Read Alike: Sophie Kinsella

Sophie Kinsella has already been the topic for a Friday Read Alike post, but I recently read her latest book, I've Got Your Number and loved it so much I couldn't resist a revisit!

Ms. Kinsella is best known as the author of the Chick Lit series following Shopaholic Becky Bloomwood. For those not in the know Chick Lit novels focus on a twenty or thirty something woman as she struggles to balance career, romance, family, and her own peace of mind. Always character-driven, often funny, typically deal with serious issues and personal growth, and don't always have the happily ever after of a Romance.

I've Got Your Number falls closer to the Contemporary Romance end of the spectrum, with a focus on the developing romantic relationship between the characters. Poppy Wyatt has her life figured out. She has a career she loves, close friends, a wonderful relationship with her family, and she's about to check a perfect marriage off the list, when her cell phone is stolen. She takes possession of a phone abandoned in a trash bin by Sam Roxton's former assistant, and Poppy's life becomes complicated.
 
For more lighthearted contemporary romances, check out these authors:

Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie
Ms. Crusie is best known for her hilarious romances and intelligent, quirky heroines, though in recent years her pen has turned toward the supernatural. But for a fast-paced, sexy read, Bet Me is a sure winner. At bar, shortly after getting dumped and weeks from her sister's wedding, sensible Min Dobbs overhears her ex bet Cal Morrisey that he can't get Min to sleep with him.

Stay by Allie Larkin
Ms. Larkin's debut novel, Stay, has humor, romance, and a large German Shepherd named Joe. After the man she's been dreaming of for years marries her best friend, Savannah spends the evening with a bottle of vodka and wakes up to realize she's ordered a dog from the internet. Joe's new vet is attractive and available, but then the newlyweds find that married life isn't all a honeymoon.

Big Girls Don't Cry by Cathie Linz
Ms. Linz is known for the humor and witty banter to be found in her upbeat romances. Her heroines are independent and capable, and her heroes often have a military background. Start with Big Girls Don't Cry, Leena has returned to her small hometown from life as a plus sized model in Chicago to work as a receptionist for the local veterinarian, Cole. Cole is, of course, the boy Leena punched in high school for making fun of her weight.

Just One of the Guys by Kristan Higgins
Ms. Higgins' humorous romances feature independent heroines and colorful, supportive secondary characters. She's also known for writing in the first-person. Start with Just One of the Guys, Chastity, the only daughter in a family of macho guys (firefighters, military heroes, etc) is witty, athletic, capable, and intelligent, but unlucky in love. Possibly because the man she's always loved treats her like a sister.

It Had to Be You by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Ms. Phillips’ contemporary romances often feature bad boys who are bad in all the best ways who find their match in her strong heroines. Funny, fast-paced, and more than a little steamy, her novels are fun without being fluff. Start with It Had to Be You, the first in her series of novels centered around a fictional Chicago football team. Phoebe has been encouraging her reputation as a flighty socialite, and the team’s coach is less than pleased with her arrival.

A few Romantic Comedies available on DVD
The Holiday
Two Weeks Notice
His Girl Friday
Friends With Benefits
Sweet Home Alabama 

Please stop by the Recommendations Desk on the first floor, check out NoveList Plus on the library's website, or visit W. 11th & Bluff next week for more reading suggestions. Or submit a Personal Recommendations request, and we'll create a reading list just for you!

True Sisters by Sandra Dallas

I think most everyone knows about the westward migration via wagon train but I admit that I had never heard of the Mormon handcart pioneers until I read a summary of Sandra Dallas' new novel, True Sisters.  Dallas tells the story of the real life Martin Handcart company, a group of about 650 individuals (mostly Scottish, English and Scandinavian) who, in 1856, signed up to push handcarts from Iowa City to Salt Lake City, a journey of about 1300 miles.  This group of Mormon converts followed the path of previous handcart companies to reach the promised land of Zion.  

Dallas tells this story through the experiences of four women traveling with the company.  Nannie and Ellie are actual sisters who, along with Ellie’s husband Andrew, are looking to start a new life.  Jessie is a hardworking farm girl traveling with her two brothers hoping to build a successful farm in the promised land of Utah.   Anne is a loyal wife following her husband even though she is not a believer in the Mormon faith.  Maude, an older woman, becomes a valuable member of the company due to her mid-wife and doctoring skills (especially since both Anne and Ellie are pregnant). 

 

This journey is a disaster from start to finish for the company.  The ship that took them from England to America was delayed and once they reached Iowa City there were not enough supplies to go around.  Each person was only allowed to take 17 pounds of belongings in their handcart so many people were forced to abandon the majority of their possessions in Iowa City.  The carts were hastily made and of poor quality.  The journey itself took them through scorching prairies, treacherous rivers and across snow-packed mountains.  Many people died on this trek and many more may have died if a rescue party had not been sent out from Salt Lake to find them.  Throughout all of the hardships, the women help one another through their tragedies and triumphs and are able to keep their faith. 

 

The women in this story are fictional but the circumstances were very real.  Dallas did her research and had members of the LDS church proofread her manuscript before it was published.  The story itself is beautifully written but I could not get past the voice in my head screaming “what is wrong with these people? Who thinks it is a good idea to walk 1300 miles pushing/pulling a handcart, especially while pregnant?”  I kept thinking, “is this going to be another Donner party?”  I understand that the majority of these people were trying to escape religious persecution and make a better life for their families but that wasn’t the case for everyone.  For instance, Anne’s husband sold their successful business in London after he converted to the Mormon faith and made the decision to travel to Zion without consulting his wife.  He made this decision without thinking that the journey might not be the best situation for his pregnant wife and young children. 

Despite all my misgivings, this is an interesting story and I did learn something about the history of the Mormon religion.  The trek these people made is absolutely a testament to the strength of the human spirit.  Are you wondering if all of the women make it to Zion?  To get the answer you will have to read the book. 

To learn more about the Mormon Handcart Pioneers click on the following links. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormon_handcart_pioneers

http://www.webster-family.org/martinhandcart/

http://tellmystorytoo.com/members-martin-handcart-company

Reenactments (yes there are reenactments of the trek)

http://www.handcartpageant.com/index.shtml

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXiO88R725I

~Amy, Adult Services

Bike to Work

May is National Bike Month, and this coming Friday (May 18th) is National Bike to Work Day!

Carnegie-Stout has the books to help you get reading for Friday, as well as a subscription to Bicycling Magazine (our Magazine of the Month for July 2011).

The Bicycling Magazine's Complete Guide to Complete Bicycle Maintenance & Repair for Road & Mountain Bikes (629.28772 LAN)

Around the World on Two Wheels: Annie Londonderry's extraordinary ride (Biog Londonderry)

Bicycle Diaries (796.64 BYR)

Major: a black athlete, a White era, and the fight to be the world's fastest human being (796.6092 BAL)

Tour de Lance: the extraordinary story of Lance Armstrong's fight to reclaim the Tour de France (796.62092 STR)

RAGBRAI: everyone pronounces it wrong (Iowa Books, 796.6209777 KAR)

Biking Iowa: 50 great road trips and trail rides (Iowa Books, 796.64 MOR)

The Man Who Cycled the World (910.4 BEA)

Comment: Prefer Mystery Movies

Library patron comment submitted at a movie screening:

Prefer mystery movies & movies that are not silent. Thank you.

Library staff reply:

Carnegie-Stout Public Library shows a movie suitable for adult audiences one evening each month. We try to show movies from a broad range of genres and eras in hopes of appealing to as many people as we can. We have shown several mystery movies over the last few years, including The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The Maltese Falcon, Double Indemnity, Witness for the Prosecution, Vertigo, The Killing, The Thief, Murder on the Orient Express, The Departed, and Shutter Island. All of these had sound.

Of course we will continue to show more mystery movies in the future. When selecting titles, we must be able to acquire non-theatrical public performance rights for the movies, and they must be readily available on new DVDs. If you have specific titles you'd like us to consider, please let our library staff know in person, by email at yourlibrarian@dubuque.lib.ia.us or by phone at 563-589-4225.

mm, 5/8/12

Spotlight: Motherhood

 This Sunday, May 13th, is Mother's Day, and what better topic for our Friday post than motherhood? We've brought together some fiction titles, memoirs, advice books, and movies to look over here, or on display at Carnegie-Stout. And don't forget, our magazine of the month is Working Mother!

Novels
Afterwards by Rosamund Lupton (Mystery) In Ms. Lupton's fast-paced and conversational second novel, a woman runs into a burning building to save her daughter, but that's only the start of the danger.

Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult (Fiction) A thought-provoking novel that includes a soundtrack. Music therapist Zoe Baxter sues her ex-husband for custody of their frozen embryos after she falls in love with another woman.

Left Neglected by Lisa Genova (Fiction) Ms. Genova's second novel is reflective and inspirational. A successful career woman and mother finds herself reevaluating her priorities after a traumatic accident.

Room by Emma Donoghue (Fiction) This fast-paced and suspenseful novel is told from the perspective of five-year-old Jack, who has lived his entire life in one small room with his mother, held captive by the whims of her kidnapper.

Please Look After Mom by Kyŏng-suk Sin (Fiction) This haunting family drama has a relaxed pace, though the revelations about the characters keep the pages turning. When the family matriarch goes missing, her children and husband search Seoul as well as their memories.

Come Home by Lisa Scottoline (Mystery) Ms. Scottoline's latest novel is fast-paced and suspenseful, as well as an examination of motherhood. Dr. Jill Farrow has finally found balance in her life after her divorce, when her ex-husband's daughter arrive unexpectedly with news of her father's murder.

One True Thing by Anna Quindlen (Fiction) This is a reflective and thoughtful novel by Ms. Quindlen. Ellen has taken care of her mother throughout her battle with cancer, and never expected to be accused of euthanasia.

Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah (Romance) A character-driven and moving story of family. After their father's death, two sisters are brought reunited with their abrasive, Russian-born mother.

Boneshaker by Cherie Priest (Science Fiction) In a fast-paced, alternate universe steampunk Seattle Briar struggles to raise her precocious son, Zeke, on the wrong side of the tracks, but things are only complicated when Zeke decides to clear his father's name.

Movies and Television

Gilmore Girls

Terms of Endearment
Mrs. Miniver
Mother India
Mother and Child
Volver

All About My Mother (Todo Sobre Mi Madre)

Mother of Mine 

Biography, Memoir, and Advice

• Are You My Mother? by Alison Bechdel (Adult Graphic)
• No Biking in the House Without a Helmet by Melissa Fay Greene (362.734 GRE)
• Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua (306.8743 CHU)
• Blue Nights by Joan Didion (Biography)
• Mom: a celebration of mothers from StoryCorps (306.8743 MOM)
• Not Becoming My Mother: and other things she taught me along the way by Ruth Reichl (641.5092 REI)
• Just Let Me Lie Down by Kristin Van Ogtrop (306.8743 VAN)

Please stop by the Recommendations Desk on the first floor, check out NoveList Plus on the library's website, or visit W. 11th & Bluff next week for more reading suggestions. Or submit a Personal Recommendations request, and we'll create a reading list just for you!