Staff Recommendations


Kathleen	The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff August 2008 “This was the type of book that you hate to put down and just can't wait to get back to. I carried it with me all everywhere I went so that if I found myself with 5 minutes to spare, I had my nose buried in the book. There are two stories within the cover of The 19th Wife. We have Ann Eliza's story of what it was like growing up in the early Mormon Church. Ann Eliza grows up to be the 19th wife of Brigham Young and eventually divorces him. You also have the modern day story of Jordan, a young man who was part of a Mormon splinter group who was kicked out at age 14. Jordan's mom, also a 19th wife, is in jail accused of killing her husband and Jordan is the only one who seems to stand by her side and believe she may be innocent. I was afraid that Jordan's storyline and Ann Eliza's storyline would be hard for me to bounce between but David Ebershoff did an amazing job weaving the two stories together. If you haven't already read Under the Banner of Heaven, it would be a great non-fiction book to pair with The 19th Wife.”	Fiction
	Rated:


Mary K.	Tethered by Amy MacKinnon August 2008 “This book is riveting. Between the complex characters, the multi-dimensional plot and the wonderful writing with a metaphysical twist, I could not put this book down. I loved the darkness of the book and the solitude of Clara, and Linus' compassion.”	Fiction
	Rated:


Genene	Waiter Rant: Thanks for the Tip-Confessions of a Cynical Waiter by The Waiter August 2008 “Read now; avoid hell. Not all waiters have the patience of a priest. Waiter Rant does not expose any new or insightful trappings of restaurant culture. If you've read Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential, that's all the primer you need. But, I liked the guy. And that's what kept me reading. Short vignettes from this I-was-going-to-be-a-priest waiter give unique context to the rites and rituals of restaurant behavior and nameless faces that take it for granted. Cynical Waiter, despite anonymity, gives a lot of himself away, suggesting more of a story than editors allowed. That's the best part. Reading between the lines sparked my imagination. He's that guy you knew or dated or met at your last meal. His story lingers a bit, perhaps leaving you wanting more and rethinking those fleeting conversations recommended to cheap friends and family that tip 10 percent as an act of charity or embarrass with demands that even a Nun would ignore.”	Fiction
	Rated:


Mary K.	Sweetsmoke by David Fuller August 2008 “A fabulous novel of pre-civil war Virginia through the eyes of Cassius, a slave on a tobacco plantation. We see the lives of slaves, how and why those on Sweetsmoke, his plantation, are better off than others on surrounding areas. How he determines to solve the death of Emoline, a freed slave who had saved him in the past. I loved this novel, and I loved Cassius' voice.”	Fiction
	Not Rated:


Mary K.	Gone by Michael Grant July 2008 "This is another young adult book that I thoroughly loved. What would happen if everyone over 14 just disappeared? And the world became limited by an energy force surrounding the town? And the rich kids from the private school down the road try to take over? Oh yes, and some people develop unusual abilities? Lord of the Flies meets 1984."	Fiction
	Not Rated:


Mary K.	The Guernsey Literary and Potato-Peel Pie Society July 2008 by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows "This amazing novel is told entirely through letters to and from Juliet Ashton. She has spent WWII writing a column under the nom du plom of Izzy Bickerstaff, and, now that the war is over, she is searching for an idea for a new book. She receives a letter from Dawsey Adams of Guernsey which mentions the Literary society and she decides to investigate. This is a wonderfully told tale that I could not put down."	Fiction
	Not Rated:


Candy	Land of a Hundred Wonders July 2008 by Lesley Kagen Paperback “Meet a character who is NQR (Not Quite Right) but a book that is absolutely QR. This is a first person tale of a girl injured in a tragic crash that took her parents. She's trying to piece things together. A charming Southern setting and story that knits up loose ends and a murder mystery to boot. It's got a whole lotta sugar (and by that I mean love)”	Fiction
	Rated:


Mary K.	New England White by Stephen Carter July 2008 "A murder mystery which involves the African-American university president (think Yale) living in a small, mostly which New England town." NEW IN PAPERBACK!	Fiction
	Not Rated:


Mary K.	America, America by Ethan Canin June 2008 "This is the tale of a young lad working for the 1972 presidential campaign of Senator Henry Bonwiller, a Kennedy-esque figure, as told through flashbacks after current day funeral of the senator. Could this book be a moral for our times???"	Fiction
	Not Rated:


Kathleen	Artichoke's Heart by Carolyn Mackler June 2008 "My favorite Summer '08 release, it doesn't get any better than Artichoke's Heart! This heartwarming story is about 16 year-old Rosemary, who is overweight and doesn't have any friends. At home she has always felt like a third wheel with her mom and her aunt. Mom seems to ignore Rosemary for the most part unless it's time to gang up on her with Rosemary's aunt about her appearance. When Rosemary finally decides to do something about her weight, the motivation at first is simply to keep her mom quiet. But as she continues on step by step, Rosemary not only discovers her own self but finds a friend in the most unexpected place. The sweetest moment was when Rosemary realizes that you shouldn't put your life on hold until you've achieved your dream image of yourself, start living life now. Great book for girls 13-17 years old who like realistic fiction and for parents who want the stories to have a positive message! Artichoke will appeals to anyone who has read and loved The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler. I can't wait to see what Suzanne Supplee writes next!"	Fiction
	Rated:


Candy	Abbeville by Jack Fuller June 2008 “Fortunes won and lost by generations of an Illinois family are at the heart of this story. It's the grandfather's tale that really is the focus and the most interesting encompassing Chicago history, the last turn of the century and a decent, hardworking and happy man. Loved the "It's a Wonderful Life" quality of it. (C'mon, one of the characters is George Bailey!)”	Fiction
	Rated:


Jennifer	All the Way Home by David Geffels June 2008 "Hilarious and heartfelt account of one man's restoration of a decrepit mansion while starting his own family. Bob Vila could learn a thing or two--how to vanquish the smell of cat pee, how to evacuate squirrels with an electric guitar. Valuable lessons on building a home and creating a home."	Fiction
	Not Rated:


Jennifer	City of Thieves by David Benioff June 2008 "During the siege of Leningrad two young men are given an impossible quest--to find a dozen eggs for the colonel's daughter's wedding cake. The unlikely pair form a touching friendship and embark on a bittersweet adventure. Very compelling and memorable."	Fiction
	Rated:


Mary K.	Finding Nouf by Zoe Ferraris June 2008 "An interesting who-done-it set in Saudi Arabia. Nayir, a Palestinian, is asked to help find the missing sister of a wealthy Saudi friend, and ultimately to find her killer. He is aided in his search by Katya, his friend’s fiancée. I loved the way this book illustrated the complexities of the Saudi society who and what are deemed exceptable and how everyone suffers from the constraints of the social mores."	Fiction
	Not Rated:


Mary K.	Say You’re One of Them by Uwen Akpan June 2008 "This is an amazing series of short stories about the lives of children in Africa. Akpan is a priest that had ministered in Africa for years, and his stories show an incredible depth of compassion for the smallest victims of the atrocities committed there. There is the 12 year old prostitute supporting her family, the Muslim boy trying to escape war-fare in Nigeria, and the Rwandan nightmare. This is a heartbreaking, deeply disturbing look at man’s inhumanity to children."	Fiction
	Not Rated:


Joe S.	The Story of Edgar Sawtelle June 2008 by David Wroblewski "An extraordinary novel that defies easy classification. A deft combination of adventure, family conflict and enduring love, this book creates a world will linger in your mind and has the earmarks of a classic."	Fiction
	Not Rated:


Sue B.	When You Are Engulfed in Flames June 2008 by David Sedaris This (of course) is a scream. The man just has a way of saying things that make you laugh out loud. The final essay is about his experience of quitting smoking, which he did by moving to Tokyo for a few months with his partner Hugh. You just have to wonder about the gene-pool from which he sprang!	Non-Fiction
	Not Rated:


Larry	Snuff by Chuck Palahniuk May 2008 "Chuck Palahniuk does not let down, yet again. This is the story of a porn starlet determined to break the world record for the most partners at one time. The story is told from several characters points of view. Primarily from a few men waiting in line about to partake. This story is very funny and frighteningly believable. As are most of Chuck's books...."	Fiction
	Rated:

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