OverBOOKed to Read: The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey

The Widows of Malabar Hill, the first book in Sujata Massey's Perveen Mistry series, transports you to another time, another place, and another culture. Set in Bombay in 1921, Perveen Mistry is the daughter of a respected Zoroastrian family and one of the first female lawyers in India.

OverBOOKed to Read: Watching You Without Me by Lynn Coady

Watching You Without Me by Lynn Coady

In this dramatic thriller, Karen returns to her childhood home in Nova Scotia after her mother's death to handle her affairs and manage the care of her developmentally-disabled older sister, Kelli. Taking on a caregiver role was not something Karen had planned on or wanted to do. In fact, she and her mother, Irene, had a big argument years earlier because Irene insisted on keeping Kelli at home and caring for her there, rather than sending her to an institution.

Luckily (or maybe not), one of Kelli's caregivers, Trevor, steps in to help. Officially, Trevor's job is to accompany Kelli on a walk twice a week. As Karen gets overwhelmed with her caregiving duties, Trevor starts taking on more responsibilities. However, he also keeps coming by unannounced and using his key to get into the house. Pretty soon, Trevor's help starts to feel manipulative and he's also adamant that he knows what's best for everyone involved.

Join the overBOOKed book club for a discussion of this title on Thursday, March 17, at 10:00 a.m. at the Cumming library. OverBOOKed meets at 10:00 a.m. every third Thursday of the month.

The eBook and eAudiobook versions of Watching You Without Me are available through Libby. Anyone with a Forsyth County Public Library card can sign up for a free Libby account. Sign up for a free card today to start enjoying FCPL's digital catalog from wherever you are!

Jen
Information Specialist
Cumming Library
#WeKnowBooks

OverBOOKed to Read: Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee by Casey Cep

Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee by Casey Cep

Murder. Voodoo. Revenge. Furious Hours tells the story of a killer, his murder, and a series of trials almost too bizarre to believe.

The Reverend Willie Maxwell had a reputation in Alexander City, Alabama. An African American preacher who also worked as a wood pulper, he was known for always wearing a suit, his elegant way of speaking, and for his charming manners. Throughout the 1970s, he also acquired a darker reputation among the locals. When the police found his wife's body in a car on a country road and discovered that he had taken out a number of life insurance policies on her, they began to investigate.

Staff Picks: Summer Light, and Then Comes the Night by Jón Kalman Stefánsson

Summer Light, and Then Comes the Night by Jón Kalman Stefánsson

In a rural village in Iceland, a few hours from the capital of Reykjavík, the inhabitants cling to their lives and community while the world around them is changing. As in any small town, everyone knows each others' business and the story weaves in and out of many villagers' lives, exploring a range of human emotion, life-changing events, and turmoil. The village has its community dances, monthly astronomy lectures, and a new restaurant to amuse them and bring them together during the seasonal ebb and flow of daylight. As the town tries to retain its sense of community, a series of events unravels that change many of their lives forever, for better and worse. As the title hints, the Icelandic year is influenced heavily by the summer light and the coming of the near dark winter with little sunlight, which aptly reflects their shared joy and sorrow.

OverBOOKed to Read: This Time Next Year by Sophie Cousens

This Time Next Year by Sophie Cousens

Minnie Cooper (yes, really) is convinced she is jinxed. Born on New Year's Day, 1990, she just missed out on the cash prize for first '90s baby born in London to Quinn Hamilton, who also managed to get the first name she was meant to have. Every New Year's celebration since has gone terribly wrong and Minnie traces all of her misfortune back to Quinn, a man she has never met.

Staff Picks Dune by Frank Herbert - Adult Fiction

Dune by Frank Herbert 

Dune's impressive world-building weaves together a spell-binding tale of political rivalry, futuristic technology, intellectual puppet masters with super-human mental abilities, and a harsh desert environment populated by primitive tribes and gigantic apex predators.  

For a science fiction fan like myself, one of the most fascinating concepts in the series involves the Space Guild and its navigators who transform physically and utilize the spice harvested on Arrakis to steer ships across the universe by folding space. Dune Messiah reveals the odd and fascinating career pathway of one such navigator.  I'm equally intrigued by the mysterious Bene Gesserit Sisterhood.  Learn more about mental powers, mind control, and the scheming ways of the Bene Gesserit in Heretics of Dune and Chapterhouse Dune.  And fans of swordmaster Duncan Idaho will appreciate his appearances in each of Frank Herbert's original Dune books. 

The unlikely story behind the publication of this classic science fiction novel is one of the best Cinderella stories in science fiction. Dune was originally published as a serialized story in Analog Magazine but was a hard concept to sell to publishers in the 1960s. In fact, twenty publishers rejected it. It's all thanks to Chilton Books of Philadelphia, a publisher of business magazines and automotive manuals who took a chance on the book, that this epic story has been entertaining readers for generations.  

Alicia Cavitt
#WeKnowBooks

Information Specialist

Without change something sleeps inside us, and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken.

                

OverBOOKed to Read: The Department of Sensitive Crimes by Alexander McCall Smith

The Department of Sensitive Crimes by Alexander McCall Smith

Nordic Noir is a subgenre of the thriller, Scandinavian crime fiction marked by gritty writing with dark plots set in bleak landscapes, and it has enjoyed a surge in popularity over the last few years. You may have heard of authors like Jo Nesbø, Stieg Larsson, and Karin Fossum, who write about worn, flawed characters who are sometimes far from heroic.

And then there is Detective Inspector Ulf Varg. Ulf "the Wolf" Varg is keenly observant and possesses a philosophical turn of mind. Like any Nordic Noir detective, he has his share of personal problems that he must deal with as he uncovers clues to various crimes. He is unlucky in love and, distressingly, his dog Martin appears to be depressed. It could be Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), but it is summer, so something else must be going on.

Obviously, this is not your usual Nordic Noir. Instead, Varg and his team in the Department of Sensitive Crimes investigate cases that are... well, complicated. For instance, there is the case of the former motorcycle mechanic who now sells cashmere and was stabbed in the back of the knee. Who could have committed such an attack and why? Next, a young woman's boyfriend suddenly goes missing. The investigation becomes more complex when it turns out that her boyfriend is imaginary. How does one locate an imaginary missing boyfriend?

It turns out that Ulf Varg and his associates possess an attention to detail and a high tolerance for rambling conversation that enables them to navigate the odd crimes and quirky characters that come to the Department of Sensitive Crimes. Readers will find it to be a delightful experience.

Check out the book now and join the overBOOKed book club on Thursday, December 16 at 10:00 a.m. at the Cumming Library.

The eBook and eAudiobook versions of The Department of Sensitive Crimes are available through OverDrive. Anyone with a Forsyth County Library card can sign up for a free OverDrive account. Sign up for a free card today to start enjoying FCPL's digital catalog from wherever you are!

Melissa
Information Specialist
Cumming Library
#WeKnowBooks

Staff Picks: The Happiest Man on Earth: The Beautiful Life of an Auschwitz Survivor by Eddie Jaku

The Happiest Man on Earth: The Beautiful Life of an Auschwitz Survivor by Eddie Jaku 

While there are many novels, memoirs, and biographies about the Holocaust, none match up to this one. At the age of 100, which is a feat itself, Eddie Jaku writes to his readers, who he calls his friends, about the struggle of survival as a refugee and as a death camp survivor during WWII. But this memoir is so much more than a war novel. Eddie writes of his life after the war as an immigrant in Australia and his inner struggle to cope with his past and how to look and move forward to a happy future. He also examines his experiences through a psychological perspective, wondering how his neighbors went from having dinner with his family to throwing stones at them and cursing them only because they were Jewish, despite he and his family considering themselves as Germans first and Jews second. It is hard to write a review for this book because you have to read the book for yourself to fully immerse yourself in Eddie’s story. No review or synopsis can sum up his incredible life story. 

I will tell you that I read Eddie’s memoir in two days, and after I finished it, I told my mom to read it. My mom, who has not read a book in over 10 years, could not put this one down and she read it in three days. Eddie’s words are powerful and captivating, yet reading his book is like having a conversation with a friend at a coffee shop in that his words are casual, comforting, and warm. I cried, I laughed, and I felt grateful for the life I had, and I feel as though I have gained a new friend.

“There are always miracles in the world, even when all seems hopeless. And when there are no miracles, you can make them happen. With a simple act of kindness, you can save another person from despair, and that might just save their life. And this is the greatest miracle of all.” 

This book is a quick yet powerful read and I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for hope, support, and most importantly, a friend, because Eddie provides all of that through his words.

On October 13, 2021, Eddie Jaku passed away at the age of 101 at his home in Sydney, Australia. Let us remember his legacy by following his advice to slow down and savor each day and to be kind and make the world a better place. As Eddie says, “Happiness does not fall from the sky. It’s in your hands.”

Jessica Doss

Information Specialist - MLIS

#WeKnowBooks

OverBOOKed to Read: The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins

The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins

Murder, love, ambition - all can be found in The Wife Upstairs, a modern reimagining of Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre. Set in Birmingham, Alabama, this Southern Gothic mystery introduces us to Jane, a down-on-her-luck dog walker who knows that her gated-community clientele won't notice if she swipes a few pieces of their jewelry or other valuables. They also won't ask if Jane is her real name.

Jane's luck may be about to change when she meets and falls for the wealthy and mysterious widower, Eddie Rochester. However, Jane's curiosity about Eddie's dead wife leads to even more questions and Jane finds that all may not be as it seems.

Join the overBOOKed book club for a discussion of this title on Thursday, November 18, at 10:00 a.m. at the Cumming library. OverBOOKed meets at 10:00 a.m. every third Thursday of the month.

The eBook and eAudiobook versions of The Wife Upstairs are available through OverDrive. Anyone with a Forsyth County Library card can sign up for a free OverDrive account. Sign up for a free card today to start enjoying FCPL's digital catalog from wherever you are!

Jen

Information Specialist

Cumming Library

#WeKnowBooks

Forsyth Writes Together

 

Wastebasket by J.M. Tompkins

Recently author J.M. Tompkins shared insights into self-publishing with local writers at the Sharon Forks Library. Tompkins is the founder of The Next Level Writing Group and author of the dystopian science fiction series, Habitual Humanity. The first book in the series, Wastebasket, describes life in the year 2069 for a reluctant Navy sailor assigned to patrol the world’s largest trash depository. The five-book series focuses on environmental issues and emerging technologies.  

The twenty local writers who attended the Forsyth Writes Together program, Overcome Self-Publishing Myths and Get Started, received valuable insights and resources, including a step-by-step guide to self-publishing. Tompkins signed books and spoke with the authors about their individual publishing goals and her experiences with book cover design, formatting, marketing, and how to make money as an indie author, her preferred term for a self-published author. Each of the participants gained valuable knowledge, ideas, and information on where to start with self-publishing.     

Got a concept for a futuristic story? Writers interested in crafting believable science fiction stories will have the opportunity to meet Tompkins in person next month when she presents Using Science in Your Science Fiction, on November 18 at 7 p.m. at the Post Road Library. Please register in advance if you’d like to attend. 

Both programs are part of Forsyth Writes Together. Check out our event calendar to see the full list of FCPL programs for all ages. 

Alicia Cavitt
Information Specialist
#WeKnowBooks

OverBOOKed to Read: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie

At the time of this writing, I have just finished listening to The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie and I am still in shock. I have read a handful of Christie's mysteries, most recently Murder on the Orient Express and And Then There Were None, both of which feature crimes under bizarre circumstances in exotic locations and with unexpected endings. With this one the setting and mystery are different, but no less confounding.

Set in the quiet English village of King's Abbott, inhabitants are rocked by the suicide of a wealthy widow, Mrs. Ferrars, and, days later, the murder of her fiancé Roger Ackroyd. Enter Hercule Poirot, who has recently moved to the village and is persuaded out of retirement by the victim's niece. Assisted by our narrator, local doctor James Sheppard (and by Dr. Sheppard's nosy gossip of a sister, Caroline), Poirot joins the police in investigating the murder of Roger Ackroyd. As expected from an Agatha Christie mystery, the suspects are quickly narrowed down to a small group of people. Each turns out to have a motive for murdering Roger Ackroyd and, as Poirot notes, each one has something to hide.

I am not blessed with "little grey cells" as gifted as Poirot's and while listening to the story I suspected pretty much every character at some point or other. There is the parlor maid recently and abruptly fired by Roger Ackroyd; the butler, who has a shady past; the step-son, who is now nowhere to be found; and others. Christie's writing is clear and precise; it is easy to visualize the manor house and the room in which the murder takes place, easy to create a relatively accurate timetable of each character's movements during the time of the murder. What is not easy (at least for me) is piecing together all of the little clues to create the big picture of what really happened.

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd was published in 1926 and is the third novel to feature Christie's famous Belgian detective. It is widely regarded as her masterpiece, significantly impacting the mystery genre, and in 2013 the Crime Writers' Association voted it the best crime novel ever. Having read the book, it is easy to see the influence it has had on many of today's modern mysteries and thrillers.

With that in mind, don't forget that the #WeKnowBooks Reading Challenge for October is to read a book that is discussed at an FCPL book club or included in a NextReads newsletter. Check out the book now and join the overBOOKed book club on Thursday, October 21 at 10:00 a.m. at the Cumming library. Find out for yourself who killed Roger Ackroyd.

The eBook and eAudiobook versions of this classic mystery are available through OverDrive. Anyone with a Forsyth County Library card can sign up for a free OverDrive account. Sign up for a free card today to start enjoying FCPL's digital catalog from wherever you are!

Melissa
Information Specialist
Cumming Library
#WeKnowBooks

OverBOOKed to Read: The Dry by Jane Harper

The Dry by Jane Harper

Small towns hold big secrets. Agent Aaron Falk is called back to his drought-stricken Australian hometown to attend the funerals of his childhood best friend, Luke, and Luke's wife and son. Luke's parents have asked him to investigate the deaths, which appear to be murder-suicide. Aaron left town decades ago under a suspicious cloud surrounding another young woman's death. At that time, Luke and Aaron had been each other's alibi, but now it has become apparent that more than one person knows they weren't telling the truth.

Set against the backdrop of the worst drought in a century, The Dry is a suspenseful tale of anger and revenge. This debut thriller from Jane Harper is followed by the second in the Aaron Falk series, Force of Nature.

Join the overBOOKed book club for a discussion of this title on Thursday, September 16 at 10:00 a.m. at the Cumming library. OverBOOKed meets at 10:00 a.m. every third Thursday of the month.

The eBook and eAudiobook versions off The Dry are available through OverDrive. Anyone with a Forsyth County Library card can sign up for a free OverDrive account. Sign up for a free card today to start enjoying FCPL's digital catalog from wherever you are!

Jen
Information Specialist
Cumming Library
#WeKnowBooks

July 2021 Reading Challenge - Adult Fiction

So many books fit the criteria for FCPL’s July Reading Challenge-Read a Book by or About Someone With a Different Background From Your Own-that it’s hard to choose just one.  Here are two more recommendations for patrons seeking diverse books. 

When We Were Vikings by Andrew MacDonald

When We Were Vikings is a coming-of-age story about a young woman with fetal alcohol syndrome who sees herself as a modern Viking, loving fiercely and on a personal quest to become legendary.  While Zelda finds herself in tough situations and crosses paths with some unsavory characters in the course of the story, she never betrays her Viking code or loses sight of her North Star.  Fans of quirky protagonists with hearts of gold will love this novel. 

You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey by Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar

You may be familiar with comedian Amber Ruffin from her show The Amber Ruffin Show or her regular appearances on Late Night with Seth Meyers. If so, you’ll recognize Ruffin’s down-to-earth humor in her new book You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey in which she describes a few of her own experiences as a Black woman in the United States. 

While the book’s tone is light, its topic is heavy.  Yet as Ruffin herself notes, her own struggles with racial bias pale in comparison to the encounters her sister Lacey has experienced. From childhood on, Lacey seems targeted in unusual ways at school, the workplace, and even shopping. But Lacey is nobody’s victim and her insightful anecdotes paint a vivid, even at times humorous picture of someone dealing with personal obstacles in present-day America. 

If you’re looking for a book about real-life race relations from a Black woman's point of view, You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey is a great introduction. Check out the audio version to hear the sisters banter in their own voices, or read the print version to see photographs. In one of Lacey’s most memorable stories, a clerk mistakes a photo of abolitionist Harriet Tubman for a picture of Lacey. Viewing both images side by side, it's pretty hard to spot any resemblance. 

Alicia Cavitt

Information Specialist

#WeKnowBooks

 

July 2021 Reading Challenge - Adult Fiction

 I really enjoyed taking part in FCPL’s July Reading Challenge – Read a Book by or About Someone With a Different Background From Your Own. Here are two of my favorite recent reads with compelling characters whose backgrounds are different from my own.   

Afterlife by Julia Alvarez

Afterlife by Julia Alvarez is the story of a recently widowed woman from the Dominican Republic living in Vermont. In the months following her husband’s unexpected passing, Antonia Vega’s life becomes intertwined with a pregnant undocumented teenager. Antonia’s relationships with her three sisters bring added drama and heart to this thoughtful story.  Actress Alma Cuervo delivers an incredible performance on the audio version.  

How Lucky by Will Leitch

How Lucky describes the complexities of life for a young man living with spinal muscular atrophy in Athens, Georgia who holds an important clue to the disappearance of an international college student. Twenty-six-year-old Daniel lives independently with assistance from a caring healthcare worker and visits from his best friend, Travis. Though he’s an unlikely rescuer, Daniel rises to the challenge, even putting his own safety at risk. I really enjoyed this unique novel. Georgia author Will Leitch perfectly captures the nuances of college town life. How Lucky is a captivating story that will have extra appeal for fans of Georgia Bulldogs football.

Alicia Cavitt

Information Specialist

#WeKnowBooks

OverBOOKed to Read: The Second Mrs. Hockaday by Susan Rivers

The Second Mrs. Hockaday by Susan Rivers

August 10, 1865

"... what I cannot excise from my mind is the conviction that I am guided by Destiny - or, what you would call Providence - at the most harrowing intersections of my life. What I can state without prevarication is that my current destiny was charted over the course of two short days in April '63."

Placidia is seventeen years old when she meets Major Gryffth Hockaday. Inexplicably drawn to each other in spite of their age difference, they marry the next day. Two days after that, the major is called back to duty with the Confederate army and Placidia, still more a child than an adult, is left to run a farm and mother her husband's young son. Two years later, the major returns to find that rumors about his wife have spread throughout the town, gossip that claims she bore a child and buried it on the land. Placidia does not deny the accusations, but she won't talk, bound to protect some nameless individual even as she is imprisoned and brought to trial.

Told through letters, court documents, and journal entries, this story spans two generations as characters and reader alike try to piece together what really happened while Major Hockaday was away at war.

Join the overBOOKed book club for a discussion of this title on Thursday, August 19 at 10:00 a.m. at the Cumming library. OverBOOKed meets at 10:00 a.m. every third Thursday of the month.

The eBook and eAudiobook versions of The Second Mrs. Hockaday are available through OverDrive. Anyone with a Forsyth County Library card can sign up for a free OverDrive account. Sign up for a free card today to start enjoying FCPL's digital catalog from wherever you are!

Melissa

Information Specialist

Cumming Library

#WeKnowBooks 

FCPL 2021 July Reading Challenge Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga

 

Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga

Jude, who is sent with her mother to the safety of a relative's home in Cincinnati when her hometown in the Middle Eastern country of Syria is overshadowed by violence, worries for the family members and friends who were left behind as she adjusts to a new life with unexpected surprises. 

Although my childhood in many ways was very different from Jude’s, I found her very relatable as she dealt with many things that all young people deal with -- feeling different and left out, navigating new friendships, and just wanting to be heard and understood. Jude, who loves '80s American pop music and movies and wants to be an actress, has a very likable, open, and welcoming personality. I felt as if I were experiencing her disappointments and triumphs right along with her, and I couldn’t help but root for her!

I would recommend this book to kids in grades 4 and up, including teens and adults who want an enjoyable read and to learn about people from other backgrounds and cultures. But again, I would recommend it to any young reader looking for a book about friendships and the struggles of being a tween, regardless of culture.

Jeanne McMahan
Information Specialist
Sharon Forks Library
#WeKnowBooks

OverBOOKed to Read: I See You by Clare Mackintosh

I See You by Clare Mackintosh

You do the same thing every day.

You know exactly where you're going. You're not alone.

Zoe Walker has an hour commute on the train every morning and every evening. She knows where to stand to be the first onto the train car; she has a usual corner in the car that shields her from the worst of the jostling. She tends to buy a newspaper to while away the time.

One evening on her commute home, Zoe sees her own face pictured in the classified ads of her local paper, paired with a phone number and a website address. The address leads to a password-protected page and her family dismiss the picture, saying it's too grainy to tell if it is her or not. However, more pictures appear in the same ad, a different woman each day, and when Zoe digs a little deeper she discovers that many of the women in the ad are victims of violent crimes.

Could Zoe be next?

Join the overBOOKed book club for a virtual discussion of this title on Thursday, July 15, at 10:00 a.m. OverBOOKed meets virtually at 10:00 a.m. every third Thursday of the month. Register here to receive your GoToMeeting link to join the discussion!

The eBook and eAudiobook versions of I See You are available through OverDrive. Anyone with a Forsyth County Library card can sign up for a free OverDrive account. Sign up for a free card today and start enjoying FCPL's digital catalog from wherever you are!

Melissa
Information Specialist
Cumming Library
#WeKnowBooks

Staff Picks Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

This slim, thought-provoking book set in a Japanese coffee house is a refreshing read for fans of simple, well-crafted stories. At Funiculi Funicla Café in Tokyo, a freshly brewed cup of coffee delivered to a specific chair allows customers to travel back in time. There are several rules to this unique form of time travel.

1. You can’t leave the chair while time traveling.

2. You can only interact with people who have been in the shop before.

3. You need to return to the present before the coffee gets cold.  

4. Nothing you do in the past will impact the present. 

While some characters dismiss the urban legend or balk at the rules, a few are intrigued enough to try to revisit the past. Before the Coffee Gets Cold presents a tantalizing scenario that begs the question, What would you do if you could travel back in time?  

Alicia Cavitt
Information Specialist
Sharon Forks Library
#WeKnowBooks

OverBOOKed to Read The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

Maeve's and Danny's lives are a fairy tale. They are raised together in the Dutch House, a grand mansion located in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, bought by their father, Cyril Conroy, as a surprise for his wife. Just like in a fairy tale, the children's lives are upended when their mother, who hates the house, abandons her family, and disappears; their father remarries and, after his untimely death, their cold stepmother forces them out of the Dutch House to fend for themselves. Left with nothing, the sister and brother must rely on each other.

The story moves back and forth through time over five decades as Maeve and Danny try to move on, but are unable to let go of the past or the house. The Dutch House explores the themes of secrets, memories, loss, and family, particularly the relationship between siblings.

Join the overBOOKed book club for a virtual discussion of this title on Thursday, June 17, at 10:00 a.m. OverBOOKed meets virtually at 10:00 a.m. every third Thursday of the month. Register here to receive your GoToMeeting link to join the discussion!

The eBook and eAudiobook (narrated by Tom Hanks) versions of The Dutch House are available through OverDrive. Anyone with a Forsyth County Library card can sign up for a free OverDrive account. Sign up for a free card today and start enjoying FCPL's digital catalog from wherever you are!

Melissa

Information Specialist

Cumming Library

#WeKnowBooks

May 2021 Reading Challenge: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

 

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

In 1982 a BBC adaptation of the Douglas Adams novel, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, aired on US television as a six-part miniseries. Years later I caught a rerun of the show and was instantly intrigued by a scene that showed a man in an English pub explaining to his very confused friend that the Earth was about to be destroyed but they were going to hitch a ride on a passing spaceship. 

Even by '80s standards, the special effects were poor and the costumes comical. Nevertheless, I was hooked.  As soon as I learned it was an adaptation of Douglas Adams' novel, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the book. 

If you’ve spotted T-shirts or towels with the slogan Don’t Panic, or heard a reference to the number 42 being the answer to “Life, the Universe, and Everything”, you’ve had some exposure to the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. The book, published in 1979, has been adapted for radio, television, film, comics, and even a video game. 

Filled with comical observations about human nature and many imagined wonders of the galaxy, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy has appealed to generations of fans. The novel tells the story of Arthur Dent who learns his home is being demolished to make way for a highway bypass on the same day that he learns Earth is being destroyed to make way for a hyperspace bypass. (Talk about your bad day!)

The book introduced readers to many undiscovered oddities of the universe like the Vogons who create poetry so bad that it’s used to torture people and the Babel fish, a species that translates languages when placed in the ear. 

If you enjoy witty British humor and funny insights, check out The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. If you were born or graduated in the 1970s, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is an entertaining read that can satisfy FCPL’s 2021 May Reading Challenge – read a book published in the year you were born or graduated.  

Whether you’re already a fan of the story or not, be sure to visit our The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – The Forsyth County Edition – the online version. The interactive virtual parody is an homage to Douglas Adams that highlights the wonders of Forsyth County for extra-terrestrial visitors to the area and will be viewable May 16-29 on forsythpl.org.

Alicia Cavitt
Sharon Forks Library 
#WeKnowBooks

Information Specialist