Tag: Syed M. Masood

Checked In: A Davenport Public Library Podcast May Episode Breakdown

- Brittany Leave a comment

Each month, we release a new episode of Checked In: A Davenport Public Library Podcast. In this blog post, I will give you helpful links to area resources, Library resources, and links to the books discussed in our episode!

AAPI Heritage Month Reads

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Below are some of our favorite titles written by AAPI authors!  

Learning and Literacy Collection

All three Davenport Public Library branches have a Learning & Literacy Collection. These collections contain materials that are not easily confined in either the adult, young adult, or juvenile collections. Patrons can find guidance on many topics that can be difficult to talk about such as abuse, death, mental health, sex education, as well as books about homeschooling, engaging reluctant readers, job searching, and so much more! Because the Learning & Literacy Collection covers such a rich array of topics, we have a helpful LibGuide to help those interested to better navigate the collection.

Mystery Reads with Merideth

Stephanie and Michelle met with Merideth, Technical Services Supervisor to discuss some of her favorite mysteries that she has read recently. Below are the titles if you would like to place a hold!

Tourist Appreciation Month

May 7th is National Tourism Day. Did you know that with your Davenport Public Library card, you can tour local institutions for free? Davenport Public Library as well as other RiverShare Libraries have community experience passes for various local sites available for checkout. Visit the Figge, Putnam, Quad City Botanical Center, Quad City Symphony Orchestra, German American Heritage Center, and Common Chord by checking out one of our passes! To learn more about what is available for checkout, click here!

If you are looking for something fun finding hidden gems throughout the Quad Cities, we recommend checking out 100 Things to do in the Quad Cities Before You Die by Jonathan Turner. Be sure to place a hold today and create the perfect QC bucket list!  

Older Americans Month Reads

To celebrate Older Americans Month, Brittany and Stephanie discussed some of their favorite reads showcasing characters belonging to the aging population. Below are a few of the titles discussed during our segment.

Brittany’s Titles:
The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg
The Almost Sisters by Joshilyn Jackson
Calling Me Home by Julie Kibler
A Fire Sparkling by Julianne MacLean
A Man Called Ove by Frederick Bachman

Stephanie’s Titles:
Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
Mrs. Plansky’s Revenge by Spencer Quinn
Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto
Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood
Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty
Britt-Marie was Here by Fredrik Backman 
Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney
The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
News of the World by Paulette Jiles
The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle by Matt Cain
An Elderly Lady is Up to No Good by Helene Turste 

Catch Us OWLT and About This Summer!

It is officially OWL season! For those of you unfamiliar with the Outreach Wheeled Library (OWL), it is a sprinter van equipped with carts full of books! The Community Outreach Team visits, parks, community events, and so much more throughout the Spring, Summer, and Fall! If you see the OWL, be sure to stop by and say hello, check out items, get a Library Card, and leave with some Library swag and information!

To catch us OWLT and About, visit our calendar of events!

What Our Hosts Read In April

Michelle’s Reads:
Hot and Sour Suspects by Vivien Chien
Misfortune Cookie by Vivien Chien

Stephanie’s Reads:

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
The Fury by Alex Michaelides
She Kills Me: The True Stories of History’s Deadliest Women by Jennifer Wright, illustrations by Eva Bee
Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard
Mrs. Plansky’s Revenge by Spencer Quinn (First in the Mrs. Plansky series)
From Here to Eternity: Traveling the World to Find the Good Death by Caitlin Doughty
Parachute Kids by Betty Tang
Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice by Elle Cosimano (Fourth in the Finlay Donovan series)
Murder Before Evensong by the Revered Richard Coles (First in the Canon Clement series)
Cyclopedia Exotica by Aminder Dhaliwal
Transitions: A Mother’s Journey by Elodie Durand
Hunting by Stars by Cherie Dimaline (Second in the Marrow Thieves series) 

Brittany’s Reads:
Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld
A Proposal They Can’t Refuse by Natalie Caña (First in the Vega Family Love Stories Series)
The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes
Horton Hears a Who by Dr. Seuss
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
The Long Game by Elena Armas (First in The Long Game Series)

 

The Bad Muslim Discount by Syed Masood

- Stephanie Leave a comment

I am consistently working on broadening my reading. As an avid book reader, I have an ever-growing list of titles outside my norm that I have dedicated 2021 to tackle. My latest read by Syed M. Masood captivated my interest, traveled the world, and spanned decades. Masood grew up in Karachi, Pakistan and currently lives in Sacramento, California. He is a world traveler and his life experiences are reflected in his book, The Bad Muslim Discount. 

The Bad Muslim Discount by Syed M. Masood follows two families across decades. From Pakistan and Iraq in the 1990s all the way to San Francisco in 2016, this novel highlights the lives of two Muslim families and their journey to the United States.

1995: Anvar Faris is growing up in Karachi, Pakistan. As the youngest son, Anvar is constantly measured against his older brother. As a result, Anvar is rebellious, restless, and constantly being scolded by his mother for his words. Closest to his grandmother, Anvar spends time with her learning how to play chess and trying to beat her. At this same time, fundamentalists in the government increasingly become louder and more forceful. Religious zealots knock on doors and the streets are more dangerous. With Islam on the rise more and more, Anvar’s family is getting worried. His father decides to move the family to California to start over. Not everyone in the family is happy with the move, but it happens nonetheless. Anvar may not have fit in 100% in Karachi, but he soon finds out that he doesn’t fit in in California. So begins Anvar’s journey to carve out a place for himself where he can be happy.

While Anvar is struggling to find himself, Safwa has problems of her own. Thousands of miles away in Baghdad, Safwa is also struggling. Her family has been rocked by tragedy. Her grief-stricken father wants Safwa to follow his conservative values, something of which she is not a fan. With nothing left to hold them at home, the two begin a dangerous trip to America that could not be more different than Anvar’s.

While Anvar and Safwa’s paths to America differ, at the core they do share similarities. Once both have made it to California, their lives begin to bring them closer together. The closer their worlds become, the more their fates and the fates of those around them intertwine. The decisions both Anvar and Safwa make set off a series of events that will destroy their community and alter their lives forever.