Staff Recommends

 

 This Month's Staff Recommends

 

Book Talk: We Recommend
by Emily A. Donnelly, McAuliffe Branch

Apollo 13 by Jim Lovell and Jeffrey Kluger. (629.454 Lovell) Apollo 13
(previously published as Lost Moon: The Perilous Voyage of Apollo 13)
Although the horrors and heroics of the Apollo 13 mission have been widely documented, no source is more compelling than Commander Lovell’s first-hand account of the disaster. More than just a collection of facts, Lovell and Kluger’s prose is filled with insights into the lives, families, and societies of NASA astronauts. This memoir will delight readers for both its high level of detail and its fiction-like fluidity.

The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury. (Fiction) The Martian Chronicles
Through a collection of connected short stories, sci-fi legend Ray Bradbury constructs a futuristic history of Earthlings’ attempts to colonize Mars. Rife with social and political commentary -- as well as frequently unforgettable imagery -- The Martian Chronicles has endured as a classic among varied audiences for nearly sixty years.

Laika by Nick Abadzis. (Y Graphic Nov) Laika
Before there were human astronauts, there was Laika: a stray dog destined to be the world’s first sentient space traveler. In this emotional adaptation of the true story, Nick Abadzis skillfully portrays Laika’s tragic involvement in Space Race politics while emphasizing the humanity of the scientists around her. Tissues recommended.


For previous Staff Recommends columns, see the Staff Recommends Page.

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 Reviewed in 2009

You'll find more ideas on the Reader Services Page, the Fiction Booklist Section and among our previous Staff Recommendations.

Book Talk: We Recommend
by Paula Marsh, Assistant Circulation Supervisor, McAuliffe Branch

Nefertiti by Michelle Moran. Fiction.Nefertiti
Michele Moran’s first novel, Nefertiti, brings the ancient world to life. The story of this ambitious queen is told through her younger sister, Mutnodjmet. Nefertiti and Pharaoh Amunhotep, aka Akhenaten, rule Lower Egypt in a destructive reign that threatens the stability of the country as a whole. Their plan to build a city for themselves, in addition to other antics in their court, create intrigue as the country waits for the next Prince of Egypt.

Abundance by Sena Jeter Naslund. Fiction.Abundance
Did France misunderstand Marie Antoinette or did Marie Antoinette misunderstand France? Seta Jeter Naslund gives us an intimate portrayal of the young queen whose life amid the luxury and opulence of Versailles and the decadence of Paris brings her finally to her fate as victim of the French Revolution.

Book Talk: We Recommend by Jackie Barillet, Circulation Department

The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar.  Fiction.The Space Between Us
This dense emotional novel set in modern India tells the story of two women with close personal bonds, yet separated by vast social differences. Sera, a wealthy upper-class woman, employs Bhima, from the slums of Bombay. Their intertwining lives illumine the class and gender differences in their society.

The Toss of a Lemon by Padma Viswanathan.  Fiction.The Toss of a Lemon
This family saga involving several generations of a Brahmin family begins at the end of the 19th century. The marriage of Sivakami, the matriarch-to-be, at the age of 10 first describes the many fascinating aspects of the culture interwoven with the lives of the family. As Indian society evolves slowly into the modern world, the characters’ beliefs are challenged by change and by each other in this absorbing and surprising novel.

Recommend by Mary Murphy, Circulation Department
Dewey: The Small Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by VickiDewey: The Small Town Library Cat Who Touched the World Myron. 636.8 Myron.
In 1988, on a cold night in Spencer, Iowa, library director Vicki Myron found a tiny kitten stuffed in the library book drop. ‘Dewey’ was adopted by the staff and for 19 years greeted visitors to the Spencer library. The 1980’s in Iowa was a time of farming crisis and Myron describes Dewey as the comic relief and mender of the human spirit of this community. Dewey becomes quite famous and when he passes, his obituary is published in the New York Times.

The Condition by Jennifer Haigh. Fiction.The Condition
This narrative of a twenty-year span in the life of a New England family chronicles family relationships, separations and struggles. Daughter Gwen is diagnosed with Turner’s syndrome, a genetic condition that keeps her body from developing, brother Billy has a secret life and youngest brother Scott feels trapped in a job he hates and a marriage that is killing his spirit.

The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: a memoir by Bill Bryson. The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt KidB BRYSON, B. Bryson.
A coming of age memoir of 1950’s through the eyes of Bill Bryson aka Thunderbolt Kid. His alter ego Thunderbolt kid loves comic books that he reads at the Kiddie Corral in the local supermarket in Des Moines while his mother shops. Bryson describes the 1950’s as a time of happy consumerism when neighbors clamored to see your newest electrical appliances. Bryson’s wit and insights of this time make for a fun read and of particular interest for Baby Boomers.

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Last modified on 06/18/2009 03:50 PM
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