Celebrate Independence Day

Happy Fourth of July!  Independence Day commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. It has been celebrated since 1777, and was officially made a paid federal holiday in 1938.

This holiday is celebrated by setting off fireworks, bonfires, and other patriotic displays, as well as gathering for parties, barbecues, and baseball games. It is also placed perfectly in the summer time, which allows most of us to enjoy warm weather and the outdoors. What about you? How are you planning to celebrate the Fourth of July?

Celebrate with Books & Movies!

All the President’s Men (1976 ) – DVD
Dramatization of the early days of the Watergate investigation, as two young reporters for the Washington Post begin to realize its implications while pursuing the story.

Independence Day (1996) – DVD
Massive spaceships appear in Earth’s skies and wonder turns to terror as the ships blast destructive beams of fire down on cities all over the planet. The world’s only hope lies with a determined band of survivors.

Independence Day
by Richard Ford
Frank Bascombe, in the aftermath of his divorce and the ruin of his career, has entered an “Existence Period,” selling real estate in Haddam, New Jersey, and mastering the high-wire act of normalcy. But over one Fourth of July weekend, Frank is called into sudden, bewildering engagement with life. Independence Day is a moving, peerlessly funny odyssey through America and through the layered consciousness of one of its most compelling literary incarnations, conducted by a novelist of astonishing empathy and perception.

Liberty : a Lake Wobegon Novel
by Garrison Keillor
A national holiday in Lake Wobegon is always gaudy and joyful. But when the major planner behind the Fourth of July parade and the twenty-four-year-old girl who dresses up as the Statue of Liberty develop a close “friendship,” rumors begin to fly. What will happen is anybody’s guess as CNN and the governor put in an appearance in Lake Wobegon–home to a good loving people who drive each other crazy.

The Music Man (1962) – DVD
“Professor” Harold Hill is a con man who comes to River City, IA, in the weeks just prior to the 1912 Fourth of July celebration. Persuading the town that the youth of River City is in great danger of being corrupted, Hill convinces them that they need to organization a boy’s band, with himself as a leader. Hill promises to teach the kids how to make music by utilizing his revolutionary “Think System.” There’s only one problem: the professor doesn’t know one note from another.

Sisters
by Danielle Steel
On one Fourth of July weekend, as they do every year, the four sisters come home to Connecticut for their family’s annual gathering. But before the holiday is over, tragedy strikes and their world is utterly changed. Suddenly, four sisters who have been fervently pursuing success and their own lives on opposite sides of the world reunite to share one New York brownstone, to support each other and their father, and to pick up the pieces while one sister struggles to heal her shattered body and soul.

Library Running Club

Runners are Readers too! The Rice Lake Public Library kicked off a new club that you might be interested in. The Library Running Club meets weekly each Saturday at 9 am. Everyone is welcomed regardless of experience or fitness level.

Please sign a waiver before participating. As with all exercise, please consult with your doctor before beginning, if needed. 

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There are a number of great books about the sport of running, and tons of music you can borrow from the library to motivate you to move faster. Check out some of these great titles!

The Beginning Runner’s Handbook
Ian Macneill
This easy-to-use, practical guide helps runners safely build strength and endurance, get motivated and set realistic goals, choose the proper footwear and clothing, eat right, and avoid injury. A revised RunWalk program gives runners a choice between running 10K or covering the distance by running and walking. Combining advice from the experts, training tips and testimonials from runners of all ages, The Beginning Runner’s Handbook is a step-by-step road map for achieving running success.

Run Your Butt Off!
Sarah Lorge Butler
Shed unwanted pounds and keep them off ONCE AND FOR ALL with Run YourButt Off!, a back-to-basics, test panel–approved weight-loss plan and beginners’ running program that yields sustainable, healthy results. The Run Your Butt Off! program is founded on the simple concept that in order to lose weight, calories burned must exceed calories consumed. No gimmicks, no shortcuts, no silver bullets can circumvent that reality. With this program, you’ll learn to burn fat from both sides of the weight-loss equation—the calories in and the calories out—at the same time. Run Your Butt Off! will make you fitter, stronger , and leaner .

Barefoot Running Step by Step
Ken Bob Saxton
Barefoot running involves more than simply taking off your shoes and hitting the track and Barefoot Running Step by Step teaches runners how to train their feet and body to run barefoot properly and in a way that will dramatically reduce injuries. Barefoot Running Step by Step separates the facts from the hype covering the latest research and running techniques behind this key trend. Written by noted barefoot runner and instructor Ken Bob Saxton and running journalist Roy Wallack this guide outlines proper techniques for running barefoot properly and incorporating the practice into their running regimen for a better stride, longer endurance, and fewer injuries.

The following music recommendations were borrowed from the article “Crank it Up” by Susan Rinkunas from the February 2009 edition of Runner’s World.

Warmup
64 BPM		“We Are the Champions” Queen
96 BPM		“Faith” George Michael
Start
116 BPM		“Gonna Make You Sweat” C + C Music Factory
120 BPM		“Pump It” Black Eyed Peas
Halfway Point
127 BPM		“You Shook Me All Night Long” AC/DC
130 BPM		“Where Are We Runnin’?” Lenny Kravitz
Final Stretch
166 BPM		“Let’s See How Far We’ve Come” Matchbox 20
209 BPM		“Are You Gonna Be My Girl” Jet

New Books of May 2012

A Dog’s Journey
W. Bruce Cameron
Buddy is a good dog. After searching for his purpose through several eventful lives, Buddy is sure that he has found and fulfilled it. Yet as he watches curious baby Clarity get into dangerous mischief, he is certain that this little girl is very much in need of a dog of her own. When Buddy is reborn, he realizes that he has a new destiny. He’s overjoyed when he is adopted by Clarity, now a vibrant but troubled teenager. When they are suddenly separated, Buddy despairs – who will take care of his girl?

The Lower River
Paul Theroux
Ellis Hock loved teaching in Malawi for the Peace Corps, but that experience was cut short when he had to return to take over the family business. Thirty-five years later, the store and his marriage have failed, and he returns to Malawi for a nostalgia-induced vacation. He’s warned on arrival that people are hungry and only want money, but he heads into the bush with a bagful of it. Malabo, the remote riverbank village where he’s remembered as the mzungu (white man) who helped build the school and clinic, gives him a warm welcome, but Hock’s disillusion sets in fast. The school is a ruin; the visiting doctor is a quack; AIDS is rampant; requests for money are constant. The villagers keep him under surveillance at the direction of the headman Manyenga, who is all smiles and lies. He makes three escape attempts. All his escapes are foiled by the formidable Manyenga. This novel will have you on the edge of your seat wondering whether he will escape, and what will happen to the villagers.

Magic Words
Gerald Kolpan
Young Jewish immigrant Julius comes of age surrounded by the wild world of 1867 Nebraska. While traveling in the American West, he is captured by the Ponca Indian tribe. Living as a slave, Julius meets the noble chief Standing Bear and his young daughter, Prairie Flower, with whom he falls in love. Becoming the tribe’s interpreter-its speaker-his life seems safe and settled. But Julius has reckoned without the arrival of his older cousin, Alexander-who, as the Great Herrmann, is the most famous young magician in America. Filled with adventure, humor, and colorful characters, Magic Words is a riveting adventure about the nature of prejudice, the horror of genocide, and a courageous young man who straddles two worlds to fight for love and freedom.

A Gift for My Sister
Ann Pearlman
Sky and Tara share the same mother but different fathers. Sky is cautious, dutiful, marrying the perfect man, practicing her dream career as a lawyer, and raising their daughter, Rachel. Music is all Tara cares about until Aaron, a black rapper with a juvenile record, comes along. Tara gets pregnant in high school and runs away with Aaron and his rap crew. About the time Tara and Aaron’s music takes off and they are on their way to stardom, Sky’s life crashes. Tara attempts to step in and help only to be met with anger and jealousy. The two sisters, along with an interesting collection of other characters, spend the time on the road, and between gigs, trying to understand what it’s like to be the other sister and just what love and family mean.

Home
Toni Morrison
Frank Money is an angry, self-loathing veteran of the Korean War who, after traumatic experiences on the front lines, finds himself back in racist America with more than just physical scars. His home may seem alien to him, but he is shocked out of his crippling apathy by the need to rescue his medically abused younger sister and take her back to the small Georgia town they come from and that he’s hated all his life. As Frank revisits his memories from childhood and the war that have left him questioning his sense of self, he discovers a profound courage he had thought he could never possess again.

Objects of My Affection
Jill Smolinski
Lucy Bloom is broke, freshly dumped by her boyfriend, and forced to sell her house to send her nineteen-year-old son to drug rehab. So when she’s offered a high-paying gig helping clear the clutter from the home of reclusive and eccentric painter Marva Meier Rios, Lucy grabs it. Fueled by a burning desire to get her life back on track, Lucy rolls up her sleeves to take on the mess that fills every room of Marva’s huge home. Lucy soon learns that the real challenge may be taking on Marva, who seems to love the objects in her home too much to let go of any of them. Lucy discovers that Marva isn’t just hoarding, she is also hiding a big secret. The two form an unlikely bond, as each learns from the other that there are those things in life we keep, those we need to let go but it’s not always easy to know the difference.

If You Like Downton Abbey …

The Masterpiece Theater tv series, Downton Abbey, is a runaway success. Maybe you are one of the thousands of people who watched and loved it. Season Two recently concluded. What are you going to do while you wait for Season Three of Downton Abbey? I suggest catching up with the first two seasons of the show (click on the links below to get the library’s copy) or spend some time with a good book that takes you to times and places similar to Downton Abbey!

Downton Abbey
Masterpiece Theater
Lord Crawley sees his family heritage, especially the grand country home Downton Abbey, as his mission in life. The death of his heir aboard the Titanic means distant cousin Matthew Crawley, a Manchester lawyer, suddenly is next in line and accepts moving onto the vast estate with his even more modernist, socially engaged mother, who clashes with his lordship’s domineering, conservative ma the dowager. Marrying off the daughters is another concern. Meanwile the butler presides over a staff which serves the family but also lead most of their entire lives in the servants quarters, intriguing amongst themselves.

Season 1

Season 2

If You Liked Downton Abbey, Read This!

Howard’s End
by E.M. Forster
The book is about three families in England at the beginning of the 20th century: the Wilcoxes, rich capitalists with a fortune made in the Colonies; the half-German Schlegel siblings (Margaret, Tibby, and Helen), and the Basts, a struggling couple in the lower-middle class. The Schlegel sisters try to help the poor Basts and try to make the Wilcoxes less prejudiced.

The American Heiress
by Daisy Goodwin
Be careful what you wish for. Traveling abroad with her mother at the turn of the twentieth century to seek a titled husband, beautiful, vivacious Cora Cash, whose family mansion in Newport dwarfs the Vanderbilts’, suddenly finds herself Duchess of Wareham, married to Ivo, the most eligible bachelor in England. Nothing is quite as it seems, however: Ivo is withdrawn and secretive, and the English social scene is full of traps and betrayals. Money, Cora soon learns, cannot buy everything, as she must decide what is truly worth the price in her life and her marriage.

The House at Riverton
by Kate Morton
Told in flashback, this is the story of Grace Bradley’s youth during the last days of Edwardian aristocratic privilege shattered by war, of the vibrant twenties and the changes she witnessed as an entire way of life vanished forever. Grace went to work at Riverton House as a servant when she was just a girl, before the First World War. For years her life was inextricably tied up with the Hartford family, most particularly the two daughters, Hannah and Emmeline. In the summer of 1924, at a glittering society party held at the house, a young poet shot himself. The only witnesses were Hannah and Emmeline and only they — and Grace — know the truth. In 1999, when Grace is ninety-eight years old and living out her last days in a nursing home, she is visited by a young director who is making a film about the events of that summer.

What is Romance in books?

Romance books focus on the relationship and romantic love between two people. A writer can include as many subplots as he/she wants as long as the love story is the main focus of the novel. These novels must have an “emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending.” In a romance, the lovers who risk and struggle for each other and their relationship are rewarded with emotional justice and unconditional love. Romance novels may have any tone or style, be set in any place or time, and have varying levels of sensuality—ranging from sweet to extremely hot. These settings and distinctions of plot create specific subgenres within romance fiction.

There are two formats for romance fiction:

• Series or “category” romances: books issued under a common imprint/series name that are usually numbered sequentially and released at regular intervals, usually monthly, with the same number of releases each time. These books are most commonly published by Harlequin/Silhouette.
• Single-title romances: longer romances released individually and not as part of a numbered series. Single-title romances may be released in hard cover, trade paperback, or mass-market paperback sizes.

Romance Literature Subgenres & Examples in Our Library

Contemporary Series Romance : Series romance novels that focus primarily on the romantic relationship and typically set after 1945.

Contemporary-Single Title Romance : Romance novels that focus primarily on the romantic relationship, released as individual titles, not as part of a series and set after 1945.

Historical Romance : Romance novels set in any time period prior to 1945, and taking place in any location.

Inspirational Romance : Romance novels in which religious or spiritual beliefs (in the context of any religion or spiritual belief system) are a major part of the romantic relationship.

Novels with Strong Romantic Elements : A work of fiction in which a romance plays a significant part in the story, but other themes or elements take the plot beyond the traditional romance boundaries.

Paranormal Romance : Romance novels in which the future, a fantasy world, or paranormal happenings are an integral part of the plot.

Regency Romance : Romance novels in which the majority of the story is set against the Regency period of the British Empire.

Romantic Suspense : Romance novels in which suspense, mystery, or thriller elements constitute an integral part of the plot.

Young Adult Romance : Novels with a strong romantic theme geared toward young adult readers

Information in this blog post provided by the Romance Writers of America website.

PageTurners Read “Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter”

Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter
Tom Franklin

Silas “32″ Jones and Larry Ott were great friends for a few brief months in their childhood. Unfortunately, this wasn’t to last. Suspicion is cast upon Larry when a girl goes missing who was last seen with him. Silas moved away to pursue his dreams of playing baseball and Larry remained, convicted but not in prison. Twenty five years later, a new mystery draws them together again. Another girl is missing, and everyone seems to think Larry caused it. Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter explores the thin line between friendship and hatred.

The PageTurners Book Club met on Thursday, October 6 at 6 pm at the Rice Lake Public Library to discuss this book. Six people attended.

Click on the book graphic below to see a full recap of book club members’ opinions.

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Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin is available at the Rice Lake Public Library. There are over ten copies of this book in the MORE System. Please visit the card catalog website or call us at 234-4861 to reserve a copy today.

The PageTurners Book Club is sponsored by the Friends of the Rice Lake Public Library. It usually meets on the first Thursday of each month at 6 pm at the Rice Lake Public Library. Discussion lasts an hour; everyone is welcome.

Titles from Tami

The public library is happy to offer reader advice to people wondering what to read next. Library staff will do this in person or over the phone at any time (when we’re open). Also, the library has begun a similar service on Facebook called “Titles from Tami.” Each week, patrons are invited to write in on the library Facebook page with the titles of the last three books they enjoyed. Tami, the Adult Services Manager, uses this information to suggest a few books that should match the patron’s preferences.

Last Thursday, a patron wrote in with the following three books. Tami responded with two book suggestions.

Cutting for Stone

Until Tuesday

Christmas Sweater

Hi! Thank you for writing in with your request. Your list of books is pretty diverse! Looking at your past titles, it seems like you enjoy books that are moving, inspirational, and character-driven.

Perhaps you would enjoy : 

Breaking Night
by Liz Murray
Novelist summary: “The author offers an account of her journey from a fifteen-year-old living on the streets and eating garbage to her acceptance into Harvard, a feat that prompted a Lifetime movie and a successful motivational-speaking career.”

Another book that fits this criteria is :

Three Women
by Marge Peircy
Novelist summary: “Suzanne Blume has been enjoying a restful and happy period in her life when suddenly everything begins to fall apart, with her grown daughter moving back in and her independent mother having a stroke that leaves her helpless.”

I hope you enjoy!

What’s Cooking?

Wondering what to cook for dinner tonight? Or maybe just what book to read next? Here are some delicious choices for you to consider!

My Korean Deli 
by Ben Ryder Howe

This new book is getting a lot of buzz. Although not strictly a culinary memoir, it does deal with food. That is, they sell food at the deli/grocery story that the author and his wife bought for their in-laws. Howe is split between two worlds: that of being a senior editor at a magazine and being a part owner of a deli in Staten Island. Howe connects these two worlds with humor and a loving examination of family and eccentric personalities as he searches for himself.

Blood, Bones, and Butter
by Gabrielle Hamilton

Here’s another book with a lot of buzz. This chef’s memoir is being hailed as “simply the best memoir by a chef.  Ever,” by Anthony Bourdain. Hamilton’s life has revolved around food: growing it as a child, never having it as a teen, cooking it at a camp as a young adult, and now as a restauranteer and food critic. Hamilton mixes in poetic descriptions and tender recollections to write this winning memoir.

Life, On the Line : a Chef’s Story of Chasing Greatness, Facing Death, and Redefining the Way We Eat
by Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas

This chef and financier combo formed a great friendship and partnership when they opened the avant garde restaurant Alinea. This memoir charts the ups and downs they experienced while creating cutting edge food. Achatz is best known for his innovative molecular gastronomy cuisine that has included deconstructed dishes and unusual presentations of meals. This memoir goes even further when as it recounts Achatz battle against cancer and his recovery.

More books on this topic you might enjoy:

Medium Raw : a Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook / Anthony Bourdain

My Life from Scratch: A Sweet Journey of Starting Over, One Cake At a Time / Gesine Bullock-Prado

Heat: An Amateur’s Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-Maker and Apprentice to a Dante-quoting Butcher in Tuscany / Bill Buford

Readalikes for “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”

Did you read Stieg Larsson’s best selling Millenium Book mystery trilogy? The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was on the New York Times best seller list for months. It is a thrilling, fast paced story with a current events angle. There is sex and violence in these books, but it is not explicit.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson is the first of three books. Although they share characters, each book stands alone in regards to the plot. Due in part to the projected American film version of the first book, its popularity continues.

Here are some authors you might enjoy if you want more books like those by Stieg Larsson.

Author recommendations provided by Novelist.

Hoeg, Peter
Reason: Scandinavian authors Larsson (from Sweden) and Hoeg (from Denmark) write suspensful, dramatic novels with elements of mystery and large doses of social critique. — Katherine Johnson

French, Tana
Reason: Larsson and French both write exceedingly dark crime stories which feature a compelling man/woman investigative team. Their work is set in bleak landscapes with intricately plotted suspenseful story lines that are marked by violence. — Becky Spratford

Block, Lawrence
Reason: If you like Larsson, you may also like Block. Both write character-driven, complex plot, suspenseful, compelling, and gritty Mystery stories books for adults about Murder investigation and murder.

Burke, James Lee
Reason: If you like character-driven, complex plot, and gritty Mystery stories books for adults featuring Murder investigation and murder, you might like both Larsson and Burke.

Connelly, Michael
Reason: Readers who enjoy character-driven, complex plot, bleak, suspenseful, and gritty Mystery stories books for adults about Murder investigation and Cold cases (Criminal investigation) may also enjoy books by this author.

Gardner, Lisa
Reason: These two authors write complex plot and suspenseful books of Mystery stories for adults in which Murder investigation; Missing persons; and father and daughter are the main topics.

Readalikes for The Alchemist

Twenty years and more after it was published, The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho still remains a popular and thought provoking novel. It is a modern fable of living life to its fullest. It was published in Brazil in Portuguese in 1986, and has since been translated into 56 other languages. In fact, it is the most translated book by a living author.

In this book, Santiago, a poor Andalucian shepherd, experiences a recurring dream that he believes is prophetic. He literally follows his dream all the way to Egypt. He travels to Egypt and encounters interesting characters along the way.

“When each day is the same as the next, it’s because people fail to recognize the good things that happen in their lives every day that the sun rises.”
– The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho

If you enjoyed The Alchemist, here are some other books you might like!
The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
The Prophet by Khalil Gibran
Siddhartha by Herman Hesse
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
The Cave by Jose Saramago
The Tale of the Unknown Island by Jose Saramago
The Shack by William P. Young