Showing posts with label book recommendations. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book recommendations. Show all posts

Monday, April 5, 2021

C-SPL Reader of the Month: Louie Fischer

About Louie

My name is Louie Fischer.  I’m a lifelong Dubuquer, and I’m proud to be an English teacher and the Girls’ Cross-Country coach at Dubuque Senior High School. If I’m not enjoying life at home with my wife Carolyn and my sons Lou and Ray, I’m probably out for a run.  

I like to read books about running and endurance training because it relates directly to my life as a coach, and it keeps the part of my mind sharp to read lots of different perspectives on the different ways to be a happy and successful runner.  I also like to read autobiographies and biographies of people I admire, which often translates into books about and/or written by rock stars and musicians I admire.  My wife and Dad are also trusted sources for new books to check out, so I often read things they pass my way.  As an English teacher, I’m usually reading something from our curriculum (and I do enjoy most of that content), but I always try to have a book at home going, too.  I like to read for about half an hour before I fall asleep.

(See the past Reader of the Month posts here)  

Q & A

Q. What is the best book you have read within the last year (or ever)?
 

A. Best Book This Year:  Educated by Tara Westover
Best Book Ever:  East of Eden by John Steinbeck

Q. What is your ideal reading environment (location, sound, snacks, etc.)?

A. I like to read in my hammock when it’s warm enough and on the couch when it’s time to put the hammock in the garage for the winter.

Q. What book are you most excited about reading next, and what about it is most exciting?

A. My wife called dibs on Barack Obama’s A Promised Land when I brought it home from River Lights this winter, so I’m excited to read it when she’s finished with it because I am the one who bought it in the first place. 

Q. What book do you think more people should read, and why do you think they should read it? 

A. I wish more people (especially my runners) would read Steve Magness and Brad Stulberg’s The Passion Paradox because the book outlines some really impactful ways to get the most enjoyment out the things you love to do without burning out and losing perspective. 

Q. What book has been the most challenging for you to read? How did it challenge you? 

A. Robert Pirsig’s Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance has been a tough one for me to get into because it waxes philosophical in some pretty heavy ways that make me slow down my reading and think; this is good, but it’s tough to get momentum going.

Q. Do you remember when your love for reading began?

A. My mom and I read a lot of Roald Dahl books together when I was a kid, and I loved them all.

Check out Louie Fischer's book list

Apply to be the next C-SPL Reader of the Month!

Monday, March 1, 2021

C-SPL Reader of the Month: Paul Kilgore

About Paul

I’ve taught English at Senior High School for over 20 years. A perfect day for me is spending it with my wife, Michelle and daughter, Julia. My other passions include physical fitness, my pets (two Yorkshire terriers and a cat), and, of course, reading.

(See the past Reader of the Month posts here) 

Q & A

Q. What is the best book you have read within the last year (or ever)?

A. That’s a tough call. I’d say the most enjoyable book I’ve read within the last year is one I bought at Goodwill called Altamont: The Rolling Stones, the Hells Angels, and the Inside Story of Rock's Darkest Day by Joe Selvin. I’ve always been interested in that era of Rock and Roll and the Altamont tragedy specifically. The enjoyment and enrichment came from learning a ton about a subject I thought I already knew everything about. 

Q. What is your ideal reading environment (location, sound, snacks, etc.)?

A. It depends. If it’s something I’m reading for fun, I like coffee shops. If it’s something challenging that requires a lot of focus, I prefer someplace quiet.

Q. What book are you most excited about reading next, and what about it is most exciting?

A. I’m a fan of Angie ThomasThe Hate You Give. I had always felt it would be interesting to know more about the background of Mav Carter, father of the novel’s protagonist, Starr. Sure enough, Thomas recently released Concrete Rose, which focuses on Mav’s upbringing. I plan on reading that one soon.

Q. What book do you think more people should read, and why do you think they should read it?

A. I recently read So you’ve Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson. It’s an entertaining book dealing with the pitfalls of internet shaming mobs. Though published six years ago, I feel it’s more relevant now than it was then.  Ronson’s final takeaway is that we should be kind to each other, especially on the internet where anonymity can bring out the worst in us. Though simplistic, I think it’s a philosophy more people should consider in our current cultural ethos.

Q. Do you remember when your love for reading began?

A. When I was seven or eight we inherited a set of Encyclopedias from my grandparents. At the time, I was obsessed with big cats. My love for reading first developed while pouring over the entries on lions, tigers, and other exotic animals from those encyclopedias (Britannica, I think).

Check out Paul Kilgore's book list

Apply to be the next C-SPL Reader of the Month!

Wednesday, February 3, 2021

C-SPL Reader of the Month: Ben Maher-Jacobson

About Ben

I am a marketing writer and freelance journalist. Before making an unexpected mid-pandemic career shift, I spent 10 years working as a newspaper reporter, editor and columnist. I have a wonderful wife, three poorly behaved dogs, two bunnies and a chinchilla.  

I read primarily for entertainment, so I’m a big fan of thrillers and genre novels, particularly horror and science fiction. I also love to laugh, so I dig humorous fiction and non-fiction. For example, my love for Dave Barry’s humorous essays was a big reason I began working in newspapers. 

(See the past Reader of the Month posts here) 

Q & A

Q. What is the best book you have read within the last year (or ever)?

A. The best book I read in 2020 was The Ruins, by Scott Smith. It’s about a group of young, adventurous tourists who stumble upon an archaeological site in Mexico. Naturally, things go horribly wrong and they are picked off, one by one, by murderous vines capable of imitating human speech. It might sound ridiculous, but it’s fast-paced and incredibly tense. And while the narrative shifts between viewpoints regularly, there are no chapter breaks to be found. Basically, it’s one nonstop nightmare until the satisfying – but not necessarily happy – ending.

Q. What is your ideal reading environment (location, sound, snacks, etc.)?

A. We have a little library in our home. We have two squashy armchairs, either of which make an ideal spot for some Sunday morning reading. I like to park myself in a chair with a glass of diet soda, let one of the dogs jump up into my lap and then spend a few hours vegetating. That said, books, in my opinion, have such great value because of their versatility. Any location can be an ideal reading spot, as long as you’ve got the time, the space and enough light to make out the words on the page.

Q. What book are you most excited about reading next, and what about it is most exciting?

A. I’m considering going through H.P. Lovecraft’s catalogue. I’ve avoided his work for years because I’ve heard so much about the author’s virulent racism. But I’ve really enjoyed a few Lovecraft-adjacent books recently – including the excellent Lovecraft Country, by Matt Ruff – that combine the eldritch horrors for which the author was famous with real-life social and political issues. I’d really like to check out the source material firsthand, especially now that I’ll be doing so as a reader who is more aware of the social and historical context in which Lovecraft operated.

Q. What book do you think more people should read, and why do you think they should read it?

A. Any fan of horror fiction must check out Adam Nevill. Like, right now. He’s fairly big in the U.K., but I don’t think he’s quite penetrated the American literary market in the same way. Which is crazy. The man writes the most descriptive, horrifying prose I’ve ever read. It’s dark, frequently disgusting, and so incredibly unnerving you have to read it to believe it.

Fortunately, I think Nevill’s day is coming in the United States. He wrote the book on which Netflix’s The Ritual was based, and the streaming service plans to debut an adaption of Nevill’s No One Gets Out Alive later this year. More attention to this incredible horror author can only be a good thing.

Q. What book has been the most challenging for you to read? How did it challenge you?

A. Reading is fun escapism for me. Any book can provide opportunities for introspection and personal growth, but I’d really rather just focus on monsters and jokes and explosions and the like. It’s rare that I’ll pick a book specifically for the challenge of it or to enrich myself or whatever.

Personally, I blame Wuthering Heights. While I don’t find it as insufferable as Madame Bovary (I changed my college major from English to communications after being forced to read that supposed “masterpiece”), Wuthering Heights completely soured me on anything that might even tangentially be considered classic literature.

Perhaps it’s because I first was forced to read it as an angsty and romantically frustrated 16-year-old, so the love triangle at the center of the book hit a bit too close to home. Or maybe it just didn’t have enough explosions. Either way, I was forced to read Wuthering Heights repeatedly over the course of my education, and I found new reasons to loathe it every time. 

Q. When do you decide to stop reading a book? In other words, do you read every book to the last page, or is there a moment when you decide to stop?

A. For me, it’s all about the characters. Are they behaving in a way that is consistent with everything I’ve read and learned so far? Are they interesting and relatable? Is the dialogue believable, or at least in line with the overall tone of the narrative?

Once I’ve lost my grip on a character in a book, it can be really tough to come back. To me, that suggests that an author didn’t have a cohesive vision for their work. I want my stories to have defined beginnings, middles and ends. And you can’t have a satisfying and complete narrative if the characters aren’t realistic or, at the very least, true to themselves and the reality in which they exist.

Q. Do you remember when your love for reading began?

A. I was fortunate to have very loving grandparents who made sure to read to my brother and I each and every night before bedtime. I’ve been a professional writer for more than a decade now, and my grandparents deserve much of the credit. Or blame.

Check out Ben Maher-Jacobson's book list

Apply to be the next C-SPL Reader of the Month!

Tuesday, January 5, 2021

C-SPL Reader of the Month: Becky Maher-Jacobson

Becky Maher-Jacobson is a part-time Library Aide at the Carnegie-Stout Public Library. She is also a band director in the Western Dubuque Community School District.

 Q. What is the best book you have read within the last year (or ever)?

 A. The best book that I have read in the last year is The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths. A Gothic thriller, this book is about a high school English teacher who starts receiving messages in her personal diary after a fellow teacher is murdered. With an intriguing plot line and relatable characters, this book kept me engaged throughout and I would highly recommend it to any mystery fans, especially those who love classic gothic horror novels. 

Q. What is your ideal reading environment (location, sound, snacks, etc.)?

A. My ideal reading environment is wrapped up in a blanket on my old squishy leather arm chair in front of our (unfortunately electric) fireplace. Wood-burning would definitely be preferable. Dressed in cozy sweats and fuzzy socks, I usually like to have some music on in the background, but something calm and relaxing that can fade away while I am reading. Snow or rain outside would be the icing on the cake!

Q. What book are you most excited about reading next, and what about it is most exciting?
 

A. The book that I am most excited about reading next is The Searcher by Tana French. Tana French is one of my favorite authors, with stand-out selections in her Dublin Murder Squad series and in her stand-alone novels. I always look forward to new releases from my favorite authors as I usually know that I will like the book in advance, especially if it’s an author whom I’ve read many of their titles. Another novel that will be released in February is a spin-off of The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths that I mentioned was my favorite read of 2020. Griffiths has taken Detective Harbinder Kaur from The Stranger Diaries and given her a new case to solve involving a 90 year old woman’s death that shouldn’t be suspicious given her heart condition, but everything may not be as it seems…. I can’t wait to read it!

Q. Do you remember when your love for reading began? 

A. I do! I remember wanting to learn to read so badly before kindergarten, sitting on the floor of my room and staring at the words and letters, willing them to make sense. I was so excited when it finally started to click. Go Dog, Go! by P.D. Eastman was the first book that I learned how to read, but the Harry Potter series really helped fuel my love of reading after my aunt purchased the first three books of the series for my 9th birthday. My parents are both big readers and read to us every night as kids, so they really instilled a love of reading in our family from an early age.

Q. Can you tell us about your reading interests in general?
 

A. My belief when it comes to reading is that it should first be enjoyable, but also used to broaden your knowledge and your perspective on the world. I mostly stick to fiction since I consider it more leisurely than nonfiction, but I am honestly willing to read everything and anything, or at least give it a chance. My favorites are mystery and thriller novels (bonus points if they have an interesting twist at the end!), but I have recently been more into sci-fi type mysteries that have a supernatural or fantasy element involved, such as Seanan McGuire’s October Daye series or Ben Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London series. The most important thing though is to read, so read what you like!

Check out Becky Maher-Jacobson's book list

Apply to be the next C-SPL Reader of the Month!

Wednesday, December 2, 2020

C-SPL Reader of the Month: Colin Muenster

About Colin 

I am an Enterprise Architect at Clarke University, which is fancy for guy who does a little bit of everything.  In addition to app development and implementing strategic IT initiatives in relation educational technology, I also manage the Audiovisual Department, being the chief AV nerd on campus.  My hobbies include reading, writing, theatre, home “improvement”  projects, online gaming with my buddies, and spending time with my family.  I have worked a variety of jobs here in Dubuque, from overnight security guard, English & Theatre teacher, bookseller (River Lights), waiter (L.May), and freelance graphic design artist.  I have been hired to play a clown, and been paid money under the table to DJ at weddings.  I have a blog with some bad poetry, essays, and pictures of my daughters doing cute things.

(See the past Reader of the Month posts here) 

Q&A with Colin

Q. What is the best book you have read within the last year (or ever)?

A. Since I really view them as a single book, I would say it would be the Southern Reach Trilogy by Jeff Vandermeer.

Q. What is your ideal reading environment (location, sound, snacks, etc.)?

A. Cramped on a too small couch with a thick, dark beer.

Q. What book are you most excited about reading next, and what about it is most exciting?

I am excited to read Borne by Jeff Vandermeer.  Honestly, I loved the SR Trilogy so much, and am completely enamored with his writing style that I can’t wait to immerse myself in words again.

Q. What book do you think more people should read, and why do you think they should read it?

A. Perhaps not a specific book, per se, but an alternative literary canon – dramatic literature. What a play or a musical can do is distill a narrative to its most essential components and lay bare a character in ways a novel often cannot.  It forces the reader to use their psychoanalytical skills that a novel often makes easier for you.  This is especially true in terms of character development and motivation.  A play also has an artistry in and of itself that is magnificent to behold and legion in variety.  While a play is incomplete until being viewed on the stage, the simple act of reading can offer a sometimes more rewarding experience than a piece of fiction.  That being said, here is my short-list based on my current mood:  Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett, J.B. by Archibald MacLeish, Ghosts by Henrik Ibsen, Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas, and God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza

Q. What book has been the most challenging for you to read? How did it challenge you?

A. Absalom, Absalom! by William Faulkner.  It took me so long to finally put my head in a place to really understand the menagerie of language Faulkner employs in crafting this book.  Having to retrain myself to understand the narrative as constructed by Faulkner was a grueling process and took the better part of year to achieve, but once it clicked, a light emanated from the novel that left me in awe of how one can paint with the artistry of words.

Q. When do you decide to stop reading a book? In other words, do you read every book to the last page, or is there a moment when you decide to stop?

A. I like to read challenging books in the same way runners may challenge themselves with longer or more difficult courses.  They payoff in that challenge once it is completed is for me one of the greatest joys of reading, although ironically, I never really wish for a good book to ever end, delaying my sought after catharsis.  That being said, the thing that usually forces me to put a book down is boredom coupled with a busy schedule.

Q. Do you remember when your love for reading began?

A. I don’t remember its title or how old I was, although I know for sure I was a child in elementary school.  I had, for the first time, finished a chapter book, and that sense of achievement and satisfaction hit me in a way nothing ever had up to that point.  I sought every opportunity to recreate that feeling ever since. 

Q. Can you tell us about your reading life in general?

A. What is odd, I feel, about my reading life is that if you were to ask any of my teachers growing up, I think you’d find that very few of them saw me as someone who loved to read.  They would be right, as I did hate to read….what they told me to read, mostly because they told me to read it.  I read on my own, and rarely did I take the time to pick up the assigned reading, which, as you may imagine, led to some less-than-stellar grades.  I was a closeted reader, rarely discussing books with ANYONE, because some part of me felt a certain shame in the act of loving something I so openly detested in an academic setting.  It wasn’t until college, when surrounded by people with passions ranging and intermingling in the fields of art, literature, and music did I truly begin to openly, and with renewed ferocity, express my love for the written word.  I found the world far more complex, beautiful (or by contrast exasperatingly ugly) than I had ever dreamt. It is why, when I was hired to work at River Lights Bookstore after graduating from college, I felt as I had truly struck gold (which is still true for anyone who is bestowed the opportunity to work at River Lights, a place as close to heaven as you can reach while on earth). To this day, I rarely travel anywhere without something to read just in case the opportunity arises.  With three kids in tow nowadays, those opportunities are a little less frequent, but old habits die hard.  In a supreme cosmical feat of karma, my passion for literature led me to go back to school to become a High School English and Theatre teacher where I was able to couple my love of theatre and literature into something I was so fortunate to do on a daily basis for five years of my life.  I could go on, really, but you weren’t expecting a novel, or a novel written by me that is.

Check out Colin Muenster's book list

Apply to be the next C-SPL Reader of the Month!

Sunday, November 1, 2020

C-SPL Reader of the Month: Courtney Chaffee

About Courtney

I am a musician, a bowler, a photographer, a lover, and a friend. My passions vary widely, but are all art-centered and I include reading as an art. I play trombone with a lot of local groups, bowl in league weekly, and love taking photos on nature hikes.

Fun Book Fact: in middle school my group (which changed yearly) went to district “Battle of the Books” all three years.

I’m always open to reading suggestions and I try to pick up at least one book per reader that’s featured. Some of them included in my lists are books that were suggested to me or book club picks. Books are food for the brain and just like when you’re eating, you’ll never know if you like it if you don’t even try it.


(See the past Reader of the Month posts here) 


Q & A with Courtney

Q. Can you tell us about your reading interests in general? 

A. Anyone who knows me now would have difficulty believing I used to hate reading. I’m rarely seen without a book, more often than not it’s multiple books. I’m a frequent commenter/poster on the library’s Facebook, am featured on their banner, have been on their blog, and now I’m a Reader of the Month! My level of dedication to reading this year increased when I said I was making Diamond Level on the Great Reading Challenge - no matter what. I now have a blog called “The Book Nook by CC-Liz” where I post reading updates regarding the challenge and book reviews. I have already achieved my goal for this year! I’m attempting to challenge myself even more by branching out and reading things that are outside my norm. I’ve worked my way into the nonfiction realm and have been reading memoirs, essay compilations, and studies on different topics. I have let the questions that come from reading guide me to my next topic. I still keep one foot in the fantasy waters though. Right now I am listening to the “Wheel of Time” series by Robert Jordan, while reading a bunch of psychology-heavy books.

Q. What is the best book you have read within the last year (or ever)?

A. This is a hard question. I have to break it down by genre or collection type anytime I am asked. The best fiction book that I’ve read in 2020 is The Alice Network by Kate Quinn, while the best fictional audiobook I’ve listened to in 2020 is Rosemary & Rue by Seanan McGuire narrated by Mary Robinette Kowal.

The best book I’ve ever read is an impossible question to answer. The audiobook that elicited the largest reaction from me was Me Before You by Jojo Moyes read by Susan Lyons (mainly, there are multiple narrators). My favorite book of all time is forever going to be the “Harry Potter” series, with the Prisoner of Azkaban as my favorite one.

Q. What is your ideal reading environment (location, sound, snacks, etc.)?

A. There’s two environments that are perfect for reading, it just depends which I’m in the mood for. The first one is outside, anywhere in nature. I can be lying in my hammock, sitting in the woods, feet in the water, wherever. As long as I am surrounded by nature, I am happy.

The other perfect reading environment is snuggled in a blanket in some sort of nook/corner with a warm beverage. Bonus points for each animal I have trying to distract me from my reading (one cat and two dogs).

Q. What book are you most excited about reading next, and what about it is most exciting?

A. I can’t answer this. I rarely know what I am reading next. I have a really long TBR (To Be Read) list, but I just pick and choose. A lot of the time I will walk into the library and look at the displays; then next thing you know I’m walking out with 8 books, none of which were my original plan. I do the same with eBooks, I will look at what is available now and choose one from there. Yes, I use the hold feature A LOT for titles that interest me, but I can’t really say there’s a single book that I am just waiting for on the edge of my seat.

Q. What book do you think more people should read, and why do you think they should read it?

A. I wouldn't suggest a single book because everyone’s tastes are different and my reading style now, isn’t what it was last year. I curate my advice to the person. If you’re looking for a young reader novel then the “Ranger’s Apprentice” series. A romance? Any book by Jojo Moyes or Nicholas Sparks. Fantasy? Rosemary & Rue, J.R.R. Tolkien, or "Harry Potter." Empowering? Girl Up by Lindsey Bates. I can go on and on for each genre (except a few nonfiction topics maybe….).

Q. What book has been the most challenging for you to read? How did it challenge you?

A. After reading memoirs and first person stories of survivors of violence: sexual assault, domestic violence, war, etc. I found a fictional tale on those topics to be really difficult. My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell for example. Her writing style is nice, but I struggled with a fictional telling of grooming and abuse after reading cases like the Larry Nassar trials or Weinstein. I actually advise against this book and would steer a person towards the memoirs/nonfiction titles.

Emotionally the most challenging was listening to Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. I had a bottle of wine and a bar of dark chocolate alongside me when I got to the last third of that novel. She had me bawling like a baby, but I couldn’t stop listening. It was intriguing!

Q. When do you decide to stop reading a book? In other words, do you read every book to the last page, or is there a moment when you decide to stop?

A. Stopping a book is really difficult for me. Once I’m invested in it, I almost always finish it. If the book was suggested to me I tend to try even harder to finish it. There are a few that after a chapter or two I wasn’t hooked and I quit, but that is fairly rare.

Q. Do you remember when your love for reading began?

A. My love of reading actually started in elementary school (kindergarten to second grade area). Shout-out to the best teacher I ever had: Mrs. Resch. Without that woman, I would not be the reader I am today. I used to hate reading and was actually considered ‘behind’ the curve. My parents put me in a summer school course and BOOM, I’m never seen without a book anymore. Mrs. Resch inspired my reading and pushed me along. She took my love of raccoons and used it to help me read, my favorite children’s book will forever be The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn. I have multiple copies in multiple formats and languages, as well as my original copy still. 

Check out Courtney Chaffee's book list! 

Apply to be the next C-SPL Reader of the Month!

Thursday, October 1, 2020

C-SPL Reader of the Month: Ryan Bankson

About Ryan

Ryan Bankson is a Library Assistant in the Circulation department at Carnegie-Stout Public Library and an infantry captain with the Iowa Army National Guard. He enjoys wandering around his haunted mansion, messing around in the woods, and devouring any book in sight.

Q & A with Ryan 

Q. What is the best book you have read within the last year (or ever)? 

A. Napoleon: A Life by Andrew Roberts. I'm a lifelong student of military history and Napoleon has been my personal hero for as long as I can remember. Roberts' comprehensive biography of the great soldier-statesman is the best of the many that I've read over the years. It's quite the tome, but readers cannot help but be amazed by Napoleon's accomplishments. 

Q. What is your ideal reading environment (location, sound, snacks, etc.)?

A. In fair weather you'll find me on my porch with a book on my lap and cooler full of beer nearby. When the winter weather drives me inside, I do my reading in my chair in the study with a glass of brandy at hand. 

Q. What book are you most excited about reading next, and what about it is most exciting?  

A. I'm excited for Joe Abercrombie's latest, The Trouble with Peace. This is to be the second in a new trilogy from this master of Grimdark fantasy. What's the Grimdark fantasy subgenre you ask? Think George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire. These action-packed low fantasy novels feature a lot of 'gray areas' characters–not all good or all evil, black or white. Abercrombie's characters are morally ambivalent with mixed motivations, plenty of snark, and action-packed, fast-moving plots. If this sounds appealing to you, I recommend The Blade Itself, the first in Abercrombie's First Law Trilogy.
 
Q. What book do you think more people should read, and why do you think they should read it?  

A. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. I enjoy novels that explore themes of immortality, and this classic from the prolific Oscar Wilde really makes the reader think about the cost of eternal youth.
 
Q. When do you decide to stop reading a book? In other words, do you read every book to the last page, or is there a moment when you decide to stop?   

A. If I decide that a book isn't worth my time, I cast it aside to be returned to the library without a second thought. This could be within a few sentences, a few chapters, or after I've slogged through half of the book. One of the best things about having a library card is that you're not on the hook for the cost of the book if it isn't a good match for you. Your friendly neighborhood library has thousands more, all available for free.  
 
Q. Do you remember when your love for reading began? 

A. I started devouring Goosebumps, Strange Matter, and Spooksville books when I was in early elementary school, later gravitating to Harry Potter, The Wheel of Time, and A Song of Ice and Fire when I was older. As long as I've been able to read independently, I've been a voracious reader with very disparate tastes.

Check out Ryan Bankson's Favorites book list! 

Apply to be the next C-SPL Reader of the Month!

Saturday, August 29, 2020

C-SPL Reader of the Month: Kate and Sarah Faford-Johnson

About Kate & Sarah 

 
Kate and Sarah Faford-Johnson love spending time outdoors and enjoy kayaking, hiking, and biking. They usually have their two dogs, Bing Bong and River, along for the adventure. They are both beginning a new adventure in the fall as they relocate to New Mexico. 

Kate loves a good dystopian novel and balances that out with readings on Buddhism, meditation, and healthy living. Sarah has a true nerd-love of graphic novels and well written science fiction. She also has a deep love of anything written by the great early conservationists, like John Muir and Aldo Leopold.

(See the past Reader of the Month posts here) 

Q&A with Kate and Sarah

 

Q. What is the best book you have read within the last year (or ever)?

Kate: The past year would probably be Dark Matter by Blake Crouch and best ever would be The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood.

Sarah: That’s a toss up between Kurt Vonnegut’s Breakfast of Champions and Tal M. Klein’s The Punch Escrow.

What is your ideal reading environment (location, sound, snacks, etc.)?

Kate: I like reading outdoors in a cozy environment. A hammock in the backyard, a nice chair on the beach, anything that gets me outside is ideal. But if that's not possible, I will gladly take a chai latte and a quiet corner at Charlotte’s.

Sarah: I prefer a comfy chair and a quiet environment. As long as I have those two I am happy.

What book are you most excited about reading next and what about it is most exciting?

Kate: I’m excited to read (or listen to) The Expanse series by James S.A. Corey. We’re planning on listening to the audiobooks through the Overdrive app on our road trip to New Mexico this fall.

Sarah: I agree with Kate. We love The Expanse television series and I am excited to check out the books to see how they compare.

What book has been the most challenging for you to read? How did it challenge you?

Sarah: I think Cormac McCarthey’s The Road has been the most challenging book I have read recently. It was just such an emotionally challenging book to read and without giving too much away, it just felt so real. It was an excellent book and I applaud him for making me feel so uncomfortable.

When do you decide to stop reading a book? (In other words, do you read every book to the last page, or is there a moment when you decide to stop?)

Sarah: Kate will give up on a book when she is not interested or it just is not the right time. I have a horrible habit of believing every book is worthy of my time. I cannot give up on a book, no matter how terrible, until the final page.

Do you remember when your love for reading began?

Kate: My love of reading began in elementary school. We had a reading challenge that I was really into. It started with Goosebumps and Harry Potter books, and in high school, I got more into non-fiction books about Buddhism and books about multicultural issues, other social issues, and environmental issues.

Sarah: I was fortunate to grow up in a household where my parents really encouraged my innate curiosity about everything. They took me to get a library card as soon as I was old enough and even set up a dedicated corner in my bedroom to serve as my personal library, complete with a reading square carpet just like the one we had in my kindergarten class. I loved reading about everything I encountered and that passion has continued throughout my life.

Check out Kate & Sarah's Favorites book list! 

Apply to be the next C-SPL Reader of the Month!

Monday, August 3, 2020

C-SPL Reader of the Month: Julie Stran

About Julie

I love music and playing the piano and guitar. I am a piano teacher with 48 students. I love my job! I enjoy interacting with the students and watching them progress and grow through the years. My favorite hobby is crafting. I love to create things with paper such as banners, and scrapbook pages.

(See the past Reader of the Month posts here)

Q&A

Q. What is the best book you have read within the last year (or ever)?

A. The best book I have ever read is Jewel by Bret Lott. It is about a mother’s relationship with her special needs daughter. I read this book right after my son was diagnosed with a genetic disorder that causes special needs. It really hit home for me because I could understand and relate to the feelings the mother was feeling. I read this book at the right time in my life. If I would have read it earlier, before my son was diagnosed, it may not have been my favorite.

Q. What is your ideal reading environment?

A. My ideal reading environment is on my couch with my feet up drinking a hot tea. But that never happens! Realistically, my reading environment is usually in the car (while it’s parked!) waiting for my kids to get out of school. Or in the waiting room, waiting for the kids at the orthodontist or other appointment.

Q. What book are you most excited about reading next?

A. I am excited about reading Shalini Boland’s newest book, One of Us is Lying. I really enjoyed two of her other books. She writes psychological thrillers with a twist at the end, that leaves the reader in suspense.

Q. When do you decide to stop reading a book?

A. I always read every book to the very end, because it usually gets better. Nine times out of ten, I end up liking it in the end. I never give up on a book!

Q. Do you remember when your love for reading began?

A. I loved to read for as long as I can remember. I remember going to the library when I was little and reading the “Choose your Own Adventure” books. I would choose one ending, but then go back and read what would happen if I chose a different ending.

Q. Can you tell us about your reading interests in general?

A. I read a great variety of books. I like to go the new release section at the library and pick a book at random. My favorite genres are historical fiction, mysteries, and memoirs. I tend to stay away from science fiction. Sometimes, I want to read historical fiction because it’s interesting to learn about how life could have been years ago. Other times I just want to read fun books like the “Shopaholic” series. It just depends on my mood!


Check out the Julie Stran's Favorites book list!

Apply to be the next C-SPL Reader of the Month! 


Wednesday, July 1, 2020

C-SPL Reader of the Month: Anderson-Bricker

Kristin and John Anderson-Bricker moved to Dubuque in 1997. A professor of history at Loras College, Kristin teaches all United States history courses, specializing in race relations, gender history and American reform movements. John is a painter and sculptor who also works as the preparator at the Dubuque Museum of Art. Along with reading, they love hiking, birding, canoeing, gardening and cooking.

(See the past Reader of the Month posts here)

Q. Can you tell us about your reading interests?

A. We share an interest in historical fiction, especially mysteries. We both read non-fiction but choose different topics. Kristin reads history, science, natural history, archaeology and cookbooks. John enjoys art, architecture, design, electronics, technology, science and gardening. We most enjoy reading at the same time in the same room with a cup of coffee or a beer (depending on the time of day). We have time for reading because we do not watch television or use social media. We find that reading relaxes us because it shifts our minds from the everyday to another world. Additionally, we like expanding our knowledge and belief system through the written word.

Q. What is the best book you have read within the last year (or ever)?

JABAnna Lee Huber, The Anatomist’s Wife

KAB - Theodora Goss, The Strange Case of the Alchemists Daughter

Q. What is your ideal reading environment (location, sound, snacks, etc.)?

A. We begin every day reading together with our morning coffee before getting ready for work. So, each day we share the hour between 5:30 and 6:30 a.m. reading in our living room or in the garden during warmer seasons. When we can find the time we also enjoy reading after work on the sun porch or out in the garden. Because we read many of the same books, the second reader will often initiate conversations over breakfast!

Q. What book are you most excited about reading next, and what about it is most exciting?

JAB – I very much enjoy Deanna Raybourn’s series about Veronica Speedwell and her companion Stoker. Looking forward to the next installment of their adventures.

KABAndrea Penrose created a likable detective duo in Charlotte Sloane and Lord Wrexford. I am looking forward to the next book and discovering the direction of their developing friendship. We particularly like historical fiction where the main characters develop relationships with one another across the series. We favor nineteenth century English worlds.

Q. What book do you think more people should read, and why do you think they should read it?

KAB – Americans should read David Blight’s Race and Reunion: The Civil War in American Memory because it explains why the Lost Cause narrative gained prominence and became acceptable in our cultural understanding of the Civil War. Because it is a racist ideology that convinces people that Confederate symbols are about heritage, this book is an important corrective that explains how the Confederacy was and is really about hate. 

JAB – Art lovers also concerned with the environment should read Fragile Ecologies: Contemporary Artists’ Interpretations and Solutions, by Barbara Matilsky. This book forces you to examine your own contributions to environmental degradation and the power of art to convey that message.

Q. When do you decide to stop reading a book? In other words, do you read every book to the last page, or is there a moment when you decide to stop?

Books need to be well written for us to read. So, we give a book about two chapters. If the writing is not exceptional, we will put the book aside. We leave many books unfinished because we want more time for the good ones.

Q. Do you remember when your love for reading began?

KAB - As a child, I became a reader of fiction due to my enthusiasm for The Chronicles of Narnia, so I would say that C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is the most important fiction book in my life. As a graduate student in 1990 I read In Struggle: SNCC and the Black Awakening of the 1960s by Clayborne Carson and it established the pathway of my career and began my love affair with non-fiction.

JAB – My love of reading began in my twenties after I completed college and I began to read art history for pleasure and professional development. Some of my favorite art history books include Gaudi of Barcelona by Lluis Permanyer, Melba Levick; Earthworks and Beyond by John Beardsley, Time by Andy Goldsworthy, The Group of Seven and Tom Thomson by Anne Newlands, and Hopper by Ivo Kranzfelder.

Check out the Anderson-Bricker Favorites book list!

Apply to be the next C-SPL Reader of the Month! 

Sunday, May 3, 2020

C-SPL Reader of the Month Updates, part 3

Since we aren't featuring any new C-SPL Readers of the Month while the library is closed, I've been checking in on past featured readers to see what books they've read recently.  The first post featured Evan Quade and Cynthia Nelms-Byrne and you can view that here. The second post featured Bill Carroll, Heather Gudenkauf, and Tori Stanley and you can see that post here. Today Mary, Abby, and Thea will share their recent reads. 

~Ben, Adult Services


http://carnegiestout.blogspot.com/2019/06/c-spl-reader-of-month-mary-potter-kenyon.htmlMary Potter Kenyon

I checked my Goodreads account and since I've been working from home for almost four weeks, I've read 12 books. Some have been spiritually uplifting and related to my job at a spirituality center, but I've also needed to escape into some good fiction. Two new authors I've discovered whose books kept me up past midnight are Katherine Center and Susie Finkbeiner. Susie's historical fiction is amazing and Katherine's How to Walk Away and Things You Save in a Fire certainly took my mind off of our current situation. For laughs, I read actor Louie Anderson's Hey Mom, and then I had to binge-watch the television show where he portrays a woman much like his mother.





http://carnegiestout.blogspot.com/2019/08/c-spl-reader-of-month-abby-schrup.htmlAbby Schrup

I’ve been reading a lot during this time and utilizing Overdrive to check out lots of ebooks and audiobooks. I’ve also read a couple from my own bookshelves (Red Clocks by Leni Zumas and In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware) and then placed those books in my neighborhood Little Free Library.
I really enjoyed After the Flood by Kassandra Montag, and then read a couple other post-apocalyptic books, but when I picked up Station Eleven, I only got a couple chapters in before I had to stop. It’s about a really severe flu pandemic—a topic too close to home! That went back into the "To Be Read" pile!

I am looking forward to a couple books that will be released soon: Heather Gudenkauf’s This is How I Lied and Suzanne CollinsHunger Games prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.


http://carnegiestout.blogspot.com/2019/02/cspl-reader-of-month-thea.htmlThea Dement

Favorite Overall Pick: NOS4A2 by Joe Hill, read by Kate Mulgrew (Audio book)

I decided to take a risk with this book, because I'm not a fan of Stephen King, but I figured it was only fair to give his son a chance. I'm so glad I did! First, my preferred method of reading is not audio book, but let me tell you- in this case I recommend it over the print version. Kate Mulgrew (a native Dubuquer!) goes above and beyond in her rendition of the characters- especially the villain Charlie Manx. If you're looking for the perfect supernatural suspense novel- this is it!

Favorite Picks by Genre:

Thriller/Action-Adventure: The Chemist by Stephenie Meyer
Move over Twilight! Meyer explores a new genre of writing and knocks it out of the park with the story of a former government worker who uses her knowledge to get free from her old life once and for all.

Non-Fiction: Midnight in Chernobyl by Adam Higginbotham
This is a detailed, but totally not boring, history of the Chernobyl disaster. I thought I knew about what happened, but it was so much worse than I ever thought possible. A great example of how the failings of Socialism cost hundreds of lives and put the whole world in danger from nuclear fallout.

Favorite new authors by Genre:

Fantasy: Brandon Sanderson (Mistborn series)
Science Fiction: Seanan McGuire (Wayward Children series)
Mystery: Ruth Ware


Apply to be the next C-SPL Reader of the Month!

Saturday, May 2, 2020

C-SPL Reader of the Month Updates, part 2

I've checked in on past C-SPL Readers of the Month to see what they've been reading recently. In the previous post Evan Quade and Cynthia Nelms-Byrne shared the books that have been occupying their minds recently. You can see that post hereToday, Bill, Heather, and Tori will share what they've been reading.

~Ben, Adult Services


http://carnegiestout.blogspot.com/2019/06/c-spl-reader-of-month-bill-carroll.htmlBill Carroll

I've been branching out my reading genres and have fully embraced cozy mysteries. I have been flying through the Joanne Fluke series, and have caught up on several other series including the Peggy Lee Garden series by Jim and Joyce LaveneThe Haunted Library series by Allison Brook, and less cozy, but just as fun, the Bernie & Chet Mysteries by Spencer Quinn/Peter Abrahams. Of these, the Joanne Fluke and Spencer Quinn series' are my current two favorites. The Bernie & Chet Mysteries really remind me of the time I lived in Phoenix, and it brings back good memories for me.

I've been trying to read light, escapist books and less non-fiction and less apocalyptic fiction like I normally do.




http://carnegiestout.blogspot.com/2019/05/c-spl-reader-of-month-heather-gudenkauf.htmlHeather Gudenkauf

Like many, I've been seeking out lighter, more humorous reads as of late and have returned to an old favorite: The Spellman series by Lisa Lutz. Be sure to to start with book number one - The Spellman Files. This six book series chronicles the crazy life of the Spellmans, a family of private investigators. To say they are a bit dysfunctional is an understatement. Izzy Spellman,  best described as a cross between Nancy Drew and Dirty Harry, is twenty-eight years old, lives at home with her parents, an impressionable fourteen year old sister and her wayward uncle who tends to disappear on "lost weekends." Izzy also takes great joy in antagonizing her perfect lawyer brother who has escaped the family business. This series is clever, laugh out loud funny and a great escape.



http://carnegiestout.blogspot.com/2019/12/c-spl-reader-of-month-tori-stanley.htmlTori Stanley

During quarantine I’ve been doing a lot of reading! Some new favorites for me would be Serpent & Dove by Shelby MahurinRuthless Gods by Emily DuncanThe Witcher series by Andrzej Sapkowski, and The Red Rising Saga by Pierce Brown. So basically living in the fantasy world! I’ve also been rereading some of my favs during this strange time - Throne of Glass series and The Illuminae Files.







Apply to be the next C-SPL Reader of the Month!

Friday, May 1, 2020

C-SPL Reader of the Month Updates, part 1

With the library being temporarily closed, I've taken a hiatus with any new C-SPL Readers of the month until we reopen. Instead, now seems like the perfect time to check in on some of the past Readers of the Month. For some, it's been quite some time since they've shared their reading interests. All have plenty of new things to share since they were the featured reader. Today, Evan and Cynthia will share what they've been reading. More will follow in the next couple of days.

~Ben, Adult Services

http://carnegiestout.blogspot.com/2020/01/c-spl-reader-of-month-evan-quade.htmlEvan Quade

Lately I have been reading the Silo series by Hugh Howey. I chose the post-apocalyptic series because it reminds me of what we are dealing with. Imagine living in a civilization in a silo underground, taking shelter from a lethally toxic outside world. Just don't ever say you want out, because you will get your wish.

I have also been reading A Time to Kill by John Grisham. I love thrillers, but this is a new kind of thriller to me. Grisham is the man who owns the term "legal thriller." Check him out for the experience of what it is really like in a firm or courtroom.

If there is something as essential as food and cleaning supplies, it's our shelves full of books. In this unfortunate event, we seek the opportunity to elude this and read a book when we are overwhelmed or anxious. I find it interesting to read apocalyptic stories. If those characters can survive, so can we. Believe in yourself and be vigilant. Be safe everyone!

Cynthia Nelms-Byrne

The Library Book by Susan Orlean: If you want to know truly how valuable libraries are, read this one about the terrible fire that destroyed Los Angeles’ main library and the efforts to bring it back. The author is a specialist at writing about unusual subjects and making them fascinating. If you haven’t read The Orchid Thief by Orlean, that is also incredible.

The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich: I was sort of snoozing through the first half (probably because I don’t like boxing), but after that things really got exciting. This is a novelization based on the life of Erdrich’s grandfather (Thomas in the book), who is the night watchman in an odd factory, so based on some true happenings.

The Returned by Jason Mott: A futuristic/dystopian novel about people who were dead who now mysteriously come back to life many years (usually) later and disrupt the living. Just the kind of thing we need now to remind us that things could be worse.

Wake, Siren by Nina McLaughlin: This contains the stories of the women in Ovid’s Metamorphoses in their own words - both mythic and modern. I thought it was amazing and it reacquainted me with such mythical creatures such as Medussa. I don’t know much about these storied women, so it was informative as well as fantastical.

The Danish Girl by David Ebershoff: A film was made from this, with Eddie Redmayne in the title role! I like the book every bit as much as the film, because it got more deeply into the characters’ feelings and thoughts, which is what a book usually has over a film. It is loosely based on real people.


Apply to be the next C-SPL Reader of the Month!