"For a few precious moments... I am back in Old Texas, under a high sky, where all things are again possible and the wind blows free."
~Larry L. King
This frigid weather makes me long for the warm Texas springtime when the bluebonnets are out in full force. I guess I'll have to settle for reading about it, though! And if you, too, want a respite from the cold, come and sit by the fire at your library, drink a free cup of coffee, and settle down with a good book.
FEATURED NEW RELEASE
SPOKEN FROM THE HEART This autobiography gives a rare glimpse into a rather private First Lady. Laura Bush typically managed to stay above the political fray during her husband’s time in office, so this book is really the first chance the American public has to understand her better. She writes well, and her descriptions of Texas, her childhood, and her time at the White House are vivid and memorable. As a fellow librarian, I especially enjoyed reading about her obvious passion for and promotion of reading and libraries. She seems to be a classy woman who deeply cares for her family and is devoted to Texas. Occasionally, autobiographies can be weighed down with too much description or obvious feelings of bitterness, but Bush rarely used it as an opportunity to get on her soapbox, with just a few lines devoted to defending her husband. And she keeps the book moving at a fairly good clip, with obvious attention devoted to the White House years. In her book, just as during her husband’s two terms in office, she seemed to maintain a careful balance of being politic and honest. Call #: BIO BUS
FICTION HARDCOVER
THE INNER CIRCLE, by Brad Meltzer. (Grand Central, $26.99.) An archivist discovers a book that once belonged to George Washington and conceals a deadly secret.
Call #: F MEL
THE SENTRY, by Robert Crais. (Putnam, $26.95.) Joe Pike and Elvis Cole, Hollywood private eyes, try to help a woman who is not as innocent as she appears.
Call #: F CRA
THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNETS' NEST, by Stieg Larsson. (Knopf, $27.95.) The third volume of a trilogy about a Swedish hacker and a journalist.
Call #: F LAR
DEAD OR ALIVE, by Tom Clancy with Grant Blackwood. (Putnam, $28.95.) Many characters from Clancy’s previous novels make an appearance as an intelligence group tracks a vicious terrorist called the Emir.
Call #: F CLA
WHAT THE NIGHT KNOWS, by Dean Koontz. (Bantam, $28.) Someone is murdering entire families, recreating in detail a crime spree that took place two decades earlier.
Call #: F KOO
THE HELP, by Kathryn Stockett. (Amy Einhorn/Putnam, $24.95.) A young white woman and two black maids in 1960s Mississippi.
Call #: F STO
THE CONFESSION, by John Grisham. (Doubleday, $28.95.) A man who committed a crime but allowed another to be sent to death row in his place now wants to admit his guilt, but must convince the authorities he’s telling the truth.
Call #: F GRI
CROSS FIRE, by James Patterson. (Little, Brown, $27.99.) Alex Cross investigates a professional assassination in Washington, and gets a chilling call from his deadliest adversary.
Call #: F PAT
FREEDOM, by Jonathan Franzen. (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, $28.) A family of Midwestern liberals during the Bush years.
Call #: F FRA
ROOM, by Emma Donoghue. (Little, Brown, $24.99.) A mother’s prison is her young son’s entire world.
Call #: F DON
THE OUTLAWS, by W. E. B. Griffin and William E. Butterworth IV. (Putnam, $27.95.) Charley Castillo investigates a deadly biohazard that he thought had been destroyed.
Call #: F GRI
SECRETS TO THE GRAVE, by Tami Hoag. (Dutton, $26.95.) The cast of “Deeper Than the Dead” become involved in a new case of violence that disturbs their community.
Call #: F HOA
DAMAGE, by John Lescroart. (Dutton, $26.95.) The San Francisco detective Abe Glitsky faces a wealthy heir who’s seeking revenge against those who sent him to prison.
Call #: F LES
HELL'S CORNER, by David Baldacci. (Grand Central, $27.99.) Recalled to duty, Oliver Stone hunts for those responsible for a bomb detonated near the White House.
Call #: F BAL
NONFICTION HARDCOVER
UNBROKEN, by Laura Hillenbrand. (Random House, $27.) An Olympic runner’s story of survival as a prisoner of the Japanese in World War II.
Call#: BIO ZAM
DECISION POINTS, by George W. Bush. (Crown, $35.) The former president’s memoir discusses his Christianity and the end of his drinking; his relationships with members of his family; and his decisions on 9/11, Iraq and Katrina.
Call#: 973.931 BUS
THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MARK TWAIN, VOL. 1, by Mark Twain. (University of California, $34.95.) In his autobiography, published unexpurgated for the first time, Twain is pointedly political and willing to play the angry prophet.
Call#: BIO TWA
CLEOPATRA, by Stacy Schiff. (Little, Brown, $29.99.) The last queen of ancient Egypt was ambitious, audacious and formidably intelligent.
Call#: BIO CLE
LIFE, by Keith Richards with James Fox. (Little, Brown, $29.99.) The Rolling Stones guitarist’s revealing autobiography is also a portrait of the era when rock ’n’ roll came of age, with the music itself as the book’s core.
Call#: BIO RIC
IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS, by Rebecca Skloot. (Crown, $26.) The story of a woman whose cancer cells were cultured without her permission in 1951. Call#: BIO LAC
OUTLIERS, by Malcolm Gladwell. (Little, Brown, $27.99.) Why some people succeed, from the author of “Blink.” Call#: 302 GLA
EARTH (THE BOOK), by Jon Stewart and others. (Grand Central, $27.99.) A visitor’s guide to the human race, presented by "The Daily Show."
Call#: 818.602 STE
SH** MY DAD SAYS, by Justin Halpern. (It Books/HarperCollins, $15.99.) A coming-of-age memoir organized around the musings, purveyed on Twitter, of the author’s father.
Call#: 818.602 HAL
I REMEMBER NOTHING, by Nora Ephron. (Knopf, $22.95.) Reflections on age and memory, from the author of “I Feel Bad About My Neck.”
Call#: 814.54 EPH
UNBEARABLE, by Portia de Rossi. (Atria, $25.99.) The actress discusses her career, her anorexia and her years of hiding her lesbianism.
Call#: BIO DER
THE EMPEROR OF ALL MALADIES, by Siddhartha Mukherjee. (Scribner, $30.) An oncologist’s history of cancer.
Call#: 616.994 MUK
CHILDRENS PICTURE BOOKS
OF THEE I SING, by Barack Obama. Illustrated by Loren Long. (Knopf, $17.99.) In a letter to his daughters, the president has a message about heroes. (Ages 5 to 8) Call #: J 973.9 OBA
WHEREVER YOU ARE MY LOVE WILL FIND YOU, written and illustrated by Nancy Tillman. (Feiwel & Friends, $16.99.) All about tenderness. (Ages 4 to 8) Call #: E TIL
THE QUIET BOOK, by Deborah Underwood. Illustrated by Renata Liwska. (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $12.95.) Friends enjoy the shades of quiet. (Ages 3 to 5) Call #: E UND
LLAMA LLAMA HOLIDAY DRAMA, written and illustrated by Anna Dewdney. (Viking, $16.99.) The suspense is too much, so Llama Llama turns to you-know-who for comfort. (Ages 2 and up)
Call #: E DEW
FANCY NANCY AND THE FABULOUS FASHION BOUTIQUE, by Jane O’Connor. Illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser. (HarperCollins, $17.99.) Fancy Nancy takes an entrepreneurial approach to haute couture. (Ages 4 to 7). Call #: E OCO
OLIVIA GOES TO VENICE, written and illustrated by Ian Falconer. (Atheneum, $17.99.) A piglet prone to big ideas wants to live on the Grand Canal. (Ages 3 to 7)
Call #: E FAL
ART AND MAX, written and illustrated by David Wiesner. (Clarion, $17.99.) Two artists mix methods and media. (Ages 5 to 8)
Call #: E WIE
KNUFFLE BUNNY FREE, written and illustrated by Mo Willems. (Balzer & Bray/HarperCollins, $17.99.) A little girl and her well-loved companion take a trip that leads to unexpected discoveries. (Ages 3 to 7). Call #: E WIL
CHILDRENS CHAPTER BOOKS
THE LOST HERO, by Rick Riordan. (Disney-Hyperion, $18.99.) A return to Camp Half-Blood and semi-divine characters old and new. (Ages 10 and up)
Call #: J F RIO
THE GIFT, by James Patterson and Ned Rust. (Little, Brown, $17.99.) A sister and brother flex their new powers; a Witch and Wizard book. (Ages 10 and up) Call #: YA F PAT
THE RED PYRAMID, by Rick Riordan. (Disney-Hyperion, $17.99.) Ancient gods (this time from Egypt) and a mortal family meet. (Ages 10 and up)
Call #: J F RIO
I AM NUMBER FOUR, by Pittacus Lore. (HarperCollins, $17.99.) Members of another civilization live secretly among Earth-dwellers. (Ages 14 and up)
Call #: YA F LOR
TORMENT, by Lauren Kate. (Delacorte, $17.99.) A novel about the nephilim, the children of humans and fallen angels. (Ages 12 and up). Call #: YA F KAT
MATCHED, by Beth Revis. (Razorbill, $17.99.) The spaceship Godspeed travels to a new Earth carrying 100 frozen people. (Ages 14 and up)
Call #: YA F REV
MATCHED, by Ally Condie. (Dutton, $17.99.) In this dystopian romance, a girl rebels against a deterministic future society. (Ages 12 and up)
Call #: YA F CON
TALES FROM A NOT-SO-POPULAR PARTY GIRL, by Rachel Renée Russell. (Aladdin, $12.99.) The further reflections of Nikki Maxwell on the agonies of middle school; a "Dork Diaries" book. (Ages 9 to 13) Call #: J F RUS
THE LYING GAME, by Sara Shepard. (HarperTeen, $16.99.) A long-lost twin impersonates her dead sister to try to solve her murder. (Ages 14 and up). Call #: YA F SHE
"A great book should leave you with many experiences, and slightly exhausted. You should live several lives while reading it."
~William Styron
Your local library has some fun and exciting events coming up! Check out our Food for Life cooking classes, beginning January 20th at 6:00 p.m. Directly before the cooking class, at 5:00 p.m., will be the first meeting of SPL's new book club, "Who Picked This Book?" The first selection is "The Hunger Games," the wildly popular national bestseller. We look forward to seeing you there and hearing your thoughts about the book! Also, if you're interested in reading more reviews of the bestsellers from the library, check out NPR's "Books We Like."
FEATURED NEW RELEASE
NOW EAT THIS! In keeping with our foodie theme for the next three months (thanks to our new cooking classes and food-related book club selections), I thought I would review a new cookbook. I challenged myself to try at least two recipes from the book (hardly a thorough review, I know, but sometimes that's all time allows for). I tried out the Sweet Potato Fries and the Jamaican Jerk Chicken with Cauliflower and Asparagus. Both recipes were easy to make and very healthy, with no oil or fat used. They're colorful dishes, full of fresh vegetables and flavorful spices. I looked at every other recipe in the book, and several looked good. I appreciate that every recipe has nutritional content, but unfortunately, not every one has a picture. I can't wait to try his Shrimp and Asparagus Stir Fry and his Crab Cakes with Red Pepper Dressing! Call #: 641.563 DIS
FICTION HARDCOVER
WHAT THE NIGHT KNOWS, by Dean Koontz. (Bantam, $28.) Someone is murdering entire families, recreating in detail a crime spree that took place two decades earlier.
Call #: F KOO
DEAD OR ALIVE, by Tom Clancy with Grant Blackwood. (Putnam, $28.95.) Many characters from Clancy’s previous novels make an appearance as an intelligence group tracks a vicious terrorist called the Emir.
Call #: F CLA
THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNETS' NEST, by Stieg Larsson. (Knopf, $27.95.) The third volume of a trilogy about a Swedish hacker and a journalist.
Call #: F LAR
THE OUTLAWS, by W. E. B. Griffin and William E. Butterworth IV. (Putnam, $27.95.) Charley Castillo investigates a deadly biohazard that he thought had been destroyed.
Call #: F GRI
THE CONFESSION, by John Grisham. (Doubleday, $28.95.) A man who committed a crime but allowed another to be sent to death row in his place now wants to admit his guilt, but must convince the authorities he’s telling the truth.
Call #: F GRI
CROSS FIRE, by James Patterson. (Little, Brown, $27.99.) Alex Cross investigates a professional assassination in Washington, and gets a chilling call from his deadliest adversary.
Call #: F PAT
PORT MORTUARY, by Patricia Cornwell. (Putnam, $27.95.) In the 18th Kay Scarpetta novel, the forensic pathologist masters a sophisticated new autopsy technology at an Air Force base; meanwhile, a young man’s mysterious death causes trouble at her new forensic center in Cambridge, Mass.
Call #: F COR
SECRETS TO THE GRAVE, by Tami Hoag. (Dutton, $26.95.) The cast of “Deeper Than the Dead” become involved in a new case of violence that disturbs their community.
Call #: F HOA
IN TOO DEEP, by Jayne Ann Krentz. (Putnam, $25.95.) The psychic detective Fallon Jones hires an assistant with secrets.
Call #: F KRE
FREEDOM, by Jonathan Franzen. (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, $28.) A family of Midwestern liberals during the Bush years.
Call #: F FRA
THE HELP, by Kathryn Stockett. (Amy Einhorn/Putnam, $24.95.) A young white woman and two black maids in 1960s Mississippi.
Call #: F STO
FULL DARK, NO STARS, by Stephen King. (Scribner, $27.99.) Four long stories, light on the supernatural and dealing mostly with grisly human behavior.
Call #: F KIN
HELL'S CORNER, by David Baldacci. (Grand Central, $27.99.) Recalled to duty, Oliver Stone hunts for those responsible for a bomb detonated near the White House.
Call #: F BAL
DEAD ZERO, by Stephen Hunter. (Simon & Schuster, $26.) The veteran sniper Bob Lee Swagger tries to uncover the truth about a rogue Marine Corps gunnery sergeant.
Call #: F HUN
FALL OF GIANTS, by Ken Follett. (Dutton, $36.) Five interrelated families from five countries are caught in the upheavals of World War I and the Russian Revolution. Book 1 of the Century trilogy.
Call #: F FOL
NONFICTION HARDCOVER
UNBROKEN, by Laura Hillenbrand. (Random House, $27.) An Olympic runner’s story of survival as a prisoner of the Japanese in World War II.
Call#: BIO ZAM
DECISION POINTS, by George W. Bush. (Crown, $35.) The former president’s memoir discusses his Christianity and the end of his drinking; his relationships with members of his family; and his decisions on 9/11, Iraq and Katrina.
Call#: 973.931 BUS
LIFE, by Keith Richards with James Fox. (Little, Brown, $29.99.) The Rolling Stones guitarist’s revealing autobiography is also a portrait of the era when rock ’n’ roll came of age, with the music itself as the book’s core.
Call#: BIO RIC
CLEOPATRA, by Stacy Schiff. (Little, Brown, $29.99.) The last queen of ancient Egypt was ambitious, audacious and formidably intelligent.
Call#: BIO CLE
EARTH (THE BOOK), by Jon Stewart and others. (Grand Central, $27.99.) A visitor’s guide to the human race, presented by "The Daily Show."
Call#: 818.602 STE
BROKE, by Glenn Beck and Kevin Balfe. (Threshold/Mercury Radio Arts, $29.99.) The Fox News host’s plan for fixing the country financially seeks to unite Americans around the concept of shared sacrifice.
Call#: 973.932 BEC
I REMEMBER NOTHING, by Nora Ephron. (Knopf, $22.95.) Reflections on age and memory, from the author of “I Feel Bad About My Neck.”
Call#: 814.54 EPH
SH** MY DAD SAYS, by Justin Halpern. (It Books/HarperCollins, $15.99.) A coming-of-age memoir organized around the musings, purveyed on Twitter, of the author’s father.
Call#: 818.602 HAL
WASHINGTON, by Ron Chernow. (Penguin Press, $40.) A biography of the first president.
Call#: BIO WAS
IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS, by Rebecca Skloot. (Crown, $26.) The story of a woman whose cancer cells were cultured without her permission in 1951. Call#: BIO LAC
AMERICA BY HEART, by Sarah Palin. (Harper/HarperCollins, $25.99.) The former vice-presidential candidate reflects on family, faith and patriotism.
Call#: 979.805 PAL
CHILDRENS PICTURE BOOKS
THE QUIET BOOK, by Deborah Underwood. Illustrated by Renata Liwska. (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $12.95.) Friends enjoy the shades of quiet. (Ages 3 to 5) Call #: E UND
LLAMA LLAMA HOLIDAY DRAMA, written and illustrated by Anna Dewdney. (Viking, $16.99.) The suspense is too much, so Llama Llama turns to you-know-who for comfort. (Ages 2 and up)
Call #: E DEW
FANCY NANCY AND THE FABULOUS FASHION BOUTIQUE, by Jane O’Connor. Illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser. (HarperCollins, $17.99.) Fancy Nancy takes an entrepreneurial approach to haute couture. (Ages 4 to 7). Call #: E OCO
OLIVIA GOES TO VENICE, written and illustrated by Ian Falconer. (Atheneum, $17.99.) A piglet prone to big ideas wants to live on the Grand Canal. (Ages 3 to 7)
Call #: E FAL
ART AND MAX, written and illustrated by David Wiesner. (Clarion, $17.99.) Two artists mix methods and media. (Ages 5 to 8)
Call #: E WIE
KNUFFLE BUNNY FREE, written and illustrated by Mo Willems. (Balzer & Bray/HarperCollins, $17.99.) A little girl and her well-loved companion take a trip that leads to unexpected discoveries. (Ages 3 to 7). Call #: E WIL
CHILDRENS CHAPTER BOOKS
THE GIFT, by James Patterson and Ned Rust. (Little, Brown, $17.99.) A sister and brother flex their new powers; a Witch and Wizard book. (Ages 10 and up) Call #: YA F PAT
THE LOST HERO, by Rick Riordan. (Disney-Hyperion, $18.99.) A return to Camp Half-Blood and semi-divine characters old and new. (Ages 10 and up)
Call #: J F RIO
MATCHED, by Ally Condie. (Dutton, $17.99.) In this dystopian romance, a girl rebels against a deterministic future society. (Ages 12 and up)
Call #: YA F CON
THE RED PYRAMID, by Rick Riordan. (Disney-Hyperion, $17.99.) Ancient gods (this time from Egypt) and a mortal family meet. (Ages 10 and up)
Call #: J F RIO
TORMENT, by Lauren Kate. (Delacorte, $17.99.) A novel about the nephilim, the children of humans and fallen angels. (Ages 12 and up). Call #: YA F KAT
THE LYING GAME, by Sara Shepard. (HarperTeen, $16.99.) A long-lost twin impersonates her dead sister to try to solve her murder. (Ages 14 and up). Call #: YA F SHE
CRESCENDO, by Becca Fitzpatrick. (Simon & Schuster, $18.99.) A world where the truth is sought and feared; a sequel to “Hush, Hush.” (Ages 14 and up). Call #: YA F FIT
CLOCKWORK ANGEL, by Cassandra Clare. (McElderry/Simon & Schuster, $19.99.) Victorian England proves a treacherous place. (Ages 14 and up) Call #: YA F CLA
SAPPHIQUE, by Catherine Fisher. (Dial/Penguin, $17.99.) In the sequel to "Incarceron," Finn makes it Outside to discover it is a prison of another kind. (Ages 14 and up). Call #: YA F FIS
