Staff,
Board, and Volunteer Favorites of 2004
FICTION
F HADD
Haddon, Mark. The Curious Incident of
the Dog in the Night-Time
A most unusual first person narrator finds his neighbor's
dog obviously killed by someone and intends to find out
who did it. This narrator is a 15-year-old boy who finds
it extremely unnerving to look anyone in the face, can't
stand being touched (even his parents can't hug him), and
the stimulation of lots of colors and signage and movement
makes him want to scream or at least groan. He's a mathematical
genius and a literalist-he is mentally unable to tell a
lie. Due to the skill of this author, the reader is surprisingly
and easily able to connect with him.--Hedy
N.R. Hustedde, Information Librarian
F HOSS
Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner
Amir, the son of a wealthy businessman, and Hassad, the
son of his servant-these are the two main characters in
this novel of Afghanistan. The story follows their freindship
from the relatively calm days of the 1970s, through the
war with the Soviet Union, to the cruel regime of the Taliban.
A fascinating story that I didn't want to end! --Barb
Reardon, Information Librarian
F LAHI
Lahiri, Jhumpa. The Namesake
I enjoy books that provide a window into other countries
and cultures. This story follows Gogol, a first generation
Indian American, as he struggles to find his place between
two worlds. It's a beautifully written and engaging novel.--Rita
Rosauer, Senior Manager
F SEIF,
DIBS F SEIF Seiffert, Rachel. The Dark
Room
This novel is a deceptively simple read. The book is divided
into three short stories united by place, historical events,
and themes, but not by specific characters. Each story presents
the reader with a set of issues to sort through. By the end
of the novel, the issues converge in the mind yielding a whole
new set of questions about Central Europe in the middle of
the twentieth century. The Dark Room is not just a war novel.
The themes fit the time of WWII, but the issues raised are
every bit as important in the United States at the beginning
of the twenty-first century.--Michael
Hustedde, Volunteer
F VONN,
CD-ROM F VONN Vonnegut, Kurt. Slaughter-House
Five
Adventure-type book with lots of encouragement for readers
of fiction books--Greg Bates, Volunteer
for Tech Services
F WEIN,
CD F WEIN, TC F WEIN Weiner, Jennifer. Good
in Bed
This is a "Chick Let" book about Cannie, a large
woman who is struggling with her job, love life, and family
relationships. There is a lot of humor.--Judi
Sarafin, Information Librarian
ROM
BROW, LARGE TYPE ROM BROW, TC ROM BROW Brown, Sandra.
White Hot
Suspenseful!--Mary Burkhead, Library
Clerk
ROM
MACO Macomber, Debbie. Shop on Blossom
Street
A wonderful story of an unlikely group of women, who are
drawn to friendship through a love of knitting. Reminds
you of the amazing benefits of women friends.--Nancy
Medema, Lead Library Assistant
M COBE,
LARGE TYPE M COBE, TC M COBE Coben, Harlan.
Gone For Good
It's another classic Coben book. It's about a boy who finds
out his brother, thought to be dead for several years, is
still alive and in trouble. It's a real page turner with a
twist on every one of them. If you like Grisham or Sandford
or any of these guys, I strongly suggest this book/author.--Mark
Zikra, Maintenance Page
M LEON
Leon, Donna. Death at La Fenice
Donna Leon is one of my favorite mystery writers. Until
recently, her books were not readily available in the United
States and for that reason she is not as well known as she
should be. Never fear, however, because the BPL has a large
collection of her mysteries. They take place in Venice,
Italy, and Leon is a master at creating the atmosphere of
that city. Her main character, Commissario Guido Brunetti,
is a thoroughly decent man in a very corrupt system, and
unlike many detectives, has a loving family. His wife, Paola,
is likewise a very appealing character and I guarantee that
your mouth will begin to water as Leon takes great care
to describe the wonderful food that she cooks. Start with
this volume and then read them all.--Vicki
Seeck, Youth Services
M MCCA,
LARGE TYPE M MCCA, TC M MCCA McCall Smith, Alexander.
The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency
1990s Botswana, Africa-the first in a series-Precious Ramotswe
is "traditionally built" (fat) and her detective
cases are like fables, all with twists and proverbs at the
end. One learns in a delightful fashion about something
as particular and exotic as Botswana and as universal and
perplexing as human nature.--Hedy
N.R. Hustedde, Information Librarian
M STRO,
LARGE TYPE M STRO Strohmeyer, Sarah. Bubbles
Ablaze; Bubbles in Trouble; Bubbles Unbound; Bubbles A Broad
If you're a fan of the Stephanie Plum mysteries by Janet
Evanovich, you'll enjoy these. You'll meet Bubbles Yablonsky,
an anything-but-ordinary hair stylist with a flair for getting
involved in dangerous situations. A zany "cast of characters"
provides lots of laughs as mysteries are solved and, along
the way, Bubbles offers some helpful beauty tips.--Karen
Madesian, Circulation Services Manager
NONFICTION
230
JO Johnson, Timothy. Finding God in
the Questions: A Personal Journey
Dr. Tim Johnson is best known as a medical correspondent
for ABC News, but in this memoir he describes his own spiritual
journey. This book is thoughtful and well-written. The author
grapples with his own doubts and raises questions that many
people of faith ask from time to time. This book will appeal
to people from a wide variety of Christian traditions and
it is, in my opinion, one of the best books of this kind
that I have read.--Vicki Seeck, Youth
Services
305.569
EH Ehrenreich, Barbara. Nickel and Dimed:
On (Not) Getting By in America
An eye opening account of what it is like to try and survive
in America on a minimum wage salary. Poverty statistics
are brought to life as journalist Ehrenreich joined poverty
level workers "undercover" and spent about two
years taking low income jobs such as working as a waitress,
hotel maid, nursing home aide, and for a cleaning service.
Sharing her experience and the stories of the struggles
of her co-workers gave me a new understanding of how difficult
or even impossible it is for single moms in particular to
break out of poverty. A quick and entertaining read despite
the serious topic.--Caran Johnson,
Volunteer and Outreach Services Coordinator
617.092
GA Gawande, Atul. Complications: A Surgeon's
Notes on an Imperfect Science
Wonderfully readable essays on things like nausea, blushing,
obesity, flesh-eating bacteria, autopsies, medical conventions,
malpractice, and luck. The humanity of both surgeons and
patients is emphasized. I've given this book as a gift to
young and old, male and female.--Hedy
N.R. Hustedde, Information Librarian
795.415
RO Root, William S. The ABCs of Bridge
This book is helping to improve my bridge playing.--Robert
E. Ofner, Volunteer
813.54
PI Pinkwater, Daniel. Uncle Boris in the
Yukon: And Other Shaggy Dog Stories
I read this and could not stop laughing. My daughter heard
me and came in a little after 10 p.m., wondering what I was
doing, and when I told her, she said, "Mom, nothing you
read could be THAT funny."--Vicki
Seeck, Youth Services
891.8517
SZ Szymborska, Wislawa. View With a
Grain of Sand: Selected Poems translated from
the Polish by Stanislaw Baranczak and Carle Cavanagh
Symborska won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1996, but
I just started reading this book recently and found much
to interest and influence me. Just this morning at work
as the photocopier was warming up, I mentioned that at least
I could read a poem while waiting. My colleague Chris Crow
added, "Hope it's a good one!" Me: "Well,
the one I opened to starts out
After every war
Someone has to tidy up.
Things won't pick
themselves up, after all.
Someone
has to shove
the rubble to the roadsides
so the carts loaded with corpses can get by…"
It went on for many more verses which sobered Chris and
me up quite thoroughly as we couldn't help but think of
the current war in Iraq. Much later, Chris walked by out
in the bookstacks saying she couldn't get the final image
out of her mind:
Someone has to lie there
in the grass that covers up
the causes and effects
with a cornstalk in his teeth
gawking at clouds.
We discussed what we each thought that meant, Chris as a
farm girl and me as an urban girl. Chris: "I guess
that's what poetry's supposed to do-get you to think-it
works!"
This book contains a selection of 100 of Szymborska's most
thought-provoking poetry from her Calling Out to Yeti
(1957) to The End and the Beginning (1993). They
read as though originally written in English and convey
the full range of her wisdom and wit. I've already sent
one poem about travel to a friend going to China and am
saving another for a birthday and yet another for a sympathy
card.--Hedy N.R. Hustedde, Information
Librarian
956.7044
CA Carroll, James. Crusade: Chronicles
of an Unjust War
This is a collection of columns by the author written for
the Boston Globe since the attack on the World Trade Center.
Although it is difficult to relive the early days immediately
after 9/11, this collection offers a thoughtful and alternative
view of that event and the actions taken in the years since.
It is a book I think everyone, from blue and red states,
should read.--Faye Clow, Director
973.931
BY Byrd, Robert C. Losing America: Confronting
a Reckless and Arrogant Presidency
A well-written account of how the Bush Administration has
abused power beyond reason, stripping away, bit by bit, the
Congress' ability to control the president's harmful agenda.
He warns that democracy itself is at risk, and explains that,
now more than ever, we need to demand accountability in the
executive branch, and once again achieve a government that
is for the people, by the people, and of the people.--LuAnn
Hogan, Library Clerk, Technical Services
B BARR,
LARGE TYPE B BARR Barr, Nevada. Seeking Enlightenment
Hat by Hat: A Skeptic's Path to Religion
Nevada Barr is an acclaimed mystery writer, the author of
the Anna Pigeon series. In this book, however, she explores
spiritual questions as a person who came to Christianity
as an adult. She also comments on her lengthy battle with
depression. Readers of the Anna Pigeon series will note
some resemblance between the Barr revealed in this book
and the character she creates. Hers is a faith that skirts
the edge of doubt and she raises provocative questions as
she tries to come to grips with the changes religion has
brought to her life.--Vicki Seeck,
Youth Services
B STYRON
Styron, William. Darkness Visible:
A Memoir of Madness
Depression is a crippling illness but is very difficult
to comprehend for those who have never suffered from its
effects. If you want to understand something of what it
feels like to have this disease, this short book will help
you. Styron, the author of Sophie's Choice, suffers from
severe depression and has an extraordinary ability to describe
what it feels like.--Vicki Seeck,
Youth Services
JE S
Spinelli, Eileen. Something to Tell
the Grandcows
This was my favorite picture book of the year. Based on
a true story, a grandmother cow journeys to the South Pole.
Don't miss the udder warmer on the cover illustration.--Vicki
Seeck, Youth Services
J BABB,
JUV BOCD J BABB Babbitt, Natalie. Tuck
Everlasting
You may have seen the movie, but as is almost always the
case, the book is better. This children's novel contains
so many rich layers of meaning and such glorious writing
that everyone should read this book at least once. Several
well-known authors list this book as among their favorites.
If I were to make a list of my top ten books, this would
definitely be on it.--Vicki Seeck,
Youth Services
NEWBERY
J SPEA-MEDAL WINNER 1959, JUV BOT J SPEA Speare, Elizabeth.
The Witch of Blackbird Pond
I read this Newbery winner as an adult and have since recommended
it to many children, including my daughters. This novel
takes place in Puritan New England and tells the story of
a young woman who comes to live with relatives after the
death of her grandfather. It is a huge adjustment to harsh
New England life for her. She eventually makes friends with
a Quaker woman who is regarded suspiciously by the community.
This novel brings this historical period to life and teaches
important lessons about tolerance and character.--Vicki
Seeck, Youth Services
