Week 9: Assignment 3--BMB Summary
BMB has been an enlightening experience for me. I truly never realized the plethora of RA information that's out there, just waiting to be used. Actually using sites like Goodreads, EarlyWord and some genre sites on a regular basis should expand my RA skills and knowledge. I felt the flowchart was a good tool, too. It helped put the relationship of genres/subgenres in better perspective.
I enjoyed the whole YA/New Adult section and familiarizing myself with the teen imprint websites.
From new releases, book reviews and author interviews to book trailers and discussion groups there's so much information out there for this age group it's almost overwhelming. I also found it interesting to see the amount of promotion for items that are available through apps, etc.
The nonfiction presentation was very well honed. It was informative without being overwhelming (thank you!!). I enjoyed thinking about titles that I could recommend as crossovers to some of my PI customers. The reminder that displays can carry a variety of media/genres on a particular subject was a good one.
I wish to extend my thanks to the BMB team. I can't imagine how many hours it took to create this exercise--it was so well thought out and presented in such professional manner. My biggest regret is not having enough time to really absorb everything you've made available to us. I promise to make an effort to keep coming back to explore the sites you've made known to us!
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Week 9: Assignment 2--Book Trailers
Week 9: Assignment 2--Book Trailers
I felt like I was at the movies with all the excitement that oozed off the screen--the biggest difference was that I could control the volume!! MANY of the trailers were very impressive and really caught my interest. A few I came across were definitely for younger age groups because the images changed so quickly I couldn't keep track of the message. Several were interesting enough to make ME want to read them: My Undecided Life and Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children were great teasers, but Leviathan was amazing (it will really perk up my RA for that book!). The trailer for the children's book Donuts was adorable. I actually showed it to my 2-year-old grandson!
I'm not sure how much adults will use book trailers--we've been trained to "read the flap" or have our selections recommended to us by friends or through book reviews, but I can definitely since their use by the "New Adults" and teens. They're used to accessing everything online--and viewing trailers should be a no brainer. They're attention getting, quick and informative.
Having limited technical abilities I don't know if this is possible, but it would be an interesting offering if book trailers could be displayed onscreen during school visits and other outreach opportunities. If I were an upper grade English teacher I think I would incorporate the creation of a book trailer as one of my assignments. What a wonderful way to have students capture the full spirit of a book!
I felt like I was at the movies with all the excitement that oozed off the screen--the biggest difference was that I could control the volume!! MANY of the trailers were very impressive and really caught my interest. A few I came across were definitely for younger age groups because the images changed so quickly I couldn't keep track of the message. Several were interesting enough to make ME want to read them: My Undecided Life and Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children were great teasers, but Leviathan was amazing (it will really perk up my RA for that book!). The trailer for the children's book Donuts was adorable. I actually showed it to my 2-year-old grandson!
I'm not sure how much adults will use book trailers--we've been trained to "read the flap" or have our selections recommended to us by friends or through book reviews, but I can definitely since their use by the "New Adults" and teens. They're used to accessing everything online--and viewing trailers should be a no brainer. They're attention getting, quick and informative.
Having limited technical abilities I don't know if this is possible, but it would be an interesting offering if book trailers could be displayed onscreen during school visits and other outreach opportunities. If I were an upper grade English teacher I think I would incorporate the creation of a book trailer as one of my assignments. What a wonderful way to have students capture the full spirit of a book!
Week 8: Assignment 3 and 4--Nonfiction Recommendations
Week 8: Assignment 3--Choose 4 Nonfiction Genre
I chose Faith (296.833 F), Biography (B), History(940.5318 O) and Travel (910T).
Faith: Unorthodox: the scandalous rejection of my Hasidic roots by Deborah Feldman.
Biography: Claudette Colvin: twice toward justice by Phillip M. Hoose.
History: Gertruda's Oath: a child, a promise, and heroic escape during World War II by Ram Oren.
Travel: Sex Lives of Cannibals: adrift in the Equatorial Pacific by J. Maarten Troost.
Week 8: Assignment 4--Nonfiction Book Talk
Unorthodox: the scandalous rejection of my Hasidic roots by Deborah Feldman gives the reader an inside look into the very private life of the Hasidic Jew. As she recounts her life experiences Feldman reveals many of the restrictions and rules placed on the Hasidic Jew by religious tradition. These rules include everything from dress codes, food preparation, permissible reading materials, and dating, to bathing rituals and even the timing/approval of sexual relations with a spouse. Over the years Feldman questions the validity and/or necessity of some of these traditions but it isn't until the birth of her son (when she's 19) that she realizes she can no longer accept all of these rules and doesn't want her son brought up under all of these restrictions. The book chronicles her efforts to make a new life for herself outside these religious bonds.
While not the most literary of books Unorthodox is very informative and definitely holds the reader's interest. Since there are very few books on these religious traditions that are available to the general public it offers insight to the "outsider" and helps educate us to a strong cultural difference.
Fiction titles that could be recommended for further insight into the Orthodox religion are Hush by Aishes Chayil and I Am Forbidden: a novel by Anouk Markovitz.
Claudette Colvin: twice toward justice by Phillip M. Hoose is actually catalogued as a children's biography with a recommended readership for grades 7-12. As an adult, I found it thoroughly appropriate for me, too. Claudette Colvin was a 15-year-old African American living in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955. When she got on a public bus and refused to give up her seat she was arrested. This all occurred before the famous incident with Rosa Parks. Hoose tells Colvin's story and how she was not selected to be the representative of the famous civil rights bus boycott because of her age and sometimes explosive personality. Hoose follows her life and court case as it affected and was affected by the civil rights movement. Using photographs and newspaper articles as sidebars to supplement his writing, Hoose does an excellent job of bringing to the forefront an "unsung hero" of that time and giving her credit for the part she played in history. Young adults and adults alike will find this book an informative, interesting and well-written "goodread".
I chose Faith (296.833 F), Biography (B), History(940.5318 O) and Travel (910T).
Faith: Unorthodox: the scandalous rejection of my Hasidic roots by Deborah Feldman.
Biography: Claudette Colvin: twice toward justice by Phillip M. Hoose.
History: Gertruda's Oath: a child, a promise, and heroic escape during World War II by Ram Oren.
Travel: Sex Lives of Cannibals: adrift in the Equatorial Pacific by J. Maarten Troost.
Week 8: Assignment 4--Nonfiction Book Talk
Unorthodox: the scandalous rejection of my Hasidic roots by Deborah Feldman gives the reader an inside look into the very private life of the Hasidic Jew. As she recounts her life experiences Feldman reveals many of the restrictions and rules placed on the Hasidic Jew by religious tradition. These rules include everything from dress codes, food preparation, permissible reading materials, and dating, to bathing rituals and even the timing/approval of sexual relations with a spouse. Over the years Feldman questions the validity and/or necessity of some of these traditions but it isn't until the birth of her son (when she's 19) that she realizes she can no longer accept all of these rules and doesn't want her son brought up under all of these restrictions. The book chronicles her efforts to make a new life for herself outside these religious bonds.
While not the most literary of books Unorthodox is very informative and definitely holds the reader's interest. Since there are very few books on these religious traditions that are available to the general public it offers insight to the "outsider" and helps educate us to a strong cultural difference.
Fiction titles that could be recommended for further insight into the Orthodox religion are Hush by Aishes Chayil and I Am Forbidden: a novel by Anouk Markovitz.
Claudette Colvin: twice toward justice by Phillip M. Hoose is actually catalogued as a children's biography with a recommended readership for grades 7-12. As an adult, I found it thoroughly appropriate for me, too. Claudette Colvin was a 15-year-old African American living in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955. When she got on a public bus and refused to give up her seat she was arrested. This all occurred before the famous incident with Rosa Parks. Hoose tells Colvin's story and how she was not selected to be the representative of the famous civil rights bus boycott because of her age and sometimes explosive personality. Hoose follows her life and court case as it affected and was affected by the civil rights movement. Using photographs and newspaper articles as sidebars to supplement his writing, Hoose does an excellent job of bringing to the forefront an "unsung hero" of that time and giving her credit for the part she played in history. Young adults and adults alike will find this book an informative, interesting and well-written "goodread".
Monday, June 17, 2013
Week 7: Assignments 3 & 4--Blogs/Websites; Teen Imprints
Week 7: Assignment 3
Blogs/Websites
Stacked is written by a couple librarians who appear to be
passionate about books. If you can't find enough reviews on their blog--they
direct you to Goodreads where you read even more of
their reviews. This site appealed to me because it was a little calmer to the
eye than some of the sites--making it a little easier for me to decide what I
wanted to look at the particular time I opened the site. I found it interesting
that they list reviews whether they are good or bad and that they listed
specific genres that should not be submitted to them (e.g. paranormal
romance, morality tales, religious fiction). What attracted me most were their
various book lists. I liked their groupings under such headings as Interests Matter, Life Events Matter,
and People Matter. Perhaps the lists
I'd use most here at PI are the one for Sports
and Athletes and Guy Reads. Guy Reads: Resource101 looks very useful
and informative.
Forever Young Adult is exactly what it advertises-- "more
A than Y". It's packed full of quirky, lively and sometimes irreverent
information. One of its features , HotsyTotsy,
is labeled as a "weekly dish of internet distractions" and
gossip. FYA has book reviews and lots and lots of info on
TV and movies. I thought it interesting that it not only offers book club
suggestions it lists actual book clubs all over the country. If one isn't
listed near you, it'll hold your info on file and contact you when they get 2
more people from the same area. The Required
Reading list states that "You're life will be meaningless if you have
not read these superstars of literature". Oy! One more bit of stress!! For
me personally, I found the site a little too frenetic--there was just toooo
much to look at one time. I think FYA is
a great site for that "New Adult" group!
Week 7: Assignment 4
Teen Imprint Websites
First I went to Harlequin
Teen but it was pretty much what I expected--a cleaned up version of the
various faces of Harlequin Romance, so I moved on. Harper Teen was set up nicely for teens with a rolling screen to attract their
attention without making them bored, great graphics, freebies, polls and
quizzes, "channels" for different genres, new releases, book reviews
and author interviews.
With electronics being thoroughly embedded in the age group
I feel the Harper Teen Impulse is a brilliant offering. It is an online source
for the latest novellas and short stories for the e-reader.
I found
Teens/Penguin Young Readers to be very informative. It, too, is
an attractive site but it's a little cleaner, less busy, than some of the other
sites. For teens it's got minisites for the various genres, new releases, and
reviews as well as the all important info for downloads, apps and social
network hookups. They also offer trailers to peak the reader's interest.
I feel that the Penguin
site is the site for professionals. If I were a teacher or homeschooling
parent I would be zeroing in on the Teacher
& Librarian section. It offers teacher guides and activity kits as well
as core curriculum lesson plans. What a gift to the classroom!!! The winners of
the various literary awards and honors are listed, too.
Both sites show that there's still plenty of interest in the
paranormal and dystopia. Coming of Age is big--and often mashed up adventure,
history, romance, etc. Whatever the genre, there's a voracious audience just
waiting for what's coming next!!
Week 7: Assignment 2---Articles
Week 7: Assignment 2---Articles
"New Adult..."???? To quote a
line from Cool Hand Luke "What
we got here is a failure to communicate." When I hear the term "New
Adult" I think of the power wall at PI that holds the latest adult fiction
and is constantly stripped of its contents. "New Adult" as a subgenre
is a great concept but in my mind the term sends me to the power wall or generates the image of someone
saying "Oh, you're a grown up now (almost)!" We've many readers who
look for suggestions that make a smooth transition from YA to Adult Fiction,
especially in terms of violence and sexual content, so a good identifying term
would be very helpful. I'm just not sure that "New Adult" is it.
The Next Big Thing: Adults Reading Teen Literature. Surprise!!!!
Not really! Many of my coworkers read YA/Teen on a
regular basis--and not because they have to. They like it. While The
Hunger Games and Twilight may be throwing a little
more focus on the genre and generating some increase in readership, I believe
the interest has always been there. We have older customers who read it because
they read it when they were young adults, liked it then and it continues to
hold their interest. We have parents who read YA because they want to be sure
it's appropriate for their teen. We have parents who read the same book as
their teen because it gives them something to talk about. We have adults who
read it because a title was recommended to them.
As a side note: due to some space issues PI moved its Teen display close to the front
entrance of the library. It's interesting to watch how many adults, including
seniors, stop to look over the display and often end up picking a selection
from it.
I posted comments to Becky K. and Theresa M.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Week 6: Assignment 3
Three subgenres and fan websites:
Whew!! This was time consuming. I used Goodreads, Facebook, and mostly Google to track down fan websites. It took lots of creative search terms to come up with sites. Initially I had specific subgenres in mind, but finally succumbed to whichever subgenre finally gave me an acceptable hit.
Steampunk: www.buzzfeed.com/steampunk
This site operates out of Facebook and is put out by the BuzzFeed Community. One of its links is devoted to Steampunk and most recently offers a list of the top 55 Steampunk reads to give for the Holidays. Visitors to the site are invited to write a comment or list their reaction with ratings from "Love" to "Ew"!!
3 Titles:
Infernal Devices by K.W. Jeter
Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
Clockwork Angels by Kevin J. Anderson
Steampunk is Victorian science fiction. It blends modern inventions and technology into the lifestyle and culture of the Victorian and Edwardian periods.
Regency Romance: www.iloveregencyromance.com
This site is a blog written by Karyn Lewis and includes book reviews and recommendations as well as links to her favorite Regencies and authors.
3 Authors
Mary Balog
Jo Beverly
Georgette Heyer
Regency Romance takes place in the period between 1811 and 1820, when King George III was deemed unfit to rule and his son was installed as Prince Regent. The authors are known for their attention to historical detail and depiction of ton life--all tied to a romantic adventure!!
Mystery/Thriller: www.crimefictionlover.com
Crime Fiction Lover was set up by 2 journalists who love reading crime stories but also includes the work of 12 other contributors so they can cover the full spectrum of crime fiction. They do reviews, interviews and the latest news as it relates to crime fiction.
3 Titles:
Inferno by Dan Brown
Busted by Karin Slaughter
Say You're Sorry by Michael Robotham
This genre is for those who love action, suspense and all the details and thrills that go along with solving a crime.
Mashups
Literary Classic + Horror/Monsters/Zombies
Robin Hood and Friar Tuck: Zombie Killers - A Canterbury Tale by Paul A. Freeman
Historical Fiction + Horror/Monsters/Vampires
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith
Steampunk + Horror/Monsters/Vampires
Greyfriar by Clay and Cynthia Griffith
Do I sense a pattern?????
Whew!! This was time consuming. I used Goodreads, Facebook, and mostly Google to track down fan websites. It took lots of creative search terms to come up with sites. Initially I had specific subgenres in mind, but finally succumbed to whichever subgenre finally gave me an acceptable hit.
Steampunk: www.buzzfeed.com/steampunk
This site operates out of Facebook and is put out by the BuzzFeed Community. One of its links is devoted to Steampunk and most recently offers a list of the top 55 Steampunk reads to give for the Holidays. Visitors to the site are invited to write a comment or list their reaction with ratings from "Love" to "Ew"!!
3 Titles:
Infernal Devices by K.W. Jeter
Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
Clockwork Angels by Kevin J. Anderson
Steampunk is Victorian science fiction. It blends modern inventions and technology into the lifestyle and culture of the Victorian and Edwardian periods.
Regency Romance: www.iloveregencyromance.com
This site is a blog written by Karyn Lewis and includes book reviews and recommendations as well as links to her favorite Regencies and authors.
3 Authors
Mary Balog
Jo Beverly
Georgette Heyer
Regency Romance takes place in the period between 1811 and 1820, when King George III was deemed unfit to rule and his son was installed as Prince Regent. The authors are known for their attention to historical detail and depiction of ton life--all tied to a romantic adventure!!
Mystery/Thriller: www.crimefictionlover.com
Crime Fiction Lover was set up by 2 journalists who love reading crime stories but also includes the work of 12 other contributors so they can cover the full spectrum of crime fiction. They do reviews, interviews and the latest news as it relates to crime fiction.
3 Titles:
Inferno by Dan Brown
Busted by Karin Slaughter
Say You're Sorry by Michael Robotham
This genre is for those who love action, suspense and all the details and thrills that go along with solving a crime.
Mashups
Literary Classic + Horror/Monsters/Zombies
Robin Hood and Friar Tuck: Zombie Killers - A Canterbury Tale by Paul A. Freeman
Historical Fiction + Horror/Monsters/Vampires
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith
Steampunk + Horror/Monsters/Vampires
Greyfriar by Clay and Cynthia Griffith
Do I sense a pattern?????
Week 6: Assignment 2
Oy!! The Prezi link made me crazy! I enlarged it, reduced it, moved around it in all four directions to try to get a full reading of the flow chart. I finally gave up and made a handwritten model of it so I could use the information presented!
Week 6: Assighnment 1
This week I explored Stop, You're Killing Me a little more. Clicking on the New Audios database I discovered that if a title is part of a series it lists what number that title is within the series. It also indicates if a title is not part of a series.
In looking at the Read Alikes I was disappointed to see that only a few authors are represented. BUT the few authors that are listed have a respectable number of authors listed under each. What I did like is that if you click on a suggested author all of that author's titles are listed (by series if there are any) with links to Amazon for annotations. The release date for new titles is included as well as a link to the author's website. SYKM's creators say this database is a work in progress.
An interesting tidbit I found in their FAQ is that they have a link to a Dormouse page that lists authors with only 1 book published at least five years ago. If someone's wondering what happened to a certain author they read awhile back this link might be helpful.
SYKM also publishes a newsletter twice a month. It includes new authors and characters added to SYKM as well as announcements of new releases. I'm thinking I might suggest that a couple of our more voracious mystery readers might like to subscribe to it!!
In looking at the Read Alikes I was disappointed to see that only a few authors are represented. BUT the few authors that are listed have a respectable number of authors listed under each. What I did like is that if you click on a suggested author all of that author's titles are listed (by series if there are any) with links to Amazon for annotations. The release date for new titles is included as well as a link to the author's website. SYKM's creators say this database is a work in progress.
An interesting tidbit I found in their FAQ is that they have a link to a Dormouse page that lists authors with only 1 book published at least five years ago. If someone's wondering what happened to a certain author they read awhile back this link might be helpful.
SYKM also publishes a newsletter twice a month. It includes new authors and characters added to SYKM as well as announcements of new releases. I'm thinking I might suggest that a couple of our more voracious mystery readers might like to subscribe to it!!
Friday, May 31, 2013
Week 5: Assignment 3
I found the highly anticipated titles of 2013 to be most interesting--especially since I've been placing holds on many of them for customers for months. This is where I say "Oops! I should have this section MONTHS ago!!".
One of the titles that attracted me is Rage Against the Dying by Becky Masterman. It is the first novel for this author and falls into the crime/mystery/thriller category. "Rage.." is a character and plot driven novel about retired FBI agent Brigid Quinn who worked as an undercover agent in the sexual predators division. Now happily married to a former priest she is brought back into the hunt by the confession of a man to the worst unsolved case of her career. Just as the first time around when a young female agent disappeared, Laura Coleman,the new agent working the case, has also disappeared. As this case draws her in, it threatens both her new found happiness and possibly her life. Fast-paced and filled with authentic crime -solving details Rage Against the Dying has all the qualities of a great thriller. Readers of Tess Gerritsen and Lisa Gardner would like this book.
One of the titles that attracted me is Rage Against the Dying by Becky Masterman. It is the first novel for this author and falls into the crime/mystery/thriller category. "Rage.." is a character and plot driven novel about retired FBI agent Brigid Quinn who worked as an undercover agent in the sexual predators division. Now happily married to a former priest she is brought back into the hunt by the confession of a man to the worst unsolved case of her career. Just as the first time around when a young female agent disappeared, Laura Coleman,the new agent working the case, has also disappeared. As this case draws her in, it threatens both her new found happiness and possibly her life. Fast-paced and filled with authentic crime -solving details Rage Against the Dying has all the qualities of a great thriller. Readers of Tess Gerritsen and Lisa Gardner would like this book.
Monday, May 27, 2013
Week 5: Assignment 2
What's popular with PI's readers? EVERYTHING--except Westerns. It's an all day process to keep PI's displays filled. Whether it be new fiction, mystery, nonfiction, YA, or children's, as fast as a display is merchandized it's emptied. It's a challenge to be knowledgeable about every one of these areas and see that our customers' needs are met. Early Word certainly contains the information to keep us updated on all these areas. However, there's sooooooo much information on the site that it overwhelms me. Where do you find the time during the workday to absorb ALL of that information???
I've decided to focus on a few of the resources for now. The New Titles Radar and Kids New Titles Radar will help keep me abreast of latest releases to watch out for. I loved the Best Sellers Lists because there were so many popular ones (including Amazon, Indie, New York Times, NPR, USA Today, and Washington Post) all on one site. The Awards lists include Agatha, Caldecott, Newberry, Edgar, Pulitzer, Romance Writers, etc. Once again, everything's on one site so I don't have to do multiple searches. Finally, the Movies & TV Based on Books--Tie Ins and Trailers will be a major help in creating displays quickly and tracking down titles for customers.
I've decided to focus on a few of the resources for now. The New Titles Radar and Kids New Titles Radar will help keep me abreast of latest releases to watch out for. I loved the Best Sellers Lists because there were so many popular ones (including Amazon, Indie, New York Times, NPR, USA Today, and Washington Post) all on one site. The Awards lists include Agatha, Caldecott, Newberry, Edgar, Pulitzer, Romance Writers, etc. Once again, everything's on one site so I don't have to do multiple searches. Finally, the Movies & TV Based on Books--Tie Ins and Trailers will be a major help in creating displays quickly and tracking down titles for customers.
Week 5: Assignment 1
I've been enjoying the author interviews and book reviews on NPR. I've found its weekly bestseller lists with the top 15 titles (hardback and paperback for both fiction and nonfiction) and the number of weeks they've been on the list to be helpful in tracking down books for customers. I also thought the listing of titles dealing with the memories and romanticism of WWII to be a very appropriate tie in with Memorial Day.
I've been delving into Stop! You're Killing Me! in bits and pieces. Each time I open the site I discover something more. The site lists New Releases monthly all the way through November. These lists include Large Print and Audio. It has an Awards link that explains what each award is and the you can click on that award to see the entire list of winners. In the reviews you're informed if that book is a finalist for a specific award. Perhaps one of the most interesting links on the site is the "Diversity of Series Character". It includes Amish, Disabled & Survivors, and Native Americans--three groups of interest to several of my mystery readers.
I've been delving into Stop! You're Killing Me! in bits and pieces. Each time I open the site I discover something more. The site lists New Releases monthly all the way through November. These lists include Large Print and Audio. It has an Awards link that explains what each award is and the you can click on that award to see the entire list of winners. In the reviews you're informed if that book is a finalist for a specific award. Perhaps one of the most interesting links on the site is the "Diversity of Series Character". It includes Amish, Disabled & Survivors, and Native Americans--three groups of interest to several of my mystery readers.
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Week 4: Building Base Knowledge (Goodreads)
I initially joined Goodreads two years ago and must confess that for various reasons I haven't given it much personal attention since then. I was amazed when I went back into my account and saw how many recommendations I had from the reading history I had listed. This review also reminded me of the many offerings Goodreads has. The many booklists are so helpful, especially the most popular list and ones that are genre specific. Plus, you can hover over a book cover and get a quick summary. I found the book ratings to be interesting, too. You can be as easily involved as just reading the Goodreads reviews and recommendations of new releases or you can create your own shelves, rate books, write reviews and get involved in group discussions. I took a couple of the quizzes and enjoyed them--they were a fun way to spark my memory!
I have often recommended Goodreads as a source of additional/new titles to PI customers who are avid readers and have access to computers . After becoming reacquainted with it I'll be singing Goodreads praises to our customers even more!
I sent a recommendation to the PI Library group for Calling Me Home by Julie Kibler. Much like Kate Morton, Kibler skillfully brings the past and present together in a well-written and very poignant story. The love story and inter-racial marriage of a young couple in Kentucky in the 1940's is told with insight and sensitivity. Promoted by the racial mores of the time the girl's family intervenes, forces an end to the marriage and forbids the couple from ever seeing each other again.
Kibler uses a trip to a funeral to tell the heart-rending story of past loss but also to let the reader know that there is future hope, too. This is the type of book PI customers will devour!!
I have often recommended Goodreads as a source of additional/new titles to PI customers who are avid readers and have access to computers . After becoming reacquainted with it I'll be singing Goodreads praises to our customers even more!
I sent a recommendation to the PI Library group for Calling Me Home by Julie Kibler. Much like Kate Morton, Kibler skillfully brings the past and present together in a well-written and very poignant story. The love story and inter-racial marriage of a young couple in Kentucky in the 1940's is told with insight and sensitivity. Promoted by the racial mores of the time the girl's family intervenes, forces an end to the marriage and forbids the couple from ever seeing each other again.
Kibler uses a trip to a funeral to tell the heart-rending story of past loss but also to let the reader know that there is future hope, too. This is the type of book PI customers will devour!!
Monday, May 20, 2013
Week 3: Assignment 3 RA Conversation
In Conversation 1 the patron expressed interest in travel memoirs--especially ones that include the author's thoughts and reactions to the travel experience. She might like Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes. Like Elizabeth Gilbert, Mayes is a divorced woman who writes of her travel experiences and new life in Italy with detail, warmth and humor.
In Conversation 2 the patron expressed an interest in vampire books that were fast-paced and not based on the angst of a love interest. A rather quirky suggestion might be The Greyfriar by Clay and Cynthia Griffith. It begins in 1870 with vampires taking over the world and ends in 2020 with the survivors of humankind (led by the Greyfriar) in a fight to the death with the vampires. The story is quick-paced and is enhanced by the addition of Steampunk to aid the humans in their survival over the years.
In Conversation 3 the patron was excited about an historical nonfiction tale of exploration by Teddy Roosevelt. This reader might enjoy Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Albert Lansing. It is a vivid and gripping description of Shackleton's polar expedition that gets ice-bound for a year in the waters of Antarctica.
If the reader is actually more interested in historical nonfiction that's based on the U.S. presidents, he might enjoy Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard. Millard chronicles the life of James Garfield in his rise from poverty to the presidency. The tale of his death from poor medical decisions after being shot by a madman is bizarre and fascinating. Millard does an excellent job of describing the life and times of the Garfield era.
In Conversation 2 the patron expressed an interest in vampire books that were fast-paced and not based on the angst of a love interest. A rather quirky suggestion might be The Greyfriar by Clay and Cynthia Griffith. It begins in 1870 with vampires taking over the world and ends in 2020 with the survivors of humankind (led by the Greyfriar) in a fight to the death with the vampires. The story is quick-paced and is enhanced by the addition of Steampunk to aid the humans in their survival over the years.
In Conversation 3 the patron was excited about an historical nonfiction tale of exploration by Teddy Roosevelt. This reader might enjoy Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Albert Lansing. It is a vivid and gripping description of Shackleton's polar expedition that gets ice-bound for a year in the waters of Antarctica.
If the reader is actually more interested in historical nonfiction that's based on the U.S. presidents, he might enjoy Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard. Millard chronicles the life of James Garfield in his rise from poverty to the presidency. The tale of his death from poor medical decisions after being shot by a madman is bizarre and fascinating. Millard does an excellent job of describing the life and times of the Garfield era.
Monday, May 13, 2013
Week 2: Assignment 3
I recommended two books to Beth B. Based on their English setting, language, and pacing: The Last Summer-- a first novel by Judith Kinghorn and The House at Tyneford by Natasha Solomons.
Week 2: Assignment 2 Annotations for appeal factors
Dangerous Refuge
by
Elizabeth Lowell
Dangerous Refuge is a romantic suspense novel with the standard "whodunit" plot. While readers identify with the 2 main characters and pull for them to both solve the murder and have a "happily ever after" romantic commitment, setting plays a key role in the story. Set near Lake Tahoe on the east side of the Sierra Madres, Lowell's story includes detailed descriptions of Refuge, Nevada, its townspeople, casinos, ranches, hot springs and the stark ruggedness of the surrounding land. The isolated mountainous terrain provides the perfect backdrop for hiding treachery and violence. Dangerous Refuge is liberally laced with sex and violence but neither is so graphic as to offend most readers.
12th of Never
by
James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
In typical Patterson fashion, 12th of Never is a fast paced and action-filled thriller. With character driven plots, all four members of the Women's Murder Club are faced with professional and personal challenges that intertwine to affect them all. Murders, a murder trial, slimy lawyers, perjured witnesses, kidnappings, missing bodies, violent psychic premonitions and a manipulative serial killer are all overshadowed by the birth of Lindsay's daughter and the resulting concern and fear from baby Julie's life-threatening illness. Throw in job-loss and the disintegration of Rick and Cindy's romantic relationship and you've got something for everyone in this novel--just don't dig too deeply for the plausibility factor of it all!!
Friday, May 3, 2013
Week 1: Assignment 4
I've chosen NPR-Books because our customers frequently come in asking for items they've heard reviewed on NPR. Becoming familiar with the sight will hopefully aid me in tracking down the title they think they heard!!
Stop You're Killing Me looks to be a useful site for working with PI readers. They're voracious mystery /thriller/suspense readers and I am always looking for new recommendations. The index on the left looks like it will be really helpful in zeroing in on the specific interests of some of our more particular customers.
Stop You're Killing Me looks to be a useful site for working with PI readers. They're voracious mystery /thriller/suspense readers and I am always looking for new recommendations. The index on the left looks like it will be really helpful in zeroing in on the specific interests of some of our more particular customers.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
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