Wide range of titles pop up in reader recommendations

Judy Christie
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Freddie Cherry has been a member of the Bossier Parish Library Board of Control for “at least 10 years” and an example of the kind of reader I love to encounter.

“What do you read?”

“Books,” she says with a smile.

The Bossier Central Library, where I visited with Cherry, plays a big part in what she reads. “I keep up with the recommendations from the library,” she said. “And I browse and read what appeals to me from the stacks.”

She also relies on recommendations from friends and keeps a list of what she reads, averaging about a book a week.

Her favorites

“I like mysteries, of course,” she said. Her favorite author is David Baldacci and she reads a lot of James Patterson’s work.

In addition to reading, she quilts and participates in activities at First United Methodist Church in Bossier. “I visit the elderly. When they start visiting me, I know it’ll be time to worry,” she said with a twinkle in her eye.

The wide range of books that readers are drawn to

Readers frequently ask for recommendations for books to spend time with, and I came away with a good list from a recent visit with the Bossier Library Book Club.

JUDY CHRISTIE:James Patterson’s short-book collection aimed at grabbing readers

Some of the books they mentioned are new releases by frequently mentioned authors, while others were new to me.

These discussions always teach me about best-selling authors I’ve never heard of. For example, one reader recommended the murder mysteries of Deborah Crombie, including “In a Dark House,” published in 2005, and “All Shall Be Well,” released in 2004. Crombie’s 17th Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James novel, “Garden of Lamentations,” is scheduled to release in early 2017. (Yes, I said 17th.)

Crombie lives in the Dallas area and travels frequently to Great Britain. For more about her work: http://www.deborahcrombie.com.

Our book-club discussion included an enthusiastic recommendation for a different kind of novel, “To Be a Pilgrim” by Joyce Cary, originally published in 1942.

Cary, who died in 1957, wrote two trilogies, the first of which includes: “Herself Surprised,” “To Be a Pilgrim” and “The Horse's Mouth,” about a man who, in the months before his death, is looked after by his niece and nephew, both concerned for their inheritance. He lives his life over again in the house in which his childhood was spent, the religious family life of his youth in contrast with the rootlessness of his heirs.

Other books on the Bossier Library Book Club’s mind

  • “A Great Reckoning,” a Chief Inspector Gamache novel, by Louise Penny released in August. Penny, and her great character Gamache, is a favorite of area mystery readers.
  • “Rushing Waters,” a new novel by Danielle Steel, centered around a hurricane.
  • “The Taming of the Queen,” The Plantagenet and Tudor novels, by Philippa Gregory; a novel of “passion and power” in a Medieval court.
  • “Anything by Lisa Jackson,” who writes suspense and romance, including “After She’s Gone,” a recent release, and “Revenge,” released in February.
  • “Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand” by Helen Simonson, a best-seller that I enjoyed a few years ago. (This is another reader favorite.)
  • “Woman of God,” a September release, by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro.
  • “Circling the Sun” by Paula McLain, who was the featured speaker for Authors in April. This is a fictionalized account of the life of adventurer Beryl Markham.
  • “The Nightingale” by Kristin Hannah. I MUST read this book. A dual-timeframe novel with a World War II plot, it is a huge bestseller and often recommended.
  • “A History of the Jews” by Paul Johnson was the only non-fiction title mentioned in our chat, but it came highly recommended. Released in 2009, it covers 4,000 years of religious history and is a national bestseller.

Most regional libraries have book clubs that cover a range of genres and interests. Stop by your neighborhood branch or look online for more, from Young Adult clubs to history to fiction.

Archeology program planned at library history center

Tad Britt, a registered professional archeologist and Chief of Archeology and Collections for the National Center for Preservation, U.S. National Park Service, will speak at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 10 at the Bossier Parish Library Historical Center.

Britt will discuss his work across the United States as a non-traditional archeologist, focusing on new technologies and methodologies. The talk is in honor of Louisiana Archeology Month, the 100th birthday of the US National Park Service and the 50th anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Pam Carlisle in the Historical Center at 746-7717 or pcarlisle@bossierlibrary.org. The Historical Center is located at the Bossier Parish Library Historical Center, 2206 Beckett St., Bossier City, adjacent to Bossier Central Library.

Did you know?

I didn’t know until a year or so ago that parish libraries are governed by a Library Board of Control, made up of appointees by city and parish officials. These are volunteers entrusted with making sure that public libraries are operated properly.

Columnist Judy Christie is the author of nine novels, including “Wreath, A Girl” and “Wreath In Summer.” For more information about Christie and a free short guide to writing your own story, seewww.judychristie.com.

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