Category: Books

Dewey: the Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron

- Ann 1 Comment

One frigid winter morning in Spencer Iowa, Vicki Myron opened the public library’s book drop to discover an abandoned kitten. Starving and nearly frozen to death, Myron rescues the kitten and changes both of their lives forever.

Named Dewey Readmore Books, the kitten quickly settles into life at the library. Myron, who eventually becomes the director of Spencer Public Library, takes care of him and becomes his closest pal, but Dewey quickly makes friends with anyone that comes to the library, from the shyest child to the most preoccupied businessman. His story spreads far and wide – Japanese television made a documentary about him and his obituary ran in more than 200 newspapers when he died at age 19. Dewey: the Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World is Myron’s loving tribute to this charming and friendly cat, but it’s also the story of Spencer struggling through difficult economic times, and about Myron who faced several personal and health crisis’. It’s also a love letter to libraries and their place in a community.

Davenport Library had it’s own library cat many years ago, also named Dewey. A stray kitten that walked in the front door at the Annie Wittenmyer Branch (where the doors were often propped open because of lack of air conditioning), our Dewey made himself right at home. We kept him for almost two years, until we found him a forever home where he lived (and ruled) for the rest of his 14 years.

Escape by Carolyn Jessop

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Escape is an amazing true story about a young woman who belonged to the fundamentalist polygamist sect of the Mormon church. Carolyn Jessop tells how at the age of 18 she was chosen to marry a 50 year old man with three existing wives.

The underlying question for me is what makes a woman have 8 children in 15 years and live in a house with 50 others (6 sister wives and 45 + children) but only one husband? Carolyn Jessop truly helps me understand (albeit not agree with) how her situation could possibly exist today – being a third generation in this “cult” as she calls it, is all she’s ever known.

After years of abuse from husband, sister wives and the sect in general, Carolyn secures a plan of escape with her 8 children ranging in ages from 15 yrs. to 18 months. This is the same FLDS controlled by Warren Jeffs that has recently been all over the news.

Her story is organized and told objectively. It also made for some awesome conversations!

Eddie’s Bastard by William Kowalski

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A story of growing up and searching for one’s identity, Eddie’s Bastard by William Kowalski is bound to grab you from the first sentence and not let go until the end.

Abandoned on his grandfather’s doorstep with the note “Eddie’s Bastard” pinned to the basket, Billy Mann grows up without parents but surrounded by the love and family stories of his grandfather Thomas Mann. Living mostly in isolation on the decaying family homestead (Thomas lost the family fortune when he invested it in ostriches in the 1940s), Billy faces the ups and downs, tragedies and joys of growing up with humor and a positive outlook. There are lively subplots about the family curse, the identity of Billy’s mother, and the diary of Billy’s great-great-grandfather but the relationship between Thomas and Billy remains central to the story.

Beautifully written – you will feel as if you are part of the Mann family – Eddie’s Bastard is bittersweet yet surprisingly uplifting. This is one book you’ll wish would never end.

Cake Love by Warren Brown

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Who doesn’t love cake? Sweet, moist, delicious – a piece (or two) of cake makes the perfect final touch to a great meal – or a great late night snack! And a homemade, made-from-scratch cake? Divine. But not everyone has the time or skill for homemade cakes. If only we had our own personal bakery chef….

Warren Brown comes to the rescue with Cake Love, demonstrating the how and why of baking a cake (the best ingredients, the essential skills, the most useful pieces of equipment) and then provides lots of inspiration. Baking a cake from scratch isn’t really very difficult and can become a canvas for a lot of creativity. Brown encourages experimenting with flavors and techniques and to not get hung up on perfection – homemade cakes always get respect. Because, who doesn’t love cake?

As well as clearly illustrated instructions on baking techniques, Cake Love includes a wide range of recipes for all kinds of cakes from the familiar (Chocolate Pound Cake) to the innovative (Sassy, flavored with orange, mango and cayenne-pepper), frostings, glazes and fillings, and tips on how to assemble and decorate the finished cake. The cakes here are all about flavor and texture, not about being fancy, and are meant to be made with love and eaten with gusto.

Because, who doesn’t love cake?

Simply Sublime Bags by Jodi Kahn

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Ahh, yet another use for duct tape – making handbags!

Fun, whimsical, fresh Simply Sublime Bags by Jodi Kahn has 30 great ideas for no-sew or very-little-sew bags of all shapes and sizes. Use of unusual and unexpected materials is emphasized, from hardware store finds to placemats to pillowcases to candy wrappers, and creativity is encouraged. They range in size from coin purses and makeup bags to totes for the beach. Directions are clear and straightforward and, as promised, require little or no sewing (not all of them call for duct tape, but a few do!)

The great thing about this book is that the results are practical and pretty and are not only fun to make, they’re fun to use!

The Creative Family by Amanda Soule

- Ann 1 Comment

Although it’s stated purpose is to give you ideas for play and creativity with your children, The Creative Family also functions as a gentle parenting guide with projects that are designed to encourage active participation for child and parent together. Emphasis is on the handmade and imperfect; the goal here is shared experiences.

Although a wide variety of projects are given here (drawing and painting, sewing and embroidering, putting on a play, making music) you’re encouraged to be spontaneous, have fun, explore the world around you.

Included are ideas for celebrating family holidays and events, creating rituals, preserving memories with photos, transforming children’s art into personal displays for your home, and exploring the natural world season by season.

A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

- Ann 1 Comment

The Appalacian Trail (AT), a continuous hiking trail spanning the eastern United States from Georgia to Maine, has been the source of many adventures and stories but by far the funniest (and arguably the best) is A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson.

Bryson, middle-aged and overweight, decides to reconnect with nature and America by hiking the often arduous AT. He recruits long-time friend Stephen Katz who is even less athletic than Bryson (he packs for the hike by filling his backpack with candy bars – and nothing else) and sets off optimistically. What ensues is both laugh-out-loud funny and thoughtful, beautiful and provocative. Although the pair end up hiking only parts of the trail (the beginning and the end plus several day hikes in the central section), their experience is no less authentic than those of a thru-hiker.

Along the way Bryson (one of our best writers) fills you in on the history and lore of the trial, the varied accounts of the towns scattered along its length, the unique and beautiful landscape and wildlife of the areas crossed (although the chapter on bears is likely to keep you awake at night whether you’re in a tent or at home), insights into human nature and the value of keeping your friends – even those that drive you nuts.

But most of all, you’ll laugh. A lot.

The House at Riverton by Kate Morton

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Set in England the years surround World War I, The House at Riverton by Kate Morton follows the decline and fall of a once-proud English family. Devastated by the ravages of the war, torn apart by secrets, disgraced by a very public scandal, the family unravels against a backdrop of war and the Roaring Twenties.

David, Hannah and Emmeline grow up in an idyllic, privileged atmosphere at the beginning of the century. When Grace Reeves begins service as a housemaid at Riverton, she becomes witness and confidant to the siblings and keeper of their secrets. Told in flashback many years later, an elderly Grace relives the tragedy that changed them all forever.

Part Upstairs Downstairs, part Brideshead Revisted and even a little Sense and Sensibility, The House at Riverton will keep you guessing with it’s twists and turns until its shocking end.

International Literacy Day

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Today is International Literacy Day! What better way to celebrate than to teach someone to read?

At the Davenport Main Library, we have two special sections which can help you do just that. Our ESL (or English as a Second Language) area is located on the second floor in the southwest corner. If English is not your native tongue, this is a good place to start. Picture dictionaries are an example of the material found here. If you can’t remember the word, you can always point to the picture of it!

Another area located in the same corner at Main is the Learning Center, which deals primarily with literacy issues. Most of the items here help those with limited reading abilities who want to master basic life skills. For example, there’s a whole series called Life Skills Literacy which includes titles such as Things to Know About Personal Paperwork or Things to Know About Spending and Saving Money, all by Richard Kimball. Come to think about it, even some very literate people could use these books!

He Said Beer, She Said Wine by Sam Calagione and Marnie Old

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Ever wonder which wine to have with a meal? Ever debate the pairing of different beers with specific foods? Ever argue with your SO about which is better, beer or wine? He Said Beer, She Said Wine by Sam Calagione and Marnie Old will not only educate and entertain you, it’ll provide you with fresh issues to debate.

Written by two acknowledged experts in their field, this book starts with an overview of each beverage, the basics of how each is produced, a discussion of varieties and styles and how to taste and evaluate each one. The heart of the book discusses pairing wine and beer with different foods such as cheese, vegetables, sandwiches, pizza, fish, pasta, chicken and desserts.

The final section is the fun part – bringing the debate home. Calagione and Old describe how to have a wine versus beer party, including giving you ideas on how to set up voting, sample menus and wine/beer pairings, and recipes.

Smart but never stuffy, this lavishly illustrated book is sure to encourage lots of friendly debate – and might even have you believing in the value of the other beverage, no matter what side you’re on.