News Flash!
2024 Reading Challenge
December 2024: From Your To-Read Stack
We have one last prompt left for 2024 - To read a book that has been on your to-read list for at least a year.
I will be reading Along Came Google: a History of Library Digitization by Deanna Marcum.
November 2024: Classic Literature
November found us taking a look at a classic work of literature that has influenced modern storytelling. While there are many works out there to choose from I decided to read Truman Capote's, In Cold Blood.
True crime is now a massive genre in all media forms earning millions of dollars when you look at Netflix deals, documentaries, podcasts, and books. While now it has been revealed to be at least partially a work of fiction, Capote's In Cold Blood is widely regarded as the birth of the true crime genre.
"On November 15, 1959, in the small town of Holcomb, Kansas, four members of the Clutter family were savagely murdered by blasts from a shotgun held a few inches from their faces. There was no apparent motive for the crime, and there were almost no clues.
As Truman Capote reconstructs the murder and the investigation that led to the capture, trial, and execution of the killers, he generates both mesmerizing suspense and astonishing empathy. In Cold Blood is a work that transcends its moment, yielding poignant insights into the nature of American violence." - Goodreads.com
As an avid true crime consumer I have heard multiple retellings of this particular crime and it was interesting to read Capote's take on the crime, especially since it was a more contemporary review than the retellings I've recently heard.
October 2024: Mystery & Thriller
October's prompt was to read a gripping mystery or thriller by a new or lesser-known author. I chose to read "Cold to the Touch" by Kerri Hakoda.
"American Predator meets Harlan Coben in this taut, ticking-clock thriller in which women are being kidnapped and murdered in the dead of an Alaskan winter. When the body of a barista is found in the once-pristine Alaskan snow, Anchorage homicide detective DeHavilland Beans is gutted to recognize the young woman, Jolene. He'd bought coffee from her every morning and knew her as a bright college student working her way through school. Devastated by the murder and by the life cut short, Beans vows to find the killer. Since scavengers damaged the body, obtaining any usable evidence is impossible, even with the assistance of wildlife expert Raisa Ingalls, Beans's ex. When the body of another woman is found, a serial killer is suspected, and the FBI joins the hunt. After a third body turns up, Beans is desperate to find the killer, especially when another woman goes missing. With the murderer moving so quickly, Beans and his team are determined to stop the spree and catch the killer before it's too late. Pulse-pounding and vividly depicted, this Alaskan thriller will electrify fans of Lisa Gardner and true crime junkies fascinated by the Israel Keyes case." - hoopla
"Cold to the Touch" was a captivating read that kept me on the edge of my seat. I was invested on all of the character inter-personal relationships and was eagerly turning each page to figure out how the crime would be solved. Anyone interested in picking this title up can find it available as an ebook or audiobook on hoopla.
September 2024: Banned Books Awareness
September's prompt was to read a book that has been banned or challenged in some communities. I decided to read The Bluest Eye the debut novel written by Toni Morrison, who won both the Pulitzer Prize and the Nobel Prize in Literature in her lifetime. The Bluest Eye was the #6 most challenged book in the United States in 2023 with 62 challenges throughout the country. "Set in the author's girlhood hometown of Lorain, Ohio, in the early 1940s, it is the story of eleven-year-old Pecola Breedlove--a black girl in an America whose love for its blond, blue-eyed children can devastate all others. Pecola prays for her eyes to turn blue so that she will be beautiful, so that people will look at her, so that her world will be different. The Bluest Eye is the story of the nightmare at the heart of her yearning and the tragedy of its fulfillment. (back cover of book)" It's been challenged for rape, incest, is claimed to be sexually explicit, and DEI content. It was not an easy read. It was not light and fluffy. Yet, it's important to read more than light and fluffy content.
The Freedom to Read Statement was adopted in 1953 discussing a reader's right to read what they want. It's an important statement and something to keep in mind when approaching this book and other books some have found controversial.
Looking forward to October's Prompt: Mystery & Thriller -- A gripping mystery or thriller novel written by a new or lesser-known author.
August 2024: Environmental Awareness
August's prompt was to read a book about environmental issues, conservation, or nature. I chose to read How to Avoid a Climate Disaster: the Solutions we have and the Breakthroughs we Need written by Bill Gates. We've all heard of climate change and global warming, but do we really know what it means? Gates does a good job of informing the reader about our biggest problem areas, how current technology can help, and where he believes future innovations should focus to better our chances of avoiding a climate disaster. The book isn't all doom and gloom, and does highlight what is going well too. It's a good eye opener that made me, as a reader, curious to learn more on the topic.
September's prompt is Banned Books Awareness, and I will be reading The Blues Eye by Toni Morrison.
July 2024: New Hampshire Adventure
We are over halfway through the year somehow, as 2024 seems to only pick up more steam and go by quicker and quicker. I found July's prompt an exceptionally good tie in to this year's Summer Reading theme of Adventure Begins at Your Library. It was New Hampshire Adventure, and it gave me an excuse to look through our collection for some fun New Hampshire related stories. In May, for a different book club I am in, I read Finding Gobi: A Little Dog with a Very Big Heart by Dion Leonard, and absolutely loved that book, which features a tiny stray dog on a 100 mile ultra race, so when I found the book Following Atticus: Forty-Eight High Peaks, One Little Dog, and an Extraordinary Friendship written by Tom Ryan I just knew I had to continue my summer of reading about little dogs and their journeys!
The book serves as memoir of the author's life as well as his own personal journey on finding Atticus and their journey through life together. The book is written in beautiful language, which I don't think is really found in many memoir style books that have been published recently. The love for Atticus from Ryan's community comes through clearly, but I do wish there was more focus on the pair's climbing adventures in the White Mountains. All in all it was a heartfelt, wholesome read that made me want to head outside and climb a mountain!
I hope those of you reading along with this challenge have been finding fun books to read for each prompt. For August's Environment Awareness prompt I'll be reading How to Avoid a Climate Disaster: the Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need written by Bill Gates. If you want to read along and need help finding a book for the prompt please ask the Library Staff and we can make sure you find something to read.
June 2024: Cultural Heritage
June's prompt was to read a book celebrating cultural heritage or traditions, either fiction or non-fiction. I read the memoir: Biting the Hand: Growing Up Asian in Black and White America by Julia Lee. When choosing a book for this month I wanted to find something from a prospective that we maybe don't hear about as often, and while many are familiar with Asian American stereotypes, and perhaps the Japanese Internment Camps in the United State during World War II, I was unsure how this book would be approached. I found it enlightening to hear about the plight of Asian immigrant families and the struggles their children face.
July's prompt is Adventure in NH: Choose an adventure book set in or inspired by NH -- I think this prompt should be fun!
May 2024: Non-Fiction Discovery
May's Reading Challenge prompt was a non-fiction book about a topic unrelated to your professional field. I read 50/50: Secrets I learned Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days--and How You Too Can Achieve Super Endurance! by Dean Karnazes. I picked this book because I enjoy running and learning more about the sport from elite athletes. I ended up taking quite a few notes while reading for tips and tricks to incorporate in my own running. The tips he had to offer were applicable for any runner, not just those covering ultramarathon distances, so don't think this book has absolutely nothing for you if that's not what you aim for. It was a quick, fun read, and it definately made me want to head outside enjoying time under blue skies and green trees!
June's prompt is: Cultural Heritage: a book celebrating cultural heritage, either fiction, or non fiction. I've chosen to read: Biting the Hand: Growing up Asian in Black and White America by Julia Lee. Please reach out if you'd like assistance in finding a book to read!
April 2024: Graphic Novel or Comic Books
April's Book Challenge topic was a Graphic Novel that tackles a social issue or represents a unique storytelling format. I chose to read Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi. Persepolis is a memoir depicting Satrapi's childhood growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. Her stories range from when she was age 6 to 14 in this volume that ends with her parents sending her to study in Vienna.
Her story is told in black-and-white comic strip images. The art style helps remind readers that this is from a child's point of view, even though the subject matter is heavy.
What did you read this month? How did it make you feel? If you want to read a graphic novel, but don't know how to find one, let us know! We have graphic novels for all ages and can help find something you're interested in.
Here's a sampling of what we have!
May's prompt is to read a non-fiction title that is unrelated to your professional field. Happy reading!
March 2024: Genre Exploration
March told us to explore new genres while choosing our reading material. I tend to read a mishmash of books so I asked what do I normally not read? While I do read non-fiction and have read about historical views of wars, I tend to read older material. So I decided to read George Crile's Charlie Wilson's War: The Extraordinary Story of the Largest Cover Operation. The book is a wild, eye-opening ride for someone who doesn't know the politics of the time. If you'd like to read the book, or watch the star-casted film, The Sandown Public Library has both for you to enjoy and learn about the operation. If you'd like to check out some more information I recommend you get started at the Wikipedia page.
For those of you following along, April's prompt is: Graphic novels or comic books: Read a graphic novel or comic book that tackles a social issue or represents a unique storytelling format.
February 2024: Diversity in Literature
February’s prompt in our reading challenge was Diversity in Literature. This meant we chose to read a book written by an author from an underrepresented or marginalized group; exploring diverse perspectives and amplifying diverse voices in literature. I selected the book Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women that a Movement Forgot written by Mikki Kendall.
Hood Feminism is a thought-provoking book that highlights the importance of including issues of race, class, and other forms of inequality in feminist discourse. One of the main critiques of mainstream feminism in this book is that it focuses on issues primarily affecting white, middle-class women, and neglects the concerns of women of color, low-income women, and other marginalized groups. By having such a narrow focus, we’re perpetuating systemic inequalities and aren’t addressing the needs of all women. Kendall explores a wide range of topics including access to healthcare, education, food security, and safety, while looking closer at how these issues disproportionately affect marginalized communities.
As a middle-class white woman, I found the book insightful to educate myself about ways of life that I have had the privilege to not experience. Hood Feminism is a compelling call to action for a more inclusive feminist movement that strives for justice and equality for all women and left me wanting to learn more and do better in supporting others.
March’s prompt is Genre Exploration: a book from a genre you don’t typically read or work with in the library. Expand genre knowledge and cater to a broader range of reader interests.
January 2024: New Beginnings
The prompt for January was to select a book about personal growth or self-improvement. For this prompt I selected the book The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown.
Brown is an expert on courage, empathy, and shame. In this book, Brown introduces the concept of embracing imperfection and living wholeheartedly to her readers. She defines wholehearted living as engaging with the world from a place of worthiness, embracing vulnerability, and letting go of the fear of not being “enough.”
Throughout the book, readers are presented with Brown’s ten guideposts for wholehearted living, each offering valuable insights and strategies for cultivating a more fulfilling life. From cultivating self-compassion and setting boundaries to embracing creativity and growing meaningful connections, these guideposts lead us on our journey toward self-discovery and acceptance.
While every guidepost did not land with the same weight of meaning for me, the book did serve me as a reminder that embracing my authentic self is not just a factor in my personal life, but also professionally. The book helped me identify aspects of what wholehearted leadership means to me.
If you’re interested in reading this book a print copy is available in our shared Southern New Hampshire Library Coop (SNHLC). There are also ebook and eaudio versions available which all can be found at the link at the beginning of this reflection post.
If you’d like to continue on this reading journey with me, February’s prompt is: Diversity in Literature. Choose a book written by an author from an underrepresented or marginalized group.