“Just the knowledge that a good book is awaiting at the end of a long day makes the day happier.”
-- Kathleen Norris
Compiled May, 2009
The staff at the Hershey Public Library would like to share with you some of the wonderful books we’ve been reading this past year.
Our picks are as diverse as we are, but we hope you will discover a treasure you might otherwise have missed.
Numbers indicate multiple votes.
Happy Reading!
CAS=audio book CD=book on CD LP=large print book Pbk=paperback
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie [Y ALE] – A humorous, insightful, and sometimes heartbreaking look at the life of a Native American teen growing up on the reservation. In an attempt to make a better future for himself, Junior decides to go to the white school off the “rez.” This causes some difficult situations, and he grapples with questions about what constitutes one’s community, identity, and tribe.
Accidental It Girl by Libby Street [FIC STR] – The story focuses on Sadie Price, a young photographer who starts taking paparazzi photos of celebrities just to get by. She is a very talented photographer, but her work falls by the wayside because of the celebrity photos she takes. She goes after, and gets, a shot of a young, very hot actor (Ethan Wyatt) who is placed in a not great situation because of the picture. He decides to give her a taste of her own medicine and follows her around capturing her every move on film. Find out what this situation does to Sadie and the impact it has on her life. Funny, yet poignant. A fast and delightful read.
Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner [FIC STE] – An invalid historian decides to write the story of his prominent, pioneering grandparents and, as he chronicles their extraordinary lives, we also come to know his own biography. Parallel histories are filled with memorable events and characters. You’ll want to warn them all about the consequences of their decisions, especially the grandparents, who come from very different worlds. But the life of the historian himself is filled with circumstances that, in the end, bring him to his own “angle of repose.”
Babes in Captivity by Pamela Satran [FIC SAT] - This book chronicles a time of crisis in the lives of four women who are also good friends. Diedre is dreaming about the career path she never took. Anne has put her dreams on hold to support a husband who always seems on the verge of making it. Julliette wants another child but has not been able to broach the subject with her somewhat controlling, detached husband. And Lisa, who has always been the one in the group whose life is perfectly “scheduled” and just plain perfect, faces a major change that rocks her world. I had a hard time putting this one down; it’s a very quick read with a nice balance of funny and sad.
Breaker Boys by David Fleming [796.332 FLE] – If you’re a football fan and haven’t heard of the “Pottsville Maroons,” it’s time to fill in the blank. Imagine a team of men of assorted backgrounds from a small town in the middle of coal mining country winning the 1925 National Championship and then having it taken away. Recently, another petition was presented to the current NFL owners to restore that championship title, but again it was denied. Aside from the colorful commentary on the players and the era, it’s also a great history of the NFL back when college football was considered far superior.
Dog Train by Sandra Boyton [JP Boyton- CD with book] – Boyton’s witty, silly stories set to music and performed by a variety of musical artists appeals to young and old alike. Personal favorite is “I Need A Nap,” performed by Kate Winslet and Weird Al.
Elton: The Biography by David Buckley [B JOH] – The entertaining portrait of the Piano Man including his early musical beginnings, his struggles, and his successful red piano concerts at Caesar’s Palace.
The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman [158.2 CHA, CAS, CD] – A must read for everyone! How do you express love? How does your mate, child, friend need love expressed? Answering these questions with the help of this book will enable your relationship to bloom.
Fool by Christopher Moore [FIC MOO, LP] – Fans of Christopher Moore’s books (Lamb, You Suck) should enjoy Fool, which is the famous tale of King Lear, told from the perspective of King Lear’s jester. Most of Shakespeare’s plot remains, but there is a whole lot more randiness, cursing (literally), and plotting going on behind the scenes. For those who are new to Moore’s irreverent take on literature and life, I would still recommend Lamb to be read first.
Forward from Here: Leaving Middle Age – And Other Unexpected Adventures by Reeve Lindbergh [305.26 LIN, LP] – Reeve Lindbergh is the daughter of famous parents: Charles Lindbergh and Anne Morrow Lindbergh (who wrote the famous book Gift from the Sea). She is also a gifted writer in her own right as she clearly demonstrates in this memoir about turning sixty. With wry humor, Lindbergh offers insights not only into aging but into many aspects of life. Grab a cup of tea and settle in for a charming and insightful read.
Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen [FIC ALL, LP] – The Waverleys had always been considered eccentric and sisters Claire and Sydney are no exception. Solitary Claire embraced the family’s mysterious gifts, using herbal magic to create a successful catering business; Sydney, on the other hand, ran as far and as fast as she could from the family whose charms eluded her. But things are about to change in this delightful debut novel as the two sisters are reunited and discover the magic of family and of unexpected love. A modern fairy tale with unforgettable characters (including a wonderfully mischievous apple tree) that is charming and great fun!
Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh [170.202 LIN, CAS, LP] – Insightful and thought-provoking essays that make a woman take pause to understand and appreciate the stage of life she is currently in.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson [FIC LAR, LP] – Murder mystery, love story, family saga and financial intrigue all rolled into one. With characters you’ll care about and a plot that will keep you turning pages, this is one book you don’t want to miss. (2)
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows [FIC SHA, LP] – Historical fiction set in post WWII England/United Kingdom and filled with lovable yet, at times, eccentric characters. The story is put forth through letters and telegrams. Read it just to learn the “meaning” of the title. Everything I love in a book – I came to care about the characters and learned about things I had not known previously. The story is told entirely through correspondence, which makes it a fun and fast read. My favorite book of the year! (2)
Hana’s Suitcase: A True Story by Karen Levine [J 940.54 LEV] – When thinking about WWII, does Germany immediately come to mind? Japan? After all, we did consider both of those nations our enemies at the time. Or perhaps you think about the millions of victims of that global conflict? Hana was one of them. But the story of the heritage she’s left behind is one to warm the reader’s heart, not harden it with anger. In Japan, the initial setting for this story, interest in the Holocaust is rather new. A generous donation funded the Holocaust Education Resource Center, a facility dedicated to global understanding and tolerance. Credit goes to Furniko Ishioka, energetic young curator of this museum, for helping to introduce Hana to the world. Her story is a long and convoluted one. Furniko, seeking authentic artifacts for her museum, obtains the suitcase of a Jewish child named Hana. Wishing to make Hana real for the museum’s visitors, she begins researching the life and times of this one young victim, representative of all who suffered. Through her eyes and “detective work,” the reader learns much about Hana’s family, Czechoslovakia before and during the war, and the meaning of love and tolerance, despite life’s trials and uncertainties.
Happiness Sold Separately by Libby Street [FIC STR, LP] – Meet Ryan Hadley, a data entry clerk at a New York business. Is this what she completed four years of college for? Her two best friends, Veronica and Audrey, both get promotions at work. Her work friend, Will, who works in data entry by day and is a rocker by night, finally gets a big break. Ryan feels like life is passing her by and, if that’s not bad enough, her college ex comes back on the scene. Just as it feels like the walls are closing in on her, she has an epiphany and decides it’s time to take control of her life. A very enjoyable and quick read.
Hissy Fit by Mary Kay Andrews [FIC AND] - This book starts off with a real bang when the main character of the book catches her husband-to-be in a very compromising situation with her best friend, who also happens to be the maid-of-honor. This book will have you laughing out loud. Light drama and lots of laughs made this book a very quick read.
How Starbucks Saved My Life by Michael Gates Gill [B GIL, LP] – An inspiring book about a man who had everything, then lost it, and found what is really important in life. A wonderful lesson that I wish more people could learn. We would all live in a much nicer world. Working at Starbucks sounds a lot like working in a library!
Katherine by Anya Seton [FIC SET] – Written in 1954, this is the fictionalized account of the true-life story of Katherine de Roet (later Swynford), whose illicit love affair and then marriage to John of Gaunt titillated 14th century English society. This is a classic and a must-read for those who love historical romance. Though I found some of the writing a bit dated and overwrought, on the whole I enjoyed reading this book and especially found the historical details fascinating.
Ladies of Liberty by Cokie Roberts [973.4 ROB, CD] – Through what appears to be exhaustive primary source research, Roberts reveals the “power” of the ladies: First Ladies, writers, saints, social reformers, even Sacajawea.
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch [B PAU, CD 920 PAU, LP] – If I could only use two words to describe this book, they would be “great advice.” It is that and so much more.
The Little Giant of Aberdeen County by Tiffany Baker [FIC BAK, LP] – The story of a woman “bigger than life” who eventually becomes the person everyone seeks out.
The Longest Day: June 6, 1944 by Cornelius Ryan [940.542 RYA] – A masterful account of the first twenty-four hours of the D-day invasion. The author transports the reader all over the battlefield, giving numerous perspectives to the events that unfolded on June 6, 1944. This is an eminently readable book, one that most readers, even those without interest in military or history books, will find impossible to put down, even though the outcome is well known.
Lords of Finance: The Bankers Who Broke the World by Liaquat Ahamed [332.1 AHA] – A fascinating account of the early years of commerce and capitalism through the Great Depression. A timely book for the economy of the 21st century.
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides [FIC EUG] – This is really a story about coming to terms with who we are, as descendants of immigrants and as individuals. The Stephanides family immigrates from Greece in the early 1920s, settles in Detriot, and struggles to find their version of the American Dream. Years later, their grandchild is born with ambiguous gender, but no one notices until puberty hits. This book reinforces the idea that we all face unique challenges in our lives.
Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think by Brian Wansink [616.85 WAN] – Written in an informative yet humorous style, Mindless Eating examines the hidden factors that influence what and how much we eat. Wansink, a Stanford PhD and director of Cornell’s Food and Brand Lab, shares what he’s learned from a variety of experiments that study eating habits and the
effects such things as packaging, advertising, and even food placement have on food choices.
Fascinating!
Mudbound by Hillary Jordan [FIC JOR, LP] - Set in the Mississippi Delta at the end of World War II this captivating account follows the vastly different homecomings of two war heroes, one white, one black. Narrated by five different characters, each person gives a different perspective to the time and place as the drama unfolds. One of the narrators, Laura, a “city” born woman finds her life changed drastically when her husband moves her, her children, and her hateful father-in-law to the Mississipi cotton farm he has always dreamed of owning. As Laura resigns herself to the farm life of drudgery and mud that seems to be the bane of her existence, she finds her life becomes enmeshed with her husband’s younger brother, Jamie, as well as the black neighbors Ronzel, Florence, and Hap. This novel offers an insightful view of the Jim Crow South of the 1950s.
The Names of the Mountains by Reeve Lindbergh [FIC LIN] – The novel opens as middle daughter Cressida is talking to her 82-year-old mother. In the middle of the conversation, Cress realizes that her mother doesn’t know to whom she is talking. Cress then indirectly surveys her four siblings about their mother’s “forgetfulness.” The book chronicles how they deal with one incident and thus set the pattern for how to handle their mother’s increasing absentmindedness with gentleness and dignity. Woven throughout the narrative is how the family has dealt with having a famous and colorful father and mother and how that fact influences their decisions. Even though the work is fictional, the author can give an accurate picture as the daughter of Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh. I found the story to be an accurate portrayal of what a family faces as they deal with an elderly matriarch who increasingly blanks out on conversations and facts. I also found interesting the interwoven tidbits of the daily life of a famous couple raising their five children in a reclusive home. Although she has a different style, Lindbergh write as well as her mother.
Nazi Literature in the Americas by Roberto Bolaňo [FIC BOL] – A well written novel by a prize-winning Chilean author composed of short biographies of imaginary Pan-American authors and their influence on politics and the literary world.
Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell [302 GLA, CD, LP] – Gladwell takes us on an intellectual journey through the world of “outliers” – the best and the brightest, the most famous and the most successful. He asks the question: what makes high-achievers different? His answer is that we pay too much attention to what successful people are like and too little attention to where they are from (their culture, their family, their generation).
Queen of Babble Gets Hitched by Meg Cabot [FIC CAB] – Lizzie Nichols is at it again, only this time she’s getting married – or is she? Catch up with the current escapades of this enjoyable, quirky character. Or, if you aren’t familiar with her, start by reading Queen of Babble.
The Quiet Game by Greg Iles [MYS ILE, CAS, LP] – Have you ever listened to a book-on-tape while driving? Have you ever remained seated in your car, even after arriving at your destination, because you just had to know what happened next? That was indeed my experience while listening to The Quiet Game. How could anyone blackmail that kindly old “country” doctor? How could the murder of a black civil rights advocate be covered up for decades? How could the director of the FBI do that? How could anyone burn down a home in an effort to keep its owner quiet? If you like courtroom drama, this is for you. If you like strong characters with interwoven pasts, this is the novel for you. If you like to wonder about plot twists
until the final chapter, this is the novel for you.
Raising Your Spirited Child: A Guide for Parents Whose Child is More Intense, Sensitive, Perceptive, Persistent, Energetic by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka [649.153 KUR] – The subtitle of this book just about says it all. This is a wonderfully reassuring book for those parents or other adults who find a child so challenging. The author, both a professional educator and mom of two “spirited” children, helps the reader rethink perceptions. The difficult child can instead be seen as a spirited one. But suppose you’re not a parent? Suppose you are an adult with what we euphemistically call “baggage” from childhood? This book can help you understand yourself too. You might find the story of your family – or yourself here. And find some fine and effective management skills as well.
Roommates Wanted by Lisa Jewel [FIC JEW] – This book is full of quirky, mostly lovable characters. It was fun to see how the author connected the dots with all of their lives.
Safe Harbor by Luanne Rice [FIC RIC, LP, Pbk F 2807] – A story of the bond between two generations of sisters through grief and love. It contains romance and light mystery in a hometown environment. After the death of one sister and her husband, the surviving sister, an artist who lives abroad, returns to the small New England town to take on the raising of her two nieces. It is an adjustment for all of them. The plan was to take the nieces abroad to live, but romance intervened. The story is very “comfortable”…love, respect, understanding are found throughout.
Same Sweet Girls by Cassandra King [FIC KIN, LP] – The Same Sweet Girls, six women as different as night and day, met as students in a small southern college and maintained their unlikely friendship through life’s many stages. Now nearing 50, they gather for another reunion, but this time they find themselves facing challenges none of them expected. Rich with southern warmth and charm, this is a story of women’s friendship in all its complexities.
The Shack by William P. Young [FIC YOU, LP] - This book is a beautiful look at how faith can turn adversity into something positive. The positive in this case is the way Mack, the hero of the book, changes his relationship with God. He not only changes the way he sees God, but the way he sees other people. I loved the way the book portrayed the trinity, it made it seem very real to me. Even though this book comes with its share of tragedy, I felt uplifted by the power of the story and the storytelling.
Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón [MYS RUI] – A wonderfully entertaining novel with lots of plot twists. A young boy finds a book he loves and then searches for more books by the same author, only to discover that, apparently, everything he wrote has been mysteriously destroyed. The characters are intriguing and complex.
Smitten by David Gordon [JP Gordon] – A love story for all ages spun from an unusual partnership of a single sock and a single mitten. Clever fonts and word placement engage the reader along with many puns. The illustrations are colorful and the sock and mittens’ expressions are priceless.
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski [FIC WRO, LP] – This family saga is large and takes some time to get into. Your patience will pay off. The writing in this first novel is superb, featuring finely wrought characters. Edgar was born mute and communicates by signs. He lives a peaceful life on his parents’ farm helping to train their very special dogs. When his father is killed, Edgar’s paternal uncle, Claude, comes to help with the family business, and Edgar becomes convinced that his uncle was responsible for his father’s death. When Claude becomes involved with Edgar’s mother, Edgar flees into the wilderness and later tries to prove his uncle’s guilt with disastrous consequences. This is a complex and moving tale beautifully written.
The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen [FIC ALL, LP] – Josey Cirrini’s life revolves around meeting her demanding, widowed mother’s every need; her only comfort is her closet’s secret stash of travel magazines and sugary treats – until she finds sassy Della Lee Baker hiding amongst her prized possessions. A very fun book about some North Carolina women learning to be open to all that life has to offer. The reader will root for Allen’s feisty characters and enjoy their quirks. (2)
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith [FIC SMI, LP, Pbk C 103] - I loved this book when I read it as a young girl and found that I still loved it reading it many years later. Like the sturdy tree that persists in growing out of the parched and cemented lots in New York’s slums, Francie Nolan survives and thrives in spite of the grinding poverty of the Brooklyn neighborhood she grows up in at the turn of the 20th century. Family, friends, and neighbors that shape Francie and her world are presented in an honest, straightforward light. Exposing their faults and idiosyncrasies makes for a sometimes humorous, but poignant coming-of-age story.
The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex [J REX] – This is the story of 12-year-old Gratuity (whose friends call her “Tip”), who, after aliens called the Boov invaded Earth and renamed it “Smekland,” had to take a cross-country roadtrip in a floating hovercar with her cat and a stranded Boov mechanic named J. Lo to find Tip’s missing mother and then to save everyone from a different alien invasion. This sounds a lot more complicated than it is, which is a really funny but touching book for children and adults.
The Twilight series [Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn] by Stephanie Meyer [Y MEY, CD] – This series is wonderful, exciting and timeless. Follow Edward and Bella through the course of their love story. I found all of these books to be so enjoyable that they left me wanting more.
The Vicious Vikings (Horrible Histories series) by Terry Deary [J 948.022 DEA] – Even though they were written for children, I love reading the Horrible Histories books. They really live up to their tag line – “History with the nasty bits left in!,” though in most cases the “nasty bits” are mostly gruesome or gross rather than truly nasty. Each book coves an area of (usually British) history. The Vicious Vikings details the Viking invasions of England from 787-1066 A.D., though they also mention the Viking’s travels to Iceland, Greenland and America. Filled with fun factoids and funny cartoons, these books make “Horrible History” fun for all ages.
The View from Mount Joy by Lorna Landvik [FIC LAN, CD, LP] - This is the wonderful story of Joe's life, with a lot of warmth and humor, from high school (class of 1972) to middle age. Joe learns early that life doesn't always turn out how we expect it to. He also recognizes the importance of good friends on the quality of our lives. The twists and turns in Joe's story may cause the reader to reconsider the definition of a "successful" life.
What Now? by Ann Patchett [158.1 PAT] – This book is based on a commencement speech novelist Ann Patchett gave at her alma mater, Sarah Lawrence College in 2006, but its wise advice and lively anecdotes apply not only to all graduates, but to everyone asking this question at any point in our lives. This is a treasure to read and makes a wonderful gift.
When Will There be Good News by Kate Atkinson [MYS ATK, LP] – This is a character-driven mystery featuring private detective Jackson Brodie. Atkinson masterfully keeps multiple storylines going until they collide with amazing results. It is clever; it is well written; it is a book whose characters you will care about so much you’ll be forced to stay up late into the night to see what happens next.
Winter Study by Nevada Barr [MYS BAR, CD, LP] – This is Barr’s most recent mystery with Anna Pigeon, a National Park Service ranger. Each book in the series takes place in a different National Park. This story takes place in Michigan’s Isle Royale National Park in winter when a gruesome murder complicates a wolf study project. An intriguing way to cool down on a hot summer day!
