Civil War Reads

Today marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the American Civil War. Agencies and organizations across the US have been commemorating this great and tragic event in American history the past four years, and one of your Bartow Librarians just happens to be a big Civil War buff, and would love to share some of her favorites:

The March by E.L. Doctorow. A new Civil War masterpiece, in my opinion. It follows Sherman's March to the Sea through the viewpoints of different characters affected by Sherman and traces their real-life struggles in this new post-war world. A really fascinating read for those who like a good fictional approach to learning about historical time periods.

Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War by Tony Horwitz. A must-read for anyone interested in the Civil War as a topic of any kind. Horwitz is a journalist who decides to look into how the South has continued to react and respond to the Civil War and issues stemming from the conflict. Each chapter is a different story, introducing the reader to reenactors, white supremacists, Sons of the Confederacy, inner-city high school teachers, and other Civil War enthusiasts. Excellent resource for those looking at the Civil War at a different angle.

Ruth's Journey by Donald McCaig. For those of you who REALLY LIKE Gone with the Wind, here's the latest in the "series" - an authorized prequel that focuses on Ruth, Scarlet's mammy, and Scarlet's maternal ancestors. Though not as much of Mammy's story as I would have liked, it's still an engaging read bringing in secessionist politics, slave uprisings, and some love stories only hinted at in Margaret Mitchell's original. Maybe not essential reading, but certainly a fun story for a weekend trip.

We do have a Civil War Besides Gone with the Wind reading list as another resource, available online and as a bookmark at your Cartersville branch library. Or stop by and ask us for recommendations!

Read Harder Challenge: Translated Books

When was the last time you read a book that was originally published in another language? Part of the Read Harder Challenge is to give one a try!

Bonjour Tristesse by Francoise Sagan. This book made quite the splash when it was published in English from the original French in 1955, not only for the content - a story of a teenage girl exploring her feminine wiles and interjecting herself into her father's love life - but also because the author herself was only eighteen when her book was published. A short read, reminiscent of Fitzgerald's Lost Generation of the 20s mixed with themes of the burgeoning Beat movement of the 50s, seemed very exotic to American readers at the time. If you're interested in reading something scandalous from half a century ago, this might be one to try.

Palace Walk by Naguib Maufouz. Another title published in English from the 1950s, but this one set around the time of World War I in Egypt. The story focuses on the Egyptian Arabic family the Ahmads, run by a controlling patriarch who more or less terrifies his family into obeying him. The novel rotates between the stories of the father, mother, sons, and daughters of the family, all with their own motivations and desires, while the Egyptian Revolution is taking place. An engrossing look at religion, politics, family life, and gender roles in a time period you might not be as familiar with.

The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery. A more recent title, this one set in Paris and focuses on a cantankerous apartment concierge who observes the tenants of her building closely without them noticing her, and a twelve-year-old genius who decides she's going to kill herself on her thirteenth birthday. Lots of intellectual thought, and a read that will give you pause throughout.

And here are a few more suggestions from the Book Riot staff:

Ruby by Cynthia Bond

Last month Oprah announced the latest pick for her book club, Ruby by Cynthia Bond. It's the story of Ruby, a woman from a small Texas town who suffered considerably as a child and fled her hometown for the bright lights on New York City, only to return later and struggle with her sanity. We follow one of her childhood friends as he tries to reach out to her. It's a story that grabs you and won't let you go until you've finished it. Racism and religion are central themes to the book, and though it might make the book difficult to read at times, you'll want to follow through with these characters and find out what happens to them. It's been compared to Toni Morrison, and I heard one reviewer say it's like the spiritual sequel Morrison's Beloved.

We've got it in print, as an audiobook, and as an ebook! Join Oprah and other legions of readers with this captivating story.

Read Harder Challenge: Sci-Fi Novels

I'm a big fan of the Book Riot website - fun people talking about books and bookish things is ALWAYS something I will support. At the end of last year they put out their Read Harder Challenge for 2015, and we put some bookmarks out talking about it. Basically you can use it as an excuse to try reading some different genres, or books you wouldn't normally pick up. Expand your horizons! I've spent most of my life thinking I wasn't interested in reading science fiction, and have discovered more recently that I do actually really like it! A Sci-Fi novel is one of the challenges, and if you think you're not much of a sci-fi person, maybe try one of these that I liked!

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton - Don't think much description is needed here. HUGE fan of the movie, and HUGE fan of the book! Usually folks get into debates about if the movie or the book was better, but I'm of the opinion both stand equally. Crichton gives additional background in the beginning of the book you don't get in the movie, and it is super creepy and worth the read on its own. With the new sequel coming out soon, maybe you should beat your friends to the punch and give this one a read before everyone else does.

The Martian by Andy Weir - This is also being made into a movie with Matt Damon, and I am greatly looking forward to it. You wouldn't necessarily think a story about an astronaut being marooned on Mars would make you laugh as much as this one did. Our intrepid hero is basically MacGyver in space, and keeps his sanity and your interest with his humorous observations. Does NASA know he's alive? Will they be able to rescue him? Will he survive long enough to see a rescue? You will be hooked to find out!

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel - If you come by the library and ask me for a good, edge-of-your-seat read, this is the one I'll suggest. It made numerous "best of" lists for 2014, the movie right were just bought, and the book world is still buzzing about this book. A famous actor has a heart attack on stage the same night a pandemic flu begins to spread that eventually wipes out most of humanity. You follow the stories of people who were connected to the famous actor, and see what became of them immediately after, 20 years later, and even their lives before the flu. It's beautifully written, a compelling story, and you might want to set aside a weekend to read it, because once you pick it up, you won't be able to put it down!

Have you read any of these? What did you think? Let us know of other great sci-fi reads to try!

Black History Month

Celebrate Black History Month with us at the Bartow County Library System! We have a list up in our Reader's Corner of books to read after watching the film Selma as one way to go if you want to focus on non-fiction. But if you want to try some fiction titles, here are a few to try:

Kindred by Octavia Butler. This is a science fiction novel that takes the main character back and forth between 1970s California and the Old South. She doesn't exactly know why, but she is drawn to the slave-holding family again and again. A staple in the scifi genre. 

Some Sing, Some Cry by Ntozake Shange. A hefty but deliciously well-written epic of a novel that follows a family from their time at a plantation at the time of the Civil War through to modern day. 

Sag Harbor by Whitehead Colson. A privileged teen finds escape in his family's summer retreat in the mid-1980s as he goes through usual teenage-mishaps and starts to form his identity.

Let us know your favorites!

Nick Hornby's Funny Girl

Well, we seem to have settled into the new year. I think I'm used to writing "2015" on things now, anyway. How are your new year's resolutions coming along? Have you registered for winter reading yet? (You really should, you know.)

So far this January I'm off to a slow reading start. But I will tell you that I just read an advanced reader copy of Nick Hornby's new book Funny Girl, coming out next month. I LOVED it!! The main character is a young British woman in the 1960s who wants to be like her idol Lucille Ball, and takes herself to London to achieve her dream. Hornby is one of my favorite authors, because his writing is so humorous and his characters are so quirky and real. Funny Girl gives you not only an entertaining story, but glimpses of life in transitioning 1960s British pop culture, BBC politics, and British comedy in general. It's on order at the library, so be sure to put your name on the hold list when it comes in!

In the meantime, if you're like me and you really like British comedy, why not read something by one of the greats? John Cleese recently published a memoir, So, Anyway..., and we have it on ebook for you to check out! Or maybe watch Peter Sellers at his comedic best in Dr. Strangelove, or, How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.

Or, perhaps you'd rather read a little Hornby while you wait. His book High Fidelity is a modern classic, and was then turned into a lovely film starring John Cusack. If you love music, and are currently in or have been in a quarter-life (or even mid-life!) crisis, it's definitely worth picking up. Or, if you're into more dark, absurdist-like humor, his book A Long Way Down (recently released as a feature film starring Pierce Brosnan) is a story of four people who decide not to commit suicide and instead form a weird friendship together.

Or maybe you just wanna read up on Lucille Ball. What a character.

Serial Read-Alikes

Serial is a true crime podcast that investigates the 1999 Baltimore murder of Hae Min Lee. Creator Sarah Koenig unfolds new pieces of the story in a weekly serialized narrative. The podcast has acquired many fans over the last few months. Unfortnately, this season and story has come to an end. If you are lamenting the end of season 1, or are just a true crime fan, try these other chillingly true stories.

The Devil in the White City intertwines the stories of Daniel H. Burnham, the architect of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, and H. H. Holmes, who used the cover of his hotel to lure victims. Or read about registered nurse Charlie Cullen in The Good Nurse, who used his profession to carry out his murderous intentions in nine hospitals. For a true crime classic, try Ann Rule's The Stranger Beside Me. She tells the story of Ted Bundy, a man with whom she was friends and coworkers before he was a known serial killer. For more suggestions come in to the Cartersville Public Library to see our Serial read-alikes display and bookmark. Ask our Readers Advisory twitter @BartowLibRA for more recommendations! Let's talk about books!