Staff Selections - Nicki, Director

What is your favorite genre? I like to read non-fiction books on travel and gardening.

What are you reading now? Man’s Search For Meaning by Viktor Frankl for the January 20th book club meeting. I’m also reading Making More Plants: The Science, Art, and Joy of Propagation by Ken Druse.

What have you read recently? Mostly non-fiction books on gardening and travel. I enjoy listening to books on tape as I travel. Jodi Picoult and Dean Koontz are recent authors that were great to listen to.

What is your favorite classic? John Muir’s writings, Edgar Allen Poe’s poetry, and My Antonia by Willa Cather.

What is your all time favorite book/series? Parnassus on Wheels and The Haunted Bookshop by Christopher Morley. All of John McPhee’s books, especially The Pine Barrens, Table of  Contents, and The John McPhee Reader.

What are your favorite recommendations? Over the last year I have read and would recommend these books: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Marc Haddon, The Glass Castle: A Memoir by Jeannette Wall, A Thousand Splendid Suns and The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer, Little Bee by Chris Cleave, and Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen.

Read-alike Guides - The Lord of the Rings

If you enjoyed The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R.Tolkien, you might enjoy one of these books:

Eragon by Christopher Paolini
In Aagaësia, a 15-year-old boy of unknown lineage called Eragon finds a mysterious stone that weaves his life into a tale of destiny, magic, and power peopled with dragons, elves, and monsters. This sweeping epic crosses a vast geography and is replete with histories, names, and languages. Tolkien’s influence on Paolini is clearly visible. (YAF Pao)

The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
Agents of the Dark One are loose in the world. Salvation can only be achieved if the efforts of a small band of unlikely heroes, embarking on a journey to discover themselves and to save the world from the rising evil, are successful. Adventure, melancholy tone, circumscribed magic, and a bleakly atmospheric, layered story add to the feel of Tolkien's own Middle Earth.

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
The royal Stark family faces its ultimate challenge in the onset of a generation-long winter, the plots of the rival Lannisters, the emergence of the Neverborn demons, and the arrival of barbarian hordes. Martin combines intrigue, action, romance, and mystery in a family saga. Tolkien fans will appreciate Martin’s literacy, imagination, emotional impact, and superb world-building.

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
Lyra Belacqua, who lives in a parallel universe much like ours, sets out to save her best friend and other abducted children from gruesome experiments in the Far North. Descriptive writing, a cast of fascinating characters, and the ever-present philosophical question of the definition of good and evil makes for great reading. (YAF Pul)

Magician: Apprentice by Raymond E. Feist
The first of two linked novels in the Riftwar Saga explores the destiny of two young apprentices—one to a magician and the other to a swordsman—joined in the battle of light against dark. Wizards and elves remind readers of Tolkien, as do the compelling, sympathetic characters and intricate plots, but Feist also adds elements of science fiction.

Mystic and Rider by Sharon Shinn
The Mystic woman Senneth, accompanied by a team of Shapeshifters and Riders, is sent by the king into the land of Gillengaria to investigate reports of retaliation against those who use magic. Elegant prose conjures likable characters and an absorbing group-development narrative in an easy, absorbing, high-quality read.

Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings
The farm boy Garion begins a dangerous quest to recover the magic Orb and prevent the evil Torak from seizing power over the world in the first book of Eddings’ Belgariad. Warring gods, political intrigues, supernatural creatures, and appealingly human magicians populate this adventure fantasy.

Shadowmarch by Tad Williams
With the fate of humanity hanging in the balance, twins Barrick and Briony must save Southmarch Castle and the surrounding lands from their inhuman enemies. The turbulently conflicted land of humans, elves, and dwarves in the first book of this intriguing saga should appeal to fans of Middle Earth and its peoples. Williams’ writing is exciting, intricate, and insightful.

The Summer Tree by Guy Gavriel Kay
In The Fionavar Tapestry, beginning with The Summer Tree, five University of Toronto students find themselves transported to the Tolkienesque world of Fionavar, where they discover their individual powers and become involved in a struggle against the forces of evil. Complex plot and characters, mythological lore, and elegant prose make this trilogy comparable to The Lord of the Rings.

The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks
Although the language and plot lack the complexity of Tolkien's, the Shannara series shares many similarities to Tolkien’s works—elves, druids, and wraiths; a young, untried hero; battles of good versus evil; action; and adventure. In this first book, Shea must save inhabitants of the world from the Warlock Lord by reclaiming the wondrous sword.

Also by J.R.R.Tolkien:

The Children of Húrin
Discovered posthumously and edited by Tolkien’s son, The Children of Húrin is a fantasy adventure saga set in the early days of Middle Earth. Túrin, son of the human lord Húrin and the elven lady Morwen, becomes a pivotal force in the ongoing battle against evil. The editorial hand of Christopher Tolkien makes this tale more approachable than his father’s other posthumously published works.

The Silmarillion
In 1917, Tolkien began writing these legends of Middle Earth. Two tales, which outline the origin of the world and describe the gods who create and rule, precede the title story about the Silmarils--three jewel-like creatures who are desired, setting up a clash between good and evil from which the legends of the First Age are set forth. Two short tales follow to round out the history of the Third Age.

The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
Tolkien was a prodigious letter writer all his life, and Carpenter presents the cream of the crop--letters that shed light on his thoughts about his academic and literary work and those that show his private side, revealing a loving husband, a playful friend, and a doting father. Of course, the most fascinating letters are those in which he discusses Middle Earth. (828 To)

Read-alike Guides - Stephen King

If you like the psychological horror tales of Stephen King, you might enjoy one of these books:

Boy’s Life by Robert R. McCammon
Twelve-year-old Cory Mackenson's father finds a dead man handcuffed to a car's steering wheel that has plunged into Zephyr's Lake in 1964, and they realize that all is not as it seems in their quiet town. McCammon’s novel mixes hair-raising dangers and adventure with a coming-of-age tale.

From the Corner of His Eye by Dean Koontz
Bartholomew Lampion grows up a prodigy, blinded by the surgery required to save him from a fast-spreading cancer. He regains his sight at the age of thirteen and sets out to transform the lives of everyone around him. Kooky characters, multiple storylines, and a fast pace provide something for everyone in this compelling tale of good and evil.

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
This classic novel, in which a scientist of the supernatural invites three people to come to Hill House to study and record the occult incidents that occur there, has been scaring readers since its publication in 1959.The phantasma of other worlds—and private worlds—reveal a disconcerting similarity. King fans will appreciate the subtle psychological terror.

Homebody by Orson Scott Card
After losing his daughter in a car wreck, Don Lark buries himself in the work of restoring a magnificent, long-neglected Southern mansion. When he unearths an old tunnel in the cellar, he stirs up the demons of the house's tragic past. This novel is fast-paced, magical, and full of unusual characters.

Hunted Past Reason by Richard Matheson
A camping trip exposes long-hidden rivalries and resentments between two old friends. Tensions rise as they get farther from civilization, until the hostility erupts into a life or death struggle for survival. Matheson effectively translates the basic man-hunts-man story into modern psycho-thriller terms. As always, his dialogue rings true.

Mr. X by Peter Straub
Every year on his birthday, Ned Dunstan experiences a seizure in which he is forced to witness scenes of ruthless slaughter perpetrated by a mysterious and malevolent figure in black whom Ned calls Mr. X. Straub writes this horrific tale of self-discovery in evocative prose, populated with well-drawn characters. Mr. X boasts a labyrinthine plot with shocking twists.

Relic by Douglas J. Preston and Lincoln Child
Investigating a series of savage murders that disrupt a massive new exhibition at the New York Museum of Natural History, graduate student Margo Green finds a clue in a failed Amazonian expedition. Relic has the right blend of gripping suspense, colorful characters, and credible science to create a gripping page-turner.

Sleep No More by Greg Iles
Enjoying a happy marriage while remembering an obsessive love affair years earlier (with a woman who subsequently died), John Waters encounters a woman with a secret only his ex-girlfriend knows. When she, too, is killed, Waters' life is enveloped by guilt and suspicion. Iles is masterful at sustaining psychological suspense with a multitude of plot twists and possibilities.

Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
A masterpiece of modern Gothic literature, this is the story of two boys and the evil that grips their small Midwestern town with the arrival of a "dark carnival" one autumn midnight. How these two innocents save the souls of the town, makes for compelling reading on timeless themes. Bradbury excels in revealing the dark side that exists in us all.

Summer of Night by Dan Simmons
Terror comes to Elm Haven, Illinois, when something or someone makes off with a child, bizarre events occur with increasing frequency, and the long-silent Borgia Bell rings by itself, announcing a malignant presence. Stephen King calls Summer of Night an “American nightmare with scares, suspense, and a sweet, surprising nostalgia, one of those rare must-read books.”

Also by Stephen King:

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
King shares his insights into the craft of writing and offers a humorous perspective on his own experience as a writer. This is unmistakably King—friendly, sharply perceptive, cheerfully vulgar, sometimes adolescent in his humor, sometimes impatient with fools, but always sincere in his love of language and writing. (Find it in the nonfiction section, 813.54 Kin.)

Bare Bones: Conversations on Terror with Stephen King
Bare Bones is a cornucopia of rare insights into Stephen King, the man and the writer. The editors have assembled the first book of conversations with him, a series of revealing interviews King has granted to some of America's most respected interviewers. King discusses his life, his work, his fears and dreams. (Available in nonfiction, 813.54 Ki.)

The Bachman Books: Four Early Novels
Many of King’s early novels were written as Bachman. This omnibus includes Rage, a story of stunning psychological horror about an “estra” ordinary high school student; The Long Walk, a contest with death; Roadwork, a strange variation on the theme of “Home Sweet Home;” and The Running Man, where you bet your life—literally. (F Kin)

Staff Selections - Kathy J., Children's

What is your favorite genre? I love inspirational romance! Women's fiction and historical fiction are my next favorites.

Who is your favorite author? Lori Wick.

      

What are you reading now? Unwrapping Christmas by Lori Copeland.

What have you read recently? One Tuesday Morning and Beyond Tuesday Morning by Karen Kingsbury, an amazing story about two families affected by the 9/11 attacks. I’ve also recently read the Firstborn series by Karen Kingsbury. It was great, but I do recommend reading her Redemption series first.

What is your favorite classic? As a mom, former teacher, and children’s librarian, I am all about the classics. I love reading the original Winnie the Pooh books by A.A. Milne out loud. There are some great quotes to be gleaned from those books!  I really love discovering new classics too! Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin is a terrific book for the little ones!

What is your all time favorite book/series? The Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. A close second is the Nancy Drew mysteries by Carolyn Keene.

What are your favorite recommendations? Adult fiction authors: Janette Oke, Angela Hunt, Gilbert Morris, Frank Peretti, Jan Karon, and Jerry Jenkins. Also read The Princess: A Novel by Lori Wick.

Juvenile fiction authors: Madeline L’Engle and C.S. Lewis. Picture book authors: Eric Carle, Doreen Cronin, Kevin Henkes, Russell Hoban, and Robert McClosky. For those just learning to read: I love the We Both Read series. Newly independent readers: The Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne is great.

Read-alike Guides - The Other Boleyn Girl

If you liked The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory, you might enjoy one of these books:

The Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers by Margaret George
Will Somers, Henry VIII’s court jester, reveals the king’s journal 10 years after Henry’s death. George is a veteran writer of historical fiction biographies, and her 15 years of research for this engaging novel result in vivid period detail, lifelike characterization, and a Tudor England that leaps off the page.

The Firemaster’s Mistress by Christie Dickason
Francis, a fireworks artist, and Kate, an impoverished glove maker, are thrown together amid conspiracies involving Catholic persecution and Guy Fawkes's plot to blow up Parliament. Dickason deftly blends together a richly detailed historical setting, superbly nuanced characters, and a captivating plot rife with deception, danger, and a dash of romance.

I, Elizabeth by Rosalind Miles
The queen writes a diary in which she records court intrigues and the burdens of political power. Focusing more on Elizabeth’s emotional rather than intellectual life, Miles follows her from frightened girl to mature queen—scholarly, vain, shrewd, deeply attuned to such things as the language of dress, capable of great passion, but learning never to let her passions rule.

The Innocent by Posie Graeme-Evans
Anne is a young peasant girl in medieval Britain whose ability to heal others with herbs brings her to the attention of young King Edward IV. There are unexpected results when she becomes a member of his household. This racy tale comes alive with its colorful and often sumptuous descriptions and intriguing plot.

Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir
This complex, absorbing, and psychologically astute novel follows Jane Grey, great-niece of Henry VIII. After the death of Edward VI, Jane becomes a political pawn of the Protestants opposed to Mary’s succession. Jane rules for nine days before reaching the executioner’s block. Weir’s use of alternating viewpoints makes for effective storytelling.

The King’s Grace by Anne Easter Smith
In this highly speculative novel, Edward IV’s illegitimate daughter Grace Plantagenet investigates a young man's claim that he is one of the princes who presumably died in the Tower and who now wants Henry VII's throne. Smith paints 15th-century political intrigue with thought, courage, and honesty through the eyes of a minor historical figure.

The Shadow of the Pomegranate by Jean Plaidy
Katharine of Aragon's marriage to her beloved King Henry VIII is threatened by powerful people at court who spin webs of intrigue regarding whether she can bear a son. Plaidy wrote popular biographical fiction about the British monarchs in the mid-20th century, and she remains one of the best-loved in the genre.

To Dance with Kings by Rosalind Laker
The descendants of a fan maker from a village near Versailles are hired by the courts of Louis XIV, XV, and XVI, and the family's fortunes slowly rise through the French Revolution. Versailles comes alive in this novel of fast-moving drama and romance, which will especially appeal to fans of Gregory’s books with commoners narrating the lives of royalty.

The Wild Irish by Robin Maxwell
Having fought against the English for their oppression of her country, Irish pirate and gunrunner Grace O'Malley goes head-to-head with Queen Elizabeth I when her son is captured, a confrontation that brings her to England and risks her life. Maxwell skillfully interweaves the stories of two very complex, passionate, and remarkable women in this superb tale set during the Irish rebellion.

The Winter Mantle by Elizabeth Chadwick
In the wake of William the Conqueror's triumph at Normandy, one of his noblemen falls in love with William's niece. The situation forces the couple to choose between love and loyalty—a decision that has profound consequences. History, romance, and suspense are knit together in a heartrending tale of love and loss on an appropriately grand scale.

Also by Philippa Gregory:

The White Queen
The Plantagenets are at war, and Elizabeth Woodville catches the eye of the newly crowned boy king and marries him in secret. Their two sons become central figures in a mystery that has confounded historians for centuries, disappearing from the Tower of London. This novel is typical Gregory, with added intimate relationships, political maneuvering, battlefield conflicts, and even some supernatural elements.

Earthly Joys
John Tradescant is the gardener of Sir Robert Cecil, Queen Elizabeth's secretary of state who later plays kingmaker for James Stuart. John finds himself drawn deeper into the political and religious quagmire of the early 17th century. The tumult and chaos of pre-Restoration England is juxtaposed artfully against the order and symmetry of Tradescant’s famous gardens.

Wideacre
In the first of an 18th century family saga trilogy, Beatrice does not stop at murder, maiming, persecution of the innocent, or incest in her quest to secure for herself and children the beloved estate of Wideacre, slated to be delivered into the unworthy hands of male heirs only. Gregory’s first—and perhaps raciest—novel features her trademark confessional style.

Read-alike Guides - The Hunt for Red October

If you liked The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy, you might enjoy one of these books:

The Eagle Has Landed by Jack Higgins
One-time British Army soldier Higgins introduces Liam Devlin, an IRA gunman, poet, scholar, and anti-hero. Devlin is one of various spies who assists a small force of German paratroopers when they land on the Norfolk coast in 1943 and attempt to kidnap Winston Churchill. This is a convincing alternate history with detailed characters.

Fade by Kyle Mills
Directed to re-recruit a former agent who was shot in the line of duty, Homeland Security associate director Matt Egan faces a difficult task. The agent, known as “Fade,” becomes a fugitive in a dangerous act of revenge. Fade is a new kind of hero—a tough, loyal American agent and former Navy SEAL of Arab ancestry. Mills has written an exciting terrorism thriller with a twist.

Flight of the Intruder by Stephen Coonts
Coonts often uses themes and plot devices similar to Clancy’s, as well as accurate technical details. In the first novel of this series, Jake Grafton is an A-6 Intruder pilot during the Vietnam War. Enraged at his bombardier’s meaningless death, Jake’s anger and bitterness grow until he decides to do things his own way, which leads him to the riskiest mission of all.

Flight of the Old Dog by Dale Brown
In the first novel featuring Patrick McLanahan, Pat navigates a B-52, attempting to survive waves of Soviet surface-to-air missiles and MiG fighters in order to drop a bomb on a laser installation in Siberia. A former USAF captain, Brown knows his airborne and naval high-tech equipment, as well as the cockpit bantering of crews.

I, Sniper by Stephen Hunter
Hunter's signature blend of cinematic language, action-packed suspense, and multifaceted characters is evident as retired Marine sniper Bob Lee Swagger fights to clear the name of a fellow soldier-in-arms. Swagger faces off against one of his most ruthless adversaries yet—a sniper whose keen intellect and pinpoint accuracy rivals his own.

More Than Courage by Harold Coyle
When the members of his special forces unit are captured and scheduled for execution deep in enemy territory, Lieutenant Colonel Harry Shaddock is charged with going behind enemy lines to rescue his men and complete their mission. Coyle, a VMI graduate and army veteran, is a master of characterization and accurate detail.

Rolling Thunder by Mark Berent
Three Air Force pilots go to Vietnam in 1965 and face the horrors of the jungle, but when they return home they face the hostility of Americans against the war. Former USAF pilot Berent, who served three tours in Vietnam, writes nonstop action with convincing technical details and military jargon.

Semper Fi by W.E.B. Griffin
The first of The Corps series tells of the Marines between the World Wars, as they were about to become America’s first line of defense after the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. While heavy on action and suspense, Griffin also manages to create lifelike characters and provide detailed description of the culture, relationships, history, and traditions of men at war.

Targets of Opportunity by Joe Weber
Elements of espionage and mounting suspense, high-tech details, action, and adventure are common in Weber’s work. Here, Marine pilot Brad Austin uses a North Vietnamese MiG-17 to fly into Vietnam and infiltrate the Air Force, but once there, he has a difficult additional assignment. A former Marine pilot himself, Weber writes the pilot's perspective realistically.

The Threat by David Poyer
Military details, adventure stories out of today's headlines, and series characters that readers can root for make Poyer’s books great. So great, in fact, that some are used as textbooks at the United States Naval Academy. In The Threat, Medal of Honor recipient Dan Lenson is assigned to serve in the White House, where he uncovers a horrific terrorist plot to smuggle a dirty bomb into the U.S.

Also by Tom Clancy:

Marine: A Guided Tour of a Marine Expeditionary Unit
Clancy offers a unique inside view of the Marines, including their history, recruitment, training, arms, equipment, and strategies. His main focus is the Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU). The USMC maintains seven MEUs, rapid-response units that patrol the sea while waiting for the president to send a "911" call for armed intervention. Clancy’s vivid detail works just as well in nonfiction.

Into the Storm
Clancy traces the organizational success story of the U.S. Army's rise from the slough of Vietnam to the heights of victory in the Persian Gulf. He analyzes the art of modern warfare as seen through the eyes of General Frederick M. Franks, Jr., an armor and infantry commander during the Gulf War. Franks is a man of great courage, integrity, and thoughtfulness. This is a great read.

The Teeth of the Tiger
The most recent Jack Ryan novel actually features Ryan’s son, Jack Jr. When a terrorist leader and a drug warlord form a dangerous alliance, FBI agent Dominic Caruso, his Marine captain brother Brian, and their cousin Jack Ryan, Jr. encounter unexpected dangers. Clancy writes with the exceptional realism and cutting-edge authenticity that are his hallmarks.

Staff Selections - Joan 1, Reference

What is your favorite genre? I love a good mystery!!! Agatha Christie is my all time favorite mystery author!

What are you reading now? First Family by David Baldacci.

What have you read recently? Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Fight Terror and Build Nations-One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson, Cutting For Stone by Abraham Verghese, The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar, and The Help by Kathryn Stockett.

What is your favorite classic? Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier and Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell.

What is your all time favorite book/series? I’ve read Rebecca and Gone With the Wind FIVE times each, so I guess they must be my favorites…..along with anything by Agatha Christie, which I’ve read multiple times too!! I love The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall Smith.

What are your favorite recommendations? I prefer fiction to nonfiction, but I would recommend Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson as an excellent work of nonfiction. I am in a BOOK CLUB, which I find really broadens the scope of what I read. Some of those selections were: The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski, See You in a Hundred Years: Four Seasons in Forgotten America by local author Logan Ward, Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult, Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende, and The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. Also: What the Dead Know by Laura Lippman, The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls and Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen. I guess what I’m saying is...TRY A BOOK CLUB!!