Topsham Tales

Staff Picks!

2012-02-22T14:39:00.000-08:00

Need a book recommendation? Check out our staff picks here at the library. There's a display of them behind the new book display!

The New York Times Bestseller List February 19 and 26, 2012

2012-02-18T11:18:00.000-08:00

February 19: fiction and nonfiction.

February 26: fiction and nonfiction.

The New York Times Bestseller List February 5 and 12, 2012

2012-02-10T09:49:00.000-08:00

February 5: fiction and nonfiction.

February 12: fiction and nonfiction.

The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides

2012-02-10T09:33:00.000-08:00

Pulitzer Prize winner Eugenides once again delivers a novel that is rich, engrossing and filled with enough literary references to please even the most dedicated book-lover. The novel follows Madeline Hanna, Leonard Bankhead and Mitchell Grammaticus as they navigate through their final year of Brown and the year following their graduation. Madeline, an English-major whose thesis gives us the title of the novel, meets Leonard, a brilliant and enigmatic student, in a Semiotics class and the two begin a relationship, one that is marred by Leonard’s diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Mitchell, a theology major, holds on to the hope that he is the one destined for Madeline.

Eugenides has denied reports that the novel is based on real life events, but it’s hard not to see Eugenides in Grammaticus, while much has been said of Bankhead’s similarity to David Wallace Foster, who was in a relationship with Mary Karr, the memoirist, in the early nineties. That said, I found these links enhanced my enjoyment of the novel.

The Marriage Plot has already garnered praise from many places including the New York Times, Publisher’s Weekly, Kirkus Review and Library Journal. Eugenides’ exploration of love and well-drawn characters make it the kind of book you find yourself thinking about long after you have read it.

Emma

Julie

2012-02-03T12:59:00.000-08:00

I just finished reading The Body Finder by Kimberly Dirting. As if being a teenager is not hard enough, try balancing schoolwork, homecoming dances, crushes on best friends and finding a serial killer! Violet manages to do just that while still keeping the secret that she can find dead bodies and their killers with a sixth sense! Enjoyable and little scary, too!

New Job Books at TPL!

2012-01-26T15:46:00.000-08:00

Up and coming at TPL are updated Job Titles. Look for them in our Job Information Center:

The New York Times Bestseller List January, 29 2012

2012-01-26T14:41:00.000-08:00

This week's best sellers: fiction and nonfiction.

The New York Times Bestseller List January, 22 2012

2012-01-14T08:27:00.000-08:00

This week's best sellers: fiction and nonfiction.

Top 5 of 2011!

2012-01-07T11:48:00.000-08:00

What were your top reads of 2011? We asked our staff the same question and they narrowed down all the books they had read to five favorite ones. Read what the TPL staff thought then please tell us your top 5 using the comments feature (please note that you can choose from the books you read this year no matter what the publication date).

Julie:

Laina Taylor DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE
Patrick Ness A MONSTER CALLS
Kim Harrison PALE DEMON
Beth Revis ACROSS THE UNIVERSE
Karen Marie Moning DARK FEVER

Mariah:

The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins – Exciting!! I literally could not read fast enough
Freedom by Jonathan Franzen – long, sometimes torturous, but ultimately redemptive
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness – Get your tissues out
Cinderella Ate My Daughter: Dispatches From the Front Lines of the New Girlie-girl Culture by Peggy Orenstein – enlightening and infuriating
The Flavia de Luce novels by Alan Bradley – fun!

Linda:

Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn – first book in a series which could be all five of my favorites!
The Various Haunts of Men by Susan Hill
A Rule Against Murder by Louise Penny - If you haven’t read any of her books, start with her first book – Still Life
A Small Death in the Great Glen by A.D. Scott
The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths

Emma:

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness - A truly heartwrenching but masterful allegory of grief and human resilience.
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern - This story of two lovestruck magicians is unlike any you will read this year.
Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell - Gladwell examines the secrets behind success and upturns conventional wisdom. This was a fascinating read.
Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma - Haunting and eerie, this is an intense story of two sisters that goes beyond the parameters of realism.
The Doll: The Lost Short Stories by Daphne du Maurier - I am a big fan of du Maurier so this newly published collection was a real treat.

Susan:

House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz—first time in its one-hundred-and-twenty-five-year history, the Arthur Conan Doyle Estate has authorized a new Sherlock Holmes novel
Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson—satisfying novel of life and love in all its’ forms set in the English countryside.
The Elegance of a Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery—surprising episodic novel about the lives of those who live and work in a Paris apartment building.
The Shanghai Moon: A Bill Smith/Lydia Chin Novel by S.J. Rozan—a wonderful mystery for people who don’t like mysteries.
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness—a superb example of the power of storytelling. A story of one young man's attempt to deal with tragedy in his life and also an allegory about how the human spirit can overcome great pain and despair.

Mary Ann:

See, Lisa –Snowflower and the secret fan
Senate, Mellissa – The love goddess’ cooking school
Doiron, Paul (editor of Down East)-- Trespasser (2^nd novel)
Hamlin, Ardeana –Pink chimneys (#1)
Hamlin, Ardeana – Abbot’s reach

Helen:

The Ridge by Michael Koryta
The Restorer by Amanda Steves
Killing Lincoln by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
One was a Soldier by Julia Spencer-Fleming
A Double Death on the Black Isle by A.D. Scott

Lynne:

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins
The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
Before I go to Sleep by S.J. Watson
The Homecoming of Samuel Lake by Jenny Wingfield

Cyndi:

Murder of the Century by Paul Collins
Warped by Maurissa Guibord
Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
Faerie Winter by Janni Lee Simner

The New York Times Bestseller List January, 15 2012

2012-01-07T10:00:00.000-08:00

This week's best sellers: fiction and nonfiction.

The New York Times Bestseller List January, 8 2012

2012-01-07T09:56:00.000-08:00

This week's best sellers: fiction and nonfiction.

Helen

2012-01-03T06:48:00.001-08:00

I just finished reading "Killing Lincoln" by Bill O'Reilly. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the civil war and Abraham Lincoln. The book was well written and you are taken back to Abraham Lincoln's last days and how John Wilkes Booth plotted to kill him.

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T12:18:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year from all at TPL!

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-24T09:31:00.000-08:00

Season's Greetings from the TPL staff!

The New York Times Bestseller List January, 1 2012

2011-12-24T07:58:00.000-08:00

This week's best sellers: fiction and nonfiction.

The New York Times Bestseller List December 25, 2011

2011-12-24T07:52:00.000-08:00

This week's best sellers: fiction and nonfiction.

The New York Times Bestseller List December 18, 2011

2011-12-15T16:00:00.000-08:00

This week's best sellers: fiction and nonfiction.

Susan's current reads!

2011-12-13T13:12:00.001-08:00

I just finished a book called, A Monster Calls: a novel by Patrick Ness inspired by Siobhan Dowd and illustrated by Jim Kay. It was suggested to me by Cyndi Burne, our Teen Librarian and Assistant Director. The book is in the Teen or Young Adult (YA) section of the library. It is a superb example of the power of storytelling-- at once, a story of one young man's attempt to deal with tragedy in his life and also an allegory about how the human spirit can overcome great pain and despair. Beautifully written and amazingly illustrated, A Monster Calls, is a modern classic in the tradition of all mythic tales which seek to shed light on the human condition--truly a perfect novel.

The Book Look Discussion Group at The Highlands just read and discussed Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand. Louis Zamperini, a young long distance runner is shot down with his crew in enemy waters in the South Pacific. After drifting for weeks, he is found and imprisoned as a POW in Japan. This is his story of how he coped, survived and triumphed through incredible adversity. Many of us felt new admiration for all veterans and ongoing sadness for the many valiant men and women who have sacrificed so much for their country in past generations and today.

The New York Times Bestseller List December 11, 2011

2011-12-08T16:30:00.000-08:00

This week's best sellers: fiction and nonfiction.

What are you reading?

2011-11-30T14:19:00.000-08:00

What have you been reading recently? Let the TPL staff know using the comments feature below!

The New York Times Bestseller List December 4, 2011

2011-11-30T13:56:00.000-08:00

This week's best sellers: fiction and nonfiction.

The New York Times Bestseller List November 27, 2011

2011-11-19T07:04:00.000-08:00

This week's best sellers: fiction and nonfiction.

The New York Times Bestseller List November 20, 2011

2011-11-19T06:54:00.000-08:00

This week's best sellers: fiction and nonfiction.

Emma's Reads

2011-11-10T19:24:00.000-08:00

Last Read:

In When She Woke, Hillary Jordan reimagines Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter in a book that is reminiscent of dystopian novels such as A Handmaid’s Tale and 1984. Hannah Payne (a near-future Hester Prynne) awakes a victim of melachroming, a technique in which lawbreakers’ skin is literally color-coded to their crime. Hannah’s is (of course) red and her crime is the illegal termination of her pregnancy and her refusal to name the father. As we follow the repercussions of Hannah’s choices and others’ reactions to her, we get a glimpse of a world that ours could become. While not as strong as the novels which it clearly takes inspiration from, When She Woke is an interesting read and would appeal to readers of the dystopian genre.

Currently Reading:

The Sibling Effect: What the Bonds among Brother and Sisters Reveal about Us by Jeffrey Kluger—Part reflection, part scientific research, The Sibling Effect explores the psychological effects our siblings have on us and how our families shape us.

The New York Times Bestseller List November 6, 2011

2011-11-03T16:35:00.000-07:00

This week's best sellers: fiction and nonfiction.

The New York Times Bestseller List October 30, 2011

2011-10-27T16:31:00.000-07:00

This week's best sellers: fiction and nonfiction.

A Real Charmer

2011-10-26T13:05:00.000-07:00

Linda:
I have just read a cozy mystery by Colin Cotterill called Killed at the Whim of a Hat. It is the first in a new series and promises to be a winner. In a similar style to the No. One Ladies Detective Agency, this book is full of local charm, humor, and culture. Ex crime reporter Jimm Juree, a twenty something woman in southern Thailand becomes embroiled in the rare killing of a Buddhist monk. She sees this murder as her way back into crime writing and resolves to find the real killer because the police do not seem inclined to examine the evidence. Feeling burdened by her forced move to the south, her aging mother, and an unwanted suitor, Jimm embarks on an adventure that may solve more than one crime.

Helen

2011-10-25T06:41:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading "A Double Death on the Black Isle" by A.D. Scott. I really liked this book as it was a continuation of the same characters from the first novel "A Small Death in the Great Glen." They both take place in Scotland during the 1950's and of course there are murders to solve!

My next book to read is "Death in the City of Light" by David King, a true story of a serial killer during the Nazi occupation of Paris.

Julie

2011-10-18T09:52:00.000-07:00

I am currently reading the last book in Karen Marie Moning's Fever series, Shadowfever. The whole series is very good but the main character, Mac, is very conflicted about who she is or what she may be. If you like Faery fantasies, you will like this series.
My next book is Vision Impossible about a psychic detective. This is also part of a series and this is the fifth or sixth book. They are fun and decent mysteries.

The New York Times Bestseller List October 23, 2011

2011-10-15T10:58:00.000-07:00

This week's best sellers: fiction and nonfiction.

What are you reading?

2011-10-08T08:59:00.000-07:00

Here is what the staff of Topsham Public Library are reading at the moment. Leave a comment and tell us what you are reading!

Julie:

Last read: Julie Garwood's Ideal Man

Can FBI agent, Max Daniels, protect Dr. Ellie Sullivan from a past stalker and a killer who she could possibly identify all while attending her sister's wedding to Ellie's former fiancé?

Reading: Sue Ann Jaffarian's Baited Blood

Madison Rose works for a vampire council in CA and lives with two grandparent-ly vampires. Why is someone dumping dead undead in their pool?

Next Read: Karen Marie Moning's Bloodfever

Mary Ann:

I am reading Maine author Paul Doiron’s second book—Trespasser. Game Warden goes to investigate an auto/deer collision and only finds huge pool of blood.

Helen:

I am reading The Ballad of Tom Dooley by Sharyn McCrumb which is historical fiction about Tom Dula who was hung for killing Laura Foster.

Lynne:

I just finished The Homecoming of Samuel Lake by Jenny Wingfield. I loved it! It has great characters and is a story of an extended family in Arkansas in the 1950’s. A story of good and evil, love and faith, I highly recommend it! I am currently reading The Borgia Betrayal by Sara Poole. This is a follow-up to Poison. It takes place in Rome in the late 1400’s. The main character is a young girl who has “inherited” her father’s occupation as the court poisoner for the Borgia family. Rodrigo Borgia is now Pope. This story is full of deceit, danger and power struggles!! The next book that I’ll read is The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. This is a debut novel for the writer. The book received some very good reviews. It’s the story of a young woman who has gone through the foster care system. Using her love and incredible knowledge of flowers, she tries to help others change their lives while trying to overcome some of her past challenges in life.

The New York Times Bestseller List October 16, 2011

2011-10-08T07:47:00.000-07:00

This week's best sellers: fiction and nonfiction.

The New York Times Bestseller List October 9, 2011

2011-10-01T06:38:00.000-07:00

This week's best sellers: fiction and nonfiction.

The New York Times Bestseller List October 2, 2011

2011-10-01T06:31:00.000-07:00

This week's best sellers: fiction and nonfiction.

The New York Times Bestseller List September 25, 2011

2011-09-22T18:06:00.000-07:00

This week's best sellers: fiction and nonfiction.

The New York Times Bestseller List September 18, 2011

2011-09-14T15:19:00.000-07:00

This week's best sellers: fiction and nonfiction.

Topsham Tales

Staff Picks!

The New York Times Bestseller List February 19 and 26, 2012

The New York Times Bestseller List February 5 and 12, 2012

The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides

Julie

New Job Books at TPL!

The New York Times Bestseller List January, 29 2012

The New York Times Bestseller List January, 22 2012

Top 5 of 2011!

The New York Times Bestseller List January, 15 2012

The New York Times Bestseller List January, 8 2012

Helen

Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays!

The New York Times Bestseller List January, 1 2012

The New York Times Bestseller List December 25, 2011

The New York Times Bestseller List December 18, 2011

Susan's current reads!

The New York Times Bestseller List December 11, 2011

What are you reading?

The New York Times Bestseller List December 4, 2011

The New York Times Bestseller List November 27, 2011

The New York Times Bestseller List November 20, 2011

Emma's Reads

The New York Times Bestseller List November 6, 2011

The New York Times Bestseller List October 30, 2011

A Real Charmer

Helen

Julie

The New York Times Bestseller List October 23, 2011

More Staff Reads!

What are you reading?

The New York Times Bestseller List October 16, 2011

The New York Times Bestseller List October 9, 2011

The New York Times Bestseller List October 2, 2011

The New York Times Bestseller List September 25, 2011

The New York Times Bestseller List September 18, 2011