BOOKS LIBRARIANS GIVE, 2007

8th Annual Holiday Book List, with suggestions from Newton Free Library Staff

FICTION

Brooks, Geraldine. YEAR OF WONDERS. Penguin, 2002, c.2001. Fic
ISBN 9780142001431 $14.00
Becoming a modern classic, this historic novel creates a story whose main characters are an 18-year-old widow with two sons, and the village rector and his wife. Aiding a community struck by a pandemic disease, they see the people coping with illness and death through any means possible. Religion, ethical behavior, and superstition are all called in to play as the plague decimates a remote British village, later commemorated as Plague Village, which was visited by the author. --Ellen Meyers, Public Relations/CB

Cullen, Lynn. I AM REMBRANDT'S DAUGHTER. Bloomsbury, 2007. YA Fic, J Fic
ISBN 9781599900469 $16.95
An absorbing romantic novel about Rembrandt's daughter at the age of fourteen. After her mother dies and her brother moves away, Cornelia is left alone with her father, Rembrandt van Rijn. He has been denounced by his wealthy patrons and can't offer the affection and care that Cornelia craves. A work of emotional depth, readers will also learn about Rembrandt's life and art. --Susan K., Reference

Davidson, Diane Mott. SWEET REVENGE. William Morrow, 2007. Fic Adult
ISBN 0060527331 $25.95 ISBN 006136701X $25.95 (large print)
ISBN 0060527334 $39.95 (audio)
Latest mystery adventure of Goldy Schultz, the Colorado caterer who helps solve the murders she frequently encounters. Appealing characters and yummy recipes included. --KH, Reference & Special Services

Goldstein, Jan. THE PRINCE OF NANTUCKET. Shaye Areheart Books, 2007. Fic
ISBN 0307345904 $24.00 Adult or YA
You can go home again, or at least to the summer home that you recall with bittersweet memories from your past, according to this well-written short volume, which wonderfully evokes the beautiful island off the Massachusetts shore. A successful lawyer and politician is summoned to return to spend the final days with his mother, who is in the final throes of Alzheimer's disease. his present complicated life is further complicated as he grapples with his memories of a dysfunctional family, his strained relationship with his teenage daughter, and persistent calls for him to return to California for the impending senate primary election against the ever-present background of Nantucket. --Ernest J. Webby, Jr., Reference

Hamid, Mohsin. THE RELUCTANT FUNDAMENTALIST. Harcourt, 2007. Fic
ISBN 9780151013043 $31.95
Mohsin Hamid was born in Pakistan, educated in the U.S. and now lives in England. He has written articles for newspapers and magazines including the New York Times and the Washington Post. His second novel raises issues about cultural differences, nostalgia, and the American Dream. A timely read. --CMC, Reference

Martin, Valerie. TRESPASS. Nan A. Talese, 2007. Fic Adult
A couple's life is set into upheaval when their son and his pregnant Croatian wife move in. The Library Journal called this a major novel. --ShGr, Reference

McLarty, Ron. THE MEMORY OF RUNNING. Penguin, 2005, c2004 Fic Adult
ISBN 9780143036685 $14.00 ISBN 9781402594298 $34.99 (audio CD)
Ron McLarty’s hero, Smithy Ide, rises above his general befuddlement about the way the world works through his great capacity for love, his unwillingness to show it, and his endless willingness to forgive. When his entire family dies, Smithy embarks on a transcontinental bicycle trip to recover his beloved sister’s body and rediscover what it means to live. Beautifully narrated by McLarty who is a professional actor and playwright, it is one of those books that is meant to be listened to. --Kathy Glick-Weil, Director

O'Brian, Patrick. MASTER AND COMMANDER. Read by Simon Vance. Unabridged edition. Blackstone Audiobooks, 2004. CD Fic Adult
ISBN 978-0786186297 $49.95 (audio CD)
This is the first book in a sequence of brilliant historical naval adventures known as the Aubrey/Maturin series. Each novel in the succession gives us timeless insight into our own human psychology. The works are made even better by the narration of Simon Vance. --GJF, Reference

Setterfield, Diane. THE THIRTEENTH TALE. Atria, 2006. Fic Adult
ISBN 0743298020 $26.00 ISBN 0743298039 $15.00 (paperback)
ISBN 0743564170 $49.95 (audio CD)
An old-fashioned story of secrets, ghosts, sexual obsession, murder and madness. Add a world-famous author and a shy, book-loving young woman as main characters for a book to enjoy yourself and give. --KH, Reference & Special Services

Sofer, Dalia. SEPTEMBERS OF SHIRAZ. Ecco/HarperCollins, 2007. Fic Adult
ISBN 978006113043 $24.95
The Septembers of Shiraz is a richly evocative, powerfully affecting depiction of the worst year in the life of a prosperous Jewish family in Tehran. The Revolutionary Guard arrest Isaac the father, and the family must survive. --NS, Reference

Tan, Shaun. THE ARRIVAL. A.A. Levine, 2007. J Fic All ages
ISBN 9780439895294 $13.99
This is a beautifully illustrated book without words. It tells the story of an immigrant and his experiences as a new arrival, not knowing our language or culture. The images are surreal and fantastic. This would be a good book to use as a focus for a discussion on immigration. --Kate, Reference

Zweig, Stefan. BEWARE OF PITY. New York Review of Books Classics. Random House, 2006, C.1939 Fic
ISBN 9781590172001 $16.95
Engrossing psychological portrait of a young Austrian lieutenant's involvement with a
wealthy family and crippled daughter. What begins as a simple gesture, social courtesy turns into a nightmare of guilt and emotional blackmail. --Alan Allaire, Reference

POETRY

892.41 D81C 2007
Cole, Peter. THE DREAM OF THE POEM: HEBREW POETRY FROM MUSLIM AND CHRISTIAN SPAIN, 950-1492. Translated, edited and introduced by Peter Cole. Princeton University Press, 2007. 978-0691121956 $19.95
Covering over 500 years of poetry, some only retrieved during the 20th century, and with brief biographies of the major poets of this period, this anthology will be a unique addition to any personal poetry collection. The translations are understandable in modern terms, and the plentiful notes are placed at the conclusion of the volume so as not to interfere with the reader's enjoyment. --Cathy B., Reference

SHORT STORIES & SHORT WORKS

824.08 N42G 2007
Glass, Ira. NEW KINGS OF NONFICTION. Riverhead Trade, 2007.
ISBN 1594482675 $15.00 (paperback)
The host of NPR's This American Life has collected some exceptional short nonfiction pieces - weird and humorous. --ShGr, Reference

839.13 CLASSIC 2004
CLASSIC YIDDISH STORIES OF S.Y. ABRAMOVITSCH, SHOLEM ALEICHEM, AND I.L. PERETZ. Edited by Ken Frieden; translated by Ken Frieden, Ted Gorelick, and Michael Wex. Syracuse University Press, 2004. ISBN 978-0815607601 $19.95
Begin or augment your reading with these three masters of Yiddish stories and short fiction, translated by the master Yiddish translator, Gorelick, who passed away just as the book was coming out. As a bonus, there are short contemporaneous biographical pieces and reminiscences, and a glossary of people, places, and terms. --Cathy B., Reference

 

NONFICTION

R 030 G94G 2008
GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS 2008. Guinness Pub., 2007
ISBN 1904994199 $20.95
The records are inspiring or horrifying, depending on your point of view. This year the book cover glows in the dark. --ShGr, Reference

JP 070.508 M33G
Marcus, Leonard S. GOLDEN LEGACY: HOW GOLDEN BOOKS WON CHILDREN'S HEARTS, CHANGED PUBLISHERS FOREVER, AND BECAME AN AMERICAN ICON ALONG THE WAY. Golden Books, 2007. All ages
ISBN 9780375829963 $40.00
A beautiful book for all ages, especially those who grew up reading little Golden Books! This lovely book tells the story of this little publishing company and how it became a great success with the creation of these charming and much loved books. --P.S., Technical Services

223.2 ON ORDER
McGinnis, Ray. WRITING THE SACRED: A PSALM-INSPIRED PATH TO APPRECIATING AND WRITING SACRED POETRY. Northstone, 2005. on order
ISBN 1896836739 $19.95
The author offers a "new, deeper and more meaningful" way to understand the Psalms. He discusses the intent and meaning of the historical psalms and sets the reader on a path to creating their own poetry. For the aspiring authors of your friends and family. --KH, Reference

388.122 W15L 2007
Wallis, Michael and Michael S. Williamson. THE LINCOLN HIGHWAY: COAST TO COAST FROM TIMES SQUARE TO THE GOLDEN GATE. W.W. Norton, 2007.
ISBN 0393059380 $39.95
There is a chapter for each of the 13 states through which the Lincoln Highway passes. Each one is filled with nostalgia & classic images of cross-country road travel. --EH, Reference. (Editor's note: 300 color photographs by Pulitzer prizewinner Williamson capture America's first transcontinental highway.)

599.773 B27W 2007
Barry, Scott. WOLF EMPIRE: AN INTIMATE PORTRAIT OF A SPECIES.
ISBN 1599210533 $29.95
Stunning black and white photographs show an intimate look into the amazing world of wolves. In more than one hundred fascinating photographs, the image of the wolf is depicted as a playful, affectionate and intelligent being. --MRB, Circulation

J 629.45 T34T
Thimmesh, Catherine. TEAM MOON: HOW 400,000 PEOPLE LANDED APOLLO 11 ONTHE MOON. Houghton Mifflin, 2006. YA and Children
Told from the viewpoint of the 17,000 behind-the-scenes workers at the Kennedy Space Center, this exciting book retraces the course of the space mission that landed Neil Armstrong and company on the moon. Includes many period photos and present-day quotes from the people who made the flight possible. --Susan K., Reference

641.5 M47G 2007
Meisel, Susan Pear and Nathalie Sann. GOURMET SHOPS OF NEW YORK: MARKETS, FOODS, RECIPES. Rizzoli, 2007.
ISBN 978-0847829323 $40.00
Great for anyone who loves New York for its food - includes lists of the shops, great recipes, beautiful photos, histories and is indexed for user-friendly reference. --PC-G, Circulation

641.597 AMERICA'S 2001
AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN COOKBOOK. By the Editors of Cook's Illustrated. Boston Common Press, 2001.
ISBN 093618454X $29.95
This is a fool-proof cookbook for any level of cooking experience. You can count on these recipes to come out. Isn't that what we all want? Plus - support locally! --MRB,Circulation
(Editor's note: Based upon the popular PBS cooking show, this title has been supplemented with additional titles, most recently by Test Kitchen Favorites: The 2007 Companion Cookbook to the Hit TV Show (America's Test Kitchen). America's Test Kitchen, 2006. ISBN 978-1933615042 $34.95)

641.597 C59A 2006
Clements, Carole. AMERICAN REGIONAL COOKING. Lorenz, 2007.
ISBN 0754816877 $24.99
There are over 400 recipes in this collection that celebrates the diversity of American regional cuisine. --EH, Reference

709.73 W93A 2007
Wright, Tricia. AMERICAN ART AND ARTISTS. Collins, 2007. ISBN 9780060891244 $15.95
A title in the Smithsonian Q & A Series, this fun survey, filled with colorful illustrations and brief informative text, invites the reader to ask questions and learn about art history in America. --Cathy B., Reference

809.933 D18B 2007
Damrosh, David. THE BURIED BOOK: THE LOSS AND REDISCOVERY OF THE GREAT EPIC OF GILGAMESH. Henry Holt, 2007.
ISBN 0805080295 $26.00
Story of the first great masterpiece of world literature, the 4,000 year-old poem of Gilgamesh and how it was lost in 612 B.C. and rediscovered in Victorian times. Ponder anew the lesson of Gilgamesh, "Before the end that awaits each of us, we should perform good deeds, love our families, and enjoy simple pleasures." For literature and ancient history buffs. --KH, Reference

917.3 T81O 2007
Tuff, Sarah and Greg Melville. 101 BEST OUTDOOR TOWNS: UNSPOILED TO VISIT, LIVE AND PLAY. Countryman Press, 2007.
ISBN 9780881507669 $19.95 (paperback)
Arranged by region, find great escapes for a weekend or longer. This book tells you
all about the towns and things to do while you enjoy good food, beautiful settings, and
homey lodgings. --Nancy Perlow, Administration

917.4 B59D 2006
Blanched, Trisha. DOG-FRIENDLY NEW ENGLAND: A TRAVEL: A TRAVELER’S COMPANION. 2nd. ed. Countryman Press, 2006.
ISBN 9780881506914 $18.95.
For the dog owner who doesn't want to travel without their favorite pet. Dog-friendly
restaurants and lodgings are given for all of New England, along with hiking trails, dog
parks and attractions. --Nancy Perlow, Administration

R 973.3 M13S 2007
McCullough, David. 1776: THE ILLUSTRATED EDITION. Simon & Schuster, 2007.
ISBN 9781416542100 $65.00 Adult and YA
This is an abridged and illustrated version of McCullough's very successful 2005 book. Maps, letters and seminal artwork are reproduced and contained in vellum envelopes throughout the book and closed with the congressional seal, offering the reader an interactive experience while exploring the events of the American Revolution. --Susan K., Reference

BIOGRAPHY / MEMOIR

E K824 .KO 2007
Kohl, Herbert. PAINTING CHINESE: A LIFELONG TEACHER GAINS THE WISDOM OF YOUTH. Bloomsbury, 2007. ISBN 9781596910522 $19.95
A veteran teacher decides to take painting lessons (Chinese Landscape) and finds himself the only adult in a class of young children. Read with wonder as the class dynamics unfold and the lessons learned about painting and life are told. --Nancy J., Reference

371.822 M84T 2007
Mortenson, Greg and David Oliver Relin. THREE CUPS OF TEA: ONE MAN'S MISSION TO PROMOTE PEACE - ONE SCHOOL AT A TIME. Penguin Books, 2007.
ISBN 9780143038252 $15.00
A very absorbing and inspiring account of a mountain climber's difficult, adventurous and heartfelt struggle and accomplishment in setting up schools in isolated areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan. --Dorianne Low, Reference

839.09 G652 .KA 2007
Kaplan, Beth. FINDING THE JEWISH SHAKESPEARE: THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF JACOB GORDIN. Syracuse University Press, 2007. ISBN 978-0815608844 $24.95
Growing up with a scientist father, the author began to wonder whether her great desire to be an actress and a writer stemmed from the one relative no one wanted to talk about -- Jacob Gordin, the famous Yiddish playwright. Great-granddaughter to this neglected figure who once was idolized in the Yiddish theater and community, Kaplan explored the rich collections of YIVO and captures for the first time a biography of her great-grandfather and his world in New York City. --Cathy B., Reference

Compiled by CB November 2007

Gift List for Parents of Middle School Children
Supplement to: The Daytime (November 2007)
by Jean Holmblad & Pam McCuen

ADVENTURE/MYSTERY

Alexander, Lloyd. The Golden Dream of Carlo Chuchio.
Avi. The Traitors’ Gate.
Salisbury, Graham. Night of the Howling Dogs.
Selznick, Brian. The Invention of Hugo Cabret.
Smith, Roland. Peak.
Volponi, Paul. Rucker Park Setup.

REALISTIC FICTION

Abdel-Fattah, Randa. Does My Head Look Big in This?
Choldenko, Gennifer. If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period.
Halpin, Brendan. How Ya Like Me Now.
Levitin, Sonia. Strange Relations.
Perkins, Mitali. First Daughter: Extreme American Makeover.
Pixley, Marcella. Freak.

HUMOROUS

Alexie, Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.
Korman, Gordon. Schooled.
Lockhart, E. Dramarama.
Pinkwater, Daniel. The Neddiad.
Schmidt, Gary D. The Wednesday Wars.
Sonnenblick, Jordan. Zen and the Art of Faking It.

HISTORICAL FICTION

Brown, Don. The Train Jumper.
Hoffman, Mary. The Falconer’s Knot.
Leeds, Constance. The Silver Cup.
Peck, Richard. On the Wings of Heroes.
Wells, Rosemary. Red Moon at Sharpsburg.

SHORT STORIES

Gaiman, Neil. M is for Magic.
Lowry, Lois. Shining On: 11 Star Authors’ Illuminating Stories.
Park, Linda Sue, et al. Click: One Novel-10 Authors.
Schrag, Ariel. Stuck in the Middle: Seventeen Comics from an Unpleasant Age.

 

Gift List for Parents of Middle School Children
Supplement to: The Daytime (November 2007) Page 2


FANTASY

Alexander, Alma. Worldweavers: Gift of the Unmage.
Carey, Janet Lee. Dragon’s Keep.
Flinn, Alexa. Beastly.
Hale, Shannon. Book of a Thousand Days.
Landy, Derek. Skulduggery Pleasant.
Scott, Michael Dylan. The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel.

HORROR/SUPERNATURAL

Brewer, Heather. The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod: Eighth Grade Bites.
Cabot, Meg. Jinx.
Marsh, Katherine. The Night Tourist.
Sedgwick, Marcus. My Swordhand is Singing.
Shusterman, Neal. Darkness Creeping: Twenty Twisted Tales.

SCIENCE FICTION

Carroll, Michael. Quantum Prophecy: The Awakening.
Cle, Troy. The Marvelous Effect.
Jinks, Catherine. Evil Genius.
Michaels, Rune. Genesis Alpha.
Nelson, Blake. They Came From Below.

BIOGRAPHIES & NONFICTION

Barakat, Ibtisam. Tasting the Sky: a Palestinian Childhood.
Gore, Al. An Inconvenient Truth: The Crisis of Global Warming.
Kirkpatrick, Katherine. Snow Baby: The Arctic Childhood of Admiral Robert E. Peary's Daring Daughter.
Schlitz, Laura Amy. Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!: Voices from a Medieval Village.
Sis, Peter. The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain.

POETRY

Applegate, Katherine. Home of the Brave.
Bingham, Kelly. Shark Girl.
Grandits, John. Blue Lipstick: Concrete Poems.
Herrick, Steven. The Wolf.
Sandell, Lisa Ann. Song of the Sparrow.

11/07 CB
Newton Free Library
Newton, Massachusetts
http://www.newtonfreelibrary.net/reference/bibliographies/books_librarians_give_2007.htm