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Toledo Lucas County Public Library

Lights, Camera, Action! GoPro Camera Kits at Toledo Library

The GoPro action camera has become very popular because it’s fun and easy to use; it produces high quality photos and movies; and it’s versatile. It’s known as an action camera because it’s often used to film action scenes outdoors, it’s waterproof, and it’s sturdy. It can be used to create short films, to develop stop motion animation, make underwater videos, or take high quality vacation photos. The possibilities are endless, and getting started is as simple as going to the library.

The Toledo Lucas County Public Library has two types of GoPro kits that can be checked out for one week and renewed twice. The GoPro basic kit is available for customers of all ages at the Oregon Branch Library, and contains a GoPro Hero entry level action camera, case, straps, camera housing, microcard, cables, and adapters. The GoPro deluxe kit is available for adult customers only at the King Road Branch Library, and contains a GoPro Hero4 action camera, case, straps, camera housing, microcard, cables, and adapters.

GoPro kits must be checked out and returned to the same library location (inside the building during library hours – do not place this material in the drop box). Talk to a staff member today at Oregon or King Road Branch to reserve the GoPro kit of your choice.

Want to learn more about the GoPro Camera?

Check out these great GoPro Books

GoPro for Dummies by John Carucci (c.2017)
How To Use The GoPro HERO 4 Black: The Book For Your Camera by Jordon Hetrick
My GoPro Hero5 Camera by Jason R. Rich
GoPro : professional guide to filmmaking / Bradford Schmidt, Brandon Thompson

Cinematography / Filmmaking Books

Cinematography by Mike Goodridge and Tim Grierson
The Lego Animation Book: make your own LEGO movies! by David Pagano and David Pickett
How To Make Movies: Low-Budget/No-Budget Indie Experts Tell All by Kevin J. Lindenmuth
The Digital filmmaking handbook: the definitive guide to digital filmmaking by Mark Brindle
Or check out these websites for fun ideas on how to get creative with the GoPro camera:

What is GoPro? – My Gadgets

Put Your GoPro Camera to the Test with These Creative Ideas – MUO (Make Use Of)

8 Creative Things To Do With a GoPro At Home – Amateur Photographer

13 GoPro Tips for Families – ClickLikeThis

How-To: 3 Most Popular DIY GoPro Projects – Make Magazine

11 Coolest Places to Take Your GoPro – Mashable

GoPro Session: Everything You Need to Know – Outside Magazine

How to Edit GoPro Videos – Udemy

GoPro 3D Prints You’ll Love: 11 Best GoPro Accessories to 3D Print – All3DP

Originally posted by Toledo Lucas County Public Library blogger Amber B. at http://www.toledolibrary.org/blog/lights-camera-action–gopro-video-camera-kits-from-your-local-library.

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Yakking in a Pond

A few years ago, my husband, kind fellow that he is, tried to find me the perfect present. Here is the back story: my husband is terrible at gift-giving – he’s the worst! He gives up before he even gets started. Cards and flowers are out of the question, because a decision must be made. He can’t do that well because in his mind, they are still presents. He used to ask our young daughter at the time ‘what to get Mommy?’ at every major event throughout the year. He still texts her even now that she’s married. Somehow, he came up with the idea that a kayak would make the perfect birthday present. A kayak? I was astonished. I still think he had help from someone.

I have always loved the outdoors, having traveled all over the country and across the world in my twenties and thirties. Then, I met my husband and had two wonderful children. I settled in the area, accepted a Children’s Librarian position to be close to children of all ages and stopped a lot of my traveling. But, I have always loved canoeing, kayaking, swimming, scuba diving and boating – anything having to do with the water. The Lake Erie region and Maumee River Corridor are perfect for all of these activities.

Lake Erie and Maumee Corridor Books

Ohio's Lake Erie public access guidebook : Rivers edition
The Great Lakes at ten miles an hour : one cyclist's journey along the shores of the inland seas / Thomas Shevory
In the watershed : a journey down the Maumee River / Ryan Schnurr

A kayak it was to be. I am rather tiny in stature, and this was going to be a problem too. But after much searching, falling over in boats way too massive, not to mention the improbability of me even lugging the thing (anything over 35 pounds, forget it), I made my choice. It was three stress-filled months of arguments, tears, laughter, and then simply picking one. Much like pointing your finger blindfolded onto a map and hoping your choice was going to have 4-star accommodations at a 1-star price-tag – it didn’t, but it was a gorgeous boat.

Books on Kayaking, Michigan and Ponds

The Art of Kayaking by Nigel Foster
Michigan off the beaten path : a guide to unique places / Jim DuFresne ; revised and updated by Jackie Sheckler Finch
Building natural ponds : create a clean, algae-free pond without pumps, filters, or chemicals / Robert Pavlis

We now live at a lake in Michigan during the summer months. It’s a very small lake, with an even smaller pond, round and quiet, with safe and easy access for beginner kayaking.

However, the pond is so small my brand new sky-blue kayak at 14 feet barely could be turned around with any ease! And that is where my dear, kind husband plopped it. It weighs 26 pounds, and I can manage it just fine, but he didn’t think I had it in me to try carrying it to the lake, in addition to sitting in it and paddling it.

Do you know what it is like to have a toothpick placed flat into the bottom of a cup and try to turn it around keeping it flat to the bottom? It’s not easy. My husband wouldn’t let me take it out of our “cup” for two years by myself for fear of my drowning. Remember, I am a certified scuba diver, and excellent watercraft enthusiast, including jet skier, and he knows this. I was allowed the comfort of sitting in it, attempting to steer the thing, and hoping to not get stuck in the cattails along the bank.

I am still married, still have the kayak, and I am proud to say allowed to use our small lake now as my refuge from the chaos of the outside world. My husband still has a phobia of my imminent drowning, so I am not allowed to take the thing to any river, lake, stream and especially not Lake Erie. Every time I place my kayak rack that I bought on my car, it mysteriously gets taken down. The kayak gets put back onto its hanger in the garage, which I can’t reach (my husband placed that strategically too high for me to get to readily without a ladder). But, the ladder is another tale. I am going to sneak that boat out in the middle of the night one of these days. Kayaks, ponds and marriage. Strange bedfellows.


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Preserve and Share Precious Family Memories

A lot of people spend time tracing their family history. But how much time does the average person spend preserving the stories and/or memories of friends, family and loved ones for future generations?

Last year, one of my colleagues told me about the National Day of Listening, started by StoryCorps. The project encourages people to sit down with a loved one and record a meaningful conversation. The concept excited me, which prompted a visit to my grandfather in an attempt to “preserve a meaningful conversation.” Long story short, the reality didn’t match up with what was in my head. For one thing, I didn’t have a realistic plan. It’s important to make preparations and consider all of the possibilities before undertaking something like this seemingly straight-forward concept of preserving a precious memory.

Making Memories : Things to Consider

The idea or concept of preserving memories for future generations is definitely intriguing and the possibilities are worth exploring. Here are a few things to consider if you plan to record a conversation with a loved one to share or preserve for future generations:

  1. What questions should you ask?
  2. What equipment should you use?
  3. How will you edit the audio/video?
  4. How will you save and preserve the finished product?
  5. What’s the best way to share these memories with loved ones?

6 Ways the Library Can Help You Preserve Precious Memories

The Toledo Lucas County Public Library offers a variety of tech tools and/or services to valid cardholders at select locations.

Photo of camera lens, photo of girl and camera from Pixabay.com

1. Film to Digital Converters

Do you have old film you would like to preserve?

How can the Library help?

We offer digital converters for turning 35mm, 126KPK, 110 slides/negatives, 8mm and Super 8 movies into digital images or movies in seconds.

No computer or software needed. All items are saved into its internal memory or optional SD/SDHC memory card, up to 32GB capacity.

Easily connects to any Windows PC or MAC, to offload images or view on TV.

Available at King Road, Oregon and Sylvania.


Photo of VCR and VHS Tapes from Pixabay.com

2. VHS to DVD Converter

Do you have precious memories saved to a VHS tape, but no longer have a VCR?

How can the Library help?

Use our DVR (Digital Video Recorder) and transfer your VHS tapes to DVDs.

Available at King Road, Oregon and West Toledo.


Photo of laptop, camera and journal from Pixabay.com

3. Digitization Services

Do you have items you would like to scan, edit or store?

How can the Library help?

The Local History department can help you digitize, edit and store precious items to share with loved ones and preserve memories for future generations.

For more information, email digitization@toledolibrary.org or call 419.259.5233 and set up an appointment today.

Please note that the minimum turnaround time for digitization services is approximately two weeks.


Photo of studio equipment from Pixabay.com

4. Studio Equipment

Do you want to record audio and/or video?

How can the Library help?

Use our studio equipment to record a meaningful conversation with a loved one.

Select Library locations have audio and video equipment for use in their studios.

Microphones, mixing consoles, headphones and accessories are available, as well as audiovisual equipment.

Available at King Road, Oregon and Sylvania.


Photo of a photographer holding a camera from Pixabay.com

5. Cameras / Camcorders

Do you want to take quality photos and/or home movies?

How can the Library help?

Did you know the Library lends out cameras and camcorders?

Use this great equipment to record memories and share with loved ones.

Camcorder

The Canon XA10 camcorder is an ultra compact professional camera that records in full HD 1080p.

Available at West Toledo.

DSLR CAMERA

The Canon EOS Rebel T6 DSLR camera will suit many photography needs and skill levels.

Available at Sylvania.

GOPRO HERO CAMERAS

GoPro Hero Cameras are durable digital cameras that film from your point of view.

Available at King Road, Oregon and Sylvania.


Photo of an image editing program from Pixabay.com

6. Editing Software

Do you have photos and/or videos you would like to edit in a creative way?

How can the Library Help?

Computers at some of our locations feature additional software that allows you to be your own producer.

Create your next masterpiece with the same platforms the pros use, including:

iLife Suite

Contains Garage Band, iMovie, and iPhoto.

Take those little video clips and photos from your iPhone/iPad and create a mini movie or slideshow.

Available at King Road, Oregon, Sylvania and West Toledo.

Adobe Photoshop Elements

Photo editing software.

Take photos and edit them in creative ways.

Available at King Road, Oregon and West Toledo.

Final Cut Pro

Video editing software.

Take video clips and edit them together to create a home movie.

Available at King Road, Sylvania and West Toledo.


Related Library Books

How to archive family photos : a step-by-step guide to organize and share your photos digitally / Denise May Levenick, The Family Curator
How to archive family keepsakes : learn how to preserve family photos, memorabilia & genealogy records / Denise May Levenick
Digital photography : an introduction / Tom Ang
The advanced photography guide / David Taylor

How to Archive Family Photos : A Step-by-Step Guide to Organize and Share Your Photos Digitally by Denise May Levenick

A practical how-to guide for organizing your growing digital photo collection, digitizing and preserving heirloom family photos, and sharing your treasured photos.

Also available in eBook.

How to Archive Family Keepsakes : Learn How to Preserve Family Photos, Memorabilia & Genealogy Records by Denise May Levenick

Presents advice on how to preserve and create a catalog of family heirlooms, organize genealogy records, and store family information on computer files.

Also available in eBook.

Digital Photography : An Introduction by Tom Ang

Learn how to capture, enhance, and transform your digital photographs taken with any camera, from phones to DLSRs with renowned photographer and teacher Tom Ang.

The Advanced Photography Guide : Expert Techniques to Take Your Digital Photography to the Next Level by David Taylor

A practical, visual guide to digital photography covers a comprehensive range of topics from experimenting with lenses, exposure and aperture to useful post-production techniques.

 


Upcoming Programs

Digiscrapping 101: Photos + Pages

Learn how to work with the photos on your phone. Make some quick edits with cropping and filters. Create beautiful, shareable scrapbook pages using apps like Project Life. Then, print them out to take home!

Jan. 30, 2019 | 6:30pm – 8:00pm | Heatherdowns

Feb. 27, 2019 | 6:30pm – 8:00pm | Holland

Apr. 09, 2019 | 6:00pm – 7:30pm | Birmingham

May 04, 2019 | 2:30pm – 4:00pm | West Toledo

 


Learn more about recording, preserving and sharing family memories

Record and Share Your Family History in 5 Steps
The New York Times

How to Preserve Your Family Memories, Letters and Trinkets
The New York Times

8 Ways to Preserve Your Family Memories
Next Avenue

Simple Steps to Preserve Your Precious Family Memories
Family Search

Beyond Scrapbooking: 5 Creative Ways To Preserve Your Family’s Memories
Joan Lunden

 

Originally posted by April S. on ToledoLibrary.org/blog/preserve-and-share-precious-family-memories

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Great Early Fall Reads

As the weather gets cooler, reading just gets cozier!  Here are some fantastic reads to ease you out of summer and into fall.

Not quite what you’re looking for? Try out Give3Get3 service and a real, live librarian will match up what you’ve read and enjoyed with titles you may not have seen yet. We’re always happy to suggest “readalikes” in any season!

The Kelloggs : the battling brothers of Battle Creek / Howard Markel
Look behind you : [a novel] / Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen
Hook's tale : being the account of an unjustly villainized pirate written by himself / John Leonard Pielmeier
The epiphany machine / David Burr Gerrard
Sweet spot : an ice cream binge across America / Amy Ettinger

The Kelloggs: the Battling Brothers of Battle Creek by Howard Markel

The author of An Anatomy of Addiction traces the story of brothers Harvey and Will Kellogg, one of whom became a revered doctor and founder of the famous Battle Creek Sanitarium, the other of whom founded the Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company, which eventually became General Mills.

Look Behind You by Iris Johansen

Cooperating with the FBI when a serial killer begins leaving mysterious relics at his crime scenes, Kendra Michaels discovers that the objects are souvenirs from other unsolved murders and that the new killings have been orchestrated to taunt her personally.

Hook’s Tale: Being the Account of an Unjustly Villainized Pirate Written by Himself by John Pielmeier

A first novel by a Golden Globe-nominated screenwriter reimagines the childhood of a much-maligned Captain Hook, who recounts his quest for buried treasure, his friendship with Peter Pan and the story behind the swashbuckling world of Neverland.

The Epiphany Machine by David Burr Gerrard

Reimagines an alternative-history New York from the 1960s to the near future marked by a salon host’s innovation of an “epiphany machine” that places text tattoos on its users’ forearms that make revelatory statements of fortune and consequence.

Sweet Spot: an Ice Cream Binge Across America by Amy Ettinger

A journalist channels her ice-cream obsession, scouring the United States for the best artisanal brands and delving into the surprising history of ice cream and frozen treats in America.

Originally posted at ToledoLibrary.org/blog/great-early-fall-reads by Toledo Lucas County Public Library blogger Amy H.

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Join us for a Black History Month Read-In

February is Black History Month, and we’re celebrating in part with a read-in! We invite you to join us in reading one of these award-winning books:

Chasing light : Michelle Obama through the lens of a White House photographer / Amanda Lucidon
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Pena
The Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis
Radiant Child by Javaka Steptoe
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

Read, watch or listen to any of these African-American authors as well – find them in our online catalog:

Notable Adult Authors

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Elizabeth Alexander
Jeffrey Renard Allen
Ilyasah Al-Shabazz
Maya Angelou
Houston Baker, Jr.
James Baldwin
L. A. Banks
Amiri Baraka
Bernard W. Bell
Patricia Bell-Scott
Gwendolyn Brooks
Octavia Butler
Adrianne Byrd
Lucille Clifton
Ta-Nehisi Coates
Edwidge Danticat
Junot Diaz
Sharon Draper
W.E.B. Du Bois
Tananarive Due
Erica Armstrong Dunbar
Michael Eric Dyson
Zetta Elliott
Ralph Ellison
Angela Flournoy
Flores Forbes
Ernest J. Gaines
Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Keith Gilyard
Nikki Giovanni
Annette Gordon-Reed
Yaa Gyasia
Alex Haley
Lorraine Hansberry
Peter J. Harris
Terrance Hayes
Wil Haygood
Leban Carrick Hill
Bell Hooks
Nalo Hopkinson
Ravi Howard
Langston Hughes
Kristin Hunter
Zora Neale Hurston
Angela Jackson
Brenda Jackson
Mitchell S. Jackson
Marlon James
N. K. Jemisin
Beverly Jenkins
Mat Johnson
T. Geronimo Johnson
Edward P. Jones
Tracy Jones
John Keene
Ibram X. Kendi
Jamica Kincaid
Laila Lalami
Victor Lavalle
Julius Lester
David Levering Lewis
Shantrelle P. Lewis
Attica Locke
Karen Lord
Manning Marable
James McBride
Janet McDonald
Bernice L. McFadden
Frederick McKissack
Patricia C. McKissack
Terry McMillan
John McWhorter
Dinaw Mengestu
Toni Morrison
Walter Mosley
Marilyn Nelson
Greg Neri
Elizabeth Nunez
Nnedi Okorafor
Jewell Parker Rhodes
Emily Raboteau
Francis Ray
Ishmael Reed
Max Rodriquez
Ntozake Shange
Nisi Shawl
Tracy K. Smith
Lorenzo Thomas Toure
Olympia Vernon
Alice Walker
Jesmyn Ward
Stephanie Powell Watts
Colson Whitehead
Frank B. Wilderson III
Crystal Wilkinson
August Wilson
David Levering Wilson
Richard Wright
Kevin Young

Notable Kids Authors

Benny Andrews
Tonya Bolden
Victoria Bond
Colin Bootman
R. Gregory Christie
Floyd Cooper
Christopher Paul Curtis
Nancy Devard
Leo Dillon
Randy DuBurke
Karen English
Shane W. Evans
Eloise Greenfield
Richard Jackson
Angela Johnson
Jen Johnson
E. B. Lewis
Daniel Minter
Frank Morrison
Kadir Nelson
Andrea David Pinkney
Brian Pinkney
Jerry Pinkney
Sam Qualls
Christian Robertson
Hope Anita Smith
Ronald L. Smith
Javaka Steptoe
Joyce Carol Thomas
Mildred D. Taylor
Carole Boston Weatherford
Deborah Wiles

Notable Teen Authors

Jaime Adoff
Kwame Alexander
Ashley Bryan
Tanita David
Matt De La Pena
Sharon G. Flake
Sudee T. Frazier
Niki Grimes
Kekla Magoon
Sheila P. Moss
Christopher Myers
Walter Dean Myers
Vaunda Micheaux Nelson
Jason Reynolds
Charles R. Smith
Angie Thomas
Rita Williams-Garcia
Brenda Woods
Jacqueline Woodson
Nicola Yoon and Ibi Zoboi

Originally posted at ToledoLibrary.org/blog/black-history-month-read-in by Toledo Lucas County Public Library blogger Heather H.

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Best Fiction & Nonfiction Books of 2017

So many books, so little time. What were some of the best books of the year and what makes them the best anyway? Books may end up on best seller lists when the subject is extremely topical like current events. However, after reviewing so many booklists, the selections may seem random at first glance. How do you find gems among the thousands of books published each year? You might rely on a highly trusted source like the “100 Notable Books of the Year” by The New York Times. Or maybe you just browse Amazon’s best seller lists and hope for the best. Well, my approach was a little more involved and it took a lot of time … time most people don’t have to spend on picking a few good books to read. The books featured below were selected after reviewing major book award websites, book reviews, and a wide variety of trusted booklists to narrow down the selections to only include the “best of the best” fiction and nonfiction books from the past year. Yet, it’s really still a matter of what interests the individual reader.

Now, the challenge is to find the time to read them!

Best General Fiction Books of 2017

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng“Spectacular sophomore work…a magnificent, multilayered epic that’s perfect for eager readers and destined for major award lists.” ~ Library Journal (starred review)Amazon rating: 4.4

Amazon: 4.4 | Goodreads: 4.14

Winner of the 2017 Goodreads Choice Awards for Best Fiction Book with over 39,000 votes.

#1 book of the year – BookPage and LibraryReads.

Named one of the best or notable books of 2017 – Amazon (top 20), Esquire, The Guardian, NPR, and The Washington Post.

Book summary: Fighting an ugly custody battle with an artistic tenant who has little regard for the strict rules of their progressive Cleveland suburb, a straitlaced family woman who is seeking to adopt a baby becomes obsessed with exposing the tenant’s past, only to trigger devastating consequences for both of their families.

Beartown by Fredrik Backman
Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie
The Impossible Fortress by Jason Rekulak
Standard Deviation by Katherine Heiny
Looking for more noteworthy fiction books from the past year?

The 17 Best Fiction Books of 2017 – Bustle

The Best Fiction Books of 2017 – Chicago Review of Books

Best of 2017: Best Fiction Books – Entropy

Best Fiction of 2017 – Goodreads Choice Awards

The Best Fiction of 2017 – The Guardian

Best Fiction of 2017 by Category – Kirkus Reviews

Best Books of 2017: The Best Fiction – Los Angeles Times

Top 10 Novels of 2017 – Time


Best Historical Fiction Books of 2017

Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders
Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders“Profound, funny and vital . . . the work of a great writer.” ~ Chicago TribuneAmazon: 3.6 | Goodreads: 3.89

Winner of the Man Booker Prize.

Finalist for the Andrew Carnegie Medal.

One of the best books of 2017 – Amazon (top 20), BookPage, Esquire, Goodreads, The Guardian, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal (top 10), Los Angeles Times, The New York Times Book Review, NPR, O Magazine, Time (top 10), and The Washington Post (top 10).

Book summary: A long-awaited first novel by the National Book Award-nominated, New York Times best-selling author of Tenth of December traces a night of solitary mourning and reflection as experienced by the 16th President after the death of his 11-year-old son at the dawn of the Civil War.

The Ninth Hour by Alice McDermott
The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
Looking for more noteworthy historical fiction from the past year?

22 of the Biggest Historical Fiction Books of 2017 – BookBub

Best Historical Fiction of 2017 – Goodreads Choice Awards

Best Historical Fiction of 2017 – Kirkus Reviews

Best Books of 2017: Historical Fiction – NPR

The Best Historic Fiction of 2017 – Overdrive


Best Literary Fiction Books of 2017

Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward
Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward“A tour de force … Ward is an attentive and precise writer who dazzles with natural and supernatural observations and lyrical details … she continues telling stories we need to hear with rare clarity and power.” ~ O, the Oprah Magazine

Amazon: 4.4 | Goodreads: 4.14

Winner of the 2017 National Book Award for Fiction.

Finalist for the Andrew Carnegie Medal.

One of the best books of 2017 – Amazon, BookPage, Esquire, Kirkus Reviews, Los Angeles Times, The New York Times Book Review (top 10), NPR, Publisher’s Weekly (top 10), Time (top 10), The Washington Post.

Book summary: Living with his grandparents and toddler sister on a Gulf Coast farm, Jojo navigates the challenges of his tormented mother’s addictions and his grandmother’s terminal cancer before the release of his father from prison prompts a road trip of danger and hope.

Exit West by Mohsin Hamid
My Absolute Darling by Gabriel Tallent
The Ministry of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy
Autumn by Ali Smith
Looking for more noteworthy literary fiction from the past year?

Anticipated or Best Literary Fiction of 2017 – Goodreads

Best Literary Fiction of 2017 – Kirkus Reviews

Fall 2017 Announcements: Literary Fiction – Publisher’s Weekly


Best Mystery / Thriller Books of 2017

Glass Houses by Louise Penny
Glass Houses by Louise Penny“The tension has never been greater… A meticulously built mystery that follows a careful ascent toward a breaking point that will leave you breathless.” ~ Kirkus Reviews

Amazon: 4.6 | Goodreads: 4.46

One of the best books of 2017 – Amazon, Goodreads, Library Journal, LibraryReads, LibraryReads, NPR, and The Washington Post.

Starred review – Booklist and Kirkus Reviews.

Book summary: A suspicious figure that appears on the village green on a cold November day leaves a dead body in its wake, compelling Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec to pursue an investigation that has difficult consequences.

Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz
Ill Will by Dan Chaon
White Tears by Hari Kunzru
The Force by Don Winslow
Looking for more noteworthy mysteries & thrillers from the past year?

The Year’s Best Crime Novels, 2017 – The Booklist Reader

Best Mystery & Thrillers of 2017 – Bookriot

The Best Crime and Thriller Books of 2017 – Panmacmillan

Best Books of 2017: Mystery/Thriller – Publisher’s Weekly

The 10 Best Thrillers and Mysteries of 2017 – The Washington Post


Best Science Fiction / Fantasy Books of 2017

The Power by Naomi Alderman
The Power by Naomi Alderman“I was riveted by every page. Alderman’s prose is immersive and, well, electric, and I felt a closed circuit humming between the book and me as I read.” ~ Amal El-Mohtar, The New York Times Book Review

Amazon: 4 | Goodreads: 3.91

One of the best books of 2017 – Amazon, Kirkus Reviews, Los Angeles Times, The New York Times Book Review, NPR, and The Washington Post.

Starred review – Booklist and Kirkus Reviews.

Book summary: In a novel of speculative fiction, an award-winning author contemplates a world where teenage girls now have immense physical power—they can cause agonizing pain and even death, drastically resetting the balance of the world.

The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin
Noumenon by Marina J. Lostetter
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
Autonomous by Annalee Newitz
Looking for more noteworthy science fiction and fantasy novels from the past year?

The Best Science Fiction & Fantasy Books of 2017 – Barnes & Noble

The 9 Best Sci-Fi & Fantasy Books Written by Women in 2017 – Bustle

Best Fantasy and Science Fiction of 2017 – Goodreads Choice Awards

The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of 2017 – The Guardian

Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of 2017 – Kirkus Reviews

Best Books of 2017: SF/Fantasy/Horror – Publisher’s Weekly


Best Short Story Collections of 2017

The Refugees by Viet Thanh Nguyen
The Refugees by Viet Thanh Nguyen“The Refugees will haunt its readers, especially in these times, when refugee stories need to be told, shared, and told again, ad infinitum.” ~ A.V. Club

Amazon: 4.4 | Goodreads: 3.95

One of the best books of 2017 – BookPage, Esquire, Goodreads, Kirkus Reviews, The New York Times Book Review, and NPR.

Starred reviews from Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, and Publisher’s Weekly.

Book summary: A collection of stories, written over a twenty-year period, examines the Vietnamese experience in America as well as questions of home, family, and identity. By the Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Sympathizer.

Sour Heart by Jenny Zhang
Uncommon Type: Some Stories by Tom Hanks
Five Carat Soul by James McBride
Anything is Possible by Elizabeth Strout
Looking for more noteworthy short story collections?

7 Short Story Collections to Read in 2017 – Barnes & Noble

13 Short Story Collections Out This Fall to Help You Escape Reality for a Few Pages – Bustle

Best New Short Story Collections of Fall 2017 – The Washington Post


Best Teen / Young Adult Novels of 2017

Far from the Tree by Robin Benway
Far from the Tree by Robin Benway“Family issues are neither airbrushed nor oversimplified. From the first page to the last, this compassionate, funny, moving, compulsively readable novel about what makes a family gets it right.” ~ Kirkus Reviews

Amazon: 4.8 | Goodreads: 4.38

Winner of the 2017 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature.

Named one of the best or notable books of the year by Kirkus Reviews, NPR, The New York Times Book Review, and Publisher’s Weekly.

Starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews, Publisher’s Weekly, and School Library Journal.

Book summary: Feeling incomplete as an adopted child after placing her own baby up for adoption, teen Grace tracks down her biological siblings and finds herself struggling with the dynamics of being a middle child between an embittered older brother and an outspoken younger sister.

The book of Dust : La Belle Sauvage / Philip Pullman
The hate u give / Angie Thomas
Landscape with Invisible Hand by M.T. Anderson
Turtles all the way down by John Green
Looking for more noteworthy teen / young adult novels from the past year?

Best Young Adult Fiction of 2017 – Goodreads Choice Awards

Best Young Adult Fantasy and Science Fiction of 2017 – Goodreads Choice Awards

The 30 Best Young Adult Books of 2017 – Paste

The 17 Best Young Adult Novels of 2017 – POPSUGAR

25 of the Best Young Adult Books of 2017 – Seventeen


Best General Nonfiction Books of 2017

The lost city of the monkey god : a true story / Douglas Preston
The Lost City of the Monkey God: A True Story by Douglas Preston“Breezy, colloquial and sometimes very funny…A very entertaining book.” ~ The Wall Street Journal

Amazon: 4.4 | Goodreads: 3.92

One of the best books of 2017 – Amazon (top 20), Goodreads, New York Times Book Review, and Publisher’s Weekly.

Book summary: Recounts how the author and a team of scientists discovered a legendary sacred city, the Lost City of the Monkey God, hidden deep in the Honduran jungle.

The apparitionists : a tale of phantoms, fraud, photography, and the man who captured Lincoln's ghost / Peter Manseau
Irresistible : the rise of addictive technology and the business of keeping us hooked / Adam Alter
Nomadland : surviving America in the twenty-first century / Jessica Bruder
Word by word : the secret life of dictionaries / Kory Stamper
Looking for more noteworthy nonfiction from the past year?

Best Nonfiction of 2017 – Goodreads Choice Awards

Best Nonfiction of 2017 by Category – Kirkus Reviews

Best Books of 2017: The Best Nonfiction – Los Angeles Times

The 20 Best Nonfiction Books of 2017 – Paste

Best Nonfiction Books of 2017 – Publisher’s Weekly

50 Notable Works of Nonfiction in 2017 – The Washington Post


Best Biography / Memoir Books of 2017

You Don't Have to Say You Love Me by Sherman Alexie
You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me by Sherman Alexie“Evident throughout are humor and rage, respect and loving irreverence.” ~ Oprah Magazine

Finalist for the Andrew Carnegie Medal.

Amazon: 4.5 | Goodreads: 4.36

One of the best books of 2017 – Amazon (top 20), BookPage, Goodreads, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, Los Angeles Times, NPR, O Magazine, and The Washington Post.

Book summary: The National Book Award-winning author of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian presents a literary memoir of poems, essays and intimate family photos that reflect his complicated feelings about his disadvantaged childhood on a Native American reservation with his siblings and alcoholic parents.

The bright hour : a memoir of living and dying / Nina Riggs
Hunger : a memoir of (my) body / Roxane Gay
Leonardo da Vinci / Walter Isaacson
Priestdaddy / Patricia Lockwood
Looking for more noteworthy biographies and memoirs from the past year?

Best Biographies & Memoirs of 2017 – Amazon

Best Books of 2017: Memoir & Autobiography – Goodreads Choice Awards

Best Biographies of 2017 – Kirkus Reviews

Best Books of 2017: Biography & Memoir – NPR

Best Memoirs of 2017 – O Magazine

5 Best Memoirs of 2017 – The Washington Post


Best Business and Leadership Books of 2017

Janesville: An American Story by Amy Goldstein
Janesville: An American Story by Amy Goldstein“Goldstein is a talented storyteller, and we root for her characters as, moment by moment, they try their hardest.” ~ The New Yorker

Amazon: 4.4 | Goodreads: 4.25

Winner of the 2017 Financial Times and McKinsey Business Book of the Year.

Best Business Book of 2017 – Business Insider, CNBC, The New York Times Book Review, and The Washington Post.

Book summary: A Washington Post reporter’s intimate account of the fallout from the closing of a General Motors’ assembly plant in Janesville, Wisconsin, and a larger story of the hollowing of the American middle class. Pulitzer Prize winner Amy Goldstein has spent years immersed in Janesville, Wisconsin where the nation’s oldest operating General Motors plant shut down in the midst of the Great Recession, two days before Christmas of 2008. Now, with intelligence, sympathy, and insight into what connects and divides people in an era of economic upheaval, she makes one of America’s biggest political issues human.

The power of moments : why certain experiences have extraordinary impact / Chip and Dan Heath
The Captain Class: The Hidden Force That Creates the World's Greatest Teams by Sam Walker
Insight : why we're not as self-aware as we think, and how seeing ourselves clearly helps us succeed at work and in life / Tasha Eurich
The new rules of work : the modern playbook for navigating your career / Alexandra Cavoulacos, Kathryn Minshew
Looking for more notable business and leadership books?

The 7 Best Lessons from the 7 Best Business Books of 2017 (so far) – Success

13 of the Best Business Books of 2017 – CNBC

The 19 Best Business Books of 2017 – Business Insider

The Best Business and Leadership Books of 2017 – Omnivoracious

Best Business Books of 2017 – Financial Times


Best History Books of 2017

Killers of the Flower Moon : the Osage murders and the birth of the FBI / David Grann
Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann“A master of the detective form…Killers is something rather deep and not easily forgotten.” ~ Wall St. Journal

Finalist for the Andrew Carnegie Medal.

Amazon: 4.6 | Goodreads: 4.14

One of the best books of 2017 – Amazon (top 20), Goodreads, Kirkus Reviews, LibraryReads, The New York Times Book Review, NPR, Paste, Publisher’s Weekly, The Smithsonian, Time, and The Washington Post.

Book summary: Presents a true account of the early twentieth-century murders of dozens of wealthy Osage and law-enforcement officials, citing the contributions and missteps of a fledgling FBI that eventually uncovered one of the most chilling conspiracies in American history.

Code girls : the untold story of the American women code breakers of World War II / Liza Mundy
The future is history : how totalitarianism reclaimed Russia / Masha Gessen
Greater Gotham : a history of New York City from 1898 to 1919 / Mike Wallace
The radium girls : the dark story of America's shining women / Kate Moore
Looking for more noteworthy history books from the past year?

Best History Books of 2017 – Amazon

Best History Books of 2017 – History Today

Best Books of 2017: History – Financial Times

Best American History Books of 2017 – Kirkus Reviews

The Ten Best History Books of 2017 – The Smithsonian


Best Poetry Books of 2017

Half-light : collected poems 1965-2016 / Frank Bidart
Half-Light: Collected Poems 1965-2016 by Frank Bidart“Art of first order . . . Truly remarkable.” ~ Piotr Florczyk, New Orleans Review

Winner of the 2017 National Book Award for Poetry.

Amazon: 5 | Goodreads: 4.5

Positive reviews from Booklist (starred review), The New York Review of Books, The New York Times Book Review, The New Yorker, and Publisher’s Weekly (starred review).

Book summary: Gathered together, the poems of Frank Bidart perform one of the most remarkable transmutations of the body into language in contemporary literature. Few writers have so willingly ventured to the dark places of the human psyche and allowed themselves to be stripped bare on the page with such candor and vulnerability. Over the past half century, Bidart has done nothing less than invent a poetics commensurate with the chaos and appetites of our experience.

Depression & other magic tricks / poems by Sabrina Benaim
The sun and her flowers / Rupi Kaur
When I grow up I want to be a list of further possibilities / Chen Chen ; foreword by Jericho Brown
Whereas : poems / Layli Long Soldier
Looking for more notable poetry collections from the past year?

The 18 Best Poetry Collections of 2017 – Bustle

The Best Poetry Books of 2017 – Chicago Review of Books

Best of 2017: Best Poetry Books & Poetry Collections – Entropy

The Best Poetry Collections of 2017 – The Washington Post


Best Science Books of 2017

Astrophysics for people in a hurry / Neil deGrasse Tyson
Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson“With wry humor, keen vision, and abundant humanity, Neil deGrasse Tyson distills the big questions of space, time, and reality into short, insightful chapters you can enjoy with your morning coffee.” ~ Discover

Amazon: 4.6 | Goodreads: 4.14

Winner of the 2017 Goodreads Choice Awards for Best Science & Technology Book with over 42,000 votes.

One of the best books of 2017 – Amazon, Business Insider, Goodreads, and Kirkus Reviews.

Book summary: Offers witty, digestible explanations of topics in cosmology, from the Big Bang and black holes to quantum mechanics and the search for life in the universe.

Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction by Derek Thompson
Homo Deus - a brief history of tomorrow by Yuval Noah Harari
Why time flies : a mostly scientific investigation / Alan Burdick
Why we sleep : unlocking the power of sleep and dreams / Matthew Walker
Looking for more great science books?

7 Favorite Science Books of 2017 – Brain Pickings

The Very Best Science Books of 2017 – Business Insider

The Best Science Books of 2017 – Science Friday

The Ten Best Science Books of 2017 – The Smithsonian


Notable Booklists from 2017

Best Books of 2017 – BookPage

50 Best Books of 2017 – Esquire

Best Books of 2017 – Part One and Part Two – The Guardian

19 Best Books of 2017 (so far) – Harper’s Bazaar

LJ’s Top 10 Books of 2017

LibraryRead’s Favorite Books of 2017

NYT’s 100 Notable Books of 2017

NPR’s Guide To 2017’s Great Reads

Best Books of 2017 – O Magazine

PW’s Best Books of 2017

Best Books of 2017 – The Washington Post


Note: Some websites may restrict access to their content after you access them multiple times (i.e., The Washington Post and similar publications).

Originally posted by Toledo Lucas County Public Library blogger and Adult Services Librarian April S. at http://www.toledolibrary.org/blog/the-best-fiction-and-nonfiction-books-of-2017.

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Two Librarians, Too Many Books: It’s Women’s History Month, Y’all!

In an effort to jazz up the typical readers’ advisory list that us bloggers usually find ourselves writing, we decided sit down and have a conversation as stereotypical librarians who don’t-know-how-to-shut-up-about-books-already. Our hope is that you might find value in the fact that our noses rarely venture more than twelve inches from the page or that maybe our ramblings might aid your book search process, even if just a little.

Please enjoy our first installment of …

Two Librarians, Too Many Books


Allison Fiscus: Hey there, I’m Allison and I’m a librarian and manager of the Maumee Branch and I absolutely hate reading. Kidding. I practically live in a house made of books.

Katie Midgley: Hey! I’m Katie and I’m a former children’s librarian and the current assistant manager of the Sanger Branch and I promise I have more to recommend than true crime.

A: Katie, it’s not nice to lie to our readers when they barely know us.

K: So sorry. It won’t happen again.

A: I make no such promises.

It’s Women’s History Month, y’all! I, for one, can’t think of a worthier topic to chat endlessly about. So in celebration, Katie and I decided to get together to talk about the female authors who have captivated us through the written word and inspired us in our own lives. The following conversation is a lightly-edited-for-clarity transcription of our chat. You ready?

K: Where should we start?


Children’s Lit

A: I’ve always thought that the work of female children’s book authors can be some of the most poignant. When I think of the books that left a lasting effect on me, I usually think of the prolific female authors of my childhood. Judy Blume, Sharon Creech and Beverly Cleary always come to mind, mostly because they really knew how to write a story that found a way to express the particular frustrations of being a kid without venturing into a space that condescends. I’ll never forget finishing “Walk Two Moons” for the first of many times and racing to my mom and INSISTING that she read it.

K: Raina Telgemeier is a modern-day example of that. I love all her stuff, but “Smile” does a great job of capturing what it’s like to be a self-conscious kid trying to find your identity amidst a crisis.

A: Same with Rebecca Stead and in particular the book “When You Reach Me.” I’m convinced that talking about how this is the perfect book for any kid is what landed me my first Children’s Librarian job.

K: Yeah right, it was totally your hair.

A: 90% book, 10% hair. For real though, “When You Reach Me” is a magic book. Short, but full of depth, magical in some respects but also serious. Plus, its emphasis on another of my favorite stories – “A Wrinkle in Time” – practically guarantees that any kid who reads it will want to read that too. Not to mention the story is pure genius. I read it as an adult and it genuinely kept me guessing until the end, so I just know that any kid who reads it will experience one of those magical reading moments that takes your breath away and leaves you in awe.

K: Speaking of authors who write stories that leave you in awe, Katherine Applegate! I love her. I thought she couldn’t get any better after, “The One and Only Ivan,” but then she went and wrote “Wishtree.” It’s told from the perspective of a tree watching over the home of a refugee family new to the neighborhood. She really conquers tough topics in her children’s fiction.

A: I also have to mention the OG author of my childhood, Louisa May Alcott. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve read “Little Women” and how mad I get every time a certain decision is made by a certain main character (you know who/what I mean…).

K: Do I? I’ve only seen the movie…I might be the worst librarian ever.

A: That’s my sick day movie! Total classic. I love the way the March sisters always had each other’s backs. I think it’s a story women of all ages can relate to and learn from to this day.

 

Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech
Smile by Raina Telgemeier
When you reach me by Rebecca Stead
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
Wishtree by Katherine Applegate
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Memoirs and Essays

K:  Memoirs are the best. I love being able to crawl into someone’s head for a few hours. Makes me feel like I’ve lived a thousand lives.

A: I love that they make me feel like I’m getting to know someone who I’ve admired from afar.

K: I have to start with “Wild” by Cheryl Strayed. Strayed chronicles her time as a 26 year old woman using her grief and problems with addiction as motivation to hike the Pacific Crest Trail on a quest for healing. THE BOOK IS SO MUCH BETTER THAN THE MOVIE, FYI. No offense to Reese Witherspoon.

A: “Wild” felt to me like a story that was going to be tough to read but that I needed to get through. Required reading for the soul. It was gripping, and moving, and somehow awful and beautiful all at once. I’ve since read Strayed’s “Tiny, Beautiful Things” which is a collection of advice she gave during her time writing the “Dear Sugar” advice column. She’s incredibly wise.

I also need to shout out to the funniest woman of the last century, Tina Fey. This might sound crazy but her memoir “Bossypants” has some of the best career advice I’ve ever read. I’ve used it many times over the years and it never fails.

K: That doesn’t sound crazy, inspiration comes from the most random places. A recent read for me is “Muslim Girl” by Amani Al-Khatahtbeh. I wish her book becomes required reading for high school students everywhere. She describes what it’s like to be Muslim in post 9-11 America and somehow manages to do so with both humor and grace. Total icon!

A:We Should All Be Feminists” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is number one on my required reading list for teenage girls. Adichie has a way of presenting ideas that are for some reason controversial in a way that seems like simple common sense. I love that she can make light of what she clearly feels passionately about which in turn makes others more understanding of what she’s saying.

K: I’m a big fan of another of her books, “Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions.” It’s my go-to gift for every baby shower because it’s a practical outline for how to raise a feminist.

A: I love when she talks about how she went around calling herself a “Happy African Feminist Who Does Not Hate Men And Who Likes To Wear Lip Gloss And High Heels For Herself And Not For Men” because every time someone would tell her she shouldn’t or couldn’t do or like something it was because they believed it to be antithetical to feminism. I still laugh every time I read that because it’s so on point with what it’s like to be a female in our world today.

Wild by Cheryl Strayed
Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed
Bossypants by Tina Fey
Muslim Girl: A Coming of Age by Amani Al-Khatahtbeh
We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Dear Ijeawele : or a feminist manifesto in fifteen suggestions by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Fiction

A: I’m going to try extremely hard to keep this list limited to my absolute favorites. All 238 of them.

K:  Don’t hate me but I probably only read a handful of adult fiction books a year…

A: Rude.

K: My recent fav is “The First Bad Man” by Miranda July. What if your boss had a moody millennial daughter and you were pressured into letting that daughter move in with you? Crazy right?

A: You can’t move in with me.

K: Weird, you and I are both bosses AND millennial daughters…

A: True, plus I’d let you move in with me in a heartbeat. I could steal all your clothes.

K: You can’t have my boots.

A: Dang…

K: Miranda July is a creative genius and she weaves this bizarre premise into one of my favorite love stories of all time, just be prepared to embrace the weirdness.

A: I have a strang one, too! “Euphoria” by Lily King. It’s actually a Kirkus Prize winner that somehow has flown under the radar. You would love it because it’s (very, very) loosely based on the life of Margaret Mead – with quite a few sensationalized details added in of course.

K: You’re going to be so proud of me…I read my first ever science fiction book. “The Power” by Naomi Alderman.

A: I am proud. Though I’ll be more proud when your reaction to a picture of Princess Leia isn’t “Who’s that again?”

K: Hey, I know about the gold bikini!

A: *Looks to the sky* I’m sorry Carrie Fisher. I’ve failed you.

K: So imagine a world where girls are able to produce electricity from their fingertips at the age of 14 and can transfer this ability with just a touch to any other woman on the planet. Chaos ensues, and a matriarchy emerges. It’s amazing.

A: I’m in.

K: I knew you would be.

A: My sci-fi/fantasy pro-matriarchy book of choice is “Queen of the Tearling” by Erika Johansen. I like to describe it as the politics of “Game of Thrones” mixed up with female empowerment of “The Hunger Games” minus the dominant romance story lines that similar books can’t seem to get away from. Plus, the series features a serious plot-twist that I definitely didn’t see coming.

K: Sounds interesting. I love anything that strays away from typical romance.

A: Don’t worry, I’ll force you to read it soon enough.

K: I swear I need a separate GoodReads list just for your suggestions, dude.

A: Best get on that, Midgley. I have so many amazing books that I want to talk about in this category. I think I should probably just do it lightning-round style.

K: Go.

A: “The Red Garden” by Alice Hoffman for anyone who loves magical realism and historical fiction.

The Tiger’s Wife” by Téa Obreht for an example of a truly original and enthralling story that will keep you guessing through to the end.

The Fifth Season” by N.K. Jemisin for one of the best recent sci-fi reads I have had in a very long time.

Career of Evil” by Robert Galbraith (cough* J.K. Rowling *cough) for all you mystery/detective story lovers who appreciate a great whodunit.

The Historian” by Elizabeth Kostova for a truly well-written vampire story.

And last but not least, “The Night Circus” by Erin Morgenstern because outside of Harry Potter, this is my absolute favorite book of all time. For a real treat, listen to the audiobook.

K: You good now?

A: I think so. What’s next?

The First Bad Man: A Novel by Miranda July
Euphoria by Lily King
The Power by Naomi Alderman
The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen
The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Poetry

K: I’m going to call myself out here. I’d never read a poetry book until Rupi Kaur.

A: The last poetry book I read was by Shel Silverstein and I’m pretty sure that was in the third grade. I don’t think you have any reason to feel shame.

K: Now I’m judging you.

A: Totally fair.

K: A friend recommended Kaur’s first book, “Milk and Honey,” to me and I read all 204 pages on a flight to Texas. When I landed two hours later, I had puffy eyes and I have to assume the entire plane was wondering what in God’s name was wrong with me.

A: People think that of me after a plane ride without the puffy eyes or poetry. I may or may not be a nervous flyer.

K: FLYING IS SAFER THAN DRIVING! Here’s one of my favorites, perfectly appropriate for Women’s History Month:

In the spirit of intl women’s day
A post shared by rupi kaur (@rupikaur_) on Mar 7, 2014 at 1:54pm PST

 

A: That’s a beautiful piece of poetry.

K: Do yourself a favor and sit down with both of her books and absorb them all in one sitting. You’ll feel things.

A: I don’t know – it’s hard to beat the poem that follows “Sister for Sale“… I kid. Shel Silverstein is a treasure.

K: I have one more shout out to give here. Jacqueline Woodson is my literary hero. Force the book “Brown Girl Dreaming” into the hands of any child in your life, please. Poetry isn’t her usual medium but she’ll have you thinking otherwise with this book. She writes about the civil rights movement from her childhood perspective, and it’ll break your heart.

 

Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur
The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

Nonfiction

A: Now let me tell you about my home girl Sarah Vowell.

K: Your home girl?

A: Oh yes. I met her once and told her I loved her and had read everything she’s ever written. We’re best friends now.

K: You’ve met everyone. Remember Gloria Steinem? Still haven’t forgiven you for that.

A: Best day of my life, dude. So Sarah Vowell writes mainly American history books from the perspective of a sarcastic, irreverent, mildly-macabre and above all amusing stance.

K: My mom listens to all her stuff on audio. You’ve heard her voice, right? It’s so original.

A: She’s the voice of Violet Incredible. Her dulcet tones are a staple in my house. She’s openly obsessed with death, too, so you’d love her. Her book “Assassination Vacation” is a road trip of all the prominent locations involved in presidential assassinations. It’s very uplifting.

K: Books about death? You know I can never get enough. One of the best is “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” by Caitlin Doughty. I really want to be friends with this author. She took a job at a crematory in LA in her twenties and this book details her day to day life working with the dead.

A: Wait! I think I know her from her column “Ask a Mortician.”

K: YES. She actually ended up starting her own business which offers an eco-friendly burial option (gotta love California). She also created a YouTube channel where she answers people’s questions about death, which is both informative and hilarious.

Now I need to tell you about “Radium Girls.”

A: You’ve tried this before. I don’t know if I can take it, but give me your best pitch.

K: So, in the early 1920s, one of the chicest jobs a woman could get was painting radium dials. The girls would dip the paintbrush into their mouth after each brushstroke to create a fine tip, so they were ingesting a ton of radium… they’d even paint their teeth with radium before a date so they could have a glowing smile. Anyway, you and I both know this ends disastrously. The book outlines, in HEART WRENCHING DETAIL, the swift decline in health of these women, and the lawsuit that follows. Honestly this story is not for the squeamish. Let me just say you’ll really value your own teeth after reading this.

A: *Touches teeth and cringes* – I think I can say with complete certainty that I’m gonna pass on that one. Have you read “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks?”

K: Didn’t they make an HBO special out of this book, with Oprah!?

A: YES. And I will never forgive the various award-givers for not honoring her amazing performance. The story is completely moving and heartbreaking and important. It really puts into perspective the things we take for granted when it comes to medicine and healthcare. And both Henrietta’s story and the way the Lacks family continues to be mistreated by the medical community is really eye-opening.

Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes and Other Lessons from the Crematory by Caitlin Doughty
The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women by Kate Moore
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

Teen

A: So, I don’t particularly love teen fiction as a genre but when I find something I like, I usually really like it.

K: I’ve been challenging myself to read one teen book a week this month. It’s helped me discover some real gems.

A: That’s seriously impressive. I’m averaging about two a year.

K: Well, tell me about one of those…two.

A:Code Name Verity” by Elizabeth Wein. This-book-has-everything! It’s suspenseful and extremely clever and I guarantee you won’t be able to put it down. It’s primarily about the power of female friendship and it takes place in England during WWII. Wein was really thorough about her historical accuracy, too, which was one of the most fascinating aspects for me.

K: I feel like I’m the only person in the world who can’t get into historical fiction.

A: It’s hit or miss for me, but Verity is an extremely good read. I can’t tell you anymore without ruining the story, so you’ll just have to take me at my word. It’s great for book clubs of all ages, too.

K: I recently discovered “Distance From Me to You,” about a girl who defers her college acceptance to hike the Appalachian Trail alone, despite having no experience in the wilderness (FYI: TERRIBLE IDEA.). She meets an endearing guy along the way, and due to some quite stupid decisions on his part, they end up off trail. Teen girls need to read this and realize they don’t need men to accomplish their goals, and that sometimes romance actually weighs you down.

A: PREACH.

K: I also just read and loved “The Hate U Give.” Angie Thomas CLEANED UP at the Youth Media Awards with this book, and rightfully so. The book explores racism and police violence and is a necessary read for any teen exploring the Black Lives Matter movement. They’re also turning this into a movie and the cast is perfection (ISSA RAE!)

 

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
The Distance from Me to You by Marina Gessner (book)
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Graphic Novels

K: Okay, I’m obsessed with graphic novels. They appeal to art lovers as well as story lovers, plus art has the ability to convey emotions that words simply can’t.

A: I couldn’t agree more.

K: I think that a lot of the time when we read we rely on our imaginations for our visual representation of the story, and graphic novels take some of that work away while adding another means of connecting with the author’s perspective. One of my recent favorites is “Honor Girl” by Maggie Thrash, about a girl finding love at summer camp. I recommend this book to every millennial woman looking for a quick summer read. If you’re a child of the 90s, the nostalgia you’ll experience from these pages might have you champing at the bit to be a camp counselor somewhere this summer.

A: I can’t discuss graphic novels without talking about the amazing Marjane Satrapi. Her graphic memoir “Persepolis” taught me more about the culture and conflicts of Iranians than any textbook ever has. Satrapi’s family was deeply involved in the changes that occurred in Iran during her childhood and through her eyes and artistic talent, you really gain insight into what it’s like to grow up in a time of conflict.

K: She also wrote “Embroideries” which has a completely different feel than “Persepolis.”  I love it because it is at its heart an exploration of life as a woman in Iran, but the way it’s presented – through a gossip session with the author’s grandma, mom, and aunts – is totally relatable to any woman who has sat down with a group of females and a bottle of wine on a Friday night. It really made me wish I had a bigger family.

 

Honor Girl by Maggie Thrash
The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
Embroideries by Majane Satrapi

A: Alright Midgley, we’ve gone through all the major genres and rambled on for probably far too long. Do you think anyone is still here?

K: Probably just my mom.

A: Hi Katie’s Mom! Thanks for reading! If you (or any other devoted blog readers) want more recommendations like these, don’t hesitate to reach out. You can also get personalized recommendations from a TLCPL librarian from our Give 3, Get 3 service.

K: We’ll also be back soon with our next installment of Two Librarians, Too Many Books where we’ll talk about our favorite summer reads. Be sure to subscribe to the blog emails before you run off to read all the books we’ve listed if you don’t want to miss it.

A: Thanks, everyone! Happy Women’s History Month!


Read more by Allison and Katie.


Originally posted by Toledo Lucas County Public Library blogger Allison F. at:

ToledoLibrary.org/blog/Two-librarians-too-many-books-its-womens-history-month-yall

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Free Music Rocks the 419!

The longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere is the summer solstice, which took place on June 21 this year. So, even though it feels like summer has been here for quite some time, there’s still lots of time to enjoy the warm weather in the great outdoors.

The 419 is alive with activity this summer. Short on cash? No problem! Enjoy an incredible variety of performers from all types of musical genres scattered across the Toledo area.

Free Summer Music Concerts in 2018

Brown Bag Summer Concerts - Toledo Lucas County Public Library

Brown Bag Concert Series

When: Wednesdays | June – August 1 | 12:15-1:15 p.m.

Where: Main Library – North Lawn, 325 Michigan Street, Toledo, Ohio 43604

June 27 | Maumee Community Band

July 11 | Fu5ion (R&B/Hip Hop/Rock)

July 18 | Just Kiddin’ Around…with Elisa and Chuck Hage (Children’s)

July 25 | Xplozivo (Tejano)

Aug. 1 | Elixer (Beatles Tribute)

Music Under the Stars - Free Summer Concert Series - Toledo, Ohio

Music Under the Stars

When: Sundays | July 8-29 | 7:30 p.m.

Where: Toledo Zoo Ampitheater | 2700 Broadway St, Toledo, Ohio 43609

July 8 | Stars, Stripes, and Sousa with the Toledo Symphony Concert Band

July 15 | Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones and Star Wars: The Music of John Williams with the Toledo Symphony Concert Band

July 22 | Christmas in July with the Toledo Symphony Chamber Players

July 29 | Swing, Swing, Swing: Music of the Big Band Stars with the Toledo Jazz Orchestra

Maumee Community Band - Maumee, Ohio

Maumee Community Band

When / Where: See listings below

June 27 | 12:15 p.m. | Brown Bag Concert
Main Library – North Lawn, 325 Michigan Street, Toledo, Ohio 43604July 3 | 6 p.m. | Independence Day Celebration
Downtown Maumee, Ohio 43537

July 10 | 7 p.m. | Music by the River II
Maumee Branch Library, Maumee, Ohio 43537

July 11 | 6 p.m. | Summer Concert
First Presbyterian Church, 200 E Broadway Street, Maumee, Ohio 43537

Aug. 7 | 7 p.m. | Music by the River III
Maumee Branch Library, Maumee, Ohio 43537

Aug. 11 | 10:30 a.m. | Maumee Street Fair
Downtown Maumee, Ohio 43537

Walbridge Park Summer Concerts - Toledo, Ohio

Walbridge Park Concerts

When: Thursdays | June-July | 7-9 p.m.

Where: Walbridge Park Gazebo | 2761 Broadway Street, Toledo, Ohio 43609

June 21 | E Z Pickenz (Acoustic Rock)

July 5 | Night Sessions (Big Band)

July 12 | Cactus Jack (Funk Rock)

July 19 | Quickness with Michelle Shelton (Jazz)

July 26 | Old State Line (Blue Grass Country)

Music at the Market - Perrysburg, Ohio

Music at the Market

When: Thursdays | June-August | 7 p.m.

Where: Downtown Perrysburg (corner of Louisiana & Indiana Avenues)

June 28 | Swingmania

July 5 | My Distant Cousinz

July 12 | Ol’ Creek Road

July 19 | The House Band

July 26 | Barile & May

Aug. 2 | Old State Line

Aug. 9 | Tammy & Dan Acoustic Duo

Aug. 16 | 56 Daze

Aug. 23 | Ramona Collins Group

Aug. 30 | The Original Killer Flamingos

Old West End Summer Concerts in the Arboretum - Toledo, Ohio

Old West End Music in the Park

When: Select Sundays | 6-8 p.m.

Where: The Arboretum (Old West End, corner of Delaware and Robinwood), Toledo, Ohio 43606

July 8 | The Essentials

July 22 | Polka Floyd

Aug. 12 | Rockys East

Aug. 26 | Zodiac Click

Sept. 9 | Organized K-OS

Ottawa Park Amphitheater Summer Concerts - Toledo, Ohio

Ottawa Park Amphitheater Concert Series

When: Saturdays | July 14-Aug. 18 | 6-8 p.m.

Where: Ottawa Park | 2201 Ottawa Pkwy, Toledo, Ohio 43606

July 14 | The Good, The Bad & The Blues (Blues)

July 21 | Madison Avenue Band (Lots of Favorites)

July 28 | East River Drive (Las Vegas Show Music)

Aug. 4 | Nu-Tones (British Invasion)

Aug. 11 | Not Fast Enuff (Hi Energy Party Band)

Aug. 18 | Boffo (Classic Rock)


Can’t make it to these summer concerts?

Browse hoopla and stream a variety of music for free.

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10 Best Fiction Books of 2018

Working in a Library has perks, because as a librarian I’m able to browse books on my lunch break. The challenge is trying to carry them out at the end of the day and then find time to read them all. And believe it or not, people often ask me “what do you do all day? Read? Wouldn’t that be great? Leisurely reading all day long would be a dream job for any avid reader. And yes, some people do get paid to read and review books. I have often wondered what that would be like. But surely finding a way to provide a balanced review for a variety of books has its own set of challenges.

Dream jobs aside, finding a good book can be challenging if you don’t know which sources to trust. After all, there are so many “best books” and “top reads” and “notable lists” floating out there on the internet. So, here’s what I try to do … stick with trusted resources that consistently provide balanced reviews.

Here are my top 7 go-to “best books of the year” resources:

  1. BookPage
  2. Goodreads
  3. Kirkus Reviews
  4. Library Journal
  5. The New York Times
  6. NPR
  7. Publisher’s Weekly

And yes, there are many other fantastic resources out there, but these are just some of the ones I consistently enjoy reading. Based on what these sources are recommending, the list below includes ten notable general fiction books well-worth checking out. As always, it goes without saying that the “best books” are ultimately a matter of opinion. So, if the selections below do not appeal to you, explore some of the other “best books of the year” lists or use our Give 3 Get 3 service to receive more personalized recommendations.

Notable General Fiction Books of 2018

Circe : a novel by Madeline Miller
Still Me : a novel by Jojo Moyes
There There : a novel by Tommy Orange
An American Marriage : a novel by Tayari Jones
The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai

1. Circe by Madeline Miller

Follows Circe, the banished witch daughter of Helios, as she hones her powers and interacts with famous mythological beings before a conflict with one of the most vengeful Olympians forces her to choose between the worlds of the gods and mortals.

2. Still Me by Jojo Moyes

Louisa Clark arrives in New York to start a new life and a long-distance relationship with Ambulance Sam while working for the super-wealthy Gopniks, a job that introduces her to New York high society and a secretive man who reminds her of her own past.

3. There There by Tommy Orange

A novel that grapples with the complex history and identity of Native Americans follows twelve characters, each of whom has private reasons for traveling to the Big Oakland Powwow.

4. An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

When her new husband is arrested and imprisoned for a crime she knows he did not commit, a rising artist takes comfort in a longtime friendship only to encounter unexpected challenges in resuming her life when her husband’s sentence is suddenly overturned.

5. The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai

A novel set in 1980s Chicago and contemporary Paris follows the director of a Chicago art gallery and a woman looking for her estranged daughter in Paris who both struggle to come to terms with the ways AIDS has affected their lives.

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
The Overstory : a novel by Richard Powers
Virgil Wander : a novel by Leif Enger
You Think It, I'll Say It : Stories by Curtis Sittenfeld
My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

6. The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

When her father impulsively moves the family to mid-1970s Alaska to live off the land, young Leni and her mother are forced to confront the dangers of their lack of preparedness in the wake of a dangerous winter season.

7. The Overstory by Richard Powers

A novel of activism and natural-world power presents interlocking fables about nine remarkable strangers who are summoned in different ways by trees for an ultimate, brutal stand to save the continent’s few remaining acres of virgin forest.

8. Virgil Wander by Leif Enger

Emerging from an accident with damaged memories and compromised language skills, Virgil Wander, a movie-house owner from a small Midwestern town, pieces together his story and the story of his community with help from affable locals.

9. You Think It, I’ll Say It by Curtis Sittenfeld

Presents a collection of ten short stories that feature both new and previously published pieces, including “The World Has Many Butterflies,” in which married acquaintances play an intimate game, with devastating consequences.

10. My Sister, The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

Satire meets slasher in this short, darkly funny hand grenade of a novel about a Nigerian woman whose younger sister has a very inconvenient habit of killing her boyfriends.


This is part of a series of blog posts highlighting some of the best books of the year. If you enjoyed this blog post, you may also like …

10 Best Mysteries and Thrillers of 2018

10 Best Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books of 2018

10 Best Nonfiction Books of 2018

10 Best Business Books of 2018

10 Best Biographies of 2018

 

More Best Books of 2018 Lists

These lists are well-worth exploring … they include books with a wide-range of appeal, offering readers with a wonderful variety of selections.

The Best Books of 2018 (So Far) – Esquire

The Best Books Of 2018 We Can’t Wait To Read This Year – The Refinery

Best Books of 2018: Across Fiction, Politics, Food and More – The Guardian

The 30 Best Fiction Books Of 2018 – Bustle

The Best Books of 2018 – The New Yorker

The Best Books of 2018 – Real Simple

Best Books of 2018 – Amazon

The Best Books of 2018 So Far – Powell’s Books

Lit Hub’s Favorite Books of 2018 – Literary Hub

The 19 Best Books of 2018 (So Far) – Elle

 

Originally posted by April S. on ToledoLibrary.org/blog/10-best-fiction-books-of-2018

 

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