Tag: suggested reading

Daily Digital & Print Suggested Reads: Wednesday, July 5, 2017

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, here are our suggested daily recommended titles in print or media and digital formats.

Our digital suggestion for today is the downloadable audio book:

Fast into the Night: A Woman, Her Dogs, and Their Journey North on the Iditarod Trail by Debbie Clarke Moderow:

A captivating memoir of one woman’s attempt to finish the Iditarod, led by her team of spunky huskies with whom she shares a fascinating and inextricable bond

At age forty-seven, a mother of two, Debbie Moderow was not your average musher in the Iditarod, but that’s where she found herself when, less than 200 miles from the finish line, her dogs decided they didn’t want to run anymore. After all her preparation, after all the careful management of her team, and after their running so well for over a week, the huskies balked. But the sting of not completing the race after coming so far was nothing compared to the disappointment Moderow felt in having lost touch with her dogs.

Fast into the Night is the gripping story of Moderow’s journeys along the Iditarod trail with her team of spunky huskies: Taiga and Su, Piney and Creek, Nacho and Zeppy, Juliet and the headstrong leader, Kanga. The first failed attempt crushed Moderow’s confidence, but after reconnecting with her dogs she returned and ventured again to Nome, pushing through injuries, hallucinations, epic storms, flipped sleds, and clashing personalities, both human and canine. And she prevailed.

Part adventure, part love story, part inquiry into the mystery of the connection between humans and dogs, Fast into the Night is an exquisitely written memoir of a woman, her dogs, and what can happen when someone puts herself in that place between daring and doubt—and soldiers on.

Here’s a link to the checkout page in the Digital Catalog:

https://stls.overdrive.com/media/3177121

And our print book suggested read for the day is:

Broken River by J. Robert Lennon:

A modest house in upstate New York. One in the morning. Three people―a couple and their child―hurry out the door, but it’s too late for them. As the virtuosic and terrifying opening scene of Broken River unfolds, a spectral presence seems to be watching with cold and mysterious interest. Soon the house lies abandoned, and years later a new family moves in.

Karl, Eleanor, and their daughter, Irina, arrive from New York City in the wake of Karl’s infidelity to start anew. Karl tries to stabilize his flailing art career. Eleanor, a successful commercial novelist, eagerly pivots in a new creative direction. Meanwhile, twelve-year-old Irina becomes obsessed with the brutal murders that occurred in the house years earlier. And, secretly, so does her mother. As the ensemble cast grows to include Louis, a hapless salesman in a carpet warehouse who is haunted by his past, and Sam, a young woman newly reunited with her jailbird brother, the seemingly unrelated crime that opened the story becomes ominously relevant.

Hovering over all this activity looms a gradually awakening narrative consciousness that watches these characters lie to themselves and each other, unleashing forces that none of them could have anticipated and that put them in mortal danger. Broken River is a cinematic, darkly comic, and sui generis psychological thriller that could only have been written by J. Robert Lennon.

Here’s a link to the StarCat request page for the book:

https://goo.gl/jxxVpd

You can also requests books simply by calling the library at: 607-936-3713 x 502.

Have a great day!
Linda, SSCL

Online Catalog Links:

StarCat: The catalog of physical materials, i.e. print books, DVDs, audiobooks on CD etc. http://starcat.stls.org/

The Digital Catalog: The catalog of e-books, downloadable audiobooks and a handful of streaming videos: https://stls.overdrive.com/

Freegal Music Service: This music service is free to library card holders and offers the option to download, and keep, three free songs per week and to stream three hours of commercial free music each day: http://stlsny.freegalmusic.com/

Zinio: Digital magazines on demand and for free! Back issues are available and you can even choose to be notified by email when the new issue of your favorite magazine is available: https://www.rbdigital.com/stlschemungcony

About Library Apps:

You can access digital library content on PCs, Macs and mobile devices. For mobile devices simply download the OverDrive, Freegal or Zinio app from your app store to get started. If you have questions call the library at: 607-936-3713 and one of our Digital Literacy Specialists will be happy to assist you.

Weekend Digital Catalog Suggested Reading, Viewing & Listening Titles April 27-28, 2013

Linda Reimer

Here is a list of select Digital Catalog e-books, audios and videos s you might enjoy reading, viewing or listening to over the weekend!

Suggested E-Books:

Congo Dawn by Jeanette Windle: While former Marine lieutenant Robin Duncan is no stranger to corruption or conspiracy, she has always been able to tell the good guys from the bad, and the Congo jungle at first seems no different. But as her security team tries to track down an insurgent killer, Robin has to face a man who broke her trust years ago, and she discovers the gray areas extend farther in this jungle wilderness than she anticipated.

A ruthless global conspiracy begins to surface, run by powerful men who can’t afford to leave any witnesses. Her life at stake, Robin doesn’t know who to trust and wonders how she can help protect innocent people. Why is God silent amid all the pain and injustice? And how do these people of faith continue to rejoice in their suffering?

Let the Dead Sleep by Heather Graham: An object of desire? Or of fear? It was stolen from a New Orleans grave–the centuries-old bust of an evil man, a demonic man. It’s an object desired by collectors–and by those with wickedness in their hearts.

One day, its current owner shows up at Danni Cafferty’s antiques shop on Royal Street, the shop she inherited from her father. But before Danni can buy the statue, it disappears, the owner is found dead…and Danni discovers that she’s inherited much more than she realized. In the store is a book filled with secret writing: instructions for defeating evil entities. She’d dismissed it as a curiosity…until the arrival of this statue, with its long history of evil and even longer trail of death.

Michael Quinn, former cop and now private investigator, is a man with an unusual past. He believes that doing the right thing isn’t a job–it’s a way of life. And the right thing to do is find and destroy this object weighted with malevolent powers. He and Danni are drawn together in their search for the missing statue, following it through sultry New Orleans nights to hidden places in the French Quarter and secret ceremonies on abandoned plantations.

Cafferty and Quinn already know that trust in others can be misplaced, that love can be temporary. And yet their connection is primal. Mesmerizing. They also know that their story won’t end when this case is closed and the dead rest in peace once again.

Return of the Gypsy by Philippa Carr: In early-nineteenth-century England, a woman risks scandal, disgrace, even her own life for a forbidden passion From the moment the handsome, raffish stranger with the gold earring throws her a kiss, Jessica Frenshaw is enchanted. Rumored to be a half-Spanish wanderer who can predict the future, Romany Jake is unjustly put on trial for murder. After the verdict banishes him from England, Jessica despairs of ever seeing him again. But one fateful day, Jake Cadorson returns to reclaim what he has lost—including the woman who saved him from the gallows. From the ballrooms and lavish estates of Regency England through the bitter bloodshed of the Napoleonic Wars, Return of the Gypsy weaves a spellbinding tale of blackmail, murder, and illicit passion as a woman risks everything for the man she loves—a man who isn’t what he seems. 

E-Books For Kids:

The Berenstain Bears and the Wild, Wild Honey by Stan Berenstain & Jan Berenstain: When Papa Bear goes honey-hunting, trouble is sure to follow

There are chores to be done around the house, but all Papa Bear can think about is honey. There is no finer honey than the kind made by the bees that live in the gnarled old tree in the depths of the dark forest. Papa would be the happiest bear in the land if he could get his paws on some of that honey, but there’s one big problem—the bees won’t share!

Papa Bear has tried everything—asking, sneaking, hiding—and all he’s gotten for his trouble is a pawful of bee-stingers. But today he’s come up with a foolproof plan to get the wild, wild honey, and he’s determined to carry it out. Papa Bear is either going to have honey for dinner—or stingers for dessert!

Paddywack by Stephanie Spinner & Daniel Howarth: Paddywack is a petite nine hands high, and every pony inch is packed full of spunk. It hasn’t been easy, but he now has his rider, Jane, well trained. He’ll trot. He’ll canter. He’ll jump the jumps. He’s a perfect pony . . . when she gives him treats. But on the day of the big horse show, Jane is so nervous she forgets his treats. Will Paddywack dig in his hooves? Or can he rise to the occasion?

This sweet story is sure to capture young horse-lovers’ hearts.

Secret of the Time Capsule, Casebusters Series, Book 6 by Joan Lowery Nixon: Inside a time capsule, Brian and Sean discover a decades-old mystery

In 1918, the people of Redoaks buried a time capsule full of messages for the future. Besides all the grown-up stuff, the fourth-graders of 1918 included a packet of letters to the fourth-graders of today—which means Sean Quinn is about to get a letter straight from the past! But when it comes time to crack the capsule’s seal, Sean and his brother Brian learn that its contents could change the town’s future forever.

Boris Vlado, the only surviving member of the fourth-graders of 1918, warns the boys that the time capsule holds a dangerous secret. But when they open the capsule, there’s nothing inside! To find out why, Brian and Sean will have to solve a historic mystery that involves bank robbery, corruption, and the most valuable stamp collection Redoaks has ever seen.

Suggested Albums:

Now That’s What I Call Classic Rock by Various Artists:

Digital Audio Download Includes:

1. We Will Rock You (2001 Digital Remaster) (Queen)

2. Barracuda (Album Version) (Heart)

3. Bad To The Bone (George Thorogood And The Destroyers)

4. The Spirit Of Radio (Rush)

5. My Generation (The Who)

6. Fire (Jimi Hendrix Experience)

7. More Than A Feeling (Album Version) (Boston)

8. Carry On Wayward Son (Kansas)

9. Renegade (Styx)

10. Cold As Ice (Foreigner)

11. Smoke On The Water (Deep Purple)

12. We’re An American Band (Grand Funk)

13. Mississippi Queen (Album Version) (Mountain)

14. Bad Moon Rising (Creedence Clearwater Revival)

15. Sweet Home Alabama (Lynyrd Skynyrd)

16. The Joker (Steve Miller Band)

17. Rebel Rebel (1990 Digital Remaster) (David Bowie)

18. Surrender (Album Version) (Cheap Trick)

19. Show Me The Way (Live/Single Version) (Peter Frampton)

20. Rock And Roll All Nite (“Alive” Version) (Kiss)

 

The Very Best of Billy Idol: Idolize Yourself                                                                                                                                    Digital Audio Download Includes:

1. Dancing With Myself (EP Version) (2001 Digital Remaster) (Generation X)

2. Hot In The City (2001 Digital Remaster) (Billy Idol)

3. White Wedding – Part 1 (2001- Remaster) (Billy Idol)

4. Rebel Yell (1999 Digital Remaster) (Billy Idol)

5. Eyes Without A Face (1999 – Remaster) (Billy Idol)

6. Flesh For Fantasy (1999 Digital Remaster) (Billy Idol)

7. Catch My Fall (Edit) (Billy Idol)

8. To Be A Lover (2001 Digital Remaster) (Billy Idol)

9. Don’t Need A Gun (2001 Digital Remaster) (Billy Idol)

10. Sweet Sixteen (2001 Digital Remaster) (Billy Idol)

11. Mony Mony (2001 – Remaster) (Billy Idol)

12. Cradle of Love (2001 – Remaster) (Billy Idol)

13. L.A. Woman (Single Edit) (2001 Digital Remaster) (Billy Idol)

14. Shock To The System (2001 – Remaster) (Billy Idol)

15. Speed (Album Version) (Billy Idol)

16. World Comin’ Down (Billy Idol)

17. John Wayne (Billy Idol)

18. New Future Weapon (Billy Idol)by Billy Idol 

Suggested Audio Books:

Cries & Whiskers, Theda Krakow Mystery Series, Book 3 by Clea Simon & Tavia Gilbert: Music-journalist Theda Krakow is caught up in investigating the rise of a dangerous new designer drug that threatens the musicians and fans of her beloved club scene. But she puts her story on hold when she learns of an animal-rights activist who was killed in a hit-and-run accident while trying to rescue feral cats from a ferocious winter storm.

Theda feels moved to help out with the effort. But as she and her buddy, Violet, race to save the half-wild felines from the freezing New England winter, they uncover simmering tensions among the extremist organization that make the activist’s death seem more than accidental. Theda tries to hang onto her journalistic objectivity, but when the threats become more personal and her beloved cat Musetta goes missing, she will risk her reputation, her career, and possibly her life to solve these mysteries once and for all.

Thirty-Three Teeth, Dr. Siri Paiboun Series, Book 2 by Colin Cotterill & Clive Chafer: Feisty Dr. Siri Paiboun is no respecter of persons or party; at his age he feels he can afford to be independent. In this, the second novel in the series, he travels to Luang Prabang, where he communes with the deposed king who is resigned to his fate: it was predicted long ago. And he attends a conference of shamans called by the Communist Party to deliver an ultimatum to the spirits: obey party orders or get out. But as a series of mutilated corpses arrives in Dr. Siri’s morgue, and Nurse Dtui is menaced, he must use all his powers—forensic and shamanic—to discover the creature—animal or spirit—that has been slaying the innocent.

Suggested Videos:

Aaron Bacon Troubled Youth Collection: Aaron Bacon Troubled Youth Collection presents four award-winning featurettes with stunning production values and star making performances. AARON BACON (starring Stephen Michael Kane) is inspired by the book “Help at Any Cost” by Maia Szalavitz, based on the true story of a 16 year-old kid who dies at the hands of malpractice and abuse in the tough-love, wilderness drug-treatment facility. BED RIDDEN (starring Joel Moore and Alan Tudyk) describes a day in the life of a drug addicted young man, as he escapes his parent induced entrapment at home and travels the length of Los Angeles, chained to his bedpost, to meet with his fixer. FLIGHT TO SINAI is a musical coming of age film, in the tradition of “GLEE” and “High School Musical,” describing the coming out of Jack Strong, a teen raised by religiously conservative parents, and the reactions of his friends, teachers, girlfriend and his religiously conservative parents. THE BABYDADDY, inspired by true events, is the coming of age story about a troubled sixteen-year-old girl (Kether Donohue) struggling to cope with her Vietnam-Veteran father’s illnesses. Official Selection of the HBO Sponsored G.I. Film Festival. Each describes in their own way, physical and mental pressures, abuse and ultimately violence, against youth, struggling to find their way in this world. These are more than shorts, as each film is 25-30 minute long, but what they all have in common are quality thought-provoking productions, by and about youth, together representing a true talent discovery

Cuba Today! by International Film and Video: Travel with award-winning filmmaker, Marlin Darrah, as he explores present-day Cuba. From the capital city of Havana to the beautiful seaport of Santiago de Cuba, you will marvel at the forbidden natural beauty of Cuba. Travel to Pinar del Rio and visit the lush tobacco fields that produce the most sought-after cigars in the world. See as sugar plantations and colorful towns unfold before your eyes, then walk the beaches of Matanzas and Cuba’s colorful coastline. Cuban people welcome visitors with open arms and their society, with its blend of races and cultures, overflows with a friendly and easy-going hospitality. Finally, after 50 years, visitors can experience the splendor of the Caribbean only 90 miles south of the United States. Soon, Cuba will compete with the Bahamas and Jamaica as the Caribbean vacation destination for Americans, so see it today!

The STLS Digital Catalog may be found on the library’s homepage of SSCLIBRARY.ORG

Or via the following link:

http://stls.lib.overdrive.com/FE5904CF-8A91-4688-A592-7A046C7988D3/10/536/en/Default.htm

And if you have an app device look for the OverDrive Media Console app in your app store – it is the app that will allow you to check out free library e-books and audio books and download them to your tablet or smartphone.

Digital Catalog music and video titles must currently be downloaded to a Windows computer to enjoy.

Have a great weekend!

Linda R.