Carys Davies’ debut novel West is as gripping as it is spare. This spartan prose symbolizes and reflects the possessions and lives of the characters the author explores. Cy Bellman, a grieving widower, strikes out with meager possessions and too little knowledge about his destination to locate the bones of an extinct giant creature. He leaves… Continue reading West by Carys Davies – New Title Tuesday
Prompted by the recent heat wave, Assistant Director Ryan Johnson provided some intriguing summer reading recommendations in this week’s O’Fallon Weekly. He said, “Traditionally, beach reads are contemporary fiction and are generally considered to be light, fun, and easy reads.” Not something like Stephen King’s It or Melville’s Moby Dick. “I’m taking a position that certain non-fiction titles fit… Continue reading ICYMI – Library News & Notes, May 16, 2018
This week’s New Title Tuesday selection, Creative Quest by Questlove with Ben Greenman, is an uplifting and entertaining exploration of the creative process and what it means to seek personal and intellectual challenges. And who better to offer these insights than Renaissance man, Questlove (Ahmir Khalib Thompson) who is maybe best known as the Roots bandleader on… Continue reading New Title Tuesday – Creative Quest by Questlove
Before I saw this title, Just the Funny Parts . . . And a Few Hard Truths About Sneaking Into the Hollywood Boys’ Club, I had no idea who Nell Scovell was. But, I’ve certainly watched most of the shows she’s written for. Publisher’s Summary: You’ve almost certainly laughed at Scovell’s jokes—you just didn’t know it until now. Just… Continue reading Just the Funny Parts by Nell Scovell – New Title Tuesday
This week’s New Title Tuesday selection, The Overstory by Richard Powers, humanizes hard science through the lyricism of Powers’s writing. If not for his creative use of rhythm and imagery, this hefty text would not be so interesting nor timely. Publisher’s Summary: An Air Force loadmaster in the Vietnam War is shot out of the sky, then… Continue reading The Overstory by Richard Powers – New Title Tuesday
The Dead House may be his debut novel, Billy O’Callaghan is a seasoned writer and this novel showcases the author’s compelling talent. While it is tempting to label The Dead House as a ghost story, it’s just as much psychological mystery and Irish history. Publisher’s Summary: Sometimes the past endures—and sometimes it never lets go. This best-selling… Continue reading The Dead House by Billy O’Callaghan – New Title Tuesday
This week’s New Title recommendation, Jane Harper’s Force of Nature, is perfect for those of us who want the experience of travel but cannot physically go to Australia. Listening to the narrator on the audiobook brings the land-down-under closer, especially when the setting – an inhospitable bushland in a mountain range – is as integral to the plot as the… Continue reading Force of Nature by Jane Harper – New Title Tuesday
