Library Notes week of December 13

We are very excited to be having the Knights of Veritas come to La Conner December 21 at 12:30. They are a non-profit charitable organization out of Moses Lake, specializing in interactive educational demonstrations of medieval arms, armor, combat, and knighthood. The program is a great one for all ages, so we thought holding it at the Senior Center during Winter Break would be the perfect thing. Mark your calendar and be sure to come.

Here are a few new books you might enjoy.

Valcourt Heiress by Catherine Coulter. After his older brother Arthur unexpectedly dies, Garron of Kersey returns home to Wareham Castle to assume his duties as the new earl. But the castle is nearly deserted, with only a few of its retainers hiding within. It seems that a few days after Arthur’s death, the “Black Demon” arrived at the castle and demanded Arthur’s fortune in silver. When they discovered that the castle’s residents know nothing about a treasure, the Black Demon and his men wreaked havoc. As Garron attempts to restore order to his new home, he is aided by a young woman named Merry. While Merry is smart, with a mouth to match, there is something a bit off about her story.

Ghost in Trouble by Carolyn Hart. When Bailey Ruth Raeburn passed over into the great beyond, she was delighted to discover her sleuthing days would last an eternity. Joining Heaven's Department of Good Intentions, she uses her unique advantages as a ghost to help those in need and ensure the wicked get their just deserts. Bailey Ruth finds it more difficult than ever to keep up with her boss Wiggins's rules for good spirit deportment. Not only is the woman she is supposed to save determined to thwart Bailey Ruth's good intentions at every turn, she just so happens to be one of Bailey Ruth's oldest enemies. Not that that should matter to one of Heaven's best and brightest emissaries, but still, there is only so much a person can put up with—living or dead.

Our Kind of Traitor by John Le Carre. Perry and Gail are idealistic and very much in love when they splurge on a tennis vacation at a posh beach resort in Antigua. But the charm begins to pall when a big-time Russian money launderer enlists their help to defect. In exchange for amnesty, Dima is ready to rat out his vory (Russian criminal brotherhood) compatriots and expose corruption throughout the so-called legitimate financial and political worlds. Soon, the guileless couple find themselves pawns in a deadly endgame whose outcome will be determined by the victor of the British Secret Service's ruthless internecine battles.

Library Notes Week November 15

The holidays are coming up fast. Maybe you need to check out some craft books so you can make some gifts. We have lots to inspire you.

If you like Science Fiction, stop in and check out one of these books from the new book shelf.

Gauntlgrym, Neverwinter by R. A. Salvatore. In their search for treasure and magic, Jarlaxle and Athrogate inadvertently set into motion a catastrophe that could spell disaster for the unsuspecting people of the city of Neverwinter—a catastrophe big enough to lure even the mercenary Jarlaxle into risking his own coin and skin to stop it. Unfortunately, the more they uncover about the secret of Gauntlgrym, the more it looks like they can’t stop it on their own.

Out of the Dark by David Weber. In the very near future, Earth has been targeted for colonization by a galactic empire known as the Hegemony. Deemed "lunatic local sentients" by a survey team that witnessed King Henry V and his troops slaughtering the French at Agincourt, humankind has essentially been written off as bloodthirsty, expendable barbarians. When the Hegemony's henchmen, the doglike Shongairi, show up to conquer Earth, the resistance is beyond anything they had ever imagined, especially when vampires appear to help the humans.

Towers of Midnight by Robert Jordan. The Last Battle has started. The seals on the Dark One’s prison are crumbling. The Pattern itself is unraveling, and the armies of the Shadow have begun to boil out of the Blight. The sun has begun to set upon the Third Age. Perrin Aybara is now hunted by specters from his past: Whitecloaks, a slayer of wolves, and the responsibilities of leadership. All the while, an unseen foe is slowly pulling a noose tight around his neck. To prevail, he must seek answers in Tel’aran’rhiod and find a way--at long last--to master the wolf within him or lose himself to it forever.

Library Notes Week September 27

This week is National Banned Books Week. If you have a chance to look over the list of banned books, you will likely find some of your favorite books made the list. Stop in and check one out to see for yourself why it made the list.

When you come in you might want to check out one of these new titles.

Dog Tags by David Rosenfelt. A German Shepherd police dog witnesses a murder and if his owner--an Iraq war vet and former cop-turned-thief--is convicted of the crime, the dog could be put down. Few rival Andy Carpenter's affection for dogs, and he decides to represent the poor canine. As Andy struggles to convince a judge that this dog should be set free, he discovers that the dog and his owner have become involved unwittingly in a case of much greater proportions than the one they've been charged with. Andy will have to call upon the unique abilities of this ex-police dog to help solve the crime and prevent a catastrophic event from taking place.

The Elephant’s Journey by Jose Saramago. Solomon and his keeper, Subhro, live in dismal conditions, forgotten in a corner of the palace grounds. When it occurs to the king and queen that an elephant would be an appropriate wedding gift, everyone rushes to get them ready: Subhro is given two new suits of clothes and Solomon a long overdue scrub. It was in 1551, King João III of Portugal gave Archduke Maximilian an unusual wedding present: an elephant named Solomon. The elephant’s journey from Lisbon to Vienna was witnessed and remarked upon by scholars, historians, and ordinary people. Out of this material, José Saramago has spun his novel.

The Spiders Web by Margaret Coel. When Arapaho Ned Windsong is shot to death, his fiancée Marcy is the only witness. Even though she identifies two Arapaho troublemakers, Ned's family clings to the belief that Marcy herself was responsible. Convinced of Marcy's innocence, Vicki agrees to represent the outsider- and finds herself at odds with her own people.

Library Notes Week September 13

September 1st the reciprocal agreement went into effect with Sedro Woolley. If you are a resident of the La Conner Library District, and have a card in good standing, you just need to get a sticker on your library card. You can then take that card into Sedro Woolley and sign up for a card with them. We now have agreements with Anacortes, Upper Skagit and Sedro Woolley. Mt. Vernon and Burlington are in process so we hope to have those in place early next year.

If you are looking for something to read, check out one of these new titles.

Veil of Night by Linda Howard. Jaclyn Wilde is a wedding planner who loves her job—usually. But helping Carrie Edwards with her Big Day has been a nightmare. Carrie is a bridezilla of mythic nastiness, a diva whose tantrums are just about as crazy as her demands. But the unpleasant task at hand turns seriously criminal when Carrie is brutally murdered and everyone involved with the ceremony is accusing one another of doing the deed.

Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. This is the first of a 10-part epic fantasy series from Sanderson, best known for his efforts to complete the late Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. In a storm-swept world where history has dwindled into myth, self-serving aristocrats squabble over mystical weapons that render their bearers immune to mundane attacks. The ambitious scholar Shallan learns unexpected truths about the present, the virtuous aristocrat Dalinar reclaims the lost past, and the bitter and broken slave Kaladin gains unwanted power.

Lost Empire by Clive Cussler. When Sam and Remi find a huge ship's bell on a dive off the Tanzanian coast, they must work to find a way to recover it without running afoul of the Tanzanian government. Meanwhile, Mexican president Quauhtli Garza, a staunch nationalist, knows that this bell comes from a former Confederate ship that sank off the east African coast after the Civil War. Garza fears the discovery of a missing piece of a Quetzalcoatl statuette, which was aboard the ship, will undermine his grip on power.

Library Notes Week August 30

School has started up for another year. Where did the summer go? As your student goes back to school remember we have homework help on our website. Check it out at www.lclib.lib.wa.us. The La Conner Rotary funds some great databases that can help your student with class assignments. Next time you see a Rotary member say thank you, we appreciate their continued support.

If you are looking for something to read, stop by and check out one of these new titles.

Star Island by Carol Hiaasen. The career of singer Cheryl Bunterman (aka Cherry Pye) is foundering due to her lack of talent and indiscriminate appetite for drugs, booze, and sex. Among those struggling to keep Cherry's career afloat are her mother, Janet Bunterman; producer Maury Lykes; and "undercover stunt double" Ann DeLusia, who will mislead the press into thinking Cherry is out and about when she's really in rehab. Crooked real estate developer Jackie Sebago and paparazzo Bang Abbott, who plans to hitch his wagon to Cherry's star, add to the madcap fun. Mayhem follows after Bang kidnaps Ann instead of Cherry by mistake, and ex-Florida governor and eco-vigilante Clinton "Skink" Tyree, who was smitten with Ann after a chance encounter, rushes to her rescue.

The Good Son by Michael Gruber. Somewhere in Pakistan, Sonia Laghari and eight fellow members of a symposium on peace are being held captive by armed terrorists. Sonia, a deeply religious woman as well as a Jungian psychologist, has become the de facto leader of the kidnapped group. While her son Theo, an ex-Delta soldier, uses his military connections to find and free the victims, Sonia tries to keep them all alive by working her way into the kidnappers' psyches and interpreting their dreams. When the kidnappers decide to kill their captives, one by one, in retaliation for perceived crimes against their country, Theo races against the clock to try and save their lives.

Queen of the Night by J. A. Jance. Every summer, in an event that is commemorated throughout the Tohono O'odham Nation, the Queen of the Night flower blooms in the Arizona desert. But one couple's intended celebration is shattered by gunfire, the sole witness to the bloodshed a little girl who has lost the only family she's ever known. To her rescue come Dr. Lani Walker, who sees the trauma of her own childhood reflected in her young patient, and Dan Pardee, an Iraq war veteran and member of an unorthodox border patrol unit called the Shadow Wolves. Joined by Pima County homicide investigator Brian Fellows, they must keep the child safe while tracking down a ruthless killer.

Library Notes Week of August 2

If you use our WiFi after library hours you will notice a big change. It will now be available only from 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and not available at all on Sunday. We hope this will be temporary. If this impacts you, please let us know.

Come by and check out one of these titles from our new book shelf.

The Glass Rainbow by James Lee Burke. Dave Robicheaux is back in New Iberia, Louisiana, hoping to enjoy the company of his adopted daughter, Alafair, who is taking a semester off from law school to finish a novel. Not nearly as suspicious of Louisiana's blood-stained aristocracy as Dave, Alafair has become involved, romantically and otherwise, with Kermit Abelard, a writer who is also the son of one of the region's most notorious robber barons. Kermit, along with his friend, an ex-con turned best-selling memoirist, volunteers to help Alafair find a publisher for her book, much to Dave's chagrin. Father-daughter conflict ensues, and as Dave's investigation of a series of murders veers ever closer to the Abelards, it appears that, yet again, the closets of Louisiana's rich are knee-deep in skeletons.

Corduroy Mansions by Alexander McCall Smith. Set in present-day London, Smith's charming first in a new series offers a variation on his 44 Scotland Street books, centering on the eccentric occupants of Corduroy Mansions and their offbeat doings. William French, a wine merchant, hopes to force his son, Eddie, who refuses to take his hints about sharing a flat with other 20-somethings, to leave the nest by getting a dog whose presence in their apartment he expects will drive Eddie out. William's neighbors include Dee, who works at a vitamin shop and believes a coworker needs to purge his system of excess sodium, and her roommate, Jenny, who works for an odious MP, Oedipus Snark, who treats Jenny like dirt.

Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner. When Sylvie Serfer met Richard Woodruff in law school, she had wild curls, wide hips, and lots of opinions. Decades later, Sylvie has remade herself as the ideal politician’s wife—her hair dyed and straightened, her hippie-chick wardrobe replaced by tailored knit suits. Lizzie, the Woodruffs’ younger daughter, is at twenty-four a recovering addict and trouble always seems to find her. Her older sister, Diana, an emergency room physician, has everything Lizzie failed to achieve—a husband, a young son, the perfect home—and yet she’s trapped in a loveless marriage. After Richard’s extramarital affair makes headlines, the three women are drawn into the painful glare of the national spotlight. Once the press conference is over, each is forced to reconsider her life, who she is and who she is meant to be.

Library Notes week of July 19

The Summer Reading Program is winding down. July 29th we will embellish a wind chime kit. Please call us and let us know you will be coming as supplies are limited--466-3352. All activities are held on Thursday mornings at 10 a.m. before we open our doors for the day. You can check out the schedule on our website http://www.lclib.lib.wa.us/ . Come join us for a fun time.

When you bring in your child for the craft time, take a look at the new book shelf for one of these new titles.

Alice I have Been by Melanie Benjamin. Few works of literature are as universally beloved as Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Now, in this spellbinding historical novel, we meet the young girl whose bright spirit sent her on an unforgettable trip down the rabbit hole–and the grown woman whose story is no less enthralling.

Altar of Eden by James Rollins. Louisiana state veterinarian Lorna Polk stumbles upon a fishing trawler shipwrecked on a barrier island. The crew is missing or dead, but the boat holds a frightening cargo: a caged group of exotic animals, clearly part of a black market smuggling ring. Yet, something is wrong with these beasts, disturbing deformities that make no sense: a parrot with no feathers, a pair of Capuchin monkeys conjoined at the hip, a jaguar cub with the dentition of a saber-toothed tiger. They also all share one uncanny trait—a disturbingly heightened intelligence. To uncover the truth about the origin of this strange cargo and the terrorist threat it poses, Lorna must team up with a man who shares a dark and bloody past with her and is now an agent with the U.S. Border Patrol, Jack Menard.

Southern Lights by Danielle Steel. Sifting through mountains of forensic evidence, Alexa prepares for a high-stakes trial…until threatening letters throw her private life into turmoil. The letters are addressed to her beautiful seventeen-year-old daughter, Savannah, whom Alexa has been raising alone since her divorce. Alexa is certain that Quentin is behind the letters—and that they are too dangerous to ignore. Suddenly she must make the toughest choice of all—and send her daughter back to the very place she swore she would never return to: the place where her marriage ended in heartbreak…her ex-husband’s world of southern tradition, memories of betrayal, and the antebellum charm of Charleston.

Library Notes Week of June 28th

Summer activities are underway. Last week was T-shirt paintings and we had lots of fun creating our one-of-a-kind shirts. This Thursday at 10:30 a.m. will be the ancient art of Gyotaku (fish prints). July 1st at 10 a.m. Last Leaf will be back with us to perform Show Down at Starfish Canyon. Don’t miss them!! They are always so entertaining.

Have you heard we moved around our story times? Baby ‘N Me (birth to 18 months) is Wed. morning at 10:30 a.m. Toddler Time (18 months to 3 years) is Friday morning at 10:30 a.m. and, just for the summer, there will be a Pre-school/Primary story time (ages 3-6) on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 10:30. There is something for everyone. Come check us out.

New books are always coming in. Here are a few you might enjoy reading.

Stones into Schools by Greg Mortenson. In this dramatic first-person narrative, Greg Mortenson picks up where Three Cups of Tea left off in 2003, recounting his relentless, ongoing efforts to establish schools for girls in Afghanistan; his extensive work in Azad Kashmir and Pakistan after a massive earthquake hit the region in 2005; and the unique ways he has built relationships with Islamic clerics, militia commanders, and tribal leaders even as he was dodging shootouts with feuding Afghan warlords and surviving an eight-day armed abduction by the Taliban.

Daring Young Men by Richard Reeves. In the early hours of June 26, 1948, phones began ringing across America, waking up the airmen of World War II -- pilots, navigators, and mechanics -- who were finally beginning normal lives with new houses, new jobs, new wives, and new babies. Some were given just forty-eight hours to report to local military bases. The president, Harry S. Truman, was recalling them to active duty to try to save the desperate people of the western sectors of Berlin, the enemy capital many of them had bombed to rubble only three years before.

The Man Who Ate His Boots by Anthony Brandt. A riveting read of the 19th century search for the Northwest Passage from Europe to the East, written with grace and mordant wit. After their defeat of Napoleon, the Brits thought they were invincible, even in the face of one failed expedition after another. Failure was not an option, and so into the frozen unknown they pushed in their quest for mastery of the world, urged on by one man who wielded great power in the Admiralty, John Barrow. Trouble is, until recently the Northwest Passage did not exist. They also could not be bothered to learn from the people who lived there, the Inuits so they paid the price.

Library Notes Week of June 14

The Summer Reading Program --Make a Splash Read @ Your Library--begins this week. We will be decorating t-shirts, doing fish prints, deocrating wind chimes, and all kinds of fun things. All the activities will be on Thursdays at 10 a.m. Pick up a schedule at the library or check our website http://www.lclib.lib.wa.us/ for a complete list.

We have some new books you may be interested in reading. Check out one of these the next time you are in.

Wrecked by Carol Higgins Clark. During a storm, Skip, a local caretaker, finds Adele lying in a heap outside the house she's renting, her face bloody, her rowboat banging against the rocks in the nearby bay. By the time Skip returns with help, Adele is gone. As Regan and Jack aid the authorities in locating Adele's next of kin, clues surface that suggest Adele has been the victim of foul play. The two co-owners of the boutique Pillow Talk, who knew Adele as one of their best customers, offer Regan and Jack an important lead, while a visiting theatrical troupe lends a bizarre plot twist.

The Burning Wire by Jeffery Deaver. Forensic expert Rhyme takes charge of looking into a fatal blast at a Manhattan electrical power substation that destroys a bus, aided by his partner, field agent Amelia Sachs. Rhyme is able to glean many clues from the scant trace evidence left by the elusive killer at the crime scene. Meanwhile, Rhyme is also staying in close touch with Mexican army and police commander Rodolfo Luna, who's tracking dangerous assassin Richard Logan (aka the Watchmaker) in Mexico City. The twin investigations take an increasingly dangerous toll on quadriplegic Rhyme's precarious physical health.

Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin. Tessa Russo is celebrating her wedding anniversary with her handsome husband, Nick, a pediatric plastic surgeon, when his pager goes off. At the hospital, he meets his new patient, six-year-old Charlie, who has been badly burned while roasting s’mores. Charlie’s mother, Valerie, a high-powered lawyer who has raised Charlie on her own, is wracked with guilt. As Charlie goes through various grafts and surgeries to repair the damage done to his face and hand, Nick and Valerie become close. Tessa, a stay-at-home mom who has misgivings about leaving her professorship, recognizes the distance growing between her and Nick but isn’t sure what to attribute it to or what to do about it.

Library Notes Week of June 7

Where did the school year go! Congratulations to the students ready to graduate from La Conner High School. I understand this batch of young people are especially gifted. We at the library wish them all the best as they head out into the world.

The Spy by Clive Cussler. It is 1908, and international tensions are mounting as the world plunges toward war. When a brilliant American battleship gun designer dies in a sensational apparent suicide, the man's grief-stricken daughter turns to the legendary Van Dorn Detective Agency to clear her father's name. Van Dorn puts his chief investigator on the case, and Isaac Bell soon realizes that the clues point not to suicide but to murder. And when more suspicious deaths follow, it becomes clear that someone-an elusive spy-is orchestrating the destruction of America's brightest technological minds... and the murders all connect to a top- secret project called Hull 44.

Cross Roads by Fern Michaels. It-s been a year and a half since the women of the Sisterhood received their presidential pardons, but the freedom they craved has come at a high price. The impossibly lucrative positions handed out to them by the mysterious Global Securities company have turned out to be golden handcuffs-scattering them around the world, cutting off communication, and leaving them in miserable isolation. But a happy homecoming at the old Virginia farmhouse is marred by the hijacking of Nikki and Kathryn-s private jet. It seems their few fellow passengers are not ordinary travelers-they-re an elite group of Interpol agents who urgently need the Sisterhood-s help.

My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares. The story is primarily that of Daniel, as, in the present, he pursues Lucy (whom he knows as Sophia in a previous life) and attempts to persuade her of their history and destiny, but his passion initially and understandably scares her off. He disappears, presumed dead, but Lucy, unable to forget him, investigates his claims of their history until she discovers the truth. Meanwhile, Daniel takes readers on a tour of romantic near-misses, from sixth-century Africa through eighth-century Turkey to WWI.

Library Notes Week of June 9

Summer Reading will be starting up before you know it. A big thank you to the wonderful merchants of La Conner who have donated some awesome prizes for the kids. I hope the kids are looking forward to this fun time as well. KJ will be visiting the school soon to talk to the kids about the program. We have loads of activities planned so check our website for more information. http://www.lclib.lib.wa.us/

Stop by and pick up a book from the new book shelf. Here are a few to tempt you.

Shadow Tag by Lousie Erdrich. Irene America is a beautiful, introspective woman of Native American ancestry, struggling to finish her dissertation while raising three children. She is married to Gil, a painter whose reputation is built on a series of now iconic portraits of Irene, but who can't break through to the big time. Irene's fallen out of love with Gil and discovers that he's been reading her diary, so she begins a new, hidden, diary and uses her original diary as a tool to manipulate Gil.

Conspirata by Robert Harris. Beginning in 63 B.C.E. and told by Cicero's slave secretary, Tiro, this complex tale continues to chronicle Cicero's political career as he charms, co-opts, and bribes his way into the exalted position of consul, ruler of Rome. Although Cicero is known as a brilliant politician and philosopher, he was also a slick manipulator and shameless schemer, competing with equally sneaky rivals Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus. Cicero realizes that as the empire expands, the greatest threat to Rome comes from within, plotted by well-financed conspirators bent on turning the republic into a dictatorship.

Unfinished Desires by Gail Godwin. As Mother Suzanne Ravenel begins a memoir of her 60-plus years at Mount St. Gabriel's School in Mountain City, N.C., she's forced to re-examine the toxic year of 1951–1952, one of her worst at the school—beginning with the arrival of ninth-grade student Chloe Starnes, who's recently lost her mother, and Mother Malloy, a beautiful young nun assigned to the freshman class. Starnes and Malloy's arrivals presage a shift in the ranks of freshman Tildy Stratton's cruel clique, with significant consequences for all involved.

Library Notes Week of May 3

I don’t know if you keep up with these things, but we have lost several well known authors this year. Erich Segal who wrote Love Story died January 17th at age 72. Robert B. Parker who wrote the Jesse Stone series died January 18th at age 77. J.D. Salinger who wrote Catcher in the Rye died January 27th at age 91. Dick Francis who wrote the horse racing stories died February 14th at age 89. Lastly there was Louis Auchincloss, who is probably not as well known, he died January 27 at age 92. Parker left a couple of books behind and Francis has been writing with his son lately so we may see more books out in his father’s style. It is sad to say goodbye to these talents.

We have new books coming in all the time. Here are a few you might be interested in.

The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard. One stormy night in 1986, someone shoots Hugh-Jay Linder dead, and Laurie, his discontented young wife, disappears. The authorities arrest Billy Crosby, a disgruntled ex-employee of High Rock Ranch with a drunk-driving record, in whose abandoned truck Laurie's bloodied sundress is found. In 2009, Billy's lawyer son, Collin, who's certain of his dad's innocence, secures Billy's release from prison and a new trial. Father and son return to Rose, where 25-year-old Jody Linder, the victims' daughter, works as a teacher. Collin's pursuit of justice will force Jody and other members of her family, including her three uncles and her grandparents, to finally confront what really happened on that long ago fatal night and deal with the consequences.

This Body of Death by Elizabeth George. Aggressively career-minded Isabelle Ardery, the new acting superintendent of London's Metropolitan Police, boldly manages to lure Lynley, who's been grieving over his wife's murder, back from Cornwall to look into a murder case. The body of Jemima Hastings, a young woman recently relocated from Hampshire, has turned up in a London cemetery. With suspects in both locales and numerous leads to follow and interviews to conduct, Ardery succeeds in raising the hackles of Det. Sgt. Barbara Havers, Det. Insp. John Stewart, and other members of the investigating team.

State Fair by Earlene Fowler. Racial tensions revolving around the fair's first black general manager, Levi Clark; Levi's half-white daughter, Jazz; and Jazz's various suitors stir the plot. So, too, does the visit from Arkansas of Benni's great-aunt, Garnet Wilcox. A valued African-American quilt stolen from a fair exhibit and a corpse in another exhibit add fuel to the fire.

Library Notes Week of April 26

Did you know you can now check out 3 DVDs instead of 2? The Library Board changed the policy recently since we have so many more movies than we have had in the past. Oh, and a big thank you to those of you who have donated movies. We appreciate you helping us stretch our budget.

If you are looking for something to read, try one of these.

How to be a Movie Star: Elizabeth Taylor in Hollywood by William Mann. In the 60s, Elizabeth Taylor's affair with the married Richard Burton knocked John Glenn's orbit of the moon off front pages nationwide. Yet, despite all the gossip, the larger-than-life personality and influence of this very human woman has never been captured. William Mann uses untapped sources and conversations to show how she ignited the sexual revolution with her on-and off-screen passions, helped kick down the studio system by taking control of her own career, and practically invented the big business of celebrity star-making.

Just Kids by Patti Smith. In 1967, 21-year-old singer–song writer Smith, determined to make art her life and dissatisfied with the lack of opportunities in Philadelphia to live this life, left her family behind for a new life in Brooklyn. When she discovered that the friends with whom she was to have lived had moved, she soon found herself homeless, jobless, and hungry. Through a series of events, she met a young man named Robert Mapplethorpe who changed her life. Smith transports readers to what seemed like halcyon days for art and artists in New York as she shares tales of the denizens of Max's Kansas City, the Hotel Chelsea, Scribner's, Brentano's, and Strand bookstores.

Molly Ivins: A Rebel Life by Bill Minutaglio. Until her death in 2007, Molly Ivins was a staple of the op-ed page, aiming her arrow at favorite targets like George W. Bush, Ronald Reagan, and the circus of Southern-particularly Texan-politics. The Texas daughter of an oil executive and major player in Houston society, Ivins enjoyed an early, privileged view of Texas deal making and the rise of modern Republicanism. Her subsequent career was a full-fledged rebellion, beginning with her father's conservatism, and culminating in a rejection of both "objective" (read: neutered) journalism and the oil-rich Republican machine. Ivins's insight couldn't be timelier, and the lines she crossed on behalf of women and journalists are overdue for celebration. She was also a fascinating and private person who charmed with her Southern character and was rumored to have had a number of high-profile affairs.

Library Notes Week of April 5

The library now has a Facebook page for all you techies out there. We will post events and pictures. We want to encourage people to discuss books they are reading. I hope the book club will share about the books they are reading. It is just another way to keep in touch. Become a Fan!!

If you need something new to read, here are a few books that just came in.

Why My Third Husband will be a Dog by Lisa Scottoline. Brief, punchy slices of daily life originally published in her Philadelphia Inquirer column allow novelist Scottoline to dish on men, mothers, panty lines and, especially, dogs. Somewhere in her mid-50s, twice divorced (from men she calls Thing One and Thing Two) and living happily in the burbs with her recent college-graduate daughter and a passel of pets. Plunging into home improvement frenzy, constructing a chicken coop, figuring out mystifying insurance policies and how not to die at the gym are some of the conundrums this ordinary woman faces with verve and wicked humor, especially how her beloved dogs have contentedly replaced the romance in her life.

Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage by Elizabeth Gilbert.
Elizabeth Gilbert fell in love with Felipe, a Brazilian-born man of Australian citizenship who’d been living in Indonesia when they met. Resettling in America, the couple swore eternal fidelity to each other, but also swore to never, ever, under any circumstances get legally married. But providence intervened one day in the form of the United States government, which—after unexpectedly detaining Felipe at an American border crossing—gave the couple a choice: they could either get married, or Felipe would never be allowed to enter the country again. Having been effectively sentenced to wed, Gilbert tackled her fears of marriage by delving into this topic completely, trying with all her might to discover through historical research, interviews, and much personal reflection what this stubbornly enduring old institution actually is.

To Love What Is by Alix Kates Shulman. A fall from a loft bed left author Shulman's 75-year-old husband with traumatic brain injury and utterly dependent on his wife. The fall in the summer of 2004 in their Maine seaside cottage inflicted numerous broken bones, internal bleeding and blood clots to Scott York's brain, causing damage that Shulman gradually learned would take years to heal and probably cause permanent memory loss. Advocating for the best treatment, therapy and eventual care back in their New York City loft became the author's calling for the next year, though to her growing dismay she recognized that her once brilliant husband, a sculptor and former financier, would never make art again or even be able to hold an intellectual conversation.

Library Notes Week of March 29

We are headed into Tulip Festival time! I drive through the countryside coming to work and I see some of the fields have already begun to bloom. Aside from the traffic problems, I enjoy this time of year. If you see a member of the Friends of the Library be sure to buy a ticket for the framed tulip poster they are raffling off. It is an especially nice one this year. They will be out on the streets every weekend in April or you can get tickets at the Book Nook located in the front of the library. The money the Friends raise is very important. It keeps the library going.

Our Children’s Specialist, KJ Cooper, provided the book reviews this week focusing on our young adult books.

Th1rteen R3asons Why by Jay Asher. Hannah Baker ended her life two weeks ago. Now, Clay is facing seven audiotapes on which Hannah explains her thirteen reasons why. Clay feels compelled to listen straight through the tapes and follow Hannah’s map to the significant places. The story is told by both Hannah (on the tapes) and Clay (in his reactions to the tapes) and is a moving reminder of how, sometimes, “meaningless” incidents can have a big impact on others.

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld. In a departure from his “Uglies” series, Westerfeld combines history with science fiction (heavy on the sci-fi). Set in 1914, the Archduke Ferdinand has been assassinated and his son, Alex is on the run from his enemies (Clankers who create amazing mechanical war machines.) In the meantime, a common girl in England, Deryn, disguises herself as a boy to join the British Air Service (Darwinists who biologically engineer fantastical creatures for their war efforts.) The two meet unexpectedly and begin an action-packed, life altering adventure aboard the Leviathan. The second in the series is scheduled to come out in October.

Shadowland by Alyson Noël. In a continuation of the Immortals series, Ever has found Damen, her soul mate across the centuries. Just when they almost reach their happy-ever-after, Damen falls under a powerful curse. Now, with any shared touch, Damen could be plunged into the Shadowland, the home for lost souls. Ever’s quest to find the magickal cure brings her into contact with Jude, who feels strangely familiar…

Library Notes Week of March 22

If you have a teen, be sure they get signed up for the latest teen program from the library—The Super Amazing Race! April 1st, from 3 p.m. - 5 p.m. Teams will be sent around town to find clues and perform tasks. After they get done, prizes will be awarded at a pizza party in the library. This will be a great activity during Spring Break. Sign up at the library.

If you are looking for something to read, try one of these books off the new book shelf.

Where the God of Love Hangs Out by Amy Bloom. A young woman is haunted by her roommate's murder; a man and his daughter-in-law confess their sins in the unlikeliest of places. In one quartet of interlocking stories, two middle-aged friends, married to others, find themselves surprisingly drawn to each other, risking all while never underestimating the cost. In another linked set of stories, we follow mother and son for thirty years as their small and uncertain family becomes an irresistible tribe.

Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah. Pacific Northwest apple country provides a beautiful, chilly setting for this family drama ignited by the death of a loving father whose two daughters have grown apart from each other and from their acid-tongued, Russian-born mother. After assuming responsibility for the family business, 40-year-old empty-nester Meredith finds it difficult to carry out her father's dying wish that she take care of her mother; Meredith's troubled marriage, her troubled relationship with her mother and her mother's increasingly troubled mind get in the way. Nina, Meredith's younger sister, takes a break from her globe-trotting photojournalism career to return home to do her share for their mother. These three women find each other and themselves with the help of vodka and a trip to Alaska.

Not My Daughter by Barbara Delinsky. When Susan Tate's seventeen-year-old daughter, Lily, announces she is pregnant, Susan is stunned. A single mother, she has struggled to do everything right. She sees the pregnancy as an tragedy for both Lily and herself. Then comes word of two more pregnancies among high school juniors who happen to be Lily's best friends-and the town turns to talk of a pact. As fingers start pointing, the most ardent criticism is directed at Susan. As Susan struggles with the implications of her daughter's pregnancy, her job, financial independence, and long-fought-for dreams are all at risk.

Library Notes Week of March 15

We are excited to announce the library now has downloadable audiobooks available thanks to the Washington State Library. There are brochures at the library to help you walk through the process of checking them out to your computer, I-Pod or MP3 player. There is one little catch—you must establish your account at the library through one of our computers or your laptop using our WiFi. It should only take a few minutes to get you set up then you can download books at home. We have a link on our webpage where you can go straight to the NetLibrary, look at the collection, and download books after you have your account. Come by and we will get you started.

If you are looking for a new book to read, try one of these.

The First Rule by Robert Crais. Frank Meyer had the American dream-until the day a professional crew invaded his home and murdered everyone inside. The only thing out of the ordinary about Meyer was that- before the family and the business and the normal life-a younger Frank Meyer had worked as a professional mercenary, with a man named Joe Pike. The police think Meyer was hiding something very bad, but Pike does not. With the help of Cole, he sets out on a hunt of his own-an investigation that quickly entangles them both in a web of ancient grudges, blood ties, blackmail, vengeance, double crosses, and cutthroat criminal­ity, and at the heart of it, an act so terrible even Pike and Cole have no way to measure it. Sometimes, the past is never dead. It's not even past.

Catalyst: a Tale of the Barque Cats by Anne McCaffrey. Even among Barque Cats, Chessie is something special. Her pedigree, skills, and intelligence, as well as the close rapport she has with her human, Janina, make her the most valuable crew member aboard the Molly Daise. And the litter of kittens in her belly only adds to her value. Then the unthinkable happens. Chessie is catnapped from Dr. Jared Vlast's vet clinic at Hood Station by a grizzled spacer named Carl Poindexter.

Sizzle by Julie Garwood. After she unwittingly captures a shocking crime on camera, a rash of mysterious, treacherous incidents convince Lyra that she's trapped in a sinister scenario headed for a violent ending. Running scared, she turns to her best friend, Sidney Buchanan, whose connections bring dauntless and devilishly handsome FBI agent Sam Kincaid into Lyra's life. As the noose of deadly intrigue tightens and the feelings between them deepen, Lyra and Sam must place their faith in each other's hands—and stand together against the malevolent forces about to break loose.

Library Notes Week of February 22

February 26th is Tell a Fairy Tale Day. This is a day that Fairy Tales are made of (and for). This is a great opportunity to read your kids. If the kids aren't around, it’s certainly okay to read them alone. We all know that everybody loves a good fairy tale. To qualify as a fairy tale, a story does not have to begin with "Once upon a time.....". But, they usually do. It is a requirement that the story has a happy ending. There's nothing better than a good story that ends with "and they all lived happily ever after". So Friday the 26th, cozy up under a blanket with the kids and read a fairy tale book you checked out of the library.

We have lots of new books in the library. If you enjoy biographies you may enjoy one of these recent additions to our new book shelf.

Here’s the Deal: Don’t Touch Me by Howie Mandell. Eleven years ago, Mandel first told the world about his “germophobia.” He’s recently started discussing his adult ADHD as well. Now, for the first time, he reveals the details of his struggle with these challenging disorders. He catalogs his numerous fears and neuroses and shares entertaining stories about how he has tried to integrate them into his act. “If I’m making myself laugh,” he writes, “then I’m distracted from all the other things going on in my head that are, at times, torturous.” And he speaks frankly and honestly about the ways his condition has affected his personal life–as a son, husband, and father of three.

Official Book Club Selection: a Memoir according to Kathy Griffin by Kathy Griffin. Kathy reveals intimate details about her life before and after she made the big time. She opens up about everything from growing up with a dysfunctional family in suburban Illinois to bombing as a young comedian in L.A., from her well-publicized plastic surgery disasters to her highly publicized divorce, and more. Only in this book will you learn how the dinner table is the best training ground for a career in stand-up, how speaking your mind can bite you on the ass and buy you a house, and which people in Kathy’s life have taught her the most valuable lessons—both inside and outside the entertainment industry.

Losing Mum and Pup by Christopher Buckley. In twelve months between 2007 and 2008, Christopher Buckley coped with the passing of his father, William F. Buckley, the father of the modern conservative movement, and his mother, Patricia Taylor Buckley, one of New York's most glamorous and colorful socialites. He was their only child and their relationship was close and complicated. As Buckley tells the story of their final year together, he takes readers on a surprisingly entertaining tour through hospitals, funeral homes, and memorial services, capturing the heartbreaking and disorienting feeling of becoming a 55-year-old orphan.

Library Notes Week of January 11

It is that time of year again. Time to think about doing your taxes. If you need a form we have some of the basic forms and a few publications. Anything we don’t have you can access on-line at http://www.irs.gov/. Come in and use our computers if you don’t have one at home, we would be happy to help you.

Be sure to check the new book shelf next time you are in. Here are a few titles you might want to check out.

A Change in Altitude by Anita Shreve. Margaret and Patrick have been married just a few months when they set off on what they hope will be a great adventure-a year living in Kenya. Margaret quickly realizes there is a great deal she doesn't know about the complex mores of her new home, and about her own husband.

Paris Vendetta by Steve Berry. Danish billionaire Henrik Thorvaldsen, a friend of Malone's, has become consumed with finding out who masterminded the slaughter outside a Mexico City courthouse two years earlier that killed seven people, including his young diplomat son. Once he learns that a wealthy British aristocrat was behind the outrage, Thorvaldsen gets entangled in a conspiracy that involves an elite group of ruthless financial experts planning to destabilize the global economy, a terrorist plot to destroy a European landmark, and a legendary cache hidden by Napoleon. Malone soon finds himself in a desperate struggle to save not only Thorvaldsen's life but the lives of countless innocents as well.

A Cousin’s Prayer by Wanda Brunstetter. Katie Miller is traumatized after her boyfriend is killed in a van in which she was also a passenger. How will she find her way out of the valley of her depression? Freeman Bontrager will make any excuse to be near to Katie, hoping to win her love. But how far will he go to gain her trust. . .and her heart? What will bring this girl out of the shadows of fear, and open her heart to life—and love?