Week Seven Prompt - Book Controversies

I vividly remember the scandal of A Million Little Pieces.  It affected me in a big way.  I had read the book and was blown away.  I loved it!  It was one of those masterpieces that you can't stop thinking about and wish it never ended.  And then, Oprah.  I was appalled that the memoir had been published as a true story when it was mostly made up and embellished!  I thought to myself, "How can we possibly know what's true and not true if this is the way publishers are working?"  I was deep into the memoir craze at that time and suddenly wondered what was real and what was fake.  To this day, I don't really trust anything I read. I suppose it's good that the scandal happened, though, because it put publishers who don't fact check or publish material they know is not true on the line.  No one wants to get called out on Oprah like James and his publisher did!  I saw the show.  She was merciless!  I actually felt kind of bad for James.  It seemed to me that he was trying to say (when Oprah let him speak, that is) that he had told the publisher that the book was not totally accurate, but that the publisher decided to market it as a memoir anyway.  Either way, the public was duped by someone, and it seems to me that the publisher was responsible for making sure they were putting out a memoir that wasn't made up.  Because it was an amazing book and would have been just as good as a novel. 

Mystery Genre Annotation

Turn of Mind
By: Alice LaPlante
Genre: Mystery, Literary Fiction, Psychological Suspense

Jennifer White is a retired orthopedic surgeon who has begun to slip into the throes of dementia.  She keeps a notebook so that she can write things down to refer back to and others can write information for her on her "bad days".  The story is told from her perspective, which is like going in and out of a dream, fragmented and blurry. On good days, she is clear enough to understand what is happening to her.  On bad days, she can hardly think of names of ordinary household objects, let alone her children and friends.  She rages and and attacks out of frustration and has a caretaker, Magdalene, who does her best to contain her charge.

Jennifer's best friend and neighbor, Amanda, has been murdered and her fingers removed from her hand.  Jennifer is the prime suspect, although she has to be told every day that Amanda is dead and what happened to her.  There is an investigation, but it happens outside of Jennifer's comprehension.  She is questioned numerous times and as the book progresses, the questions become more and more intense.  She has no idea she is suspected of murdering her friend, nor does she have any idea what may have happened to her.  As she floats in and out of lucidity, flashbacks reveal secrets and betrayals from the past that define her relationships with those around her.  Ultimately, the case is solved, but until then, we wonder, "Who killed Amanda?"

APPEAL FACTORS

Tone:  Bleak, haunting
Character: Flawed, unreliable
Writing style:  Compelling
Storyline:  Unconventional; nonlinear

READ-ALIKES

Trust No One by Paul Cleave:  Jerry Gray is a mystery writer who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, and as the disease progresses, he makes the claim that his books' bloody, violent murders are true because he committed them.  Is it true or all in his head?

Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey:  This was recommended on Goodreads by a reader who thinks it is similar to Turn of Mind, but executed better.  An elderly woman succumbing to dementia believes her best friend has disappeard, yet no one believes her or will help her.  So she embarks on a desperate quest to find her.

The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes by Marcus Sakey:  A man wakes up on a beach with no memory of who he is or why he is there.  He takes on the identity of the owner of a BMW he finds, but soon finds himself fleeing from the police for something unknown to him, but known to Daniel Hayes.  Is he Daniel Hayes?

MY TAKE
This was not a procedural mystery by any means.  In fact, it barely meets the criteria for mysteries.  There is a murder and an investigation, but seen through the splintered memory of the main character, which leaves the reader just as confused as she is.  However, the end gives us the answers to the question of who killed Amanda, so a mystery it is.  While this is classified as a mystery on NoveList and Goodreads, it is also called psychological suspense and literary fiction.  In fact, read-alikes suggested by NoveList did not include many mysteries at all, which makes sense.  Our mystery chapter in Saricks informs us that there is a wavy line between many of the sub-genres of mystery, and this book proves that.  I liked it a great deal, but only because I'm not really a mystery fan and I didn't miss the hard boiled investigation and forensic procedures of your standard mystery fare.  I think that people who like mysteries for those factors will be very disappointed with this book.  I would not recommend it to someone who came up to me and asked for a good mystery UNLESS they specifically asked for suspense.

Week Six Prompt

I've worked at my library for 12 years and I've been going to libraries for well over 40 years.  I've never heard of the gentle reads genre!  It's possible I didn't notice because I wouldn't read that type of material.  But my point is that I wonder how many other people don't know about it!  I think it would be a great thing to have genre nooks set up throughout the library with displays of books, DVDs, audiobooks, etc, creating passive integrated advisory experiences for all tastes and pleasures (well, maybe not ALL!).  Focusing on the gentle reads display, I'm thinking a cozy scene, complete with a homemade afghan, a coffee cup and maybe some cookies or something to really set the mood.  These extras can be rotated, like picnic baskets and lemonade in the summer, and a leaf pile, a sleepy dog and a blanket for autumn.  We want to have the feel for old-time, traditional and homespun stories.  Then I would rotate gentle read books, large print, audio books, and Lifetime/Hallmark movies.  I would add some non-fiction to reflect the novels on display.  Cookbooks, quilting and sewing books, flower arranging, whatever may be fictionalized in the display books and movies would be great complements.  I would also be sure to display programs we have going on like a knitting group, a book group, or other such things as are written about in the books.  I can think of a great many patrons at our library who would absolutely love this display.  And with the integrated advisory aspect I know that many of them would discover something new!

Gentle Reads Annotation

THE WHOLE TOWN'S TALKING
By:  Fannie Flagg
Genre:  Gentle Reads

Elmwood Springs, Missouri is the setting for this sweeping tale of community, friendship and family.  It begins in 1889, when Lordor Nordstrom buys property and founds a town.  He marries, builds a thriving dairy business and watches the town grow and prosper with himself as mayor.  But when he dies, something strange happens - he wakes and finds himself in the town cemetery, Still Meadows.  He watches over the town from his new post and is soon joined by family and friends who lived in the town and passed away.  We witness the town's evolution throughout the years and get to know the quirky and kind residents and their families who live through history in Elmwood Springs right up until 2020.  As the residents of Still Meadows cemetery observe and exclaim over the town's rise and fall through the years, they begin disappearing one by one to a surprising but marvelous place.

Appeal Factors

Tone:  Homespun - This is a quiet tale of home, family and community
Pace: Leisurely, comforting
Writing style:  Engaging; very few swear words
Storyline: Simple; sweeping; character-driven
Character:  Likable, quirky, relatable 

Read-a-likes

The Persian Pickle Club, by Sandra Dallas:  This is another homespun story of family and community told in a heartwarming storytelling style.

Debbie Macomber's Blossom Street series:  These are inspiring stories about a group of women who gather at Lydia Hoffman's yarn shop for knitting circles and work through personal issues and grow from their bonds of friendship.

Garrison Keillor's Lake Wobegon series:  Garrison Keillor writes with a witty and heartwarming style about a small town and its citizens in Minnesota.

Adriana Trigliani's Big Stone Gap series:  Another series set in a charming and quirky small town in West Virginia focuses on home, family and community.

My Take

This is the quintessential gentle read, an extremely simple storyline, heartwarming characters, old fashioned traditions.  I  think little old people or people that think and act like little old people will really, really like this book.  Myself, I like a solid story arc and intricate plotting.  I was thoroughly bored.  However, those who like gentle reads will appreciate its old-timey vibe.  Also, there were a few swear words, which really surprised me, as this type of book should be profanity free.  There are just a few though, and always appropriately from soldiers or burly men.

Week #5 Prompt Response

There are SO MANY BOOKS out there!  It’s hard to think about the sheer abundance of books and written materials without getting completely overwhelmed.  Your library can’t stock everything.  So, what is a selector to do?  Is it an astounding book or a piece of crap?  But, you know, the answer to that question is different to each person.  Like Ranganthan said “Every book its reader”.  Thinking about that, I can see why Booklist doesn’t print negative reviews.  While there can be books that are so bad that most people can’t get through them without giving up in frustration, but there will always be at least one person who likes or finds value in the book.  Reviews are only opinions.  They can make or break a book commercially, but they don’t determine the total value of the book.  So even if the New York Times pans a book as silly and a waste of space, that doesn’t mean there isn’t anyone on this earth who will enjoy it.  I think that’s why there are so many different outlets for different types of books and conversations.  Kirkus didn’t review a little independent book that I found at the garage sale, but if I were to Google the book, there would more than likely be SOMETHING on the internet about it, somewhere.  There are lots of sources for independent book reviews and small-time publishers.  A librarian should not only have the big-name resources like the New York Times, Kirkus, NPR, and Publishers Weekly, they should have a list of small and independent publishers and book reviews that they can consult so that their collection is rounded out with not only bestsellers, but little gems and diverse topics.  Collection development shouldn’t be affected by the fact that some books are reviewed more than others.

Angela’s Ashes was so big when it came out, not adding it to your library would have been seen as highly incompetent.  And I don’t think it was just the reviews that made it so big.  It was a really, really good book, and word of mouth is huge in the library business.  I imagine that I would have added Angela’s Ashes to my collection whether I had these reviews or not.  The e-book reviews, while not quite on the professional level of the New Yorker book review, make the silly little romance sound like a fun and happy read, so I would definitely add it to my collection because I know there are patrons who would enjoy that silly book.  Although if both the reviews had said, “Yuck, this book sucks”, I might think twice.  But if someone asked for it, I would buy it. 

I consult Goodreads for all my review needs.  Although the reviews are not professional, real readers tell you if they liked the book and why.  Or if they hated the book and why.  There are usually more than enough reviews of one book that you can piece together what the book is like just from reading the varied opinions.  I don’t need the New York Times to tell me if they liked a book or not.  

"Dog Boy" by Eva Hurnung - A "Kirkus" Style Review

Settle in for a tale so bizarre and fantastic, you will not be able to stop thinking about it long after you’ve finished it.  It’s about a boy.  And his dog family.  And their struggle for survival on the frozen streets of Moscow. 

Romochka is a four-year-old boy who has been abandoned by his mother and uncle, left to die in an empty apartment building in the middle of Russia’s arctic winter.  In desperation, he follows a stray dog back to her den in the basement of an abandoned church and becomes part of her family, her pack of six sons and daughters.  There, in the coziness and warmth of the nest, Romochka grows up as a dog, hunting and killing prey, marking his territory with urine and slow-licking his brothers and sisters to sleep at night.  We see the gritty, poverty-stricken streets from his point of view, which has become a dog’s point of view.  He thinks, acts and moves like a dog.  His loyalty is to his dog family and his love for his dog mother is undying.  Although it’s a hard life, a struggle for survival every day, we see the beauty of family and togetherness in the pack’s world, the joy of a home to return to and the rewards of successful hunts.  It seems like such a sweet, if tough life.  But as Romochka begins to attract the attention of concerned humans, we see his world in a very different light.  The humans’ reactions to the cozy den are visceral – revulsion, disbelief, horror.  The stench of death and rot and the overwhelming filth make some of them physically ill.  We suddenly see that this is not a place for a human being to be living.  As the concerned humans try to bring Romochka back into the world, it becomes obvious that the definition of being “human” is a slippery thing indeed. 

This is a compelling and enjoyable read.  Eva Hornung did her research well and successfully transports readers into the world of animals from the animals’ perspectives.   

Romantic Suspense Annotation

Sting

By Sandra Brown

Genre:  Romantic Suspense

Shaw Kinnard is your proverbial brooding, distant assassin.   Jordie Bennett is the  smoking-hot damsel in distress with a spine of steel and lips that pucker perfectly.  Jordie wants to protect her brother, Josh, who is a fugitive on the run from the FBI, and  from a notorious, bloodthirsty boss, Panella, who wants them both dead.  Shaw means to kill Jordie, but in a startling turn of events, Shaw kidnaps Jordie and holds her hostage in an attempt to recover a $30 million loot with information only she or her brother has.  Despite their obvious rancor, the heat between Jordie and Shaw is palpable and they must eventually rely on each other to survive.  The chase takes place in the swampy bayous and electric streets of New Orleans.  Full of twists and surprises, it’s anyone’s guess how this steamy, suspenseful story will turn out.  

APPEAL FACTORS:

   Tone:  Steamy, suspenseful

   Pace:  Fast-paced

   Writing Style:  Well-crafted dialog 

   Storyline:  Plot-driven

   Character:  Well-developed

READ-A-LIKES:

A Cold Day in Hell by Stella Cameron: Cameron's books are also steamy and suspenseful, as well as set in the American South.

When You Dare by Lori Foster:  Steamy and suspenseful.  The hunky lead rescues a kidnap victim and must remember not to mix business and pleasure.

Thigh High by Christina Dodd:  Steamy and suspenseful.  Set in Louisiana, with a subject of "sexual attraction."

Death Angel by Linda Howard:  Another foray into the underbelly of the crime world in which the heroine must work with the FBI to protect the defenseless from her ruthless crime lord ex-lover.  

MY TAKE:

I don't usually read this type of fiction, and after reading this, I remember why!  However, it was a page turner and I was held captive until the end, not knowing what would happen.  I mean, it was obvious that the dreamy assassin would somehow end up with his gorgeous victim, but in the beginning, it was impossible to tell how that could happen.  I like that.  I chafe at stereotypical characters that are found in romantic suspense, but no matter.  This was a fun, fast read, and I enjoyed it in spite of myself.  

I'm a "secret shopper." Good times!

I went to a medium, suburban library in a nice area.  Beautiful library.  Nice people.  But I was really nervous.  I had just read Chelton's "Readers' Advisory 101" and was now concerned I would be treated badly and turned away with a sniff.  Very nervous.  But I persevered. 

It ended up being a somewhat satisfying experience!  The librarian greeted me with a smile, which put me at ease right away.  She didn't seem upset at being asked about book suggestions and she seemed to have plenty of time for me at first.  I told her I need to read a mystery, but I don't read mysteries, so I don't know where to start.  First she consulted NovelList (yay!) and asked me about appeal factors of books that I liked in the past.  I told her I like literary fiction, intricate plotting and good writing.  After a few more appeal questions, she suggested a couple authors, Lindsay Davis and Janey Mack.  I said they sounded interesting, I'll give them a look.  She then asked if that was all I needed or did I want more options?  Well, yes I needed more options!  So she consulted Booklist Online and found a couple articles about literary mysteries.  She found some great possibilities for me with Emily St. John Mandel and John Banville, who writes mysteries under the name "Benjamin Black". 

With that, I thanked her and went on my way.  But I got the feeling that she was about out of options for me, for some strange reason.  I felt like she was winging it with Booklist Online because after I told her I wanted more options, she seemed a little puzzled.  Luckily we found Mandel and Banville and I was able to let her off the hook, but really it seemed that she didn't have a quick reference list of resources that readers' advisors should have.  Further, she didn't delve into appeal as much as she could have because she only came up with TWO authors on NoveList.  Two??  I know we could have found more than that had we talked more. 

Finally, had she told me to come back with any more requests or she could look at some more resources if needed, I would not have felt like she was very nicely helping me, but trying to end the session.  It wasn't busy at the time, so there was no need to feel rushed.  It seemed like she felt there was not much more she could do for me.  However, she was nice and I found some interesting prospects, so I consider the trip a mild success.