Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
We Recommend…
Posted on: May 3, 2013
A selection of staff picks and suggestions for you to checkout and enjoy.
Many of these titles are displayed on the bookshelf located near the circulation desk.
Title |
Author |
Collection |
Recommended by |
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Agent Gates and the Secret Adventures of Devonton Abbey: A Parody of Downton Abbey |
Camaren Subhiyah |
Graphic Fiction |
Carlen |
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Arthur and George |
Julian Barnes |
Fiction |
Rummanah |
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Bed |
David Whitehouse |
Fiction |
Deena |
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Blink : the power of thinking without thinking |
Malcolm Gladwell |
Non-Fiction |
Valerie |
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Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao |
Junot Diaz |
Fiction |
Valerie |
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Daughter of Smoke and Bone |
Laini Taylor |
Teen Fiction |
Martha |
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Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks |
E. Lockhart |
Teen Fiction |
Martha |
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Mister Pip |
Lloyd Jones |
Fiction |
Deena |
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Nine Parts of Desire |
Geraldine Brooks |
Non-Fiction |
Carol |
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The Bluest Eye |
Toni Morrison |
Fiction |
Lyndy |
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The Eyre Affair: A Thursday Next Novel
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Jasper Fforde |
Fiction |
Martha |
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The Housekeeper and the Professor |
Yoko Ogawa |
Fiction |
Eric |
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The Last Kingdom |
Bernard Cornwell |
Historical Fiction |
Eric
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The Lighthouse |
Alison Moore |
Fiction |
Deena |
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The Other Side of You |
Sally Vickers |
Fiction |
Sarah |
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The President and the Assassin |
Scott Miller |
Non-Fiction |
Gloria |
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The Sea |
John Banville |
Fiction |
Marcy |
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The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry |
Rachel Joyce |
Fiction |
Marcy |
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Their Eyes Were Watching God |
Zora Neale Hurston |
Fiction |
Lyndy |
COUNTY: Life, Death and Politics at Chicago’s Public Hospital (by David Ansell,M.D.:Nonfiction) © 2011
Posted on: August 13, 2012
Rating:©©©©
Summary: David Ansell’s exposé on health care at County, Chicago’s publicly funded hospital, is insightful and thought provoking. The reader is introduced to the many problems and inequities patients and physicians encounter when treatment occurs at a public hospital for low-income and uninsured patients. However, perhaps in spite of itself and Chicago politics, County and its physicians are responsible for the creation of many highly regarded patient treatment and education programs, such as: the Women’s Early Breast Cancer Detection program, the Burn Treatment Center, the Asthma Treatment Center, the Maternal and Infant Health Center, and the Infectious Disease Prevention and Treatment Center as well as the first Trauma Unit, the world’s first Blood Bank and the first Cobalt-beam Therapy Unit. These are impressive health care accomplishments for any hospital but even more so for a hospital dependent on government funding. Finally, in 2002, Cook County Hospital was replaced by the John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital. The addition of this the new medical facility eliminated one of the many inhumane conditions patient’s faced at County but it did not eliminate the social inequalities of poverty. Overcoming many obstacles, County/Stroger Hospital continues to strive to provide adequate health care for all.
Review: Health care in the United States has been and always will be a hot button topic. Whether one believes that adequate health care is a basic human right or a privilege, author/physician David Ansell constantly reminds the reader that a person’s quality of life is directly related to their health and no matter if one is rich or poor, politics always plays a role in health care public policy formation. That being said, the author goes about describing how he and his colleagues fought against a formidable foe, namely politics, to create renowned healthcare protocol and programs to better serve the healthcare needs of those they serve. Ansell clearly became a physician because he wanted to help people. Employing great compassion and humanity, he recounts patient stories in a thought provoking manner connecting the patient’s health issues to their life and death. As a healthcare activist, he fought for the under served, now however, he fights for a system that provides adequate medical care for all.
Read-a-likes: My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist’s Personal Journey by Jill Bolte Taylor is a personal account of how the Harvard trained neuroanatomist recovered from a stroke and retrained her brain using her in depth understanding of the human brain’s inner workings. Her recovery chronicles the physical and emotional journey of a woman trying to become whole. This book is available in the library’s nonfiction collection in several formats: hardcover, audio book, and eAudiobook.
Availability: This book is available from the Lake Bluff Public Library’s nonfiction collection and My Media Mall in downloadable eAudiobook format.
Review by Valerie.
Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok
Posted on: January 16, 2012
Check out Girl in Translation
Description: Kimberly Chang and her mother have immigrated from Hong Kong to Brooklyn in the 1980s with the help of Kim’s Aunt Paula. As a result, they are are forced to work for Aunt Paula in a Chinatown clothing factory earning one and a half cent per item they make in order to repay their debts. With barely enough to keep them alive and living in a dilapidated, rodent and insect infested house house without heat, Kimberly is determined to make her and her mother’s life better.
Review: There are many immigrant stories told throughout the years. Their struggles with culture shock and poverty are nothing new, but nonetheless familiar. What sets apart Girl in Translation is the voice and strength of the main character, Kimberly Chang. Kim is a very smart girl who is practical, incredibly intelligent, hard working, loyal, and a dutiful daughter. She knows her limits in terms of her poverty and learning a new culture that is completely different from her own, yet she is resolute in finding a way out of her situation as well as naive. I connected with Kim right away. I understood her desire to grab on to education as her way to gain freedom, both economically and personally. Her dutiful roles and thinking of her family mirrored my own beliefs. Although she has her own share of flaws, Kim never resorts to long term angst and anger towards her mother for their dire situation, which is mainly due to the fact that her mother is doing all that she can to survive. The book is Kim’s odyssey from adolescence to womanhood.
The writing of Girl in Translation is very simple and straightforward. I liked how Chinese proverbs and sayings are interspersed throughout the book. The anguish and plight of the Chang women are well developed and tangible. I couldn’t help but root for Kimberly in her small and large victories. Just when I thought I had the book figured out, there was a big twist at the end that made me cry. Looking at Kimberly’s story and knowing her personality, I don’t think it could have ended any other way but it still broke my heart. Girl in Translation is an immigrant’s story, a story of coming of age, of love and loss, and of dreams to achieve. It is one that you should definitely read and experience.
If you like this book try: A Step From Heaven by An Na, The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan, or Shanghai Girls by Lisa See
Description: Eight stories that take the reader from Cambridge and Seattle to India and Thailand as they enter and uncover the lives of sisters and brothers, fathers and mothers, daughters and sons, friends and lovers.
Review: My main complaint about short stories is one of its trademarks: brevity. By the time I get comfortable with the plot and warm up to its characters, the story is over and I feel cheated. Perhaps, I’m reading them wrong and should not approach them in the same way as I normally do with any fiction book. Writing a short story must be very hard and it takes a rare and particular talent to write captivating short stories. The author must perfectly craft every word, every sentence, in order to develop character, plot and intrigue in a limited space.
Lahiri’s eight stories featured in Unaccustomed Earth are much lengthier than most short stories I’ve read, but I welcomed them. I felt they gave her much needed room to explore not only the different themes, but also a showcasing the various relationships throughout her stories. Lahiri’s stories always feature characters of Bengali descent who reside in America but they are far from formulaic. In the title and personally my favorite story, Unaccustomed Earth, Brooklyn-to-Seattle transplant Ruma frets about a presumed obligation to bring her widower father into her home, a stressful decision taken out of her hands by his unexpected independence. In another, the alcoholism of Rahul is described by his elder sister, Sudha, who struggles with her own disappointment, guilt, bewilderment and sense of duty. And in the loosely linked trio of stories closing the collection, the lives of Hema and Kaushik intersect over the years, first in 1974 when she is six and he is nine; then a few years later when, at 13, she swoons at the now-handsome 16-year-old teen’s reappearance; and again in Italy, when she is a 37-year-old academic about to enter an arranged marriage, and he is a 40-year-old photojournalist. Lahiri’s stories are surprising, aesthetically marvelous and shaped by a sure and provocative sense of inevitability. Her skill of storytelling is enchanting and I look forward to whatever she publishes next.
If you like this book try: Interpreter of Maladies by Jhmpah Lahiri, Bittersweet by Roopa Farooki
Staff 2011 Favorites
Posted on: January 8, 2012
2010 was a great year for the Lake Bluff Library—we had a wonderful renovation, got a new director, said goodbye to our previous director Matt, and had some wonderful programming and events. The Lake Bluff Library staff would like to share some of our favorite books and other materials that we read, watched, and listened to in 2011.
Carlen’s Favorite Books
Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson
Eve by Iris Johansen
Hellhound on His Trail by Hampton Sides
In War Times by Kathleen Ann Goonan
The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan
Room by Emma Donoghue
Stories I Only Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe
The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs
The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey
Justin’s Favorite Books
Steve Jobs by Walter Issacson
The F***ing Epic Twitter Quest of @MayorEmanuel by Dan Sinker
Life, on the Line by Greg Achatz
Eliza’s Favorite Books
Blood Red Road by Moira Young
Starcrossed by Elizabeth C. Bunce
Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly
Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
Where She Went by Gayle Forman
Martha’s Favorite Books
Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick
Liar’s Moon by Elizabeth C. Bunce
Level Up by Gene Luen Yang
Hark! A Vagrant by Kate Beaton
Ganymede by Cherie Priest
Plain Kate by Erin Bow
Anya’s Ghost by Vera Brosgol
Fables: Rose Red by Bill Willingham
Cinderella Ate My Daughter by Peggy Orenstein
Go the F*** to Sleep by Adam Mansbach
Deena’s Favorite Book
Bed by David Whitehouse
Rummanah’s Favorite Books
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Where She Went by Gayle Forman
Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen
Black Like Me by John Howard Griffins
Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick
Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs
The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan
Miki Falls by Mark Crilley
Paige by Paige by Laura Lee Gulledge
Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer
Our Favorite Audio/Visual Materials
Videogames
The Legend of Zelda – Skyward Sword (Wii)
Alice : The Madness Returns (PS3)
James Bond 007 – Goldeneye (Wii)
DVDs and Blu-rays
Thor (Blu-ray)
Tron Legacy (Blu-ray)
Horrible Bosses (Blu-ray)
Captain America (Blu-ray)
Green Hornet (Blu-ray)
Mad Men (DVD)
Tangled (DVD)
Easy A (DVD)
Animal Kingdom (DVD)
Downton Abbey Season 1 (DVD)
Sherlock Season 1 (DVD)
Vampire Diaries 1 and 2 (DVD)
If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front (DVD)
Super 8 (DVD)
Win Win (DVD)
Exit Through the Gift Shop (DVD)
CDs
Radiohead – The King of Limbs (CD)
Jay-Z + Kanye West – Watch the Throne (CD)
Arctic Monkeys – Suck It and See (CD)
Death Cab for Cutie- Codes and Keys (CD)
Sparrow Road
Posted on: December 27, 2011
Check out Sparrow Road!
Description: It’s the summer before seventh grade, and twelve-year- old Raine O’Rourke’s mother suddenly takes a job hours from home at mysterious Sparrow Road- a creepy, dilapidated mansion that houses an eccentric group of artists. As Raine tries to make sense of her new surroundings, she forges friendships with a cast of quirky characters including the outrageous and funky Josie. Together, Raine and Josie decide to solve the mysteries of Sparrow Road-from its haunting history as an orphanage to the secrets of its silent, brooding owner, Viktor. But it’s an unexpected secret from Raine’s own life that changes her forever.
Review: Without any explanation, Raine and her mother, Molly, move for the summer from Milwaukee to an artist retreat called Sparrow Road, which overlooks Lake Michigan. Raine is understandable upset by her mother’s impulsive move. She leaves her beloved Grandpa Mac behind and is unsure why her mother took the job of a housekeeper and cook at a mysterious resort.
Always in the mood to solve a mystery, Raine wonders about the relationship between her mother and the Sparrow Road caretaker Viktor, who greets her with strict rules about no noise before 5:00 PM and leave the artists alone among others; and why her mother (and seemingly the other adults) never allows her to be alone, especially outside of the manor.
Though the book is written for a younger audience, many adults are featured in the story. Diego, the friendly and warm artist who enjoys making collages, befriends and encourages Raine to dream and write down her questions, which he says will help her figure out the answers. The charismatic and flamboyant Josie tells her about the orphanage that was once here. I loved all the characters in Sparrow Road. All of them were fully and well developed and each had a distinct voice and personality, but they never overshadowed Raine. I also love the relationship between Raine and her mother. The adults nurture but do not smother her, which allowed Raine to discover herself, her family and her own artistry freely. Readers discover Raine’s past and secrets as she learns about dark revelations about her family. Though the issues that O’Connor brings up are serious, they are not preachy and glossed over. The author makes Raine deal with it maturely deals with them maturely and realistically.
Readalikes: Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo or Summer of May by Cecilia Galante
STUMP the Librarian!
Posted on: October 12, 2011
Did you know today is STUMP the Librarian day at the Lake Bluff Library? Every Wednesday we invite you to visit our Facebook page and post your toughest questions!
Susan Wittig Albert’s lastest novel, The Darling Dahlias and the Naked Ladies, will be available for patrons on July 5!
Place a hold today for this item!
Get It!
“Two new people come to stay with elderly recluse Julia Hamer at the outset of Albert’s delightful second mystery set in Depression-era Darling, Ala. (after 2010′s The Darling Dahlias and the Cucumber Tree). Elizabeth Lacy and the other members of the garden club known as the Darling Dahlias are interested to learn that the visitors are Miss Hamer’s niece, Nona Jean Jamison, and Nona’s friend, Lily Lake, both former members of the Ziegfeld Frolics who danced nearly nude in their vaudeville days. When Nona (aka Lorelei LaMotte) denies her past and has her hair dyed brown at the local beauty parlor, residents become suspicious. And why does Lily always wear a veil? Meanwhile, a mysterious man from Chicago is going around town asking about Nona. While the plot evolves slowly, colorful characters and evocative period details will keep cozy fans absorbed.” – Publisher’s Weekly
New Book Wednesday!
Posted on: June 29, 2011
Are you a puppy fan? Check out this new arrival!
Get It!
“The monks of New Skete in Cambridge, New York, dog trainers and breeders of German shepherds, here expand on their classic How to Be Your Dog’s Best Friend . The excellent instruction begins with an in-depth examination of the puppies of one litter from birth through their eventual placements with new owners– following their social and physical development, their needs, and clues to their emerging personalities. Proposing that the best way to forge a healthy dog-to-owner bond is to prevent problems before they occur, the authors soundly emphasize that a puppy begins its training “the day it arrives home.” They teach readers how to choose an appropriate breed and a promising puppy, and how to assume the position of “pack” leader from the start. Sensitive and unimpeachably humane, this handbook places equal stress on the time-consuming responsibilities of dog ownership and on its ultimate rewards.” – Publisher’s Weekly
Due to the Lake Bluff block party, we will be closing our doors early on Friday, July 1 at 4 PM. Doors will reopen Saturday morning at 10 AM. We will also be closed Monday, July 4 in observance of Independence Day! Look for us in the parade!
