Latest Staff Reviews
Demon Copperhead
By Kingsolver, BarbaraWINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE FOR LITERATURE 2023
Imagine you want to write about the opioid epidemic in Appalachia, a place you are from and have loved your whole life. Then imagine you are on a book tour in England and stay in Charles Dickens’s house, Bleak House, and you sit at his desk and lay your head down and ask the master writer, how? And you receive the answer, “let the orphan tell the story.” And with that, Demon Copperhead, a retelling of David Copperfield, is born.
Dragon's Keep
By Janet Lee Carey“The real dragon haunted my head and heart.”
What makes Dragon's Keep work for me is its approach: a medieval fantasy written more like historical fantasy than high fantasy. Yet it has that sliver of magic and magical creatures (dragons, of course) to spice up the lyrical story. In other words, the author avoids over-doing the chosen one approach, and instead creates very believable characters in a believable world.
Latest Local Music
Seolhee Snow Kim is an accomplished composer currently pursuing graduate studies at the University of Kansas. She writes music for a variety of ensembles with an aim to represent the inspiration she finds in art, nature, and the world we live in. We are delighted to share some of her music and this interview, where she talks about what inspires her and how she creates.
Please introduce yourself and describe your music for new listeners.
A multitalented musician, performer and songwriter who has been studying music since the third grade, Jass R. Couch, AKA Jass, is a widely respected solo artist at home in Kansas City and abroad. Her most recent album, 2020's At the Close of a Decade, helped land her music on the Peacock original series Bel-Air. Enjoy our interview with Jass about this experience, her creative practice and what fans can expect in the months to come.
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You’re a songwriter, singer, instrumentalist and performer. Which of these started first for you?
Still looking for a great read? Follow our Librarians in the catalog! We recommend JCLGreggW for all the hottest new fiction trends and JCLHeatherMi for teen books and more!
