Mind Breaks - Quick Reads for Busy Times

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.

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

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?

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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?

"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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.