Adult Summer Reading

 

We've finished the first week of reading in the Summer Reading Program.  47 readers read 113 books!
 

Book Reviews by participants, day 4:

The Clarinet and  Clarinet Playing by David Pino:  Inspiring and much more to add to what I learned.

At Home in Thrush Green by Miss Read:  Miss Read books always make me happy!

Battles at Thrush Green by Miss Read:  English village life-I love it.

Kodak's Guide to Digital Photography by Rob Sheppard:  This book helped with a lot of questions I had.   Written in an easy to read manner.

Abraham Lincoln-Vampire Killer by Graham Smith:  Pretty good, and if the real parts were historically accurate, very interesting.  The fantasy parts also held my interest.

The Vixen Diaries by Karrine Steffans:  Not what I expect, not enough gossip.

Saving Cinnamon by Christine Sullivan:  It took some perserverance to get through part of the book, but, it ended in a triumph.

The Clarinet and Clarinet Playing By Pino, David 1998-06 - Dover Publications 9780486402703 Check Our Catalog Features suggestions about technique, musicianship, and musical interpretation, as well as guidelines for teaching, making your own reeds, and preparing for public performance. Discusses the history of the clarinet. Appendixes. Includes 7 black-and-white illustrations. …More

At Home in Thrush Green By Miss Read Illustrator Goodall, J. S. 2002-11 - Mariner Books 9780618238583 Check Our Catalog It is spring in the village of Thrush Green. In neighboring Lulling, Charles Henstock admires the blooming garden of his new vicarage, glad that the squabbles with his parishoners in Affairs at Thrush Green are settled. And yet the good vicar wistfully recalls his former home - the ugly, old rectory of Thrush Green, which burned to the ground. Now, from the rectory's ruins, the villagers are building eight retirement homes for the older folks most in need. But how to choose who will live there? How will they get on together? And how will they accommodate the dogs, cats, and birds that must come along? The spring has brought a new crop of dilemmas, but Dr. Henstock and the villagers are determined to make the old people feel at home in Thrush Green. In the end, harmony is restored to this tiny fictional world. With wit and grace, Miss Read has charmed numerous critics and won the loyalty of readers who will happily find themselves once more At Home in Thrush Green. …More

Battles at Thrush Green By Miss Read Illustrator Goodall, J. S. 2008-12 - Mariner Books 9780618884414 Check Our Catalog Feelings are running high in the Cotswold village of Thrush Green. The rector's plan for the neglected churchyard doesn't meet with universal approval; there is a clash of personalities at the local school; and someone has returned to the village after an absence of fifty years. …More

Dress in Eighteenth-Century Europe 1715-1789 By Ribeiro, Aileen 2002-08 - Yale University Press 9780300091519 Check Our Catalog In this beautiful book, Aileen Ribeiro surveys the clothing worn by the middle and upper classes throughout Europe in the eighteenth century and discusses what this meant in terms of social definition and identity. Ribeiro, one of the world's premier historians of dress, also looks at such subjects as developments in retailing and distribution, etiquette, the rise of the dress designer and couturier, the evolution of ready-made clothes, fancy dress and the masquerade. This new edition updates the text and bibliographical material in the previous highly acclaimed volume and adds many new, full-colour illustrations. Book jacket. …More

Blood Brothers By Roberts, Nora 2007-11 - Jove Books 9780515143805 Check Our Catalog Every seven years, on the seventh day of the seventh month, in the town of Hawkins Hollow, strange things happen. It began 21 years ago after three young boys went on a camping trip to The Pagan Stone. Now, it will end in a showdown between evil and the boys who have become men--and the women who love them--in this new trilogy. Original. …More

Midnight Bayou By Roberts, Nora 2001-10 - Putnam Adult 9780399148248 Check Our Catalog Sitting deep in the bayou of Louisiana, Manet Hall has a secret that's been buried for a hundred years. Now the bestselling author of "The Villa" and "Carolina Moon" presents a novel in which the only witness to a long-ago tragedy is this once-grand house. Its new owner is maverick Declan Fitzgerald, a man distracted by the alluring Angelina Simone, a woman with her own surprising connection to the mystery. …More

Origin in Death By Robb, J. D. 2005-08 - Thorndike Press 9780786273829 Check Our Catalog < b>A New York Times Bestselling Author< /b>< P>Set in 2059 in New York City, the #1 bestselling In Death series has given fans a searing glimpse into near-future law and order. Now, as science expands the limits of technology, Detective Eve Dallas tracks the cunning, cold-blooded killer of a father and son.< P>Simultaneous Publication With G. P. Putnam's Standard Print Version …More

The Pagan Stone By Roberts, Nora 2008-11 - Jove Books 9780515144666 Check Our Catalog Following "Blood Brothers" and "The Hollow" comes the stunning conclusion to Roberts's electrifying Sign of the Seven trilogy, in which three men and three women join forces--and hearts--to battle the ultimate evil at the Pagan Stone. Original. …More

Requiem for a Slave By Rowe, Rosemary 2010-05 - Severn House Publishers 9780727868770 Check Our Catalog "The eleventh book in the Libertus Mystery of Roman Britain series - "Libertus has an important order to fulfil for Quintus Severus, who has commissioned a new mosaic. But when Lucius, the pie-maker, is found dead in Libertus' workshop, and Libertus' faithful slave Minimus is missing, he is once again dragged into a criminal underworld. Can Libertus find Minimus, clear him of the murder, and discover who really killed the pie-seller, and why? The omens aren't looking good . . . …More

Flyte By Sage, Angie Illustrator Zug, Mark 2006-03 - Katherine Tegen Books 9780060577346 Check Our Catalog It's been a year since Septimus Heap discovered his real family and true calling to be a wizard. As apprentice to Extra Ordinary Wizard Marcia Overstrand, he is learning the fine arts of Conjurations, Charms, and other Magyk, while Jenna is adapting to life as the Princess. But they soon realize there is something sinister at work. …More

The Coffin Club By Schreiber, Ellen 2008-07 - Harper Teen 9780061288852 Check Our Catalog It's tough for love-struck Raven to imagine what's keeping her nocturnal boyfriend from returning to Dullsville. So there's only one thing to do--find Alexander. Along the way, Raven can't resist the spot where she feels most at home, the Coffin Club. But when she stumbles upon a secret door in the club, she descends into a dim catacomb--to a hidden hangout where the house drink happens to be type A or B. Drawn to one of its shadowy members, Raven suspects she's in over her head. But exploring the covert club is too tempting, even after coming face-to-face with Alexander's trouble-stirring enemy. Can Raven delve further into the Underworld unbeknownst to Alexander--and also solve the mystery of her true love's own secrecy? Ellen Schreiber's sizzling Vampire Kisses series continues with its darkest installment yet. …More

Kissing Coffins By Schreiber, Ellen 2005-08 - Katherine Tegen Books 9780060776237 Check Our Catalog The sequel to Ellen Schreiber's popular "Vampire Kisses "follows goth teenager Raven as she searches for her true love Alexander, whom she's discovered is a vampire. …More

Vampireville By Schreiber, Ellen 2006-08 - Katherine Tegen Books 9780060776251 Check Our Catalog Goth romance ignites again as Schreiber continues her popular love story of two dark-romancing outsiders. …More

Dragon Bones: A Red Princess Mystery By See, Lisa 2004-03 - Random House Trade 9780345440310 Check Our Catalog In a magnificent land where myth mixes treacherously with truth, one woman is in charge of telling them apart. Liu Hulan is the Inspector in China's Ministry of Public Security whose tough style rousts wrongdoers and rubs her superiors the wrong way. Now her latest case finds her trapped between her country's distant past and her own recent history. The case starts at a rally for a controversial cult that ends suddenly in bloodshed, and leads to the apparent murder of an American archaeologist, which officials want to keep quiet. And haunting Hulan's investigation is the possible theft of ancient dragon bones that might alter the history of civilization itself. Getting to the bottom of ever-spiraling events, Hulan unearths more scandals, confronts more murderers, and revives tragic memories that shake her tormented marriage to its core. In the end, she solves a mystery as big, unruly, and complex as China itself. …More

Peony in Love By See, Lisa 2007-06 - Random House Large Print Publishing 9780739327296 Check Our Catalog "I finally understand what the poets have written. In spring, moved to passion; in autumn only regret." For young Peony, betrothed to a suitor she has never met, these lyrics from The Peony Pavilion mirror her own longings. In the garden of the Chen Family Villa, amid the scent of ginger, green tea, and jasmine, a small theatrical troupe is performing scenes from this epic opera, a live spectacle few females have ever seen. Like the heroine in the drama, Peony is the cloistered daughter of a wealthy family, trapped like a good-luck cricket in a bamboo-and-lacquer cage. Though raised to be obedient, Peony has dreams of her own. Peony's mother is against her daughter's attending the production: "Unmarried girls should not be seen in public." But Peony's father assures his wife that proprieties will be maintained, and that the women will watch the opera from behind a screen. Yet through its cracks, Peony catches sight of an elegant, handsome man with hair as black as a cave-and is immediately overcome with emotion. So begins Peony's unforgettable journey of love and destiny, desire and sorrow-as Lisa See's haunting new novel, based on actual historical events, takes readers back to seventeenth-century China, after the Manchus seize power and the Ming dynasty is crushed. Steeped in traditions and ritual, this story brings to life another time and place-even the intricate realm of the afterworld, with its protocols, pathways, and stages of existence, a vividly imagined place where one's soul is divided into three, ancestors offer guidance, misdeeds are punished, and hungry ghosts wander the earth. Immersed in the richness and magic of the Chinese vision of the afterlife, transcending even death, "Peony in Love" explores, beautifully, the many manifestations of love. Ultimately, Lisa See's new novel addresses universal themes: the bonds of friendship, the power of words, and the age-old desire of women to be heard. …More

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan By See, Lisa 2007-03 - Random House 9780375435249 Check Our Catalog Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is a brilliantly realistic journey back to an era of Chinese history that is as deeply moving as it is sorrowful. With the period detail and deep resonance of Memoirs of a Geisha, this lyrical and emotionally charged novel delves into one of the most mysterious of human relationships: female friendship. …More

Kodak Guide to Digital Photography By Sheppard, Rob 2007-11 - Lark Books (NC) 9781579909697 Check Our Catalog Following in the footsteps of the best-selling "KODAK Guide to 35mm Photography" comes a comprehensive guide with something for every digital photographer--be it an amateur looking for new techniques or a seasoned pro who's brushing up. Written by a highly respected editor of "PCPhoto" and "Outdoor Photographer" magazines, its authoritative text helps readers choose the right camera, understand the workings of the camera's sensor, master exposure measuring techniques, and determine the best shutter speed and aperture combinations for shooting various subjects. There's an expert discussion of white balance and lighting, from daylight to artificial setups to flash photography, and entire chapters devoted to filters, close-up photography, and action shots. Finally, get practical information on digital file types, downloading, retouching, image processing, converting RAW files, and storing and retrieving images. This book has it all! …More

The Forgotten Man: A New History of the Great Depression By Shlaes, Amity 2007-07 - Harperluxe 9780061285271 Check Our Catalog It's difficult today to imagine how America survived the Great Depression. Only through the stories of the common people who struggled during that era can we really understand how the nation endured. In "The Forgotten Man," Amity Shlaes offers a striking reinterpretation of the Great Depression. Rejecting the old emphasis on the New Deal, she turns to the neglected and moving stories of individual Americans, and shows how they helped establish the steadfast character we developed as a nation. Shlaes also traces the mounting agony of the New Dealers themselves as they discovered their errors. She shows how both Presidents Hoover and Roosevelt failed to understand the prosperity of the 1920s and heaped massive burdens on the country that more than offset the benefit of New Deal programs. The real question about the Depression, she argues, is not whether Roosevelt ended it with World War II. It is why the Depression lasted so long. From 1929 to 1940, federal intervention helped to make the Depression great--in part by forgetting the men and women who sought to help one another. "The Forgotten Man," offers a new look at one of the most important periods in our history, allowing us to understand the strength of American character today. …More

Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter By Grahame-Smith, Seth 2010-06 - Thorndike Press 9781410426772 Check Our Catalog Grahame-Smith's revision of a Jane Austen classic blew readers' minds and became an instant national bestseller. Now, the author of "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" tackles one of America's greatest presidents. …More

Believing the Dream By Snelling, Lauraine 2002-07 - Bethany House Publishers 9780764223181 Check Our Catalog For as far back as he can remember, the dream of becoming a writer has burned brightly in Thorliff's heart. However, when he arrives at college, things are not as he had imagined. The distance has created a rift between Thorliff and his childhood sweetheart. Will he be forced to leave behind his dream of writing to fulfill his dream of love? (August) …More

A Dream to Follow By Snelling, Lauraine 2001-10 - Bethany House Publishers 9780764223174 Check Our Catalog His dream is to become a journalist. Will his father give his blessing? Thorliff Bjorklund has been writing since he was a young boy and now longs to attend college to study journalism. But his father has other plans for him and refuses to agree. To make matters worse, the threat of a crop failure may mean there'll be no money for further schooling. Thorliff is torn between love for his father the pull of his dream. Most he choose between the two? Elizabeth Rogers has been raised in a life of privilege, yet she has an unwavering determination to become a doctor. Though she has the support of her family, society is not as kind, for it is nearly impossible for a woman to enter medical school. Will the Red River Valley nurture the dreams of its young--or will it fence them in? …More

More Than a Dream By Snelling, Lauraine 2003-03 - Bethany House Publishers 9780764223198 Check Our Catalog Thorliff's goal of becoming a writer is within reach. However, his idyllic world comes to a sudden halt when an epidemic hits the town of Blessing, North Dakota, following the Red River flood of 1897. Thorliff returns home to help family and friends recover from the aftermath of the disasters and rebuild their town. Readers will be captivated by this heartwarming tale of aspiration, struggle, love, and triumph. …More

Dear John By Sparks, Nicholas 2006-10 - Warner Books 9780446528054 Check Our Catalog From one of America's most beloved storytellers comes an unforgettable tale of a man who, in the name of love, must make the most difficult and heartrending decision of his life. …More

The Vixen Diaries By Steffans, Karrine 2009-06 - Grand Central Publishing 9780446191234 Check Our Catalog The "New York Times"-bestselling author of "Confessions of a Video Vixen" is back to shock readers with this up-close and personal look at the Hollywood life of fast money, drugs, and sex as well as details of the celebrities who helped--and hurt--her along the way. …More

Saving Cinnamon: The Amazing True Story of a Missing Military Puppy and the Desperate Mission to Bring Her Home By Sullivan, Christine 2009-10 - St. Martin's Press 9780312596286 Check Our Catalog Set against the backdrop of the war in Afghanistan, "Saving Cinnamon" chronicles the love story of Navy Reservist Mark Feffer and a stray puppy he bonded with while stationed outside of Kandahar. …More