Teresa’s Comments (group member since Dec 28, 2015)

Teresa’s comments from the Homer Public Library 15 in '16 group.

15 in ’16 March Newsletter

Hello Everyone!
Is it winter or is it spring? It’s hard to tell, but one thing for sure is that the weather we’ve been experiencing has been conducive to reading. I’m thrilled to report that in February we had 122 book submissions. That’s our biggest month since we started the reading challenge last year.
If you’re curious to see what people are reading and recommending you’re welcome to join our online Goodreads group. It’s been a nice means for interacting with others who are participating in 15 in ’16. https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
Our February prize winner is Jeanne McArthur. Congratulations Jeanne!

In case you’re wondering what to read next, here are some March book recommendations:
All Over the Map: Running the Rift by Naomi Benaron – In 2002, the author of this book visited Rwanda and while walking on the beach at Lake Kivu, she discovered human bones in the sand. “I got down on my hands and knees and gathered some of the bones together and held them in my palms… That was the moment I decided to write a novel about Rwanda.” Benaron kept true to her word and for her efforts she won the PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction. Besides informing the reader of the politics and tragedy of the Rwandan genocide, it also tells the story of a young athlete who hopes that running might deliver him, and his people, from the brutality around them.
Animal Nature: Seraphina by Rachel Hartman – In the world Rachel Hartman created for Seraphina, humans and dragons don’t see eye to eye. However they do maintain an uneasy peace with one another. As their peaceful coexistence becomes threatened however, there is one individual who is caught in the middle. Seraphina is both human and dragon, and her understanding of both sides threatens the secret of her true identity. If you’re a fan of Christopher Paolini’s Eragon series, this young adult fantasy may appeal to you.
Creative Types: Shakespeare Saved My Life: Ten Years in Solitary with the Bard by Laura Bates – Laura Bates, a Shakespeare professor and prison volunteer, tells the story of the unlikely friendship she forged with Larry Newton, an inmate in the Indiana State Prison system. After reading the book, one of our 15 in ’16 participants wrote: “A subject (crime and redemption) dear to my former teacher heart. This book is more about life than Shakespeare.”
Election Year: No Place to Hide: Edward Snowden, the NSA and the U.S. Surveillance State by Glenn Greenwald – After reading Most Dangerous, a book from the list that was highlighted in the last newsletter, I felt compelled to read about Edward Snowden’s whistleblowing on the NSA. In this book, Greenwald does not pretend to be unbiased on the subject of government surveillance, but it raises interesting questions that I’d never thought to ask. It’s also a fascinating story about the people who put their lives and careers in jeopardy for a cause they believed in.
Isn’t it Romantic?: Harriet Wolf’s Seventh Book of Wonders by Julianna Baggot—In this novel we learn that Harriet Wolf, a deceased famous author, kept her past a secret from her family. Her daughter and granddaughters have more questions than answers about her life, but there is talk of one last hidden book that may fill in some of the gaps. The story is told from four different perspectives—including Harriet’s—and as the pieces of Harriet’s early years fall into place, the women’s lives and relationships with one another are transformed.
Laugh Out Loud: Winterdance by Gary Paulsen – It’s almost Iditarod time again and so this book seems timely. Here’s a comment taken straight from a Goodreads review: “This is the true story of the author who, in "dangerous ignorance," just up and decides to run the Iditarod. It’s essentially a story of self-discovery, but really, it’s completely and totally insane. The adventures are hilarious, and the journey is amazing.” It’s true that some of the stories might be slightly exaggerated, but it’s hard to read this one without laughing, and you’ll no doubt have a better appreciation for what dog-mushers must go through in order to participate in the race to Nome.
North Country: Mrs. Mike by Benedict Freedman and Nancy Freedman—One of our readers described this book as “comfort reading” and she claims to reread it when she wants to be carried away. It’s a love story, and could easily have fit in the “Isn’t it Romantic?” category, but “the heart of the story is Kathy's life experiences in northern Canada in the early 1900s, where civilization and doctors are far away, plagues can wipe out families, childbirth and childhood are fraught with danger, and people need to rely on each other.”--Goodreads
Southern Flair: Strange as this Weather Has Been by Ann Pancake—Set in present day West Virginia, this novel is the story of a family coping with the changing landscape of their home country due to mountaintop removal and strip mining. After reading this book, a friend of mine wrote, “This is the first book in some time that I've felt like I lived in, dreamed in, couldn't get out of my brain during the days I spent reading it. It will be with me for a long time.”
Staff Picks: The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen – This book was the winner of the 2016 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction. The author, Robert Olen Butler wrote, “Not only does Viet Thanh Nguyen bring a rare and authentic voice to the body of American literature generated by the Vietnam War, he has created a book that transcends history and politics and nationality and speaks to the enduring theme of literature: the universal quest for self, for identity. The Sympathizer is a stellar debut by a writer of depth and skill.” It’s also been recommended by Ann Dixon, our library director.
Wild West: Astoria: Astor and Jefferson’s Lost Pacific Empire by Peter Stark—This book is the nonfiction account of an expedition championed by Thomas Jefferson and funded by Jacob Astor in the early 1800s in which they set out to establish a new American colony and shipping port in the Pacific Northwest. Our very own Aurora Firth wrote, “Astoria is a fascinating study of geography, history, and especially human character, and one thing that kept striking me was how a tiny thing, like how one person reacted to a crisis, could change the whole course of events. I wonder what America would be like if Astor had survived.”

And now for some news:
*** I wrote about the “Rule of Fifty” in a newsletter last year, and it’s worth revisiting for those of you who are new to this reading challenge.
Rule of Fifty— A well-known librarian and book-reviewer, Nancy Pearl, came up with this rule. Basically it gives you permission to ditch a book if you’ve read 50 pages and you’re not taken with it. Here’s the rule in her words:
“People frequently ask me how many pages they should give a book before they give up on it. In response to that question, I came up with my “rule of fifty,” which is based on the shortness of time and the immensity of the world of books. If you’re fifty years of age or younger, give a book fifty pages before you decide to commit to reading it or give it up. If you’re over fifty, which is when time gets even shorter, subtract your age from 100—the result is the number of pages you should read before making your decision to stay with it or quit. Since that number gets smaller and smaller as we get older and older, our big reward is that when we turn 100, we can judge a book by its cover!”
My point in offering this rule is that this 15 in ’16 challenge is meant to be fun. If you pick a book from the list and it’s not your cup of tea, just let it go and pick another one. It’s hard to do if you’re a perfectionist and want to finish everything you start, but it’s rather freeing once you give yourself permission to stop reading a book. I’m practicing this myself, and have already abandoned two books from the list that I started. I felt a little guilty at first, but as soon as I started reading a book more to my liking, the guilt passed.
***On April 9th the Homer Public Library will be hosting our annual Celebration of Life Long Learning. This year’s guest will be author Heather Lende from Haines. Her third book, Find the Good, is on our 15 in ’16 list and her first book, If You Lived Here I’d Know Your Name, was on last year’s list. Tickets to this fundraising event will be on sale soon. For more information you can call 435-3195.
And speaking of our Life Long Learning event, nominations are still open for this year’s Life Long Learning Award. If you know someone who deserves some recognition for their infectious passion for learning and exploration, please consider filling out a nomination form. They are available at the circulation desk at the library. Nominations are due on March 8th.
*** One last thing: I know I say it over and over, but it’s true. I so enjoy hearing from all of you. Many of the improvements to this year’s program were implemented after receiving comments or suggestions from participants. Please keep them coming!

Thanks for reading and here’s to another great month!
Teresa

Homer Public Library
500 Hazel Ave
Homer AK 99603
907-235-3180

MAUREEN wrote: "You must read Astoria: John Jacob Astor and Thomas Jefferson's Lost Pacific Empire: A Story of Wealth, Ambition, and Survival. I had heard about this book previously and checked it out, but did not..."

Sounds like a great book. I definitely want to add it to my list now.

Kimberly wrote: "I'm from Way Off, South Carolina. I'm a die hard Dana fan so I ended up stumbling over the 15 in 16. I have convinced my local book club to read books from their list. I've read The Fifth Season an..."

Hi Kimberly from South Carolina! It's great to have you reading along with us. And more points for Dana Stabenow!

Anne wrote: "Maybe I should mention, I am not from Homer, not even from Alaska. I live in Idaho, saw a posting on Dana Stabenow's Facebook page and just thought the whole idea was so great I joined. I love libr..."

Anne, It's great that you're participating from Idaho. And yay for Dana helping spread the word!

Heidi wrote: "Hello everyone! I'm new to Homer and the group. I just started the 15 in '16 so I'm a month behind. Hopefully I'll catch up. I'm not the fastest reader. The book I chose for my first book is from t..."

Hi Heidi! Welcome to Homer and to the group. The good thing about the list is there are 150 books to choose from, so if you decide against Beyond the Bear, I'm sure something else will catch your eye. :)

Hi everyone! What are you reading this month? Any recommendations?

My most recent favorite is the young adult, nonfiction book, Most Dangerous by Steve Sheinkin. Dana Stabenow's review of the book inspired me to check it out, and I am in total agreement with her. It's excellent. I learned a bunch about the goings on during the Vietnam War era and it's the kind of learning that makes me want to dig a little deeper with modern day politics and current events.

I'm listening to Between the World and Me, which is read by the author Ta-Nehisi Coates. It's also excellent, in my opinion, and it's challenging me to expand my thinking as well.

Early in the month I listened to Harriet Wolf's Seventh Book of Wonders by Juliana Baggot. I enjoyed it, but it didn't blow me away. I love listening to books, but I wonder if I might have liked this one better in print.

I also started a couple of books from the list that I probably won't finish... but I'm not gonna name them here. :)

MAUREEN wrote: "Teresa, I did not realize I was to enter the books on the Homer Library site...thank you for the link. Am I doing everything else correctly...should I be writing as much as I am about the books or ..."

You're doing everything just right! And really, there are no rights or wrongs... just books. :)

Hello,

If you’re getting this email it means that you’re participating in the 15 in ’16 reading challenge at the Homer Public Library. Many of you participated last year and are back for more reading. Others of you are new. Either way, Welcome!

Each month I will send out an email that highlights a few books from the list as well as any news that seems relevant. On occasion I will send out announcements or invitations to special events, but I promise not to overload your inbox. If you would rather not receive these emails, please let me know and I’ll remove your name from the list.

In January we had a total of 74 book entries from 41 participants. What a fantastic beginning! Because I’m here at the library and I’m thinking about 15 in ’16 so often, I am often surprised at how many people don’t know about this reading challenge. Many who are reading from the list don’t know that entering the books they’ve read puts their name in the monthly prize drawing and gets their name on the list for this monthly email. If you could help spread the word, I’d appreciate it.

Our prize winner chosen from the January entries is Frances Kaye. Congratulations, Frances!

Now for some books! Below I’ve featured one from each category that you might enjoy reading sometime over the course of the year:

· All Over the Map: Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck – In 1960, John Steinbeck and Charley, his French poodle, set out on a road trip around America. This book is a chronicle of his journey. One of our 15 in ’16 participants, Jerri Nagaruk left this comment when she submitted online: “I savored this book reading just a few pages at a time. I love the way Steinbeck put words together. He also was very insightful about racial tensions developing in the South at the time. This was one of my father's favorite books and now it is one of mine.”


· Animal Nature: Beyond the Bear by Dan Bagley – At 25 years of age, Dan Bagley was doing what many of us have done over the years—fishing for salmon where the Russian and Kenai Rivers converge—when his life took a turn. But don’t mistake this book for a bear attack story. It’s much more than that. This is about Bagley overcoming great loss and choosing, “not just to live, but to live fully.” To be honest, this book could easily have fit into the “Isn’t it Romantic?” category.

· Creative Types: Things the Grandchildren Should Know by Mark Oliver Everett – The author of this book is the lead singer and songwriter for the indie rock band EELS. In this memoir he reveals some of his personal tragedies and his subsequent journey into the music industry. Through it all he remains hopeful stating, “Some of the most horrible moments in my life have led to some of the best.”


· Election Year: Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War by Steve Sheinkin – I didn’t know it was possible for one book to get so many starred reviews. Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Booklist, School and Library Journal, plus a few more all deemed this Young Adult, nonfiction account of the behind-the-scenes workings of the Vietnam War as worth reading. The New York Times Book Review stated, “Young people in the United States are growing up in a vastly changed world, one where endless war and all-pervasive surveillance is a matter of course. 'Most Dangerous' will help them understand how it has become so."


· Isn’t it Romantic?: When Love Comes by J.H. Croix – A little story about this book: The author (J.H. Croix is a pen name) used to live in Homer where she had a tough job as a social worker. She was also one of the Homer Public Library’s most avid readers riding her bicycle over to the Pioneer Avenue location and loading up her backpack with stacks of books each week. Well, to make a long story short, she moved away several years ago to further her education and somewhere along the line she started writing romance novels as a way to unwind from social work and academics. What started out as a hobby turned into something significant when this book, the first in her Diamond Creek, Alaska series, made it onto the Amazon Bestseller list. Pretty cool, eh? If you give this one a read, you’ll likely recognize many of the places she describes.

· Laugh Out Loud: Dead Souls by Nikolai Gogol – First published in 1842, Dead Souls is a satirical novel that exposes the corruption of Russian nineteenth century society. Smartly written and funny, modern readers still find this book relevant and enlightening.

· North Country: The Wind is Not a River by Brian Payton – Here is yet another book that could have found a home in the “Isn’t it Romantic?” category of the 15 in ’16 list. It’s described as “a gripping tale of survival and an epic love story in which a husband and wife–separated by the only battle of World War II to take place on American soil–fight to reunite in Alaska's starkly beautiful Aleutian Islands.” Here is a link to a wonderful review of this book from the Alaska Dispatch News: http://www.adn.com/article/20150118/s...

· Southern Flair: Winter’s Bone by Daniel Woodrell – School Library Journal summarizes the plot of Winter’s Bone: “In the poverty-stricken hills of the Ozarks, Ree Dolly, 17, struggles daily to care for her two brothers and an ill mother. When she learns that her absent father, a meth addict, has put up the family home as bond, she embarks on a dangerous search to find him and bring him home for an upcoming court date.” For me, Woodrell’s spare and spot-on writing make this book worth reading and rereading, and I don’t know if I’ve ever cheered so vehemently for a character in literature.

· Staff Picks: Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain – Probably a good many people who love books and the solace reading can bring would describe themselves as introverts. If you find yourself in this category, this book is an affirming read. Backed by plenty of research, this is a great one for those interested in personality and psychology. I listened to the audio version of this book to kick off my personal 15 in ’16 reading challenge, and I highly recommend giving it a listen.

· Wild West: I Follow in the Dust She Raises by Linda Martin – Since this poet lives in Homer, there is a good chance that many of you know Linda Martin. But even if you’ve never met her, she’ll seem like a friend after you’ve followed her from her beginning in Montana to her current life in Alaska. This collection was published the year the poet turned seventy and her wisdom and love for life and family come through in an honest and down to earth way. Here’s a link to a 49 Writers blog post written by Linda on turning seventy: http://49writers.blogspot.com/2015/06...

And now for a little news:

-Sadly, Eva Saulitis, local author of Into Great Silence from our “Animal Nature” category, passed away on January 16th. She was a gifted writer and a talented teacher. In addition to Into Great Silence, she wrote two books of poetry and a book of essays, all of which are at the library. For those of you who haven’t read it, here is a link to an essay of hers called “Wild Darkness.” https://orionmagazine.org/article/wil...

-Ernestine Hayes, the author of Blonde Indian will give an author talk and reading at the Homer Public Library on Feb. 19th at 6:00pm. Blonde Indian was chosen as the first Alaska Reads book. Statewide people are reading and discussing this memoir. The book was on last year’s list and was included again in 2016. We have several copies for checkout at the library.

-We have added a couple of features to our online submission form that you’ll probably appreciate. First, Holly made the comment section considerably larger, so you can see all of what you’re typing. She also created a permissions option: After you’ve entered a comment, the permission options will pop up. You can choose to allow us to use your comment with your name or anonymously or not at all. (See how I used Jerri Nagaruk’s comment about Travels With Charley? That’s because she gave us permission!) Anyhow, I think this will allow for more sharing among participants while still respecting everyone’s privacy. Thank you, Holly!

-And while we’re saying thank you… A big thank you to the Homer Bookstore for donating a portion of the grand prize from last year’s program. We’re fortunate to have such a wonderful, locally owned, library-supporting bookstore in Homer! Thank you also to the Friends of the Homer Public Library. In addition to all the other events and programs that they sponsor, they foot the bill for 15 in ’16. If you’re not already a member, I hope you’ll consider joining. Here’s a link to their website: http://friendshomerlibrary.org/

-And last of all, a reminder that there is a Homer Public Library 15 in ’16 group on Goodreads that you are all welcome to join. It’s a place to track what you’re reading, see what other group members are up to and leave reviews and comments. Here’s a link for that: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...

As always, I love hearing from you all. So please don’t hesitate to ask questions, contribute news or offer comments.

Have another great month of reading!

Teresa

Homer Public Library
500 Hazel Ave
Homer AK 99603
(907)235-3180

Thanks Maureen for telling us your January reads! The books I finished this month are "Quiet" by Susan Cain and "Into Great Silence" by Eva Saulitis. What's everyone else been reading?

Also, if you haven't entered your books into the Homer Public Library website, now is the time to do it as the month is almost finished. Here's the link: http://www.cityofhomer-ak.gov/library...

If you want to see if others in the group have had to say about books on the 15 in '16 list, just click on the book through the group page. (Just when I think I have my "to read" list finished, I see some comment that makes me add another.)

I haven't read this book yet. My only familiarity with it comes from a radio piece I heard about it once. Apparently there is a whole tour industry in Quebec based on this book series. I'm planning on listening to it sometime this year. I'll let you know what I think.