Barb Kuttler, Special Project
Librarian
F MICH
- Fugitive Pieces by Anne Michaels
Jakob Beer, at age 8, witnesses his family's slaughter at the hands of the
Nazis. He survives by burying himself during the day and foraging for food
by night. Jakob is saved and smuggled out of Poland by Athos Roussos, a
Greek Archaeologist. Fugitive Pieces is a book about memory and
forgetting, and the power of language to redeem our pasts.
Barb Reardon, Information
Librarian
F SMIL, LARGE TYPE F SMIL, TC F SMIL
- Horse Heaven by Jane Smiley
The world of professional horse racing is described in elaborate detail
from many different viewpoints - including the horses'!
Ben, Maintenance Page
CD RC RAGE, TC RC RAGE
- The Battle of Los Angeles by Rage Against the Machine
This is the original blending of rock, funk, rap, and hiphop. It is
intensely political and it changed my life.
Bob Ofner, Treasurer of the Friends of
the Bettendorf Public Library
J LOFT, J* LOFT, NEWBERY J LOFT, VC J DOCT, VC F
DR
- The Story of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting
Carol Crane, Tech Services
Clerk
977.264 KI
- A Girl Named Zippy: Growing Up Small in Mooreland,
Indiana by Haven Kimmel
Carol L. Scharff, Media Services
W KELT
- (Anything) by Elmer Kelton
The Western life in all its ruggedness is vividly portrayed. The
characters come alive, and there is always a good guy.
Also: the western videos from the period of the late 1940's and 1950's are
entertaining and beautifully filmed.
Crystal Kehoe, Youth Services Assistant
J LEVI, JUV BOT LEVINE
- The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine
A juvenile fantasy that is a terrific cross between Harry Potter
and Ella Enchanted. Two princesses, one brave and one meek, live in
a kingdom plagued by the "grey death". When the sister who is normally
brave becomes ill, the meek sister sets out to find the cure meeting
trolls, dragons, and fairies along the way.
Chris Vens, Circulation Clerk
ROM HOWA, CD ROM HOWA, TC ROM HOWA
- Open Season by Linda Howard
While classified as romance, this book actually held so much more. Edge of
your seat suspense that has your nose in the book every spare chance you
have.* And the kind of humor that makes you not just chuckle, but burst
out laughing - often at the most inopportune times.
The story of a 34-year-old spinster, a frumpy librarian who on her
birthday decides it's time to be a bad girl and catch herself a man. Can
a good girl really become a bad girl? Questionable, but humorous
nonetheless.
* Note from the compiler: Chris isn't kidding! Upon arriving at work
one day, I spotted her driving into the Library's parking lot. The second
she parked her car, she grabbed a book, and started intently reading as
she sat in the driver's seat with a few minutes to spare before her
presence would be expected at the Check-Out Desk.
Faye Clow, Director
M TERR
- The Huntsman by Whitney Terrell
This is catalogued as a "mystery" but it is not at all like a formula
mystery. Terrell is a graduate of the Iowa Writer's Workshop and this is
his debut novel. Set in Kansas City it involves racial tension, explores
sexual boundaries, and develops strong memorable characters. Terrell has
mastered "place". The river itself seems a character in the plot. An
amazing beginning for an almost local author.
Hedy N. R. Hustedde, Information
Librarian
302.2244 SH
- The Alphabet Vs. the Goddess: The Conflict Between Word
and Image by Leonard Shlain
What happened to all the goddesses? Shlain's theory is that literacy
helped men dominate society. He utilizes startling historical anecdotes
and fresh, compelling ideas. The text goes chronologically from
prehistory to modern times, and the reader is likely to get more and more
agitated at our society's seemingly insurmountable negative qualities, but
the final chapters are springs of hope with some positive thoughts-even
about television and computers!
F BARR, LARGE TYPE F BARR, TC F BARR, CD F BARR
- The Voyage of the Narwhal by Andrea Barrett
A novel of polar exploration: about the men who sailed north at the
height of America's great romance with the Arctic; about the Inuit
encountered in the frozen landscape; and about the women left behind,
making journeys of the imagination. Several parallel stories with
something for everyone: adventure, history, romance, both male and female
main characters.
F WHIT
- The Intuitionist by Colson Whitehead
Set in an alternate world resembling New York City (recent past or
near future, hard to say). Two warring factions in the Department of
Elevator Inspectors vie for dominance: The Empiricists who go by the book
and rigorously check every structural and mechanical detail, and the
Intuitionists whose observational methods involve meditation and instinct.
Lila Mae Watson, the city's first black female inspector and a devout
Intuitionist with the highest accuracy rate in her department, is at the
center of the turmoil. An elevator in a new municipal building has
crashed on her watch, fanning the flames of the Empiricist-Intuitionist
feud and compelling Lila Mae to go underground to investigate. I really
enjoyed the multiple challenges of this book and, always, the language was
beautiful.
John Resch, Lead Library Clerk, Tech
Services
F STOW, J STOW, VC F UNCL
- Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
Exposes many, but I'm certain not all, of the horrors associated with
slavery. Gives a balanced view from the slave's side and the "owner's"
side. Shows some of the differences in the treatment of slaves by
different owners.
It was a little too religiously "preachy" for my liking but I'm sure
that was due to the author's background. Other than that, a fabulous
novel.
Compiler's note: According to Book magazine, November/ December
2001, Uncle Tom's Cabin was the first novel to sell a million
copies. Here's an anecdote from that same issue: Journalist Horace Greeley
was sitting in a hotel room and heard someone in the next room laughing,
then sobbing. Greeley pounded on the wall, asking, "Are you dying in there
or reading Uncle Tom's Cabin?" The answer: "Uncle Tom's
Cabin."
Judi Sarafin, Information
Services
ROM BROW, LARGE TYPE ROM BROW, CD ROM BROW, TC
ROM BROW
Sandra Brown's best romantic suspense book yet!
Karen Madesian, Circulation Services
Manager
M GEOR
(Anything) by Anne George
Much-married Mary Alice and retired English teacher Patricia Anne are
sisters who don't have much in common except their unintentional habit of
getting involved in crimes-mostly murders! Set in Alabama the
misadventures of this duo are related with humor and unpredictability.
Titles in this "Southern Sisters" series include:
- Murder on a Bad Hair Day
- Murder Runs in the Family
- Murder Gets a Life
- Murder Makes Waves
- Murder Shoots the Bull
- Murder Carries a Torch
- Murder Boogies with
Elvis
B KERCHEVAL
- Space by Jesse Lee Kercheval
Space is a memoir of the author's girlhood and youth growing
up near the Space Center in Florida. There are moments of both humor and
sadness as she recalls her emotionally distant father, her alcoholic and
often-depressed mother, her racially awakening camp experiences, her
discovery of boys, and her own personal growth and self-awareness.
F TRIG, TC F TRIG
- Big Stone Gap and Big Cherry Holler by
Adriana Trigiani
Set in the mountains of Virginia, these novels humorously and
poignantly follow the life of Italian-American spinster Ave Maria Mulligan
as she finds the father she'd never known and the love she thought she
would never have. An anything-but-stereotypical bookmobile librarian is
one of the many interesting characters who are part of Ave Maria's life.
Maria Levetzow, Young Adult
Librarian
CD CW WILLIAMS
- Essence by Lucinda Williams
Kind of country, kind of blues-y, a songwriter who will definitely
stand the test of time.
YA SF COLF
- Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
Artemis is a 12-year-old evil genius who comes from an
internationally known crime family. A terrifically interesting villain
with a fantastic plan to replace the fortune his father lost with fairy
gold.
YA SF COLF
- Cirque de Freak by Darren Shan
Incredibly creepy and pretty gross in parts, this is a great
hair-raiser! And it's the first in a series, so we have so much more to
look forward to!
Mark W. Edwards, Library
Page
- Video - The Best of the Bob Newhart Show
- Sound Recording - Seinfeld, Jerry. I'm Telling You for
the Last Time
- Magazines - T.V. Guide; Advance;
Star Trek Communicator
- Newspapers - The Quad-City Times; USA
Today; The Des Moines Register
814.54 SE
- Sein Language by Jerry Seinfeld
This humorous book's appeal is that it is a book that you can read when
you are feeling sad, because it will make you laugh. I like this book
because I am a big Jerry Seinfeld fan.
- Favorite movie - Dirty Work starring Norm MacDonald
- Favorite TV show - Seinfeld reruns; Star Trek:
Enterprise; Becker starring Ted Danson; The
Education of Max Bickford
Mary,
Periodicals/Circulation
ROM BROW, LARGE TYPE ROM BROW, CD ROM BROW, TC
ROM BROW
Great! Couldn't put it down.
Michael Hustedde,
volunteer
F HIJU
- Mr. Ives' Christmas by Oscar Hijuelos
I am a Christmas Spiritophile. An annual need for a Dickensian fix
from A Christmas Carol comes over me as soon as the daytime highs
go below 32 degrees. A novel written in 1996 which has a similar impact on
me is Mr. Ives' Christmas. The story is set in New York City during
the second half of the 20th century. Ives is a decent man who must come to
grips with a senseless act which comes very close to destroying his
life-long belief that humans are basically good. Hijuelos creates real
people in the novel - people I identify with. While the similarities
between A Christmas Carol and Mr. Ives' Christmas have been
suggested in many reviews, the stories are less alike in plot than in
spirit and their mutual effort to highlight the glorious value of
redemption.
Nancy, Circulation
Services
ROM HOWA, TC ROM HOWA
- Mr. Perfect by Linda Howard
Great romantic suspense. Kept me turning pages till I was done!
Pat Laas, Board of
Trustees
- New York Times Weekend (Sunday Magazine)
Every week I look forward to the NY Times. It is a great read
and I save the magazine to enjoy all week. Their in-depth articles are
well-researched and excellent. I have especially enjoyed it since 9-11-01
because it makes me feel in touch with the citizens of the "Big Apple."
Paul Odell, Information and Youth
Services Librarian
SF FLIN
- The Philosophical Strangler by Eric Flint
A fantasy/science fiction book about an assassin for hire. A very
amusing and sometimes outright funny read. I often found myself laughing
out loud.
SF FLIN
A not-so-funny historical fiction/time travel book about a
contemporary West Virginia town that is transported back to 1632
Germany - in the middle of the Thirty Years War.
Rita Rosauer, Adult Services
Manager
F TYLE, LARGE TYPE F TYLE, CD F TYLE, TC F
TYLE
- Back When We Were Grown-Ups by Anne Tyler
I like serious contemporary fiction by women writers. Anne Tyler has
always been one of my favorites. Her characters are frequently quirky -
the heroine of this new novel, Rebecca Davitch, certainly falls in that
category.
Rebecca has raised her dead husband's three girls as well as her own
daughter, supporting the family by hosting parties in their spacious old
home. In her mid-fifties she finds that she is restless and feels as
though she has "lost her true self." She seeks out her college sweetheart
- the man she jilted for the dashing but short-lived Joe Davitch.
This is a charming, tender story about a woman "of a certain age."
Shannon, Youth Services
363.192 WI
- Fateful Harvest by Duff Wilson
(It rocks) (It's very very very good) (on the environment & toxic
waste)
Shar, Reception
306.74 AL
- Brothel: Mustang Ranch and Its Women by Alexa Albert
The author wrote this book as a public health study while a student
at Harvard Medical School. Albert befriends the "girls" of Mustang Ranch
and shares their lives with the reader. The book is a "thriller" on one
page, a "mystery" or a "biography" on the next. A very interesting, but
quick, nonfiction work.
Tami Chumbley, Youth Services
Manager
JE S
- And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoon by Janet Stevens
and Susan Stevens Crummel. Illustrated by Janet Stevens.
If you think you are familiar with favorite Mother Goose Rhymes, then try
this delightful picture book! Or, if you're looking for a way to introduce
a child to these familiar rhymes, the book offers a twist. The dish and
spoon have run off and the rest of the members from their story go
searching for them, hoping to find them in time for the nightly reading.
Great illustrations and fun on every page.
Tina Medina, Receptionist
F PATT, TC F PATT
- Hide and Seek
- Pop Goes the Weasel
- Kiss the Girls
- Along Came a Spider
- Jack and Jill
- Cat and Mouse
by James Patterson
I enjoy detective mystery books.
Vicki Seeck, Youth
Services
641.5636 MA
- Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison
This cookbook contains everything you need to know about vegetarian
cooking. The recipes appeal to everyone, including nonvegetarians. There
is no better vegetarian cookbook. Absolutely the best!
F SHAA
- The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara
The story of the Battle of Gettysburg told from the perspective of the
participants. Like The Red Badge of Courage, you get the feel of
what it was like, not merely the story of what happened.
- The Great Red Train Ride by Eric Newby
A hilarious travel book about a journey by train from Moscow to the
Pacific Ocean. The author describes himself and his wife as being two
sardines on the wrong side of the door with no key.
940.5481 WI, TC 940.5481 WI
The author's account of his experience during the Holocaust.
- Rilke's Book of Hours: Love Poems to God by Rainer Maria
Rilke
Poetry that describes the author's relationship with God.
