Book Review: The Midwife's Tale

The year is 1644, rebel soldiers hold the city of York under siege, and a woman named Esther has been convicted of murdering her husband. Her only friend and supporter is Bridget, a midwife and the unexpected sleuth of the new historical mystery novel The Midwife's Tale. Bridget is convinced that her friend is innocent, but her quest to find the real murderer will unravel the secrets of Esther's household, uncover a conspiracy that could alter the course of the war, and put Bridget's own life in danger.

Author and historian Sam Thomas tells an engaging mystery story set in a less familiar but fascinating historical period: the English Civil War, with all its religious and social turmoil. His characters are strong women who go beyond their usual roles to take on a murderer and the entire system that would deny their friend justice, and the result is a memorable read. - Michelle (Sunset)

Chandler Library on Pinterest

Check out Chandler Public Library on Pinterest! You can find all sorts of library-related graphics, from librarian recommendations to what staff are reading. There are even quick links to our ebook help videos.

What's Pinterest? It's a way to organize and share things you love, inspired by pinning pictures on a corkboard. You can take a look at photos, recipes, videos, and more - and don't forget the books! You can see what Chandler Library has pinned just by visiting our Pinterest page, or join for free and get the Library's pins automatically and start pinning your own. For more about Pinterest, visit their Pinning 101 page.

Book Review: Nano

If someone told you that synthetic nanorobots have been developed that may become more effective than red and white blood cells, you would more than likely  shake your head in disbelief!  That's exactly what I thought when reading Robin Cook's new thriller Nano.  A private nanotechnology firm is creating machines smaller than blood cells that can be injected into the body's blood supply, accomplishing health miracles. Yea, sure, Mr Robin Cook, maybe sometime in the next hundred years.

Not so! A quick investigation on the internet revealed the following: 1) Nanorobotics is an emerging technology field where machines are created close to the scale of a nanometer - smaller than a red blood cell. It is hoped that nanorobots can be programmed to kill cancer cells. 2) Respirocytes are nano machines, tiny mechanical devices designed to operate on the molecular level, which function as artificial red blood cells. 3) Microbivores, invented by Robert Freitas, will function as an artificial white blood cell and can potentially be programmed to attack pathogens such as cancer cells.

Wow! Once again, the master of medical thrillers takes the reader to the cutting edge of science. He also reveals the race between China and the U.S. in this vital field of bio-nanotechnology.  Think you can't read fiction, be entertained, and learn real facts? Read Nano by Robin Cook and think again! - Henry (Downtown)

Ostrich Festival this weekend!

What has carnival rides, entertainment, and the biggest birds in the west? Chandler's Ostrich Festival! Celebrating its 25th year, the Ostrich Festival will be held at Tumbleweed Park March 8-10. Enjoy magic shows, midway games, dance performances, musical artists, and of course - the ostrich races. See the Ostrich Festival website for more information, including ticket prices, parking, and schedules of events.

Want to learn more about the history of ostriches in Chandler? Check out this 2009 article from the Arizona Republic. (Note that festival info in this article is out of date. Please see the Ostrich Festival website for this year's details.)