Staff Picks

Alexis at Basha suggests One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus
(on audio)
This book was great from beginning until the very last page. Based on the scenario of, "What if the American government had given 1,000 White women to the Cheyenne tribe for peace?" The book is told by May Dodd a woman unjustly incarcerated in a women's insane asylum and finds that the Indian bride program will be her only way of escaping. The book is written like a diary, but flows with great ease. With some history, adventure and romance this book will keep readers turning each page wanting more. And I know this is probably breaking some kind of library law somewhere, but after listening to the audio I cannot imagine reading it with the same amount of enthusiasm as the audiobook reader does. Each character is perfectly portrayed by the audiobook reader and I would not have had it any other way!


Michelle at Sunset suggests The Muslim Next Door: The Qur'an, the Media, and that Veil Thing by Sumbul Ali-Karamali
If you could sit down with an American Muslim mom and talk to her about her religion, what would you ask? Ali-Karamali talks about her experience growing up Muslim in Southern California, explains the basic facts and history of Islam, and discusses the media's misconceptions about Islam and why they persist. A fascinating introduction to an often misunderstood topic.

Audiobook Review: Loser's Town by Daniel Depp

A literary winner who feels like a loser in Loser’s Town by Daniel Depp, read by Don Leslie, reviewed by Star Lawrence.

New stuff in town. That town would be Hollywood, of course, where Robert Mitchum once said losers come to succeed. Daniel Depp is the author. Depp, Depp—yes, he’s Johnny Depp’s half-brother and a darn fun writer. His new series character is David Spandau, a stuntman turned mavericky employee of a staid bodyguard and security firm in Tinsel Town.

I absolutely fell in love with Don Leslie, this reader. He has a slowish, distinct, bass voice and sounds very wry and precise, perfect for describing this Pulp Fiction-like cast of characters, who ruminate or blab on as juicily as Royale with DOUBLE cheese. Elmore Leonard—do you feel Depp’s hot breath on your neck?

The plot is a little sketchy. Spandau is hired by an up-and-coming young actor named Bobby Dye, who is in the clutches of a mob punk named Richie Stella. Everyone smooches Dye’s butt except Spandau, who prefers to protect it instead. Something about a personal code of honor or something.

I particularly liked Spandau’s friend Terry, an Irishman short of stature but gifted in talk, lovemaking, and the martial arts. What more could a woman ask, really? Of course, he is a little bit of a loose Howitzer.

We want more Spandau! And be quick! Terry? Well…Terry. You’ll find out..

Star Lawrence owns a recession coping and humor site called Do the Hopey Copey, at http://hopeycopey.blogspot.com. She can be reached at jkellaw@aol.com.

Staff Picks

Katie at Downtown suggests Cathedral of the Sea by Ildefonso Falcones de Sierra

Follows the fortunes of the Estanyol family in medieval Barcelona, whose rise from peasantry is marked by their stoneworker son's role in building the Santa Maria del Mar cathedral and his forbidden love for a Jewish woman.

Ray at Sunset suggests The Feast of Love by Charles Baxter

A collection of vignettes set in a coffee shop explores the subtle movements of love between ordinary people.

In Search Of..

Do you like reading books about women who are on a search for something different in their lives? Whether it's love, money, a home or peace of mind, each of the books below illuminates the author's search for fulfillment and might give you inspiration to change your own life.

Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes

The classic book of one woman's adventure renovating a crumbling, but beautiful house in Cortona, Italy. You can also watch the movie made from this book starring Diane Lane.

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

When her marriage falls apart, one woman goes in search of peace in Italy, India and Indonesia. This book is also being made into a movie, which will be released in 2011 and stars Julia Roberts.

The Wishing Year by Noelle Oxenhandler

This book details the author's year-long experiment in wishing. Can practicing positive thoughts and the law of attraction really bring good things to your life?

A Thousand Days in Venice by Marlena di Blasi

An American chef falls in love with a surly Venetian and learns to adapt to him, her marriage, and her move to Venice.

The Guynd by Belinda Rathbone

An American woman's experiences in Scotland, where she marries a Scottish laird and deals with living in a mouldering, damp mansion.

Book Review: Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella

In Remember Me?, Chick Lit author, Sophie Kinsella does a thorough job of placing our heroine, Lexi Smart, in a very unique and interesting situation. This average working girl, with “snaggle teeth and fizzy hair” accidentally falls down running in the rain and the year is 2004. The bump on her head causes “retrograde amnesia,” therefore, poor Lexi cannot remember a three year chunk of her life after the 2004 fall, due to the fact she was in yet another accident, three years later, which left her with a similar concussion in 2007. Confused? You won’t be with Kinsella’s lighthearted tone, and appealing characters to clarify our heroine’s dilemma. Lexi cannot remember one major event of her new “Cinderella-like” life, not her meteoric rise up the corporate ladder at her company, her marriage to “perfect husband,” Eric, or her transformation into a “swan” from a “snaggletooth.” Lexi does realize with the loss of her two dress sizes and “quaint single-girl” apartment, she also lost her three best friends as well.
Half way through Lexi’s quandary enters Jon, Eric’s architect for his building development company. Not remembering any detail of her last three years, Lexi must make a decision about the true love Jon is professing to her, or try even harder to fit into her new ultra-elite lifestyle and career. The reader truly is entertained and fighting for Lexi to make the “right” decisions and be true to her values and who she really is on the inside. Remember Me? is a great beach read for the summer, to take you away from real life. - Kathy (Hamilton)

Staff Pick

Meredith from Basha suggests The Girl Who Stopped Swimming by Joshilyn Jackson.

Laurel Gray Hawthorne's life seems neatly on track--a passionate marriage, a treasured daughter, and a lovely home in suburban Victorianna--until everything she holds dear is suddenly thrown into question the night she is visited by the ghost of a her 13-year old neighbor Molly Dufresne.

Budgeting and Debt Management

In this perilous economic climate it is more important than ever to have a budget and to manage your debt. Join us at the Downtown library this Thursday, June 18 for tips on how to become more successful at these tasks. Gabriella Buchanan from Credit Counseling Services will present strategies for tracking your own expenses, developing a realistic budget, and handling debt responsibly. Register online here or call 782-2803 for more information.

Budgeting and Debt Management
Thursday, June 18
7:00 - 8:00 pm
Downtown Chandler Library