This Month's Staff Picks
Eileen
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
I love to revisit the golden age of mystery, and there’s no one quite like Mrs.Christie! When widow Mrs. Ferrars commits suicide, and the wealthy Roger Ackroyd is murdered within a few days, the small English village of King's Abbot is even more full of gossip than usual. The murder is a complete mystery to the incompetent local police. Fortunately, though, the famous detective Hercule Poirot has just moved into King's Abbot and agrees to take on the case, even though he has already decided to retire from detective work.
platforms: books, Libby audio
Erica
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande
“Medicine has triumphed in modern times, transforming birth, injury, and infectious disease from harrowing to manageable. But in the inevitable condition of aging and death, the goals of medicine seem too frequently to run counter to the interest of the human spirit… Gawande, a practicing surgeon, addresses his profession's ultimate limitation, arguing that quality of life is the desired goal for patients and families. Gawande offers examples of freer, more socially fulfilling models for assisting the infirm and dependent elderly, and he explores the varieties of hospice care to demonstrate that a person's last weeks or months may be rich and dignified.” -Goodreads
This is a tender read for the layperson about end of life care from a physician who has given deep thought to his commitment to his patients and their families’ quality of life.
platforms: books, Libby audio
Kelly
Calligraphy & Block Printing Kits
We have several adult kits available to check out. Calligraphy and block printing are two of the first ones that I borrowed when the take home kits were first created. Each kit contains directions (usually a book) and all of the tools and materials needed to try a new craft or skill. What better way to find out if you'd enjoy or be naturally good at doing either of these things? Why purchase the tools needed nevermind the supplies when you can borrow an entire kit? I've even enjoyed borrowing some of the other kits too such as knitting and crochet, watercolor, metal stamping, embroidery and oil painting and we have even more than these to choose from. Our little library isn't just about borrowing books in this modern age. Have I mentioned we also have DVDs, magazines, a telescope.....?
Linda
How To Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley
Reading this novel was a romp! This reading is so engaging you will find time to read because you can’t wait to see what happens next. Your reading experience will be effortless and FUN!
Be prepared to laugh-out-loud…even in public. Simply Disgraceful!
The characters appear in the flesh…imperfect human beings…each one with a colorful past. The setting is believable as are the scenarios that bring the motely group together. Friendships blossom and secrets, carefully curated and guarded for years, are shared. If you enjoy How To Age Disgracefully, consider reading The Authenticity Project, a New York Times bestseller.
Platforms: book, Libby audio/ebook
Rebecca
Summer Hours at the Robbers Library Sue Halpern
A dictionary, the judicial system, a library, and a group of individuals looking to find where they belong. At this small town library in Riverton, NH, Sunny, Kit, and Rusty are thrown together after Sunny steals a dictionary and is ordered to serve community service hours. While they are trying to figure out how their lives unraveled, they begin to realize that they are knitted together in newer stories.
I loved how this story worked together and gave beautiful imagery of small town library life.
Rating: 4/5 stars.
Platforms: book
Samantha
The Two Towers by JRR Tolkien
The second book in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Two Towers picks up where The Fellowship of the Ring left off, continuing Frodo’s quest to destroy the One Ring. The narrative is split into two parts: one of Frodo and Sam’s journey towards Mordor, led by Gollum, and the other of Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli and their struggles against the forces of Sauron’s ally, Saruman. Continuing to explore and expand on themes including loyalty, friendship, and the corrupting influence of power established in the first book, The Two Towers is an excellent continuation of an intriguing and captivating tale.
Platforms: book, Libby audio/ebook hoopla audio/ebook
Past Staff Picks
Staff picks August 2024
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Staff picks June 2024
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Staff Picks March 2024