Westport Public Library BOOK blog

Two and a half days without electricity brought back the joys of “flashlight reading” and Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann was the perfect book. McCann, not a native New Yorker, researched the world of 1974 New York City to create a vivid picture of the drugs and desolation of the Bronx and the excitement of Philipe Petit sashaying his way across the wire between the two World Trade Towers. McCann writes strong characters, each unique. He does not shy away from the gritty details of crime and prostitution or the knotty questions of faith and loyalty. He captures the interaction of various races and classes of people …and eventually ties it all together, as their connections become clear. Truly, he has written a book to escape into – away from the cold air, the water in the basement, the howling wind, the falling trees, etc.

For comic relief, try Why My Third Husband Will Be a Dog by Lisa Scottoline. A collection of columns from the Philadelphia Inquirer, it’s a humorous take on the life of a single, middle-aged, dog-lover (and best-selling author) whose humor is witty and entertaining, but works best in small doses. Scottoline’s voice is clear…you can easily imagine the kind of friend or neighbor she would be. Her family stories are particularly endearing. A good choice to pick up, when you need a little cheering up (on day two or day three without power) but too much of a good thing for a straight read-through.

Television announcer Jim Moret is the son of actor James Darren who was a heartthrob to those of a certain age. Moret's book The Last Day of My Life is an inspirational account of his taking stock and being grateful and includes some details of his life. Much of what he writes seems obvious, yet he has a graceful way of reminding the reader that life is good. If you find this kind of book just too sugary, skip this one. If you like a little positive reinforcement now and then, this is a good browsing choice.

I am slowly working my way through 36 Arguments for the Existence of God: a Work of Fiction by Rebecca Goldstein. (Her husband is cognitive scientist, Steven Pinker.) Amid all the books pitting the atheists against the religious, Goldstein takes a creative path right through the middle by examining the scientific arguments while recognizing the unscientific spiritual components of life. At the center is a celebrity “atheist with soul.” Intellectually engaging, this is one to read slowly with pauses for your own thoughts; it’s a philosophical novel with real moral questions that leave the answers up to you.

More opinions about recently read books.

SECRETS OF EDEN: A NOVEL by Chris Bohjalian attracted my attention because the story revolves around a small-town Vermont minister. The idiosyncrasies of living “close-up” with neighbors and “frenemies” whose young pastor’s single life style and aloof manner cause discomfort are well-captured by the author. However, this book is really a murder mystery- the victims a long-time abusive husband and his battered wife. The details of spousal abuse are balanced with mother – daughter tenderness , women’s friendships and the single guy’s (the minister’s) love life. A secondary story of an enduring belief in angels adds another layer to the look at long term effects of spousal abuse. The identity of the murderer is not difficult to guess, but that does not detract from the story. This was a fast and enjoyable read. Bohjalian is adept at taking an issue of current interest and building a novel around it. Other authors with similar fiction are Jodi Picoult, Anita Shreve , Barbara Delinsky & Elizabeth Berg.

BLACK ELVIS: STORIES by Geoffrey Becker piqued my curiosity because Becker is coming to the Library on May 17 to talk about his novel Hot Springs. A professor at Towson State in Maryland, Becker was awarded the Flannery O’Connor Award for this collection of stories. Each is inhabited by people who seem unsure of the next step and what that step might mean on their life journeys. Most are musicians. Many are academics meandering through their lives outside of the ivory towers. I like his writing which places you right into the story where you gradually realize the discrepancies between the inner and outer lives of the characters. There’s an imperturbable aspect to the (mostly) men he depicts – as if they know they are con men, but it really doesn’t matter…the consequences are left to the reader's imagination. In one story, a recently deceased author finds that the afterlife consists of an endless book tour where he is the stand-in for the author who was expected…leaving him with both a sense of being appreciated and of being a fraud.

A GOOD TALK: THE STORY AND SKILL OF CONVERSATION by Daniel Menaker examines social conversation…its origins, its uses and its pitfalls. Humor is his style; anecdotes are his content-all presented with a slightly sarcastic tone. Reading this is like sitting down for a cup of coffee with a witty friend. Literary factoids and good advice lurk amidst all the clever writing. A good book to browse.

Are you “math-impaired?” Take a look at SECRETS OF MENTAL MATH: THE MATHEMATICIAN’S GUIDE TO LIGHTNING CALCULATIONS AND AMAZING MATH TRICKS by Arthur Benjamin & Michael Shermer. It’s full of tricks for rapid – and correct- calculations. You won’t believe it, till you try it!

The Help is the story of several black women in the south and the white women they worked for. It is set in Mississippi in 1962, a time of social turmoil and change. Kathryn Stockett grew up in Jackson, Mississippi and is quite familiar with life in the south. Her story focuses on the point of view of the women and not on the political detail of what was going on. One of the white women, Skeeter, has decided to write a book to tell the story of these African-American caretakers. Although it was extremely risky to tell their tales, these women bravely felt it was time to share the true feelings about their lives. Her characters are both complex and admirable and you will be quickly drawn into the stories they tell. This is a page turner, and I have to admit, I found it hard to put down.

Although Ms. Stockett has been criticized for writing in the voices of the black women and for her use of dialect (listen to this interview on NPR with the author); The Help was most definitely the popular choice of many as the best book of 2009, and is currently number one on the best seller list. Because of this popularity I have had to tell all of the book clubs that asked for it that as much as I would love for their book club to read it and discuss it together, it would be impossible to borrow enough copies for them. We have ordered The Help for our Speaking of Books collection in the paperback format, but the publisher keeps pushing back the release date, obviously due to the hard cover’s success. In trying to keep up with the requests of our patrons at the library, we now have over 45 copies of The Help in circulation, and I’m hoping that as the wait list abates, we should be able to start using those copies for book clubs.

So let me know if you would like to add The Help to your book club list. I’ve started a list of those book clubs that would like to read it and we’ll do our best to fit it into your schedule. I think that you’ll agree that it was worth waiting for.

A few of the books I have read recently…and my opinions about them.

DEFY GRAVITY: HEALING BEYOND THE BOUNDS OF REASON by Caroline Myss
I think of myself as a veteran of the New Age heyday and so, probably have a greater tolerance for this type of book than others do. I have followed Myss’ books since the first one, Why People Don’t Heal and How They Can, after I heard about her at a seminar This book is repetitious and it bothers me when a self-help author talks about her previous erroneous beliefs. On the other hand, Myss always includes some interesting ideas for coping with life. In this case, I appreciated her explanation of how the habit of feeling self-entitlement can interfere with your relationships and your peace.

CHEAP: THE HIGH COST OF DISCOUNT CULTURE by Ellen Ruppel Shell
Shell traced the global effects of the focus on getting a bargain and detailed the facts that seem obvious to those who care. This presents the developing history of our obsession with low prices and what that obsession really costs. I was hoping for a little more about the psychology of the obsession…but, not in this book.

PRICELESS: THE MYTH OF FAIR VALUE (AND HOW TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT) by William Poundstone
Here I did find the discussion of people and prices and how they interact. It’s called behavioral economics. Poundstone shows how people are influenced in their beliefs about whether or not they are getting a bargain. Did you know that “price consultants” and “negotiation coaches” assist retailers in getting the most of our spending dollars for the least value?

BLAME by Michelle Huneven
Huneven writes fiction that carries you along and, in this case, even the ending was satisfying. I think writing the ending to a novel must be one of the most challenging tasks for an author. So often, a good read fizzles out at the end. Blame is about an alcoholic who has an accident in which two people are killed. She goes to jail- an experience described in uncomfortable detail- is released and rebuilds her life. A surprise lurks near the end of the story. Lots of food for thought here. I also enjoyed Huneven’s Jamesland, a novel full of scenes that years later linger in my memory.

GATE AT THE STAIRS by Lorrie Moore
Well, from the first sentence, I was marveling at her writing (think Updike.) Then, I got caught up in the story which weaves the threads of coming-of-age, family dysfunction, post 9/11, multi-racial interaction, guilt…and somewhere about half way through, I found myself thinking that more editing would have helped. Still, a good read.

NOAH’S COMPASS by Anne Tyler
Typical Tyler and I like typical Tyler. About a sixty-something man whose inner and outer lives are not necessarily in sync, this is another quirky, Baltimore story and an entertaining, fast read.

DISSONANCE by Lisa Lenard-Cook
I was drawn to this one by the cover art- an old-fashioned piano stool and piano keyboard. Lenard-Cook fits together the contemporary story of a piano teacher living with her scientist husband in New Mexico with the story of a musician who survived the Theresienstadt concentration camp. Family dynamics are an important part of the novel. Intermittent paragraphs about music as metaphor enhanced the book for me, but would probably discourage some readers.

Blame by Michelle Huneven appeared on a few of last year’s ‘best of 2009’ fiction lists. It is the story of a young college professor who, while driving home after an evening of drinking and partying, killed two women. Patsy MacLemoore will spend the next twenty years dealing with the consequences of her actions in this artfully written novel about guilt, atonement and ultimately forgiveness. Alcoholism and sobriety have played a part in both of Ms. Huneven‘s previous novels, Round Rock and Jamesland. She is herself a recovering alcoholic and through her books has given us a first hand look at Alcoholics Anonymous and the pros and cons of such an organization.

There are many notable literary memoirs that have been written about alcoholism. Pete Hamill describes his years of drinking in A Drinking Life, and journalist Caroline Knapp details her love affair with alcohol in Drinking: a love story. But Mary Karr, poet and literature professor at Syracuse University has written a memoir that you will find hard to resist.

Lit appeared on several of last year’s best nonfiction lists. Ms. Karr has written two earlier memoirs, The Liars Club and Cherry which focused on her early years in Texas and her adolescence. Lit is about marriage, motherhood and her battle with alcohol. Karr relates the story of her ‘nervous breakthrough’ as she calls it, and about all the help she had along the way. As she struggles to get sober and after years as an agnostic, she embraces Catholicism. It’s a powerful story, dark at times, but also filled with self deprecating humor. Karr is a master storyteller with a beautiful writing style.

Both Blame and Lit are about coming to terms with our past and our present, about finding one’s self and surviving. There’s lots of discussion material here and I highly recommend them for book clubs looking for a female’s perspective on this troubling topic.

Boring, you think? Don’t bother reading on. This blog is for fans of the carefully crafted writing of good essays. I love them! Find a good book of essays and you have a gourmet feast of many satisfying courses.

I have found a treasure trove in Zadie Smith’s Changing My Mind. Her words grab you and her ideas shake you… from literary conceits to pop culture treats. David Foster Wallace becomes almost comprehensible in her hands. Movie reviews surprise with her gut reactions that have not a trace of the intellectual snobbery you might expect. She portrays her father with grace and understanding and honesty. And on she goes…with perfectly honed phrases that do not allow your attention to wander.

Playwright and actor Wallace Shawn proclaims a “break from fantasy land …to go off to a place called Reality …” in his new book, Essays. If you enjoyed My Dinner with Andre, you will recognize the original voice and provocative questions that characterize Shawn’s approach here, as in the movie. He is a gentle writer whose point of reference is always himself…fearless with his wondering about how our culture works and why things affect him as they do. “Morality,” “Patriotism” and “Writing about Sex” provide some of his musings.

“He imagined no alternatives to being himself.” This is Leonard Michaels talking about his father in The Essays of Leonard Michaels. Mostly memoir, these pieces re-create the tone and the culture of downtown New York mid-twentieth century. Michaels’ five foot tall father intimidates his son, but then relieves the anxiety of the younger and bigger man with profound and succinct comments. Caught dating a non-Jewish girl, the son dreads his father’s reaction. After a “dense” silence, the father sighs. “I’ll dance at your wedding,” he says. The relief is palpable …and the girl breaks up with him. In “Writing About Myself,” the author addresses the ways in which the elements of writing –grammar, tone, imagery, etc. - reveal so much that whatever the subject, the writer’s presence is known.

Experience and memory emerge in essays by Hilary Masters. In the new book In Rooms of Memory, Masters also writes about his father, the poet Edgar Lee Masters. Describing his father in careful detail, Masters paints a picture of chilling emotional distance and sentimental longing for more connection with the man whose public persona is better known to his son than is his family role. In “Three Places in Ohio,” home cooked food is lovingly and sensually described as the highpoint of a weekend trip preceded by the writing of a last will and testament and followed by a test for prostate cancer. A healthy appetite for life prevails.

More favorite essay collections:
Ex Libris by Anne Fadiman, High Tide in Tucson by Barbara Kingsolver, The Bullfighter Checks Her Makeup by Susan Orlean.

The number one selection for book clubs this year was Loving Frank by Nancy Horan. This book appeared on our list last year and it’s no surprise that book clubs continue to request it. Historical fiction at its best, it is the story of the romance-affair between Frank Lloyd Wright and Mamah Cheney. With many relevant issues it is perfect for book discussions. Close behind it in demand was The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. This charming novel, filled with great characters, is a favorite of both book clubs and avid readers alike.

Two prize winners are next on our list. The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga, was the winner of the 2008 Man Booker Prize. A tale of modern India, this is the rags to riches story of Balram Halwai, the ‘white tiger’ of the title, who will do anything to achieve his destiny. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout, won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction this year. A series of interconnected short stories, this is a novel about small town life, family dynamics and loss. Book clubs have warmly embraced both of these books.

The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa is number five on our list of favorites. Many clubs have already read this beautiful, moving little novel in anticipation of WestportREADS. With many upcoming programs planned surrounding the book, it’s not too late for book clubs to be a part of our town wide read. Let me know if you would like some copies for your group.

Rounding out this year’s list are some of last year’s favorites: Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson, The Nine by Jeffrey Toobin and The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Two newcomers this year were Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay, also in our Speaking of Books collection, and The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein.

Any of these books would make a great addition to your book club’s reading list or for that matter a great holiday gift. Please let me know if you would like copies for your group or a discussion guide.

Happy Reading in 2010!

What better choice to start off with than the WestportReads selection, The Housekeeper and the Professor. This is a book that spans all ages, so we think it would be perfect for the mother-daughter club. Math, baseball and relationships that bind us together are at the heart of this enchanting little book.

Stones for Ibarra by Harriet Doerr was written when the author was in her seventies. Her first novel, it won the National Book Award in 1984. It is the story of an American couple living in Ibarra, Mexico, the Evertons, who learn much about life and its challenges from the villagers there.

Ann Patchett books are always a good choice for book clubs. In Bel Canto, a group of rich and powerful hostages form unexpected bonds. Beautifully written with great characters, this story not only draws you in, but will stay with you long after you have finished it. Patchett’s most recent novel, Run, is about family, love and loss. This compelling story about the Doyles of Boston is also filled with lots of interesting characters.

Alice Munro is known for her award-winning short stories. Her daughter, Sheila, has written a biography of her mother in which she shares what it was like to grow up with such a well known author. In Lives of Mothers & Daughters: Growing Up with Alice Munro, Sheila often refers to real life places and situations that appear in Alice’s work. Why not read this along with one of Munro’s short story collections for an interesting view of how authors find their inspiration?

Our Speaking of Books collection has many great titles available for a mixed generation book club. Book club favorites such as The Glass Castle, Water for Elephants or Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, are all excellent choices for such discussion groups. If you would like more suggestions for your book club or a discussion guide to get you started, ask me or anyone at the reference desk. Do you have any favorites we should add to our list?

Here’s a challenge! Select the ten best books of 2009 from more than 50,000 reviews.
The editors at Publishers Weekly have come up with the following result:

AGE OF WONDER: HOW THE ROMANTIC GENERATION DISCOVERED THE BEAUTY AND TERROR OF SCIENCE by Richard Holmes
Focuses on British scientists of the late 18th and early 19th centuries who changed the cultural ideal of science to make it an adventure in the transformation of society.

AWAIT YOUR REPLY by Dan Chaon
Three stories of lost souls seeking their identities in an intricate interweaving of the real and the fake in an elegant thriller. Chaon was a National Book Award finalist for You Remind Me of Me.

BIG MACHINE by Victor Lavalle
Ex-heroin addict gets involved in a secret society investigating the legacy of an escaped slave who claimed to talk with the Voice (God.) Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man meets paranormal thriller. Other Lavalle titles: Slapboxing with Jesus and the new novel Ecstatic.

CHEEVER: A LIFE by Blake Bailey
Thoroughly researched overview of Cheever's life including his homosexuality and alcoholism.
This prolific author was a mass of contradictions. A heartfelt biography.

A FIERY PEACE IN A COLD WAR by Neil Sheehan
History of the men who built the intercontinental ballistic missile program in the 1950s and ‘60s. Underdog visionaries struggling to keep the peace and jump-start the space program populate this engrossing read. Sheehan’s Bright Shining Lie won both the Pulitzer and the National Book Award.

IN OTHER ROOMS, OTHER WONDERS by Daniyal Mueenuddin
Rich, interconnected short stories exploring the feudal society of a Lahore landowner.
Pakistani Mueenuddin is a Yale graduate who lives on a farm in his native land.

JEFF IN VENICE, DEATH IN VARANASI by Geoff Dyer
Twin novellas evoking empty lives, asking philosophical questions and making trenchant observations in an atmospheric and stylistic work.

LOST CITY OF Z: A TALE OF DEADLY OBSESSION IN THE AMAZON by David Grann
Classic adventure tale plus character study plus travel story in this look at the ancient Amazonian city that may or may not have existed. Grann grew up in Westport and spoke about his book at the Library. Podcast.

SHOP CLASS AS SOULCRAFT: AN INQUIRY INTO THE VALUE OF WORK by Matthew B. Crawford
Philosopher and motorcycle repair shop owner extols the value and rewards of working with one’s hands in a culture dominated by the more abstract standards of information technology. For another take on the loss of craftsmanship, read Cheap:the High Cost of Discount Culture by Ellen Ruppel Shell.

STITCHES by David Small
Graphic autobiography of a small and unhappy boy whose haunting story is told in subtle and powerful drawings. David Small has participated in the Library’s Rabbit Hill Festival of Children’s Literature.

What’s on your ten best list of 2009?

Appassionata by Eva Hoffman is a literary novel that combines classical music and world affairs. An American pianist becomes romantically involved with an Eastern European rebel, forcing her to question her own beliefs about politics and art. The Unit, by first time Swedish novelist Ninni Holmqvist, takes place in a futuristic society where some individuals are considered ‘dispensable’. Syrie James, author of the The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen, has now followed it with The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte. This novel blends fact and fiction to give us the story of author Charlotte Bronte, seemingly told in her own words.

The story of two friends told through the perspective of four different characters, is the basis for The House on Fortune Street by Margot Livesey. A good plot and great characters make this a perfect book club selection. Perfection: A Memoir of Betrayal and Renewal by Julie Metz is the only nonfiction choice on the list. After her husband’s sudden death Ms. Metz discovers his infidelities and sets out to uncover the truth about their marriage and ultimately about herself. Laura Moriarty’s While I’m Falling is a realistic look at a mother – daughter relationship. Good characters, humor and honesty all combine to make it a worthwhile read.

Out Stealing Horses by Norwegian author Per Petterson is already a favorite of book clubs. Beautifully written, this is the story of boyhood friendship, tragedy and loss. Both Time magazine and the NY Times named it one of the best books of 2008. Cost by Roxana Robinson is a family saga that deals with the devastating effects of one family member’s drug addiction. This is a moving and compelling story. Kamila Shamsie, a Pakistani author, has written Burnt Shadows, an epic saga on the impact of war. It begins in Nagasaki, Japan and brings us up to post 9/11 and the conflict in Afghanistan. Fascinating and thought provoking, this will be a good one for discussion.

So celebrate National Reading Group Month and add one of these great books to your club’s list for a lively book club discussion. Let me know if you need a discussion guide or copies of any of these books for your club.

With origins in oral story-telling and the prose anecdote, short stories usually present a swiftly-sketched situation that quickly comes to its point. Less complex than novels, most short stories focus on only one incident, with a single plot, a single setting, a small number of characters and a short period of time. Less is more when writing short stories and it takes a special talent to distill the details into a complete story.

Famous short story writers include Jorge Luis Borges. O.Henry, Flannery O’Connor, John Cheever and Raymond Carver. Novelists who also excelled at short stories were Kurt Vonnegut, Nathaniel Hawthorne, F.Scott Fitzgerald, P.G. Wodehouse and Ernest Hemingway and John Updike. Lorrie Moore, Grace Paley, Alice Munro and Deborah Eisenberg are current favorites.

A new story collection is The Bigness of the World by Lori Ostlund. Carefully observed people venture into the world with romantic ideals that are not quite strong enough for the adventures that ensue. Satire and gentle disenchantment permeate these stories.

In Call Me Ahab by Anne Finger, legendary outcasts, from Goliath to Vincent Van Gogh are placed in a “normal” setting to see how they fare. Imagine Van Gogh in a 20th-centruy New York City hotel living on food stamps and communicating with God. Consider the relationship between David and Goliath from the Philistine’s point of view. These are the kinds of inventive and intelligent situations created by this author.

In Love in Infant Monkeys by Lydia Millet, animals represent nothing but themselves, except as they are used to boost the celebrity of people like Sharon Stone (Komodo dragons), Madonna (pheasant hunting),David Hasselhoff (his dachshund), Jimmy Carter (swamp rabbit)…you get the idea. A lucid look at the foolishness of pop culture and its use of the animal world.

For fans of crime fiction, Peter Robinson’s The Price of Love and Other Stories includes not only several Detective Banks stories, but other insightful journeys into the dark side of human nature. He explores the psychological motives that lead to harm in these suspenseful and thrilling stories.

Short story collections gather stories by various authors into books with a general theme, such as crime, nationality, holidays, gender, or any other subject. At the Library these anthologies are in a separate section near the fiction, science fiction & mystery books. If you find short stories intriguing, take a look at the anthologies, as well as the collected stories by individual authors.

There are many “swiftly-sketched” and “to the point” tales waiting for you.

Songs Without Words by Ann Packer is the story of a lifelong friendship between two women. Beautifully written, Ms. Packer shows how life events can challenge and strain the bonds of friendship. In Truth and Beauty, Ann Patchett delves into the true story of her relationship with fellow author Lucy Grealy. They met in college and shared their writing experiences as well as Grealy’s struggle with drugs and addiction. Patchett’s devotion and love for her friend will resonate with many who have tried to help a friend through troubled times.

The Wednesday Sisters by Meg Waite Clayton follows the lives of five women who are going through many personal changes as the world around them is also undergoing change. Set in 1968 at the beginning of the women’s movement, they form a weekly writing group sharing their lives, hopes and dreams through their writing. In Commencement, by J. Courtney Sullivan, four college friends struggle to find their place in the world after graduating from a woman’s college where the ideals of feminism have been strongly embraced. Set in 2007, they have many opportunities available to them, but the choices they make are not always easy. The strength of their friendship is a source of comfort as they each follow their own path to adulthood.

The enduring nature of female friendships is the subject of The Girls from Ames by Jeffrey Zaslow. This true story follows eleven childhood friends from Ames, Iowa and the bonds that still connect them forty years later. Over the years they have been a support system for each other and a source of strength in times of need.

Do you have a close friend that you may have lost touch with recently? Technology has made it pretty easy for us to keep in touch if we are willing to make the effort. Perhaps one of these books will inspire you to reconnect with some of those friends. You may find that there’s something very special about those relationships that you don’t want to lose.

Library staff meetings include lots of “book talk.” Here are some recent recommendations.

FICTION
Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay – occupied France in 1942, 10-year-old Sarah locks her brother in a cupboard for safekeeping.
Sacred Hearts by Sarah Dunant – convent life in 1570 Italy with politically savvy nuns and a rebellious novice.
The Help by Kathryn Stockett – Jackson MS in 1962 with the white ladies who lunch & the black women who serve them.
The Declaration by Gemma Malley –a dystopian tale set in 2140 when children are outlawed.
Thirteen Moons by Charles Frazier- Native American history in one man’s life & love.
In the Heart of the Canyon by Elisabeth Hyde- a rafting trip through the Grand Canyon changes lives.
Dune Road by Jane Green- cheeky “chic lit” set in familiar surroundings.
Shanghai Girls by Lisa See- sisters leave bustling 1937 Shanghai for a new life in LA.
Lamb: the Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore-think smart-mouthed middle school buddy.
19th Wife by David Ebershoff- history (Mormons), murder mystery & questions about faith in a literary novel.
Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein- love & family explained by a loyal dog.
Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa- WestportREADS selection for January 2010.
Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley- clever 11-year-old girl investigates murder.
Good Thief by Hannah Tinti- Dickensian story set in old New England.
Short History of Women by Kate Walbert- past generations resonate in the present, as 20th century feminist priorities evolve.
***Come to the Library to discuss this book with Ms. Walbert on September 30 at noon.***

NON FICTION
The Noticer: Sometimes, All a Person Needs is a Little Perspective by Andy Andrews-inspiration in a blend of fiction & allegory
Columbine by Dave Cullen – careful investigation, psychological assessment & media criticism fill in the details.
Red Scarf Girl by Ji-Li Jiang- forced to choose between love of family & loyalty to the Communist party- a story of courage
Madness under the Royal Palms by Laurence Leamer- close-up look at the culture of excess in Palm Beach
Year of Living Biblically by A J Jacobs – funny & profound attempt to take the Bible literally.
Finding the Quiet by Paul Wilson- suggestions to enhance your meditation practice.
How God Changes your Brain by Andrew Newberg- scientific theory & practical advice for improving life.
Cherokee Nation and the Trail of Tears by Theda Perdue- a tragic & heroic episode in American history.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows, has quickly become a favorite of book clubs. This charming story takes place in 1946 near the end of World War II. Writer Juliet Ashton, looking for a topic to write her next book about, finds herself in an unusual correspondence with the members of the ‘society’ in the referenced title. Written as a series of letters, Juliet finds herself drawn into the lives of the inhabitants of Guernsey Island. Their stories, their tastes in literature, and the impact the German occupation had on the residents of Guernsey will give book clubs lots to discuss. Voted one of the top books of 2008 by Westport Library patrons, it is still one of the most requested books in our catalog.

I am so pleased that we were able to add Olive Kitteridge to our Speaking of Books collection. This 2009 Pulitzer Prize winner by Elizabeth Strout was one of my personal favorites of last year. Strout has written a series of short stories all connected by the title character, Olive Kitteridge. Life in small town Maine is vividly depicted through the stories of the local residents. Ms. Strout’s beautiful writing has made her characters truly believable. You will recognize many of them and there’s much in this little novel for book clubs to talk about. Be sure to put it on your list this year.

The latest addition to Speaking of Books is Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay. Written in 2007, this is a novel about ten year old Sarah, a young Jewish girl from Paris captured by the Nazis during World War II,and American journalist Julia Jarmond. Sixty years after the war, Jarmond is working on a magazine story about the incident when she discovers a connection between her French husband’s family and young Sarah. Part history, part thriller, this book is most definitely a page turner that book clubs should enjoy.

So send me your lists and be sure to add one from our Speaking of Books collection. We can always provide a discussion guide for these books or for any of your book club choices. Contact me if you have any questions or need help with your book club.

Incantations, herbal cures & curses, mysterious unseen powers for good & evil…centuries of fascination with witchcraft have led to disturbing history and intriguing stories. An evergreen topic is central to two recent fiction books.

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe takes a Harvard graduate student to the Salem area to clean out and sell her grandmother’s house. She finds an old “receipt book” and follows the clues to a supernatural puzzle in which her ancestors played a part. The author is completing her PhD in American Studies: she expresses her gratitude for the “witchiness” bequeathed to her by her ancestors and its contribution to her ”being the kind of person (she is.)”

In The Heretic’s Daughter by Kathleen Kent, a mother and daughter stand together against the escalating hysteria in Salem. The mother’s defiance leads to her death. The story is told by her daughter whose family’s love and mutual support sustain them through a time of fear and persecution. Kent is a tenth generation descendent of the mother who was one of the first women to be accused, tried and hanged in Salem.

If the power of the supernatural interests you, be sure to read Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches series. The Witching Hour traces four centuries of witchcraft and the occult and paints indelible scenes of New Orleans. Joanne Harris weaves supernatural spells throughout her books; who can forget the sudden mysterious happenings in Chocolat?
In her books, Alice Hoffman connects the events of the story with unseen forces generated by some of the characters. The powers of the natural world are ever present in her blends of magic and realism. The Story Sisters is her latest.

For more on the history of witchcraft.

Do you collect anything? Everything?

A cautionary tale is the history of the Collyers- two American brothers who became famous in mid-20th-century because of their compulsive hoarding. Sons of a doctor whose ancestors were some of the first settlers in America, Homer and Langley Collyer were snobs, whose Manhattan brownstone was filthy and full of rubbish. Cited as examples of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), the Collyers have had many mentions through the years in books, movies and on television. Both were found dead in their Harlem brownstone surrounded by over 100 tons of rubbish. More details of the strange lives of the Collyers.

Now, E.L. Doctorow has written a novel about the obsessions and the filial love of the Collyers. In Homer & Langley, Doctorow builds from the facts…bizarre enough to strain credulity… the rubbish included 14 pianos and an intact Model T…to paint one of the darker stories of American lore. Written in the voices of the brothers, the novel provides back story and seems normal enough until the world outside the mansion intrudes. Homer who is blind relies on the furtive Langley for food and care. Langley goes out only at night and though the brothers have money, food often is found in garbage cans or from restaurant leftovers. Doctorow is adept at basing his novels on history; in Homer & Langley the story seems almost mythical.

E.L. Doctorow, recipient of the Westport Library Award in 2000, has also been awarded the National Book Award, three National Book Critics Circle Awards, two PEN/Faulkner awards, the Edith Wharton Citation for Fiction, the William Dean Howells Medal of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the National Humanities Medal.

One of my favorite Doctorow books is Waterworks which I read many years ago. Its scenes of 19th century New York are still vivid in my mind. There are many Doctorow novels to choose from and if the strange Collyers pique your interest, place a hold on the newest book.

Firemen & rescue personnel refer to a “Collyer situation” as a house so full of junk it’s dangerous to get inside or back out. The site of the original “Collyer situation” is now a park named for the two brothers. (Fifth Avenue & 128th Street)

Summer weather has finally arrived and readers are looking for that perfect book. Fiction is the popular choice – to fill your sun-bake hours or to spice up your “staycation.” Can you identify these top ten most popular books? (books with the greatest number of holds at the Library.)

Scroll down for the answers and click to place your hold.

1.A long-awaited thriller from the author of a previous religious thriller blockbuster, this book has 46 holds before publication date! Don’t worry; we will have many copies.

2.Published in 2007, this collection of connected short stories describes life in a small New England town. It was awarded the Pulitzer Prize.

3.Travel to 1960s Jackson Mississippi and get to know the women- black and white- who live together.

4.Chinese-American sisters sent to 1930s Los Angeles cope with marriages arranged by their father.

5.Feminist view of the 20th-century told through the lives of several generations of one activist family. Come and discuss the book with the author at the Library on September 30 at noon.

6.The life and loves of 1990s Smith college girls as their friendships endure.

7.“Set in the beach community of a tony Connecticut town…” by a Westport author.

8.An historical novel in letters set in German-occupied Britain tells of a special book club.

9.Intelligent Swedish thriller- the second of a trilogy- by a deceased author.

10.A kidnapping at Camp David propels this national security thriller.

ANSWERS

1.Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
2.Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
3. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
4. Shanghai Girls by Lisa See
5. Short History of Women by Kate Walbert
6.Commencement by J. Courtney Sullivan
7. Dune Road by Jane Green
8. Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Sheffer
9. Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson
10. First Family by David Baldacci

The Monte Cristo Cottage in New London is close enough for a daytrip. It was the childhood home of Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Eugene O’Neill. The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center nearby has a great selection of programs and plays to enjoy throughout the summer. If you head up north to Hartford, there are several literary landmarks. The Harriet Beecher Stowe Center is the last home of the author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Ms. Stowe’s best selling novel is credited with arousing public opinion against slavery. Nearby of course, is the Mark Twain House. Twain lived here from 1874 to 1891 and there’s always a lot going on here including activities for children as well as adults.

Children and adults alike will also love Washington Irving’s Sunnyside in Tarrytown, NY, a short drive away in Westchester County. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow will come alive as you tour the house and surrounding gardens. If you can manage an overnight trip, then I highly recommend a drive to Concord, Massachusetts. There are numerous literary destinations there that will capture your interest. Home of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau and Nathaniel Hawthorne, my favorite place of all is Orchard House, home of Louisa May Alcott, author of Little Women. This is the home where she was inspired to write her semi-autobiographical novel and a visit here is a must if you’re a fan.

These are just a few of the many destinations highlighted in the highly entertaining Novel Destinations. The authors also cover many places in Europe and in addition, they have a great blog that they often update. If you’ve been to any literary places recently, I’d love to hear about them. I’m always planning ahead for my next trip – any suggestions?

Do you savor a good adventure/quest yarn? Full of danger, secrets, unfriendly natives, natural predators and mystery? Imagine a middle-aged New Yorker, laptop in hand, plunked down in the Amazon jungle looking for the legendary El Dorado. That New Yorker is David Grann, who wrote about his adventure in The Lost City of Z: a Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon.

It’s the story of British explorer Percy Fawcett who ventured into the Amazon in 1925 determined to find the ancient civilization, rumors of which have inspired so many novels, including Arthur Conan Doyle’s Lost World. Fawcett, his son and his entire party vanished. Grann says, “I had to remind myself that everything in this story is true: a movie star really was abducted by Indians; there were cannibals, ruins, secret maps and spies, explorers died from starvation, disease, attacks by wild animals and poisonous arrows….” Other expeditions followed Fawcett’s and many attempts to repeat his path have failed. Legend, biography, travel/adventure and history blend in this tale of obsession based on Fawcett’s diaries. Grann’s polished writing makes it a compelling read.

Westport native David Grann will speak at the Library on Monday July 13 at 7:30 pm. His talk will include photographs. Don’t miss it!

(The Lost City of Z is being developed into a movie by Brad Pitt's Plan B production company and Paramount Pictures.)

A Short History of Women follows the ‘history’ of women as seen through the story of the Townsend family. It begins in England in 1914 as Dorothy Townsend, a suffragette, dies as a result of a hunger strike for women’s rights. The story then follows five generations of Dorothy’s ancestors, both in Europe and in the United States, as they struggle with turbulent times and complicated lives. By following the conflicted Townsend family through the 20th century, Walbert has given us a very personal view of history and the way the lives of our ancestors continue to influence us.

Ms. Walbert’s book is beautifully written, intelligent, and sure to be a hit with book clubs. In anticipation of her visit, the library has ordered a number of copies of A Short History of Women so that you can come to her talk prepared to have a real dialogue with the author. Her publisher has also provided an excellent discussion guide and interview with Ms. Walbert. Also, be sure to listen to the podcast with the author in the NY Times review. Mark your calendar now and make arrangements to be at the library on September 30th. You won’t be disappointed.

Lee (his real name is Jim Grant) and baby brother Andrew have been showing up together recently at book signings and other appearances across the country. The brothers are separated by fourteen years and as a result grew up apart from each other. But there seems to be a tremendous similarity in their writing styles. Even follows Royal Navy intelligence officer David Trevellyan in a fast paced thriller which also takes place in New York City. Some have compared Trevellyan to Reacher, but Jim Grant has created a character that is intelligent, witty and intriguing, similar to the English spy James Bond, although some reviewers have likened him to the American character Jason Bourne. Although both books are set in New York, Jack Reacher is comfortable and knowledgeable in his surroundings, while Trevallyan acts more like a tourist. Grant claims that when he decided he wanted to be a writer he stopped reading his brother’s work because he didn’t want to be influenced by his style. But the brothers acknowledge that they have done similar things in their lives and as a result you may notice parallels in their work. They both wrote their first books after having been laid off from their corporate jobs.

So if you’re a fan of Lee Child, put your name on the hold list for Gone Tomorrow. But while you’re waiting, try Even, the wait list is a lot shorter, and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. The many fans of sophisticated thrillers will be anxiously awaiting the next books from both these siblings, and for those of you new to Mr. Child, try one of the earlier Jack Reacher novels - The Hard Way or The Enemy, and you'll be hooked.

Another terrific panel was Librarians Shout and Share. Eight librarians from across the country shared what they thought would be the books that everyone will be talking about very soon. Joyce Maynard has written a beautiful coming of age story, Labor Day that will be available at the end of July. Going Away Shoes by Jill McCorkle is a selection of short stories about women and love sure to be a popular choice for book clubs. Jeanette Walls, author of The Glass Castle, has written a new book, Half-Broke Horses: a True Life Novel, based on the story of her grandmother’s life. Although it won’t be available until the fall, there should be lots of interest in this one. Another favorite of book clubs, Sarah Dunant, author of The Birth of Venus, has written a new historical novel, Sacred Hearts. Set in a convent during the Renaissance, this is a story about the power of friendship.

Pat Conroy’s new novel, South of Broad, will be available this summer. His fans are sure to enjoy this epic novel about lifelong friendships set in Charleston NC. Pulitzer Prize winner Richard Russo has a new book due out this summer also. That Old Cape Magic is set in Cape Cod and is a story of marriage and family that is both funny and sad.

So put your requests in now for one of these books which are starting to generate buzz. They are all on order at the library and you’ll be one of the first to read them. With all the tips and information from BookExpo I look forward to what promises to be a great year for book clubs and their members.

“No other part of New York has had such a melodramatic, mood-ring sensitivity to the changes in the city’s history, with an image for every decade.” That’s Adam Gopnik writing in a 2004 New Yorker about Times Square.

Whether in New York or Paris, the place and our relation to it become the touchstones for identity in Gopnik’s observations. Born in Canada and famously French for many years, Gopnik has lived in New York for twenty years and has written the article on American culture for the last two editions of the Encyclopedia Britannica. Gopnik writes about his daily experiences with family, neighborhood, art, restaurants, transportation and at the conclusion, it occurs to you that you have just learned something new about contemporary life and culture from a careful and astute observer.

The range of his essays is remarkable and each is a gem...or a performance. Gopnik compares essayists to performers who “…like to do the thing and feel that the people are reacting.” He cites Calvin Trillin, James Thurber and Montaigne as influences for their personal comic essays. And he connects essay to journalism as a social art form. He brings a journalist’s eye to contemporary culture and serves it up in meticulous and graceful prose. His columns and book reviews have appeared in the New Yorker since 1986 starting with a piece connecting baseball, childhood and Renaissance art. He has written for four editors at the magazine.

On June 7th the Library will present Adam Gopnik with the 11th Annual Booked for the Evening Award. This annual gala fund raising event awards an honoree whose work reflects the purpose of the Westport Public Library.

Reserve books by Adam Gopnik or pick up a recent copy of the New Yorker to enjoy his excellent writing.

A prolific profiler of middle-class American life, A.R. Gurney has garnered many awards with his popular plays. The Westport Country Playhouse is presenting Gurney’s play Children, which takes place on one day of a Fourth of July weekend. Two adult children replay family dramas as they find out that their mother is going to remarry and that they are about to inherit the house. Their younger brother is a strong off stage presence. Rituals of the upper middle class – divorce, search for self-esteem, family secrets, social graces & gaffes- are their concerns.

Children opens May 26 at Westport Country Playhouse and runs through June 13.

Children is based on a short story by John Cheever. In Goodbye My Brother, Cheever provides a metaphorical struggle between two brothers played out mostly in the ruminations of one brother whose ideas go from lyrical celebration to gloomy dissection of his family’s life. In his usual fashion, Cheever chips away at the certainties of what the character knows, examining the modern, shifting, disrespectful world and then returning to the reassuring stability of the “right way.”

John Cheever never graduated from high school. After failing out of school, he attended Thayer Academy until spring of his junior year when he was expelled. His response was to write a story about the experience. He mailed Expelled to the New Republic; it was accepted and his literary career was launched. Short story fans have a seemingly endless supply of Cheever to read. Critic Dan Schneider says “To not read or not understand these tales is to be as void of the American character as ignoring Dickens is to the English character or Chekhov is to the Russian…”

A new biography Cheever: a life by Blake Bailey is a comprehensive telling of Cheever’s complicated life and serves as a fascinating re-introduction to the man and his works.

A few days ago a news article reminded me about a story that I have always found very haunting. It is a true story that happened thirty years ago – the disappearance of Etan Patz. Etan Patz was a six year old boy on his way to the school bus stop in New York City when he disappeared. It was the first time his mother had let him walk alone. He has never been found, and his disappearance led to a change in our social consciousness, completely revising the way missing children cases are handled, and the day of his disappearance is now National Missing Children’s Day.

At the time Etan disappeared I was a new mother myself and the thought of losing my child in such a way was almost too much to bear. I have always wondered how his parents could go on. A few years after Etan vanished, Beth Gutcheon wrote a novel, Still Missing, based on his disappearance. In her book, which later became the movie Without a Trace, Ms. Gutcheon captures the mania that surrounds such an event, yet also poignantly conveys the relationship of the parents as they dealt with this unimaginable tragedy. While dealing with the loss of her child every day, the mother, amazingly to me, still manages to maintain the hope and faith that someday he will be found alive.

The novel, The Year of Fog by Michelle Richmond also deals with the mysterious disappearance of a child. Abby Mason, a photographer, is walking on the beach with her fiancé’s daughter. As she stops to take a picture the little girl lets go of her hand and within a few seconds vanishes. Ms. Richmond explores the different ways that Abby and her fiancé Jake deal with this tragedy. Jake focuses on the practical details involved in finding his daughter while Abby explores the tricks the mind can play and the nature of time. This beautifully written book is both suspenseful and haunting. A good choice for book clubs.

Stewart O’Nan, one of my favorite authors, has also written a novel about a missing child, Songs for the Missing. Kim Larsen is 18 years old and set to leave for college when she suddenly disappears. O’Nan’s story is less about Kim and more about what happens to the rest of the family when a loved one vanishes. Each chapter is written from the perspective of a different member of the Larsen family. The day to day reality of how such an event can affect the lives of the family and close friends is convincingly portrayed. Mr. O’Nan has created a story and characters that you won’t forget.

In each of these novels about the loss of a child the author has shown how life can change in an instant. Each author has chosen to portray this tragedy in a different way but to me the central question remains the same: how do you move forward and live with the unknown? Book clubs will find lots to discuss with any of these selections. Let me know if you would like to reserve one of these titles.

Remember Debby Applegate’s excellent biography of Henry Ward Beecher? In that book, The Most Famous Man in America, Henry David Thoreau had a few cameos. He is the main subject of The Thoreau You Don’t Know : What the Prophet of Environmentalism Really Meant by Robert Sullivan. (You might remember Sullivan’s recent book on Rats.)

Listen to Applegate's talk at the Library.

Sullivan posits a different personality from the solitary & idealistic naturalist we usually think of as Thoreau. He finds an activist, an organizer, an adventurer and a guy who set the woods afire while camping with his friends. Sullivan finds similarities between Thoreau’s time and ours and believes Thoreau was looking to improve society, not escape it.

Incidentally, about that fire that Thoreau started, we have on order a new novel (starred review) Woodsburner by John Pipkin. It’s about “An inglorious episode in the life of 19th-century author and environmental saint Henry David Thoreau….” It follows three different characters affected by the conflagration which destroyed 300 acres of forest and farmland. Kirkus Reviews calls Pipkin's book "Pulitzer Prize material."

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee!

Recently, OnePoll.com found the 1960 classic at the top of the list with The Bible placing second. Made into an Oscar winning movie in 1962, Mockingbird has sold over 30 million copies worldwide. The Bible which has been translated into 2233 languages has sold an estimated 2.5 billion copies since 1815.

Third place? The 2001 top seller A Child Called It by Dave Peltzer. It’s the true story of a young boy neglected by his unstable, alcoholic mother.

Here is the complete list:
1. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (1960)
2. The Bible
3. A Child Called It by Dave Peltzer (2001)
4. Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus by John Gray (1993)
5. Diary of Anne Frank (1947)
6. 1984 by George Orwell (1949)
7. A Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela (2002)
8. The Beach by Alex Garland (1994)
9. Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (2005)
10. Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger (1961)

This list surprised me and made me wonder if an American list would be different. (OnePoll.com is a UK online marketing research company.) How about it?

What titles are on your Most Inspirational list?

Every year when Sybil Steinberg, contributing editor for Publisher’s Weekly, comes to the library to give us her list of current favorites, I can’t wait to rush back to my desk and put a hold on some of the selections she shares with us. Last month two of her recommendations, I See You Everywhere and Olive Kitteridge, came in just in time for me to read them on my vacation. I think both of these books would be great selections for book clubs.

Julia Glass, whose first book was National Book Award winner Three Junes, actually came to the library in early January, to speak about I See You Everywhere. After hearing her speak about her book and her life as a writer, I knew I wanted to read this book. Books about sister relationships have always intrigued me, maybe because I have three sisters myself. Ms. Glass has told the story of Louisa and Clem Jardine by having each sister alternately narrate a chapter over the course of 20 years. At times this novel almost feels like a series of short stories, as Clem and Louisa’s very different personalities and lives evolve. Although I can’t say I identified with either sister, I did feel that sibling bond that sisters often feel, that love-hate relationship that often exists, but also binds you together. I consider myself pretty lucky to have three sisters with whom to share that bond.

Olive Kitteridge, by Elizabeth Strout, is set in Maine where Ms. Strout grew up. It is a novel told in a series of short stories, all connected by the character Olive Kitteridge. Although Olive can be a bit difficult at times, by the end of the book you will feel empathy for her. The stories follow Olive from middle-age to widowhood at age 74. Her life goes through changes and ups and downs just as the world around her is changing. Ms. Strout has written a book full of complex characters and thought provoking stories. The ordinary events of our lives- love, death, loneliness, joy are all there and captured beautifully in this little gem of a book.

Book clubs will find much to discuss in these novels. The characters in these stories seem so real and identifiable that you are immediately drawn into their lives and imagine what you would do in their situations. Whether it is family relationships or the interactions we share with the people from our own circle of friends, both of these authors have succeeded in portraying the complexity of human relationships. Let me know if your group would like to order some copies or a discussion guide.

YOU!
Did you know that you can now add your “two-cents” to the Library catalog? Just click on “add a review” and tell the world what you think. When you are looking at an item in the catalog, click on “see reviews” for recommendations to read or skim or skip it.
Add your voice to the conversations about books & DVDs. Dancing queen? You could start with Mamma Mia. Did you love it? Or hate it? No reviews, yet.

Waiting to hear from you…

If ghost stories give you thrills, Joe Hill is your man. His 2007 novel Heart-Shaped Box is about a collector of macabre artifacts who buys a suit owned by a haunted man now deceased. The suit arrives by UPS in a heart-shaped box with the dead man’s spirit very much alive inside it. Action-packed confrontations with the dead ensue. Hill wrote a short story collection, 20th Century Ghosts and a graphic novel with art by Gabriel Rodriguez. Welcome to Lovecraft will be enjoyed by horror devotees and graphic book readers. Joe Hill’s website.

Joe Hill’s full name is Joe Hillstrom King; his parents are authors Stephen & Tabitha King. Sibling Owen King is also a writer. We’re All in This Together is his 2005 novella & short story collection. In this interview, Owen King mentions another brother Joseph with whom he is working on a screenplay.

Julie and Romeo is a light-hearted love story for older chick-lit fans. Jeanne Ray has written other similar books, including a follow-up story about Julie & Romeo. Jeanne Ray launched her writing career when most people think of retirement. A registered nurse for 45 years, she had her first novel published after she reached her 60th birthday.

Ray is the mother of two daughters, one of whom is Ann Patchett. Patchett’s Bel Canto published in 2001 is still a favorite for Library users and book groups. Patchett’s 2007 novel Run addresses issues of politics, religion, family and class values & race in a story about a Boston widower and his adopted sons. She writes for numerous publications and her biography Truth & Beauty is a poignant telling of her friendship with a college friend (since deceased) who had Ewing’s Sarcoma. More about Ann Patchett.

The Ten-Year Nap by Meg Wolitzer takes the reader into the world of new mothers, who have put their careers on hold to tend to their families. It’s the most recent of her novels about family relationships in contemporary settings. Meg Wolitzer’s blog gives a sense of the life of a writer.

She is the daughter of novelist Hilma Wolitzer whose most recent novel (2007) is Summer Reading. Her book The Doctor’s Daughter was published after a 12-year writer’s block. The NYTimes review.

Lisa See writes literary novels which often nudge their way up the bestseller lists and are frequently chosen for book club discussions. Her most recently published was Peony in Love. Set in 17th-century China with all its traditions and rituals, this look at love in its many manifestations adds the dimension of universal themes (friendship, the power of words & a vision of afterlife) to a passionate love story.

Her previous novel Snow Flower & the Secret Fan is a touching re-creation of female friendship among older married women living in 19th century China. Snow Flower is part of the Library’s Speaking of Books collection. Your book club can borrow multiple copies, along with a discussion guide.

See has a new book due out in May; set in 1937, Shanghai Girls follows the lives of two sisters, as Japanese bombs fall on their home town. For more about Lisa See.

Perhaps you remember the novel Golden Days (1986) by Carolyn See. Combining feminist fiction with a tale of nuclear apocalypse, See set her story in California with a gimlet eye on the lifestyle there. See has authored nine books and writes for the Washington Post. And she is the mother of Lisa See. For a conversation with mother & daughter.

We have a quartet of children’s books at the Library written by David Updike…yes, that Updike. John Updike’s son also writes short stories. His 1988 collection Out on the Marsh maps the development of heart & sensibility from youth to almost-adulthood. This NYTimes review gives a strong sense of his writing talents. David Updike has a new collection of stories to be published in July: Old Girlfriends, which “plough(s) the same ground as his father…and if he doesn’t have quite the finesse, his is an updated sensibility” according to Library Journal.

Want to re-visit John Updike's work? It may turn into an extended sojourn.

Imagine reading one complete book each day! I know someone who is doing just that. Nina Sankovitch contacted me to thank the Library for providing such a rich supply of books. She has completed 143 books with her project so far and she told me that she often finds just the right title on the Library’s Express book shelves.

Express Books are duplicate copies of those with many reserves or those that will probably have many reserves. Most of the books on the Express shelves are newly published, although some might be 4 or 5 months old.

What’s the point? Express is a browsing collection. When you visit the Library for whatever reason, you might find the popular book that you have been waiting to read. (There are no holds on Express books, so when Express copies are in the Library, they are available.) You might satisfy your curiosity with a quick look and decide either to check it out or cross it off your list.

Your first three borrowing days are free. Then, it’s 25¢ for each day after that. Certainly more economical than a trip to the bookstore!

How do we decide which titles go into the Express collection? Titles with five or more holds are added, unless they have too many pages (500+.) For brand new books by proven authors like Danielle Steel, James Patterson, Jodi Picoult, Deepak Chopra or Suze Orman, Express copies are included in the initial purchase order.

To see which titles have the greatest number of holds at the Library, take a look at the list posted on the end of the Express shelves. It’s a quick way to see what everyone is reading- our version of the weekly New York Times Bestseller list.

If you are curious about Nina’ s 365 project, here’s the link to her website. It includes her reviews of each of the books she has read.

Recently, I revisited Maureen Howard’s book Natural History published in 1992. As soon as I opened it, I remembered the challenge of the unusual writing style, but this time my interest was held by my greater familiarity with the setting of the story. It opens in 1940s Bridgeport and what fun it is to recognize the streets, stores, churches and characters there. I was reminded of how much familiarity with the setting can enhance the reading experience. If you grew up in Bridgeport or with someone who told you all about it, Natural History will intrigue you with its story of a Catholic, working class family, the detective father, the actor son and the days of the great PT Barnum.

One of James Patterson’s co-writers, Andrew Gross has a new thriller which starts out with a drive-by shooting at a service station in Greenwich. Landmarks and neighborhood details are sprinkled throughout the investigation which leads the police detective from Greenwich to Foxwoods and back to the wealthy and powerful citizens of Fairfield County. Don’t Look Twice is the author’s tenth novel.

And as spring finally arrives and our beaches beckon, I think again of Floating Dragon by Peter Straub who so skillfully described Westport - especially the Burying Hill area where he lived. I think of the spooky scenes in that book every time I drive to the beach. Other places and people around town (circa 1980s) set that story firmly in our midst.

Do you have a favorite novel with a familiar setting that resonated with your life?

As reported in the Irish Times, a recent survey found that two-thirds of people lied about reading books they have not actually read. Why? The main reason was to impress someone.
Top ten claims:
1-1984 by George Orwell
2-War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
3-Ulysses by James Joyce
4-The Bible
5-Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
6-A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking
7-Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie
8-In Remembrance of Things Past by Marcel Proust
9-Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama
10-The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins
Also mentioned were other classics by Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, Charles Dickens, Fyodor Dostoyevsky and Herman Melville.

So, how many of these have you read? Honestly!

The keynote speaker at the 2009 seminar was Geraldine Brooks. Ms. Brooks has written several historical novels that have captured the attention of book clubs. Her most recent novel is People of the Book, a story that traces the journey of a rare illuminated manuscript. Inspired by a true story, this is an adventure that spans five decades. Ms. Brooks won the Pulitzer Prize in 2006 for March, a story she created based on the absent father from Luisa May Alcott’s Little Women. She based her character on the journals and letters of Alcott’s own father. Year of Wonders was Brooks’ first historical novel. In 1666 the plague had spread from London to a small village in England. This tale is told through the eyes of a young housemaid as she recounts the story of the plague year and how life was turned upside down by this.

Anchee Min was also a participant of the seminar this year. Best known for her memoir Red Azalea, the story of her childhood in communist China, Ms. Min has written a series of historical novels about Chinese women. In the Empress Orchid and The Last Empress Ms. Min has given us a fictionalized account of the life of Tzu-Hsi, often referred to as the ‘Dragon Lady’, who ruled China for four decades in the late 19th century. Both books combine history, culture and the female perspective to provide a fascinating look at women in Chinese history.

There were many other novelists of history present at this year’s seminar. Sena Jeter Naslund, Peter Matthiesen, winner of the 2008 National Book Award for Shadow Country, Joyce Carol Oates and Marilynne Robinson, to name a few. Next year’s theme will be poetry, with seven U.S. Poets Laureate already signed up. It sounds to me like Key West might be the perfect place to take an annual January vacation. What could be more fun than three days of sun, warm weather and a festival of literary greats? How about a road trip for your book club?

If you read to escape into a happier world or a thrilling one where your “real” life is forgotten, you can skip this blog. I have just read two books written with style, grace and the courage to tell the truth about “real” life.

Diana Athill is a British literary editor, novelist and memoirist who has worked with the most important writers of the 20th century. Mailer, Roth, Naipaul, Updike for example. She retired at age 75 (in 1993) after more than 50 years in publishing. Somewhere Towards the End is her newest book. It takes a sharp-eyed, honest and humorous look at what it means to be ninety-one. Friendship, love, sex, family… all with only a tiny touch of sentimentality and absolutely no trace of self-pity. The writing is superb.

Athill was just awarded the Costa Prize for biography. From the Telegraph: “Diana Athill's prize is richly deserved and in no sense a special favour. Her writing has wit, bite and honesty. Such qualities are rare enough in any memoir and so are especially worthwhile in one that deals with the lives of the elderly – people we often either patronise or ignore.” For an interview with Diana Athill. For more Athill books.

Another beautiful and profound book is An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination by Elizabeth McCracken. If you read The Giant’s House, her 1996 novel, you will remember her talent. Now, she has spilled the tears and grief of her son’s stillbirth into a memoir unlike any other. There is some humor and there are a few bittersweet moments, but mostly it’s about the healing powers of friendship in the midst of bottomless sadness. McCracken and her husband welcome a second, healthy son, but the death of their first baby has changed them forever. She concludes, “It’s a happy life, and someone is missing.” You will not forget this book.

Elizabeth McCracken's website.

Loving Frank by Nancy Horan is a love story and a whole lot more. This historical novel is the story of architect Frank Lloyd Wright and Mamah Borthwick Cheney, one of his clients. Their scandalous love affair and the choices they made will provide your club with much to discuss. Due out this week is another novel about Frank Lloyd Wright and the four women he loved, The Women by T.C. Boyle. If you would like to find out more about this creative genius and his scandal filled life, be sure to read this one.

Audrey Niffeneger’s The Time Traveler’s Wife is part love story, part science fiction. Clare and Henry attempt to live a normal life even as their lives are disrupted by Henry’s time travel disorder. Their love endures in this unusual and enchanting story.

For a male perspective on the love story, James Collins’ Beginner’s Greek would make a good choice for book clubs. This first novel by journalist Collins is a romantic comedy about missed opportunities. Although it has a contemporary setting, fans of Jane Austen will enjoy it too.

One of my favorite books from 2008 is Marisa de los Santos’ Belong to Me. Although some may call it ‘chick lit’, the author’s beautiful writing style and well developed characters have great appeal. Can anyone ever really ‘belong’ to another person? Read this book with your book club and see what you think. Love Walked In, Ms. De los Santos’ first novel, is another sweet love story. The characters she created for this book, Cornelia, Teo and Clare, are also central to Belong to Me, but the story stands on its own and can be read without having read Love Walked In. I think you’ll enjoy them both.

So for your next book club selection, why not make it a romantic choice. Love comes in all shapes and sizes and there’s a love story out there for everyone. If you need more suggestions then don’t forget, on Friday, February 13th the Westport Public Library will hold it’s first Booklover’s Bash. Come and share your favorites with other booklovers and enjoy an evening of conversation and the celebration of books and reading. Hope to see you there. Happy Valentine’s Day to you all!

You are invited to the Booklovers' Bash on Friday February 13 from 6-8 pm in the Great Hall at the Library. Your name tag will identify your favorite book or author to start a conversation with others celebrating the love of books and reading. There will be wine and cheese, romantic music and lots of good conversation. And you may pick up the list of books selected as your favorite reads in 2008. For a look at the list.

In a recent Random House/Zogby poll, 82% of readers preferred a printed book over new reading technology such as online, PDAs or e-book readers.
**At the Library you can try out the new technology or rely on our collection of printed books.

77% of book buyers go to the store with a purpose, but often make unplanned purchases as well.
**Browsing at the Library is a much more economical alternative. Find older titles by a favorite author. Ask staff for reading suggestions. Pick up a reading list.

52% admitted judging a book by its cover.
**The Library displays books from all corners of the collection with all kinds of covers. Did you see our recent YELLOW & GREEN displays?

40% are reading between two and four books at once.
**Did you know there is no limit on the number of books you may check out at the Library?

75% said they usually purchase books as gifts.
**“Test drive” your selections at the Library

49% said they were influenced by book reviews.
**Pick up a book at the Library and talk to staff to find a review.

The surprising poll result:
19% borrow most of the books they read from the Library.
**I know that among Westport Library users that percentage would be much higher.

See you at the Booklovers’ Bash.

Your votes have been tallied and soon we will be talking about all the books you liked best in 2008.
Come to the Booklovers’ Bash on Friday February 13 from 6-8pm.

Can you identify the top vote getters? (scroll down for answers)

1. Hamlet in the mid-west. A mute boy and his dogs.
2. Serious times relieved by humorous letters, friendship & good literature.
3. Old-world habits give way to American lifestyles.
4. A worldwide search for both worldly distraction & spiritual purpose.
5. Ever wonder why one person succeeds and another doesn’t?
6. Education vs. terrorism with understanding & generosity the clear winners.
7. Three women entangled in the risks & rewards of friendship.
8. From dumpster diving to the society pages, an amazing memoir.
9. Dickensian tale set in 19th century New England
10. Dutch banker exiled in post 9/11 New York.

Answers:

1.Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
2.Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer
3.Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri
4.Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
5.Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
6.Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
7.Belong to Me by Marisa de los Santos
8.Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
9.A Good Thief by Hannah Tinti
10. Netherland by Joseph O’Neill

Not surprisingly, the number one choice of book clubs this year was Three Cups of Tea written by Greg Mortenson. Mortenson was a mountain climber who had been taken ill and was nursed back to health by the people of a small Pakistan village in the Himalayas. In return for the kindness he was shown, he vowed to construct a school for the community. The Central Asia Institute, the nonprofit group that he eventually co-founded has since constructed over 70 schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan. If you haven’t read this inspiring story yet, be sure to consider it this year.

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen topped the list of fiction choices. This is a romantic tale of life in the circus during the great depression. Filled with interesting characters and details of the circus life, book clubs have embraced it. Khaled Hosseini’s follow up to The Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns was also a big favorite this year. Hosseini’s skill for storytelling brings life to this tale of two Afghan women. The story follows Mariam and Laila over the course of three decades of civil war, jihad and Taliban rule. Their struggles are both moving and heart wrenching, and combined with the timeliness of the topic, make it a great choice for discussions.

The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court by Jeffrey Toobin was another top choice for book clubs this year. Toobin interviewed all the sitting justices and gave us a fascinating portrait of how personalities come to play when decisions are handed down.

Amy Bloom’s Away, her novel about Lillian, a young Russian immigrant, who travels across America searching for her daughter, was also popular with many of our book groups. This epic is filled with great characters, adventure, and romance.

The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak was another book club favorite this year. This beautifully written and unusual story about a young girl, who steals books before they can be confiscated or burned by the Nazis, will leave a lasting impression on your group.

Rounding out the top ten choices were Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson, Loving Frank by Nancy Horan, Run by Ann Patchett and The Zookeeper’s Wife by Diane Ackerman. If your group missed one of these favorites last year and would like to add it to your list this year, please contact me and don’t forget to ask for the discussion guide to go along with it. Based upon the feedback of our book clubs who have read these books, you can’t go wrong with any of these choices.

Have you marked your calendar for the Booklovers’ Bash? On Friday, February 13 from 6-8 pm bibliophiles are invited to come to the Library and exchange “book talk” with each other. There have been 355 suggestions for Best Book of 2008.

Which title received the greatest number of votes? Here’s a clue: starred-crossed romance and desperate danger for a beautiful young couple in damp and dreary Forks, Washington.

Some of the classics were mentioned (Ayn Rand, JD Salinger, Mary Shelley,) but the largest category is “literary fiction” with authors such as Amy Bloom, Ian McEwan,
Marilynne Robinson and Richard Ford. Popular writers such as Carl Hiaasen, Wally Lamb, Sue Monk Kidd, and Khaled Hosseini made the list among others.

Our Best Books list includes non-fiction favorites, too. Malcolm Gladwell, Irene Pepperberg, David McCullough, Nathaniel Philbrick are a few of the authors mentioned.

Teens are reading Stephenie Meyer, Christopher Paolini and Markus Zusak. And younger readers had their say, also.

The Best of the Best Books 2008 will be posted on the Library website soon and the entire list will be available at the Booklovers’ Bash. Thanks to everyone who shared their favorites.

See you at the Booklovers’ Bash!

Have you added to the list yet? Which Best Books did you read in 2008? Tell us online or fill out a form at the Library and be a part of Westport’s Best Books of 2008!

Library staff share their favorites at our monthly meetings and we always surprise ourselves with our eclectic interests. Here are some of the latest:
*The Invention of Hugo Cabret: a Novel in Words and Pictures by Brian Selznik
Engaging tale & stunning illustrations for children of all ages by Rabbit Hill participant
*Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court by Jeffry Toobin
Insight into the interpersonal dynamics of our most important jurists
*Snow by Cynthia Rylant
Poetry & pictures to heighten kids’ appreciation of the white stuff
*Artful Reading by Bob Raczka
Love books? Love art? Bliss out.
*Outliers: the Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
Why do some people exceed all expectations?
*I See You Everywhere by Julia Glass
Sisters sharing orbits and auras forever
*Hidden Spirituality of Men by Matthew Fox
Ten archetypes for men’s spiritual lives
*Country Called Home by Kim Barnes
Connecticut couple makes a new life on an Idaho farm
*Good Woman by Danielle Steel
One of Steel’s better books- her 74th novel!
*Giordano Bruno by Ingrid Rowland
Burned at the stake in 1600, this friar anticipated much of modern science
*Wesley the Owl by Stacey O’Brien
Rescued barn owl bonds with his human roommate
*Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer
Power of books in time of war told in literate letters
*My Sister My Love by Joyce Carol Oates
Fiction based on the facts of the Jon Benet Ramsey murder
*Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett
Queen Elizabeth discovers reading; royal duties go by the wayside.
*Private Patient by P D James
Dagliesh & his team return in another powerful mystery
*19th Wife: a novel by David Ebershoff
Parallel tales of Mormon polygamy in 1875 & homophobia in the present.
*Hot Flat and Crowded by Thomas Friedman
Think green & global!
*Acedia & Me by Kathleen Norris
Can faith overcome depression?
*Mindful Brain by Daniel J. Siegel
Personal, clinical & spiritual reflections on mindfulness
*This Land is Their Land by Barbara Ehrenreich
Essays document the rich getting richer, while the poor get poorer
*Listening is an Act of Love edited by Dave Isay
Best of StoryCorps; an oral history of ordinary folks
*City of Refuge: a novel by Tom Piazza
Two perspectives on Katrina by a survivor who loves New Orleans.

Save the date for the Booklovers’ Bash on Friday February 13 from 6-8 pm at the Library.

That’s what one reviewer calls Frank Lloyd Wright, the great architect and the inspiration for two recent novels.

In Nancy Horan’s popular book Loving Frank, fact and fiction are interwoven into a feminist theme. When an intelligent and vibrant, but unfulfilled woman plunges into love and lust with the architect planning her family’s new house, she is vilified for following her heart and leaving her husband and two young children to flee to Europe. Wright left behind his wife and six children, but it was Mamah Borthwick Cheney who shocked the world by acting like “an unnatural mother.” Horan crafts the story into the motherhood vs. fulfillment issue still being examined in its various permutations today.

This book has become a favorite of book clubs; it is part of the Speaking of Books collection with multiple copies & discussion guide available.

Coming in February is T. Coraghessan Boyle’s newest novel, The Women. The women of the title are Wright’s four great loves, to whom he turned whenever stress escalated into duress in his life. The narrator is a Japanese architectural student working gratis at Wright’s Wisconsin estate, Taliesin. Two mistresses, soul mate Mamah and first wife Kitty are “The Women.” Boyle writes lavishly with rhetorical flair about American success-and-failure stories, including The Road to Wellville (about John Harvey Kellogg) and The Inner Circle (about Alfred Kinsey.)

Frank Lloyd Wright lived from 1867-1959. More books on the architecture and creative influence of this seminal influence of the 20th century.

Family stories have always been good discussion books. One of the more recent classics is The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen. This chronicle of the Lambert family takes a hard look at the contemporary American family and the role that materialism has played in our culture. These family members will give your group much to discuss.

Another title in our Speaking of Books collection that explores family is Wallace Stegner’s Angle of Repose. This Pulitzer Prize winning novel is the story of an historian who researches his family roots set against the background of the American West. This is a compelling story with strong characters that explores family relationships with truth and empathy.

Marilynne Robinson’s Home is a companion piece to her Pulitzer Prize winning Gilead. Two siblings from a large family, both searching for redemption, return home to Gilead, Iowa. This is a moving story about family, secrets, faith and unconditional love.

In The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff, Willie Upton returns to her hometown after a failed affair with a professor. Willie becomes entangled in a mystery as she sets out to learn the truth about her family. Cleverly written and full of surprising twists, you will find yourself empathizing with Willie as she begins to find her true self.

Sing Them Home by Stephanie Kallos is sure to be a book club favorite. It is the story of the Jones siblings whose mother disappeared in a tornado when they were children. Years later, after their father’s death, they re-examine this childhood tragedy and how it shaped their lives. Set in a small town in Nebraska with lots of great characters, it is a story of grief, community and family bonds.

I love a good family saga, but when I want to laugh, I turn to David Sedaris. His stories are filled with tales of his quirky family. Although your relatives may not be exactly like his, his humorous stories will make you laugh and remember all those crazy moments that make your own family unique.

So as the year draws to an end, take a little time to reflect on your family and loved ones. What better way to obtain a sense of perspective and insight than through one of these special books?

Are you looking for the perfect holiday gift? How about a book?

10. You can read it before you give it.
9. It never goes out of style.
8. It’s a convenient re-gift item.
7. You get to browse at the bookstore.
6. You may look like an intellectual.
5. It’s easy to gift wrap.
4. You are helping out the publishing industry.
3. It’s personal, but not too personal.
2. It may precipitate interesting conversation.
1. It is a gift of immeasurable value.

Some suggestions. Have you selected the perfect gift book ? What is it?

PS: Check out the bargain (and pristine) books at the Library sale on December 6 & 7.

*Of particular interest to Westporters is Summers with Lincoln: Looking for the Man in the Monuments by James A. Percoco. A history teacher and a Lincoln buff, Percoco visited many monuments (there are over 200) and choose seven of them for his book He chronicles the history of each, focusing on the artistic, social, political and cultural origins of each. What does this have to do with Westport?

In 1930, Lincoln the Mystic was unveiled in Jersey City, Jersey. It was created by noted sculptor James Earle Fraser of Westport CT. The chapter on this sculpture begins with the annual placing of the wreath at the beloved statue on February 12, 2006. While exploring the origins of the monument, Percoco describes the Frasers’ Westport life:
“Laura would drive her husband each and every morning from the Coleytown section north of Westport’s center, chugging along the ‘dusty road to the rude, little railroad depot …The couple and their automobile caused quite a stir in the community of 3500 residents in 1914.” (Learn more about the Frasers in the Library history file.)
In this season of multiple books to celebrate Lincoln’s 200th birthday, Summers with Lincoln adds a unique perspective to our fascination with the 16th president.

*Another unique approach is employed by Doris Lessing in Alfred and Emily. The book starts as novella, as the author “re-imagines” the lives of her parents prior to her own birth; then, the memoir continues with vivid descriptions of her childhood in Africa, including her rocky relationship with her mother. Lessing, known for the detailed settings and nuanced characters of her many novels, does not disappoint in her autobiography.

*Emily Post: Daughter of the Gilded Age, Mistress of American Manners by Laura Claridge reveals how a Baltimore society girl became the arbiter of manners for generations of middle class Americans. A scandalous divorce launched her career in her middle age as a novelist and as an authority on social behavior with the publication of Etiquette in 1922. The book has never gone out of print and the Emily Post standards still have influence.

*In Searching for Schindler, Thomas Keneally writes about creating a novel out of decades-old remembrances and the toll this took on him and his family. He describes his international research and his intention to emulate Truman Capote by writing “faction” or non-fiction fiction. His collaboration with Spielberg and anecdotes about the actors who starred in the movie version of his book are included. This is really a biography of a book…and a movie, as well as a memoir by the author.

*Golden Boy, actor, drug addict, failed husband, painter, Tony Curtis tells it all in his autobiography American Prince: a Memoir. Forthright and fascinating, he reveals all the ups and downs of celebrity life among the famous.

Barack Obama has given us the opportunity to know his life story and learn what his political philosophy is with the two books he has already written. Dreams from My Father is the memoir he wrote after the sudden death of his father. Obama traces his own roots back to the heartland of America and to Kenya in Africa, searching for the meaning of his identity. This is a compelling memoir that book clubs should find both inspiring and thought provoking. In The Audacity of Hope President-elect Obama sets forth his vision for America. He understands the complex problems we face as a nation and how difficult it can be to change. His thoughts and ideas for the future of our country compliment the story of his life. It’s clear that many Americans have already embraced his message. Book clubs will find both books well written with lots to discuss.

During his term in the White House, President-elect Obama may get the opportunity to appoint one or more Supreme Court justices. One of the most popular book club choices this fall has been The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court by Jeffrey Toobin, a staff writer at The New Yorker. Toobin’s book is based on exclusive interviews with the nine justices of the court. More often than you might imagine personalities come into play as much as constitutional law when many Supreme Court decisions are handed down. This is a fascinating book by an excellent storyteller. Your book group will enjoy this one.

Politics and government often form the basis for some of the best fiction books. If your club prefers fiction, America America by Ethan Canin would make a great book club choice. This is the story of a young man who gets involved in the rise and fall of a national politician. Canin has intertwined his characters with the real events of the sixties and seventies. Many of the issues during that time period are similar to what we are facing today.

So before the new administration begins, add one of these political reads to your booklist. Be informed and be prepared as the next chapter, perhaps one of the most important chapters, in American history begins.

Mystery, crime & science fiction are great escape reads. Suspend disbelief and enter a world apart from your everyday life.

If legal thrillers grab your attention, try The Legal Limit by Martin Clark. This one is based on a true story about two brothers – one in jail as a drug trafficker and the other- a district attorney. Clark is a circuit court judge in a small Virginia town.

Nevada Barr is a former park ranger who sets each mystery in a different national park. Winter Study features Homeland Security and a pack of wolves in bitterly cold and isolated Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior.

In Slip of the Knife by Denise Mina, a leading Scottish Newspaper columnist discovers her former lover killed, possibly by the IRA. To complicate her life, a child killer is released from prison putting her young son in jeopardy.

The Forgery of Venus by Michael Gruber centers on an unknown painting by Spanish artist Velazquez hitting the market. How does a new drug meant to heighten creativity figure in the story?

Supernatural events- a murdered boy’s ghost – shake two teens in this story which also reflects the uncertainties of adolescence. One for Sorrow by Christopher Barzak is a horror story with heart.

Space opera fans will enjoy The January Dancer by award winning author Michael Flynn. An epic tale of interstellar adventure full of intrigue, revolution, mystery and music.

Next time: Biographies

You have probably read or placed a hold on the current bestsellers, like American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld or Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski. What next?
The Library is an excellent source of the latest information on newly published books.

Here are a few of the newest fiction books:

The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti is a retelling of Oliver Twist set in 19th- century New England. Dramatic & traditional, this is an adventure with a moral- just like Dickens.

The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery is translated from the French by Alison Anderson. A graceful fable, it features a precocious 12-year-old and the middle-aged concierge of her exclusive Paris apartment. All of their differences melt away as they recognize their kindred souls. About art, beauty, hypocrisy, classism and the meaning of life and death.

The Road Home by Rose Tremain is seen through the eyes of an immigrant, who leaves his Eastern European country, spends time in Britain and then returns home. This contemporary story highlights his impressions of Western culture and the realization that everyday survival is a kind of heroism. Menial jobs, small hopes and disappointments are leavened by the author’s compassion & humor.

Fine Just the Way It Is by award winning author Annie Proulx delivers her trademark spare prose, struggling characters and harsh Wyoming backdrop. No sentiment here, although her dark humor can be glimpsed. For fans of stories about life in the real West.

Goldengrove by Francine Prose is an uncharacteristically quiet and meditative book for the author. A 17-year-old “golden girl” drowns, leaving her family bereft and her younger sister nearly overcome with grief. She turns to her sister’s older boyfriend for solace, as her parents fall apart.

What Happened to Anna K. by Irina Reyn is a modern take on Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina. Now Jewish and living in New York, Anna has material wealth and little else when she meets the Other Man. The “Sex in the City” version of the classic.

Next blog: Crime & Science Fiction.

The National Reading Group Month web site is a great resource for book clubs. In addition to the planned events you will find lots of information on how to start a discussion group, including a very informative and useful manual that was provided by the New Jersey Library Association. There are also suggestions for some great discussion books. Book Group Buzz, the blog sponsored by Booklist, a publication of the American Library Association, is one of the partners for Reading Group Month. This blog is another great resource for book lovers.

Westport is truly a book community. We have over 50 book clubs that have registered with the Westport Public Library. Our book clubs are a varied group and represent a real cross section of the community. We provide many services to our clubs, including fulfilling multiple copy requests, and providing discussion guides and book suggestions. Last year we also held a Title Swap, where book clubs came together to exchange their own suggestions for good discussion books. And if you want to participate in a book club, the library has two groups open to all for you to consider: the Pageturners and the Usual Suspects.

If you are a member of a book club, this is the month to celebrate yourself and be proud of the role you play in promoting reading, literacy and the value of shared reading. Thinking about joining or starting a book club? What better time than now to do it! If you need more information to get started, please contact me.

Everyone expects to find the latest best sellers at the Library, but anyone might be surprised by some of the new books to be found here. Even after 25 years as a librarian, I often find myself thinking, “How did someone decide to write about that?” Of course, I usually cannot wait to skim these “odd” books. If you share my keen (and wide-ranging) curiosity, you may want to take a look at a few books recently added to the Library collection.

Jetpack Dreams: One Man’s Up and Down (But Mostly Down) Search for the Invention that Never Was by Mac Montandon. Remember Buck Rogers? James Bond? The Jetsons? Apparently, there is a jet pack subculture. Humorous pop-cultural history from this Brooklyn author.

13 Things that Don’t Make Sense: the Most Baffling Scientific Mysteries of our Time by Michael Brooks. All about phenomena that challenge accepted scientific theory. Homeopathy works. Ninety-six per cent of the universe is unobservable. Intelligent signals from space cannot be explained. And placebos, which may or may not exist, nevertheless work! You get the idea. Lots of questions; not so many answers from this PhD in quantum physics.

Lilacs: a Gardener’s Encyclopedia by John L. Fiala. A love affair with the fragrant flower from the founder of the International Lilac Society. Feast your eyes!

Batman and His Philosophy: the Dark Knight of the Soul by Mark D. White The revered super hero is unmasked by the use of ethical questions about personal identity, responsibility, free will, social obligation and political commitment to name a few. Seventy years of superhero worship are subjected to the insights of well-known philosophers to arrive at some entertaining answers.

Broadway Tails: Heartfelt Stories of Rescued Dogs who Became Showbiz Superstars by William Berloni. Thirty years on Broadway with canine co-stars you will recognize: the original Sandy – in Annie for seven years and Pi- the first dog to dance with the New York City Ballet are two “rags-to riches” clients of animal trainer Berloni.

Fat: an Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient, with Recipes by Jennifer McLagan
Duck fat. Caul fat. Leaf lard. Bacon. Ghee. Suet. Schmaltz. Cracklings. Still with me here? McLagan’s 25 years in the food world lend authority to this mixture of science, cultural exploration and culinary imagination.

The Ancient World at War: a Global History edited by Philip De Souza. Military history that surveys the evolution of armies, tactics and equipment as well as strategies throughout the ancient world. Key battles are covered and 351 color illustrations include maps and 3-D battle reconstructions.

Every year the American Library Association and library world remind us that books are being challenged and banned by people offended by the content. This year, our display of Banned Books includes examples of the concepts that have led to challenges in 2007-2008. In his blog, L.A. Times writer David Ulin captures some of the ambivalence, which I share, about this annual celebration of Freedom of the Press. Governor Palin’s rumored attempt to censor some titles in her local library has piqued interest. What do you think? Do you need to be reminded how important it is to eliminate censorship? Do you think there are some books that should be banned? How many Banned Books have you read?

Most frequently challenged books in 2007.

Have you ever wondered about the secret rooms and tunnels of old buildings? How about the New York Public Library? What a setting for a mystery! Get ready for a fast-paced story of valuable first editions, lost atlases and scary tours of those underground library places. Linda Fairstein’s eleventh Alex Cooper crime novel is due out in February. In Lethal Legacy, assistant District Attorney Cooper is called to investigate an alleged assault and then a murder on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. The trail of clues leads to the New York Public Library. As usual, Fairstein brings her extensive legal experience to the telling. She ran the Sex Crimes of the District Attorney’s Office in Manhattan for over twenty years, but always wanted to be a writer. Her decision to attend law school was made to please her father, who did not regard writing as a way to make a living. Fairstein has proven him wrong with eleven popular fiction books and one non-fiction.
If you enjoy crime novels, try Fairstein. Her website is quite interesting; it even includes a list of the NYC restuarants (on the FAQ page) she likes and mentions in her novels.

If you prefer True Crime, come to the Library on Sunday September 28 at 2 pm to hear Kathryn Harrison talk about her newest book While They Slept.After a lifetime of physical and mental abuse, a young man in the midwest killed his family. Harrison examines the crime, its aftermath and the lives of the survivors- one a convicted murderer and his sister an orphan trying to rebuild her life. While They Slept has been compared to Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood and Norman Mailer’s The Executioner’s Song. Harrison’s previous books established her reputation as edgy and shockingly candid about her own family, good selections for book clubs looking for a non-fiction book to provoke discussion. Her website.

Last weekend I was down in Washington, DC and while there I was able to spend some time at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. If you’ve never been there, I highly recommend a visit. This museum is a memorial to the victims of the holocaust, but just as importantly is an institution devoted to the study and history of the holocaust. The museum’s mission is to encourage visitors to reflect on the questions raised by the events of the holocaust as well as their own responsibilities as citizens of a free society.

There have been many books written about the holocaust, and book clubs have often embraced these stories of courage and heroism. One of the most recent additions to our Speaking of Books collection is Mark it with a Stone by Joseph Horn. This is a first person account of one boy’s attempt to survive in a concentration camp. Mr. Horn was 12 when the Germans invaded Poland in 1939. He spent six years in seven different concentration camps, and endured the deaths of his parents, siblings and other relatives before his ordeal came to an end in 1945 when the allies liberated the Bergin-Belson concentration camp. He was determined to tell his story so the world would not forget. This is a powerful, compelling read.

For book clubs that prefer fiction, Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum is a literary page-turner you won’t soon forget. Prior to writing this, her first novel, Jenna Blum worked for the Shoah Foundation interviewing Holocaust survivors. The book is written from a different point of view, life during the war as seen through the eyes of a typical German citizen. Her story is about love, mothers and daughters, and the choices people make in life. There are lots of discussion points here.

The Zookeeper’s Wife by Diane Ackerman has quickly become a book club favorite. This is the true story of Jan and Antonina Zabinski, the director of the Warsaw Zoo and his wife, and the role they played in the survival of over 300 Polish Jews during the holocaust. Mary Doria Russell has written A Thread of Grace, a historical novel based on the true story of the Italian citizens who saved thousands of Jewish lives during World War II. Well researched and full of fascinating characters, this book is both engaging and inspiring. Your book club will not be disappointed in this choice.

If your club is interested in reading any of these books, please let me know, and I’ll be happy to reserve some copies for your group.

Which do you prefer? Read the book and then see the movie? Or do you like to see the movie first? I like to read the book first. Otherwise, the indelible images from the movie prevent my imagination from taking flight as I read. A bunch of books-to-movies are in the works, so here’s a heads-up for you book- first people.

September release:
Miracle at St. Anna by James McBride. Four black U.S. soldiers get trapped in a Tuscan village during WWII. The film is directed by Spike Lee and stars Derek Luke, Michael Ealy & Laz Alonso.

Choke by Chuck Palahniuk. Strange tale of a young man who “earns” needed funds by pretending to choke on food at high-priced restaurants- told by the master of black humor. Film directed by Gregg Clark stars Anjelica Huston, Sam Rockwell & Kelly Macdonald.

Nights in Rodanthe by Nicholas Sparks. Romance as a divorced couple find each other during a storm. George C. Wolfe is the director and Richard Gere & Diane Lane return for their third Sparks novel on the big screen.

October release:
Appaloosa by Robert B. Parker. A story of lawmen in the Old West with a classic villain.
Starring Viggo Mortenson, Renee Zellweger & Jeremy Irons, the film is directed by Ed Harris.

Body of Lies by David Ignatius. Super post 9/11 thriller. With Leonardo DiCaprio & Russell Crowe, the film is directed by Ridley Scott.

Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. Contemporary classic of Southern life. Directed by Gina Prince-Blythewood, the film stars Queen Latifah, Dakota Fanning & Jennifer Hudson.

Diane Ackerman’s ability to so effectively convey the story of the Zabinskis and the people they helped should come as no surprise to those who have read her previous works. She began her career as a poet and has written several volumes of poetry. Although lately she has written more prose – books on gardening, psychology and neuroscience – she still retains a poet’s sensibility and her writing in all of her books is both poetic and eloquent. Ackerman often puts her own life experiences into the way she writes about the scientific questions she raises. In The Zookeeper’s Wife we see her keen interest in science and nature that she exhibited in her best selling book, A Natural History of the Senses. That compilation of essays on the five senses is filled with fascinating scientific, historical and cultural information about our senses. In An Alchemy of Mind, Ackerman writes about the complexity of the human brain. The lessons and meanings of play are explored in Deep Play, and in Cultivating Delight she observes her garden through the changing of the seasons. Ms. Ackerman has been the recipient of many awards and prizes for her work. You can read more about this intriguing woman on her own website.

Come and meet author Diane K. Ackerman at the library on Monday, September 15th at 7:30 PM. Copies of her book will be available for sale and signing.

Last week Marta gave us an informative primer on a growing trend: how to publish your own book via self publishing. Not only is self publishing becoming more prevalent, but she noted that several of today’s hot books were self-published. Building on that idea there’s another new format that might land you on the best seller list: blogs.

Blogs are normally thought of as a way to share your own personal reflections on life, whether it be on politics, your job, your hobbies or passion or just your everyday dealings with those around you. Now however blogs are becoming another way to break into the world of publishing.

Last Sunday’s NY Times featured an article about a woman who has a blog dedicated to living life as Oprah would. She already has an agent and is hoping for a book deal. There are quite a few published authors out there who started out in the blogosphere.

Food related blogs seem to translate well into popular books. Hungry Girl by Lisa Lillien is currently on the NY Times best seller list. Her blog about her struggles with food and dieting led to this successful cookbook filled with recipes and tips on dieting and weight loss. Chocolate & Zucchini by Clotilde Dusoulier began as a blog about all things food that Clotilde wanted to share with her friends. Julie and Julia: 365 days, 524 recipes, 1 tiny apartment kitchen was author Julie Powell’s attempt to document her re-creation of all Julia Child’s recipes from Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

Many bloggers write about their jobs and give their own personal perspective on the working world. Waiter Rant by Steve Dublanica will give you new insight about the restaurant industry from the waiter’s point of view. One of my personal favorites is Quiet Please: Dispatches from a Public Librarian by Scott Douglas, which began as a posting on McSweeney’s literary journal. Mr. Douglas has written an irreverent look at the public library, from the librarian’s side of the desk.

The latest blog to book that just appeared on the NY Times best seller list is Stuff White People Like by Christian Lander. This is a humorous, satirical look at the types of things that well educated, liberal white people seem to treasure. You will be laughing along with Mr. Lander as you read this one. (Incidentally, the Sunday NY Times is #46 on Lander’s list.)

So if you’ve always wanted to write your own book, you might want to consider starting out with a blog. If you need a lesson on blogging, be sure to investigate our own upcoming library program on this topic. You never know – you may be the next blogger to appear on the best seller list.

Venice was our first stop and I fell in love with its charm. Donna Leon has made a career writing about Venice, in particular Commissario Brunetti, lover of good food, and fighter of political corruption. I am currently enjoying Death at La Fenice, but Leon has many other Brunetti mysteries from which to choose. For a real life thriller about Venice and the same opera house, La Fenice, read John Berendt’s The City of Falling Angels. Berendt is a great storyteller and this is a fascinating look at Venice and its people. He truly captures the magic of Venice.

If you prefer fiction, Vivaldi’s Virgins by Barbara Quick will let you experience 18th century Venice and the music of Vivaldi through the life of the musician Anna Maria dal Violin. Pompeii by Robert Harris has always been a book club favorite. This page turner will have you in awe of the engineers that developed the Roman water system. Harris makes the Roman world in A.D. 79 come alive again.

Rome has many historical and art treasures that take your breath away. After visiting the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel, I really wanted to learn more about the artist who was responsible for the masterpieces we had seen there. Michelangelo and the Pope’s Ceiling by Ross King is the story of Pope Julius II, the sculptor Michelangelo, and the creation of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. King‘s book is filled with details about the politics, the paintings and the people of the 16th century. This is a must read before you head off to visit the Vatican.

A vacation can be a great inspiration for your next book selection. I’ll be revisiting Italy with each new book I read. How about you? Where did you go on vacation recently and have you been inspired to read more about it? Let me know if you have any good suggestions for my next trip. (Paris maybe?)

Do It Yourself! If you are a writer that means self-publishing. There is no traditional publisher. Instead, editorial control of content, printing, marketing and distribution all fall to the enterprising author. Some authors undertake the entire cost, some seek subsidy publishers who share the costs, the tasks and the control. Print-on-demand is another option. Often web-based, print-on-demand or POD publishers offer proofreading, marketing, jacket design and even ISBN service. ISBN or International Standard Book Numbers are those 13-digit identifiers, each unique to a particular book. ISBN is used for searching titles and selling online (and in the daily tasks of your local
library.)

Self-published books can catch on and find a large audience if self-promotion, a hot topic and talent collide… and the stars are aligned! There are at least two books climbing up the popularity charts right now that started out as self-published. The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry has been picked up by William Morrow publishers and is moving up the most in-demand list here at the Library. Read about the author’s DIY experience. Another book gaining in popularity is The Shack by William P. Young. A novel based on the author’s life changing experiences, this story of faith was written for friends and family. That most powerful marketing device – word-of-mouth - has propelled it to a wide audience. Watch an interview with William Paul Young.

Here are a few other books that started out self-published:

• Spartacus by Howard Fast


• Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield


• Joy of Cooking by Irma Rombauer


• What Color is your Parachute by Richard Nelson Bolles


• In Search of Excellence by Tom Peters


• Eragon by Christopher Paolini

  Current technology such as the proliferation of media channels and blogging have contributed to the steady increase in DIY publishing.
  

What is everyone reading these days?
On your next Library visit, take a look at the list on the side of the Express book shelves (near the copy machines.) Each week I post the list of Most Popular books- those with the greatest number of reserves. At the top of the list this week: Beach House by Westport author Jane Green.

Here are some good reads that did not make the “top ten” list this week:

Add some suspense to your life:
Moscow Rules by Daniel Silva – international intrigue & espionage.
Spies of Warsaw by Alan Furst – 1937, as the war approaches.
Chasing Darkness by Robert Crais – macho L.A. P.I. Elvis Cole returns.
Broken Window by Jeffrey Deaver – psychotic mastermind vs. forensic crime fighter.
Dangerous Days of Daniel X by James Patterson – for teens & their adults-futuristic adventure.
Shadow of Power by Steve Martini –mystery trail leads to the Supreme Court.

Immerse yourself in some good, literary fiction:
Garden of Last Days by Andre Dubus III – terrorist, stripper and others on the eve of 9/11.
Cost by Roxanna Robinson – New England family implodes around son’s heroin use.
Palace Council by Stephen L Carter- politics & murder in the Nixon era.
America America by Ethan Canin- modern re-telling of All the King’s Men.
Size of the World by Joan Silber- war, love & culture shock in graceful prose.

Escape into a pleasing story:
Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen- magic & romance in a small-town family tale.
Tribute by Nora Roberts – easy going mystery & romance.
Summer Affair by Elin Hilderbrand – Nantucket... thick with heart-break & emotions.
Comfort Food by Kate Jacobs – celebrity chef turns 50.

Consider the facts:
Dark Side: the Inside Story of How the War on Terror Turned into a War on American Ideals
by Jane Mayer
Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
Drunkard’s Walk: How Randomness Rules our Lives by Leonard Mlodinow
Girls Like Us: Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon – and the Journey of a Generation
by Sheila Weller.

More suggestions.

Happy Reading!

PLACE YOUR RESERVES NOW: just click on the title to go to the Library catalog.

FANTASY & SCI-FI
Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer- final book in the Twilight series. Vampire fiction for teens and others.

Acheron: a Dark-Hunter Novel by Sherrilyn Kenyon. More for fantasy fans about the sexy, powerful, cursed Atlantean God.

Gypsy Morph by Terry Brooks. Travel with the writer regarded as Tolkien’s heir apparent 80 years into the future where the mortal realm is giving way to the magical.

THRILLERS & MYSTERIES

The Assassin by Stephen Coonts. An action-packed international thriller.

It Only Takes a Moment by Mary Jane Clark. A seven-year-old girl is snatched and the search is on.

Smoke Screen by Sandra Brown. Corruption, betrayal, revenge and abuse of power.

Mercedes Coffin by Faye Kellerman. A cold case becomes a gripping tale of danger.

Rough Justice by Jack Higgins. The master of thrillers delivers again.

Good People by Marcus Sakey. Thrilling crime story that begins when a young couple finds $400,000.

FICTION

The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson. A first novel about unconventional love starting with a fiery hell and crossing the boundaries of time with a compelling story.

Off Season by Anne Rivers Siddons. A widow looks back at her marriage and the difficulties of love and friendship.

Laughter of Dead Kings by Elizabeth Peters. Art historian and sleuth at work in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings.

MORE about new books at the Library

Summer Reading by Hilma Wolitzer is the perfect way to start. Wolitzer has written a book about a summer book club in the Hamptons. She cleverly weaves together the story of three women with references to the books that they are reading. Book club members who love good books will appreciate and identify with this one.

Ann Brashares, author of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series for young adults, has written her first adult novel, The Last Summer (of You and Me). It takes place on Fire Island as two sisters vie for the attention of the boy next door. This coming of age story is the ideal beach book. It may remind you of those carefree days of summer and the experience of a first love.

The beach setting in Barefoot by Elin Hilderbrand is Nantucket. This story of friendship and family is also about two sisters and their best friend who hope to escape from their problems with a little rest and relaxation in the sun. When a young male college student is hired to be the babysitter he is drawn into their world and plays an important role in each woman’s life. Hilderbrand's latest book, A Summer Affair, is sure to be a best seller as well.

The Beach House by our own Westport resident Jane Green, also has a Nantucket setting. Just released but already on the NY Times bestseller list, this is the story of Nan Powell, a 65 year old widow who rents out rooms in her beach house in order to make ends meet. You will enjoy the cast of characters that Green has created and get lost in this perfect beach read.

So grab your beach chair and sunglasses and relax a little. Summer will be over before you know it and you don’t want to miss this chance to have some fun. Enjoy!

Do you think your dog understands what is happening in your life? And maybe even has his own ideas about what you say and do? Far fetched maybe, but the writers of these novels would probably agree with you.

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
Loyal companion Enzo looks back on his life with his master, race-car-driver Denny and his family and hopes for the day when his life as a dog will end. He hopes to be reborn as a human to use the lessons of love, loyalty and compassion he has learned.
For more on the book and a short video narrated by Enzo

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
A much acclaimed first novel with a mute boy and his beloved dogs center stage. Edgar and his family raise dogs and when his uncle arrives at the farm and his father dies, Edgar is alarmed by his uncle’s attentions to his mother. He flees into the wilderness with the dogs. You will get lost in this story with its hints of Hamlet and its look at the limits of language and riveting family dynamics.
Read the NY Times review

Dogs of Babel by Carolyn Parkhurst
A professor’s wife falls from backyard tree and dies. The only witness is Lorelei, the couple’s Rhodesian Ridgeback. Convinced that the death was not an accident, the widower uses his skills as an expert in linguistics to try to teach the dog to talk. A love story and a mystery, this is about the connections in a marriage and the ways in which intimacy and privacy are played out. The dog is the key. A unique and compelling story.
For more about the author

These non-fiction authors certainly respect their canine friends.

Marley and Me: Life and Love with the World’s Worst Dog by Josh Grogan
A beloved pet gets his master’s heartfelt tribute in this bestseller. Grogan and Marley seem to read each other’s thoughts. For an audio interview with the author about his “overnight success”

Good Dog. Stay. by Anna Quindlen
The life and death of the beloved black Labrador Beau and the lessons learned from his go-with-the flow, stay-in-the-present personality. Quindlen’s family and Beau grow up together in this bittersweet memoir. Quindlen’s philosophy ( maybe learned in part from Beau)

It’s time to place your holds on these summer sizzlers due at the Library in July.

Last Patriot by Brad Thor
*High voltage thriller about the war on terror.
Chasing Darkness: an Elvis Cole Novel by Robert Crais
*L.A. PI Elvis Cole works to prove his innocence.
Death Angel by Linda Howard
*Danger & romance for a marked woman.
Tribute by Nora Roberts
*A romantic mystery in the usual Roberts style.
Swan Peak: a Dave Robicheaux Novel by James Lee Burke
*The Louisiana lawman finds trouble on vacation in western Montana.
Palace Council by Stephen L. Carter
*A political thriller set in the Watergate& Vietnam era.
Say Goodbye by Lisa Gardner
*Serial killer mind games.
Rules of Deception by Christopher Reich
* Espionage full of twists and deceit.
Killer View by Ridley Pearson
*Crime & adventure – a thriller on the ski slopes.
Damage Control by J.A. Jance
*The lady sheriff in small town Arizona has a double homicide to solve.
Last Kiss by Luanne Rice
*Love, loss and redemption in a Connecticut beach community.
Fractured by Karin Slaughter
*Shocking crime in a posh Atlanta setting.
Silent Thunder by Iris & Roy Johansen
*A romantic thriller focused on a Russian submarine in a Maine harbor.

Last month I shared some of my favorite internet resources for books clubs to use when putting together their lists for the fall. If you still need some suggestions, why not consider one of the new titles in our Speaking of Books Collection. Funded by the Friends of the Library, our Speaking of Books collection has both multiple copies and discussion guides available for book clubs to use.

If your club hasn’t read it yet, be sure to include Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen on your list. This romantic novel set in a 1930’s traveling circus is full of interesting characters and has been described as a page –turner by many critics. It’s been a favorite of book clubs right from the start. Another big book club favorite that we’ve recently added is Three Cups of Tea. The story of mountaineer Greg Mortenson and his efforts to establish a school for girls in Pakistan and Afghanistan truly shows how one person can make a difference. This is an inspiring story you won’t soon forget.

The Man Booker Prize, this year went to The Gathering by Anne Enright. Ms. Enright’s novel about three generations of a large Irish family ties together the past and the present, death and life, love and loss. Sure to provoke discussion among your book club, why not add it to your list and see if you agree with the judges.

Joseph Horn has written a personal account of a young boy trying to stay alive in a concentration camp during World War II in Mark it With a Stone. Mr. Horn was separated from his family and endured the worst atrocities in his struggle to survive. His powerful story is inspiring and moving.

The latest addition to our collection is The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love by this year’s Booked for the Evening recipient, Oscar Hijuelos. Pulitzer Prize winner Hijuelos is a superb storyteller and this tale of two Cuban born musician brothers is filled with details of life in 1950’s New York City. Their struggles and successes are depicted in rich descriptive detail.

If you’re interested in having your club read any of our new books, contact me and I’ll reserve them for you.

Click on the title.
Go to the catalog.
Place your hold on these soon-to-arrive new books!

Literary fiction
Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry
Psychology, religion, family and politics permeate this literary puzzle and epic story of corrupted power and its lingering effects. Two narratives compete: the secret one of the 100-year- old woman long incarcerated in a Mental Hospital and the unfolding one discovered by her doctor, who is evaluating her condition. Love, betrayal and the role of the Catholic Church inform the conflicts that emerge. Barry is a playwright and novelist: His novel A Long Long Way was a 2005 Man Booker Prize finalist.

Coming of age fiction
Goldengrove by Francine Prose
Grief seeps through the 13-year-old narrator’s summer after the drowning of her older sister. She shares her bereavement with her sister’s boyfriend and while her parents are distracted, gets much too involved. Not the usual satiric Prose tone, but a more touching tale of growing up and moving beyond. Prose is President of PEN American Center. This is her 15th novel.

Short Stories
People on Privilege Hill and Other Stories by Jane Gardam
Very British! If you enjoyed her novel Old Filth, you will savor these wry, succinct and surprising stories of the intrepid World War II generation of iron-willed ladies and gentlemen.

Action
The Full Burn: On the Set, at the Bar, Behind the Wheel and Over the Edge with Hollywood Stuntmen by Kevin Conley
A close look at what it takes to do the job. Conley weaves film history into interviews with those who rely on their athletic prowess and various technical innovations to be convincing. He is persuaded to set himself aflame and do the “full burn.”
Hear Conley on his stuntman adventures at the Library on September 9th at 7:30pm.

Cultural Roots
Sweet Mandarin: the Courageous True Story of Three Generations of Chinese Women and Their Journey from East to West by Helen Tse.
Tse and her two sisters, all successful professionals, gave up their careers to step back into family history and open a restaurant. The family saga starts with her peasant grandmother’s birth in a small farming village in China, continues with the 1930s prosperity in Hong Kong, the Japanese occupation and then life in England from the 1950s till today. It’s a story shared by many Chinese immigrants who rely on the catering trade to make a new life.

Mutual Understanding
Beyond Tolerance: Searching for Interfaith Understanding in America by Gustav Niebuhr
Former NYT reporter and Syracuse University Professor Niebuhr suggests confronting stereotypes by moving beyond tolerance to engagement. He cites examples of people who have reached out and established friendships across religious lines. And yes, he is from that Niebuhr lineage and believes that his grandfather (H. Richard) and great-uncle (Reinhold) would approve of his belief that it is possible to be firmly within a religious tradition and active in it and remain open to the beliefs and values of others.

Any group of 88 people will have a wide range of reading interests. So it is with the Library staff who recently shared comments about the books they are reading. (This is a regular part of our monthly staff meetings; we also talk about films, theater & television.)
Click on the titles to go the catalog and learn more about each book.

Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri -a rehash of the author’s previous books, but written beautifully in clear pictures. (This is currently the most popular book with Library users.)

People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks- an interesting historical record – a novel that seems almost like non-fiction.

The Writer’s Brush: Paintings, Drawings and Sculptures by Writers by Donald Friedman- new insight with artwork by well-known writers such as William Faulkner, Elizabeth Bishop & Xingjian Gao.

The House on the Strand by Daphne DuMaurier- Old-fashioned romantic suspense.

Voyage Long & Strange by Tony Horwitz – fascinating account of America before the Pilgrims…also laugh-out-loud funny.

The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler- classic, Philip Marlowe mystery.

Beautiful Boy: a Father’s Journey Through his Son’s Addiction by David Sheff- very emotional.

Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz- only the second Pulitzer Prize winning fiction by a Latino. (Oscar Hijuelos’ Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love was the first.)

What Now? By Ann Patchett- a thoughtful commencement message from the skillful fiction writer.

Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi and Jasmine & Stars: Reading More Than Lolita in Tehran by Fatemah Keshavarz- the story of a women’s book group in Iran and the criticism of it.

Downhill Lie: a Hacker’s Return to a Ruinous Sport by Carl Hiaasen- lots of fun!

Marie Therese: Child of Terror by Susan Nagel – detailed account of a difficult life.

Miracle at Speedy Motors by Alexander McCall Smith- listened to on the MP3 while gardening – audio books help with the pronunciation of unfamiliar names.

Lush Life by Richard Price – “Best book of the year” (two votes)

Prince of Frogtown by Rick Bragg- gracefully written autobiography- from Appalachia to award-winning journalist- this one is about his father.

Last Lecture by Randy Pausch – touching & optimistic words from an author with a fatal disease.

Until Death Do Us Part: My Struggle to Reclaim Columbia by Ingrid Betancourt – drug trade saga – not a happy story

Blindsided: Lifting a Life above Illness by Richard Cohen- about Multiple Sclerosis

Feasting on Asphalt: the River Run by Alton Brown – Good food along the Mississippi River.

If you need suggestions for your reading list, talk to Library staff on your next visit. Maybe you will find a kindred spirit who will keep you supplied with titles to try.

Every year reviewer & former Publishers Weekly fiction editor Sybil Steinberg gives us her “Best New Books” book talk and we write our “to-read” lists with sighs of appreciation. How wonderful to have our own local expert to guide us to well-written and interesting books! Sybil’s previous lists are sure to include some suggestions new to you. She will be speaking here in December 2008 (date TBA)…just in time for you to match up books with the people on your holiday gift list.

For now, take a look at the latest National Book Critics Circle Good Reads for Spring 2008. It’s the result of polling 825 critics and writers who make up the organization.
The list includes fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Perhaps you will select a title from this Good Reads list, and then balance it with a book for the beach (summer is coming) from the usual bestsellers like James Patterson, Mary Higgins Clark or David Baldacci.
What’s on your “to-read” list?

Westport Library orders about 200 new books each week and we strive to please. A few of the new arrivals are annotated on the website every week. Each day the newly arrived books are displayed on the table nearest the circulation desk. The weekly list of the Library's most popular books & DVDs is posted on the side of the Express shelves and the open area of the Great Hall is full of new books. If you do not find the one you want, please let me know. We will try to get it for you.

Someone mentioned Mating by Norman Rush the other day. It’s a book I have always intended to read- not only is it a National Book Award winner, but I remember the positive comments about it when it was new (1991). Rush, a Swarthmore graduate, wowed critics with his story collection Whites (1986) and went on to write this tale of a courtship set in 1980s Botswana. Here’s the remarkable part: Rush writes in the voice of a woman – a woman looking for “intellectual love.” (Amazon says it’s as if Jane Austen were in the Peace Corps…) How does a male author get inside the psyche of a female to the point of writing a convincing and recognizable “soulmate search” through her eyes?

Another male author who manages this quite well is Wally Lamb in She’s Come Undone (1992). Lamb fully inhabits his pre- teen heroine whose emotions are the result of the abusive and relentless disasters in her life. Her extreme antics – some funny, some disgusting- unfold in a believable female voice. Food and television give comfort, as she loses her mental stability….and then regains it with professional help. The female voice never wavers.

Have you read other fiction by a male author written in the voice of a female? Do you think that differences in male/female points of view are artificial definitions? Can you tell the sex of the author when you read a short story or novel?

One of my favorite web sites is Reading Group Choices. This site has lots of information for book clubs, including lists of favorites from other book clubs. Book Browse is another web site that has a special section for book clubs. Not only are there suggestions for books, but there is also lots of advice on how to choose books for your group. One of the most comprehensive web sites around, and another favorite of mine, is Bookreporter.com. This site has quite a bit of information about books and authors in addition to a direct link to Reading Group Guides.com.

Westport Public Library has some great resources right on our own website. Novelist is a database filled with information about novels for both adults and children. One of my favorite features is Author Read-alikes. If you like a book by a certain author this feature will help you find other authors that you might want to try. What Do I Read Next? is a database that will also help you find non-fiction books for your book club.

On our Great Web Sites page, I would highly recommend that you check out the Reviews page, which is under the Books and Literature section, for direct links to many book review resources. Also the Reading Lists and More page has links to more book suggestions. And of course, Marta Campbell, head of Collection Management at the library has put together a considerable amount of information on the book club section of our website. Besides our Speaking of Books Collection and Discussion Guides, you will find Best Books of 2007, under Reading Suggestions. There are many more links on this page to other suggestions including Sybil Steinberg’s list which covers the last few years.

I hope this gives you some ideas for putting that book list together. And if you’re still having trouble choosing something, please feel free to e-mail me. I’m always happy to help.

1-Exile, identity and disappointment infuse these tales of families straddling two cultures and uncomfortable in both. Lahiri’s writing is seamless, her characters strike no false notes, her understanding of immigrant experience gives unusual emotional depth as the generations sort out their lives. Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri

2-The world’s largest defense contractor stars in this terrifying thriller. Events are set in motion to change the world. Whole Truth by David Baldacci

3-A condemned inmate offers an organ transplant. Picoult builds her dramatic story around current issues of transplants, capital punishment, justice and redemption and glues it all together with family ties. Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult

4-Political and legal intrigue informs the campaign for a seat on the state’s Supreme Court. Meeting the standard for legal thrillers set by The Firm in 1991, this is Grisham’s 20th novel. The Appeal by John Grisham

5-Lower East Side Manhattan – its history and culture revealed in perfect dialogue as a random shooting reverberates through the neighborhood. Revelatory detail from the master of urban crime fiction. Lush Life by Richard Price

6-Alex Delaware returns to examine the depths of the criminal mind and solve the mystery of Los Angeles depravity. Compulsion by Jonathan Kellerman

7-A young woman sets out to find her missing brother, who calls home once a year, but cannot be found. Danger and mystery build to a deadly confrontation. Where Are You Now by Mary Higgins Clark

8-A sadistic killer in the suburbs. A maybe-suicidal teen. Distracted parents. Domestic troubles. Career concerns. Privacy issues. Coben touches all our vulnerabilities in this thriller. Hold Tight by Harlan Coben

9- The third time you share tea with a villager, you have become family. So goes (more or less) the proverb. Read this for inspiration and hope, as unlikely friendships chip away at hostility and distrust. Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson

10- The opt-out generation up close. What happens when educated women choose not to work.
Ten-Year Nap by Meg Wolitzer.

If you attended our author series when Elinor Lipman spoke about her book My Latest Grievance (2006), you will recall she told us that one of her previous novels, Then She Found Me was slated for film with Helen Hunt directing and starring. It's the story of a young woman whose birth mother pops up in the middle of her already complicated life. Authors often mention the possibility of their books becoming films, but usually with an implicit or explicit “I’ll believe it when I see it.” Well, it has happened! Helen Hunt has been ubiquitous in the media talking about the film. Hunt co-wrote the script and directed and acted in the film. It has been a ten-year project for her. In case you've missed the publicity, here's a recent interview.

Elinor Lipman writes smart novels about contemporary society. Two of her other books have been optioned by Universal Studios. Any of her novels is a good read.

This week’s top ten most popular books…with a little something about each author.
For reviews of the books, click each title to go the catalog.

1-Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri
Lahiri has three Masters Degrees from Boston University in English, Creative Writing & Comparative Studies in Literature and Arts. She also has a PhD in Renaissance Studies.

2-The Appeal by John Grisham
Grisham served in the Mississippi House of Representatives from 1983-1990.

3-Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult
Picoult lives in Hanover New Hampshire with her husband, three children, two Springer spaniels, two donkeys, two geese, three ducks, six chickens and an occasional Holstein.

4-Lush Life by Richard Price
Price has written numerous screenplays (Color of Money, Sea of Love, Shaft among others) and is often featured in cameo roles in the movies he writes.

5-Compulsion by Jonathan Kellerman
Kellerman has a PhD in psychology with a specialty in treating children.

6-Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
Mortenson grew up on the slopes of MT Kilamanjaro where his father was founder of a medical center and his mother founded an international school.

7-The Senator’s Wife by Sue Miller
Miller entered Radcliffe College at age 16.

8-Beautiful Boy: a Father’s Journey through his Son’s Addiction by David Sheff
Sheff is mortified that he ever found Hunter S. Thompson funny.

9-Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
Follet plays bass guitar in a band called Damn Right I Got the Blues.

10-Ten-Year Nap by Meg Wolitzer
Wolitzer was published at age 11 and appointed a guest editor of Kids magazine.

Have you noticed the newest addition to our display tables? Stop in Monday through Friday
after 1 pm and see what new books were added to the Library collection that day.

Often I am asked how books are selected. A committee of fifteen reads reviews in journals like Library Journal, Publishers Weekly and Kirkus Reviews every week. Then, we meet to make the selections and discuss our decisions. The order is placed and always includes other books that have been requested by Library users. When the books arrive from our vendors, they are cataloged and processed. After “revision” (a check that all the data is correct), the books go to the circulation desk to be checked in. Books with holds are put on the hold shelf and the rest go to the display table – “Today’s NEW Books”

You will find a wide range of topics and genres. Our general goal is to cover all subjects of interest and all points of view. Here are some "Today’s NEW Books" on Tuesday April 15:
The White King: a novel by Gyorgy Dragoman – an 11-year-old boy narrates…set in Romania, these interconnected stories are based on the author’s experience as a member of the Hungarian minority in the totalitarian state that was his home…the joys and humiliations of growing up… a child’s-eye view in riveting prose.

That Little Something: Poems by Charles Simic – The nineteenth collection of our current Poet Laureate…”the strange interplay between reality and imagination….”

Mistress of the Revolution: a novel by Catherine Delors – a love story set in turbulent Revolutionary France at the court of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.
(Read it to set the scene for an author talk at the Library on Monday April 28 at noon, when Susan Nagel speaks on her book Marie-Therese: Child of Terror:the Fate of Marie Antoinette's Daughter.)

Flying High: Remembering Barry Goldwater by William F. Buckley, Jr. – key episodes from the history of the conservative movement and the presidential campaign of a political visionary…the poignant "Acknowledgments" was written a short time before Buckley’s death.
(John Dean & Barry Goldwater, Jr. have created another biography of the conservative movement’s standard bearer- based on Goldwater’s journals and letters, Pure Goldwater has been ordered.)

The Wife by Meg Wolitzer was my first choice. After 40 years of marriage, Joan Castleman has decided to leave her award winning writer-husband. In a series of flashbacks we come to understand what her marriage has been like, and what led her to this decision. This book is well written and witty, but sad. Book groups will have much to say about Wolitzer’s characters. The Ten Year Nap, her latest novel about marriage, motherhood and female ambition already is in great demand. I definitely want to read it, but I may wait for my next vacation so I don’t have to rush it.

Tom Perotta’s The Abstinence Teacher was my second vacation read. I loved Little Children and his latest book did not disappoint. Perotta captures the suburban lifestyle in this story about a health education teacher and her daughter’s born-again Christian soccer coach which deals with some timely issues. It is humorous, but thought provoking. Perfect material to generate a lively discussion at any book club.

How to be Lost by Amanda Eyre Ward was the last book I packed for my trip. It is the story of the Winters family, who seem to have it all until their five year old daughter disappears. Fifteen years later a photograph in a magazine inspires Caroline, the oldest sibling to begin a search for her lost sister. Caroline’s journey is as much about finding herself as it is a search for her little sister. Ward’s characters are both compelling and identifiable. This is a beautifully written and touching story. I really enjoyed it.

So that’s what I read on my vacation this time. Do you have any reading suggestions for my next trip?

“I am probably one of the most excited old women in the world.” So says Florence Wolfson Howitt in the foreword to The Red Leather Diary by Lily Koppel. The book’s subtitle is “reclaiming a life through the pages of a lost journal.” The life reclaimed is that of a highly intelligent, adventurous, thoughtful and beautiful teenager in 1930s Manhattan. Koppel, a New York Times reporter, found the forgotten diary and traced the owner, now in her nineties, to Westport. The book weaves quotations from Florence’s diary into lush descriptions of her privileged life and transports the reader to a very different time and place, where music, art, reading and theater as well as
the latest fashions filled the time and attention of this young woman. Here is a preview of the wonderful pictures in the book which attest to the beauty and vitality of the young journal writer.

Lily Koppel and Florence Howitt will be speaking at the Library on Wednesday April 9 at noon in the McManus Room.
Newly released copies of The Red Leather Diary will be available for sale and signing.

Every day new books are added to the Library collection. You can find them on the New Book shelves. Browsing there can lead to wonderful discoveries of topics of new interest or authors you have not encountered before. Now we have made it even easier to get a first look at the newest books! Don’t miss the very first display table near the circulation desk to see each day’s new books as soon as they are available for check out. Happy discoveries!

What you will not see on display there are the books most in demand. Because they have so many holds, these books are usually part of the Express collection. Express books are duplicate copies which may not be reserved. Instead they are loaned on a first-come basis for 3 days. Or you may keep them past the 3 days for 25 cents per day for each book.

Wondering what people are reading these days? Here are the current most popular titles:

1-The Appeal by John Grisham
2-The Senator’s Wife by Sue Miller
3-Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult
4-New Earth by Eckhart Tolle
5-Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
6-Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri
7-Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
8-Remember Me? By Sophie Kinsella
9-Compulsion by Jonathan Kellerman
10-Lush Life by Richard Price

Is there a book you think we should add to the collection? Let me know.

Do you pause on your way to the trash barrel, as you start supposing all the alternate futures in which your trash will suddenly be your treasure? Are you re-assured by the published pictures of some genius’ office in which every surface is piled high with papers and books? (The latest was the office of William F. Buckley, Jr.) By now, you have figured out that I am a certified “pack rat.”

Recently, a kindred soul shared with me the October 6, 1996 issue of The New York Times Book Review- 100 Years edition. In the midst of the Westport Library 100 Years celebration, a look back at the world of book reviewing is appropriate. The only specific reference to the Library birth year of 1908 was in the Oops! column- a collection of comments that turned out to be not too prescient.
From July 18, 1908: on Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery:
“The author’s probable intention was to exhibit a unique development in this little asylum waif, but there is no real difference between the girl at the end of the story and the one at the beginning of it. All the other characters in the book are human enough.”

Other reviewers through the years revealed some astute assessments of newly-published books:
1903: The Soul of Black Folk by W.E.B. DuBois
“…very interesting to the student of negro character…”
1920: A General Introduction to Psychoanalysis by Sigmund Freud
“Freud realizes that psychoanalysis is still undeveloped science….”
1933: My Battle by Adolf Hitler
“It is with sadness, tinged with fear for the world’s future, that we read Hitler’s hymn of hate…”
1936: Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
“She has set herself a hard mark to match with a second book, and I hope only that she will not set too soon about it.”
1949: Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
“…the most contemporary novel of this year and who knows of how many past and to come…”
1957: On the Road by Jack Kerouac
“The non sequitars of the beat generation become the author’s own plotless and themeless technique….”
1969: Portnoy’s Complaint by Philip Roth
“…the existentially quintessential form for any American-Jewish tale bearing – or baring- guilt.”
1979: The Executioner’s Song by Norman Mailer
“The very subject … a nihilism antithetical not only to literature but to most other forms of human endeavor…”
1981: July’s People by Nadine Gordimer
“demonstrates with breathtaking clarity the tensions and complex interdependence of whites and blacks in South Africa.”
1987: The Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe
“Malice is a powerful spice. Too much can ruin the stew, and Mr Wolfe comes close.”

Do you think current reviewers are as far-sighted?

For the spice of variety, I am skipping the Top Ten this week.

Instead, I will tell you about the second ten most popular titles at the Library.
11- Lush Life by Richard Price - An urban thriller- social realism tinged with psychological nuance and steeped in violence.
12-The Secret Between Us by Barbara Delinsky – The story of a lie and a strong mother/daughter bond- family fiction that stretches the limits of love and understanding.
13- Four Wives by Wendy Walker – Four affluent suburban women reveal the truths behind their lavish lifestyles.
14- First Patient by Michael Palmer – A country doctor must care for his old friend who happens to be the President and is probably being sabotaged by unknown enemies.
15-7th Heaven by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro- #7 in the Women’s Murder Club series- a missing teenager and a serial arsonist keep the action moving.
16- Sail by James Patterson & Howard Roughan – the “king of page turners” sets this one on a ten-day boat trip- the family that sails together, fails together.
17-T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton – the formula works, yet again- # 20 in the Milhone series.
18- In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan – “Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly plants” – read on for the details.
19-Commoner:a novel by John Burnham Schwartz – heart-wrenching re-telling of the lives of the women who marry the Crown Princes of Japan- research into the mysteries of elaborate court life enhance the story.
20-Beautiful Boy: a Father’s Journey Through his Son’s Addiction by David Sheff- the anguished truth of meth addiction.

PS: There is one new title on the Top Ten list in the #10 spot. It’s Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella, who lavishes her wicked humor and charm on a new heroine whose lifestyle is familiar, but whose memory is missing.

A novel in words and pictures got rave reviews from a few staff members. The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick is a mystery for 9-12 year olds, but this Caldecott Medal winner is lauded by all ages who read it. The Caldecott is awarded annually by the American Library Association to the artist of the most distinguished picture book for children. Selznick was one of the Rabbit Hill Festival authors to appear at the Library.

Seeing the movie prompted some to read The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby. Both film & book have fans; this autobiographical story of a man whose only way to communicate is by blinking an eye is about his immobile body and his soaring spirit.

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson is the current & popular Community Read choice of Fairfield. Readers report an interesting and inspiring account of one man’s quest to improve lives in Afghanistan & Pakistan.

The Maytrees by Annie Dillard received mixed reviews from staff. Some praised the nature writing, but disliked the characters. Others found the life and death story both engaging and atmospheric.

If you enjoy outdoors sculpture, or art assembled from nature, you will want to see the new book by Andy Goldsworthy. Enclosure is highly recommended, as are Goldsworthy’s previous books- especially Passage.

Jodi Picoult appears on everybody’s favorite list; Vanishing Acts was the book recommended this time. Walter Mosley is another favorite; his latest is Blonde Faith. Historical novels with positive staff reviews include: Vivaldi’s Virgins by Barbara Quick and Loving Frank by Nancy Horan.

The children’s book Eleven: a Mystery by Patricia Reilly Giff was enjoyed, as was The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. (It's not too late to come to some WestportREADS 2008 events!)

Richard Cohen’s Strong at the Broken Places: Voices of Illness, Chorus of Hope is an inspirational collection of true stories about those who are chronically ill. The author who suffers from multiple sclerosis is the husband of television’s Meredith Vieira.

The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World by NPR commentator Eric Weiner is a "breezy read" about how where we are makes us happy - or not. A different kind of travel book. Take a look at his entertaining website.

The National Women’s History Project established March as the month to recognize the unique role that women have played in the history of our country, to educate and increase public awareness about women’s contribution to our society. With all the excitement lately about this year’s presidential primary race and the role women are playing in it, what better way to celebrate Women’s History Month than to add an inspiring biography to your book club’s list?

Hillary Rodham Clinton is not just the only “first lady” to be elected to the U.S. Senate, she now has a good chance to be our first female president. Carl Bernstein has written a very thorough picture of Ms. Clinton in his book A Woman in Charge: the Life of Hillary Rodham Clinton. Or why not read Hillary’s own autobiography, Living History, or one of the many other books about the former first lady. Most likely lots of heated discussions will take place about her place in women’s history, particularly as she remains at the top of the news for the next several months.

Personal History by Katharine Graham is the fascinating story of the former publisher of the Washington Post. Taking over the newspaper after her husband’s death, Ms. Graham became one of the most powerful American women of the 20th century. She became a leader in a male dominated world of business and journalism.

If your group would rather read something a little more fun, how about My Life in France by Julia Child? Julia Child really changed the way America thinks about food. The gourmet food and wine industry that we enjoy today had its basis in those fabulous cook books and her original cooking shows. This book chronicles her early years in France and how she mastered the “art of French cooking”.

One of the most intriguing women of the last century was Connecticut’s own Katharine Hepburn. Winner of four Academy awards, Hepburn was both unconventional and outspoken. She lived life by her own set of rules. Two of the more complete biographies of her are Kate: the Woman Who Was Hepburn by William Mann, and Kate Remembered by A. Scott Berg. Either one would be a good choice for a great discussion about her life.

Women’s stories need to be shared and talked about, so celebrate women’s lives and accomplishments this month. These are some of my favorite women in history. Who are some of the women that have inspired you?

Have you read Junot Diaz’s novel, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao? Everyone who mentions it is effusive with praise. No negative comments. I have it at home now and am eagerly anticipating a “good read.” His previous book, Drown is a collection of short stories published in 1996. With his writing often compared to that of Russo and Roth, his stories have frequently appeared in the New Yorker.
Recently, the National Book Critics Circle celebrated literature and literacy in America by announcing winners of the 2007 awards. Diaz won for fiction.

• The General Nonfiction award went to Harriet Washington for Medical Apartheid: the Dark History of Medical Experiments on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present.
• Edwidge Danticat won for Brother, I’m Dying in the Autobiography category. You may remember Haitian Danticat’s previous books Breath Eyes Memory & The Dewbreaker.
• The win for Biography went to Tim Jeal for Stanley: the Impossible Life of Africa’s Greatest Explorer.
• Alex Ross won for Criticism with his book on modern music, The Rest is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century.
• The Poetry award went to Mary Jo Bang for Elegy. Bang is an English Literature professor and this, her fifth book of poems, mourns the death of her adult son.

Another fake memoir!! This time it’s by a white woman who claimed she was raised in poverty by a black foster mother and sold drugs for an LA gang. Love and Consequences by Margaret B. Jones has been recalled by the publisher (Penguin Group USA.) The author is actually Margaret Seltzer who grew up in a well-off area of San Francisco Valley with her biological family. She attended private Episcopal day school and never lived with a foster family or sold drugs for a gang. She managed to fool her editor and the New York Times. Her older sister called the publisher and blew the whistle after she saw the NY Times article.

Fiction as memoir seems to have a market. You remember James Frey and A Million Little Pieces. Last week Misha: a Memoir of the Holocaust Years by Misha Defonseca was discovered to be a fake also. It was published in 1997.

I wonder why these writers do not call it fiction?

Have you noticed anything different about our catalog lately? We have added Library Thing! LibraryThing is an online service which allows users to catalog their home libraries and share them with others. Since we are a library, we obviously already have our books cataloged, but we have found a different use for LibraryThing: tagging.

As you'll notice, our catalog entries now include "related links," which you can click on to find other books that are assigned the same keywords. The larger the font, the more LibraryThing users have assigned that keyword to the particular item. This makes our catalog more interactive and easier to browse. If you enjoyed one book, you can now use the keywords to find books that are similar.

While it might be fun for your book club to read The Jane Austen Book Club, the movie was much more effective in getting me to think about reading Jane Austen again! Her books were serious, but humorous critiques of English society. Austen’s books are famous for heroines that show real strength. Her female characters know what they want and find ways to make it happen. Pride and Prejudice, the story of the Bennet sisters and their romantic entanglements, is probably the most well known of her novels. Emma and Sense and Sensibility, follow close behind in popularity. Although I haven’t read Persuasion, considered Austen’s most serious, but most romantic book, I’ve decided that it will be added to my long list of books to read. The two other Austen novels discussed by the book club were Mansfield Park and Northanger Abbey.

So when the topic of reading a Jane Austen book at your book group comes up, don’t say “Oh, I’ve already read her books.” Read one again. A good book is often better the second time around. There are many Jane Austen fans that will agree with you. There’s even an entire society dedicated to promoting her life and works. And if you need copies of any of her books or a discussion guide, let me know.

1-Senator’s Wife by Sue Miller
2-The Appeal by John Grisham
3-People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
4-Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
5-T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton
6-New Earth by Eckhart Tolle
7-Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson & David Oliver Relin
8-7th Heaven by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro
9-Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich
10-Beautiful Children by Charles Bock

Comments: It’s easy to detect the Oprah influence. Her last selection, World Without End by Ken Follett was actually a sequel to his 1989 bestseller, in spite of its length of over 900 pages, Pillars of the Earth. I guess people have reserved Pillars… to read before plunging into the thousand-plus- page World Without End. Together the two books will provide much reading pleasure for anyone intrigued by life in 12th century England.

Oprah waved her magic wand again and selected New Earth: Awakening to your Life’s Purpose by Eckhart Tolle. Tolle is a well-known guru of the spiritual life; he and Oprah will be teaching a course based on the book free to everyone online. Tolle’s 1999 book The Power of Now has been widely circulated.

Beautiful Children rocketed to the list after a big push from the New York Times. A novel based on the author’s life growing up in Las Vegas it centers on a missing child. It’s both gritty and humorous.

PS: Did you notice the change in our catalog? You can easily browse to find and link to similar books in the Library collection.

If you enjoy literary fiction and if you savor poetic language, you will be happy to lose yourself in What You Call Winter by Nalini Jones. The interconnected stories flow between extended family as their lives take them from home, which is a Catholic neighborhood in India, to new homes in America. Scenes from childhood in both places with poignant memories are written with perfect imagery.

Here is a ten-year-old Marian heading home in the afternoon. “The road flew beneath her feet in jerks and rushes as she began to skip- past the tall gates of St. Jerome’s Church, where families of beggars held out their hands to the Catholic ladies.” Later, in the empty family home, “The day began to rouse itself, flushed and warm, from the afternoon sleep, and the noise from the street grew louder. Marian heard motorcars, the chatter of women, the wailing calls of merchants. She knew her father would soon be home.”

Meet local author Nalini Jones at the Library on Friday February 8 at noon. After her talk, copies of her debut story collection will be available for sale and signing. More about the author.

Here are the rest of the top ten authors this week. Lots of interesting characters & life styles.

6-James Patterson. The former chair of J. Walter Thompson has applied all his marketing skills to producing a truly amazing number of books. And each thriller zooms to bestseller status. This month, it’s the next in the Women’s Murder Club series written with co-author Maxine Paetro. 7th Heaven (#6) hit the Library’s top ten in-demand titles, even before the books arrived on the premises. With sales of 130 million worldwide, Patterson oversees a well-run industry with various co-writers, merchandise offerings, film and television adaptations and, according to one of his co-authors, well-organized micro-managing. He founded the Page Turner Awards to which he has contributed over $600,000 for the promotion of books & reading. A graduate of Manhattan College, he lives in Palm Beach. For more.
7- Janet Evanovich. She claims to motivate herself to write by spending her money before she makes it. With all her published books, she must do a lot of shopping! Born and raised in New Jersey, she sets her stories in Trenton. Plum Lucky (#7) features Stephanie Plum, lingerie buyer from Trenton and Evanovich’s alter ego. She enjoys book tours, which in 2006 attracted about 3000 people. Her son and daughter manage her financial affairs and her website, as she continues to write for eight hours everyday. More.
8- Greg Mortenson. A different kind of world fame surrounds the subject of Three Cups of Tea (#8) Journalist David Oliver Relin has joined Mortenson to write about an adventure story that is also about good deeds and positive values. Mortenson failed to climb Pakistan’s K2, the world’s second highest mountain. Alone and hurt, he was cared for by people whom he then helped by turning his attention to the establishment of schools- mostly for girls- in some of the most remote parts of Pakistan & Afghanistan. More.
9-David Baldacci. Another prolific writer of thrillers, Baldacci has a law degree from University of Virginia and spent nine years as a corporate and trial attorney. His sixteen novels have been surefire bestsellers, including Stone Cold (#9) featuring series players Oliver Stone and the Camel Club. Baldacci’s family foundation, Wish You Well is devoted to promoting literacy. His cousin John Baldacci is the two-term Democratic governor of Maine. Visit his website.
10-Sara Gruen. A Canadian by birth, Gruen launched her novel writing career after she was laid off from her technical writing job. Her fondness for animals is evident in her novels, which enjoyed moderate success, until Water for Elephants (#10) - her third book. Her publisher initially turned it down; after she found another publisher, the book spent 12 weeks on the New York Times bestsellers list. It continues to be one of the most popular book club selections. Gruen and her husband share their home with a menagerie; her passion for animals is evident on her website.

No surprises in the top ten books in demand this week. I thought you might like to know more about the authors of these popular books. Here are the first five authors.

1-Sue Miller. Remember The Good Mother (1986)? It was the tale of a recently divorced young woman whose two passions were her 4-year-old daughter and her lover. A heart-breaking custody battle is the centerpiece of the story. Sue Miller entered Radcliffe College at age 16, graduated at age 20 and was married two months later. She later divorced and worked at a variety of jobs as a single parent. Eventually a grant enabled her to concentrate on her writing and her first book was published. Miller writes with images that capture the emotional intensity of family relationships. The most recent of her nine novels is The Senator’s Wife (#1). Read an author talk about this popular book
2-John Grisham. Twenty one books published in nineteen years- the legal profession’s loss is the readers’ gain with this prolific output. The first was A Time to Kill, written as a hobby while a busy law practice in Mississippi filled most of his time. Grisham devotes time and money to charity- most recently the Rebuild the Coast Fund for recovery from Katrina. His undying passion is baseball and his literary success has enabled him to build six ball fields on his property. He is the local Little League Commissioner. His latest book: The Appeal (#2).
3-Sue Grafton. Published in 26 countries & 28 languages, Grafton has her female detective working her way through the alphabet of criminal cases. Grafton is a native of Kentucky and graduated from the University of Louisville with a degree in English Literature. She was writing, but also working at a variety of jobs, when she turned to screenwriting. She spent 15 years writing screenplays before she returned to novels. A is for Alibi was published in 1983. Main character private investigator Kinsey Millhone even has her own biography on Grafton’s website. In current demand is T is for Trespass(#3).
4-Ken Follett. 1978 was the year of Follett’s first big hit The Eye of the Needle. It won the Edgar Award and was made into an acclaimed movie. Four more widely-read thrillers followed. On Wings of Eagles was based on the rescue of two of Ross Perot’s employees during the Iranian revolution of 1979. It was made into a mini-series. His latest book, World Without End is a sequel to the 1989 Pillars of the Earth (#4) Tracing the building of a cathedral in medieval England, the two books follow the stories of all the people involved. Follett, born in Wales, lives in England, where he is involved in several charities and indulges his passion for Shakespeare by attending performances at the Royal Shakespeare Company. He also plays bass guitar in a blues band. He continues to write novels of which around 100 million copies have been sold worldwide.
5-Geraldine Brooks. Australian born and raised, Brooks has a journalism degree from Columbia University and was a Middle East reporter for The Wall Street Journal. Her Nine Parts of Desire: the Hidden World of Islamic Women reveals the inaccuracies of many stereotypes and provides first-hand reporting on the lives of women who have been oppressed by the misinterpretation of Islam. Brooks won the Pulitzer Prize for March, her novel about the Civil War. She and her family split their time between Sydney and Martha’s Vineyard. People of the Book (#5) traces the journey of a rare illuminated Jewish manuscript. To learn more

Five more authors tomorrow!

Sara Nelson is the editor of Publishers Weekly, one of the review journals librarians read each week. In a recent column, she wrote about her dismay, when she realized she had left her new Kindle behind on an airplane. She tried to trace it, but such an unfamiliar device was difficult to describe. And Amazon has sold out of the Kindles, so having become accustomed to reading on the Kindle, she was most unhappy without it.

What’s a Kindle? It’s a simple–to-use electronic-paper display that provides a sharp, high-resolution screen that looks and reads like real paper. It’s wireless. Purchase a book and it is auto-delivered wirelessly immediately. The Kindle weighs 10.3 ounces and holds over 200 titles. Curious? The Westport Library has an Amazon Kindle for you to try.

Go to the Reference desk and ask to try the Kindle. You can read The Wonderful Wizard of Oz- (try out the Kindle and get started on WestportREADS 2008, at the same time.)
When available, another Kindle will be added to the Library collection and available for borrowing. Meanwhile, come and try it out. While you’re here take a look at our old-fashioned books, too!

Happy reading…however it’s delivered.

Can you identify which books are most in demand at the Library?
Click on the links to see the answers. Here are the clues:

1. The senator may be similar to President Clinton, according to the critics.
2. The author has used A to T as a title gimmick. Only six more letters to go.
3. The historical story of the Sarajevo Haggadah from 1996 back to its origins.
4. Twelfth century England cathedral building melodrama.
5. The Camel Club to the rescue!
6. Establishing schools in Pakistan & Afghanistan.
7. “Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the noonday sun.”
8. From the “king of page turners” with Maxine Paetro as co-author, this time.
9. Novel of circus life. A book club favorite.
10. Forensic details from Dr. Scarpetta.

How did you do?

When you hear about a new book and think "that sounds interesting," your next thought might be the Westport Library. Usually, the book you hear about is here -or on order -and you may place a hold.

• Today, I heard Dana Milbank on WNYC talking about his insider's view of the political culture in Washington, DC. His book is Homo Politicus:the Strange and Barbaric Tribes of the Beltway.


• Yesterday's big news was the unauthorized biography Tom Cruise by Andrew Morton- keeping us up to date on the latest Scientology rumors.


• Are you ready for the next Stephen King book? It's Duma Key- supernatural horror set in the Florida Keys, this time.


• On NPR today,Bob Edwards hosted David Aneregg, a psychologist who wrote Nerds: Who They are and Why we Need More of Them.

Just being one of the finalists is reason for celebration! The National Book Critics Circle has announced this year’s awards finalists, who will be getting together this evening to celebrate. The list of nominated books is a nifty way to get some suggestions for your reading plans. The National Book Critics Circle, started in 1974, is a non-profit organization of about 700 active book reviewers dedicated to honoring quality writing. The annual awards (winners to be announced on March 6 this year) are of keen interest to publishing insiders, librarians, booksellers and readers looking for “good reads.”
And the finalists are…
FICTION: Sacred Games by Vikram Chandra, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, by Junot Diaz, In the Country of Men by Hisham Matar, The Gravedigger’s Daughter by Joyce Carol Oates, and The Shadow Catcher by Marianne Wiggins.

NONFICTION: American Transcendentalism by Philip Gura, What Hath God Wrought by Daniel Walker Howe, Medical Apartheid by Harriet Washington, Legacy of Ashes by Tim Weiner, and The World Without Us by Alan Weisman.

Go to Critical Mass (the blog of the NBCC) for the complete list of nominees in all categories.

Did your father wear "I Like Ike" stretch socks in 1956? Did you sample a Good Humor Kennedy Bar in 1960?
Or maybe, you had a sip of Johnson Juice (A Drink for Health Care) in 1964? Did you give the Kerry yo-yo a few ups-and-downs in 2004?

Fascinating pictures of presidential campaign memorabilia fill Jordan M. Wright's book Campaigning for President. His collection stretches from a 1789 George Washington picture flag to a 2004 boxing poster with "Love Ya, Dubya" Bush vs. "Bring It On" Kerry. It's a visual history of our elections and is timed to resonate perfectly with the current political scene.

Jordan Wright will speak at the Library on Tuesday January 15 at 7:30 pm.

Find out which candidate's poster made him look like "Ed Grimsley's" father. Hint:It was the 1968 election.
(The answer is on page 240 of Campaigning for President.)

The new year has begun and those book clubs that took a break in December have reconvened and are reading and discussing again. So what did everyone read in 2007?
The top choice for last year was Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky. I had a feeling it would be the top choice for 2007 when I wrote about it in my February blog. At the time it seemed like every book club wanted to read it. It’s also no surprise the number two selection was The Glass Castle, a memoir by Jeannette Walls. The Glass Castle is Walls’ unsentimental tale of life with a set of very eccentric parents. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See followed closely behind in popularity. Published in 2005, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is still in demand by book clubs. Set in 19th century China, this haunting tale of love and friendship among women is filled with historical details of customs and rituals that women endured and practiced. This novel is sure to be a book club favorite for many years.

Although fiction titles are still the most popular choices for book clubs, there were a few favorites among non-fiction books. Waiting for Snow in Havana by Carlos Eire continues to be a popular choice for clubs. Eire’s memoir of his childhood in Cuba before the revolution was the National Book Award winner for 2003 in nonfiction. Becoming Justice Blackmun by Linda Greenhouse was another favorite. Greenhouse is a NY Times reporter who covered the Supreme Court and had access to Justice Blackmun’s papers. Her book details the story behind some of the most famous court cases of the last century and the part Blackmun played in those decisions.

If your club missed one of the top choices for last year, keep them in mind for this year. And don’t forget the upcoming WestportReads. There’s still time to request copies for your book club of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Check out the list of programs we’ll be having centered on this classic favorite. Even if you read it as a child, you’ll find lots to enjoy, think about, and discuss this time around. If you need multiple copies or a discussion guide for any of these books, contact me.

Here they are - this week’s top ten titles:

1-T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton
2-Abstinence Teacher by Tom Perotta
3-Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
4-Stone Cold by David Baldacci
5-Book of the Dead by Patricia Cornwell
6-The Choice by Nicholas Sparks
7-Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo
8-Letters of Noel Coward
9-