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84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
Nonfiction
818.54 Han
The friendly correspondence of Helene Hanff, an outspoken, fun-loving New York writer, and Frank Doel, a rather more restrained and businesslike London bookseller, make an intriguing and captivating story. If you loved The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, then check out this true and touching post-WWII tale.
Submitted by Bonnie Bradford 1/12
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And the Band Played On: Politics, People and the Aids Epidemic by Randy Shilts
Nonfiction
362.1 Shi
“The book stands as the definitive reminder of the shameful injustice inflicted on this nation by the institutions in which we put our trust … a landmark work” (Publisher’s Weekly). The in-depth study of the first five years of AIDS in America, is made very readable by the inclusion of real persons, and their experiences. A fascinating exploration. A caveat: some explicit sexual material.
Submitted by Lee Alexander 1/12
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Bunheads by Sophie Flack
Young Adult
YF Flack
Nineteen-year-old Hannah Ward loves the competition, intense rehearsals and performances that make up her daily life as a member of the Manhattan Ballet Company, but when she meets a handsome musician, she begins to wonder if there could be more to her life than ballet.
Submitted by Jodean Wright 1/12
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The Christmas List by Richard Paul Evans
General Fiction
F Evans
A fictional story about a very selfish man who goes through a "Christmas Carol" type of experience. It is hilarious and touching all "wrapped" up in one book.
Submitted by Daena Wasson 1/12 |
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The Death Instinct by Jed Rubenfeld
Historical Fiction
F Rubenfeld
Did you know 9/11 was not the first terrorist attack in New York City? Rubenfeld's new fictionalized account of the September 16, 1920 bombing outside the JP Morgan building is rich with historical detail and memorable characters. Police detective, Littlefield, and Younger, former doctor and WWI survivor, take on this fascinating case that was never really solved.
Submitted by Ruby Cheesman 1/12
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The Enlightened Smoker's Guide to Quitting by B. Jack Gebhardt
Nonfiction
616.865 Geb
What caught my attention was the subtitle, "Learn to Forget to Smoke". A very gentle guide to smoking cessation or to breaking any troublesome habit. Premise: If you learn to find the joy in every thought/moment of your life you will eventually just forget to smoke.
Submitted by Robert Foote 1/12
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Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
General Fiction
F Foer
A very touching and wonderfully written book about nine-year-old Oskar dealing with the tragic death of his father. The majority of the story involves a search for the lock that belongs to his father's mysterious key found after his father's death. The search is fascinating and so funny. It is surprisingly easy to relate to and I found the climax of the book to be very real and sweet. A bit of a tear-jerker, but highly recommended.
Submitted by Jamie Ward 1/12
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Heaven is For Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back by Todd Burpo with Lynn vincent
Nonfiction
133.901 Bur
This book is about a little boy, almost four years old, who needs emergency surgery for a ruptured appendix. He is very ill and after his recovery starts telling his parents amazing things about his time with Jesus. He tells them things that they know he couldn't have known about on his own. It is an impressive story.
Submitted by Naomi Bass 1/12
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The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz
Mystery
F Horowitz
Fine art dealer, Edmund Carstairs contacts Holmes and Watson to find out why he is being followed and who is following him. Anthony Horowitz successfully channels Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in tone and plot complexity in this new Sherlock Holmes mystery.
Submitted by Kiku Kimura 1/12
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Inside Scientology: The Story of America's Most Secretive Religion by Janet Reitman
Nonfiction
299.936 Rei
This outstanding book explores the history of L. Ron Hubbard and the organization he created, from its roots in anti-psychiatry Dianetics to the current multi-million dollar company it has become. Highly Recommended.
Submitted by Greg Near 1/12
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Little Sister by Kara Dalkey
Young Adult
YF Dalkey
This story is absolutely unique. It is a fantasy tale set in medieval Japan. After Mitsuko and her noble family is attacked by bandits and her brother-in-law is killed, her older sister's soul goes wandering after her dead husband. Mitsuko sets off on a adventure beyond her wildest dreams to bring back her sister's soul with the help of a trickster, and a shape shifting raven who becomes a friend and more to her. It is unlike anything else I've read before.
Submitted by Heather Zundel 1/12 |
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Now You See Me by S.J. Bolton
Mystery
F Bolton
A fast moving intense mystery with British appeal and flair. It is a modern-day take on Jack-the-Ripper. To me, it was the sort of book I couldn't put down, and my heart was racing about the whole time, but especially at the end.
Submitted by Lora McAllister 1/12
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Okay For Now by Gary Schmidt
Children
JF Schmidt
As a fourteen-year-old who just moved to a new town, Doug Swieteck has all the stats stacked against him until he finds an ally in Lil Spicer. It is thought provoking realistic fiction packed with emotional drama that will remain with you for a long time. For all ages.
Submitted by Laurie Hoecherl 1/12
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The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson
Nonfiction
616.858 Ron
Ronson, author of The Men Who Stare at Goats, goes on a journey that leads him to asylums, prisons, and the strange science of madness. He investigates the DSM and the psychiatric industry and along the way discovers that many people in places of power could be considered psychopaths.
Submitted by Carrie Rogers-Whitehead 1/12
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The Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier
Young Adult
YF Gier
Gwyneth and Gideon, two teenagers thrown unexpectedly and unwillingly together as a team, must solve a mystery of time travel due to the "travel" gene in their families. She and her extended family live together in their century old London home which is teaming with quirky characters, jealousy, secrets and mysteries. This fast paced, fun adventure book with twists and surprises, humor and romance has me waiting excitedly for the next two books in this trilogy.
Submitted by Tammy Laitinen 1/12
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Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh
Historical Fiction
F Ghosh
A whopping maritime adventure, propelled by vibrant language, and filled with a huge diversity of characters, and multiple love stories, set in the era of the British opium trade between India and China . Fast paced and hard to put down.
Submitted by Lee Alexander 1/12
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The Swerve: How the World Became Modern by Stephen Greenblatt
Nonfiction
940.12 Gre
“In this book the author transports readers to the dawn of the Renaissance and chronicles the life of an intrepid book lover who rescued the Roman philosophical text On the Nature of Things from certain oblivion. The copying and translation of this ancient book fueled the Renaissance, inspiring artists such as Botticelli and thinkers such as Giordano Bruno; shaped the thought of Galileo and Freud, Darwin and Einstein; and had a revolutionary influence on writers such as Montaigne, Shakespeare and Thomas Jefferson.”
Submitted by Donald Fulkerson 1/12
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Temporary Perfections by Gianrico Carofiglio
Mystery
F Carofiglio
Attorney Guido Guerrieri is retained to look into the disappearance of college student Manuela Ferraro. Guerrieri's frequent, sentimental digressions took me on an interesting if circuitous route to discovering what happened to Manuela.
Submitted by Kiku Kimura 1/12
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Wonderland Creek by Lynn Austin
Historical Fiction
F Austin
Alice Ripley of Blue Island, Illinois feels like she has just entered Wonderland, complete with the Mad Hatter, when she travels to Acorn, Kentucky to donate books to their library during the Great Depression. When she suddenly becomes a substitute packhorse librarian, Alice realizes that she must overcome much more than her fear of riding a horse. I really liked this book because I was captivated from the beginning by the story of an overly imaginative librarian, with family feuds, corrupt law enforcement, and even a touch of romance.
Submitted by Samantha Hiskey 1/12
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