Book News at SCPL

Strong Women in Historical Fiction

2010-03-01T11:47:00.004-05:00

If you enjoy reading historical fiction then check out these titles that you might have missed.

The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry

Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry

Away by Amy Bloom

The Hours by Michael Cunningham

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

The Beet Queen by Louise Erdrich

A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick

Serena by Ron Rash

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

The Stone Dairies by Carol Shields

The Stone Carvers by Jane Urquhart

Haiti

2010-01-15T09:37:00.002-05:00

With the devastation of Haiti in the news, you might want to read more about the country. Edwidge Danticat is probably the most famous fiction author from Haiti, but Omar Tyree has also written about the country and people.

Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat

The Dew Breaker by Edwidge Danticat

The Farming of Bones by Edwidge Danticat

Leslie by Omar Tyree

The library also has a couple of non-fiction titles.

Eyes of the Heart: Seeking a Path for the Poor in the Age of Globalization by Jean-Bertrand Aristide (330.972 Ari)

Tell My Horse: Voodoo and Life in Haiti and Jamaica by Zora Neale Hurston (299.67 H)

There are also many books in the children's section of the library.

Reader's Circle Book Club 2010

2009-12-29T09:45:00.003-05:00

Books have been selected for the 2010 Reader's Circle Book Club. The group meets at 11:00 am on the third Tuesday of the month. Our first meeting will be on Tuesday, January 19th from 11:00-12:00. New members are always welcome and books are available for checkout. Here is what we will be reading and discussing in 2010:

January 19 - Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks

February 16 - The Last Town on Earth by Thomas Mullen

March 16 - Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larson

April 20 - Still Alice by Lisa Genova

May 18 - Matrimony by Joshua Henkin

June 15 - Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

July 20 - Dante Club by Matthew Pearl

August 17 - A Sudden Country by Karen Fisher

September 21 - Picking Cotton by Jennifer Thompson Cannino

October 19 - The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien

November 16 - The year of Fog by Michelle Richmond

Schedule subject to change.

Reserve your book now on the library's online catalog.

New Novels for the Hoidays

2009-12-11T11:33:00.002-05:00

During this busy holiday season, be sure you stop and take some time for reading. This time of year, many authors publish books that celebrate the season. These books are usually short so it is easy to find a few minutes in your busy schedule to enjoy one. Try one of these holiday books:

The Gift by Cecelia Ahern

A Quilter's Holiday: An Elm Creek Quilt Novel by Jennifer Chiaverini

The Christmas List by Richard Paul Evans

Plum Pudding Murder by Joanne Fluke

Home for Christmas by Andrew M. Greeley

A Wish for Christmas by Thomas Kinkade

Merry, Merry Ghost by Carolyn Hart

Christmas Cake by Lynne Hinton

Knit the Season: A Friday Night Knitting Club Novel by Kate Jacobs

The Perfect Christmas by Debbie Macomber

A Blue and Gray Christmas by Joan Medlicott

A Christmas Promise by Anne Perry

The Christmas Secret by Donna VanLiere

Lakeshore Christmas by Susan Wiggs

Please check out online card catalog to check the availability of these titles or to place a reserve. There are many more holiday titles available, and we have a display of some of those books at the Albemarle Library.

Mind Breaks - Quick Reads for Busy Times

2009-11-25T15:24:00.002-05:00

Here are a few short novels that you might enjoy reading this busy holiday season:

The Clothes They Stood Up In by Alan Bennett
Joy School by Elizabeth Berg
The Return Journey by Maeve Binchy
Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie
The Persian Pickle Club by Sandra Dallas
Walking Across Egypt by Clyde Edgerton
A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg
Life Goes On by Philip Gulley
Shopgirl by Steve Martin
No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith
Amsterdam by Ian McEwan
Last Night at the Lobster by Stewart O'Nan
Julie & Romeo by Jeanne Ray
Pobby and Dingan by Ben Rice
Tepper Isn't Going Out by Calvin Trillin

You can check the availability of these, and other titles, and place your reserve at our online card catalog.

2009-11-18T10:03:00.005-05:00

The library has recently purchased reprints from several classic authors. There really is something for everyone.

If you are a romance reader, then be sure to check out some of these newly reprinted titles by Georgette Heyer, the queen of Regency Romance:

The Toll Gate

The Black Moth

Black Sheep

False Colors

Faros Daughter

If you are a mystery reader then you MUST read Agatha Christie. And even if you aren't a mystery reader I suggest reading her. Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot are great characters.

4:50 From Paddington

Appointment With Death

The Body in the Library

Death on the Nile

The Tuesday Club Murders

Murder on the Orient Express

If you like British history and big family sagas, then you might like to try R.F. Delderfield.

God is An Englishman

To Serve Them All My Days

All of these titles, and more, are avialable for checkout. You can check for availability and place your reserve at the library's online card catalog.

The Friends of the Library Present: Theres Fowler

2009-09-25T10:07:00.006-05:00

The Friends of the Stanly County Public Library are proud to announce that Therese Fowler, author of Souvenir and Reunion will be the featured speaker at the Friends annual author dinner. She holds an MFA in creative writing. She grew up in Illinois and now lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, with her husband and two sons. Therese's novels are published internationally, in nine languages and more than twenty-eight countries, to date. Books will be available for purchase and signing the night of the event.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

6:30 pm

Stanly Regional Medical Center's Family Education Center

Tickets are $12.00 for members of the Friends and $15.00 for non-members. Tickets are on sale now and must be purchased by Oct. 7th. Stop by the public library in Albemarle to purchase your ticket or call 704-986-3755.

Check the library's catalog to reserve a copy of her books. And be sure to check out Ms. Fowler's web site.

Looking for Something to Read While You Wait for the New Dan Brown Book?

2009-09-16T12:45:00.002-05:00

The new Dan Brown book, The Lost Symbol has arrived at the Stanly County Public Library. Be sure to get your name on the reserve list for the much anticipated new book. You can place a reserve from the online card catalog. While you are waiting, you might want to try some of these titles:

The Third Secret by Steve Berry

Cross Bones by Kathy Reichs

Splintered Icon by Bill Napier

The Last Templar by Raymond Khoury

The Templar Legacy by Steve Berry

The Last Cato by Matilda Asensi

The Secret Supper by Javier Sierra

Labyrinth by Kate Moss

The Sacred Cut by David Hewson

The Franklin Affair by Jim Lehrer

The Twelfth Card by Jeffrey Deaver

Black Order by James Rollins

Atlantis Prophecy by Thomas Greanias

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

Improbable by Adam Fower

Codex by Lev Grossman

The Patriot's Club by Christopher Reich

Evening With the Author

2009-09-15T13:36:00.002-05:00

Date: Thursday, September 17, 2009

Time: 6:00-7:00 pm

Location: Albemarle Library Meeting Room

Everyone is invited to come to the library and hear local author J.C. Boone talk about his book Hitler at the Obersalzberg. After his talk he will answer questions and have copies of his book available for sale. Mr. Boone developed an interest in the Third Reich while he was stationed in Berchtesgaden, Germany. During his research he was able to interview Hitler's sister.

The Smartest Card @ The Stanly County Public Library

2009-09-09T08:02:00.002-05:00

September is National Library Card Sign-up Month, and the Stanly County Public Library wants to make sure that all children in Stanly county have the smartest card of all - a library card. Studies show that children who are read to in the home and who use the library perform better in school and are more likely to continue to use the library as a source of lifetime learning.

Getting a library card is easy. All you need is something that verifies your address. This would include you current driver's license, a checkbook, or mail recently mailed to your house with your name on it. A staff member at the circulation desk will issue your library card while you wait.

2009-08-31T14:06:00.002-05:00

Just as he did in The Terror, Dan Simmons draws impeccably from history to create a gloriously engaging and terrifying narrative. Based on the historical details of Charles Dicken's life and narrated by Wilkie Collins (Dicken's friend, frequent collaborator, and secret rival), Drood explores the still unsolved mysteries of the famous authors last years.

If you are looking for a book that is chilling, haunting, and utterly original, with a touch of history and literature, you might like to read Drood by Dan Simmons.

Other books you might like are:

The Terror by Dan Simmons

The Last Dickens by Matthew Pearl

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl

You can check the library's online card catalog to see if these titles are available or to place a reserve.

Travel the World from Your Living Room: India

2009-08-19T09:28:00.003-05:00

For those of us who aren't able to take wild and exotic vacations reading about foriegn places can be almost as good. Check out these books if you want to see India, it's people, it's customs and it's food. The library's online catalog can show you what's available.

Love and Longing in Bombay: Stories by Vikram Chandra

Family Matters by Rohinton Mistry

The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy

Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie

The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar

Fasting and Feasting by Anita Desai

A Sin of Color by Sunetra Gupta

The Impressionist by Hari Kunzru

Ladies Coupe by Anita Nair

Magic Seeds by V.S. Naipaul

Marriage Bureau for Rich People by Farahad Zama

Where do you want to visit?

Summer is Short, Read a Story

2009-08-10T09:47:00.003-05:00

Summer is soon coming to an end, but there is still time to get some reading done. The library has a number of story collections that are perfect for reading when you are short on time. Try one of the titles on this list, or check the library's online catalog for more suggestions.

The Day I Ate Whatever I Wanted: and Other Small Acts of Liberation by Elizabeth Berg

Wild Nights: Stories About the Last Days of Poe, Dickinson, Twain, James and Hemingway by Joyce Carol Oates

Coronado by Dennis Lehane

The Gardens of Reading: an Anthology of 20th Century Short Fiction About Gardens and Gardeners

Just After Sunset by Stephen King

Happy Families by Carlos Fuentes

Immortals: the Reckoning by Jennifer Ashley

Cheating at Canasta by William Trevor

Two of the Deadliest: new Tales of Lust, Greed, and Murder From Outstanding Women of Mystery edited by Elizabeth George

The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

The View From the Seventh Layer by Kevin Brockmeier

The Send-Away Girl by Barbara Sutton

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

Cool Books for Hot Summer Days

2009-08-04T14:12:00.003-05:00

As Carolina steams through hot summer days, try one of these cool books.

An Ice Cold Grave by Charlaine Harris

Dry Ice by Stephen White

Fortress of Ice by C.J. Cherryh

How to be Cool by Johanna Edwards

Be Cool by Elmore Leonard

Cold Case by Kate Wilhelm

The Cold Six Thousand by James Ellroy

One Cold Night by Robert B. Parker

Cold Mountain by Charles Fraizer

Fire and Ice by J.A. Jance

Ice Blue by Anne Stuart

Fire and Ice by Julie Garwood

You can check the library's online catalog to check the availability of these titles and to place a reserve.

NPR: 100 Best Beach Books Ever

2009-08-03T12:16:00.003-05:00

Have you seen the list of the 100 Best Beach Books Ever, put out by NPR? The list was created by NPR listeners who voted for their favorite beach books. It's a great list full of old classics and new classics. And there are some pretty large books on there which is great for summer when we have more time to read. I've read forty-three (43) of the titles on the list. How many have you read? Is there a book you think should be on the list? Leave me some comments, and if you are a Stanly County Public Library patron I'll toss your name in the pot for a free book. You can check the library's online catalog to see which titles we have and to place a reserve.

The Reading Man

2009-07-24T10:21:00.002-05:00

Check out these author suggestions for the Reading Man. Or the Reading Woman. You can search the Stanly County Public Library's online card catalog for availability or to place a reserve.

David Baldacci

Russell Banks

Lawrence Block

Dan Brown

Larry Brown

James Lee Burke

Stephen Cannell

Harlan Coben

Michael Connelly

Clive Cussler

Don Delillo

Nelson DeMille

Pete Dexter

James Grippando

Jonathan Kellerman

Steve Martini

Brad Meltzer

Kyle Mills

Tim O'Brien

James Patterson

Ridley Pearson

Robert Parker

John Sandford

Jeff Shaara

Michael Shaara

Joseph Wambaugh

What other others would you suggest?

Author Frank McCourt Dies

2009-07-20T08:51:00.002-05:00

Frank McCourt, Pulitzer Prize winning author for the memoir Angela's Ashes died this weekend. McCourt also wrote two other memoirs, 'Tis and Teacher Man, along with a children's book Angela and the Baby Jesus. The Stanly County Public Library has copies of all his books available for checkout. You can check the online catalog to see availability or to reserve a copy.

What is Urban or Street Fiction?

2009-07-14T09:48:00.002-05:00

"Urban Fiction, also know and Street Lit, is a literary genre set, as the name implies, in a city setting. However, the genre is as much defined by the race and culture of its characters as the urban setting. The tone for urban fiction is usually dark, focusing on the underside of life. Profanity, sex, and violence are usually explicit." - Wikipedia

It's not a genre for everyone. If you're willing to try it, the library has a few titles that you might want to check out:

Midnight by Sister Souljah
Deadly Reigns by Teri Woods
Let That Be the Reason by Vickie M. Stringer
Payback With Ya Life by Wahida Clark

And some other authors you might like to try:

Eric Jerome Dickey
E. Lynne Harris
Kimberla Lawson Roby
Zane
Victoria Christopher Murray
Carl Weber
Omar Tyree
P.R. Hawkins

You can check the library's online catalog to see the availability of these titles and authors and to place a reserve.

Summer Movies

2009-07-09T08:16:00.003-05:00

This summer brings several movies to the big screen that were bestselling novels.

Angels and Demons by Dan Brown was released on May 15.

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult was released on June 26.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling will be released on July 15.

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger will be released on August 14.

The Stanly County Public Library system does have copies of all of these books available for checkout. Check our online card catalog to see availability or to place a reserve. We also have multiple copies of My Sister's Keeper and The Time Traveler's Wife available for book clubs.

First Fiction, Fresh Faces

2009-07-06T12:25:00.007-05:00

I really enjoy reading first-time authors. It's always a joy to find a new author and follow their career. Here are a few books by new authors that you might like to try. The library has copies of all of these titles. Check the online card catalog to see availabilty or to place a reserve.

Beginner's Greek by James Collins

Girls in Trucks by Katie Crouch

Finding Nouf by Zoe Ferrari

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

The Local News by Miriam Gershow

The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff

Promise of the Wolves by Dorothy Hearst

The Outcast by Sadie Jones

Mudbound by Hillary Jordan

Lady of Milkweed Manor by Julie Klassen

House at Riverton by Kate Morton

Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith

The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti

A Fraction of the Whole by Steve Tolz

June Brides: Novels about Weddings

2009-06-01T08:14:00.003-05:00

Here are a few novels about weddings. Some are funny, romantic, mysteries, or historical. There is sure to be something for everyone. You can also search the library's online card catalog for more titles or to place a reserve on any of these titles.

The Wedding Officer by Anthony Capella

Hitched by Carol Higgins Clark

The Wedding Game by Jane Feather

The Bride by Julie Garwood

Wedding Bell Blues by Heather Graham

Something Borrowed by Emily Griffin

The Wedding Machine by Beth Webb Hart

I Do, But I Don't by Cara Lockwood

Two Days After the Wedding by Joan Medlicott

Miss Julia Throws a Wedding by Ann B. Ross

A Wedding in December by Anita Shreve

Wedding Belles by Haywood Smith

The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks

April Showers Bring May Flowers

2009-05-11T09:25:00.003-05:00

If these May showers have you stuck inside and not able to work in your garden, try reading one of these "May Flowers" books. The Stanly County Public Library has many books on gardening and flowers available for checkout. You can check our online catalog for more titles that may interest you.

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt

The Lilac Bus by Maeve Binchy

Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

The Red Geranium by Janette Oke

Blue Dahlia by Nora Roberts

Peony in Love by Lisa See

Roses are Red by James Patterson

White Oleander by Janet Fitch

The Masque of the Black Tulip by Lauren Willig

The Ghost Orchid by Carol Goodman

Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man by Fannie Flagg

Like a Watered Garden by Pattie Hill

The Shop on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber

The Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirrezvani

Book Club This Week

2009-04-20T07:42:00.004-05:00

On Tuesday, April 21st, the Reader's Circle Book Club will meet at 11:00 am to discuss Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. New members are always welcome, and the library has copies of the book available for checkout. Check our online catalog for availablity.

The Uwharrie Players will be performing Of Mice and Men later this month. On April 24 & 25 and May 1 & 2 showtime will be at 7:30 pm. On April 26 and May 3 showtime will be at 2:30. See their web page for more information.

The Reader's Circle Book Club will next meet on Tuesday, May 19 to discuss Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo.

2009-04-17T09:02:00.004-05:00

Last week Pfeiffer University hosted author Pamela Duncan at their annual Friends of the Library Author Luncheon. Pam is the author of Moon Women, Plant Life, and The Big Beautiful. During her humorous talk, she mentioned the support of her writers group and how all of them are published authors. When I got back to my office I emailed Pam for more information about her writers group. She kindly shared the members names and the titles of the books they have written. The library now has on order several of these books. So once you finish reading Pam's books (I highly recommend them) you can look for the books written by the women in her writer's group: Lynn York with The Piano Teacher, Darnell Arnoult with Sufficient Grace, Virginia Boyd with One Fell Swoop and Dawn Shamp with On Account of Conspicuous Women. Pam also recommends My Old True Love by Sheila Kay Adams.

Topics of Interest

2009-04-09T09:58:00.006-05:00

The Jewish holiday of Passover begins at sundown today. If you are interested in the Jewish culture, history, or traditions, the library has materials available for checkout. I've selected a few titles to share with you, but there are many more listings in our online card catalog.

Someone Not Really Her Mother by Harriet Scott Chessman

Joy Comes in the Morning by Jonathan Rosen

The Wonder Spot by Melissa Banks

Heir to the Glimmering World by Cynthia Ozick

Hedwig and Berti by Frieda Arkin

The Ministry of Special Cases by Nathan Englander

The Saturday Wife by Naomi Ragen

Caspian Rain by Gina Barkhordar Nahai

Stone Kiss by Faye Kellerman

Terror Town: an Abe Lieberman Mystery by Stuart Kaminsky

The Plot Against America by Philip Roth

A Thread of Grace by Mary Doria Russell

Jewish Cooking Around the World: Gourmet and Holiday Recipes by Hanna Goodman

The Complete Book of Jewish Observance by Leo Trepp

Healthy Jewish Cooking by Steven Raichlen

To Life! A Celebration of Jewish Being and Thinking by Harold Kushner

The Faith Club: a Muslim, a Christian, a Jew - Three Women Search for Understanding by Ranya Idliby

Open Mic Poetry Night

2009-04-06T12:58:00.000-05:00

April is National Poetry Month. Come to the Albemarle Library to celebrate by participating in our 7th annual Open Mic Poetry Night on Thursday, April 16, 2009, from 7:00-8:00 pm. You may read your original poetry or a favorite published poem. Register to read by contacting Melanie Holles at 704-986-3761.
The Academy of American Poets has some more suggestions for celebrating National Poetry Month. Try reading a book of poetry, the Stanly County Public Library has many books of poetry available for checkout; memorize a poem; take a poem out to lunch; recite a poem to family and friends; visit www.poets.org; or attend a poetry reading.
Open Mic Poetry Night is part of the library’s celebration of National Library Week, April 12-18, 2009. Other activities include children’s story times. Check your local library for story time schedules.

It's Book Sale Time!

2009-03-26T09:44:00.002-05:00

It's time for the Friends of the Stanlhy County Public Library semi-annual book sale!

Preview Sale - for Friends members only

Memberships are available at the door.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

5:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Open to the Public - everyone is welcome

Friday, March 27

9:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Saturday, March 28

9:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Irish Authors

2009-03-16T09:14:00.002-05:00

Here is a list of Irish authors to help get you in the mood for St. Patrick's Day.

Sebastian Barry - The Secret Scripture, The Whereabouts of Eneas McNulty
Maeve Binchy - Scarlet Feather, Heart and Soul
Emma Donoghue - Slammerkin, Sealed Letter
Roddy Doyle - A Star Called Henry
Anne Enright - The Gathering
Patrick McCabe - Breakfast on Pluto
Frank McCourt - Angela's Ashes, Teacher Man
Nuala O'Faolain - My Dream of You
William Trevor - Story of Lucy Gault, Cheating at Canasta

The Stanly County Public Library has copies of these titles available to be checked out. Leave a comment if I've forgotten any Irish authors you've enjoyed reading.

It's Mardi Gras Time

2009-02-26T10:04:00.002-05:00

And the Stanly County Public Library has lots of books that you might enjoy set in New Orleans or taking place during Mardi Gras. Stop by the library and check one of these books out.
The Great Deluge: Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast by Douglas Brinkley
Hot Blooded by Lisa Jackson
Midnight Bayou by Nora Roberts
Fodor's 2007 New Orleans
The Moviegoer by Walker Percy
Creole Holiday by Phyllis Whitney
Check the library's online card catalog for more ideas.

Best Books 2008

2009-02-23T15:10:00.003-05:00

Wednesday, February 25, 2008

10:00 am or 6:30 pm

Are you curious what books were being talked about in 200? Staff librarian, Melanie Holles, will discuss the best and the worst books of the year - and much more. There will also be time for the audience to share their best books of the year. Program attendees will receive a handout of the books discussed.

Bestsellers
Notable Books
Books to Movies
Award Winners
Authors Who Have Died

Presidential Fiction

2009-02-11T10:35:00.003-05:00

Now that the excitement of the presidential election and inauguration are over, you might want to curl up with a novel about presidents. All these titles are available in the Stanly County Public Library system, please check the card catalog for availability.

Term Limit by Vince Flynn

The First Patient by Michael Palmer

Sixty Days and Counting by Kim Stanley Robinson

Dead Heat by Joel C. Rosenberg

American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld

Mounting Fears by Stuart Woods

John Updike

2009-01-28T09:05:00.002-05:00

Award-winning author, John Updike, died this week. He was 76. He was a 6 time finalist for the National Book Award and won in 1964 for The Centaur and again 1982 for Rabbit is Rich. He was also a two time winner of the Pulitzer for Rabbit is Rich in 1982 and Rabbit at Rest in 1991.

The Stanly County Library has a variety of his work. We have copies of some of his older novels, including Rabbit at Rest and some of his newest novels. His newest novel, Widows of Eastwick, which was published in October is on order. We also have a couple of collections of his poems and short stories. Please check the library's online catalog to see what is available or to place a reserve.

Read a Book, Save a Buck

2009-01-22T11:39:00.003-05:00

The annual adult winter reading program has started. This year our fun theme will focus on how much money our patrons can save by using the library. You can sign up at any Stanly County Public Library - Albemarle, Badin, Norwood, Oakboro and Locust.

Keep a Reading Log of the books you've read and the value. Turn in the form at the end of the program and we'll add up how much money everyone has saved by using the library.

For every book you read, sign a dollar bill and be entered for the final drawing of a stuffed book bag.

It's a simple and fun way to read books and save money.

Happy Reading!

Book Club Rescheduled

2009-01-22T11:36:00.002-05:00

Due to the wonderful snowfall we had on Tuesday the 20th, our book club discussion has been rescheduled. We will meet and discuss The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski on Tuesday, February 17th at 11:00. This is our regular meeting day. The book we were scheduled to discuss, Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, will be rescheduled for the November meeting.

First Book Club Meeting of the Year

2009-01-05T11:16:00.002-05:00

The Reader's Circle Book Club will start their new year by discussing The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski on Tuesday, January 20th at 11:00 am. The group welcomes new members and the library has copies of the book for checkout.

Author: Ashley Warlick

2008-12-31T11:05:00.003-05:00

The Friends of the Stanly County Library are hosting author Ashley Warlick on January 22nd 2009 from 6:00-7:30 in the library's meeting room. Ms. Warlick is the author of three books: Seek the Living, Summer After June, and Distance from the Heart of Things. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Holiday Closings

2008-12-18T09:37:00.003-05:00

The Stanly County Public Library will be closed for the holidays:

Wednesday, December 24th

Thursday, December 25th

and

Friday, December 26th

We will re-open on Saturday, December 27th at 9:00 am

The library's web site www.stanlycountylibrary.org will be available for you to check your account, renew books and make reserves.

Happy Birthday Jane Austen

2008-12-16T13:30:00.003-05:00

Jane Austen was born on December 16, 1775. She left us with six fabulous novels:

Sense and Sensibility,

Northanger Abbey,

Pride and Prejudice,

Mansfield Park,

Emma

and Persuasion

along with the incomplete novel Sanditon.

Today, many modern authors write novels in the Jane Austen style or continue the lives of her characters.

Darcys Give a Ball by Elizabeth Newark

Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler

Emma $ Knightly: Perfect Happiness in Highbury by Rachel Billington

The Darcy Connection by Elizabeth Aston

Mr. Darcy's Diary by Amanda Grange

Lost in Austen: Create Your Own Jane Austen Adventure by Emma Campbell Webster

Just Jane: A Novel of Jane Austen's Life by Nancy Moser

Stop by the Stanly County Public Library today and check out one of these great books. Some of the titles are also available on audio, and the library has movie versions too.

More New Holiday Titles

2008-12-08T13:13:00.002-05:00

The library has received more new holiday titles:

Santa Clawed: A Mrs. Murphy Mystery by Rita Mae Brown
The Christmas Sweater by Glenn Beck
The Spy Who Came for Christmas by David Morrell
All I Have to Give: A Christmas Love Story by Melody Carlson
Engaging Father Christmas by Robin Jone Gunn
A Christmas Star: A Cape Light Novel by Thomas Kinkade
A Wallflower Christmas by Lisa Kleypas
The Paper Bag Christmas by Kevin Alan Milne

There is something for everyone on this list. These book get checked out quickly, so be sure to place a reserve for the title you want.

It's Begining to Look A Lot Like Christmas

2008-11-03T16:09:00.004-05:00

The holiday themed books are starting to arrive. We have just received several new titles. All guaranteed to get you in the holiday spirit. Most of these books are short, which is perfect for this hectic time of the year. So come in to the library, or reserve a book online, and checkout these new titles for the holiday season. Watch for more holiday books to arrive.

A Christmas Grace by Anne Perry

A McKettrick Christmas by Linda Lael Miller

A Dog Named Christmas by Greg Kincaid

'Tis the Season by Lorna Landvik

Halloween Booooooooooks

2008-10-20T09:13:00.002-05:00

Try one of these novels for Halloween.

Carole Nelson Douglas - Cat With an Emerald Eye

Stewart O'Nan - The Night Country

Nancy Pickard - Twilight

G.A. McKevett - Poisoned Tarts

Albemarle Writers' Group

2008-10-16T09:10:00.003-05:00

Calling all writers in the Albemarle area interested in starting a writers' group.

Martha Harward is hosting an organizational meeting on Monday, October 20, 2008 at 6:00 p.m. in the downstairs Meeting Room at the Albemarle Library.

Fall Film Fare

2008-10-13T12:18:00.003-05:00

This fall there are a lot of movies showing up in theaters that are based on books. I know some people liek to read the book before seeing the movie and some people like to see the movie first. Which type are you?

Check these movies/books out:

The Duchess starring Keira Knightly and Ralph Fiennes, based on the book Georgiana: Duchess of Devonshire by Amanda Foreman.
Miracle at St. Anna directed by Spike Lee based on the novel by James McBride.
Choke starring Anjelica Huston based on the novel by Chuck Palahnuik.
Nights in Rodanthe starring Richard Gere and Diane Lane based on the novel by Nicholas Spark. And set and filmed in Rodanthe, NC.
Appaloosa based on the novel by Robert B. Parker and starring Viggo Mortensen, Rene Zellweger and Jeremy Irons.
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist based on the novel by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan.
Body of Lies starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe based on the novel by David Ignatius.
City of Ember starring Bill Murrary and Tim Robbins based on the novel by Jeanne DuParau.
The Secret Life of Bees starring Queen Latifah, Dakota Fanning and Jennifer Hudson based on the novel by Sue Monk Kidd.
The Road starring Viggo Mortensen and Charlize Theron based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy.
Twilight based on the novel by Stephenie Meyer.
Gomorra based on the novel by Roberto Saviano.
The Reader starring Kate Winslet and Ralph Fiennes based onthe novel by Bernhard Schlink.

There is still time to Register to Vote

2008-10-08T08:28:00.002-05:00

Friday, October 10, 2008 is the last day to register to vote for this November's election. You can download the form from the Board of Election's web site http://elections.co.stanly.nc.us/voterregistration/index.html or you can pick up a form at any Stanly County Public library location - Albemarle, Badin, Norwood, Oakboro or Locust. Forms must be filled out, signed and returned to the Board of Elections located in the Stanly County Commons.

Join the Reader's Circle Book Club

2008-10-07T12:43:00.002-05:00

The next meeting of the Readers Circle Book Club will be on Tuesday, October 21st at 11:00 am in the Albemarle library meeting room. New members are welcome to join us, and there are copies of the book available to be checked out. We will be discussing The Virgin of Small Plains by Nancy Pickard. The publisher describes the book as: Three families and three friends, their worlds inexorably altered in the course of one night, must confront the ever-unfolding consequences in award-winning author Nancy Pickard's remarkable novel of suspense.

Aspen Gold Readers Choice Awards

2008-10-01T08:37:00.002-05:00

For the second year I have been a judge for the Aspen Gold Readers Choice Awards for published novels. This annual award is sponsored by the Heart of Denver Romance Writers Association. I was sent a copy of the three finalists in the Historical Fiction category to read and score. Under their scoring system a 1-2 is Below Average, 3-4 is Fair, 5-6 is Good, 7-8 is Great and 9-10 is Outstanding. The books I had to read were: Untouched by Anna Campbell, Lady Be Bad by Candice Hern, and His Favorite Mistress by Tracy Anne Warren. I liked His Favorite Mistress the best. We are adding all three titles to the Albemarle collection so that you can read them, so please check them out, read them, and let me know what you think about them.

Banned Books Week

2008-09-29T10:28:00.002-05:00

This week is Banned Books Week. Celebrate your right to read by reading a banned or challenged book. Check out the library's display of titles that have been banned or challenged. Have you read a banned book lately? Why do you think it was banned or challenged?

Hot Topic - The Wife

2008-09-26T10:08:00.003-05:00

Writing a book about "the wife" has been good for authors. There have been lots of titles published over the years.

The Kitchen God's Wife by Amy Tan
Ahab's Wife by Sena Jeter Naslund
The Pilot's Wife by Anita Shreve
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman
The Senators Wife by Sue Miller
Sunday Wife by Cassandra King
The Good Wife Strikes Back by Elizabeth Buchan
River Wife by Jonis Agee
The Wife by Meg Wolitzer

This year brings several more new titles about "the wife".

The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff
Novel About My Wife by Emily Perkins
American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld
The Professor's Wives Club by Joanne Rendell

You can check out any one of the titles from the Stanly County Public Library. If you can think of any other titles with "the wife", please share with us. And if you've read any of these books, let us know what you thought about it.

Oprah's Newest Book Club Selection

2008-09-23T11:15:00.003-05:00

On Friday, Oprah announced the newest book in her book club. It is The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski. The book jacket cover says this about the book: "Born mute, speaking only in sign, Edgar Sawtelle leads an idyllic life with his parents on their farm in remote northern Wisconsin. For generations, the Sawtelles have raised and trained a fictional breed of dog whose thoughtful companionship is epitomized by Almondine, Edgar's lifelong friend and ally. But with the unexpected return of Claude, Edgar's paternal uncle, turmoil consumes the Sawtelles' once peaceful home. When Edgar's father dies suddenly, Claude insinuates himself into the life of the farm - and into Edgar's mother's affections." "Grief-stricken and bewildered, Edgar tries to prove Claude played a role in his father's death, but his plan backfires - spectacularly. Forced to flee into the vast wilderness lying beyond the farm, Edgar comes of age in the wild, fighting for his survival and that of the three yearling dogs who follow him. But his need to face his father's murderer and his devotion to the Sawtelle dogs turn Edgar ever homeward."

The library has several copies available for checkout.

Annual Friends of the Library Author Dinner

2008-09-17T08:47:00.002-05:00

The Friends of the Stanly County Public Library are proud to announce that Susan Gregg Gilmore, author of Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen will be the featured speaker at the Friends annual author dinner. Susan Gregg Gilmore has written for the Chattanooga Times Free Press, the Los Angeles Times, and the Christian Science Monitor. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband and three daughters. This is her first novel. Books will be available for purchase and signing.

Thursday, October 2, 2008

6:30 pm

Stanly Regional Medical Center's Family and Education Center

Tickets are $12.00 for members of the Friends and $15.00 for non-members. Tickets can be purchased at the Albemarle branch of the Stanly County Public Library at 133 East Main Street, Albemarle, NC. Please call 704-986-3755 for more information. Tickets go on sale September 1st and must be purchased by September 22nd.

Man Book Prize Shortlist Announced

2008-09-10T09:13:00.002-05:00

The Man Book Prize is for novels written in English by writers from Britain, Ireland or the Commonwealth of former British colonies.

From India are Aravind Adiga and his novel The White Tiger and Amitav Ghosh with the novel Sea of Poppies.

From Australia is author Steve Toltz with his first novel A Fraction of the Whole. The Albemarle library has a copy of this book available for checkout.

Ireland's Sebastian Barry recieved his second nomination for his novel The Secret Scripture. This title is on order and will be available soon.

Two novelists from England are on the list. Linda Grant for her novel The Clothes on Their Backs, which is on order and will be available soon. And Philip Hensher for his novel The Northern Clemency. His newest novel is not available for order yet, but the Albemarle library does have a copy of his previous book Mulberry Empire available for checkout.

The Man Booker winner will be announced on October 14.

It's Football Time

2008-09-08T09:04:00.003-05:00

It's football time again. Friday night local games, Sunday afternoons in front of the TV and Monday Night Football. The Stanly County Public Library has lots of great football books for fans and football widows alike. We have everything from biographies of football players and coaches to warm love stories with handsome football heroes. Try one of these titles:

Just Too Good to be True by E. Lynn Harris

Boots on the Ground by Dusk: My Tribute to pat Tillman by Mary Tillman

Between Sundays by Karen Kingsbury

Don't Bet Against me!: Beating the Odds Against Breast Cancer and in Life by Deanna Favre

Playing for Pizza by John Grisham

Quiet Strength: the Principles, Practices & Priorities of a Winning Life by Tony Dungy

Natural Born Charmer by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Deal Breaker by Harlan Coben

September is Library Card Sign-Up Time

2008-08-28T13:40:00.002-05:00

Get it.

Bring a friend who doesn't have a library card in to get one and both of you will be eligible to win a $25.00 gift card.

The adult and child at each location who bring in the most friends will will a gift card tot eh Friends of the Library Fall Book Sale.

Use it.

use your library card anytime during the month and be automatically entered in a drawing for one of 19 Memory Band USB devices.

@ your Library.

Check out the library's new web site at http://www.stanlycountylibrary.org/.

Get a new library card with key tag.

Get a free card holder key chain to put your new library card in.

Summer Vacation

2008-08-05T11:30:00.002-05:00

What does a librarian take on vacation? This has taken a lot of thought - I want to have enough to read, but I don't want to add too much weight to my bags.

The Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo. My husband and I started listening to this on audio and both enjoyed it. We weren't able to finish listening to the entire thing (it's about 21 CD's long) so I am taking the book so we can finish.

Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers by JRR Tolkien. This is a book that my husband loves to read. I have never read it, but I love the movie, so I'm going to give it a try.

That makes two books we'll both be able to read. I also plan on downloading The Tortilla Curtain by TC Boyle onto my MP3 player. The library offers free downloadable audio books through Net Library on NC Live. My book club will be discussing it this at our September 16th meeting so I need to get it read.

And, of course, we have a Vancouver/British Columbia guide book.

And that's what a librarian takes on vacation.

I'd love to hear what you took on vacation. Leave me a comment, and I'll put every one's name into a drawing for some free summer reading.

Movies at the Library

2008-07-22T12:26:00.002-05:00

The library is showing movies this summer for kids and adults. A great way to save gas money and see a movie locally for FREE and be indoors out of the heat.

Friday, July 25th at 10:00 am Charlotte's Web (PG) 96 min.

Friday, August 1st at 2:00 pm Under the Tuscan Sun (PG-13) 113 min.

Friday, August 8th at 10:00 am Bee Movie (PG) 100 min.

Friday, August 15th at 2:00 pm Casino Royale (PG-13) 144 min.

Teens' Top 10

2008-06-05T08:58:00.002-05:00

Teens' Top Ten is a "teen choice" list, where teens nominate and choose their favorite books of the previous year! Nominators are members of teen book groups in fifteen school and public libraries around the country. If you read nominated books throughout the year, you’ll be ready to vote for your favorites during Teen Read Week, October 12 - 18, 2008. Readers aged twelve to eighteen can vote online anytime that week.

Before I Die. Jenny Downham.
Betrayed. P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast.
City of Bones. Cassandra Clare.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Jeff Kinney.
Eclipse. Stephenie Meyer.
Extras. Scott Westerfeld.
Evil Genius. Catherine Jinks.
Glass. Ellen Hopkins.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. J.K. Rowling.
Ironside: A Modern Faery’s Tale. Holly Black.
Jango. William Nicholson.
Jinx. Meg Cabot.
The Luxe. Anna Godberson.
Maximum Ride: Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports. James Patterson.
Saving Zoë. Alyson Noël.
Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow. Jessica Day George.
The Sweet Far Thing. Libba Bray
Tamar. Mal Peet.
Twisted. Laurie Halse Anderson.
Unwind. Neal Shusterman.
Vampire Academy. Richelle Mead.
Wicked Lovely. Melissa Marr.
Wildwood Dancing. Juliet Marillier.

Read as many titles as you can so you can make informed decisions about your favorite books when you vote. Encourage your friends to join you in TTT reading and voting—tell your book group, youth organization and any other groups you belong to to vote between October 12-18! The more teens who participate, the more accurately the winning list will reflect the reading tastes of teens all over the country!

June Book A Month Challenge

2008-06-04T09:14:00.001-05:00

Knowledge
The quest for knowledge has driven generation upon generation upon generation of humans. Whether it was forbidden knowledge, secret knowledge, or higher knowledge having knowledge has always meant having power. The world’s oldest sin in the Judeo-Christian tradition is Eve stealing the apple from the Tree of Knowledge, forever linking apples with knowledge. Isaac Newton’s nap under the apple tree, getting bopped on the head and coming up with the Law of Gravity cemented the relationship. Secrets and the spies in search of them are always lively reads. If nothing else, read a book on a topic you have always been interested in learning more about. Feel free to write a review here on the library’s blog (but it’s not necessary).

Food for Fines Successful

2008-05-09T14:44:00.003-05:00

Thank you to all of our library patrons who came into our libraries during National Library week and paid their fines with non-perishable food items. We were able to donate 254 pounds of food to the Stanly County Christian Ministries.

2008 Edgar Awards

2008-05-05T08:04:00.002-05:00

At the 62nd Annual Edgar Awards ceremony, the Mystery Writers of America announced their 2008 winners. John Hart took home the Edgar for Best Novel for his sophomore effort, Down River. The Edgar for Best First Novel By An American went to Tana French for In the Woods.

2007 Nebula Award Winners

2008-05-05T08:01:00.002-05:00

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America have presented the Nebula Awards for 2007. Michael Chabon won the best novel award forThe Yiddish Policeman's Union. And J.K. Rowling won the Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Memory Keepers Daughter

2008-04-11T07:52:00.002-05:00

The novel, The Memory Keepers Daughter by Kim Edwards has been adapted for television. Lifetime will air the movie on Saturday April 12, 2008 at 9:00 pm (check your local listing). Dermot Mulroney, Gretchen Mol and Emily Watson star.

March BAM Challenge Book Review

2008-04-08T12:23:00.004-05:00

I finally finished the book I was reading for the March Book A Month Challenge which had to do with craft. I read Sisters, Ink by Rebeca Seitz because the 4 women in the book were scrapbookers and I am too. It was a good little book about Tandy and her 3 adopted sisters and scrapbooking, family, coming home and love. This is Rebeca's second book, Prints Charming was her first title, and this one will be the first in a series - can't wait to read the next one.

Now I have to find a book to read for the April Book A Month Challenge - something to do with "beauty". I hope you're finding some great books to read for these fun challenges.

2008 Pulitzer Prizes Announced

2008-04-07T14:36:00.000-05:00

ARTS:

Fiction: "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao," by Junot Diaz (Riverhead Books)
Drama: "August: Osage County," by Tracy Letts
History: "What Hath God Wrought: the Transformation of America, 1815-1848," by Daniel Walker Howe (Oxford University Press)
Biography: "Eden's Outcasts: The Story of Louisa May Alcott and Her Father," by John Matteson (W.W. Norton)
Poetry: "Time and Materials," by Robert Hass (Ecco/HarperCollins) and "Failure," by Philip Schultz (Harcourt)
General Nonfiction: "The Years of Extermination: Nazi Germany and the Jews, 1939-1945," by Saul Friedlander (HarperCollins)

National Poetry Month

2008-04-03T08:31:00.000-05:00

maggie and milly and molly and may

by E. E. Cummings

10

maggie and milly and molly and may
went down to the beach(to play one day)

and maggie discovered a shell that sang
so sweetly she couldn't remember her troubles,and

milly befriended a stranded star
whose rays five languid fingers were;

and molly was chased by a horrible thing
which raced sideways while blowing bubbles:and

may came home with a smooth round stone
as small as a world and as large as alone.

For whatever we lose(like a you or a me)
it's always ourselves we find in the sea

Copyright © 1956, 1984, 1991 by the Trustees for the E. E. Cummings Trust from The Complete Poems: 1904-1962 by E. E. Cummings, Edited by George J. Firmage. Reprinted by permission of Liveright Publishing Corporation. All rights reserved.

BAM Challenge - "Beauty"

2008-04-02T08:14:00.001-05:00

This month’s challenge is to read about “beauty”. Maybe you read a book of poetry you find evokes beauty. What about reimaginations of the tale of Sleeping Beauty or Beauty and the Beast? Music and art are routinely noted as beautiful expressions of the soul. Do you find a certain public person beautiful in face and form or soul? Maybe the beauty industry and what constitutes beauty fascinates you. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and so is the meaning of the books you read. Feel free to write a review here on the blog.

Watch PBS Online for Free

2008-03-19T08:07:00.003-05:00

Stanly County Public Library is one of North Carolina's libraries with access to NCLive's newest online offering - nearly 25o PBS programs, including the Emmy award winning series "American Experience" and "Frontline", as well as groundbreaking programs such as Ken Burns' "The Civil War", "Baseball", and "Jazz". Go to: http://www.stanlylib.org/ and click on NCLive to get started. If you don't have an NCLive password, stop by any of the library locations - Albemarle, Badin, Norwood, Oakboro, or Locust - to get a free password.

Author Nora Roberts in the News

2008-02-22T14:35:00.001-05:00

Author Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb was converting an old hotel into an inn with reading themed rooms. Read more about it:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080222/ap_on_re_us/fire_roberts;_ylt=AubYSzkoti5PdYUhxbzDpPhvzwcF

News from Author Cathy Pickens

2008-02-20T11:09:00.002-05:00

Southern author Cathy Pickens has lots of interesting news in her latest newsletter. Be sure to watch for her newest title, Hush My Mouth which will be available in February.

If you want the chance to see Cathy, she will be at the South Carolina Book Festival in Columbia, SC February 22-23. She will be closer to Stanly County on April 1 when she will lead the Let's Talk About It discussion of Paretsky's Burn Marks at the Cabarrus County Library. She will also be the Friends of the Library speaker for the Kannapolis Public Library's luncheon and discussion on April 22.

There is a new Southern Writers Blog that Cathy is participating in. "A Good Blog is Hard to Find" is available at http://southernauthors.blogspot.com/ and you will find a large group of Southern writers - names you may be familiar with and new ones.

Visit Cathy's website at www.cathypickens.com for links to interview podcasts and youtube book trailers along with her appearance schedule.

February BAM Challenge

2008-02-06T11:17:00.000-05:00

The theme for the February Book A Month Challenge is “Heart”.

For the month of love, you can read a romance, or go with any genre that has a subplot of romance. Try a book about legendary lovers or even something in medicine about the heart. And then there is always a book with “heart” in the title. I’ve got a great list of choices to get you started – or you can come up with your own title that somehow relates to the theme of “Heart”. Leave a comment and let me know what title you pick and leave a short review if you feel like it. My choice is going to be easy this month – a romance novel.

Romance
Agnes and the Hitman by Jennifer Cruise and Bob Mayer
Heart of Honor by Kat Martin
Be Still my Vampire Heart by Kerrelyn Sparks
What a Lady Wants by Victoria Alexander
Mad Dash by Patricia Gaffney
Alphabet Weekends: Love on the Road fro A to Z by Elizabeth Nobel
Natural Born Charmer by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Love Letters From a Duke by Elizabeth Boyle

Other Genres
Blood Lie by Daniel Kalla
Heart of the World by Linda Barnes
Lover’s Knot by Emilie Richards
Dark Dreamers by Christine Feehan
The Wedding Officer by Anthony Capella
The Guy Not Taken: Stories by Jennifer Weiner

Legendary Lovers
Casanova in Love by Andrew Miller
The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
The Memoirs of Cleopatra: a Novel by Margaret George
Love and Hate in Jamestown: John Smith, Pocahontas, and the Heart of a New Nation by David Price

Medicine
Every Second Counts: The Race to Transplant the first Human Heart by Donald McRae
The Alarming History of Medicine: Amusing Anecdotes from Hippocrates to Heart Transplants by Richard Gordon
Walk on Water: a Pediatric Surgeon’s Journey by Michael Ruhlman
Chicken Soup for the Soul Healthy Living: Heart Disease

Books with “Heart” in the Title
The Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill
The Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
Heart Full of Soul: and Inspirational Memoir About Finding Your Voice and Finding Your Way by Taylor Hicks
Where my Heart Belongs by Tracie Peterson
Socrates in Love: Philosophy for a Passionate Heart by Christopher Phillips

Thursday Next: First Among Sequels by Jasper Fforde

2008-02-05T14:18:00.000-05:00

I read Thursday Next: First Among Sequels by Jasper Fforde for the Janaury Book A Month Challange. Our challenge was to read a book with the theme of "Time". The book I read is the latest in the Thursday Next series of books. This is a humerous series full of puns and literary allusions. Thursday, the heroine, is able to jump between the real world, Outland, and the book world where she has many adventures. Her son, Friday, is able to jump through time as a future member of the Chrono Guard. Together they have to work together in the present, past and future and in the real world and the book work to save time. The book was a little slow to get started but was worth sticking with. Great characters and a setting the is contemporary Britian but yet it's not the Britain we know. I hope you try this or one of the other titles in the series: The Eyre Affair, Lost in Good Book, The Well of Lost Plots, and Something Rotten.

If you read a book for this challenge, please let us know, by leaving a comment, what book you read and if you liked it.

I'll be sharing the February Read A Month Challenge soon.

New Oprah Book Selection

2008-01-30T16:08:00.000-05:00

Today Oprah announced the 61st book for her book club. It is the self-help guide A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose by German Eckhart Tolle. The Albemarle Library has a copy of The Power of Now and earlier book by Tolle.

January BAM Challenge Theme

2008-01-23T09:23:00.000-05:00

And the theme for January is: Time!

Katie, over at http://bamchallenge.wordpress.com/ offers suggestions of titles you might want to read. You aren't limited to these suggestions, and may read any book you feel has to do with the theme of "Time". Here are some suggested titles:

Time Travel
The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
First Among Sequels by Jasper Fforde
When I Fall in Love by Lynn Kurland
Brasyl by Ian McDonald
Historical Events, Places and People
The War: an Intimate History, 1941-1945 by Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns
The Hundred Years’ War AD 1337-1453 by Anne Curry
The Dynasties of China: a History by Bamber Gascoigne
The Lion and the Unicorn: Gladstone vs. Disraeli by Richard Aldous
Historical Fiction
Annette Vallon by James Tipton
City of Dreams by Beverly Swerling
The Seanachie by Bob Huerter
Daughter of the Sun by Barbara Wood
The Religion by Tim Willocks
Fiction Set in Historical Times
Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin
Quicksilver by Neal Stephenson
River God: A Novel of Ancient Egypt by Wilbur Smith
The Nonesuch by Georgette Heyer
Epic Fiction
The Thornbirds by Colleen McCullough
The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
The Godfather by Mario Puzo
Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
The Science of Time
A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking
The Nature of Space and Time by Stephen Hawking
Travels in Four Dimensions: the Enigmas of Space and Time by Robin Le Poidevin
The New Time Travelers: a Journey to the Frontiers of Physics by David Toomey
A World Without Time: the Forgotten Legacy of Godel and Einstein by Palle Yourgrau Time Titles
Five O’Clock Shadow by Genie Davis
Five O’Clock Lightning: Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and the Greatest Baseball Team in History, the 1927 New York Yankees by Harvey Frommer
Midnight by Dean Koontz
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
The One O’Clock Chop by Ralph Fletcher (YA)
The Two O’Clock War: The 1973 Yom Kippur Conflict and the Airlift that Saved Israel by Walter J. Boyne
No Girl Needs a Husband Seven Days a Week by Nina Foxx
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle (YA)
Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie (YA)
The Worst Hard Time: the Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl by Timothy Egan
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson

Hasn't Katie put together a fabulous list? Remember, you don't have to read one of these books, you can read anything you want that has to do with "Time". I plan to read Thursday Next: First Among Sequels by Jasper Fforde. I'll post a review sometime this month. And if you read a "Time" book, post your review in the comments section.

Book A Month Challenge

2008-01-23T09:16:00.000-05:00

Starting this month, I am going to participate in the Book A Month Challenge posted by Katie at http://bamchallenge.wordpress.com/ . Each month, she is going to post a new theme and challenge us to read a book on that theme. I plan to post my book reviews here, and I would love if you would join me in this challenge. You can sign up on her site, or play along with me here. Just leave your review in the comments section.

The Complete Jane Austen

2008-01-07T10:31:00.000-05:00

From the PBS Masterpiece Theatre website:

The Complete Jane Austen, beginning Sunday, January 13, 2008, features all new productions of Persuasion, Northanger Abbey, Mansfield Park, and Sense and Sensibility. The lineup also includes the acclaimed Emma staring Kate Beckinsale, and the Emmy Award-winning Pride and Prejudice that made Colin Firth a leading man. Four of the titles -- Emma, Northanger Abbey, Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility -- were adapted by celebrated screenwriter Andrew Davies. check your local station for times.

Persuasion - January 13, 2008

Northanger Abbey - January 20, 2008

Mansfield Park - January 27, 2008

Miss Austen Regrets - February 3, 2008

Pride and Prejudice - February 10, 17, + 24, 2008

Emma - March 23, 2008

Sense and Sensibility - March 30 + April 6, 2008

If you want to re-read the book before watching the movie, the library has copies available.

Movie Matinee

2008-01-04T11:03:00.000-05:00

Books have always been made into movies for the big screen. Come to the library during January to see just a few of those books that have been made into movies. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Monday, January 7th at 3:30 pm

The DaVinci Code (PG13, 149 min.)

Thursday, January 10th at 3:30 pm

Memoirs of a Geisha (PG13, 145 min.)

Thursday, January 24 at 3:30 pm

Emma (PG, 121 min.)

Monday, January 28 at 3:30 pm

A Beautiful Mind (PG13, 135 Min.)

Thursday, January 31 at 3:30 pm

The Bourne Identity (PG13, 119 min.)

Popcorn is being provided by the Friends of the Library. Bring your own beverage. All movies will be shown in the meeting room of the Albemarle Library.

SCPL Will Be Closed

2007-12-29T09:38:00.000-05:00

Monday, December 31 at 5:00 pm

through

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

in observance of

New Year's Day

We will reopen Wednesday, January 2, 2008

From the Page to the Big Screen

2007-12-28T13:58:00.000-05:00

Adult Winter Reading Program 2008

Registration starts January 1st. Program ends February 1st.

For every book you read, enter the weekly prize drawing for a movie night prize

Read four books - one of which must be a book to movie - and be in the final drawing for a DVD player.

Attend a movie matinee

This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Library.

Holiday Closings

2007-12-18T17:51:00.000-05:00

The Stanly County Public Library

will be closed

in observance of

Christmas

Monday, December 24th

Tuesday, December 25th

and

Wednesday, December 26th

We will be open

Thursday, December 27th

Vicki Lane--Appalachian Mystery Writer

2007-12-06T11:06:00.000-05:00

The Friends of Stanly County Public Library will feature mystery writer Vicki Lane at the Albemarle Library on Thursday, January 17 at 6:00 p.m. Lane has received excellent reviews for her mystery series set in the North Carolina mountains. Lane's sharp eye for detail gets put to good use in her Appalachian series. At 53, Elizabeth Goodweather has been a resident of Asheville, N.C., for more than two decades, operating a small farm with her nephew Ben. Hear Lane discuss her heroine and the inspiration for her series.

2008 Book Club Schedule Available

2007-11-29T09:53:00.000-05:00

The book club reading schedule has been set for 2008. Our first meeting of the year will be on Tuesday, January 15th at 11:00 am and we will discuss A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. Copies of the reading schedule are available at the library. Books are also available for checkout. Please join us in January as we start a new year of reading and discussing books.

Newest Oprah Selection

2007-11-14T13:48:00.000-05:00

Oprah has chosen Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth as her newest book club selection. The Albemarle library does have a copy of the book available for checkout.

Coming to the Badin Branch Library

2007-10-31T09:31:00.000-05:00

Local writers, Jim and Joyce Lavene are graciously donating their entire Sharyn Howard Mystery series to the Badin Library on Thursday, November 8th at 6:00 pm. Everyone is invited to come to the Badin Library and meet the Lavene's. Find out how Badin became the inspiration for Diamond Springs. Light refreshments will be served. The Badin Branch Library will be the only library in the Stanly County Public Library system to house the complete Sharyn Howard Series.

Fall Book Sale

2007-10-25T10:36:00.000-05:00

PREVIEW SALE

For Friends Members

Thursday, October 25

5:00 - 8:00 pm

Memberships will be available at the door.

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Friday, October 26

9:00 am - 6:00 pm

Saturday, October 27

9:00 am - 2:00 pm

Sponsored by the Friends of the Stanly County Public Library

Author Mark Ethridge

2007-10-12T14:44:00.000-05:00

Last evening, author Mark Ethridge gave a wonderful talk about his book Grievances and the writing process, and a little bit about the newspaper business. At the end of the evening he mentioned that his grandmother, Willie Snow Ethridge, was also a published author. The library does have copies of two of her books, I Just Happen to Have some Pictures..., and You Can't Hardly Get There From Here.

Nobel Prize for Literature Announced Today

2007-10-11T10:16:00.000-05:00

Doris Lessing, author of works from short stories to science fiction, including the classic The Golden Notebook published in 1962, has won the Novel Prize for Literature. Eleven days short of her 88th birthday, Lessing is the oldest choice ever for the prize and is the second British writer to win the prize since 2005, when Harold Pinter received the award. Last year, the academy gave the prize to Turkey’s Orhan Pamuk.

The library has two of her books available:
a biography, Under My Skin
and a novel, Ben, in the World : the Sequel to the Fifth Child

Oprah Picks New Book Today

2007-10-05T10:53:00.001-05:00

Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez is the newest selection in Oprah's book club. The Stanly County Public Library does have copies of the book for checkout.

From Publishers Weekly:

The ironic vision and luminous evocation of South America that have distinguished Garcia Marquez's Nobel Prize-winning fiction since his landmark work, One Hundred Years of Solitude, persist in this turn-of-the-century chronicle of a unique love triangle. It is a fully mature novel in scope and perspective, flawlessly translated, as rich in ideas as in humanity. The illustrious and meticulous Dr. Juvenal Urbino and his proud, stately wife Fermina Daza, respectively past 80 and 70, are in the autumn of their solid marriage as the drama opens on the suicide of the doctor's chess partner. Jeremiah de Saint-Amour, a disabled photographer of children, chooses death over the indignities of old age, revealing in a letter a clandestine love affair, on the "fringes of a closed society's prejudices." This scenario not only heralds Urbino's demise soon afterwhen he falls out of a mango tree in an attempt to catch an escaped parrotbut brilliantly presages the novel's central themes, which are as concerned with the renewing capacity of age as with an anatomy of love. We meet Florentino Ariza, more antihero than hero, a mock Don Juan with an undertaker's demeanor, at once pathetic, grotesque and endearing, when he seizes the memorably unseemly occasion of Urbino's funeral to reiterate to Fermina the vow of love he first uttered more than 50 years before. With the fine detailing of a Victorian novel, the narrative plunges backward in time to reenact their earlier, youthful courtship of furtive letters and glances, frustrated when Fermina, in the light of awaking maturity, realizes Florentino is an adolescent obsession, and rejects him. With his uncanny ability to unearth the extraordinary in the commonplace, Garcia Marquez smoothly interweaves Fermina's and Florentino's subsequent histories. Enmeshed in a bizarre string of affairs with ill-fated widows while vicariously conducting the liaisons of others via love poems composed on request, Florentino feverishly tries to fill the void of his unrequited passion. Meanwhile, Fermina's marriage suffers vicissitudes but endures, affirming that marital love can be as much the product of art as is romantic love. When circumstances both comic and mystical offer Fermina and Florentino a second chance, during a time in their lives that is often regarded as promising only inevitable degeneration toward death, Garcia Marquez beautifully reveals true love's soil not in the convention of marriage but in the simple, timeless rituals that are its cement.

October is National Reading Group Month

2007-10-01T09:11:00.000-05:00

Celebrate National Reading Group Month by joining a local book club. The Stanly County Public Library system has three ongoing book clubs that welcome new members:

The Albemarle book club will meet on Tuesday, October 16th at 11:00 am to discuss Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen.
The Locust book club will meet on Friday, October 19th at noon to discuss Virgin of Small Plains by Nancy Pickard.
The Norwood book club will meet on Tuesday the 8th at 6:30 pm.

If you already belong to a book club, take time this month to celebrate your accomplishments as a club. Share with all of your friends how wonderful book clubs are, and encourage them to join your book club or one that meets at the library.

New York Times Best Selling Fiction

2007-09-26T14:13:00.000-05:00

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

The Wheel of Darkness by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

Dark Possession by Christine Feehan

Bones to Ashes by Kathy Reichs

The Elves of Cintra by Terry Brooks

Play Dirty by Sandra Brown

The Quickie by James Patterson

Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade by Diana Gabaldon

Away by Amy Bloom

Sweet Revenge by Diane Mott Davidson

Power Play by Joseph finder

The Sanctuary by Raymond Khoury

Loving Frank by Nancy Horan

Sandworms of Dune by Brian Herbert and Kevin J Anderson

The Secret Servant by Daniel Silva

Noted titles:

Songs Without Words by Ann Packer

Area Author Events

2007-09-21T08:19:00.000-05:00

There are a lot of author events happening this fall in our region. I hope everyone gets the chance to attend one, or more, of these events.

An Evening with John Hart, author of King of Lies, will be speaking at the Historic Salisbury Station on Sunday, September 30 from 5:30-8:00 PM. A copy of his second novel, Down River, will be given to each person who attends. Reservations can be made by contacting The LandTrust at 70-647-0302.

A Conversation with Sue Monk Kidd will be held at the Salem Fine Arts Center, Salem College on Tuesday, October 2 at 7:00 pm. General admission, which includes dessert reception, is $22. For tickets call: 336-721-2855.

Kathy Reichs, Forensic Anthropologist and best-selling author, and Dr. James Tabor, scholar on the times of Jesus, will present Dead Bones Talk & Silent Stones Speak: Solving Mysteries with Forensic Science and Archaeology on Tuesday, October 9:00 at 8:00 pm at the Anne R, Belk Theater at Robinson Hall, UNC. Tickets are $15 for the general public and can be purchase by calling 704-687-2599.

The Friends of the Stanly County Public Library present Mark Ethridge, author of Grievances at their annual author dinner. The event will be held on Thursday, October 11 at 6:30 pm at Stanly Regional Medical Center's Family and Education Center. Tickets are $12 for Friends members and $15 for non-members and can be purchased at the Albemarle Library.

Remembering 9/11 in Fiction

2007-09-11T08:00:00.001-05:00

The library has the following novels written around 9/11:

The Falling Man by Don DeLillo

Extremely Loud and Incredible Close by Jonathan Safran Foer

The Zero by Jess Walter

A Disorder Peculiar to the Country by Ken Kalfus

52 Ways to Use Your Library Card

2007-09-10T12:45:00.000-05:00

(for each week of the year)

Get to know your librarian, the ultimate search engine @ your library.

Update your MySpace page.

Research new job opportunities.

Find a list of childcare centers in your area.

Learn about local candidates for office.

Pick up voter registration information.

Check out your favorite graphic novel.

Pick up a DVD.

Get wireless access.

Participate in a community forum.

Find out how to navigate the Internet.

Prepare your resume.

Get new ideas for redecorating your house.

Get a list of community organizations.

Attend a lecture or workshop.

Hear a local author reading his/her latest novel.

Join a book discussion group.

Attend story time with your child.

Get homework help.

Look up all kinds of health information.

Research the purchase of a new car.

Trek to another planet in a sci-fi novel.

Call the reference desk if you have a question.

Research your term paper.

Learn about the history of your city, town, or family.

Decide which computer to buy using a Consumer Guide.

Check your stock portfolio.

Read a newspaper from another town.

Borrow or download an audiobook for your next road trip or commute.

Use the library's resources to start a small business.

See a children's art exhibit.

Volunteer.

Find a new recipe.

Ask for a recommended reading list for your kids.

Make photocopies.

Get a book from interlibrary loan.

Enroll your child in a summer reading program.

Take a computer class.

Hear a poetry reading.

Read the latest fashion magazines.

Check out a book.

Trace your family tree.

Check out a special collection of rare books.

Check out a legal question or issue.

Find out how to file a consumer complaint.

Learn about home improvement.

Borrow some sheet music.

Lear how to use a database or computerized catalog.

Find the latest romance paperback.

Pick up tax forms.

Connect with other people in the community.

Find a quiet spot, curl up with a book and enjoy.

"It's a Mystery" with Jim and Joyce Lavene

2007-08-14T11:15:00.000-05:00

Local authors Jim and Joyce Lavene will be at the Stanly County Public Library on Thursday, September 13th from 6:30-7:30. They have had several books published this year, and will discuss how they write their mysteries. The Sharon Howard Mystery series is set in a fictional Badin and feature the local sheriff. If you like gardening, they also have the Peggy Lee Garden Mystery series that your knowledge of deadly plants could help you figure out who done it. Their newest series starts with Swapping Paint and is about race car driving.

We will have several copies of their books for a door prize drawing.

U.S. Poet Laureate Named

2007-08-03T09:24:00.000-05:00

Charles Simic, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet has been named the U.S. Poet Laureate. The library has a copy of The Voice at 3:00 A.M.: Selected Late and New Poems published in 2003.

Book Club Sets Reading List

2007-08-02T14:31:00.000-05:00

The Locust Branch Library Book Club has set their discussion list for the next six months. This lively group meets at the Locust Library on the 3rd Friday of each month at noon. Copies of the books are available for checkout, and they would love to see some new faces.

Here is what they will be discussing:

August - The Memory Keepers Daughter by Kim Edwards
September - Dream When You're Feeling Blue by Elizabeth Berg
October - Virgin of Small Plains by Nancy Pickard
November - Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
December - Gideon's Gift by Karen Kingsbury
January - Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls

Anthony Award Nominees

2007-07-26T15:10:00.000-05:00

The Anthony Award Nominations for best mysteries have been announced. Finalists will be announced in September.

Best Novel:
All Mortal Flesh, Julia Spencer-Fleming, St. Martins
The Dead Hour, Denise Mina, Little Brown & Co.
Kidnapped, Jan Burke, Simon & Schuster
No Good Deeds, Laura Lippman, Harper
The Virgin Of Small Plains, Nancy Pickard, Ballantine

Best First Novel:
Field Of Darkness, Cornelia Read, Mysterious Press
The Harrowing, Alexandra Sokoloff, St. Martin’s
Holmes On The Range, Steve Hockensmith, St. Martins
The King Of Lies, John Hart, St. Martin’s
Still Life, Louise Penny, St. Martin’s

The library does have copies of all of these titles - stop by and check one out. Please leave us a comment if you read one, or more, of these nominated books and let us know if you think it deserves to win.

Volunteers Needed!

2007-07-06T13:51:00.000-05:00

The Stanly County Public Library is looking for volunteers to deliver books and other materials to people who are home bound due to illness, disability or lack of transportation. The volunteers will work with library staff to select, check out and deliver library materials to home bound patrons on an agreed-to schedule. Volunteers are needed in all areas of the county.

Benefits of Volunteering

Satisfaction in providing a much needed and appreciated community service.

Annual service recognition.

Valuable and meaningful use of your free time.

Develop new social skills.

To get more information or sign up, please contact Melanie Holles, the Outreach Services Librarian, at 704-986-3761.

Here's Your Chance to WIN a Free Book!

2007-06-27T13:29:00.000-05:00

I recently received a free paperback copy of The Virgin of Small Plains by Nancy Pickard from the publisher, Ballantine Books. The book was originally published in a hardback edition in 2006. The trade paperback edition has just been released.

I wasn't going to read the book because it's a mystery type book and it's set in Kansas. But I'm looking for good books for my book club to read and discuss next year, so I thought I would at least try this one. If you've had a chance to talk with me about books, you'll know that I don't like mysteries; and having lived in Kansas, I sure don't need to read books about it. But I loved this book! I actually had to stop myself from reading one night because I wasn't ready for it to end.

The novel is set in a fictional small town by Emporia, Kansas (where I went to graduate school). I had to keep reading to find out who the Virgin was that was buried in the cemetery (and causing miracles), and I had to find out who knew what and who killed her. The ending was very satisfying - not a happy ending like a romance novel - but all the bad guys are dealt with and the characters I liked all had closure.

I plan to suggest to my book club that we read and discuss this book next year. But I'm still looking for other great books for my club to read. If you'd like to win my free publisher copy of this book, please leave me a comment with a suggestion for other great books my book club might enjoy. I'll draw a name from all the comments on July 28th and send them the book.

Author Read-Alike: Jennifer Crusie

2007-06-21T08:40:00.000-05:00

Romantic comedy best describes Crusie's stories, and by introducing elements of mystery and suspense, she broadens her appeal. These are fast-paced, upbeat, heartwarming, humorous stories that address issues in human relationships - among lovers, families, and friends. Snappy dialog, steamy sex, and amusing dogs are all part of the package, as is the usually urban but definitely Midwestern setting and feel. To get a feel for Crusie's trademark humor and racy romance, try Welcome to Temptation.

Fellow Midwestern romance writer Susan Elizabeth Phillips shares many qualities with Crusie: spunky heroines with modern values, strong but vulnerable heroes, humor in characters and situations, snappy dialog, and an emphasis on the relationships among characters. Try her first hardcover title, This Heart of Mine.

Millie Criswell makes another good suggestion for Crusie readers. Criswell's books are also Midwestern in setting, humorous, and feature quirky characters. Recipes are an added draw. The Trouble With Mary is the first of her series of linked titles.

Although Janet Evanovich comes immediately to mind as a similar author, other mystery writers might appeal equally. Gillian Roberts writes with similar verve, combing humor with more serious issues and romantic interest. Sarah Shankman writes outrageously humorous, even bizarre romantic mysteries.

Mary Kay Andrews debut novel, Savannah Blues, stars a sassy heroine and includes a steamy southern setting and romance, irreverent humor, and antique lore. Not to mention a dog.

I hope everyone enjoys these suggestions from Joyce Saricks, author of Reader's Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction, and regular contributor to NoveList.

Best Crime Novels

2007-06-14T15:10:00.000-05:00

I wanted to share with you a great list of the "Best Crime Novels" as compiled by Book List magazine. All the "*" titles are available in the Stanly County Public Library system. Use the link to the right to connect to the library online Public Access Catalog to place a reserve on any of the titles you are interested in. The titles we don't currently have will be ordered, so watch for them.

The Broken Shore by Peter Temple

The Collaborator of Bethlehem by Matt Beynon Rees

*Echo Park by Michael Connelly

*Free Fire by C.J. Box

*The Foreign Correspondent by Alan Furst

*The Limehouse Text by Will Thomas

The Meaning of the Night: A Confession by Michael Cox

*Vicious Circle by Robert Littell

*Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell

*The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon

*The Zero by Jess Walter

And if none of the "best" books sparked your interest, then maybe one of these titles by rising stars will.

*Codex by Lev Grossman
*Still Life by Louise Penny
*Speak of the Devil by Richard Hawke
*Blood of Angels and The Last Goodbye by Reed Arvin
*The Sweet and the Dead by Milton T. Burton
*Sliver of Truth and Dead at Daybreak by Deon Meyer
*The Smoke by Tony Broadbent

Albemarle Reader's Circle Book Club

2007-06-07T14:54:00.000-05:00

A False Sense of Well Being by Jeanne Braselton

Tuesday, June 19

11:00 am

At 38, Jessie Maddox has a comfortable life in Glenville, GA, with Turner, the most reliable, responsible husband in the world. But after the storybook romance, "happily ever after" never came. Now why can't she stop picturing herself as the perfect Grieving widow?

Braselton's debut novel carries recommendations on the cover from Southern writing greats; Anne Rivers Siddons, Kaye Gibbons, and Lee Smith.