Busy Moms' Book Club

The Busy Moms' Book Club group meets in Meeting Room B from 10:00 am to 11:00 am.

The group will discuss Little Giant of Aberdeen County by Tiffany Baker on Tuesday,
February 8, 2011 and Welcome to the Great Mysteries by Lorna Landvik on Tuesday,
April 12, 2011.

Please ask for a copy at the Adult Services desk on the second floor.
Strollers Welcome!

Mystery Book Club

The Mystery Book Club meets on the third Wednesday of every month at 1:30 pm in the First Floor Meeting Room. New members are always welcome. Books are located at the reference desk on the second floor. Please ask a staff member for a copy.

Here are the 2011 selections:

Jan 19, 2011 The Surrogate Thief by Archer Mayor

Feb 16, 2011 Manslaughter by Parnell Hall

Mar 16, 2011 Killing Floor by Lee Child

Apr 20, 2011 Faithful Place by Tana French

May 18, 2011 Murder on Gramercy Park by Victoria Thompson

Jun 15, 2011 The Stingray Shuffle by Tim Dorsey

Jul 20, 2011 A Conspiracy of Paper by David Liss

Aug 17, 2011 The Dead Cat Bounce by Sarah Graves

Sep 21, 2011 Booked to Die by John Dunning

Oct 19, 2011 A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny

Nov 16, 2011 Body Work by V.I. Warshawski

Dec 21, 2011 A Christmas Grace by Anne Perry

Happy Reading!

Adult Book Club

Hi everyone,

Here is the list of the 2011 selections:

Jan 12 Pomegranate Soup by Marsha Mehran

Feb 9 Bleeding Kansas by Sara Paretsky

Mar 9 Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

Apr 13 Madonnas of Leningrad by Debra Dean

May 11 The Soloist by Steve Lopez

Jun 8 The Crescent by Diana Abu-Jaber

Jul 13 Home Safe by Elizabeth Berg

Aug 10 The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

Sep 14 A Change in Altitude by Anita Shreve

Oct 12 Say You're One of Them by Uwem Akpan

Nov 9 The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Dec 14 Saint Maybe by Anne Tyler

The group meets on the second Wednesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. in the board room on the first floor.
New members are always welcome! Hope you can make it!

Objects of Our Affection: Uncovering My Family's Past, One Chair, Pistol, and Pickle Fork at a Time

Objects of Our Affection: Uncovering My Family's Past, One Chair, Pistol, and Pickle Fork at a Time by Lisa Tracy is not the typical book I read on genealogy. I normally look for resources for finding ancestors, you know where they lived, who they married, how many children they had, what they did for a living. I willingly admit the words Pickle Fork did it for me. I had to read this book.

I have in my possession a number of heirlooms handed down through the years from my mother and grandmother. They are priceless in my eyes. I have even argued with my siblings why I needed to be the person to keep these treasures!

Look around your house, see what you have collected from relatives; a bible, photo album, quilt, jewelry, or perhaps your relatives home? Have you ever wondered how your parents or grandparents or another relative came to acquire these items? Why did they cherish the quilt? Was it handmade by another relative? Could it have been a birthday present, wedding present or a baby gift? What was the significance of the present?

I was hooked by the end of the first chapter. I can tell you who gave me my heirlooms, but I really can't tell you HOW my relatives acquired them in the first place. Typical of my genealogy research when one question is answered you have three more.

The story follows the author as she deals with her mother's death and handling her estate. Heirlooms that had been acquired over one hundred years ago, from all over the world, for several of the author's grandparents and great grandparents were stationed all over the world. There was so much furniture, china, dishes, etc., that needed to be gone through. What to keep, what to sell. More importantly, where did all of it come from? The family shares their stories and memories of these heirlooms and materials items that have for so long been in their family.

The author takes us on a journey of finding connections. Finding connections through the history of the items we collect and pass down to our descendants.

As an amateur genealogist who searches for family roots I would highly recommend this book. Through this book, I've discovered that there is much more to my family genealogy than the grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins I search for. The whole story includes the heirlooms I been blessed to receive--handmade quilts, the photographs, the jewelry, the books and the history and stories each holds. Happy reading!

Triumph: Life After the Cult, by Carolyn Jessop with laur

Triumph: Life After the Cult-a Survivor's Lessons is the continuing story of Carolyn Jessop's life after 2003, when she escaped to freedom from an extreme Mormon sect of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints. Carolyn shares with us the story of how she fought for and won full custody of her eight children, struggled being not only a single mother but also the only breadwinner of the family. She enrolled her children in public schools for the first time in their lives, where they could be exposed to an uncensored education. Her bestseller titled "Escape" is a reflection of her life up to that point in time

In April of 2008 she once again came into the public's eye. The state of Texas raided the Yearning for Zion Ranch where a child allegedly was being abused. Over 400 children were removed from their parents and their homes and placed in an unprepared foster care system. Carolyn still had many members of her family living on the ranch. She traveled to Texas to help educate the many social workers, attorney's, police officers, and foster parents on the complexities of the sect's faith and beliefs. She willingly counseled those who wanted to help by offering knowledge and experience in the thinking and beliefs of the members of the FLDS, especially those beliefs of the women and children who lives were most at risk.

Carolyn recounts the charges against many parents, the court battles, custody fights and the eventual return of the children to their parents. The system failures and the enlightenment to the public of this particular extreme sect of the FLDS. Even if you haven't read Carolyn's first book, "Escape", I would highly recommend reading "Triumph: Life After the Cult, a Survivors Lessons"!

Composed a Memoir by Rosanne Cash

I admit it-I am a huge fan of Johnny Cash, so it only stands to reason I would certainly check out his eldest daughter's musical talents and compositions. If you haven't listened to any of her albums or read any of her books you are missing out on some thoughtful and heartfelt stories. I love Rosanne Cash's albums, particularly Black Cadillac, King's Record Shop and her latest recording; The List.

Her newest book, Composed a Memoir is a great read! Not a typical biography by any means. Rosanne writes of her life, but not in a chronological order. She writes stories of her youth, growing up inside the Cash household. The impact her father's addictions and the breakup of her parents marriage had on her and her sisters. Trying to discover who she was and how she fit into this world. What direction did she want to move toward?
The part I found most compelling was how she came to be the terrific songwriter and singer she is today. She struggled with her self confidence in her ability to write a good song. She believed she wanted to be a good songwriter but on her own terms. The life experiences that inspired her to write beautiful songs of her family, her children, her parents, her marriages, and life gained her the recognition and the success as not only a singer but clearly the songwriter!

Check out this book you won't be disappointed and while you're at it, listen to some of her great music!

July and August Book Clubs

The Adult Book Club meets on the second Wednesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. in the boardroom.

On July 14, 2010 the group will discuss Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout.

On August 11, 2010 the discussion will be about The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom.

The Mystery Book Club meets on the third Wednesday of the month at 1:30 in Meeting Room B.

The group will discuss Darkest Fear by Harlan Coben on July 21, 2010. On August 18, 2010 the discussion will be on Vanishing Point by Marcia Muller.