Land of Little Rain by Mary Austin

Land of Little Rain by Mary Austin

Land of Little Rain

by Mary Austin

The Library Book Club meeting for this book was on June 14. 2018, at 6:30 in the entry foyer.

A limited number of book club reading copies were available for checkout from the circulation desk about a month prior to the meeting.

A stirring tribute to the unique beauty of the American Southwest

In the region stretching from the High Sierras south of Yosemite to the Mojave Desert, water is scarce and empty riverbeds hint at a lush landscape that has long since vanished. But the desert is far from lifeless. For those who know where to look, the “land of little rain” is awash in wonders.

In this exquisite meditation on the people, flora, and fauna of the American desert, Mary Austin introduces readers to the secret treasures of the landscape she loved above all others. Her lyrical essays profoundly influenced the work of nature writers and conservationists, among them Edward Abbey and Terry Tempest Williams, and have inspired generations of readers to visit some of the country’s most stunning national parks, including Death Valley and Joshua Tree.

Ratings and Reviews from the Librarians

Cathy rated it ★★★.

The Princes in the Tower by Alison Weir

The Princes in the Tower by Alison Weir

The Princes in the Tower

by Alison Weir

The Library Book Club meeting for this book was on May 17, 2018, at 6:30 in the entry foyer.

A limited number of book club reading copies were available for checkout from the circulation desk about a month prior to the meeting.

Despite five centuries of investigation by historians, the sinister deaths of the boy king Edward V and his younger brother Richard, Duke of York, remain two of the most fascinating murder mysteries in English history. Did Richard III really kill “the Princes in the Tower,” as is commonly believed, or was the murderer someone else entirely?

Carefully examining every shred of contemporary evidence as well as dozens of modern accounts, Alison Weir reconstructs the entire chain of events leading to the double murder. We are witnesses to the rivalry, ambition, intrigue, and struggle for power that culminated in the imprisonment of the princes and the hushed-up murders that secured Richard’s claim to the throne as Richard III.

A masterpiece of historical research and a riveting story of conspiracy and deception, The Princes in the Tower at last provides a solution to this age-old puzzle.

Oil Spill Disaster in the Gulf by Mona Chiang

Oil Spill Disaster in the Gulf by Mona Chiang

Oil Spill: Disaster in the Gulf

by Mona Chiange

The Books for Boys Book Club meeting for this book was held February 8, 2018, at 6:30 in the Community Room.

Book club reading copies were available for checkout from the circulation desk about a month prior to the meeting.

What is oil-and why do we depend on it so much? What happened to cause the BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, and what can be done to stop the damage? How does it compare to other spills? This straight-talking new science series offers in-depth answers to these questions and many more as it examines various aspects of the oil industry, from drilling to refining to the many surprising petroleum-based products we use every day-like lipstick, crayons, toys, sneakers, and even shampoo. Highlights include special sections on oil consumption in the U.S., how oil compares to other forms of energy in terms of efficiency and environmental safety, and ways kids can conduct their own investigations, uncovering the science behind the headlines. Full-color pictures throughout!

We Will Not Be Silent by Russell Freedman

We Will Not Be Silent by Russell Freedman

We Will Not Be Silent: The White Rose Student Resistance Movement That Defied Adolf Hitler

by Russell Freedman

The Teaching of Buddha

The Teaching of Buddha

The Teaching of Buddha

Anyone who has stayed in a hotel in Japan has probably seen a copy of The Teaching of Buddha. First published in 1925, the book was originally edited by Japanese scholars of Buddhism before WWII and distributed widely throughout Japan. The first English edition was published in 1934. The Reverend Dr. Yehan Numata brought out another English edition in 1962, and in 1966, after the establishment of the Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai (BDK) (Society for the Promotion of Buddhism), Dr. Numata assembled a committee of Buddhist scholars to substantially revise and edit a new English-Japanese edition. The Teaching of Buddha has undergone minor revisions and numerous reprintings since. It is now available in more than forty-two languages and over 8 million copies have been distributed and placed in hotel rooms in over fifty countries throughout the world.

The Teaching of Buddha is a collection of writings on the essence of Buddhism, selected and edited from the vast Buddhist canon, presented in a concise, easy-to-read, and nonsectarian format. It also includes a brief history of Buddhism, a listing of the source texts, a glossary of Sanskrit terms, and an index.

El Deafo by Cece Bell

El Deafo by Cece Bell

El Deafo

by Cece Bell

The Library Book Club meeting for this book was held Thursday, April 20, 2017, at 6:30 in the entry foyer.

Going to school and making new friends can be tough. But going to school and making new friends while wearing a bulky hearing aid strapped to your chest? That requires superpowers! In this funny, poignant graphic novel memoir, author/illustrator Cece Bell chronicles her hearing loss at a young age and her subsequent experiences with the Phonic Ear, a very powerful–and very awkward–hearing aid. The Phonic Ear gives Cece the ability to hear–sometimes things she shouldn’t–but also isolates her from her classmates. She really just wants to fit in and find a true friend, someone who appreciates her as she is. After some trouble, she is finally able to harness the power of the Phonic Ear and become “El Deafo, Listener for All.” And more importantly, declare a place for herself in the world and find the friend she’s longed for.

Ratings and Reviews from the Librarians

Cathy rated it ★★★★★

Bekka rated it ★★★★★ and said “Very well done! I appreciated the humor as well as the emotional times. The art is charming – very cartoony and cute. I love how they all have bunny ears! This is a great story for both kids and adults. Highly Recommended.”

Vivian rated it ★★★ and said “What I would like to find out is, are children picking this up to read without being led to it by adults, and if so, what about it keeps them reading it? Aside from it’s obvious exposure to what it feels like to be different and that being different can be triggered by circumstances beyond one’s control, which is the “swallow this pill” purpose of the book, why has this book caught on? Here’s my quick answer. It’s really about friendships — different kinds of friendships and social situations — and every body has experience with this. Have you had the “you’re my project” kind of friend (or big me, little you)? Just saying, she nails the “friends” things on so many levels. And then there’s the whole “dealing with reality by creating an alternate reality” thing going, which she also nails. There are lots of springboard opportunities in her story to talk about assumptions we make and communication and taking social cues, which is why I think it’s good that the book is going the rounds in adult circles. It gives us a way to start some important conversations.”

The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan

The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan

The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl

by Timothy Egan

The Library Book Club meeting for this book was held September 15, 2016, at 6:30 in the entry foyer.

A limited number of book club reading copies were available for checkout from the circulation desk about a month prior to the meeting.

The dust storms that terrorized the High Plains in the darkest years of the Depression were like nothing ever seen before or since. Timothy Egan’s critically acclaimed account rescues this iconic chapter of American history from the shadows in a tour de force of historical reportage. Following a dozen families and their communities through the rise and fall of the region, Egan tells of their desperate attempts to carry on through blinding black dust blizzards, crop failure, and the death of loved ones. Brilliantly capturing the terrifying drama of catastrophe, Egan does equal justice to the human characters who become his heroes, “the stoic, long-suffering men and women whose lives he opens up with urgency and respect” (New York Times).

In an era that promises ever-greater natural disasters, The Worst Hard Time is “arguably the best nonfiction book yet” (Austin Statesman Journal) on the greatest environmental disaster ever to be visited upon our land and a powerful cautionary tale about the dangers of trifling with nature.

One Dead Spy: The Life, Times, and Last Words of Nathan Hale, America’s Most Famous Spy by Nathan Hale

One Dead Spy: The Life, Times, and Last Words of Nathan Hale, America’s Most Famous Spy by Nathan Hale

One Dead Spy: The Life, Times, and Last Words of Nathan Hale, America's Most Famous Spy

by Nathan Hale

The Books for Boys Book Club meeting for this book was held November 17, 2016, at 6:30 in the Community Room.

Book club reading copies were available for checkout from the circulation desk about a month prior to the meeting.

Nathan Hale, the author’s historical namesake, was America’s first spy, a Revolutionary War hero who famously said “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country” before being hanged by the British. In the Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales series, author Nathan Hale channels his namesake to present history’s roughest, toughest, and craziest stories in the graphic novel format.

One Dead Spy tackles the story of Hale himself, who was an officer and spy for the American rebels during the Revolutionary War. Author Hale highlights the unusual, gruesome, and just plain unbelievable truth of historical Nathan Hale—from his early unlucky days at Yale to his later unlucky days as an officer—and America during the Revolutionary War.

book 1 in the Nathan Hale’s Hzardous Tales series

My First Summer in the Sierra by John Muir

My First Summer in the Sierra by John Muir

My First Summer in the Sierra

by John Muir

In the summer of 1869, John Muir, a young Scottish immigrant, joined a crew of shepherds in the foothills of California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains. The diary he kept while tending sheep formed the heart of this book and eventually lured thousands of Americans to visit Yosemite country.

First published in 1911, My First Summer in the Sierra incorporates the lyrical accounts and sketches he produced during his four-month stay in the Yosemite River Valley and the High Sierra. His record tracks that memorable experience, describing in picturesque terms the majestic vistas, flora and fauna, and other breathtaking natural wonders of the area.

Today Muir is recognized as one of the most important and influential naturalists and nature writers in America. This book, the most popular of the author’s works, will delight environmentalists and nature lovers with its exuberant observations.

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