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Greenburgh Public Library Blog

Five Favorites

by Laura Burk on 2019-04-24T12:53:00-04:00 | 0 Comments

When I was writing about my new favorite cookbook, I started thinking about books that I’ve borrowed from the library and later decided to purchase for my own collection. My shelves are already overflowing, so I’m pretty discerning about what I add to my collection. But sometimes I read a book, and I just feel compelled to own a copy.

 

I have very eclectic taste in books: I love old Stephen King and new Stephen King (though not so much the Stephen King of the ‘90s).  I read literary fiction, mysteries and thrillers, and love anything with a strong plot. I also read lots of nonfiction, especially science, nature, language, and medicine.  I read picture books, chapter books, and YA, and if my children are lucky, I might even share with them. I borrow craft books galore, both to try new crafts and improve my skills in my favorites.  Anything with an interesting cover is fair game. I especially love odd little books like A Compendium of Collective Nouns

and Lost in Translation.

 

Maybe because I read so much, I don’t have a fantastic memory for content, and sometimes I’ll get halfway through a book, and realize I’ve read it before. But each of these five books has stuck with me, and earned a spot in my home library. While I don’t remember every detail, they are all accessible but a bit unusual, either in structure or storytelling.

 

Fox 8 by George Saunders

​This tiny gem is written by a fox. Fox 8, to be precise. He lives with Fox 7,  Fox 28 and others, at the edge of human development. He’s taught himself to write by listening to the Yumins around him, and it does take a few pages to get used to his spelling. His adventures are by turns laugh-out-loud funny, and heartbreakingly sad.

 

The Truth Is a Cave in the Black Mountains by Neil Gaiman with Illustrations by Eddie Campbell
This book is not exactly a graphic novel, but more of a picture book for adults. Atmospheric illustrations highlight this tale of greed, love and revenge in the wilds of Scotland. It was originally published as part of an anthology of short stories, and in 2010, it was performed in the concert hall of the Sydney Opera House; Neil Gaiman read the story, accompanied by projections of Campbell’s artwork and live music by the FourPlay String Quartet.

 

Mink River by Brian Doyle
​A small Pacific Northwest community, fascinating characters, poetic, stream-of-consciousness prose, several beautiful intertwined stories, a little myth and a little magic, with a crow that met my eye the first time I saw the book. Not only do I own this one, but I have purchased several as gifts, and I’m pretty sure I have a backup copy, too. This book was my gateway to his essays and poetry, as well.

 

Land of the Blind by Jess Walter
​A one-eyed man is perched on an upper floor of a construction site. Officers think he’s suicidal, but actually, he’s looking to make a confession. What did he do, and why, and what happened to his eye? Beautiful Ruins was more popular than this early mystery, but the reverse timeline and 80’s nostalgia, along with timely social issues made this a favorite. This title is available in the library, as well as on Hoopla.

Cover ArtMy Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman 
This book stayed with me, and I think it will stand up to multiple re-reads. It’s touching, funny, and a bit suspenseful, with a precocious child as a narrator. The story is revealed a bit at a time as Elsa meets more people and makes more connections. (Also, don’t miss A Man Called Ove. Tom Hanks is set to star in the US movie version, and I’m sure it will be great, but a movie can’t do justice to the richness of Backman’s characters.)

I was lucky enough to score these last two from the Friends Bookstore here at the Library. Everything in the Bookstore is $1, and if you're lucky, you might hit a pop-up sale when the prices are even lower! As a rule, I try to stay out of that corner of the library (see “overflowing bookshelves” noted above), but if you feel the need to add to your personal collection, The Friends Bookstore is a fantastic resource! You never know when you'll find a keeper.

 


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