Recently we received several delightful notes from readers. These have been slipped into returned books, and I must say they bring smiles to our faces, even if you can’t see them behind our masks.
Some ask, “How is your day?” or might leave an inspiring message. Others offer comments about the book, praises as well as critiques. We have enjoyed finding them, especially when we have read the book in which they arrive. One even offered an email address asking the finder to make contact to discuss the book.
I suppose these communications have been prompted by our natural tendency to communicate, one that has been diminished lately because of this ghastly pandemic. Regardless of what provoked them, we encourage you to send more, and keep sending them even when we are open to the public again.
While we all are inveterate readers, we also really yearn to talk to others about the books they are reading. (This is actually one of the best of the many perks of working in a library.) So, we have missed chatting with you about your favorite books and hope you will share your opinions with us via short, or long, notes. We love to hear from our patrons!
Timely Quote
“Do not be dismayed by the brokenness of the world. All things break, and all things can be mended. Not with time, as they say, but with intention. So go. Love intentionally, extravagantly, unconditionally. The broken world waits in darkness for the light that is you.” This was written by L. R. Knost, who also wrote the following poem:
Books on the bookshelves
And stacked on the floor
Books kept in baskets
And propped by the door
Books in neat piles
And in disarray
Books tucked in closets
And books on display
Books filling crannies
And books packed in nooks
Books massed in windows
And mounded in crooks
Libraries beckon
And bookstores invite
But book-filled rooms welcome
Us back home at night!
New Nonfiction
“Answers in the Form of Questions: A Definitive History and Insider’s Guide to Jeopardy!” by Claire McNear will take you behind the scenes into the world of the popular game show “Jeopardy.” Interesting stories about contestants and the strategies they use to prepare for an appearance; comments from the show’s late host, Alex Trebek; and accounts both poignant and hilarious are included. It’s a must for fans of the long-running nightly test of knowledge. (If you want to know more about “Jeopardy,” we also have “The Answer Is…Reflections on My Life” an autobiography by Trebek.)
“Bag Man: The Wild Crimes, Audacious Cover-up, and Spectacular Downfall of a Brazen Crook in the White House” by Rachel Maddow and Michael Yarvitz presents an expansion of Maddow’s podcast that was nominated for a Peabody Award. This entertaining and compelling book is about Spiro Agnew, Nixon’s vice president, whose attempt to disguise his corruption led to his resignation after federal prosecutors discovered the depths of his shameless double dealings. Kirkus Reviews calls it “A welcome reminder that, unlike today, in the case of Agnew, political crimes were actually punished (and in a nonpartisan fashion).”
“How to Catch a Mole: Wisdom from a Life Lived in Nature” by Marc Hamer is a memoir by a man who experienced homelessness as a teenager, became a professional gardener and, at one point, was a molecatcher in Wales. His reflections and insights will inspire those who seek a closer relationship with nature. Said Margaret Renkle, “…hands down the most charming book I read last year.”
“Apollo’s Arrow: The Profound and Enduring Impact of Coronavirus on the Way We Live” is a definitive account of how the highly contagious virus has affected us by Nicholas A. Christakis, MD PhD, a public health expert, author, physician, and sociologist. Hailed by Harvard Medical School professor Paul Farmer for its “scope, wit and erudition,” the book looks at the virus from both a historical perspective and a medical one. It is most informative, as well as absorbing.
“First Principles: What America’s Founders Learned from the Greeks and Romans and How That Shaped Our Country” by Thomas E. Ricks is endorsed by Gen. James Mattis with these words, “Ricks knocks it out of the park with this jewel of a book. On every page I learned something new. Read it every night if you want to restore your faith in our country.” The book studies the education and philosophies of our first four presidents: George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison and how these leaders used their knowledge to establish our nation. Students of American history will be enthralled by this enlightened exposition.
“The Book Collectors: A Band of Syrian Rebels and the Stories That Carried Them Through a War” by journalist Delphine Minoui tells the exciting and true story of a group of young men from Daraya, Syria, who recovered a trove of books from the rubble left after a bombing. They went on to establish an underground library in the midst of a civil war. Chosen as a Best Book of the Year by NPR and an Editor’s Pick at Library Journal, this is an incredible account of bravery and a powerful passion for books and reading. It brings an untold story to readers who won’t soon forget the heroic actions of these courageous and resourceful men.
“Garner’s Quotations: A Modern Miscellany” was compiled by Dwight Garner, a New York Times book critic. It is crammed with witty and memorable, irreverent and raucous sayings that Garner has collected for years. “Quotations, by definition, are out of context. I’ve played freely with this notion and have placed some lines quite out of context indeed,” he writes. Here’s a taste: “I don’t even know who Mr. Watergate is,” said Vladimir Nabokov in a 1974 interview. “My sad conviction is that people can only agree about what they’re not really interested in,” said Bertrand Russell.
by Karin Glendenning
Some ask, “How is your day?” or might leave an inspiring message. Others offer comments about the book, praises as well as critiques. We have enjoyed finding them, especially when we have read the book in which they arrive. One even offered an email address asking the finder to make contact to discuss the book.
I suppose these communications have been prompted by our natural tendency to communicate, one that has been diminished lately because of this ghastly pandemic. Regardless of what provoked them, we encourage you to send more, and keep sending them even when we are open to the public again.
While we all are inveterate readers, we also really yearn to talk to others about the books they are reading. (This is actually one of the best of the many perks of working in a library.) So, we have missed chatting with you about your favorite books and hope you will share your opinions with us via short, or long, notes. We love to hear from our patrons!
Timely Quote
“Do not be dismayed by the brokenness of the world. All things break, and all things can be mended. Not with time, as they say, but with intention. So go. Love intentionally, extravagantly, unconditionally. The broken world waits in darkness for the light that is you.” This was written by L. R. Knost, who also wrote the following poem:
Books on the bookshelves
And stacked on the floor
Books kept in baskets
And propped by the door
Books in neat piles
And in disarray
Books tucked in closets
And books on display
Books filling crannies
And books packed in nooks
Books massed in windows
And mounded in crooks
Libraries beckon
And bookstores invite
But book-filled rooms welcome
Us back home at night!
New Nonfiction
“Answers in the Form of Questions: A Definitive History and Insider’s Guide to Jeopardy!” by Claire McNear will take you behind the scenes into the world of the popular game show “Jeopardy.” Interesting stories about contestants and the strategies they use to prepare for an appearance; comments from the show’s late host, Alex Trebek; and accounts both poignant and hilarious are included. It’s a must for fans of the long-running nightly test of knowledge. (If you want to know more about “Jeopardy,” we also have “The Answer Is…Reflections on My Life” an autobiography by Trebek.)
“Bag Man: The Wild Crimes, Audacious Cover-up, and Spectacular Downfall of a Brazen Crook in the White House” by Rachel Maddow and Michael Yarvitz presents an expansion of Maddow’s podcast that was nominated for a Peabody Award. This entertaining and compelling book is about Spiro Agnew, Nixon’s vice president, whose attempt to disguise his corruption led to his resignation after federal prosecutors discovered the depths of his shameless double dealings. Kirkus Reviews calls it “A welcome reminder that, unlike today, in the case of Agnew, political crimes were actually punished (and in a nonpartisan fashion).”
“How to Catch a Mole: Wisdom from a Life Lived in Nature” by Marc Hamer is a memoir by a man who experienced homelessness as a teenager, became a professional gardener and, at one point, was a molecatcher in Wales. His reflections and insights will inspire those who seek a closer relationship with nature. Said Margaret Renkle, “…hands down the most charming book I read last year.”
“Apollo’s Arrow: The Profound and Enduring Impact of Coronavirus on the Way We Live” is a definitive account of how the highly contagious virus has affected us by Nicholas A. Christakis, MD PhD, a public health expert, author, physician, and sociologist. Hailed by Harvard Medical School professor Paul Farmer for its “scope, wit and erudition,” the book looks at the virus from both a historical perspective and a medical one. It is most informative, as well as absorbing.
“First Principles: What America’s Founders Learned from the Greeks and Romans and How That Shaped Our Country” by Thomas E. Ricks is endorsed by Gen. James Mattis with these words, “Ricks knocks it out of the park with this jewel of a book. On every page I learned something new. Read it every night if you want to restore your faith in our country.” The book studies the education and philosophies of our first four presidents: George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison and how these leaders used their knowledge to establish our nation. Students of American history will be enthralled by this enlightened exposition.
“The Book Collectors: A Band of Syrian Rebels and the Stories That Carried Them Through a War” by journalist Delphine Minoui tells the exciting and true story of a group of young men from Daraya, Syria, who recovered a trove of books from the rubble left after a bombing. They went on to establish an underground library in the midst of a civil war. Chosen as a Best Book of the Year by NPR and an Editor’s Pick at Library Journal, this is an incredible account of bravery and a powerful passion for books and reading. It brings an untold story to readers who won’t soon forget the heroic actions of these courageous and resourceful men.
“Garner’s Quotations: A Modern Miscellany” was compiled by Dwight Garner, a New York Times book critic. It is crammed with witty and memorable, irreverent and raucous sayings that Garner has collected for years. “Quotations, by definition, are out of context. I’ve played freely with this notion and have placed some lines quite out of context indeed,” he writes. Here’s a taste: “I don’t even know who Mr. Watergate is,” said Vladimir Nabokov in a 1974 interview. “My sad conviction is that people can only agree about what they’re not really interested in,” said Bertrand Russell.
by Karin Glendenning
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