Tech & Book Talk at SSCL

Hi everyone, welcome to our Suggested Listening posting for this week!

Our Suggested Listening postings focus on the music of the past, with a few new songs mixed in for good measure.

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Suggested Listening postings come out weekly, on Fridays, and  the next Suggested Listening posting will be out on Friday, November 13, 2020.

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Bye Bye Blackbird by Miles Davis (Genre: Jazz)

Bye Bye Blackbird is from Davis’s seminal album ‘Round About Midnight (1957).

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I.G.Y. by Donald Fagen (Genre: Pop-Rock, Jazz)

A great album from Steely Dan co-founder Donald Fagen; from his terrific album The Nightfly (1982).

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In The Midnight Hour by Wilson Pickett (Genre: R&B, Vocal, Pop)

A classic song from Pickett’s vintage, and appropriately titled, album The Exciting Wilson Pickett (1966).

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I’ve Been Loving You too Long by Otis Redding (Genre: R&B, Vocal, Pop)

A classic song from one of the best American singers. I’ve Been Loving You Too Long is from Redding’s 1965 album Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul.

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Make Someone Happy by Jimmy Durante (Genre: Vocal, Pop, Soundtrack)

Durante recorded the song Make Someone Happy for his 1965 album Jimmy Durante’s Way of Life; more recently the song appeared on the soundtrack to the Tom Hanks & Meg Ryan film Sleepless in Seattle (1993).

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One Day by Yellowjackets & WDR Big Band (Genre: Jazz)

One Day is a smooth, upbeat song from the new album XL by Yellowjackets & WDR Big Band.

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Strike The Bell by Fisherman’s Friends (Genre: Folk)

Sea shanties are front and center! Courtsey of the wonderful ten-piece Cornish band Fisherman’s Friend!

Strike The Bell is from the group’s 2018 release Sole Mates.

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Soul Shake by Delaney & Bonnie (Genre: Roots Rock)

Delaney & Bonnie were singer and guitarist Delaney Bramlett and singer Bonnie Bramlett who recorded several terrific roots rock albums in the 1970s, including the album that features Soul Shake – To Bonnie from Delaney (1970).

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This Little Babe by Clare College Choir, Cambridge with Graham Ross conducting (Genre: Choral, Classical, Holiday)

From the Clare College Choir’s new album Britten: A Ceremony of Carols (2020).

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When You Wish Upon A Star by Cliff Edward (AKA Jiminy Cricket)

Cliff Edwards, also known as Ukulele Ike, is best known today for singing this upbeat song, from the soundtrack of Walt Disney’s Pinocchio.

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Hoopla Pick of the Week

The new Joni Mitchell album Joni Mitchell Archives Vol. 1: The Early Years (1963-1967) – available for instant check out via Hoopla (Southeast Steuben County Library card required)

About The Album:

ARCHIVES VOL. 1 reveals just how prolific a songwriter Mitchell was at the time. In addition to early versions of songs that would appear on Song To A Seagull (“Michael From Mountains” and “I Had A King”), the set also features songs destined for later albums: “Chelsea Morning” “Both Sides Now” (Clouds, 1969); “The Circle Game” (Ladies of the Canyon, 1970); and “Little Green” (Blue, 1971).

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More than a just historic document, these recordings crackle with energy thanks to a vibrant and enchanting Mitchell. On many, you can hear her turning tuning her guitar and telling a story about the song before playing it. That includes her rare 1967 cover of Neil Young’s “Sugar Mountain,” a song she says inspired her to write “The Circle Game.”

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The collection begins in 1963 with her earliest-known recording as a 19-year-old Mitchell performs at CFQC AM, a radio station in her hometown of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The box culminates with a stirring, three-set 1967 nightclub performance recorded at the Canterbury House in Ann Arbor, Michigan. – collection summary by Rhino Records

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Have a great weekend!

Linda Reimer, SSCL

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REFERENCES:

Print References

The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits by Joel Whitburn

Online References

AllMusic: https://www.allmusic.com/

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Online Catalog Links:

StarCat

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

The Digital Catalog (OverDrive)

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

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Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.

Hi everyone, here are our recommended titles for the week, consisting entirely of eBooks & downloadable audiobooks available through the Digital Catalog.

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Weekly Suggested Reading postings are published on Tuesdays.

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Reader’s Note: This is the first posting to feature a change in format!

Since our library is now offering patrons access to three online catalogs and their companion apps, I’m going to stop linking each recommended book to a specific catalog and instead simply note the different formats & catalogs the books, eBooks and audiobooks are available in.

And at the end of each weekly suggested reading posting, you’ll find links to the two digital content catalogs: OverDrive (Libby & OverDrive apps) and Hoopla (Hoopla app), to StarCat the catalog of physical library materials i.e. print books, DVDs, music CDs etc., and for those who prefer to request titles by phone, the library’s phone number as well.

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And without further ado, on to the recommended titles of the week:

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Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse (Format: Downloadable Audiobook, Print Book, Audiobook on CD)

From the New York Times bestselling author of Star Wars: Resistance Reborn comes the first book in the Between Earth and Sky trilogy, inspired by the civilizations of the Pre-Columbian Americas and woven into a tale of celestial prophecies, political intrigue, and forbidden magic.

A god will return

When the earth and sky converge

Under the black sun

In the holy city of Tova, the winter solstice is usually a time for celebration and renewal, but this year it coincides with a solar eclipse, a rare celestial event proscribed by the Sun Priest as an unbalancing of the world.

Meanwhile, a ship launches from a distant city bound for Tova and set to arrive on the solstice. The captain of the ship, Xiala, is a disgraced Teek whose song can calm the waters around her as easily as it can warp a man’s mind. Her ship carries one passenger. Described as harmless, the passenger, Serapio, is a young man, blind, scarred, and cloaked in destiny. As Xiala well knows, when a man is described as harmless, he usually ends up being a villain.

Crafted with unforgettable characters, Rebecca Roanhorse has created an epic adventure exploring the decadence of power amidst the weight of history and the struggle of individuals swimming against the confines of society and their broken pasts in the most original series debut of the decade.

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A Christmas Resolution by Anne Perry (Available Formats: Print Book)

A smitten woman is about to marry a dangerous man—unless Detective Hooper and his new wife, Celia, can prevent it—in this wickedly tangled holiday mystery from bestselling author Anne Perry.

Detective John Hooper, William Monk’s right-hand man at the Thames River Police, is blissfully happy in his new marriage to Celia, the cousin of a victim in one of the river police’s recent murder cases. Celia wants the same happiness for her good friend Clementine, who’s just announced her engagement to Seth Marlowe, a member of her church. Christmas is nearing, and this should be extra cause for celebration, but when Marlowe begins receiving threatening letters about his first wife’s death, it becomes clear that he is far from the devout man Clementine thought he was. In his rage, Marlowe accuses Celia of sending the letters, claiming she wants to ruin his engagement to Clementine. At a loss as to how to defend herself, Celia enlists Hooper to investigate the letters’ claims, and what he finds makes her desperate to show Clementine the truth about her soon-to-be husband.

But Celia herself has not always been truthful, especially not during the murder trial following her cousin’s death. How can she be believed now, when she lied on the stand? Especially when Marlowe knows that she did, and could use it against her. This Yuletide season finds love and faith put to the test—and Celia’s and Clementine’s lives on the line.

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Duke of Caladan by Brian Herbert (Available Format: Print Book)

A legend begins in Dune: Duke of Caladan, first in The Caladan Trilogy by New York Times bestselling authors Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson.

Leto Atreides, Duke of Caladan and father of the Muad’Dib. While all know of his fall and the rise of his son, little is known about the quiet ruler of Caladan and his partner Jessica. Or how a Duke of an inconsequential planet earned an emperor’s favor, the ire of House Harkonnen, and set himself on a collision course with his own death. This is the story.

Through patience and loyalty, Leto serves the Golden Lion Throne. Where others scheme, the Duke of Caladan acts. But Leto’s powerful enemies are starting to feel that he is rising beyond his station, and House Atreides rises too high. With unseen enemies circling, Leto must decide if the twin burdens of duty and honor are worth the price of his life, family, and love.

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Elsewhere: A Novel by Dean Koontz (Available Formats: Print Book, Audiobook on CD)

Since his wife, Michelle, left seven years ago, Jeffy Coltrane has worked to maintain a normal life for himself and his eleven-year-old daughter, Amity, in Suavidad Beach. It’s a quiet life, until a local eccentric known as Spooky Ed shows up on their doorstep. Ed entrusts Jeffy with hiding a strange and dangerous object-something he calls “the key to everything”-and tells Jeffy that he must never use the device. But after a visit from a group of ominous men, Jeffy and Amity find themselves accidentally activating the key and discovering an extraordinary truth. The device allows them to jump between parallel planes at once familiar and bizarre, wondrous and terrifying. And Jeffy and Amity can’t help but wonder, could Michelle be just a click away? Jeffy and Amity aren’t the only ones interested in the device.

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Fortune and Glory by Janet Evanovich (Available Formats: Print Book & Coming soon to the Digital Catalog in eBook & audiobook formats)

The twenty-seventh entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling series isn’t just the biggest case of Stephanie Plum’s career. It’s the adventure of a lifetime.

When Stephanie’s beloved Grandma Mazur’s new husband died on their wedding night, the only thing he left her was a beat-up old easy chair…and the keys to a life-changing fortune.

But as Stephanie and Grandma Mazur search for Jimmy Rosolli’s treasure, they discover that they’re not the only ones on the hunt. Two dangerous enemies from the past stand in their way—along with a new adversary who’s even more formidable: Gabriela Rose, a dark-eyed beauty from Little Havana with a taste for designer clothes. She’s also a soldier of fortune, a gourmet cook, an expert in firearms and mixed martial arts—and someone who’s about to give Stephanie a real run for her money.

Stephanie may be in over her head, but she’s got two things that Gabriela doesn’t: an unbreakable bond with her family and a stubborn streak that will never let her quit.

She’ll need both to survive because this search for “fortune and glory” will turn into a desperate race against time with more on the line than ever before. Because even as she searches for the treasure and fights to protect her Grandma Mazur, her own deepest feelings will be tested—as Stephanie could finally be forced to choose between Joe Morelli and Ranger.

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Gift of the Magpie by Donna Andrews (Available Formats: Print Book, Downloadable Audiobook)

The 28th book and the seventh Christmas mystery in the Meg Langslow series, The Gift of the Magpie is yet another wonderfully merry and funny book from New York Times bestselling author Donna Andrews.

Meg’s running Caerphilly’s Helping Hands for the Holidays project, in which neighbors help each other with things they can’t do and can’t afford to have done. Her hopes for a relatively peaceful (if busy) Christmas vanish when someone murders Harvey the Hoarder, whose house the Helping Hands were decluttering. Was there any truth to the rumor that he had something valuable hidden beneath all his junk? Was one of his friends, neighbors, or relatives greedy enough to murder him for the rumored treasure? And what about the magpie that has been bringing her family bits of tinsel and costume jewelry—does the bird’s latest gift hold a clue to solving the crime?

Full of intrigue, this Christmas mystery will take readers home to Caerphilly, where the suspense falls as thick as the snow.

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Hidden in Plain Sight by Jeffery Archer (Available Formats: Print Book, Audiobook on CD)

Jeffrey Archer’s Hidden in Plain Sight is the second novel featuring Detective William Warwick, by the master storyteller and #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Clifton Chronicles

William Warwick has been promoted to Detective Sergeant, but his promotion means that he, along with the rest of his team, have been reassigned to the Drugs Squad. They are immediately tasked with apprehending Ahmed Rashedi, a notorious drug dealer, who operates his extensive network out of South London.

As the investigation progresses, William runs into enemies old and new: Adrian Heath, from his school days, now a street dealer who he convinces to turn informer; and financier Miles Faulkner, who makes a mistake that could finally see him put behind bars. Meanwhile, William and his fiancée Beth enjoy making preparations for their upcoming wedding, though an unpleasant surprise awaits them at the altar.

As William’s team closes the net around a criminal network like none they have ever faced before, he devises a trap they would never expect, one that is hidden in plain sight . . .

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An Irish Country Welcome by Patrick Taylor (Available Formats: Print Book)

An Irish Country Welcome is a charming entry in Patrick Taylor’s internationally bestselling Irish Country series.

In the close-knit Northern Irish village of Ballybucklebo, it’s said that a new baby brings its own welcome. Young doctor Barry Laverty and his wife Sue are anxiously awaiting their first child, but as the community itself prepares to welcome a new decade, the closing months of the 1960s bring more than a televised moon landing to Barry, his friends, his neighbors, and his patients, including a number of sticky questions.

A fledgling doctor joins the practice as a trainee, but will the very upper-class Sebastian Carson be a good fit for the rough and tumble of Irish country life? And as sectarian tensions rise elsewhere in Ulster, can a Protestant man marry the Catholic woman he dearly loves, despite his father’s opposition? And who exactly is going to win the award for the best dandelion wine at this year’s Harvest Festival?

But while Barry and Dr. Fingal Flahertie O’Reilly and their fellow physicians deal with everything from brain surgery to a tractor accident to a difficult pregnancy, there’s still time to share the comforting joys and pleasures of this very special place: fly-fishing, boat races, and even the town’s very first talent competition!

Welcome back to Ballybucklebo, as vividly brought to life by a master storyteller

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Reverie by Ryan La Sala (Available Formats: eBook, Downloadable Audiobook, Print Book, eBook via Hoopla)

This title is the current OverDrive (Digital Catalog) Big Read title – which means it is currently available for everyone to check out and read, on demand, from the Digital Catalog and through its companion apps Libby & OverDrive!

Here’s the plot description:

A B&N’s YA Book Club Pick * Walmart Buzz Pick * Indie Next Pick * Book of the Month Club YA Box

A “joyously, riotously queer” (Kirkus) young adult fantasy from debut author Ryan La Sala, Reverie is a wildly imaginative story about dreams becoming reality, perfect for fans of Adam Silvera and Laini Taylor.

A few weeks ago, Kane Montgomery was in an accident that robbed him of his memory. The only thing he knows for certain is that the police found him half-dead in the river. The world as he knows it feels different—reality seems different. And when strange things start happening around him, Kane isn’t sure where to turn.

And then three of his classmates show up, claiming to be his friends and the only people who can tell him what’s truly going on. Kane doesn’t know what to believe or who he can trust. But as he and the others are dragged into increasingly fantastical dream worlds drawn from imagination, it becomes clear that there is dark magic at work. Nothing in Kane’s life is an accident, and only he can keep the world itself from unraveling.

Reverie is an intricate and compelling LGBT young adult book about the secret worlds we hide within ourselves and what happens when they become real.

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The Wonder Boy at the Whistlestop Café (Format: Print Book, Large Print, eBook)

A heartwarming novel about secrets of youth rediscovered, hometown memories, and the magical moments in ordinary lives, from the beloved author of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe

“Reading this novel is like entering a second childhood.”—Kirkus Reviews

Bud Threadgoode grew up in the bustling little railroad town of Whistle Stop with his mother, Ruth, church-going and proper, and his Aunt Idgie, the fun-loving hell-raiser. Together they ran the town’s popular Whistle Stop Cafe, known far and wide for its fun and famous fried green tomatoes. And as Bud often said of his childhood to his daughter Ruthie, “How lucky can you get?”
But sadly, as the railroad yards shut down and Whistle Stop became a ghost town, nothing was left but boarded-up buildings and memories of a happier time.

Then one day, Bud decides to take one last trip, just to see what has become of his beloved Whistle Stop. In so doing, he discovers new friends, as well as surprises about Idgie’s life, about Ninny Threadgoode and other beloved Fannie Flagg characters, and about the town itself. He also sets off a series of events, both touching and inspiring, which change his life and the lives of his daughter and many others. Could these events all be just coincidences? Or something else? And can you really go home again?

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Catalog Links:

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

The Digital Catalog has two companion apps, Libby & OverDrive. Libby is the app for newer devices and the OverDrive app should be used for older devices and Amazon tablets.

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

The Hoopla App is available for Android or Apple devices and most smart TVs & media streaming players.

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

The StarCat app is called Bookmyne and is available for Apple and Android devices.

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Southeast Steuben County Library Tel: 607-936-3713

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Have a great week!

Linda Reimer, SSCL

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

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StarCat

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

ABOUT LIBRARY APPS:

You can access digital library content, i.e. eBooks & downloadable audiobooks, on PCs, Macs and mobile devices.

For mobile devices simply download the Libby (eBooks & downloadable audiobooks) or the RB Digital app (on-demand magazines), from your app store to get started. And if you’re using a PC or Mac simply click on the following link: https://stls.overdrive.com/

If you have questions call the library at 607-936-3713 and one of our tech coaches will be happy to assist you.

Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.

Hi everyone, here is the weekly list of New York Times Bestsellers available in the Digital Catalog.

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If you have questions about how to access digital content, you can write a comment and post it on the blog, or send me, SSCL Librarian Linda Reimer, questions via email: reimerl@stls.org

 

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FICTION:

 

ANXIOUS PEOPLE by Fredrik Backman (eBook)

A failed bank robber holds a group of strangers hostage at an apartment open house.

 

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THE BOOK OF TWO WAYS by Jodi Picoult (eBook)

After surviving a plane crash, a death doula travels to Egypt to reconnect with an old flame who is an archaeologist.

 

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THE EVENING AND THE MORNING by Ken Follett (eBook)

In a prequel to “The Pillars of the Earth,” a boatbuilder, a Norman noblewoman and a monk live in England under attack by the Welsh and the Vikings.

 

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THE GUEST LIST by Lucy Foley (eBook)

A wedding between a TV star and a magazine publisher on an island off the coast of Ireland turns deadly.

 

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THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF ADDIE LARUE by V.E. Schwab (eBook)

A Faustian bargain comes with a curse that affects the adventure Addie LaRue has across centuries.

 

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THE LAST DRUID by Terry Brooks (eBook):

The fourth book in the Fall of Shannara series.

 

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LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND by Rumaan Alam (eBook)

A family vacation in an isolated part of Long Island is thrown into confusion when the home’s owners return claiming New York City is having a blackout.

 

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MEXICAN GOTHIC by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (eBook):

In 1950s Mexico, a debutante travels to a distant mansion where family secrets of a faded mining empire have been kept hidden.

 

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THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY by Matt Haig (eBook):

Nora Seed finds a library beyond the edge of the universe that contains books with multiple possibilities of the lives one could have lived.

 

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THE RETURN by Nicholas Sparks (eBook)

A doctor serving in the Navy in Afghanistan goes back to North Carolina where two women change his life.

 

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THE SEARCHER by Tana French (eBook)

After a divorce, a former Chicago police officer resettles in an Irish village where a boy goes missing.

 

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A TIME FOR MERCY by John Grisham (eBook):

The third book in the Jake Brigance series. A 16-year-old is accused of killing a deputy in Clanton, Miss., in 1990.

 

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TROUBLES IN PARADISE by Elin Hilderbrand (eBook)

The final installment of the trilogy that includes “Winter in Paradise” and “What Happens in Paradise.”

 

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THE VANISHING HALF by Brit Bennett (eBook)

The lives of twin sisters who run away from a Southern black community at age 16 diverge as one returns and the other takes on a different racial identity.

 

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WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING by Delia Owens (eBook)

In a quiet town on the North Carolina coast in 1969, a young woman who survived alone in the marsh becomes a murder suspect.

 

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NON-FICTION:

 

American Crisis by Andrew Cuomo (eBook)

The New York State governor gives his perspective on the Covid-19 crisis and prescribes ways to deal with future disasters.

 

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BLACKOUT by Candace Owens (eBook)

The conservative commentator makes her case that Black Americans should part ways with the Democratic Party.

 

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CASTE by Isabel Wilkerson (Downloadable Audiobook)

The Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist examines aspects of caste systems across civilizations and reveals a rigid hierarchy in America today.

 

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DISLOYAL by Michael Cohen (eBook):

An account of President Trump’s business empire, political campaign and presidential administration by his former personal attorney.

 

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GREENLIGHTS by Matthew McConaughey (Downloadable Audiobook):

The Academy Award-winning actor shares snippets from the diaries he kept over the last 35 years.

 

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HOW TO BE AN ANTIRACIST by Ibram X. Kendi (eBook)

A primer for creating a more just and equitable society through identifying and opposing racism.

 

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IS THIS ANYTHING? by Jerry Seinfeld (eBook)

The comedian shares material he collected in an accordion folder over the last 45 years.

 

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KILLING CRAZY HORSE by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard (eBook)

The ninth book in the conservative commentator’s Killing series focuses on conflicts with Native Americans.

 

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RAGE by Bob Woodward (eBook)

Based on 17 on-the-record interviews with President Trump and other reporting, the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist details the president’s perspective on multiple crises.

 

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SHADE by Pete Souza (eBook)

The former White House photographer juxtaposes pictures of former President Obama with tweets, headlines and quotes from the Trump administration.

 

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TEN LESSONS FOR A POST-PANDEMIC WORLD by Fareed Zakaria (eBook)

The CNN host posits what might happen on the other side of the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

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UNTAMED by Glennon Doyle (eBook)

The activist and public speaker describes her journey of listening to her inner voice.

 

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Be well and read on!

Linda Reimer, SSL

 

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Note: this list contains all the New York Times fiction and non-fiction bestsellers for the week that are owned by libraries within the Southern Tier Library System.

Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.

Hi everyone, welcome to our Suggested Listening posting for this week!

Our Suggested Listening postings focus on the music of the past, with a few new songs mixed in for good measure.

–

Suggested Listening postings come out weekly, on Fridays, and  the next Suggested Listening posting will be out on Friday, November 6, 2020.

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To celebrate the Halloween season, here is a collection of music videos featuring spooky music!

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The Black Cat – Ozzie Nelson & His Orchestra

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Black Magic Woman by Santana

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Ghostbusters by Ray Parker Jr.

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The Great Pumpkin Waltz by Vince Guaraldi

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Haunted Blues by Memphis Minnie

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The Haunted House by Ray Noble & His Orchestra

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The Headless Horseman by Kay Starr & Billy Butterfield Quintet

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I Put A Spell On You by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins

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Love Potion No. 9 by The Searchers

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Monster Mash by Bobby Boris Pickett & introduced by Dick Clark

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Mr. Ghost Goes To Town by Louis Prima & His New Orleans Gang

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Music to be Murdered By by Alfred Hitchcock & His Orchestra

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Spooks by Louis Armstrong

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Swinging at the Séance by Glenn Miller & his Orchestra

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Bonus Non-Music Clip: Super Relaxing Fireplace Sounds
For those of us who like to read and relax in front of a cozy, crackling fire in a fire place – but don’t have a fire place; here is a video offering 12 hours of a cheerful and relaxing fire – great for putting up on the large screen TV in your living room!

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Hoopla Pick of the Week

This album features a collection of top-notch, spooky classical music!

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Have a great weekend!

Linda Reimer, SSCL

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REFERENCES:

Print References

The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits by Joel Whitburn

Online References

AllMusic: https://www.allmusic.com/

–

Online Catalog Links:

StarCat

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

The Digital Catalog (OverDrive)

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

–

Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.

Hi everyone, here are our recommended titles for the week, consisting entirely of eBooks & downloadable audiobooks available through the Digital Catalog.

–

Weekly Suggested Reading postings are published on Tuesdays.

–

Since Halloween is this Saturday, and this is the perfect time of year to listen to spooky stories in front of the fire with a cup of hot chocolate in hand, even if the crackling fire place is a virtual one! So, our recommended “reads” for this week are all spooky downloadable audiobooks – most of which are new to the catalog having migrated from the RB Digital Catalog.

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An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge written by Ambrose Bierce & read by Mark Hammer

A collection of stories of the supernatural, of ghosts and “strange doings” by a master teller of tales. Includes these stories: An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge; The Damned Thing; A Watcher by the Dead; An Inhabitant of Carcosa; The Famous Gilson Bequest; The Eyes of the Panther; The Secret of Macarger’s Gulch; The Night-Doings at Deadman’s

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The Body Snatchers and Other Stories written by Robert Louis Stevenson & read by Alexander Spencer

The Body-Snatchers is a “crawler” in Stevenson’s words, a tale of an avenging ghost and two medical students assigned to procure a corpse for an anatomy class. Includes: The Isle of Voices and The Waif Woman

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Frankenstein written by Mary Shelley & read by George Guidall

On the deck of his ice-imprisoned ship, explorer Robert Walton watches from a great distance as an enormous apparition travels with much haste across the frozen shore. The next day, Walton fishes from the sea a melancholy scientist named Frankenstein, who shares with Walton the horrifying account of his life and of the “hideous progeny” he set loose upon the world. Frankenstein was written while 19-year-old Mary Shelley vacationed in Geneva with poets Percy Bysshe Shelley and Lord Byron. An incessantly rainy summer prompted Byron to challenge the members of the party to write a tale of the supernatural. While listening to a discussion concerning the theory of electrical reanimation, Mary Shelley was struck, almost to terror, with the idea for Frankenstein: “The idea so possessed my mind that a thrill of fear ran through me, and I wished to exchange the ghastly image of my fancy for the realities around.” A universal classic, Mary Shelley’s romantic tale of an ambitious doctor who places himself in the dangerous role of God was first published anonymously in 1818. Master narrator George Guidall skillfully brings to life the doctor and his unhappy creation.

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The House of the Seven Gables written by Nathaniel Hawthorne & read by Roslyn Alexander

The House of the Seven Gables, a fixture in Hawthorne’s Salem, serves as the ancestral home of the fictional Pyncheon family—whose distinguished legacy is tainted by pious thievery. When country cousin Phoebe arrives at the house, she is like a cool breeze, refreshing a room that has been sealed for too long. The resulting mixture of dark and light imagery, illustrated by Hawthorne’s rich prose, makes this romance an important American classic.

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The Invisible Man written by H.G. Wells & read by Victoria Morgan

“I had not expected the suffering. A night of racking anguish, sickness and fainting. I became insensible and woke languid in the darkness. I shall never forget that dawn, and the strange horror of seeing that my hands had become as clouded glass, and watching them grow clearer and thinner as the day went by. My limbs became glassy, the bones and arteries faded, vanished, and the little white nerves went last. At last only the dead tips of the fingernails remained, pallid and white. I went and stared at nothing in my shaving glass. I had become an invisible man.” Vicki Morgan’ s entertaining narration of this science fiction classic is a great introduction to the fantastic world of H.G. Wells and the brilliant imagination, the psychological insight, and startlingly accurate scientific predictions that made him one of the most influential writers of his day.

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The Picture of Dorian Gray written by Oscar Wilde & read by Steven Crossley

Moral fantasy novel by Oscar Wilde, published in an early form in Lippincott’s Magazine in 1890. The novel had six additional chapters when it appeared in book form in 1891. An archetypal tale of a young man who purchases eternal youth at the expense of his soul, the novel was a romantic exposition of Wilde’s aestheticism. Dorian Gray is a wealthy Englishman who gradually sinks into a life of dissipation and crime. Despite his unhealthy behavior, his physical appearance remains youthful and unmarked by dissolution. Instead, a portrait of himself catalogues every evil deed by turning his once handsome features into a hideous mask. When Gray destroys the painting, his face turns into a human replica of the portrait, and he dies.Gray’s final negation, “ugliness is the only reality,” neatly summarizes Wilde’s aestheticism, both his love of the beautiful and his fascination with the profane.

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Rip Van Winkle and the Legend of Sleepy Hollow written by Washington Irving & read by James Hamilton

This selection includes two world-famous children’s tales by American author, Washington Irving, well known for his ability to bring humor to the silly vanities that characterize human nature. In the first story, Rip Van Winkle falls asleep only to wake up 20 years later, finding he has literally slept his life away. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow tells the tale of the gawky schoolmaster, Ichabod Crane, and his rival Brom Bones, who each woo pretty Katrina Van Tassel until a Headless Horseman makes his ghostly ride. Washington Irving was one of America’s earliest and most popular writers. Famous for his short stories, Irving was also a chronicler of the frontier, a folklorist and a noted political satirist and essayist. In The Sketch Book, of which these two selections are a part, Irving drew upon the myths and legends of local and European folklore. His original creations of characters like Ichabod Crane and Rip Van Winkle have become lasting contributions to our national literary heritage, as distinctly American as Natty Bumppo, Captain Ahab, and Huckleberry Finn.

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Tales of Terror written by Edgar Allan Poe and read by Jack Foreman

If you have never heard a tale by the Master of Terror, a treat awaits you. If you have, now you can listen with the lights out! With these stories: The Tell-Tale Heart; The Black Cat; The Cask of Amontillado; The Pit and the Pendulum; The Masque of the Red Death; The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar; Hop Frog; The Fall of the House of Usher; and The Murders in the Rue Morgue

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The Turn of the Key written by Ruth Ware & read by Imogen Church

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lying Game and The Death of Mrs. Westaway comes this thrilling novel that explores the dark side of technology.

When she stumbles across the ad, she’s looking for something else completely. But it seems like too good an opportunity to miss—a live-in nannying post, with a staggeringly generous salary. And when Rowan Caine arrives at Heatherbrae House, she is smitten—by the luxurious “smart” home fitted out with all modern conveniences, by the beautiful Scottish Highlands, and by this picture-perfect family.

What she doesn’t know is that she’s stepping into a nightmare—one that will end with a child dead and herself in prison awaiting trial for murder.

Writing to her lawyer from prison, she struggles to explain the events that led to her incarceration. It wasn’t just the constant surveillance from the home’s cameras, or the malfunctioning technology that woke the household with booming music, or turned the lights off at the worst possible time. It wasn’t just the girls, who turned out to be a far cry from the immaculately behaved model children she met at her interview. It wasn’t even the way she was left alone for weeks at a time, with no adults around apart from the enigmatic handyman.

It was everything.

She knows she’s made mistakes. She admits that she lied to obtain the post, and that her behavior toward the children wasn’t always ideal. She’s not innocent, by any means. But, she maintains, she’s not guilty—at least not of murder—but somebody is.

Full of spellbinding menace and told in Ruth Ware’s signature suspenseful style, The Turn of the Key is an unputdownable thriller from the Agatha Christie of our time.

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The Turn of the Screw written by Henry James & read by Bianca Amato

The Turn of the Screw is a fireside tale of evil and mystery. Filled with extraordinary drama, Henry James’ story has been widely popular ever since its publication in 1898. It also inspired a film, a play, and an opera. A governess has been hired to care for two orphaned young children in their uncle’s English country home. But soon after she meets the boy and his sister, the governess begins to see fearful apparitions. With growing alarm, she must wonder about the target of the ghostly presences. Are they haunting her, or the sweet, innocent children? Henry James gives no answers to this question. Instead, he leaves the listener to ponder the relationships between evil and horror, imagination and reality.

–

Hoopla Reading Recommendation of the Week

The Woman in the Mirror written by Rebecca James and read by Charlotte Newton-John & Katharine Mangold (Format: Downloadable Audiobook)

Rebecca James unveils a chilling modern gothic novel of a family consumed by the shadows and secrets of its past in The Woman in the Mirror.

For more than two centuries, Winterbourne Hall has stood atop a bluff overseeing the English countryside of Cornwall and the sea beyond.

In 1947, Londoner Alice Miller accepts a post as governess at Winterbourne, looking after Captain Jonathan de Grey’s twin children. Falling under the de Greys’ spell, Alice believes the family will heal her own past sorrows. But then the twins’ adoration becomes deceitful and taunting. Their father, ever distant, turns spiteful and cruel. The manor itself seems to lash out. Alice finds her surroundings subtly altered, her air slightly chilled. Something malicious resents her presence, something clouding her senses and threatening her very sanity.

In present day New York, art gallery curator Rachel Wright has learned she is a descendant of the de Greys and heir to Winterbourne. Adopted as an infant, she never knew her birth parents or her lineage. At long last, Rachel will find answers to questions about her identity that have haunted her entire life. But what she finds in Cornwall is a devastating tragic legacy that has afflicted generations of de Greys. A legacy borne from greed and deceit, twisted by madness, and suffused with unrequited love and unequivocal rage.

Note: You must have a Southeast Steuben County Library Card to check out Hoopla eBooks.

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Have a great week!

Linda Reimer, SSCL

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

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StarCat

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

ABOUT LIBRARY APPS:

You can access digital library content, i.e. eBooks & downloadable audiobooks, on PCs, Macs and mobile devices.

For mobile devices simply download the Libby (eBooks & downloadable audiobooks) or the RB Digital app (on-demand magazines), from your app store to get started. And if you’re using a PC or Mac simply click on the following link: https://stls.overdrive.com/

If you have questions call the library at 607-936-3713 and one of our tech coaches will be happy to assist you.

Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.

Hi everyone, here is the weekly list of New York Times Bestsellers available in the Digital Catalog.

–

If you have questions about how to access digital content, you can write a comment and post it on the blog, or send me, SSCL Librarian Linda Reimer, questions via email: reimerl@stls.org

 

–

 

FICTION:

 

ANXIOUS PEOPLE by Fredrik Backman (eBook)

A failed bank robber holds a group of strangers hostage at an apartment open house.

 

–

 

THE BOOK OF TWO WAYS by Jodi Picoult (eBook)

After surviving a plane crash, a death doula travels to Egypt to reconnect with an old flame who is an archaeologist.

 

–

 

THE EVENING AND THE MORNING by Ken Follett (eBook)

In a prequel to “The Pillars of the Earth,” a boatbuilder, a Norman noblewoman and a monk live in England under attack by the Welsh and the Vikings.

 

–

 

THE GUEST LIST by Lucy Foley (eBook)

 

A wedding between a TV star and a magazine publisher on an island off the coast of Ireland turns deadly.

 

–

 

THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF ADDIE LARUE by V.E. Schwab (eBook)

A Faustian bargain comes with a curse that affects the adventure Addie LaRue has across centuries.

 

–

 

LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND by Rumaan Alam (eBook)

A family vacation in an isolated part of Long Island is thrown into confusion when the home’s owners return claiming New York City is having a blackout.

 

–

 

THE RETURN by Nicholas Sparks (eBook)

 

A doctor serving in the Navy in Afghanistan goes back to North Carolina where two women change his life.

 

–

 

THE SEARCHER by Tana French (eBook)

After a divorce, a former Chicago police officer resettles in an Irish village where a boy goes missing.

 

–

 

A TIME FOR MERCY by John Grisham (eBook):

The third book in the Jake Brigance series. A 16-year-old is accused of killing a deputy in Clanton, Miss., in 1990.

 

–

 

TROUBLES IN PARADISE by Elin Hilderbrand (eBook)

The final installment of the trilogy that includes “Winter in Paradise” and “What Happens in Paradise.”

 

–

 

THE VANISHING HALF by Brit Bennett (eBook)

The lives of twin sisters who run away from a Southern black community at age 16 diverge as one returns and the other takes on a different racial identity.

 

–

 

WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING by Delia Owens (eBook)

In a quiet town on the North Carolina coast in 1969, a young woman who survived alone in the marsh becomes a murder suspect.

 

–

 

NON-FICTION:

 

American Crisis by Andrew Cuomo (eBook)

The New York State governor gives his perspective on the Covid-19 crisis and prescribes ways to deal with future disasters.

 

–

 

BLACKOUT by Candace Owens (eBook)

The conservative commentator makes her case that Black Americans should part ways with the Democratic Party.

 

–

 

CASTE by Isabel Wilkerson (Downloadable Audiobook)

The Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist examines aspects of caste systems across civilizations and reveals a rigid hierarchy in America today.

 

–

 

DISLOYAL by Michael Cohen (eBook):

An account of President Trump’s business empire, political campaign and presidential administration by his former personal attorney.

 

–

 

HOW TO BE AN ANTIRACIST by Ibram X. Kendi (eBook)

A primer for creating a more just and equitable society through identifying and opposing racism.

 

–

IS THIS ANYTHING? by Jerry Seinfeld (eBook)

The comedian shares material he collected in an accordion folder over the last 45 years.

 

–

 

KILLING CRAZY HORSE by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard (eBook)

The ninth book in the conservative commentator’s Killing series focuses on conflicts with Native Americans.

 

–

 

MEANING OF MARIAH CAREY by Mariah Carey with Michaela Angela Davis (eBook)

The career highlights, public life and private struggles of the singer and songwriter.

 

–

 

RAGE by Bob Woodward (eBook)

Based on 17 on-the-record interviews with President Trump and other reporting, the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist details the president’s perspective on multiple crises.

 

–

 

TEN LESSONS FOR A POST-PANDEMIC WORLD by Fareed Zakaria (eBook)

The CNN host posits what might happen on the other side of the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

–

 

TOO MUCH AND NEVER ENOUGH by Mary L. Trump (eBook)

The clinical psychologist gives her assessment of events and patterns inside her family and how they shaped President Trump.

 

–

 

UNTAMED by Glennon Doyle (eBook)

The activist and public speaker describes her journey of listening to her inner voice.

 

–

 

WHITE FRAGILITY by Robin DiAngelo (eBook)

Historical and cultural analyses on what causes defensive moves by white people and how this inhibits cross-racial dialogue.

 

–

 

Be well and read on!

Linda Reimer, SSL

 

–

 

Note: this list contains all the New York Times fiction and non-fiction bestsellers for the week that are owned by libraries within the Southern Tier Library System.

Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.

Hi everyone, welcome to our Suggested Listening posting for this week!

Our Suggested Listening postings focus on the music of the past, with a few new songs mixed in for good measure.

–

Suggested Listening postings come out weekly, on Fridays, and  the next Suggested Listening posting will be out on Friday, October 30, 2020.

–

Congeniality by Ornette Coleman (Genre: Jazz)

From Coleman’s classic album, The Shape of Jazz To Come (1960).

–

Dreamsville by Henry Mancini (Genre: Soundtrack, Easy Listening, Piano)

From Mancini’s classic soundtrack album – Music from Peter Gunn (1959).

–

Feels So Good by Chuck Mangione (Genre: Jazz, Easy Listening, Trumpet)

From Mangione’s smash album of the same name – Feels So Good (1977).

–

Garden Song by Sally Anne Morgan (Genre: Folk, Americana)

Morgan, formerly a member of the Black Twig Pickers, makes her solo debut with this lovely folk album – Threads (2020).

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Little Red Rooster by Sam Cooke (Genre: R&B, Sixties R&B)

A terrific version of the blues classic, composed by Chester Burnett (aka Howlin’ Wolf) and Willie Dixon, from Cooke’s classic album Night Beat (1963).

And as a bonus, here is the original version by Howlin’ Wolf!

–

Little Red Rooster by Howlin’ Wolf (Genre: Blues)

Also playing on the track is the songs’ co-writer, bassist Willie Dixon and blues guitar master Hubert Sumlin. The song is from Wolf’s second album Howlin’ Wolf (1962) (AKA The Rockin’ Chair album).

–

One Minute You’re Here by Bruce Springsteen (Genre: Singer-Songwriter, Rock)

From the the new Springsteen & The E Street Band album Letter To You (2020).

–

Rocket 88 by Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats (also known as Ike Turner & His King’s of Rhythm)

A hit for Sun Records and a classic fifties song, from the era when musicians were mixing swing with R&B to produce a new art form – Rock n’ Roll!

–

Smiling Bill McCall by Johnny Cash (Genre: Country, Classic Country)

An upbeat song, musically, with interesting lyrics! From Cash’s classic concept album, Ride This Train (1960).

–

Tijuana Taxi by Herb Alpert (Genre: Easy Listening, Trumpet)

From the group’s classic album !!Going Places!! (1965).

–

Symphony No. 3 in D Major, D. 200: II. Allegretto performed by the B’Rock Ensemble & conducted by René Jacobs (Genre: Classical)

A fresh and bright interpretation Schubert’s 1 & 2 symphonies can be found on the aptly titled new album, Schubert 2 & 3, by the Belgian group B’Rock.

–

Hoopla Pick of the Week

A 16 song collection of previously unreleased songs by the introspective master of Americana music – Gillian Welch.

–

Have a great weekend!

Linda Reimer, SSCL

–

REFERENCES:

Print References

The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits by Joel Whitburn

Online References

AllMusic: https://www.allmusic.com/

–

Gillian Welch: Boots No 2: The Lost Songs, Vol 1 review – inspired outtakes from 2002. The Guardian., https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/aug/09/gillian-welch-boots-no-2-the-lost-songs-vol-1-review-inspired-outtakes-from-2002

–

Online Catalog Links:

StarCat

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

The Digital Catalog (OverDrive)

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

ABOUT LIBRARY APPS: Libby & RBDigital:

You can access digital library content on PCs, Macs and mobile devices. For mobile devices simply download the Libby and/or the RBDigital app, to check out eBooks, downloadable audiobooks and on-demand magazines, from your app store to get started. If you have questions call the library at 607-936-3713 and one of our tech coaches will be happy to assist you.

Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.

Hi everyone, here is the weekly list of New York Times Bestsellers available in the Digital Catalog.

–

If you have questions about how to access digital content, you can write a comment and post it on the blog, or send me, SSCL Librarian Linda Reimer, questions via email: reimerl@stls.org

 

–

 

FICTION:

 

ANXIOUS PEOPLE by Fredrik Backman (eBook)

A failed bank robber holds a group of strangers hostage at an apartment open house.

 

–

 

THE BOOK OF TWO WAYS by Jodi Picoult (eBook)

After surviving a plane crash, a death doula travels to Egypt to reconnect with an old flame who is an archaeologist.

 

–

 

THE EVENING AND THE MORNING by Ken Follett (eBook)

In a prequel to “The Pillars of the Earth,” a boatbuilder, a Norman noblewoman and a monk live in England under attack by the Welsh and the Vikings.

 

–

 

THE GUEST LIST by Lucy Foley (eBook)

 

A wedding between a TV star and a magazine publisher on an island off the coast of Ireland turns deadly.

 

–

 

THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF ADDIE LARUE by V.E. Schwab (eBook)

A Faustian bargain comes with a curse that affects the adventure Addie LaRue has across centuries.

 

–

 

LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND by Rumaan Alam (eBook)

A family vacation in an isolated part of Long Island is thrown into confusion when the home’s owners return claiming New York City is having a blackout.

 

–

 

MAGIC LESSONS by Alice Hoffman (eBook)

  In a prequel to “Practical Magic,” Maria Owens invokes a curse that will haunt her family in Salem, Mass.

 

–

 

ONE BY ONE by Ruth Ware (eBook)

An avalanche tests the bonds of coworkers from a London-based tech startup on a corporate retreat in the French Alps.

 

–

 

THE RETURN by Nicholas Sparks (eBook)

 

A doctor serving in the Navy in Afghanistan goes back to North Carolina where two women change his life.

 

–

 

THE SEARCHER by Tana French (eBook)

 

After a divorce, a former Chicago police officer resettles in an Irish village where a boy goes missing.

 

–

 

TROUBLES IN PARADISE by Elin Hilderbrand (eBook)

The final installment of the trilogy that includes “Winter in Paradise” and “What Happens in Paradise.”

 

–

 

THE VANISHING HALF by Brit Bennett (eBook)

The lives of twin sisters who run away from a Southern black community at age 16 diverge as one returns and the other takes on a different racial identity.

 

–

 

VINCE FLYNN: TOTAL POWER by Kyle Mills (Audiobook)

When America’s power grid is shut down, Mitch Rapp goes after a cyber terrorist.

 

–

 

WALK THE WIRE by David Baldacci (eBooks)

The sixth book in the Memory Man series. Decker and Jamison investigate a murder in a North Dakota town in a fracking boom.

 

–

 

WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING by Delia Owens (eBook)

In a quiet town on the North Carolina coast in 1969, a young woman who survived alone in the marsh becomes a murder suspect.

 

–

 

NON-FICTION:

 

CASTE by Isabel Wilkerson (Downloadable Audiobook)

The Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist examines aspects of caste systems across civilizations and reveals a rigid hierarchy in America today.

 

–

 

HOW TO BE AN ANTIRACIST by Ibram X. Kendi (eBook)

A primer for creating a more just and equitable society through identifying and opposing racism.

 

–

 

KILLING CRAZY HORSE by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard (eBook)

The ninth book in the conservative commentator’s Killing series focuses on conflicts with Native Americans.

 

–

 

RAGE by Bob Woodward (eBook)

Based on 17 on-the-record interviews with President Trump and other reporting, the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist details the president’s perspective on multiple crises.

 

–

 

TEN LESSONS FOR A POST-PANDEMIC WORLD by Fareed Zakaria (eBook)

The CNN host posits what might happen on the other side of the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

–

 

TRUST by Pete Buttigieg (eBook)

The former mayor of South Bend and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate prescribes ways to restore what he considers an essential element of America’s democracy.

 

–

 

UNTAMED by Glennon Doyle (eBook)

The activist and public speaker describes her journey of listening to her inner voice.

 

–

 

WHITE FRAGILITY by Robin DiAngelo (eBook)

Historical and cultural analyses on what causes defensive moves by white people and how this inhibits cross-racial dialogue.

 

–

 

Be well and read on!

Linda Reimer, SSL

 

–

 

Note: this list contains all the New York Times fiction and non-fiction bestsellers for the week that are owned by libraries within the Southern Tier Library System.

Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.

Hi everyone, welcome to our Suggested Listening posting for this week!

Our Suggested Listening postings focus on the music of the past, with a few new songs mixed in for good measure.

–

Suggested Listening postings come out weekly, on Fridays, and  the next Suggested Listening posting will be out on Friday, October 23, 2020.

 

–

 

All I Want is You by Joey Molland (Genre: Rock, Classic Rock)

From Molland’s upbeat Beatle-esque new album True To Yourself (2020). Molland is best known as a member of the classic rock group Badfinger.

 

–

 

Bare Trees by Fleetwood Mac (Genre: Pop, Rock)

 

–

 

Coming Your Way by Fleetwood Mac (Genre: Pop, Rock)

Both songs, Bare Trees & Coming Your Way, are featured on the collection Fleetwood Mac: 1969-1974 (2020)* by Fleetwood Mac.

The box set features the band’s classic albums: They Play On (1969), Kiln House (1970), Future Games (1971), Bare Trees (1972), Penguin (1973), Mystery To Me (1973) and Heroes Are Hard To Find (1974); as well as a previously unreleased recording made at a concert the group gave in Sausalito, California on December 15, 1974.

Coming Your Way was originally featured on the album Then Play On (1969) & Bare Trees is the title track from the group’s 1972 album of, obviously, the same name – Bare Trees.

 

–

 

For Shame of Doing Wrong by Richard and Linda Thompson (Genre: Folk, Folk/Rock)

For Shame of Doing Wrong is featured in the new box set Hard Luck Stories: 1972-1982 (2020)* by Richard & Linda Thompson.

The box set features the eight terrific studio albums the musical duo recorded while married: I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight (1974), Hokey Pokey (1975), Pour Down Like Silver (1975), First Light (1978), Richard & Linda Thompson’s Sunnyvista (1979), and Shoot Out the Lights (1982).

 

–

 

Higher Love by Ronnie Earl (Genre: Blues)

From Earl’s new & upbeat album Rise Up (2020).

 

–

 

Once Upon A Time Mini-Documentary (with great music!) by Bob James (Genre: Jazz)

Recorded while keyboard great James was a college student!

From the new release Once Upon a Time: The Lost 1965 New York Studio Sessions (2020) by Bob James (Genre: Jazz).

 

–

 

Strange Land by New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers (Genre: Blues, Rock)

The New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers are a super group consisting of blues guitarists Luther Dickinson, Jim Dickinson, Cody Dickinson, Alvin Youngblood Hart and Jimbo Mathu and harpist Charlie Musslewhite.

This album, New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers, Vol. 1 was recorded in 2007 and just released. And if you’re in the mood for a fun blues album – check this one out!

 

–

 

Sword Dance by Xuefei Yang (Genre: Classical, Guitar)

From guitarist Yang’s great new album Sketches of China (2020)

 

–

 

Waving At The Window by Travis (Rock, Indie Rock)

From the indie band’s new LP Travis (2020).

 

–

 

Wildflowers by Tom Petty (Genre: Rock, Traditional Rock)

From the album Wildflowers & All the Rest (2020) which features the original Wildflowers album from 1994, as well as demos, out-takes and home recordings all packed into one fun rockin’ collection.

–

Hoopla Pick of the Week

American Utopia on Broadway (Original Cast Recording) (2020) by David Byrne

NPR recently interviewed David Byrne and discussed the American Utopia album – that they quite liked as you’ll see by the title of the interview article, followed by the link to the article in case anyone would like to read the article while listening to the album!

David Byrne And Spike Lee Conjure Up A Joyous Vision Of ‘American Utopia’ by John Powers for NPR (October 13, 2020): https://www.npr.org/2020/10/13/923258756/david-byrne-and-spike-lee-conjure-up-a-joyous-vision-of-american-utopia

–

Have a great weekend!

Linda Reimer, SSCL

–

REFERENCES:

Print References

The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits by Joel Whitburn

Online References

AllMusic: https://www.allmusic.com/

Shostakovich: Piano Quintet; Seven Romances on Poems by Alexander Blok (2020) performed by Trio Wanderer / Christophe Gaugué / Catherine Montier / Ekaterina Semenchuk, AllMusic Review., https://www.allmusic.com/album/shostakovich-piano-quintet-seven-romances-on-poems-by-alexander-blok-mw0003402994

–

Online Catalog Links:

StarCat

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

The Digital Catalog (OverDrive)

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

ABOUT LIBRARY APPS: Libby & RBDigital:

You can access digital library content on PCs, Macs and mobile devices. For mobile devices simply download the Libby and/or the RBDigital app, to check out eBooks, downloadable audiobooks and on-demand magazines, from your app store to get started. If you have questions call the library at 607-936-3713 and one of our tech coaches will be happy to assist you.

Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.

Hi everyone, here are our recommended titles for the week, consisting entirely of eBooks & downloadable audiobooks available through the Digital Catalog.

–

Weekly Suggested Reading postings are published on Tuesdays.

–

The Boys Club: A Novel by Erica Katz (Format: eBook)

Sweetbitter meets The Firm in this buzzy, page-turning debut novel—already optioned to Netflix—about sex and power in the halls of corporate America.

One of Buzzfeed’s Most Anticipated Books of 2020, Cosmopolitan’s Best Summer Reads of 2020, and the New York Post’s 30 Best Summer Books

Alex Vogel has always been a high achiever who lived her life by the book—star student and athlete in high school, prelaw whiz in college, Harvard Law School degree. Accepting a dream offer at the prestigious Manhattan law firm of Klasko & Fitch, she promises her sweet and supportive longtime boyfriend that the job won’t change her.

Yet Alex is seduced by the firm’s money and energy . . . and by her cocksure male colleagues, who quickly take notice of the new girl. She’s never felt so confident and powerful—even the innuendo-laced banter with clients feels fun. In the firm’s most profitable and competitive division, Mergers and Acquisitions, Alex works around the clock, racking up billable hours and entertaining clients late into the evening. While the job is punishing, it has its perks, like a weekend trip to Miami, a ride in a client’s private jet, and more expense-account meals than she can count.

But as her clients’ expectations and demands on her increase, and Alex finds herself magnetically drawn to a handsome coworker despite her loving relationship at home, she begins to question everything—including herself. She knows the corporate world isn’t black and white, and that to reach the top means playing by different rules. But who made those rules? And what if the system rigged so that women can’t win, anyway?

When something happens that reveals the dark reality of the firm, Alex comes to understand the ways women like her are told—explicitly and implicitly—how they need to behave to succeed in the workplace. Now, she can no longer stand by silently—even if doing what’s right means putting everything on the line to expose the shocking truth.

–

Death by Chocolate Malted Milkshake by Sarah Graves (Format: eBook)

When murder interrupts a Maine island wedding, two local confectioners go sifting through suspects in this mystery by the author of Dead Cat Bounce.

With their waterfront bakeshop, The Chocolate Moose, Jacobia “Jake” Tiptree and her best friend Ellie offer sweets to the salty locals of Eastport, Maine. Now they’ve been asked to bake a wedding whoopie pie for Eastport’s favorite lovebirds, Sharon Sweetwater and Andy Devine. The custom-ordered confection is about to reel in some much-needed dough for Jake and Ellie. But the celebratory air, and sweet smell of success, are ruined by foul murder.

When Sharon’s bitter ex-boyfriend Toby is poisoned with an arsenic-laced milkshake, Andy is arrested and the wedding is cancelled, whoopie pie and all. Then Sharon makes a shocking confession—one that sounds like a fishy attempt to get Andy off the hook. Now both the bride and groom are behind bars. And with the fate of The Chocolate Moose at stake, it’s up to Jake and Ellie to clear their names and make sure justice is served.

–

Final Cut: A Novel by S. J. Watson (Format: eBook)

A gripping new psychological thriller from S.J. Watson, the New York Times bestselling author of Before I Go to Sleep, in which a documentary filmmaker travels to a sleepy fishing village to shoot her new film and encounters a dark mystery surrounding the disappearance of a local girl.

They tried to hide the truth. But the camera never lies…

Blackwood Bay. An ordinary place, home to ordinary people.

It used to be a buzzing seaside destination. But now, ravaged by the effects of dwindling tourism and economic downturn, it’s a ghost town—and the perfect place for film-maker Alex to shoot her new documentary. But the community is deeply suspicious of her intentions. After all, nothing exciting ever happens in Blackwood Bay—or does it?

–

Haunted House Murder by Leslie Meier, Lee Hollis & Barbara Ross (Format: eBook)

Tricks and treats keep the Halloween spirit alive in coastal Maine. But this year the haunted house theme is getting carried a little too far . . .

HAUNTED HOUSE MURDER by LESLIE MEIER
Newcomers to Tinker’s Cove, Ty and Heather Moon have moved into a dilapidated house reputed to be a haven for ghosts. Now strange noises and flickering lights erupt from the house at all hours and neighborly relations are on edge. And when a local boy goes missing near the house, it’s up to Lucy Stone to unravel the mystery of the eccentric couple and their increasingly frightful behavior.

DEATH BY HAUNTED HOUSE by LEE HOLLIS
For the past two years, the house next door to Hayley Powell has sat abandoned after the owner died under mysterious circumstances. The Salinger family has recently taken possession of the property, but the realtor behind the deal has vanished—after a very public and angry argument with Damien Salinger. If Bar Harbor’s newest neighbors are murderers, Hayley will haunt them until they confess.

HALLOWED OUT by BARBARA ROSS
With its history of hauntings and ghost sightings, Busman’s Harbor is the perfect setting for Halloween festivities. But when a reenactment of a Prohibition-era gangster’s murder ends with a literal bang and a dead actor from New Jersey, Julia Snowden must identify a killer before she ends up sleeping with the fishes.

PRAISE FOR HAUNTED HOUSE MURDER

“Haunted houses, a holiday staple, are an especially good fit for the authors’ folksy Down East setting. All three tales offer a dash of detection, but their strong suit is hometown charm.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Enjoyable. . . . The well-drawn main characters, not the spooky goings-on, are the main attraction. Cozy fans are in for a Halloween treat.”
—Publishers Weekly

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The Midnight Bargain by C. L. Polk (Format: eBook)

From the beloved World Fantasy Award-winning author of Witchmark comes a sweeping, romantic new fantasy set in a world reminiscent of Regency England, where women’s magic is taken from them when they marry. A sorceress must balance her desire to become the first great female magician against her duty to her family.

Beatrice Clayborn is a sorceress who practices magic in secret, terrified of the day she will be locked into a marital collar that will cut off her powers to protect her unborn children. She dreams of becoming a full-fledged Magus and pursuing magic as her calling as men do, but her family has staked everything to equip her for Bargaining Season, when young men and women of means descend upon the city to negotiate the best marriages. The Clayborns are in severe debt, and only she can save them, by securing an advantageous match before their creditors come calling.

In a stroke of luck, Beatrice finds a grimoire that contains the key to becoming a Magus, but before she can purchase it, a rival sorceress swindles the book right out of her hands. Beatrice summons a spirit to help her get it back, but her new ally exacts a price: Beatrice’s first kiss . . . with her adversary’s brother, the handsome, compassionate, and fabulously wealthy Ianthe Lavan.

The more Beatrice is entangled with the Lavan siblings, the harder her decision becomes: If she casts the spell to become a Magus, she will devastate her family and lose the only man to ever see her for who she is; but if she marries—even for love—she will sacrifice her magic, her identity, and her dreams. But how can she choose just one, knowing she will forever regret the path not taken?

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October Fest: The Murder-By-Month Mystery by Jess Lourey (Format: eBook)

Beer and polka music reign supreme at Octoberfest, Battle Lake’s premier fall festival. To kick off the celebrations, the town hosts a public debate between the two congressional candidates: straight-laced Arnold Swydecker, and slippery incumbent, Sarah Glokkmann. As a reporter for the Battle Lake Recall, Mira James is roped into writing up the word war. But the festive mood sours when a well-known Glokkmann-bashing blogger is found dead . . . and the congresswoman herself meets a gruesome fate.

To keep the heat off her best friend’s fiancé—an ex-con reporter—Mira wades through the candidates’ dirty laundry, their unsavory secrets, and some murderous mudslinging to expose the killer.

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The Party Upstairs by Lee Cornell (Format: eBook)

An electrifying debut novel that unfolds in the course of a single day inside one genteel New York City apartment building, as tensions between the building’s super and his grown-up daughter spark a crisis that will, by day’s end, change everything.

Ruby has a strange relationship to privilege. She grew up the super’s daughter in the basement of an Upper West Side co-op that gets more gentrified with each passing year. Though not economically privileged herself, her close childhood friendship with Caroline, the daughter of affluent tenants, and the mere fact of living in such a wealthy neighborhood, close to her beloved Natural History Museum, brought her certain advantages, even expectations. Naturally Ruby followed her dreams and took out loans to attend a prestigious small liberal arts college and explore her interest in art. But now, out of school for a while, she is no closer to her dream job, or anything resembling it, and she’s been forced by circumstances to do the last thing she wanted to do: move back in with her parents, back into the basement. And Caroline is throwing one of her parties tonight, in her father’s glorious penthouse apartment, a party Ruby looks forward to and dreads in equal measure.

With a thriller’s narrative control, The Party Upstairs distills worlds of wisdom about families, great expectations, and the hidden violence of class into the gripping, darkly witty story of a single fateful day inside the Manhattan co-op Ruby calls home. Told from the alternating points of view of Ruby and her father, the novel builds from the spark of an early morning argument between them to the ultimate conflagration to which it leads by day’s end. By the time the ashes have cooled, the façade that masks the building’s power structure will have burned away, and no party will be left unscathed.

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This Just Speaks to Me: Words to Live By Every Day by Hoda Kotb (Format: eBook)

In this all-new collection of beloved quotes, This Just Speaks to Me, #1 New York Times bestselling author Hoda Kotb offers inspiration, wisdom, and hope 365 days a year.

When her first collection of quotes, I Really Needed This Today, was published in 2019, Hoda never imagined how deeply her favorite words, stories, and memories would resonate with readers. People across the country were connected not only by the book’s positive message, but through their generosity in sharing it with friends and family who needed a daily burst of inspiration. Hoda was truly touched by fans who shared “their quote” with her, the one that most moved them or someone they love.

Now, to follow that remarkable experience, Hoda is back, with 365 new quotes and stories to share with her beloved readers. In This Just Speaks to Me, she writes about the people and moments that have enriched her life, discussing everything from motherhood and friendship to love and loss. The book also celebrates the countless acts of kindness that unfolded during these uniquely challenging times. Told with the same warmth, humor, and generosity that infused I Really Needed This Today, This Just Speaks to Me promises to be the next great companion book, each day elevated by Hoda’s sparkle at a time when we may need it the most.

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A Time for Mercy written by John Grisham and read by Michael Beck (Format: Downloadable Audiobook)

Jake Brigance is back! The hero of A Time to Kill, one of the most popular novels of our time, returns in a courtroom drama that showcases #1 New York Times bestselling author John Grisham at the height of his storytelling powers.

Clanton, Mississippi. 1990. Jake Brigance finds himself embroiled in a deeply divisive trial when the court appoints him attorney for Drew Gamble, a timid sixteen-year-old boy accused of murdering a local deputy. Many in Clanton want a swift trial and the death penalty, but Brigance digs in and discovers that there is more to the story than meets the eye. Jake’s fierce commitment to saving Drew from the gas chamber puts his career, his financial security, and the safety of his family on the line.

In what may be the most personal and accomplished legal thriller of John Grisham’s storied career, we deepen our acquaintance with the iconic Southern town of Clanton and the vivid cast of characters that so many readers know and cherish. The result is a richly rewarding novel that is both timely and timeless, full of wit, drama, and—most of all—heart.

Bursting with all the courthouse scheming, small-town intrigue, and stunning plot twists that have become the hallmarks of the master of the legal thriller, A Time for Mercy is John Grisham’s most powerful courtroom drama yet.

There is a time to kill and a time for justice. Now comes A Time for Mercy.

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The Tower of Nero: The Trials of Apollo Series, Book 5 written by Rick Riordan and read by Robbie Daymond (Format: Downloadable Audiobook)

The fifth and final installment of the #1 New York Times bestselling Trials of Apollo series has Lester and Meg returning to where it all began: Camp Half-Blood.

At last, the breathtaking, action-packed finale of the #1 bestselling Trials of Apollo series is here! Will the Greek god Apollo, cast down to earth in the pathetic moral form of a teenager named Lester Papadopoulos, finally regain his place on Mount Olympus? Lester’s demigod friends at Camp Jupiter just helped him survive attacks from bloodthirsty ghouls, an evil Roman king and his army of the undead, and the lethal emperors Caligula and Commodus. Now the former god and his demigod master Meg must follow a prophecy uncovered by Ella the harpy. Lester’s final challenge will be at the Tower of Nero, back in New York. Will Meg have a last showdown with her father? Will this helpless form of Apollo have to face his arch nemesis, Python? Who will be on hand at Camp Half-Blood to assist? These questions and more will be answered in this book that all demigods are eagerly awaiting.

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Hoopla Reading Recommendation of the Week

Point of Danger by Irene Hannon (Format: eBook)

Radio talk show host Eve Reilly is used to backlash from her pot-stirring on-air commentary and interviews, but now it seems a disgruntled listener is resorting to more than angry words to express their displeasure. When a suspicious package arrives on her doorstep, Eve turns to law enforcement for help.

Police detective Brent Lange can’t find any evidence to link the string of unsettling incidents that follows, but he’s convinced they’re connected. As the harassment grows more menacing, it becomes clear someone wants Eve’s voice silenced-permanently.

But unless he can track down her foe, fast, the gutsy woman who is willing to take risks for what she believes-and who is swiftly winning his heart-may not survive.

Bestselling author and three-time RITA Award winner Irene Hannon is back with a heart-stopping new series that will have you turning pages well into the night.

Note: You must have a Southeast Steuben County Library Card to check out Hoopla eBooks.

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Have a great week!

Linda Reimer, SSCL

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

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StarCat

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

ABOUT LIBRARY APPS:

You can access digital library content, i.e. eBooks & downloadable audiobooks, on PCs, Macs and mobile devices.

For mobile devices simply download the Libby (eBooks & downloadable audiobooks) or the RB Digital app (on-demand magazines), from your app store to get started. And if you’re using a PC or Mac simply click on the following link: https://stls.overdrive.com/

If you have questions call the library at 607-936-3713 and one of our tech coaches will be happy to assist you.

Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.