The Bookshelf

We’ve received a number of questions about the download station in the Readers’ Services area. More and more people are discovering our downloadable collection and checking out eBooks and eAudiobooks. The download station makes it easier to pick up audiobooks while you’re in the building.

When it works, it works quite smoothly. Choosing an eAudiobook and downloading it to your player of choice should only take a few minutes.  But we’ve had a few curveballs lately that we thought we’d address here on the blogs.

Here are some key things to remember as you use the Download Station:

• The station only works for eAudiobooks, not eBooks. The software on the Download Station is only configured to download audio materials.
• The station should work with most mp3 players, including iPods. If you don’t have a USB cable or an iPod sync cable, ask at the desk and we’ll loan you one.
• If using an iPod, make sure it’s set to Manual Sync. If your iPod is set to Automatic Syncing, the eAudiobook will replace everything that has been preloaded on the device.
• Make sure the item you’re choosing to download is compatible with your chosen device. iPods, for example, can only download the mp3 eAudiobooks on the station. Check the symbols under each item to make sure it is compatible with your device.
• If a download fails on the Station, you can still download the eAudiobook at home. All your checked out items will appear under your Digital Account.
• If you’re still having problems, please see a librarian! We are happy to help with all your digital downloading issues.

As always, we welcome your suggestions for new titles. What other items would you like to download from our collection?

[cross-posted to The Radar]

The Audies nominations have been announced!  Just as exciting as the Oscars, but instead of the best in movies, the Audies celebrate the best in audio books.  We won’t know the winners until May 25, but you can access the full list of the nominees right now.   SPL owns several of the nominated titles, so be sure to visit our audio book section, right next to the Reader’s Services desk, to check them out.

Among the Mad: A Maisie Dobbs Novel by Jacqueline Winspear

(audiobook)

Maisie is a psychologist and private detective in post WWI London. After witnessing the suicide of an injured war veteran, Maisie is asked to partner with Scotland Yard on an important and dangerous case. The Prime Minister received a letter demanding aid for the unemployed, especially war veterans – or there will be dire consequences. The author manages to be true to place, time, and social tone. And she also provides an intriguing look at the psychological and economic effects of war, as well as recovery from traumatic experiences.

The Defector by Daniel Silva

(audiobook)

This is an excellent thriller, with skillful character development and a multi-layered plot. It is the ninth book in the Gabriel Allon series, and it is best to have read Moscow Rules (number eight) before reading this. But the author provides the necessary background/character history just in case you are new or need some reminding. For those wondering, I do recommend reading this series in order, if you are thinking about trying these books for the first time. Gabriel Allon is definitely one of my favorite contemporary literary characters. He is a highly trained spy/assassin for Israel, and he is also a master art restorer of renaissance paintings. In this latest installment, Allon is called back into action when a Russian defector, who once saved Allon’s life, is kidnapped.

Inside a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know by Alexandra Horowitz

(audiobook)

I couldn’t get enough of this book. I highly recommended it, whether you have your own pup or not. The author is a cognitive scientist, but you don’t have to be knowledgeable of this field to enjoy the text and style. There are many interesting facts, and several new ideas are covered, as well as some old. I now have insightful ways of thinking about my own dogs. “Smell walks” here we go!

IraqiGirl: Diary of a Teenage Girl in Iraq

This collection of blogs written between 2005-2007 is interesting, informative and moving. From Mosul, Iraq, Hadiya (a pseudonym) writes about her daily life, family, hopes and the uncertainly of her future. She is living in the middle of the war, trying to have a “normal” life under extraordinary circumstances. Her posts are sometimes humorous, other times heartbreaking.

La’s Orchestra Saves the World by Alexander McCall Smith

(audiobook)

Another hit for the author of the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency series. This is a gentle and heartwarming story. I loved the characters (a divorcee in her 30s, various country folk, military personal, and a Polish refugee), the setting (Suffolk, England), and time period (mostly during WWII). La (Lavender) organizes an amateur orchestra to boost morale, and it becomes the highlight of many people’s lives. In the meantime, La expands her personal boundaries, allowing for the possibility of finding romantic love.

(Editor’s Note: every year at the Library staff are asked to submit a list of their favorite books, DVDs, and albums. These can be materials that came out before 2009, as long as they came to discover them in the past year. We’ve invited everyone to elaborate on their choices. Look for additional blog pieces in the weeks to come. -TG)

My mini-review:

Highly recommended to dog lovers, whether you have your own pup or not. It is nicely written and should appeal to a wide audience of “animal” people. The author is a cognitive scientist, but you don’t have to be knowledgeable of this field to enjoy the text and style. There are many interesting facts, and several new ideas are covered, as well as some old. Ms. Horowitz gives you insightful ways to think about your dog. I know that I will be thinking about this book and the contents for a long time. I am certainly considering my four-legged companions in a different light!

Get the book from the Library.

Here are some things I learned as I was listening to the audio, while walking my pups Strider and Arwen:

1. My dogs and I – we are not a pack unit, rather a benign gang.

2. When Arwen tries to chase after a rabbit, seemingly forgetting that I’m at the other end of the leash, I have been temporarily replaced as the motivational meat source (aka the one who provides dinner and snacks – at that particular time, poor me).

3. My dogs are social opportunists.

4. The pups really LIKE “smell” walks & we should do more of that.

5. The fire hydrants are canine bulletin boards.

6. Strider & Arwen observe me very closely. And I thought they were just napping .

Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

(and on audio)

Teen romance with a twist: 17- year-old Jessica is learning that she has a different life than she thought. Jessica is really a vampire princess and she is the head of her clan, expected to marry the hunky leader of a rival vampire family – thus ensure peace… Yeah, this was a lot of fun to read. It’s not serious stuff, which is why I liked it so much. Jessica is experiencing a lot of “typical” coming of age transitional/identity realizations, etc. There is much humor in the novel mixed with truthful themes and on-target observations about teens. I can see why copies of this book are always checked out from the Library. It is not a Twilight wannabe. However, it is a good one to recommend to those that have read all the Stephenie Meyer books and need something else. I look forward to more from author Beth Fantaskey.

This is my “beach book” list (part 1 teens and kids). Yes, these are written for a younger audience. But I enjoyed them. All are light reads and recommended. The 39 Clues series is my favorite so far.

The Sword Thief (39 Clues, bk. 3) by Peter Lerangis, audiobook

One False Note (39 Clues, bk. 2) by Gordon Korman; audiobook

The Maze of Bones (39 clues, bk. 1) by Rick Riordan; audiobook

The Old Willis Place: A Ghost Story by Mary Downing Hahn; audiobook

Wait Till Helen Comes by Mary Downing Hahn; audiobook

Vibes by Amy Kathleen Ryan; audiobook

The Magician (Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Famel, bk. 2) by Michael Scott; audiobook

The Alchemyst (Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flam, bk 1) by Michael Scott; audiobook

Being Nikki by Meg Cabot; audiobook

The Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler; audiobook

Gilda Joyce: The Ghost Sonata by Jennifer Allison; audiobook

Gilda Joyce: The Ladies of the Lake by Jennifer Allison; audiobook

Princess Academy by Shannon Hale; audiobook

Cupcake by Rachel Cohn; audiobook

The Princess Plot by Kirsten Boie; audiobook

This is my “beach book” list so far (part 1, adult fiction). I recommend all to those who enjoy breezy reading. The selections include chick lit, romances and some light mysteries.

And in no particular order:

Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler; audiobook

The Secret by Julie Garwood; audiobook

A Rogue of My Own by Johanna Lindsey; audiobook

Match Me If You Can by Susan Elizabeth Phillips; audiobook

The Accidental Florist by Jill Churchill; audiobook

The Fixer-Upper by Mary Kay Andrews; audiobook

Hissy Fit by Mary Kay Andrews; eaudiobook via Overdrive

Don’t You Forget About Me by Jancee Dunn; audiobook

The Wedding Trap by Tracy Anne Warren; audiobook

You Slay Me by Katie MacAlister; audiobook

Paper Butterfly by Diane Wei Liang; audiobook

Wildwater Walking Club by Claire Cook; audiobook

Sleeping Arrangements by Madeleine Wickham; audiobook

By now I’m sure many of you have heard about Twitter. Thanks to extensive media coverage and an endorsement from Oprah, its popularity has surged in unimaginable levels. In April the microblogging site received more visitors than both the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal.

So why are we talking about Twitter on a reading blog? It turns out that many of your favorite authors are tweeting regularly. If you’re a Tweeter (you can follow us @skokielibrary), you can keep tabs on your favorite authors, see what authors they’re talking too, and get some unique insights into their lives. A few examples:

• Fantasy author Neil Gaiman recently won the Newbery Medal for his youth novel The Graveyard Book. He’s also written a number of books for adults, including future classic American Gods. Follow Neil @neilhimself.
• In addition to the popular Princess Diaries series for youth, Meg Cabot is also famous for contemporary chick lit, including the Queen of Babble series. Follow her @megcabot.
• Harlan Coben is known for his pulse-pounding mystery novels, and his novel Tell No One was just adapted into a thrilling French film. He’s tweeting @harlancoben.

You can find the full list of 100 literary Tweeters courtesy of tech blog Mashable. Who are your favorite author Tweeters? Is there anyone you’d like to see on Twitter? Let us know in the comments.

If you liked watching the miniseries  Lost in Austen on PBS, here are a few book recommendations.

Austenland: A Novel by Shannon Hale -  audiobook

Pride & Prejudice junkie/Darcy obsessed, Jane Hayes is given a vacation to Pembrook Park – an exclusive resort where people pretend to live like Jane Austen characters.

Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler – audiobook

After a night of immersing herself in all things Jane Austen (medicine for a very bad day), 21 st century Courtney Stone wakes up in 1813 England. She now occupies the body of Jane Mansfield, a 30-year-old unmarried  gentle lady.

And for ages 12 and up, try:

Enthusiasm by Polly Shulman – audiobook

Inspired by Pride and Prejudice, 15-year-old best friends Julie and Ashleigh deck themselves out in antique  gowns, crash an elite boys’ school dance, and look for their “Mr. Darcy”.

For more ideas, don’t miss our Jane Austen Lives On! booklist.

BTW, the DVD Lost in Austen is ordered for the Library. Reserve it now!

See a related Studio post.

Shelf Awareness, an e-newsletter for booksellers and librarians, has a regular author interview called Book Brahmin (kinda like the questionnaire on Inside the Actors Studio, but less snooty). One of my favorite questions is “Book You’ve Faked Reading.” Author Susan Wiggs copped to lying about reading Proust’s Swann’s Way in French, while librarian Vicki Myron (writer of Dewey: The Small Town Library Cat Who Touched the World) admitted that she faked reading Shakespeare.

One recent survey in Britain found that two out of three people lied about reading (Orwell’s 1984 was fibbed about most often). The book I faked reading was Nausea by John-Paul Sartre. I was taking a 20th-century European Lit class in college and trying to impress the graduate assistant (it didn’t work). So what are the books you’ve faked reading?