July Staff Picks

Candy's Pick

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

by Brian Selznick

PZ 7 .S465 INV 2007

"The Invention of Hugo Cabret" is a wonderful story centered around an orphaned boy named Hugo and an automatron with which he is totally captivated. When his uncle goes missing, he takes over his uncle's job of winding the clocks in a Paris train station, tries to stay hidden from the station inspector, keeps a secret notebook, and steals food to survive. His world changes when he loses the notebook to an old toymaker he has also been stealing toys from. The story is for young adults partially told through the pictures the author has drawn. But you will have to read it for yourself to find out how Hugo Cabret becomes invented.

July Staff Picks

Jan's Pick

The Lovely Bones

by Alice Sebold

PS 3619 .E26 L68 2002

This is not a book I would normally have read, but having heard they made a movie, I did my usual, "Read the book BEFORE you see the movie!" I had not read any reviews of either the book or the movie, so I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was not a creepy Who-Done-It. As a first-person narrative by a murdered teenager, the weaving of her story as she watches the people she loves react to losing her keeps you following her (and them) through this emotional rollercoaster. Having lost my big brother when I was 18, I often wonder if Dave is able to follow our lives as Susie followed those of her family and friends. Does he still miss the sweet girl he was seeing? Does he laugh at our antics when we have our family gatherings? Is he able to spend days on end in his "heaven" rebuilding that souped-up engine he always wanted to put in his old car? Does he know how often we think of him, though 40 years has passed? This is not a pleasure trip. There are a few places that take you off the story path, but you leave with an understanding of the impact that the loss of a loved one has on the life of each person you meet in this book and their interaction with each other as they rebuild their lives in that shadow. "Lovely Bones" means something totally different than you expect when you are finished. Enjoy...

July Staff Picks

Tim's Pick

The Heart of Tibet

Teachings by H.H. The Dalai Lama and Photographs by Eiichi Matsumoto

DS 786 .M378 2007

Have you ever wanted to visit Tibet and see how the people over there live? Well, if you can't fly out and make it there this year, this might be a good substitution for visiting. Enjoy the beautiful pictures of the wondrous nation and get a glimpse into the lifestyle of the Tibetans.

July Staff Picks

Cory's Pick

American Visions: The Epic History of Art in America

by Robert Hughes

N 6505 H84 1997

Art is both a mirror and a catalyst. Artists reflect back to us the changing values and circumstances of our culture. These visions into our collective self are insightful, but often viewed as troubling at the time. Only later, through the lens of history, do we begin to see how accurate the portrayals are. Most are history studies focus on European history; in this book, Hughes provides a definitive look at American art as a lens for the American story. Some good brain food for that Independence Day barbeque, or any other day you're thinking about the greater context of how we got to be the way we are.

Kristy's Pick

Why We Lie: The Evolutionary Roots of Deception and the Unconscious Mind

by David Livingstone Smith

BF 637 .D42 S65 2004

The author of the book says, "In our own species, natural selection has favored the evolution of a knack for inauthenticity; we are able to simulate friendship, guilt, sympathy, and other interpersonal attitudes to self-servingly manipulate the behaviors of others. Starting with the commonplace examples of clothing, makeup, and coiffures to disguise our appearance, progressing to the small deceptions of social life known as "tact," and moving on through cosmetic surgery to infidelity, criminal fraud, and political propaganda, it is evident that our social lives are drenched with deceit. We do not need science to tell us that we are natural-born liars, but we need it to help us understand what drives our ubiquitous dishonesty, including our puzzling tendency to lie to ourselves." So, not only do we lie, but we do so to our own selves on a regular basis; indeed, it is a survival skill- the most skilled liars are the most likely to survive and/or thrive... This is a fascinating read for those who dare to delve in... Enjoy!

July Staff Picks

Juli's Pick

The Reader

by Bernhard Schlink

PT 2680 L54 V6713 1997

Set in post-war Germany, "The Reader" takes us through the relationship of Michael and Hanna in three different parts. They meet innocently when Michael is a teenager and Hannah is nearly twice his age. Unexpectedly, their relationship develops into one of sensuality and enlightenment for both. Manhy years after their relationship ends, Michael learns much more about Hanna than she ever dared to reveal when they were together. Her secret exposes her dark history and sheds light on the woman Michael loved and lost while leaving the reader pondering many moral dilemmas associated with a multi-generation romance, WWII Germany, regret, and redemption.

June Staff Picks

Jan's Pick

Killing Raven

by Margaret Coel

AMIND PS 3553 .O347 .K55 2003

I enjoy Coel's books because they are set in Wyoming/Fremont County. As her stories unfold, I picture the sites and towns I know. It makes the intrigue even more personal. Killing Raven involves the emotions of the community surrounding a new Native American owned casino as a background to murder...a lot of the true-to-life conflicting ideas- embellished with some fictional characters. This book includes some of Coel's characters we have grown to know in her previous books, but it is a stand-alone enjoyable read for those who want to try her talented approach to a Wyoming mystery.

June Staff Picks

Candy's Pick

Brunswick Gardens

by Anne Perry

Anne Perry writes mystery stories ocurring in England's Victorian Age. She writes a couple of series of mystery stories with different protagonists, but the ones with Charlotte and Thomas Pitt figuring out whodunit are my favorite. Thomas Pitt is Superintendent and is given charge of handling sensitive cases of murder usually involving members of Parliament, the English aristocracy, and even in Buckingham Palace. All of it occurs with the backdrop in the day and age when Queen Victoria reigned over England and at that time, most of the planet. Her description of the characters, their dress, scenes, buildings, and even English cockney accents, is worth the read.

June Staff Picks

Kristy's Pick

The Fractal Murders

by Mark Cohen

PS 3603 .O475 F7 2002

A murder mystery with math! But even if you hate math you will enjoy this story. :-)

June Staff Picks

Cory's Pick

Population:485

Michael Perry

F 589 .N42 P47 2002

Population: 485 is a thoughtful, reverent look at the knitted garment that is a small town. Through the lens of his role in the volunteer fire department, Michael Perry takes us through the characters and events that form a community. Carefully written and both solemn and funny, the book is a reminder that we are not islands; whether actively or passively, we shape the lives of our neighbors.

June Staff Picks

Juli's Pick

The Oxford Book of American Short Stories

Joyce Carol Oates

PS 648 .S5 O94 1992

Want to explore a variety of authors but don't have the time to read a gazillion novels? Then read short stories! This collection offers a plethora of famous writers' works for you to sample. Stories I recommend reading first include:

The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

The Ghost in the Mill by Harriet Beecher Stowe

In a Far Country by Jack London

A Late Encounter with the Enemy by Flannery O'Connor

The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien

That Evening Sun by William Faulkner

Short Stories are perfect for summer reading! Give these a try!