Staff Recommendation - Los Alamos

Los Alamos

by Joseph Kanon

The time is Spring 1945. The place is Santa Fe, New Mexico. The victim is Karl Brunner, a security officer at the Los Alamos compound near Santa Fe. Both the Santa Fe police and the security at Los Alamos would like this homicide to turn out to be just what it appears, a sexual encounter that turned violent and then deadly. But they must make sure the murder has absolutely nothing to do with the secret project at Los Alamos. In fact, the project is so secret that the town of Los Alamos and the Los Alamos compound do not officially exist. In order for the project to remain on the fasttrack, this murder must be solved and solved quickly. Since the Santa Fe police cannot investigate at a place that doesn't officially exist, Michael Connelly is brought in from the Office of War Information in D.C. to investigate at Los Alamos and to act as a liaison with the local police. It is a daunting task. The Los Alamos compound contains over 4000 people, civilian and military. Connelly must deal with a core group of people who have been largely isolated from the outside world. Contact with the outside world would distract them from their work and would present unwelcome security risks. Indeed, Los Alamos has become a very strange community in itself. The friction between the United States Army, who run the project, and the scientists, who work to build the atomic bomb, is pervasive. Each group understands the need for the other group but it is like oil and water in many aspects. And so, Los Alamos has its picnics and its evening parties where the residents socialize rather superficially while the focus on the goal of the project, to bring the war to an end, draws them into an uneasy intimacy. Were the secrets of Los Alamos being leaked to the outside world by the security guard who was murdered? Was it for money or to warn the world of the terrible weapon nearing completion? Can we trust the scientists? Most are recent immigrants to the United States who were forced to flee their European homelands. Does a safe haven guarantee loyalty? And what of the United States' military allies? Have they been apprised about the secret weapon or are they playing the unsuspected friend while they secretly maneuver ever closer to that unofficial spot on the map called Los Alamos? -- recommended by Evelyn D. - Bennett Martin Public Library/Technical Processes

[ official Los Alamos page on the official Joseph Kanon web site ]

Have you read this one? What did you think?

Ten new reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog over the course of the entire month.

Staff Recommendation - Snow Crash

Snow Crash

by Neil Stephenson

One of the most influential books in recent science fiction. Stephenson has a brilliant grasp of what sociological/technological changes are only a short distance in our future, and what the impact of those changes is going to be on our world. This book is stylistically all over the place, but if you can get past the seeming chaos, you'll see that Stephenson very accurately predicted the worlds of social networking and deep databases on the world wide web, and he's dead on in predicting such increasingly popular virtual environments as Second Life. In addition to being an extremely prescient science fiction novel, it's also a rock 'em sock 'em adventure and high-tech espionage book, with liberal doses of multi-culturalism and religious exploration thrown in for good measure. Don't pick this book up if you're looking for a traditional linear reading experience. But if you want an excellent example of cutting edge, mind-blowing, high-tech scifi, you won't want to miss this one! -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library/Reference

[Also available in unabridged audiotape format.][ Wikipedia page for Snow Crash ] [ official Neal Stephenson web site ]

Have you read this one? What did you think?

Ten new reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog over the course of the entire month.

Staff Recommendation - Dangerous Beauty

Dangerous Beauty: Life and Death in Africa - True Stories From a Safari Guide

by Mark C. Ross [599.096 RosYr

Reading Dangerous Beauty is like sitting around a campfire in the savannah listening to Mark Ross talk about his experiences leading safaris. His words paint crisp images of close encounters with lions and elephants on his safaris. He describes trailing lions in his Land Cruiser. As soon as they get near the animals, Mark and his clients get out the vehicle and edge within camera range of these magnificent beasts. He recalls the excitement of watching the mass migration of thousands of zebras and wildebeests in the Serengeti. He talks about the heart-stopping moment when he lured a stampeding elephant away from his clients. He remembers the night that he was sleeping by a campfire and was jostled awake because he was being drug along the ground in his sleeping bag. A Hyena had grabbed a corner and was pulling him away from the camp. Mark yelled, scaring the Hyena off. His friend Leon, who was sleeping next to him, was no help. He was too busy laughing. Mark, unhurt, carried his sleeping bag back to camp. He reminisces about growing up on an Illinois farm where he became fascinated with nature. His love affair with Africa started on Sunday nights watching Wild Kingdom on TV. As a wildlife biology major in college Mark got an opportunity to study in Kenya. He finished his degree but East Africa with its vast expanses and open skies pulled at him and he moved to Kenya and became a safari guide. Mark recalls taking clients to Uganda to see the mountain gorillas. He described slow climb up the slippery, 7,000-foot trail in the Impenetrable Forest and their pleasure at seeing the shy creatures. Their terror when they returned to camp were captured and held hostage by Rwandan rebels. -- recommended by Donna G. - Eiseley and Walt Branch Libraries

Have you read this one? What did you think?

Ten new reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog over the course of the entire month.

Staff Recommendation - Porch Talk

Porch Talk: Stories of Decency, Common Sense, and Other Endangered Species

by Philip Gulley [248 Gul]

Philip Gulley has a new book out, Porch Talk: Stories of Decency, Common Sense, and Other Endangered Species. If you've ever read some of his other books you'll know that his writing is laugh out loud funny. These stories like in his past books, are three to four page narratives of his life as a Quaker minister in a rural town in the United States. He writes about his family, the small town he grew up in and recently moved back to, and the value of neighbors and community. Some people have equated Philip Gulley to the modern day Will Rogers. If you're looking for a book that will give you some outstanding, down home advice on the sometimes crazy world we live in, this is the one to read. -- recommended by Patty L. - Walt Branch Library

[ official Philip Gulley web site ]

Have you read this one? What did you think?

Ten new reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog over the course of the entire month.

Staff Recommendation - How to Draw and Complete Impossible Mazes

How to Draw and Complete Impossible Mazes

by Robert Stevenson [793.73 qSte]

This is one of the quirkiest books I've come across in the libraries' collection in several years. This oversized volume features Stevenson's instructions/advice on how to create challenging mazes for friends and family, and then presents 5 large, complex mazes for the reader to attempt to solve. Solutions are provided at the back of the book. If you're in the mood for some visual brain teasers, this collection of mazes should keep you busy for a while. Best used in conjunction with tracing or onion paper, so that you can see the maze through the thinner sheet that you're drawing on. Should appeal to puzzle lovers and brainiacs. -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library/Reference

[ Wikipedia entry on mazes ]

Have you read this one? What did you think?

Ten new reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog over the course of the entire month.

Staff Recommendation - Night Passage

Night Passage

by Robert B. Parker

Jesse Stone is a drunk and has been asked to leave the L.A. Police Dept. He accepts the job of police chief in the small town of Paradise only to find that he was selected because of his background with alcohol. The city fathers develop a grudging respect when they find that they can't push him around during a murder investigation. Jesse turns out to be a character the reader will empathize with as he works his way through this new series by Parker. A great read. -- recommended by Rayma S. - South Branch Library

[Also available in DVD [TV movie adaptation], and Large Print formats.][ official Jesse Stone section on the official Robert B. Parker web site ]

If you're a fan of the Jesse Stone mysteries, join the Just Desserts mystery group in discussing "Trouble in Paradise" at Bennett Martin Public Library on March 27th!

Have you read this one? What did you think?

Ten new reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog over the course of the entire month.

KFOR Book Chat titles for March 20 2008

The following are the six books discussed by library staff members this morning on the KFOR Problems & Solutions radio broadcast [1240 AM 9am-10am]:

Planet Cat: a Cat-alog by Sandra Choron, Harry Choron, and Arden Moore [636.8 Cho]

The 100 Best Vacations to Enrich Your Life by Pam Grout [790.1 Gro]

Lasagna Gardening: A New Layering System for Bountiful Gardens by Patricia Lanza [635.9 Lan]

Helping Me Help Myself: One Skeptic, Ten Self-Help Gurus, and a Year on the Brink of the Comfort Zone by Beth Lisick [158.1 Lis]

Microtrends: The Small Forces Behind Tomorrow's Big Changes by Mark J. Penn [303.49 Pen]

Yankee Magazine's Vinegar, Duct Tape, Milk Jugs & More: 1,001 Ingenious Ways to Repair, Restore, Revive or Replace Just About Everything in Your Life by Earl Proulx [640.41 Pro]

Click here to see review blurbs for these, and all books discussed by library staff on past KFOR Book Chat episodes!

Arthur C. Clarke, 1917-2008, R.I.P.

Arthur C. Clarke, one of the last remaining giants from the formative years of science fiction literature, died on March 19, 2007 in Colombo, Sri Lanka, at the age of 90.

Clarke, the author of almost 100 books as both a non-fiction writer as well as a genre novelist, is probably best remembered for his work, 2001. He co-created the film, 2001: A Space Odyssey, with director Stanley Kubrick, and went on to write the novel for the film, based mainly on his own shorter work "The Sentinel."

In the field of science fiction, Clarke was an influential trendsetter, who won most of the genre's highest awards, including: the Hugo, the Nebula, the International Fantasy Award, and the John W. Campbell Award. He was named a Grand Master by the Science Fiction Writers of America in 1985. Key novels by Clarke include: Prelude to Space [1951], Childhood's End [1953], Earthlight [1955], A Fall of Moondust [1961], 2001: A Space Odyssey [1968 plus 3 follow-up volumes], Rendezvous With Rama [1973, plus sequels], Imperial Earth [1975], The Fountains of Paradise [1979], and The Songs of Distant Earth [1986 -- one of ACC's personal favorites]. He was also the master of the short story, with a dozen collections published over the years. Some of his short works are among the most republished short stories in genre history, including "Against the Fall of Night" and "The Star."

In addition to his fiction, Clarke was well-known for popularizing science for the masses. He was a strong proponent for the idea that technological developments were ultimately beneficial, and that humanity's destiny lay among the stars. Clarke is credited with inspiring the development of telecommunications satellites -- he first wrote about them in 1945, over a decade before they became a reality.

Clarke had suffered from post-polio syndrome for over 20 years, and for the last two decades most of his writing was in collaboration with younger writers, who took his detailed story ideas and fleshed them out. Clarke's passing leaves few of his contemporaries from science fiction's golden age still among the living, and fewer still with his landmark stature.

New York Times obit

BBC obit

LA Times obit

Arthur C. Clarke's credits at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database

More New Booktalk Booklists!

Several more new Booktalk Booklists have been added to the BookGuide site recently. Here's a run-down, with hotlinks to each individual list:

Checkmate

Jim, from Gere Branch, gave a talk featuring works of both non-fiction and fiction centering around the world of chess.

Erin go Bragh

Erin, from the Anderson and Bethany Branches, presented a discussion of Irish fiction, in celebration of St. Patrick's Day.

The Ides of March

Layne, from Eiseley Branch Library, gave a book talk focusing on both fiction and non-fiction associated with Julius Caesar, who was assassinated on the Ides of March (March 15th).

People I Wish I Had Known

Pam, one of the volunteer coordinators of the Gere BooksTalk group, discussed biographies and autobiographies of individuals she would have liked to have met.

All of these lists, plus many more, which contain the complete run-down of books discussed at each of the booktalks involved, are available at the BookGuide Book Talk Booklists page!

Staff Recommendation - The Green Hills of Earth

The Green Hills of Earth

by Robert A. Heinlein

The Green Hills of Earth is a collection of short stories from one of the masters of science fiction who has held readers spellbound for over thirty years. First published in 1951, this collection includes "Delilah and the Space-Rigger," "Space-Jockey," "The Long Watch," "Gentlemen Be Seated," "The Black Pits of Luna," "It's Great to Be Back," "We Also Walk Dogs," "Ordeal in Space," "The Green Hills of Earth" and "Logic of Empire." I read it years and years ago, and loved it! I just love Heinlein!! -- recommended by Bob B. - Bennett Martin Public Library/Reference

[ www.heinleinsociety.org/ web site ] [ Wikipedia page for Robert A. Heinlein ]

Have you read this one? What did you think?

Ten new reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog over the course of the entire month.

Staff Recommendation - The Digital Photography Book

The Digital Photography Book: The Step-by-Step Secrets for How to Make Your Photos Look Like the Pros'!

by Scott Kelby [775 Kel]

Fun little book. Kelby saturates the content of this book with his goofball humor, explaining in very conversational terms how to take better digital photos, even if you're not a professional photographer. As he explains in his introduction, Kelby approaches all of the topics of his various chapters as if you and he were out on a photo shoot and he was trying to give you some advice on the fly. My only complaint is that in the corner of the front cover of the book, it says "Great for point-and-shoot digital cameras, too!" and I didn't really find that to be the case. 95% or more of his helpful hints are for owners/users of Digital SLRs. Since all I've got so far is a pocket digital, I don't think I'll be able to apply much of what he discusses. But...it was still a fun and helpful book to read! -- recommended by Scott C. -- Bennett Martin Public Library/Reference

[ official Digital Photography Book page on the official Scott Kelby web site ]

Have you read this one? What did you think?

Ten new reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog over the course of the entire month.

Staff Recommendation - Not on Our Watch

Not On Our Watch: The Mission to End Genocide in Darfur and Beyond

by Don Cheadle [962.4 Che]

According to the book Not On Our Watch: The Mission to End Genocide in Darfur and Beyond, 3.5 million Sudanese are going hungry, 2.5 million have been displaced from their homes by violence, and over 400,000 have died in Dafur to date. Don Cheadle, award winner actor who appeared in films such as Hotel Rwanda, Oceans Eleven, Oceans Twelve and Oceans Thirteen, teamed up with leading activist John Prendergast to write this memoir in order to focus the world's attention to these ongoing tragedies. Although it was a slightly slow read with little historical information, the authors' inspiring memoir offers some practical information and instructions including six small actions we, as readers, can implement ourselves to make a difference in the fate of this nation. Despite the downsides of this book, it is a decent starting point for new activities wishing to educate themselves on genocide in Dafur as the important topic of this crisis seems to be lacking in national attention as well as in other written materials. -- recommended by Jessica H. - Walt Branch Library

[ official Not On Our Watch web site ] [ NPR article/excerpt for this book ]

Have you read this one? What did you think?

Ten new reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog over the course of the entire month.

Staff Recommendation - Elsewhere

Elsewhere

by Gabrielle Zevin

Elsewhere is an entertaining, poignant story about a teenager whose life on Earth is cut short. This is the story about her life after death. Liz wakes to find herself en route to the strangest place you can imagine. It is Elsewhere - where you go to live after you die. The unusual part: you get younger every day, and one day will be young enough to be reborn as an infant on Earth. Grow with Liz as she tries to handle the unfairness of her situation -- she will never become old enough to get her driver's license. She doesn't get to go the prom. Find out who did and didn't come to her funeral. And most importantly, as all teenagers will, she dreams of finding her first love -- but will anyone want to love her? Will Liz ever fit in here? And isn't it weird to live with a grandma who is no older than your mom?

[ official Elsewhere web site ] [ official Gabrielle Zevin web site ]

Have you read this one? What did you think?

Ten new reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog over the course of the entire month.

Staff Recommendation - David Copperfield

David Copperfield

by Charles Dickens

Full of richly imagined characters, humor, and pathos, this is Dickens' most autobiographical novel. Perhaps because of that, it also is among his most realistic, with less of the exaggeration found in some of his other works. -- recommended by Peter J. -- Virtual Services Department

[ The David Copperfield Site ] [ David Copperfield via Project Gutenberg ]

Have you read this one? What did you think?

Ten new reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog over the course of the entire month.