The Pact

The Pact by Jodi Picoult

I am a huge fan of Jodi Picoult and this particular title really hit home. In this heart wrenching story of love and the sometimes painful experience of growing up, Jodi gives the reader an unforgettable experience. Two teenagers make a pact to commit suicide together, but only one goes through with it and the other is charged with murder. As the trial progresses, secrets about the two young teenagers are revealed, and the reader will question what they know to be right and how far they would go for their child. Jodi Picoult is a marvelous story teller and this is by far one of the best experiences I've had with a novel.

Taegen

2666

I'm just starting to read this - sounds like my kind of exciting read - "no novel this year will have as powerful an effect on the reader as this one"!!!

Get in line for your copy NOW!

--psr

Hardly Knew Her: Stories

Laura Lippman's latest collection contains 17 short stories, each of which has a crazy surprise ending. These stories are definitely dark and grisly, featuring young girls on the 'Crack Cocaine Diet' and a soccer mom with a secret double life as a prostitute. While this collection isn't for the faint of heart, those looking for good crime fiction will find it here. Talented narrators and varied characters make the audiobook version a great choice too!

Unfurl your wings

This film was an unexpected joy for me, it was so much more than I had expected. While it is a study, of sorts, of the parrots of Telegraph Hill in San Francisco it is also an exploration of love, freedom and the journeys that can be travelled when we are patient and live without expectations. There are very tender moments in this film, a certain naked triumph of the human soul. I was thouroughly engaged with the off beat beauty of this film. M check it out

Malcolm Gladwell Strikes Again

For those of you who enjoyed The Tipping Point and Blink, Malcolm Gladwell is back with Outliers, a book that means to dispel the myth that success depends on talent. Success, contends Gladwell, is a matter of circumstance, timing, and influence. Had several mothers not purchased a computer for Bill Gates' school, had his age group not been born at just the right time that computers were being developed, had the University of Washington not asked him and his classmates to play with computer programming after school, there would probably be no Microsoft. The grandson of a Jamaican slave, Gladwell writes a fascinating and compelling argument that is both an enlightening and entertaining read.

Nourish and Imagine

This is my all time favorite cookbook. The graphics are lush, and let's face it; who doesn't want a fabulous visual experience when perusing a cookbook. But beyond the look of this book there is an all important message of nourishing food that looks attractive and tastes divine. The ingredients are simple and wholesome, with the exception of a couple that might require a speciality culinary market. What I especially appreciate about these recipes is the ease of preparation, they are fun to make, they do not require heaps of time or intensive skills. Whether you are just exploring the world of whole foods and need some great inspiration or are already a full blown convert pick up this wonderful book and luxuriate while you feed your body. M check it out

Indiana Jones - The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Wow... Indiana Jones! I can't believe it, I've been a fan since it's theatrical release June 12th, 1981. My grandfather took me to see Raiders of the Lost Ark... I was 6, and I was hooked... forever a fan of Dr. Jones!

This film was very fun to watch. The return of Karen Allen as Marion Ravenwood, the addition of Shia LaBeouf as Mutt, and the incredibly villaneous Cate Blanchett as Irina Spalko... the cast held my attention fast to the storyline. The direction of the incredible Steven Spielberg created another world where it seemed that the previous stories occured just moments before... Indy is back.

This film is a great addition to the overall story of Indiana Jones, with great moments of action and comedy. Highly recommended, check it out at your library today!

The Ascent of Money

Weird. We use money, we save money, we love it, hate it and too often we lose it. Oh well. But most histories I read in school leave money out -- perhaps wealth is too embarrassing a subject in America. This book is a fast read, not mathematical at all, and certainly gives force to the old adage: when faced with mystery in human affairs, follow the money!

This has been a popular item since we got it in, so if you're interested, put a hold on it now. -- 'Droid

In Other Rooms, Other Wonders

This wonderful collection of interconnected short stories is one of the best things I brought back from the American Library Association's Midwinter Conference in Denver. It is a beautifully written, subtley crafted collection that offers a glimpse of Pakistani culture viscerally accessible to western readers. Look for it in the catalog and on the shelves at Wilkinson Public Library when it is released in February 2009.

- Sarah Lawton

Meditations by Marcus Aurelius

Request Book Here
"Marcus Aurelius is among the few Roman emperors whose reputation remains very high. A noble, decent fellow, he ruled during difficult times. The popular Meditations is seen as testament that he was not concerned with everlasting fame or personal glory -- and that he was an educated, thoughtful soul. The Meditations is a collection of short pieces, collected in twelve separate books. The pieces range from a few paragraphs in length to single lines. He begins with reflections on what lessons he has taken from relatives, teachers, and friends (e.g.: "From Alexander the Grammarian, not to be captious"). Much of the rest can, indeed, be seen as an exposition on these basic (and often very general) maxims, but Marcus Aurelius also goes considerably further." ~ Source: complete-review.com ... suggested by Ty

John Updike on NPR

There is a wonderful "This I believe" segment by John Updike read by the author. It is a lovely piece, I encourage you to listen.

--M

photo by Nubar Alexanian

Black Elk Speaks

Request Book Now

"What is the enduring attraction to the book? More than a simple record of historical events, it describes a series of detailed visions Black Elk had about the dark future of his people under European civilization, and the spiritual burden he felt as a result. From his part in the battle at Wounded Knee to his meeting of Queen Victoria, Black Elk's life is one of those bizarre bridging of cultures that could only have happened in the modern era. The book can be read as a work of comparative religion or anthropology, but it is Black Elk's mystical powers and the very spiritual worldview of his people that we focus on here. "

~ Source: 50 Spiritual Classics: 50 Great Books of Inner Discovery, Enlightenment and Purpose,Tom Butler-Bowdon (London & Boston: Nicholas Brealey) ... suggested by Ty

White Ghost Girls

An intimate portrait of two American sisters growing up in China during the Vietnam war.

Check it out

Do Cats Hear with Their Feet?

Great new book about cats.
In the Non-fiction section:
636.8 PAG
Hold your copy today!