Why I Like to Reread Books

December 4, 2014December 4, 2014 / Mary / 2 Comments

I overheard someone say recently that they never reread any books. They felt that since they already know the outcome of a story, there is nothing to be gained by reading the tale again.

I have to disagree.

I am reminded of a professor I had in college. He always had us read our assignments twice. “The first time, read fast and for fun,” he said. “The second time, look for nuance and subtlety.”

I have found his suggestion works great for me. When I have a new book in my hands, I read fast and furiously, eager to see how the story unfolds, in a hurry to get to the end and discover the resolution.

Then, if I liked the book, I will go back and read it again. Not right away, but a few months later, possibly on a rainy Sunday afternoon, I will grab the book and settle in to discover the nuances. I will read more slowly the second time, savoring the descriptions and looking forward to my favorite sections, enjoying the anticipation. Knowing those favorite passages are coming does not spoil anything. I am looking forward to revisiting those treasured places in the book. Knowing they are coming heightens my enjoyment.

Rereading a book gives me a chance to appreciate the subtle things an author weaves into her story. A turn of a character’s head, a thought in the night, a sigh, these are the things that lend dimension to a book and give insight to the characters. I love dissecting a story the second time around, looking for these clues that give the tale a deeper meaning.

Rereading is like revisiting a friend, familiar, and yet there may always be something more inside.

What have I been rereading lately? The Merlin trilogy by Mary Stewart. These books rank among my all-time favorite re-reads. If you are unfamiliar with them, I highly recommend all three books, especially if you love fantasy and historical fiction.

Everything I Know About Stonescaping I Learned from the Library

November 16, 2014November 6, 2014 / Mary / Leave a comment

It’s true. I didn’t know much about stonescaping when I began a little over ten years ago. And when I don’t know about something, the first thing I do is head for the book shelves.

The books I found were educational and inspiring. I marveled at all the creative ways gardeners had used stones in their landscapes. Ideas began to brew. I collected stones and left them in piles around my yard like the Blair Witch.

My love of rocks grew. From the boulders down to the gravel, I cherished every last bit of stone in my landscape. Some, like the rocks in the old stone wall that runs along the border of my property, have been there since that late 1800’s. Others, my husband and I purchased and carefully placed throughout the yard, guided by the beautiful pictures in the books we borrowed from the library.

How much do I really love rocks? Well one year for my birthday, my husband bought me a 5-ton dumpster full of broken slabs of granite that were destined for a landfill. It took me five years, but I found a place in our yard for every last piece, from the slab as large as I am to the small round sink cutouts. Some wound up as stepping-stones, others as part of the backyard patio. Some line my garden beds. A few ended up in unusual places, such as cascading down the side of a berm or encircling a small tree. Each piece is unique, and I like to think that they are better in my yard than being forever buried in a landfill.

Rocks are great in a yard. They don’t care if it is flooding or it hasn’t rained in a month. They never need to be trimmed. They look spectacular when it rains.

Together, my husband and I have moved several tons of stone, from gravel to boulders. Every time we are working with stone, he makes jokes (We’re really rockin’ now!), priding himself on his wit. I pride myself on the fact that I have never once given into the temptation to whack him with a shovel.

Want to be inspired to try stonescaping? Start with some great titles like these:

Psychics in Fiction

October 30, 2014October 30, 2014 / Mary / Leave a comment

Did you know that October 31^st is Increase Your Psychic Powers Day?

I didn’t know it. Guess that means I’m not psychic. But I was curious so, like a good librarian, I began researching the topic. And discovered… Well, not a whole lot.

The day is rumored to have its origins in England back in the nineteenth century even though no one seems to have heard of this holiday until recently. Halloween is regarded as the day when the veil between the physical world and the spiritual world is weakest, so some believe if you are going to try out your psychic powers October 31 is the best day to do it.

I guess if I were psychic I would have known all about it.

Anyway, I decided to abandon the research and delve into the world of fiction. And here I hit paydirt. Literature abounds with tales of psychics.

Andrew Greeley, famous for his Blackie Ryan mysteries, also has a series about Nuala Anne McGrail, Irish immigrant, beautiful, a gifted singer, and, oh yes, psychic. She uses her psychic skills to solve mysteries. The first book in this series of twelve is Irish Gold.

The Arcane Society novels by Amanda Quick and Jayne Ann Krentz (who just happen to be the same person) revolve around a mysterious society of people with psychic powers. The Amanda Quick books are set in England at the end of the nineteenth century. The Krentz books are all modern. All the tales are romantic suspense with a dash of psychic power.

Kay Hooper has a mystery series that is described as psychic suspense. Her hero is FBI agent Noah Bishop, whose rare gift for seeing what others do not helps him solve the most puzzling cases. The books are denoted by the tagline Bishop/Special Crimes Unit and as of 2013 there fifteen titles in the series.

There are many, many more great novels about psychics. If you have a feeling you’d like to peruse a few, here is a short list, in no particular order, of ten more popular titles:

Road Dogs by Elmore Leonard
The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry
By the Light of the Moon by Dean Koontz
Pandora’s Daughter by Iris Johansen
Before I Say Goodbye by Mary Higgins Calrk
Darkness My Old Friend by Lisa Unger
What I Had Before I Had You by Sarah Cornwell
The Witch of Portobello by Paulo Coelho
The Dead Path by Stephen Irwin
The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley

For a lengthier list of titles, concentrate really, really hard… Or just click this link and peruse our catalog.

The Tiger in the Library

October 14, 2014October 7, 2014 / Mary / 5 Comments

I am often the first one into the library on Monday mornings. The lights are off and I have to walk through the darkened Children’s Room to get to the light switches. Normally, not a big deal, but lately… Well, there is a tiger in the library.

It is quite startling to see him sitting there in the dark. He is often perched on one of the sofas, watching me as I enter the room. The first time I encountered him, I jumped because I had not expected to see him there. He did not even blink.

He wanders all over the room. Sometimes he can be seen lounging in front of the picture book shelves. Other times, he will be sharing one of the two sofas in the room with the alligator. And once, I saw him hiding beneath the Lego table, as if waiting for prey, or, perhaps, getting out of the bright overhead lights.

He is well-loved. He endures hugs and wrestling with equanimity. He hides inside the block forts that eager children build around him and he listens with attention as those same kids read him books. Often, I will see him at the back of a group of children, listening, as Mom or Dad reads a story. The kids snuggle in close during the exciting parts of the story and then pat him affectionately when it all turns out okay. For his part, he seems to enjoy both the stories and the pats.

If you would like to see our tiger, he hangs out in the preschool area of our Children’s Room. Stop by and read him a story. He likes all kinds but is especially fond of books about tigers.

Make Your Party a Success with Help from the Library

September 30, 2014October 7, 2014 / Mary / Leave a comment

Recently, a friend of mine threw her annual summer party. Every year it’s something different and this year’s theme was Around the World.

No, she didn’t mean Around the World in 80 Days, the famous story of Phileas Fogg the most punctual man in the world. She provided a culinary and artistic world tour for her lucky guests. And she told me she could not have done it without the library.

There was tea and sushi in a Japanese garden. A German Biergarten. Shrimp on the barbie ala our mates in Australia. Indian cuisine. Asian. Every continent was represented. She even had a table of cookies with a red and white striped pole nearby labeled North Pole.

And the music! Depending on where you wandered in her house and yard, you could hear everything from Celtic harp to Caribbean steel drums.

How was the library involved? All of the recipes she used came from cookbooks she borrowed from the library. Wonderful titles such as My Paris Kitchen, It’s All Greek to Me, and Simple Thai Food stood proudly on each table. Guests could thumb through the books for interesting international recipes.

The music was all from Putumayo, a company devoted to world music. The background music consisted of World Party, Vintage France, Italian Café, Celtic Tides and many, many others.

My friend told me she got the idea for the party from the wide range of international cookbooks she saw on display at the library. When she confided her project to me, I had mentioned that she could also get a variety of world music at the library, too.

It was a memorable, multicultural evening. a world tour that never left town. I can hardly wait to see what next year’s party brings.

And, in case you were wondering, on the table that held the cookies from the North Pole, all the recipes cards simply said Mrs. Claus.

Check out our Putumayo collection and our cookbook collection: