Staff Picks: Two Novels by Maggie O'Farrell

Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell

Based in 15th century England, Hamnet is "a short, piercing, deeply moving novel about the death of Shakespeare's 11 year old son Hamnet—a name interchangeable with Hamlet in 15th century Britain—and the years leading up to the production of his great play. A young Latin tutor—penniless, bullied by a violent father—falls in love with an extraordinary, eccentric young woman—a wild creature who walks her family's estate with a falcon on her shoulder and is known throughout the countryside for her unusual gifts as a healer. Agnes understands plants and potions better than she does people, but once she settles with her husband on Henley Street in Stratford she becomes a fiercely protective mother and a steadfast, centrifugal force in the life of her young husband, whose gifts as a writer are just beginning to awaken when his beloved young son succumbs to bubonic plague." (from Forsyth County Public Library catalog)

Why I recommend: Maggie O’Farrell’s prose is beautifully written in this novel and deftly paints a picture of the core human experience: love and loss. Rather than Shakespeare himself taking center stage, we primarily follow the story of his wife, Agnes. Agnes is a complex character that finds herself existing in the middle of dualities—maid and mother, country and city, past and present. In this middling space we receive a story that is grief-ridden, heartrending, and gorgeously told. Make sure to have tissues handy!

Dana Anderson

Youth Specialist
Cumming Library

Land by Maggie O'Farrell

The author of Hamnet has written another historical fiction saga that features a host of unforgettable multi-generational characters. Maggie O’Farrell’s latest book Land is set in 19th century Ireland and explores the repercussions of the Great Hunger as well as themes of nature, colonization, loss, guilt, family, and love. 

The novel starts out by introducing Tomás, a cartographer charged with drawing a comprehensive map of Ireland. During his field work he has an unexpected experience in a rural copse on the Ireland coast. This surreal and mystical encounter impels him to question his life’s choices as well as uproot his family to a new home. His wife, Seraphina, and his children, Enda, Liam, Rose, and Eugene must now adapt and build a wildly different life in a remote woodland landscape. The trajectory of each of their lives are altered, and we witness how the characters are shaped and, in turn, shape the land they now call home. 

Throughout the novel, O’Farrell masterfully integrates shifting time periods and multiple character perspectives to depict an ever changing natural landscape, in effect making the land a character of its own. Other notable features of the novel include the use of magical realism, powerful description and imagery, an intriguing historical setting, and unique characters, such as a loyal dog who chooses a family of his own. Check out this book and get lost on the coast of Ireland for a truly immersive reader experience! 

Jillian Palmieri
Youth Specialist
Cumming Library

Veterans Day: Books, Military Databases, and Services Available through Your Library

Veterans provide an immense service to our country, so on November 11 each year, we celebrate their service and sacrifices. Created in 1919 by President Woodrow Wilson, Veterans Day (originally called Armistice Day) celebrated the anniversary of the end of WWI. In 1954 President Dwight D. Eisenhower changed the name of the holiday and made it a celebration of all living veterans. 

There are thousands of books detailing the lives and experiences of veterans from around the world. Here are a few to get you started:

Service: A Navy Seal at War by Marcus Luttrell is an autobiographical account from Luttrell detailing war stories about his time as a member of SEAL Team 5. This book is filled with miraculous rescues, tributes to unbreakable brotherhoods, and questions about what it means to leave a legacy. 

The Hero Next Door: Stories of Patriotism and Purpose by Martha Raddatz proudly displays portraits of dozens of warriors from the 9/11 veteran generation. These accounts demonstrate remarkable accounts of bravery and heroism both on and off the battlefield. 

Once a Warrior: How One Veteran Found a New Mission Closer to Home by Jake Wood is a thrilling memoir detailing Wood’s life after he returned home from his deployment. After watching several men on his unit commit suicide, Wood realized he needed a new mission. Here he dedicated his life to provide aid to those suffering from the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. 

Forsyth County Public Library is also proud to have digital resources for veterans and their families. For those looking for military records, Fold3 is a database with over 600,000 military records ranging from the American Revolution through the Afghan War. Resources for non-military records such as Federal Census records and city directories can also be found here. While most of what can be found is United States based, the website also offers military records from other countries such as Canada and the United Kingdom. Other military records, family records, and national history documents can be located through the National Archive. 

Some types of military records that can be found include

• Service & enlistment records
• Pension files
• Unit histories
• War diaries
• Draft Registration Cards
• Casualty lists
• Prisoner of War records
• Plus more!

Forsyth County Public Library also has social resources for veterans that can be found through USA.gov and The United Way of Forsyth County. USA.gov provides access to information such as military pay, retirement benefits, and military branch information. Veteran-specific job opportunities can also be found here. These opportunities are meant to help service members transition back to civilian life. Through the United Way, veterans have access to support services such as loans, burial benefits, education and employment resources, and social support groups. 

Forsyth County Public Library thanks our veterans for their service in the armed forces!

Basil Marcus

Information Specialist

Sharon Forks Library

Kasey Bonnano

Collection Support Aide

Sharon Forks Library

How to Find Your Next Great Read

You’ve just finished reading a fantastic book and you want to read another like it, to recapture the feeling of total submersion in a gripping plot with interesting characters. But it was the last book in the series. Or you’ve read everything written by that author. Or it’s an author’s debut. Or you want something in your favorite genre, but fresh and new. What do you do?

Don’t worry, the Library has answers to all of those questions! Let’s take a look at three ways to find your next great read.

1. Book Lists Created by FCPL Staff

Our Recommended Reads lists are a great way to find books in your favorite genre. The Forsyth County Library website offers book lists created by library staff for Kids, Teens, and Adults. 

Looking for your next Horror fix? Browse the Horror recommendations and discover a new author. Has your middle schooler read all of the Harry Potter books? Check out the “If You Like Harry Potter” list and look at read-alikes that also provide magic and adventure. Run out of dinosaur books to read to your voracious toddler? When you find a book that piques your interest, click the link and it will take you straight to the library’s online catalog where you can place a request for the book.

2. NoveList Plus

The NoveList Plus database is available through the Library’s website at any time. Simply log in with your library card number and PIN. You can use this database to search for books, read reviews, or discover read-alikes according to author or title. In the search bar, type the title of a book or an author that you enjoyed. 

Click on “Title read-alikes” or “Author read-alikes” to see a list of similar books or authors. 

Select a book cover or author name to read more about the book and see the similarities between the two titles or authors.

When you find something interesting, check for it in the library’s catalog and place a request.

3. Personalized Reading Suggestions 

If you are looking for more specific, personalized reading suggestions, fill out a brief survey to indicate your reading preferences and you will receive an email with a list of recommendations from our library staff within a few days. 

4. Bonus Option

Visit your local library and ask a librarian for a good reading suggestion! We are always happy to help and love suggesting books that fit exactly what you are looking for.

Melissa Gunter
Outreach Specialist