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Spring is sprung! The Vernal Equinox was on March 20 heralding with equal hours of night and day the end of winter.

Thus Winter Reading is well and truly over; but we had so many people star their favorite book on their reading logs that I'm putting up one last list of Winter Reading Favorites on My Next Good Book.

Check the list out for more reading suggestions from your friends and neighbors.

Labels: 2009 Winter Reading

Labels: Jonathan Harr, Lost Painting, Whiteford Book Discussion Group

This year marks the 400th anniversary of the invention of Galileo's telescope in 1609. In honor of this revolutionary event, try reading this biography of Galileo which reveals
some of what drove Galileo in his quest for knowledge, success, and in his relationship with the Catholic hierarchy.

Author of the bestselling Longitude, Dava Sobel again does a fine job in Galileo's Daughter of revealing a controversial and pivotal event in the history of science as an enthralling human story. Find this book in our catalog.


Galileo’s daughter of the title is Suor Maria Celeste, the elder of Galileo’s two illegitimate daughters. Both were lodged in a convent because they were considered unmarriageable because of their illegitimacy. The story unfolds through 124 letters sent by Maria Celeste to her father, published in this book verbatim and in translation for the first time. Maria Celeste was deeply involved in her father's life work, even transcribing his writings. Her letters show us the human side of Galileo’s trial for heresy, his recantation, his banishment, and house arrest. The letters also reveal fascinating insights into daily life of the times: the harshness of life, especially for women. In her letters Suor Maria Celeste does not express any sense of what we probably today would consider the injustice of her lot. Reading of her obvious loving relationship with her father allows us to see a very human side of the great man.

Labels: African American biography, Dava Sobel, Galileo - biography, Galileo's Daughter, History of science

Labels: Dalia Sofer, Jewish literature, Jews-Iran-fiction, One More Year, Prisoners-Iran-fiction, Sami Rohr Prize, Sana Krasikov, Septembers of Shiraz, Short Stories

This book was first reviewed on this site on Monday, October 6th, 2008. Please visit our archives to read Elizabeth's review.

I am reviewing it again as it was the chosen title for the Abingdon Book Discussion group in March. It has also featured at other branches, and I am sure a lot of non-library groups have been reading it. Why has this book with the unusual title become so popular? It is written as a series of letters, and although this style might be a little awkward for some readers at first, keep reading. Once you get into the flow of the letters, this is a charming, sometimes moving and always entertaining story. It is set against the background of second world war Guernsey, where a group of friends forms a book group to explain to the German occupiers why they are out afer curfew. Once the book group is formed, the friends find the strength & support there that helps them endure wartime conditions. There are some wonderful characters. Juliet is the English writer who contacts the islanders & receives their letters. Dorsey, Amelia, Isola and the other members of the group reveal themselves and their lives to Juliet as they write to her. And there is Elizabeth, the pivotal force whose spirit shines through all the letters. We get to know these characters and others who reflect the hope and tragedy of this period. Try this informative and optimistic book and you won't be disappointed.

We were all very sad to learn that Mary Ann Shaffer passed away as this book was reaching its conclusion. We wonder what else she might have written had she lived longer. This book is a great memorial to her.

If you are interested in reading the thoughts of someone who was actually a child in Guernsey at the time of the occupation, please go to this BBC website.
WW2 People's War: An Archive of World War Two Memories - written by the public, gathered by the BBC. A Child's War: The German Occupation of Guernsey submitted by Peter LePrevost. http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/78/a4185678.shtml

Check out these links for reviews of the book, author biographies and book group questions.
http://www.guernseyliterary.com/bkBook.html
http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780385340991&view=rg
http://www.bookreporter.com/reviews2/9780385340991.asp
http://www.bookbrowse.com/biographies/index.cfm?author_number=1586
http://www.bookbrowse.com/reading_guides/detail/index.cfm?book_number=2155

Labels: Annie Barrows, book groups, German occupation, Guernsey, Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Mary Ann Shaffer, wartime, WWII - history

Labels: Afrocan-American history, civil rights, From Slavery to Freedom, John Hope Franklin, Mirror to America, slavery

Beginning April 1, Poets.org [from the Academy of American Poets]sends one new poem to your inbox each day to celebrate National Poetry Month. The poems have been selected from new books published in the spring. Sign up here.

Labels: National Poetry Month, Poem-a-Day

Labels: M.J. Rose, reincarnation - fiction, Reincarnationist

The James Beard Foundation Awards nominees have been announced. James Beard was "one of the greatest gastronomes of our time." I thought all you cookbook fans out there might be interested to learn that among the awards are book awards. They will be presented by Green & Black's® Organic Chocolate for cookbooks published in English in 2008. Click here for more on the Foundation and the book awards nominees.

Labels: James Beard Foundation cookbooks book awards

The Feast of All Saints by Anne Rice. Find this book in our catalog

Here is a recommendation for this book from a Winter reader:

" It is historical fiction about the French and Spanish and slaves in New Orleans - It is unique because it depicts the color distinctions among slaves & their place in society, etc. A grand book."

Labels: 2009 Winter Reading, Feast of All Saints

The Angels of Morgan Hill by Donna VanLiere Find this book in our catalog

Here is a review of this novel by a Winter Reader:

"The Angels of Morgan Hill is a story of courage and pertinent to this era of President Barack Obama. It is a story of how a small town in Tennessee desegregated in the Sixties... how one small black boy and the spunk of a ten-yr-old white girl, her brother, and mother stood up to a town for the rights of all children to get an education. It was reminiscent of the impish wisdom of Scout in "To Kill a Mockingbird." "

Labels: 2009 Winter Reading, Angels of Morgan Hill

Chill Factor by Sandra Brown Find this book in our catalog

Here is another review by a Winter Reader:

"If you like drama, suspense, and murder mysteries I highly recommend Chill Factor by Sandra Brown.

This was the first Sandra Brown novel I read and once I started reading I didn't want to put the book down. Just when you think you know what will happen next, the plot changes. Many twists and turns to keep you on your toes.

I look forward to reading more of her writing and hope you will too."

Labels: 2009 Winter Reading, Chill Factor

Delia's Heart by V.C. Andrews Find this book in our catalog

Here is another review by a Winter Reader:

"I enjoyed reading Delia's Heart, because I like a story to have a happy ending; albeit, the plot took quite a twist to achieve this. However, the author made the characters to be both extremely evil or extraordinarily good. There was no in-between which is not usually true in real life situations."

Labels: 2009 Winter Reading, Delia's Heart

The Last Promise: a novel by Richard Paul Evans Find this book in our catalog

Here is another review turned in on a Winter reading book log:


"The Last Promise was a beautiful love story - well written - clean - interesting. Evans paints a beautiful realistic picture of life in Tuscany (the food, galleries, people and culture are brought to life). It made me want to travel to florence. So I am going in September :)"
submitted by a Winter Reader

Labels: 2009 Winter Reading, Last Promise

Here is another review turned in on the back of a Winter reading Book log:

Labels: 2009 Winter Reading, Double Shot

These were some of the comments submitted on completed reading logs from the Winter Reading Program, an annual program with rewards for reading which has just finished amid much success. Look out for next year's Winter Reading Program!

• Say You Love Me by Johanna Lindsey - "... well written and transported me to a different place for a while. ...a great escape for my hectic life!"
• "Step On a Crack [by James Patterson] was one of my favorite mysteries. I have read some of his books before but so far I would say... was not so violent & with real feeling by lead cop."
• "I would recommend The Brass Verdict. It tells a good story which is written so well you do not want to put it down until you are finished the book."
• Letter to My Daughter by Maya Angelou - "Dedicated to daughters she never had, the book reveals Maya's path to living well, & living a life with meaning. It is part guide book, part memoir & part poetry. It's a book to be owned and read often."
• A Christmas Grace by Anne Perry - "...brought concepts and ideas to the front that most people would rather avoid. It made me look @ situations and ideas I have not considered for a long time."
• A Catering Wedding by Isis Crawford - "Easy reading mystery about two sisters. Their catering business seems to always [be] getting them into investigating a murder. Interesting secondary characters add to the plot."
• Traitor to His Class: the privileged life and radical Presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt by H. W. Brands - " ...on the Depression and Second World War. The book is well written and comprehensive. Most interesting."

Labels: 2009 Winter Reading

Prisoner of Birth by Jeffrey Archer Find this book in our catalog

"Sometimes novels will keep me interested in the story until I'm about two thirds of the way through the book. Then, the author will sensationalize certain events that take all belief out of consideration. Also, deeply involved stories that take up to five hundred pages to tell, fail to captivate my interest for the entire telling of the story. This was definitely not the case with "Prisoner of Birth" by Jeffrey Archer. This book kept me interested from cover to cover. It's the fifth book I've read by Jeffrey Archer and in my opinion, his best work. It is definitely one of the best books I've read in quite a while. It's a story about crime, love and the law. It has a little something for everyone. I recommend this book and think you'll enjoy it."
submitted by a Winter Reader

Shaq Attaq! by Shaquille O'Neal with Jack McCallum. Find this book in our catalog

"Shaq started his life really bad but ended up really good. Bad because he didn't listen to his parent as a child until he got into a fight and almost kill[ed] his best friend. His dad [was] a military man... and his family moved a lot. But he got his act together, went to college and ended up in the NBA."
submitted by a Winter Reader

Labels: 2009 Winter Reading, Shaq Attaq

Exile by Richard North Patterson Find this book in our catalog

"Patterson's novel "Exile" points out how complex and two-sided the Israel-Palestistinian issue is and how difficult it is to obtain a peaceful resolution. The author attempts to entertain and enlighten and I feel he has successfully accomplished this with this novel. This is a very intense story that I recommend only to persons who recognize that the story is a realistic image of the tragedy that continues to exist."
submitted by a Winter Reader

Labels: 2009 Winter Reading, Exile

Sister of My Heart by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni Find this book in our catalog

I truly loved the novel Sister of My Heart by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. This book is about how two East Indian women are changed by marriage, relocation to California from india and staying in India with a life full of "what ifs."

The women are Anju and her cousin Sudha. Arjun is a plain and simple girl from an upper-caste family from Calcutta. Sudha is the daughter of the family's "black sheep" yet she is stunningly beautiful. Despite their differences the girls have a lot in common. Ironically, they were born on the same day and their fathers died mysteriously on the same day. They are cousins who have grown up as sisters of the heart.

When family secrets begin to come unraveled, the women begin to question everything about their lives, families, and each other. They become awkwardly distrustful of each other. Unfortunately, hardships and misfortune affect both of them. It is only during their darkest hours that they begin to realize they need each other. Despite the distance between them, an uncomfortable arranged marriage, and suspicious feelings... they need each other. They truly are Sisters of the Heart.

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is an amazing author. In my opinion, she is "the voice" of Indian women world-wide. Her prose is beautiful, captivating and full of imagery. If you have ever had a friend you considered family... this book is a "must read."
submitted by a Winter Reader

Labels: 2009 Winter Reading, Sister of My Heart

ForeWord magazine announced the finalists of the 2008 Book of the Year Awards. "These books represent some of the best work coming from today’s independent press community."
For a full list of the finalists searchable by category, publisher, title, and author, visit www.forewordmagazine.com.
The winners will be determined by a panel of librarians and booksellers, selected from the magazine's readership. Gold, Silver, and Bronze winners, as well as Editor's Choice Prizes for Fiction and Nonfiction will be announced at a special program at BookExpo America at the Javits Center in New York City on May 29.
ForeWord's Book of the Year Awards program was designed to discover distinctive books across a number of genres. Past winners have included Rashi's Daughters, Book 1: Joheved by Maggie Anton and Peace Like a River by Leif Enger.

Labels: Foreword's Book of the Year Awards

Best Adult Genre Fiction: 2009 was first published March 15, 2009 (Booklist).
Established in 2007, the Reading List Council, consisting of librarians who are experts in readers’ advisory and collection development, selects an annual list of outstanding genre fiction. This list is made up of one title in eight different categories: Adrenaline (encompassing thrillers, suspense, and action/adventure); Fantasy; Historical Fiction; Horror; Mystery; Romance; Science Fiction; and Women’s Fiction. All titles were published in 2008.
Adrenaline
Blue Heaven By C. J. Box
In this relentlessly paced story, two children witness a murder, elude crooked ex-cops, and find refuge with a taciturn rancher. The evocative landscape and emotional depth, along with the engaging characters and provocative story line, combine to create an unforgettable novel.
Fantasy
Veil of Gold By Kim Wilkins
The discovery of a golden bear in the walls of a derelict St. Petersburg bathhouse lifts the veil between the real world and that of fairy tales. Treachery is rampant, and death is ever-present; stories aren’t safe, and love can’t rescue anyone—or can it?
Historical Fiction
The Steel Wave. By Jeff Shaara
In this riveting tale of D-Day and its aftermath, Shaara closely follows events through the lives of common soldiers and generals, Allies and Axis alike. A journalistic style underscores the drama of events, and the engaging warts-and-all portrayals add to the immediacy of the novel.
Horror
Sharp Teeth. By Toby Barlow
The insiders’ perspective and lyrical language of this haunting free-verse novel offer a sympathetic glimpse into the lives of urban werewolves, showcasing a nightmarish noir world where violence and heartbreak go hand in hand.
Mystery
The Garden of Evil. By David Hewson. Bantam, $24 (9780385339575).
In contemporary Rome, an unknown lascivious painting by Caravaggio, a series of grisly murders, and a heart-stopping chase mark series detective Nic Costa’s return. The perfidious villains can only be outwitted by inventive police work and an unexpected ally in this masterfully crafted puzzler.
Romance
The Spymaster's Lady. By Joanna Bourne.
Take a British spymaster and a resourceful French agent, spice with clever banter, toss in a refreshing and unexpected plot, add a heaping measure of sexual chemistry, and the result is an irresistible read in which Napoléon’s ambitions for England hang in the balance.
Science Fiction
Hunter's Run. By George R. R. Martin, Gardner Dozois, and Daniel Abraham.
On a dangerous backwater planet, a criminal outcast stumbles across an alien race in this relentless and gritty adventure. Forced into a life-threatening hunt, he is irrevocably changed and learns what it means to be truly human.
Women’s Fiction
Every Last Cuckoo. By Kate Maloy.
Set against the richly textured landscape of rural Vermont, Maloy’s optimistic and heartwarming novel chronicles one woman’s experience of widowhood as she remembers the pains and pleasures of her long marriage and moves into a new phase of her life.

Labels: Best Adult Genre Fiction 2009

The National Book Critics Circle gave out its annual awards at a ceremony in New York City on March 12. There was an unprecedented tie for the poetry award. They and the other book awards follow:
Fiction: Roberto Bolaño, for 2666
General Nonfiction: Dexter Filkins, for The Forever War
Biography: Patrick French, for The World Is What It Is: The Authorized Biography of V.S. Naipaul
Autobiography: Ariel Sabar, for My Father’s Paradise: A Son’s Search for His Jewish Past in Kurdish Iraq
Poetry: August Kleinzahler, for Sleeping It Off in Rapid City, and Juan Felipe Herrera, for Half the World in Light: New and Selected Poems

Labels: National Book Critics Circle Awards

Charged with finding something good to read for my husband the other day I found myself stumped. My recent suggestions had fallen metaphorically on stony ground: my husband has "done" action and adventure and espionage fiction and the history of science.

By chance I was reading an article about men's book groups and discovered this list of suggestions for men's discussion groups on Amazon.com's Listmania:
Books for Men (The Anti-Oprah Book Club) by "rhodeislandreader."

Here are some of the books suggested on the list - with a few suggestions of my own and links to our catalog:
Of mice and men / John Steinbeck Find this book in our catalog
The old man and the sea / Ernest Hemingway Find this book in our catalog
A prayer for Owen Meany : a novel / John Irving Find this book in our catalog
When the sacred ginmill closes / Lawrence Block Find this book in our catalog
A confederacy of dunces / John Kennedy Toole Find this book in our catalog
Night train to Lisbon / Pascal Mercier Find this book in our catalog
Indignation / Philip Roth Find this book in our catalog
The life and times of the Thunderbolt Kid : a memoir / Bill Bryson Find this book in our catalog
A dirty job / Christopher Moore Find this book in our catalog
Mr. Paradise / Elmore Leonard Find this book in our catalog
The man in my basement : a novel / Walter Mosley Find this book in our catalog

Labels: Book Club Books, Men's books

Rick Steves honored
Late last month bestselling travel writer and TV/radio host Rick Steves (c.) was presented the National Council for International Visitors’ Citizen Diplomat award. Armchair travelers should check out one or two of the more than 40 books and DVDs by Rick Steves available through the Harford County Public Library catalog.

Labels: armchair travel, Rick Steves

The American Booksellers Association has announced the finalists for its inaugural Indies Choice Book Awards, which replace the Book Sense Book of the Year Awards (the Abbys). There are seven categories—Best Indie Buzz book (fiction), Best Conversation Starter (nonfiction), Best Author Discovery (debut), Best New Picture Book, Best YA Buzz Book, Most Engaging Author, and Picture Book Hall of Fame. Voting is open to owners and staff at all ABA member bookstores. The winners will be announced in late April and will be honored at an awards ceremony at ABA's Celebration of Bookselling Luncheon at BEA.The 2009 Indies Choice Book Awards finalists are: Read on...

Labels: ABA, American Booksellers Association, Indies Choice Book Awards

Labels: Jamie Lee Curtis, National Library Week, TV Guide

• This Side of Heaven by Karen Kingsbury - "A story that started out sad but had a beautiful ending."
• "The title I recommend is Too Good to Be True [by E. Lynn Harris]. This was an interesting fantasy of a book about how a young college student becomes pregnant, starts fresh, and the trials and tribulations that she and her son face."
• "I recommend any book by Christopher Moore. His stories are hilarious, thoughtful, and creative. All of his books are worth the read."
• "The Long Hard Road Out of Hell is the autobiography of Marilyn Manson. It's a wonderful journey from his childhood to stardom. It also helps people understand why he is the shock-rocker he is."
• The Zero Game by Brad Meltzer - "Good plot - a political game for personal gain - was not easy to guess the outcome."
• Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill - "This was an excellent book following the life of a woman who was sold into slavery from her home in Africa."

Labels: 2009 Winter Reading

Another Winter Reading Review:

Labels: 2009 Winter Reading, Kristen Heitzmann, Still of Night

Labels: clay fisher, western fiction, yellowstone kelly

B&N Discover Great New Writers Awards

The Well and the Mine, a debut novel by Gin Phillips (Find this book in our catalog) and Beautiful Boy: a father's journey through his son's addiction, a memoir by David Sheff (Find this book in our catalog), were named the winners Thursday, in fiction and nonfiction, respectively, at a luncheon for Barnes & Noble's 16th Discover Great New Writers Awards. Each writer received a cash prize of $10,000.

Labels: David Sheff, Discover Great New Writers Awards, Gin Phillips

What is Urban Christian Fiction?

"Urban Christian Fiction is a genre of emotional, vivid and conflicting stories that mixes God, faith and the urban church. It does not purposely exclude violence or sex from its story line, but weaves it into the plot based upon its relevance. It closely resembles Urban Fiction or Street Lit except, God is the center of the character’s lives. Urban Christian Fiction usually portrays characters of African or Latino depicting urban culture." Read more of the article by Wanza Leftwich, The Gospel Writer.

If you are interested in learning more about hot current titles in Urban Christian Fiction and about how to write UCF, there are 2 blogs you should check out.

Urban Christian Fiction http://www.urbanchristianfiction.com/index.html is, "the place to meet your favorite authors of Urban Christian Fiction. If you don't have a favorite yet, we are sure you will after a few visits. Remember to visit often for updates, book reviews, new releases and monthly contests! The Urban Lounge is the place to be. We are More than Just Drama! Kick off your shoes and stay awhile."

Urban Christian Fiction Today http://www.urbanchristianfictiontoday.com/
is the blog of Rhonda McKnight Nain. She's an author and freelance editor. Her blog, Urban Christian Fiction Today, highlights African American Christian Fiction and some occassional non-fiction. Look for author interviews, book reviews, and Rhonda's take on publishing and marketing. There may even be a little writing craft here and there...

Labels: African American Christian Fiction, Urban Christian Fiction

Tobias Wolff has won the $20,000 Story Prize for his collection Our Story Begins Find this book in our catalog

Runners up were Jhumpa Lahiri for Unaccustomed Earth Find this book on our catalog and Joe Meno for Demons in the Spring Find this book in our catalog.

Judges Daniel Menaker, Rick Simonson, and Hannah Tinti cited Wolff’s work for its sense of detail and its humanity: “The previously uncollected pieces by Wolff in this new collection show an increasingly severe insistence on the most telling and specific detail as the author creates entire worlds, entire life stories, out of eloquent molecules of narrative. The emotional impact of these lapidary stories is specific and powerful.� They went on to say: “It is this great sense of the human condition, combined with the close detailing of everyday life that makes Tobias Wolff such an exceptional writer. He deserves The Story Prize, not only for his early work showcased in Our Story Begins, that many of us have studied and read and learned from in the past, but for the ten new stories included, that show he is still at the top of his game.�

Harford County Public Library also owns Our Story Begins and Unaccustomed Earth as audiobooks on CD.

Labels: Demons in the Spring, Jhumpa Lahiri, Joe Meno, Our Story Begins, Short Stories, Story Prize, Tobias Wolff, Unaccustomed Earth

Here are some more brief comments on some of the books in the Winter reading logs:

• "Nobody's Horses - I had no idea there were so many wild horses in our country! Don Hoglund does a very good description of the area of White Sands."
• "The Graveyard Book - is an excellent story for all ages! I enjoyed meeting the characters and loved the ending. Well-crafted story, suspensful, memorable."
• "Next by Michael Crichton - thought-provoking and humorous concerning a topic "gene manipulation." Current, on the mark, and fun to read, it highlights the dangers of corporate ownership of genetics and the comical nightmares that could occur."
• "Glen Beck's The Christmas Sweater - fiction based on a true story in his young life - very good read."
• "Fire and Ice by James Patterson - this is a typical James Patterson novel. Full of suspense & surprises."
• "11 Days in December - this book is a specific history of the Battle of the Bulge (WWII). A great read in Dec/Holidays or any time!"
• "Delia's Crossing by V. C. Andrews was a book not to put down. V. C. Andrews outdid herself this time. Delia endured a lot of stuff. A Must read book."
• "Plain Secrets: an Outsider Among the Amish - I enjoy reading about the Amish. This book by Joe MacKall was about the Swartzen Truber Amish of Ashland County, Ohio."
• "Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer - the 4th novel of the Twilight series. Of course, you should read the first 3 before you read this one. Can't put them down."

Labels: 2009 Winter Reading, readers' reviews

Labels: 1st To Die, Historical Mysteries, James Patterson, San Francisco - fiction, serial killers - fiction, Women's Murder Club

Labels: Ann B. Ross, humorous fiction, Miss Julia Paints the Town, North carolina Fiction

Another reader's review from the Winter Reading Program: The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (Find this book in our catalog)

Labels: 2009 Winter Reading, classics, didactic fiction, Oscar Wilde, Picture of Dorian Gray, youthfullness

Labels: Highland clans - fiction, Julie Garwood, romantic suspense, Shadow Dance

Another reader's review from the Winter Reading Program:

Labels: 2009 Winter Reading, Agincourt, Bernard Cornwell