I don’t know about you, dear patrons, but it feels like it’s been a really long week. I’ve been snowed on, rained on, discovered holes in the soles of my shoes that I never knew existed…and that’s only the beginning.
You know what this calls for?
A blanket fort.
Thankfully, the interwebs has provided yet another list of Do’s and Dont’s for Blanket Fort Construction–which specifically states that Blanket Forts go better with books. And, if your feeling really ambitious, take a look a this...the world’s largest blanket fort, made by Challenge12, Big Box Education, North London Collegiate School, Benchmark Scaffolding and Mace Group in London last summer:
Can you imagine the sheer number of books you could fit in a 3,304 square foot fort?!
Here are a few titles to get you started, selected from the new books that clambered up onto the library shelves this week. Come in and find some to stock your blanket fort for a lovely restorative weekend!
Tuesday Nights in 1980: For all you who remember hammer pants and shoulder pads–get ready. Molly Prentiss has crafted a tale of lost souls and fortuitous meetings, set in SoHo at the opening of the 1980s, bringing together a synesthetic art critic, and an exiled Argentinian painter and revolutionary. Both men are wandering, somewhat aimlessly, through the New York art scene, until they are brought together by the arrival of a stunning woman and a lonely orphan, who help these two men rediscover themselves, and begin to change them irrevocably. I am in loved with the brilliantly-colored cover of this book, and there are a number of critics and readers who are equally as enamored of the words between those covers; Booklist gave this one a starred review, saying: “An agile, imaginative, knowledgeable, and seductive writer, Prentiss combines exquisite sensitivity with unabashed melodrama to create an operatic tale of ambition and delusion, success and loss, mystery and crassness…she also tenderly illuminates universal sorrows, “beautiful horrors,” and lush moments of bliss. In all, a vital, sensuous, edgy, and suspenseful tale of longing, rage, fear, compulsion, and love.”
The Last Painting of Sara de Vos: The enduring hero of Dominic Smith’s latest novel is actually a painting that spans four centuries and brings together two remarkably talented and passionate women. In Amsterdam in 1631, Sara de Vos becomes the first woman to be admitted as a master painter to the city’s Guild of St. Luke, and defies all convention and tradition by refusing to paint indoor subjects, and instead paints the portrait of a young girl standing by a window. Nearly three hundred years later, in New York of 1957, young and hungry art student Ellie Shipley agrees to paint a forgery of Sara de Vos’ painting in order to help her wealthy patron dupe an art dealer…but it is a choice that will come back to haunt Ellie later in life, threatening to expose all the secrets she has so carefully hidden away. I am fascinated by books that use words to describe the visual–like the painting at the center of this story, and it would seem that Smith has mastered that unique art in this book. Kirkus gave this novel a starred review, hailing, “This is a beautiful, patient, and timeless book, one that builds upon centuries and shows how the smallest choices—like the chosen mix for yellow paint—can be the definitive markings of an entire life.”
Cold Barrel Zero: Former journalist Matthew Quirk’s debut novel was an international hit, and is currently being developed as a major motion picture–and, just in time for your weekend, his second thriller is being hailed as a sure-fire hit, feature two men who were once close as brothers–but now are caught in a desperate game of cat and mouse. Special Operative John Hayes went rogue on a deep-cover mission and betrayed his own comrades, and is now trying to return to his wife and daughter before launching his final revenge. The only man who can stop him is Thomas Byrne, a former combat medic who fought by Hayes’ side. As their quests bring them treacherously closer, both men will be forced to consider–and re-consider–whom they can really trust, in a world where the rules are constantly changing. Publisher’s Weekly loved this book, cheering, “Quirk goes flat-out explosive in this superior military adventure novel. . . . There’s plenty of cool cutting-edge technology, but in the end it comes down to action, and the riveting battle scenes are among the best in the business. Readers will look forward to seeing more of the skilled and deadly John Hayes.”
The Story of Kullervo: There’s always a risk in publishing a dead author’s unpublished works–the stuff that probably was never meant to see the light of day. On the one hand, there is an uncomfortable invasion of privacy that need to be considered, but, for scholars and dedicated readers, these pieces can immeasurably add to an author’s legend and cannon. The latter seems to be the case with this ‘previously unpublished’ story by the great J.R.R. Tolkien. Dedicated fans will see inklings of The Silmarillion here, as the ugly, sharp, and magical Kullervo, son of Kalervo launches on a plan of revenge against the magician who destroyed his family and his life. This copy of the story includes a forward and introduction by Verlyn Flieger, who transcribed this work from Tolkien’s original manuscripts. Booklist said of this work–considered the foundation of many of Tolkien’s fantasy novels–“The tale blends Tolkien’s trademark prose and epic poetry, and it is fascinating to catch this tantalizing glimpse into his brilliant mind . . .Will please readers who wish to unveil how Tolkien’s creative process evolved.”
The Rise of the Rocket Girls: Many of us grew up hearing about America’s Space Race, and the impressive brains that made it all possible…but no textbook ever told you about the women who worked at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Amazon’s reviewer mentions that they invented the pant suit…le sigh. These women were some of the brightest minds of their generation, consistently broke down barriers, not only in their workplace but in academia, and Nathalia Holt has at last put their story on the page in a tale that Library Journal says “seamlessly blends the technical aspects of rocket science and mathematics with an engaging narrative, making for an imminently readable and well-researched work.”. Now…once and for all…who says women can’t do math?
Until next week, dear patrons–happy reading!