The catalog of e-books, downloadable audiobooks and a handful of streaming videos.
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The Libby App
Libby is the companion app to the Digital Catalog and may be found in the Apple & Google app.
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Hoopla
A catalog of instant check out items, including eBooks, downloadable audiobooks, comic books, TV shows and movies for patrons of the Southeast Steuben County Library.
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Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.
Hi everyone, here are our recommended reads for the week!
*More information on the three catalogs and available formats is found at the end of the list of recommended reads*
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Weekly Suggested Reading postings are published on Wednesdays; unless your friendly neighborhood librarian hits publish today, instead of Wednesday! And then, the post might come up on Tuesday (or another day) instead! Happy Tuesday!
And the next Suggested Reading posting will be published on Wednesday, March 13, 2024.
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American Woman: The Transformation of the Modern First Lady, from Hillary Clinton to Jill Biden by Katie Rogers
In 1993, the differences between the outgoing president, patrician George H. W. Bush, and the newly elected, folksy Bill Clinton could not have been more telling. The contrast between their wives was equally stark. While Barbara Bush appeared as an irascible matron, Hillary Clinton presented the epitome of feminist ambition. With her assignment to shepherd sweeping new health care legislation, Clinton’s tenure as First Lady morphed from a traditional ceremonial post to something of significance. By its very nature, the office’s unstructured portfolio exposes its occupants to open interpretation by themselves and others. If Jill Biden is famously hands-on in protecting and advising husband Joe, Melania Trump was infamously hands-off, to the point of inscrutability. For other FLOTUSes, their mandate was a manifestation of their core identities. Former librarian Laura Bush championed literacy. For Michelle Obama, with her controversially toned arms, the cause was health and nutrition. As the New York Times’ White House correspondent, Rogers rigorously examines the notion of legacy and the first lady in the modern era. These women, she maintains, are “the most known (and often least understood) women in America.” Rogers’ unerring journalistic evaluation of the person behind the post should help change all that. – Starred Booklist Review
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Burn Book: A Tech Love Story by Kara Swisher
From award-winning journalist Kara Swisher comes a witty, scathing, but fair accounting of the tech industry and its founders who wanted to change the world but broke it instead.
“Swisher, the bad-ass journalist and OG chronicler of Silicon Valley…takes no prisoners in this highly readable look at the evolution of the digital world…Bawdy, brash, and compulsively thought-provoking, just like its author, Burn Book sizzles” (Booklist, starred review).
Part memoir, part history, Burn Book is a necessary chronicle of tech’s most powerful players. From “the queen of all media” (Walt Mossberg, Wall Street Journal), this is the inside story we’ve all been waiting for about modern Silicon Valley and the biggest boom in wealth creation in the history of the world.
When tech titans crowed that they would “move fast and break things,” Kara Swisher was moving faster and breaking news. While covering the explosion of the digital sector in the early 1990s, she developed a long track record of digging up and reporting the facts about this new world order. Her consistent scoops drove one CEO to accuse her of “listening in the heating ducts” and prompted Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg to once observe: “It is a constant joke in the Valley when people write memos for them to say, ‘I hope Kara never sees this.'”
While still in college, Swisher got her start at The Washington Post, where she became one of the few people in journalism interested in covering the nascent Internet. She went on to work for The Wall Street Journal, joining with Walt Mossberg to start the groundbreaking D: All Things Digital conference, as well as pioneering tech news sites.
Swisher has interviewed everyone who matters in tech over three decades, right when they presided over an explosion of world-changing innovation that has both helped and hurt our world. Steve Jobs, Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Sheryl Sandberg, Bob Iger, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Meg Whitman, Peter Thiel, Sam Altman, and Mark Zuckerberg are just a few whom Swisher made sweat—figuratively and, in Zuckerberg’s case, literally.
Despite the damage she chronicles, Swisher remains optimistic about tech’s potential to help solve problems and not just create them. She calls upon the industry to make better, more thoughtful choices, even as a new set of powerful AI tools are poised to change the world yet again. At its heart, this book is a love story to, for, and about tech from someone who knows it better than anyone.
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The Dead Letter Delivery by C. J. Archer
The discovery of long-lost mail delivers a marriage proposal, a missing person, and a magical mystery.
A road trip with Gabe and her friends leads Sylvia to discover more about her mother’s veiled past yet throws up several questions, too. The stack of unopened letters addressed to her family will hopefully provide answers. As she delves into the contents, a startling revelation emerges: the letters allude to a clandestine union between two magician families, hinting at the elusive identity of Sylvia’s father.
Full of hope, she embarks on a quest to find the author of the letters, only to discover an artless youth who vanished decades ago, a dead man with the wrong name, and a hospital for former soldiers that connects them. The further Sylvia and Gabe delve into these mysteries, the more lies they expose, including long-buried secrets that certain individuals will stop at nothing to protect.
When danger strikes, Sylvia wonders if finding answers is worth the risk.
Reader’s Note: The Dead Letter Delivery is the fourth book in the Glass Library series. If you’d like to start reading the series from the beginning check out book one: The Librarian of Crooked Lane.
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A Fate Inked In Blood by Danielle L. Jensen
The mortal daughter of a god fights to become the mistress of her own fate in this tightly plotted series starter. Twenty-year-old Freya has spent her entire life hiding her ancestry. In her world–a take on medieval Scandinavia–the Norse pantheon blesses mortal babies with drops of the deities’ own blood, imbuing them with fractions of divine power. As the daughter of Hlin, Freya is the shield maiden prophesied to “unite the people of Skaland beneath the rule of the one who controlled her fate.” After her abusive first husband learns her true identity, he turns her over to the jarl, Snorri, who grants him a divorce so that Snorri may marry Freya himself. Snorri believes his new bride is his key to becoming Skaland’s king. So does his beloved and cunning first wife, Ylva, who desperately wants to see her own son on the throne, but it’s Bjorn–the jarl’s firstborn, Ylva’s stepson, and the child of Tyr–who’s in line to inherit. Snorri appoints his heir as Freya’s personal bodyguard, not knowing that his son happens to be the object of his new wife’s forbidden affections. As for the shield maiden, she barely has time to consider her hopelessly complicated position in Snorri’s court, with other jarls beginning to launch attacks on her people, determined to steal her away from her new husband. All these men are certain she’ll crown a king, thereby determining the fate of their entire nation, but they’ve forgotten one very important rule: The children of the gods aren’t bound by fate. Jensen offers a vibrant and perfectly paced novel that’s sure to delight readers of historical fantasy. Although some of the writing reads a little too contemporary at times–an early passage in which one character is dubbed a “narcissist” is a prime example–the tension among Freya, Bjorn, and the rest of Snorri’s court is simply irresistible. A captivating first installment in what promises to be a compelling, feminist Viking fantasy. – Kirkus Review
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Girl Abroad by Elle Kennedy
Bestseller Kennedy (The Graham Effect) delivers an angsty and addictive new adult romance. Abby Bly, 19, the only child of formerly hard-partying rock star Gunner Bly, grew up “hearing the stories of his many exploits but having no stories or exploits of my own, coddled and sheltered in the hermetic seal of his guilt and regrets.” So she leaps at the opportunity to spend her sophomore year of college at Pembridge University London, finding a flatshare online with three female roommates. But when Abby arrives on their doorstep, she realizes Lee, Jack and Jamie are men. Despite the momentary shock, Abbey soon seamlessly fits into the household, falling for her rugby-playing roommate Jack, a hunky Australian—and also for Nate, a musician who’s part of their friend group. (“My erratic pulse is now confused as to which guy it’s pounding for.”) After Abbey buys an enigmatic painting at an estate sale, she’s caught up in the mystery behind it—even attending a royal ball with Lord Benjamin Tulley, one of the original owner’s heirs. Kennedy skillfully keeps readers guessing which suitor Abby’ll end up with and the mystery painting provides some welcome additional intrigue. The London setting, charming heroine, and well-drawn love quadrangle make this a treat. – Publishers Weekly Review
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Green Dot by Madeleine Gray
After embarking on her first grown-up job, an idealistic 20-something begins an affair with a married colleague. Hera Stephen, 24, lives with her father in Sydney, Australia. She’s used grad school to delay adulthood as long as possible, but now it’s time for her to join the ranks of her corporate friends and get a “real job.” After several disastrously frank interviews, she takes a position as a news organization’s comment moderator, where her soul-sucking responsibility is to read, parse, and color-code the vitriol of online discussions. It’s at this job that she meets Arthur Jones, a soft-spoken journalist with whom she starts up a message-based flirtation (hence the title, referencing the green dot that indicates a user is online). By the time Hera finds out that Arthur is married, it’s already too late–she’s enamored. Gray’s writing skillfully captures the passion of their early trysts. The sex scenes crackle with energy, and the chemistry between Hera and Arthur is believable and seductive. You may find yourself rooting for them against your better instincts, even as Hera begins to neglect her friends and her delightful, supportive father. As the book tracks the increasingly doomed love affair (including through the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic), the only thing keeping the narrative from devolving into something grim and cynical is Hera’s dynamic and snarky voice. She addresses the reader directly at times, preempting any criticism and attempting to mitigate her own bad decisions. Her narration is peppered with references to music and pop culture, the things that define your personality in your 20s, when you’re still searching, as Hera is, for some kind of identity. Just as much of the narrative unfolds digitally as it does IRL, and Gray deftly incorporates FaceTime, Instagram, and an unnamed company chat platform into the text. A breezy, heartfelt coming-of-age story for Gen Zers concerned with how to grow up without growing cold. – Kirkus Review
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The Hunter by Tana French
It has been two years since Cal Hooper befriended Trey Reddy and helped the teen reconcile to the murder of her brother, Brendan. At least, she seemed reconciled. But when her absentee father, Johnny, comes back to town intent on perpetrating a swindle on the townsfolk whom she blames, Trey sees an opportunity to avenge Brendan’s death. It has been a blazing hot and lazy summer, and the locals are excited to buy into a scheme to find a legendary vein of gold in the area. Johnny brings along a master con man to head up the operation, planning to turn the tables on him and run away with the money. When that man turns up dead, Johnny is the prime suspect, but when former Chicago detective Cal investigates, together with a man sent down from Dublin, things get very complicated, and everyone looks guilty. The entire complex cast of characters from The Searcher (2020) are back in all their eccentric glory, with Cal and Lena in a comfortable relationship. French’s characterizations are brilliant, as always, and surprising strengths and vulnerabilities make for an often amusing, yet ominous and somber tale. The atmosphere is rich as the reader is reminded that this is the “real” Ireland and not the one idealized by the “plastic Paddies.” Masterfully written. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: By picking up the story of her previous best-seller, much-lauded French guarantees peak interest. Starred Booklist Review
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My Side of the River: A Memoir by Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez
Gutierrez’s memoir poignantly conveys her story of being born and raised in Tucson, AZ, by Mexican immigrants. Her parents wanted her to get the best education she could in the U.S., and she excelled academically. Her parents’ visas expired when she was 15, which forced them to return to Mexico while Gutierrez stayed behind in the U.S. to continue her education. She moved several times, staying with neighbors, school administrators, and even strangers who took her in. Through sheer determination, she fought back against the oppression, trauma, and racism that worked against her, to create the life her parents dreamed of for their children. Written in an immersive and easy-to-read style, the book shows readers what it was like for Gutierrez throughout those difficult times before she achieved an impressive level of success. VERDICT Perfect for readers who want to learn more about how the U.S immigration system affects the families its laws separate. Also a great pick for fans of memoirs about people who overcome the odds against them. – Library Journal Review
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The New Couple In 5B by Lisa Unger
Although a surprise inheritance sounds like good luck, it turns out to be anything but in a tense, twisty thriller. New Yorkers Rosie and Chad Lowan have spent most of the first year of their marriage caring for his dying uncle Ivan. Rosie, the novel’s engaging narrator, expects Ivan’s long-estranged daughter, Dana, to inherit his dreamy Park Avenue apartment, so she’s shocked to discover after his death that he’s left it to her and Chad. It’s a huge boon–Chad is an aspiring actor, and Rosie has published one bestselling true-crime book but is struggling to start a second, so money is always tight. The apartment in the elegant, century-old Windermere is not just a place to live but a multi-million-dollar asset. Dana, however, is not just surprised to be cut out of Ivan’s will but furious. The couple’s joy is marred not only by her rage but by odd goings-on in the building. At the behest of her editor and BFF, Max, Rosie focuses her next book on the Windermere’s grisly history of residents who died in murders, suicides, and bizarre accidents. Does the building bear some sort of curse–and if so, is it all in the past? As first one person in Rosie’s orbit and then another die, she becomes suspicious of people like the Windermere’s longtime doorman, Abi, and the kindly old couple across the hall, Charles and Ella Aldridge, who have lived there for decades and take much interest in Rosie’s efforts to get pregnant. And is Chad, a golden-haired charmer, as perfect as he seems? If all this reminds you of Rosemary’s Baby, it’s meant to–the book is salted with references to that classic melding of mystery and horror, and it vibrates with the same sense of escalating dread. But Unger builds her own fast-moving, creepy combination of thriller and horror in one of her best books yet. This propulsive, haunted thriller proves that competition for New York City real estate really can be deadly. – Kirkus Review
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On Moonberry Lake by Holly Varni
DEBUT Cora’s mother always had a knack for knowing when someone was going to die, but she doesn’t give Cora any heads-up on before she kicks the bucket herself. Instead, she leaves a cryptic note, along with the keys to a rundown lodge in Moonberry Lake, MN, that Cora’s estranged grandparents used to run. The lodge’s failing plumbing and electricity, eccentric and angry neighbors, and too many rodents for comfort are overwhelming enough, but Cora also feels like she can’t grow roots there until she finds out why she was ripped away from Moonberry and her grandparents as a child. It is a struggle to see the locals as friendly and welcoming rather than unusual; after all, Cora’s closest neighbor spends most of her time talking to the residents of the local cemetery and caring for the headstones. VERDICT Varni, host of the Moments from Moonberry Lake podcast, delivers a solid debut focusing on the stories of ordinary Midwesterners. The faith content is vague enough that general-fiction readers of Fannie Flagg, J. Ryan Stradal, and Viola Shipman will appreciate the small-town flavor and humorous anecdotes. – Library Journal Review
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Happy reading!
Linda Reimer, SSCL
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Have questions or want to request a book?
Feel free to call the library! Our telephone number is 607-936-3713.
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Note: Book summaries are from the respective publishers unless otherwise specified.
The Digital Catalog, is an online catalog containing eBooks, eAudiobooks, and digital magazines. You can use your library card and checkout/download content to a PC; you can also use the companion app, Libby, to access titles on your mobile devices; so you can enjoy eBooks and eAudiobooks on the go!
All card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries can check out items from the Digital Catalog.
The Hoopla Catalog features instant checkouts of eBooks, eAudiobooks, comic books, albums, movies and TV shows. Patron check out limit is 10 items per month.
Hoopla is a Southeast Steuben County Library service available to all Southeast Steuben County Library card holders.
The Hoopla App is available for Android or Apple mobile devices, PCs, Macs*, smart TVs & media streaming players.
Card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries can access StarCat to search for and request materials available at libraries through out the Southern Tier Library System.
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*You must have an active Internet connection to access Hoopla content on a Mac.
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Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.
Hi everyone, welcome to our Suggested Listening posting for this week!
Suggested Listening postings are published on Fridays; and our next Suggested Listening posting will be out on Friday, March 8, 2024.
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And here are the 10 recommended songs of the week!
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Blues At Sunrise by Albert King
From The Album: Live Wire Blues Power (1968)
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Blues With A Feeling by The Butterfield Blues Band
From The Album: The Butterfield Blues Band (1965)
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Confessin’ The Blues by The Rollings Stones
From The Album: 12 x 5 (1964)
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I’m Tore Down by Freddie King
From The Album: Freddie King Sings (1961)
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Killing Floor by Howlin’ Wolf
From The Album: The Real Folk Blues (1966)
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Merry-Go-Round by Fleetwood Mac
From The Album: Fleetwood Mac (1968)
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Rollin’ Stone by Muddy Waters
From The Album: Best of Muddy Waters (1957)
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The Returner by Allison Russell
From The Album: The Returner (2023)
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Walking Blues by Bonnie Raitt
From The Album: Bonnie Raitt (1971)
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You Know I Love You by B. B. King
From The Album: Singing The Blues (1957)
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Hoopla Recommend Album of the Week
Crusade (1968) by John Mayall and the Blues Breakers
Listener’s Note: This LP features Mick Taylor on guitar, and is one of the “trio” of albums by John Mayall and his band, from the mid/late sixties, that features outstandting guitarists that went on to be internationally known; the other two LPs being Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton (1966) and A Hard Road (1967) with Fleetwood Mac co-founder Peter Green on guitar; and yes, indeed, Linda has her classic guitar geek on!
And from the album, the instrumental;
Snowy Wood
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Have a great weekend,
Linda Reimer, SSCL
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Online Catalog Links:
StarCat
The catalog of physical materials, i.e. print books, DVDs, audiobooks on CD, etc.
The catalog of e-books, downloadable audiobooks and a handful of streaming videos.
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The Libby App
Libby is the companion app to the Digital Catalog and may be found in the Apple & Google app.
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Hoopla
A catalog of instant check out items, including eBooks, downloadable audiobooks, comic books, TV shows and movies for patrons of the Southeast Steuben County Library.
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Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.
Tech & Book Talk at SSCL 