Books Blog : fiction

Elizabeth II, in Film and Fiction

myzticrhythmz@evpl — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 19:45:00 GMT

Britain’s Royal Family is always a source of curiosity, and their Monarch is no exception. Queen Elizabeth II, who celebrated her Diamond Jubilee in 2012, has been featured in a number of films, documentaries, and books over the past several years. Here are a few to enjoy.

The Queen, a 2006 feature film starring Oscar-winner Helen Mirren, portrays the turmoil in the Royal Family in the days following Diana, Princess of Wales’ death. This film portrays the public’s strong sentiment in favor of the Princess, as the Queen struggles with a proper response to her former daughter-in-law’s death. Mirren’s portrayal is sensitive, with a bit of humor thrown in, and well worth the viewing.

As Queen, Elizabeth has sometimes seemed detached from her subjects, and fiction authors have responded by imagining her in creative ways. Alan Bennett’s The Uncommon Reader poses a unique notion: What if Queen Elizabeth became such an avid reader that she loses interest in her “duty,” and becomes more introspective and sympathetic to others? This novella is a quick, pithy read, and sure to bring a smile.

Author William Kuhn creates a different scenario for the Queen. In Mrs. Queen Takes the Train, the longtime Sovereign of the United Kingdom ponders what she might be find missing in her life. The answer, strangely enough, is Her Majesty's Yacht Britannia, the former Royal Yacht of the British monarch. Alone on an inclement winter’s day, Elizabeth grows restless. First, she decides to visit one of her horses, also named Elizabeth. Then she’s off to the cheese store to buy Elizabeth (the horse) some of her favorite cheese. And finally, Elizabeth boards a public train bound for Scotland to visit her beloved yacht. The chaos that ensues among the Queen’s staff and acquaintances by her unexpected journey helps cement relationships, and demonstrates loyalty beyond “duty” to their Sovereign. This book, like The Queen and The Uncommon Reader, adds a bit of warmth and compassion to a celebrated historical figure.

For more in the Library’s catalog about Queen Elizabeth, click here.

Grab a warm cup of tea and your favorite QEII tale, and enjoy!

Taking on Virgil

banksoftheohio@evpl — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 18:22:00 GMT

In her novel Lavinia, celebrated author Ursula LeGuin gives lyrical voice to her title character: the daughter of mythical King Latinus and the woman fated to cause The Aeneid's culminating war. This lushly detailed account of ancient Italian ritual and daily life, which was named a 2008 Best Book by Library Journal, is an intriguing companion to Virgil's epic poem. Check them both out and join the Classics Book Discussion on December 13th as we consider one of the cornerstones of Western literature.

Cassics Book Discussion

Thursday, December 13, 2012

1:00 - 2:00 p.m.

2nd Floor Conference Room

Central Library

If you could live your life over again

kiya@evpl — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 20:59:00 GMT

Ever wanted a second chance?
Ken Grimwood's novel "Replay" is story of the ultimate second chance. Jeff Winston, the main character, leads a "successful" but not very happy life, until at age 43, he has a heart attack and dies at his desk. The next thing he knows, he's waking up in his college dorm room, at the age of 18, with all his 43 years of memories intact.

This is a book I loved the first time I read it, and have re-read several times since then. I continue to enjoy it, but in somewhat different way twenty years later. I'm not the only one.

Brad Meltzer, best-selling author says:

"Of course, this being a thriller, there's a love interest and a bad guy. But the best part of Replay isn't the plot; it's the fact that the book is about you - yes, you.

The moment Ken Grimwood has his authorly hooks in you, you can't help but look at your own life and think, 'What would I do differently if I could live my life again?' And not in the way we all casually play this game. Really - What would I do differently?"

Join us Tuesday, May 1, 2012, from 6:30pm - 7:30pm in the North Park Branch meeting room as we discuss this fascinating novel, and what it has to say about a life well-lived.

Grimwood's novel has inspired lots of fans, multiple rumors of movies to be made, and even has its own Wikipedia page. [warning - the Wikipedia entry contains spoilers]

One fan made his own video reviewing the book and providing information on this little-known author.

Brad Meltzer's episode on NPR's You Must Read This

Copies of Replay at EVPL

Discussion Questions that other Book Groups have used:

1. Discuss the differences between the lives of Jeff Winston and Pamela Phillips.

2. Jeff Winston tries to re-connect with his first wife, Linda on the exact day, at the exact same beach where they first met but fails. Would there have been any way for him to do that that wouldn't be creepy?

3. Jeff and Pamela finally meet. What was your first reaction to this?

4. Is there a parable in the story? What is it trying to say about life?

5. What conclusion do you draw from the epilogue?

Harry Potter eBooks, downloadable audiobooks now available

professor.knowsitall@evpl — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 14:27:00 GMT

Harry Potter eBooks & downloadable audiobooks are now available in our OverDrive collection!

Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone: eBook | MP3 Audiobook
Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets: eBook | MP3 Audiobook
Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban: eBook | MP3 Audiobook
Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire: eBook | MP3 Audiobook
Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix: eBook | MP3 Audiobook
Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince: eBook | MP3 Audiobook
Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows: eBook | MP3 Audiobook

Why did it take so long? The Harry Potter titles haven't been available in digital formats until now. They released to the general public on Tuesday, with availability to libraries starting yesterday.

Now that they're available in digital formats, will you be reading/re-reading these books?

New Book Group

LemmyCaution@evpl — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:19:00 GMT

Page Turners is a new book group focusing on thoughtful works of fiction from different time periods, countries, and genres. Each season the list of books will revolve around a theme which will stay consistent and then change with each new season. The first four books listed focus on exemplary works of literary American fiction from the second half of the twentieth century. So if you enjoy engaging works of fiction please feel free to stop in. Also at times the library may not have enough copies, but additional copies can be made available by contacting the North Park Branch Library at (812) 428-8237. The book group meets on the third Monday of each month at the North Park Branch Library around 6:30 p.m.

October 17: The second book we will be discussing is Thomas Pynchon's The Crying of Lot 49. In the novel Oedipa Maas has just received word that she has inherited a fortunate from a former boyfriend, which will lead her on a mysterious quest to find out whether or not an alternative postal system exists in the United States. This satirical and eccentric work examines the rising counter-culture movements in 1960's southern California and the search for meaning in an increasingly fragmented America.

November 21: The third book will be discussing is the National Book Award winner, White Noise by Don DeLillo. White Noise is the story of a professor at a small college in the Midwest who has pioneered the field of Hitler Studies. After a rail car releases a toxic chemical spill, a black cloud covers the small town and forces the professor to evacuate his family. DeLillo's novel touches on a variety of themes from consumerism to death, all with a satirical and shrewd eye towards the excesses of the eighties.

December 19: The last novel we will be discussing for the season is Philip Roth's Pulitzer Prize winning novel, American Pastoral. American Pastoral tells the story of Seymour Levov a star high school athlete who goes on to marry Dawn Dwyer, the 1949 winner of the Miss New Jersey pageant, and form a seemingly perfect life. However, his idyllic American life becomes interrupted when his daughter commits an act of terrorism in protest of the war in Vietnam and sends his life spiraling out of control.

A Very Unique Murder Mystery

Shh_ImReading@evpl — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 15:27:00 GMT

I was very much looking forward to reading Heads You Lose, a murder mystery by Lisa Lutz and David Hayward. Lisa Lutz's Spellman series is one of my absolute favorite series of books and I was sure this new book would be wonderful even though it wouldn't feature the Spellman family. I wasn't wrong but I wasn't really right either.

Let me tell you about the format of Heads You Lose. There is an editor's note and a few more pages of reading before you get to the title page. Don't skip these or you'll be a bit out of the loop before you hit page one. From there it gets more unique. Lisa Lutz wrote the odd numbered chapters and David Hayward wrote the even numbered chapters. Notes between the authors are featured throughout but mostly between chapters. These notes were distracting at first but eventually they became the best part of the book.

The mystery itself wasn't very thrilling. I honestly got bored with it about half way through, even as more bodies were turning up in the small California town were brother and sister Paul and Lacey Hansen live and work. There were some good characters but they weren't enough to keep me interested when the awkward plot let me down. I did finish the book but I didn't really like the resolution and mostly felt relieved to be done with the book. My overall feeling about the book is that it's just okay; different but not quite special.

There's word that there will be fifth Spellman book next year and I'm still looking forward to it. David Hayward hasn't written other novels but I believe he could write a good one. I just don't think this collaboration worked out very well.

The book's website: http://headsyoulose.com/

Lisa Lutz's website: http://lisalutz.com/

Visiting Another World - Welcome to Westeros

kiya@evpl — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 18:57:00 GMT

Lately, my reading time has been spent in Westeros, a world created by George R. R. Martin for his series, A Song of Ice and Fire. My son is a longtime Martin fan, and many library customers are as well: all are anxiously awaiting Book 5 in the set. Meanwhile, HBO is producing a TV series based on Martin's works. Called A Game of Thrones (also the title of the first book), the first episode airs April 17, and the first season is supposed to roughly correspond to the first book. I decided it was time to read the books - before the TV show airs. I'd been putting it off, because these are big books, and I have to be in the mood to read fantasy. I was soon captivated by the world of Westeros, and the intrigue and complications of life in a somewhat medieval society.

Martin has lots of realistic, complicated characters. It isn't easy to tell the heroes and villains apart. The heroes have flaws and make mistakes, and even the worst villains have some redeeming qualities (well, maybe not one of them...). Entranced by the first book, I started the second as soon as I finished the first. I enjoy piecing together bits of information to figure out something, and that happens in these books.

When I finished reading the books, I listened to the audiobooks and caught some details I had missed. Roy Dotrice, who performs the first 3 audiobooks, is marvelous; he brings the characters to life. Realistic characters I can care about are very important to my enjoyment of a book, and Martin's books are well and intricately plotted, too. There is profanity in the books, as well as graphic violence and sex. If that isn't a problem, then I highly recommend these books for folks who like to spend some time in another world.

Writing this, I‘ve remembered some of the other worlds I have loved to visit. I was in junior high when I discovered Sylvia Louise Engdahl, and her 3-book Children of the Star series, as well as her Enchantress from the Stars/The Far Side of Evil set. These are favorites which I reread every few years. Mercedes Lackey has written several related series taking place in a world she calls Valdemar. Marion Zimmer Bradley created a world called Darkover, and even invited readers in to play. Along with Bradley's books, there are collections of short stories by other writers which take place in the world Bradley created.

I love getting immersed in another place and time, and seeing the world from that different point of view. J. K. Rowling created a wonderful magical world with her Harry Potter series. In his Artemis Fowl series, Eoin Colfer created another magical world, just as wondrous, and completely different from the Potter world. I enjoyed Patrick Rothfuss' The Name of the Wind, and am hoping that the sequel, The Wise Man's Fear, will be just as wonderful when it comes out this week.

Joy to the Readers: New Christmas Fiction

Shh_ImReading@evpl — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 00:08:00 GMT

Every year, sometimes starting as early as September, the EVPL starts recieving new Christmas fiction. Here are a few of the titles we've gotten in so far this year:

Sarah's Christmas Miracle by Mary Ellis

The Three Kings by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez

The Mischief of the Mistletoe by Lauren Willig

The Next Queen of Heaven : A Novel by Gregory Maguire

Busy Body: An Agatha Raisin Mystery by M.C. Beaton

A Chesapeake Shores Christmas by Sherryl Woods

Christmas Mourning by Margaret Maron

Call Me Mrs. Miracle by Debbie Macomber

Cat Coming Home: A Joe Grey Mystery by Shirley Rousseau Murphy

Love Finds You Under the Mistletoe: Two Heartwarming Stories of Christmas Past and Present

A Piggly Wiggly Christmas by Robert Dalby

A Darcy Christmas: [a holiday tribute to Jane Austen] by Amanda Grange, Sharon Lathan, Carolyn Eberhart

Christmas at The Mysterious Bookshop : 'Tis the Season to be Deadly : Stories of Mistletoe and Mayhem from 17 Masters of Suspense edited by Otto Penzler

Christmas at Harrington's by Melody Carlson

Christmas with Tucker by Greg Kincaid

A Holiday Yarn: A Seaside Knitters Mystery by Sally Goldenbaum

Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor by Lisa Kleypas

Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball : A Novella by Donita K. Paul

Gingerbread Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke, Laura Levine and Leslie Meier

A Simple Amish Christmas by Vannetta Chapman

Some of these titles are availble in large print or as audiobooks too!

What if your whole world was 11 sq.ft?

bookchick@evpl — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 16:35:00 GMT

I just finished this fascinating book called Room by Emma Donoghue.

The story is told by Jack, a very bright five yr. old who knows nothing of Outside. There is Ma who has tried to shield Jack from all the ugliness in their lives. She's done so well that Jack is happily unaware of their predicament. The third main character is Room an 11 sq. ft. space that is all at once small and confining and big and wonderous. To Jack it is the world but to Ma it is a prison. Others come and go from their world but always, even in freedom, there is Room.

The Tower, the Zoo and the Tortoise by Julia Stuart

Shh_ImReading@evpl — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 00:19:00 GMT

The Tower, the Zoo and the Tortoise by Julia Stuart might have the most endearing characters I've encountered in awhile. I had no idea where the story was going for most of the book but I didn't care because Balthazar Jones and all the rest of the characters were keeping me perfectly entertained.

Balthazar Jones is a Yeoman Warder of Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress the Tower of London, and Member of the Sovereign's Body Guard of the Yeoman Guard Extraordinary... or a Beefeater. He and his wife, Hebe Jones, live in the Salt Tower in the Tower of London because all the Beefeaters live in the Tower of London. While Balthazar and Hebe are dealing with personal tragedy, Balthazar is contacted to be in charge of the reinstatement of the Royal Menagerie at the Tower. He's been chosen because of Mrs. Cook, his family's 181 year old tortoise. Meanwhile, Hebe Jones, her co-worker and friend Valerie Jennings, Tower residents like the Reverend Septimus Drew and the Yeoman Gaoler and others work through their own daily trials and triumphs.

The animals that make up the menagerie include Jesus Christ lizards, Geoffroy's marmosets, a zorilla, ringtail possums, toucans, a lonely wandering albatross and many others. The animals and the Tower setting are as important to the story as the human characters. That said, some of the best scenes are in the London Underground's Lost Property Office, where Hebe Jones and Valerie Jennings work. Their office is filled with items left in train cars or at stops. It is a lost-and-found so big it takes two people to keep track of all the false teeth, shoes, inflatable dolls, canoes, plants and whatever else turns up until rightful owners can be located.

The Tower, the Zoo and the Tortoise is a book that can be dark at times. It takes place mostly at the Tower of London, which is primarily a tourist attraction now but once held many prisoners, some of which were tortured and some of which died in the Tower. It's filled with reminders of those times. Some of the characters have personal problems they're trying to overcome. Rev. Septimus Drew builds contraptions to try and kill the rats that have long resided in the chapel. However, humor and the charm of the quirky characters won me over again and again. It is not a depressing book; in fact it is ultimately uplifting. Julia Stuart has written us a very charming novel.

Sunshine & Bloodsucking Fiends

Shh_ImReading@evpl — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 20:20:00 GMT

I've avoided Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series and put off trying Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse series but I haven't steered clear of all vampire novels. Several years ago, I read Sunshine (see also) by Robin McKinley after a friend recommended it. It was so good I picked it up and read it again recently. Rae, or Sunshine, as she is known to her family and friends, had a fairly ordinary life baking for the coffeehouse her stepfather owns, spending time with her family and her boyfriend, Mel, who cooks at the coffeehouse. Her world is very much like our world, at first glance. The differences are written in a little at a time. Sunshine wasn't expecting to run into vampires at the lake, but she knew vampires existed. People protect their homes and businesses with wards and charms. There is an FBI-like organization that focuses on finding vampires, werewolves, etc. I'd love to tell you about the plot, but I don't want to risk giving anything away. Sunshine is a very detailed, dramatic and sometimes funny. I remember the first time I read it, I was almost sorry to reach the last page. One thing I must warn you about before you read Sunshine, is that since Sunshine is a baker, you may find yourself craving various muffins, pastries and especially cinnamon rolls while you read.

After I re-read Sunshine, I remembered I'd been meaning to read Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story by Christopher Moore. So I finally picked it up and read it. It's not nearly as good as Sunshine, but it's also completely different. Bloodsucking Fiends takes place in San Francisco, California. Tommy and Jody neither one have ever been particularly lucky in love until they meet each other. There's a catch, though: Jody is a vampire. In fact, their relationship begins because Jody finds out Tommy works nights stocking at a Safeway, which means he's free during the day to run errands for her. Tommy and Jody's nontraditional romance get rocky, wild and dangerous. As with any Christopher Moore novel, there are funny moments and disgusting, disturbing moments... sometimes simultaneously. If you like it, there are two sequels, You Suck and Bite Me.

Robin McKinley's website: http://www.robinmckinley.com/

Christopher Moore's website: http://www.chrismoore.com/

House Rules by Jodi Picoult

Meditatinglibrarian@evpl — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 13:29:00 GMT

I recently finished reading Jodi Picoult's House Rules. Half-way through the book I was raving about it - recommending it to lots of people, including at meetings with other Library staff. I found it hard to put down, and missed out on sleep because I was reading.

But my opinion of the book changed as I continued reading. Ultimately, I was disappointed. The writing was fine. A lot of the ideas for the novel were fine. The portrayal of a teen with high-functioning Asperger's seemed well done. But I was very unhappy with some of the choices the author made for the characters, and found a fair amount of it unconvincing.

The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen

Shh_ImReading@evpl — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 20:49:00 GMT

Sarah Addison Allen has charmed me with every one of her novels and her most recent, The Girl Who Chased the Moon, is no exception. I loved every minute with Emily, Julia, Vance, Stella, Sawyer and Win. I want to eat cake made by Julia, see the wallpaper change in Emily's bedroom and just experience the little bit of magic all of these people have in their lives.

Teenager Emily Benedict has come to Mullaby, North Carolina to live with her grandfather, Vance Shelby, also known as the Giant of Mullaby because he's "tall enough to see into tomorrow"-- over eight feet tall. Emily has never met her grandfather or visited Mullaby, where her recently deceased mother grew up. She doesn't know what to expect and there are a number of surprises awaiting her, some of them upsetting, some of them comforting.

Meanwhile, Julia Winterson wants nothing more than to leave Mullaby and move back to Maryland. Julia may have grown up in this small town, but now she is a temporary, maybe not so welcome fixture, or so she thinks. Julia inherited her father's BBQ restaurant in Mullaby. While she leaves most of the running of the restaurant to her staff, she bakes fabulous cakes and pastries fresh each morning as town is waking up. When the mortgage on the restaurant is paid off, she plans to sell it and open her own bakery in Baltimore. Emily is a great character, but Julia is my favorite.

Sarah Addison Allen's two previous novels are Garden Spells and The Sugar Queen. I think of the three, The Girl Who Chased the Moon is probably my least favorite, but don't let that put you off. I still loved it and recommend it very much; I just like the other two a little better. I don't want to go into detail about why I like this one just a little less, for fear of giving away a big part of the story.

One difference between The Girl Who Chased the Moon and its predecessors that I found kind of nice is that there isn't a really bad guy involved in the story. Gardens Spells had David and The Sugar Queen had Julian; both were truly evil men; there's no other way for me to describe them. While that very real evil was absent from The Girl Who Chased the Moon, other touches of other-worldly, positive magic were present. As an example, the wallpaper in Emily's bedroom changes depending on her mood.

With all three novels, I've really become attached to the characters. Both main characters and supporting characters are always a treat. It's always possible to imagine her characters going on with their lives beyond the end of the book. The stories are about the past and present, but the endings are about the future and leave me feeling hopeful. Her style is becoming familiar to me and I like that because it makes the books comforting. I do hope, however, that her stories continue to remain fresh; that familiar style doesn't become same old, same old.

"Secrets of Eden" by Chris Bohjalian

Meditatinglibrarian@evpl — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 15:47:00 GMT

I am always blown away by Chris Bohjalian's writing. I love the way he uses the language - his choices of words, the way he creates scenes and characters, his storytelling. I get caught up in the language and construction. I also tend to find his choice of themes/subjects thought-provoking and even disturbing at times. This was all true in my reading of his latest novel, Secrets of Eden. Bohjalian is a master at writing about ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances, and the four voices of Secrets of Eden are that. One of the interesting experiences of this novel is trying to figure out how much of what each narrator says is actually true. The book begins with Baptist minister Stephen Drew having a crisis of faith and remembering the very recent baptism of Alice Hayward. Eight hours after that baptism, which was a rebirth and new start for Alice, both she and her husband are dead in an apparent murder-suicide. In addition to the Rev. Drew's voice, we hear from Alice's 15-year-old daughter Heather, the deputy state attorney Catherine, and popular author Heather Laurent, who believes in angels and whose own parents died in a murder-suicide when she was a teen.

Links:

Chris Bohjalian's web site

YouTube video of Bohjalian talking about Secrets of Eden

Two Mysteries

Meditatinglibrarian@evpl — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 13:35:00 GMT

I recently read a couple of mystery novels, one a new title by an author, and in a series, that I've enjoyed for many years; the other a debut title starting a series by a new author. I enjoyed them both, and especially discovering a new author to follow.

The Ten-Mile Trials by Elizabeth Gunn is the eighth title in her Jake Hines mystery series. Jake Hines is a mixed-race dumpster baby grown up and now in law enforcement in fictional Rutherford, Minnesota. Rutherford is near Rochester, if not actually based on Rochester. In The Ten-Mile Trials Jake is coping with budget cuts, murder, theft, an Eastern European gang, drugs, and being dad to his 3-month-old son. The ten miles that is so challenging is the drive from the babysitter to home with a crying, hungry baby.

The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths is set in the salt marshes of England's Norfolk coast. Ruth Galloway is a college professor and a forensic archaeologist who is fairly anti-social and likes living in her remote cottage on the edge of the salt marsh with her two cats. Then the local police inspector asks her to date some bones. Those turn out to be 2,000 years old, and Ruth also finds several Iron Age artifacts in the grave. Inspector Nelson tells her of a 10-year-old unsolved case of a young girl being kidnapped, and the letters someone has been sending him about that case ever since...and off we go. Ruth is a wonderfully crusty personality, the mystery and archaeology blend well together, and the Saltmarsh setting is very evocative.