Staff Picks—What we’re reading
Erich Reed- Library Director
Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup– Wall Street Journal’s John Carreyrou expands upon his reporting on Theranos, once valued at 9 billion dollars. The company was founded by Elizabeth Holmes, who was 19 years old at the time with the intention of making handheld devices to use at home to test blood. The book reads like a John Grisham thriller and covers Silicon Valley, corporate oversight, and medical technology. Buzz is building for a film in the works with Jennifer Lawrence as lead.
MaryAnne Mead- Program Coordinator and Circulation Manager
I recently read Little Fires Everywhere and am currently reading Sing Unburied Sing by Jesmyn Ward. And I’m having fun reading a little Agatha Christie in between – Sparkling Cyanideis the one I just finished.
Janet Clifford: Library Assistant
In Sunlight and Shadowby Mark Helprin
I’ve just recently finished reading (listening to) Mark Helprin’s “InSunlight and Shadow”. This story takes place in New York City at the end of World War II with flash-backs to the main character’s experiences as a Pathfinder with the 82nd Airborne Division during the war. Very well written although at times the spoken language of the main character (and some others) does not seem all together realistic and is entirely too formal. However, the author communicates deep feelings about the city in ways I’ve never really experienced in other books set in NYC. Helprin far surpasses any other author I’ve read in his love for New York City. His descriptive writing takes the reader (in this case the listener) quite far into the character’s thoughts, feelings and life challenges. I really felt that I knew each of the main characters, as well as some of the peripheral characters, in a deeper way than when I have read other books. Interwoven into the story are issues dealing with organized crime, racism, prejudice, income inequality, class differences, gender stereotypes of the time period,
generational differences, war, peace, and commerce. Not a “light book” by any means but a very enjoyable one.
Susan Plimpton: Children’s Librarian
The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: Book VI: The Long-Lost Home by Maryrose Wood
Picture Books not to miss …
The Brilliant Deep: Rebuilding the World’s Coral Reefs: The Story of Ken Nedimyer and the Coral Restoration Foundation by Kate Messner
The magical illustrations by Matthew Forsythe and perfectly matching text make this impossible to put down. Science and art shine brilliantly
Water Land: Land and Water Forms Around the Worldby ChristyHale A clever concept book that uses cut outs to illustrate land forms.
Earth! My First 4.54 Billion Years by Stacy McAnulty A sweet and entertaining explanation of earth by earth. It’s packed with facts and concepts that are accessible even to us non-science types.
Kate Pickup-McMullin: Assistant Director
Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann (also wrote the “Lost City of Z”)
Liz Solet: Development/Marketing Manager
I’m currently reading The Overstory by Richard Powers. It’s really intriguing in terms of structure, as the shape of the book follows the shape of a tree–roots, trunk, branches. This could easily seem contrived, but I don’t find it to be in Powers’ telling. There are a handful of story threads focused on different characters that weave together as the book progresses, which feels natural–not an easy feat. I’m at the point now where the characters’ stories are beginning to intertwine, and momentum in the overall story is building. I love all the details about trees, their intelligences, how they communicate, and what we have learned about them.
I also just finished reading (listening to) Maya Angelou’s Letter to My Daughter. I’ve read some of her work, but never listened to one of her books read by her. It was fascinating to learn more about her life, and very moving to listen to an amazing woman elder share her experiences and wisdom. Thanks to Janet for the recommendation!
Margo Martin: Circulation Desk Volunteer
Currently reading The Champagne Conspiracyby Ellen Crosby. This is the sixth book in her Wine Country Mysteryseries set in the wine producing region of Virginia. I have read all her previous books and have enjoyed learning a little bit about the processes making wine. These books are light and enjoyable read.
Henry Barendse: Circulation Desk Volunteer
I just finished Stoner, a novel by John Williams first published in 1965. I don’t know how it escaped my attention all these years. I was spellbound. Here are the first two sentences of the story. “William Stoner entered the University of Missouri as a freshman in the year 1910, at the age of nineteen. Eight years later, during the height of World War I, he received his Doctor of Philosophy degree and accepted an instructorship at the same University, where he taught until his death in 1956.” That’s it. And yet, such a powerful, heartbreaking story. Elegiac, sometimes mournful, but always interesting because so keenly observed and wise
Above all, though, Stoner is a love story. Yes, the boy/girl kind of love story but also another perhaps deeper kind of love story.
Morris Dickstein in The New York Times wrote that Stoner “is something much rarer than a great novel – it is a perfect novel, so deeply moving, that it takes your breath away.”
It is and it does.
Other encomiums:
“A beautiful, sad, utterly convincing account of an entire life…I’m amazed a novel this good escaped general attention for so long.” – Ian McEwan
“One of the great unheralded 20th century American novels.” -Bret Easton Ellis
“The most beautiful book in the world.” – Emma Straub
Melissa Haas- Library Assistant
I have just finished Jeff Vandermeer’s Southern Reach Trilogy(Annihilation, Acceptance, & Authority). It’s been on my “to read” list since it was published in 2014 and it was worth the wait. The writing is beautiful and the plot keeps you guessing right up until the end. It’s weird, a little creepy, and I’m still not sure I understand what Area X is and I’m 100% okay with that.