Shadow country : a new rendering of the Watson legend by Peter Matthiessen

Shadow country : a new rendering of the Watson legend by Peter Matthiessen (Find this book in our catalog) - a HCPL staff review

"Peter Matthiessen is an amazing author. He’s a prolific author, having written dozens of fiction and nonfiction books, a number of which have been either the recipient of, or a nominee for, various prestigious awards. To call his nonfiction efforts “travel literature” would be doing this enormous talent a disservice, since he goes places other people cannot reach and insinuates himself into cultural milieux from which most of his fellow writers are barred. His novels plumb the heights and depths of the human spirit with subtlety, realism, and unblinking objectivity. His characters are not stereotypes, but rather complex, tortured souls trying to sail straight in a world without any reliable moral compass to serve as guide or rudder.

In 1990 published Killing Mr. Watson. This book, which became the first part of a trilogy, is the tangled tale of E. J. Watson, a much-admired and simultaneously feared man of enormous talent and personal magnetism. The stage on which this possible murderer acts his part is the swamplands and keys of southwestern Florida around 1900. This is a harsh place to eke out a living, and many of the area’s inhabitants are loners, fugitives of the law, and people who cannot stand to live according to civilized society’s rigid and hypocritical strictures. But Mr. Watson is the orneriest of all of them—or is he? The book uses the highly subjective voices of numerous fascinating and memorable characters to carry the story along and demonstrate time and again just how subjective our notion of reality really is. The more witnesses we hear from, the farther we seem to be from the truth.

Killing Mr. Watson is brilliantly written, with vibrant characters, an amazingly rich sense of time and place, and a convincing argument for the subjectivity and prejudice that propel human society into its darkest corners.

Matthiesson followed Killing Mr. Watson with two additional installments, each from the viewpoint of a different character, and now the author has combined and rewritten his three related novels into a more compact, even more powerful blockbuster of a book, Shadow Country."

Revenge of the Kudzu Debutantes by Cathy Holton

The Revenge of the Kudzu Debutantes was the Abingdon Book Group read for April. What I thought was going to be a light and entertaining read for the group, turned out to provoke some very intense discussion. We talked about adultery, sin, the spread of HIV, slavery in the south and its customs & traditions. Wow! The book is set in the south and features an unlikely trio of friends who decide to take revenge on their cheating husbands. This is a very funny and entertaining story with a good ending. A fun book to take to the beach, even as it covers some serious topics.

From Booklist
Not since the Ya-Ya Sisterhood has there been a group of good ol' gals to rival Holton's trio of scorned Southern women. Best friends for years, earthy Lavonne, mousy Nita, and feisty Eadie are at once privy to and frequently at odds with the creme de la creme of Ithaca, Georgia, society, courtesy of their husbands' stations in life. All three are married to pillars of the community, lawyers who care more for their annual Montana hunting trip than they do for their spouses. As the preparations for this year's getaway ratchet into high gear, the wives uncover evidence that the only conquests their husbands are interested in making are of the two-footed, female variety. Hell hath no fury, as the saying goes, and the wives concoct a deliciously devious scheme to make their husbands pay--big time--for their indiscretions. Irresistibly entertaining, Holton's debut is hilarious, a cunning, rollicking addition to the popular Southern "steel magnolias" genre. Carol Haggas
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Other Books by Cathy Holton
The Secret Lives of the Kudzu Debutantes
Virginia Broadwell decides to destroy the ladies for the social havoc they have wreaked. What will the girls do?

Beach Trip
A reunion of four friends becomes a cathartic journey into the past in Cathy Holton’s luminous new novel. Darkly comic and deeply poignant, Beach Trip is an unforgettable tale of lifelong friendship, heartbreak, and happiness. May 2009

Some questions for book groups and readers:
Revenge is the theme of this novel – have you ever done something to get revenge – was it satisfying?

What characteristics did the husbands exhibit besides lying & cheating? Which of the husbands (if any) behaved the worst?

Did any of the husbands have any redeeming qualities?

What did you think about the scene at the ranch? Did the husbands get what was coming to them as far as Mr. Ramsbottom’s treatment of them?

Eadie & Trevor have a strange relationship even before Trevor goes off with Tonya – comments?

Why was Eadie a better companion for Trevor than Tonya?

Describe the relationship between Nita & Charles. How does Charles treat Nita & their children? What role have Charles’ parents had in his life? Can we excuse his behavior because of his parents influence? How much are we responsible for our choices as adults?

What did you think of Virginia Broadwell? How was she different from someone like Mrs. Shapiro? How did their values differ?

In what ways is Jimmy Lee very different from Charles?

Lavonne gave up her career for her husband and children, was this a good thing? How did it affect her?

Did you enjoy the humor in the novel? How did the author use humor to enhance the book’s subject matter?

Describe the relationship between the 3 women. How do they support each other?

What were your hopes for the women as you read this book? How did you expect it to end? Was the ending satisfactory? Did the men get what they deserved?

Would you read the sequel or another book by this author?

Plea of Insanity by Jilliane Hoffman confirms legal thriller author "at the peak of her powers"

Plea of Insanity by Jilliane Hoffman, released on April 14, is garnering a lot of press and publicity. Find this book in our catalog

Here's what it says about the book in our catalog: "The prosecutor—Julia Valenciano. Young and ambitious, and facing a case that could launch her career. The defendant—David Marquette. A successful Miami surgeon and devoted family man. The victims—Marquette’s own wife and three small children. The plea—Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity. The perfect father and model husband, David Marquette seemingly just snapped. His experienced defense team claims paranoid delusions caused by schizophrenia drove him to slaughter his entire family.But the state suspects Marquette’s insanity defense is being fabricated to disguise murders that were cold blooded and calculated. Worse, Julia believes Marquette could be responsible for a string of unsolved, brutal homicides. Could he be one of the most prolific and elusive serial killers in the country’s history? To bring him to justice, Julia must embark on a terrifying personal journey back into her own past—something she has struggled to forget for fifteen years. And this will lead her to confront a future so chilling, she’s not sure she will ever be able to face it...Plea of Insanity confirms Jilliane Hoffman as a major thriller writer at the peak of her powers."

If you like this, you may also like:
The Interview Room by Roderick Anscombe

Feasting on Asphalt by Alton Brown - a motorcycle trek with recipes

A librarian from the Abingdon Branch just sent me this book review:

"Here is a review about a book I just finished.

Feasting on Asphalt by Alton Brown (Find this book in our catalog)

I am certainly not one for the hype of food network celebs or just sit down and read a cookbook. This book certainly superseded all of my low expectations.

Alton Brown, Food Network chef, uses wit and humor to document his trek via motorcycle from New Orleans to the top of the Mississippi River. He stops at small dives along the way; places you would almost certainly go out of your way to avoid. He writes about the communities and the people who make up these great places. He supplies about 40 recipes, some given straight from a generous cook or ones he adapted to fill the readers need. (Some recipes are carefully guarded family secrets.) Brown shows us he isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty, jumping in to make delicious pies just so he can see how it is done. He takes himself and his crew lightly but always gives the utmost respect to all of the people he meets. If you are looking for an interesting read with a mix of food, humor, people, and delectable recipes, this book if for you.

This is totally on the fly but I hope you can use it." Kristina Stemple

McFaul Center Book Group found Lace Reader too convoluted

The McFaul Center book group read The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry (Find this book in our catalog) for the month of April. This is what the group facilitator reported about their discussion:

"Not many of us liked it and several didn't even finish it. Just as lace can do, I found that the book completely unraveled at the end and left loose threads that made me feel that it wasn't worth the time that I spent reading it. Instead of being mysterious, I found it convoluted. I have no idea how the author managed a 2 million dollar sale of this book (along with book 2 whatever it may be). All of us were just shaking our head."

Check the Harford County Public Library catalog entry for this book to see a couple of magazine reviews. Why not check out the book and see what you think?

Shirley jackson Awards for psychological suspense, horror, and the dark fantastic

Finalists have been named for this year's Shirley Jackson Awards, which are given for "outstanding achievement in the literature of psychological suspense, horror, and the dark fantastic" in several categories, including novel, novella, novelette, short story, collection and anthology.
Shortlist for novels:
* Alive in Necropolis by Doug Dorst
* The Man on the Ceiling by Steve Rasnic Tem and Melanie Tem
* Pandemonium by Daryl Gregory
* The Resurrectionist by Jack O'Connell
* The Shadow Year by Jeffrey Ford
* Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan
The other nominees can be found at the Shirley Jackson Awards blog
Winners will be presented on Sunday, July 12, at Readercon 20.

Also, for a list, "Outstanding Recent Horror" picked by Harford County Public Library staff, see Readers Place.

Selections from 90 Minutes in Heaven by Don Piper

Patty, Harford County Public Library staff member recommends...

"I just read Selections from 90 Minutes in Heaven (Find this book in our catalog). It's the true story of a man who was in a fatal car accident, was pronounced dead for 90 minutes, went to heaven and returned to life. I read the "Selections" version because I was a little skeptical about the story itself even though it came highly recommended to me by a customer. I thoroughly enjoyed this short read and found it very inspirational and thought provoking. Whether you believe all the accounts of Don Piper, the author, or not, it is clear to me that he really believes it and is traveling world wide to spread his message. I recommend this book to anyone who believes in an afterlife and anyone who isn't sure."

Orange Prize for Fiction 2009 - Finalists announced

The Orange Prize finalists are:
* Scottsboro by Ellen Feldman
* The Wilderness by Samantha Harvey
* The Invention of Everything Else by Samantha Hunt
* Molly Fox's Birthday by Deidre Madden
* Home by Marilynne Robinson
* Burnt Shadows by Kamila Shamsie
The winner will be announced June 3.

Pulitzer Prizes announced yesterday

The 2009 Pulitzer Prizes were announced yesterday afternoon, Monday, April 20.

Book-related winners of the Pulitzer Prize were:

* Fiction: Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout (Find this book in our catalog)
* Drama: Ruined by Lynn Nottage (not yet published)
* History: The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family by Annette
Gordon-Reed (Find this book in our catalog)
* Biography: American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House by Jon
Meacham (Find this book in our catalog)
* Poetry: The Shadow of Sirius by W. S. Merwin (Find this book in our catalog)
* General Nonfiction: Slavery by Another Name: The Re-Enslavement of
Black Americans from the Civil War to World War II by Douglas A.
Blackmon (Find this book in our catalog).

Finalists included:

The Plague of Doves by Louise Erdrich

All Souls by Christine Schutt

Becky Shaw by Gina Gionfriddo

This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War by Drew Gilpin Faust

The Liberal Hour: Washington and the Politics of Change in the 1960s by G. Calvin Mackenzie & Robert Weisbrot

Traitor to His Class: The Privileged Life and Radical Presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt by H.W. Brands

The Bin Ladens: An Arabian Family in the American Century by Steve Coll

Watching the Spring Festival by Frank Bidart

What Love Comes to: New & Selected Poems by Ruth Stone

Gandhi and Churchill: The Epic Rivalry That Destroyed an Empire and Forged Our Age by Arthur Herman

The Bitter Road to Freedom: A New History of the Liberation of Europe by William I. Hitchcock.

Perfect Book to Take on a Trip - The Knitting Circle by Ann Hood

This book recommendation was sent to me by a Harford County Public Library staff member:

"I have the perfect book to take on a trip to read in the car on a plane or on the beach or to relax with on a mountain top – The Knitting Circle by Ann Hood. (Find this book in our catalog). I love her writing style and it’s a wonderful book for those who like to read about contemporary characters with whom they can identify. I felt like each character was a friend of mine. The only problem is that you might have to have a Kleenex with you!"

Obituary Note - J. G. Ballard

Novelist J.G. Ballard died Sunday, April 19. He was 78. The Guardian newspaper said that Ballard "has been a giant on the world literary scene for more than 50 years. Following his early novels of the 60s and 70s, his work then reached a wider audience with the publication of Empire of the Sun (Find this book in our catalog) in 1984 which won several prizes and was made in to a film by Steven Spielberg. His acute and visionary observation of contemporary life was distilled into a number of brilliant, powerful novels which have been published all over the world and saw Ballard gain cult status."

Celebrate National Garden Month - Design a Wildlife Haven in Your Backyard

Nature lovers have a lot celebrate in April. Arbor Day is the last Friday of the month in most states, and the National Gardening Association has declared April National Garden Month.

Why not participate by planting trees and gardens, and by reading fun and informative books offering helpful advice for designing a wildlife-friendly garden and getting to know the wildlife around you.

Try these recent titles to be found in our Harford County Public Library catalog:
Backyard bird secrets for every season : attract a variety of nesting, feeding, and singing birds year-round by Sally Roth

The backyard bird lover's field guide : secrets to attracting, identifying, and enjoying birds of your region by Sally Roth

The nature-friendly garden : creating a backyard haven for plants, wildlife, and people by Marlene A. Condon.

Welcoming wildlife to the garden : creating backyard and balcony habitats for wildlife by Catherine J. Johnson and Susan McDiarmid

Beastly abodes : homes for birds, bats, butterflies, & other backyard wildlife by Bobbe Needham

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Imagine a future where the world is ruled by a dictatorship and they have the power to take you away at any moment. But they don't...instead, they leave it up to chance. Once a year, your life is on the line and if chosen, your death will be considered entertainment for the masses.

This is the society that Katniss grew up in. Her family lives in District 12, one of the many districts ruled by The Capitol. Years ago, the 13 districts tried to rebel against the government of Panem, but the Capitol squashed their rebellion. District 13 was completely wiped off the map, and the rest were turned into slaves to the Capitol, each providing a different resource for those citizens while leaving their own to starve. The Hunger Games, a twisted take on reality entertainment, were designed to remind the people of Panem the power the Capitol has over them; that at a moments notice they can take away a child and force them to fight a battle to the death. And everyone in Panem will be forced to watch as these children try to survive because only one can be declared the winner.

This book is action-packed and hard to put down. Reading the story, you can easily (and eerily) imagine an event like the Hunger Games airing on television today. Contestants are paraded around, try to win sponsors, and then have their trials and tribulations broadcast to the world. But Katniss has her wits about her, even if her people skills are not that great.

There's so much I want to say about this book but I don't want to spoil it for anyone. It is a fantastic read, with writing so vivid, you feel like you're watching a movie (though in a couple years, you will be as Lionsgate just optioned the film rights). It can get gruesome at times, since the kids are fighting to the death, but the violence isn't enough to turn you off if you've watched an action/adventure movie in the passed 10 years.

This is the first book in a planned trilogy, but The Hunger Games has a satisfying ending to itself, so don't worry about being left with a big cliffhanger. Collins leaves the story open just enough to continue, but not enough to leave you feeling like you should have waited for book 2 to be out (which it will be in September).

Do yourself a favor and read The Hunger Games now...because I have a feeling in a few months, everyone else will be talking about it.

Find The Hunger Games in HCPL's catalog (also available in Playaway format)

Philip K. Dick Award for Distinguished Science Fiction

The Philip K. Dick Award is presented annually for distinguished science fiction published in paperback original form in the U. S.

Emissaries from the Dead by Adam-Troy Castro and Terminal Mind by David Walton were co-winners this year. Results were announced at Norwescon 32, in SeaTac, Wash.

Emissaries from the Dead Find this book in our catalog
Notes from our catalog: "Two murders have occurred on One One One, an artificial ecosystem created by the universe's dominant AIs to house several engineered species, including a violent, sentient race of sloth-like creatures. Under order from the Diplomatic Corps, Counselor Andrea Cort has come to this cylinder world where an indentured human community hangs suspended high above a poisoned, acid atmosphere. Her assignment is to choose a suitable homicide suspect from among those who have sold their futures to escape existences even worse than this one. And no matter where the trail leads her she must do nothing to implicate the hosts, who hold the power to obliterate humankind in an instant. But Andrea Cort is not about to hold back in her hunt for a killer. For she has nothing to lose and harbors no love for her masters or fellow indentures. And she herself has felt the terrible exhilaration of taking life . . . . "

Prize-winning Writers of Nonfiction

The Lukas Prize Projects Awards for works of literary nonfiction have been announced by Columbia’s Graduate School of Journalism and the Nieman Foundation at Harvard.

The J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize was awarded to Jane Mayer for The Dark Side : The Inside Story of How the War on Terror Turned into a War on American Ideals (Find this book in our catalog) about the conduct of the fight against terrorism.

The Mark Lynton History Prize went to Timothy Brook for Vermeer's hat : the seventeenth century and the dawn of the global world (Find this book in our catalog) about commerce in the 17th century.

The J. Anthony Lukas Work-in-Progress Award was given to Judy Pasternak for her forthcoming book, Yellow Dirt: The Betrayal of the Navajos. The awards will be given out on May 12.

Gardening Books Practical and Fun!

The First Lady has just been in the news breaking ground for a vegetable garden this spring. She's not the only one take up shovel, fork and hoe: according to a recent survey by the National Gardening Association, an additional seven million households plan to grow their own fruits, herbs and vegetables in 2009, up 19% over last year. Publishers are responding to the increased interest with how-to gardening books such as these, which are to be found in our catalog:

The Backyard Homestead edited by Carleen Madigan

Uncommon Fruits for Every Garden by Lee Reich

The vegetable gardener's bible : discover Ed's high-yield W-O-R-D system for all North American gardening regions by Edward C. Smith

Perennial vegetables : from artichoke to zuiki taro, a gardener's guide to over 100 delicious, easy-to-grow edibles by Eric Toensmeier

The new self-sufficient gardener by John Seymour

The veggie gardener's answer book : solutions to every problem you'll ever face : answers to every question you'll ever ask by Barbara W. Ellis

Tribute by Nora Roberts

Lifetime Television has just aired "Tribute," a television movie based on the Nora Roberts novel. Find this book in our catalog.

This is what it says about Tribute in our catalog:

"Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley is a long way from Hollywood. And that’s exactly how Cilla McGowan wants it. Cilla, a former child star who has found more satisfying work as a restorer of old houses, has come to her grandmother’s farmhouse, tools at her side, to rescue it from ruin. Sadly, no one was able to save her grandmother, the legendary Janet Hardy. An actress with a tumultuous life, Janet entertained glamorous guests and engaged in decadent affairs—but died of an overdose in this very house more than thirty years earlier. To this day, Janet haunts Cilla’s dreams. And during waking hours, Cilla is haunted by her melodramatic, five-times-married mother, who carried on in the public spotlight and never gave her a chance at a normal childhood. By coming east, rolling up her sleeves, and rehabbing this wreck of a house, Cilla intends to find some kind of normalcy for herself. Plunging into the project with gusto, she’s almost too busy to notice her neighbor, graphic novelist Ford Sawyer—but his lanky form, green eyes, and easy, unflappable humor (not to mention his delightfully ugly dog, Spock) are hard to ignore. Determined not to perpetuate the family tradition of ill-fated romances, Cilla steels herself against Ford’s quirky charm, but she can’t help indulging in a little fantasy. But love and a peaceful life may not be in the cards for Cilla. In the attic, she has found a cache of unsigned letters suggesting that Janet Hardy was pregnant when she died—and that the father was a local married man. Cilla can’t help but wonder what really happened all those years ago. The mystery only deepens with a series of intimidating acts and a frightening, violent assault. And if Cilla and Ford are unable to sort out who is targeting her and why, she may—like her world-famous grandmother— be cut down in the prime of her life."

We also have to lend copies of this book in large print and as an audiobook on CDs.

Adventure Stories are Back!

I recently read an article in Booklist by Joyce Saricks, author of Readers' Advisory Service in the Public Library, in which she states that classic adventure stories are making a strong come-back. If you like exotic locales, dangerous military missions or literary puzzles, missions with myriad dangers and obstacles, and plenty of action you might like to try these authors:

Clive Cussler
Dan Brown
Ted Bell
Jennifer Lee Carrell
Kate Moss
Katherine Neville
Bernard Cornwell
W. E. B. Griffin
James Rollins
Matthew Reilly

Junot Diaz's The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao shortlisted for another award

Bloomberg.com reported on April 2nd that the shortlist for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award includes Junot Diaz's The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, winner of a Pulitzer Prize and a National Book Critics' Circle award. Find this book in our catalog. The book was selected as one of eight finalists.

Billed as the richest award for a work of fiction in English and first awarded in 1996, the IMPAC award is meant to promote excellence in world literature. The contest is managed by Dublin City Libraries and draws on nominations from librarians around the globe. This year’s 146 nominations came from 157 public library systems in 117 cities worldwide, the organizers said in an e-mailed news release. Click here for details.



This is what the summary in our catalog says about The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao: "This is the long-awaited first novel from one of the most original and memorable writers working today. Things have never been easy for Oscar, a sweet but disastrously overweight, lovesick Dominican ghetto nerd. From his home in New Jersey, where he lives with his old-world mother and rebellious sister, Oscar dreams of becoming the Dominican J. R. R. Tolkien and, most of all, of finding love. But he may never get what he wants, thanks to the curse that has haunted the Oscar's family for generations, dooming them to prison, torture, tragic accidents, and, above all, ill-starred love. Oscar, still waiting for his first kiss, is just its most recent victim. Diaz immerses us in the tumultuous life of Oscar and the history of the family at large, rendering with genuine warmth and dazzling energy, humor, and insight the Dominican-American experience, and, ultimately, the endless human capacity to persevere in the face of heartbreak and loss. A true literary triumph, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao confirms Junot Diaz as one of the best and most exciting voices of our time."

Among the Mad - a Maisie Dobbs mystery by Jacqueline Winspear

Find this book in our catalog

This is what it says in our catalog about Among the Mad: "In the thrilling new novel by theNew York Times bestselling author of An Incomplete Revenge, Maisie Dobbs must catch a madman before he commits murder on an unimaginable scale. It's Christmas Eve 1931, on the way to see a client, Maisie Dobbs witnesses a man commit suicide on a busy London street. The following day, the prime minister's office receives a letter threatening a massive loss of life if certain demands are not met and the writer mentions Maisie by name. After being questioned and cleared by Detective Chief Superintendent Robert MacFarlane of Scotland Yard's elite Special Branch, she is drawn into MacFarlane's personal fiefdom as a special adviser on the case. Meanwhile, Billy Beale, Maisie's trusted assistant, is once again facing tragedy as his wife, who has never recovered from the death of their young daughter, slips further into melancholia's abyss. Soon Maisie becomes involved in a race against time to find a man who proves he has the knowledge and will to inflict death and destruction on thousands of innocent people. And before this harrowing case is over, Maisie must navigate a darkness not encountered since she was a nurse in wards filled with shell-shocked men. In Among the Mad, Jacqueline Winspear combines a heart-stopping story with a rich evocation of a fascinating period to create her most compelling and satisfying novel yet."

I am a follower of Winspear's series about Maisie Dobbs, an ex-housemaid who has been encouraged to develop her extraordinary gifts of observation and start her own private detective agency. I thought this last book was easily the best of the series. Winspear has ironed out some of the kinks in her writing so that conversations and characterization now seem much more natural. Maisie's position as a classless person in a class-ridden society allows her to go among all sorts of people during her investigations. In this book it seems unforced and perfectly believable, perhaps because the time is now 1931 and class divisions are dissolving a bit following the Great War.

Though it is now some 13 years after the First World War, Maisie is still struggling with post traumatic stress. As a nurse she witnessed terrible wounds to both body and mind and also sustained a personal tragedy. As in the other books in the series, there is a theme of the enduring harm war does in both seen and unseen ways. Maisie, however, is beginning to feel that she at last can move on with her life. I can't wait for the next book to see what the 1930's have in store for Maisie!

The High City by Cecelia Holland

Find this book in our catalog

The High City by Cecelia Holland is a short but action- and character-packed historical novel set in Constantinople in the reign of Basil II at the turn of the first millenium.


In the book it is the early years of the reign of Basil II, who became one most successful, and most feared, Byzantine emperors. But for now, Basil rules as a co-emperor with his brother Constantine, and makes war on a would-be usurper, Bardas Phokas, son of a General who Basil supplanted. Basil’s most trusted troops are foreign mercenaries, the Varangian guard hired from the North. Rus and Norsemen, Viking raiders and wild horsemen from the steppes, they fall upon the elegant city of Constantinople like wolves on a garden party.

Among them is Raef, the wiley son of an Irish slave, who was shipwrecked near the City on his roundabout way home. Raef is well-known to the Varangians, having fought with them before, but refuses to sign up as one of the Emperor's guards. Raef, however has come to the Emperor's notice because of his exceptional fighting skills and his gift of the sight. The Emperor insists that Raef go into enemy territory to retrieve the manipulative, vicious, and disloyal Empress. Will Raef succeed as the Emperor wishes? Will he escape from the seductive influence of the City, and the anger of the slighted Emperor, with his life?

Cecilia Holland is one of the most respected historical novelists in the world, and this book is incredibly well-written. It packs an awful lot in in a small space. Her writing is very economical and implies more than it says with great skill. The historical detail is very rich and well-researched. The depiction of the effete Byzantine court and the ravening Varangians is terrific! The book starts off really fast with a shipwreck and then a battle. The action is really good and sometimes horrific. The reader is also consumed with horror and awe as the psychotic and paranoid character of Basil is revealed.

What a pity that at the end of the book we don't know many details about Raef, only what we've been able to piece together. I was disappointed that there was no protagonist that I could get fond of.

In fact, it is hard to get fond of any character: many seem to have promise and then do disappointing, selfish, and vicious things. This jewel of a book allows just a glimpse through a prism into their lives and then moves on. Only the City remains.

Help Finding Books in Series Fiction

Have you ever found a book you really like? A book that has transported you to a special world with engaging and fascinating characters that you are disappointed to have to leave at the closing of the final chapter?

Authors understand how almost devastating that can be; and so to help their readers out (and also to sell more books!) they often write books as parts of series. If you come in in the middle of a series you often want to read more, and it's best if you can start at the beginning most of the time.

It is often harder than you might think to work out which order the books were written - series are often not numbered, and books are even written and published out of order. We've all heard of prequels!

A librarian recommended a website to me the other day, which is designed by Kent District Library in Michigan specifically to help out with reading in series. It's called What's Next?: Books In Series™ Database of Kent District Library.

It says, "Our What's Next?: Books In Series™ database helps you search series fiction. A series is two or more books linked by character(s), settings, or other common traits." It is searchable by author, title or series and you can further limit searches by Adult or Youth and by a wide variety of genres. Search results list books in the order they occur in the series, so it's easy to start at the beginning and read in the "proper" order.

I'm going to put a link in my list of recommended sites and leave it up there for you for a while. Check it out! It's free and Kent District Library welcome links to their site.

Grave Goods by Ariana Franklin

Find this book in our catalog

Rarely do I so enjoy a book that I look forward during the day to returning from work and resuming the story that I was forced to leave the night before. I found, however, that this was one of those stories in which you "live," so much are you absorbed by the characters. I was sorry when it ended, though the mystery needed to be solved, and I will look for others in the series.

This is part of a series of mysteries featuring a woman forensic pathologist at the court of Henry II of England, 1133-1189. This mystery involves Adelia, our pathologist in the affairs of the Abbey at Glastonbury and the finding of the supposed grave of Arthur and Guinevere. Henry II, hoping to defuse a Welsh rebellion, has commanded Adelia to prove whether or not the long-hidden skeletons are really those of the Once and Future King and his Queen. Adelia when she arrives at the Pilgrim Inn finds that she has arrived in a community fraught with dangerous secrets and violent emotions.

The basic premise of a woman pathologist is totally anachronistic, but the author makes it credible - the woman learned her skill in Saracen Sicily. The other medieval details are well-researched and add color and credibility. The author also uses modern language and slang, explaining why in a postscript, and this actually adds to the authenticity. I thought the conversation of the characters was one of the delights of the book: it makes them seem entirely real and also introduces frequent notes of humor. Note, though, that everyone makes use of swear words. This is perfectly right with the context, but some may be offended.

I think that fans of Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael series of mysteries will fall upon these books with delight. The pathologist, Adelia, solves the mysteries by using clues from the bodies and the crime scene just as Cadfael did. Her investigations turn up issues of morality, spirituality, honor, and good and evil in unexpected places. In this book there is a strong monastic and Welsh connection. I think also fans of Celtic tales and mysteries involving holy relics and ancient puzzles will enjoy this. I certainly hope so, because I'm hooked!

Other titles in the series I will be trying are:

The Serpent's Tale

Mistress of the Art of Death

Bill Cosby wins Mark Twain Prize

Bill Cosby wins 2009 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor

Comedian Bill Cosby will be honored October 26 at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., reports Eonline.com. Click here for more details.

Bill Cosby's latest work, Come On People, a book on self-realization for African Americans is available in our catalog.

This is what the Publishers Weekly review in our catalog says: "With his at-times controversial social commentary fresh in the public mind, legendary comedian Cosby (Fatherhood) teams up with psychiatrist Poussaint (Lay my Burden Down) to take a hard look at the state of black America, bearer of "more than their share of poverty," and present ways to overcome the "deep-rooted" challenges of the poor-including crime, lack of education and broken families. While aimed at a specific group, the authors? advice is broad and largely unsurprising-stay in school, work your way up, be independent, parent your children, stay out of debt, be a voice for change-but the context is genuine concern and hope for the community: "black strength lies in our resolve to keep on keeping on... never yielding to the role of cooperative victim." The authors are particularly concerned about young black males, who they say are relinquishing family responsibilities in increasing numbers, largely for lack of proper role models: "A house without a father is a challenge. A neighborhood without fathers is a catastrophe." Taking a long view of black Americans? struggle, Cosby and Poussaint draw cogent and historically-minded arguments against the excesses of gangsta rap, but prove even more vehement on the destructive influence of corporal punishment on kids. This tough, thoughtful guide to life will prove valuable not just for its target audience, but for the activists, social workers, clergy and teachers able to "provide our youth with the love and guidance that keeps them strong and on that positive path." (Oct.) Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information."

A sample of his comedy can be found on the CDs, Inside the mind of Bill Cosby. Find this in our catalog

National Library Week - Celebrate April 12-18, 2009

National Library Week is an annual celebration of the contributions of our nation's libraries and librarians. All types of libraries - school, public, academic and special - participate.

National Library Week 2009 will be celebrated with the theme, "Worlds connect @ your library."

New York Times best selling author and actress Jamie Lee Curtis is the Honorary Chair of National Library Week 2009. Read more.

April is National Poetry Month

Every year since 1996 April has been National Poetry Month. What is National poetry Month? Click here for what the Academy of American Poets has to say.

One of the goals of National Poetry Month is to, "Introduce more Americans to the pleasures of reading poetry."

Here are some books of contemporary and classic poetry recently ordered by Harford County Public Library:

Essential pleasures : a new anthology of poems to read aloud / edited by Robert Pinsky. Find this book in our catalog

100 essential American poems / edited by Leslie M. Pockell. Find this book in our catalog

100 essential modern poems by women / selected by Joseph Parisi and Kathleen Welton ; introductions and commentary by Joepsh Parisi. Find this book in our catalog

American hybrid : a Norton anthology of new poetry / edited by Cole Swensen and David St. John. Find this book in our catalog

An aquarium : poems / Jeffrey Yang. Find this book in our catalog

Bicycles : love poems / Nikki Giovanni. Find this book in our catalog

Voices : poems / by Lucille Clifton. Find this book in our catalog

Thriller Awards - Top thriller novels and short stories of 2008 nominated

International Thriller Writers have announced the nominations of the top thriller novels and short stories of 2008 for the prestegious Thriller Awards. Click here for more.

Highlights of the nominations:
BEST THRILLER OF THE YEAR
Hold Tight by Harlan Coben
The Bodies Left Behind by Jeffery Deaver
The Broken Window by Jeffery Deaver
The Dark Tide by Andrew Gross
The Last Patriot by Brad Thor
BEST FIRST NOVEL
Calumet City by Charlie Newton
Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith
Criminal Paradise by Steven Thomas
Sacrifice by S. J. Bolton
The Killer's Wife by Bill Floyd
THRILLERMASTER AWARD
David Morrell honoring his influential body of work.

Recipients will be recognized and winners announced at ThrillerFest 2009, July 8-11.