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Staff Picks August 2015 (1.7MB)
Staff Picks August 2015 (1.7MB)
AUGUST FEATURE
Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee. Some good stories will hide away
for decades until their time is right. Now
is the time for this one. Watchman is a
beautiful, haunting story that is neither a
sequel nor a prequel to Harper Lee’s only
other novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. It stands
alone in its depiction of Jean Louise “Scout” Finch’s return
to Maycomb after years away. From the cheerful childhood
flashbacks that inspired Mockingbird to the gut-wrenching
discovery that heroes are human, Watchman is a poignant
look at one woman’s journey home. – Hilary WartingerNONFICTION & MORE
Independence Lost: Lives on the Edge of the American Revolution by Kathleen DuVal. For those whose knowledge
of the American
Revolution revolves
around the Northeast,
Independence Lost will
be an eye-opener. Du-
Val uses several personal
accounts to trace the Revolution’s path
in the Gulf Coast, a region neglected in
traditional histories. The varied narratives
exemplify the thesis that 1776 marked
the start of a global conflict. ~ Nate
George 
Barefoot to Avalon by David Payne. This
is a painful, poignant
recollection of the past
20 years of the author’s
life. There is so much
within the story of a
brother facing the deteriorating
mental health
of his sibling that resonates, breaks one’s
heart, and challenges us to pay attention,
stand back, and do the right thing,
even when it is the most difficult path.
I can’t seem to get this book out of my
mind. ~ Barbara Morrow 
No-Churn Ice Cream by Leslie Bilderback. On the heels of her
wildly popular Mug
Cakes comes the
easiest way
to make
ice cream and other frozen
delights at home. These
recipes are a breeze
to make and are absolutely
delectable. ~ Sarah Donner
Avenue of Spies by Alex Kershaw. Dr.
Summer Jackson was
the chief surgeon at the
American Hospital in
Paris during the German
occupation. After
observing the everescalating
levels of Nazi brutality, Dr.
Jackson became directly involved in an
underground network that smuggled imperiled
people to safety in Spain and Great
Britain. This is a moving testimony to the
power of the human spirit. ~ Alden Graves 
Fish Ladder by Katharine Norbury. This is a wonderful
mix of memoir,
travelogue, and nature
journal. Using nature
and place as a meditative
aid, Norbury takes us
on journeys from the
sea and along rivers, hoping that she
will be drawn to their source. She uses
these excursions as a way to cope with
grief, tapping into the power of nature
to heal. Beautifully written and a joy to
read. ~ Becky Doherty 
Getting Schooled: The Reeducation of an American Teacher by Garret Keizer. A retired English teacher
returns to a Vermont
classroom for a oneyear
substituting gig.
He must adjust to a new educational
landscape where a former student is now
his principal, research projects are completed
online, and overhead projectors
are everywhere. Keizer’s anxiety over
his students’ need for reading support
makes this humorous memoir possible
to identify with. ~ Bonnie Winchester 
The End of Absence by Michael Harris. My children will not remember
what the world
was like without the Internet;
therefore, they won’t know what
has been lost. Michael Harris simply calls
it absence. A combination of brain science,
cultural history, and personal reflection,
The End of Absence is a fascinating read
for those concerned about a world of
constant connectedness. ~ Stan Hynds SADLY OVERLOOKED
Mastering My Mistakes in the Kitchen: Learning to Cook with 65 Great Chefs and Over 100 Delicious Recipes
by Dana Cowin with Julia Turshen. Cowin,
the editor-in-chief of Food
& Wine magazine, freely
admits that she is a so-so
cook. Most meals became
a culinary disaster for her.
This cookbook takes us into the kitchen
with 65 chefs who offer her (and us)
invaluable advice, nifty tips and, most
importantly, the techniques for confidence
in the kitchen. ~ Sarah Donner 
The Eden Hunter by Skip Horack. This remarkable novel
follows the adventures of
Kau, an African pigmy
stolen into slavery. After
escaping from his owner in
Georgia, Kau flees through
the dangerous Florida wilderness, finally
arriving at a dilapidated fort manned by
black men who have been recruited by
the British to fight in the War of 1812.
This is easily one of the most rousing
and genuinely inspiring books I have
read in years. ~ Alden Graves GRAPHIC NOVEL FOR KIDS
Baba Yaga's Assistant by Marika McCoola and Emily Carroll. Who’s Baba Yaga, you ask? Think of a very old witch
with a Russian background, who likes to eat children for dinner. In this debut graphic novel, we get to see how
Masha performs all sorts of tests to become the witch’s assistant. With fantastic illustrations by Emily Carroll,in
this book folklore, magic and the real world intermingle beautifully. Read and enjoy! ~ Adriana Gómez Piccolo FICTION
Circling the Sun by Paula McLain. This richly drawn novel
pulls the reader into
the unconventional life
of Beryl Markham. In
the bohemian expat
community of Kenya
in the 1920s, she falls
in love with Denys Finch Hatton, longtime
lover of Karen Blixen, the author of
Out of Africa. This ill-fated love triangle
would shape Beryl’s destiny and lead
her to become the first woman to fly
solo across the Atlantic. ~ Jen Canfield 
Woman with a Secret by Sophie Hannah. A highly tense psychological
thriller. Nicki
Clements has a secret
that she’s prepared to
lie about to everyone.
But her web of lies
draws around her like a noose and she
finds herself accused of a murder she did
not commit. She will have to finally tell
the truth, but at this point, will anyone
believe her? I dare you to put this book
down! ~ Becky Doherty 
The Night Stages by Jane Urquhart. Moody and nuanced as
an Irish mist, this story
follows the emotional
lives of several characters
whose lives intersect.
The novel roams
from a remote Irish
village to an airport in Newfoundland
and various places in between. Fascinating.
~ Karen Frank 
No. 4 Imperial Lane by Jonathan Weisman. This assured
debut shifts between
punk scene of 1980s
England and Africa
in the 1970s, at the
bloody end of Portuguese
colonial rule. The
author perfectly evokes two fascinating
eras, while crafting an intricate and often
funny tale of family, healing, and
redemption. ~ Rachel Person 
In Another Country: Selected Stories by David Constantine. A body surfaces
to haunt an old
man. A lonely poet has
his world upended by
a knock on the door.
A hike to a cave tests
old lovers. Constantine’s work has been
likened to Alice Munro and Ian McEwan
and he sits comfortably alongside those
masters. This book is a joyous discovery. ~ Reviewed by Charles Bottomley
Compulsion by Allison Brennan. Brennan writes from
various perspectives,
giving readers different
insights as to what is
occurring. Max Revere,
a journalist, is set on
discovering the truth
whether or not those around her actually
believe her theories. Digging through
sources and piecing together scattered
information is only part of what gets
her into trouble and the people in her
life prove to mean far more to her than
she could have ever expected.
~ Nikki Grossfeld 
Armada by Ernest Cline. No one
expects 18-year-old
Zach Lightman’s skill at
video games to get him
very far in life, including
Zach himself until
a flying saucer straight
from his favorite game
shows up out his window. What follows
is an action packed novel that is equal
parts thrilling adventure and a love letter
to nerd culture. A must read for anyone
who loves video games or science fiction.
~ Hilary Wartinger 
Broken Promise by Linwood Barclay. Barclay manages
to write a detailed
sequence of various
scenes, as he jumps
from case to case.
Promise Falls, a small
town, is made smaller
when complicated and unexpected relationships
are discovered – almost too
late. David, a former reporter, decides
to take the investigation into his own
hands in order to help out his family,
but what he discovers is not what he’s
expecting. ~ Nikki Grossfeld GRAPHIC NOVEL
In Search of Lost Time: Swann's Way by Marcel Proust & Stephane Heuet. The greatest
novel you never thought you’d ever read
has been turned into a gorgeous feast for
the eyes by Stephane Heuet. Beautiful
line-drawings bring Proust’s belle epoque
childhood to life. Even a
hundred years later, the
madeleine muncher has
plenty to tell us about
love, society and snobbery.
~ Charles Bottomley NEW PAPERBACK
I Am China
by Xiaolu Guo. A book
that ingeniously explores
modern China through
the translated love letters
of an exiled political dissident
and the woman
he loves. Guo creates a
literary landscape where
love and language are inextricably bound
to one another over decades of upheaval
and change. ~ Cheryl Cornwell
The Secret Place
by Tana French. Holly
Mackey turns up with
a piece of evidence from
an old case. A year ago,
Chris Harper was murdered,
his body found
on the property of the
girls’ boarding school. Eight girls are at
the heart of Detective Steven Moran’s
investigation, but no one is willing to
provide any information. Truly a story
of friendship as well as a mystery.
~ Amelia Stymacks
Miss Emily
by Nuala O'Connor. A paperback
original. This is
a lovely quiet novel with
characters to match.
Wonderful touches of
historical domesticity
and a smooth storyline
with just enough
tension to keep the reader interested.
A truly comforting read. ~ Karen Frank
The Girls of August
by Anne Rivers Siddons. Put this novel at
the top of your “beach
reads” pile. Three best
friends, whose husbands
were in medical school
together, spend two
weeks at a luxurious
beach house with a fourth doctor’s young,
beautiful third wife. The snarkiness alone
kept me chuckling throughout, but the
book also explores themes of friendship,
loyalty, and acceptance. ~ Gail King
Almost Famous Women: Stories
by Megan Mayhew Bergman. The author’s
second collection
of short stories is the
next book you need
to read. Independent
women at the edges
of society take center
stage in these beautifully told stories.
~ Mary Allen
