Summer may be winding down, dear readers, but, judging by the forecast, at any rate, there is still plenty of time to get out with, or hide away with, a good book or film…or come into the Library to find one to take with you on your end-of-August adventures.

We here at the Library are never tired of talking about books (I mean, goodness knows I’m not!), so here is another installment of some of our picks for summer, in the hopes that they inspire you to try a new literary or cinematic adventure soon!

From the Circulation Desk:

Sing Street: There are very, very few things in the world that make flying any easier, but I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to watch this film on a recently flight, and was utterly enthralled with it.  Set in Dublin in the 1980’s, the plot centers around 14-year-old Conor, who is trying–and generally failing–to adapt to his parents’ failing marriage, his family’s increasing financial troubles, and his new ‘inner city’ parochial school, which is a haven for bullies of both the adult and child variety.  But when he sees a girl sitting on the steps across the way from the school yard, nothing else matters.  He convinces her that he is in a band, and that she should star in their next music video–and then is faced with the daunting prospect of actually forming a band and writing a song.  Though funny and quirky in the way of some of the best independent films, this is also a really touching story.  I loved that Raphina, Conor’s lady-love, wasn’t merely a coatrack on which he hung his dreams, but her own person, with faults and dreams and drive.  I loved the relationship between Conor and his older brother–the fact that the film is dedicated “to brothers everywhere” will give you an idea of where the real heart of this picture lies.  And the music, costumes, and references were a pitch-perfect homage to the overkill and relentless energy of the 1980’s.

Falling Glass:  I have such a soft spot in my heart for Adrian McKinty’s Sean Duffy novels, so I decided to try out one of his stand-alone novels in order to tide myself over.  This book follows Killian, a Pavee (also known as a Traveller or, more derogatorily, a ‘gypsy’), and ex-enforcer for the IRA, who is trying, very hard, to make a go at an honest living for himself–until he gets a call from Richard Coulter, a phenomenally wealthy man with a phenomenally private problem–his ex-wife Rachel has ignored their custody agreement and disappeared with Coulter’s young daughter.  All signs point to Rachel being an emotionally unstable drug-addict, but it isn’t long after taking the case that Killian begins to realize that there is far more to this search than he first assumed.  This book is fully of McKinty’s trademark understated emotion and subtle insight, along with some wonderful descriptions of those people whose lives are lived outside the normal spotlights of fiction.  There is also a scene set in Hampton Beach that is guaranteed to make local readers chuckle for any number of reasons.  PS: Killian is colleagues (friends?) with Michael Forsythe, another formidible McKinty creation, and this book ties in well with the world of those novels, though it won’t spoil much for those who haven’t got there yet.

From the Reference Desk:

The Return of the Native: The Library’s Classics Book Group selected this book as one of our reads earlier this year, and became a novel that inspired a very healthy amount of discussion, debate, and opinion.  This novel, which remains among Thomas Hardy’s most well-known, is both a tribute to the people of Cornwall–as evidenced by his very heavy use of local dialects, slang–and to its traditions.  The book opens with the arrival of Diggory Venn, a reddleman (someone who sells the dye with which shepherds mark their sheep), a man whose presence sets in progress a series of tragedies, farces, and cunning deceits, which are all told in a wonderfully human way.  Though Hardy was writing during the Victorian period, you don’t get the same preachy moralizing here that you do with so many other writers of the time.  His characters are selfish and mean-spirited and downright cruel at times–but they also have the ability to grow and to change, for better and for worse.  And it’s the way in which they all interact and influence each other’s lives that makes this book so compelling–and, sometimes, so challenging.

From The Offices Upstairs:

Fire of the Raging Dragon: Political thriller master Don Brown’s 2012 novel not only features “ripped from the headlines” kind of drama, but also explores family ties and issues of loyalty in this pulse-pounding adventure on the high, and very, very treacherous, seas.  In the world of Brown’s Pacific Rim series, the Chinese government is attempting to control the contested waters around the Spratly Islands, leading to an escalation in America’s involvement in a naval war in the South China Sea. But when fictional U.S. President Douglas Surber realizes his daughter is stationed aboard a submarine tender in the same area, he must choose between his professional duty, his national loyalty, and his familial devotion in a choice that will have worldwide implications.  Brown’s books read like the best kind of summer blockbuster, with plenty of high-stakes tension and epic scope that will make a summer day fly by.

Until next time, beloved patrons–happy reading!

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!

And, all at once, summer is here with a vengeance, dear readers.  For those of you looking for a place to cool off for a bit, please know that our A/C is happily droning away.  Please feel free to come in and beat the heat–and while you’re here, you can avail yourself of our long list of events, which includes book groups, activities for kids and young adults, and programs to help you stay active in a safe (and cool!) setting.

We also have thousands of materials to keep you busy while you are soaking up the A/C, too–and our staff continues to come up with some phenomenal selections of their favorite summer reading for you to try!  Here are just a few more that have been added to our lists.  You can find these (and many more) on the new Free For All Display on the shelves across from the Circulation Desk!

From Upstairs At The Main:

A Man Called Ove: Swedish author Fredrik Backman has earned rave reviews around the world for his unexpectedly charming and touching novel about the curmudgeonly Ove, an elderly man who has been ignored by his neighbors for years.  But when a new young couple moves in next door, and inadvertently flattens Ove’s mailbox, they begin to see that beneath the grumpy, sharp exterior is a man with many stories to tell, and plenty of love still to give.  Backman’s unique sense of humor makes this story into something truly original, and makes for a story that is heartwarming, quirky, and will most certainly change the way you look at the world around you.

Uprooted: Naomi Novik is quickly becoming a household name in the world of fantasy, and this stunning novel has been a huge success with critics and readers alike.  Agnieszka loves her home in her quiet valley with her friends and relations.  But their peace is maintained at a terrible cost.  Her people rely on the maniacle wizard known as the Dragon to keep the evil in the woods at bay.  The Dragon requires that one young woman be handed over to serve him for ten years, and the time for the next sacrifice is fast approaching.  Agnieszka is convinced that her best friend will be the Dragon’s next choice, and is heartbroken over her powerlessness to save her–but when the Dragon comes, it’s Agnieszka he has in his sights…This blend of fairytale and coming-of-age novel was nominated for a Hugo Award (one of the most prestigious awards in the fantasy genre), and was named among the best books of last years by a number of outlets, making it an ideal place to start for those looking to add a little more fantasy to their lives!

From the Reference Desk:

Shirley I Jest! A Storied Life: Cindy Williams, half of the comedic duo of Laverne & Shirley, has had a wild and lively career in show business. This book is an engaging and heartfelt journey from Williams s blue collar roots to unexpected stardom from being pranked by Jim Morrison while waiting tables at Whisky a Go Go to starring in one of the most iconic shows on television.  Even for those who didn’t watch her show, Williams writes with a comic flair that is simply infectious, and her tales of rubbing elbows with the talented, the famous, and the infamous, are totally fascinating, especially because she never loses the common sense and insight that came from a childhood outside of Hollywood’s glitz and facades, bringing the reader on her wild ride with heart and humor.

From the Circulation Desk:

The Luminaries: I think I’ve mentioned Eleanor Catton’s magnificent debut novel in the past, but it deserves to be mentioned again (and again, and again).  This is a fascinating story about a strong, enigmatic, and resolute woman, and the many lives that come within her sphere.  Walter Moody has arrived in New Zealand hoping to make his fortune, but his trip has been marked thus far by nothing but disaster.  But when he stumbles on twelve men holding a secret meeting, he finds himself drawn into a tale of gold and opium, of trust and lies, of truth and fictions, that will ultimately change each and every man involved…and re-define the woman at the center of each of their tales.  Catton based the structure of her book on the Zodiac (as it appeared in the late 19th century), making this book as striking in its set-up and premise as it is in its use of language.  Moreover, I cannot recommend the audiobook of this novel more highly.  Mark Meadows’ narration is spellbinding, and his ability to do All The Voices blew me away!

Until next time, dear readers–safe travels, and good books!