BPL Blog
Posted by BHanley on Tue, Jan 31
Arguably, Jalaluddin Rumi, a 13th century Sufi mystic, is one of our most popular and frequently quoted poets today, whose universal message has resonated deeply with people from many faiths and cultures. Author Brad Gooch has found Rumi’s writings a “steady pleasure” for over a decade, learning Persian to better appreciate his verses and traveling from Aleppo to Konya to visit sites associated with this medieval poet. As the author acknowledges, no single biography could possibly capture the...
Posted by JGranatino on Tue, Jan 31
J.D. Vance grew up in what is known as the "Rust Belt", ranging from Kentucky's Appalachian Mountain range to southern Ohio. Poverty and unemployment is ubiquitous with many residents depending on public assistance. They are known as "hillbillies" and many are proud of that moniker, especially J.D.'s grandmother, the gun-toting, swearing matriarch who raised him. Vance explains this microcosm from an insider's viewpoint, and how he, unlike many of his peers, was able to successfully graduate...
Posted by JGranatino on Mon, Jan 30
My seasonal pick is Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah. Meredith and her sister Nina have been regaled by their Russian mother's fairy tales for years, but after trying to reenact one of their favorites for a holiday party, Anya inexplicably flies into a rage. Years pass, and the two sisters couldn't be more different in how they live their lives. A family emergency brings them together and on his deathbed, their father makes Anya tell the story again to the girls - but this time she must...
Posted by BHanley on Fri, Jan 27
Do you ever feel compelled to read all the books that a particular author has written? Mary Higgins Clark is that author for me. Having grown up reading Mary Higgins Clark all my life, whether or not I enjoy her books, I read. Her newest series Under Suspicion centers around a television show that recreates cold murder case stories in the hopes of revealing the real killer. Laurie Moran, the show’s producer, has taken on the wealthy philanthropist Hunter Raleigh III murder story. His fiancé...
Posted by BHanley on Fri, Jan 27
Get informed about living gluten-free whether you have celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity. Peter H.R. Green is a renowned expert on celiac disease and the director of the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University and Rory Jones, diagnosed with celiac disease in 1998, is an adjunct professor of Narrative Medicine at Columbia University. Rory Jones specializes in writing about medical topics for the average consumer which makes this an easier read on such a topic. Together they have...
Posted by BHanley on Tue, Jan 24
Through the real life experiences of patients and through the eyes of Dr. Gawande, the reader is exposed to the often harrowing manner in which doctors perform surgeries and administer advice on a daily basis. Like a Monday morning quarterback, Gawande examines the stories of patients whose sometimes quirky and puzzling ailments end up as deadly mistakes, and how even the good surgeons sometimes make a bad call. One of the biggest takeaways of the book is how crucial it is for a patient’s...
Posted by JGranatino on Sun, Jan 22
A Monster Calls is the story of a wallflower of a young boy, Conor, who is having difficulty coping with his mother’s terminal illness. In this young adult fantasy horror Conor is visited by a monster that shows up after midnight and helps Conor through the stages of grief. Throughout the story Conor hears the tales of the monster and then has to share his own terrifying nightmare in order to release the guilt and pain that he experiences. A Monster Calls is a hauntingly...
Posted by JGranatino on Sat, Jan 14
Jason Diamond is a huge fan of not only John Hughes, but ‘80s movies in general. This unconventional and hilarious memoir, Searching for John Hughes: Or Everything I Thought I Needed to Know About Life I Learned by Watching ‘80s Movies is filled with stories of growing up in Chicago suburbia in a broken home. It’s not all about John Hughes films but a combination of his infatuation with those nostalgic and heartfelt films, and his life in Chicago and later, New York. Diamond pursued...
Posted by JGranatino on Mon, Jan 09
Noah and his grandfather share a love of mathematics, fishing and other adventures, but to Grandpa, the world lately is somehow getting smaller and more confusing. His son tries to calm him when he's frustrated, but their relationship is complicated. Grandmother sometimes speaks to Grandpa with a cloud of hyacinth perfume surrounding her, but this too confuses the old man who realizes she has died, but then how..? In this novella, Backman has created a beautiful story about memory, family, love...
Posted by JGranatino on Mon, Jan 09
In this carefully crafted collection of short stories, Smith has created a tribute to the public library as an institution which must be carefully protected. Her first story, entitled Library, describes a writer and editor looking for a quiet place to talk, and come upon a quaint library which has been turned into a fancy restaurant. Book shelves have been replaced by chairs and tables, and the only volume is the level of conversation among diners. Her stories are interspersed with writers’ and...
