December is #Summerreads

Summer – the season of sunshine, holidays, relaxation. Long evenings to languish with a good book. That’s what they’d like you to think. In reality, summer can means frantically running around organising that last Christmas present, food shopping, cleaning the house, mothering children etc. ect. That is until… Boxing Day. Then my summer of reading begins.
I have a list.
A long list.
Hot reading, all of them.

I have something for everyone on the list. How-to guides, a couple of biographies and some wicked crime fiction for the menfolk. Plenty of picture books, Where’s Wally and I spy to keep the little ones amused. For school age children, join the Summer Reading Club? This year’s theme is “The Amazing Read”. Find some gruesome facts in the Ripley’s “Believe it or not” series, catch up on Zac Power’s, the Beastie Boys’ and Geronimo Stilton’s latest escapades and read about the latest fairy from Daisy Meadows. Seen the movie? Now read the books - try Harry Potter and Diary of a wimpy kid. For teenagers I’m thinking vampires, steampunk and graphic novels.
Now if you haven’t planned a holiday recently, summertime is exactly the time to start. Lonely Planet, Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness travel will have you travelling through exotic landscapes or testing your strength climbing mountains. I’m looking forward to some new cookbooks (reading not necessarily cooking), some light romantic fiction… so what about you?

What will be your hot reads this summer? Maybe they’ll be cool reads?
Whatever they are, make plenty of time for them.
Join us for our last Twitter Reading Group discussion in 2011,  on Tuesday December 13th, 8pm AEST. Use hash tags #summerreads #readit2011

Helen

Reading Mo (ments) in Movember

"Movember" is the month when it becomes fashionable for the male species to sprout and shape facial hair between their top lip and their nose. All for a good cause though...promoting men's health. Now, as our libraries are presently an all female affair, we were a bit stuck as to who could represent us for Movember... until our light bulb moment... Yes, you, all our male readers.
This is what we'd like you to do -
Grow and shape (or not) your mo
Come into the library and have your photo taken with your mo and one of your favourite books or,
Email your own photo to us at libweb@nsw.gov.au
You may also like to register at http://au.movember and collect a few sponsors
Now, this is all about having some fun and being part of the library community so...if you aren't hairy and don't want to grow a mo... get creative! We'll take drawn on mos, stuck on mos, hand held mos, we'll even have some props in the library to help so you can be included in our Reading Mo (ments)display.
We'll take photos until the last day of Movember so you've got 30 days to grow that mo!
Ad while your mo is growing, this month our New Books selection is just for guys, a great selection of male authors for you to borrow. Check out the library webpage and catalogue and reserve a few today.
Helen

October is #egoreads

Biographies, memoirs, lives. October is #egoreads.
I've been on a journey.
I love to explore.
I've stayed at home.
I've scored goals in stadiums.
I've scored chicks in stadiums.
I think that's funny.
I think you are funny.
I live amongst old people.
I ahve suffered.
I cry for my ilfe.
I wish his life had not been taken.
Oh, what a debonair life I have had.
And darling, what a grand life I have had.
And sadly, what a short life I have had.
For this life is one of many
I discover
I explore
I plunder
I abhor
I love
I adore
It's all about me, me me.

The Alice behind Wonderland by Simon Winchester

On a summer's day in 1858 Charles Dodgson photographed six year old Alice Liddell, the daughter of the college dean.
Simon Winchester deftly uses the resulting image as the vehicle for a brief excursion behind the lens, a focal point on the origins of a classic work of English literature. Dodgson's love of photography framed his view of the world and was partly responsible for transforming a shy and half-deaf mathematician into one of the world's best loved observers of childhood. Using Dodgson's published writings, private diaries and of course his photographic portraits, Winchester gently exposes the development of Lewis Carroll and the making of his Alice.

What a beautiful little book. Well written. I loved the emphasis on Lewis Carrol and his life, so informative.
This is a lovely book to read. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Mr Kevin Gallagher

Until Tuesday by Louis Carlos Montalvan

Tuesday is a very unique Golden Retriever. He started his training from only 4 days old at the Service Dogs training facility. He then moved to the Puppies Behind Bars Program being looked after by various prisoners which left him feeling unloved, unsettled and in need of retraining. He then moved to a home for troubled youth so they could learn responsibility and help socialize the dogs. He then went back to the Service Dog training facility for his final training. As bright as he was, he had trouble coping with being moved around and not having his one special person to bond with. One day that would all change when he was matched up with his forever person.
Captain Luis Montalvan had trouble adjusting back into civilian life after his first tour of duty in Iraq and his marriage failed. He decided to sign up for a second tour of duty. He eventually came back to the United States in 2003 a highly decorated soldier, but he also came back a very damaged man, both physically and mentally. He had been stabbed, suffered brain damage and broke three vertebrae in his spine. He received an “Honorable Discharge” from the Army after writing a critical review of the war in the New York Times. Getting back to “normal” life after witnessing the horrors of the Gulf War was almost too much for him to handle. He suffered PTSD, agoraphobia and was in acute physical pain. He even contemplated suicide on a few occasions. He was just managing to make it through the day, fuelled by alcohol and pain killers, somehow even managing to go back to University part time to get his Masters Degree. Through all this he had to fight with the Government to get proper medical treatment. He was trying to get back to being a human being as best as he could. One day, he received an email that would change his life forever. Through a group that helps returned soldiers he learned of an organisation that matches disabled veterans with Service Dogs to help the soldiers have companionship, be able to live more independently, and to help them ease the anxieties of everyday living
On a day that was meant to be Tuesday the dog meets Luis the Veteran. A dog found a forever person and a wounded soldier found the help that he needed to get back to living a better life.
Together they campaign for better treatment of veterans and a better understanding about the role of Service Dogs and their role in helping people. Together they try to educate the community about the legal rights people with Service dogs have and try to end discrimination that is aimed at them.
No matter what your politics are about wars and government you will still find this book truly inspiring. When it comes right down to it, it’s a story about a dog that helps a man, and a man who helps a dog.
Chris.

#whodoneit

It's crime and mystery month.
With fiction sub-geners like detective, legal, historical, psychological, forensic, cosy corner, comic capers, spy and suspense, there is a never-ending supply of reading material and far too many authors to list. However, here's a few of my favourites at this moment...Louise Penny, Fred Vargas, Adrian Magson, Gerard O'Donovan, Martin Walker and David Hewson. I'm always looking for more authors, let me know your favourites.
Who really "done it"? Does the ultimate punishment fit the crime? Are the perpetrators even caught?
Non-fiction more your style? There's no shortage of material to read here either. seedy, cruel, heartbreaking, lawbreaking, fascinating, and often all at once.
Now if you aren't usually a fan of crime, you may be surprised to find crime and mystery in the likes of The name of the rose by Umberto Eco; The daughter of time by Josephine Tey; Do no harm by Carol Topolski. Let's not forget Louise Fitzhugh's Harriet the spy series or Enid Blyton's characters. Crime and mystery are everywhere. Even the picture books are into it...what did happen to Harry's sweater in No roses for Harry?
So join us this month in our suspenseful reading, send me a post to put on the blog, add tags to Trove, Library Thing, and tweet using the #whodoneit hashtag. Let others know what you are reading.
Helen

The humans who went extinct by Clive Finlayson

This is a fascinating text that gives a deep insight to the evolution and survival of early man, it also serves as a warning of the dangers of climate change to our own species. Far from being the dull-witted monkey-men we imagine Neanderthals to have been, they were intelligent, worthy proto-humans who were in the wrong palce at the wrong time and became extinct due to climate change. Their technology was equal to that of contemporary proto-humans, our species could just as logically possess equal social and technological skills as today, if Neanderthals had been our anccestors. The cover photo on the book is enlightening, a facial conmstruction of an Neanderthal skull - and without a doubt possessing "human" characteristics.
Stephanie

The holy thief by William Ryan

This books begins with a fairly gruesome killing, but the storyline follows in a pacey style which is very readable. Set in Moscow in 1937, Stalin is in power and all is not so good in the state of Soviet Russia, corruption and social inequality are prevalent in the egalitarian society. Our polite detective seems to have an impossible crime to solve, as well as risking his own life in the investigation. William Ryan weaves the threads of his own story very skillfully, he portrays the bleak atmosphere of 1930s Moscow and the depressing deprivations that the populace endure, as well as creating sympathetic adn very human characters.
Stephanie

Book reviews from the ROADS

One of our regular ROADS borrowers, Mrs Yvonne Hayes, has sent us the following three reviews:
Lunch with the stationmaster by Derek Hansen
The stationmaster is a Hungarian Jewish father of two boys, who he tries to protect as the Second World War rolls over Hungary. An engrossing tale of different Hungarians during WWII and the Hungarian Revolution as told by one of the group of men who meet each month for lunch, in an Australian city and tell the story of his choice.
Sole survivor by Derek HansenA story about a small group of solitary people who find each other on a small island in New Zealand. People whose lives has lost meaning then find meaning with each other but in a realistic way.
Both books are a great read, very believable characters and the story lives in your mind for days after finishing the book.
The courier's tale by Peter Walker
An engrossing tale about King Henry VIII and his long running anger at the English Cardinal Reginald Pole. The courier is Michael Throckmorton who moves between England and Italy as messenger and bodyguard to Cardinal Pole. Also King Henry's Lord Chancellor, Thomas Cromwell, another main character, in this story of powerful people surviving in turbulent times. The story moves into Queen Mary I's reign and the destruction of many lives. The story is well told across many different regions of Europe and England, about people who lived during the fearful times. A great read for people who enjoy historical dramas from an earlier age.

The happiest refugee/ Anh Do #oznzreads2011

Anh Do nearly didn't make it to Australia. He and his family nearly lost their lives as they escaped from war-torn Vietnam in a very creaky, overcrowded boat. Pirates, hunger, disease and thirst didn’t stop them from trying to get to Australia and a better life. Unfortunately, their new life in Australia was not always the dream they hoped it would be. With parents who worked every hour of the day and night to provide for the basics, Anh and his brother and sister lived a far from normal childhood, in sometimes less than ideal circumstances. The one thing that was always constant was the love of his close family and all the extended family that came in and out of their lives. Anh, his sister Tram and brother Khoa always managed to keep optimistic and find the good, even in the darkest of times. When his father left the family it hurt all of them very deeply. It also placed a large burden on his mother to support the family as a single parent. Her perseverance and ability to never give in was Anh’s inspiration to work hard to help the family out and to not lose sight of the dream of making a good life for himself and his family. He graduated from high school, went on to do a law degree and then gave it all up to pursue a career in comedy, all the time putting the happiness and survival of his family above all else. Through every stumbling block and heartbreak he had to endure Anh came out smiling and keeps true to his undying belief that anything is possible
The Happiest Refugee is a truly inspiring story of one of my favourite people. Even though the story is full of tragedy and heartache it is counterbalanced with a huge dose of optimism and determination. Anh never lost sight of what his father told him as a young boy, “There’s today, and there’s too late” and Anh never stops making everyday count for the better.
Chris

DOG: The definitive book for dog lovers/ Bruce Fogle

Dog is a book that is not just a list of do’s and don’t’s or a set of instructions – it is an actual families experiences. The good and the bad, the right and the wrong, the ups and the downs. Everyone can relate to the text and stories. It is written with wit and wisdom and emotion. This book will change your attitude to dogs and their training in a very positive way so that you both will have long and happy lives.
The chapters start with the history of dogs and classification and finish with the older dog and a dignified end. Every aspect of having a dog is covered – birthing, choosing, infancy, puppyhood, adolescence, adulthood and everything in between.
This is a book that you could turn to every time your dog surprises you, worries you, needs you or if you are just absolutely desperate for an answer.
Beautifully illustrated and written, you can tell this book is a real labour of love. Dog will always have a place on my book shelves.
Tracie

#oznzreads

Australia and New Zealand share many things. Sport, food, farming culture, travel destinations, to name a few. There's also at times, a fierce rivalry amongst the same things, even the origin of the pavlova isn't safe! So be the first to read and tweet your favourite Australian New Zealand read this month.

Fantasy fiction

Fantasy fiction - what does it mean to write fantasy fiction? We were lucky enough to hear Brent Weekes speak via skype from his home in USA last week. As he put it when you write fantasy, you can use the whole playground and the writer makes the rules!
If you haven't tried a fantasy author yet, this is the month to do it. Here's a very short list to start:
Joe Abercrombie
Peter V Brett
Terry Brooks
Tom Holt
Stephen Leather
Ursula Le Guin
George R R Martin
Elizabeth Moon
Robert Rankin
Brent Weekes

Junior and Young Adult readers may like the following
Holly Black
Isabel Carmody
Suzanne Collins
Becca Fitzpatrick
Charlie Hickson
Garth Nix
Terry Pratchett
If you have other authors to suggest, send me a list and a book review.
Happy reading, Helen

Lessons in letting go: confessions of a hoarder/Corinne Grant

This book was really easy to read and if you are a hoarder, it may help you to understand why you do it and give you the motivation to de-clutter.
Corinne Grant is a comedian so the book is quite funny at times. It is written in five parts:

Where it started
Where it became unsteady
Where it collapsed
Where it was rebuilt
When it was done

Corinne talks about funny, moving and memorable times from her past and present, as she has realisations as to why she has accumulated so much junk. It took her a year to work through and let go of her clutter, both emotionally and physically. An enjoyable and relatable read.
Cathy.

Not without you by Alan and Irene Brogan

This is a true story of an unbreakable bond formed between two children aged 7 and 9. The couple’s love story began in 1959 when they were placed at the same children’s home in Sunderland, England after the deaths of their mothers. Their fathers struggled to keep their families together which in turn led the children to live in care where cruel punishments were dealt by the carers for any small misdemeanour.
From the moment they met, they were inseparable. They became each others family forming a deep and loving bond but boy-girl friendships in any form were frowned upon in the home. When their friendship was discovered Alan was sent away without any explanation and no goodbye. Although they were forcibly parted their bond was never broken and so started an incredible journey to find each other again.
Despite painful memories of lonely childhoods, cruelty, and desperate attempts to escape the system, this is an astonishing story that will leave you feeling sad, angry and wondering how any child could survive the horrors of the child care system of the 50’s and 60’s.
A wonderful and inspiring read.
Debra