Books That Make A Librarian Thankful

It may be the holiday season that is fast approaching that is making this librarian a bit nostalgic.  After all Thanksgiving is meant for reflections on the blessings and bounty in life.   What could a librarian be thankful for?  Books!  Each and everyone of them. From the wordless books to the books that are over 1,000 pages long.  To the hardcover, paperbacks and  digitize  copies that constantly beckons to be read and sometimes re-read.   Every librarian will have their own particular favorite  titles that have stayed with them thought the years.  So on a personal note this holiday season, the following titles are among the ones that yours truly, Mrs. Nowc Librarian at Large is very thankful for.

First and foremost,  The True Story of the Three Little Pigs is the picture book that started it all in the way of becoming a Childrens' Librarian.  It is clever, funny and demonstrated that Children's book were meant to be shared not once but often.  How many times has this book been read during Mrs. Nowc's  story times over the years?  Too many times to count.  Each time there is the same results: laughter, giggles and demands for encores.   Thank you Mr. Jon Scieszka for this wonderful book and new perspective on an old tale!

At the age of twelve, yes twelve,  Dr. Zhivago was read for the first time. What a wonderful long tale that helped pass the time driving down to Florida.   Granted, Boris Pasternak's work was complex and much of the story's impact was missed the first time reading though it. The book was reread in junior year of high school and again in college.    Pasternak's work made such a  lasting impression  that it inspired the desire to learn more about Russian history, culture and language.  Perhaps it could be  said that  you can never forget your first novel.   As a side note, this book also proved that the movie is never the same as the book.   In most cases, the book is  better.

Finally,  The Alchemist is a book that turned out to be a delightful surprise. Recommended by a friend as a must read title  and became forever enamored with Santiago and his journey.    It reads like a folklore but speaks volumes about the desire to find a treasure that has been within reach the whole time. Ah, the romance of following one's heart never grows old.  Paulo Coelho's style and graceful storytelling lingers long after the last page has been read.  A huge and heartfelt thanks to the author Coelho for creating this masterpiece and the friend kept insisting that the book be read.

There are so many other books that life would have been so dull without them.  The key to discovering each wonderful writers and their stories has always been libraries.   So thankful for libraries.   That's it!  Libraries are what this librarian is very thankful for but then who isn't thankful for libraries?

Taking A Look At Christian Fiction

There a cycles and trends that repeat every couple of years or decades, especially in the publishing world.   However, now it seems that there are no cycles but just trends due to the wealth of self published and independent publishers that changing the way readers  discover new authors and titles.  This is especially true with Christian Fiction.  For years it has been considered a small niche in the publishing market, with Tyndale, Bethany House, Castle Gate Press,  and Zondervan providing the path for Christian Authors and readers to meet.  That's not the case any longer.   The big five publishers, HarperCollins as one example,  have stepped in and acquired the smaller Christian publishing companies in an attempt to get into the market.  Not a bad move considering the range of what Christian fiction covers.  Everything from spiritually lifting stories to romance without the hardcore erotica.  There is something for everyone.  In other words there is a bigger niche in which the publishers can explore and find a new audience.   Before discovering some of the newer titles that were published this year,  here are some older titles and veteran authors that may be of interest to readers.

Janette Oke is a veteran romance Christian author. Fans of this writer can honestly say they were readers  of Christian Fiction before Christian fiction was cool.  Most of her stories take place in the Western Frontier and Oke's series Canadian West is the perfect example of a strong heroine who adjusts to a new life in the Canadian Frontier and settling into the her new position as the school teacher.   Nestled in the series is a wonderfully written romance that flourishes between the heroine and aRoyal Canadian Mounted Police.  The title of the first book in the series is When Calls The Heart (Canadian West #1). 

The Circle Trilogy is an interesting tale woven by Ted Dekker that will take the reader's breath away.  First published in 2004,  this series brilliantly intertwines reality and dreams.  Once the reader is introduced to Thomas Hunter, they will never be able to forget the unlikely hero who maneuvers between two realities and conquers dangers, deceit and destruction.  It is in a word,  a thrill-ogy.  A must read for any reader interested in Christian Fiction.

Mark Bertrand's Roland March Mystery series fairly new but it has the feel of a ready made classic series.  The first in the series Back On Murder, was published in 2010 and Detective March is the type of character that everyone will root for just as they did for famous detectives like Columbo.  In the first book, readers find that Detective March is ready to retire, but the disappearance of a famous Houston Evangalist's teen daughter throws him into the middle of a crime investigation.  This is his chance to prove that he is one of Houston's finest.  Terrific writing filled with suspense and surprises.  Although this is Christian Fiction, it is not overly preachy, which makes it readable for those who want a good mystery without the sermon to go along with it.

For political thrillers, look no further than Joel C. Rosenburg's Dead Heat.    As the title suggests the story begins as a President nears the end of his term and two candidates are vying for his seat.   There is a death threat on the head of one of the candidates and the Secret Service must determine which candidate is the target of terrorist extremist in order to save the lives of millions.  This is an edge of your seat kind of book, not to mention one that can not be put down.

These three titles are especially good and demonstrate quite well the versatility of the genre.  This list is by no means complete.  There are so many authors whose talents have yet to be discussed  Having said that, next week's post will provide a peek at some new authors that have made Christian Fiction just as interesting and timely as those mentioned here.

Celebrating the Heroes -- Books For Veteran's Day

It's hard to know how to celebrate Veteran's Day.  After all, how does one celebrate the fact that someone gave their life so that others could live in peace.  It's odd to say that one can not have peace unless battles are fought.  Any general will tell you that wars lead to peace or at least that is the hopeful outcome.  In our nation's history there have been plenty of war stories to share and plenty of Veterans to show appreciation to for the sacrifices they have made.  In honor of this day and for those who served our country valiantly, here are the top three books on our list that should make every reader humbled by the courage and sacrifices of heroes who sometimes are forgotten.

Laura Hillenbrand 's Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption is an inspiring story that is written so well that the reader forgets they are reading nonfiction.  It reads like a novel and is a beautiful tribute to a World War II hero,  Louis Zamperini.  He defied all odds of surviving a plane crash on the Pacific Ocean, which leaves the reader in awe of the human spirit and the will to survive anything.  Wonderfully told.  Never to be forgotten.  

Another story of World War II is told by historian Barbara W. Tuchman  The Guns of August   This is the book on World War II that is definitive and the best.  In rich narrative Ms. Tuchman details how the war began, who were the key characters and how the war could have been stopped but wasn't.  The tome is over 600 pages but well worth the time to read if someone is serious about learning the details of World War II. 

Veterans' of today's military are often overlooked as heroes.  In part because America has become a bit war weary.  In Black Hawk Down, written by Mark Bowden, readers are discover the true courage and brutality that are synonymous with battles.  In October of 1993,  one hundred US military men went into Somalia in hopes to capture two top Somali warlords.  A simple task which should have taken one hour but last through the night.  This narration is riveting, and readers will not be able to put the book way until the very last word is read.   This book is a valuable resource to modern war, which to some, gives an excellent starting point to understanding the  U.S Military of today. 

There are so many wonderful books written about the military, some uplifting others a scathing rebuke of military actions.  The debate will continue to go on about the good and evil of war, one thing is for certain.  In every battle there are heroes who deserve the recogniton and honor that comes along with being a hero.   To all the men and women who served our country, a heartfelt thank you for your dedication.  To the authors who wrote about their lives and battles, thanks to you as well.  Without your talent, readers would never get to know these men and women.   

  

Poliotical Books: The Race is On!

Tomorrow is election day.  As advocates of  all types of libraries, this day is very important because nothing is more democratic then the right the vote.  Take for granted that precious right, you might as well start taking away other democratic institutions. Such as libraries and public schools.   Corny? Not really when considering America is the first experiment in the idea of a Republic and has been held up as a model of freedom and  democracy.  Since our society is set up with freedom of speech as well, it is with amusement that to watch publishers fall over themselves trying to get the right author who will someday become President of the United States.  This is no joke.  This is why most politicians gladly and negotiate for an advancement on a book that is yet to be penned.  All in hopes that their ideas catch on and they become the next rising star in the political arena.  For the 2016  Presidential Race, it seems that everyone is throwing their books into the ring.  None of these candidates have officially announced their intent to run, but from the sounds of their tomes, chances are they are flirting with the idea.  Unless you are a political pundit who writes political/current events books for a living, the only other reason to write is to get noticed for higher political office.


So let the race begin in the political publishing arena to see who will come out as the front runner in both parties.   Hillary Clinton is sure to make a stab at it yet again.   Clinton's latest book Hard Choices is a very dry book.  Difficult to get through mostly because it didn't reveal anything new about her time as Secretary of State.   Her other book, Living History (2003) is much better.  Perhaps it is because it is a little more personal and the reader gets a rare glimpse into the First Lady's life.
Andrew Cuomo's resume is impressive to say the least.   Coming from a political family, much like the Kennedys, Governor Cuomo has followed his father's footsteps upon his election as Governor of New York.  In October of this year,  Cuomo's book All Things Possible: Setbacks and Success in Politics and  Life is the typical comeback kid type memoir.  His book details the lesson learned and wisdom gained through his political career, which includes  New York Attorney General, United States Secretary of HUD and currently as New York Governor.  It is inspiring but the reader comes away thinking that much of the success and failures came with the recognition of the name.  Sometimes in politics, that is the biggest foot in the door.




A Fighting Chance does not detail Elizabeth Warren's ambition to run for President this time around.  It may be that she is waiting for Hillary to decide whether she is indeed running or that she is not interested in trying for the higher office.  This book does demonstrates the situations and ideas that shaped her life and passion.  In the first portion of the book Warren details how her family faced financial setbacks that ultimately formed her view of capitalism.  It is not pretty.   If readers are more inclined to follow a progressive ideology they will enjoy the book from cover to cover.  However regardless what side of the isle the reader is on, the mere fact that this woman, who hails from Oklahoma City to win the Massachusetts Senate Seat in 2012 is amazing.  Readers will come away from this book thinking that if Ms. Warren doesn't run in 2016 she probably will in 2020.




From the GOP side there are just as many contenders as there are on the DNC side.
Again none of the authors have come out stating they are definitely running only hinting that the possibilities are being explored.  This keeps the rumor mills  flowing so publishers are eager to get these books published as well.  One of the most interesting title of the bunch is  Allen West's Guardian of the Republic.  Again, we see the portrait of a person who has come from humble beginnings to become a successful leader in the U.S. Army,  U.S. Congress and a strong unapologetic voice in conservative politics.   He does not compromise on his  core beliefs and makes the case that these values that have been the backbone of the U.S. Constitution are under attack today.    This is not West's first book but it is the first in which he is considered to be a Presidential hopeful. 




There is a definite media buzz surrounding newcomer, Dr. Ben Carson because he dared to speak against President Obama's policy at the 2013 National  Prayer Breakfast. If the reader does not already know this name.  He is a conservative, well known pediatric brain surgeon who happens to be African American.  Like Allen he comes from very humble home to became successful in medicine.  Carson is  an overnight sensation in the political arena because of  his famed speech, mentioned earlier,  in which President Obama was just a mere feet away, as the good doctor tore apart Obamacare.   Earlier this year,  Sentinel HC  published One Nation: What We Can All Do to Save America's Future,  which is  Carson take on what has is holding America back from continuing on as a great country.  Everything from Obamacare to political correctness and personal accountability.  It is filled with inspirations from his own life and well as biblical passages.  Will he be accepted as a Republican Presidential Candidate?   Dr. Carson is certainly testing the waters with this book but also with the website: www.runbenrun.org.


Governor Jeb Bush's name has been bandied about as a front runner for the Republicans but the acceptance for his eventual Presidential run seems very lackluster.  It can be due to the fact the name Bush has run it's course.  It could also be due to the fact that the book he co-authored in 2013 on immigration has not helped him at all.  Immigration Wars is an attempted to shed light on possible solutions for a very controversial topic.  Bush's stance on immigration policy has caused some angry ripples within his own party.  The book itself is well written but it struggles to make a definite case for immigration reform that is both enforceable and based on realistic situations.   It will be interesting to see if the Governor wins the GOP nomination.  If he does, it won't be because this book helped him achieve his goal.  It will be mostly due to his name recognition.


Rick Santorum is no stranger to the craziness of campaign races, both as a Senator and a Presidential hopeful. His latest work entitled Blue Collar Conservative is an attempt to reach out to the Republican Party to remind them that the true base of the party are the middle class conservatives who have lost faith that neither of the parties worth supporting.  Santorum lays out a plan that could help the Republican party regain the trust of voters and ultimately win elections, especially the Presidential elections.  This book may have been published during the midterm cycles, but it seems to be intended for the 2016 Presidential cycle.  If Senator  Santorum does not run again in 2016  it will be surprising. 
  It could very well be that none of the names mentioned here will win the nomination for either party.  Time will be the judge as to which author runs and wins in 2016.  In the meantime, enjoy the books and by all means go vote.  Especially if your city has a library mileage on the ballot.  Vote to support your local library!  (The only political bias readers will find on this blog!)