Month: June 2024

Suggested Listening: June 7, 2024

Linda Reimer

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, June 14, 2024.

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And here are the 10 recommended songs of the week!

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Banjo Medley: Fly Around My Blue Eyed Girl / Cripple Creek / Ida Red / Old Joe Clark by Pete Seeger

 

From The Collection: Pete Seeger: The Smithsonian Folkways Collection (2019)

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Downton Blues by Jim Kweskin, Geoff Muldaur, John Sebastian, Dave Grisman, Maria Muldaur & The Barbecue Orchestra

From The Album: Jug Band Extravaganza (2010)

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I’m Only Sleeping by The Beatles

From The Album: Revolver (1966)

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Jumpin’ At Capital by The Nat King Cole Trio

From The Album: Album The Best Of The Nat King Cole Trio: Instrumental…(1992)

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Midnight Confessions by The Grass Roots

From The Album: 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: Best Of The Grass Roots (2001)

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M.T.A. by The Kingston Trio

 

From The Album: Kingston Trio At Large (1959)

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Saturday Night Fish Fry by Louis Jordan & His Tymphany Five

From The Album: The Best Of Louis Jordan (1975)

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Take The A Train by Duke Ellington & His Orchestra

From The Album: The Essential Duke Ellington (2005)

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Woman’s Work by Tracy Chapman

From The Album: Matters Of The Heart (1992)

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Moonlight Serenade by The Glenn Miller Orchestra

From The Album: The Essential Glenn Miller (2005)

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Hoopla Recommend Album of the Week

At the time I’m creating this blog post, the Hoopla Catalog is experiencing difficulties.

I’m sure Hoopla will resolve their challenges soon; and I recommend you browse the catalog over the weekend – they have music, audiobooks, TV shows and movies for every moon check out their online catalog at hoopladigital.com

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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.

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The Digital Catalog, web version of Libby

The catalog of e-books, downloadable audiobooks and a handful of streaming videos.

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The Libby App

Libby

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.

Suggested Reading Five: June 5, 2024

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, here are our five suggested reads of the week!

Weekly Suggested Reading Five postings are usually published on Wednesdays, unless Monday is a holiday and then they are published later in the week.

And the next Suggested Reading posting will be published on Wednesday, June 12, 2024.

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And Then? And Then? What Else? By Daniel Handler, AKA Lemony Snicket 

This dazzling memoir from the writer better known as Lemony Snicket (a nom de plume whose origins he hilariously explains here) delves deeply into every aspect of his life. Each section effortlessly shifts from the sublime–such as his literary and cultural influences, particularly the poetry of Baudelaire–to the banal, then the deeply silly, and then back to another immensely readable description of the writers and artists he loves (he includes a short reading list at the end of the most notable works he mentions since he discusses so many). In stupendously written, engagingly conversational prose, Handler candidly covers a wide range of topics and experiences–his mental health struggles, his sexuality, his terrible early attempts at writing, and some shocking trauma. Handler also thoughtfully probes what to include and not include in a memoir, and throughout there are a lot of laugh-out-loud moments. Handler’s army of devoted fans will be delighted with this imitable memoir, while his fascinating experiences and approaches to writing will engage all readers interested in how writers write and why. Thought-provoking, deeply personal, and like few other memoirs in the range of topics covered, Handler’s mix of the personal and the literary is as compelling as his gloriously off-beat fiction.   – Booklist Review

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The Comfort of Ghosts by Jaqueline Winspear  

Winspear presents the eighteenth and final book in her internationally best-selling Maisie Dobbs series that began in 2003. In the very first novel, neatly titled Maisie Dobbs, Maisie remarks, “we only like our heroes out in the street when they are looking their best . . . not when they’re showing us the wounds they suffered on our behalf.” She was referencing WWI survivors. Her story spans the years 1910-45, and now, at its conclusion, Maisie finds herself dealing with many who have been terribly wounded, physically and mentally, by WWII. Four adolescent orphans damaged by their experiences are squatting in a vacant mansion in London, and when Maisie investigates, she discovers they are caring for a recently demobbed soldier on death’s doorstep. She also uncovers a decades-old secret about her deceased husband that puts her beliefs in him and his family to the test. Winspear delivers a most elegant and satisfying resolution. In her opening letter to the reader, she writes, “I’ve endeavored to create a body of work that is in equal measure a family saga and mystery series.” She succeeded beyond everyone’s expectations. It’s a privilege to experience life with Winspear’s determined and maximally resilient woman protagonist. – Booklist Review  

Reader’s Note: As mentioned in the review, The Comfort of Ghosts is the eighteenth novel in the Maisie Dobbs mystery series; if you’d like to binge read the series from the beginning, check out book one, simply called: Maisie Dobbs (2003).

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Eruption by Michael Crichton and James Patterson  

You know you’ve got some juice in the publishing world when you get top billing on a book nearly 16 years after your death. “Eruption” is the completion of a partial manuscript found by the late Michael Crichton’s wife, Sherri, and finished by James Patterson. 

That pedigree is sure to make it a summer bestseller, and fans of both authors will read it with relish. The short chapters — there are 109 of them in 419 pages — propel the plot at a furious pace. 

The plot itself revolves around the imminent eruption of the Mauna Loa volcano in Hawaii. Dr. John MacGregor (“Call me Mac”) is the scientist in charge at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO), and when he calls a press conference to announce that the largest active volcano on Earth is going to erupt soon, that furiously paced plot, pardon the pun, explodes. 

This being a Crichton/Patterson story, there’s much more at stake than the life of Pacific islanders during a natural disaster. Turns out the U.S. military has a secret buried at Mauna Loa and let’s just say that when it comes to the fate of civilization it makes lava look like a hot, runny creamsicle. 

The book’s characters are straight out of central casting. In addition to Mac, there’s Jenny Kimura, the lead lab scientist at the HVO, “32… Ph.D in earth and planetary sciences from Yale, well-spoken, very attractive.” And Col. James Briggs, “60s, white-haired, trim, and fit.” Throw in a couple more volcanologists practiced at gallows humor and a smart teen who Mac has taught how to surf, and you have all the elements of a summer blockbuster coming in a couple years to a theater near you. – Associated Press Review  

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Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies: A Novel by Catherine Mack 

In this start to a new series, Mack introduces 35-year-old modern-day mystery writer Eleanor, who gets ensnared in solving a real-life mystery while on her book tour in Italy. Eleanor is just looking to finish this tour; conclude her successful series; kill off her main character, Connor Smith; and finally be free of her horrible ex-boyfriend, Connor Smith (yes, you read that right). Unfortunately, Connor is also on this tour, as the inspiration for her male lead, and demands her help in figuring out who is trying to actually kill him. This novel is funny and suspenseful, featuring Eleanor as a witty and relatable narrator who constantly breaks the fourth wall in an entertaining and original use of footnotes. Mack’s tale is full of lively references (Taylor Swift galore), beautiful Italian settings, romance, fun chapter titles, and an interesting mix of suspects who are almost all mystery writers themselves. It is an amusing, light read that invites the reader to gather the clues and solve the crime before Eleanor reveals the answer. – Booklist Review 

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Mind Games by Nora Roberts  

Grammie Lucy calls it a gift. Sometimes Thea Fox wishes it is a gift she could return, because it comes with such a high price tag. Late one night while staying with her Grammie in Redbud Hollow, Kentucky, Thea “sees” her parents being brutally murdered back home in Virginia. Later Thea uses this gift to help the police identify the killer and put him behind bars. Now, 15 years later, Thea has built a new life for herself in Redbud Hollow. Although the man who murdered her parents is still in prison, he has made it his life’s mission to make Thea pay. Fans of Roberts’ (Inheritance, 2023) enticing brand of storytelling will find everything they crave in her latest polished thriller, including compelling characters, an evocative, richly realized setting, and a captivating plot enlivened by a generous dash of romance and just the right measure of nerve-jangling, nail-biting suspense. 

HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: You don’t have to be a mind reader to predict Roberts’ latest will soon be on reserve and best-seller lists all around the country. – Booklist Review  

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Happy reading!

Linda Reimer, SSCL

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Note: Book summaries are from the respective publishers unless otherwise specified.

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Information on the three library catalogs

The Digital Catalog: https://stls.overdrive.com/

The Digital Catalog, is an online catalog containing eBooks, eAudiobooks, and digital magazines. You can use your library card and checkout content on 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.

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Hoopla Catalog: https://www.hoopladigital.com/

The Hoopla Catalog features on demand 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 companion app, also called Hoopla is available for mobile devices, smart TVs & media streaming players.

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StarCat: The catalog of physical/traditional library materials: https://starcat.stls.org

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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Have questions about how to access Internet based content (i.e. eBooks, eAudios)? Feel free to drop by the Reference Desk or call the library and we will assist you! The library’s telephone number is: 607-936-3713.

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Tech & Book Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.

New York Times Bestsellers: June 9, 2024

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, here is the list of New York Times Bestsellers for this week. All titles can be requested/checked out through the library. If you’d like to go the traditional route to request a title on this list and drop by, or call, the library – please do!

Our telephone number is: 607-936-3713

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If you’d like to checkout and/or request New York Times Bestsellers online, you can do that too!

There are currently three catalogs available to Southeast Steuben County Library patrons online, that you can access to search for and request New York Times Bestsellers, and other popular books and materials.

All you need is a library card to get started!

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First, the list of bestsellers for this week, and after more information on the three catalogs!

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THE BESTSELLERS

FICTION

1. YOU LIKE IT DARKER by Stephen King: A dozen short stories that explore darkness in literal and metaphorical forms.

2. MIND GAMES by Nora Roberts: Thea shares the gift to see into the minds and souls of others with the man who killed her parents when she was 12 and now seeks vengeance.

3. THE WOMEN by Kristin Hannah: In 1965, a nursing student follows her brother to serve during the Vietnam War and returns to a divided America.

4. FUNNY STORY by Emily Henry: After their exes run off together, Daphne and Miles form a friendship and concoct a plan involving misleading photos.

5. IT ENDS WITH US by Colleen Hoover: A battered wife raised in a violent home attempts to halt the cycle of abuse.

6. JUST FOR THE SUMMER by Abby Jimenez: Justin and Emma, whose exes find soulmates after breaking up with them, have a fling on a private island on Lake Minnetonka.

7. A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES by Sarah J. Maas: After killing a wolf in the woods, Feyre is taken from her home and placed inside the world of the Fae.

8. ROMANCING MISTER BRIDGERTON by Julia Quinn: The fourth book in the Bridgerton series. Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton discover each other’s secrets. The inspiration for the third season of the streaming series “Bridgerton.”

9. ONE PERFECT COUPLE by Ruth Ware: On a storm-swept island, there is a killer amid five couples who were cast on a reality TV series and are now unable to contact their crew.

10. TOM CLANCY: ACT OF DEFIANCE by Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson: The 24th book in the Jack Ryan series. Four decades after dealing with the Soviet submarine Red October, President Ryan takes on a new Russian vessel headed for the east coast.

11. THIS SUMMER WILL BE DIFFERENT by Carley Fortune: Lucy returns to Prince Edward Island, where she finds it difficult to stay away from her best friend’s younger brother.

12. HEAVENBREAKER by Sara Wolf: A giant machine left over from the war has something unstoppable in it.

13. A COURT OF MIST AND FURY by Sarah J. Maas: The second book in the Court of Thorns and Roses series. Feyre gains the powers of the High Fae and a greater evil emerges.

14. THE HOUSEMAID by Freida McFadden: Troubles surface when a woman looking to make a fresh start takes a job in the home of the Winchesters.

15. THINK TWICE by Harlan Coben: The 12th book in the Myron Bolitar series. Myron’s client, whom he eulogized three years ago, might still be alive and is the main suspect in a double homicide.

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NON-FICTION

1. WHAT THIS COMEDIAN SAID WILL SHOCK YOU by Bill Maher: The host of “Real Time With Bill Maher” gives his take on a variety of subjects in American culture and politics.

2. THE DEMON OF UNREST by Erik Larson: The author of “The Splendid and the Vile” portrays the months between the election of Abraham Lincoln and the beginning of the Civil War.

3. THE ANXIOUS GENERATION by Jonathan Haidt: A co-author of “The Coddling of the American Mind” looks at the mental health impacts that a phone-based life has on children.

4. THE SITUATION ROOM by George Stephanopoulos with Lisa Dickey: The ABC host and former adviser to President Clinton describes the location where and conditions under which a dozen presidential administrations handled crises.

5. ONCE UPON A TIME by Elizabeth Beller: Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy’s rise to fame and untimely death in a plane crash with her sister, Lauren, and husband, John F. Kennedy Jr.

6. IN MY TIME OF DYING by Sebastian Junger: After suffering a ruptured aneurysm, the author of “Tribe” and “The Perfect Storm” addresses some imponderables related to mortality.

7. THE BODY KEEPS THE SCORE by Bessel van der Kolk: How trauma affects the body and mind, and innovative treatments for recovery.

8. WHAT A FOOL BELIEVES by Michael McDonald with Paul Reiser: The Grammy Award-winning songwriter and musician shares moments from his time in the bands the Doobie Brothers and Steely Dan.

9. AN UNFINISHED LOVE STORY by Doris Kearns Goodwin: A trove of items collected by the Pulitzer Prize-winning historian’s late husband inspired an appraisal of central figures and pivotal moments of the 1960s.

10. BITS AND PIECES by Whoopi Goldberg: The EGOT winner shares personal stories about her mother and older brother and the struggles they faced.

11. THE END OF EVERYTHING by Victor Davis Hanson: The author of “The Dying Citizen” and “The Case for Trump” looks at how some societies obliterate their foes.

12. YOU NEVER KNOW by Tom Selleck with Ellis Henican: The actor charts his journey from his California childhood to success in Hollywood.

13. JOYFUL RECOLLECTIONS OF TRAUMA by Paul Scheer: In a collection of essays, the actor and comedian recounts childhood difficulties and how he came to terms with them.

14. OUTLIVE by Peter Attia with Bill Gifford: A look at recent scientific research on aging and longevity.

15. THE WAGER by David Grann: The survivors of a shipwrecked British vessel on a secret mission during an imperial war with Spain have different accounts of events.

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THE CATALOGS:

Catalog 1: StarCat

StarCat is the catalog of physical materials including print books, DVDs, audiobooks on CD etc. StarCat is available to all patrons of all public libraries in the Southern Tier Library System*

Starcat can be found online at: https://starcat.stls.org/

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Catalog 2: The Digital Catalog

The Digital Catalog (and its companion app Libby) offers all Southern Tier Library System member library patrons access to eBooks, eAudiobooks & eMagazines via a lending model known in Library-ese as “one copy/one user;” that library speak means that eBooks & eAudiobooks found in The Digital Catalog/Libby are like print books found on library shelves, only one patron can check out a copy of a title at a time.

Exception: Magazines found in the digital catalog are available via a different lending model known as simultaneous access. And that fancy library speak means that magazines are available for all patrons to check out at the same time, i.e. if you and all your family and friends wish to read the latest digital edition of Newsweek, all of you can check out the e version of the magazine and read it at the same time.

The Digital Catalog/Libby checkout limit is 5 titles a time.

The Digital Catalog is found online at: https://stls.overdrive.com/

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Catalog 3: Hoopla

The Hoopla Digital Catalog (and its companion app, also called Hoopla) offers Southeast Steuben County Library patrons access to a second digital catalog with an on-demand lending model. In library speak, this lending model, like The Digital Catalog/Libby’s magazine lending model, is known as “simultaneous access.” The difference is, the Hoopla catalog offers access to more formats: eBooks, eAudiobooks, eComics, digital albums, TV shows & movies – and all items, in all those formats, are available  for patrons to checkout immediately. The Hoopla check out limit is ten titles per month.

Hoopla Formats: All Hoopla content can be accessed on a computer or mobile device, and TV shows and movies can be accessed on computers, mobile devices, smart TVs and media streaming players, i.e. Roku or  Apple TV.

The Hoopla Catalog is found online at: https://www.hoopladigital.com/

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*The Southern Tier Library System includes the public libraries in Steuben, Chemung, Yates, Schuyler & Allegheny counties.

New Books Coming Your Way: June 2024

Linda Reimer

This blog post includes all the new titles that have been ordered by the library for June 2024.

Some of these titles have arrived and can be requested through StarCat; other titles are not yet published and/or are not yet ready to circulate (and thus are not yet found in StarCat). 

So, if you see a book you’d love to read, but don’t find it listed in StarCat, send me an email and let me know which title you’d like to read; and I will place it on hold for you, when it is ready to circulate. 

My email address is: reimerl@stls.org 

And here is the list the list of New Books Coming Your Way for this month! 

new-books-coming-your-way-june-2024Download

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New Books is a monthly post, usually published the first weekday of each month; and occasionally published the second day of the month, as is the case this month! 

The next New Books Coming Your Was post will be out the first Saturday in July.