New York Times Bestsellers: December 22, 2024

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 the library, or give us a call – please do!

Our telephone number is: 607-936-3713

New York Times Bestseller lists are shared via blog post on Sundays. And the next NYT blog post will be posted on Sunday, December 22, 2024

THE BESTSELLERS

FICTION

1. WIND AND TRUTH by Brandon Sanderson: The fifth book in the Stormlight Archive series. The fate of the Cosmere is imperiled as the fighting and chaos reach an apex.

2. WICKED by Gregory Maguire: A misunderstood girl named Elphaba is declared a witch; the basis of the musical and the film.

3. JAMES by Percival Everett: A reimagining of “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” shines a different light on Mark Twain’s classic, revealing new facets of the character of Jim.

4. 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.

5. FOURTH WING by Rebecca Yarros: Violet Sorrengail is urged by the commanding general, who also is her mother, to become a candidate for the elite dragon riders.

6. THE HOUSE OF CROSS by James Patterson: The 33rd book in the Alex Cross series. Three candidates to the Supreme Court are violently attacked.

7. QUICKSILVER by Callie Hart: Saeris is transported to a dangerous land of ice and snow, where she must contend with a Fae warrior who has suspect agendas.

8. THE NIGHTINGALE by Kristin Hannah: Two sisters are separated in World War II France: one in the countryside, the other in Paris.

9. TO DIE FOR by David Baldacci: The third book in the 6:20 Man series. Devine digs into the deaths of an orphan’s parents and uncovers a large conspiracy.

10. TOM CLANCY: DEFENSE PROTOCOL by Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson: The 25th book in the Jack Ryan series. When Taiwan comes under threat, President Ryan must act.

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. NOW OR NEVER by Janet Evanovich: The 31st book in the Stephanie Plum series. Caught between two fiancés and not knowing what to do, Plum gets back to business as a bounty hunter.

14. THE FROZEN RIVER by Ariel Lawhon: In Maine, 1789, a midwife seeks to uncover the true cause of the death of a man discovered entombed in the Kennebec River.

15. ALL THE COLORS OF THE DARK by Chris Whitaker: Questions arise when a boy saves the daughter of a wealthy family amid a string of disappearances in a Missouri town in 1975.

NON-FICTION

1. CHER: THE MEMOIR, PART ONE by Cher: In the first part of her memoir, the multiple award-winning pop culture icon traces her childhood and forays into the world of entertainment.

2. MELANIA by Melania Trump: The former and future first lady describes her work as a fashion model, marriage to Donald Trump and time in the White House.

3. BE READY WHEN THE LUCK HAPPENS by Ina Garten: A memoir by the cookbook author and Food Network host known as the Barefoot Contessa.

4. FRAMED by John Grisham and Jim McCloskey: Our criminal justice system viewed through the struggles of 10 wrongfully convicted people to achieve exoneration.

5. THE BACKYARD BIRD CHRONICLES by Amy Tan: Essays and drawings by the author of “The Joy Luck Club” and “The Bonesetter’s Daughter,” which depict a search for peace through birding.

6. CONFRONTING THE PRESIDENTS by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard: The conservative commentator evaluates the legacies of American presidents.

7. 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.

8. THE SERVICEBERRY by Robin Wall Kimmerer: The author of “Braiding Sweetgrass” illuminates how the gift economy in the natural world works and draws lessons for our economy; with illustrations by John Burgoyne.

9. REVENGE OF THE TIPPING POINT by Malcolm Gladwell: Through a series of stories, Gladwell explicates the causes of various kinds of epidemics.

10. 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.

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

12. FROM HERE TO THE GREAT UNKNOWN by Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough: Presley’s memoir, completed by her daughter, explores her relationships and challenges.

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

14. YOUR MOM’S GONNA LOVE ME by Matt Rife: The comedian portrays moments from his life and career. 15. ON TYRANNY by Timothy Snyder: Twenty lessons from the 20th century about the course of tyranny.

15. ON TYRANNY by Timothy Snyder: Twenty lessons from the 20th century about the course of tyranny.

Have a great Sunday!

Linda

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/

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/

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/

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

Suggested Listening December 13, 2024

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, December 20, 2024.

And here are the 10 recommended songs of the week!

Bill Cheatham by Bela Fleck with Bill Keith & Tony Trischka

From The Album: Fiddle Tunes for Banjo (1981)

Cast Your Fate To The Wind by Vince Guaraldi Trio 

From The Album: A Boy Named Charlie Brown (1964/2021)

Crooked Rag by Mary Flower

From The Album: Livin’ with the Blues Again (2019)

Going Home (Theme from Local Hero) by Mark Knopfler

From The Album: Local Hero (1983)

Guitar Rag by Merle Travis

From The Album: Strictly Guitar (1969)

Lullaby of Birdland by Chet Atkins

From The Album: Chet Atkins Workshop (1961)

Spanish Flang Dang Jig by Elizabeth Cotton

Video From: The TV Show “Guitar Guitar,” recorded in 1969 & the DVD Elizabeth Cotten In Concert 1969, 1978 & 1980

Tracks and Lines by Eric Clapton

From The Soundtrack: Rush (1992)

When Sunny Gets Blue by McCoy Tyner

From The Album: Today And Tomorrow (1963)

Wintergrace by Kate Macleod

From The Album: Wintergrace: The Jean Ritchie Experience (2022)

Hoopla Album of the Week:

The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery (1960) 

The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery

And from the album the song:

In Your Own Sweet Way 

 

Have a great weekend,

Linda Reimer, SSCL

Online Catalog Links:

StarCat

The catalog of physical materials, i.e. print books, DVDs, audiobooks on CD, etc.

The Digital Catalog, web version of Libby

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

The Libby App

Libby

Libby is the companion app to the Digital Catalog and may be found in the Apple & Google app.

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.

Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.

Suggested Reading: December 11, 2024

Hi everyone, this month I’m going to change things up a bit from our usual format, and instead of recommending five new books, recommend the first books in seven different series, in five different genres: Romances, Mysteries, Historical Fiction, General Fiction & Science Fiction & Fantasy.

This week, our focus is on Historical Fiction! Enjoy! 

Here is the weekly genre schedule:  

November 27: Romances 

December 4: Mysteries  

December 11: Historical Fiction  

December 18: General Fiction  

December 25: Science Fiction & Fantasy  

– 

Dreaming the Eagle: A Novel of Boudica, The Warrior Queen by Manda Scott 

In the first volume of a projected trilogy, Scott (No Good Deed) offers an imaginative look at the life of Boudica, Celtic Britain’s legendary warrior queen. Breaca (later named Boudica) wants to be a mystical Dreamer for her people, but it is clear from a young age that she is meant to be a fierce warrior. (She will, in fact, go on to kill her first warrior at age 12.) Her beloved younger brother, Ban, has powerful dreams of a terrifying future in which Breaca figures prominently. She must bear the responsibility of defending her people from warring neighborhood tribes led by three very different brothers. Or are the Romans the true enemy, as they were in the time of Julius Caesar? Scott weaves the stories of Breaca and Ban into a complicated and satisfying pattern. Definitely not a tired old retelling of a legend, this novel is beautifully written and lovingly told, filled with drama and passion. Scott takes great care to draw secondary characters and evoke the feel of first-century Britain. Highly recommended for all public libraries – Starred Library Journal Review 

Series: Boudica 

– 

Fall Of Giants by Ken Follet 

This first in a century-spanning trilogy from bestseller Follett (Eye of the Needle) makes effective and economical use of its lead characters, despite its scope and bulk. From a huge cast, eight figures emerge to play multiple roles that illustrate and often illuminate the major events, trends, and issues of the years leading up to and immediately beyond WWI: American diplomat Gus Dewar; Earl Fitzherbert, a wealthy Englishman; Fitz’s sister, Lady Maud; German military attaché Walter von Ulrich; Russian brothers Grigori and Lev Peshkov; Welsh collier Billy Williams and his sister, Ethel, whom Fitz hires as a housemaid. Ingenious plotting allows Follett to explore such salient developments of the era as coal mine safety in Wales, women’s suffrage, the diplomatic blundering that led to war, the horrors of trench warfare, and the triumph of the Bolsheviks. While this tome doesn’t achieve the emotional depth of the best historicals, it is a remarkable and wonderfully readable synthesis of fact and fiction. – Starred Publishers Weekly Review  

Series: Century Trilogy  

– 

The Founding by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles 

This wonderful series opens with the back drop of the Wars of the Roses with the marriage between Eleanor Morland and a scion of the influential house of Beaufort. It is a union which establishes the powerful Morland dynasty and in the succeeding volumes of this rich tapestry of English life, we follow their fortunes through war and peace, political upheaval and social revolution, times of pestilence and periods of plenty, and through the vicissitudes which afflict every family – love and passion, envy and betrayal, birth and death, great fortune and miserable penury… 

Series: Morland Dynasty (The thirty-sixth novel in this series was published December 4, 2024; so, you can take a deep reading dive into this series!) 

– 

The Light Years by Elizabeth Jane Howard  

As war clouds gather on the distant horizon, Hugh, Edward, and Rupert Cazalet, along with their wives, children, and loyal servants, prepare to leave London for their annual pilgrimage to the family’s Sussex estate. There, they will join their parents, William and Kitty, and sister, Rachel, at Home Place, the sprawling retreat where the three brothers hope to spend an idyllic summer of years gone by. But the First World War has left indelible scars. 

Hugh, the eldest of his siblings, was wounded in France and is haunted both by recurring nightmares of battle and the prospect of another war. Edward adores his wife, Villy, a former dancer searching for meaning in life, yet he’s incapable of remaining faithful to her. Rupert desires only to fulfill his potential as a painter, but finds that love and art cannot coexist. And devoted daughter Rachel discovers the joys—and limitations—of intimacy with another woman. 

A candid portrait of British life in the late 1930s and a sweeping depiction of a world on the brink of war, The Light Years is a must-read for fans of Downton Abbey. Three generations of the Cazalet family come to unforgettable dramatic life in this saga about England during the last century—and the long-held values and cherished traditions that would soon disappear forever. 

Series: Cazalet Chronicles  

– 

Rise To Rebellion by Jeff Shaara 

The first of two projected novels on the American Revolution, Rebellion takes the reader from the Boston Massacre to the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Shaara’s (Gone for Soldiers) sympathies are evident on every page: the Adamses, Washington, and Franklin are his heroes, as is Abigail Adams, who, though she chafes at the restrictions imposed on her gender, supports her family as husband John travels to and from the Continental Congress. Their adversaries are harsh but wavering (General Gage), venal (Governor Hutchinson), and uncomprehending (the monstrous George III). These are not cardboard figures, however, but complicated human beings making difficult decisions in the midst of a crisis for which old wisdom holds no workable answers. Ultimately, what raises this fine novel above jingoism is the author’s ability to make our national myths sing and our country’s history come to vibrant life. Recommended. – Library Journal Review  

Series: American Revolutionary War 

– 

Ross Poldark: A Novel of Cornwall, 1783-1787 by Winston Graham  

Ross Poldark is a heartwarming, gripping, and utterly entertaining saga that brings to life an unforgettable cast of characters and one of the greatest love stories of our age. 

Ross Poldark returns to Cornwall from war, looking forward to a joyful homecoming with his family and his beloved Elizabeth. But instead he discovers that his father has died, his home is overrun by livestock and drunken servants, and Elizabeth, having believed Ross dead, is now engaged to his cousin. Ross must start over, building a completely new path for his life, one that takes him in exciting and unexpected directions… 

Thus begins an intricately plotted story spanning loves, lives, and generations. The Poldark series is the masterwork of Winston Graham, who evoked the period and people like only he could, and created a world of rich and poor, loss and love, that listeners will not soon forget. 

Series: Poldark 

– 

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel  

Set aside a full day to savor Simon Slater’s delightful reading of the Booker Prize–winning tale of Henry VIII’s court, seen through the eyes of his adviser Thomas Cromwell. Mantel’s revisionist take turns Cromwell—so frequently vilified as in A Man for All Seasons 

—into a modern sort of hero, shrewd and adaptable. Slater’s narration is nuanced and precise; he breathes feeling and subtle shades of emotion into every exchange of dialogue. His is a heroic undertaking, and he does admirable justice to Mantel’s lucid prose and juicy plot. – Starred Publishers Weekly Review  

Series: Thomas Cromwell Trilogy 

Happy reading!

Linda Reimer, SSCL

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

New York Times Bestsellers: December 15, 2024

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 the library, or give us a call – please do!

Our telephone number is: 607-936-3713

New York Times Bestseller lists are shared via blog post on Sundays.

And due to the library being closed for the Thanksgiving holiday and rug cleaning from Thursday, November 28 – Saturday, November 30, the next NYT blog post will be posted on Sunday, December 8, 2024

THE BESTSELLERS

FICTION

1. WICKED by Gregory Maguire: A misunderstood girl named Elphaba is declared a witch; the basis of the musical and the film.

2. THE HOUSE OF CROSS by James Patterson: The 33rd book in the Alex Cross series. Three candidates to the Supreme Court are violently attacked.

3. FOURTH WING by Rebecca Yarros: Violet Sorrengail is urged by the commanding general, who also is her mother, to become a candidate for the elite dragon riders.

4. 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.

5. JAMES by Percival Everett: A reimagining of “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” shines a different light on Mark Twain’s classic, revealing new facets of the character of Jim.

6. 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.

7. NOW OR NEVER by Janet Evanovich: The 31st book in the Stephanie Plum series. Caught between two fiancés and not knowing what to do, Plum gets back to business as a bounty hunter.

8. 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.

9. TO DIE FOR by David Baldacci: The third book in the 6:20 Man series. Devine digs into the deaths of an orphan’s parents and uncovers a large conspiracy.

10. COUNTING MIRACLES by Nicholas Sparks: A man in search of the father he never knew encounters a single mom and rumors circulate of the nearby appearance of a white deer.

11. VERITY by Colleen Hoover: Lowen Ashleigh is hired by the husband of an injured writer to complete her popular series and uncovers a horrifying truth.

12. THE MIRROR by Nora Roberts: The second book in the Lost Bride series. In a haunted mansion, Sonya receives a vision of a bride murdered on her wedding day.

13. THE BOYFRIEND by Freida McFadden: A series of recent deaths causes Sydney Shaw to become suspicious of the handsome doctor she started dating.

14. THE PERFECT MARRIAGE by Jeneva Rose: A criminal defense attorney vows to defend her husband after he is accused of murdering his mistress.

15. IRON FLAME by Rebecca Yarros: The second book in the Empyrean series. Violet Sorrengail’s next round of training under the new vice commandant might require her to betray the man she loves.

NON-FICTION

1. CHER: THE MEMOIR, PART ONE by Cher: In the first part of her memoir, the multiple award-winning pop culture icon traces her childhood and forays into the world of entertainment.

2. FRAMED by John Grisham and Jim McCloskey: Our criminal justice system viewed through the struggles of 10 wrongfully convicted people to achieve exoneration.

3. MELANIA by Melania Trump: The former and future first lady describes her work as a fashion model, marriage to Donald Trump and time in the White House.

4. THE SERVICEBERRY by Robin Wall Kimmerer: The author of “Braiding Sweetgrass” illuminates how the gift economy in the natural world works and draws lessons for our economy; with illustrations by John Burgoyne.

5. BE READY WHEN THE LUCK HAPPENS by Ina Garten: A memoir by the cookbook author and Food Network host known as the Barefoot Contessa.

6. THE BACKYARD BIRD CHRONICLES by Amy Tan: Essays and drawings by the author of “The Joy Luck Club” and “The Bonesetter’s Daughter,” which depict a search for peace through birding.

7. CONFRONTING THE PRESIDENTS by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard: The conservative commentator evaluates the legacies of American presidents.

8. REVENGE OF THE TIPPING POINT by Malcolm Gladwell: Through a series of stories, Gladwell explicates the causes of various kinds of epidemics.

9. 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.

10. FROM HERE TO THE GREAT UNKNOWN by Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough: Presley’s memoir, completed by her daughter, explores her relationships and challenges.

11. 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.

12. ON TYRANNY by Timothy Snyder: Twenty lessons from the 20th century about the course of tyranny.

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

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

15. HILLBILLY ELEGY by JD Vance: The vice president-elect, in a memoir written shortly after graduating from Yale Law School, looks at the struggles of the white working class through the story of his own childhood.

Have a great Sunday!

Linda

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/

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/

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/

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

Suggested Listening December 6, 2024

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 posted on Friday, December 13, 2024.

And here are our  recommended songs of the week!

Cold Weather Blues by Muddy Waters

From The Album: Folk Singer (1964)

The Dark Night of The Soul by Loreena McKennitt

From The Album: The Mask And Mirror Live (2024)

The Frost Is All Over by The Chieftains

From The Album: Voice Of Ages (2012)

It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry

From The Album: Highway 61’ Revisited (1965)

Kisses From The Falling Snow by David Arkenstone

From The Album: Winterlude (2023)

Like The Weather by 10,000 Maniacs 

From The Album: In My Tribe (1987)

Shoot The Moon by Norah Jones

From The Album: Come Away With Me (2002)

Snowfall by Claude Thornhill

From The Album: Snowfall (2002)

Skating In Central Park by Modern Jazz Quartet

From The Album: The Complete Last Concert (1974)

Snowy Morning Blues by James P. Johnson

From The Album: Snowy Morning Blues (1991)

Sometimes In Winter by Blood, Sweat & Tears

From The Album: Blood, Sweat & Tears (1968)

Winter Lady by Leonard Cohen 

From The Album: Songs of Leonard Cohen (1967)

Winter Moon by Stan Getz

From The Album: Stan Getz With Guest Artist Laurindo Almeida (1963)

Winter Song by Ingrid Michaelson & Sara Bareilles

From The Album: Snowfall EP (2017)

Hoopla Album of the Week: 

The Winter Winds (2009) by P. E. Hewitt Jazz Ensemble  

image

And from the album:

The Winter Winds 

Have a great weekend,

Linda Reimer, SSCL

Online Catalog Links:

StarCat

The catalog of physical materials, i.e. print books, DVDs, audiobooks on CD, etc.

The Digital Catalog, web version of Libby

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

The Libby App

Libby

Libby is the companion app to the Digital Catalog and may be found in the Apple & Google app.

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.

Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.

Suggested Reading: December 4, 2024

Hi everyone, this month I’m going to change things up a bit from our usual format, and instead of recommending five new books, recommend the first books in seven different series, in five different genres: Romances, Mysteries, Historical Fiction, General Fiction & Science Fiction & Fantasy.

This week, our focus is on Mysteries! Enjoy! 

Here is the weekly genre schedule:  

November 27: Romances 

December 4: Mysteries  

December 11: Historical Fiction  

December 18: General Fiction  

December 25: Science Fiction & Fantasy  

– 

Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke 

Darren Matthews was born and raised in rural East Texas and is intimately acquainted with the racial tensions in its small towns. On suspension for an incident involving a friend who may have killed a man, the African American Texas Ranger is asked by an old FBI friend to look into the deaths of a black Chicago lawyer and a local white woman who were both found dead days apart in a bayou near Lark, TX. Once his boss learns of his new assignment, Mathews is reinstated and given authority to investigate. Locke, winner of the Harper Lee Prize for legal fiction (Pleasantville) and a writer and producer of the show Empire, has woven an atmospheric, convoluted mystery seasoned with racial tension and family loyalty. VERDICT Locke is a gifted author, and her intriguing and compelling crime novel will keep readers engrossed. – Library Journal Review  

Series: Highway 59 

– 

The Bookseller by Mark Pryor 

Hugo Marston, a former FBI agent, works security at the U.S. embassy in Paris. He is enough of a maverick (he is from Texas, after all) to investigate when his friend Max, a bouquiniste (one of those famed booksellers along the Seine), is kidnapped. Dumbfounded by the police’s lackluster response, Hugo calls in Tom Green, his buddy from Quantico, now a retired CIA operative who’s bored out of his mind. Then there’s the lovely Claudia, a reporter who smells a good story and who just happens to be the daughter of a count. As the bodies of more missing booksellers are found floating in the Seine, Hugo finally gets a police detective on his side. The chase is on!  

VERDICT Pryor’s steady and engrossing debut combines Sherlockian puzzle solving with Eric Ambler-like spy intrigue. With a cast of characters you want to know better and a storyline cloaked in World War II betrayals (think Nazi collaborators), the author winningly blends contemporary crime with historical topics. Pair with Cara Black’s Aimee Leduc series for both locale and tone. – Starred Library Journal Review  

Series: Hugo Marston 

– 

Bruno, Chief of Police by Martin Walker 

The first installment in the delightful, internationally acclaimed series featuring Chief of Police Bruno. 

Meet Benoît Courrèges, aka Bruno, a policeman in a small village in the South of France.  He’s a former soldier who has embraced the pleasures and slow rhythms of country life. He has a gun but never wears it; he has the power to arrest but never uses it.  But then the murder of an elderly North African who fought in the French army changes all that.  Now Bruno must balance his beloved routines—living in his restored shepherd’s cottage, shopping at the local market, drinking wine, strolling the countryside—with a politically delicate investigation.  He’s paired with a young policewoman from Paris and the two suspect anti-immigrant militants.  As they learn more about the dead man’s past, Bruno’s suspicions turn toward a more complex motive. 

Series: Bruno, Chief of Police 

– 

Deception on All Accounts by Sara Sue Hoklotubbe 

It’s a pleasure to make the acquaintance of Sadie Walela, a banker in northeastern Oklahoma who is thrust into the role of amateur sleuth after a spate of branch robberies leaves several colleagues dead and her career in critical condition. Sadie, who was much closer to her Cherokee father, uncle, and grandmother than she was to her white mother, lives on her dad’s old spread with a gentle horse and a ferociously protective wolf-dog. No passive victim, Sadie displays admirable toughness as she copes with racist supervisors, rabid FBI agents, and an abusive ex-husband. The story’s most satisfying aspect is how Sadie’s essential decency keeps leading her toward the solution. Instead of developing a full set of investigative skills on the fly, she gets at the answers by helping a homeless man, befriending children, and leaving herself open to the possibility of love. Although the plot could use more thickening and the bad guy isn’t hard to spot, Hoklotubbe paints a believable picture of Indian-white relations in small-town America and crafts a series protagonist as savvy as she is sweet. – Booklist Review  

Series: Sadie Walela Mysteries 

– 

In the Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Fleming 

In this debut novel, a riveting page-turner from start to finish, born-and-bred Virginian Clare Ferguson, newly ordained priest of St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in the small upstate New York town of Millers Kill, is faced with not only an early December snowstorm and the bitter cold of her first Northern winter but also a conservative vestry, who apparently expended all their daring on hiring her, a female priest. When a baby is left on the church doorstep with a note designating that he be given to two of her parishioners, Clare calls in police chief Russ Van Alstyne. The foundling case quickly becomes an investigation into murder that will shatter the lives of members of her congregation, challenge her own feelings and faith and threaten her life. With her background as an army helicopter pilot, Clare is not a typical priest. Smart, courageous and tough, she is also caring, kindhearted and blessed with a refreshing personality. Likewise, the other characters are equally well developed and believable, except for the young pediatrician, who speaks more like a hip teenager than a professional. It is a cast readers will hope to meet again, while a fast-paced plot keeps the guess work going until the very end. Along the way, there is an exceptionally spine-chilling confrontation. The vivid setting descriptions will bring plenty of shivers, but the real strength of this stellar first is the focus on the mystery, which will delight traditional fans. – Starred Publishers Weekly Review  

Series: Clare Fergusson & Russ Van Alstyne  

– 

Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh 

Diaspora, myth and a fascinating language mashup propel the Rubik’s cube of plots in Ghosh’s picaresque epic of the voyage of the Ibis, a ship transporting Indian “girmitiyas” (coolies) to Mauritius in 1838. The first two-thirds of the book chronicles how the crew and the human cargo come to the vessel, now owned by rising opium merchant Benjamin Burnham. Mulatto second mate Zachary Reid, a 20-year-old of Lord Jim–like innocence, is passing for white and doesn’t realize his secret is known to the “gomusta” (overseer) of the coolies, Baboo Nob Kissin, an educated Falstaffian figure who believes Zachary is the key to realizing his lifelong mission. Among the human cargo, there are three fugitives in disguise, two on the run from a vengeful family and one hoping to escape from Benjamin. Also on board is a formerly high caste raj who was brought down by Benjamin and is now on his way to a penal colony. The cast is marvelous and the plot majestically serpentine, but the real hero is the English language, which has rarely felt so alive and vibrant. – Publishers Weekly Review  

Series: Iblis Trilogy 

– 

Vanishing Edge by Claire Kells 

A new agent investigating an abandoned glampsite in Sequoia National Park confronts the elements and her own physical limitations as she searches for answers in Kells’ debut. Personal tragedy and a broken back have rerouted Felicity Harland from her FBI work to a career as a Special Agent with the Investigative Services Bureau, the government agency looking into crimes in national parks. Though Felicity had hoped to be assigned to Alaska, her first detail involves taking care of California’s nine parks. She feels let down when her first call seems barely worth following up on. Sequoia National Park Ranger Corrigan, annoyed at an abandoned campsite at Precipice Lake, suggests to Felicity that it might be something more. When she arrives, Felicity can’t tell whether the curmudgeonly Corrigan thinks there’s been an actual crime or just has it out for the camping–sorry, glamping–outfitter working to get Silicon Valley and Hollywood’s finest into the parks. A quick call to Glampist tells Felicity nothing–they’re more concerned about their prestige customers’ privacy than the law–but Felicity is certain she’ll be able to find the missing campers if only she can survey the site. But that’s a problem in itself, given that it’s 22 miles from the ranger station. Corrigan feels like he’s done his due diligence by alerting ISB and declines to make the trip with Felicity, but his best employee, Ferdinand “Hux” Huxley, is curious enough to get involved, and Felicity’s shepherd mix, Ollie, is excited for the adventure. Felicity relies on her ad hoc partner’s expertise, judgment, and shortcuts as the two navigate everywhere from mountain peaks to chilly April lakes in search of what they hope will be spoiled glampers rather than dead bodies. A determined professional duo investigates wilderness wannabes: What’s not to like? – Kirkus Review  

Series: National Park Mysteries 

Happy reading!

Linda Reimer, SSCL

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

New Books Coming Your Way: December 2024

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

Our print book ordering calendar year, runs from January through October. So all new items ordered for December are eBooks or eAudiobooks that you can check out through Libby or its companion website the Digital Catalog found online at https://stls.overdrive.com/

And here is the list the list of New eBooks & eAudios Coming Your Way for this month:

Happy reading!

Linda Reimer, SSCL

Suggested Listening: November 29, 2024

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, December 6, 2024.

And here are the 10 recommended songs of the week; and this week, we have a “baker’s ten” collection of relaxing songs in anticipation of the long holiday weekend.

And just a reminder, the library is closed today and tomorrow, that is Friday, November 29 and Saturday, November 30 for deep rug cleaning.

We will reopen at our usual time of 9:00 a.m. on Monday, December 2.

The Best Is Yet To Come by Frank Sinatra, featuring Count Basie & His Orchestra 

From The Album: Nothing But The Best (2008)

Blue In Green by Miles Davis

 From The Album: Kind Of Blue (1959)

Blue Moon by Mel Torme 

 From The Album: Swingin’ On The Moon (1960)

Dream A Little Dream of Me by Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong

From The Album: Cheek To Cheek by Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong (2018)

Fever by Peggy Lee

 From The Album: Ultimate Peggy Lee (2020)

Harlem Nocturne by Ray Noble & His Orchestra  

 From The Album: Ray Noble Plays Ray Noble and Others (2003)

Moonlight Serenade by The Glenn Miller Orchestra 

 From The Album: Moonlight Serenade (1992)

 

Love Is Blue by Paul Mauriat

From The Album: Love Is Blue (Anniversary Collection) (1988)

Pink Panther Theme by Henry Mancini & His Orchestra 

From The Album: Pink Panther And Other Hits (1992)

Puttin’ on The Ritz by Herb Alpert and The Tijuana Brass

From The Album: Steppin’ Out (2013)

Quiet Village by Martin Denny

From The Album: A Quiet Village (1959)

A Swinging Safari by Bert Kaempfert And His Orchestra

From The Album: Sounds Of The World, Vol. 5 (2018) by Various Artists

Sway by Dean Martin

From The Album: The Essential Dean Martin (1997)

The Way You Look Tonight The Dave Brubeck Quartet

From The Album: Jazz At Oberlin (1953)

When I Fall In Love by Nat King Cole

From The Album: The World of Nat King Cole (2005)

 –

Hoopla Album of the Week 

Winter (1990) by Michael Gettel  

Winter

And from the album the song:

First Snow 

Have a great long weekend,

Linda Reimer, SSCL

Online Catalog Links:

StarCat

The catalog of physical materials, i.e. print books, DVDs, audiobooks on CD, etc.

The Digital Catalog, web version of Libby

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

The Libby App

Libby

Libby is the companion app to the Digital Catalog and may be found in the Apple & Google app.

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.

Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.

Suggested Reading: November 27, 2024

Hi everyone, as followers of this blog now, I usually recommend five new books per week, for your reading pleasure.  

However, as it is November, we are at the end of our ordering calendar for 2024. 

And that combined with the advent of the long days of winter, make this a perfect time to settle into one’s easy chair and binge read a previously unread series, preferably with a cup of hot coffee, tea, cocoa or relaxing beverage of your choice in hand.

With that in mind, each week for the next five weeks, I’m going to recommend the first books in seven different series, in five different genres: Romances, Mysteries, Historical Fiction, General Fiction & Science Fiction & Fantasy.

Enjoy! 

Here is the weekly genre schedule:  

November 27: Romances 

December 4: Mysteries  

December 11: Historical Fiction  

December 18: General Fiction  

December 25: Science Fiction & Fantasy  

Enjoy!

– 

November 27: Romances  

Butterfly Swords by Jeannie Lin 

Chang Ai Li flees her wedding and her enraged bridegroom in Lin’s exciting debut, an adventure tale set in turbulent 8th-century China. Ai Li, the only daughter in a family of mighty warriors, is trained by her grandmother to fight with light butterfly swords and defend herself and her family’s honor. Ryam is a foreigner trying to get back to his stronghold on the far western edge of the empire. After he helps Ai Li fight off brigands and soldiers, she hires him to help her evade her pursuers and get back to the imperial city. Ryam is uncomfortable when Ai Li calls him honorable, while she is amazed that he listens to what she has to say. Despite being from different cultures and classes, they fall in love. The especially vibrant writing describing the culture, clothes, and countryside saves this from being just another tale of impossible love. – Starred Publishers Weekly Review  

Series: Tang Dynasty  

 

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood 

DEBUT Science must be proved. That’s why Stanford PhD candidate Olive Smith kissed the first man she found, to prove to her best friend Anh that she’d bounced back from a breakup. Fortunately, it worked. Unfortunately, the man was Dr. Adam Carlsen, the most arrogant, unapproachable, and downright mean professor in Olive’s science department. He’s not mean to Olive though, and he even agrees to be her fake boyfriend. As Olive spends more time fake-dating Adam, she sees another side to the professor who ruthlessly fails his students’ dissertations. With Olive, Adam is kind. He smiles. He listens. Unfortunately, Adam is in love with someone else, and there’s a looming expiration date on his fake relationship with Olive. This satisfying romantic comedy features smart, witty dialog and a diverse cast of likable secondary characters. Adam and Olive continually find themselves in awkward, adorable situations caused by their deception (and their meddling friends). The setting, in Stanford’s STEM program, is essential to the plot and allows the author to write on the obstacles faced by PhD students, especially women in science programs.  

VERDICT A realistic, amusing novel that readers won’t be able to put down. Highly recommended for all collections. – Library Journal Review  

Series: Love Hypothesis 

– 

Much Ado About You by Eloisa James 

Tess Essex wished her father had loved his Thoroughbreds a bit less and his daughters a bit more. Now, after his death, Tess, Imogen, Annabel, and Josephine find themselves with a new guardian: Rafe Jourdain, the Duke of Holbrook. Although Holbrook is exceedingly kind, he is completely clueless when it comes to finding suitable matches for his new wards. Deciding that it is up to her, Tess encourages the romantic overtures of one of Holbrook’s closest friends, Garret Langham, the Earl of Mayne. Titled, handsome, and sophisticated, Garret is an entirely appropriate suitor for Tess, and his society connections will help Tess secure good husbands for her sisters. The only problem is that even though Tess is resigned to a politely civilized marriage to Garret, she just can’t seem to forget the less acceptable Lucius Felton and his deliciously improper kisses. In the first in a new series featuring the wonderfully amusing Essex sisters, ” New York Times “best-selling James’ gift for superb characterization and elegantly sensual, delightfully witty prose create a thoroughly romantic treat. – Starred Booklist Review  

Series: Essex Sisters 

– 

Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez 

After swerving to avoid a raccoon and ending up in a ditch, Alexis Montgomery is extremely grateful to receive an automotive assist from a passing Good Samaritan in the person of Daniel Grant. Accepting his offer of a late-night grilled-cheese sandwich after the rescue simply seems like a nice thing to do until Alexis wakes up the next morning in Daniel’s bed. Alexis knows just how easy it would be to fall for sweet, sunny Daniel, who is everything Alexis’ ex-boyfriend Neil is not. But Alexis also knows that she and the hot, younger carpenter and B&B owner come from two completely different, seemingly incompatible worlds. Jimenez’s (Life’s Too Short, 2021) latest flawlessly written contemporary romance is another perfectly calibrated synthesis of richly nuanced characters, blazing sexual chemistry, and sizzling wit deftly infused into an empowering story line that sensitively touches on emotional and physical abuse in romantic relationships while also offering a subtle wink and nod to the enduring charm of Disney fairy tales. – Booklist Review  

Series: Part Of Your World 

– 

Seaside Cafe by Rochelle Alers 

Set on breathtaking Coates Island, off the coast of North Carolina, bestselling author Rochelle Alers’ new series debut brings together three book-loving women whose summer will offer a chance to rewrite their 

own stories . . . 

For three decades, the Seaside Café has served delicious meals to locals and island tourists alike. Kayana Johnson has moved home to help her brother run the café—and to nurse her wounds following a deep betrayal. Between cooking favorite recipes—creole chicken with buttermilk waffles, her grandmother’s famous mac and cheese—and spending time reading, Kayana is trying to embrace a life free of entanglements, while staying open to new connections . . . 

After striking up conversation with two customers, Kayana suggests a summer book club. Each week, they’ll meet on the patio to talk about their favorite novels. But there are plot twists awaiting them in real life too. For schoolteacher Leah, this two-month sojourn is the first taste of freedom she’s had in her unhappy marriage. Cherie, filled with regret about her long-term affair with a married politici 

Series: Book Club 

– 

 
Secrets of a Summer Night Lisa Kleypas 

Deftly evoking not only the romantic tension between hero and heroine but also the conflicts and challenges of the Victorian era, this superb romance from Kleypas launches her new series centered on the Wallflowers, four young ladies who are sick of being snubbed and overlooked by London’s bachelors and who have banded together to find themselves husbands. Beautiful Annabelle Peyton represents Old World aristocracy; she’s genteel but impoverished and desperately trying to maintain the appearance of wealth. Commoner Simon Hunt, on the other hand, is a brash, ambitious entrepreneur who has made a fortune investing in industry and railroads and is only marginally accepted by society. As Annabelle attempts to trap a moneyed aristocrat into marriage—with the help of her vivacious fellow Wallflowers, of course—Simon boldly pursues her, first with the desire to make her his mistress and then with far more noble intentions. The scenes involving Annabelle and the three other Wallflowers—two impudent American girls and a shy, stuttering English heiress—are almost as enjoyable as the ones in which Annabelle and Simon try to outmaneuver each other. The protagonists inevitably wind up at the altar, but their story doesn’t end there. Kleypas delves deeper, touching on Annabelle’s changing mindset (specifically, her growing admiration of Simon’s working-class roots and her acceptance of everything he stands for) and Simon’s insecurity over taking her away from polite society. By turns amusing, sensual and sober, but always compelling, this is a first-rate offering from a truly talented storyteller. – Starred Publishers Weekly Review  

Series: Wallflowers 

– 

Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory

Wedding Date by A fake romance starts becoming surprisingly real.Alexa is a lawyer-turned-chief of staff for the mayor of Berkeley. Drew is a pediatric surgeon from LA in town for his ex-girlfriend’s wedding. When the two get stuck in an elevator in a San Francisco hotel, they unexpectedly hit it off, and Drew convinces Alexa to be his plus-one at the wedding, leading to a whole fake-relationship scheme. The relationship may be fake, but Alexa and Drew are very clearly interested in each other. As a one-night stand becomes a two-night stand becomes weekend trips between Berkeley and LA, both are in denial about how important they are to each other. As they face ups and downs, ultimately they must decide if they want to try to make a real relationship work. The writing is fast-paced, jumping between Alexa’s and Drew’s points of view. The two leads are charming, and both have quirky friends who add flavor to the story. The issue of race comes up since Alexa is black and Drew is white; Alexa is more aware of situations that may turn ugly, and Drew becomes more mindful of his privilege, a timely lesson that adds depth to the story. The book is also unexpectedly raunchy, since Alexa and Drew’s connection starts as a purely physical one and they only later develop deeper feelings. The characters never find a situation that doesn’t turn them on at least a little bit. Guillory’s debut is a mix of romance and raunch that will charm rom-com fans. – Kirkus Review  

Series: Wedding Date 

Happy reading!

Linda Reimer, SSCL

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

New York Times Bestsellers: December 1, 2024

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 the library, or give us a call – please do!

Our telephone number is: 607-936-3713

New York Times Bestseller lists are shared via blog post on Sundays.

And due to the library being closed for the Thanksgiving holiday and rug cleaning from Thursday, November 28 – Saturday, November 30, the next NYT blog post will be posted on Sunday, December 8, 2024

THE BESTSELLERS

FICTION

1. TO DIE FOR by David Baldacci: The third book in the 6:20 Man series. Devine digs into the deaths of an orphan’s parents and uncovers a large conspiracy.

2. FOURTH WING by Rebecca Yarros: Violet Sorrengail is urged by the commanding general, who also is her mother, to become a candidate for the elite dragon riders.

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. THE BOYFRIEND by Freida McFadden: A series of recent deaths causes Sydney Shaw to become suspicious of the handsome doctor she started dating.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. IN TOO DEEP by Lee Child and Andrew Child: The 29th book in the Jack Reacher series. Reacher wakes up in a precarious position with no memory of how he got there.

8. HOW MY NEIGHBOR STOLE CHRISTMAS by Meghan Quinn: A fake relationship and a Christmas contest may lead to unexpected consequences.

9. JAMES by Percival Everett: A reimagining of “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” shines a different light on Mark Twain’s classic, revealing new facets of the character of Jim.

10. LIGHTS OUT by Navessa Allen: As Aly and Josh live out their dark fantasies, someone with sinister intentions impinges on them.

11. THE FROZEN RIVER by Ariel Lawhon: In Maine, 1789, a midwife seeks to uncover the true cause of the death of a man discovered entombed in the Kennebec River.

12. WICKED by Gregory Maguire: A misunderstood girl named Elphaba is declared a witch; the basis of the musical and the film.

13. IRON FLAME by Rebecca Yarros: The second book in the Empyrean series. Violet Sorrengail’s next round of training under the new vice commandant might require her to betray the man she loves.

14. THE GREY WOLF by Louise Penny: The 19th book in the Chief Inspector Gamache series. Shifting alliances complicate the frenzied pursuit of a sinister threat.

15. CLIVE CUSSLER: DESOLATION CODE by Graham Brown: The 21st book in the NUMA Files series. An A.I. system might be behind an attempt to create a new world order.

NON-FICTION

1. MELANIA by Melania Trump: The former and future first lady describes her work as a fashion model, marriage to Donald Trump and time in the White House.

2. ON TYRANNY by Timothy Snyder: Twenty lessons from the 20th century about the course of tyranny.

3. HILLBILLY ELEGY by JD Vance: The vice president-elect, in a memoir written shortly after graduating from Yale Law School, looks at the struggles of the white working class through the story of his own childhood.

4. FRAMED by John Grisham and Jim McCloskey: Our criminal justice system viewed through the struggles of 10 wrongfully convicted people to achieve exoneration.

5. THE WAR ON WARRIORS by Pete Hegseth: The former “Fox & Friends Weekend” host shares his experiences serving in the Army and his views on the current state of the American military.

6. 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.

7. REVENGE OF THE TIPPING POINT by Malcolm Gladwell: Through a series of stories, Gladwell explicates the causes of various kinds of epidemics.

8. CONFRONTING THE PRESIDENTS by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard: The conservative commentator evaluates the legacies of American presidents.

9. BE READY WHEN THE LUCK HAPPENS by Ina Garten: A memoir by the cookbook author and Food Network host known as the Barefoot Contessa.

10. FROM HERE TO THE GREAT UNKNOWN by Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough: Presley’s memoir, completed by her daughter, explores her relationships and challenges.

11. THE MESSAGE by Ta-Nehisi Coates: The author of “Between the World and Me” travels to three locations to uncover the dissonance between the realities on the ground and the narratives shaped about them.

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

13. WAR by Bob Woodward: The Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist looks at our contentious time through battles in Ukraine and the Middle East and for the American presidency.

14. NEXUS by Yuval Noah Harari: The author of “Sapiens” delves into how societies and political systems have used information and gives a warning about artificial intelligence.

15. THE BACKYARD BIRD CHRONICLES by Amy Tan: Essays and drawings by the author of “The Joy Luck Club” and “The Bonesetter’s Daughter,” which depict a search for peace through birding.

Have a great Sunday!

Linda

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/

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/

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/

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