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Staff Picks
Tales from the Inner City
By Shaun TanMagical.
Marvelous, otherworldly, enthralling, haunting, wonderful. Magical.
Working in libraries has cured my of my book-hoarding obsession. I have such easy access to nearly anything I want on a daily basis, I no longer feel much need to own the books myself. This is one of the rare exceptions. It's not enough for me to have consumed this book; I want to possess it. I want to repeatedly immerse myself in it and dwell in it. I want to become a part of it and make it a part of me.
Shadow Baby
By Alison McGheeShadow Baby is a beautifully told, somewhat meandering story of a young teen coming to grips with the loss and grief that surrounds her. Clara has a wonderfully-developed, distinctive narrative voice that brims with personality.
A brief digression to reference an article from the New York Times, The Stories That Bind Us.
Working in a public library has, by and large, broken me of the habit of just meandering through the stacks, open to whatever strikes my fancy. This is unfortunate. Fortunately, though, working in a library also frequently involves my being in those stacks, whether it's making a beeline for a book a patron wants, pulling a book to fulfill a hold, or seeking out books to fill a gap in a display. So I still get those moments of serendipity, even if I'm not roaming the stacks looking for my own next read.
Burning Down the Haus
By Tim MohrUsing research from interviews, archives and declassified Stasi files, Mohr puts together a timeline from the appearance of the first East German punk up to the dismantling of the GDR. Although world events and politics played a huge role in the fall of the wall, the East German punks’ grassroots efforts to expose the oppressiveness of their government got regular citizens involved, ultimately tipping the scales.
The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel: A Story of Sleepy Hollow
By Alyssa PalomboThis story is the legend of Sleepy Hollow from the point of view of the main female character, Katrina Van Tassel. Having grown up the only daughter to a wealthy farmer and doting mother, Katrina is strong in her opinions, desires and actions. While this strength of character gets Katrina into some mischief, it also allows her to follow her heart and find a deep love with the new school teacher, Ichabod Crane.
Do you ever want to match the tone of a novel to music? I do! Here's some of my favorite music and author combinations matched up for your listening and reading pleasure. Enjoy!
Radiohead and George Orwell
Stylistically unique, dystopian, paranoid, deep, fascinating, groundbreaking in sound and genre, political, and futuristic are hallmarks of both Radiohead and George Orwell. The reflection of culture makes these works timeless. These British legends pair perfectly together.
Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup
By John CarreyrouDo you ever wonder how corporate fraud starts, gets exposed, and in the aftermath how the all the players lives are affected? Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou offers such a glimpse into corporate fraud and all its ugliness.
Women's Voices Writing Contest Winner
By Peggy EpsteinJohnson County Library and The Writers Place are pleased to announce that Peggy Epstein has won the essay category of our writing contest on the theme of WOMEN'S VOICES with "Wordless".
