#ComicsWednesday: Mooncop by Tom Gauld

Someone probably already said this, but Mooncop by Tom Gauld is The Little Prince of our times.

Like The Little Prince, this new, tiny book is elegant and beautiful. It expresses in a few short pages what it means to be human, not only in an imagined future where we fly through space and colonize the moon, but in the present, at this very moment.

Mooncop is sad and lovely. Don't let it slip by!

~Mike, Adult Services

Books for the apocalypse

As anyone who knows me or who follows my blog postings, I'm a fan of the apocalypse. No, I'm not looking forward to it, nor do I believe in it*, but I am a fan of all the books that have been written about the subject.

There's been a wave of books that take place in some sort of future dystopia, places and worlds where, after some great cataclysm (known or unknown) humanity has remade itself. Many of these new books are written for young adults, but by no means limited to them.

I could go on, but since we're supposedly facing the end of the world this Friday, here are some highlights from some of the best apocalyptic fiction I've read this year:

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War & The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks - I'll admit, I'm not a big fan of zombies. I avoid books and movies about them, since they tend to emphasize the gore factor a bit too much for my taste. But then I heard that a movie was being made based on the book, and that fans of the book were up in arms about it. I had to read it.

World War Z (the book) is told, true to it's subtitle, as an oral history. Divided into chronological sections, the story is told through interviews with survivors of the war. The people interviewed range from military to doctors to ordinary people, and follow the spread of the plague, the governments' responses (or lack thereof) and how people managed to survive and, ultimately, beat back the zombie hoards. The first-person narration is gripping and brings you to the heart of the crisis. The raw terror, the helplessness and the desperation are tangible, as is the toll both the war and the terrible solution that won it took on what remains of humanity.

Brooks' companion nonfiction book, The Zombie Survival Guide, is referred to a few times as a "civilian survival manual" during World War Z and is written as such. Offering practical advice from where to go to what to bring with you, the guide is written in the same world as World War Z. It also offers more information about the virus that causes people to turn and a retrospective of recorded attacks dating back to 60,000 B.C. to the attacks that set off the global war. I'd recommend reading it after you've finished World War Z, as the history, advice and scenarios will hold more meaning.

Wool: Omnibus & the Shift series by Hugh Howey
The Wool series began as a one-off Kindle single by science fiction writer Howey. But, as the novella became a best seller, fans demanded more. Wool: Omnibus collects the five novellas that have been published so far. Howey has also written two short stories in a planned trilogy (the Shift series) that fill in the history of the world of Wool. Once the third book is published, Howey has promised to continue with Wool 9, and the Shift series should definitely be read after Wool: Omnibus. As a bonus, the Kindle edition of Wool 1 is now free!

Wool takes place in an underground silo where generations of people have lived after an unknown global catastrophe made the surface of the planet uninhabitable and deadly. The story of Wool 1 begins with the sheriff of the silo, Holston. Beyond that, it's difficult to describe further without giving major spoilers. One hint, though: people do leave the silo for "cleaning," however, they do not come back. And often times, they volunteer.

The Machine Stops by E.M. Forster - Written in 1909, this short story is amazingly prescient. Forster imagines a world in which people live in vast underground structures and have lost the ability to live independently. People are dependent on the Machine, which cares for their every need, and the vast majority of life is spent in isolated cells. Exile from the Machine means death and very few question the Machine's existence or actions. The story follows Vashti and her son Kuno, who wants to see the world outside of the Machine. And, as the Machine begins to malfunction, Kuno might get his wish. It's a great story, especially considering it was written 103 years ago, and it's available for as a PDF EPUB or Kindle book. (Hat-tip to Mike for recommending it!)

Good luck and happy reading!

~ Allison, Adult Services

* Although if anyone wants to buy me a spot in one of these, I won't object.

Dubuque Freecycle and Virtual Garage Sale

Got some junk in your trunk? These Yahoo! Groups are very helpful. Free registration is required, but it’s well worth the effort:

Dubuque Freecycle
"Open to all in Tri-State area of Dubuque County who want to 'recycle' pretty much anything rather than throw it away. Whether it's a chair, a fax machine, piano or an old door, feel free to post it. Or maybe you're looking to acquire something yourself! Our most important rule? Everything must be free. No trading, money or other recompense - Freecycle is about GIVING!"

Dubuque Freecycle Cafe
"A group where people in the Dubuque area can share local information, chat about local issues (including recycling, of course) or just get to know one another."

Dubuque Virtual Garage Sale
"A Virtual Garage Sale list for the Greater Dubuque, Iowa Area. If you live in or near Dubuque, or are willing to drive here to pick items up, you have found the right spot to list your items for sale!!"

~ Mike, Adult Services

Two Dubuquers Spot Flying Saucer

On April 29, 1964, the Dubuque Telegraph Herald reported that two Dubuquers, Paul Kies and Larry Kratzer, spotted a UFO while traveling near Socorro, New Mexico. A researcher from UFO Hunters, a documentary cable series on The History Channel, recently contacted Carnegie-Stout Public Library to request information about this incident. The episode mentioning the Dubuquers is tentatively scheduled to air on Wednesday, October 15, 2008. ~ Mike, Adult Services For an update, see http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=207329211923.

Every Book Its Reader

A few months ago we blogged about Scott Douglas’ library memoir Quiet, Please. If you thought that was cool, check out these books for library lovers:

Free for All: Oddballs, Geeks, and Gangstas in the Public Library by Don Borchert. "The author recounts his experiences working as an assistant librarian in a public library in suburban Los Angeles, as he encounters patrons who range from bored latchkey kids left there for the afternoon, to rowdy teenagers, to Internet-obsessed adults, to drug-dealers."

The Library at Night by Alberto Manguel. "A fascinating voyage through the Argentina-born author's mind, memory, and vast knowledge of books and civilization illuminates the mysteries of libraries, from his childhood bookshelves to the libraries of the Internet."

Every Book Its Reader: The Power of the Printed Word to Stir the World by Nicholas A. Basbanes. "An exploration of some of the literary works that have most influenced human culture is based on a landmark British Museum exhibition and includes coverage of publications by such writers as David McCullough, Harold Bloom, and Elaine Pagels." An interesting excerpt from pages 15-16:

In 1923, a man named S. R. Ranganathan (1892-1972) applied for a position as chief librarian at the University of Madras in India. Of the nine hundred people who sought the job, none, including Ranganathan, had been trained for the work. What gave this quiet academic the edge was a background in research -- he had two degrees in mathematics -- and a smattering of information about librarianship gleaned from an essay in the Encyclopedia Britannica he had read a few days before being interviewed for the job. Appointed in 1924, Ranganathan was bored at first by the apparent tedium of the routine, but was persuaded to soldier on when offered an opportunity to pursue advanced study in London. When Ranganathan returned to India, he was determined to make books a more powerful force in Indian life, with ideas for the establishment of public and national libraries at the forefront of his agenda. In time he wrote fifty monographs in his field, most notably Five Laws of Library Science (1931), which outlined a set of principles that has become a guiding code among professionals. Three of the laws -- Books Are for Use, A Reader's Time Is Precious, and Libraries Are Growing Organisms -- were directed primarily at his colleagues. The other two -- Every Reader His Book and Every Book Its Reader -- have meaning for anyone with an abiding respect for the written word.

And of course, who besides me could resist this?

Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron. "Traces the author's discovery of a half-frozen kitten in the drop-box of her small-community Iowa library and the feline's development into an affable library mascot whose intuitive nature prompted hundreds of abiding friendships."

What books are you reading? Let us know by leaving your comments below!

~ Mike, Adult Services

Grow Your Mind: Adult Summer Reading Program

Registration has started for Carnegie-Stout Public Library's 2008 Adult Summer Reading Program, Grow Your Mind: Read Green, Think Green, Live Green.

If you are 18 or older, you can enter a drawing to win prizes each time you complete a Reading Log. To complete a Reading Log, simply read or listen to 5 books before August 5th. You can also increase your chances of winning prizes by attending special library events during the summer.

For complete details and a schedule of events, see these library web pages:

• Adult Summer Reading Program Registration


• Adult Summer Reading Program Schedule of Events
  

~ Mike, Adult Services

Read Alike: Vince Flynn

www.vinceflynn.com

Vince Flynn is known for his novels of international intrigue and political crisis with complex missions full of technical details and fast-paced action. Flynn’s hero, CIA agent Mitch Rapp is independent, moral and heedless of danger. Even though he tends to focus more on plot than on character, Flynn does succeed at capturing the intensity between his main characters. The first book in the Mitch Rapp series, Transfer of Power, finds Rapp trying to stop an insurrection when a gang of terrorist seizes control of the White House. Kill Shot, book 12 in the Mitch Rapp series is scheduled to be released on October 11, 2011. If you enjoy political suspense stories; spy fiction and suspense stories may we suggest the following:

Ghost Dancer by John Case

Photojournalist Mike Burke carried his camera into every war zone and hellhole on earth and came back with the pictures (and battle scars) to prove it. When his helicopter crashed and burned in Africa, he decided it was time to stop dancing with the devil. But neither danger, nor the devil, is done with him yet. An ocean away, Jack Wilson leaves prison burning for revenge. He, too, dreams of starting life over, only Jack's dream is the rest of the world's nightmare. Driven by his obsession with a Native American visionary, and guided by the secret notebooks of Nikola Tesla, Wilson dreams of the Apocalypse and plans to make it happen.

Fade by Kyle Mills

A former Navy SEAL who speaks perfect Arabic, Salam al-Fayed (a.k.a. “Fade”) had been one of the deadliest weapons in America’s arsenal until a mission gone wrong put a bullet in his back, requiring risky surgery the government refused to pay for. Embittered by a wound that could one day immobilize him, Fade isn’t exactly cooperative when Homeland Security insists on putting him back on the payroll. But they’re not taking “no” for an answer and what is meant to be a foolproof deception turns into an explosive bloodbath. It falls to an estranged friend of Fade’s named Matt Egan to clean up the mess made by his superiors. But it isn’t going to be easy because Fade is gunning for the men who set him up. And Matt is at the top of the list.

The Patriot's Club by Christopher Reich

Thomas Bolden grew up on the streets, his childhood a blur of fragmented memories. But now he’s managed to put his past behind him, find the woman he wants to share his life with, and carve out a successful career on Wall Street. Until, in the blink of an eye, his world is turned upside down. A bizarre kidnapping sends him fleeing for his life, his face everywhere on the TV news, and a violent, shadowy organization is framing him for crimes he did not commit. But as Bolden survives one violent, harrowing hour after another, he makes a series of startling discoveries: about a mysterious woman wanted for murder; about an astounding secret rooted in history; about a conspiracy lurking in the darkest corners of corporate America and a deadly plan that only he can stop.

Prepared for Rage by Dana Stabenow

A terrorist filled with resentment; an FBI analyst challenged to be three steps ahead of the intelligence; a Coast Guard captain assigned to keep watch; an astronaut who takes her job very seriously; the paths of all of these characters converge on one clear morning in Florida. NASA is preparing to launch the space shuttle, this time with a high-paying visitor on board as a guest, and the FBI and the Coast Guard are doing everything they can to help the launch go off without a hitch. But one Pakistani man with a bottomless personal grudge and the commitment of many zealous men behind him is determined to strike back at the most visible target he can find.

The Lions of Lucerne by Brad Thor

On the snow-covered slopes of Utah, the President of the United States has been kidnapped and his Secret Service detail massacred. Only one agent has survived, ex-Navy SEAL Scot Harvath. He doesn't buy the official line that Middle Eastern terrorists are behind the attack and begins his own campaign to find the truth and exact revenge. But now, framed for murder by a sinister cabal, Harvath takes his fight to the towering mountains of Switzerland and joins forces with beautiful Claudia Mueller of the Swiss Federal Attorney's Office. Together they must brave the subzero temperatures and sheer heights of treacherous Mount Pilatus where their only chance for survival lies inside the den of the most lethal team of professional killers the world has ever known.

These authors also write suspense fiction: Christopher Whitcomb, Steve Alten, David Baldacci, Stella Rimington, Brad Meltzer, Brian Haig, Daniel Silva, Nelson DeMille and David Poyer.

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!

THE BIG READ Movies in February

THE BIG READ movies at Carnegie-Stout Public Library continue in February. Each of these movies will be introduced by Library staff and will be followed by open, informal discussion. Admission, popcorn, candy, and beverages are all free!

1 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 3

• Dashiell Hammett: Detective, Writer (1999). PBS American Masters Documentary (B&W, 56 minutes, Not Rated).


• Hammett (1982). Feature film based on Joe Gores' novel about Dashiell Hammett. (Color, 97 minutes, Rated PG).

1 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 10

• Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982). Film Noir parody starring Steve Martin (Color, 89 minutes, Rated PG).


• The Black Bird (1975). Spoof starring George Segal as Sam Spade, Jr. (Color, 99 minutes, Rated PG).

1 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 17

• Murder By Death (1976). Lampoon of the mystery genre and famous detectives (Color, 94 minutes, Rated PG).


• The Maltese Falcon (1941). The Bogart masterpiece! (B&W, 101 minutes, Not Rated).

For more details please call the Library Information Desk at 563-589-4225, option 4, or visit the Adult Services Programs & Events Calendar.

~Mike, Adult Services

F.I.S.T. 30th Anniversary Celebration

   

Thanks to the nearly 120 people who came to the 30th Anniversary Celebration of F.I.S.T., the Sylvester Stallone movie filmed in Dubuque in 1977.

Since we had enough seats in the auditorium for everyone, we will not re-show F.I.S.T. in August. If you didn't make it to the screening and you still want to see the movie, click here to place a hold on the Blu-ray.

~ Mike, Adult Services

So you want to be a librarian, eh?

Do you daydream about being a librarian? Apparently you haven't seen the 2006 British Psychological Society study which concluded, "Working in a library is the most stressful job of all."

If you think the study above might only apply to the UK where hooliganism runs rampant, check out Scott Douglas' new book Quiet, Please: Dispatches from a Public Librarian. This "unexpectedly raucous and illuminating memoir" will help any undaunted, aspiring librarian with the following conundrums:

• Why so few librarians are serious reader
• Why you will need a master’s degree to operate the library’s popcorn machine
• How librarians rank within the hierarchy of city employees, in terms of prestige and pay
• How to respond when a patron asks for the Oxford English Dictionary on audiotape
• How to extricate problem patrons from library restrooms
• Proper etiquette for interacting with patrons outside of the library, for example at funerals or bowling alleys
• Which tattoos librarians should avoid getting, for example "Dukakis for President" on your forehead, or a book which opens and closes as you flex your biceps
• How to shoot down corny library pick-up lines
• Why most librarians will not get the opportunity to shoot down corny pick-up lines

For more vocational guidance on librarianship, please watch this YouTube video: Your Life Work: The Librarian. Arthur P. Twogood, Iowa State College, 1946

~ Mike, Adult Services

Best Books of 2012 - Staff Picks, Part I

It probably comes as no surprise that people who work in libraries love to read. While we don't have time to read at work, sadly, we do manage to squeeze reading into our schedules. Our interests cover a wide range - from history to sci-fi, graphic novels to young adult. We've picked out the best books that we've read in 2012 and listed them here. Some are new, some are old, but each are memorable in their own ways. Enjoy!

Mike, Adult Services:
My favorite book this year was a 1948 Penguin paperback edition of W. Somerset Maugham's novel, Cakes and Ale. The flimsy copy I found by chance is inscribed, "Don T. Anderson, August, 1948, London." The story is a roman à clef about English writers at the turn of the century. While I didn't understand all of the allusions, Rosie, a married woman who dates a lot of men, was a very compelling character, and I especially enjoyed the chapters in which the narrator Ashenden returns to his childhood village on the Kentish coast:

It was cold and cheerless in the commercial room where I ate my dinner alone at a large table laid for six.
I was served by the slatternly Katie. I asked if I could have a fire.
"Not in June," she said. "We don't 'ave fires after April."
"I'll pay for it," I protested.
"Not in June. In October, yes, but not in June."

Lisa, Circulation:
I think I will probably have to say (my favorite is) Still Alice by Lisa Genova. Even though it is a work of fiction, the author's experience and research in the field of Alzheimer's disease gave a very believable and valuable perspective. As someone who has a person close to me living with this disease, I really found it valuable to hear an account from the diseased person's point of view. The narrative, while heart-breaking, gave much insight as to how the progression of Alzheimer's disease affects the person, and sheds light on how the person copes with the daily struggles, from minor, to debilitating in the later stages. I chose this book because of its lasting value and relevance.

Sarah, Adult Services:
Lauren Beukes' Zoo City has wormed its way into my imagination. Months after reading it, I'm still thinking about the strange, yet familiar world Ms. Beukes created. The Zoo City of the title is a slum region of Johannesburg, South Africa inhabited primarily by the animalled. The plot is a hard-boiled mystery with twists, betrayals, muti, and a flawed, reluctant detective. (Read Sarah's full review here).




Abbey, Technical Services:
Letters from Berlin : A Story of War, Survival , and the Redeeming Power of Love and Friendship, by Margarete Dos and Kerstin Lieff . When Kerstin Lieff encouraged her mother to speak about the past, she had no idea what an epic story she would uncover. This book provides a fascinating and unsettling glimpse of life in Germany during the Third Reich and World War II, as well as the uncertain times immediately following the war.






Amy, Youth Services:
The best book I read this year was Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. It’s definitely not a new book, but it was so good. It’s a time travel, action packed, historical, and steamy love story set during the 1700’s in Scotland. I’ve never read anything like it, and couldn’t wait to read the sequels. I really fell in love with the characters in this story. There are 5 books in this series and they are all about 900 pages each, so you need to read these when you have some time. They are worth it.




Andrew, Adult Services:
Nao of Brown by Glyn Dillon. Beautiful, intelligent, and moving, Dillon's graphic novel tells a quiet and honest story of modern life intercut with an intriguing fable of magic and war. Read my longer review here, but even that doesn't manage to spell out all the things that made this book my hands-down favorite of the year.






Becca, Circulation:
I just read The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan. It was very good, but I hate cliff hangers and this one ended in a literal cliff hanger. So now I am impatiently awaiting the next book in the Heroes of Olympus series.








Jackie, Circulation:
Mystic City by Theo Lawrence. If Hunger Games and Matched had a baby, it would be Mystic City!









Amy, Adult Services:

G.A. Aiken's Dragon Kin series is a paranormal romance series about - you guessed it - dragons! Dragons who can take on the form of human beings and live in an alternate reality future (or possibly past, hard to tell) where there are all kinds of wars going on and battle hardened generals with really horrible names (like Annwyl the Bloody). There is magic, a lot of bloody battles and really strong female characters. What I loved most about this series is the laugh-out-loud funny dialogue. I'm not kidding, I really did laugh out loud in all of the books. Make sure you read them in order because there are some really crazy character names and somewhat complicated family relationships that won't make much sense if the books are read out of order.

Come back next Monday when we'll have more of our favorite books of 2012! In the meantime, what was your favorite read of 2012? Tell us in the comments below, or on Facebook, G+ or Pinterest!

The Curious Case of Bob Dylan

The movie The Curious Case of Benjamin Button received 13 Oscar nominations today, including nominations for best picture, best director and best actor for leading man Brad Pitt. The Academy Awards will be presented February 22 at Hollywood's Kodak Theater.

When I first saw the trailer for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, a historical romance about a man who ages backwards, I thought it was based on Andrew Sean Greer's excellent 2004 novel, The Confessions of Max Tivoli, also a historical romance about a man who ages backwards. But it's not, y'all!

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is based on the classic 1922 short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, while the totally unrelated The Confessions of Max Tivoli was inspired in part by Bob Dylan's 1964 song, My Back Pages.

Author Andrew Sean Greer explains: "When I began my book in early 2001, I had never heard of Fitzgerald’s story or the movie . . . . The idea of man aging backwards is as ancient as literature–it turns up as early as Plato, and even Fitzgerald seems to have acknowledged Twain and Butler. My own inspiration was Bob Dylan’s 'My Back Pages' and T.H. White’s Merlin; I would be happy to acknowledge F. Scott Fitzgerald, but I had never heard of his story!" . . . Huh!

Intriguingly, a Japanese-language cover of Dylan's song "My Back Pages" is included in the soundtrack of the 2003 movie Masked and Anonymous, a film which features, along with Dylan and many others, Mickey Rourke, who, like Brad Pitt, was nominated today for best actor for The Wrestler. Weird!

Moreover, Cate Blanchett, the actress who was nominated for an Oscar for her performance as Bob Dylan in the 2007 movie I'm Not There, also stars in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Hard to believe, eh?

Of course, none of this really means anything, other than Carnegie-Stout Public Library has a lot of cool books and movies to check out.

~ Mike, Adult Services

The Last Flight of Endeavor

(UPDATE: Endeavor launched on May 16, 2011. You can watch the launch on YouTube by following this link.)

Space Shuttle Endeavor's last flight is scheduled for Friday, April 29th, at 2:47 PM CST. You may be able to watch the launch on NASA TV, where they will also broadcast videos throughout Endeavor's mission at the International Space Station. Friday's launch coverage begins at 9:30 AM. NASA has also created a playlist for STS-134 on their YouTube channel.

The mission commander for STS-134 is Captain Mark Kelly, the husband of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. Congresswoman Giffords was recently cleared by her physicians to attend the shuttle's launch in Florida. This is the thirtieth and last year of NASA's Space Shuttle program, as well as the fiftieth year of manned space flight. The last flight of Atlantis is scheduled for launch from Kennedy Space Center on June 28th. The Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum has a number of exhibits and features on the shuttle program that you can explore on their website.

We also have several books on the Space Shuttle program available at Carnegie-Stout:
Space Shuttles by Robin Kerrod
Space Shuttle: the first 20 years edited by Tony Reichhardt
Final Countdown: NASA and the end of the Space Shuttle Program by Pat Duggins
Sky Walking: an astronaut's memoir by Tom Jones
Riding Rockets: the outrageous tales of a space shuttle astronaut by Mike Mullane

Other books and DVDs on the history of space exploration available at Carnegie-Stout Public Library

You might also enjoy this fourteen minute video from NASA on the space shuttle narrated by William Shatner:

TV Show Read Alikes

You may've seen our blog post earlier this year suggesting read alikes for three popular comedic TV shows: Big Bang Theory, Modern Family, and Warehouse 13. This week we're taking a stab at suggesting books for fans of three popular dramas.

Mad Men
The much anticipated sixth season of AMC's popular series about the social changes of the 1960s and '70s through the lens of a New York advertising agency will begin airing on April 7th.

If that's not soon enough for you, there's more than a few books to tide you over. The New York Public Library has created several reading lists and various bloggers track the books the show's characters read. We'll limit our suggestions to four titles.

If you tune in for the relationship drama, infidelity, and changing gender roles and expectations, try Richard Yates' 1961 novel about life in the suburbs, Revolutionary Road. The novel also served as the basis for a 2008 film starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. Similarily, Penny Vincenzi's More Than You Know follows a contentious divorce and custody case in 1960s London that delves into classicism, sexism, and the drama of relationships.

If you're intrigued by Don Draper's rise through the cutthroat ranks of the advertising world, try An Object of Beauty by the witty Steve Martin. Lacey Yeager claws her way to the top of the '90s art market in New York City. Or more directly, check out Mad Men Unbuttoned by Natasha Vargas-Cooper, which provides a historical context for the show, from profiles of the characters to comparisons with actual 1960s ad men.


Revolution
This on going NBC series about life after the apocalypse taps into the current popularity for dystopian landscapes. Specifically, in this future humanity no longer has access to electricity, and American society has fractured in the attempt to survive. The series focuses on the efforts of a family who may have the keys to restore power to the world, and particularly on the older sister's quest to keep her brother safe from a dangerous militia.

Because the first season is still airing on television, no DVDs have been released that can be added to C-SPL's collection, but luckily there's no shortage of books! You've probably heard about The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins, which will have a second movie out in theaters later this year. We've put together two read alike lists for this series (here and here), but Revolution fans should be sure to check out Ashes by Ilsa Bick about a teen girl struggling in a world where all electronics suddenly stop functioning. Dies the Fire by S.M. Stirling also explores life in a world where electronics have all failed. There's little mystery behind civilization's collapse in Mike Mullin's Ashfall, but Dubuquers will get a special thrill reading about a teen trying to survive and find his family after the volcano under Yellowstone explodes turning North Eastern Iowa into a dangerous wasteland.

Person of Interest
This CBS crime thriller is currently in its second season. The plot follows a vigilante team as they attempt to stop crimes before they happen. The team was organized by a mysterious computer genius who designed predictive surveillance equipment for the government.

Phillip K Dick's 1956 story Minority Report explores the ramifications of a technology that allows the authorities to identify criminals before they commit a crime. This fast-paced story served a loose basis for a film adaptation starring Tom Cruise.

If you enjoy the deductive skills and detective work employed by the show's characters, you can't go wrong with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's stories of Sherlock Holmes. Alternatively, the crime fighting skills of Batman might be more your style. Try Scott Snyder's Batman: Court of Owls, which presents Gotham City's hero with a gritty murder mystery or the Birds of Prey series, which features a team of superheroines including Black Canary and Batgirl.


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!

2009 All Iowa Reads The Rope Walk by Carrie Brown

The 2009 All Iowa Reads selection is the novel The Rope Walk by Carrie Brown. Here's a synopsis:

At her tenth birthday party, Alice, a motherless young girl protected by her father and five older brothers, encounters two people who will change her life--Theo, a mixed-race New York City boy, and Kenneth, an artist suffering from the ravages of AIDS.

All Iowa Reads is a program sponsored by the Iowa Center for the Book which encourages Iowans statewide to read and talk about a single title in the same year. Previous All Iowa Reads selections were:

2008. Digging to America by Anne Tyler
2007. Splendid Solution: Jonas Salk and the Conquest of Polio by Jeffrey Kluger
2006. Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
2005. The Master Butchers Singing Club by Louise Erdrich
2004. Niagara Falls All Over Again by Elizabeth McCracken
2003. Peace Like a River by Leif Enger

The Rope Walk book discussion at Carnegie-Stout Public Library will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 8, 2009. There is no need to register, just come and enjoy the lively discussion. Copies of the books may be picked up at the Circulation Desk a month before the discussion.

~ Mike, Adult Services

Rizzo's Fire-Lou Manfredo

I normally use book lover, Nancy Pearl’s rule of thumb: if you don’t like a book in the first 50 pages, put it back. There is no law that says you have to finish every book you start. I couldn’t quite get into Lou Manfredo’s first novel, Rizzo’s War (2009) in the first 50 pages, but thought there might be a good reason to continue. There was a lot of exposition to wade through in the beginning pages, but I plowed on and am glad I did.

In Rizzo’s War, Manfredo introduces us to Joe Rizzo, a veteran NYC police detective covering a Brooklyn neighborhood and his newest partner, Mike McQueen. His second and newest novel, Rizzo’s Fire (2011) continues Joe’s story with another new partner, Priscilla Jackson, an African American lesbian detective, who showed up briefly in the first book.

Manfredo worked in the Brooklyn criminal justice system for 25 years, so his storytelling rings true. This is a classic police procedural, but has a little more character development than normal. We get to hear about Rizzo's wife and his struggles with his daughter, who wants to become a cop. The second book also got off to a slow start, but wasn't as disjointed as the first.

I read several reviews which compared Manfredo to Ed McBain, another writer of police procedurals, but I found his work to be much slower paced than a McBain novel. According to an interview in the New York Daily News, Manfredo is working on a third Rizzo title, due out in 2012.

Becky, Adult Services

Staff Picks: The Best Books of 2011

The best books of 2011 as selected by the staff of Carnegie-Stout Public Library, or at least a short list of our favorite reads in fiction, biography, graphic novels, and more!


Amy, Youth Services - Wither by Lauren DeStefano
This book was a neat twist to all the futuristic dystopian society books out there. This book was creepy, romantic, and had an interesting storyline. It's the first in a series.




Michelle, Circulation - Sister by Rosamond Lupton
A mystery surrounding the disappearance of a New York career woman"s (transplanted from England) sister back in England. The story is told from older sister Beatrice's point of view. She is called back to England by her mother because her sister, Tess, has disappeared. Although they are vastly different the sisters have stayed in touch and are very close. Bea narrates the story as if she is talking directly to Tess and also as she tells it to a detective. I found the narration very interesting and did not figure out the surprise ending until nearly finishing the book. Loved the voice and loved the mystery.



Sharon, Youth Services - Life by Keith Richards
I actually listened to this and although it was twenty discs long I had a hard time getting out of my car wanting to know what happened next. Johnny Depp & Joe Hurley do a fabulous job narrating but when Keith himself takes over - well let's just say it's a "hoot"
Keith makes no apologies, sets straight the many rumors surrounding himself and for Rolling Stones fans, like myself, he shares his knowledge and love for his music and his mates.



Andrew, Adult Services - Finder Vol. 1 & 2 and Finder: Voice by Carla Speed McNeil
These impeccably crafted science fiction comics establish a complex futuristic world but focus on compelling character and interpersonal relationships. Speed McNeil has obviously accomplished some deep and fascinating worldbuilding but does a masterful job of revealing only what's necessary for each short story, never bogging the reader down with needless factoids or technobabble.



Michelle, Circulation - Falling Together by Marissa de los Santos
This is more of a love story with a little bit of a mystery thrown in. It revolves around the friendship of 3 people who meet in college and form an unlikely bond. Something causes them to agree to end their friendship for 6 years until they are drawn back together for the very sake of that friendship. It has some smart dialogue that made laugh out loud a few times. I found the writing very engaging and finished the book with that feeling of having had a satisfying read.



Sarah, Adult Services - Bossypants by Tina Fey
I know this is one of those books that people have been talking about all year, but this is the first time since Kindergarten that I've really loved an audiobook. Ms. Fey was the perfect companion for an otherwise long and otherwise boring drive. Her self-deprecating humor and obvious balance in a way that made the miles fly by.



Allison, Adult Services -5 Very Good Reasons to Punch a Dolphin in the Mouth (and Other Useful Guides) by Matthew Inman
Written and illustrated by the creator of the blog "The Oatmeal" this book manages to be both hilarious and informative. Learn the proper way to use a semicolon from a party gorilla, why Nicola Tesla was the most awesome geek who ever lived and eight ways to prepare your pets for war (bunnies are ideal for special ops!) Caution: not suitable for work, children or while eating.



Danielle, Youth Services - The Death Cure by James Dashner
The Maze Runner Trilogy by Dashner is a great YA dystopia series that will keep you on the edge of your seat with action and suspense. I highly recommend the audio book versions as the characters really seem to come alive.



Mike, Adult Services - How the End Begins: The Road to a Nuclear World War III by Ron Rosenbaum
Contrary to popular belief, the likelihood that we'll all be incinerated in a nuclear holocaust has actually increased since the end of the Cold War -- it's a matter of when, not if. "At least you can't say you haven't been warned," Rosenbaum concludes.



Mirdza, Adult Services - Pilgrimage by Annie Leibovitz
Photographer Annie Leibovitz (of Rolling Stone and Vogue fame) traveled to locations she could explore and document with no other agenda than curiosity. These included Niagara Falls, Old Faithful, and the homes of Virginia Woolf, Emily Dickinson, Thoreau and Emerson, Elvis Presley, Freud, and Eleanor Roosevelt, among others. “When I was watching my children stand mesmerized over Niagara Falls, it was an exercise in renewal, it taught me to see again.” Leibovitz provides commentary about the history of these places and Doris Kearns Goodwin writes an introduction.



Michelle, Adult Services - Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning
I'm not sure this is the BEST book I read in 2011, but it certainly was the one I was most anxious to read. I absolutely HAD to know what happens to Jericho Barrons. And what exactly is Barrons? Fae? Druid? Seelie or the Unseelie King? A male sidhe-seer? The sixteen month wait between Dreamfever and Shadowfever seemed like forever. This is only book I ever pre-ordered from Amazon.



Amy, Youth Services - Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
This book was such a breath of fresh air this year. It's quite the story and very funny.