Hi everyone, here are the top New York Times fiction and non-fiction bestsellers for the week that ends August 18, 2019.
(Click on the book covers to read a summary of each plot and to request the books of your choice.)
FICTION:
ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN by Garth Stein:
An insightful Lab-terrier mix helps his owner, a struggling race car driver.
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ASK AGAIN, YES by Mary Beth Keane:
The lives of neighboring families in a New York City suburb intertwine over four decades.
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BEFORE WE WERE YOURS by Lisa Wingate:
A South Carolina lawyer learns about the questionable practices of a Tennessee orphanage.
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CHANCES ARE …by Richard Russo:
Three men in their 60s who met in college reunite on Martha’s Vineyard, where mysterious events occurred in 1971.
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CITY OF GIRLS by Elizabeth Gilbert:
An 89-year-old Vivian Morris looks back at the direction her life took when she entered the 1940s New York theater scene.
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DARK AGE by Pierce Brown:
The fifth book in the Red Rising series.
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LABYRINTH by Catherine Coulter:
The 23rd book in the F.B.I. Thriller series. Agents Savich and Sherlock wend their way through a maze of lies to get to the bottom of a secret.
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LADY IN THE LAKE by Laura Lippman:
In 1966, a housewife becomes a reporter and investigates the killing of a black woman in Baltimore.
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LAST HOUSE GUEST by Megan Miranda:
Avery Greer must fight the clock to clear her name and uncover her friend’s real killer.
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LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE by Celeste Ng:
An artist upends a quiet town outside Cleveland.
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NEW GIRL by Daniel Silva:
Gabriel Allon, the chief of Israeli intelligence, partners with the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, whose daughter is kidnapped.
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NICKEL BOYS by Colson Whitehead:
Two boys respond to horrors at a Jim Crow-era reform school in ways that impact them decades later.
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ONE GOOD DEED by David Baldacci:
A World War II veteran on parole must find the real killer in a small town or face going back to jail.
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THE RECKONING by John Grisham:
A decorated World War II veteran shoots and kills a pastor inside a Mississippi church.
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SMOKESCREEN by Iris Johansen:
The 25th book in the Eve Duncan series. A forensic sculptor faces dangers when she looks into an attack of African villagers by guerilla soldiers.
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SOMEONE WE KNOW by Shari Lapena:
In a quiet suburb, a teenager has been breaking into homes and hacking into computers, while a woman is found murdered.
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SUMMER OF ’69 by Elin Hilderbrand:
The Levin family undergoes dramatic events with a son in Vietnam, a daughter in protests and dark secrets hiding beneath the surface.
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UNDER CURRENTS by Nora Roberts:
Echoes of a violent childhood reverberate for Zane Bigelow when he starts a new kind of family in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains.
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WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING by Delia Owens:
In a quiet town on the North Carolina coast in 1969, a young woman who survived alone in the marsh becomes a murder suspect.
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WILLING TO DIE by Lisa Jackson:
The eighth book in the Alvarez & Pescoli series. A doctor and his wife are found dead in separate beds.
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WINDOW ON THE BAY by Debbie Macomber:
A single mom’s life takes unexpected turns when her two children go off to college.
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NON-FICTION:.
AMERICAN CARNAGE by Tim Alberta:
Politico Magazine’s chief political correspondent narrates a decade-long civil war inside the GOP and Donald Trump’s concurrent ascension.
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BECOMING by Michelle Obama:
The former first lady describes her journey from the South Side of Chicago to the White House, and how she balanced work, family and her husband’s political ascent.
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BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME by Ta-Nehisi Coates:
A meditation on race in America.
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BEYOND CHARLOTTESVILLE by Terry McAuliffe:
The former governor of Virginia describes the forces and events behind the “Unite the Right” rally and suggests ways to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
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BORN A CRIME by Trevor Noah:
A memoir about growing up biracial in apartheid South Africa by the host of “The Daily Show.”
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EDUCATED by Tara Westover:
The daughter of survivalists, who is kept out of school, educates herself enough to leave home for university.
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JUSTICE ON TRIAL by Mollie Hemingway and Carrie Severino:
The conservative authors give their take on the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
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JUST MERCY by Bryan Stevenson:
A civil rights lawyer and MacArthur grant recipient’s memoir of his decades of work to free innocent people condemned to death.
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MAYBE YOU SHOULD TALK TO SOMEONE by Lori Gottlieb:
A psychotherapist gains unexpected insights when she becomes another therapist’s patient.
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THE MOMENT OF LIFT by Melinda Gates:
The philanthropist shares stories of empowering women to improve society.
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THE MUELLER REPORT with related materials by The Washington Post:
Redacted findings from the special counsel’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and potential obstruction of justice by the president.
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THE PIONEERS by David McCullough:
The Pulitzer Prize-winning historian tells the story of the settling of the Northwest Territory through five main characters.
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THE RANGE by David Epstein:
An argument for how generalists excel more than specialists, especially in complex and unpredictable fields.
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SECOND MOUNTAIN by David Brooks:
A New York Times Op-Ed columnist espouses having an outward focus to attain a meaningful life.
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SIGNS by Laura Lynne Jackson:
A medium details potential ways the deceased may speak to us through everyday events.
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THREE WOMEN by Lisa Taddeo:
The inequality of female desire is explored through the sex lives of a homemaker, a high school student and a restaurant owner.
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UNFREEDOM OF THE PRESS by Mark R. Levin:
The conservative commentator and radio host makes his case that the press is aligned with political ideology.
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Have a great day!
Linda Reimer, SSL
Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.
Hi everyone, here are our lucky seven musical streaming* suggestions for the week.
Ann Arbor Blues Festival 1969, Volumes 1 & 2 (2019) by Various Artists (Genre: Blues):
“Considering how important the blues were to the growth of American music, it’s little short of amazing that they flew under the radar of mainstream recognition in their native form for most of the 20th century. Until major country blues artists of the ’20s and ’30s were rediscovered by collectors in the early ’60s, most of them had scarcely been heard outside the Deep South. Modern electric performers fared well on the so-called “Chitlin’ Circuit” of venues in African-American communities, but it wasn’t until late in the decade, after being lionized by British stars, that they had visibility among mainstream listeners. With this in mind, it’s only so surprising that the 1969 Ann Arbor Blues Festival, held on the campus of the University of Michigan, was one of the first times a significant number of major blues artists were booked to play on the same bill, appearing before an audience dominated by young white listeners. The organizers chose their performers wisely, and the stellar lineup included giants of electric blues (Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Howlin’ Wolf), legendary country blues performers (Son House, Mississippi John Hurt), outstanding modern acts (Luther Allison, Magic Sam), venerable elder statespeople (Big Joe Williams, Big Mama Thornton, Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup), and even some notable outliers (Clifton Chenier, appearing at a time when zydeco was little known among Midwestern blues fans).
Considering the importance of the event, it’s a shame that no one had the presence of mind to have professionals record the performances, but thankfully amateurs stepped in, and one of the fans who helped stage the festival brought along a tape recorder and documented most of the artists. These tapes went unheard outside a small circle of fans for nearly 50 years, but Third Man Records has belatedly compiled the highlights into a two-volume set, Ann Arbor Blues Festival 1969.” – Mark Deming, AllMusic Review
Songs include So Glad You’re Mine, Everybody Must Suffer, Help Me, Hard Luck, Long Distance Call & Call It Stormy Monday.
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Country Squire (2019) by Tyler Childers (Genre: Country):
“When it comes to Tyler Childers, it’s tempting to read too much into album titles. Purgatory, his 2017 debut, did tend to hang suspended between the poles separating country and Americana, having its roots inflections feel spectral. Country Squire, on the other hand, is as sharp and stately as its title suggests. Working once again with producer Sturgill Simpson, Childers leans into the lean, twangy aspects of his sound without quite abandoning his cinematic ambition. Witness how the songs segue together, for instance: as the lazy shuffle “Gemini” fades to completion, the haunting roll of “House Fire” comes into focus. It’s a subtle trick, yet it’s one that subtly binds together Country Squire, giving it the illusion of a song cycle. A connective narrative may be elusive to find on Country Squire, but Childers is a sly storyteller, a gift that threatens to be overshadowed by the robust realization of his songs. Unlike Purgatory, there isn’t a spare moment to be found on Country Squire; even its slowest, saddest songs, such as the closing plea “Matthew,” feel vivid and complete. Considering how the album moves as swiftly as an EP, this richness feels like an achievement: with nine short songs, Tyler Childers has deepened and expanded the world he etched in Purgatory.” Stephen Thomas Erlewine, AllMusic Review
Song List: Country Squire, Bus Route, Creeker, Gemini, House Fire, Ever Lovin’ Hand, Peace of Mind, All Your’n and Matthew.
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Finch (2019) by Penny and Sparrow (Folk, Pop/Rock):
“Texas-raised duo Penny & Sparrow had to do some heavy touring to truly search their souls. They explore the resulting range of emotions and deliver it on their sixth album “Finch,” an effort thick with gorgeous tales of personal transformation.
Band members Andy Baxter and Kyle Jahnke were both raised in a conservative climate and sought to break free from the “white Evangelical Christian male” perspective that shaped their early surroundings, the band explains in liner notes.
Sonically, there is a smooth and soaring feel to most of the tracks, yet each has its own distinct energy. “Recuerda” is love song heavy on crooning, while “Don’t Wanna Be Without Ya” gives way to a galloping pace as the concept of reincarnated lovers is explored. “Long Gone” is sexy and sultry and highlights the fact that Baxter can absolutely sing a slow jam.
Ultimately, rich and breathy vocals with a slight choral effect carry the day here. There’s a dependable luster to Penny & Sparrow’s songs. Songs begin dour, but eventually find their footing and reveal hope amid bass lines and light guitar.
Think of this as Americana with a designer shirt. The traditional elements are there, but they’re layered with a modern sheen that sets the songs apart from a tired approach.” ABC News Review.
Song List: Long Gone, Eloise Preamble, Eloise, Don’t Wanna Be Without You, Cult Classically, Bishop, Recuerda, Hannah, Stockholm, It’s Hysterical and Gumshoe.
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It Came From 1999 Playlist by Various Artists:
This 84 song playlist features a great mix of popular songs from 1999. Music of that era is not my vintage; however, one of my co-workers assures me that if you were listening to the radio in 1999 and loving the music you heard – than you will like this playlist!
So let’s time travel over the airwaves back to 1999 and listen to Mariah Carey, Ricky Martin, Macy Gray, Creed, Silverchair, Fiona Apple, Destiny’s Child, Blaque and more as we pretend we’re back in 1999!
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Parlour Game (2019) by Jenny Scheinman & Allison Miller (Genre: Jazz):
“In jazz, some bands just happen. One relationship leads to another. Circumstances make for changed personnel. Then, shared moments occur onstage—an exalted passage of music, or just a feeling, that begs for more. Such is the case with Parlour Game, the new quartet led by violinist Jenny Scheinman and drummer Allison Miller.
The ensemble is most clearly an outgrowth of Boom Tic Boom, the sextet with which, during the past decade, Ms. Miller has established a sound that is at once free-wheeling and sturdy, and grounded in a trap-set technique that has made her among New York’s sought-after jazz drummers. That group deepened the bond Ms. Miller and Ms. Scheinman first formed 20 years ago, while working in New York’s downtown scene. Two years ago, when Boom Tic Boom’s pianist, Myra Melford, and bassist, Todd Sickafoose, were unavailable for a tour, Ms. Miller invited a frequent collaborator of hers, pianist Carmen Staaf, into the fold. Ms. Scheinman suggested bassist Tony Scherr, whom she knew from guitarist Bill Frisell’s bands.
Right away, things clicked. “I was in swinging heaven,” Ms. Miller said of playing with Mr. Scherr. “Sometimes a band grows from the rhythm section out,” Ms. Scheinman told me. “You just feel something irresistible. You want more.”
That sense of joyful attraction and shared hunger grounded in rhythmic acuity is nearly palpable on “Jenny Scheinman & Allison Miller’s Parlour Game” (Royal Potato Family), the quartet’s debut release. The album begins with the lighthearted and bouncy “Play Money” and ends with “Sleep Rider,” a spacious and meditative piece. In between, the group digs into several grooves: rolling Afrobeats on “116th & Congress”; stride rhythms on “Beans & Rice”; hints of hip-hop within the blues-tinged “Fake Weather”; and a funky groove, drawn from Washington, D.C.’s “go-go” sound, on “Miss Battle’s Cannonball.” Each track swings in its own way yet with a consistent sense of commitment, embodying what musicians call “the pocket”: a rhythmic feel that is firmly locked in but also relaxed to the point of elasticity.” — Larry Blumenfeld,The Wall Street Journal
Song List: Play Money, 116th & Congress, The Right Fit, Michigan, Fake Weather, Lead With Love, Beans & Rice, Meanwhile, Top Shelf, Miss Battle’s Cannonball and Sleep Rider,
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Sommernachtskonzert 2019 / Summer Night Concert 2019 Gustavo Dudamel & Wiener Philharmoniker (Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra) (Genre: Classical, Band):
This is the companion album to the video broadcast of the Summer Night Concert being shown as part of PBS’s Great Performances series on Friday, August 9.
Here’s a synopsis of the concert from the PBS site: “Famed conductor and music and artistic director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Gustavo Dudamel returns to the gardens of Schönbrunn Palace with the Vienna Philharmonic orchestra for Great Performances: Vienna Philharmonic Summer Night Concert 2019, premiering Friday, August 9 at 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings), pbs.org/gperf and the PBS Video app. The program features popular selections from both European and American composers and is dedicated to the musical connection between continents: the old world of Europe and the new world of America.
The program includes Leonard Bernstein’s overture to “Candide” and American classics such as John Philipp Sousa’s “The Stars and Stripes Forever.” Renowned pianist Yuja Wang joins the orchestra for George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue,” and performs Chopin’s Waltz in C Sharp Minor, op. 64 #2 for an encore.
This year marks Dudamel’s second time conducting the annual concert special, having led the orchestra in 2012. Past conductors include Bobby McFerrin (2004), Zubin Mehta (2005 and 2015), Plácido Domingo (2006), Valery Gergiev (2007, 2011 and 2018), Georges Prêtre (2008), Daniel Barenboim (2009), Franz Welser-Möst (2010), Lorin Maazel (2013), Christoph Eschenbach (2014 and 2017) and Semyon Bychkov (2016). The free outdoor concert is broadcast to more than 80 countries worldwide.
Music Selections and Composers:
Overture to “Candide” – Leonard Bernstein
“Rhapsody in Blue” – George Gershwin
Waltz in C sharp minor, op.64 #2 – Frédéric Chopin
“Casablanca Suite” – Max Steiner
“The Stars and Stripes Forever” – John Philipp Sousa
Adagio for Strings – Samuel Barber
“The Star-Spangled Banner March,” op. 460 – Carl Michael Ziehrer
Symphony No. 9 in E minor, op. 95 “From the New World,” 4th movement, allegro con fuoco – Antonín Dvořák
Encores:
“Hoe-Down” from “Rodeo” – Aaron Copland
“Viennese Spirit” waltz – Johann Strauss (Jr.)
Notable Talent:
Gustavo Dudamel, conductor, internationally renowned music and artistic director and conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Yuja Wang, critically acclaimed Beijing-born pianist featured as an artist-in-residence at three world-famous venues: Carnegie Hall, the Wiener Konzerthaus, and the Luxembourg Philharmonie; named Musical America’s Artist of the Year in 2017.” – PBS
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John Williams Plays Bach: The Complete Lute Music on Guitar by John Williams (1975/1986) by John Williams:
The great classical guitarist John Williams, not to be confused with the equally great stage and screen composer John Williams (Star Wars, E.T., Jaws, Saving Private Ryan etc.), offers the complete music J.S. Bach wrote for lute – all four lute suites: Suite for Lute in E minor, BWV 996, Partita for Lute in C Minor, MWV 997, Partita for Lute in E major, BWV 100a and Suite for Lute in G minor, BWV 995.
Videos of the Week:
Call It Stormy Monday by T-Bone Walker & Various Artists
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Hard Luck by Howlin’ Wolf & His Orchestra
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So Glad You’re Mine by Arthur “Big Boy, Crudup & Various Artists
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All Your’n by Tyler Childers
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House Fire by Tyler Childers
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Don’t Wanna Be Without Ya by Penny and Sparrow
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Eliose by Penny and Sparrow
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To Your Love by Fiona Apple
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Large Than Life by Backstreet Boys
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Superman vs. Lloyd by Kissing Book
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Michigan by Jenny Scheinman & Allison Miller
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Parlour Game by Jenny Scheinman & Allison Miller
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Candide: Overture by Gustavo Dudamel an the Wiener Philharmoniker (Summer Night Concert 2019)
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Sousa: Stars and Stripes Forever (Summer Night Concert 2019) by Vienna Philharmonic
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Teaser trailer for the Summer Night Concert 2019 which will be shown on PBS on Friday, August 9, 2019
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Lute Suite No. 1 composed by J.S Back and performed by John Williams
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Prelude from Lute Suite 4, BWV – 1006 composed by J.S. Bach & performed by John Williams
Have a great weekend!
Linda Reimer, SSCL
REFERENCES:
Print References
The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits by Joel Whitburn
*Freegal is a free streaming music service available for free to library cardholders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries. STLS member libraries include all the public libraries in Steuben, Chemung, Yates, Schuyler, and Allegany counties — including our own Southeast Steuben County Library.
You can download the Freegal music app to your mobile device or access the desktop version of the site by clicking on the following link:
*The Freegal service offers library card holders the option to download, and keep, three free songs per week and to stream three hours of commercial free music each day.
Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.
Hi everyone, here are our recommended titles for the week, five digital titles, eBooks & downloadable audio books, available through OverDrive and five print titles available through StarCat.
DIGITAL CATALOG SUGGESTIONS
The City of Shifting Waters by Jean-Claude Mézières & Pierre Christin:
Galaxity, capital of the Terran Empire in the 28th century. Valerian and Laureline are agents who protect mankind from rogue time travellers. Now they are sent to New York in 1986 to intercept Galaxity’s worst megalomaniac, Xombul-except that in 1986, the world is in ruins and New York is about to be swallowed by the ocean. The two agents must navigate the shifting waters of the past to make sure that the future will exist.
Note: This is a graphic novel and must be opened on a device with a color screen, AKA not an eReader)
Book 1 in the Valerian & Laureline Series
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The Ghost and Lady Alice by M.C. Beaton:
A mistreated maid may be transformed into a lady—with the help of a departed duke in this novel from the New York Times–bestselling author.
Alice Lovesey, a poorly treated scullery maid, makes a desperate plea for help—which miraculously summons Wadham Hall’s rakish eighth duke. Summons him from the dead, that is . . .
The duke is delighted to be newly materialized, and promises to return the favor by helping Alice become a lady of quality. But Alice’s heart may not stand a ghost of a chance, now that she’s lost it to a restless spirit . . .
Originally published under the name Marion Chesney, this heartwarming and hilarious story is by the beloved author of the Agatha Raisin and Hamish Macbeth series.
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The Heart Specialist: A Novel by Claire Holden Rothman:
“Based on the life of one of Canada’s pioneering female physicians, [this] novel paints an arresting portrait of an indomitable yet vulnerable young woman” (Booklist).
Set in Quebec near the beginning of the twentieth century, The Heart Specialist is the epic story of Agnes White, a lonely orphaned girl fascinated by the “wrong” things—microscopes, dissections, and anatomy instead of more ladylike interests. When Agnes is young, her father, a French-Canadian doctor living in Montreal, is charged with the murder of his handicapped sister. Although he is eventually acquitted, his reputation is ruined, and he flees, abandoning Agnes and her pregnant mother.
Less than a year later, her mother dies of consumption, leaving Agnes and her baby sister, Laure, on their own. From this tumultuous childhood, the story follows Agnes as she grows up yearning to track her father down—and to follow in his footsteps as a doctor, even though medical schools in Canada don’t yet admit women. She eventually finds a niche for herself as the curator of the McGill University pathology museum. But even as her professional star begins to rise, her life is solitary and her happiness remains incomplete. A world-renowned expert on the human heart, she still struggles to understand her own.
Inspired by the career of Maude Abbott, one of Canada’s first female physicians, The HeartSpecialist is a story about the mysterious, painful journey into selfhood, and a “brilliant first novel” (Publishers Weekly, starred review).
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Into the Valley: A Novel by Ruth Galm:
Ruth Galm’s spare, poetic debut novel, set in the American West of early Joan Didion, traces the drifting path of a young woman as she skirts the law and her own oppressive anxiety.
Into the Valley opens on the day in July 1967 when B. decides to pass her first counterfeit check and flee San Francisco for the Central Valley. Caught between generations and unmarried at 30, B. doesn’t understand the new counterculture youths. She likes the dresses and kid gloves of her mother’s generation, but doesn’t fit into that world either.
B. is beset by a disintegrative anxiety she calls “the carsickness,” and the only relief comes in handling illicit checks and driving endlessly through the valley. As she travels the bare, anonymous landscape, meeting an array of other characters—an alcoholic professor, a bohemian teenage girl, a criminal admirer—B.’s flight becomes that of a woman unraveling, a person lost between who she is and who she cannot yet be.
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The Man In The Maze written by Robert Silverberg with an introduction by Neil Gaiman:
A diplomat who successfully negotiated with intelligent aliens finds his loyalty to the human race tested in this novel by a Nebula Award–winning author.
Richard Muller was an honorable diplomat who braved unimaginable dangers to make contact with the first-known race of intelligent aliens. But those aliens left a mark on him: a psychic wound that emanates a telepathic miasma his fellow humans can neither cure nor endure. Muller is exiled to the remote planet of Lemnos, where he is left, deeply embittered, at the heart of a deadly maze . . . until a new alien race appears, seemingly intent on exterminating humanity. Only Muller can communicate with them, due to the very condition that has made him an outcast. But will Muller stick his neck out for the people who so callously rejected him?
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PRINT BOOK SUGGESTIONS:
The Chelsea Girls by Fiona Davis:
The bright lights of the theater district, the glamour and danger of 1950s New York, and the wild scene at the iconic Chelsea Hotel come together in a dazzling new novel about a twenty-year friendship that will irrevocably change two women’s lives—from the national bestselling author of The Dollhouse and The Address.
From the dramatic redbrick facade to the sweeping staircase dripping with art, the Chelsea Hotel has long been New York City’s creative oasis for the many artists, writers, musicians, actors, filmmakers, and poets who have called it home—a scene playwright Hazel Riley and actress Maxine Mead are determined to use to their advantage. Yet they soon discover that the greatest obstacle to putting up a show on Broadway has nothing to do with their art, and everything to do with politics. A Red scare is sweeping across America, and Senator Joseph McCarthy has started a witch hunt for Communists, with those in the entertainment industry in the crosshairs. As the pressure builds to name names, it is more than Hazel and Maxine’s Broadway dreams that may suffer as they grapple with the terrible consequences, but also their livelihood, their friendship, and even their freedom.
Spanning from the 1940s to the 1960s, The Chelsea Girls deftly pulls back the curtain on the desperate political pressures of McCarthyism, the complicated bonds of female friendship, and the siren call of the uninhibited Chelsea Hotel.
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Maggie Brown & Others: Stories by Peter Orner:
In this powerful and virtuosic collection of interlocking stories, each one “a marvel of concision and compassion” (Washington Post), Peter Orner, a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist and “master of his form” (New York Times), takes the short story to new heights.
In his orchestral and moving new book, Peter Orner, a writer who “doesn’t simply bring his characters to life, he gives them souls” (New York Times Book Review), chronicles people whose lives are at inflection points. In forty-four compressed gems, he grips us with a series of defining moments.
Whether it’s a first date that turns into a late-night road trip to a séance in an abandoned airplane hangar, or a family’s memories of the painful mystery surrounding a forgotten uncle’s demise, Orner reveals how our fleeting decisions between kindness and abandonment chase us across time. These stories are anchored by a poignant novella that delivers not only the joys and travails of a forty-year marriage, but an entire era in a working-class New England city. Bristling with the crackling energy of life itself, Maggie Brown & Others marks the most sustained achievement to date for “a master of his form” (New York Times).
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Marilou is Everywhere by Sarah Smith:
One of Los Angeles Times “Most Anticipated Books of the Summer”
“This novel reads like a miracle.” –NPR
“Hauntingly gorgeous… Spare and sensual and surprisingly funny… Smith’s characters are as rich as her prose.”–Kirkus, STARRED review
Consumed by the longing for a different life, a teenager flees her family and carefully slips into another — replacing a girl whose own sudden disappearance still haunts the town.
Fourteen-year-old Cindy and her two older brothers live in rural Pennsylvania, in a house with occasional electricity, two fierce dogs, one book, and a mother who comes and goes for months at a time. Deprived of adult supervision, the siblings rely on one another for nourishment of all kinds. As Cindy’s brothers take on new responsibilities for her care, the shadow of danger looms larger and the status quo no longer seems tolerable.
So when a glamorous teen from a more affluent, cultured home goes missing, Cindy escapes her own family’s poverty and slips into the missing teen’s life. As Jude Vanderjohn, Cindy is suddenly surrounded by books and art, by new foods and traditions, and most important, by a startling sense of possibility. In her borrowed life she also finds herself accepting the confused love of a mother who is constitutionally incapable of grasping what has happened to her real daughter. As Cindy experiences overwhelming maternal love for the first time, she must reckon with her own deceits and, in the process, learn what it means to be a daughter, a sister, and a neighbor.
Marilou Is Everywhere is a powerful, propulsive portrait of an overlooked girl who finds for the first time that her choices matter.
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True Believer: A Thriller by Jack Carr:
“This is seriously good. I mean—seriously. Both author Jack Carr and main character James Reece are the real deal, the action is razor sharp, the suspense is unrelenting, and the tradecraft is so authentic the government will probably ban it—so read it while you can!” —Lee Child, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Past Tense
“A powerful, thoughtful, realistic, at times terrifying thriller that I could not put down. A terrific addition to the genre, Jack Carr and his alter-ego protagonist, James Reece, continue to blow me away.”—Mark Greaney, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Mission Critical
“True Believer, the highly anticipated new thriller from Jack Carr, is one of this year’s hottest thrillers, and a perfect fit for fans of Vince Flynn, Brad Thor, and Daniel Silva.” —The Real Book Spy
In acclaimed author Jack Carr’s follow-up to The Terminal List, former Navy SEAL James Reece’s skill, cunning, and heroism put the US government back in his debt and set him on another path of revenge.
When a string of horrific terrorist attacks plagues the Western world during the holiday season, the broader markets fall into a tailspin. The attacks are being coordinated by a shadowy former Iraqi commando who has disappeared into Europe’s underground. The United States government has an asset who can turn the Iraqi against his masters: James Reece, the most-wanted domestic terrorist alive.
After avenging the deaths of his family and team members, Reece emerges deep in the wilds of Mozambique, protected by the family of his estranged best friend and former SEAL Team member. When a series of events uncovers his whereabouts, the CIA recruits him, using a Presidential pardon for Reece and immunity for the friends who helped him in his mission of vengeance.
Now a reluctant tool of the United States government, Reece travels the globe, targeting terrorist leaders and unraveling a geopolitical conspiracy that exposes a traitorous CIA officer and uncovers a sinister assassination plot with worldwide repercussions.
A high-intensity roller-coaster ride, True Believer explodes with action and authenticity that cements Jack Carr as the new leader in political thrillers.
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The Victory Garden by Rhys Bowen:
From the bestselling author of The Tuscan Child comes a beautiful and heart-rending novel of a woman’s love and sacrifice during the First World War.
As the Great War continues to take its toll, headstrong twenty-one-year-old Emily Bryce is determined to contribute to the war effort. She is convinced by a cheeky and handsome Australian pilot that she can do more, and it is not long before she falls in love with him and accepts his proposal of marriage.
When he is sent back to the front, Emily volunteers as a “land girl,” tending to the neglected grounds of a large Devonshire estate. It’s here that Emily discovers the long-forgotten journals of a medicine woman who devoted her life to her herbal garden. The journals inspire Emily, and in the wake of devastating news, they are her saving grace. Emily’s lover has not only died a hero but has left her terrified—and with child. Since no one knows that Emily was never married, she adopts the charade of a war widow.
As Emily learns more about the volatile power of healing with herbs, the found journals will bring her to the brink of disaster, but may open a path to her destiny.
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Book descriptions are provided by the publishers unless otherwise specified.
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Have a great week!
Linda Reimer, SSCL
Online Catalog Links:
StarCat
The catalog of physical materials, i.e. print books, DVDs, audiobooks on CD, etc.
The Digital Catalog (OverDrive)
The catalog of e-books, downloadable audiobooks and a handful of streaming videos.
Freegal Music Service
This music service is free to library card holders and offers the option to download, and keep, three free songs per week and to stream three hours of commercial-free music each day:
RBDigital
*Magazines are available for free and on demand! You can check out magazines and read them on your computer or download the RBDigital app from your app store and read them on your mobile devices.
ABOUT LIBRARY APPS:
You can access digital library content on PCs, Macs and mobile devices. For mobile devices simply download the OverDrive, Freegal or RB Digital app from your app store to get started. If you have questions call the library at 607-936-3713 and one of our tech coaches will be happy to assist you.
Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.
Hi everyone, here are the top New York Times fiction and non-fiction bestsellers for the week that ends August 11, 2019.
(Click on the book covers to read a summary of each plot and to request the books of your choice.)
FICTION:
ASK AGAIN, YES by Mary Beth Keane:
The lives of neighboring families in a New York City suburb intertwine over four decades.
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BACKLASH by Brad Thor:
Cut off from any support, Scot Harvath fights to get his revenge.
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BEFORE WE WERE YOURS by Lisa Wingate:
A South Carolina lawyer learns about the questionable practices of a Tennessee orphanage.
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THE CHAIN by Adrian McKinty
Rachel Klein is ensnared in a pay-it-forward criminal enterprise involving ransoms and kidnapping.
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CITY OF GIRLS by Elizabeth Gilbert:
An 89-year-old Vivian Morris looks back at the direction her life took when she entered the 1940s New York theater scene.
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ELEANOR OLIPHANT IS COMPLETELY FINE by Gail Honeyman:
A young woman’s well-ordered life is disrupted by the I.T. guy from her office.
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LADY IN THE LAKE by Laura Lippman:
In 1966, a housewife becomes a reporter and investigates the killing of a black woman in Baltimore.
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LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE by Celeste Ng:
An artist upends a quiet town outside Cleveland.
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MRS. EVERYTHING by Jennifer Weiner:
The story of two sisters, Jo and Bethie Kaufman, and their life experiences as the world around them changes drastically from the 1950s.
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NEW GIRL by Daniel Silva:
Gabriel Allon, the chief of Israeli intelligence, partners with the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, whose daughter is kidnapped.
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NICKEL BOYS by Colson Whitehead:
Two boys respond to horrors at a Jim Crow-era reform school in ways that impact them decades later.
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ONE GOOD DEED by David Baldacci:
A World War II veteran on parole must find the real killer in a small town or face going back to jail.
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THE RECKONING by John Grisham:
A decorated World War II veteran shoots and kills a pastor inside a Mississippi church.
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SEEKERS by Heather Graham:
The 28th book in the Krewe of Hunters series. Former detective Joe Dunhill and nonfiction author Keri Wolf both have the ability to see and talk to the dead.
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SILENT PATIENT by Alex Michaelides:
Theo Faber looks into the mystery of a famous painter who stops speaking after shooting her husband.
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SUMMER OF ’69 by Elin Hilderbrand:
The Levin family undergoes dramatic events with a son in Vietnam, a daughter in protests and dark secrets hiding beneath the surface.
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THE TATTOOIST OF AUSCHWITZ by Heather Morris:
A concentration camp detainee tasked with permanently marking fellow prisoners falls in love with one of them.
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THRAWN: TREASON by Timothy Zahn:
A Star Wars saga. Grand Admiral Thrawn must choose between his sense of duty to the Chiss Ascendancy and loyalty to the Empire.
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UNDER CURRENTS by Nora Roberts:
Echoes of a violent childhood reverberate for Zane Bigelow when he starts a new kind of family in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains.
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WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING by Delia Owens:
In a quiet town on the North Carolina coast in 1969, a young woman who survived alone in the marsh becomes a murder suspect.
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WINDOW ON THE BAY by Debbie Macomber:
A single mom’s life takes unexpected turns when her two children go off to college.
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NON-FICTION:.
ALONE AT DAWN by Dan Schilling and Lori Chapman:
An account of the actions taken by Air Force Combat Controller John Chapman in Afghanistan that earned him a posthumous Medal of Honor.
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AMERICAN CARNAGE by Tim Alberta:
Politico Magazine’s chief political correspondent narrates a decade-long civil war inside the GOP and Donald Trump’s concurrent ascension.
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AMERICA’S RELUCTANT PRINCE by Steven M. Gillon:
A historian describes John F. Kennedy Jr. through the lens of their decades-long friendship.
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BECOMING by Michelle Obama:
The former first lady describes her journey from the South Side of Chicago to the White House, and how she balanced work, family and her husband’s political ascent.
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BODY KEEPS THE SCORE by Bessel van der Kolk:
How trauma affects the body and mind, and innovative treatments for recovery.
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BORN A CRIME by Trevor Noah:
A memoir about growing up biracial in apartheid South Africa by the host of “The Daily Show.”
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CRISIS IN THE RED ZONE by Richard Preston:
:An account of the 2013-14 Ebola epidemic and the potential of more severe outbreaks in the future.
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EDUCATED by Tara Westover:
The daughter of survivalists, who is kept out of school, educates herself enough to leave home for university.
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HILLBILLY ELEGY by J.D. Vance:
:A Yale Law School graduate looks at the struggles of the white working class through the story of his own childhood.
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JUSTICE ON TRIAL by Mollie Hemingway and Carrie Severino:
The conservative authors give their take on the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
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MAYBE YOU SHOULD TALK TO SOMEONE by Lori Gottlieb:
A psychotherapist gains unexpected insights when she becomes another therapist’s patient.
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THE MOMENT OF LIFT by Melinda Gates:
The philanthropist shares stories of empowering women to improve society.
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THE MUELLER REPORT with related materials by The Washington Post:
Redacted findings from the special counsel’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and potential obstruction of justice by the president.
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THE PIONEERS by David McCullough:
The Pulitzer Prize-winning historian tells the story of the settling of the Northwest Territory through five main characters.
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THE RANGE by David Epstein:
An argument for how generalists excel more than specialists, especially in complex and unpredictable fields.
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SECOND MOUNTAIN by David Brooks:
A New York Times Op-Ed columnist espouses having an outward focus to attain a meaningful life.
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THREE WOMEN by Lisa Taddeo:
The inequality of female desire is explored through the sex lives of a homemaker, a high school student and a restaurant owner.
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UNFREEDOM OF THE PRESS by Mark R. Levin:
The conservative commentator and radio host makes his case that the press is aligned with political ideology.
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Have a great day!
Linda Reimer, SSL
Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.
Hi everyone, here are our lucky seven musical streaming* suggestions for the week.
Gratitude (2019) by Steve Cole (Genre: Jazz, Easy Listening):
“It’s during the times when we’re confronted with life’s hardest struggles that we learn to appreciate the humanity around us. On his latest album, Gratitude, saxophonist Steve Cole offers thanks for the people who’ve helped see him through some of his tough times – the loved ones, the musicians and collaborators who rallied around, and the often-nameless professionals whose job is to help and to heal.
Gratitude arrives on the heels of a health scare in Cole’s family. The successful battle left the saxophonist feeling rejuvenated, with a renewed sense of hope and faith in his fellow humans. That depth of feeling shines through on the album’s ten tracks, which joyously spotlight Cole’s gift for infectious grooves, soulful melodies, and vibrant pop hooks.” – From the Mac Avenue website
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The Golden Age of Light Music: The Lost Transcriptions – Vol. 2 by Various Artists (Genre: Easy Listening, Film Scores, Broadway Scores, Classical):
This album features light music from the scores of early twentieth century Broadway shows and films. This is the second volume in a series that highlights light music, and features music by Percy Faith & His Orchestra, Mantovoni & His Orchestra, The Cavalcade Orchestra and the Raf Concert Orchestra.
Songs in the set include Falling In Love with Love from the 1938 musical play “The Boys of Syracuse”, In The Still of the Night from the 1937 film “Rosalee”, April Showers from the 1921 Broadway musical “Bombo” — all by Percy Faith & His Orchestra, Play Orchestra, Play from the 1935 musical revue “Tonight at Eight-Thirty” by Mantovoni & His Orchestra and As Long As There’s Music from the 1944 film “Step Lively” by the Cavalcade Orchestra.
Note: this is one volume in a series and there are four volumes in the series and several other “light music” albums available in the Freegal Music Catalog – just search for The Golden Age of Light Music and you’ll find them all!
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The Collected Marion Meadows by Marion Meadows (Genre: Jazz, R&B, Easy Listening):
A collection of smooth jazz songs by the noted jazz and R&B songwriter and saxophonist.
Songs in the collection include For Lovers Only, Whenever Your Heart Wants to Sing, Keep it Right There, One More Chance and Wishing
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Tall, Dark, and Handsome (2019) by Delbert McClinton (Genre: Big Band, Blues, R&B, Roots Rock & just great music!):
“Delbert McClinton is a legend among Texas roots music aficionados, not only for his amazing longevity, but for his ability to combine country, blues, soul, and rock & roll as if there were no distinctions between them. A formidable harmonica player long before he recorded as a singer, McClinton performed with legends like Howlin’ Wolf, Jimmy Reid, and more. McClinton’s career began in the late ’50s, yet it took him nearly two decades to evolve into a bona fide solo artist. In 1978, Emmylou Harris took his “Two More Bottles of Wine” all the way to the top of the country charts. Over the next years, McClinton placed material with stars like Wynonna, Vince Gill, Lee Roy Parnell, and Martina McBride among others. He has guest appearances with Tom Petty, Bonnie Raitt, Melissa Etheridge, BB King, Mavis Staples, and more.” – from the publisher
Songs include Mr. Smith, If I Hock My Guitar, No Chicken on the Bone, Let’s Get Down Like We Used To and Gone to Mexico.
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Back Again (2019) by Mac Powell And The Family Reunion (Genre: Country, Roots Rock):
“Mac Powell grew up in a small town in Alabama. His love for music began at an early age as both of his parents would sing and play guitar around the house. Mac soon began to sing in the local country church by day, and listen to his Dad’s record collection by night. When Mac was a sophomore in high school, he moved to Atlanta, GA where his passion for music and faith found an outlet in the band THIRD DAY. Over the past 25 years THIRD DAY has helped transform Christian music and built a devoted fan base while traveling the world many times over, selling 10 million albums, earning 4 Grammy awards, 1 American Music Award, 24 Dove Awards, and by being inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. Along the way, Mac has been honored to perform in front of millions of fans around the world and play music with some of the best musicians in the industry. Many of these acquaintances both onstage and in the crowd have turned from friends into true family members, and now it’s time for a good old fashioned Family Reunion! MAC POWELL and the FAMILY REUNION officially started in early 2018 as the next chapter of Mac’s musical journey. The Family Reunion is a band that has developed over the past several years from the musical brothers” that have been recording and playing live with Mac in support of his first 2 independent solo projects. The songs on Back Again are foot stomping’, hand clappin’ Southern roots country songs that clearly pay tribute to the early musical inspirations from his childhood.”– From the Mac Powell and the Family Reunion website
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McGear (1974) by Michael McGear (Genre: Classic Rock, Pop):
Michael McGear, for those who may not know, is the younger brother of Paul McCartney. Michael McCartney used the McGear stage name from the mid-sixties through the nineteen eighties to try and chart a musical path separate from the stellular one of his brother Paul. In the eighties, when he retired from the music business’ he began using his birth name again – Peter Michael McCartney.
About The Album: “Originally released in 1974, McGear was the second solo album by Mike McGear (McCartney) and was a more “serious” record than his work with the Liverpool satirical trio Scaffold, or his work with Roger McGough on the McGough & McGear album. Recorded at Strawberry studios in Stockport, (the musical home of the band 10cc), the album was produced by Paul McCartney (who also played on the album and co-wrote most of the material with Mike) and featured Linda McCartney and members of Wings, along with guests such as Paddy (“Pipes”) Moloney of The Chieftains. The album featured a selection of tremendous songs such as ‘Rainbow Lady’, ‘Simply Love You’, ‘Givin’ Grease a Ride’ and ‘The Man Who Found God on the Moon’. McGear also featured an inspired cover of the Roxy Music song ‘Sea Breezes’, the evocative ‘The Casket’ and the hit single ‘Leave It’. The sessions also spawned a non-album single; ‘Dance the Do’ (which featured Vivian Stanshall). The album features 21 bonus tracks, including 13 previously unreleased outtakes and tracks alongside singles appearing on CD for the first time.” – From the publisher
Songs on the LP include Sea Breezes, What Do We Really Know?, Have You Got Problems, Rainbow Lady & Simply Love You.
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Rhythm & Blues Lost Gems by Various Artists (Traditional Rhythm & Blues, R&B, Blues):
This 80 song collection from Silverphonic Records features some really terrific early rhythm and blues tunes from the era when the music that eventually expanded into modern R&B truly was a mixture of rhythm and blues with a dash of big band era horns!
Songs in the set include Let’s Go Steady by Piano Slim, The Bride Should Have Been Me by Quincy Jones & Carmen Taylor, Ham’n’Eggs by Skip Manning, Hot Wire Baby by Lil’ (Preacher) Roy, Love Is A Crazy Thing by Big Bertha, Candy by Moohah (AC Williams) and All Gone by Joe Morris & His Orchestra.
Videos of the Week:
Gratitude by Steve Cole
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Soho by Steve Cole
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Coronation Scot by Mantovani & His Orchestra
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Falling In Love With Love from the 1938 Musical Play The Boys of Syracuse by Percy Faith & His Orchestra
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Strike Up The Music by Sidney Torch & His Orchestra
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Be With You by Marion Meadows
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My Cherie Amour by Marion Meadows
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A Fool Like Me by Delbert McClinton & The Self-Made Men
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If I Hock My Guitar by Delbert McClinton & The Self-Made Men
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Back Again by Mac Powell & The Family Reunion
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Mess of Me by Mac Powell & The Family Reunion
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Leave It by Mike McGear
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Sea Breezes by Mike McGear
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Ham ‘n’ Eggs by Skip Manning
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Love Is A Crazy Thing by Blind Billy Tate
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Til’ Broad Daylight by Buster Smith & His Heatwaves
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Have a great weekend!
Linda Reimer, SSCL
REFERENCES:
Print References
The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits by Joel Whitburn
*Freegal is a free streaming music service available for free to library cardholders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries. STLS member libraries include all the public libraries in Steuben, Chemung, Yates, Schuyler, and Allegany counties — including our own Southeast Steuben County Library.
You can download the Freegal music app to your mobile device or access the desktop version of the site by clicking on the following link:
*The Freegal service offers library card holders the option to download, and keep, three free songs per week and to stream three hours of commercial free music each day.
Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.
Tech & Book Talk at SSCL 