BookFix

The Glass Castle

2007-11-13T10:35:00.000-08:00

by Jeannette Walls

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Perhaps the two top defining moments of Jeannette Walls’ memoir The Glass Castle come from the book’s first two scenes. First, an adult Jeannette hides in her cab as she sees her mom rummage through a dumpster in New York City. Second, as the actual story begins in flashback, a three-year old Jeannette suffers burns as she attempts to boil hot dogs. Everything that happens between the hot dog incident and the dumpster diving is pretty much the same. And all because Jeannette Walls grew up in dysfunctional family. Her father, although capable of intellectual pursuits, remains a drunk. Her mother abhors the idea of raising a family and decides to live in her own little world of painting and writing. In response, Jeannette and her three siblings learn to fend for themselves with mixed results at the end of the book.

It would be a natural response after reading The Glass Castle to enter a discussion on who was the worse parent, the mom or dad. But what made Jeannette Walls’ memoir enjoyable to me was the fact the children acknowledged their parents' behavior and acknowledge the fact that if they were to be happy, they would have to leave the household and pursue their own lives at a tender age. And I was still amazed at the end of the book that the children still maintained a semblance of a relationship with mom and dad. Walls tells a good story here.

Flash Fiction Forward-80 Short Stories

2007-11-06T11:27:00.000-08:00

Edited by James Thomas and Robert Shapard

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Editors James Thomas and Robert Shapard put together this anthology of 80 very short stories. For them, a flash fiction cannot be more than 750 words in length, has to be about more than a trivial topic, and should be memorable. Unfortunately, I’ve completed this book, and I can’t remember more than a handful of the stories. On the whole, most of them fail especially in this third requirement. Of those that succeed, “Rose”, by John Biguenet, is a sad and unsettling portrait of a grieving man and his discovery of a hidden album that brings back an unpleasant memory; “Reviving Pater,” by John Goulet, describes an odd clan and their unusual Halloween tradition; and in “Geometry Can Fail Us,” by Barbara Jacksha, a man learns more than he wishes about his new wife’s feelings for him after a near-accident. I also liked “00:02:36:58” by Bayard Godsave, about a silly teen prank that affects one of its participants in a different way years later; and Michael Martone’s “Diagnostic Drift”, a heartbreaking story about a young couple’s four miscarriages. The nice thing about reading flash fiction is that the mediocre stories are easily skipped through, while the good ones are a delight to read again and again.

Rule the Web: How To Do Anything and Everything on The Internet—Better, Faster, Easier

2007-08-09T07:09:00.000-07:00

by Mark Frauenfelder

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I, the Computer Lab Guy, recently attended a technology conference that talked about how teenagers are easily embracing the Internet. Whether it’s video games, instant messaging, or researching their high school papers on their favorite search engine, teens are the demographic with the most natural inclination for the web.

For the rest of us who may not be as Internet savvy, there’s Mark Frauenfelder’s Rule the Web. As the founder of the popular webblog Boingboing, Frauenfelder is well-versed on the Internet and cultures generated by its use. He delivers each chapter in topical fashion. Internet users of all skill levels can learn about blogging, podcasting, planning their next vacation, researching health and wellness issues, and new technologies.

So, before approaching that tech-saturated teen for Internet help, pick up Frauenfelder’s book. It’s a very good Internet reference tool.

Our August book discussion group

2007-08-07T11:21:00.000-07:00

Eight people attended our August book club, a discussion of Michael Chabon's short novel, The Final Solution, which concerns an old man (Sherlock Holmes, though he's never named) and a young Jewish refugee in England in 1944. The boy owns a parrot, which goes missing in the midst of murder, and Holmes takes the case.

Our readers marveled at the writing, though many found the story and the characters a little thin. This title has been selected for the United We Read program in Kansas City. Watch for other opportunities to participate in a discussion of it at the library.

Book Discussion from early July

2007-07-14T06:25:00.000-07:00

The West Wyandotte library hosted yet another book discussion group at Scooter's CoffeeHouse at The Legends. For July, about ten people attend the discussion on Cormac McCarthy's "The Road."

Click on the picture below for a slide show of the discussion.

Join us in August when we discuss Michael Chabon's The Final Solution.

Traveling The Road with BookFix

2007-06-22T11:34:00.000-07:00

Join us at Scooter's CoffeeHouse at the Legends on Thursday, July 5th for our next book talk group.

We'll discuss The Road by Cormac McCarthy.

The Blizzard Voices

2007-06-20T08:13:00.000-07:00

by Ted Kooser

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This new reprint of a 1986 collection by previous US Poet Laureate Ted Kooser is made up entirely of brief monologues by imaginary survivors of the very real blizzard of 1888, which killed "two hundred or more / in Dakota Territory / Nebraska and Kansas." Plenty of these pieces tell about those deaths--people found frozen to fences or dug out of the snow--but many more concern survival, one party that followed "a row / of dead sunflower stalks" to safety, another that guided someone through the storm by posting children at the door to bang on pots and pans. Several are about children sheltered overnight in the schoolhouse, since the storm struck during afternoon school hours.

The monologues are presented in the simple, direct verse that the poet is known for. Poetry-phobes will have no trouble enjoying the book. Each poem is titled either "A Man's Voice" or "A Woman's Voice," and the collection has even been presented successfully on stage.

Special Topics BookFix Discussion

2007-06-12T10:38:00.000-07:00

Click here to place a hold on this book.

On Thursday, June 7th the BookFix Book Club met to discuss Special Topics in Calamity Physics, a novel by Marisha Pessl. With six participants, it was our most intimate gathering yet, probably because the book's stylistic quirk (scholarly bibliographic citations sprinkled throughout) put off some readers. All six had difficulty getting into the story for that reason, but five were glad they kept at it (on Mama Bear's Gotta-Give-It-70-Pages rule) and wound up enjoying the book for its humor and its characters.

The story concerns hyper-educated adolescent Blue Van Meer and her professor father Gareth. They spend Blue's formative years bopping from one small town to another, as Gareth changes teaching positions with the seasons. The year before Blue heads off for Harvard, they wind up in a North Carolina town, where Blue attends an exclusive school and gets involved with a group of misbehaving aristocrats and their unconventional teacher, Hannah Schneider.

More than 300 pages in, this densely literary piece becomes a murder mystery, and our group was nearly unanimous as to who done it. The ending leaves quite a bit open, however, and we spent much of our session airing theories, pinning down details, and beating up on the lone dissenter, poor Mus Muris.

Galloway

2007-06-07T06:44:00.000-07:00

by Louis L'Amour
Audiobook read by Jason Culp

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Flagan and Galloway Sackett are two cowboy brothers who must survive the untamed and unclaimed open range in the West. Flagan had just escaped captivity of the Apaches and must fend for himself until Galloway can find him. But when reunited, the Sackett brothers decide that this open range territory might be a good place to settle down, begin a cattle ranch, and expand the Sackett family. But their plans might be thwarted by the lawlessness of the Dunn clan, who rule the new territory by brute force.

This is an example that shows that Louis L’Amour loved writing about cowboys and the Old West. Actor Jason Culp does a good job of voicing each individual character and this audio book reminded me of watching the old western movies on the black and white television. Fun material for the reader who wants the simple adventure.

Join us at Scooter's Coffeehouse at the Legends...

2007-06-05T12:25:00.000-07:00

...this coming Thursday, June 7th at 10 AM.

We'll talk about Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marissa Pessl.

Top Five Requested Books Coming Soon to KCKPL's Collection

2007-05-25T11:48:00.000-07:00

High Noon by Nora Roberts
Play Dirty by Sandra Brown
The Quickie by James Patterson
You've been warned by James Patterson
Double Take by Catherine Coulter

To enter our catalog and place a hold, click on a title.

Top Five Requested Books in KCKPL's Collection

2007-05-25T06:29:00.000-07:00

6th Target by James Patterson
Invisible Prey by John Sandford
I Heard That Song Before by Mary Higgins Clark
The River Knows by Amanda Quick
Simple Genius by David Baldacci

To enter our catalog and place a hold, click on a title.

Travels in the Scriptorium

2007-05-23T09:56:00.000-07:00

by Paul Auster
Audio book read by Dick Hill

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An old man awakens in a room with no memory of who he is and whether he is a guest in this room or a prisoner. The room itself is sparsely furnished and decorated and has only one window which the man, known as Mr. Blank, cannot open. On the desk is a manuscript which may or may not offer clues as to who Mr. Blank really is. And during the course of the day, Mr. Blank receives visits from a doctor, two caretakers, his lawyer among others. Each visitor drops names which may or may not be a part of Mr. Blank’s past. And as the day progresses, Mr. Blank becomes increasingly frustrated with his pursuit of the truth.

This was a fun book to read. And the ending to this book will remind readers of the twists and unsuspected turns that come from a “Twilight Zone” episode. Paul Auster allows the reader to experience Mr. Blank’s emotions as he tries to figure out his situation. And with the ending of the book, Auster reminds the reader that not all of life’s quandaries are tied up neatly.

Echoes of Kansas Basketball: The Greatest Stories Ever Told

2007-05-16T06:33:00.000-07:00

Edited by Matt Fulks

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Okay, the horn has sounded and the 2006-07 college basketball season ends in disappointment for Kansas Jayhawk basketball fans, again. After all, the annual quest for a national collegiate basketball championship has become a tradition, a passion at KU. And what has bolstered this tradition? Stories.

Echoes of Kansas Basketball: The Greatest Stories Ever Told contains stories from the entire history of Kansas basketball. From Wilt Chamberlain’s much anticipated KU debut to Danny Manning and the Miracles’ championship run in 1988 to Nick Collison and Kirk Hinrich’s heroic senior seasons, this book makes use of newspaper clippings, columns, and interviews with former players. Current coach Bill Self and longtime broadcaster Max Falkenstien offer introductions.

The Computer Lab Guy says this must reading for the true blue Jayhawk basketball fan.

Water for Elephants

2007-05-11T06:39:00.000-07:00

by Sara Gruen

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The adult life for Jacob Jankowski has a rough beginning. His parents die in an accident while he attends veterinarian school and his grief and dispair gets the best of him while he takes his final exams. As such, he bolts out in the middle of exams and hops on a train. He discovers that this train is a circus train and the circus personnel decide that they could use his skills for their menagerie. For the next few months, Jacob encounters people of various qualities and moral strengths and finds that he is falling in love with the wife of one of the supervisors, a man who is very cruel to an elephant the circus has obtained.

Sara Gruen does an excellent job with the narrative in this book. Told in the first person, the reader gets to peer into Jacob’s conscious and experience his emotions. And there’s a scene where you feel like cheering when one of the characters gets his come-uppance.

But don’t take my word for it. Water for Elephants was well received by the ten participants of The BookFix book talk at Scooter’s CoffeeHouse at the Legends shopping area.

Dance Hall of the Dead

2007-05-07T07:09:00.000-07:00

by Tony Hillerman

Read by George Guidall

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Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn of the Navajo Tribal Police gets involved in a mystery where two young Native-American boys are missing. It is feared that one of the boys killed the other and has gone into exile. But Leaphorn senses that this mystery is much more than what it seems. He learns that one of the boys has a blossoming interest into the Zuni religious culture. Also, an archeological dig and a strange hypodermic needle complicate things. And, Leaphorn must conduct this investigation while the Feds are conducting their own investigations into potential drug trafficking.

Tony Hillerman does an excellent job of mystery writing here. He excels at giving the reader a taste of Navajo-Zuni culture while also maintaining the suspense. I found the characters in the book believable and I could empathize with their situations. George Guidall’s pacing as the reader of this audio book is perfect.

I now understand why Tony Hillerman is a highly requested author on our Best Seller shelf.

Henry VIII, the King and His Court

2007-05-04T11:49:00.000-07:00

by Alison Weir

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Weir revisits the Tudor period with gusto. In this effort, we are invited to examine the daily life of Henry VII and get to know the players of his court. Ms. Weir does extensive research, using Henry's accounts to investigate his day-to-day activities. We learn of the king's daily ablutions, hunting pursuits, desire for property, and amorous liaisons. The reader will watch as the King (Henry took the throne at age 17) went from beautiful youth to gluttonous despot. Other aspects of the period are examined, such as kitchen hygiene, religious feasts and observances, the adornments of the royal palaces, the financial administration of the household, and, of course, the political maneuvering of the nobles and other factions of the court. We are introduced to Thomas Wolsey and Thomas Cromwell, Thomas More and the many others plying for royal favor. Fascinating stuff.

Recommended highly. Mama Bear is, as always, completely enamored with Ms. Weir and Henry VIII.

Antique Trader Royal Doulton Price Guide

2007-05-01T10:45:00.000-07:00

Edited by Kyle Husfloen

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Okay, as librarians, we like to read. But, like anybody else, we have other hobbies and activities outside of our work. As for me, the Computer Lab Guy, I am a collector. I collect things I can afford and, well, er, I sometimes collect things that put a strain on the old household budget. I have a particular interest in antique porcelain.

The Antique Trader Royal Doulton Price Guide is the perfect reference tool for people who share the same fondness of porcelain as I do. The guide gives price listings for plates, jugs, figurines, and character mugs. Some of the objects in here are pricey and some affordable. But the book gives the antique collector a framework to work with when looking for that next special antique.

An Elephant Never Forgets....

2007-04-30T06:34:00.000-07:00

...and hopefully neither will you.

Join us for our BookFix book talk at Scooter's Coffeehouse at the Legends on Thursday, May 3rd at 10 AM. We'll talk about Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen.

Click here to enter our catalog and place a hold.

Top Five Requested Books Coming Soon to KCKPL's Collection

2007-04-26T07:21:00.000-07:00

The 6th Target by James Patterson
High Noon by Nora Roberts
The Quickie by James Patterson
Double Take by Catherine Coulter
Bungalow 2 by Danielle Steel

To enter our catalog and place a hold, click on a title.

Top Five Requested Books in KCKPL's Collection

2007-04-26T07:14:00.000-07:00

I Heard That Song Before by Mary Higgins Clark
Fresh Disasters by Stuart Woods
Obsession by Jonathan Kellerman
The River Knows by Amanda Quick
Obsession by Karen Robards

To enter our catalog and place a hold, click on a title.

Innocent Traitor

2007-04-24T08:33:00.000-07:00

by Alison Weir

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A completely absorbing read. A remarkable tale of the unfortunate Lady Jane Grey. This is Weir's first novel, but one must consider that she has written over 12 very-detailed, non-fiction books and the weight of that tells in this remarkable book. Lady Jane Grey was a great-niece of King Henry VIII, and of all the sad, desperate stories of that time, hers is the saddest. In alternating voices, Weir lets Lady Jane and others in her life tell their sides of the story, and what a story it is. King Henry had marriage and succession problems: chiefly, until his third wife, he had no male heir. Add to that the tumultuous conflict between Protestants and Catholics. She was propelled on the throne, by her power-hungry and abusive parents, upon the death of the young Edward VI, Henry's only son, instead of, the Catholic princess Mary. In the end, Mary won her rightful place on the throne, and Lady Jane went to the block. Weir presents Jane as an intelligent, thoughtful young girl, a scholar in her own right; but given the times and the power hungry adults in her life, she could not resist the political currents from engulfing her.

Basicallly, Mama Bear would read a phone book if Alison Weir sees fit to write one.

Patriot Hearts

2007-04-17T10:30:00.000-07:00

by Barbara Hambly

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Alternating between the periods of 1787 to 1814, Hambly presents the lives of four of our founding mothers: Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, Sally Hemings, and Dolley Madison. Hambly focuses on their marriages, families, housekeeping, ups and down, while their men performed their public roles. These women are not romanticized or sentimentalized, careful attention is placed to ensure that they are flesh and blood. Slavery snakes through the book, appearing largely in the chapters devoted to Sally Hemings, but it figures in the other women's lives as well. Amazing how Hambly makes the founding fathers a secondary part of this story. Marvelous. This is superior historical fiction, firm in its grasp of history, not showy in its period details. It brings these women out of the shadows, into our hearts and minds.

Reading this book made Mama Bear instantly run and find the biographies of these remarkable women! Good for history buffs, as well as fans of women's fiction at its finest.

Heart of Darkness

2007-04-12T06:55:00.000-07:00

by Joseph Conrad

Narration by Scott Brick

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Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness has narration that is filled with descriptive imagery. And Scott Brick delivers this narration with verve and vitality. For the uninitiated, Darkness gives us the story of Marlow who travels into The Congo to see what has become of Mr. Kurtz, a successful ivory merchant. What Marlow finds changes him forever. Kurtz has become a savage and has created a loyal following among the natives there.

This story is the foundation for the movie Apocalypse Now. And the themes for both media are the same: good versus evil, giving up the perimeters of one society in favor of a new society, and the examination of one’s soul.

Brick’s performance captures Marlow’s changing emotions as he encounters Kurtz. This is recommended listening for the audio book fan.

The Grapes of Wrath book discussion

2007-04-05T11:14:00.000-07:00

Ten people came to Scooter's Coffeehouse at The Legends to discuss John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath. To view a slide show from this discussion, click on the image below.

The book discussion was part of The National Endowment for the Arts The Big Read promotion.

Join us for May as we discuss Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen.

Top Five Requested Books Coming Soon to KCKPL's Collection

2007-04-04T06:41:00.000-07:00

I Heard That Song Before by Mary Higgins Clark
High Noon by Nora Roberts
The 6th Target by James Patterson
The Quickie by James Patterson
Double Take by Catherine Coulter

To enter our catalog and place a hold, click on a title.

Top Five Requested Books in KCKPL's Collection

2007-04-04T06:36:00.000-07:00

Obsession by Jonathan Kellerman
Whitethorn Woods by Maeve Binchy
Step on a Crack by James Patterson
Sisters by Danielle Steel
The Secret by Rhonda Byrne

To enter our catalog and place a hold, click on a title.

The Best Game Ever: How Frank McGuire’s ’57 Tar Heels beat Wilt and Revolutionized College Basketball

2007-04-02T07:18:00.000-07:00

by Adam Lucas

Forward by Roy Williams

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As Florida and Ohio State duke it out for college basketball’s 2007 championship, a basketball fan can only hope that this title game is as good as a title game played fifty years ago. In 1957, the North Carolina Tar Heels defeated Wilt Chamberlain’s Kansas Jayhawks in a triple overtime thriller. The game featured Carolina’s precision teamwork versus Chamberlain’s individual prowess.

Adam Lucas offers the Carolina perspective on this game in The Best Game Ever: How Frank McGuire’s ’57 Tar Heels beat Wilt and Revolutionized College Basketball. The book features anecdotes from the Carolina players and people associated with the team as they talk about the game and how McGuire’s teachings propelled them to the NCAA pinnacle.

A quick read but also a fun read for the avid basketball fan.

The Grapes of Wrath

2007-03-29T06:42:00.000-07:00

by John Steinbeck

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In conjunction with The Big Read, the BookFix Book Club will be discussing The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck on Thursday, April 5th at Scooter's Coffeehouse (10:00 a.m.) For the two of you who escaped it in high school and missed the movie, it's the story of the Joads, a family of farmers in Oklahoma who lose their land to the dust bowl weather and the "changing economy" of the 1930s and head west in search of work. What they find instead is mainly frustration and grief, but that doesn’t keep them from pushing on.

In 1940 Steinbeck won the Pulitzer Prize for this one, a book called"the finest proletarian fiction of the decade," also one that "was publicly banned and burned by citizens; debated on national radio hook-ups; but above all it was read." And no wonder. It's a hard-hitting political thing, an indictment of an economic system that promotes inhumanity, told in language that alternates between a lovely prose of biblical ancestry and the wonderful dialect--earthy, raucous, funny, grammatically crackling, and crookedly beautiful--of the Joads. The result was one of America's greatest novels, though Thursday morning we will surely hear from some who disagree.

The Road

2007-03-26T07:00:00.000-07:00

by Cormac McCarthy

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A father and son travel the countryside, pushing a cart with all their worldly possessions, and battling bad guys who try and ambush them along the way…sounds a lot like the Japanese Lone Wolf and Cub films of the 1970’s, doesn’t it? But the cart in Cormac McCarthy’s new novel, The Road, isn’t outfitted with exotic armaments used to dispose of attacking villains. The only weapons this father has are a gun with two bullets in it, and his wiles. And instead of wandering trails in the forests of shogunate Japan, these two survivors follow a meandering blacktop highway through a blasted landscape that once was part of the United States. Until the unthinkable destroyed the world.

Okay, this story’s been told many times before. I’m thinking of Harlan Ellison’s A Boy And His Dog and any of George Miller’s fantastic Mad Max film trilogy as the best of the post-apocalyptic lot. McCarthy doesn’t break any new ground here. What he does do is describe the bleakest of environs in a way we’ve come to expect from a McCarthy novel: harsh landscapes made vivid through his wonderful, poetic style of writing.

And what carries the reader to the end is the relationship McCarthy develops between the man and his child, primarily through sparse conversation injected from time to time. It’s this love and devotion between father and son that survives to trump all of the horrors around them – bitter cold, fever, thieves, even the odd cannibal family or two – and that gives this novel its all-important emotional kick-in-the-gut.

Air Ball: American Education’s Failed Experiment with Elite Athletics

2007-03-20T13:22:00.000-07:00

by John Gerdy

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Okay, so it’s March Madness time. You’re watching your favorite college basketball team play in this spring’s tournament. And one question you DON’T ask as you see the no-look pass or the three-point shot or the spectacular slam-dunk is this: How’s my favorite team doing in the classroom? Are the student-athletes maintaining the proper balance between academics and athletics?

John R. Gerdy examines these questions in this book. He solicits perspectives from all parties involved: coaches, school administrators, the NCAA Organization, and journalists. He also scrutinizes whether current legislations and NCAA mandates are working.

The Computer Lab Guy highly recommends this book; especially if you believe that the balance between college sports and academics is askew.

Top Five Requested Books Coming Soon to KCKPL's Collection

2007-03-14T09:53:00.000-07:00

I Heard That Song Before by Mary Higgins Clark
High Noon by Nora Roberts
6th Target by James Patterson
The Quickie by James Patterson
Double Take by Catherine Coulter

To enter our catalog and place a hold, click on a title.

Top Five Requested Books in KCKPL's Collection

2007-03-14T09:46:00.000-07:00

Step On a Crack by James Patterson
Sisters by Danielle Steel
High Profile by Robert Parker
Whitethorn Woods by Maeve Binchy
The Fifth Vial by Michael Palmer

To enter our catalog and place a hold, click on a title.

You Suck: A Love Story

2007-03-12T06:37:00.000-07:00

by Christopher Moore

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Christopher Moore is probably the best writer around when it comes to darkly humorous supernatural novels. Okay … so that’s not such a big genre, admittedly, but he does it well. As you can probably tell from the title, his latest is about vampires.

Take a clueless 19 year old grocery store stock boy who’s just been turned into a vampire by his 26 year old (but almost as clueless) girlfriend. Add in an 800 year old vampire who’s been bronze electroplated, a 16 year old goth minion, half a dozen more clueless stock boys, a blue prostitute, an exploded yacht, stolen artwork, a 35 pound shaved cat wearing a sweater and 2 cops who just wish the vampires would leave town so that they could retire and open a bookstore. The result is alternatingly hilarious and disturbing - a scratch-your-head, laugh-out-loud, quirky novel.

Winter's Bone

2007-03-09T07:13:00.000-08:00

by Daniel Woodrell

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When a two-bit John Law and a bounty hunter come looking for her absent father, Ree Dolly knows her plans to join the Army are all but scrapped. Her dad, one of the best crank cooks in their small corner of the Ozarks, put the house up to make bail after his last arrest, and when he fails to show for his court date, it looks like she and the rest of her family -- her two younger brothers and their addled mother – will be thrown out into the wild “to live like dogs.”

But Ree, the 16-year-old heroine of Daniel Woodrell’s Winter’s Bone, won’t quietly accept this fate. Scrappy and resilient, she descends into the shadowy criminal world her clan inhabits and asks the questions that nobody wants to answer…questions that could wind up getting her killed.

Woodrell has crafted another top-notch story and introduced perhaps his most interesting and winning character to date in Ree. Fans will put this country noir on the top shelf of the author’s repertoire, right next to Tomato Red and Woe To Live On. Impy says check it out!

Team of Rivals

2007-03-07T06:24:00.000-08:00

by Doris Kearns Goodwin

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I know what you're saying. Do we need another book about Lincoln? Actually, we do. Ms. Goodwin does an amazing thing. She examines the campaign of 1860, the election, and the characters involved. She does this with such a fresh perspective, that even though you may know a lot about Lincoln, you may not have looked at him this way. We see him through the people he placed in his cabinet, the people that thought so little of him to begin with, only to grow to love and respect this remarkable man. It will also give you a new appreciation for the immense struggle he went through, to achieve what he achieved.

Mama Bear says to read this one. And it would be a good thing to read other books, by this author as well. She's a keeper!

The Autobiography of Henry VIII : with Notes by His Fool, Will Somers

2007-03-05T07:06:00.000-08:00

by Margaret George

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Much has been written about Henry VIII: he is the man who created the Church of England to get the divorce he wanted; he is the man who married six women and beheaded two of them; he is the man who longed for a son and neglected his daughters, Mary and Elizabeth; he is the man who was a beautiful prince, who finally grew fat, disease-ridden, dissolute. Now, in her incredible work of storytelling and imagination Margaret George brings us Henry VIII, in diary form. One he told as he may have told it, in memoirs interspersed with irreverent comments from his jester and confidant, Will Somers. She does a remarkable job of it, somehow making the reader sympathize with this man, while, at the same time, despising him. Excellent stuff!

If you're like Mama Bear and can always read a bit more of Tudor England, Read this one! You won't be sorry.

Top Five Requested Books Coming Soon to KCKPL's Collection

2007-03-02T12:37:00.000-08:00

I Heard That Song Before by Mary Higgins Clark
The 6th Target by James Patterson
Obsession by Jonathan Kellerman
Fresh Disasters by Stuart Woods
Invisible Prey by John Sandford

To enter our catalog and place a hold, click on a title.

Top Five Requested Books in KCKPL's Collection

2007-03-02T12:29:00.000-08:00

Step on a Crack by James Patterson
Sisters by Danielle Steel
High Profile by Robert B. Parker
The Fifth Vial by Michael Palmer
The Secret by Rhonda Byrne

To enter our catalog and place a hold, click on a title.

Book Discussion, March 1st

2007-02-23T07:03:00.000-08:00

Join us next Thursday, March 1st at 10AM at Scooter's Coffeehouse at the Legends. We will chat about Oscar and Lucinda by Peter Carey.

For further details, call the West Wyandotte Branch Library at 596-5800.

Bill Snyder: They Said It Couldn’t Be Done: An Inside Look at the Man, the Coach and the Greatest Turnaround in College Football History

2007-02-21T07:12:00.000-08:00

By Mark Janssen with Bill Snyder

Click here to enter our catalog and place a hold.

Prior to the 1989 season, the Kansas State University football team was considered the worst football program in the college ranks. Bill Snyder took over this program and a new tradition began: that of winning, bowl appearances, and dreams of national championships.

This book chronicles the journey Snyder took in turning around the Wildcat team. Snyder, as well as former assistant coaches and former players, provides stories of the teams sojourn into national prominence.

This is recommended reading for fans of the Big-12 conference and for fans of college football.

The Everything Blogging Book

2007-02-15T07:15:00.000-08:00

by Aliza Sherman Risdahl

Click here to enter our catalog and place a hold.

Blogging allows an Internet user to create content in a journal format and place it on the Internet. And many, many different groups and individuals have used blogs to help promote their agendas or have used blogs as a way to express themselves.

For the uninitiated web user who doesn’t know a thing about this blogging phenomenon, there’s The Everything Blogging Book by Aliza Sherman Risdahl. Topics include setting up a blog on the web, providing a way for people to offer feedback to a blog, and, of course, measuring the success of a blog. Risdahl provides exacting details about blog sites and blogging issues.

If you are considering the idea of writing your own blog, pick up this book. It is a very thorough and precise introduction to the blogosphere.

Top Five Requested Books Coming Soon to KCKPL's Collection

2007-02-12T07:22:00.000-08:00

I Heard That Song Before by Mary Higgins Clark
High Profile by Robert Parker
Fresh Disasters by Stuart Woods
Sisters by Danielle Steel
Obsession by Karen Robards

To enter our catalog and place a hold, click on a title.

Top Five Requested Books in KCKPL's Collection

2007-02-12T07:16:00.000-08:00

Step on a Crack by James Patterson
White Lies by Jayne Ann Krentz
Plum lovin' by Janet Evanovich
Free Fall by Fern Michaels
Exile by Richard North Patterson

To enter our catalog and place a hold, click on a title.

Coming in April!!!

2007-02-09T12:20:00.000-08:00

The Big Read

An Initiative of The National Endowment for the Arts

For further details, click on the image below:

The Borgia Bride

2007-02-07T07:09:00.000-08:00

By Jeanne Kalogridis

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Okay..I know, I usually read the English ones…but who wouldn't pick up a book about the Borgia's? Come on, it's greed, lust, and incest – and that's just the Pope! Kalogridis tells the story of the beautiful Sancha de Aragon, princess of Naples. Illegitimate daughter to the coldhearted duke of Calabria, she is used to establish ties to the feared and influential House of Borgia when her father betroths her to the youngest bastard child of Pope Alexander VI, Jofre. This mismatched pair are sent to rule in a small province of Squillace, but rumors of Sancha's beauty reach the Pope Alexander VI, and she is ordered to Rome. There, she avoids the pope's advances—and her jealous sister-in-law Lucrezia's animosity—but falls into a steamy affair with her brother-in-law, the dashing Cesare, cardinal of Valencia. AND this is just the first 1/3 of the book. This story paints a very sympathetic view of Lucrezia (of poisoning fame) and trashes the rest of the Borgias. Good story, worth reading, makes you want to investigate this history and find out what is true and what Kalogridis created to make the story sing.

Mama Bear says, "Oh no, I'm not going to tell you what's real and what's fantasy…you've got to do that ON YOUR OWN". Mama Bear is kind of persnickety when it comes to research.

Online Resources for Senior Citizens, Second Edition

2007-02-05T10:38:00.000-08:00

By Charles C. Sharpe

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Of all the people who enter cyberspace, seniors are the demographic who have the toughest time embracing the Internet. Charles Sharpe bears this fact out in the preface of his book Online Resources for Senior Citizens where he states that nearly two-thirds of the population over 65 have never (and/or never plan to) use the Internet. Still the number of senior surfers is increasing and they need web resources to help them.

Sharpe’s book is an excellent resource for seniors. He divides the book up into topical chapters that discuss web resources for senior issues like retirement, crimes against the elderly, grandparenting, genealogy, scam artists on the Internet, and money and finance.

This book will help seniors close the technology knowledge gap that exists between them and the younger web surfers. Highly recommended by The Computer Lab Guy.

Book Talk: Eragon

2007-02-01T10:28:00.000-08:00

Eleven people came to Scooter's Coffeehouse to talk about Christopher Paolini's book Eragon. For a slide show of the book talk, click on the image below.

Join us for our next book talk at Scooter's on Thursday, March 1st. We'll chat about Oscar and Lucinda by Peter Carey.

The Wall

2007-01-31T06:26:00.000-08:00

by Jeff Long

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Long, the author of a number of action thrillers, has actually done some serious rock-climbing in his past; the experience shows itself in the fascinating details and authentic atmosphere of this recent novel. Two old buddies, famous in climbing circles for a difficult trail they once blazed up Yosemite's El Cap, attempt to recapture some of the glory of their youth by conquering El Cap one more time despite the aches, pains, and losses of middle age. From the beginning, their fresh assault on the massive rock seems cursed by bad luck and, perhaps, evil spirits. Plunging deaths, forest fires, sightings of a mysterious creature, and violent storms assail them as they become enmeshed in a harrowing rescue attempt. Will they be able to save the victims of a disastrous climb above them? Will they be able to save themselves from death on El Cap and from their own terrible memories? The supernatural element doesn't always quite gel (especially toward the end of the novel), but the climbing excitement carries the day.

The Boleyn Inheritance

2007-01-29T12:58:00.000-08:00

By Phillipa Gregory

Click here to enter our catalog and place a hold.

Oooh. Such a good book. This one reminds the reader how well this author can take you to a time and place with words. Excellent. Ms. Gregory tells the tale of Henry VIII's fourth and fifth wives. And she does this in such a delicious way. She tells the tale from the women's perspective, the narration goes from Anne of Cleves to Katherine Howard to Lady Jane Rocheford. (Lady Rocheford, you will remember, was the wife of Anne Boleyn's brother). I really got to like and care forAnne of Cleves and felt very sorry for tragic, stupid little Kitty Howard. Oh…and the justice that is served cold to Lady Jane. Such wonderful awfulness. Well-paced, filled with historical tidbits and hard to put down. Better than Constant Princess..better than Queen's Fool and much better than The Virgin's Lover.

Mama Bears says, "Why are you just sitting there? Go get this book!"

Top Five Requested Books in KCKPL's Collection

2007-01-26T07:11:00.000-08:00

White Lies by Jayne Ann Krentz
Plum Lovin' by Janet Evanovich
The Cat Who had 60 Whiskers by Lilian Jackson Braun
Free Fall by Fern Michaels
Exile by Richard North Patterson

To enter our catalog and place a hold, click on a title.

Top Five Requested Books Coming Soon to KCKPL's Collection

2007-01-26T07:03:00.000-08:00

Step on a Crack by James Patterson
I Heard That Song Before by Mary Higgins Clark
Sisters by Danielle Steel
High Profile by Robert Parker
Fresh Disasters by Stuart Woods

To enter our catalog and place a hold, click on a title.

A Boy, A Dragon, and some coffee

2007-01-25T06:35:00.000-08:00

Join us Thursday, February 1st at 10AM at Scooter's Coffeehouse at the Legends for our next book discussion group. We'll chat about Eragon by Christopher Paolini.

The Outdoorsman has already read Eragon. Click here for his review.

Who Killed the Electric Car?

2007-01-22T06:49:00.000-08:00

Directed by Christopher Paine

Click here to enter our catalog and place a hold on this documentary.

In the mid-1990s, General Motors produces cars that run solely on electricity. The cars found a market in California garnering glowing recommendations from people like Tom Hanks, Mel Gibson, and Alexandra Paul. But in 2004, GM recalls all of the electric cars and systematically destroys them. Why?

In Who Killed the Electric Car? Christopher Paine examines the demise of the electric car. He presents the promotion of the vehicles with extensive interviews with car sellers, scientists, and every day car drivers who fell in love with the car. He presents footage from the federal government, the big oil companies, and the automakers all of which present arguments to why the car would fail.

I found this documentary captivating. Paine examines all role players in the electric car argument and gives a vote of guilt or innocence to all concerned. The documentary takes us to the present where the car market now includes hybrid vehicles. But, if I am allowed to make one declarative statement based solely on this film, it’s this: I will never see in my lifetime the hydrogen car that George Bush promised in a State of the Union address a few years ago.

Meanwhile, seeing the cars depicted in Paine’s film promoted by the people who enjoyed driving them was real and intriguing. Who killed the electric car? Watch this film and decide for yourself.

She's Such a Geek!

2007-01-18T06:53:00.000-08:00

By Annalee Newitz & Charlie Anders

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When people think of scientists and computer programmers, the stereotypical image is a nerdy white man. But what about the nerdy *women* who are drawn to those fields?

She's Such a Geek is a collection of essays written by women who are in the male-dominated fields of science and computers. Some essays are funny, some are poignant and some are filled with anger. Some are success stories and some are from women who gave up in frustration. But all of them give the reader an insight into the angst of growing up female with an interest in areas that are still considered "unfeminine". And all are very readable. You won't need to know anything technical to enjoy this book.

When the authors got the idea for the book, they emailed friends and colleagues asking if they knew any women who were interested in writing essays for it. The emails got passed around, written up on blogs and generated widespread interest on the internet. The result was over 200 submissions. Winnowed down to a final 24, the essays in She's Such a Geek represent women of all ages, backgrounds and interests. In our post-feminist world, we sometimes take for granted all of the opportunities available to women in the working world. This book reminds us in a very personal way that the struggle continues.

Good Poems for Hard Times

2007-01-16T10:54:00.000-08:00

by Garrison Keillor

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The host of the radio show A Prairie Home Companion relays his love of poetry in this anthology. Some of the poems Keillor has recited on air. And even though the topics of the poems are simple and routine, would you expect anything else from a man who makes a simple hometown life a wondrous thing to behold?

Top Five Requested Books in KCKPL's Collection

2007-01-12T11:50:00.000-08:00

Plum lovin' by Janet Evanovich
Shadow Dance by Julie Garwood
Ravenscar Dynasty by Barbara Taylor Bradford
The Cat who had 60 Whiskers by Lilian Jackson Braun
Stalemate by Iris Johansen

To enter our catalog and place a hold, click on a title.

Top Five Requested Books Coming Soon to KCKPL's Collection

2007-01-12T11:43:00.000-08:00

I Heard That Song Before by Mary Higgins Clark
Step on a Crack by James Patterson
Sisters by Danielle Steel
Fresh Disasters by Stuart Woods
High Profile by Robert Parker

To enter our catalog and place a hold, click on a title.

Beauty Junkies: Inside Our $15 Billion Obsession with Cosmetic Surgery

2007-01-10T06:32:00.000-08:00

By Alex Kuczynski

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The author, a journalist known to indulge in minor cosmetic procedures herself (well, until that unfortunate “lip enhancement” incident), is an excellent choice to cover the explosive growth in cosmetic surgery in America. Hollywood and Park Avenue surgeons using their artistry on celebrities, quacks causing cosmetic mayhem, female friends traveling annually to South Africa to indulge in combination surgery/safari packages: it’s all here. I enjoyed learning more about how modern cosmetic techniques so often derive from reconstructive surgery performed on soldiers maimed in the two world wars . . . but then, quick! Back to Michael Jackson and Jocelyne Wildstein (the New York socialite who had her surgeon “recreate” her to resemble the large cats her straying billionaire husband so admired). A quick, entertaining read segmented in such a way that an eager or time-strapped reader can easily “skip to the best parts.” Or should that be the “most-enhanced” parts?

The Idiot

2007-01-08T06:31:00.000-08:00

By Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Translated by Olga and Henry Carlisle

This exact translation is not available at the library, but other translations of the same work are available. Click here to access our catalog and place a hold.

The Idiot is about a poor prince who suffered from Epilepsy. When he was young, he was taken care of in a clinic in Switzerland but when he got better, he returned to his fatherland in Russia. The setting is pre-Soviet times in the 19th century. There are many phenomenal characters in this novel, but I especially liked “the idiot” Prince Myshkin; that is until the end. The book was kind of like a soap opera, with a lot of drama, but I couldn’t wait to find out what happened to the Prince! They called him an idiot because he was honest and unpretentious, a very good soul. At the end the Prince did something I found very hard to forgive. At the same time, many other characters met their doom or died. I was really saddened and my heart was very heavy after finishing the book; the bad happenings at the end reminded me of listening to the bad news on the television for Kansas City—atrocious! If you are looking for a pick-me-up or a fast read, don’t read this novel. If you want to read a novel with memorable characters (especially about an honest man caught in the middle of bad circumstances) and you don’t get too sentimental over characters, you might like this one.

In My Skin

2007-01-04T07:13:00.000-08:00

by Kate Holden

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There’s something about down-in-the-gutter heroin addiction memoirs that always draw me in. Holden grew up in a loving, middle-class Australian home, but never felt like she quite fit. When she reaches her twenties and sees her friends and her boyfriend start shooting heroin, she joins them. The usual destruction and desperation ensue, with long detours into street prostitution and far more lucrative brothel work, all followed in the end by the hard work of rehabilitation. This is a literate, engrossing memoir (one that seems like it might actually be true!) and it successfully avoids self-pity. I’d like to complain that the focus switches for too long and in too much detail to her work as a prostitute, but the descriptions of the other brothel employees and of the men she encounters are so interesting that only rarely did I stop to think: “Hey, what happened to the drug addiction?” Warning—as you might expect, there are some very explicit passages in this one.

Happy Holidays from BookFix!!

2006-12-19T13:43:00.000-08:00

The BookFix staff would like to say "Happy Holidays" to all of our loyal readers.

We are going to take advantage of our Winter Break and read and review more books for this blog. Look for more reviews to come January 2007!!!

Top Five Requested Books Coming Soon to KCKPL's Collection

2006-12-15T07:33:00.000-08:00

I Heard That Song Before by Mary Higgins Clark
Step on a Crack by James Patterson
Fresh Disasters by Stuart Woods
Sisters by Danielle Steel
High Profile by Robert Parker

To enter our catalog and place a hold, click on a title.

Top Five Requested Books in KCKPL's Collection

2006-12-15T07:26:00.000-08:00

Capital Crimes by Jonathan Kellerman
Brother Odd by Dean Koontz
Next by Michael Crichton
Cross by James Patterson
Shape Shifter by Tony Hillerman

To enter our catalog and place a hold, click on a title.

Metamorphosis

2006-12-13T06:55:00.000-08:00

By Franz Kafka
Translated by Stanley Corngold

This translation is not available in the library. However, there are other translations available. Click here for their availability.

This is the first of Kafka’s books I’ve read. It is a little bit weird in that the main character (Gregor) wakes up one morning as a bug. Gregor has been employed for quite some time as a traveling salesman before this “metamorphosis” and has never missed a day of work before. He is the only person who is employed in his household which consists of his parents and his sister. His absence was so unusual that his supervisor came to the house to check on him. He tries to go to work, thinking the transformation only an illusion or at the most a short-term predicament. However, it is a life long “illness.” Read the rest of the story to discover how Gregor and his family deal with the change.

Eragon

2006-12-11T06:58:00.000-08:00

by Christopher Paolini

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Eragon is the first book of Paolini’s Inheritance Trilogy. It tells the story of a farm boy who discovers a blue sapphire stone only to find out that it’s an egg with a dragon hatchling. The dragon, named Saphira, emerges and Eragon discovers that he can communicate telepathically with it and the bond of friendship between a boy and his dragon begins. While trying to conceal the dragon from his uncle and the his village, the minions of King Galbatorix kills Eragon’s uncle and destroys the uncle’s farm while searching for the dragon. Thus, Eragon and the dragon begin an adventure that starts off with a quest for revenge; but, as the book progresses, Eragon realizes that his destiny extends much, much further.

This book contains many elements that may remind readers of other works. First of all, Eragon begins the story as a farm boy. (Wasn’t Luke Skywalker a farm boy before he began his adventure?) There are creatures called Urgals and a wizard named Brom which may remind the reader of the Orcs and wizard Gandalf, respectively, from Tolkien’s work. Still, Paolini does a masterful job of telling an original story. This book should appeal to all age ranges. The Outdoorsman is looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Eldest.

The BookFix book discussion group will chat about Eragon at our next session at Scooter’s Coffeehouse at the Legend. Come join us on February 1st!!!

Fraternity of the Stone

2006-12-07T07:13:00.000-08:00

By David Morrell

Click here to enter our catalog and place a hold.

A most excellent assassin novel; it grabbed me quickly and wouldn’t let go. Drew MacLane was an assassin for Scalpel, a U.S. government anti-terrorist agency that did not exist. He was an assassin, that is, until something happened and he had second thoughts. To cleanse his soul, Drew became a Carthusian Monk who lived in peace as a hermit for six years. His life as a monk was interrupted when someone assassinated all the monks and staff at the monastery except for him. His life was saved by a mouse (read the book and it will make sense). Were the killers hunting for Drew, or was there a connection with priests that went mysteriously missing and other hits on the Church? And what is the secret Roman Catholic society known as the “Fraternity of the Stone” all about? Find the answers to these questions and others and enjoy a very thoroughly and cleverly written suspense novel.

Oresteia

2006-12-05T06:16:00.000-08:00

By Aeschylus
Translated by Robert Fagles

This translation is not available at the library. However, there are several other translations available. Click here for their availability.

This version of the Oresteia is poetic and not a prosaic one. I quite enjoyed reading it simply because the way it flowed. The Oresteia is the only Greek trilogy of that time that has survived. Originally, there was a fourth book which was a type of comedy intended to soften the affects of the tragedy, but it is lost to posterity. The setting is right after the Trojan War. Agamemnon returns home after all of his fighting only to be murdered by his wife so she could take another lover. Also, she wasn’t very happy about his sacrifice of their daughter to calm the seas for his passage to Troy. Agamemnon’s son (Orestes) vow’s to take revenge upon his mother and her new lover, with the blessing of the god Apollo. Unfortunately, the Eumenides (gorgon like furies of the underworld) take exception to the spilling of a mother’s blood by her son, despite the fact that Apollo gave him the O.K. In the end, Athena appoints a jury of citizens to decide Orestes guilt or innocence. Athena herself is the judge, Apollo the defense, and the Eumenides the prosecution. The Furies threaten that if Orestes is not declared guilty and punished, they will ravage the land. I won’t tell you the end, but even if you know the whole plot, it is definitely worth the time to pick up and read.

Top Five Requested Books Coming Soon to KCKPL's Collection

2006-12-04T06:41:00.000-08:00

Step on a Crack by James Patterson
High Profile by Robert Parker
Shadow Dance by Julie Garwood
Ravenscar Dynasty by Barbara Taylor Bradford
Plum lovin' by Janet Evanovich

To enter our catalog and place a hold, click on a title.

Top Five Requested Books in KCKPL's Collection

2006-12-04T06:35:00.000-08:00

Santa Cruise: A Holiday Mystery at Sea by Mary Higgins Clark
Capital Crimes by Jonathan Kellerman
Cross by James Patterson
Brother Odd by Dean Koontz
Next by Michael Crichton

To enter our catalog and place a hold, click on a title.

Donna Read’s Audiobook Picks

2006-12-01T06:27:00.000-08:00

It’s the holiday season again, and many of us will be loading up the family car to visit faraway relatives. To make a long trip with little Zuzu and Jimmy in the backseat a little more fun, I always pack a few audiobooks. Here are my recommendations for your next road trip. You will find they are not only great stories, but also the lively narration will keep you from spacing out and missing your exit ramp.

Click on a title to enter our catalog and place a hold.

Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
Last year’s Pulitzer Prize winner, it’s a beautiful and intriguing book about family bonds, and also the pick for Kansas City’s United We Read.

Digging to America by Anne Tyler
A funny and warm book that introduces two unforgettable, very different families, and their adventures in adoption. Blair Brown reads with many accents, all pleasing to the ear.

Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
Maybe wait until little Zuzu is asleep to put on wicked, witty Mr. Sedaris, though your belly laughs will surely wake her by mile two.

Finally, for those of us with short attention spans, I recommend Laughs: Fresh Air with Terry Gross. NPR’s famous journalist conducts hilarious interviews with comedians such as Richard Pryor and Tracey Ullman.

Safe and happy driving!

Our December Book Talk

2006-11-30T07:05:00.000-08:00

Join us Thursday, December 7th at Scooter's Coffeehouse at The Legends for our next book talk. We'll chat about Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs.

The Family that Couldn't Sleep: A Medical Mystery

2006-11-29T06:29:00.000-08:00

By D.T. Max

Click here to enter our catalog and place a hold.

Sleep, that knits up Shakespeare's "raveled sleeve of care," is one of the essentials of life, and something most of us take wholly for granted. It is only when someone truly cannot sleep that we realize how absolutely critical sleep is. This book starts with the description of an Italian family (one of forty families worldwide) prone to a rare and devastating inherited illness, Fatal Familial Insomnia. This mysterious illness has afflicted the family for over 200 years, but it is only now, with modern medicine, that the disease is understood to be a kind of prion disease, like the much more famous mad cow disease. Family members live normally for decades, but then, those who have inherited the disease suddenly lose the ability to sleep. Their bodies, deprived of the ability to shut down and rejuvenate, begin to cease working, and they suffer dreadfully and die within a year or so. The book intertwines the story of the discovery of prions and mad cow disease and other related prion diseases in a fascinating and frankly terrifying discussion of the causes and results of these terrible diseases. It makes a quite substantial case that we humans have brought most of these diseases on ourselves by modern agricultural practices, and makes a compelling argument that we are not doing enough to protect ourselves and our food supply.

The Confessor

2006-11-27T07:49:00.000-08:00

by Daniel Silva

Click here to enter our catalog and place a hold.

This is the first book by Daniel Silva that I’ve read and was one of the most interesting newly explored authors in a while. In The Confessor, an Israeli intelligence officer Ben is discovered murdered in his flat. An assassin named Gabriel is sent from Israel to impersonate the dead officer’s brother and discover why and by whom he was killed. The reason is because of a secret Ben was told and was working into his book: a secret that could be devastating to the Roman Catholic Church.

In the Church, a new Pope has been elected, a most unlikely candidate for the Papacy. Neither of two powerful factions of Cardinals could get the person they wanted elected due to a stalemate, so both decided on a “caretaker Pope” as a compromise. Little did they know that this Pope was not afraid to use his power for good, nor was he unskilled at getting what he wanted through sophistry.

Eric Lunde, the cold-hearted assassin of the Israeli agent known as the infamous “Leopard,” was sent to stop Gabriel, and later to cause an international incident that might prove fatal to peace between the Church and the Jews.

The book starts a little slowly, showing different snips of the main characters before fully revealing who they are. However, after the first 50 pages, I got locked into the novel and couldn’t stop reading it. The ending of the novel was atypical but not unfulfilling and I enjoyed this book enough that I will probably pick up another Daniel Silva novel in the future.

America Alone: The End of the World As We Know It

2006-11-20T06:39:00.000-08:00

By Mark Steyn

Click here to enter our catalog and place a hold.

Conservative political columnist Steyn takes on nothing less than the future of Europe, America, and the democratic, liberal ideal of modern Western civilization in this new book. His starting point is simple demographics: What does it mean for the West (and for Westernized nations) that fertility rates among the native inhabitants of countries like Spain, Italy, and Japan have fallen so low that their populations are projected to halve every generation? And what will be the effect in Europe of the much higher birth rates of immigrant Islamic populations? The potential political and cultural ramifications are huge and, Steyn believes, largely overlooked by those currently in power. A thought-provoking (and, since this is Steyn, darkly humorous) look at Europe’s possible future.

Top Five Requested Books in KCKPL's Collection

2006-11-16T06:44:00.000-08:00

Cross by James Patterson
H.R.H by Danielle Steel
Hundred Dollar Baby by Robert Parker
Innocent Man by John Grisham
Dear John by Nicholas Sparks

To enter our catalog and place a hold, click on a title.

Top Five Requested Books Coming Soon to KCKPL's Collection

2006-11-16T06:36:00.000-08:00

Santa Cruise: A Holiday Mystery at Sea by Mary Higgins Clark
Step on a Crack by James Patterson
Capital Crimes by Jonathan Kellerman
Shape Shifter by Tony Hillerman
Brother Odd by Dean Koontz

To enter our catalog and place a hold, click on a title.

Walking in Circles Before Lying Down: A Novel

2006-11-15T06:50:00.000-08:00

by Merrill Markoe

Click here to enter our catalog and place a hold.

Fluff. Granted, the beautiful dog on the cover is what made me pick up this book AND the wonderful idea that someday my pooch might just start chatting with me was intriguing…but this is serious Fluff. When Dawn Tarnauer's boyfriend leaves her for another woman, and as she buries her face in the fur of her dog, for a good cry, Chuck says, "I should have said something before," he laments in a gravelly voice. "Couldn't you smell her on his pants?" Suddenly, all dogs are talking to her making it tough to continue working at the doggy day care with sanity intact. Dawn wavers between thinking she's crazy and being very relieved she has someone she can trust. Oh, and it's not just dogs. There's a host of dysfunctional characters from her sister to her returned ex thrown into the mix, they're quirky and twisted and not fun to read, all the characters are contrived and completely unbelievable. Fluff.

Mama Bear's advice? Pick up Gusewelle's Rufus books or Foster's The Dog who Found Me instead. At least you won't feel like you've stepped in something you have to scrape off your shoe.

I Like You: Hospitality Under The Influence

2006-11-13T06:51:00.000-08:00

by Amy Sedaris

Click here to enter our catalog and place a hold.

I Like You is a book about throwing parties. But it's not your *typical* book about throwing parties. Nope…not this one.

First, you should know that the author (Amy Sedaris) is an actress and comedian. She's a former member of the well-known Second City comedy group. She's also the sister of humorist Dave Sedaris.

What does this mean for you, the reader? It means that even if you never throw a party in your life, you'll STILL want to read this book. Yes, it's packed with the usual good advice (though maybe presented a little oddly), lots and lots of recipes and great visuals. But reading it is like listening to the author doing a stand-up comedy routine about throwing parties. It's wacky, irreverent and shows a slightly skewed sensibility.

If you like humor and you like food, this is a book for you.

Her Smoke Rose Up Forever

2006-11-09T07:17:00.000-08:00

by James Tiptree, Jr.

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James Tiptree, Jr. (the pen name for Alice Sheldon) wrote beautiful, memorable, frightening short stories. Her explorations of gender, biology and science were lifelike and controversial. She caught the eye of everyone in the field, won all of science fiction's major awards AND did it as a man! This short story collection was out of print for many years, and has now been revised with the author's original notes. It is a must-have for science fiction fans, feminists, short story enthusiasts and, well, everyone.

Mama Bear says Read IT!

Map of Bones

2006-11-08T07:02:00.000-08:00

by James Rollins

Click here to enter our catalog and place a hold.

Another fast-paced thriller by James Rollins, this is the first Sigma Force novel, which has already been followed by Black Order. In this first novel, Painter Crowe (from Sandstorm) is no longer a field agent but is a director of operations. All of the characters are new—and very likeable. The main protagonist is Agent Grey, who is leading a field team of two other Sigma Force Operatives and is helped in his quest by a priest and a lady carabinieri lieutenant and a mysterious and unlikely ally from the Guild. The opening of the book sets the historical background on which the map of bones is placed. As you will find out, the quarry is not bones, but a powerful and mystical substance and the way to re-create it. There is also a cool labyrinth and a bang-up ending that makes the end of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade seem wanting. Not only is the fiction in this book entertaining, but at the end of the book Rollins tells where to find more of the facts behind the fiction.

The One Tree: The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, Book Two

2006-11-06T06:34:00.000-08:00

by Stephen R. Donaldson

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In the previous book, The Wounded Land, Thomas Covenant begins a quest to understand why The Land, a place which was once known for magic and healing, is being decimated by The Sunbane, a force that delivers extreme weather in mad succession. In The One Tree, the Sunbane’s origins become clear: The Staff of Law, a source a power which regulated The Land’s laws of nature and weather, was destroyed.

Learning this and also learning that the Evil Lord Foul has control of The Clave, Covenant seeks The One Tree in hopes of creating a new Staff of Law. Linden Avery, a doctor from Covenant’s home world who was transported to The Land with Covenant, learns that, like Covenant, she has acquired powers of healing and possession that may benefit the quest.

Meanwhile, Covenant enlists the aid of a group of Giants, who are impressed with Covenant’s knowledge of Giant culture and history (which was passed to Covenant by the giant Saltheart Foamfollower). Still, Lord Foul’s minions have afflicted Covenant with venom that is designed to drive Covenant to madly use the power of his white gold wedding ring and destroy the Arch of Time which, in turn, would destroy The Land and Covenant’s own world. Linden Avery plays a key role in this second book as she must deliver Covenant from the brink of madness.

The Outdoorsman thinks that Donaldson maintains a consistent storyline here. As stated in previous reviews, the Outdoorsman wonders if Donaldson ever considered making a movie series out of these books. But the reality is no movie director can create the vivid images that Donaldson creates with his writing.

Rex and the City: A Woman, a Man, and a Dysfunctional Dog

2006-11-03T12:33:00.000-08:00

by Lee Harrington

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Readers of The Bark magazine have already met canine adoptee Rex, an English Setter (or is he a French Spaniel?) with tons of energy, a questionable background, and some serious (if hilarious) psychological issues. The magazine columns only whetted this dog-lover’s appetite for more; in Rex and the City, Harrington delivers just that. Determined to rehabilitate their new “child” (no matter how many times he lunges at innocent New York pedestrians or knocks over tables at sidewalk cafes), Harrington and her boyfriend plunge into the sometimes lunatic realms of New York’s dog-crazy denizens. In the process, Harrington finds that life with Rex changes the way she sees herself and her relationships with the people around her. A witty, charming book.

James Tiptree, Jr.: The Double Life of Alice B. Sheldon

2006-11-02T07:11:00.000-08:00

by Julie Phillips

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I discovered James Tiptree, Jr. in 1999, long after she was outed in 1976. Unlike the Sci-Fi community, knowing her wonderful stories were written by a woman, took none of the beauty and spirit and incredible bite out of them. I couldn't wait to get my hands on this biography and I was not disappointed. Ms. Phillips has written an evenhanded, objective yet sympathetic portrait of a deliberately elusive personality: Alice Sheldon (1915–1987) adopted the persona of James Tiptree Jr., became famous in the Sci-Fi world, caused controversy and rubbed literary elbows with the great contemporaries of her time: Robert Silverberg, Harlan Ellison, Ursula Le Guin, Phillip K. Dick, etc. This book tells her story so well. It gives you instant empathy for the poor, little rich girl, makes you envious of her incredible life and makes you want to go out and immediately read (or re-read) her short stories. I recommend this book to anyone that has ever wanted to know more about a woman that chose to be different, chose to go her own way and made our lives richer due to that choice.

Mama Bear loved reading James Tiptree before this bio and if possible, she now loves her even more.

Top Five Requested Books Coming Soon to KCKPL's Collection

2006-11-01T07:22:00.000-08:00

Book of the Dead by Patricia Cornwell
Santa Cruise: a Holiday Mystery at Sea by Mary Higgins Clark
Cross by James Patterson
Step on a Crack by James Patterson
Capital Crimes by Jonathan Kellerman

To enter our catalog and place a hold, click on a title.

Top Five Requested Books in KCKPL's Collection

2006-11-01T07:17:00.000-08:00

Hundred Dollar Baby by Robert Parker
Short Straw by Stuart Woods
Motor Mouth by Janet Evanovich
Lisey's Story by Stephen King
The Collectors by David Baldacci

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The Wounded Land, The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, Book One

2006-10-30T06:31:00.000-08:00

by Stephen R. Donaldson

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The Wounded Land tells the return of Thomas Covenant to The Land, a place of both magic and peril. Whereas ten years have passed in Covenant’s world, many centuries have passed in The Land. And many changes have taken place. The evil Lord Foul, who was soundly defeated by Covenant during his last adventure, has regained power. Foul unleashes the Sunbane, a force the deliberately corrupts the Land’s Laws of Nature delivering rain, drought, fertility, and pestilence in mad succession. The Sunbane has already destroyed some forests in The Land and threatens to destroy every form of life as it intensifies. Traveling with Covenant is Linden Avery, a medical doctor from Covenant’s real world who was drawn into the Land with Covenant.

Seeing the desperation of the people of The Land, Covenant makes it his quest to understand the nature of the Sunbane. He sets off to visit the Clave, lore-masters who very clearly understand the Sunbane and use it for their advantage. But, of course, Lord Foul has other plans. Foul dispatches his Ravers to afflict Covenant with venom that will drive the wearer of the white gold ring mad with power. As the quest continues, Covenant encounters ghosts from the Land’s past including Saltheart Foamfollower who gives Covenant an enigmatic creature named Vain.

Donaldson writes another good fantasy adventure here. And this time Donaldson concedes the fact that perhaps Covenant won’t be the sole hero. Linden Avery plays a key role in the second trilogy. Furthermore, it appears to The Outdoorsman that Donaldson has afforded Covenant a wider spectrum of emotions in The Wounded Land. In the first trilogy, Covenant was the reluctant hero. At the start of this second trilogy, Covenant not only has to restore The Land he once knew, he has to convince the people of the present-day Land that there is hope.

The Memory of our Next Book Discussion Group

2006-10-27T06:40:00.000-07:00

Join us Thursday, November 2nd at 10AM at Scooter's Coffeehouse at The Legends as we will talk about The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards.

All book lovers are invited!!!

The Quest for Merlin

2006-10-25T10:20:00.000-07:00

by Nikolai Tolstoy

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Nikolai Tolstoy, I believe is a descendent of the famous Leo Tolstoy (the author of War and Peace) which is one of the reasons I wanted to read The Quest for Merlin for our online book club. I really enjoyed the book because it introduced me to many Celtic myths and legends regarding Merlin that I was totally unaware of. It also draws upon a rich storehouse of resources including The History of the Kings of Britain and many very antiquated poems attributed to Merlin.

Tolstoy is convinced that Merlin did indeed exist as an historical figure in the 6th. century. He attempts to substantiate this through the many sources listed above and the proofs of other historical figures mentioned in association with Merlin. Tolstoy also points out to the reader various places within the writings where and at what times the story was corrupted by additions and redactions, in many cases done so to incorporate legends of Merlin into a more seamless whole, and in other cases to change Merlin and his surroundings to a more Christianized version.

If you want to know more about the book, you might like to read the posts from our online book club. You can join it by emailing us at west_history_book_club@yahoo.com. (In our email address, the spaces between the words are underlines, if you decide to type the address. )

The Ballad of Frankie Silver

2006-10-19T11:11:00.000-07:00

By Sharyn McCrumb

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McCrumb excels both at funny contemporary mysteries and at moody, richly-atmospheric tales set in the Appalachians. This book falls into the latter category. It weaves together the stories of a modern-day murder and the legendary murder immortalized in an actual ballad about Frankie Silver. Be sure to examine the cover carefully. McCrumb was on site when the cover photo was shot, a picture of the real Charlie Silvers’ THREE graves.

Persian Fire

2006-10-18T12:30:00.000-07:00

by Tom Holland

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This is the second book on ancient Persian History that I’ve read, the other being History of the Persian Empire by A. T. Olmstead. Although Olmstead’s book is broader in scope, I found Persian Fire easier to follow and keep the main characters in the book straight. I also enjoyed how Holland used vernacular in describing some of the battle scenes, making it more fresh and imaginable. I feel that I retained much more of the book than I have of other history books for this reason. Persian Fire is also a more balanced book in that 50% of it deals with the Persians and 50% with the Greeks. At first I was a little disappointed that it dealt so much with Greek history, since I picked it up because I was much more interested in the history of Persia. After reading the book, though, I gained much more interest in Greek history. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to know some background on ancient Persia and Greece and/or about the Peloponnesian War. Tom Holland is also the author of Rubicon.

Top Five Requested Books Coming Soon to KCKPL's Collection

2006-10-13T07:51:00.000-07:00

Book of the Dead by Patricia Cornwell
Santa Cruise: A Holiday Mystery at Sea by Mary Higgins Clark
Cross by James Patterson
Capital Crimes by Jonathan Kellerman
H. R. H. by Danielle Steel

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Top Five Requested Books in KCKPL's Collection

2006-10-13T07:42:00.000-07:00

Short Straw by Stuart Woods
Motor Mouth by Janet Evanovich
Echo Park by Michael Connelly
The Innocent Man by John Grisham
Fool Me Once by Fern Michaels

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The Power That Preserves: The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever Book Three

2006-10-13T07:03:00.000-07:00

By Stephen R. Donaldson

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Thomas Covenant is summoned to the Land for a third time. This time Lena’s former lover Triock and the giant Saltheart Foamfollower summon The Unbeliever. Seven years have passed since Covenant’s last adventure and things have grown worse for this place that was once known for its beauty and benevolent healing powers. The Despiser Lord Foul is spreading his evil throughout The Land and the people of the Land believe that only Covenant and his white gold wedding ring can save them.

Foamfollower, Triock, and Covenant begin a journey to Foul’s Creche to confront Foul. They encounter many challenges along the way including Covenant’s battle with Elena, Covenant’s daughter whose spirit was commandeered by Lord Foul. Covenant defeats Elena and destroys the Staff she carries while still not completely understanding how he summoned the magical powers from his white gold ring. This, of course, sets up the final showdown between Covenant and Lord Foul.

The Outdoorsman didn’t enjoy this book as much as the first two books in the trilogy. However, I have to acknowledge the loyalty that exists between Thomas Covenant and Saltheart Foamfollower. Covenant appreciates the culture of the Giants and also learns to respect the Giants’ love of stories. This absorption of Giant culture will serve Covenant in his adventures during the second trilogy. The Outdoorsman also admires Foamfollower’s dedication to Covenant even to the point he pays the ultimate price for Covenant’s survival.

A Furnace Afloat: The Wreck of the Hornet and the Harrowing 4,300-mile Voyage of Its Survivors

2006-10-11T12:33:00.000-07:00

by Joe Jackson

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Excellent disaster-at-sea chronicle. A moment’s carelessness turns the clipper ship Hornet into an inferno and leaves the crew and passengers adrift with totally inadequate food and water rations. Jackson’s historical narrative brings out loads of dissension and simmering arguments in the midst of appalling physical suffering. Not nearly as well-promoted, but almost as good as Nathaniel Philbrick’s much-honored In the Heart of the Sea.

Top Five Requested Books Coming Soon to KCKPL's Collection

2006-10-09T12:14:00.000-07:00

Book of the Dead by Patricia Cornwell
Santa Cruise: A Holiday Mystery at Sea by Mary Higgins Clark
Cross by James Patterson
Capital Crimes by Jonathan Kellerman
H. R. H. by Danielle Steel

Click on a title to enter our catalog and place a hold.

Top Five Requested Books in KCKPL's Collection

2006-10-09T12:03:00.000-07:00

Motor Mouth by Janet Evanovich
Ricochet by Sandra Brown
Fool Me Once by Fern Michaels
Fear of the Dark by Walter Mosley
She Ain't the One by Carl Weber and Mary Morrison

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BookFix Book Discussion, Thursday, October 5th

2006-10-05T11:57:00.000-07:00

About 14 people attended our discussion on Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes. The Computer Lab Guy toted his camera to the book talk. To view a slide show he assembled, simply click on the picture below.

Join us for our November book talk when we will discuss The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards.

The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: a Memoir

2006-10-04T07:28:00.000-07:00

by Bill Bryson

This memoir will be available in October, but I was lucky enough to get my hands on an advanced copy earlier this summer through super-secret means (Donna Read has her ways).

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You either love Bill Bryson or you hate him. Whether he’s trudging along the Appalachian Trail with whiny, beer-swilling college buddy Katz or uncovering the colorful history of our nation’s language, Bryson blends his vivid, journalistic prose with an acerbic wit that will either repel you or leave you gripping your side with laughter. Bryson was criticized by many for the disparaging portrait of his hometown of Des Moines in his book The Lost Continent. But even if you were misled by Bryson’s writing the first time around, you might want to give his new book a try. The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid is a warmhearted and fascinating look at childhood in 1950s Des Moines. In equal measures Bryson describes American life in the optimistic fifties and his own boyhood adventures, masquerading as a superhero known as the Thunderbolt Kid, who zaps condescending adults and bullying peers.

Whether you grew up in the fifties or not, you might be surprised at some of the facts Bryson uncovers, from chilling (the random disappearance of “communist” citizens) to chintzy (radioactive “self-cleaning” toilet seats ranked among the decade’s greater innovations). And don’t worry; Bryson packs in plenty of hilarious personal anecdotes as well, involving fireworks, “toity” jars, and perhaps the greatest high school beer scam Des Moines has ever known.

If you like Bryson’s travelogues, you might also enjoy Tim Cahill’s A Wolverine is Eating my Leg.

Dog is My Co-Pilot: Great Writers on the World's Oldest Friendship

2006-10-03T10:41:00.000-07:00

by the Editors of Bark Magazine

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Ahhh. This book is chock full of wonderful essays and stories and personal memoirs of dogs and the people who love them. There are different pieces by Ann Patchett, Margaret Cho, Carolyn Chute, Alice Elliott Dark, Pam Houston, Erica Jong, Caroline Knapp, Charles Siebert, Elizabeth Marshall Thomas, and Alice Walker. In selections that are funny, poignant, truthful, surprising, and uplifting, this book is definitely for anyone who loves great writing and loves dogs. A must read for any dog lover.

Mama Bear likes! I laughed, I cried, I am buying my own copy. These stories validate all the amounts of time, affection and untold amounts of money for pig ears over the years.