Question of the Week: What Have You Learned from a Book You Recently Read?

Occasionally I have a hard time finding non-fiction titles that capture my interest, so a couple of weeks ago, I decided to browse my library's non-fiction audiobook section. I also checked out OverDrive's eBook nonfiction titles. I found some great selections including Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat by Hal Herzog. According to the publisher's description, "Hal Herzog, a maverick scientist and leader in the field of anthrozoology offers a controversial, thought-provoking, and unprecedented exploration of the psychology behind the inconsistent and often paradoxical ways we think, feel and behave towards animals". While listening to this book, I learned about many fascinating studies and surprising statistics on topics ranging from dog breeds and vegetarianism to cockfighting and gender differences in the treatment of animals. 

Two other books that I'm thoroughly enjoying are Moonwalking with Einstein and The Mind's Eye.
What interesting information have you learned from a book you recently read?

What is your favorite system of magic?

One of the main reasons I enjoy reading fantasy novels is because of the world building. It's fascinating to learn about a society - the history, the lore, and the magic. If I had to choose just one favorite magic system, I don't think I could - there are so many! Instead, I'll share a few of my favorites...Do you have a favorite magic system?

The Wheel of Time series - Robert Jordan
The one power is a source of energy that can be used to manipulate the world. This power is divided into two sections - saidar and saidin - with women using saidar while men use saidin. The power is also split into the five powers of Earth, Air, Water, Fire, and Spirit. Those who can use this source are called channelers, and they weave flows of the power for purposes like building a bridge of air, zapping something out of existence, or manipulating the weather. To read more about this interesting magic, start with The Eye of the World (available in print, ebook, and audiobook formats).

Darkover series - Marion Zimmer Bradley
Telepathy can be awe inspiring. Not only can it delve into the minds of others, it can also be used to build fortresses, create and manipulate weapons, mine for precious metals, and heal the wounded. This series consists of numerous trilogies and sub-series - you won't need to start reading at the very beginning. You might try starting with The Fall of Neskaya, the first in the Clingfire Trilogy.






Mistborn series - Brandon Sanderson

This series features a few different magic systems, but the one I find most interesting is Allomancy. Allomancy involves using, or burning, metals to help achieve physical or mental feats - like running extremely fast or hopping from the street to the roof. Those with the ability to use metals in this fashion are called Allomancers, and those rare allomancers who can burn all metals are known as Mistborns. The first book in the series is The Final Empire (available in print, ebook and audiobook).

Question of the Week: What is your favorite "classic" book?

Mine is To kill a mockingbird by Harper Lee.  I have read it multiple times and still enjoy it. I sometimes think we ruin the classics for people by having kids read them in high school.  When I reread something I was assigned in high school, I see how much I missed because I was just too young.  Try a classic today. You may like it.

.In case you don't know the story of To kill a mockingbird, Scout, a young girl growing up in an Alabama town in the 1930s, learns about injustice and violence when her father, Atticus, defends a black man, Tom, who is falsely accused of rape.

Posted by Becky

 

Question of the Week: What is your favorite winter read?

As much of the country continues to be impacted by snow, I can't help but think about winter reads and tales of epic snow and feezing temperatures and survival. Here are two of my favorite books to curl up with (preferably in front of a fire with a cup of cocoa).

Eowyn Ivey's The Snow Child: a novel is one of my favorite winter tales. Childless couple Jack and Mabel are homesteading in Alaska in 1920. Their first winter is a lonely and brutal one and they decide to combat it by building a snow child. The next morning the snow child is gone and in her place is a young girl with blonde hair who calls herself Faina. She is a child of the woods and prefers to live in the wilderness with a fox by her side. Each winter she reappears and Jack and Mabel begin to love her like she was their own daughter. This is a charming fairy tale that will warm your heart.

Frozen in Time: an epic story of survival and a modern quest for lost heroes of World War II by Mitchell Zuckoff is a great work of narrative nonfiction. It is has two stories: one of a U.S. cargo plane that crashed in Greenland in 1942 (and the B-17 rescue plane that suffered the same fate) and one of a 2012 mission to find the wreckage. The nine men aboard the B-17 spent 148 days trapped in snow and ice as they waited to be rescued. This is an incredible story of survival and tenacity that reads like a thriller.

Now it's your turn. What is your favorite winter read?

Question of the Week: What is your favorite animal story?

This morning as I watched my beagle run around the house with her treat and the treat she stole from my other dog, I was reminded of a book I read a while back: Fixing Freddie: A True Story about a Boy, a Mom, and a Very, Very Bad Beagle by Paula Munier. This funny memoir about a single mom who takes on an extremely challenging dog makes me feel better about my mostly sometimes well-behaved beagle. Sure, she ate a couple of my Christmas ornaments and frequently helps herself to my dinner when I'm not looking, but things could be a lot worse!

Do you have a favorite animal story (children's or adult, fiction or nonfiction)?

Question of the Week: You've shipwrecked! What 3 books do you want stranded with you?

Oh no! You've unexpectedly shipwrecked on an island and you have no idea when, or if, you'll be rescued. Whatever are you going to do with the rest of your days (after creating a shelter and finding water and food)? You'll read, of course! Your carry-on has conveniently washed ashore, and it contains the 3 books you brought with you. What 3 books you would want to be stranded with?

Here are my three books -

The Blue Sword - Robin McKinley
This is one of my all-time favorite books...

Harry Crewe is an orphan girl who comes to live in Damar, the desert country shared by the Homelanders and the secretive, magical Hillfolk. Her life is quiet and ordinary-until the night she is kidnapped by Corlath, the Hillfolk King, who takes her deep into the desert. She does not know the Hillfolk language; she does not know why she has been chosen. But Corlath does. Harry is to be trained in the arts of war until she is a match for any of his men. Does she have the courage to accept her true fate?



Open Season - Linda Howard
The technology in this one is a bit out of date, but it features a librarian taking charge of her life...

Daisy Minor is a small-town librarian tired of being a good girl, living with her widowed mother and spinster aunt. She wants to experience life and love, to have some fun. She sets out to reinvent, or at least redecorate, herself. She seeks out a new look to match her new attitude, moves into her own place, and sets out in search of all the fun and adventure she's been missing. Soon she's dancing her nights away, flirting with men, and thoroughly enjoying her new free-spirited lifestyle. Then, late one night, she sees something that no one was supposed to see and finds herself in deadly danger. Suddenly, a killer declares it's Open Season on Daisy Minor, and Daisy's one hope, for life and love, is to find the perfect man to save her life -- and share it.

Styxx - Sherrilyn Kenyon
The latest in the Dark Hunters series, I'd be really sad if I never got the chance to read it again. It was that good.

Centuries ago Acheron saved the human race by imprisoning an ancient evil bent on absolute destruction. Now that evil has been unleashed and it is out for revenge. As the twin to Acheron, Styxx hasn't always been on his brother's side. They've spent more centuries going at each other's throats than protecting their backs. Now Styxx has a chance to prove his loyalty to his brother, but only if he's willing to trade his life and future for Acheron's. The Atlantean goddess of Wrath and Misery, Bethany was born to right wrongs. But it was never a task she relished. Until now. She owes Acheron a debt that she vows to repay, no matter what it takes. But things are never what they seem, and now Styxx and Acheron must put aside their past and learn to trust each other or more will suffer. Yet it's hard to risk your own life for someone who once tried to take yours, even when it's your own twin...

Question of the Week: What is your favorite science fiction novel?

One of my all time favorite science fiction novels is The left hand of Darkness by Ursula Le Guin.

 

A groundbreaking work of science fiction, The Left Hand of Darkness tells the story of a lone human emissary to Winter, an alien world whose inhabitants can change their gender. His goal is to facilitate Winter's inclusion in a growing intergalactic civilization. But to do so he must bridge the gulf between his own views and those of the completely dissimilar culture that he encounters.

 

Le Guin was in the forefront as science fiction really began to discuss women's issues.

 

I recently read Among others by Jo Walton.  Walton crosses genre boundaries in this book, so it is really not science fiction, but Morwenna finds her salvation in reading science fiction.  She is very excited when she joins a science fiction only book club.  I really enjoyed remembering the many titles I had read that are mentioned in Among others.

 

Are you interested in reading more science fiction.  Look at our new science fiction lists under Recommended Reading listed under Books on our homepage.