Library Column - March 6, 2008

Last chance to participate in The Big Read book discussions will be March 12 at the Joslin Memorial Library, 7 PM. We have several copies of The Maltese Falcon available so come and pick one up if you haven’t yet read it. Also coming up is Jennifer McMahon, (Promise Not to Tell) Vermont writer, talking about her craft on March 11, at the Warren Public Library and our next book discussion in the mystery series, Bangkok 8 by John Burdett. There are still a few copies available of Burdett’s book.

Books I’ve read (or heard) in the last two weeks include:

The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O’Farrell. This haunting novel tells the story of a teenager who misbehaves and ends up spending the next 60 years in an insane asylum. Her sudden reappearance reveals more than one awful family secret. I think this would make a wonderful book group read when it comes out in paperback.

The Queen’s Handmaiden by Jennifer Ashley. Queen Elizabeth I as seen by her dressmaker. One problem with writing historical novels about fairly well-documented events is that many readers will already know the plot. I’d recommend the novel to anyone interested in a good story about exciting events who hasn’t already read a biography of any of the main characters.

The Woman Driver by Jean Thompson. I bought this book based on a patron request. The book was published in 1985, but has aged well. A story of “true” love from the viewpoint of the “other woman” with some painful twists, by an excellent writer.

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver, with Steven L. Hopp and Camille Kingsolver (Audio CD or book). Eating locally explained in practice by the well-known novelist and her family. The book has been out ever since we acquired it, but the audio edition has been available occasionally. Highly recommended!

The Conscience of a Liberal by Paul Krugman. A history of the triumph of the Neo-Conservative movement written by a long-time liberal. What I found most interesting is his claim that the Republicans have depended mainly on the politics of race to win elections and that this strategy is running out of steam. Read it for yourself and let me know if you think he makes a solid case.

The Man Who Killed Shakespeare by Ken Hodgson. I enjoyed this book, but I cannot understand why it is described on the cover as a “rollicking yarn.” True, there are some funny moments, but the story takes place in the Depression, against a backdrop of hunger and despair, so the humor is dark. Shakespeare is a dying town, hoping to be revived by a gold mine, only the mine owner is a scam artist, but he gets taken in by some other con men, and then there is a very nice lady named Delight who is practicing a very old profession and a bartender whose cooking may be fatal—but the best player is a dog named Wesley with a talent for killing rattlesnakes.

Plus one DVD documentary:Victory at Sea Volume III (DVD). Vol. 3 and Vol. 4 were kindly donated to the library by a patron a while back and I finally got around to plopping it into my DVD player. An impressive documentary with music by Richard Rodgers and great battle scenes. I was interested to spot a few black soldiers, in the midst of a mostly white army and also interested to see that the documentary avoided racist slurs against the Japanese.See you at the library!

Library Column - February 21, 2008

Changing media are a big problem for libraries. We don’t get double the shelf space because cars start coming equipped with CD players instead of cassette players, nor an extra few hundred a year to transform our huge video collection into a DVD collection. There are still some patrons who listen to books on cassette and I’m still trying to serve their needs. My less than ideal solution is to buy books on cassette when they are on sale, and to ask the patrons which books they would really like to hear. Do you still want books on cassette? Drop into the library and look at the new acquisitions. Tell me what you like to listen to, and I’ll try to get some of your choices the next time a sale flyer comes into the library.On the bright side, downloadable audio books are coming soon. I’m doing a training session next week and I should be able to show people how to use the service by the end of the month. This will add hundreds of new titles to our audio collection without requiring additional shelf space. I’m planning to get some MP3 players to loan out…but I’m not sure what to ask for as a security deposit…drop in and make a suggestion!

The Pursuit of Happyness (DVD). We also have the book in our collection. The true story of a father who stayed with his son when things got really, really tough. Homelessness in San Francisco and the first steps on the upward path that led to riches for the struggling salesman. I enjoyed the extras on the DVD, including an interview with Chris Gardner.

Bobbie Faye’s Very (very, very, very) Bad Day by Toni McGee Causey. Bobbie Faye is the female equivalent of the Southern Good Ol’ Boy. She lives in a trailer, has relatives who get into trouble, is the Queen of the Lake Charles Contraband Days Festival, and is always broke. But Bobbie Faye is also the queen of the unexpected disaster. The day starts with her trailer flooding from a malfunctioning washing machine, then her brother gets kidnapped by criminals, next she gets sucked into a bank robbery…excellent entertainment.

Sense and Sensibility (DVD). A lovely patron donated the Ang Lee, Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant version of the movie adapted from the novel by Jane Austen. Yummy!

Julie & Julia: 365 days, 524 recipes, 1 tiny apartment kitchen by Julie Powell. Everyone has already read this, but if you haven’t, it is about Julie’s attempt to cook all of the recipes in Julia Child’s classic Mastering the Art of French Cooking. During the year she also masters blogging, suffers through some major disasters, and doesn’t entertain Judith Jones to dinner (weather intervened).

The Silk Train Murder by Sharon Rowse. First novel set in Vancouver in 1899 has a colorful cast of characters and a fairly well-plotted mystery. I enjoyed the novel, but it is clearly the set-up for a series, which is sort of irritating. The marketing plan shouldn’t be visible in the plot, in my opinion. See you at the library!

Library Column - February 7, 2008

A bit of this and a bit of that—food, football, failure, philosophy, murders (Italy, Arizona, Oregon), and history. Do stop in and check out our new books shelf (overflowing), our video collection, our audio collections, our children’s department and all of the other (free) goodies available at YOUR public library.

The Tenth Muse: My Life in Food by Judith Jones. Another American girl in Paris success story: Judith discovers French food, falls in love, lives in sin, discovers The Diary of Anne Frank, returns to the U.S. and eventually finds a job with Knopf, where she discovers Julia Child and becomes a legendary cookbook editor. Includes photos and recipes and, a special treat, a paean to Vermont foods—sorrel, maple syrup, homemade ice cream, gooseberries, cheese, fiddleheads, milkweed, and several varieties of mushrooms.

How Starbucks Saved My Life: A Son of Privilege Learns to Live Like Everyone Else by Michael Gates Gill. An amusing little book by a man who didn’t catch on to the basics of real life until well into his sixties. What I found scary is the thought that a lot of other guys who are a lot like Michael used to be are trying to run the world. Do they really know what they are doing?

Dance Hall of the Dead by Tony Hillerman (audio CD). Spooky little novel mixes up Zuni and Navajo religious beliefs with hippies, archaeologists, a drug case and multiple murders to present Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn with a very frustrating case.

Playing for Pizza by John Grisham (audio CD). A sweet little book about a rather unsuccessful NFL quarterback who bombs in a big game and ends up playing American Football in Parma, Italy. Parma introduces him to real food (regional food),  to players who play for the love of the game and the occasional pizza, and to tiny little cars with clutches and sticks.

There is A God: How the World’s Most Notorious Atheist Changed His Mind by Anthony Flew with Roy Abraham Varghese.  The philosophical case against God and the philosophical case for God, presented by the same distinguished English thinker. In the course of a long career as a philosopher, Flew argued brilliantly against the belief in God but he has recently changed his mind. Clear and interesting arguments, meticulously presented.

A Wrongful Death by Kate Wilhelm. Barbara Holloway is a lawyer who takes on difficult cases, but the matter of the murder of Elizabeth Kurtz has more twists and turns than the corn maze. For those who like their mysteries complex and tricky.

The Sonnet Lover by Carol Goodman. It is a gothic novel. No, it is a mystery. No, it is about a lost work of great literature. Well, maybe a romance? All of the above, set in New York and Italy.

The Classical World: An Epic History from Homer to Hadrian by Robin Lane Fox (Regional). Only for serious history buffs. The story focuses mainly on the role of politics and freedom in the ancient world, with the author strongly pro-Athens and, generally, anti-Rome. See you at the library!

Library Column - January 17, 2008

 I definitely can’t say I’ve been enjoying the current winter weather, but it does provide lots of time for reading. Today’s column is written by two of us: Colleen Mays gives an update on the children’s collection and our new Story Hour schedule, and I’m adding in a few book reviews at the end.

First, Colleen writes: To kick off ’08, we at the Warren Library have added some new games, stories, and audio books to our children’s collection. It would be impossible to mention them all right now, but I’ll highlight a few of my favorites.  For stories, we have added  Gallop! By Rufus Sedar. In this exciting “scanamation” picture book for kids, the animals highlighted appear to really move. Your young (and not so young) will enjoy turning the pages and making the animals sprint across the page.   The highly acclaimed (BBC) Muzzy language learning system for children is now available in French and Spanish as a new addition to our children’s audio-visual section. Using fun characters, DVD’s and stories, Muzzy brings foreign language to life! Just for fun, we have added a stuffed Muzzy character to our puppet/toy collection, which you are welcome to check out as well! A fun, challenging, strategic game “Labyrinth” has found a home on our game shelf. At first try it is a little tricky, especially for the younger players. After a few rounds they really start to see how the castle labyrinth changes, and everyone gets excited to be the one to manipulate the maze correctly to capture the treasure. We have many more fun and exciting additions to our children’s collection.

Please feel free to stop in anytime to look about. Our “children’s only” hours are on Tuesday’s from 9:30-11:30 with a story hour from 10-11 am. This is a perfect time to browse, read fun seasonal stories, and make a craft with your young ones. Of course you and your children are more than welcome to visit us during any of our other hours of operation as well. Peace, and Happy New Year!  

And Deborah adds:The Great Fire by Shirley Hazzard (audio CD). National Book Award for fiction winner, set in the restless years immediately following World War II. The protagonists are two men, both soldiers, both struggling to find a future after many years immersed in war. The settings are Japan, Hong Kong, England and New Zealand. Beautifully written, but not an eventful story.

Blessed Unrest: How the Largest Movement in the World Came Into Being and Why No One Saw it Coming by Paul Hawken. A look at the millions of non-profit/non-governmental organizations which are trying to transform the world. Hawken is mostly interested in groups that work on either social justice or the environment, or a combination of the two. I found some of the theorizing a bit airy, but the overview is exciting. A large appendix gives an overview of the movement, showing the numbers of groups working on each area.

Not Yet Drown’d by Peg Kingman. An excellent historical novel, set in Scotland and India, with a long and eventful sea voyage between. Perfectly researched, elegantly written, with richly complex characters in a well set up plot, circling around tea, opium, and music along with several other odd topics.

See you at the library!

Library Column - December 20, 2007

The library will have some new books on the window sill by the time this column is published, so come on in and check them out! Collleen and I decided to move Story Hour back to the library for the next few months, so starting January 8, it will be on Tuesdays, in the library, 10 a.m. My reading, as usual, has been fairly diverse. One book had to go back to the Regional Library, but I can borrow it again if anyone wants to read it.

Last Rights: Rescuing the End of Life from the Medical System by Stephen P. Kiernan. Highly recommended to everyone who may die some day—and if anyone thinks this doesn’t apply to them they really need to read the book. A readable mix of the facts of the problem combined with joyful and tragic stories of the last years and months of many Americans. He argues that people opt for suicide when they cannot get good care during their last few months, so the best way to prevent the passage of “Death with Dignity” laws is to provide everyone who is dying the opportunity to experience excellent care, including effective pain relief.

Gentlemen of the Road by Michael Chabon. In my long-ago youth, I loved reading adventure novels, where flamboyant, sword-wielding men rescued beautiful maidens and overcame armies of villains. This small novel is in the genre, but the sword-wielders are Jewish, the setting is central Asia in roughly 950 C.E. and the adventures are decidedly ironic and filled with unexpected twists. Great fun.

A Christmas Beginning by Anne Perry. For the last few years, some authors have been issuing small novels around this time of year with some sort of holiday related theme. This one pulls out a secondary character from the author’s Monk series and takes him to the Isle of Anglesey off the coast of Wales, where he is pulled into investigating the murder of a young woman.

Halley’s Quest: A Selfless Genius and his Troubled Paramore by Julie Wakefield (available at the Regional Library). An odd little book that combines the history of science with a bit of sea adventure. The same Halley who discovered the periodicity of comets, also captained the first official scientific data collecting expeditions, struggling with a rebellious crew, an awkward ship, the threat of pirates and primitive equipment.

Shelter by Susan Palwick. Speculative fiction explores several fascinating what-ifs: what if we did manage to create artificial intelligence? What if there were “bots” everywhere doing all the mundane work? What if the cure for mental illness or crime was having your brain wiped clean and starting over? What if people who died could be “translated” and live “eternally” on the Internet (unless someone erased their files)? A richly human novel, despite the imaginative play.

Lean Mean Thirteen by Janet Evanovich (Audio CD or book). More fun with the Jersey Girl, Stephanie Plum, as she tries to catch a grave robber, a taxidermist, a marijuana grower AND a rather nasty murderer. Fortunately she has Morelli and  Lula and Ranger on her side.

Mansfield Park by Jane Austen (audio cassettes). The story of shy, timid, gentle Fanny Price, who comes to live with her rich relatives and struggles to remain true to her own principles despite extreme pressure. Beautifully read.

See you at the library!

Library Column - December 8, 2007

Snow, glorious snow! Snow to shovel, snow to drive through, snow for fun and snow for work. Enjoy. I’ve got six books to share, two non-fiction and four fiction. Anyone have extra DVDs around? We have a bit of room for fun entertainment flicks in our collection. Thanks in advance.

Spirits in the Wires by Charles de Lint (paperback collection). A web-site named the Wordwood crashes and everyone who was using it disappears. Another delightful urban fantasy (from the author who created the genre) explores the connection of supposedly “mythical” beings with technology.

Dust Devils by James Reasoner. A footloose young man encounters an older woman on an isolated farm in Texas, but neither is what they seem. As they careen through violent encounters with criminals, layer after layer is peeled back, until at last, the final truth about each is revealed. The book is described as redneck noir, and the description fits.

Why Does He Do That? Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men by Lundy Bancroft. Much of the discussion of spousal abuse focuses on the victims, asking questions about why people stay with abusers, how people get into such relationships and so on. This book looks at the thinking and behavior of abusers (mostly men, unfortunately), and describes the best path through for someone trying to end an abusive relationship—either by seeing the abuser learn new ways of thinking or by safely leaving the abuser. To give one example: Early in the book the author is describing a conversation where an abused wife is describing how her husband “loses it” and starts breaking things and then storms out. Later he returns, contrite, and says he won’t do it again. The author asks: “Whose stuff does he break.” The wife, surprised: “Always my stuff!” And then the author asks: “And who cleans up the mess, after he apologizes?” The wife: “Never him.” An eye-opener for anyone who has ever been in an abusive relationship or had a friend or relative who was abused.

Whitethorn Woods by Maeve Binchy. A small town in Ireland needs a highway bypass for a lot of reasons, but does it have to go through Whitethorn Woods destroy St. Ann’s Well? The Well has been around for a lot longer than Christianity, but still, it has established itself as a holy shrine and people go there for help. Sweet but also sharp.

Kabul Beauty School: An American Woman Goes Behind the Veil by Deborah Rodriguez (audio or book). It turns out that what Kabul, Afghanistan really needed when the war ended was a skilled beautician—first to provide hair styling to the aid workers and then to found a beauty school for the women of Afghanistan. A book that combines a lively story with the tragedy and courage of the amazing women who have survived war, the Taliban, life as refugees and brutality from their own husbands to begin new lives as professional beauticians.

Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella. (Paperback collection) The story of a young woman whose major talent is shopping, rather than paying the bills resulting from said shopping. Of course her life turns into a bill-dodging mess, but since the book is light entertainment, the end result is fun rather than disaster.See you at the library!

Library Column - November 8, 2007

Stick season rolls around again and the weather is finally cooling down. My reading has been more scattered than usual: Vikings, breastfeeding, religion, gourmet eating and two novels. Colleen Mays has contributed a review of an exciting adventure story for kids. We are still looking for donated DVDs to add to our collection, especially popular feature films. Do you have any you’d like to clear out of your house?

Nursing Mother, Working Mother: The Essential Guide to Breastfeeding Your Baby Before and After You Return to Work by Gale Pryor and Kathleen Huggins, R.N., M.S. An excellent book for any mother who wants to breastfeed, even if she only needs to plan for occasional separations. Good information on establishing breastfeeding, coping with any problems and then figuring out how to continue to breastfeed even if you have to be away at work. Illustrated.

The Whale Road by Robert Low. A rip-roaring adventure story. A young Norseman is reunited with his father and dragged off to sail on a Viking ship which is pursuing a mysterious lost treasure. The book wanders to Ireland, Norway, Finland and Russia and includes several exciting and bloody battles with swords and axes and some creepy explorations of underground tombs. The author belongs to a Viking reenactment group, which lends a sort of wacky authenticity to the battle scenes. 

A History of God: The 4,000-Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity and Islam by Karen Armstrong. Ms. Armstrong explores the history of the idea of God as it developed in the three major religions, beginning with Judaism, adding on Christianity and then Islam. The author favors aspects of mysticism over the idea of a “personal God” and over the various versions of God proposed by the philosophers. Thorough and thoughtful.

The United States of Arugula: How We Became a Gourmet Nation (Regional) by David Kamp. A lively account of all the eccentrics and outsiders and obsessives who brought about a revolution in eating habits in America. Reading this book will transform your next visit to a grocery store: observe the vast amounts of manufactured, denatured food and also observe all the special goodies that we have come to take for granted over the last 30 years or so—from extra virgin olive oil to free-range meat to local baby greens.

Woman in Red by Eileen Goudge. Set on a small island in the Northwest, two people with shadowed pasts meet and try to help each other. Then they discover that their grandparents were involved…but the real story was hidden for 60 years.

Bad Blood by Linda Fairstein. The murder of a wealthy wife (by her husband?) crosses wires with an explosion that kills three men in a deep water tunnel construction project. The author knows her legal stuff and knows how law enforcement works AND she knows a lot about spousal abuse and violence against women. A good book, but occasionally reads like an educational text on the history of deep excavation projects in NYC.Review by Colleen Mays:

The True Adventures o f Daniel Hall by Diane Stanley. The true story of 14 year old Daniel Hall who left his whaling village New Bedford, MA  in 1856, for a life as a crew member on a whaling ship. We follow Daniel Hall as he flees his ship and its moody and violent captain into desolate Siberia- where he battles hunger, wild animals, and Mother Nature.  We watch his remarkable rescue and his reunion with his loving father.  Based on Daniel Hall’s autobiography Arctic Rovings: or, The Adventures of a New Bedford Boy on Sea and Land,  Diane Stanley has ensured Daniel’s  inspiring true life story will continue to be passed on from generation to generation.  

See you at the library!

Library Column - October 25, 2007

Amazing scenery around the Valley this year. I’m really enjoying my drive to work.

Do you have any DVDs around that you are no longer watching? The library can use them and put them to good use. Thanks in advance.

The Warren Public Library is a mostly tax-supported institution with supplemental support from the Friends of the Warren Public Library. So, how do you get your money’s worth out of your local library? Here are a few suggestions: Cancel one magazine subscription and borrow the magazine from the library (savings $15). When your grandchildren come to visit, borrow toys and books and videos from the library (savings approx. $50). Next time you see a book you’d really like to read, come and pick it up at the library instead of buying it. If you do this two or three times a year your savings will range from $25 to $75 (difference between paperback and hardbound editions). It isn’t all about money of course. We can help you find information on almost any topic from zebras to (alphabet) soup. For free. Except for those pesky taxes.

The Next Thing on My List by Jill Smolinski. The protagonist starts trying to complete the to-do list of a dead acquaintance because of feelings of guilt, and then carries on because  her own life is being transformed.

Hard Row by Margaret Maron. Body parts keep turning up in rural North Carolina, in the latest addition to an award winning mystery series featuring a woman judge named Deborah Knott.

The Good Husband of Zebra Drive by Alexander McCall Smith. (Audio or book) The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency faces some real problems. Mma Makutsi is considering a change of career, Charlie wants to start a taxi business, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni wants to try being a detective and Mma Ramotswe is trying to find out why three patients died at the same time of day, on the same day of the week, in the same bed in her hometown hospital.

When You Were Me by Robert Rodi. This book was an odd experience for me—as it is set in Chicago, where I lived for 13 years—but the two main characters are gay men, so in many ways the book felt as though I was exploring a foreign landscape. Entertaining but bizarre—involves a body swap between a broke 26 year old and a wealthy 52 year old—who are both unhappy with their current lives.

Jerk From Jamaica: Barbecue Caribbean Style by Helen Willinsky. Some new flavors for your outdoor (and indoor) cooking. All the recipes are adapted to the equipment normally available in American kitchens and outdoor barbeque set-ups.

Girls of Riyadh by Rajaa Alsanea. Rips the veil off of the secret life of young, upper-class, Saudi women, who seem to lead a life which is 50% medieval confinement and 50% modern striving. Plus the usual romantic dreams that are common to young women of all cultures.

No Sheep for You: Knit Happy with Cotton, Silk, Linen, Hemp, Bamboo & Other Delights by Amy R. Singer. Allergic to wool or wanting to widen your crafting horizons? This is the book for you. A fun read, filled with useful and entertaining information about fibers, how they are processed and how to work with them. Also includes patterns.

Five Little Pigs by Agatha Christie. (audio cassettes) Entertaining mystery wherein Msieu Poirot attempts to find out the truth about a sixteen year-old murder. Only one person could have committed the murder and she was tried and convicted. So why did she tell her daughter that she was innocent?

The Homework Myth: Why our Kids Get too Much of a Bad Thing by Alfie Kohn. All the parents and teachers in Warren should read this book. Kohn reviews the studies, which do not support homework for younger children and provide limited support for homework for older children. He also looks at the effects of homework on children, on families and on the overall process of education. 

Library Column - October 11, 2007

Someone requested A Woman in Charge by Carl Bernstein. Unfortunately our paperwork got mixed up and I’m not sure who it was! Would the person who requested this book please come on into the library and pick it up? Thank you. I’ll hold it until October 5 and then it will be available in the New Biographies.

Even though I took a week’s vacation I kept right on reading and reading. I just read lighter fare! In case anyone was wondering what a librarian’s time off looks like, it involves reading book reviews and books. Hmmm. What is wrong with this picture?

Agnes and the Hitman by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer. A book that fits it all in: dead bodies, a wedding, the Mob, a secret government agency, fancy deserts, old house restoration, a secret tunnel, and hot romance. Enjoyable.

The Little Lady Agency by Hester Browne. (paperback collection) An unemployed young lady of a certain class takes up temp work to provide certain services to gentlemen. Nope, not the services you are guessing. No dead bodies, but there is a wedding.

McCafferty’s Nine by Elizabeth Gunn. Excellent police procedural set in Minnesota. We have one previous title in this series, also excellent.

You Can Do It! The Boomer’s Guide to a Great Retirement by Jonathan D. Pond. A cheerful, exhaustive exploration of the topic. Much of the book could be used as a basic guide to investment. Friendly, well-organized and exceptionally easy to understand.

Sugar Daddy by Lisa Kleypas. Single woman in Texas raising her little sister faces a tough decision: which handsome, sexy, rich man should she commit to? Her childhood love or the guy she just fell in love with? We should all have such problems…

The Late Bloomer’s Revolution by Amy Cohen. A memoir about being single when you want to be married…but do you really want to be married? Fun and wacky.

The Camel Bookmobile by Masha Hamilton. Based on the real camel bookmobiles that travel the rural areas of Kenya to deliver books to isolated villages. In the novel, an American librarian goes to Kenya to help deliver books to the villagers and runs into some unexpected difficulties.  Much of the story is told from the villagers’ points of view.

In the Company of Cheerful Ladies by Alexander McCall Smith (audio and book).  More challenges for the Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency. Starts slow and quiet and then revs up to some exciting challenges.

The Trojan War: A New History by Barry Strauss (Regional). Was the Trojan War a historical event? Were the characters real people? How long did the war last? Was it over a beautiful woman named Helen? Yes, yes, less than 10 years, and very probably. However, it wasn’t just Helen’s beauty—she and Paris absconded with the palace treasure, too! Read all about it in this lively account, based on the latest archaelogical and literary research.

Don’t forget to attend the Advanced Directives Workshop, September 27 at 7 PM at Evergreen Place in Waitsfield, co-sponsored by this library and Joslin Memorial Library.

See you at the library!

Library Column - August 30, 2007

If you are wondering how I manage to read so many books…I dunno…I just keep reading and reading and reading. Even so, I only manage to get through a third of the books I buy for the library. Here is the latest batch of reviews from my mental kitchen–

A Well-Regulated Militia: The Founding Fathers and the Origins of Gun Control in America by Saul Cornell (Regional Library). Everything I thought I knew about the Second Amendment and the history of gun control in America was wrong. A startling examination of the origins and evolution of the right of gun ownership in the United States.

Possible Side Effects by Augusten Burroughs (Audio CD or book). Augusten continues to wend his way through memories of a very odd life. More stories from his childhood, including the time he flooded his grandmother’s bedroom. Read, with considerable angst, by the author.

The Overlook by Michael Connelly.  Murder by terrorists? A terrorist theft of radioactive material? A beautiful woman threatened? A clever police procedural by a master of the genre.

Dishwasher: One Man’s Quest to Wash Dishes in all Fifty States by Pete Jordan. The story of how Pete became a famous dishwasher, wanderer and author. Wacky. May make you reconsider eating out.

Back on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber. Tales of knitting and sisterhood.

Burning Bright by Tracy Chevalier. (Audio CD and Regional Library) A novel about William Blake in 1792 when he was living in Lambeth (London) and working on Songs of Innocence and of Experience. Blake is seen through the eyes of two children, Maggie, a Londoner and Jem, from Dorsetshire. To my surprise, Astley’s Circus wandered into the story, an odd historical intersection between mass culture and great art.

Sewing for the Home: Over50 Stylish Projects to Give Your Home a Fresh Look. Every once in a while I feel the overwhelming need to buy a replacement for an old book. This one is to replace a similar book published in 1977. The new version has clear instructions and photos. It covers windows, pillows, tables, bedrooms and bathrooms (literally), with projects for each area. Most important, the fabrics and designs fit into today’s décor.

Easy Home Organizer: 15-Minute Step-by-step Solutions by Vicki Payne.  There are a few too many assumptions in this book for my taste—the author assumes that you can afford to buy a lot of containers of various types, that you own your space and can hang things on the wall and install sliding drawers in your cabinets—but overall the suggestions are helpful. The best part of the book is her clear instructions for sorting out and organizing various parts of the house—quickly and without driving yourself insane.

Support the Friends of the Warren Public Library by giving generously to their annual fund-raiser. If you didn’t receive the mailer, pick up a brochure at the library. Thanks!