We are in the Dog Days of Summer, my friends….but do we know what that actually means?
According to The Farmer’s Almanac, which is one of the most remarkably founts of helpful, random, and utterly bizarre trivia, the “dog days of summer” are not just those days when we’re all too hot and weary and sluggish to get going–nor is it that it is so hot that dogs go crazy, which was a rumor I had never heard until now. The phrase actually describes the period of time when the Sun occupies the same region of the sky as Sirius, the brightest star visible from any part of Earth. Sirius, which is part of the constellation Canis Major, the Greater Dog, is also known as the Dog Star. As The Farmer’s Almanac explains:
In the summer, Sirius rises and sets with the Sun. On July 23rd, specifically, it is in conjunction with the Sun, and because the star is so bright, the ancient Romans believed it actually gave off heat and added to the Sun’s warmth, accounting for the long stretch of sultry weather. They referred to this time as diēs caniculārēs, or “dog days.”
Thus, the term “Dog Days of Summer” came to mean the 20 days before and 20 days after this alignment of Sirius with the Sun — July 3 to Aug. 11.
Those same ancient Romans believed that it was the combination of Sirius and the Sun which made this particular period of time so scorchingly hot–the truth is that the Earth is tilted in such a way that the Northern Hemisphere receives more direct rays from the Sun.
Regardless, however, it’s hot. And do you know some excellent ways to deal with said heat? First of all, drink lots and lots of water, and wear sunscreen. Second, come on into the Library, absorb some of our fantastic and aggressive AC, and pick out some new books! Seriously, it’s like a Book Refrigerator in here….
And here, to get you started, here are some selections from our staff!
From Upstairs at the Main:
The Dark Fields: Alan Glynn’s 2011 debut is a heady combination of techno-thriller, science fiction adventure, and cautionary tale about a wonder drug that makes the human brain function at perfect capacity. One dose allows a person to access not only all the information they have ever learned, but the tools to put that information to use, making the user not only intelligent and cunning, but attractive and charming. Eddie Spinola is just such a user, and the drug is known as MDT-48. But the more addicted Eddie gets (and his stash continues to dwindle), the more he is hampered by side effects; blackouts, violent episodes, and crippling outbreaks. If he has any hope of surviving, he’s going to have to find more MDT-48…but the journey into the drug’s dark past will turn up far more revelations than Eddie is prepared to find. If this plot sounds familiar, it was made into the blockbuster film Limitless starring Bradley Cooper, as well as a TV show.
Mine Till Midnight: We’re on something of a Lisa Kleypas kick this week–and with good reason. As one of the living legends of the historical romance, Kleypas’ books remain some of the most well-known and best loved books in the genre. In this book, the first in her stellar Hathaways series, Amelia Hathaway has risked a visit to a notorious gentleman’s gaming club in order to entreat the club’s owner, Cam Rohan, to help locate her wastrel brother, Leo. Cam, who is Romani, has no time or patience for English society, or for the milksops who frequent his gaming hell–but one look at Amelia, and Cam knows that he has found his match. The connection between these two protagonists is electric, and their chemistry is utterly delicious. But what makes this book such a success is that the emotional bond that forms between Cam and Amelia is stronger than anything else, and their love is real and tangible throughout this story. Better yet, if you enjoy this book, then be sure to check out all the tales of the Hathaways (particularly Leo’s book, Married by Morning!)
From the Circulation Desk:
In A Dark, Dark, Wood: Ruth Ware’s debut novel has been getting plenty of attention–and with good reason. This tale is taut, creepy, and weirdly haunting, even for those who figure out what is going on before the protagonist. When reclusive crime-writer Leonora (known by some as Lee and by others as Nora) is invited to a remote cabin in the woods for a weekend bachelorette party, her initial reaction is to refuse–not only because she hardly knows anyone on the guest list, but also because the bachelorette in question is a friend she hasn’t seen or spoken to since she was a teenager. Forty-eight hours later, Leonora is in the hospital, alone. She knows something horrible has happened, but she can’t remember all the details–or what her own involvement in the horror might be. Though the final revelations of this book might not be difficult for some to discern, what I found particularly wonderful about this book was the tone that Ware sets. I stayed up until 3am to finish this book, because I couldn’t bear not to know what was going on. When I finally did finish, I was so hyped up that an unexpected noise coming from the air conditioner had me leaping out of bed and running into the wall. I wish I was kidding.
Check back soon for more summer reading picks from your friendly Library staff!