Staff Picks

I was leery of this science fiction film; I didn’t like the sound of the plot. The year is 2057, and the sun is dying. Well, first of all, according to all the science I’ve read, Earth’s sun isn’t in danger of dying, going supernova or expanding into a red giant and engulfing the planet anytime soon (put the latter on your calendar for, oh, about five billion years from now).

Canadian singer/guitarist Bruce Cockburn (pronounced CO-burn) has had the kind of career that is enviable from a critical standpoint and somewhat regrettable from a popular one. That is, Cockburn’s memorable, intelligent songs have been praised over and over in the music magazines, but after decades of doing this, he’s still not that well-known to the public.

World War II is beginning and young Davy and his best friend Scooter are busy doing their part by collecting the junk de jour. One day they're searching for scrap metal in creepy old Mr. Stonecypher's attic the next they're scavenging for milkweed near an old barn. While they're searching around the barn they spy a vintage car and try out the seats. They're scared to death when a woman shoots her shotgun and announces that they're on her property. I loved this book.

I had not experienced The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald before I read it this month for my book club. I didn't know what I was missing! A great story about class and status, relationships, wealth, power, lost love, and loyalty. I listened to this rather than read it.

edited by Barbara Graham. This collections of essays by well-known writers/grandmothers is not the sweet book about being a nana that I was looking for. It's like a punch in the gut, actually. It's an honest look at what being a grandmother is really like for these women. There's no sugar coating here.

In letters to each other written for a school assignment Christina and Elizabeth share their lives; the happy, the sad, the confusing and the hurtful. My initial reaction was that the letter-writing device was a bit over-used, but soon became absorbed in the story.

This a wonderful book that celebrates a woman who has broken into male dominated sports. This is a story about Jackie Mitchell who achieved some element of success in the early stages of major league baseball. It celebrates her story and her life and direction. She was a pitcher who developed a very debilitating curve ball. The pitch was effective enough to strike out some of the best major league hitting stars, including Babe Ruth.

Chalice takes place in a land where I’d like to live. The people, the animals, the water, the land itself are all connected. What would it be like to be able to feel the health of the earth? To be able to affect the health of the earth? Of course, the book wouldn’t be as readable and compelling as it is if all was paradise.

What is this “Lost Wisdom of the Ages” that someone is earnestly trying to seek?

Likely the base for a new movie, this third book in the Robert Langdon series is filled with symbolism, puzzles, hidden messages, and mysticism. This is not a gentle read, so be prepared. Heinous crimes are committed and vividly described.