BPL Book Discussion: Olive Kitteridge

This past Monday, my ladies and I met at the BPL to discuss Olive Kitterridge, the winner of the 2009 Pulitzer Prize, by Elizabeth Strout. I read this book about 9 months ago for the first time and this is an excerpt from what I said about it then:

Olive Kitteridge is the story of the eponymous woman. She is a retired middle school teacher in a small town in coastal Maine. Olive has a husband and one distant son, she is crotchety and probably suffers from untreated depression. Sounds like fun, huh? It is though because what makes this story so engrossing, goes way beyond who Olive is. Strout's choice to reveal Olive through connected stories, all told from different points of view (including Olive's) gives the reader a unique experience. We learn about Olive, her family, and her town. We get intimate portraits of many of the inhabitants of Crosby, Maine. And although Olive is an abrasive woman, at the conclusion of the 13th story, the reader sees her finally moving toward an
understanding of herself and what her behavior means to those around her.

Click here for my full report including some readalikes (I will have a few more at the end of this post.)

On to our discussion. I began with the following quote from Strout (which I got from the NoveList book discussion guide for the book)

I don't have a stake in whether people like Olive. Some people have told me they absolutely love her, and some people have said they can't stand her but they're still very drawn to the book. ...I hope that even if they have a negative response to much of Olive's behavior, they are maybe still drawn into this humanity that is underneath all of her action(s).

I then immediately asked the group, "Did you like Olive?" The most common response was, "yes and no." Some comments were that Olive was real, she was like actual people the participants knew. Stories were shared of friends and family who are "just like Olive."

More general comments about Olive:

• she irratated people, but they saw her humanity
• she had falshes of true compassion and caring
• she was opinionated and brusque, but still fragile
• Olive was the best representation of older people that my group of (mostly) senior citizens had read
  
• ...and my favorite: Olive had a shell around her; for us to get through we need the views of all the townspeople.

This last comment led us to discuss the format. Strout wrote Olive Kitteridge as 13 linked stories. For the most part it alternates back and forth between stories where Olive is the main character and those where she is more peripheral. These "periphery" stories range from Olive being a participant in the story, to barely making it into a crowd scene, to not being there at all, but mentioned by a character.

The group was mixed about the format. A few participants don't like short stories, so they were turned off from the start. But others liked how it was "a different way of writing." They enjoyed how Olive's character was developed through other people's eyes. We all were happy for the portrait it painted of the town of Crosby, Maine. Without the story format and the shifting points of view, we would have only had a story about Olive. Instead we also got a story about a town and its residents over time.

But no matter the opinion on the format, surprisingly, everyone enjoyed the experience of getting to know Olive and Crosby, Maine.

We also spent time discussing Olive relationship with Henry (her husband), Christopher (her son), and Jack, her "friend" at the end of the book.

I ended the discussion by going through the "non-Olive" stories and giving people a chance to comment on them. A few led to a couple of comments, but it was clear that, as a group, we were more drawn to the Olive stories.

We ended as someone said that this whole book is about life as an experience. We take the good and the bad and it makes a life. Well said.

Readalikes: As I mentioned above, I read this book earlier this year and if you click here, you can see some readalikes. To that list I would add Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson for those who want to read another novel in stories; any book of stories by Alice Munro, who is both one of the best short story writers today and one of Strout's favorite authors; any book by fellow Pulitzer Prize winner Oscar Hijuelos, whose novels about Cuban Americans have an episodic feel, and are about both individual people and a larger community, like Olive Kitteridge.

What I'm Reading: February 2009

Even though it was a short month, I still have five books I want to share.

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout made it onto many best lists for 2008. After hearing Melissa Bank talk about how much she loved it on NPR, I put my name on the reserves list at BPL. Although I figured I would like this novel-in-stories after reading many reviews, it was Banks' personal reflection on her experience reading Strout's book that really drew me to it.

Olive Kitteridge is the story of the eponymous woman. She is a retired middle school teacher in a small town in coastal Maine. Olive has a husband and one distant son, she is crotchety and probably suffers from untreated depression. Sounds like fun, huh? It is though because what makes this story so engrossing, goes way beyond who Olive is. Strout's choice to reveal Olive through connected stories, all told from different points of view (including Olive's) gives the reader a unique experience. We learn about Olive, her family, and her town. We get intimate portraits of many of the inhabitants of Crosby, Maine. And although Olive is an abrasive woman, at the conclusion of the 13th story, the reader sees her finally moving toward an understanding of herself and what her behavior means to those around her.

Readers who enjoyed the "novel-in-stories" frame of Olive Kitteridge may also enjoy Joann Kobin's Woman Made of Sand which details the life of a husband and wife and their children through interconnected stories or Melissa Bank's own novel made of up interrelated stories showing one woman's path to independence, The Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing.

There are some readers who may enjoy the message of Olive Kitteridge but are turned off by the "novel-in-stories" format. For those readers, I would suggest The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen which recounts, in much more detail than Strout's work, a dysfunctional family struggling to have one last Christmas together.

Finally, some readers may want more information on stroke victims and/or depression after reading this novel, so I would suggest these two basic primers available easily in my library system: 100 Questions and Answers About Stroke by Kinan K. Hreib and The Mindful Way Through Depression: Freeing Yourself From Chronic Unhappiness by Mark Williams.

This month I also picked up the graphic novel, Castle Waiting by Linda Medley. This volume is a collection of comics which begins with a retelling of Sleeping Beauty and evolves into a modern fable about an abandoned castle and its eccentric inhabitants. Many reviews say that this work is a "feminist fairy tale." I don't know if I agree, but it does use the fairy tale format to tell the story of strong, independent women who do not need to be saved, instead saving themselves with the help of wonderful friends. I was completely engrossed by this graphic novel and could not put it down for the few hours it took me to read it.

I do have to warn readers though that although the ending resolves the major plot points, overall, the end has an very open feel. I still had many questions about the characters and situations that were evolving throughout the book. Some readers may be turned off by this. But on the plus side, this graphic novel is completely acceptable for adults and young adults.

Jane Yolen wrote a wonderful introduction in my edition of Castle Waiting, and I would highly suggest any of her novels to readers who enjoyed this graphic novel. Try Yolen's own unique retelling of Sleeping Beauty as a holocaust survivor's tale in Briar Rose. I also thought of Robin McKinley's numerous retold fairy tale novels as I was reading Medley's book. Try Rose Daughter, McKinley's retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I also really like Just Ella, an after-the-happily-ever-after retelling of Cinderella by Margaret Peterson Haddix. Finally, don't forget about The Princess Bride either the movie or the novel by William Goldman.

In terms of other graphic novels which I would suggest to readers of Castle Waiting there is the popular Bone series by Jeff Smith beginning with Out From Boneville or Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall by Bill Willingham which according to NoveList, "(P)resents the back stories of storybook and nursery rhyme characters who live side-by-side with humans."

In keeping with the speculative fiction theme, I also read the highly acclaimed and award winning horror novel, Sharp Teeth by Toby Barlow. And, like Olive Kitteridge, Sharp Teeth has an interesting style; it is a novel-in-verse. Barlow's novel is an inventive mix of horror, traditional noir, and epic poetry, all rolled into one entertaining, but bloody novel. Make no mistake, this is first and foremost a werewolf story, so there is plenty of sex and gore, but it is still fine for Young Adults as none of it is too graphic. In fact, Sharp Teeth won a 2008 Alex Award for best adult fiction to suggest for teens.

The story goes that in the seedy underbelly of LA there are three competing packs of werewolves fighting for supremacy and seeking revenge for past injustices. Connecting the packs and their separate, yet converging story lines, is Detective Peabody, who is investigating some suspicious murders which are somehow connected to dogs. The free verse is unsettling at first, but ultimately it enhances the chaos of the plot. As someone who reads and writes about a lot of horror, I appreciated this novel's originality.

There are many werewolf stories, but two that are the most like Sharp Teeth in having a darker, less romantic tone, are Ravenous by Ray Garton, which also takes place in California and puts a modern spin on the legend of the werewolf or Fool Moon by Jim Butcher which takes place in Chicago and has both werewolves and investigative elements. Also, those who enjoy this type of "neo-horror" which spins a new urban riff on the old horror legends, you cannot miss Christopher Moore. Try You Suck, which is a modern vampire tale.

Sharp Teeth is as much about forlorn and seedy L.A. is as it is about werewolves; so I would also suggest the Harry Bosch mystery novels of Michael Connelly (The first is The Black Echo). Connelly's LA is a forlorn city where people go in search of their dreams, only to have them violently squashed.

For those who like their supernatural beings a little more docile, I also listened to Laura Goff's Gothic novel The Monsters of Templeton. Willie Upton returns to her home town of Templeton to recover from a disastrous relationship with her graduate professor. Willie, is a direct descendant (on both sides!?!) of the town's founder. Here Templeton is a stand-in for Cooperstown, NY complete with a James Fenimore Cooper stand-in and a "baseball history museum." But Templeton has something the real Cooperstown does not, a sea-monster, long a part of town folklore, rising to the surface of the lake, dead, in the opening pages of the novel. What follows is a complex novel in which Willie searches through the town's historical documents for the identity of her father. Goff has the dead speak, giving them entire chapters of monologue, and she incorporates some of Cooper's more famous characters into the story.

The Monsters of Templeton is a modern take on an old fashioned Gothic novel. There are ghosts, monsters, and dark family secrets, but this is not a horror novel, as the publisher has tried to market it. This is literary fiction with speculative elements. The "monsters" are there to enhance the story, they are never threatening.

Readers of this novel may want to read some of Cooper's novels and/or histories of the Baseball Hall of Fame. But in terms of readalikes matched by the overall appeal of The Monsters of Templeton, I would suggest 3 novels: The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield which is a Gothic novel that also recounts a twisted family history (click here to see my take on this novel); Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl in which a Yale Freshman (with a narrative voice eerily similar to Willie's) recounts her life history as if it were a class in Western Literature including her interesting family history and the death of a high school teacher (again, click here to see my take); and The Stolen Child by Keith Donohue which is a magical tale of a 7 year-old who is kidnapped by a pack hobgoblins to be replaced by one of them. It is the story of the two boys' experiences and their concurrent struggle to find where they came from.

Finally, I also listened to Jonathan Tropper's How to Talk to a Widower this month. This is the story of 29 year-old Doug, whose life has stood still in the two years since his wife died in a plane crash. The novel concerns how Doug finally begins to rejoin the world as a fully functioning human being, but it is not easy. This book is humorous and serious. Doug must deal with the anger and disappointment of his dead wife's teenager son, his sister's marriage to a guy she met at his wife's funeral, his stroke victim dad, and wacky twin sister. He has to accept a future in which his happiness could someday become a direct result of his wife's death.

Tropper's novel is most similar to anything by Jennifer Weiner, especially Certain Girls (which I read in April 2008). Weiner deals with many of the same issues using a combination of humor and seriousness. Even though Tropper's tone and storyline is reminiscent of Weiner's, many male readers may be turned off by her novel's pastel colored covers. For these readers I would suggest Tony Parson's trilogy of novels beginning with Man and Boy. Here after the protagonist has a one-night stand, his wife leaves him and their four-year-old son for a new job in Japan. Like Doug, the protagonist here is alternately wry and sad, as he moves forward with his life.

Finally, for those that were interested in a novel that looks at the grieving process of a young widow with humor and seriousness there is Lolly Winston's Good Grief, as well as this extensive list of nonfiction for those left widowed at a young age.

BPL Book Club Collection Update

Yesterday, Kathy finished going through the BPL Book Discussion collection circulation statistics and we made the final decisions about which books would stay, which newer titles from the second half of 2013 would be added, and which titles would go.

You can use this link which also lives [always and forever] in the right gutter of the blog titled “BPL Book Discussion Collection.”  The document notes when it was last updated too.

I wasn’t going to do a whole post on this update but then 2 things happened.

First, yesterday, Kathy and I had an interesting experience sorting through the circulation statistics.  We were SHOCKED by how popular the books are.

Here’s a quick run down of what this collection is.  We have spindles with multiple copies of all of these titles right near the RA desk.  Since the two of us have read and led a discussion on every single title AND the staff has heard us talk about them at length AND I have posts to full book discussion reports on each title (see document for individual links), this collection is the best place for us to send readers who can tell us nothing more than that they want a good read.

It is easy to browse and there are always multiple copies available. These are also tested titles since we only add those books for which we both had a good discussion. They are also all in paperback which many people prefer, especially in the summer.

Plus, we got on that whole "putting out multiple copies of the same title like a bookstore does” bandwagon years ago with this collection.  [Click here and go to slides 46 and 47 to see what I am talking about.] The hot trend is to merchandise your collection by showcasing multiple copies at one “point of purchase” area.  We have been seeing the benefits of this for a long time now.

All of these facts add up to our surprise to find that every single title circulated in 2014! We are only in month 6 of that year by the way.  Now, we do have between 5 and 10 copies of each title.  Some circulated 1 copy once in the last 6 months, but others circulated every copy once!

The RA staff is not only using this “sure bet” area to book talk titles to patrons, but it seems that patrons are also finding it on their own.  And while I was sad to lose these titles in the book discussion collection, 

• The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender
• Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout 
• Digging to America by Anne Tyler
• Madonnas of Leningrad by Debra Dean
• The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer
• Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson

I am happy to add these:

• Quiet:  The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain
• Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman
• Please Look After Mom by Kyung-Sook Shin
• A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick
• Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

On a side note, we did take a few of the deleted copies from the book club collection and added them to the general fiction collection so we still own multiple copies of these titles (Like Olive Kitteridge which will be an HBO miniseries soon). 

The second reason I was inspired to write an entire post on our book club collection update came this morning when I had a text from a friend. It came in two parts.  Part 1 was about what time my son was going to her house to play with her son before soccer practice.  Part 2 was a plea for help with her book club and their lousy choices.  Ha! welcome to my world.  Playdates and book advice all in one text.  Hey, it is just like I always say in my talks, when you are a RA librarian, you become the book expert in your community.  You can never escape it. But you will never see me complaining about being asked about books when I am “off the clock."

I told her to check out the various links here, here, here, and here on my blog, but then as the boys were playing, we stood in her driveway later on and talked about the group, what they have already read, and what titles I thought might be a good fit for them.  They are in an interesting position because although they do a great job of actually discussing the book, they are a fairly new group.  As a result, they are still finding their way together.

All of this reminds me...I haven’t done one of these in a while, but if you are looking to reach out to your neighborhood book groups in your community, I have a program where I come to your library  and will give a training to local book groups about how to improve their discussions.  I can do a straight up lecture or more of a Q & A.  I also can tie it in to any services you provide to these groups.  I am currently booking for Fall 2014 and Winter 2015 appearances, so let me know if you are interested: bspratford[at]hotmail[dot]com or on Twitter @RAforAll.

So the uniting theme of this post...libraries can turn their work with book clubs into wonderful RA opportunities on many fronts.

Library Reads: October 2019

Today is Library Reads day and that means four things here on RA for All:

1. I post the list and tag it “Library Reads” so that you can easily pull up every single list with one click.
2. I can remind you that even though the newest list is always fun to see, it is the older lists where you can find AWESOME, sure bet suggestions for patrons that will be on your shelf to actually hand to them right now. The best thing about Library Reads is the compound interest it is earning. We now have hundreds and hundreds of titles worth suggesting right at our fingertips.
3. You have no excuse not to hand sell any Library Reads titles because there is a book talk right there in the list in the form of the annotation one of your colleagues wrote for you. All you have to say to your patron is, “such and such library worker in blank state thought this was a great read,” and then you read what he or she said.
4. Every book now has at least 1 readalike that is available to hand out RIGHT NOW. Book talk the upcoming book, place a hold for it, and then hand out that readalike title for while they wait. If they need more titles  before their hold comes in, use the readalike title to identify more readalike titles. And then keep repeating. Seriously, it is that easy to have happy, satisfied readers.

Also, the Library Reads Board has also started another great book discovery and suggestion tool for you, a monthly What We're Reading column. This means there are even more library worker approved titles, new and old, for you to choose from. 

So get out there and suggest a good read to someone today. I don’t care what list or resource you use to find the suggestion, just start suggesting books.

Also, please remember to click here for my Library Reads 101 recap for everything you need to know about how to participate. And click here to see a database of eligible diverse titles sorted by month. 

October 2019 LibraryReads

The Body: A Guide for Occupants

by Bill Bryson

Published: 10/15/2019 by Doubleday Books
ISBN: 9780385539302

“A fascinating look at the human body and how it functions. Each historical tidbit is well-researched and thoroughly cited. Interesting stories, such as how diseases, cells, nerves, and organs were discovered, are woven throughout. For readers who like narrative nonfiction such as Gulp by Mary Roach, Being Mortal by Atul Gawande, and Guts by Giulia Enders.”

Carolynn Waites, Manvel Library, Manvel, TX
NoveList Read-alike: Gross Anatomy: Dispatches from the Front (and Back) by Mara Altman

The Art of Theft

by Sherry Thomas

Published: 10/15/2019 by Berkley
ISBN: 9780451492470

“In this fun, playful series, Thomas has created a female version of Holmes who is vibrant, real, relatable, and intelligent. This fourth book has Holmes and Watson travel to France, with twists and turns the reader won’t see coming. Perfect for fans of Laurie R. King’s Mary Russell series and Tasha Alexander’s Lady Emily series.”

Carrie Pedigo, Tippecanoe County Public Library, Lafayette, IN 
Novelist Read-alike: Jem Flockhart novels by E.S. Thomson

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The Butterfly Girl: A Novel

by Rene Denfeld

Published: 10/1/2019 by Harper
ISBN: 9780062698162

“Denfield’s writing is like lyrical poetry, with every word captivating. Add to this an amazing mystery, a plethora of suspense, and an ending that exceeds all expectations, and we have another 5 star book. For fans of What She Knew by Gilly Macmillan and Love You More by Lisa Gardner.”

Cyndi Larsen, Avon Free Public Library, Avon, CT 
NoveList Read-alike: Black Eyed Susans by Julia Heaberlin

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Cilka’s Journey: A Novel

by Heather Morris

Published: 10/1/2019 by St. Martin’s Press
ISBN: 9781250265708

“A powerful follow-up to The Tattooist of Auschwitz, this story begins after the liberation of Auschwitz, when Cilka is sentenced by the Soviet liberators to 15 years in one of Stalin’s Siberian labor gulags. From one death camp to another–for doing what was needed to survive. For fans of Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly and We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter.”

Don Crankshaw, Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library, Evansville, IN
NoveList Read-alike: House of Meetings by Martin Amis

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Imaginary Friend

by Stephen Chbosky

Published: 10/1/2019 by Grand Central Publishing
ISBN: 9781538731338

“Christopher and his mom run from an abusive boyfriend and seek peace and quiet in a new town. Instead, Christopher becomes agitated and sneaks out at night, doing anything a “nice man” tells him to do. This is pure horror, a classic battle of good and evil, and a must for fans of Stephen King, Joe Hill, and Paul Tremblay.”

Kimberly McGee, Lake Travis Community Library, Austin, TX 
NoveList Read-alike: The Stand by Stephen King

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The Library of the Unwritten

by A. J. Hackwith

Published: 10/1/2019 by Ace
ISBN: 9781984806376

“The ideas of books never actually written possess dangerous potential and power. They are kept in the Library of the Unwritten in Hell. Determined librarians tend the library keeping watch for escaped characters, angels and demons. For fans of Genevieve Cogman or Neil Gaiman.”

Jessica Trotter, Capital Area District Library, Lansing, MI
NoveList Read-alike: A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

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Ninth House

by Leigh Bardugo

Published: 10/8/2019 by Flatiron Books
ISBN: 9781250313072

“Alex has always been able to see ghosts, and this talent uniquely qualifies her to become part of the Lethe, a group that regulates the eight magical societies at Yale. When a murder happens nearby the campus, Alex suspects that a society has their hand in this and it’s not just a normal homicide. For fans of urban fantasy and secret societies.”

Amy Verkruissen, Calcasieu Parish Public Library, Lake Charles, LA 
NoveList Read-alike: Magic For Liars by Sarah Galley

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Nothing to See Here

by Kevin Wilson

Published: 10/29/2019 by Ecco
ISBN: 9780062913463

“A funny, snarky narrator takes on the job of caretaker for kids with remarkable and strange abilities. Everyone involved learns that sometimes all we need after being repeatedly let down is someone to rely on. For fans of Chuck Kosterman and Gary Shteyngart.”

Linda Quinn, Fairfield Public Library, Fairfield, CT
NoveList Read-alike: Gravity is the Thing by Jaclyn Moriarty

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Ordinary Girls: A Memoir

by Jaquira Diaz

Published: 10/8/2019 by Algonquin Books
ISBN: 9781616209131

“Diaz was out of control. Her life was a never ending cycle of indifferent (or worse) parenting, street fights, abuse, drugs, arrests, alcohol, skipping school—all are detailed in this coming of age memoir. Reading this extraordinary memoir, I was reminded that no one can make you do something until you decide to on your own. For fans of Hunger by Roxane Gay and When I Was Puerto Rican by Esmeralda Santiago.

Linda Tilden, Mt. Laurel Public Library, Mt. Laurel, AL 
NoveList Read-alike: Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls by T Kira Madden

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Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts

by Kate Racculia

Published: 10/8/2019 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ISBN: 9780358023937

“Engaging characters set off to follow the mysterious clues of the will of an elderly, wealthy eccentric for a chance at winning the grand prize. Young grief and loss, family guilt, secrets, and hilarity are featured throughout. Plus: ghosts! For readers who liked The Bookshop of Yesterdays by Amy Meyerson and Lost and Found by Carolyn Parkhurst.”

Pamela Gardner, Medfield Public Library, Medfield, MA 
NoveList Read-alike: Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

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Full Throttle

by Joe Hill

Published: 10/1/2019 by William Morrow
ISBN: 9780062200679

“Hill’s short story collection hits the sweet spot: thirteen supernatural tales that satisfy but also leave you wanting a tiny bit more. He also discusses the inspiration for each story, allowing fans more insight into his process.”

Mahogany Skillings, Richland County Public Library, Richland County, SC 

Read-alikes:

Trigger Warning by Neil Gaiman
Magic for Beginners by Kelly Link
Ghost Summer by Tananarive Due

The Giver of Stars: A Novel

by Jojo Moyes

Published: 10/8/2019
by Pamela Dorman Books
ISBN: 9780399562488

“Moyes brings Depression-era Kentucky to life in this historical novel about five women who become horseback librarians. Vivid descriptions of daily life in a 1930s coal-mining community and great characters punctuate an informative, fun read that’s based on a true story.”

Linda Sullivan, Mission Viejo Public Library, Mission Viejo, CA

Read-alikes:

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson
The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls by Anton DiSclafani
Over the Plain Houses by Julia Franks

Olive, Again: A Novel

by Elizabeth Strout

Published: 10/15/2019
by Random House
ISBN: 9780812996548

“Olive Kitteridge is back and still as crotchety, opinionated, and endearing as ever. Aging, death, racism, prejudices, infidelities–nothing gets past Olive as she sticks her nose into every corner of her small town.”

Sharon Hutchins, Keytesville Library, Keytesville, MO 

Read-alikes:

Lila by Marilynne Robinson
Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce

Royal Holiday

by Jasmine Guillory

Published: 10/1/2019
by Berkley
ISBN: 9781984802217

“An irresistible Christmas fantasy about a woman of a certain age who falls for the queen of England’s private secretary on a visit to the U.K. Guillory describes Britain so well, and it was great to read a popular romance novel starring an older protagonist.”

Meghan Sanks, Glenview Public Library, Glenview, IL

Read-alikes:

A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole
Pride, Prejudice and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev
My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan

Twice in a Blue Moon

by Christina Lauren

Published: 10/22/2019
by Gallery Books
ISBN: 9781982135706

“Sam was Tate’s first love and turned her world upside down. Years later they reconnect unexpectedly, and she wonders if young love should get a second chance. Another unputdownable book from Lauren.”

Melissa Stumpe, Johnson County Public Library, Greenwood, IN 

Read-alikes:

Not Quite Over You by Susan Mallery
Perfect Timing by Brenda Jackson
Waiting on You by Kristan Higgins

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Read-alikes provided by NoveList and the LibraryReads community.

Monday Discussion: Favorite Short Story Collections

Last week I started a new feature here on RA for All and now I am calling it the Monday Discussion.

Last week I posed the question of what 1 book you would suggest to an eighth, going into ninth grader.  Click here to see the post and the discussion. The staff at the BPL did a great job adding to the conversation. They will get involved every week, but so can you.

This week, I was thinking about short story collections since I am reading the deliciously evil and twisted collection These Children Who Come At You With Knives and Other Fairy Tales by Jim Knipfel. I also just bought my husband the brand new collection edited by Neil Gaiman, called simply Stories.

I happen to enjoy short story collections myself, but I am always having trouble finding resources to identify good story collections for my patrons. There are very few resources for Short Story RA out there. So, using the collective brain of our wonderful BPL staff, and you, the blog readers, I thought we would compile a list of our favorite short story collections.

First a note: at the BPL, we do not note if a book is a collection of stories in the catalog, but we do put a big "Short Stories" stickers on the book itself.

Here are some ideas from Lit Lists to start us off:

• The Ten Best Short Story Collections of the 00's
• Author Jay McInerney's Favorite Stories
• Five Must Read Story Collections
• Author Alison MacLeod's Top 10 Short Stories

Next, here are some of my favorite story collections:
20th Century Ghost by Joe Hill
Any collection by Steven Millhauser, Lorrie Moore, or Alice Munro
Olive Kittridge by Elizabeth Strout (which I read here)
Different Seasons by Stephen King

But my all-time favorite short story collection is still Twice Told Tales by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Now it is your turn. What are your favorite short story collections?

Also, click here to view past Monday Discussions.

And The Winners Are...

The Pulitzers were announced as promised and here are the winners (details and link below):

Fiction - Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout (Random House). I read and wrote about this title here.

Drama - Ruined by Lynn Nottage

History - The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family by Annette Gordon-Reed (W.W. Norton & Company). For a fiction readalike click here.

Biography - American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House by Jon Meacham (Random House).

Poetry - The Shadow of Sirius by W.S. Merwin (Copper Canyon Press)

General Nonfiction - Slavery by Another Name: The Re-Enslavement of Black Americans from the Civil War to World War II by Douglas A. Blackmon (Doubleday)