How far will you go to "get away from it all?" National Geographic's "How hard can it be?" campaign goes to the extreme by piling on the hot air balloons and lifting a 16'x16' house from the ground, taking the house up, up and away to a destination unknown. Answering the question, "How hard can it be?" can be tricky. In theory, and with a little imagination, (and the help of scientists and other experienced professionals), adventures such as this one undertaken by National Geographic may be a cinch. With a little help from your friends at JCPL, you can answer the "how hard can it be" question easily...with a stack of new fiction titles, just waiting to be checked out for your next great escape! Check out these new books!
When Frank Mackey was nineteen, he and his girlfriend, Rosie Daly, planned to meet at Faithful Place. From there, they were going to run away to London to start their life together. Rosie, however, never showed up for their rendezvous, and Frank never heard from her again. Twenty years later, working as an undercover cop in Dublin, Frank gets a call from his sister, informing him that Rosie's suitcase has turned up, leading Frank on a journey into his past in "Faithful Place," Book 3 of the Rob Ryan and Cassie Maddox series by Tana French.
Researching deep in the stacks of Oxford's Bodleian Library, Diana Bishop dredges up bewitching information in an old manuscript. Descended from a long line of witches and sorcery, Diana takes a few notes from the manuscript and returns it to the stacks, but has unwittingly scratched the surface of the underworld in the process, drawing forth a horde of centuries old witches and vampires and a coveted treasure in "A Discovery of Witches" by Deborah Harkness.
Deep in the recesses of Pakistan, Sonia Laghari and eight others have been captured by terrorists. Using her psychology background and her religious training, Sonia delves into the kidnappers' psyches to estabish a connection, while her son, Theo, uses military strategies to unhinge the group. Can the agenda of this deadly group of armed terrorists be changed? Find out as Sonia and her son race against time to save each captor in "The Good Son" by Michael Gruber.
Isolated and set in an uninhabited section of the Spanish sierra, the Our Lady of Mercy Convent stands alone with its six women, cut off from the world that they have chosen to leave behind. When an abandoned baby is left on the doorstep of the convent, Mother Superior Maria Ines must face the fact that their quiet, uneventful world has been forever changed, and that her own past must be confronted in "The Convent" by Panos Karnezis.
You don't have to tie thousands of hot air balloons to your house for a great getaway. The best getaway can be found right around the corner at your local branch of JCPL, where the great escape is shelved within the stacks of great, new fiction! After all, when choosing books, with a little help from your friends at JCPL, how hard can it be?
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Friday, March 4, 2011
New Non-Fiction at JCPL: It's All Good!
Never one to dress any way but casually, the fashion police would have a field day with me. Blue jeans, sweatshirts, and whatever footwear is readily available is the outfit of the day. My three year old granddaughter, however, knows how to dress in style. Her ensembles consist of whatever strikes her fancy, and may include several sets of clothes, layered upon each other all at once, topping the outfit with her favorite Minnie Mouse costume. She changes it up on some days, though, and dresses as Tinkerbell, complete with wings on her back, accessorizing her wardrobe with plenty of bling-bling. I wonder what Carson Kressley or Clinton Kelly would have to say about her wardrobe choices? From muffin tops to suntan colored hosiery to visible panty lines, every fashion faux pas has crossed the paths of these "fashion police," and in "Oh No She Didn't: The Top 100 Style Mistakes Women Make," Clinton Kelly talks straight about style, offering detailed critiques for the most common 100 slip ups that women make in the fashion department. This famous host of TLC's "What Not to Wear" examines wardrobe, hairstyle, posture, and accessories, presenting easy and practical suggestions for creating stunning outfits for women of every age.
I'd like to list 100 of the most wonderful, new non-fiction titles on the shelves of JCPL in this article, but to save space, I chose a few I thought you'd really like. Read on!
Searching for greener pastures annually is what migration is all about for a variety of birds and animals, but migration is one of the deadliest phases of life for both bird and beast. "Great Migrations: Epic Animal Journeys" by Karen Kostyal follows the National Geographic film documentary, "Great Migrations" as different species race against time, battling freezing temperatures, scorching heat, and the threat of predators in their long distance travels, desperately crossing thousands of miles despite the dangers that await them.
Do you have a spare hour to settle your finances? According to Ellie Kay, sixty minutes is all it takes to revolutionize your financial situation. If you are looking for long-term economic recovery and stability, "The 60-Minute Money Workout" by Ellie Kay offers feasible and fun alternatives to being debt-free, covering topics such as saving for college, having and enjoying a debt-free vacation, paying cash for your cars, giving and living generously, finding financial peace with your spouse, and being content with your current financial circumstances.
You say "Achoo!" and we automatically say, "gezondheid" or "bless you!" The commercial for a popular cold medicine shows a woman TV producer's alternate personality whispering to her, "You can't do anything about a cold." What exactly is a cold? Some colds come on with a vengeance, leaving the sufferer feeling like they've been hit by a truck, and still others are nothing more than a sniffle or an annoyance for a few days. In "Achoo! The Uncommon Life of Your Common Cold" by Jennifer Ackerman, we learn what a cold is, how it works and whether it's possible to really "fight one off." This ode to the common cold also dispels myths about the common cold, and offers advice for treating the symptoms as the search for a cure continues.
When it comes to wardrobe choices of any kind, my motto is "let freedom ring" and "variety is the spice of life." Never apologize for your taste in clothing, and more importantly, your reading tastes, because, as the saying goes, "It's all good!"
I'd like to list 100 of the most wonderful, new non-fiction titles on the shelves of JCPL in this article, but to save space, I chose a few I thought you'd really like. Read on!
Searching for greener pastures annually is what migration is all about for a variety of birds and animals, but migration is one of the deadliest phases of life for both bird and beast. "Great Migrations: Epic Animal Journeys" by Karen Kostyal follows the National Geographic film documentary, "Great Migrations" as different species race against time, battling freezing temperatures, scorching heat, and the threat of predators in their long distance travels, desperately crossing thousands of miles despite the dangers that await them.
Do you have a spare hour to settle your finances? According to Ellie Kay, sixty minutes is all it takes to revolutionize your financial situation. If you are looking for long-term economic recovery and stability, "The 60-Minute Money Workout" by Ellie Kay offers feasible and fun alternatives to being debt-free, covering topics such as saving for college, having and enjoying a debt-free vacation, paying cash for your cars, giving and living generously, finding financial peace with your spouse, and being content with your current financial circumstances.
You say "Achoo!" and we automatically say, "gezondheid" or "bless you!" The commercial for a popular cold medicine shows a woman TV producer's alternate personality whispering to her, "You can't do anything about a cold." What exactly is a cold? Some colds come on with a vengeance, leaving the sufferer feeling like they've been hit by a truck, and still others are nothing more than a sniffle or an annoyance for a few days. In "Achoo! The Uncommon Life of Your Common Cold" by Jennifer Ackerman, we learn what a cold is, how it works and whether it's possible to really "fight one off." This ode to the common cold also dispels myths about the common cold, and offers advice for treating the symptoms as the search for a cure continues.
When it comes to wardrobe choices of any kind, my motto is "let freedom ring" and "variety is the spice of life." Never apologize for your taste in clothing, and more importantly, your reading tastes, because, as the saying goes, "It's all good!"
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
No Need to Be Rich and Famous; I Just Want a Good Book!
American Express has made their organization a memorable one throughout the years by using the slogan, "American Express: Don't leave home without it." My three year old granddaughter lives up to that phrase, but not with American Express. Getting ready to travel anywhere with her must always include an entourage of her favorite toys, and in the words of Woody on Toy Story, there must be NO TOY LEFT BEHIND! To those of us doing the assembling of necessary items to take children on a road trip, these toys are the last items on our minds. But to a three year old whose obsessions range from Angelina Ballerina to Mickey and Minnie Mouse, this entourage of her inanimate associates can't be ignored. I understand; I have few obsessions more important than always having a book somewhere nearby, and taking a book almost everywhere I go is almost as important to me as Angelina Ballerina is to a three year old. Read on and see for yourself what you can learn from a good book from the Jasper County Public Library!
From playing games to downloading music to troubleshooting, "How to Do Everything iPod, iPhone & iTunes" by Guy Hart-Davis is an updated and easy to use guide that offers great tips on managing your device, and includes instructions on a wide variety of subjects, some of which include installing applications for playing games, creating video files, connecting to wireless networks, setting up email accounts, surfing the Web, and much, much more!
Extreme situations can occur at any time during a vacation or outing, and avoiding incidents that can become life threatening is the first step to learning successful survival skills. Rich Johnson, one of the country's best known experts on wilderness survival, offers advice for every outdoorsman in "Rich Johnson's Guide to Wilderness Survival: How to Avoid Trouble and Live Through Trouble You Can't Avoid." Johnson, an experienced and avid outdoorsman, is an Army Special Forces veteran who lived in a remote area of Utah for a year, living off the land and taking cover in primitive places, and in this book shares survival skills and techniques during emergency situations that may save your life.
Stranded in the middle of the frigid waters of the Bering Sea, the fishing trawler, "Alaska Ranger" sent out a Mayday call to the Coast Guard for help. By 4:30 am on March 23, 2008, most of the forty seven crew members were in the water, wearing inflated survival suits, but were freezing to death in the icy waters, battered by twenty foot swells. In "Deadliest Sea: The Untold Story Behind the Greatest Rescue in the Coast Guard History" by Kalee Thompson, it is man versus nature, and what was expected to be a routine rescue mission turns into a race against time to save the men and women that were on board "Alaska Ranger."
Feelings of anger, depression, and frustration all combine to become what we call "stress." Stress in today's society is a much relevant subject, and relates to all of us in one way or another. In "The Myth of Stress: Where Stress Really Comes From," author Andrew Bernstein teaches readers how to combat thoughts and feelings that lead to stress with the seven-step ActivInsight Program, a form of cognitive therapy that banishes stress, letting the air out of thoughts that induce those bad feelings.
Rock stars have groupies; other famous people have "peeps," and still others in the limelight have paparazzi following them. Being among the "not so rich and famous" has its appeal, but still carries the need for an entourage. Be it Angelina Ballerina or a new book from JCPL, I understand; we all have our obsessions.
From playing games to downloading music to troubleshooting, "How to Do Everything iPod, iPhone & iTunes" by Guy Hart-Davis is an updated and easy to use guide that offers great tips on managing your device, and includes instructions on a wide variety of subjects, some of which include installing applications for playing games, creating video files, connecting to wireless networks, setting up email accounts, surfing the Web, and much, much more!
Extreme situations can occur at any time during a vacation or outing, and avoiding incidents that can become life threatening is the first step to learning successful survival skills. Rich Johnson, one of the country's best known experts on wilderness survival, offers advice for every outdoorsman in "Rich Johnson's Guide to Wilderness Survival: How to Avoid Trouble and Live Through Trouble You Can't Avoid." Johnson, an experienced and avid outdoorsman, is an Army Special Forces veteran who lived in a remote area of Utah for a year, living off the land and taking cover in primitive places, and in this book shares survival skills and techniques during emergency situations that may save your life.
Stranded in the middle of the frigid waters of the Bering Sea, the fishing trawler, "Alaska Ranger" sent out a Mayday call to the Coast Guard for help. By 4:30 am on March 23, 2008, most of the forty seven crew members were in the water, wearing inflated survival suits, but were freezing to death in the icy waters, battered by twenty foot swells. In "Deadliest Sea: The Untold Story Behind the Greatest Rescue in the Coast Guard History" by Kalee Thompson, it is man versus nature, and what was expected to be a routine rescue mission turns into a race against time to save the men and women that were on board "Alaska Ranger."
Feelings of anger, depression, and frustration all combine to become what we call "stress." Stress in today's society is a much relevant subject, and relates to all of us in one way or another. In "The Myth of Stress: Where Stress Really Comes From," author Andrew Bernstein teaches readers how to combat thoughts and feelings that lead to stress with the seven-step ActivInsight Program, a form of cognitive therapy that banishes stress, letting the air out of thoughts that induce those bad feelings.
Rock stars have groupies; other famous people have "peeps," and still others in the limelight have paparazzi following them. Being among the "not so rich and famous" has its appeal, but still carries the need for an entourage. Be it Angelina Ballerina or a new book from JCPL, I understand; we all have our obsessions.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Hazards to Your Health Don't Include Reading!
I read. I read a lot. I read everywhere I go and with just about everything I do. Even if I am not "hands free," I try to find a way to read. I read newspapers, but not always the main articles. Sometimes the small and obscure ones that nobody else notices catch my eye, because they're usually short, sweet, and to the point. Catching up on the news on the Internet, I came across an article entitled, "Why You Shouldn't Text and Walk." I've heard and agree that texting while driving is a bad idea, but apparently, being too wrapped up in your text messages is bad for your health while walking as well. Just ask the woman who ended up falling into a fountain in the mall because she couldn't take her eyes off of her phone long enough to see the man-made pond in front of her. Lesson learned: from now on all of the reading that I do will be done while I'm stationary, as I have no desire to take an unintentional dip in ANY pond, man-made or otherwise. While you're pondering the possibilities of where you'll read your next book, text, newspaper or magazine, keep reading this article to get a few ideas on WHAT to read.
A loner and a misfit, high school freshman, Xing Xu is one of the only Asian students at his all white school. Bullied by the other students because he is different, Xing ducks into the school music room, where the teacher assumes Xing is auditioning for the school musical. Meanwhile, high school sports star, Justin Dorsey is found murdered, and when two other students go missing, Xing is targeted as a suspect in "Crossing" by Andrew Xia Fukuda.
Detective Benny Griessel's main goal is just to stay sober. After stepping on the toes of too many higher-ups, Benny knows his chances of ever getting a promotion are next to nil, so he puts his energies into mentoring a new generation of crime fighters in South Africa. When an American backpacker disappears, Griessel and his colleagues have a mere thirteen hours to save the girl in "Thirteen Hours" by Deon Meyer.
After her father passes away, Bijou Roy leaves Washington D.C. to travel to her father's native India, intending to scatter his remains in the river that runs through his native city. Meeting Naveen, the son of her father's closest friend, leads Bijou to discover the intimate details of her father's life and the family history that holds the key to replacing her deep sorrow with hope in "Bijou Roy" by Ronica Dhar.
Darius Jones has it all; a lucrative basketball career, a lovely wife and a son he adores, but when a drunk driver slams into his car, his wife becomes comatose with only a 50 percent chance of survival. "Darius Jones" by Mary B. Morrison continues the drama in the lives of characters made famous in her Soul Mates Dissipate series.
Dark secrets threaten to blanket the glossy facade of the perfect life in a suburban community where a murder had been committed twelve years earlier. Librarian, Betsy Treading was tried and convicted and later exonerated for murdering her neighbor, Linda Sue. Released from prison, Betsy returns to her old neighborhood, delving into the details of the murder in an attempt to uncover the identity of the real killer in "Neighborhood Watch" by Cammie McGovern.
The master of horror returns with a quartet of stories that will curl your hair in "Full Dark, No Stars" by the one and only Stephen King. From "1922," a tale of murder and madness to "Big Driver," the story of a woman seeking justice after being victimized to "Fair Extension," the shortest and funniest of the tales to "A Good Marriage," one with a horrifying discovery, these tales will generate the chills that even the dead of winter cannot.
Where you read doesn't really matter. It's WHAT you read that does, and at the Jasper County Public Library, we have enough new fiction on the shelves to make your trip worthwhile; just make sure that when you do check out books, you wait until you're stationary to start reading them.
A loner and a misfit, high school freshman, Xing Xu is one of the only Asian students at his all white school. Bullied by the other students because he is different, Xing ducks into the school music room, where the teacher assumes Xing is auditioning for the school musical. Meanwhile, high school sports star, Justin Dorsey is found murdered, and when two other students go missing, Xing is targeted as a suspect in "Crossing" by Andrew Xia Fukuda.
Detective Benny Griessel's main goal is just to stay sober. After stepping on the toes of too many higher-ups, Benny knows his chances of ever getting a promotion are next to nil, so he puts his energies into mentoring a new generation of crime fighters in South Africa. When an American backpacker disappears, Griessel and his colleagues have a mere thirteen hours to save the girl in "Thirteen Hours" by Deon Meyer.
After her father passes away, Bijou Roy leaves Washington D.C. to travel to her father's native India, intending to scatter his remains in the river that runs through his native city. Meeting Naveen, the son of her father's closest friend, leads Bijou to discover the intimate details of her father's life and the family history that holds the key to replacing her deep sorrow with hope in "Bijou Roy" by Ronica Dhar.
Darius Jones has it all; a lucrative basketball career, a lovely wife and a son he adores, but when a drunk driver slams into his car, his wife becomes comatose with only a 50 percent chance of survival. "Darius Jones" by Mary B. Morrison continues the drama in the lives of characters made famous in her Soul Mates Dissipate series.
Dark secrets threaten to blanket the glossy facade of the perfect life in a suburban community where a murder had been committed twelve years earlier. Librarian, Betsy Treading was tried and convicted and later exonerated for murdering her neighbor, Linda Sue. Released from prison, Betsy returns to her old neighborhood, delving into the details of the murder in an attempt to uncover the identity of the real killer in "Neighborhood Watch" by Cammie McGovern.
The master of horror returns with a quartet of stories that will curl your hair in "Full Dark, No Stars" by the one and only Stephen King. From "1922," a tale of murder and madness to "Big Driver," the story of a woman seeking justice after being victimized to "Fair Extension," the shortest and funniest of the tales to "A Good Marriage," one with a horrifying discovery, these tales will generate the chills that even the dead of winter cannot.
Where you read doesn't really matter. It's WHAT you read that does, and at the Jasper County Public Library, we have enough new fiction on the shelves to make your trip worthwhile; just make sure that when you do check out books, you wait until you're stationary to start reading them.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Living in a State of "Winter Denial?" Check Out a Book From JCPL!
Bundled up in my warmest winter gear, I resemble an Eskimo, and probably will until about early May. Some other folks, however, seem to be in denial that the winter season has actually arrived. Dressed in shorts, T-shirts and even tank tops, I see them out and about; not even flinching in the winter cold. Maybe these brave people are part of the Polar Bear Club; you know the ones; they take an annual dip in Lake Michigan, no matter what the temperature is outside. You've heard of "The Bucket List;" that list of things that you want to do sometime in this lifetime before bidding it farewell. Well, I can tell you one thing that will NOT be on my bucket list, and that's wearing shorts, a tank top, or any other obviously summer clothing in 20 degree or colder weather, as well as taking a dip in Lake Michigan anytime before the official swimming season begins. Some things that may be on my Bucket List, however, include good reading material; and here are some great non-fiction title to add to that list!
Job searching techniques are what "200 Best Jobs Through Apprenticeships" by Michael Farr is all about. This book offers a route to job seekers for career entry that allows you to earn a paycheck while participating in worksite training and classroom learning, and includes more than 60 best jobs, along with detailed, commonsense advice for the best job-searching results.
Every day interactions that we have with our children are part of the learning process for them. In "Mind in the Making" by Ellen Galinsky, the author identifies seven life skills that help children to reach their full potential for learning. Each chapter is devoted to explaining a life skill that will help parents and their children to tap into and grasp different kinds of knowledge that will foster and promote self-motivation, providing a valuable place to start in the learning process.
Slice of life essays make for hilarious reading in "How Did You Get This Number" by Sloane Crosley. This collection offers a humorous and witty glimpse into everyday situations that, paragraph for paragraph and chapter for chapter, will make the reader laugh out loud and experience Crosley's adventures from a fresh and funny perspective.
It's the New Year, and lots of folks have made resolutions to eat healthier and get in shape. "Change Your Brain, Change Your Body" by Daniel G. Amen is a user-friendly book that offers a blueprint for changing your way of thinking, therefore, changing the state of your body. The key to having the body that you want is first having a healthy brain, and that fact is based on medical research as well as two decades of clinical research done by Dr. Amen and his associates. Fifteen practical and easy to implement solutions that include nutrition, positive thinking, and natural supplements, will help you to reach your ideal weight, smoothe your skin, sharpen your memory and avoid depression, among other things that offer a powerful argument in favor of the mind-body connection.
Create the colorful, all season, flower garden that you've always wanted with "The Ever Blooming Flower Garden: A Blueprint for Continuous Color" by Lee Schneller. This easy to use manual consists of a five step system that includes a flower catalog, plant planning chart, easy care options and straightforward, no nonsense growing information, as well as color photographs of each specimen and the month of the season that it will produce the most vivid color.
Living in a state of denial about the chill in the air may be the way to go for some folks; I, however, live in the state of Indiana, where the fashion forecast for the next couple of months calls for nothing without sleeves or warm, thick winter gear. If you want to "think spring," go to your local branch of JCPL, where you can mentally sow the garden of your dreams by checking out books that will plant the seed of spring in your mind, keeping you cozy till it arrives, once and for all!
Job searching techniques are what "200 Best Jobs Through Apprenticeships" by Michael Farr is all about. This book offers a route to job seekers for career entry that allows you to earn a paycheck while participating in worksite training and classroom learning, and includes more than 60 best jobs, along with detailed, commonsense advice for the best job-searching results.
Every day interactions that we have with our children are part of the learning process for them. In "Mind in the Making" by Ellen Galinsky, the author identifies seven life skills that help children to reach their full potential for learning. Each chapter is devoted to explaining a life skill that will help parents and their children to tap into and grasp different kinds of knowledge that will foster and promote self-motivation, providing a valuable place to start in the learning process.
Slice of life essays make for hilarious reading in "How Did You Get This Number" by Sloane Crosley. This collection offers a humorous and witty glimpse into everyday situations that, paragraph for paragraph and chapter for chapter, will make the reader laugh out loud and experience Crosley's adventures from a fresh and funny perspective.
It's the New Year, and lots of folks have made resolutions to eat healthier and get in shape. "Change Your Brain, Change Your Body" by Daniel G. Amen is a user-friendly book that offers a blueprint for changing your way of thinking, therefore, changing the state of your body. The key to having the body that you want is first having a healthy brain, and that fact is based on medical research as well as two decades of clinical research done by Dr. Amen and his associates. Fifteen practical and easy to implement solutions that include nutrition, positive thinking, and natural supplements, will help you to reach your ideal weight, smoothe your skin, sharpen your memory and avoid depression, among other things that offer a powerful argument in favor of the mind-body connection.
Create the colorful, all season, flower garden that you've always wanted with "The Ever Blooming Flower Garden: A Blueprint for Continuous Color" by Lee Schneller. This easy to use manual consists of a five step system that includes a flower catalog, plant planning chart, easy care options and straightforward, no nonsense growing information, as well as color photographs of each specimen and the month of the season that it will produce the most vivid color.
Living in a state of denial about the chill in the air may be the way to go for some folks; I, however, live in the state of Indiana, where the fashion forecast for the next couple of months calls for nothing without sleeves or warm, thick winter gear. If you want to "think spring," go to your local branch of JCPL, where you can mentally sow the garden of your dreams by checking out books that will plant the seed of spring in your mind, keeping you cozy till it arrives, once and for all!
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Skip the Long Winter's Nap; Read a Good Book!
The story of Rip Van Winkle is a short one, but a classic. As the story goes, Rip Van Winkle decided to take a short nap one day and woke up twenty years later to a whole new world. Imagine how much catching up you'd have to do if you fell asleep twenty years ago and were just waking up now. You'd go to watch TV, see a skinny, flat screen, and wonder where the rest of the TV set went. Conversation would be sort of confusing, too. If someone mentioned the "'Net," "phish," and "spam" all in one sentence, you'd pack a lunch and find the nearest fishing hole. If asked about what Antivirus works for you, or how to Debug your system, your answer would probably be penicillin. You'd wonder, too, how, or even WHY, you'd want to "surf the 'Web," when a web is really just a tangled mess of silk that spiders call their home. Taking a "long winter's nap" right now might sound good to you, but there are so many great, new fiction titles on the shelves of the Jasper County Public Library that you won't want to take the chance of oversleeping and missing these wonderful "texts." Read on!
The "what-ifs" of life sometimes haunt us all, especially when times get really tough. Annabelle and her husband, Grant, have been married for nearly three decades, and in that time, they raised two wonderful children and made many great memories as a family. Grant has stood by Annabelle's side, even in the early, tumultuous years of their marriage when Annabelle stepped out of the boundaries of their marriage, betraying her husband's faith with another man. Now, all these years later, Annabelle finds herself wondering if Grant is really the man for her, or if her true soul mate is the other man in "The Stuff That Never Happened" by Maddie Dawson.
Jill Murray has built a life for herself and her ten year old daughter, and because of past experience, has established a "no boys allowed" rule for herself. Meeting free-spirited, entrepreneur, Billy, Jill's "no boys allowed" rule begins to falter, and to make matters worse, her ex-husband has reentered her life, proving to Jill that he can't even run away reliably in "Seven Year Switch" by Claire Cook.
Faced with a terminal illness, Jenny Lucas journeys back to a place she swore she'd never revisit; her hometown in North Carolina and the family she left behind. Coming face to face with her distant father, her oxygen-toting grandmother, and David, the father of her five year old daughter, is a dose of reality for Jenny, but demonstrates how the power of love and family can heal old hurts, and open new doors in "Crossing Oceans" by Gina Holmes.
Scraping by and living paycheck to paycheck, Tina Finn's life takes a drastic turn when her mother passes away, leaving her a huge, luxury apartment and an inheritance that could solve all of her money troubles. Things are looking up for Tina, that is, until her two half-brothers, who have been left out of the inheritance surface, making Jenny stand up for what is rightfully hers in "Twelve Rooms With a View" by Theresa Rebeck.
When it comes to taking a long winter's nap, you'll want to "Wake up Little Suzy," "Sleep With One Eye Open," and you "Won't Want to Miss a Thing," because with these and other new fiction titles from JCPL, you'll be "Talking in Your Sleep" and singing the "No Sleep Blues!"
The "what-ifs" of life sometimes haunt us all, especially when times get really tough. Annabelle and her husband, Grant, have been married for nearly three decades, and in that time, they raised two wonderful children and made many great memories as a family. Grant has stood by Annabelle's side, even in the early, tumultuous years of their marriage when Annabelle stepped out of the boundaries of their marriage, betraying her husband's faith with another man. Now, all these years later, Annabelle finds herself wondering if Grant is really the man for her, or if her true soul mate is the other man in "The Stuff That Never Happened" by Maddie Dawson.
Jill Murray has built a life for herself and her ten year old daughter, and because of past experience, has established a "no boys allowed" rule for herself. Meeting free-spirited, entrepreneur, Billy, Jill's "no boys allowed" rule begins to falter, and to make matters worse, her ex-husband has reentered her life, proving to Jill that he can't even run away reliably in "Seven Year Switch" by Claire Cook.
Faced with a terminal illness, Jenny Lucas journeys back to a place she swore she'd never revisit; her hometown in North Carolina and the family she left behind. Coming face to face with her distant father, her oxygen-toting grandmother, and David, the father of her five year old daughter, is a dose of reality for Jenny, but demonstrates how the power of love and family can heal old hurts, and open new doors in "Crossing Oceans" by Gina Holmes.
Scraping by and living paycheck to paycheck, Tina Finn's life takes a drastic turn when her mother passes away, leaving her a huge, luxury apartment and an inheritance that could solve all of her money troubles. Things are looking up for Tina, that is, until her two half-brothers, who have been left out of the inheritance surface, making Jenny stand up for what is rightfully hers in "Twelve Rooms With a View" by Theresa Rebeck.
When it comes to taking a long winter's nap, you'll want to "Wake up Little Suzy," "Sleep With One Eye Open," and you "Won't Want to Miss a Thing," because with these and other new fiction titles from JCPL, you'll be "Talking in Your Sleep" and singing the "No Sleep Blues!"
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Give Yourself the Gift of Reading This Holiday Season!
What's on your gift list this holiday season? I don't have a long list, but I'm wondering if Santa could find it in his heart to drop a new clothes dryer down the chimney for me this year, along with some new socks. Nothing is really wrong with the old dryer, it still dries clothes okay, but it's getting really expensive to use because it only takes socks as payment. I know this, because every time I throw a load of clothes in the dryer, at least one or two socks out of a pair disappear into oblivion, never to be seen or heard from again. I have 3 grandchildren with wish lists too. Because I take my job playing Santa pretty seriously, I have pretty much fulfilled those lists, and just have stocking stuffers left to buy. They love gum, and finding gum in their stockings would be a great treat for them, although I fear they'll use it as adhesive for their hair, in which case, it may be wise to include a jar of peanut butter in each stocking as well, because peanut butter is known to be a great gum-buster for hair that sticks together. How do I know this? Why, because Wikipedia says so, and Wikipedia is only one way to find great tidbits of information. The Jasper County Public Library has LOADS of great, new nonfiction titles to help you find the answers to your everyday dilemmas. Check out these new titles!
If forgetting names and being on the lookout for your missing keys is a daily thing for you, you can put your mind at rest. "The Secret Life of the Grown-Up Brain" by Barbara Strauch offers reassuring evidence that the middle aged brain is in good shape, indeed. Through high tech brain scans and other psychological testing, Strauch finds that mental faculties such as cognitive expertise, problem solving skills and wisdom are at their peak at middle age. I don't know about you, but I could use this dose of optimism about my middle aged brain!
Take a step back in time before franchise restaurants and chain motels took up space along our country's highways and byways and explore historic Route 66 in all its glory by checking out "Route 66 Backroads: Your Guide to Scenic Side Trips" by Jim Hinckley. This book offers Route 66 lovers the "scenic route" featuring side trips through the 8 states, taking you off the beaten path of the Interstate and into the ultimate, scenic, cross country journey from Chicago to L.A., complete with color photographs that will make you want to jump into the car and take a road trip.
From beginner's techniques to more advanced treatments, "Simply Reflexology" by Sonia Jones explores this ancient practice, guiding the reader through the process of discovering the areas of the feet and hands that correspond to the body's system and tissues, offering detailed, step by step instructions for specialized treatments and additional insight.
Battling subzero temperatures and the threat of avalanches, hundred foot cliffs, and other dangers of the far north, Hugh Rowland delivers adventure supreme in "On Thin Ice: Breakdowns, Whiteouts, and Survival on the World's Deadliest Roads." Based on the hit reality TV series Ice Road Truckers, this inside look at one of the world's most dangerous jobs chronicles the infamous, treacherous journey of Rowland as he battles the odds, year after year.
What's on your Christmas list this year? How about a detour from the hustle and bustle, standing in line, and general brain-numbing shopping trips in your inevitable future? Take a trip, instead to the quiet sanctuary that is JCPL, and give yourself the gift of a relaxing, good book!
If forgetting names and being on the lookout for your missing keys is a daily thing for you, you can put your mind at rest. "The Secret Life of the Grown-Up Brain" by Barbara Strauch offers reassuring evidence that the middle aged brain is in good shape, indeed. Through high tech brain scans and other psychological testing, Strauch finds that mental faculties such as cognitive expertise, problem solving skills and wisdom are at their peak at middle age. I don't know about you, but I could use this dose of optimism about my middle aged brain!
Take a step back in time before franchise restaurants and chain motels took up space along our country's highways and byways and explore historic Route 66 in all its glory by checking out "Route 66 Backroads: Your Guide to Scenic Side Trips" by Jim Hinckley. This book offers Route 66 lovers the "scenic route" featuring side trips through the 8 states, taking you off the beaten path of the Interstate and into the ultimate, scenic, cross country journey from Chicago to L.A., complete with color photographs that will make you want to jump into the car and take a road trip.
From beginner's techniques to more advanced treatments, "Simply Reflexology" by Sonia Jones explores this ancient practice, guiding the reader through the process of discovering the areas of the feet and hands that correspond to the body's system and tissues, offering detailed, step by step instructions for specialized treatments and additional insight.
Battling subzero temperatures and the threat of avalanches, hundred foot cliffs, and other dangers of the far north, Hugh Rowland delivers adventure supreme in "On Thin Ice: Breakdowns, Whiteouts, and Survival on the World's Deadliest Roads." Based on the hit reality TV series Ice Road Truckers, this inside look at one of the world's most dangerous jobs chronicles the infamous, treacherous journey of Rowland as he battles the odds, year after year.
What's on your Christmas list this year? How about a detour from the hustle and bustle, standing in line, and general brain-numbing shopping trips in your inevitable future? Take a trip, instead to the quiet sanctuary that is JCPL, and give yourself the gift of a relaxing, good book!
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