Library Column–May 11, 2006

Spring has sprung! I hope everyone has been enjoying the lovely tender green of the trees and the gorgeous spring flowers. When I’m not outdoors enjoying my grandchildren, I’m indoors reading. Try some of these!

Adventures from the Technology Underground: Catapults, Pulsejets, Rail Guns, Flamethrowers, Tesla Coils, Air Cannons, and the Garage Warriors Who Love Them by William Gurstelle. This is a very entertaining book about people who like to build and play with odd and sometimes dangerous gadgets. My favorite was the descriptions of the World Championship Punkin Chunk, complete with catapults, trebuchets, slingshots, onagers, spring engines, mangonels, and colossal compressed-air cannons all competing to find out who can throw a pumpkin the farthest. A nice feature of the book is that the seriously technical sections are separated from the entertainment portions, so if you are bored by diagrams and technical terms you can just skip over a few pages and get back to the guys and their gadgets.

Self-Made Man: One Woman’s Journey into Manhood and Back Again by Norah Vincent. Although this story has some amusing moments, most of the account is scary and sad. Norah disguised herself as Ned and spent time in various all male enclaves in an attempt to find out what men are really like. This would make an excellent book club selection, but for full impact the discussion group would have to include men AND women.

Blink: The Power of Thinking without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell (audio CD). The bestseller that examines how much can be picked up at a glance, how well and how badly this "thin slicing" can work and what steps to take if you want to develop your perceptive skills.

The Train to Estelline by Jane Roberts Wood (audio cassette). Journey back in time to West Texas in 1911-12 with a young school teacher setting out for her first teaching position, in a one-room country school house. The story is entirely in letters and moves skillfully from her naïve shock at the rough life, to her growing understanding of the land and the people. The book is sweet, but not cloying.

More Book Lust: 1,000 New Reading Recommendations for Every Mood, Moment and Reason by Nancy Pearl. The "action figure" librarian recommends books. A lot of books. An entertaining read which includes many worthwhile recommendations linked together by a very wide selection of themes. From the regional library and available in Warren until August, along with a number of other nifty free books.

The Reader by Bernhard Schlink (paperback collection AND regular collection). A brief novel about a woman, a boy, a love affair and the collective and individual pasts of the German people. An amazingly good read, for anyone who may have missed it when it first came out.

Dead at Daybreak by Deon Meyer. Thriller from South Africa includes many of the standard elements—a morose hero, a beautiful woman lawyer, a mysterious death, but excellent writing and plot development lift it above the pack.

Perdita: The Literary, Theatrical, Scandalous Life of Mary Robinson by Paula Byrne (paperback collection, biographies). The remarkable story of a woman who married at 15, discovered that her husband was a jerk, became an actress, then the mistress of the Prince of Wales (and one or two other gentlemen), remade herself as a novelist, poet and feminist and died young. Among other achievements, she was a friend of Mary Wollstonecroft.

The Singing and Dancing Daughters of God by Timothy Schaffert. Your basic small town out on the Plains, with divorced parents, loneliness, religion, death and confusion. Oddly, a hopeful and essentially positive story about hanging in there against the odds.

In the Belly of the Beast: Technology, Nature, and the Human Prospect by Steve Talbott (paperback collection). An excellent (and brief) review of the human relationship with technology, past and present.

Purity of Blood by Arturo Perez-Reverte. Another Spanish swashbuckler from the author of Captain Alatriste. In this one, our hero comes up against the Spanish Inquisition, an adversary that requires all of his courage and luck. There are five books in this series and we are only on the second. Please read and let me know if I should add the other three over the next few years!

Library Column–April 27, 2006

Please help out! One of our Archer Mayor books has reached the end of its readable life. Unfortunately, his early titles are now rare books, and priced accordingly. Unless I can find an inexpensive used copy of this book, it will have to be replaced with a paperback. The book is Open Season. If you have a copy in good condition that you are willing to donate, just give me a call or bring it into the library.

The logo contest is on its way—we already received our first applications) and we are eagerly looking forward to more examples of original artwork. Check our web-site (www.warrenlibrary.com) or call the library for more information.

Do you know about the paperback collection? It is in the hall leading to the library, so it is open every day (except Sunday), even when the library is shut. You don’t need a library card to borrow books and there are no due dates. Just mark the number of books you are taking on the circulation counting sheet and go! Some great new additions recently donated to the shelves: Without a Net: Middle Class and Homeless (with kids) in America by Michelle Kennedy, The Camino: A Journey of the Spirit by Shirley MacLaine, Anatomy of the Spirit: The Seven Stages of Power and Healing by Caroline Myss and The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant. People have been very generous in donating paperbacks to this collection so there is a steady stream of new additions. Check it out!

I’m afraid I’ve been doing a lot of reading:

The Ballroom on Magnolia Street by Sharon Owens. A Belfast story about a man who owns a ballroom, two sisters who visit the ballroom looking for love, plus some complicated family secrets. Although there are some mentions of the "troubles," that side of Irish life stays firmly in the background of the story.

The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly (audio cassette or book). A terrific read—first it tells you a lot about being a defense lawyer in America, but it is also a super suspense novel with a convoluted plot—who is guilty and what did they actually do? Included are great courtroom scenes and a surprise ending.

The Passion of Artemisia by Susan Vreeland (audio CD or book). The story of a woman artist in Rome and Florence in the 1600s, based on the life of Artemisia Gentileschi. The historic background is vividly realized and the protagonist’s passion for painting is believably presented. After I finished the book I went searching for some examples of her work on the Internet. Artemisia is an excellent example of someone who was able to transform suffering and trauma (she was raped) into amazing works of art.

I’ll Never Be Long Gone by Thomas Christopher Greene. A Vermont theme and author, with lovely descriptions of scenery and food. The story is about a family restaurant, where fine cooking is an obsession; and a family divided.

Spin Doctor by Leslie Carroll. A variation on the book about a book club genre only in this case the characters are a therapist and her pro bono clients. The therapist meets with her clients in the laundry room in the basement of her apartment building, so instead of book discussions as a background, there are laundry problems. Light and amusing.

A Fool’s Gold: A Story of Ancient Spanish Treasure, Two Pounds of Pot, and the Young Lawyer Almost Left Holding the Bag by Bill Merritt. One truly hilarious story, which has got to be non-fiction (for real) because I would never, never believe this tale as a novel. The book includes elements of the legal thriller, the ancient treasure/archaelogy mystery, and the eccentric rural oddballs comedy. I actually laughed out loud at one point.

The Summer Snow by Rebecca Pawel. An excellent mystery in an unusual setting: Franco’s Spain in 1945. The author does a superb job of evoking the culture, events and flavor of the time and place. We have The Watcher in the Pine by the same author.

The Case for Shakespeare: The End of the Authorship Question by Scott McCrea (regional library). We’ll have this book for 3 months, so do feel free to check it out. An excellent and entertaining read, but also a serious study of the question of who wrote Shakespeare’s works…the Bard…or some other genius.

No Peace for the Wicked by Pip Granger. A lively and light mystery set in 1950s Soho London. The characters are bizarre and eccentric and outspoken, the ambiance is perfectly drawn and the story is entertaining.

The Body on the Beach by Simon Brett (audio cassette). Dry British humor/mystery, wherein a body turns up on the beach and then disappears again, leaving a very respectable middle-aged woman embarrassed and irritated. We have more titles by this author, one in audio and two in the mystery section

Library Column–March 30, 2006

People in Warren pay a bit for their library. Are you getting your money’s worth? If you check out more than two adult books a year or four children’s books a year, or read a few of our magazines, or ask the librarian a couple of questions, or use the computer a few times a year, or check out a few of our videos or DVDs, then the answer is yes. So, if you want to get your money’s worth out of the library—just use it occasionally and enjoy!

I haven’t had room in my column lately for everything I’ve read or listened to. That is why four of the titles reviewed below are audio books that got bumped from the last two columns. I listen while I commute from Montpelier and I also listen at home while I spin yarn on my spinning wheel. Unfortunately, when it comes to spinning, I do better with more frivolous books. A perfect example:

Eleven on Top by Janet Evanovich (audio CD). Excellent escapist entertainment for those who like that sort of thing. Also helped me produce 5 skeins of very soft brown wool yarn.

The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd (audio CD and 2 copies of the hardcover). A married woman in her 40s returns to the island of her childhood, in an attempt to rediscover her essential self. Thoughtful and probing.

The Hunt Ball by Rita Mae Brown (audio CD). A mystery centered in the fox-hunting culture of Virginia, but you’ll be happy to know that the foxes do not get killed, only the human beings.

4:50 From Paddington by Agatha Christie (audio cassette). I love listening to Agatha Christie, but I find her boring to read. Beats me. This one has a mysterious missing body, tangled family relationships, Miss Marple and a shrewd young lady assistant all mixed together in a masterpiece of misdirection.

Girl With a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier (audio cassette, also book). Richly imagined historical novel written from the point of view of the subject of the famous Vermeer painting. I enjoyed it in two ways—as a sensitive, tragic, novel and as a great description of everyday life in Delft in the 1660s.

The Jungle Law by Victoria Vinton. Kipling is living in Vermont, enjoying life with his new, expectant wife and working on The Jungle Book. Down the road is the Connolly family, Jack is a struggling farmer, his wife Addie is doing the Kiplings’ laundry, and their 11 year old son, Joe, is fascinated by the exotic new world opened to him by the clever, eccentric young author. A touching glimpse into a lost world of the past, expertly mixed fact and fiction by a new novelist.

My Life on a Plate by India Knight. Audio cassette. First person, discontented English "mom with two kids" (and a foul mouth) trying to figure out why her life lacks excitement. I found her pretty irritating, not my sort, but honesty is her redeeming quality and saves the book from disaster. Also, it is funny in spots.

Library Column–March 16, 2006

Let’s skip the topic of the weather, shall we? Today I’d like to talk about the Warren Public Library web-site at www.warrenlibrary.com

The web-site has some new features. First up, is a search feature. Go to the bottom of the home page, type in the name of a book or an author and search the site. The search will take you to one of the new book lists. Just go down the list until you find the book. The site now includes book lists going back to November/December 2004, so a fair portion of our newer books are now actually searchable.

Also searchable are our complete lists of videos, DVDs and audio books, on cassette or CD. We may, someday, have an online catalog. Until then…

The web-site also includes the booklists from my radio programs: click on Radio Programs in the left-hand menu and then pick your topic. Click on Special Events for a list of upcoming programs or Click on Helpful Links for a selection of useful web links.

Upcoming radio programs: March 20 with Wrenn Compere on children’s books and March 27 with Mary Alice Bisbee on Health Care Legislation and other health care controversies.

And then a few books—after all books are the core business of libraries, right?

A Necessary Spectacle: Billie Jean King, Bobby Riggs, and the Tennis Match that Leveled the Game by Selena Roberts. I am bored by sports. I was at the University of Wisconsin for 3 years and NEVER attended a single sports event. All that said, I nevertheless enjoyed this book. It includes wonderful (and occasionally weird) characters wandering through and creating extraordinary historical changes in the position of women in the world and in sports.

Talk to the Hand: The Utter Bloody Rudeness of the World Today, or Six Good Reasons to Stay Home and Bolt the Door by Lynne Truss. The lady who wrote Eats, Shoots & Leaves deals with manners, more from a British point of view than American and with a more philosophical/historical slant than a "which fork to use" approach.

Letters to Alice on First Reading Jane Austen by Fay Weldon. (Paperback Collection) An iconoclastic and amusing approach to literature and reading from a successful author, with lively commentary on Jane Austen’s books and life.

Simply Armenian: Naturally Healthy Ethnic Cooking Made Easy by Barbara Ghazarian. This one is from the Regional Library. I tried two of the recipes and they were easy and came out yummy. Also from Regional: The Wonderful Food of Provence by Jean-Noel Escudier and Peta J. Fuller; and Ken Hom’s Top 100 Stir-Fry Recipes: Quick and Easy Dishes for Every Occasion.

Rituals of the Season by Margaret Maron. Murder right before Christmas and a wedding right after Christmas. A good mystery with a tricky plot and a believable North Carolina background, plus a couple of courtroom/legal bits, including the search for evidence in an old death penalty case.

Blindfold Game by Dana Stabenow. A thriller. I don’t like thrillers, but I managed to read a fair bit of this one, nevertheless. The bad guys actually have a good reason for their wickedness and the heroes are in the Coast Guard (and one in the CIA).

Dave Barry’s Money Secrets: Like: Why is there a Giant Eyeball on the Dollar? By Dave Barry. Funny.

See you at the library!

Library Column–February 22, 2006

Upcoming fun events at the library: Rug Hooking, Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 6:30 P.M.; Book and Bake Sale, Warren Town Hall, Saturday, Feb. 18th, 10-6; Book Discussion, The Color of Water by James McBride (books available at the library), Sunday, Feb. 19th, 3:30 P.M., Warren Library.

We have waaaaayyyy too many new books on the window sill. Please help us out by wandering in and taking one or two! One of the nice things about the Warren Public Library is that it is rare for a new book to be on a waiting list. I also have an excellent selection of books from the Regional Library.

Warm thanks to everyone who cooked and baked and sorted books and toted books for our very successful and enjoyable book sale. The Friends of the Library will be able to continue to support the library in the style to which we have become accustomed thanks to the support of all of our patrons who stopped by and bought books and cookies.

Let’s starts with something new and different: a DVD review and a review by my library assistant, J Butler. The rest of my reading was a lively mix: politics, biography, romantic suspense, sexual diversity and a Native American adoption crisis.

The Real Olympics: A History of the Ancient and Modern Olympic Games from PBS (DVD). I’ve finally managed to watch one of the DVDs bought with the tail end of the Vermont Public Library Foundation grant last year. PBS did a good job with a budget that was just a bit too small. The footage of actors recreating aspects of the ancient Greek Olympic games kept getting reused, and reused. Plus, there was a lot of footage of "talking heads." All that said, the cultural similarities and contrasts made for an interesting story. Warning: the combat scenes from the ancient games are extremely violent, but the actors do wear g-strings, unlike the original Greeks who raced and fought and launched javelins in the altogether.

From Moretown resident John Hilferty, comes Moonlight in Vermont, a novel about what everybody in the valley loves…Skiing! But I have to say that I found this book to be as much about the act of skiing as The Old Man and the Sea has to do with the act of fishing—skiing here is merely a catalyst for exposing the risks of competition, and ultimately something much deeper and more profound: what happens when victory is out of reach. So, for a trip down some of the local runs, a trip down some of the world’s greatest slopes, and a trip down the steep and oft perilous paths of love and love lost, Moonlight in Vermont is the book for you. Check it out! (review by J Butler)

Our Endangered Values: America’s Moral Crisis by Jimmy Carter (audio CD). A political critique by an ex-president and a religious critique by a devout Christian: an all around hard look at the policies of our current administration. I didn’t agree with everything he said, but I thought he had an interesting point of view to share.

The Mysterious Private Thompson: The Double Life of Sarah Emma Edmonds, Civil War Soldier by Laura Leedy Gansler. A great book for anyone interested in the real lives of 19th century women or for anyone interested in Civil War battle experiences of ordinary soldiers. Sarah disguised herself as a young man to avoid marriage, had a successful career as a book salesman and then joined up as a soldier early in the war. Later she became an author, a wife, a teacher and the only acknowledged woman to receive a soldier’s pension from the U.S. government for service in the Civil War.

Countdown by Iris Johansen. Romantic suspense with archaelogy, violence, mind-control and a plot to blow up a nuclear reactor.

Trans-Sister Radio by Chris Bohjalian (audio CD, abridged). A lively tale of gender, small town intolerance, sex, love, romance and misunderstandings. What makes a woman a woman? What makes a man a man? Is it the plumbing, the soul, or?

Pigs in Heaven by Barbara Kingsolver (audio cassette). This is the sort of story that could easily become tiresomely PC (or equally tiresomely politically incorrect) but Ms. Kingsolver’s humor, compassion and excellent writing manages to guide us through this sequel to The Bean Trees without falling into either tedium. The center of the story is a lost and found child named Turtle who is claimed by the mother who found her and the Cherokee tribe that lost her.

Library Column–February 9, 2006

My first radio program is next Monday morning at 9 A.M. My guest and I will chat about travel resources at the library and plan a fun trip to Provence: what do you read to get ready, where do you go to find great places to stay and much more.

My reading is so diverse I am developing multiple topic disorder (unfortunately common amongst public librarians).

When Baghdad Ruled the Muslim World: the Rise and Fall of Islam’s Greatest Dynasty by Hugh Kennedy. I enjoyed this book because I am a very serious history buff, but it was a good read except for the huge number of confusing and similar names. The Caliphs were, overall, good rulers, but the lack of an orderly system for identifying the next ruler undermined the health and balance of this huge empire. Hurrah for constitutional democracy!

Bubbles (series) by Sarah Strohmeyer. A Vermont author who writes a series about a wacky Pennsylvania hairdresser/reporter who tracks down criminals, mostly by accident. Excellent choice for Janet Evanovich fans.

Portuguese Irregular Verbs by Alexander McCall Smith. (Audio CD) The author has found a group that can be mocked with impunity: tall, thin, German professors of philology. I don’t think any group has organized to protest this cruel, unfair, vicious and very, very funny description of the truly clueless Professor Doctor Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld.

Loredana: A Venetian Tale by Lauro Martines. This historical novel/fantasy is set in late Renaissance Italy. Venice was never actually a “two-tiered city.” I found this a good read, but it does include some true to the period violence: torture and executions and also some extremely graphic sex.

The House in Amalfi by Elizabeth Adler. A pleasant romance, but the best part of the book is the Italian background: beautiful scenery and scrumptious meals.

Cross Bones by Kathy Reichs. Temperance Brennan goes to Israel and looks at some really old bones. Includes some tomb-crawling and a chase scene.

Confluence: A River, The Environment, Politics & The Fate of All Humanity by Nathaniel Tripp. A book about the Connecticut River as it flows through Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Connecticut, talking about canoeing down the river with Howard Dean, describing the politics of water flows, energy production, pollution, farming, and lots and lots of other stuff. A good companion book to Cities in the Wilderness by Bruce Babbitt (reviewed a couple of weeks back), with Confluence doing a good job of discussing local environmental matters and the Babbitt book doing an equally excellent job of discussing Federal environment policy.

Library Column–January 27, 2006

Another beautiful, snowy winter day in Warren, and I’m enjoying the wonderful view from the library windows. Speaking of library windows, please stop in and fill out our library survey: we need to know what people think about moving the library to the main floor of the Warren Town Hall. If you can’t get into the library I’ll be happy to mail out copies of the survey. You can call me at 496-3913 and let me know how many copies you need.

Exciting news – the Library will be on the air soon. Starting Monday, February 13, at 9 AM I’ll be talking about books on WMRW LP-FM 95.1 and I’ll be looking for guests to join me. Are you interested in a particular topic? Cooking, decorating, history, music, art, parenting or? Do you love (or loath) a particular author? This is your opportunity to go public with your knowledge and opinions! The only requirement is to link the discussion to the library collection and resources and I’ll be glad to help put together programs that work! Give me a call to volunteer yourself or a friend!

My reading has been…diverse…muddled might be a better word, but luckily I enjoy diving into books and I even enjoy trying to describe them in 25 words or less.

The Necessary Beggar by Susan Palwick. This one is sort of science fiction, but it is more of a book about families, love, cultural shock, exile, refugees, truth, lies and confusion. I enjoyed it.

Flirting with Pride & Prejudice: Fresh Perspectives on the Original Chick-Lit Masterpiece edited by Jennifer Crusie. Hey, it was fun, not too serious, and especially interesting if you also like the various movie versions. Great for fans of Jane Austen, but not if you can’t stand a bit of nonsense.

The Professor’s Daughter by Emily Raboteau. A first novel by a young woman with elements of magical realism and a harsh study of the challenge of growing up in a mixed race family in America. I found the story irritating and then increasingly gripping as I gradually immersed myself in the story.

Cities in the Wilderness: A New Vision of Land Use in America by Bruce Babbitt. An excellent review of various environmental transformations and issues over the last 30 years. Babbitt proposes a partnership between concerned citizens, the Federal government, state governments and local governments to protect and recreate wilderness areas. I was impressed by his practical good sense and insider knowledge of politics plus the remarkable readability of the book.

The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks (audio cassette). Sweet.

See you at the library.

Library Column–January 12, 2006

Bits and pieces: Please come to Benjamin Franklin’s 300th birthday party at Warren Public Library on January 18th at 3 p.m. That evening will be the first meeting of our new handcrafts group, so join us at 7 p.m. to share our handwork and friendly conversation. Upcoming at the library: Benjamin Franklin’s birthday party! The first of the Founding Fathers to turn 300, Benjamin Franklin was an extraordinary figure. Among other things, he established a lending library in Philadelphia. We’ll be gathering on January 18th at 3 p.m. to celebrate his life and achievements (and eat cake).I’ve been doing a lot of reading and listening:

Dead Man’s Mirror by Agatha Christie (audio cassette). One of several new acquisitions in our audio cassette collection, including more by Christie and three Brother Cadfael mysteries by Ellis Peters.

Her Majesty’s Spymaster: Elizabeth I, Sir Francis Walsingham, and the Birth of Modern Espionage by Stephen Budiansky. Personally, I love history books, and this one was great fun, filled with interesting characters, dramatic situations, undercover operations and the story of the sting that led to the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots. A good book for history buffs, espionage buffs or anyone who enjoys an exciting story.

Slow Man by J. M. Coetzee. Is this a book about a character, or is it a book about a novelist trying to write about a character? The story is simple: a 60 year old, unattached man, loses a leg in a bicycle accident. He ends up attached…sort of…but who has he connected with and why? One of those well-written, interesting tales that leave the reader puzzled and intrigued.

Live Well on Less Than You Think: The New York Times Guide to Achieving Your Financial Freedom by Fred Brock (paperback collection). The title says it all. Includes an excellent list of web-sites which will be added to the useful links page at our web-site.

The Watcher in the Pine by Rebecca Pawel. An excellent mystery, set in Franco’s Spain in 1940, with atmosphere, suspense and humor, plus a plot that works. I enjoyed it. It is the second in a series, but reads well on its own.

Generation Rx: How Prescription Drugs are Altering American Lives, Minds and Bodies by Greg Critser. A brief history of how the pharmaceutical industry became somewhat unregulated and also started advertising to consumers; including some of the peculiar consequences thereof. The last chapter includes a list of useful web-sites for anyone taking prescription drugs: I plan to add some of them to the Warren Public Library web page under Useful Links.

Saturday by Ian McEwan (audio CD). One very odd day in the life of a London neurosurgeon, exploring his thoughts, his marriage, his children, his work, and one chance encounter that could destroy it all.

The Master Butchers Singing Club by Louise Erdrich (audio cassette). A complex story about a small town in North Dakota, beginning in the 20’s and ending in the 50’s, with a number of unique characters and Ms. Erdrich’s rich prose.

Fiddlers by Ed McBain. His last book, and his last book about the 87th Precinct. Good job and good-bye. A quirky story about a very odd series of murders.

Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare by Stephen Greenblatt. We have this book on audio CD (Joslin Memorial has the "book" version) and I found it a most entertaining story, albeit occasionally gruesome. The author manages to track down many plausible experiences that Shakespeare probably had, out of the general events of the times, particular events in the Shakespeare family, and a good understanding of the workings of the Elizabethan and Jacobean theater worlds.

Library Column–December 29, 2005

Let’s be considerate of others: if you smoke cigarettes or cigars or like to wear perfume, please try not to return your library books in whiffy condition. Airing the books for a couple of days will take care of cigarette smoke, but cigar smoke is very persistent, and so are some perfumes. Another possibility is using some sort of "smokeless" ashtray to reduce the stray smoke. Other ideas on this topic are welcome!

We have a big pile of new audio books in, including some brand-new bestsellers. We also have some new wooden toys for the kids: a pirate ship, a dump truck, a circus train, a floater plane and a gorgeous new rainbow stacker.

My reading (and listening) over the last two weeks has been quite diverse—bits of this and that:

The Almond Picker by Simonetta Agnello Hornby. Do we ever really know or understand another human being? This deceptively simple little book explores the much misunderstood life of a servant woman in Sicily, wandering through the lives of the residents of a small city, filled with gossip, conflict, debate, hatred and love. An excellent novel.

Steeplechase: A Homer Kelly Mystery by Jane Langton. I really, really enjoyed this book. It is two stories in one. In the contemporary story, Mary and Homer Kelly are doing research for a book about old churches in small towns in Massachusetts. The other story is set in 1868 in a small town in Massachusetts where a dispute about a wonderful old tree metamorphoses into the building of a new church, which ends up "disappearing," providing the mystery for the Kellys to chase.

Captain Alatriste by Arturo Pérez-Reverte. A dark story of swashbuckling swordplay in Madrid, set in the early 1600’s. Heroic, tragic, funny and filled with scraps of actual poetry and some real historical characters.

The Know-It-All: One Man’s Humble Quests to Become the Smartest Person in the World by A. J. Jacobs. (Paperback Collection) A very amusing first-person account of a successful attempt to read the entire Encyclopædia Britannica, in a not altogether serious attempt to become enlightened and knowledgeable. Plenty of fun information and a surprising number of odd and amusing incidents.

Infidels: A History of the Conflict Between Christendom and Islam by Andrew Wheatcroft. (From the regional library: we have it until March.) A good read for those who like in-depth history. His concentration is on the use of language to attack and define the other. There has been a lot of distortion on both sides, in a conflict that is 1400 years old and still going. In addition to the discussion of language he describes the conflict in medieval Spain, the Crusades in medieval Palestine, the conquest of the Balkans by the Ottoman Turks and the misunderstandings and distortions arising during and after the European Enlightenment.

Library Column–December 16, 2005

There is a beautiful view of snow gently falling outside the library windows. Inside, things are way too peaceful. Come in and pick up some books!

I’ve managed to read a few books in the last two weeks:

Crazy Eights by Elizabeth Gunn. One in a series, but this police procedural stands alone with no problem. Also includes some interesting courtroom scenes, and a nice, complicated little mystery that includes some clever misdirection.

The Red Queen by Margaret Drabble. A multi-cultural novel that explores two countries, two centuries and two different women’s lives. The first part is a reconsideration of a “true” story written by a Korean princess who lived in the 18th century, the second part the story of a modern scholar who encounters the story of the Korean princess. An excellent novel, both entertaining and thought-provoking. Note 1: This is a regional library book, and will only be available for a couple more months. Note 2: This book is not a good read if you are severely claustrophobic.

Break, Blow, Burn: Camille Paglia Reads Forty-three of the World’s Best Poems. Exactly what the title says-Ms.Paglia guides readers through a lively analysis of poetry from Shakespeare thru the mid-Twentieth Century. I enjoyed it and discovered many wonderful things about poems I already knew and discovered a number of wonderful poems that had been outside of my reading range until now.

Entombed by Linda Fairstein. Another exciting NYC mystery by the former head of the Sex Crimes Unit of the D.A.’s Office in Manhattan. She definitely knows her nitty, gritty, details. This one has an Edgar Allan Poe connection, with references to many of his stories and poems.

The paperback collection is packed full of good reads and many helpful non-fiction books besides. There is no time limit on these books and no library card is needed. Besides that, the paperback collection is still available on Tuesdays and Thursdays, when the library is closed. Just be sure to mark the number of books you take on the little chart hanging to the left of the shelves.

Right next to the paperback collection are two shelves full of sale books. These are all priced at $1.00, except for the children’s books at 50 cents. We’ve been weeding, so there will be some “new” old books for sale.

I’ve ordered a few more audio books and they should be arriving soon. Come in and check them out. Wrenn and I picked out some new wooden toys for the children’s library (a truly enjoyable task). The first toy is in, a wonderful rainbow stacker!

Mary Alice Bisbee and I are planning a 300th birthday party for Benjamin Franklin. He won’t be able to attend, but we hope to have some of his cultural descendents at the party:

Firefighters, librarians, postal workers, scientists, printers, publishers and maybe even a politician are all invited, along with American history fans. We have a number of good books about Franklin and other great Americans of the Revolutionary era if you’d like to do a little research.

See you at the library.