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What Our Library Groups Are Reading

2012-02-08T11:00:00.001-06:00

One of my avid reading group participants asked me if I had kept a list of our Adult Book Club selections for 2011. I hadn't. But I thought it was a great idea to show the variety of titles our readers were reading and discussing so enthusiastically each month at the library. This is why I decided to include in the list not only what we read for our Adult Book Club, but also our Short & Sweets (short story discussion group), Great Reads, and One Community, One Book.

Here is the collected list for 2011:

Adult Book Club

January 2011: The Tipping Point, by Malcolm Gladwell (NF)

February 2011: The Last Chinese Chef, by Nicole Mones (F)

March 2011: Down the Nile: Alone In a Fisherman’s Skiff, by Rosemary Mahoney (NF)

April 2011: Bloodroot, by Amy Greene (F)

May 2011: Vanished Smile: The Mysterious Theft of the Mona Lisa, by R.A. Scotti (NF)
June 2011: The Piano Turner, by Daniel Phillippe Mason (F)

July 2011: The Gerbil Farmer’s Daughter, by Holly Robinson (NF)

August 2011: The Heights, by Peter Hedges (F)

September 2011: The Dressmaker of Khair Khana, by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon (NF)

October 2011: The Thirteenth Tale, by Diane Setterfield (F)

November 2011: Growing Up Amish: A Memoir, by Ira Wagler (NF)

December 2011: Faith, by Jennifer Haigh (F)

Short & Sweets

January 2011: “White Horse,” by Margaret Atwood

February 2011: “Chip Off the Old Block,” by Wallace Stegner

March 2011: “The Real Thing,” by Henry James

April 2011: “Araby,” & “Eveline,” by James Joyce

May 2011: “The Lottery,” by Shirley Jackson

June 2011: “That Evening Sun Go Down,” by William Faulkner

July 2011: “Hills Like White Elephants,” by Ernest Hemmingway

August 2011: “Looking for Mr. Green,” by Saul Bellow

September 2011: “The Elephant Vanishes,” by Haruki Murakami

October 2011: “The Masque of the Red Death” & “The Cask of Amontillado,” by E. A. Poe

November 2011: “When We Rise,” Shann Ray

December 2011: “Christmas Is A Sad Season for the Poor,” by John Cheever

Great Reads

January 2011: Creative Non-Fiction

February 2011: Food Writing

March 2011: The Age of Innocence, by Edith Wharton

April 2011: The Poetry of Emily Dickinson

May 2011: American Nature Writers

July 2011: The Ballad of the Sad Café & The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, by Carson McCullers

September 2011: My Antonia, by Willa Cather

October 2011: The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde

One Community, One Book

June 2011: The Lotus Eaters, by Tatjana Soli

Lost In Shangri-La

2012-02-07T13:36:00.001-06:00

History, as told through a series of page-turning events, make Lost In Shangri-La: A True Story of Survival, Adventure, and the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of WWII a perfect mid-winter read.

Award winning journalist and professor of journalism at Boston University, Mitchell Zuckoff, tells the story of a military plane crash on the island of New Guinea in the exotic (and little known) region of Shangri-La. Of the 24 Americans on board, only 3 survived, including a WAC named Margaret Hastings, whose journal provides a detailed account of the events that follow the crash, including their encounter with a primitive tribe, struggles with injury and infection, and dangerous rescue. Hastings' journal, in combination with a plethora of newspaper articles, military reports, interviews and photographs create a fascinating story that reads like fiction and makes for great discussion.

The Night Circus

2012-02-03T10:49:00.001-06:00

If you're looking for the perfect winter escape, look no further. The Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern's debut novel, has all the magic of Harry Potter, poised in sophisticated prose and storytelling that will appeal to anyone with an imagination.

The plot of The Night Circus is framed around a game between the novel's two main characters, Marco and Celia, who've been trained to compete since they were children, without knowing their opponent, or what the game's outcome will be. The backdrop to this competition is the magical "Cirque Des Reves" (or, "Circus of Dreams"), which travels the world enchanting people of all ages. Of course, this is no average circus: the fantastic abounds, growing increasingly more fantastical as the story (and competition) progress.

Marco and Celia eventually discover each other, and the magic intensifies when they fall in love. Ultimately, they find they must cooperate to win this competition in order to avoid a tragic end. Highly recommended for teens and adults.

Rules of Civility

2012-01-18T14:44:00.000-06:00

A story of friendship and social class set in 1938 New York City, Armor Towles makes an impressive debut with Rules of Civility: the story of working class friends Katey and Eve who move to New York to lead the glamorous life. Along the way, the two meet a gentleman: one seemingly rich and sophisticated Tinker Grey, whose chance encounter changes the course of both their lives.

Towles depicts Katey as an admirable, smart, independent female lead character, and writes snappy dialogue and a complex narrative much better than Fitzgerald (The Great Gatsby) ever could.

Moneyball

2012-01-05T14:30:00.006-06:00

I have to admit: I don't really like baseball. I always enjoyed attending games, but that's mostly a reflection of my desires to eat food I never otherwise touch, and people watch. So I surprised myself in reading (and enjoying!) Michael Lewis' Moneyball: The Art of Winning An Unfair Game.

Moneyball is a bit of baseball history, biography, and economics combined. In it, Lewis tells the (true) story of Oakland Athletics' General Manager Billy Beane, and his ability to buy and sell players based upon what's often viewed by the rest of baseball as obscure and/or meaningless player statistics. Lewis posts a sharp contrast between Beane's strategy and the rest of the league, particularly teams like the New York Yankees, who can afford millions to buy whatever great players they like. The successful Beane, alternately, spends little money in selecting players which have little appeal to most GMs, but who've repeatedly proved themselves capable of taking the Athletics to the playoffs.

Note: Scheduled release date for the film version of this book (starring Brad Pitt) is January 10, 2012.

The Buddha In the Attic

2011-12-27T21:59:00.000-06:00

If you're looking for a short, powerful novel to round out your reading list for this year, I suggest Julia Otsuka's The Buddha in the Attic, finalist for the 2011 National Book Award in Fiction. The novel traces the journey of Japanese "picture brides" from their oceanic journey to the United States during the early 20th Century, through their eventual "disappearance" from the communities in which they settled, to live in government sanctioned internment camps during WWII. The focus of the book, however, is the time in between these two experiences, during which Otsuka provides readers an intimate portrait into the lives of women who face a variety of joys and (mostly) hardships in their struggle to obtain a piece of the American Dream. The unnamed narrator recalls "a few of us," "we could not have known," "our new husbands"--emphasizing a collective experience that simultaneously unifies the characters, and creates empathy in its readers. Poetry lovers will especially appreciate the lyricism created by Otsuka's narrative approach.

What'd I Miss In 2011?

2011-12-20T13:54:00.000-06:00

It seems like all the major magazines, newspapers and online publications have a list of "must-reads" this time of year. Check out these links for some trusted opinions of books you may have missed this 2011:

Year-End Wrap Up: The 10 Best Novels of 2011 (NPR)

Best Books-2011 (Publisher's Weekly)

Best Fiction of 2011 (Kirkus Reviews)

Best Non-Fiction of 2011 (Kirkus Reviews)

Blue Nights

2011-12-01T10:12:00.000-06:00

A popular choice for book circles, readers may be most familiar with Joan Didion’s The Year of Magical Thinking (2005) which recounts the year following the death of her husband, John Gregory Dunne. Her latest work, Blue Nights, turns to the death of Dunne and Didion’s only (adopted) child, Quintana Roo, which came only two year’s later. Undoubtedly, Quintana’s death inspires, even drives Blue Nights--a metaphor Didion beautifully establishes in the work’s first chapter--then weaves throughout her most poignant memories of Quintana. But to suggest that Blue Nights is a work solely about the death of Didion’s daughter is an oversimplification. The larger impressions are those of fear and loss: Didion inevitably turns inward, observing herself aging, and becoming increasingly alone, in a world not only without her husband, but now without her daughter. Certainly not uplifting, but heartfelt, highly recommended reading. There may be few memoirists whose prose and storytelling are as hauntingly poetic as Joan Didion’s.

Give the Gift of Reading!

2011-11-22T14:02:00.000-06:00

Looking for a holiday gift idea? See BookPage's Best Books of 2011 list from their December 2011 magazine. Note: Hard copies of BookPage are available for FREE at the library!

Listen to Books "On the Go"!

2011-11-21T17:30:00.001-06:00

Check out our newest E-Audio book platform, OneClickDigital, from our library homepage. After a quick one-time account set-up process, Julia Hull District Library cardholders will be able to checkout and download audiobooks to their favorite MP3 device.

More On Justin Torres

2011-10-20T12:43:00.000-05:00

Check out these Justin Torres interviews:

The Diane Rehm Show (NPR) (Listen)

The New Yorker: This Week In Fiction (Read)

We The Animals

2011-10-20T12:37:00.000-05:00

Prepare to take a blow to the gut with Justin Torres' breathtaking debut novel, We The Animals: the story of three young brothers of mixed White and Puerto Rican races who come of age in the most heartbreaking of circumstances. Their story is told through the narration of the youngest boy whose observations of his father's infidelity, his mother's erratic behavior, and his brothers' development into like-creatures, are genuine in their horror and humor. Ultimately, our narrator's observations lead him to acts of self-discovery, and his eventual, painful coming-of-age that will leave readers in awe and empathy. Highly recommended, this is a work of masterful storytelling and prose.

Changes in Reading...

2011-10-04T11:58:00.000-05:00

Last month, The New Yorker magazine posted an article in response to an announcement from the National Endowment for the Arts that Americans are reading more than in previous years... View the full article.

Fall Book Preview

2011-09-06T13:10:00.000-05:00

For a sneak peek at what to look for on library shelves this Fall, check out Amazon's recently released Fall Book Preview.

Maine

2011-09-06T13:02:00.001-05:00

Summer may be closing, but I'm still in the mood for good beach reading, and J. Courtney Sullivan's Maine: A Novel fits the bill. The setting (mostly) revolves around one family's beachfront home in Maine. The Kellehers' vacation here, each summer, though for various reasons, they almost never gather together. Their story is told through the eyes of three generations of Kelleher women, including the family matriarch, Alice, who both binds and divides her children, grandchildren and in-laws. We learn that part of this divisiveness is because of a secret guilt she carries from her own young adulthood. Because we have the beauty of storytelling from multiple perspectives, rather than that of Alice alone, we grow to know each character, and the persona of each character, more clearly. We understand why the women in this story make the decisions they do, even if they are unclear.

This story could easily be misclassified as mere "chick lit"--especially if one only glances at the book's cover. But Sullivan's writing is good, her characters complex and her storytelling smart.

Faith

2011-08-17T13:07:00.001-05:00

Jennifer Haigh's newest work, Faith, reminds me of the intriguing Oscar-Award Nominated film, Doubt (2008, starring Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman). Like Doubt, Faith is the story of a seemingly righteous Priest who's been accused of molesting a child in his care, and the resulting impact of that accusation on the characters and community involved. Similarly, ambivalence threads through both stories, so we are sometimes uncertain (that is to say, we have doubts) about each Priests' innocence, while we are also sometimes convinced (or, have faith in) his innocence.

This, to my memory, is where the similarities end. In Faith, Haigh develops a complex narrative of love, family and faith that is both beautifully written and hard to put down. Unlike the film Doubt, which ends in more ambivalence, readers of Haigh's novel are awarded with an unexpected and captivating truth that leaves much to talk about. This one's so good, it was an obvious pick for our December Adult Book Club.

The Astral

2011-08-05T11:10:00.002-05:00

The title of Kate Christensen's latest novel, The Astral, refers to an apartment building in Brooklyn. But for most of the work, the building seems to be a mere backdrop to the drama that unfolds, both in and outside of its walls.

Harry Quirk is a writer whose wife, Luz, is convinced he's having an affair with his best (female) friend, Marion. She thus destroys his latest collection of poems and boots him from their apartment. This final act serves as a catalyst that forces Harry to come to terms with the loss of his marriage, his financial instability, his own literary drought, and his children's unusual lifestyle choices. Ultimately, he discovers he has no control over any of these things, no matter how much he may try to exert.

The Astral is not a story driven by action. Rather, it excels at drawing a portrait of a recognizable man whose life seems somehow familiar to readers, despite its peculiarities. Similarly, Christensen balances what could otherwise turn into a depressing or melodramatic plot with humor, real emotion and striking dialog.

Summer Reading @ the Movies

2011-07-21T13:38:00.000-05:00

For readers interested in film, there more than a few good books hitting the theaters this summer. Check out The Movie Fanatic's blog: Summer Reading: Top 10 Books Turning Into Movies.

Bossypants

2011-06-23T12:17:00.000-05:00

Tina Fey's new biography is a must-read, certainly, for fans of tv's Saturday Night Live (SNL) and 30 Rock. In it, Fey traces her journey towards comedy stardom with all the self-deprecation, irony and intelligence that mark her writing style. At the same time, she shares glimpses of her personal life as a daughter, and single-girl turned wife and mother. Those interested in what Fey has to say about her Sarah Palin schtick won't be disappointed as she offers readers a behind-the-scenes (though certainly not a tell-all) about the role that breathed life into SNL. Hugely recommended on audio, as Fey reads (and ad-libs) in her laugh-out-loud Liz Lemon-like manner.

Skype Author Visit

2011-06-22T10:37:00.028-05:00

Last evening, Tatjana Soli, author of The Lotus Eaters, visited via Skype with members of our adult summer reading program, One Community, One Book.

Summer Reads

2011-06-07T10:58:00.002-05:00

Looking for a good summer read? Check out these sights for this summer's top picks:

NPR's 2011 Summer Books

O Magazine: Paging Summer!: 20 Tantalizing Beach Reads

New York Times 2011 Summer Reading Special

Redbook Magazine: The Hottest Beach Reads of the Season

Marie Claire's Best Summer Beach Reads For Your Personality

The Uncoupling

2011-06-03T10:56:00.000-05:00

Unless you've taken a Humanities or Classics course, you likely haven't read (or seen performed) Aristophanes' infamous play, Lysistrata. But I highly recommend it. It's the story of a group of wives and women living in Ancient Greece who band together and commit to end the Peloponnesian War by...wait for it...withholding sex from their men. Needless to say, the ban on sex infuriates the men...but the women ultimately bring peace.

Meg Wolitzer tells a modern-day version of this story in her newest book The Uncoupling. This version centers on a group of teachers, students and couples from Eleanor Roosevelt High whose new, edgy drama teacher selects Aristophanes' Lysistrata to perform for the school's annual play. While her motive for performing the play isn't political as was Aristophanes' original manuscript, it certainly inspires community conversation. And an accompanying mysterious wind that blows through the town touches each of the female characters, magically calling them to action within their own relationships.

Readers will likely laugh out loud at the dialogue and unromantic situations of the characters, unable to side with either the men or the women. Perfect for the poolside.

Year of the Tiger?

2011-05-09T18:50:00.003-05:00

Well, no. But there are three current books which would make you think otherwise:

The first, The Tiger's Wife, gets my top recommendation. Author Tea Obreht tells a haunting story of family, generations and folklore involving a young female doctor (Natalia) in search of understanding her grandfather's life and death. Obreht's beautiful prose and adept storytelling has won her recognition by The New Yorker as one of the 20 novelists to watch under 40.

The second, Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan's A Tiger in the Kitchen, is a quick and easy food memoir about the author's return to native Singapore to reconnect with her family while learning to cook all of her favorite childhood dishes.

The third, perhaps most notorious book on this list, is Amy Chua's Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother. Chua's book swept the news early this year because of its sometimes controversial outlook on parenting "the Chinese way". Though I've not read this one, my friend (also a librarian), highly recommends it. To read more about Chua's book and the craze it's created, check out this The New Yorker article from January 31, 2011.

Especially for Mothers & Daughters

2011-04-01T14:36:00.000-05:00

Readers may recognize the name Sue Monk Kidd from her bestselling book turned film, The Secret Life of Bees. Her most recent work is a co-authored travel memoir which she writes with her daughter, Ann Kidd Taylor, entitled Traveling With Pomegranates: A Mother-Daughter Story. The memoir alternates between the voices of these two women, as they explore the many ancient and sacred places Greece, Turkey, and France. What they end up finding, as many people who travel do, is a greater sense of themselves. Kidd, for example, describes her unusual inspiration for writing The Secret Life of Bees, while her daughter uncovers her life's calling. What's most engaging is the way in which the experiences of these two women coalesce. Female listeners may very well find themselves recalling their own mother-daughter experiences, as they read. Note: I strongly encourage readers to listen to this one on audio. Kidd and Taylor read their own work with a melodic South-Carolinian dialect which is lovely to listen to.

The Lotus Eaters

2011-03-17T11:24:00.001-05:00

Every once in awhile a book comes a long that quite literally takes my breath away. For that to happen requires the following features to coalesce: a complex or complicated subject matter (oversimplification isn't interesting to me); dynamic characters (who often struggle with the complex or complicated subject matter); a new lens through which to examine a moment in time; believability; good writing. For me, this includes Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried; Toni Morrison's Beloved; Jhumpa Lahiri's Interpreter of Maladies, to name a few. And now, The Lotus Eaters, by Tatjana Soli.

Like Tim O'Brien, The Lotus Eaters is a haunting story about the Vietnam War. The twist is this: our protagonist is an American female photo-journalist who falls in love with a ruined country, and like many of the journalists and soldiers who precede her, becomes addicted to its war. What's particularly lovely about the work are the many nuances Soli effortlessly incorporates: the extended metaphor of Homer's Odyssey, or the ever-present Vietnam landscape, for example. Soli brings the Vietnam War to life--rewarding readers in unforgettable ways. Highly recommended.

Check out the author's website
http://www.tatjanasoli.com/TatjanaSoliAuthor.html

More "Living Locally" Blogs

2011-02-17T10:44:00.001-06:00

For further viewing and reading on living locally, check out these blogs, recommended in the most current edition of Radish Magazine:

Crosswinds Farm

Brazy Creek Farm

Antiquity Oaks

Farm Genevieve

Front Porch Indiana

Living Locally

2011-02-17T10:40:00.002-06:00

Sometimes the best read is the one that I have no expectations about. Such is the case with an audio-book I found while mindlessly browsing the shelves at Davenport Public Library entitled Farewell, My Subaru, by Doug Fine.

Fine (humorously) tells the story of his settling in the Southwest with the sole purpose of living locally. So, he purchases his ranch, along with two goats, a coop-full of chickens--and yes, forsakes his beloved Subaru for a car which runs entirely on bio-diesel fuel (which he feeds, by the way, with grease from local eateries). We learn of his missteps and adventures along the way: managing his mischievous, child-like goats; or, protecting his chickens from preying coyote. As rustic as the whole experience sounds, it's also appealing to the adventurous of heart, and of course, to anyone who tries (even in the smallest of ways) to live locally.

Worth listening to, then check out Doug Fine's "living locally" blog.

Revisiting Betty Friedan

2011-02-10T14:47:00.000-06:00

I caught wind of Stephanie Coontz's new book, A Strange Stirring: The Feminine Mystique and American Women at the Dawn of the 1960s, while listening to a recent episode of NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross. My ears perked immediately: I've long been a fan of Coontz's theses, which include The Way We Never Were: American Families and the Nostalgia Trap (1992) and Marriage: A History: How Love Conquered Marriage (2006). I love both. So, I didn't wait to order a copy of her new work, which was inspired, she tells Gross, when her publisher asked her to write a biography of Betty Friedan's controversial feminist work, The Feminine Mystique. I've not been disappointed. Coontz provides first-hand accounts of women who recall their reaction to reading Friedan's work when it was first published in 1963. But she goes a step further to draw connections between the dissatisfaction of our mothers and grandmothers, to the social pressures of women and young girls today. And, while she applauds the relief Friedan brought to many housewives of the 1960s, she recognizes that her work excluded many other sectors of women, including the working class and ethnic minorities. The combination of perspectives makes for an engrossing work.

Best Books of 2010

2011-01-12T11:02:00.001-06:00

In case you missed a good read last year, here are some well-respected lists of the best of 2010, including fiction and non-fiction:

Publisher's Weekly

National Public Radio (NPR)

New York Times

Barnes & Noble

A Real, Readable Mystery

2011-01-12T10:56:00.000-06:00

The Scent of Rain and Lightning is a readable, subtle mystery-drama. It begins with protagonist, Jody Linder, as she learns that the man sentenced for murdering her parents has been released from prison. The narrative then unfolds, as we are taken back in time to Jody's childhood and what came before and after her parents' death. As Pickard moves effortlessly between past and present, we begin to understand the family dynamic, and a budding, yet forbidden, relationship between Jody and the son of the accused murder. Like a good mystery should, the novel holds us until the very unpredictable end, when the evening of the murder is fully revealed. What is further enjoyable is the recognizable mid-western landscape, and the way in which Pickard utilizes the landscape in combination with the acts of mother nature to create a larger metaphor.

The Scent of Rain and Lightning follows Pickard's well-reviewed The Virgin of Small Plains.

For Optimists & Skeptics Alike

2010-12-07T12:42:00.000-06:00

I have to admit: I wasn't the huge fan of Elizabeth Gilbert's now famous Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search For Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia that almost every other American woman my age seemed to be. Yes, I enjoyed the mind's travel; yes, the vicarious romances. But I always ended up setting the book down because Gilbert's tone seemed to me, well, whiny. And this is why I avoided, for a long time, her newest book, Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace With Marriage. But unlike her first best-seller, Committed relays a mature voice that I found myself clinging to.

Narratively, Committed picks up where Eat, Pray, Love leaves off. She and Philippe are together, (somewhat) settled, and living in happy agreement that they will never marry, despite their love for one another. But this all changes when Homeland Security discovers that Philippe has overstayed his welcome in America, and must acquire a permanent visa to reenter. Of course, the Homeland Security Officer tells them that the only likely way for Philippe to do this is to marry his American born love. From this beginning, Gilbert takes readers through a story that is part memoir, part history, part anthropological study, and yes, part travel narrative. She and Philippe continue their travels, not because they want to this time, but because they must. In the meantime, Gilbert feverishly researches marriage from the culture at large, and delves into an analysis of her own parents' marriage, all while trying to secure a life with Philippe and do the thing that both of them swore they would never do: marry. Highly recommended for anyone who's ever married, divorced, or contemplated either.

Not So Magical

2010-11-04T10:31:00.001-05:00

Anyone interested in Puritain-American history, or the Salem Witch Trials, would appreciate Katherine Howe's The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane. In it, PhD student, Connie, is supposed to be working on her dissertation proposal over the summer when her mother asks her to clean up her deceased grandmother's abandoned house. As she begins, she discovers the name, Deliverance Dane, and a secret key--all of which leads to a book-length investigation in search for the identity of Deliverance Dane, and her so-called "physick book". Howe moves between past and present: Connie's present-day search and the historical setting of Salem, Mass during the 17th century. The latter is most interesting, as we learn a variety of new and insightful details about the Witch-trials. And while the overall work is entertaining, it possesses too many flaws (flat characters, hokey magic and cliched romance) to be as scary as I had hoped it to be.

Calling All Book Lovers

2010-10-12T13:01:00.000-05:00

Did you know that October is National Reading Club Month? If you're not already part of a Book Club--Oprah's, your local library's or your own--now is never a better time to join. A reading group is a great way to meet new people, engage in meaningful conversation and enjoy some truly excellent stories.

Julia Hull District Library has several club options for readers, including an Adult Book Club, Short & Sweets (short story discussion group) and Great Reads series. If you'd prefer to gather with close friends to chat about books of your own choosing, remember that your local library can loan copies of books and book club kits for free to library card holders!

This year's National Reading Club Month's selections and descriptions may be found at the following link: http://www.nationalreadinggroupmonth.org/ggr_selections.html . *Note: Chris Cleave's Little Bee was Julia Hull Library's Adult Book Club pick for August 2010.

More Gladwell

2010-09-30T14:49:00.000-05:00

Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, an admirable follow-up to Malcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point (see August 24 entry), is an engaging analysis of human cognition. In Blink, Gladwell presents the idea of "thin-slicers"--that is, individuals who make instantaneous judgments and decisions about other people and situations. He provides numerous examples to demonstrate how this sort of decision making is often more intuitive and more accurate than that which which has been researched and analyzed. For example, he presents the story of a fake Kouros (an ancient Greek sculpture) which deceived one team of art experts who'd spent months studying it; or a psychologist who can determine with 95% accuracy whether a married couple will divorce simply by watching an hour-long video of them engaging in conversation. The engrossing examples go on and on--some of them demonstrating the positive power of thin-slicing, while others demonstrate its potential flaws. As usual, Gladwell flawlessly connects all of these examples to build a clear argument that's socially and culturally relevant.

A "Must-Do" Exercise DVD

2010-09-16T12:05:00.002-05:00

When I first started this blog, I never considered that I'd make recommendations for workout videos. But here I go: if you like a fast-paced, motivating exercise, then you must check-out Jillian Michael's newest DVD: Shred-It With Weights. The DVD includes two 30 minute leveled workouts which fly by, despite their difficulty. As with her other DVDs, Jillian creates routines in circuits that involve weights, cardio and abs. What's different here is her incorporation of a kettlebell in place of regular hand weights (though you can easily substitute hand weights in place of the kettlebell). There's a lot of swinging and squatting that also lend to the unique feel of this DVD (and, consequently, the unique pain my thighs felt the morning after my first use of the video!). If you like to be challenged, this workout's for you.

Tipped On Reading Gladwell

2010-08-24T12:56:00.000-05:00

Do you ever feel as though every one you know has read particular book except you? This is the case for me with Malcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make A Big Difference (2000). Somehow, Gladwell's book slipped into conversation at various points with several of my friends throughout the past 10 years; but it wasn't until this summer when my pedicurist, of all people, shared her enthusiasm for the book that I felt compelled to pick it up. I'm so glad I did.

Gladwell perhaps best describes his book as an "intellectual adventure story" that uses popular examples (Hush Puppy Shoes, Sesame Street, Blue's Clues, Paul Revere, and more) to illustrate how phenomenons "tip" from insignificance to relevance and popularity. The result is a fascinating thesis, made even better by Gladwell's strong mind and clear writing. He's a natural at building cases and writing arguments. Recommended for anyone who's curious about the world around them. Highly recommended on audio book (well read by the author).

Shanghai Girls

2010-08-20T12:57:00.000-05:00

Anyone whose read (and loved) Amy Tan (The Joy Luck Club and The Hundred Secret Senses) or Pearl S. Buck (The Good Earth) will fall head over heels for Lisa See's newest novel, Shanghai Girls. Shanghai girls begins in 1930s China, prior to Japanese invasion. The story revolves around 2 sisters, Pearl and May, who are oblivious to the many political, social and familial changes that surround them--until they discover their father has gambled away his fortune, and must thus arrange his daughters' marriage to repay his debts. From this point, Pearl and May's world begins to decay. Soon after, following the bombing of Shanghai, and their father's disappearance, the story begins a sweeping journey through China en route to America, and the simultaneous horrific and heroic fates these women must endure. Shanghai Girls is not only beautifully written, but also beautifully designed. Like Tan, the theme of sisterhood is central to the development of the story, and the implications of being Chinese-American (at the height of the "Red Scare") move the narrative into a fascinating history lesson.

For Enthusiastic Bakers

2010-08-03T14:42:00.002-05:00

I recently checked out a new baking book by John Barricelli entitled, The SoNo Baking Company Cookbook: The Best Sweet & Savory Recipes for Every Occasion. Martha Stewart fans may recognize Barricelli's name from his contributions to her EveryDay Food Magazine and EveryDay Baking TV series on PBS.

Anyone who follows the EveryDay Food line will know that the recipes are deliberately simple, using (mostly) traditional ingredients, and having consistently good taste. Recipes in Barricelli's new book are no exception. The Nectarine-Blueberry Buckle (which I made using fresh, local fruit from the farmer's market) is a perfect summer treat; and Barricelli's recipe for traditional white bread brims with buttery goodness just 15 minutes out of the oven. (Unlike many store-bought breads, his recipe produces a solid bread, which held up well over a high flame when I used it to make grilled panini.) Bakers and eaters alike will enjoy sampling from this new collection.

Confessions

2010-07-26T13:11:00.000-05:00

I confess: growing up I wanted Pa (played by Michael Landon) from Little House On the Prairie to be my dad. Didn't everyone? He was hardworking, tender, handsome, honorable, and well-respected. Moreover, I imagined what it would be like to live in that "little house," in Walnut Grove, attending a one-room schoolhouse. Looking back, it's a little silly. But like many viewers, I found myself drawn the wholesomeness of it all. It's this nostalgia which drew me to read Alison Arngram's new book, Confessions Of A Prairie Bitch: How I Survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated. It is, of course, an autobiography: we learn of Arngram's sexual abuse as a child, and how this spurned her political activism as an adult. These parts of the book are mildly interesting. By comparison, what most fans of the show will look for are Arngram's "behind the scenes" stories--how the relationships developed from the Pilot episode; how Laura (played by Melissa Gilbert) and Nellie actually got along, and it was Mary (played by Melissa Anderson) who was a bit of a diva. Readers will learn things, of course, about the show--but they'll also find themselves taking a bit of a trip down memory lane. Arngram has a good sense of humor, and tells a good enough of a story. But like Melissa Gilbert's Prairie Tale: A Memoir (2009), this one's for fans of the show only.

A Beautiful Equation

2010-07-18T19:30:00.002-05:00

Yoko Ogawa's The Housekeeper & the Professor (otherwise entitled in Japan as The Professor's Beautiful Equation) is an original, simple, lovely story about the relevance of memory and the redefinition of family. As the title references, the story involves an uneducated single mother who keeps house for a former Professor and math genius whose memory stops in 1975 and whose new memories last an exact 80 minutes. As one might imagine, this creates for an interesting, if not redundant, relationship between the two. Each morning when the housekeeper arrives, the two engage in similar, if not identical, conversations and series of events. And after every 80 minute period of time passes, everything begins anew. Fortunately, the Professor keeps post-it notes attached to his suit to help act as his memory. (The housekeeper need only point to the note with her image--a stick figure-like sketch--with the words "the new housekeeper".) What the title fails to mention is a third, crucial character: the housekeeper's son, whom the Professor grows to teach and protect and share his love of baseball. What develops is an ironic relationship between the three: a family of strangers without the potential to develop their relationship.

Plot-wise, not much happens in The Housekeeper & the Professor, but that doesn't matter: what's paramount are the characters themselves, whose unusual relationship easily maintains the readers' interest on its own.

Summer In the South

2010-06-29T21:10:00.000-05:00

Summer always puts me in the mood for Southern literature. Maybe it's the heat. Maybe it's because, like the South, life feels slower in the Summer than during other times of the year. Whatever it is, the season calls for revising some favorites, which just happen to have equally delightful film adaptations:

Fried Green Tomatoes At the Whistle Stop Cafe, by Fannie Flagg
When Cleo Threadgood and Evelyn Couch meet in the visitors lounge of an Alabama nursing home, they find themselves exchanging the sort of confidences that are sometimes only safe to reveal to strangers. At 48, Evelyn is falling apart: none of the middle-class values she grew up with seem to signify in today's world. On the other hand, 86-year-old Cleo is still being nurtured by memories of a lifetime spent in Whistle Stop, a pocket-sized town outside of Birmingham, which flourished in the days of the Great Depression. Most of the town's life centered around its one cafe, whose owners, gentle Ruth and tomboyish Idgie, served up grits (both true and hominy) to anyone who passed by. How their love for each other and just about everyone else survived visits from the sheriff, the Ku Klux Klan, a host of hungry hoboes, a murder and the rigors of the Depression makes lively reading -- the kind that eventually nourishes Evelyn and the reader as well. Though Flagg's characters tend to be sweet as candied yams or mean clear through, she manages to infuse their story with enough tartness to avoid sentimentality. Admirers of the wise child in Flagg's first novel, Coming Attractions, will find her grown-up successor, Idgie, equally appealing. The book's best character, perhaps, is the town of Whistle Stop itself. Too bad the trains don't stop there anymore. (Publisher's Weekly)

The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd
This sweeping debut novel, excerpts of which have appeared in Best American Short Stories, tells the tale of a 14-year-old white girl named Lily Owen who is raised by the elderly African American Rosaleen after the accidental death of Lily's mother. Following a racial brawl in 1960s Tiburon, SC, Lily and Rosaleen find shelter in a distant town with three black bee-keeping sisters. The sisters and their close-knit community of women live within the confines of racial and gender bondage and yet have an unmistakable strength and serenity associated with the worship of a black Madonna and the healing power of honey. In a series of unforgettable events, Lily discovers the truth about her mother's past and the certainty that "the hardest thing on earth is choosing what matters." The stunning metaphors and realistic characters are so poignant that they will bring tears to your eyes. (David A. Berone, Library Journal)

The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, by Rebecca Wells
When Vivi and Siddalee Walker, an unforgettable mother-daughter team, get into a savage fight over a New York Times article that refers to Vivi as a 'tap-dancing child abuser,' the Ya-Yas, sashay in and conspire to bring everyone back together. In 1932, Vivi and the Ya-Yas were disqualified from a Shirley Temple Look-Alike Contest for unladylike behavior. Sixty years later, they're 'bucking 70' and still making waves. With passion and a rare gift for language, Rebecca Wells moves from present to past, unraveling Vivi's life, her enduring friendships with the Ya-Yas, and the reverberations on Siddalee. The collective power of the Ya-Yas, each of them totally individual and authentic, permeates this story of a tribe of Louisiana wild women who are impossible to tame. (Publisher's Review)

Readers Abroad

2010-06-11T14:36:00.000-05:00

While recently traveling in Madrid, Spain, I stumbled upon an outdoor book fair in Madrid's famous 300 acre park, Parque del Retiro (the former garden of Felipe IV). The book fair featured over 300 independent book vendors who sold everything from local authors, to those we might find in our very own libraries and book stores. In fact, there was a lot of popular American literature available (in Spanish), for children and adult readers alike. Based on what the vendors of juvenile literature were featuring, Diary Of A Wimpy Kid is just as popular with Europeans as it is here in the States. Check out some of these photos and see if you spot anything familiar...

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

For Mystics & Romantics

2010-06-02T16:25:00.002-05:00

If you like Daphne Du Maurier (author of Rebecca and Jamaica Inn), you'll love Robert Goolrick's A Reliable Wife. Like the novel Rebecca, A Reliable Wife is written in the tradition of Gothic Romance: it features an old (haunted) house, darkness, death, revenge and lust. Unlike Rebecca, these characteristics take on more contemporary forms: the ghosts aren't apparitions, they're psychological; further, the romance takes on a much sexier description. It's because of these contemporary features, which Goolrick utilizes to progress the storyline, that the novel reads in a quick, gripping fashion (I began and finished it in about 7 hours while on a flight).

The premise of the story revolves around an older single (and very wealthy) man's desire for companionship. He thus puts an ad in the newspaper calling for "a reliable wife". The woman who answers his ad, Catherine Land, has various motives for entering into the relationship--but none are so devious as the slow and methodical arsenic poisoning of her new husband. The catch: Ralph knows full well of her acts and the motives behind them. The joy for the reader is that we do not; in fact, Goolrick leads us to the end of the novel with unexpected twists and turns that I'm not about to reveal here. A Reliable Wife is a juicy good read, perfect for independent reading or a book club.

The Vicarious Traveler

2010-05-14T14:44:00.007-05:00

When I was in high school and college, my mom and I would make weekly visits to our local library during my summer breaks. While I have many reading interests, my particular focus at that time (and whenever nature hints at summer) was travel. I'd read anything from travel guides to personal narratives--and specifically loved watching travel videos, like Rick Steves. In fact, I've vivid memories of standing in my Davenport branch library perusing the (then small) VHS collection of video tour guides and thinking to myself, "Now where do I want to go today?" It sounds hokey, but I still love the idea of travel--even if vicariously. I'm perfectly content to trip to Paris by watching Samantha Brown's "Passport to Europe" (repeatedly, in fact). (Though, I must warn you: once you've a taste for a particular place, the videos are mere pacifiers in place of the real thing.)

While I'm soon-to-be on vacation, I've been thinking a lot, recently, about good travel narratives. Here are just a handful of my favorites. (I highly recommend the first two!)

The Geography of Bliss: One Man's Search for the Happiest Places In the World, by Eric Weiner

The Art of Travel, by Alan de Botton

As the Romans Do: An American Family's Italian Odyssey, by Alan Epstein

A Year In the Merde, by Stephen Clarke

Market Day in Provence, by Michelle De La Pradelle

In Defense Of Food

2010-04-25T22:34:00.000-05:00

I'll be the first to admit these two truths: I love to eat good food and I love to read about eating good food. No one writes about good food--it history, and how to find it, cook it, and eat it--better than Michael Pollan. This past week, while on a road trip to a library conference, I finished listening to Pollan's In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto on audio book.

Readers may be more familiar with his The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals, or more recently his book turned PBS documentary, The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World. Similar to these two works, In Defense of Food examines food from social, cultural and scientific perspectives. But more specifically, in this, Pollan presents a fascinating analysis of the American diet: how we eat, and how and why our eating habits have changed since the mid-20th century. He balances this history by presenting a series of "rules" for eating (which he's recently condensed into his book Food Rules: An Eater's Manual). Things like,"Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants"--the line with which he opens. To the more humorous, "Don't eat anything your grandmother wouldn't recognize as food." It's all fairly common sense stuff--but utterly fascinating. If nothing else, readers of Pollan's work will become more cognizant of the food they eat. Devotees (like me) will find themselves taking a more action-oriented approach: reading labels, planting a garden, shopping locally, eating organic, and spreading the word. Highly recommended.

Life On the Farm

2010-04-11T21:50:00.000-05:00

Admittedly, I had one primary worry about our last Adult Book Club selection, Michael Perry's memoir Coop: A Year Of Poultry, Pigs and Parenting--namely, that people might not make it past the first chapter. (I know of at least one individual who gave up before its end!) Perry opens with a (pages long) description of the "farmer snort" method of blowing one's nose. I'm not entirely sure why he chooses to begin in this way. And I can see where it would be over-the-top for some readers, if not off-putting. But those who spend a little patience on him as he develops his narrative will be rewarded in the end.

At heart, Coop is a story about farms and families. Perry's memoir moves back and forth between his current life with wife Anneliese, as they raise daughters Amy and new baby Jane, and his own life growing up on a farm. My favorite section is undoubtedly Chapter 5 which describes the at-home birth of Jane. Perry's recounting is touching, beautiful, vivid, inspiring. But my overall impression of the work always comes back to Perry and his relationship with daughter, Amy. Amy is present in nearly everything Perry experiences, and its her presence and free-spirit which gives awareness and meaning to the very simple pleasures of farm life which he describes. Perry is nostalgic in these moments, but with the mark of a great writer, he never over-sentimentalizes. A good read for anyone who's ever lived on a farm, raised a family or just has a natural curiosity.

Gleeful for Glee

2010-04-07T22:18:00.003-05:00

If there's one television show this season that I can't get enough of it's FOX's new hit, Glee. Glee is the continuing story of a high school glee club, its members and the adults (in this case, a group of teachers and coaches) who anchor the whole thing. In many ways, the show models other teen stories: the central group of students are talented misfits who no one has much faith in, and yet, who continue to prove everyone wrong. But that's not really what's worth watching about Glee. The joy of the program comes from the sometimes dark, always quirky characters--the budding superstar and drama queen, Rachel; the overzealous and hilariously cruel cheerleading coach (played by Jane Lynch); the adorably obsessive-compulsive counselor--who would all drive us nuts in real life, but who we love to root for in this setting. And let's not forget what this show is all about: the music. The cast is truly superb: so much so that if you don't find yourself singing along, or at least bouncing your knee or foot, you're very much alone. In fact, if you listen enough, you may find yourself forgetting the originals of the many popular songs the cast covers. For example, in the last episode of Part I of this season, the lead role of Rachel, played by Lea Michele, "out Barbara Streisands Barbara Streisand" (to quote a friend of mine) in her version of "Don't Rain On My Parade" from Funny Girl. That alone is something to see.

Part II of Glee begins next week on FOX. In the meantime, check out Part I on DVD, or either of the two tv soundtracks, at your local library. You'll be oh so happy you did.

THE HELP IS WORTH THE WAIT

2010-03-22T17:36:00.000-05:00

If you've heard of first time novelist Kathryn Stockett's book The Help, then you also likley know that it's been hugely popular among readers. In fact, a patron recalled today searching for a copy of the book in our catalog several days ago: only one copy was available in the whole system. That's one copy out of 107 total copies among 169 public libraries.

Being popular isn't often indicitive of quality. But in this case, Stockett has created a story well deserved of acclaim. The Help is a novel, at large, about race relations in the 1960s South. But it's also a story about relationships between women, class, family ties, oral traditions and the importance of creating our own narratives. It's a fast moving read you won't want to put down. Don't wait to get on your library's wait list.

Departures

2010-02-22T14:49:00.000-06:00

No, it's not a book. But it develops with the beauty and subtle awe of a great novel, which is why I feel compelled to discuss it here.

Departures is a Japanese film which won an academy award for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2009 Oscars. It's the story of a young male cellist, Diago, who finds himself out of work when the orchestra he performs with dissolves. As a result, he moves back to his hometown with his wife to the house his mother left him. There, he begins looking for work when he finds an ad for someone to assist with "departures". Diago is uncertain what the job entails, but assumes it must relate to travel. While interviewing, he discovers, however, that "departures" is in reference to death: the job requires Diago to assist in preparing bodies in front of mourners before placing them in a coffin. Not without hesitation, Diago accepts the position, primarily because of the pay.

From that point, we see Diago and his wife struggle with his new role, and we meet endearing members of the community. We also glimpse into Diago's childhood and grow to understand the significance of his being a cellist. What's most fascinating, though, is observing and coming to understand the ceremony of death in Japanese culture. In the film, we repeatedly see Diago clean, dress and make-up the deceased with the grace of playing cello. In turn, we see how the elaborate and intimate process enables family and friends to come to terms with the death of a loved one.

There's much more to this film that my oversimplified summary. The snapshots, sounds, symbols, characters and narrative all work together to create a beautiful work of art. And while Westerners may at first cringe to see the unusual death ceremony played out in film, they will likely grow to appreciate it by the movie's end.

Kitchen Favs

2010-02-11T13:47:00.001-06:00

One of my favorite places to hang out is my kitchen. I love experimenting with new dishes and desserts to the sounds of Diana Krall, Cesaria Evora, Michael Buble or whatever else I might be in the mood for. And because I love to cook, I also love reading and collecting cooking magazines and books.

My favorite day-to-day magazine is Everyday Food--which is also available in TV format on PBS stations. When I have more time, or I'm looking for tips on kitchen tools or the best brand of (say) olive oil, I like Cooks, Illustrated by the authors of America's Test Kitchen (also viewable on PBS).

In terms of books, I've some standards which I rely on: Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, The Taste of Home Cookbook, or Nancy Baggett's The All-American Cookie Book. But recently, the publishing world has released some great new cooking and baking books that not only include great recipes, they include engaging stories, and useful kitchen tips. Here are my top 5 new-ish recommendations (in no particular order):

1) The Amish Cook's Baking Book, by Lovina Eicher (2009)
2) The Farm Chicks In the Kitchen, by Teri Edwards & Serena Thompson (2009)
3) Healthy Bread In Five Minutes A Day, by Jeff Hertzberg & Zoe Francois (2009)
4) America's Test Kitchen: The Complete TV Show Cookbook (2009)
5) Love Soup: 160 All-New Vegetarian Recipes from the Author of The Vegetarian Epicure, by Anna Thomas (2009)

To search for or place a hold on one of these items, check out our PrairieCat link (left sidebar). Then, simply type in the book or magazine title, or artist/author and click search. If we don't have the item you're interested in, select select "All Locations" under the Select Locations heading on the right sidebar. To place a hold, select the "Place Hold" icon. You'll need your library card on hand to enter your barcode and pin (usually the last 4 digits of your library card). After you place a hold, the library will call you whenever the item comes in.

Bon appetite!

For Political Junkies

2010-02-02T11:17:00.014-06:00

I’m not one for gossip. But there was something that drew me to read the gossipy new history of the last Presidential election, Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime, written by veteran political reporters John Heilemann and Mark Halperin. Perhaps it was the political hype or the unprecedented dynamics of our last election that snagged me . But like the election and all its coverage, I was sunk by the first paragraph, and couldn’t put the thing down thereafter.

If you’ve been doing any reading or television viewing of late, you’re probably familiar with some of the book’s claims of the presidential would-bes. Heilemann and Halperin offer readers an unusually candid and behind-closed-doors look at the candidates and their camps from before the election began, to its notable finish. If you haven’t yet heard some of the claims, you’ve certainly seen the fallout: Senator Reid’s apology for his use of racially insensitive words to describe President Obama; or, Edwards’ acknowledgement of his child with Rielle Hunter. But what’s most fascinating is the otherwise general silence from the book’s subjects. To date, very few of the major players have offered information refuting Heilemann and Halperin’s claims.

The biggest complaint made by politicians and journalists, alike, is the authors’ lack of sources. Despite their solid reputations, the authors’ choice to withhold their sources of information has been nothing short of taboo for journalists of their caliber.

For more particulars, read the NY Times Review or listen to NPR’s Talk of the Nation.

Meet Miffy

2010-01-24T20:57:00.004-06:00

If you have children or grandchildren, or if you just love children's books like I do, then you must check out Miffy. Miffy is the brainchild of Dutch author and illustrator, Dick Bruna, who developed the character 50 years ago. Bruna has since written over 200 books, nearly 30 of which feature the simple rabbit figure who has gained international popularity with children. Like many popular picturebook characters, Miffy has been turned into an animated television show and her image appears on an array of apparel items.

CBS Sunday Morning ran a feature story on Bruna and his Miffy on December 6, 2009.

Resolve To Read A Great Book In 2010

2010-01-17T17:48:00.003-06:00

Literary scholars and neophytes alike have long debated what makes a work of literature great: a unique story, compelling characters, artful narrative, universal truths.

For me, to be defined as “great”, a work of literature must pass one additional litmus test: after reading, I must not forget it. I must consider and re-consider it. I must wrestle with it. If after reading it, I can immediately close the cover and begin another book, then I have not been touched, challenged or provoked. No book better met this definition in 2009 than Jon Krakauer’s epic tale, Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman.

Football fans will likely know the former Arizona Cardinal who left his position as safety to enlist in the Army following the attacks of 9/11. While serving a tour in Afghanistan, Pat Tillman was killed by fratricide (or, “friendly fire”)--a fact deliberately withheld from Tillman’s family, the media and the American public by the United States government. But this summation is only the beginning of Tillman’s journey.

In Where Men Win Glory, author Jon Krakauer presents two tightly interwoven narratives: Tillman’s rise from a loyal, but hot-headed teenager to a rising football star and conflicted soldier, with the rise of a group of Afghanis from anti-Soviet freedom fighters to anti-American terrorists (more commonly known as the Taliban). We see this juxtaposition presented through Krakauer’s tight historical timeline based on first-hand accounts, government reports, journalistic sources, interviews, diaries, journals and letters. Krakauer’s in-depth research demonstrates what it is to be a good journalist.

But, as usual, Krakauer goes beyond the journalistic to create something literary. Readers may recognize Krakauer’s other works, Into the Wild, Under the Banner of Heaven and Into Thin Air (which the Julia Hull District Library book club will be reading in January). All distinct (true) stories, these works share common threads: a male lead, compelled by a sense of duty and adventure, willingly risks his life for some (supposed) larger good.

Where Men Win Glory is no exception to this rule. In it, Krakauer begs three looming questions: Why are humans driven to sacrifice, even in the face of great danger? When should we protect our own interests, and when are we morally obligated to project the interests of our community, nation, world? What is our duty to country and what is our country’s duty to us? Examining Tillman’s tale is central to answering these questions.

Pat Tillman’s story is that of a hero, but not only in the classic sense, which Krakauer alludes to in the title of his work. Rather, Tillman is a recognizable character who commands respect from his family, friends and peers--a man who loves deeply, reads and reflects fervently, questions adamantly and lives fully. Readers will grow to admire the person, beyond the image.

A warning: Krakauer’s account of Tillman’s experiences will at times enrage you; Parts 3 and 4 which describe his death and cover-up should haunt you. But these are the things of great literature: the lump in your throat, the shadow on your memory. Like any New Year’s resolution, these are the things that can change us by altering the way in which we see the world. During a time of year where many resolve to change for the better, challenge yourself this 2010 to read and reflect upon a great book.