Bookmarked: Book Recommendations & News from Forsyth County Public Library

Friday, January 3, 2014

Best Reads of 2013 (13th in a Series)

World War Z  by Max Brooks

In the wake of the zombie apocalypse, an oral historian takes it upon himself to document the plague that nearly destroyed humanity. Told in the perspective of the many survivors who witnessed the horrors firsthand, the book recounts personal tales of the outbreak, the war against zombies and its aftermath, and the lasting effects the plague had on humanity. This is not your typical zombie book because Max Brooks truly considered what would happen to humanity in such a catastrophic event and what it would take for humanity to fight back and survive.

The China Study Cookbook by LeAnne Campbell Disla

This cookbook was written by the daughter of China Study author T. Colin Campbell, a book which revealed that the traditional Western diet has led to our modern health crisis and the widespread growth of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. The cookbook features delicious, fast, and easy to make plant-based recipes, that focus on wholesome nutrients with no added fat and minimal sugar and salt to promote optimal health. The cookbook is a great resource for those who enjoy the vegan lifestyle or for anyone who is simply trying to add more vegetables and nutritious food to their diet.

Mrs. Poe by Lynn Cullen

After being deserted by her philandering husband, writer Frances Osgood must find a way to support herself and her two daughters, so she seeks a literary acquaintance with Edgar Allan Poe, who is at the height of his career after the immense success of his poem, “The Raven.” What starts as just a friendship quickly turns into a mutual attraction that is noticed, not only by their peers, but also by Mr. Poe’s frail but devious and manipulative wife, Virginia. As her relationship with Edgar Allen Poe develops, so do Virginia’s schemes and Mrs. Osgood must survive the increasingly threatening involvement of Virginia in her professional, familial and private life.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Sixteen-year-old Thomas wakes up in an elevator, remembering nothing but his name. He emerges only to find himself enclosed in a maze with a group of other teenage boys. Every thirty days a new boy arrives, until one month an unconscious girl shows up with only a strange note and a mysterious connection to Thomas. As their world starts to change, the group quickly learns they must work together if they are to survive and escape from the horrors of the maze and learn the dark secrets of the world they have been trapped in.  

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

Written from the perspective of Enzo, the family dog, The Art Of Racing In The Rain, is a deeply touching story of his life and his struggles to keep his family together.  On the eve of his death, Enzo reflects on his life and the role he has had in Denny Swift’s life, his owner and an up-and-coming race car driver. Enzo offers his unique perspective to their human lives, as Denny marries Eve and has a daughter Zoe, but when tragedy strikes and Denny loses Eve, Enzo takes it upon himself to make sure they do not also lose Zoe to her grandparents in a bitter custody battle. The book will have you laughing and crying at times, all the while appreciating the special bonds between humans and their furry companions. 

Victoria Doerr
Information Specialist




Thursday, January 2, 2014

Best Reads of 2013 (12th in a Series)

The Art of Racing in the Rain
by Garth Stein

Evaluating his life on the eve of his death, atypical canine Enzo considers the sacrifices his master, Denny Swift, has made in his pursuit of becoming a professional race car driver, and the dog's own efforts to preserve the Swift family.


Dinosaur Kisses
by David Stein

An energetic young dinosaur figures out her own way to give a kiss!

Rose
by Holly Webb

While others at St. Bridget's Home for Abandoned Girls dream of adoption, Rose wants only a job and independence until she is hired as maid to Mr. Fountain, an alchemist, and realizes that she, like his grand residence, is filled with magic.

Christmas from Heaven: the True Story of the Berlin Candy Bomber
by David Warner

“From little things come big things,” Gail Halvorsen remembered his father saying. As a twenty-seven-year-old American pilot, Brother Halvorsen's job was to airdrop much-needed food and supplies to the people of West Berlin in the aftermath of World War II. But it was his simple gift of two sticks of gum that launched an extraordinary humanitarian endeavor and earned him the nickname “The Candy Bomber.” Each day as hundreds of small white parachutes delivered treats to the children of West Germany, the wounds of war began to heal. “Operation Little Vittles” captured the imagination of people everywhere, bringing the spirit of Christmas to a world in need of peace and hope.Famed broadcast journalist and author Tom Brokaw brings this remarkable true story to life in a stunning live performance with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, captured on the accompanying DVD.Also included in the book is a template and directions for creating your own “Candy Bomber” parachutes.


Shakespeare's Pub: A Barstool History of London as Seen Through the Window of its Oldest Pubs-the George Inn
by Pete Brown

"A history of Britain told through the story of one very special pub, from "The Beer Drinker's Bill Bryson" (Times Literary Supplement) Welcome to the George Inn near London Bridge; a cozy, wood-paneled, galleried coaching house a few minutes' walk from the Thames. Grab yourself a pint, listen to the chatter of the locals and lean back, resting your head against the wall. And then consider this: who else has rested their head against that wall, over the last six hundred years."

Teresa Santangelo
Information Specialist


Monday, December 30, 2013

Best Reads of 2013 (11th in a Series)

Doing Hard Time
Stuart Woods

Robert B. Parker's Damned If You Do
Michael Brandman

Waking Up In Heaven
Crystal McVea

From A Grieving Mother's Heart
Terri Ann Leidich

The Husband List
Janet Evanovich

A Hard Day's Fright
Casey Daniels

Mistress
James Patterson

Killer Crust
Chris Cavender

Daddy's Gone A Hunting
Mary Higgins Clark

Arsenic and Old Puzzles
Parnel Hall





Sharon Anderson
Information Specialist