Reader's Advisory

These are two new books in the knitting collection that deserve mention.

 

Sock Innovation by Cookie A is a collection of patterns that revolutionize sock design. This unique designer has added lacy patterns and flair paired with painted and solid yarns to create footwear that is a work of art.  I tried out one of her designs.

 

 

Hat Heads by Trond Anfinssen features hats that were custom-designed and knit for the author's friends and family in Norway.  The book showcases artistic photography and simple patterned hats for solid yarns.    I liked one of his patterns so much that I knit it in two different colorways.

 

These top five Non-Fiction books were picked based on end-of-the-year recommendations in various periodicals, newspapers, and online resources including Time, The Chicago Tribune, The New York Times, and Bloomberg.com.

 

 Number One:

The Age of Wonder by Richard Holmes

 

 

 

 

Number Two:

 

The Good Soldiers by David Finkel 

 

 

 

 

 

Number Three:

 

Lit by Mary Karr (Also available in Large Print)

 

 

 

 

 

Number Four:

 

Lords of Finance by Liaquat Ahamed

 

 

 

 

 

Number Five:

 

Cheever: A Life by Blake Bailey

Robert B Parker passed away today at the age of 77, while sitting at his desk.  The mystery writer of over 60 novels will still have several books published this year, but his death will leave a gap on our library shelves.  Linked here is a list of our library holdings, and book descriptions.  Although he cannot be replaced, included is also a list of similar reads.

These three titles were at the top of the critics choice list.

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

In Other Rooms, Other Wonders by Daniyal Mueenuddin

A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore

 

Is becoming a more avid reader one of your New Year's resolutions?  If so, join our book discussion group in reading The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski, the tale of a young mute boy living on his family's farm in Wisconsin.  This book was not only an Oprah pick but also Amazon.com's "Best Book of the Month for June 2008".    Please join our book discussion group in reading this title and discussing it at our February 16 meeting at 7:00 p.m.  To request a copy of The Story of Edgar Sawtelle please call the library at 708-485-6917 x 127 or send us an email at Reference@brookfieldpubliclibrary.info

One the good things and the bad things about working in a library is that you are exposed to so many wonderful books, DVDs, music, etc.  It's great because you can almost always find something that fits your mood, but the downside is that you have a constant backlog of books to read & movies to watch.  That being said- my favorites of 2009 aren't necessarily things new in 2009 but rather things that were new to me.

Books

The Life of Pi was one of those books on my list that I was never able to get to- until we read it for book discussion.  It was one of those page turning stories that kept me going until the end.

Assasination Vacation by Sarah Vowell discusses her trips to various sites relating to assassinated presidents & their assassins.  

The Gates by John Connolly.  It's been a while since I've laughed while reading as much as I did while reading The Gates.  Connolly's novel features a Samuel, young boy in England who just happens to witness a brief opening of the Gates of Hell, Nurd, a banished demon who happens to get free when the gates are opened, some possessed neighbors, and some scientists at CERN who make you wonder what really goes on at research factilities.  I enjoyed Connolly's use of footnotes to add more info to the scenes he describes.  All in all it was a fun read. 

Percy Jackson & the Olympians by Rick Riordan.  This popular children's series features Percy Jackson- a kid who discovers that his dad is the Greek god Poseidon & gets sent to Camp Half Blood- a summer camp for demi-gods.  The first book in this series, The Lightning Thief, will be released as a movie in 2010.

DVDs

I finally caught up to 2 TV series on DVD - Arrested Development & Deadwood.

Arrested Development stars Jason Bateman & is "the story of a wealthy family who lost everything & the one son who had no choice but to keep them all together."  Basic plot synopsis- Dad (Jeffrrey Tambor) gets arrested for embezzling from the company & his son Michael (arguably the only sane member of the family) must put up with the crazy hijinks of his family members as they try to find a way to get their dad released from prison.

Deadwood - Put out by HBO, Deadwood tells the story of the Deadwood the boom town in the 1800s.  With characters as colorful as the language, this drama gives you a side of the old west you don't often see in movies- the politics of the times, the seedy nature of the men in boom towns and even dirt.  While older Hollywood westerns glamorize the old west, Deadwood shows it for what it really is.

These are just a few of the many great things I've read or seen in 2009 so stay tuned for more favorites... 

2009 saw the development of the Romance collection here at the Brookfield Public Library.  Our new Romance section is home to favorite authors like Nora Roberts, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Stephanie Laurens, and Sherrilyn Kenyon.  Many of the titles from Amazon.com's Editors' Top 10 in Romance can be found in our Romance collection...

• Angel's Blood by Nalini Singh
• Smooth Talking Stranger by Lisa Kleypas
• Kiss of a Demon King by Kresley Cole
• The Perfect Poison by Amanda Quick
• Bending the Rules by Susan Andersen
• What Happens in London by Julia Quinn
• Fireside (The Lakeshore Chronicles) by Susan Wiggs
• A Duke of Her Own by Eloisa James 
• Immortal Outlaw by Lisa Hendrix
• Angel Lane by Sheila Roberts 

2009 has been a busy year for Brookfield Public Library.  In addition to our regular book discussion group we started a Non-Fiction discussion group which met at the Salt Creek Wine Bar.  See our list below to keep up with what our book discussion groups have been reading.

Fiction

The November book for the Fiction Book Discussion Group is Chasing Cezanne, a humorous who dunit caper set in the world of art theft.  Over the centuries the art world hosts some of the most brutal crimes and thefts as dazzling as the masterpieces themselves.   Even the more "honestly" acquired masterpieces like the Parthenon Marbles acquired by Lord Elgin often inspire a great deal of debate.   If you find yourself intrigued by the mysteries of the worlds of art theft & forgery, check out these titles:

Fiction:

• And Only to Deceive by Tasha Alexander
• The Art Thief by Noah Charney
• Chazing Cezanne by Peter Mayle
• The Good Thief's Guide to Paris by Chris Ewan
• Murder at the National Gallery by Margaret Truman
• Valfierno: The Man Who Stole the Mona Lisa by Martin Caparros

Non Fiction:

• The Gardner Heist by Ulrich Boser
• The Lost Museum by Hector Feliciano
• The Medici Conspiracy by Peter Watson
• Museum of the Missing by Simon Houpt
• The Rescue Artist by Edward Dolnick

While looking at new fiction today, it seems there is a new trend of fiction about artists.  Sunflowers: A Novel of Vincent Van Gogh by Sheramy Bundrick brings Van Gogh's personal story and paintings to life.  The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver is set in 1930s Mexico in the household Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo.  Both books are out this Fall.