crown works hard and loves her life. She runs her own dairy farm, rides her Harley on the weekends, and has enough friends to suit her just fine.  But on her 29th birthday, things start to change. A neighborhood child dies and a string of mysterious disasters place Stella and her farm in peril.  Stella must find her enemy before anyone else, including herself, ends up dead.

Holy Cow by David Duchovny--David Duchovny's witty fable about a cow, a pig and a turkey's hilarious and moving farm-break to save themselves from the cruelty of human consumption.

The Cow's Tale by Dorothy J. Franke--the true story of the author's life on a dairy farm, as a city girl married to a he-wants-to-be-a-farmer. Unfortunately for her, she had no background in farming so she had to learn everything the hard way.

Cows of Our Planet by Gary Larson--a Far Side Collection.

Apocalypse Cow by Michael Logan--If you think you've seen it all -- WORLD WAR Z, THE WALKING DEAD-- you haven't seen anything like this. From the twisted brain of Michael Logan comes Apocalypse Cow, a story about three unlikely heroes who must save Britain . . . from a rampaging horde of ZOMBIE COWS! Followed by World War Moo.

The Jesus Cow by Michael Perry--Life is suddenly full of drama for low-key Harley Jackson: A woman in a big red pickup has stolen his bachelor’s heart, a Hummer-driving predatory developer is threatening to pave the last vestiges of his family farm, and inside his barn is a calf bearing the image of Jesus Christ. 

The Complete Cow by Sara Rath--This is a lighthearted yet serious look at dairy and beef cows of the world.  From ancient myths to a breed encyclopedia to a whimsical look at the fun pop culture surrounding famous cows, this books has it all.   

Cow: a Bovine Bio by Florian Werner--She is everywhere: as a vehicle for both farmers and advertisers, a subject for research scientists and poets, and ever-present in the form of lucky charms, children's toys, or simply as a tasty sandwich-filler. The female of the bovine species is revered as sacred or reviled as stupid, but one thing she never inspires is indifference. Combining a myriad of richly entertaining anecdotes and an abundance of illuminating discoveries, Werner presents the curious cultural history of that most intriguing of animals: the cow.

Invasion of the Tearling

If you have followed this blog then you know I have eagerly awaited the release of Erika Johansen's latest novel, Invasion of the Tearling.  This is the sequel to the blockbuster debut novel, Queen of the Tearling. If you have not read Queen of the Tearling, stop what you are doing and go read it! This is a spoiler alert, if you continue reading it is not my fault. You should have quit reading and gotten the first book in this amazing series. 

When we first met Kelsea Glynn she was a young princess who was in hiding until she was old enough to take her place as the rightful ruler of the Tearling. Her path to the throne was not easy and her choices were and still are difficult ones. In this riveting sequel Kelsea deals with the consequences of the choices she made when she became Queen.  She freed her people from slavery and fought to remove the Mortmesne Army from her Kingdom. Now the Red Queen, the ruler of the Mortmesne people, is angry that the Queen of the Tearling would dare defy her. She vows revenge on the Tearling, especially Kelsea.

Kelsea must balance politics, prepare for war and learn how to use her magic if she is to become a successful ruler.  As if that is not enough of a balancing act she must also learn to control her visions. 

Her visions are of a time that existed before the crossing, when the Tear Empire was only a dream: a dream where all people are created equal and treated fairly. As Kelsea's power grows her motives and appearance change; will she remain true to herself or will she allow the jewels she wears to change not just her appearance but who she is? 

This is a riveting epic novel you won't want to put down. Johansen weaves this story brilliantly connecting the past and present. She adds depth to the characters, the culture and gives understanding to why the Kingdom of the Tearling exists with her glimpses of the past and creates a believable story of love, loss, betrayal and ultimately hope.  Masterfully written and suspenseful this story has it all magic, an evil villain, a beautiful Queen and a multitude of heroes.  I cannot wait for the conclusion to this wonderful saga. 

June Was LGBTQ Pride Month--Celebrate with Some Award-Winning Books!

Every year the American Library Association's Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Round Table creates an Over the Rainbow Project book list for adults.  The mission of the GLBTRT is to create a bibliography of books that exhibit commendable literary quality and significant authentic GLBT content.

The following are some fiction and biography/memoir selections for 2015. 

To see the full list go here.  

Fiction:

Frog Music by Emma Donoghue--A long-forgotten, never-solved crime and a lyrical tale of love and bloodshed among scoundrels, captures the pulse of 19th century San Francisco.

All I Love and Know by Judith Frank--An intense drama of an American family on the edge of termination, one that explores adoption, gay marriage, and true love lost and found.

For Today I Am a Boy by Kim Fu--Peter Huang is the exalted only son in a sea of daughters. At the first opportunity, each of the girls leaves. But for Peter, escape is not as simple. Peter is supposed to fulfill his immigrant father’s dreams.  But Peter knows he is really a girl. 

Hild: a Novel by Nicola Griffith--A lush, sweeping historical novel about the rise of the most powerful woman of the Middle Ages, Hild of seventh-century Britain.

The Two Hotel Francforts by David Leavitt--It is 1940 Lisbon and two couples who are awaiting safe passage to New York, meet.  As Portugal's neutrality, and the world's future, hangs in the balance, the hidden threads in the lives of these four individuals begins to come loose. 

The Days of Anna Madrigal by Armistead Maupin--The latest novel in Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City series follows one of modern literature's most beloved and indelible characters--Anna Madrigal, the transgender landlady of 28 Barbary Lane.

Lovers at the Chameleon Club, Paris 1932 by Francine Prose--A richly imagined novel of art, betrayal, the unforeseen consequences of love, and the ultimate unreliability of storytelling itself in Paris of the 1920s.

The Farm by Tom Rob Smith--Daniel believed that his parents were enjoying a peaceful retirement in Sweden. But with a single phone call, everything changes. Caught between his parents, and unsure of whom to believe or trust, Daniel hears an urgent tale of a crime and a conspiracy that implicates his own father.

The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters--In 1922 South London, impoverished widow Mrs. Wray and her spinster daughter are obliged to take in lodgers. But, little do they know just how profoundly their tenants will alter the course of their lives.

Biography/Memoir:

Fire Shut Up In My Bones by Charles Blow--A gorgeous, moving memoir of how one of America's most innovative and respected journalists found his voice by coming to terms with a painful past.

In My Skin: My Life On and Off the Basketball Court by Brittney Griner--Hailed as the world's most famous female basketball player, Brittney Griner has been shattering stereotypes and breaking boundaries ever since she burst onto the national scene. Now, she shares her coming-of-age story, revealing how she found the strength to overcome bullies and to embrace her authentic self.

Teaching the Cat to Sit by Michelle Theall--A universal story about our quest for unconditional love, Teaching the Cat to Sit makes us each reflect on our sense of humanity, our connection to religion, and our struggles to accept ourselves-and each other-as we are.

Bob's Picks

Hold onto your hat people! It truly is time for Bob's Staff Picks!  If you have ever been to the Centerville Library you surely have met or seen Bob. He is our resident guru extraordinaire with our Multi Media materials.  If it's music, Bob knows who sang it, played it and when they recorded it.  Since I am not a music afficiando (I love to listen to music but often cannot recall the artist who created the music) I find his talent truly amazing!

The following is a short list of items Bob likes to read or listen too. For a complete listing go to our pinterest page and select Bob's Staff Picks or even Bob's Movie picks.
 
Books
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes By Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Odysseus by Geraldine McCaughrean

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

Calvin and Hobbes

The Far Side by Gary Larson

Morning and Evening: Daily Readings by Charles Surgeon

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Teach Me to Pray by Andrew Murray

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Curious George by Margaret Rey

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

Pete the Cat and His four GroovyButtons by Eric Litwin

Pete the Cat Saves Christmas by Eric Litwin

Crazy Love: Overwhelmed By a Relentless God by Francis Chan

Music

Welcome to the Real World by Mr. Mister

Journey’s Greatest Hits by Journey

Headlines and Deadlines by a –Ha

Hopes and Fears by keane

With a Twist by Straight No chaser

Broadcast by Cutting Crew

The Best of 1980-1990 by U2

Top gun soundtrack

All The Bad Blood Bastille by Bastille

Strange Desire by Bleachers

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin

Somewhat recently, I was asked to consider what some of my all-time top novels would be. This is always a difficult proposal as are you looking for entertaining, for thoughtful, for a specific genre? After some deliberation, I went with one of my all-time favorite science fiction novels, The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin.

It is the story of a human emissary on a lone mission to include the world of Gethen, a frozen, winter world into the growing galactic civilization. The Envoy, Genry Ai, must contend with distrust, fractious politics, and entrenched religions. But the denizens of Gethen are also incredibly odd in their familiarity. They are asexual, and can and do choose their gender. It is conceivable that one Gethenians could have both sired and given birth to children. Genry must separate his gender identity assumptions from his dealings with the Gethenians.

The story also follows Estraven, a Gethenian and prime minister to the Kingdom of Karhide. Estraven gives us the best look into the culture of Gethen through a slowly, but wonderfully revealed backstory. Also, he provides a fascinating look into Le Guin’s conception of a society where gender identity is equal parts fluid and non-existent

On the surface, the book appears to be a thought experiment regarding gender assumptions. In fact, many reviews and analysis of the work focus on this. Yet, as with any good novel, there is so much more to the tale. Le Guin puts forth some fascinating and thought provoking ideas about philosophy, religion, relationships, and much more. The many, compelling layers of this book make it an excellent read and are one for the reasons I occasionally go back to Left Hand of Darkness and reread chapters. In all, I highly recommend giving this book a read.  

July's In the Queue

When summer heat gets you down, take a break, relax and read a book from this month's In the Queue.

Fiction
Twice In A Lifetime by Dorothy Garlock
Clara Sinclair survived the death of her husband in WWII and raised their young son alone. When she meets Drake McCoy she wonders if she has a second chance at forever love.

Silent Creed by Alex Kava
Ryder Creed and his K9 search-and-rescue dogs team up once more with FBI profiler Maggie O'Dell in their riskiest case yet!

The Novel Habits of Happiness Alexander McCall Smith
The insatiably curious Isabel Dalhousie returns, taking on a case unlike any she's had before--this one has paranormal implications.

Circling the Sun: A Novel by Paula McClain
Fall under the spell of Kenya's lush valleys and distant mountains as well as Beryl Markham in this beautifully written novel. Beryl is a woman aviator and a racehorse trainer.  

Among The Ten Thousand Things by Julia Pierpont
This insightful and dazzling debut novel reveals an American Family on the cusp of irrevocable change. A package arrives for Deb Shanley but her daughter accidentally opens it. The package contains emails which chronicle her father's secret life. It's a startlingly original story of love and time lost.

Who Let the Dog Out? by Dave Rosenfelt
Andy Carpenter's greatest passion is his animal rescue foundation. When a thief steals one of the dogs, Andy hunts him down only to discover the thief has been murdered. Now he is determined to find the killer.

A Paris Affair by Tatiana de Rosnay
Tatiana de Rosnay paints a portrait of the most forbidden of loves, where laughter mingles with compassion and the heart beats with illicit desire.

The Ambassador's Wife by Jennifer Steil
A harrowing debut novel about the kidnapping of an American woman in the Middle East and the heartbreaking choices she and her husband must make
in the hope of being reunited.

New Books from Best Selling Authors
Iron Wolf by Dale Brown
Friction by Sandra BrownDevil's Bridge by Linda A. Fairstein
X is for by Sue Grafton
The Taming of the Queen by Philippa Gregory
Deadly Assets by W. E. B. Griffen
The Novel Habits of Happiness by Alexander McCall Smith
The Murderer's Daughter: A Novel by Jonathan Kellerman
Silver Linings: A Rose Harbor Novel by  Debbie Macomber
Alert by James Patterson
Speaking In bones: A Novel by Kathy Reichs

Nonfiction
The Billion Dollar Spy: A True Story of Cold War Espionage and Betrayal by David E. Hoffman
A brilliant feat of recorded history that reads like an espionage thriller.


Vendetta: Bobby Kennedy Versus Jimmy Hoffa by James Neff
James Neff creates a heart pounding epic of crime and punishment when two American titans are willing to do anything to demolish one another.

Does This Beach Make Me Look Fat? True Stories and Confessions by Lisa Scottoline and Grancesca Serritella
This unstoppable mother-daughter team creates a new collection of funny stories and true confessions that every woman can relate to.