Monday, June 15, 2015

A Few of My Favorite Things

Pipestone County Star – 06-25-2015

Everyone has a few authors they can’t live without – you know what I mean: the authors whose books you will purchase right away or try to place a hold on months before they’re going to be released.  I have several and I thought I would share them with you.  Who knows, maybe they will become pleasures for you, too!!

Mary Roach is one of my favorites. I will buy every book that she writes and I would even love to have her over to my house for dinner.  She is a science/humor writer that explores what happens to human bodies in unusual conditions, from death to space travel and everything in between.  During an interview with Peter Siegel on NPR, he asked her how she picks her topics and she responded with "Well, it's got to have a little science, it's got to have a little history, a little humor—and something gross." (NPR July 30, 2012).  She has six books so far: “Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers,” “Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife,” “Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex,” “Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void,” “Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal,” and “My Planet: Finding Humor in the Oddest Places.”

James Rollins is an author I will read over and over.  Though his books follow a very standard save-the-world kind of plot, they are well-written and very engaging.  Rollins tends to write just on the edge of what could possibly be real, backing up all of his stories with scientific facts that make you stop and think.  He writes an adventure series called Sigma Force and a series with a more gothic turn along with Rebecca Cantrell called The Order of the Sanguines.  Both are excellent and Rollins also has a group of stand-alone novels that he wrote before the two series started.  The stand-alones are almost my favorites – a small bit of romance, a HUGE amount of adventure, and a definite building of the anxiety to save the world!

George R. R. Martin is the author of “Game of Thrones” which has become a hit series on HBO.  Don’t get me wrong, those books are great, but he has several others that are even better, including “Fevre Dream” and his Wild Card series, which tackles the idea of mutant viruses in a whole new way.  Martin is an expert at strange fantasy, both in the classic sense, the historical sense, and the urban arena.  His books whisk me away to an alternate reality and I adore his sense of the dramatic.  And he’s not afraid to kill off main characters.  I love that in a writer.

Kathy Reichs writes the Temperance Brennan series upon which the TV series Bones is loosely based.  While I occasionally enjoy watching the show, the books are SO MUCH better.  Reichs writes for a character that is much like herself, a medical examiner in two different departments – one in North Carolina and the other in Quebec, Canada.  She includes excellent descriptions of the processes and the science behind the medical examiner’s job and the books are detailed and fascinating.  Of course, if you don’t like all the ins and outs of dead bodies, she’s probably not a good author for you.

Hope you are having a great summer so far!!

Event Update:  Summer Reading Program is well under way, but it’s not too late to sign up!! We have activities on Tuesdays at 2:00 until July 14th and kids can continue to read for prizes until August 31st.  Stop in and sign up today!

We are currently working on organizing another bus tour – this one to explore the Wabasha Street Caves in St. Paul.  The caves were used during Prohibition for illegal activities and have a rich historic past.  Keep your eyes peeled for more information!

We are also planning on a possible genealogy workshop for the fall.  Have a lot of experience or interest in family history? Keep watching the paper for more information.

In October, Lorna Landvik will be coming to the region for a tour – Meinders is planning on doing a program called “One Book, One Community” during this month to culminate with her visit.  We are still trying to choose our favorite Landvik book so if you have any suggestions, please let a librarian know!  Stay tuned for more information!

Book Club: We are thinking about trying to start a new book club in the fall.  If you are interested, please stop in and let a librarian know! It would be great to get this activity up and running again.

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 for the date of their next meeting.


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 summer hours for Meinders Library are Monday through Thursday from 10AM – 8PM, Friday from 10Am to 5PM and Saturday from 10AM to Noon.  Meinders Community Library is located at 1401 7th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.

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