Thursday, July 31, 2008

Staff Recommendation - The Descent

The Descent
by Jeff Long

What if hell were a real place underneath our feet? That's the premise of Jeff Long's The Descent, which is a rip-roaring adventure book. Mankind has seen demons, gargoyles, and Satan since the dawn of time. What if these creatures were real? The plot of this book sucks you in to a place you never want to visit but can't turn away from. The characters are interesting but the "what if-ness" of the story is what kept me turning the pages. -- recommended by Deanne J. - Gere Branch Library

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.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Staff Recommendation - The Jeeves & Wooster series

The Jeeves & Wooster series
by P.G. Wodehouse

Fun, light reading for fans of British humor (or humour, if you prefer). -- recommended by Peter J. - Bennett Martin Public Library/Virtual Services

[The Jeeves and Wooster series is available in various print, audio and video versions in the library collections.]


Have you read any of these? What did you think?

Staff Recommendation - Sentimental Living From the Porch

Sentimental Living From the Porch
by Alda Ellis [747.7 qEll]

Decorating and entertaining ideas for the porch and backyard for every season. Beautiful photographs, easy instructions at the back. -- recommended by Charlotte K. - Bennett Martin Public Library


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.

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Staff Recommendation - From Dead to Worse

From Dead to Worse
by Charlaine Harris

With destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina still adversely affecting Louisiana residents, including the supernatural community, telepath Sookie Stackhouse discovers family she never knew she had and once again risks her life for both the Were and Vampire communities. This latest series installment (published in May 2008) further cements Sookie's relationship with the supernatural community - every one and every thing from witches to werepanthers to fairies to vampires - as the Were community prepares for going public as vampires did years earlier. With a surprising yet pleasing ending, this one is hard to put down! -- recommended by Jodene G. - Walt Branch Library

[ Chapter One of From Dead to Worse on the official Charlaine Harris 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 Recommendations - The Gift of Fear

The Gift of Fear: Survival Signals That Protect us From Violence
by Gavin DeBecker [362.88 Deb]

Gavin de Becker is a busy guy! A leading expert on predicting violent behavior, he is also a Senior Fellow at the UCLA School of Public Affairs and one of the world's leading threat-assessment consultants. De Becker believes we can all learn to recognize the signals of the "universal code of violence," and use them as tools to help us survive. de Becker says victims of violent behavior usually feel a sense of fear before any threat or violence takes place. The book teaches how to identify the warning signals of a potential attacker and recommends strategies for dealing with the problem before it becomes life threatening. The case studies are gripping and suspenseful, and include tactics for dealing with similar situations. People don't just "snap" and become violent, says de Becker, whose clients include federal government agencies, celebrities, police departments, and shelters for battered women. "There is a process as observable, and often as predictable, as water coming to a boil." Learning to predict violence is the cornerstone to preventing it. De Becker is a master of the psychology of violence, and his advice may save your life. -- recommended by Lisa V. - Bennett Martin Public Library


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.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Staff Recommendation - sTORI Telling

sTORI Telling
by Tori Spelling [Biography Spelling]

This is a great autobiography from Tori Spelling herself, most notably famous for her television character, Donna Martin in Beverly Hills 90210 which was produced by her father, Aaron Spelling. The actresses' personal life has been filling celebrity gossip columns ever since she landed her breaking role in one of her father's weekly TV series during her late teens. Belonging to one of California's most wealthy families, Tori has chronicled juicy snippets of her lonely, but elaborate childhood, the much publicized relationship with her mother, a nose job at the age of 15, the fight to be taken seriously in Hollywood as a talented actress, her paltry disinheritance from her father, and most notably a fairytale wedding to the wrong man and then scandalously stealing a married man from another woman. Finally settling down to family life with the man of her dreams, Tori describes her recent changes in life, most notably her excitement over finally having the "normal" family life she has always wished for and learning to subside in Hollywood on a much more modest income. Tori discusses her newest ventures and projects such as the Oxygen channel's series Tori & Dean Inn Love and Tori & Dean Home Sweet Hollywood. -- recommended by Jessica H. - Walt Branch Library
[ official Tori Spelling 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.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Staff Recommendation - Lone Survivor

Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of Seal Team 10
by Marcus Luttrell [958.104 Lut]

How many Taliban does it take to fight a four-man team of Navy SEALs? Just ask Marcus Luttrell. He and his 3 friends were on a recon mission in rural Afghanistan when they were discovered. The ensuing battle is heartwrenching and makes the reader want to stand up and fight alongside them. Lone Survivor starts out with a little background on the training that a Navy SEAL must endure to become a member of the team. These men are NOT quitters. As you read this book you feel proud to be an American, where our warriors don't give up; they would rather die defending our freedom. This amazing non-fiction title reads like a fictional account and -- not surprisingly -- Universal Pictures has optioned the rights to this fantastic action story for a movie to be released in 2009. Find out what happens to the four heroes out in the desert. Can they survive the wrath of the enemy forces? Will they take out the Taliban leader they were searching for? Are YOU tough enough to join their mission? (Please keep in mind that the language may be suitable for more mature readers. Marcus speaks like the sailor he is.) -- recommended by Julie H. - Walt Branch Library


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.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Staff Recommendation - Trust Me

Trust Me
by Jayne Ann Krentz

Krentz does her usual great job of drawing you in with her quirky characters, fun dialogue and intriguing mystery. This time she matches Desdemona Wainright of the flamboyant theatrical Wainright clan with Sam Stark, the computer genius who has been left at the altar twice by women who claimed he was as unemotional as his computers. He's been called an android, a Super Nerd, but Desdemona sees the lonely man who's afraid to trust. She sets out to teach Stark the importance of family. When a dead body turns up and Desdemona's life is threatened, Stark proves he's more than a machine, he's a man in love who will do what it takes to keep his woman safe. -- recommended by Janet K. - Walt Branch Library

[ official Jayne Ann Krentz/Amanda Quick 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.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Staff Recommendation - The Prestige

The Prestige
[DVD Prestige]

Marvelously dark period drama with heavy doses of fantasy and mystery. Two turn-of-the-century Victorian stage magicians begin a rivalry and feudd that involves one-upsmanship, thievery, manipulations of loved ones, sabotage, and ultimately murder. This film is exceptionally atmospheric -- filmed, where possible, with natural lighting. The set designs are gorgeous. And the acting, on the parts of Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman, is wonderful. The script, based on an award-winning novel by Christopher Priest, is by the same writer/director who brought us Memento, and this summer's Batman: The Dark Knight, so be prepared for lots of twists and turns. This is NOT, however, a movie for kids...it has a very dark tone, and by the end you realize that both magicians are willing to sacrifice their humanity and become monsters to outdo the other. Nevertheless, a highly recommendable movie. -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library/Reference

[ official Christopher Priest web site ] [ official The Prestige on DVD web site ]

Have you seen this one? Or read the original book? 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.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

New Booktalk Booklists!

Several new Booktalk Booklists have been posted to the BookGuide site, based on talks presented this summer. Click on any of the following to see the full lists..


Happy reading!

Monday, July 14, 2008

Staff Recommendation - Green for Danger

Green for Danger
by Christianna Brand

A military hospital in a rural village in England during World War II is the setting for this mystery, which is considered one of the best of the Golden Age of mysteries. Amid the bombs and air raids works a group of medical staff, attempting to heal, cure and operate on the wounds of war. Some are volunteers, happy and earnest to do their part for the war effort. Those assigned there are either resigned to it or enter the door kicking and screaming. The patients are a blend of those on the mend or those needing the best this short-handed group has to offer. The village postman IS an unexpected patient. Although his injuries are quite routine, his stay at the hospital ends up in the morgue! -- recommended by Evelyn D. - Bennett Martin Public Library/Technical Processes


[ Wikipedia page for Christianna Brand ]

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.

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Seeking Reader Comments -- Fearless Fourteen

It's out! Janet Evanovich's 14th volume in the Stephanie Plum series is now out -- Fearless Fourteen -- and #1 on the New York Times bestseller list.

We want to hear from visitors to BookGuide's Book Lovers Discussion blog...what did you think of this volume?

What are you looking for from Plum in the future?

Staff Recommendation - The Dreams Our Stuff is Made Of

The Dreams Our Stuff is Made Of: How Science Fiction Conquered the World
by Thomas M. Disch [809.388 Dis]

This 1999 Hugo-Award winning non-fiction book takes an interesting look at science fiction's influence on American society. Disch, who committed suicide in early July, has an extremely confrontational manner of presenting his arguments, but the book presents a nicely conversational tone that makes for easy reading. Speculative Fiction enthusiasts may have a few bones to pick with Disch over his opinions here, but casual science readers and those interested in the influences of popular culture should find this one to be right up their alley. Note -- This is NOT a short story collection, but rather a collection of interrelated essays on literature and society. -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library/Reference


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.

Thomas M. Disch, R.I.P. 1940-2008

Thomas M. Disch, writer of hard-edged science fiction, social critic and poet, committed suicide in his New York City apartment on July 4th, 2008.

Born in the Midwest in 1940 (Des Moines) and raised in Minnesota's Twin Cities, Disch first connected with literature in high school classes, before being sidetracked by numerous jobs in multiple fields. By his twenties, Disch had moved to New York, ultimately taking classes at New York University. It was there that his writing finally kicked in, and although he worked a series of odd jobs to pay the rent, it was his short story and poetry writing that started to get him noticed in the literary world. His body of work ultimately included science fiction novels and stories, 10 poetry collections, plays, criticisms, an opera libretto for an adaptation of Frankenstein, gothic works and childrens' books.

His 1968 novel Camp Concentration is about an inmate in a US concentration camp who's treated with experimental drugs, and 1974's 334 is an experimental collection of linked stories all set in a New York City apartment complex. Disch' 1980 novella, The Brave Little Toaster was adapted into an animated film from Disney. His 1998 collection of essays, The Dreams Our Stuff is Made Of won science fiction's Hugo Award for best non-fiction book of the year.

In recent years, Disch had maintained a blog at LiveJournal, where he continued to present original poetry and make acerbic observations on the world at large. Disch had suffered from depression at various times in his life, and the recent loss of his long time companion (and occasional writing partner) Charles Naylor, as well as a fight to maintain possession of his rent-controlled apartment, are rumored to have spurred him to take his own life.

Wikipedia entry on Thomas M. Disch

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Read...Discuss...Repeat! -- July -- Stiff

The July selection for BookGuide's Read...Discuss...Repeat! has been posted.

This month's title is the 2003 non-fiction book that shocked readers with the afterlife adventures of the human body -- Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers, by Mary Roach. Filled with wry humor, Stiff explores the many ways that human remains have aided or assisted in historic and scientific explorations.

Stop by the Read...Discuss...Repeat! page on BookGuide for background information about the book, a list of "readalikes", and links to web sites related to the book and author. Then (or now), if you've read the book, stop by and fill out our on-line comment form to share your thoughts and opinions about Stiff!

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Staff Recommendation - A Beautiful Blue Death

A Beautiful Blue Death
by Charles Finch

Late 18th century London with its gas fireplaces and gloomy skies. What is it about a wet cold that makes it feel so much colder than it really is? The London of winter 1965 in this mystery is just that, along with the smudgey skies and most probably dirty air. However the parlors and drawing rooms of the well-to-do are a haven of civility and refinement. The veneer of such fine living is broken when a former servant of Lady Jane is found poisoned at her most recent employer's home. As Lady Jane says "It's just too awful." To the rescue is her friend, Charles Lenox. Lenox gets involved with such unfortunate events as these, when he's not at his men's club, drinking tea in front of his fireplace or perusing among the books in his home library. Settle on the couch with your favorite beverage, you're in for a treat! -- recommended by Evelyn D. - Bennett Martin Public Library/Technical Processes


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.