Spartan Gold, by Clive Cussler

I’ve just finished listening to Spartan Gold on CD. If you are a history buff, you will love this book. If you’re not, you might not be as happy with it. The main characters are the treasure-hunting husband and wife team, Sam & Remi Fargo. It combines mystery, MacGyver-style adventure, and history. It was great listening, but I would probably have lost interest if I had been reading the physical book.

Women’s Book Club at the Phoebus Branch

The Phoebus Branch Library inaugurated their Women’s Book Club recently with a discussion of the novel Push by Sapphire.

Many topics were discussed, including socioeconomic patterns, race relations and the repercussions of abnormal family life. Everyone in attendance reported different and highly emotional reactions to the novel’s themes, leading to a rewarding learning experience for all.

“Getting together with a group of women and comparing ideas and thoughts made the book come alive,” says co-facilitator Maria Dillion.

People hesitant to read the novel are encouraged to give it a try. It will keep you wanting to find out more about the characters, and help you learn something about yourself and the world we live in.

The group’s members are diverse in age, and the library welcomes everyone interested in coming together to discuss books. Suggestions for future novels are encouraged as well, and should be directed to Jenny Bailey or Maria Dillon of the Phoebus Branch Library, 727-1149.

Which authors do you think should stop writing right now?

Suggestions so far:

Nicholas Sparks
Danielle Steel
James Patterson
Zane
Dorothy Garlock

Whose writing irritates you?

Whoa – attacked by an empty house?!!!

Wanna find out how a dead person could take over the world? Read Daemon, by Daniel Suarez. Uncomfortably plausible cyber suspense, rogue people, cars & a house, and a startling ending. Somebody on the Barnes & Noble site said the pages almost turn themselves. I hope the sequel comes soon! It reminded me of a souped-up version of 1989’s The Cuckoo’s Egg: inside the world of computer espionage, by Clifford Stoll. That was nonfiction but also offered a well-written window into the hacking life that was intelligible to an outsider. Suggestions, please, for comparable book titles.

Coping with an anomaly

What do you do when your favorite author writes a book you find boring? Do you just close it and go on with your life or do you plow your way through it?

I’m a Connie Willis fan. Her book Passage is giving me a headache, but I refuse to put it down. I refuse to admit that one of my favorite authors could write something that puts me to sleep. Am I the only one with this particular quirk?

Getaways

When I started working in a library recently I also started reading the backs of books. The ones that caught my eye I’d check out and read, sometimes three at once. The more I read the more it reminded me of weekends as a child when I would read until I fell asleep. I’d forgotten how relaxing that was and how alive I would feel.  Now I’ve rediscovered the relaxing getaway that only a good book can bring you. Whether it’s fiction, nonfiction, a biography or even a magazine article that tells you something you never knew before, it’s just relaxing to get away mentally and broaden your horizons.

What does that for you?

Reading during the long commute

I have a long commute involving a lot of traffic to and from work, so I listen to most books. One of my favorite BKCD series is that of Janet Evanovich. Listening to her books is like watching movies. One can visualize each character because of the descriptive writing style and the use of various voices by the reader.

I also really enjoy non-fiction titles that are written and read by the author. Some that have been enlightening and interesting are In This Life Together, written, and read by Ossie Davis & Ruby Dee, & Things I Overheard While Talking to Myself, written and read by Alan Alda. If you have a long commute, what do you listen to?

African American Literature

This being February, & therefore Black History Month, I thought you might be interested in sites that offer relevant resources for readers. Please comment if you know of other good ones.

www.Bookspot.com

Booklist Online

Barnes & Noble Review

African American Literature Book Club

Black Book Reviews

Free Library: African American Review

African American Literature

Organizing your own library

Do you have a library of your own? Have you always wanted to catalog it? Do you wish to share the knowledge and/or insight given to you by the books in your library? Do you need to catalog the books of your organization or church? There’s a place waiting for both you and your book titles.

LibraryThing [www.librarything.com ]

I joined recently and I’m in heaven! Membership is free; just set up an account.  Adding your book titles is so easy. With a click of the mouse, book covers and cataloging information are automatically attached to your titles. You can share your library listing with others or keep it private.

As for sharing your thoughts with others, there are over a hundred groups to choose from. Groups range in size from those with thousands of members to those with only two. If you don’t see a group that fits your needs, you can start your own. It’s all good, and it’s all easy.

Do Cookbooks Ever Go Out of Date?

My 1970s Pillsbury Cookbook is in pieces. The back is gone and some of the pages are folded up inside the book. I checked out the library’s Elizabeth Alston cookbooks so many times that I finally broke down and bought my own copies. I don’t think I’ve ever thrown out a cookbook, just added bookshelves as needed. So, I started wondering. Do cookbooks go out of date if they’re still being used?