Staff Picks Blog

Denise's Picks

2012-01-10T12:51:00.002-05:00

The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom. Fiction.

Fast paced and emotionally intense.

"When a white servant girl violates the order of plantation society, she unleashes a tragedy that exposes the worst and best in the people she has come to call her family.

Orphaned while onboard ship from Ireland, seven-year-old Lavinia arrives on the steps of a tobacco plantation where she is to live and work with the slaves of the kitchen house. Under the care of Belle, the master's illegitimate daughter, Lavinia becomes deeply bonded to her adopted family, though she is set apart from them by her white skin.

Eventually, Lavinia is accepted into the world of the big house, where the master is absent and the mistress battles opium addiction. Lavinia finds herself perilously straddling two very different worlds. When she is forced to make a choice, loyalties are brought into question, dangerous truths are laid bare, and lives are put at risk.

The Kitchen House is a tragic story of page-turning suspense, exploring the meaning of family, where love and loyalty prevail."- amazon.com

A Day in the life of Ancient Rome by Alberto Angela. Non-Fiction.

Informative and illuminating.

"The roar of frenzied spectators inside the Coliseum during a battle between gladiators. A crowd of onlookers gathered around a slave driver. The wondrous plenty of banquets where flamingos are roasted whole and wine flows like rivers. The silence of the baths and the boisterous taverns . . . Many books have dealt with the history of ancient Rome, but none has been able to bring its readers so near to daily life in the Imperial capital." - amazon.com

Sister by Rosamund Lupton. Mystery.

"When her mom calls to tell her that Tess, her younger sister, is missing, Bee returns home to London on the first flight. She expects to find Tess and give her the usual lecture, the bossy big sister scolding her flighty baby sister for taking off without letting anyone know her plans. Tess has always been a free spirit, an artist who takes risks, while conservative Bee couldn’t be more different. Bee is used to watching out for her wayward sibling and is fiercely protective of Tess (and has always been a little stern about her antics). But then Tess is found dead, apparently by her own hand."- amazon.com

The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister. Fiction.

Denise loved this!

"The School of Essential Ingredients follows the lives of eight students who gather in Lillian’s Restaurant every Monday night for cooking class. It soon becomes clear, however, that each one seeks a recipe for something beyond the kitchen. Students include Claire, a young mother struggling with the demands of her family; Antonia, an Italian kitchen designer learning to adapt to life in America; and Tom, a widower mourning the loss of his wife to breast cancer. Chef Lillian, a woman whose connection with food is both soulful and exacting, helps them to create dishes whose flavor and techniques expand beyond the restaurant and into the secret corners of her students’ lives. One by one the students are transformed by the aromas, flavors, and textures of Lillian’s food, including a white-on-white cake that prompts wistful reflections on the sweet fragility of love and a peppery heirloom tomato sauce that seems to spark one romance but end another. Brought together by the power of food and companionship, the lives of the characters mingle and intertwine, united by the revealing nature of what can be created in the kitchen." -amazon.com

Joy for Beginners by Erica Bauermeister. Fiction.

Another great read by the author of "The School of Essential Ingredients."

"At an intimate, festive dinner party in Seattle, six women gather to celebrate their friend Kate's recovery from cancer. Wineglass in hand, Kate strikes a bargain with them. To celebrate her new lease on life, she'll do the one thing that's always terrified her: white-water rafting. But if she goes, all of them will also do something they always swore they'd never do-and Kate is going to choose their adventures.

Shimmering with warmth, wit, and insight, Joy for Beginners is a celebration of life: unexpected, lyrical, and deeply satisfying." -amazon.com

Fall Picks

2011-10-03T14:38:00.005-04:00

Marcie's Pick

Stitches by David Small. Graphic Novel.

Graphic novels aren't just for kids! This is an emotionally intense, intriguing autobiographical novel for adults.

Denise's Picks

Theodore Boone: The Abduction by John Grisham. Juvenile Fiction.

When his best friend disappears from her bedroom in the middle of the night, thirteen-year-old Theo uses his legal knowledge and investigative skills to chase down the truth and save April.

This is a fast-paced story, introducing a new Grisham hero to kids.

The Hypnotist by Lars Kepler. Mystery Fiction.

In the frigid clime of Tumba, Sweden, a gruesome triple homicide attracts the interest of Detective Inspector Joona Linna, who demands to investigate the murders. The killer is still at large, and there’s only one surviving witness—the boy whose family was killed before his eyes. Whoever committed the crimes wanted this boy to die: he’s suffered more than one hundred knife wounds and lapsed into a state of shock. Desperate for information, Linna sees only one option: hypnotism. He enlists Dr. Erik Maria Bark to mesmerize the boy, hoping to discover the killer through his eyes.

It’s the sort of work that Bark has sworn he would never do again—ethically dubious and psychically scarring. When he breaks his promise and hypnotizes the victim, a long and terrifying chain of events begins to unfurl.- amazon.com

This is an emotionally intense, faced-paced, intriguing thriller!

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett. Fiction.

A researcher at a pharmaceutical company, Marina Singh journeys into the heart of the Amazonian delta to check on a field team that has been silent for two years--a dangerous assignment that forces Marina to confront the ghosts of her past.

A provacative, ambitious, and thrilling novel set in the Amazon jungle.

The White Woman on the Green Bicycle by Monique Roffey. Fiction.

A beautifully written, unforgettable novel of a troubled marriage, set against the lush landscape and political turmoil of Trinidad.

Monique Roffey's Orange Prize-shortlisted novel is a gripping portrait of postcolonialism that stands among great works by Caribbean writers like Jamaica Kincaid and Andrea Levy.

When George and Sabine Harwood arrive in Trinidad from England, George is immediately seduced by the beguiling island, while Sabine feels isolated, heat-fatigued, and ill-at-ease. As they adapt to new circumstances, their marriage endures for better or worse, despite growing political unrest and racial tensions that affect their daily lives. But when George finds a cache of letters that Sabine has hidden from him, the discovery sets off a devastating series of consequences as other secrets begin to emerge.

The Story of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon. Fiction.

A love story between two people from an institution, set during the 1960's.

Martha's Spring/Summer 2011 Picks

2011-08-19T15:54:00.005-04:00

The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova. Psychological Fiction.

Artists, compulsion and mental illness..the author has done an amazing job of intertwining the lives of three artists, both modern and historical, and covering several centuries. The story hinges on the degrading mental state of a modern day artist, finally confined to an institute. His doctor seeks to find the source of his compulsive paintings...which leads the reader on a whirlwind tour through art schools, Europe and elsewhere to solve the mystery - compelling, intelligent and an insider's view into the minds of working artists.

The Terror by Dan Simmons. Fiction.

Wow! My pick of the decade! "The Terror", while actually the name of a ship, is also aptly titled for the style of the book - The H.M.S. Terror and her companion ship the Erebus, are off on an Arctic exploratory expedition to find the Northwest passage in the 1840's. They are trapped on the ice for three years....The book is laced with historical fact and made doubly entertaining by the vivid descriptions of the crew's physical and psychological descent into, basically, a frozen hell. While I have never been enamored of "maritime" literature, I found myself completely terrorized and totally gripped by each page as the story unfolded. The addition of some Eskimo folkloric devices seemed almost unnecessary, but they do add a mystical sense to the already frightening realism of "The Terror".

Spellbound: Inside West Africa's Witch Camps by Karen Palmer. Non-Fiction.

A man throws a chicken..it lands face down..the woman is found guilty of being a witch. The chicken lands face-up, she is found not guilty and can remain with her family. This is not a historical account of the treatment of women in West Africa, it is happening today. If you need a good reminder of the freedoms women enjoy in the developed world, this book will provide it. The author goes to Ghana and gives a first-hand account of what she hears and witnesses concerning the very active witch camps in West Africa, where magic still invades the modern world.

The Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child mystery series have captivated me for several weeks now....It all started with:
The Reliquary (sequel to The Relic). The scenario involves a series of gruesome murders and rumors of human mutations, all taking place in the abandoned tunnels underneath New York City. Through reading this book, I became familiar with the characters that reappear, comfortingly, in numerous related books in the series. The educated FBI Agent Pendergast, Nora, the Museum of Natural History curator, Bill Smithback, the NY Times reporter, D'Agosta the NYPD cop, and others. I loved the setting in NYC and the great mix of fact, fiction, suspense and mystery.

As a result of this first book, I read the non-fiction book "The Mole People: Life in the Tunnels Beneath New York City", by Jennifer Toth. Equally as fascinating as the fiction, the author has interviewed and spent time with the various "levels" of humans currently inhabiting the tunnels under New York City. It would
appear that whole villages, with a sort of governmental policy are actually functioning underground in New York. Eye-opening and a little sad and scary.

Well, I didn't stop at just one of these books - I have probably read through 9 of them now! Like a good addictive television show, each book provides a very unique and creative murder/mystery to solve, often in the environs of the New York Museum of Natural History, NYC in general, or in Europe.

These books do not need to be read in order, they stand alone, although there is some overlap of characters and story line. At times, the story line can be a bit far-fetched, but I forgive this as it also adds to the creativity and general entertainment of the series. Some examples:

"The Cabinet of Curiosities"- Bizarre surgical murders and the original natural history museums, often called"cabinets of curiosities".

"Dance of Death" - A diamond heist at the Museum of Natural History, Pendergast's diabolical brother, action-packed.

"Book of the Dead" - Egyptian mummy curse at the Museum of Natural History, psychotic behavior.

"Brimstone" - Mysterious cases of instant human conflagration, a missing Stradivarius violin, Italy.

"The Wheel of Darkness"- A stolen Tibetan mandala and murders on a cruise ship.

"Cemetery Dance" - Zombies and cults in NYC.

"Riptide"- Buried treasure and a mysterious illness.

One for the road...

"High Society: The Life of Grace Kelly", by Donald Spoto.

I enjoyed listening to this book in the car. Not only did I learn a lot about the life of Grace Kelly, but the book is also full of informative detail about Hollywood, Hitchcock and the movie industry of the 1950's and 1960's. The narration by George K. Wilson was expertly done.

Armed with my new knowledge of Grace Kelly, I then had a film fest of some of her movies, all very good, with great costumes. Here are the movies I watched, though there are a few others:

High Society(musical, set in Newport. RI),

High Noon (western),

Rear Window (Hitchcock),

The Country Girl (she won an award for this one), and

To Catch a Thief (Hitchcock)

Pat's Picks

2011-02-25T14:27:00.004-05:00

Ken Follet : World Without End, Pillars of the Earth and Eye of the Needle.

Great historical fiction and social history.

Sandra Brown : Tough Customer.

Detective stories...cops and ex-cops.....

Martha's Fall/Winter Picks

2011-02-23T15:25:00.007-05:00

Just Kids by Patti Smith. Autobiography/Biography.

Patti Smith, poet and musician, traces her growth as an artist in tandem with her relationship with the famous/infamous photographer, Robert Mapplethorpe. The book provides a great glimpse into the New York art and music scene of the 60's, 70's and 80's. For those, like me, who are familiar with the lore concerning the people and places mentioned, such as Max's Kansas City and the Chelsea Hotel, the tale can take you on a romp down your own memory lane. Smith's own story is interesting on its' own, but further developed by her intertwining details about the fated life of her companion, Robert Mapplethorpe.

Life by Keith Richards. Autobiography.

At last, the truth about Keith Richards, in his own words! While a life of "drugs and rock'n roll" is accurately described by Mr. Richards, for the curious, I felt that the major contribution of this book was the incredible amount of musical history that is described on first-hand account, dating from the era when the Rolling Stones were competing for stage space with the Beatles. Musical technology, style and influences are described in detail by the man himself. Legends about Brian Jones, Mick Jagger and Keith's wife Anita are addressed in a tasteful and fair manner. Enjoy the tour!

The Case for Books: Past, Present and Future by Robert Darnton, Head of Harvard University Libraries. Non-Fiction.

This is a small and eminently readable book, for all those who love the printed word. In my brief encounter with this book, I learned a lot about the history of printing and the act of reading, and was led through thoughtful discussions about the future of books and libraries, as they confront the constantly emerging world of digitization. While some of us worry about the future loss of our "physical libraries" to the virtual universe, Mr. Darnton puts forth an excellent case for their preservation.

The Fall by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan. Fiction/Horror

The second book in a vampire trilogy...it's the end of the world, nuclear explosions abound, the vampires have taken over and will the child be saved? I found this to be good "entertainment" reading, and it's easy to get "involved" with the characters - I have no choice but to wait for the the third book to be published to get the answers...Eternal Night.

Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly
and Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook by Anthony Bourdain. Non-Fiction.

This was my first foray into the world of "foodies", and I found the Kitchen Confidential book to be fascinating and somewhat addictive to read, though I have neither a background nor a future in the restaurant business! High anxiety and shenanigans behind the scenes at various restaurant settings are related in an amusing and sometimes advisory style. I will never look at my restaurant meal the same way again, after having read this book. While Kitchen Confidential was published in 2000, Medium Raw could be considered a follow-up, ten years later. While there were bits and pieces of great food trivia and gossip in Medium Raw, I would forewarn the reader of excessive foul language. While I rather more enjoyed Kitchen Confidential, I would still suggest Medium Raw to the true "foodies" out there, as Anthony Bourdain is a bottomless pit of cooking knowledge and experience - both his own and that of others in the profession. If you are really going to go on an Anthony Bourdain binge, you can try out some of his recipes from "Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles Cookbook: Strategies, Recipes, and Techniques of Classic Bistro Cooking"!

Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King. Fiction/Horror

Stephen King writes again! A collection of four rather harrowing stories, depicting various aspects of the darker side of human nature. I really enjoyed the creative quality of the plots in this collection, and found it to be a fast and easy read and somewhat thought-provoking- the stories make you wonder what you would do in these tricky moral situations. Kudos to King!

Heart-Shaped Box and Horns by Joe Hill. Fiction/Horror.

I came across Joe Hill while working amongst the fiction stacks...while at first I was a bit leery due to what I consider somewhat far-fetched plots, I came to love the very clever and creative style this author has of weaving a fantastical story with a strong moral foundation. While Horns actually involves a young man growing horns and reading people's minds and Heart-Shaped Box concerns a ghost bought over the internet who follows the main characters around in a blue pick-up truck, I quickly became enamored of the characters and it was a race to the conclusion. Good, fun reads, both books!

Judy's Pick

2010-09-29T09:37:00.004-04:00

I'm Down by Mishna Wolff. St. Martin's Press, 2009.

Ok, so I like non-fiction, I'm especially attracted to memoirs and at the end of the day, I love to laugh. Mishna Wolff made me laugh. She grew up to be a fashion model and a comedian, how's that for a combination. White Mishna and her sister grew up in a black neighborhood with a divorced father who was enamored of all things culturally black as well as women of color who were to be step-mothers/mentors to the girls. She says he wanted to be black and wanted to see his girls adopt the genuine and positive aspects of black Americans, their "downness." Wise beyond her years, Mishna takes advantage of the opportunities she's afforded when her mother enrolls her in a highly competitive school outside of her neighborhood, where she realizes the difficulty of trying to fit into both worlds at once. The book is look at life in our strangely integrated, strangely segregated culture, beyond stereotype and in the end it is the story of a loving, if somewhat wacky family.

Martha's Summer 2010 Picks

2010-09-28T20:05:00.002-04:00

Freakonomics and Superfreakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. Non-fiction.
An easy and entertaining read, despite the subject of economics- the authors explore, in short chapters, the rarely seen side of the economy on both the national and global level. Freakonomics explores such subjects as the effect of cheating, crime, abortion and parenting on our daily financial interactions with the world. Superfreakonomics continues in the same vein touching upon the medical and prostitution industry, terrorism, and the boomerang effects of Al Gore and the greening of America on your wallet. Easy, fun, and informative!

The End by Marq de Villiers. Non-fiction.
How many ways can the world itself come to an end? This subject is addressed in a very thorough manner, and is surprisingly uplifting rather than depressing or frightening. Earthquakes, meteors, volcanoes, tsunamis, pandemics and other sundry cataclysms are discussed in realistic, factual and scientific depth. This book served as a great reminder that we are all part of a planetary and universal system that we cannot control. The positive aspect of the book included the author's ideas on what we CAN control on our planet and in our universe. A unique read by an author well-versed in environmental issues.

Lunch In Paris: A Love Story, With Recipes by Elizabeth Bard. Fiction/Non-Fiction.
As an avowed Francophile, I thoroughly enjoyed this little book which follows the story of an American woman who marries a French man, and delineates her adaptation to Parisian society via food experiences. The stories of the cultural exchanges between the American and French families are enlightening and delightful - best of all, the author has included many French recipes (and a few American ones) as a reflection of her cultural experiences. If you are not interested in the culture aspects of the book, it is worth the read for the easy and delicious French recipes that are interspersed throughout the story!

The Bone Parade by Mark Nykanen. Fiction.
Incredibly well-written suspense page-turner, but not for the squeamish! The subject matter is grisly, involving a serial-killer sculptor, but the plot and character as so well-developed that it is hard to put down. I give it an "R" for scenes of sex and violence, but an "A" for excellent writing!

The Strain by Guillermo del Torro and Chuck Hogan. Fiction.
The first in yet another vampire series..... due to great writing, this held my attention, made me slightly nervous and...looking forward to Book #2 : The Fall. Guillermo del Torro was responsible for the fantastical movie "Pan's Labyrinth", which lead me to be interested in this new series....I did not believe the vampire scenario could be redeveloped again, but I have proved myself wrong. The Fall has recently become available at local libraries, and you can bet I am on the waiting list!

Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin. Fiction.
In short, a great medieval CSI (Crime Scene Investigation). The story line develops around the rare incidence of a female doctor (really a coroner, thus the title), who is invited to England to investigate a series of children's murders along with her associates. The author has really brought to life with flair the mood of medieval England and all the social, racial, religious and economic realities one would expect of the era. In addition, the investigation is intriguing, somewhat gruesome at times, and overall, a very easy, fast, and entertaining read! I would definitely read another book by this author!
Additional books by Ariana Franklin: City of Shadows, Grave Goods, A Murderous Procession, The Serpent's Tale.

Parisians: An Adventure History of Paris by Graham Robb. Non-Fiction.
Whether you have been to Paris or not, this is a fascinating collection of real-life stories, about people famous and not-so-famous who have left their mark on the "City of Lights". Personalities include Napoleon Bonaparte, Hitler, Marie Antoinette, Baudelaire, Proust, De Gaulle, the recent President of France N. Sarkozy, and my favorite, the man responsible for the "Catacombes" ( a series of underground passages in Paris, filled to the top with bones). Chapters are relatively short, and the narratives are told in a variety of styles. Anyone interested in the social history of Paris will enjoy this unusual literary approach to the old and venerable city of Paris, France.

Miss Lisa's Pick

2010-09-13T16:54:00.005-04:00

Scumble
by Ingrid Law

This 2010 companion to Law's Newbery Honor Book Savvy takes place nine years after Mibs Beaumont's adventures. According to family tradition, Ledger Hale inherits his special talent on his thirteenth birthday and things instantly begin to fall apart. Literally.

Ledge decides to stay at his Uncle Autry's ranch in order to get his destructive powers under control. While there, he must contend with his nettlesome twin cousins Mesquite and Marisol, who can levitate anything at will (and often aim the objects at him), his cousin Rocket (a holdover from Savvy) whose ability to control electricity is hair-raising, and Sarah Jane, the daughter of a locally feared businessman, who challenges Ledge to keep his patience and open his heart.

This book answers a lot of "what happened to?" questions left at the end of Law's first book and leaves readers wondering if there will be a companion book to Scvmble as worthy as this one is to Savvy. Let's hope that Ingrid Law decides to keep on writing about these amazing characters in her funny, energetic voice that delights children and adults alike.