Welcome to Topsham Tales, the official blog of Topsham Public Library. Join the staff of Topsham for news, reviews and discussion.
Showing posts with label nonfiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nonfiction. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Even More Patron Picks!

Lonely Vigil: Coastwatchers of the Solomons by Walter Lord

WWII - reference to Kennedy's rescue. Father Lobel from Brunswick helped rescue soldiers.

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

Written in 1937. She was way ahead of her time. Fascinating novel about the African American experience.

Sailing alone around the room by Billy Collins

Billy Collins is one of the most important living poets. He was Poet Laureate about 10 years ago. Refreshing, surprising.

The Apple Grower by Michael Phillips

Michael Phillips opens up a whole new world of possibility.

The Madonnas of Leningrad by Debra Dean

Beautifully written story of another time and place.


The Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier

Intriguing story that makes you feel like you were there.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Staff Picks!

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

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Top 5 of 2011!

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:
  1. Laina Taylor  DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE
  2. Patrick Ness A MONSTER CALLS
  3. Kim Harrison PALE DEMON
  4. Beth Revis  ACROSS THE UNIVERSE
  5. Karen Marie Moning  DARK FEVER

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

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

Emma:
  1. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness - A truly heartwrenching but masterful allegory of grief and human resilience.
  2. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern - This story of two lovestruck magicians is unlike any you will read this year.
  3. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell - Gladwell examines the secrets behind success and upturns conventional wisdom. This was a fascinating read.
  4. Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma - Haunting and eerie, this is an intense story of two sisters that goes beyond the parameters of realism.
  5. 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:

  1. 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
  2. Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson—satisfying novel of life and love in all its’ forms set in the English countryside.
  3. 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.
  4. The Shanghai Moon: A Bill Smith/Lydia Chin Novel by S.J. Rozan—a wonderful mystery for people who don’t like mysteries.
  5. 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:

  1. See, Lisa –Snowflower and the secret fan
  2. Senate, Mellissa – The love goddess’ cooking school
  3. Doiron, Paul (editor of Down East)--  Trespasser  (2nd novel)
  4. Hamlin, Ardeana –Pink chimneys (#1)
  5. Hamlin, Ardeana – Abbot’s reach
Helen:
  1. The Ridge by Michael Koryta
  2. The Restorer by Amanda Steves
  3. Killing Lincoln by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
  4. One was a Soldier by Julia Spencer-Fleming
  5. A Double Death on the Black Isle by A.D. Scott
Lynne:
  1. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
  2. The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins
  3. The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
  4. Before I go to Sleep by S.J. Watson
  5. The Homecoming of Samuel Lake by Jenny Wingfield
Cyndi:
  1. Murder of the Century by Paul Collins
  2. Warped by Maurissa Guibord
  3. Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
  4. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
  5. Faerie Winter by Janni Lee Simner

    The New York Times Bestseller List January, 15 2012

    This week's best sellers: fiction and nonfiction.

    The New York Times Bestseller List January, 8 2012

    This week's best sellers: fiction and nonfiction.