Librarians' Bedside Table

OSCAR GRADY PUBLIC LIBRARY

THE LIBRARIANS’

BEDSIDE TABLE Kids' Dog Books for the Dog Days of Summer!

What your friendly librarians have been reading and MUCH MORE!

Our ZOO PASS is now available for check out!

While our policy guidelines for its usage have not changed due to the current situation, certain aspects in the Zoo's part have changed.

Please visit the following links for more information on what you should expect, in order to help you planning for a great experience:

Zoo REOPENING FAQ Changes regarding the usage of the ZOO PASS

Oscar Grady Public Library Mission Statement:

The mission of the Oscar Grady Public Library is to provide high interest, high demand materials and make them readily available from the Library’s collection or through interlibrary loan. The Library supports lifelong learning, information and recreational needs for people of all ages and abilities. Special emphasis is placed on stimulating children’s interests and appreciation for reading and learning. The integration of new technology with traditional library resources is used to expand service beyond the Library’s physical walls.

On this new issue of our “Librarians’ Bedside Table”, we compiled a list of really good titles recommended by your library friends. Each title can be accessed in electronic format for your convenience. Click or tap in the hyperlinks attached to each title that will take you right to them in the Monarch Catalog.

We hope you enjoy this selection of books from your librarians at the

Oscar Grady Public Library!

————————o————————

Debra Jo, Library Assistant and ILL Specialist would like to recommend the following titles:

Linnea in Monet's Garden by Christina Bjork Review from Publisher's Weekly: Linnea, a fresh-faced European girl with a mop of black hair and a white smock, gives a solid lesson in art history in the gentlest way, through a first-person account. Her story is like a scrapbook, reliving a trip she took to Paris and Giverny to learn about Monet's water-lily paintings. Airy, light-filled watercolors showing Linnea in Monet's environment are juxtaposed with period photographs of the artist and reproductions of the paintings themselves. The focus is always on the specific. Monet's brushstrokes are examined (Linnea terms them "splotchy"). A section is devoted to expressionism: "Even stone walls could shimmer sometimes." Also included are Monet's biography, a family tree and a brief guide to Paris. But, it is the sense of being there, and Linnea's own enthusiasm, that carries the book. Ages 7-up.

Claude and Camille: A Novel of Monet

Publisher's Summary: In the mid-nineteenth century, a young man named Claude Monet decided that he would rather endure a difficult life painting landscapes than take over his father’s nautical supplies business in a French seaside town. Against his father’s will, and with nothing but a dream and an insatiable urge to create a new style of art that repudiated the Classical Realism of the time, he set off for Paris.

But once there he is confronted with obstacles: an art world that refused to validate his style, extreme poverty, and a war that led him away from his home and friends. But there were bright spots as well: his deep, enduring friendships with men named Renoir, Cézanne, Pissarro, Manet—a group that together would come to be known as the Impressionists, and that supported each other through the difficult years. Even more illuminating was his lifelong love, Camille Doncieux, a beautiful, upper-class Parisian girl who threw away her privileged life to be by the side of the defiant painter and embrace the lively Bohemian life of their time.

His muse, his best friend, his passionate lover, and the mother to his two children, Camille stayed with Monet—and believed in his work—even as they lived in wretched rooms and often suffered the indignities of destitution. But Camille had her own demons—secrets that Monet could never penetrate—including one that when eventually revealed would pain him so deeply that he would never fully recover from its impact.

Hope, our Collection Developer would like to recommend these titles:

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card Once again, Earth is under attack. An alien species is poised for a final assault. The survival of humanity depends on a military genius who can defeat the aliens. But who? Ender Wiggin. Brilliant.

Ruthless. Cunning. A tactical and strategic master. And a child.

Recruited for military training by the world government, Ender's childhood ends the moment he enters his new home: Battle School.

Among the elite recruits Ender proves himself to be a genius among geniuses. He excels in simulated war games. But is the pressure and loneliness taking its toll on Ender? Simulations are one thing. How will Ender perform in real combat conditions? After all, Battle School is just a game. Isn't it?

The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher When Carrie Fisher discovered the journals she kept during the filming of the first Star Wars movie, she was astonished to see what they had preserved--plaintive love poems, unbridled musings with youthful naivete and a vulnerability that she barely recognized.

Before her passing, her fame as an author, actress, and pop-culture icon was indisputable, but in 1977, Carrie Fisher was just a teenager with an all-consuming crush on her costar, Harrison Ford.

With these excerpts from her handwritten notebooks, The Princess Diarist is Fisher's intimate and revealing recollection of what happened on one of the most famous film sets of all time--and what developed behind the scenes. Fisher also ponders the joys and insanity of celebrity, and the absurdity of a life spawned by Hollywood royalty, only to be surpassed by her own outer-space royalty. Laugh-out-loud hilarious and endlessly quotable, The Princess Diarist brims with the candor and introspection of a diary while offering shrewd insight into one of Hollywood's most beloved stars.

Martin, our Collection Developing and Adult Services Coordinator would like to recommend these titles: During these past months many of us have had the opportunity to add more quality time in the outdoors due to the lack of other activities that usually take a slice of our daily life. These two books I share today are wonderful examinations of two activities I have found myself doing (and appreciating) way more during this past few months, and both of these titles not only enlighten the reader with historical information related to the subjects each one deals with, but also make us a look at the acts of walking and swimming in a way that does surprises and makes us appreciate them more.

In the book “In Praise of Paths”, Norwegian journalist and author Torbjorn Ekelund invites us to look at paths, their history and the meaning of their existence.

Mr. Ekelund, who developed late in life a form of epilepsy, found himself one day not being able to hold a driver license anymore, reason that made him not only add hours of walking to this life, something he confessed to have lost connection with, and with this tragedy turned into awakening, he ended up navigating the simplicity of those usually overlooked walkways, in a way that makes us appreciate more the simply act of walking.

Swim, Why We Love the Water by author Lynn Sherr presents in a compact book a history of swimming, from the days of antiquity to the modern era and its development of such a basic activity as it is the act of our enjoyment of water, through a series of trivia facts that open a window into our connection with the liquid element, revealing many sides of the sport or leisure aspects swimming.

I recommend this book to anyone who as getting in the water, be it a pool, a river, the ocean or a lake finds himself or herself saying or thinking “this feels good”.

Rita, with her always present smile would like to recommend these titles along with some tasty recipes she found in them: If you enjoy reading books about 19 th century London and/or psychopathic killers, The Darwin Affair (2019) by Tim Mason may be the novel for you. If, however, you found dissecting frogs in biology class to be problematic, you might want to skip this book. To me, the thin plot seemed contrived solely to provide as many scenes of torture, horror, and violence as possible.

The Darwin Affair was selected as August 2020’s global virtual book club’s Big Library Read book. It is a macabre historical thriller about a murder conspiracy fueled by the controversy of Darwin's On the Origin of Species. Set in London in 1860, and accelerated by the possibility of Darwin’s knighthood, a high-level conspiracy coalesces to assassinate Darwin’s promoter, Prince Albert.

This conspiracy involves friends of the Royal family, the Royal staff, the Church of England, well-known scientists, and the police.

Inspector Field, of London’s Metropolitan Police, exposes this assassination plot, and despite a lack of resources and support, seeks to apprehend the psychotic killer known as, “The Chorister.” The grisly action takes place all over London, Oxford, and Germany, with many sadistic murders liberally peppering the plot. In addition to the gory killings, the author also takes readers into the gruesome world of body snatchers who removed bodies from fresh graves for the medical community at that time.

Although Darwin, Dickens, Karl Marx, and other historical figures make cameos in this novel, The Darwin Affair is as much a horror novel as a historical novel. Perhaps you will want to save this read for Halloween.

Bombshell (2020) by Stuart Woods

is the fourth novel in his Teddy Fay series. Teddy Fay, a former CIA operative turned movie producer, becomes involved in solving a publicity problem for his studio while protecting his life. A rising star at Centurion Studios, Tessa Tweed, becomes the target of malicious gossip, and Teddy must find and neutralize the source before things get out of hand. At the same time, Teddy finds one of his alter-egos, Billy Barnett, famous producer, has been targeted by a gangster with a grudge. Alternating between Billy Barnett and Fay’s other alter-ego, stuntman/actor Mark Weldon, Fay saves the day and his own skin.

With a plot climax at the (pre-COVID-reality) Oscars, this fun, lightweight thriller reads like a gossip magazine. With lots of killing, little gore, and many identity changes, readers will suspend reality as they follow the action.

Lost Roses (2019), by Martha Hall Kelly, is the historical fiction prequel to Lilac Girls (2016). Both these books have a femaledriven narrative and focus on the power of women’s friendship.

Based on true events, Lost Roses begins as the events that lead to WW I and the Russian Revolution simmer. The novel follows three women: Eliza, a woman of privilege living in the rarified world of Long Island, is a close friend of Sofya, a cousin to the doomed Romanovs. Varinka, the poor fortune-teller’s daughter, is hired to help Sofya’s household staff in the country, where her family fled following the Bolshevik uprising in Petrograd.

As some White Russians who have fled the Revolution make their way to New York City, Eliza sets up an aid society and tries to find employment for the Russian women. At the same time, Sofya undertakes a daring escape from her threatened country estate, and suddenly her financial circumstances are reversed.

Likewise, the peasant Varinka sees her financial circumstances reversed post-Revolution, and enjoys new wealth and power.

The plot climaxes in Paris, post-war, as Eliza seeks Sofya, and Sofya seeks to reunite with what little of her family remains.

Themes of motherhood, friendship, and sacrifice infuse this novel.

Reading Apps for everyone!

Libby, the new app from OverDrive is your gateway to downloadable Audiobooks & Ebooks. Browse and search for thousands of great titles, and download them to your computer or transfer them to a portable device for your listening pleasure anywhere, anytime.

CLICK HERE to connect to Libby’s site or to learn more.

RBdigital Audiobooks & Magazines Built by Recorded Books, RBdigital is a stateof-the-art platform and app providing access to audiobooks & magazines simply using your library card.

Need help setting up the app?

Click/tap here to access the slide presentation we have on how to download, set up and use this great app.

NEW TO VIEW Each month, a number of movies and television programs are added to the Oscar Grady collection. NEW TO VIEW aims to highlight a few each month from different genres worth considering for your next checkout!

August 2017, one of the hottest summers to date.

This documentary feature takes a close look at the concerns of every-day New Yorkers; rising rents, word of hurricanes on one coast, wild fires on the other, and mounting political tensions. Simmering in the background is the spector of climate change and the question of just what the future will hold.

BELGRAVIA Journey to 19th century London in this drama from Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes. The tale begins on the eve of the Battle of Waterloo at a ball. Sophia, the daughter of a rising family, meets Edmund, the son of an Earl. Their brief connection produces a resonating link between the two families that will have a lasting effect and expose decades of secrets.

The Secret of Roan Inish Set in post-WWII Ireland, this family film delivers a folktale without fuss.

Young Fiona is sent to live with her grandparents in the country by her widower father. Once there she learns of family lore, including a tie to selkies, creatures capable of changing from seals to humans by shedding their skins.

Fiona finds herself drawn back to the island her family was forced to abandon during the war, and determined to solve the mystery of her long lost baby brother.

Check out these book trailers for titles that are new or coming soon to our shelves.

Click on the word BOOKSHELF below to access this selection built by Miss Julie.

BOOKSHELF

Now around town! Books for everyone.

The Oscar Grady Library with the support of The Friends of the Oscar Grady Library has purchased three Little Free Libraries, which have been installed at three convenient locations: Quade Park, The Oscar Grady Library, and Village Hall.

Check them out! Love them, enjoy them, treasure them.

The Digital Media Conversion Lab The equipment & training necessary to view and digitally preserve family photographs, slides, and film.

The Oscar Grady Public Library’s Digital Media Conversion Lab is a highfunctioning digital space and work room. The room is equipped with the necessary digital mechanics to process aging photographic formats.

Click/Tap HERE to learn more.

At your Oscar Grady Library you can access:

FREE WI-FI (inside or outside the building)

Computer labs (with social distancing applied).

Brand new printer

Fax services.

Check them out next time you visit us!

We would like to express our gratitude to the family of former

Library Board member Lisa A.

Clark

for the donation of a

beautiful tree bench, now available for everyone to enjoy when visiting the library, during a walk around town or simply coming to sit and read a good book. Check it out!

www.oscargradylibrary.org