Summer Sensations

Early August Picks

Sequels, series additions, and standalone delights abound this month. Here's a short-list of new fiction books you might like to add to your reading list, many written by your favorite authors. Release dates are noted so place your reserves! Of course, if you are new to a series, an author, or if you are looking for similarly-themed titles, ask our staff. We're here to be helpful and ever-ready to point you to authors and titles that tie to your interests.

Rhino Ranch by Larry McMurtry

A wonderful ending to the story of Duane Moore, who we first met in The Last Picture Show (1966).

August 4

Deep Blue Sea for Beginners by Luanne Rice
If you read The Geometry of Sisters, add this one to your list.

That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo

The latest from the Pulitzer Prize winning author of Empire Falls.

The Traffickers by W.E.B. Griffin

Griffin here adds the ninth volume in his Badge of Honor series.

Inherent Vice by Thomas Pynchon
The latest from the National Book Award winning author of Gravity's Rainbow. Those who remember the 1960's take note...

The Siege by Stephen White
White's a thriller-lover's friend. His latest, a post 9/11 thriller, is set in Connecticut.

August 11

Blindman's Bluff by Faye Kellerman
The latest Kellerman whodunit stars police spouses Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus.

Intervention by Robin Cook
Main character Dr. Jack Stapleton headlines Cook's latest thriller that explores the relationship between medicine and religion.

Smash Cut by Sandra Brown
Note to romantic thriller fans: meet Brown's latest fictional nutcase and romantically-linked pair.

The Siege of Macindaw by John Flanagan

The sixth volume in the popular young adult series, Ranger's Apprentice.

Tattoos and Fire

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
The book, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (the first in a trilogy called Millennium) and author, Stieg Larsson, (1954-2004) hail from the land of the Lapp, midnight sun, and those stereotypical blondes we’re always hearing about; and presently this book is a hot pick. (So is the movie, not yet available in the USA.)

The story opens with the hero, middle-aged financial journalist Mikaeh (Kalle) Blomkvist, being convicted of slander and on his way to a Scandinavian slammer. His credentials are shot and after serving his sentence he reluctantly takes a job investigating the disappearance of a young girl, an incident that happened to one of Sweden’s wealthiest family’s some forty years earlier.

The white snow of incidence begins to turn a dirty gray the deeper he digs but to get to the bottom he needs the help of a 19 year-old Gothic super hacker named Lisbeth Salander. She has a tattoo of a dragon on her back shoulder. The book’s original title was “Men Who Hate Women” just to give you some idea of the overall tome-tone. Read the first page and you’ll be hooked to the last, I promise you.

Here’s hoping Larsson’s second in the trilogy, The Girl Who Played With Fire, released this past Tuesday, is just as good. Read it and we'll talk...

Post by Phil Carr

Beekeeping

A Honey of a Project
Interested in bees and beekeeping? Learn how to put a hive together and acquire the equipment necessary to do so, by consulting these books. The books may also be useful and interesting to people who are currently tending a hive.

Beekeeping for Dummies by Howland Blackiston

A Keeper of Bees: Notes on Hive & Home by Allison Wallace

Robbing the Bees: A Biography of Honey -- The Sweet Liquid Gold that Seduced the World by Holley Bishop

Made from Scratch by Jenna Woginrich

Further Reading
A Spring Without Bees : How Colony Collapse Disorder Has Endangered Our Food Supply by Michael Schacker

Surf's Up
The Connecticut Beekeepers Association is a great resource for budding and experienced beekeepers alike.

Post by Bev Simmons

Methland

Ravage vs. Hope
Nick Reding, author of The Last Cowboys at the End of the World (2001), invites readers without a faint heart to read his latest, Methland : the Death and Life of an American Small Town. The book, in stark, consistently heartbreaking, and often anger-inducing detail, chronicles the effects of the methamphetamine drug trade on the rural town of Oelwein, Iowa.

Though Methland does offer a theory of what and who is to blame for the meth trade’s infiltration into heartland life (globalization, conglomerates, economic hardship, government and human weakness); the story is much more the story of Oelwein’s people.

If you read bestsellers and Oprah-recommended Beautiful Boy : a Father's Journey Through His Son's Meth Addiction by David Sheff or Tweak : Growing Up on Methamphetamines by Nic Sheff, Methland is a 5-time patron-recommended book you might like to add to your reading list.

New Online Service!

Encyclopædia Britannica

We're pleased to announce that we've added Britannica's Online Library Edition to our portfolio of online public services. Britannica is one the world's most trusted sources of information. The library edition serves the the needs of elementary students to college students; business professionals, curious seniors, and everyone in between.

The online portal features two views: one for children (Britannica Kids) and one for high school student through adult age groups (Britannica Reference Center). Click here to take a preliminary tour of both views; the tour will give you a good idea of how to navigate and use the live site.

Surf's Up

The only thing you need to use Britannica Online Library Edition is an East Hampton Public Library card. If you need a card, stop by the library and bring ID showing local residence. Cards are free though lost card charges may apply.

If you already have a local library card, surf's up! Click here; enter your card number (no spaces between digits) and explore what Britannica has to offer.

Southern Stories

Southern Flair
If you are looking for a gentle, romantic fiction read -- but not so gentle that quirky characters, snappy dialog, and skulduggery are ruled out -- we recommend Return to Sullivan's Island by author and South Carolina native Dorothea Benton Frank. The book is a sequel to Sullivan's Island and if you're not fussy, both books will be enjoyable even if you read them out of order.

Also try these other books by Dorothea Benton Frank; all are great summer reads:
Bulls Island -- Isle of Palms -- Land of Mango Sunsets -- Pawley's Island -- Plantation -- Shem Creek.

Hot Picks

Names to Take, Pages to Turn

Here's a short list of titles due for release this week that we expect will attract attention from local readers:

Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella

The Defector by Daniel Silva

Storm Cycle by Iris Johansen & Roy Johansen

A Colossal Failure of Common Sense : the Inside Story of the Collapse of Lehman Brothers by Lawrence G. McDonald

Mix and match these with several other bestselling and buzz-talk titles, fiction and non-fiction:

The Doomsday Key by James Rollins

Return to Sullivan's Island by Dorothea Benton Frank

Crazy for the Storm : A Memoir of Survival by Norman Ollestad
How the Beatles Destroyed Rock 'n' Roll : An Alternative History of American Popular Music by Elijah Wald

Dollars and Sense

For the Thrifty-Minded...
These days, almost everyone we talk to is interested in making their money go as far as it can. Books can offer not only practical advice but original ideas on how to live better at a lower price. Among a balanced selection of library-owned titles that speak to $$ questions, we list a few that are especially entertaining, useful, or great for browsing.

10,001 Ways to Live Large on a Small Budget, by the pick-and-choose writers of Wise Bread, contains chapters on food & drink, health & beauty, fun & entertainment, shopping & bargain hunting, green living, education & self-improvement, etc. Wise Bread is a blogger community associated with the Killer Aces Media.

Also try:
The Busy Family’s Guide to Money by USA Today money experts Sandra Block, Kathy Chu, & John Waggoner

Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees: A Parent’s Guide to Raising Financially Responsible Children by Neale S. Godfrey & Carolina Edwards with a revision by Tad Richards

The Ultimate Cheapskate's Road Map to True Riches by Jeff Yeager

Post by Bev Simmons

Aren't You a Little Young to Be Driving?

Here We Go Again
Soul Survivor : the Reincarnation of a World War II Fighter Pilot by Andrea and Bruce Leininger is something else. The story revolves around the dreams, nightmares and recollections of a 2 year-old boy; James, the Leininger's son. His horrific reveries of being a fighter pilot during WWII are exacting and each one is absolutely confirmed by his father. Herein lies the story.

Bruce Leininger is a determined Christian. The idea of reincarnation is not acceptable to him in any fashion and it's Bruce we follow as he confirms and struggles with one revelation after another.

If James isn't the reincarnation of a WWII fighter pilot Ltjg. James Huston, Jr., then I'm the Dalai Lama's uncle -- and I'm not. When the little boy tells his parents he's happy he chose them, it gave me the creeps since I tend to be a proof-positive kind of guy.

I'm presently rethinking my policy...

Post by Phil Carr

July : National Blueberry Month

Blue Fruit Clues
Each and every July, the blueberry receives great press as a healthy and tasty fruit. Full of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, blueberries are often mentioned in articles about maintaining our health. Here's a few among other books that offer step-by-step instructions and feature wonderful photos on preserving and serving this and other remarkable fruits:

Jams, Jellies, Marmalades & Other Soft Spreads by Linda J. Amendt

The Complete Book of Home Preserving, edited by Judi Kingry & Lauren Devine

Rustic Fruit Desserts: Crumbles, Buckles, Cobblers, Pandowdies, & More by Cory Schreiber & Julie Richardson

Surf's Up
Sunset Magazine, July 2009 issue : "Yes We Can"
UCONN Cooperative Extension System : Five Steps to Food Safe Fruit and Vegetable Home Gardening
U.S. Department of Agriculture : Complete Guide to Home Canning

In Connecticut
Lyman Orchards (Middlefield)
March Farm (Bethlehem)
Jones Family Farm (Shelton)

Also check out web sites offered by the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Connecticut (NOFA) and the Connecticut Farm Fresh Cooperative Association (CFF).

Making a List?

Lists Worth Checking Twice

Any list is by definition subjective but the following volumes of recommended book lists are real gems.

Jack Covert & Todd Sattersten's The 100 Best Business Books of All Time : What They Say, Why They Matter, & How They Can Help You is an interesting and well-structured annotated book list. Chapters include topics such as leadership, strategy, sales & marketing, rules & score-keeping, management, biographies, innovation & creativity, and big ideas. The book is ideal for browsing and a great tool to develop a comprehensive reading list.

1001 Books for Every Mood by Hallie Ephron lists books on a variety of topics. Readers who are looking for a good laugh, a good cry, inspiration, romance, or adventure will not be disappointed. There is something for everyone showcased here and please feel free to chat with our staff about any mood-worthy books you're looking for and would like to read.

Peggy Kaye's Games with Books : 28 of the Best Children's Books and How to Use Them to Help Your Child Learn, from Preschool to Third Grade ties very good books to helping your child develop reading, writing and math skills. Each activity is grade level-based, fun, and adaptable for use with a wide range of additional books, which we'd be happy to recommend.

Nancy Pearl, a Seattle librarian, offers great suggestions in her two books, Book Lust & More Book Lust. Both books are geared to please any "readaholic" and suggest good reads that serve a wide range of interests.

Post by Bev Simmons

Off Beat Summer Reads

Mix and Match

If you are looking for something new and different to read -- books that just might have the power to lure you away from summer's bumper crop of best-sellers -- here's a few titles you might like to consider.

It's Not that I'm Bitter-- : or How I Learned to Stop Worrying About Visible Panty Lines and Conquered the World by Gina Barreca

The Center of the Universe : a Memoir by Nancy Bachrach

This Little Mommy Stayed Home by Samantha Wilde

What I Thought I Knew by Alice Eve Cohen

Brothers : 26 Stories of Love and Rivalry, edited by Andrew Blauner ; foreword by Frank McCourt

Crazy for the Storm : a Memoir of Survival by Norman Ollestad

Free Range Kids : Giving Our Children the Freedom We Had Without Going Nuts with Worry by Lenore Skenazy

Pacify Me : a Handbook for the Freaked-out New Dad by Chris Mancini

Summer's for Science

The Earth is How Big?
The following titles discuss the history behind various attempts to measure and map the globe. Geared to readers who enjoy detective stories, science history, biographies, mathematics, and just plain good stories, these books are ideal summer reads.

Circumference : Eratosthenes & the Ancient Quest to Measure the Globe by Nicholas Nicastro. How a learned man in ancient Greece was able to measure the earth is conveyed in this remarkable and well-written story.

The Great Arc : The Dramatic Tale of How India Was Mapped & Everest Was Named by John Keay. Politics, personalities, and passion for trigonometry makes math interesting and accessible and the overall volume, a page turner. Really...

Mercator : The Man Who Mapped the Planet by Nicholas Crane. Gerhard Mercator [1512-1594] was a cartographer from the Netherlands whose biography is examined in vivid detail.

The Measure of All Things : The Seven-Year Odyssey & Hidden Error that Transformed the World by Ken Alder. A gigantic cover-up of a scientific survey error, set in Revolutionary France, and the roles major historical figures played in the cover-up, result in an intriguing detective story.

Of interest to kids & all who love a quick, but fascinating read:
The Librarian Who Measured the Earth by Kathryn Lasky. This beautifully illustrated book tells the story of Eratosthenes, the head librarian of Alexandria’s famous library, author of “Geographica”, the unique geography of the earth, and inventor of a formula that measured the circumference of the earth.

Post by Bev Simmons

Fish Tales, Tugs and Sails 2009

Places to Go, Things to Do...
If you like all things nautical (that's a fancy word for talk about ships and the high seas!), you'll probably love visiting New London's Historic Waterfront District.

Explore the Blue Planet
Stop by New London's Waterfront Park on July 25th from 11am-5pm to see boats, performers, children's book authors, sea critters, and even do some crafts! For more information, visit the Fish Tales, Tugs & Sails 2009 website.

Get in the Spirit
To get in the spirit, stop by the EHPL and check out sea-friendly books and media. Here are but a few of our favorites:

Boat by Eric Kentley (Book)
Row, Row, Row Your Boat by Iza Trapani (Book)
Splish Splash, the Big Red Boat by The Wiggles (Music CD)
Real Wheels : Land, Air and Sea Adventures by Dave Hood (DVD)
Boats on the River by Peter Mandel (Book)
Nacky Patcher & the Curse of the Dry-Land Boats by Jeffrey Kluger (Book)

Post by Kathleen Sands

Film a Young Adult Book Review Contest

Heads-Up, Middle School Students!
Summer reading season is in full swing. If you live in East Hampton and are slated to enter grade 6, 7, or 8 in September 2009, we invite you to enter our Film a Book Review Contest.

Entering our contest is easy. Choose a book or series of books, chosen from our collection, that you enjoyed and would like to recommend to others. Write a book review script that you'll film at the library, Monday evenings or Saturday mornings, using our Flip Video Camcorder. Your film may be no longer than 1 minute so choose your book review script words carefully and remember... be creative.

Videos will be judged by a 5-member panel. Prizes to top 3 book reviewers/filmmakers will be awarded in August. For more information, play the video or stop by the library.

Above video co-produced by library staff members

Ian, Jondahl, Phil, & Tessa

Independence Day

A Day to Celebrate...
Today, July 4th, is much more than an ordinary day marked on our ordinary paper calendars... or our PDAs... or our other e-friendly date-keepers.

Today, please make time to visit the Library of Congress online, where you will find pointers to primary documents that underlie our country's founding, government, and ongoing history.

Also visit the Hartford Courant for a listing of Connecticut events on 4th of July and after. Pssst... by 'after' we mean Old Home Days, our very own hometown festival, this year scheduled to occur from Thursday, July 9 to Saturday, July 11.

Turn the Pages This Summer...

New and Forthcoming 'Hot' Picks

Ride the latest wave of summer reads! Our recommended picks include thrillers, romantic comedies, off-beat biographies, historical fiction, and inspirational reads. Several titles are already available for check-out or reserve. Others are due for release on Tuesday, July 14 (don't you just love Tuesdays?) so place your early reserves...

Die for You by Lisa Unger

Swimming by Nicola Keegan

Wildflower by Mark Seal

The Actor and the Housewife by Shannon Hale

Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner

There's Something About St. Tropez by Elizabeth Adler

Notes from the Underwire by Quinn Cummings

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe

Story Sisters by Alice Hoffman

Guardian of Lies by Steve Martini

Rain Gods by James Lee Burke

Sacred Hearts by Sarah Dunant

Hiking in Connecticut

Outdoor Adventures

This year, many people are looking for ways to enjoy summer close to home. Hiking is a wonderful way to spend time outdoors and appreciate the beautiful scenery Connecticut has to offer.

These, among other titles included in our collection, provide maps, difficulty ratings, and great suggestions for successful hikes:

Best Hikes with Kids : Connecticut, Massachusetts, & Rhode Island by Cynthia Copeland, Thomas J. Lewis, & Emily Kerr

AMC’s Best Hikes in Connecticut by Rene Laubach & Charles W. G. Smith

50 Hikes in Connecticut : Hikes & Walks from the Berkshires to the Coast by David, Gerry, & Sue Hardy

Short Nature Walks in Connecticut by Cindi Dale Pietrzyk

Great Day Trips to Connecticut’s Critical Habitats by Robert Craig

Also try The Connecticut Walk Book from the CT Park & Forest Association

You may also enjoy the great outdoors and save money by using the Connecticut State Park Pass.

Post by Bev Simmons

Cool Picks for Hot Days

Summer Reads for the Middle School Set

Here's a few books you might consider adding to your summer reading list. Since local skies are not offering much in the way of consistent sun, your next best bet may be spending a little 'me' time reading, under a very big umbrella...

Adored : an It Girl Novel by Cecily Von Ziegesar

Brooklyn 9 : a Novel in Nine Innings by Alan Gratz

The Boy Who Dared by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare (Mortal Instruments Series)
The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams

Evermore by Alyson Noel

Oath Breaker by Michelle Paver (Chronicles of Ancient Darkness Series)

The Stolen One by Suzanne Crowley

Also peruse and use a wide range of young adult books (series and standalone) and of course, click here to browse titles featured in the EHMS Summer Reading brochure. All of the 2010 Nutmeg Book Award Nominees are also included in our collection.

Much More Than a Map...

East Hampton's Clean Energy Task Force
The next time you stop by the library, please take a moment to view the map of our town, displayed near our checkout desk. On the map, you'll find the road you call home, as well as names of neighbors or friends who have signed up to be "clean energy" households.

You will also find information needed to consider joining East Hampton's clean energy community. If you decide to do so your name, with your permission, will be added to the map!

Surf's Up
Connecticut Clean Energy Fund (CCEF)
Town Council Resolution
East Hampton Commits to Clean Energy
CCEF Solar Rebate Program