Category: Staff Picks

Fantasy Series: Hell’s Library trilogy by A.J. Hackwith

- Stephanie Leave a comment

“Stories can die. Of course they can. Ask any author who’s had an idea wither in their head, fail to thrive and bear fruit. Or a book that spoke to you as a child but upon revisiting it was silent and empty. Stories can die from neglect, from abuse, from rot. Even war, as Shakespeare warned, can turn books to graves. We seek to preserve the books, of course. But we forget the flip side of that duty: treasure what we have. Honor the stories that speak to you, that give you something you need to keep going. Cherish stories while they are here. There’s a reason the unwritten live on something as fragile as paper.”
― A.J. Hackwith, The Library of the Unwritten

Books that aren’t finished by their authors live in the Library of the Unwritten in Hell. A.J. Hackwith examines this concept in the first book in the Hell’s Library series entitled The Library of the Unwritten. I found this title to be fascinating, but the beginning felt a bit like I was being dropped into a new world with no idea of what was happening. After a couple chapters, I was fully acclimated and ready to follow the story.

Claire, the Head Librarian in the Unwritten Wing in Hell, has massive responsibilities. This library is a neutral zone where all stories that are not finished by their authors come to live. Demons and others in Hell yearn to possess the potential that resides in those items, making the Unwritten Wing in constant need of safe-guarding. In addition to normal library duties like repairing and organizing books, Claire must also keep a watchful eye on restless stories who materialize characters out of their books and into the world. Every once in a while, a character escapes the library, forcing Claire and her assistant to track them down. Such a calamity has occurred: Hero has broken out of his book and is on the hunt for his author. Claire, her assistant and the former muse Brevity, and a demon messenger named Leto are Earth-bound to track down Hero before he gets into any trouble.

Claire and her sidekicks should be in for a very simple retrieval, but of course, their best laid plans result in a mess. Ramiel, a terrifying angel, attacks them under the belief that they have possession of the Devil’s Bible. That text is an immensely powerful weapon of which Heaven and Hell are desperate to possess. Wars have been started over far less. Claire, Brevity, and Leto have a new mission: find the Devil’s Bible before disaster strikes. Will they succeed? They certainly hope so as the fates of Heaven, Hell, and Earth all rest in the balance.

Hell’s Library series

  1. The Library of the Unwritten (2019)
  2. The Archive of the Forgotten (2020)
  3. The God of Lost Words (2021)

Music Selector’s Choice: Native American music

- Callen Leave a comment

Experience Native American music with these albums recently added to the collection!

Northern Cree Singers’ Drums in the Pines

Joe Rainey’s Niineta

R. Carlos Nakai’s Nocturne: Music for Native American Flute

Pow Wow: Round Dances & Sacred Ceremonies by various artists

What kind of folk or world music do YOU enjoy? If you don’t know, stop in and check out the Global genre music CDs to discover something new!

All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham

- Stephanie Leave a comment

“Because that’s the thing with the audience, the thing I learned long ago. They don’t want to get *too* uncomfortable. They don’t want to actually live through what I’ve lived through, every ugly moment. They just want a taste.”
― Stacy Willingham, All the Dangerous Things

All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham is a devastating read. Important note & trigger warning: this title talks about postpartum psychosis and postpartum depression. Keep that in mind as you decide if you want to read this title.

Isabelle Drake’s life changed forever one year ago. Her toddler son, Mason, was stolen out of his crib in the middle of the night. She and her husband Ben were asleep right next door while a monster took their young son and spirited him away. The police found little evidence and even fewer leads, which meant the case stalled quickly. Before Mason’s disappearance, Isabelle used to sleep soundly, maybe too soundly. But now, she suffers from insomnia. She instead sleeps through blackouts and/or tiny catnaps. Isabelle has lost track of so much time because of those blackouts, hours of which she has no memory.

To fill the time, Isabelle spends every moment searching for Mason. She has investigated all of her neighbors, covering the walls of her dining room with her research. In addition to her endless research, Isabelle travels to true crime conventions around the world, determined to get her story out and keep Mason’s disappearance forefront in the public’s mind. Wanting to try a new avenue, Isabelle decides to be interviewed by a true-crime podcaster, but it quickly becomes apparent that his interest is in more than Mason’s case. He is poking around in Isabelle’s past. His constant questions combined with her insomnia put Isabelle on edge, digging up memories she’d much rather stay buried. She is forced to reconsider who she can trust as she heads down a path to a truth she may wish she never found.

This book is also available in the following format:

Easy to Learn, Difficult to Master: Pong, Atari, and the Dawn of the Video Game by David Kushner and Koren Shadmi

- Stephanie Leave a comment

Want a quick way to learn history? Try graphic novels! My latest graphic nonfiction read is Easy to Learn, Difficult to Master: Pong, Atari, and the Dawn of the Video Game by David Kushner and Koren Shadmi.

I will admit that I don’t know much about videogames. I didn’t play much growing up and as an adult, my current exposure is mostly limited to helping people check out videogames at the library. However, I am always fascinated in learning the history, well, behind literally anything. Last week while on a road trip, I discovered that the founder of Atari, Nolan Bushnell, went on to also found the Chuck E. Cheese’s businesses. (Don’t ask how I fell into that random rabbit hole, but it was a fun trip!) Wanting to learn more, I checked the Library’s catalog and found a nonfiction graphic novel called Easy to Learn, Difficult to Master: Pong, Atari, and the Dawn of the Video Game by David Kushner and Koren Shadmi. This nonfiction graphic novel perfectly satisfied my curiosity, though I will admit that it is based on a magazine article and that is clearly reflected given how short the book is. I would love to learn more about the two men involved and their rivalry. Instead the novel focuses on the two mens’ direct relationship to Pong and a bit of their relationship with each other.

Easy to Learn, Difficult to Master is a nostalgic look into the start of gaming. Readers examine the start of Silicone Valley through the lives of Ralph Baer and Nolan Bushnell, two very different men vying for the title of inventor of video games. Baer was a Jewish immigrant whose family fled Germany for America. He developed the first TV video-game console and ping-pong game in the 1960s. Baer then went on to work for Magnavox. Bushnell founded Atari and then put out his own pioneering table-tennis arcade game called Pong in 1972. As a result, a massive battle ensued between Baer and Bushnell over who really invented video games. They spent decades arguing over who started this multibillion-dollar industry, but never really came to a conclusion. This graphic novel focuses on their battle, while also showcasing the groundbreaking inventions and innovation that had to occur for those games to be created and to then spark the seeds for today’s ground-breaking games.

Music Selector’s Choice: Snarky Puppy

- Callen Leave a comment

I love the band name Snarky Puppy. Like all good band names it’s a great hook to get you to check out the music, and see if it measures up.

Snarky Puppy is an instrumental group (no vocals here) founded in Texas which has now won five Grammy awards for its blend of jazz, world, rock, and funk music styles. Around forty musicians have played in the group over the course of its existence but on any given album the number of musicians is between ten and twenty, drawn from a rotating roster that still includes founder Michael League.

If you want to trace this group’s development through its albums, you can find these through our Rivershare consortium:

Culcha Vulcha (2016)

We Like It Here (2018)

Immigrance (2019)

Empire Central (2022)

Other albums including their first, 2006’s The Only Constant, are available through Spotify and YouTube. What’s your favorite cool band name?

Music Buzz: Bad Bunny

- Callen Leave a comment

As a big music person, I’ve heard more and more about artist Bad Bunny in recent years, and I finally decided to do some digging to find out what the story is and why he’s so popular.

If you’re like me, you first heard the name Bad Bunny as a contributor on the song I Like It, from Cardi B’s album Invasion of privacy in 2018. When the song exploded Bad Bunny’s star began to rise, and debut album X 100pre was released in 2019. Later that same year, however, a collaborative album Oasis was released with J Balvin. Most recently Bad Bunny came out with another solo album, Un verano sin ti in 2022, which has done very well on the charts.

But why should he have been so successful, and be so beloved? Well, as it turns out Bad Bunny’s public image is positive and nuanced; as the first non-English language act to be Spotify‘s most streamed artist of the year in 2020 and 2021 he has made a massive contribution to Spanish-language music becoming popular in the US and worldwide markets. In terms of his visual look, Vanessa Rosales of CNN has opined that “in pink, florals and short shorts, Bad Bunny champions a new masculinity”. Moreover, in a 2020 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Bad Bunny stated he sees sexuality as fluid. He said, “At the end of the day, I don’t know if in 20 years I will like a man. One never knows in life. But at the moment I am heterosexual and I like women.”

He has been an LGBTQ advocate in other ways as well. During a performance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in February 2020, he called attention to the murder of transgender woman Alexa Negrón Luciano in Puerto Rico by wearing a shirt with the words “They Killed Alexa. Not a Man in a Skirt.”, referencing news reports that had misgendered the victim. Ricky Martin has stated that Bad Bunny “has become an icon for the Latin queer community” due to his outspoken support of gay and transgender Latinos as well as his embrace of drag culture. And he’s also been a general activist for his native Puerto Rico. Bad Bunny was openly critical towards the lack of humanitarian aid in the wake of Hurricane Maria, which devastated the island of Puerto Rico. He established the Good Bunny Foundation, which distributes toys to children living in poverty in Puerto Rico.

Studies have shown that Gen Z and younger listeners care not just about musical style and content but also ethics and accountability, which means the answer to my question is that Bad Bunny is so popular because his lifestyle and activism back up his catchy and infectious musical work. Whether you’re a longtime fan, or newly curious about this international icon, you should give his albums a try, available today from your Rivershare library.

Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak

- Stephanie Leave a comment

“We don’t know how much our bodies can endure until we make cruel demands of them.”
― Jason Rekulak, Hidden Pictures

My latest read, Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak, is my first 5 star read for 2023! It was the 2022 Goodreads Choice Award winner for Best Horror. I highly recommend that you read a physical copy of this book, instead of listening to it, as there are drawings scattered throughout that are essential to the narrative.

Mallory Quinn is right out of rehab looking for a job. On the recommendation of her sponsor, she lands a job as a babysitter for Ted and Caroline Maxwell in the affluent suburb of Spring Brook, New Jersey. Mallory will be spending her days taking care of their five-year-old son, Teddy. This job immediately appeals to Mallory. She lives in the Maxwell’s pool house, is able to continue her workout regime by going on nightly runs, and finally has the stability that allows her to thrive.

Mallory and Teddy’s relationship blooms. Teddy is sweet, yet incredibly shy. He doesn’t get along with other little kids and would rather hang out with Mallory exploring the forest behind their house. Teddy also always has his sketchbook and pencils within reach. He spends his free time drawing the usual kid pictures: trees, rabbits, people. One day, his drawings change. Mallory finds a drawing of a man in a forest dragging a woman’s lifeless body.

Mallory is shocked. As the days progress, Teddy’s artwork becomes more and more sinister. His drawing style also drastically changes. He starts drawing more lifelike images, something way more detailed and complex than a five-year-old should be able to draw. When Mallory learns the history of her area, a chill runs through her. She starts to think that maybe Teddy’s artwork is actually snapshots of an unsolved murder that occurred years ago. Could something supernatural be lurking in the Maxwell house, haunting and telling Teddy what to draw? What is Mallory willing to do to help Teddy?

This book is also available in the following formats:

Change Your Mind, Change Your Life

- Callen Leave a comment

You’ve probably heard of positive thinking, affirmations, and other ways to use the right messaging to create better thoughts, and thereby affect how you live your life. You may not have considered it in detail, however, including the studies that show how powerful your thought patterns really are. Recently we added Mind Your Mindset by Michael S. Hyatt to the collection; this book delves into those studies and how you can apply those ideas to improve your performance in business and in everyday life.

However, this is not the first time these ideas have been explored in print. You might also try these other titles for other perspectives on an important concept.

Mindset by Carol Dweck (2006) is the original text on the power of your thoughts – Dweck powerfully demonstrates that if you believe your identity and skills are not fixed, but can always grow and develop, then failure is not a threat to you and your identity, but rather a necessary step in the learning process. She calls this the “growth mindset” and the key to success and change.

In Feeling Good Together by David Burns (2008) (which I have recommended before, and probably will again) he shares the five secrets of effective communication, all of which hinge on a vital mindset change – let go of your need to be right and acknowledge the truth in others’ views, and your relationships will improve. A difficult thing to learn to do, but so powerful.

For a twist on this idea, revisit another of my old recommendations: Presence by Amy Cuddy. This book explores how our posture can affect our emotions, mindset, and performance, including studies that showed results and examples of effective poses. Pairing one of the books above with this one will give you a one-two punch to improve your general approach to life. Be warned, this book could also lead you down a rabbit hole of exploring the fascinating field of mind-body connection with other titles like The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel A. Van der Kolk.

Finally, for a more comprehensive overview, try Success: The Psychology of Achievement  by Deborah A. Olson (2017). There are many, many facts and tips shared here including on managing emotions, expectations, AND your thought patterns for more effective interactions with yourself, with stress, and with others.

Oprah’s Latest Book Club Pick: Bittersweet by Susan Cain

- Stephanie Leave a comment

Join Simply Held to have certain celebrity book club picks automatically put on hold for you: Reese Witherspoon, Jenna Bush Hager, and Oprah Winfrey. While Reese and Jenna generally announce a new title each month, Oprah’s selections are more sporadic. She has just announced hew newest selection: Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole by Susan Cain. Reminder that if you join Simply Held, you can choose to have these titles automatically put on hold for you.

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Oprah Winfrey has selected Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole by Susan Cain.

Curious what Bittersweet is about? Check out the following description provided by the author.

In her latest #1 New York Times bestseller, the author of the bestselling phenomenon Quiet reveals the power of a bittersweet, melancholic outlook on life, and why our culture has been so blind to its value.

If you’ve ever wondered why you like sad music …
If you find comfort or inspiration in a rainy day …
If you react intensely to music, art, nature, and beauty …

Then you probably identify with the bittersweet state of mind.

With her mega-bestseller, Quiet, Susan Cain urged our society to cultivate space for the undervalued, indispensable introverts among us, thereby revealing an untapped power hidden in plain sight. Now, she employs the same mix of research, storytelling, and memoir to explore why we experience sorrow and longing, and the surprising lessons these states of mind teach us about creativity, compassion, leadership, spirituality, mortality and love.

This book is also available in the following format:

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Join Simply Held to have Oprah’s adult selections automatically put on hold for you!

The Rich Diversity of Country Music

- Callen Leave a comment

Oftentimes music genres can get painted as monoliths, when in fact there’s more going on if you know where to look for it. Country music, for example, often seems like it’s mostly “bro country” like Florida Georgia Line (“Cruise”) or “boyfriend country” like Dan + Shay (famous recently for “10,000 Hours” feat. Justin Bieber) or love letters to small-town life and the USA (Brad Paisley covers all three on album Time Well Wasted). But country music has a long history of activism and messages about social equality and the need for change, in addition to all of the above. Here are some artists you can check out from our music CD collection today, and the issues they care about.

Johnny Cash was known for many things, among which were his “politics of empathy“, manifesting in advocacy for Native Americans and for prison reform. For a sample, try Johnny Cash at San Quentin.

Kacey Musgraves’ songs are all for inclusion and deviating from the norm, including songs about gay love, weed, and casual hookups. Listen to Same Trailer Different Park for her hit “Follow Your Arrow”.

Tim McGraw’s Machine Hits 2013-2019 are a good overview of his democrat country vibe, though it may not capture his work for an anti-gun violence initiative supporting Sandy Hook.

Loretta Lynn was not just an icon of country music, she also shocked audiences with a song about the pill. Her album Still Woman Enough may not openly advocate for birth control but it is pro-women all the way.

Willie Nelson, of course, is a beloved and complicated character who hasn’t been shy about advocating for marijuana legalization. Try his latest, A Beautiful Time, or Band of Brothers.

LeAnn Rimes has long been an advocate for equality and LGBTQ rights, speaking out for the It Gets Better video movement. From our collection, try 2017’s Remnants.

And finally, we can’t forget Garth Brooks’ longstanding message of understanding and compassion, best seen in country anthem “We Shall Be Free,” featured on The Chase.

Of course there’s still more fascinating music lurking under the country umbrella, not least of all is the “Southern Gothic” subgenre, inspired by authors like Flannery O’Connor and V.C. Andrews, and full of death, ghosts, betrayal, religion, violence, and much more… but that’s a story for another post.

What’s YOUR favorite lesser-known music subgenre?