Tag Archives: on the shelf

On the shelf: ‘Lost and Found’ by Carolyn Parkhurst

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By Laura Nawrot, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch

 

Carolyn Parkhurst takes us behind the scenes in the filming of reality television show “Lost and Found” in her book of the same title. The object of the show is to successfully complete a worldwide scavenger hunt in a two-person team to win a million-dollar prize. I was skeptical about the plot since I am not a fan of reality television and didn’t think it would work well as the setting of a book, but I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised. I identified completely with the members of the various teams as they struggled with personal issues that arose as the competition’s heat increased. Parkhurst also raises several questions in this story that force the reader to do some self-reflection without taking away from the story itself, which I think helps the reader feel more involved.

 

Parkhurst tells her story from multiple perspectives by writing in the voices of the various characters. The drama produced by several points of view heightened the tension. If you’re in the market for a different kind of plot, you may want to consider Lost and Found.

On the shelf: ‘Cell’ by Stephen King

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By Kristen Corrado, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch

 

Stephen King is a divisive author — you either love him or hate him — but there aren’t many people who fall in the middle. I think that to really appreciate King’s work, you need to look past his reputation to see the themes in his writing: friendship, loyalty, steadfastness, a sense of fun. In many of his books, he spins modern day morality tales, only in his version, instead of wearing a scarlet A on your chest, something a little more sinister may happen to you. The great thing about King is that he never takes himself too seriously and in between the chaos and horror he creates, he will often throw in a laugh out loud moment.

 

In his latest work, Cell, King lets us in early on what is wrong with society today: we spend too much time talking on cell phones and not enough time talking to each other face to face. And what happens to people who spend too much time on their cells? The pulse, a frequency transmitted through their phone, fries their brains and they turn into zombie-like creatures who want to kill all the remaining unaffected people or “normies.”

 

The story follows down-on-his-luck illustrator Clayton Riddell, who after the pulse bands together with other normies to get back to his Maine hometown to find his estranged wife and son. As the very fabric of civilization falls down around him, Clayton and his travel partners struggle to maintain their humanity and hope. Their journey from Boston to Maine is not only a physical journey, but a mental one as well. They start out in denial of what has happened to their world but by the end of their journey they have come to the understanding that the world in which they now live is a very different place.

 

This is a classic King novel — fast moving, gripping and graphic. He writes relatable characters in realistic scenes. (Who would expect the apocalypse to happen as you were buying an ice cream cone? Who wouldn’t try and call a loved one in an emergency?) In the end his message is clear — bad things can happen when we start to lose touch with our humanity. And maybe cell phones aren’t all they are cracked up to be.

On the shelf: ‘The Widower’ by Liesel Litzenburger

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By M. Christine Byron, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch

 

East Grand Rapids writer Liesel Litsenburger’s novel The Widower weaves together the stories of several characters living in a small northern Michigan town. The widower, Swanton Robey, is trapped in his grief over his young wife’s death. Joseph Geewa came to work in Robey’s orchards after twenty years in prison. Geewa’s niece, Grace Blackwater, harbors a secret love for Robey. Ray Ford, the local emergency medical technician, questions his role in the “lifesaving business” when his wife leaves him for another man. Other characters have their own secret lives, which manage to intertwine in the most unexpected ways. Past and present lives, loves and losses are interwoven in a lyrical way.

 

The novel is set in motion when Joseph Geewa finds a baby abandoned in Robey’s apple orchards. Geewa and Robey set out on a quest to find the baby’s mother. The emotionally fragile men are ill-equipped for a road trip with an infant, but find in the journey a quest for redemption and an unspoken bond of shared grief.

 

Litzenburger’s stories and essays have appeared in magazines, journals and anthologies. She has taught writing at several colleges and universities including the University of Michigan and the Interlochen Arts Academy.

On the shelf: ‘A Treasury of Royal Scandals’ by Michael Farquhar

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By Megan Andres, Grand Rapids Public Library, Seymour Branch

 

Michael Farquhar, author of history articles in the Washington Post, has turned his eye to the royal scandals of centuries past. Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s troubles look tame when compared to the scandals described in this volume. Subtitled The Shocking True Stories of History’s Wickedest, Weirdest, Most Wanton Kings, Queens, Tsars, Popes and Emperors, you will find King Henry VIII, Queen Anne Boleyn, Catherine the Great, Nero and many others, With chapters covering the time periods from ancient Rome and Edwardian England, Farquhar delivers an encyclopedia of raging scandal, recording events of pedophilia, incest, beheadings and more. There is even a chapter on Papal scandals of bygone years.

 

This book is a definite must read for anyone who loves a good gossip or a bad royal. Read about Caligula, who was quite miffed when his Senate didn’t want to recognize his own horse as a fellow Senator, despite the new laws he had created to include the beast. And to top it all off, he had enough problems at home with his sisters that he made a few of them disappear.

 

This entertaining book can be found in many formats: book on tape, book on CD, and eAudiobook at the Library. Think that the world is drowning in its own moral decay? Read this book — it will make today look chaste!

On the shelf: New Year, New Books

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By Lisa Boss, Grand Rapids Public Library

 

The Last Men: New Guinea, by Iago Corazza

 

New Guinea is the second-largest island in the world, located north of Australia, from which it was separated after the last ice age. The island has a complicated history, and presently is split into two halves: the west side is divided into two provinces of Indonesia, (Papua and West Papua), and the eastern half is the independent country of Papua New Guinea. Amazingly, the just over 7 million people on the island are divided up into almost 1,000 different tribes, each with its own language. It is the most linguistically diverse spot on the planet. Corazza’s book focuses on the unique photographic depiction of these endangered cultures, with succinct commentary. Some of it just seems truly bizarre, as if the author had dropped in on another planet altogether, but maybe that’s what they would say about us. In any case, Corazza provides unforgettable images for the armchair traveler.

 

 

Caring for Your Parents: The Complete Family Guide,by Hugh Delehanty

 

The title says it all: this is an excellent guide put together from AARP. It covers the full gamut of important areas, from the physical, to emotional, financial, legal, support systems, living arrangements, and more.  This book is a really good one to start with if you are looking ahead, or if you are involved in caregiver issues now.

 

 

The Complete Legal Guide to Senior Care, by Brette McWhorter Sember, ATT

No one wants to deal with legal issues as we or our parents get older, but we need to do it.  Once you’ve taken care of some of these legalities, you’ll feel much better, and this guide will help you to understand in plain English, the best ways to protect yourself and your loved ones as we/they age.

 

 

Essential Do’s and Taboos: The Complete Guide to International Business and Leisure Travel, by Roger E. Axtell

 

Whether you are traveling for business or fun, this is a handy guide. The New Yorker says, “Roger Axtell is an internationalist Emily Post.” He’s written nine other books on this subject, and travels and lectures extensively on up-to-the-minute protocol and civility for other cultures.

 

 

Insects & Flowers: The Art of Maria Sibylla Merian, by Maria Sibylla Merian

 

Born in 1647, in Frankfurt, Maria grew up to become a renowned botanical and entomological artist. When the J. Paul Getty Museum hosted an exhibition of her work last summer, they published a small, delightful book that reproduces some of the color plates in her larger works.  It’s like looking at separate tiny pieces of an amazing world. You’ll want to know all about this unusual woman and her work after taking a peek at this lovely book.

 

 

Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl, by Stacey O’Brien

 

Just couldn’t put this one down! Who knew that owls were so interesting to read about? Not just another “me and my pet” story, but filled with insights into animal life and intelligence. When Stacey was working as a student researcher at CalTech, she brought home a four-day owlet to raise, and it turned into a 19-year relationship, as she went on to become a research biologist. Her memoir, written after her own extreme health crisis, and the final, peaceful death of Wesley from very old age, was cathartic and healing for her, and as a completed work is fascinating for us to share. Professional reviewers and Amazon readers gave it 5 stars.

 

 

Deer World, by Dave Taylor

 

The only improvement here would be if this book were even bigger! It really is about a deer’s whole world, and all the other animals in it, for an entire year. For example, in the May 13th entry, Taylor begins, “The name ‘moose’ is an Ojibwa-Cree term meaning ‘twig-eater’, followed by what moose are up to in mid-May, and several photos. The photographs of deer, bear, opossums, foxes, coyotes, wolves, wild hogs (to name just a few) are very good ones, maybe because the author has written 35 books on wildlife, has guided many photo-safaris, and presently works in wildlife education in Ontario. Taylor’s many fans will delight in this new book.

 

 

The Primate Family Tree: The Amazing Diversity of Our Closest Relatives, by Ian Redmond

 

A beautifully illustrated guide to the more than 270 species of primates from the four main groups (prosimians, New World monkeys, Old World monkeys, and apes), and a great starting point to learn more about them. Redmond’s text condenses a lifetime of experience into interesting commentaries on each animal, and it’s place in the ecosystem. His descriptions are accessible and thought provoking.  For instance, he talks about primates as the “gardeners of the forest,” and all that that entails, which was a very new way of looking at primates for me. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself wanting to know a lot more about primates, and getting many more books on them, after reading this one.

 

 

On the shelf: ‘The World’s Strongest Librarian…’ by Joshua Hanagarne

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By Tallulah Stievers

Oh, I loved The World’s Strongest Librarian: A Memoir of Tourette’s, Faith, Strength, and the Power of Family — it’s so touching and funny, even as the author describes what could have been a total disaster of a life. Working in a library, I was naturally attracted to a memoir with “librarian” in the title, but I didn’t expect it to be such a cliff-hanger. It has all the necessary elements: a mystery, a challenge, eccentric characters, a boy who manages to overcome extreme trials and adventures to grow up and become a good man.

Josh Hanagarne has the literary talent to take the stuff of life and turn it into a wild ride with the Mormons, women, strength training, (and libraries). Complicated at every step by a severe expression of Tourette Syndrome, which manifested very early in his life.

On the shelf: ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ by Lauren Weisberger

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By Karolee Gillman, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch

 

In the the world of high fashion, Miranda Priestly is queen. Miranda is the editor of Runway magazine. She expects perfection from everyone, including her newly hired assistant, Andrea Sachs. Andrea wants to be a writer for The New Yorker, but has left her resume at every publishing house. Runway offers Andrea a job “that a million girls would die for”.

 

The job is actually salaried servitude. Miranda has one demand, often near impossible, after another for Andrea to complete during the day. Andrea pushes friends and family aside as she tries to keep up with those demands. During a trip of a lifetime to Paris Fashion Week, Andrea realizes what is really important in her life, and abruptly quits her job.

 

The way Andrea quits makes news in the society pages, making her a minor celebrity. Afraid that she has been blacklisted in the publishing industry, Andrea moves back home with her parents, and begins writing short-story fiction. One of these stories is picked up by a national teen magazine, and her career really begins.

 

 

On the shelf: ‘The Miracle at Speedy Motors’ by Alexander McCall Smith

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By Lisa Boss, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch

 

Alexander McCall Smith’s ninth novel in the wildly successful No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency  series. The Miracle at Speedy Motors, revisits the life of Mma Ramotswe. She is a “traditionally built” woman of Botswana, who has created something completely new in the town of Gabarone, and even in all of Botswana: a detective agency led by a woman. Precious Ramotswe was led to do this after her dear, good father died, and she needed a means to support herself, since she had left her terrible marriage.

 

I am not a big fan of the classic mystery genre (hate the whole “red herring” thing), and worse yet, this sub-genre is often termed a “Cozy”, which seems about as appealing as lukewarm oatmeal. Do not be put off by these terms! This series is fascinating, lively, and hilarious: if you start them you will not be able to stop!

 

They are like small snapshots of the lives of some very fascinating characters, in the cultural context of Botswana. These books have had unfailingly great reviews, even receiving two Booker Judges’ Special Recommendations and also being voted one of the International Books of the Year and the Millennium by the Times Literary Supplement. So don’t worry that they will be too enjoyable to be good for your mind.  And don’t be surprised if they lead you into reading more books about Africa, a continent rich in so many different traditions, with unimagined wealth still to be discovered, that may well become the next China or India.

 

Alexander McCall Smith’s biography would make an interesting book in itself. He has lived and taught at universities in different countries, and has written many non-fiction books that are considered definitive in their field. He was born in Zimbabwe (which was then Rhodesia) and went to school near the Botswana border. Later in life, he wanted to write a book that would speak to his admiration for the people of Botswana, and Mma Ramotswe came into being.

 

If you have heard about them but not tried one yet, it is important to begin at the beginning in this series.

  • The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency (1998)
  • Tears of the Giraffe (2000)
  • Morality for Beautiful Girls (2001)
  • The Kalahari Typing School for Men (2002)
  • The Full Cupboard of Life (2004)
  • In the Company of Cheerful Ladies (2004)
  • Blue Shoes and Happiness (2006)
  • The Good Husband of Zebra Drive (2007)
  • The Miracle at Speedy Motors (2008)

On the shelf: ‘Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival…’ by Laura Hillenbrand

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By Elaine Bosch, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch

 

Laura Hillenbrand knows how to turn a tale. Her first book Seabiscuit: An American Legend told the true story of the famous racehorse with all the depth and drive of great fiction. Her  second book, Unbroken: A World War II story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption an equally compelling historical read, proves Seabiscuit was more than beginner’s luck.

 

In 1931, Louis Zamperini was an energetic, incorrigible high school student with a penchant for stealing and scheming. Saved from self-destruction by the efforts of his older brother Pete, Louis learned to pack his considerable emotional baggage into running, a talent he had long possessed, but which he had heretofore used only to elude the authorities.

 

Louis became a record breaking local hero known as the “Torrance Tornado”. At the age of nineteen, he represented the United States in the 1936 Olympic games. He returned from Berlin, his passion intact, intent on being the first man to run a mile in four minutes or less.

 

World War II intervened. The 1940 Olympics, scheduled for Tokyo, were canceled, and Louis found himself a bombardier in the Air Force. In 1943, his plane went down in the Pacific Ocean. Louis suddenly found himself battling for something far more serious than a world record — his life.

 

For two years Zamperini faced deprivation and degradation that few can imagine — first as a survivor adrift in the ocean, and then as a prisoner of war at  the worst prison camps in Japan. Singled out due to his officer and celebrity status by “The Bird,” a psychotic, sadistic camp commander, Louis became the target of an intense campaign waged to utterly humiliate, demoralize, and destroy him. That he survived at all is amazing. That he did so with his spirit and joy intact is a miracle.

 

Hillenbrand will captivate you with this story, shocking and inspiring in turn. It is life and times writ large.

On the shelf: ‘The Hunger Games’ by Suzanne Collins

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By Julie Beukema, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch

 

Are you young at heart?  Although marketed for teens, I argue that any age group will highly appreciate The Hunger Games, an adventurous tale. I can guarantee that most teens in your life have at least heard of it. Thus reading it yourself could provide not only hours of entertainment, but also open a door to great discussion with those teens.

 

The Hunger Games tells the story of a post-apocalyptic United States. The United States government has collapsed for many reasons, including drought and war. Those who survived are now governed by a bureaucracy known as Panem and have been divided up into 12 Districts and a Capitol. Each district is required to provide a Tribute of one boy and one girl who are forced to fight to the death in an annual televised contest known as The Hunger Games.

 

Katniss, a 16-year-old girl from one of the poorest Districts, District 11, offers to be the female tribute in place of her younger, weaker sister. What follows is a tale of compassion and survival guaranteed to grip readers and to provide many points for discussion.

On the shelf: Two novellas

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By Tallulah Stievers

 

Somewhere between a short story and a full novel comfortably sits the novella. This is the short, sharp, and often brilliantly paced story that can be experienced in one or two sittings. Crystalline in structure, these stories sink in with intensity, revealing characters or situations that resonate long after the story is over.  These are two of my favorites.

 

Mr. Summer’s Story by Patrick Suskind, illustrated by Sempe

 

This is the delightfully illustrated story of a boy profoundly affected by a few brief encounters with an enigmatic neighbor. The unnamed narrator tells of his experiences growing up in a small German village after World War II.  While much of the story focuses on the joyful exuberance of youth and the frustrations of growing up, it is through the boy’s observation of the town’s most mysterious character, Mr. Summer, that we are told a much more compelling tale.

 

Bartleby the Scrivener by Herman Melville

 

A comment on capitalism, obsession, and social norms, Bartleby is certainly one of literature’s most perplexing characters. Bartleby is hired as a copyist at a law firm on Wall Street in the 1850s. Through his polite and passive denials when asked anything from inquiries about his personal life to direct orders of the job, always replying with the allusive “I prefer not to,” Bartleby becomes increasingly exasperating to his colleagues. A character not easily forgotten.

On the shelf: Good books for grand kids by various authors

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By Laura Nawrot, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch

 

What library would be complete without Kevin Henkes’s wonderful picture book, Chrysanthemum? This book tells the story of a young mouse’s first experience at school and the confusion she feels over having a unique name. The story touches on teasing and self-confidence in a gentle and humorous way. Although targeted at pre-school and kindergarten readers, it appeals to slightly older children as well through the universal experiences of Chrysanthemum. A nice family read with a fun twist at the end.

 

 

Shug by Jenny Han, follows Annemarie “Shug” Wilcox through the perils of seventh grade: new friends, first crushes and a new school. Han appeals to a wide audience through a main character who is not your average girl. Shug is believable—a real person with real problems, normal family issues and less than perfect solutions. While some of the situations seem more likely to happen to a slightly older girl, Jenny Han is right on with the details, and readers will empathize with Shig’s experiences.

 

 

Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie by David Lubar uses humor through the viewpoint of a geeky kid named Scott who approaches high school with a very different perspective than his older brother Bobby. Scott sets out to win a classmate’s heart by joining the school newspaper, running for student council and auditioning for a play. Although Bobby is popular with the girls, Scott becomes invisible. Many of Scott’s difficulties appear as hilarious lists dedicated to helping his unborn sibling make it safely through high school. The situations Scott encounters are realistic, and Lubar has a superb comic sense.

 

 

Bass Ackward and Belly Up by Elizabeth Craft and Sarah Fain looks at four girls embarking on their first year of college. Written in chapters that feature each of the characters (similar to The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants books by Ann Brashares), the story covers four months of their lives as they follow their various dreams. At first, this book appears to be somewhat predictable, but the authors stay true to the characters Harper, Kate, Sophie and Becca in developing the story and keeping it real.

On the shelf: ‘Grand Rapids—Community and Industry’ by Thomas R. Dilley

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By M. Christine Byron, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch

 

A second book by Tom Dilley, one of Grand Rapids premiere postcard collectors, has just been released by Arcadia Publishing in their Postcard History Series. This volume covers aspects of Grand Rapids History between 1900 and 1960. Intended to supplement the themes developed in Dilley’s first book, Grand Rapids in Vintage Postcards 1890-1940, the book features 116 postcards, most from the author’s personal collection.

 

Dilley gives us glimpses of life in Grand Rapids in the first half of the 20th Century. Postcards portray street scenes, scenic views, recreation and local events, such as the flood of 1907 and John F. Kennedy’s visit to the city in 1960. The book features businesses of Grand Rapids, including formerly prominent establishments such as Herpolsheimers, the Pantlind Hotel and Joppe’s Dairy Company.

 

The earliest postcard views of neighborhoods portray Heritage Hill streets and homes. As the city grew outward, neighborhoods such as Madison Square, Eastown and Ottawa Hills are shown. Ramona Park and Reeds Lake in East Grand Rapids became favorite amusement spots, as evidenced by many postcards.

 

Different types of postcards are reproduced in the book, including rare leather cards and double or panoramic postcards. Dilley also included two collectible series of cards: the Mr. Rover cards and the 1910 Homecoming postcards. Dilley’s book will interest postcard collectors, historians, researchers and anyone who might enjoy taking a stroll down memory lane.

On the shelf: ‘Empress Orchid’ by Anchee Min

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By Megan Andres, Grand Rapids Public Library, Seymour Branch

 

At one time in China, a woman’s value was judged by her marriage and children. For Imperial wives and concubines, this could mean life or a secret death. Author Anchee Min introduces Tzu His, who became China’s last empress. Orchid, as she was known in the Forbidden City, began life as an innocent country girl who became the Emperor’s fourth wife.

 

While others have told Empress Orchid’s story, author Min uses her own childhood in China to tell this story of a girl turned goddess. Orchid rises above all other women in the Forbidden City to become her Emperor’s favorite wife. She gives him an heir and, when enemies threaten China, leads her people as regent for 46 years.

 

Min’s native tongue helps give the story its scope. Her descriptions tell a tale of a time when the Boxers were gaining power and the Imperials were losing it. It was a time when the wives and concubines of an emperor fought for the chance to have an heir and the power and security that a son could bring. Orchid is the Cinderella of 19th-century China: a woman who had to become more than a simple country girl to rule her people in peace and justice.

On the shelf: ‘The Commissario Guido Brunetti Series’ by Donna Leon

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By Bill Hill, Grand Rapids Public Library

 

Your plans for a trip to Italy fell apart? Until you can visit Rome or glide through Venice’s canals, do this: Take up with a policeman.

 

Donna Leon, an American living in Italy, has just brought out the 15th book, Through a Glass Darkly, in her mystery series set in Venice. Commissario Guido Brunetti is patient, principled and long suffering in the pursuit of justice in a bureaucracy often corrupt. He is married to Paola, who cooks wonderful meals and provides shrewd commentary. You finish a book feeling you’ve had a privileged homestay and seen sites for from the tourist track.

 

It’s best to begin the series with the first book, Death at La Fenice, since the author often refers to earlier incidents. Here, in the celebrated opera house, the world-famous conductor Maestro Helmut Wellauer, is poisoned during a performance of La Traviata. Brunetti, accustomed to the mazey corruptions of Venice, is surprised at the number of enemies Wellauer has made on his way to the top. That title is followed by Death in a Strange Country, in which the body of an American soldier is found in a canal. Next in the series is Uniform Justice, in which a cadet from Venice’s elite military academy is found hanged. The investigation leads to a wall of silence and hostility.

 

The series is very popular throughout Europe and is gathering lots of fans in the U.S., many of whom also couldn’t vacation in Venice this year.

On the shelf: ‘A Cup of Christmas Tea’ by Tom Hegg

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By Lisa Boss, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch

 

What a lovely story this is, accompanied by Warren Hanson’s evocative illustrations on each page.

 

It’s a short, quickly read tale, told in a flexible rhyme that describes a man’s initial reluctance to go across town and visit his elderly aunt. He remembers her as vibrant and fun, and he doesn’t think he wants to see her after her stroke, going “downhill.” He’s pretty sure it would depress his happy Christmas.

 

He can’t escape a nagging feeling of guilt though, and so he does go, and has quite a surprise waiting for him.

 

I love reading my favorite Christmas poems and stories each year, and this is very high on my short list. Give yourself or a loved one a great gift by checking out A Cup of Christmas Tea.

On the shelf: ‘March of the Penguins’ by Luc Jacquet and Jerome Maison

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By Bill Hill, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch

 

It is a strange life.

 

The Emperor penguins are born into darkness at the coldest end of the earth. To get to their mating territory 70 miles inland, they must waddle in short steps for a week through a hazard of upthrust ice scored by crevasses. As deep winter comes on, the females hatch one egg each, pass it to their partner and make the long march to the shore to feed and recover. The male Emperors stay behind cradling their precious eggs on the tops of their feet. They will huddle together through the long Antarctic winter going without food for as much as four months. The darkness and terrible cold ease as the sun climbs higher. Shortly after the eggs hatch the females return, ready to spell the exhausted males who now must totter to the sea. The parents take turns shuttling to the sea for food till their chicks are old enough to make the journey themselves, and the cycle begins again.

 

Despite its billing as the “Official companion to the major motion picture,” this book is a distillation of the movie in 160 pages of photos with the movie’s narration for text. There is a short end chapter on the making the film. The publisher, National Geographic, has produced a handsome and fascinating book, one that could be shared with the rising generation.

On the shelf: ‘Dakotah Treasures Series’ by Lauraine Snelling

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By Megan Andres, Grand Rapids Public Library, Seymour Branch

 

Hearing that her father is dying, Ruby Torvald takes her little sister Opal and leaves New York City for the wilds of Little Missouri in Dakota Territory. When they arrive in this pioneer town, they are shocked to discover their father is very near death and owns Dove House — a sordid bar, complete with barmaids. Before he dies, Per Torvald makes Ruby swear she will “take care of the girls” — the soiled doves in residence. Ruby finds herself suddenly faced with life on the frontier in a barely-there town.

 

Over the course of four books, Snelling tells the story of Ruby Torvald and Little Missouri. The author focuses on each of four women: Ruby Torvald, Pearl Hossfuss, Opal Torvald, and Amethyst O’Shaunasy. These women find themselves in circumstances often beyond their control in a time when women were not considered strong in body or emotion.

 

Ruby finds herself taking on the reform of Dove House while her younger sister Opal confronts societal views of women in the West. Pearl goes from riches in Chicago to a one-room schoolhouse in Little Missouri, and Amethyst comes to find her lost nephew Joel in Medora. The four women learn something about themselves and about God in this Inspirational Fiction series.

On the shelf: Good reads for teens

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By Tallulah Stievers

 

The Kayla Chronicles
by Sherri Winston

 

This just in: Kayla Dean, budding feminist and future journalist, is about to break the story of a lifetime. Egged on by her best friend, Kayla has decided to try out for her high school’s notorious dance team, the Lady Lions, in order to expose their unfair selection process. But when she actually makes the team, the true investigation begins! Now a Lady Lion, Kayla is transformed into a dance diva. But does looking good and having fun mean turning her back on the cause? Soon Kayla is forced to challenge her views, coming to terms with who she is and what girl power really means.

 

Saving Juliet
by Suzanne Selfors

 

Mimi Wallingford has a life most girls can only dream of — complete with the starring role in her family’s production of Romeo and Juliet. But acting is not her dream, and she’s fighting for the right to become a doctor. During the play’s final performance, Mimi’s wish to get away actually comes true when she and her costar are magically transported into Shakespeare’s Verona. Now that she knows the real Juliet, Mimi doesn’t want to stand by and allow the play to reach its tragic end. But if saving her new friend means changing the ending, will she and Troy ever make it back to Broadway?

 

Vampire Kisses 1: Blood Relatives
by Ellen Schreiber, Art by rem

 

The absolute last thing goth-girl Raven and her vampire boyfriend, Alexander, need is another hitch in their nighttime — only romance — but dark trouble hovers on the horizon. When a crew of sketchy vampires takes up residence in Dullsville’s lonely graveyard, Alexander finds this motley bunch led by his very own blood-sucking cousin, Claude Sterling. Claude and his creepy crew can only spell out more problems for the pair, especially when Raven finds them in daylight in the very last place she could ever imagine. What could Claude and his invaders be doing — or searching for — in Dullsville?

 

The American Muslim Teenager’s Handbook
by Dilara Hafiz, Imran Hafiz, and Yasmine Hafiz

 

What does it mean to be a Muslim? Ask ten people, and you’ll probably receive ten different answers. The American Muslim Teenager’s Handbook is a positive, informative guide to Islam in America. Timely and engaging, it conveys the basics of the fastest-growing, most stereotyped and misunderstood religion in America from a progressive, teen perspective. Whether struggling to define themselves as Muslims in American society or simply curious about Islam, teens will find much to love about this entertaining book.

 

Bunker 10
by J. A. Henderson

 

At eight o’clock in the evening, 24 December 2007, Pinewood Military Installation exploded. The blast ripped apart acres of forest and devastated the remote highland valley where the base was located. No official cause was given for the incident. Inside Pinewood were 185 male and female military personnel — a mixture of scientists and soldiers. There were also seven teenagers. This is the story of their last day.

 

 

On the shelf: Great reads for grandkids

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By Talullah Stievers

 

Wild Ride: A Graphic Guide Adventure
Written by Liam O’Donnell and illustrated by Mike Deas

 

On a flight to visit their environmentalist parents who are working to stop a logging company from clear-cutting a remote valley, a plane crash strands Devin, Nadia, and Marcus. Soon the trio discover that they are stranded with the enemy and must rely on their survival skills.

 

 

The Willoughbys
Written by Lois Lowry

 

Abandoned by their parents, Tim, the twins, Barnaby A and Barnaby B, and their sister, Jane, attempt to fulfill their roles as good old-fashioned children. Then an unquestionably ruthless act sets in motion the transformations that lead to their salvation and to happy endings. This hilarious parody pays homage to classic works of children’s literature.

 

The Tooth Book: A Guide to Healthy Teeth and Gums
Written and illustrated by Edward Miller

 

Taking good care of your teeth and gums is an important part of maintaining overall health. After all, you need your pearly whites to eat, smile, and talk. But what should you expect when you go to the dentist? What should you do if you lose a tooth? Full of straightforward advice and animated, colorful art, as well as some bite-sized bits of history and lore, this guide provides accessible information about taking care of your teeth.

 

Canned
Written by Alex Shearer

 

Fergal Bamfield is an oddball and his tin can collection is as strange as everything else about him. One day he finds a can without a label. What could be in it? Peaches, soup, perhaps spam? But instead it’s something gruesome: a human finger. Then Fergal finds another can, this time containing a one-word message, HELP! Now Fergal and his friend Charlotte are knee-deep in an adventure, and they’re about to learn something horrible: Everybody has an expiration date.

 

Arabella Miller’s Tiny Caterpillar
Written and illustrated by Clare Jarrett

 

Arabella Miller finds a tiny caterpillar, brings him home and feeds till the caterpillar sheds his skin and disappears inside his chrysalis. Arabella misses her friend until he emerges and she is filled with wonder at the beautiful creature he has become. Clare Jarrett’s sweet story and vibrant illustrations weave details about a caterpillar’s transformation into this elaboration on the song Little Arabella Miller.

 

On the shelf: ‘The Hot Flash Club’ by Nancy Thayer

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By Laura Nawrot, Grand Rapids Public Library, Ottawa Hills Branch

 

When I picked up this book, I was looking for something light to read that involved characters that I could relate to—and I was not disappointed. In The Hot Flash Club, Nancy Thayer introduces the reader to four very diverse women ranging in age from fifty-two to sixty-two. The only things they have in common are a mutual acquaintance and the process of menopause. I found my self quickly drawn into the world of Faye, Alice, Shirley and Marilyn, characters who give the term “aging gracefully” a whole new meaning.

 

As the four women plunge into an unexpected relationship with each other, they explore many current women’s issues with gentle humor, honesty, and nerve. Rather than viewing menopause as the end of childbearing years, Thayer suggests it is the launching point into late middle-age. Her characters are far too busy living their lives and following their dreams to focus on things that might hold them back, like arthritis, divorce, retirement and widowhood. Those topics are simply a part of their lives, not the main focus, and this positive approach works well within the framework of the story.

 

While the story holds a lighter tone than works by authors such as Elizabeth Berg, it is an entertaining and positive look at women and aging, as well as being a gentle reminder that life is a journey, not a destination, and our perception of the process is vital to how much we enjoy the ride.

On the shelf: ‘Dead Wrong’ by Mariah Stewart

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By Megan Andres, Grand Rapids Public Library, Seymour Branch

 

In February, 2004, three criminals sit together at a courthouse. They decide to play an innocent game: name three people you would kill if you knew you couldn’t be caught. Then the twist: they exchange lists.

 

Mariah Stewart’s Dead Wrong is the beginning of a four-book series which tells the tale of this horrid game and the lives threatened by it. In this first book, Mara Douglas is a child advocate for the Lyndon courthouse. She stands for those who have no voice: the abused, the neglected, and the lost. One of her cases has earned her a place in the game. The prize: her death.

 

When someone begins killing women in Lyndon, the police and the FBI get involved. What truly haunts them is that all the women so far have one similarity: their name is M. Douglas. Mara finds herself saddled with a former FBI agent as a bodyguard because her own sister, another FBI agent, fears something bigger.

 

As events unfold and two more die, Mara makes the connection. Once upon a time Mara advocated in court on behalf of the Giordino children. She helped their mother Diana take them away from their father Vincent. Vincent didn’t like that idea and decided that if he couldn’t have them no one would. In jail for murdering his family, Vinnie also happens to have played that game in the courthouse. And the man who took his list is after Mara.

 

Dead Wrong is full of twists and turns. It is both romance and thriller, genres that Mariah Stewart blends convincingly. But what may be the Dead Wrong‘s best promise is that there are still two more lists out there with two more killers waiting.

On the shelf: ‘The Turn of the Screw’ by Henry James

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By Stephanie M. White, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch

 

A good ghost story never hurt anyone, and this ghost story is up there with the best of them. Henry James’s famous tale of a governess, her charges, and a big, scary house is wrought with mystery and suspense. Even after you’ve finished the last sentence, you’ll still be wondering on whose side you should be.

 

James weaves the story from the point of view of a young governess whose first position is in a large, country house with only two children and a few servants. She is given strict instructions never to bother the master of the house, who lives in town. When the governess begins seeing strangers around the house, she quickly learns that they are the ghosts of the children’s last governess and the master’s valet, who may have been involved in a scandalous pregnancy. As the governess determines a plan of action for keeping the children safe, the plot thickens.

 

James’s readers, on a first reading, are likely to trust the governess when she tells us of the apparitions. As the story continues, though, it becomes more and more difficult to understand whether she is really seeing ghosts, whether the children are trying to trick her, or whether she is trying to trick them. The less their governess trusts the sweet children, the less readers trust the governess.

 

While this short novel will leave you wondering about who’s seeing ghosts, it will also leave you amazed at James’s talent for weaving a tale with such ambiguity and suspense.

On the shelf: ‘Yoga Over 50’ by Mary Stewart

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By Kelly Helder, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch

 

So you’ve been watching your diet and eating all the right foods in the hopes of keeping the weight off and your cholesterol down. You’re walking every day, getting out in the fresh air, working those leg muscles. “But,” you say, “that’s not enough; I need more” (and more not being cardio boot camp!). What could you do that is low impact, practiced by millions, and could improve your blood pressure while relieving symptoms of arthritis? Yoga, of course! It doesn’t matter if you are over 50, can’t cross your legs or don’t know a word of Sanskrit. Yoga doesn’t discriminate.

 

Mary Stewart, author of Yoga Over 50: The Way to Vitality, Health and Energy in the Prime of Life, has been teaching yoga for over 20 years (and is herself over 50). After a brief introduction about yoga and its history, there is a section on the healthy body and how it works. Then we dive into the meat of the book — yoga poses. All of the classics are here, such as Triangle, Warrior and Downward Facing Dog. Accompanying each pose is a brief description, which includes instructions on how to get into the pose and why it is beneficial to you. Step by step color photographs of each pose give an idea of what you are eventually aiming for (remember, the models in the book have been practicing yoga for years).

 

Through bringing together body, mind and spirit, we are shown how to relax and let our tensions dissolve. Photos and text illustrate the techniques of proper breathing, meditation and Savasana, or the relaxing Corpse pose. Beginner to advanced routines round out the book. There are also short programs for people who want to target specific problem areas of the body, such as stiff hips and backaches. According to statistics, over 19% of US yoga practitioners are over 50, so come on, join the fun!

On the shelf: ‘The Magician’s Elephant’ by Kate DiCamillo

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By Mary Davis, Grand Rapids Public Library, Ottawa Hills Branch

 

Kate DiCamillo became one of my favorite authors for children after publishing her first novel, Because of Winn-Dixie. She writes in a soothing, almost comforting voice, and she never talks down to her intended audience. She often blends realism with a sort of fantastical or magical twist. In her newest, The Magician’s Elephant, she casts another spell. She tells the story of Peter Augustus Duchene. Peter, a young boy in the care of a former soldier, believes that he will grow into a soldier as well.

 

One day the old soldier gives him money to buy bread and fish. Instead, a fortune teller’s tent catches Peter’s eye. She reveals to him that his sister, believed to be dead, lives and the elephant will lead him to her. This seems unbelievable until a visiting magician mysteriously and mistakenly conjures up an elephant.

 

DiCamillo weaves beautifully together the story of the elephant and how she leads Peter to his sister, a new future, and an interesting cast of characters. Yoko Tanka’s illustrations help define the time and place and bring depth to the storytelling. The Magician’s Elephant would make a lovely read-aloud to most elementary classrooms or just to share with any child in one’s life.

On the shelf: ‘Animals Make Us Human: Creating the Best Life for Animals’ by Temple Grandin

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By Lisa Boss, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch

 

Fascinating! Someone has finally explained why cats act the way they do. And just in time  too, since the stork delivered two kittens to us recently. The library has an excellent extensive collection of cat care books, and delightful cat memoir books like those by James Herriot, but I went straight to Temple Grandin’s works on the neurophysiology of animal behavior.

 

A cat is just a really different animal than, say, a dog. Their brain organization, the “domestication” path, the communication modes — this was all news to me.

 

Grandin’s works are all wonderfully readable for the non-scientist, from her autobiographical memoirs, Emergence, Labeled Autistic, and  Thinking in Pictures : and Other Reports from My Life with Autism to her works on animal behavior, Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior, and her latest one: Animals Make Us Human: Creating the Best Life for Animals.

 

We even have the award winning movie, Temple Grandin, starring Clare Danes.

On the shelf: ‘Sutton’ by J.R. Moehringer

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By Pat Empie, Grand Rapids Public Library

 

Sutton, a novel about the famous bank robber from the Great Depression grabs you and keeps you enthralled in his life of crime. Sutton educates, entertains, and delights the reader. It will appeal to a crossover audience of lovers of historical fiction, true-crime narratives and mystery novels. This poignant, comic, fast-paced and fact-studded story by Pulitzer Prize winner, J.R. Moehringer, tells the story of economic pain that feels eerily modern, while still unfolding a story of doomed love.

 

Willie Sutton came of age at a time when banks were out of control. If the banks weren’t taking brazen risks, causing millions to lose their jobs and homes, they were shamelessly seeking government bailouts. Sound familiar?

 

Trapped in a cycle of panics, depressions and soaring unemployment, Willie Sutton saw only one way out, and only one way to win the girl of his dreams. So he began a 30-year career of robbing banks, becoming one of America’s most successful bank robbers. Willie Sutton became so good at breaking into banks and such a master at breaking out of prisons, police called him one of the most dangerous men in New York, and the FBI put him on its first-ever Most Wanted List.

 

But the public rooted for Sutton. He never fired a shot and after all, his victims were merely those bloodsucking banks. When he was finally caught for good in 1952, crowds surrounded the jail and chanted his name.

 

Willie, the Actor, Sutton was released from Attica prison on Christmas Eve 1969, after serving 17 years. The irony that Gov. Rockefeller, a former banker, signed the order was not lost on Sutton. His lawyer made a deal with a newspaper for an exclusive, so Sutton spent his first night and the next day with a newspaper reporter and a photographer going on a chronological tour together of the scenes of Sutton’s exploits in and around New York City during his long life of crime. As they visit the sites of Sutton’s childhood, life and crimes, the old thief regales the reporter with stories and, more significantly, remembers the events for the reader in flashback narration.

On the shelf: ‘What is the What’ by Dave Eggers

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By Amy Cochran, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch

 

Fact merges with fiction in this mesmerizing tale of a Lost Boy of Sudan. Valentino Achak Deng tells us in the preface that this is the “soulful account of his life,” of his flight from his destroyed village in Southern Sudan to years living in various refugee camps and eventual struggle to build a new life in the United States. The first-person voice and many of the events are based on Valentino’s personal experiences as told to Dave Eggers over a period of several years. Rather than helping Valentino pen a memoir, Eggers novelized his story, changing timelines and people slightly and adding dialogue while keeping many major events and feelings untouched.

 

Eggers presents Valentino’s story as if told silently to people he has encountered both past and present. The long and horrifying trek as a young boy from his shattered village of Murial Bai to the Pinyudo and Kakuma refugee camps is interspersed with Valentino’s more recent difficulty in adapting to life in America. As Valentino grows up, he goes to school while narrowly escaping being recruited as a boy soldier into the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army. He also relates several thrilling romantic experiences that would have been impossible in the stricter social structure of his village, contrasting these with the more sobering reality of living for years in a location designed to be merely a temporary home.

 

Once Valentino arrives in the United States, he and the other Lost Boys find the transition more difficult than they ever imagined. Minimum wage jobs, high rent, and unfamiliarity with basic elements of modernized life such as thermostats and refrigerators combine to make Valentino’s dream of getting into college seem like an impossible goal.

 

I found myself constantly wondering which aspects of the story actually happened to Valentino alone, rather than being pulled from the stories of other Lost Boys. Such is the power of Valentino’s story and Egger’s writing talent that, in spite of the fictionalizing aspect, Valentino’s voice still rings perfectly true and authentic. This book is an intense and eye-opening journey into the Sudanese refugee experience through the eyes of a man who keeps his faith in future stability and happiness despite obstacles at every turn.

On the shelf: ‘The Last Summer (of You and Me)’ by Ann Brashares

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By Laura Nawrot, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch

 

In her first novel written for adults, Ann Brashares chose the beach town of Waterby, on Fire Island as her setting. I have to admit, I was expecting a book more along the line of Brashares’s Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants young adult novel, but found something totally different. After reading this book, I found many mixed reviews of the story, probably because of the same expectations I had.

 

Unlike the Traveling Pants with its fast pace and emotional roller coaster rocketing between the main characters, The Last Summer (of You and Me) seemed to start much more slowly and deliberately. I found out, however, that the roller coaster was simply disguised as a ferryboat from the mainland. Alice, the main character, paints a picture of the summers she spent on the island that she shared with her sister, Riley and neighbor, Paul. She tells her story through a blend of memories and current events, and it doesn’t take much for the reader to figure out who the star-crossed lovers are.

 

Although it was apparent to me immediately that something needed to happen between Alice and Paul, it took an awfully long time for the author to bring them to that point. In fact, I found myself getting angry at the main characters, which is usually a good indicator to me of my own emotional involvement in the story.

 

I found myself thinking about the characters and the story long after I had finished the book. Certain parts kept returning to my mind, almost bothering me, kind of like the way sand does when it gets in your shoe; a memory of the day that was.

On the shelf: ‘Sailing Grace’ by John Otterbacher

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By M. Christine Byron, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch

 

John Otterbacher’s memoir is his account of  “drowning in heart disease, fighting back to the surface, and sailing on.” It is an engrossing story that I couldn’t put down. John and his wife, Barbara, decide to pursue of dream of sailing across the Atlantic and come up with a plan to pare down their lifestyle. But then John is surprised with a series of heart troubles.

 

The book recounts John’s dealing with his physical struggles, his connections with family and friends, while keeping sight of his dreams. Thus gritty account is well written and inspiring. The reader is drawn into John’s world and feels the pain and fear that he has so clearly portrayed, but also the joy with each small recovery and each sailing success.

 

John’s cardiologist, Richard McNamara, MD, has said of the book, “When hope and heart disease collide, hope sometimes wins.” The book tells the story of one man’s unwillingness to allow his medical condition to restrain him from pursuing his dreams and living the life he wants.

 

Since earning his degree in clinical psychology, John has taught college, served as a State Representative and Senator, and worked as a psychotherapist. Local residents might recognize his name from his years in public service. The book makes several references to places in Grand Rapids, as well as to other familiar Michigan towns. As an advocate of “living out beyond your fears,” John has served as a role model of strength, perseverance and hope.

 

On the shelf: ‘Infection: The Uninvited Universe’ by Gerald Callahan, Ph.D.

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By Lisa Boss, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch

 

Ever wonder about all those anti-bacterial products that are everywhere now? How many microbes are out there anyways? If you are germ-phobic, you might be surprised (unpleasantly!) by Callahan’s book. I had not realized the extent to which microbes inhabit our bodies. According to the author, 90% of the cells in our bodies are not human cells, they are microbial!

 

“Because human cells, like those in our blood and skin and livers and hearts, are about one hundred to one thousand times larger than bacterial cells—by mass and volume—people appear mostly human. But they aren’t.” Who knew!

 

If you enjoy scientific writing for the non-scientist, Gerald Callahan, Ph.D., has an appointment in both pathology and English at Colorado State University. Which means he knows what he’s talking about, and he also presents it in an interesting way, peppered with colorful anecdotes. He covers many topics in this slim volume: one surprising chapter reviews the link between schizophrenia and infection. The really interesting part is his description of the different ways in which infections are linked to changes in thinking and behavior that will benefit the microbe.

 

“Toxoplasma gondii is a one-celled parasite found in several mammals, including humans.  But only inside of cats, most often domestic house cats, does T. gondii complete its life cycle and create newly infectious parasites to unleash on the rest of the world. T. gondii infects a high proportion of people with schizophrenia. The significance of that isn’t entirely clear, but it is clear that T. gondii infections can change the way mammals think, even the ways humans think.”

 

You’ll have to read the book to find out what happens to rats infected with T. gondii, and how this ties in with schizophrenia.

 

On the shelf: ‘Creepers’ by David Morrell

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By Megan Andres, Grand Rapids Public Library, Ottawa Hills Branch

 

Once, a long time ago, the Paragon Hotel was THE place to be seen. Outfitted with all of the new technology of the day and situated in Asbury Park, New Jersey, the Paragon hosted celebrities and common folk alike. Famous chefs would spend hours preparing amazing room service and dining options. Morgan Carlisle, the owner of the Paragon, made sure that his place was the only place to be. And for a small group of Creepers, the abandoned hotel is still very much a site to see.

 

Professor Robert Conklin leads a group of students into the Paragon Hotel to explore its wastes. No one knows what really happened within its dank halls. Morgan Carlisle himself vanished within its walls. The Creepers, as they call themselves, allow one reporter to follow them into the building in an attempt to teach the world about “creeping” and why it shouldn’t be illegal. Being able to investigate abandoned buildings and the people who once lived inside them is not only a thrill but also an educational experience. Frank Balenger insists he will be fair and true in detailing the story. It’s a pity he’s not all he seems.

 

Morrell takes an underworld of adventure and twists it. The Paragon Hotel does not live up to its name at all. And the events that quickly unfold would scare even the staid horror fan. Voices and visions within the hotel’s walls soon entrap his heroes and the life and death struggle of the group soon takes over the educational experience.

 

Creepers is a truly original horror story. It takes a topic that could be something any of us would love to do and reminding us that sometimes staying home might just be the best choice. My copy of Creepers was a gift from my brother, and I loved the story and characters. Morrell even drew up another horror plot for his hero Frank Balenger, Scavengers. If you enjoy a good scare in the comfort of your own home, pick up a copy of Creepers today. Just make sure you read it with the lights on . . .

 

 

On the shelf: ‘Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger’s’ by John Elder Robison

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By Lisa Boss, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch

 

Robison is just a great storyteller — turning some of the weirdest, craziest stuff into a life you almost envy him having. The author is the older brother that Augusten Burroughs wrote about in his memoir, Running With Scissors, in the chapter, ‘He was Raised Without a Diagnosis’.

 

That diagnosis would not come until he was 40. Up to then he was on his own to cope with his genius, his unsociable behavior, his bewilderment, and his loneliness. Robison sums up his early relations with the world: “Everyone thought they understood my behavior. They thought it was simple: I was just no good.”

 

It wasn’t simple though. All his life he had longed to connect with other people, and gradually he figured out how to do that, despite his Asperger’s. But it took awhile, and his alcoholic father and mentally ill mother weren’t much help. Teachers hadn’t heard of Asperger’s yet, and eventually he left school at 16.

 

Following his interests in explosives and electronics led him into the music industry, where eccentric people were the norm (guess who made the exploding guitars for Kiss?), then into electronic toys, and finally — into his own, true life.

 

On the shelf: ‘Grand Rapids in Vintage Postcards: 1890-1940’ by Thomas R. Dilley

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By M. Christine Byron, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch

 

This volume by local author Tom Dilley is a wonderful contribution to the growing number of books about the history of Grand Rapids. Postcard collectors, historians and researchers will find this a useful and interesting book with its black and white reproductions of 228 postcards from Dilley’s personal collection, many of which are quite rare.

 

Dilley begins the volume with a concise overviews of Grand Rapids history and the history of postcards. Short explanations are given for the various types of postcards: postal mailing cards, real photos, white border cards, linen and chrome cards. He points out the importance of postcards as historical documents capturing the social history of a certain time and place.

 

The book is divided into three sections: “The City,” “Life in the City” and “The City at Work.” This structure works well in categorizing the wide array of postcards. Dilley starts by showing aerial views of the city. He proceeds with street scenes, individual buildings and bridges. Dilley does an excellent job of identifying buildings, giving the location, interesting details, the architect when known, and the lifespan of the structure. Dilley often refers to the contemporary counterpart of a historical building, giving readers a real sense of “then and now.”

 

The section “Life in the City” includes the commercial, religious, educational and social activities of the growing city. There are wonderful views of museums, theaters, retail stores, cafes, hotels, hospitals, churches schools and parks. The author spotlights social organizations such as the YMCA, the Ladies Literary Club and the St. Cecilia Music Society. Dilley’s book includes rare interior scenes of the YWCA gymnasium and the clothing department of May and Sons.

 

Section Three, “The City at Work,” shows Grand Rapids as a leader in “wholesale, retail and manufacturing enterprise.” The furniture industry is given prominence, but other industries are also included. The Grand Rapids Brewing Company, Grand Rapids Brass Company, the Cargill Company, and Bissell Carpet Sweeper Company stand out as a few fine examples.

 

Grand Rapids in Vintage Postcards includes many cards that most people have never seen. Included is a rare double card of the Majestic Theatre, a real photo card of the Fanatorium Bowling Alley and a scene of visiting airplanes lined up for the 1919 dedication of the Grand Rapids Airport. Besides the wonderful visual images, a strong point of the book is the accompanying text, which is very helpful in giving a historical perspective on the postcard views. Dilley’s book will serve as a valuable reference work as well as an enjoyable walk down memory lane.

On the shelf: ‘Serpent’ by Clive Cussler with Paul Kemprecos

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By Megan Andres, Grand Rapids Public Library, Seymour Branch

 

Serpent, Clive Cussler’s first National Water & Marine Agency Files book, gives readers a new hero for a new age. Kurt Austin has a master’s degree in Systems Management from the University of Washington and much experience in marine recovery. In Serpent, Austin and his Special Assignments Team of Joe Zavala and Drs. Paul and Gamay Trout find themselves conquering a mystery of legendary caliber.

 

“In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue”; Austin and his team soon find that there were a lot of things left out of the popular children’s rhyme. With the help of Nina Kirov, the team investigates industrialist Don Halcon. Halcon is dedicated to carving a new country out of the southwestern United States. To do so, Halcon needs a priceless pre-Columbian antiquity buried in the battered remains of the sunken Italian luxury liner Andrea Doria, and he’s prepared to do anything to get it.

 

Admiral James Sandecker, from Dirk Pitt fame, sends Austin and his team all over the world to stop Halcon before he can get his hands on the artifact. Austin and Zavala soon find themselves diving the Andrea Doria itself in order to gain access to a secured vault left behind when the liner sank fifty years before.

 

With a hefty dose of actual historical fact and fictional license, Cussler dishes out a wonderful first episode in the lives of the new heroes of NUMA. The subsequent novels in the series, Blue Gold, Fire Ice, White Death, Lost City and Polar Shift, all follow Austin as he pursues a life of intrigue and danger. Fans of Cussler’s Dirk Pitt will find much to love in Kurt Austin.