Pipestone County
Star 01-30-2014
Wow. The term
“Polar Vortex” isn’t one I’d ever care to hear again. The weeks of sub-zeros were brutal for
everyone, adults and children both. My
kids were trapped in the house and bored out of their minds, I was trapped in
the house and tired of listening to them say how much they wanted to go
outside! With any luck, we’re through
that, even though winter still has us firmly in her grasp.
I can handle the snow, as long as I’ve got wood to burn
and a good book to read. Here’s a few
that will get you to spring, with a little luck. You’ll have to find the wood yourself. I’d put in a joke about burning the books,
but as a librarian, those just aren’t funny…
The Invention of Wings, Sue Monk Kidd
This book centers around two women who were infamous in
their time, but now hardly remembered.
Two sisters, Sarah and Angelina, rebelled against society in the 1830s –
against their family, against gender roles, and most shockingly, against the
institution of slavery. Through
historical research, Kidd brings these women to life on the page, along with
Sarah’s handmaid Hetty, who was a “gift” when she turned 11 and died from a
beating after Sarah taught her to read.
For anyone who enjoyed Twelve Years a Slave and relishes stories of
underdogs standing up for what they believe in, no matter the cost.
Andrew’s Brain, EL Doctorow
This book takes place in the form of conversation,
between Andrew and another person he refers to as ‘Doc.’ As the story is told, we are given glimpses
into Andrew’s life and why he is revealing what he is, though he casts doubt
many times on whether anything he is saying is true. This is a compelling novel, taking us on a
ride through the memories of one man in a post 9/11 world, from the basement of
the White House to other seedier places.
Is he telling the truth? Does it matter?
Do or Die, Suzanne Brockmann (February 4)
This is a treat for my romance readers out there – part
of the Reluctant Heroes series that Brockmann has written in before. It follows a traditional format of a strong
hero (Ian) and a heroine that can help herself (Phoebe), but the action is good
and the romance is even better. If you
need something to help keep you warm, this is the one you want! For fans of Brockmann, a character from her
Troubleshooters series plays a pivotal role in this book as well.
After I’m Gone, Laura Lipmann (February 11)
When a man disappears, who knows the truth? Felix Brewer, a man that at least five women
loved, vanishes one day, leaving his wife and their three children without a clue. Does his mistress know where he is? When she, too, vanishes ten years to the day
that Felix did, everyone assumed they ran off together, until her body is
found. Now, more than 25 years later, a
detective investigating cold cases begins to unravel the truth – of the four
remaining women, ONE of them must know what happened.
Moving Target, JA Jance (February 18)
A young hacker is set on fire one night hanging Christmas
decorations in the detention facility where he’s locked up. Ali Reynolds’s fiancé, B. Simpson, was
responsible for putting the young man in there in the first place and he feels
responsible now. Since Ali is in England
investigating a murder, B turns to her best friend, Sister Anselm for assistance. Of course, even being across an ocean doesn’t
stop Ali from getting drawn in.
Stay warm – we’ve only got a few more months until the
weather gets better, hopefully!
PAFL Update: Pipestone Area Friends of the Library is
looking for members – anyone who is a friend to Meinders Library is welcome to
join! The Friends group works hard to
promote the library, raise money for projects, and organize their yearly book
sale, in addition to the HUGE amount of support they provide throughout the
year. Call us for the date of the next
meeting!
Winter Weather: We tend to follow the lead of Pipestone Area
Schools. If the school is closed, we
will also be closed – if there are no students, they put off plowing until
later in the day, which includes our parking lot. If the school closes early, we stay open for
about a half hour afterwards to make sure all the kids can get picked up. If the school has a two hour late start, we
are not affected and will open at our regular time of 10 AM.
If you have questions or have a book you’d like to
reserve or renew, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at (507)
825-6714. The hours for Meinders Library
are Monday through Thursday from 10 AM – 8 PM, and Friday and Saturday from 10
AM – 5 PM. Meinders Community Library is
located at 1401 7th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.
