Thursday, March 30, 2006

NOWHERE IS A PLACE by Bernice L. McFadden

Bernice L. McFadden, NOWHERE IS A PLACE (Dutton, 2006).

Sherry is rootless. A well-educated bohemian, she feels at ease with people from diverse cultures. But, she is not at ease with herself. Over the years, she has gone through many men, jobs, and cities looking for satisfaction. Sherry is stuck in the past. She cannot let go of an incident from her childhood in which her mother slapped her without provocation--or at least a reason that she could understand. Now Sherry has an idea of how to come terms with herself and her past. She invites her mother (nicknamed Dumpling) on a road trip from Nevada to the family reunion in Georgia. Given the emotional distance between her and her daughter, Dumpling is suprised by the invitation. However, she accepts it. As they travel, Sherry asks Dumpling to respond to a story that she has written about the family history. Usually impatient with Sherry's many questions, Dumpling opens up about the past. By the end of their journey, mother and daughter have uncovered a legacy of strength that provides them hope and inspiration.
This novel will appeal to fans of literary fiction. McFadden's prose is lyrical, her characterizations are rich, and her narrative is multi-layered.

On her website, Bernice McFadden shares her own journey from frustrating corporate jobs to a fulfilling career as an author. She also writes under the name "Geneva Holliday".
You might also like:

African-American fiction writers have long explored the theme of "finding yourself by exploring your history."

One excellent example is Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison. It's the story of Macon "Milkman" Dead III, a young black man from a rich Michigan family. He is sheltered, selfish, arrogant, and directionless. Believing that there is a fortune in gold hidden in a cave near his father's old Pennsylvania farm, Milkman begins a quest that eventually leads him to his ancestral home in Virginia. In the end, Milkman retrieves a family legacy more valuable than the loot he sought. He matures and comes to regret the shabby way he has treated other people including his girlfriends. Oprah Winfrey acknowledged the brilliance of this novel by selecting it as her second book club selection.

Also try Praisesong for the Widow by Paule Marshall.
For your consideration:
Why do enjoy novels of self-discovery? What are some of your favorites?

Doris Dixon, Raleigh Branch Library

Labels: ,



Tuesday, March 21, 2006

THE OLD WINE SHADES by Martha Grimes

Do you love a good mystery? If so, you probably have a favorite detective: Kinsey Millhone, Spenser, or Agatha Raisin? Perhaps you prefer Brother Cadfael, Easy Rawlins or Stephanie Plum?

Many readers follow Scotland Yard Detective Supt. Richard Jury. He appears again in THE OLD WINE SHADES, Martha Grimes' recently published novel. At the wine shop of the same name, (the previous 19 books in the series were named for English pubs), Jury meets Harry Johnson, a man with an interesting story to tell. Johnson has a friend whose wife, son, and dog disappeared while shopping for houses in the countryside. Nine months later only the dog returns home. Of course, the police suspect Johnson's friend. Jury is intrigued by the mystery and decides to investigate.

Martha Grimes is an American (born in Pittsburgh in 1931) who often travels to England to research her Jury mysteries. She must assume that her readers will follow the series in sequence because THE OLD WINE SHADES contains little background information about Richard Jury, his friend Melrose Plant or numerous other recurring characters. I did not find a good summary of Jury's fictional career on the Internet. At the library, however, there is an excellent account in Great Women Mystery Writers edited by Kathleen Gregory Klein. You may be disappointed to learn that this resource is a reference book (i.e., it cannot be checked out from the library). But, it is a part of a larger collection of materials gathered to help you find that next perfect novel. Explore the READER'S CENTERS at Bartlett, Cordova, Poplar-White Station and Raleigh branches and the Humanities Department of the Benjamin Hooks Central Library.


For your consideration:


Doris Dixon, Raleigh Branch Library

Labels: ,



Friday, March 17, 2006

TALK TO THE HAND by Lynn Truss

TALK TO THE HAND: The Utter Bloody Rudeness of the World Today, or Six Good Reasons to Stay Home and Bolt the Door by Lynn Truss.

Do you think everyone has grown incredibly rude lately? Do you wonder why "'attitude' is the new behavioral default mode"? Brit Lynn Truss, author of the best-seller EATS, SHOOTS AND LEAVES, examines the current state of bad manners in Europe and the U.S. She's cranky but not whiney. And she's very funny.

Pamela McFarland, Raleigh Library


Thursday, March 16, 2006

A YEAR IN THE WORLD by Frances Mayes

Travel narratives are a favorite of many library customers. These books allow readers to roam vicariously exotic and not-so-exotic locales and capture glimpses of what life is like for the locals.

Frances Mayes (UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN) returns to the shelves of Popular Library with A YEAR IN THE WORLD: JOURNEYS OF A PASSIONATE TRAVELLER. She explores the meaning of "home" in a variety of locales throughout Europe and Northern Africa using such seemingly mundane tasks as cooking, gardening, and shopping.

Explore the world of Frances Mayes at her website.


For your consideration:

Doris Dixon, Raleigh Branch Library

Labels: ,



Wednesday, March 15, 2006

VANISH by Tess Gerritsen

This selection was recently a Popular Library ("7-day") book. The reviewer wanted to make sure you did not miss this noteworthy title. You can now check it out for 21 days!

I learn about the best books from library customers. Recently, a customer suggested Tess Gerritsen's medical thrillers, which she described as more detailed than Patricia Cornwell's.

I am starting with VANISH, even though it is the fifth entry in Gerritsen's Jane Rizzoli/Maura Isles series (after THE SURGEON, THE APPRENTICE, THE SINNER, & BODY DOUBLE). After a long day's work, Boston medical examiner Maura Isles hears a noise from the morgue's cold storage. She discovers that a young woman is still alive in one of the body bags. After a quick recovery in a nearby emergency room, the young woman kills a security guard and takes Maura's friend Jane Rizzoli hostage. In order to save Jane, Maura must uncover dark secrets from the young woman's past.

I enjoy learning about authors, their careers and family lives. According to Gerritsen's website, she was awarded her M.D. in 1979 and began writing fiction while on maternity leave from her position as a physician. CALL AFTER MIDNIGHT, her first novel, was released in 1987. Eight more romantic thrillers followed. In 1996, Gerritsen published HARVEST, her first medical thriller and her first appearance on THE NEW YORK TIMES Best Sellers List. Her website features a blog in which she discusses the craft of writing, polishing her latest manuscript (THE MEPHISTO CLUB), and dealing with nasty reviewers.
The Library's online databases contain a wealth of information about novelists. I often consult BIOGRAPHY RESOURCE CENTER for biographical sketches and book reviews. If you need help logging into the databases, please call 901-415-2700.




For your consideration:




Doris Dixon, Raleigh Branch Library

Labels: ,



WHAT PRICE LOVE? by Stephanie Laurens

Recently I checked out Stephanie Laurens' latest, WHAT PRICE LOVE?, from the Popular Library. There is much action and a lot of steam (i.e., the love story is more sensual than innocent). Laurens delivers a riveting, fast-paced love story that matches two headstrong protagonists. Her heroine, Lady Priscilla Dalloway, is a drop-dead gorgeous, fiery Irish maiden. Her lover is Dillon Caxton, equally handsome, equally tempetuous. They first clash when she storms into Newmarket, Suffolk in order to rescue her twin brother Russell. He's taken a job as a horse breeder, far below his station in Society. Russell's new boss is involved in a plot to fix horse races, a scheme which led to the murder of the previous breeder. Dillon is the guardian of a register of race horses that holds the key to exposing the conspiracy. He refuses to let Priscilla examine the register. She refuses to tell him why she must.
According to the book jacket, Laurens' "series of historical romances set in Regency England. . . has captivated readers, making her one of the romance world's most beloved and popular authors."

I had heard the term "REGENCY ROMANCE" before and wondered what it meant. I consulted ROMANCE FICTION: A GUIDE TO THE GENRE by Kristin Ramsdell:

"[T]he Regency Romance (primarily set during 1811-1820) is essentially a novel of manners and social custom. The emphasis is on the characters, their relationships, and their places within a highly structured society. . . . Set within the limited sphere of London High Society, these charming confections describe a glittering, aristocratic world in which one's place in Society and acceptance by the ton are Everything." (p. 187)

Although high levels of skill in accomplishments. . . are admired in the Regency hero, these are not novels of action. . . .[M]ost of the real action is verbal and takes place at the numerous social functions--balls, routs, country weekends, nights at the opera, dinner parties, picnics. . . ." (p. 188)


This brief period in English History refers to the years that the Prince of Wales served as Regent after his father George III was declared insane.

Clearly Laurens' WHAT PRICE LOVE? is more of an historical romance set during the Regency than a Regency Romance.
Learn more about Stephanie Laurens.
For your consideration:


Doris Dixon, Raleigh Branch Library

Labels: , ,



Tuesday, March 14, 2006

THE MEMPHIS READS QUESTION

What books have you read that should be movies but aren't?


What characters remind you of your friends, relatives, acquaintances or yourself?


What is your favorite genre?


How do your reading habits change as the seasons change?


What author or character would you invite to a special Valentine's dinner?


What books made you laugh the most?


What are the best (Or worst) film adaptations of books?


What books have the most appealing covers?


What characters have been unforgettable?


What makes a book unputdownable?


Memphis Reads Questions are designed to spark conversations about great books. To join a discussion, click the comment link at the end of a question. All comments will be reviewed by the weblog administrator prior to publication. Inappropriate comments will be deleted.

Have fun and check back often!

Labels:



LIBRARY BOOK CLUBS

The Memphis Public Library & Information Center sponsors book clubs at several branches and at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library.


Follow these links for monthly reading selections:

2008

August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January




2007

December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January



2006

December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April


BOOK CLUB SPOTLIGHT

Learn more about Library-sponsored book clubs:

The Renaissance Men's Book Club, North Branch Library, July 2006
Second Saturdays Book Club, Highland Branch Library, August 2006

Labels:



How Do I Leave Comments on the Memphis Reads Blog?

How do I leave comments on the Memphis Reads Blog?




1. Find a "comments" link at the end of the post, like this:






2. Click this link to go to the comments posting page, which looks like this:


In the upper left corner, there is an option to show or hide the original post that the comment relates to. The rest of the left-hand column contains any comments that have already been made.












3. Enter your comment in the box on the right-side of the page.

















4. Complete the word verification query










5. Choose OTHER as your identity option. This option allows you to post a comment without having to have a Blogger account.









6. Enter you name. The field for "your web page" is optional.

7. Publish your comment. Comment moderation is enabled for this blog. Your comment will be saved until a blog moderator has approved it for publication.




Modified 6/3/07. Based on the Blogger.com help document, "How Do I Leave Comments on A Blog,"



AUTHOR LIST

A

Randa Abdel-Fattah, DOES MY HEAD LOOK BIG IN THIS? (Orchard Books, 2007).

Cecelia Ahern, IF YOU COULD SEE ME NOW (Hyperion, 2006).

Sarah Addison Allen, GARDEN SPELLS (Bantam, 2007).

Isabelle Allende, ZORRO (Harper Collins, 2005).

Laurie Halse Anderson, SPEAK (Farrar Straus Giroux, 1999).

Tina McElroy Ansa, YOU KNOW BETTER (William Morrow, 2002).

Margaret Atwood, ORYX AND CRAKE (Nan A. Talese, 2003).


B

Mary Balogh, SIMPLY UNFORGETTABLE (Delacorte Press, 2005).

Julia Barrett, PRESUMPTION (M. Evans, 1993).

John Barry, THE GREAT INFLUENZA: The Epic Story of the Deadliest Plague in History (Viking, 2004).

Max Barry, COMPANY (Doubleday, 2006).

Jefferson Bass, THE DEVIL'S BONES (William Morrow, 2008).

Ishmael Beah, A LONG WAY GONE: Memoirs of A Boy Soldier (Farrar Straus and Giroux, 2007).

Elizabeth Berg, OPEN HOUSE (Random House, 2000).

Bertice Berry, JIM & LOUELLA'S HOMEMADE HEART-FIX REMEDY (Doubleday, 2002).

Maeve Binchy, NIGHTS OF RAIN AND STARS (Dutton, 2004).


Eric Blehm, THE LAST SEASON (HarperCollins, 2006).

Clare Boylan, EMMA BROWN (Viking, 2003).

Ray Bradbury, SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES (Bantam, 1963).

Libba Bray, A GREAT AND TERRIBLE BEAUTY (Delacorte, 2003).

Cupcake Brown, A PIECE OF CAKE: A Memoir (Crown, 2006).

Parry Brown, THE SHIRT OFF HIS BACK (Strivers Row, 2001).

Jill Conner Browne, THE SWEET POTATO QUEENS' FIRST BIG-ASS NOVEL (Simon and Schuster, 2007).

R. Scott Brunner, DUE SOUTH: Dispatches from Down Home (Villard, 1999).

Augusten Burroughs, RUNNING WITH SCISSORS: A Memoir (St. Martin's Press, 2002).


C

Andrea Camilleri, THE SNACK THIEF (Viking, 2003).

Jack Cavanaugh, GLIMPSES OF TRUTH (Zondervan
Pub., 1999).

Michael Chabon, THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF KAVALIER & CLAY (Random House, 2000).

Michael Chabon, THE YIDDISH POLICEMEN'S UNION (Harper Collins, 2007).

Tracy Chevalier, FALLING ANGELS (Dutton, 2001).

Jennifer Chiaverini, THE QUILTER'S APPRENTICE (Simon & Schuster, 1999).

Julia Child and Alex Prud’homme, MY LIFE IN FRANCE (Knopf, 2006).

Lee Child, THE HARD WAY: A Jack Reacher Novel (Delacorte Press, 2006).

Lincoln Child, DEEP STORM (Doubleday, 2007).

Tom Clancy, THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER (Naval Institute Press, 1984).

Bridie Clark, BECAUSE SHE CAN (Warner Books, 2007).

Mary Higgins Clark, I HEARD THAT SONG BEFORE (Simon & Schuster, 2007).

Mary Higgins Clark, TWO LITTLE GIRLS IN BLUE (Simon & Schuster, 2006).

Harlan Coben, PROMISE ME (Dutton, 2006).

Don Coldsmith, CHILD OF THE DEAD (Doubleday, 1995).

Stephen Cole, WOUNDED (Razorbill, 2003).

J. California Cooper, WILD STARS SEEKING MIDNIGHT SUNS (Doubleday, 2006).

Gina Cordell and Patrick O'Daniel, HISTORIC PHOTOS OF MEMPHIS (Turner Publishing Co., 2006).

Robert Crais, THE WATCHMAN (Simon & Schuster, 2007).

Jennifer Crusie, CRAZY FOR YOU (St. Martin's Press, 1999).

Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer, DON'T LOOK DOWN (St. Martin's Press, 2006).


D

Sandra Dallas, THE DIARY OF MATTIE SPENSER (St. Martin's Press, 1997).

Diane Mott Davidson, DARK TORT (William Morrow, 2006).

Diane Mott Davidson, PRIME CUT (Bantam Books, 1998).

Lindsey Davis, SILVER PIGS (Crown Publishers, 1989).

Pete Dexter, DEADWOOD (Random House, 1986).

Jude Deveraux, SOMEONE TO LOVE (Atria Books, 2007).

Kate DiCamillo, BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE (Candlewick Press, 2000).

Eric Jerome Dickey, CHASING DESTINY (Dutton, 2006).

Joan Didion, THE YEAR OF MAGICAL THINKING (Knopf, 2005).

G. Wayne Dowdy, MAYOR CRUMP DON'T LIKE IT: Machine Politics in Memphis (University Press of Mississippi, 2006).


E

Umberto Eco, THE NAME OF THE ROSE (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1983).

Jo Edwards, LOVE UNDERCOVER (Simon Pulse, 2006).

Kim Edwards, THE MEMORY KEEPER’S DAUGHTER (Penguin, 2006).

Bart D. Ehrman, MISQUOTING JESUS: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why (HarperSanFrancisco, 2005).

Louise Erdrich, THE LAST REPORT ON THE MIRACLES AT LITTLE NO HORSE (HarperCollins, 2001).

Laura Esquivel, MALINCHE (Atria Books, 2006).

Karen Essex, LEONARDO'S SWANS (Doubleday, 2006).

Janet Evanovich, MOTOR MOUTH (HarperCollins, 2006).

Janet Evanovich, PLUM LOVIN' (St. Martin's Press, 2007).

Janet Evanovich, PLUM LUCKY (St. Martin's Press, 2008).

Janet Evanovich, TWELVE SHARP (St. Martin's Press, 2006).


F

Dick Francis, UNDER ORDERS (G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2006).

Charles Frazier, THIRTEEN MOONS (Random House, 2006).


G

Neil Gaiman, AMERICAN GODS (W. Morrow, 2001).

Ernest J. Gaines, A LESSON BEFORE DYING (Vintage Books, 1993).

Lisa Gardner, GONE (Bantam, 2006).

Bill Geist, WAY OFF THE ROAD: Discovering The Peculiar Charms of Small-Town America (Broadway Books, 2007).

Tess Gerritsen, VANISH (Ballantine Books, 2005).

Elizabeth Gilbert, EAT, PRAY, LOVE: One Woman's Search for Everything across Italy, India, and Indonesia (Viking, 2006).

Dorothy Gilman, THE UNEXPECTED MRS. POLLIFAX (Doubleday, 1966).

Malcolm Gladwell, BLINK: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking (Little, Brown and Co., 2005).

Arthur Golden, MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA: A Novel (Knopf, 1997).

Olivia Goldsmith, BAD BOY (Dutton, 2001).

Robert Graves, I, CLAUDIUS (1934).

Martha Grimes, THE OLD WINE SHADES: A Richard Jury Mystery (Viking, 2006).

James Grippando, GOT THE LOOK (HarperCollins, 2006).

John Grogan, MARLEY AND ME: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog (Morrow, 2005).

Robin Jones Gunn, SISTERCHICKS DO THE HULA (Multnomah, 2003).

David Guterson, OUR LADY OF THE FOREST (Knopf, 2003).


H

Mark Haddon, THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME (Doubleday, 2003).

Mark Haddon, A SPOT OF BOTHER (Doubleday, 2006).

Jennifer Haigh, MRS. KIMBLE (Morrow Books, 2003).

Laurell K. Hamilton, DANSE MACABRE (Berkley Books, 2006).

Laurell K. Hamilton, A LICK OF FROST (Meredith Gentry Series, Book 6) (Ballatine, 2007).

Kristin Hannah, MAGIC HOUR (Ballantine Books, 2006).

James Earl Hardy, THE DAY EAZY-E DIED (Alyson Books, 2001).

Charlaine Harris, DEFINITELY DEAD (Ace Books, 2006).

Kim Harrison, FOR A FEW DEMONS MORE (Harper Collins, 2007).

Kim Harrison, THE OUTLAW DEMON WAILS (HarperCollins, 2008).

John Hart, DOWN RIVER (Thomas Dunne Books, 2007).

Terry Spencer Hesser, KISSING DOORKNOBS (Delacorte Press, 1998).

Joe Hill, HEART-SHAPED BOX (William Morrow, 2007).

Tony Hillerman, THE SHAPE SHIFTER (HarperCollins, 2006).

Tami Hoag, PRIOR BAD ACTS (Bantam Books, 2006).

Kay Hooper, BLOOD DREAMS (Bantam, 2007).

Kay Hooper, SLEEPING WITH FEAR (Bantam Books, 2006).

Khaled Hosseini, THE KITE RUNNER (Riverhead Books, 2003).

Khaled Hosseini, A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS (Riverhead Books, 2007).

Linda Howard, UP CLOSE AND DANGEROUS (Ballantine Books, 2007).


I

Eva Ibbotson, A COMPANY OF SWANS (St. Martin's Press, 1985).


J

P.D. James, THE LIGHTHOUSE (Knopf, 2005).

Norma Jarrett, SUNDAY BRUNCH (Harlem Moon, 2004).

Iris Johansen, KILLER DREAMS (Bantam Books, 2006).


K

Jan Karon, SHEPHERDS ABIDING: A Mitford Christmas Story (Viking, 2003).

Jonathan Kellerman, GONE: An Alex Delaware Novel (Ballantine Books, 2006).

Marian Keyes, ANYBODY OUT THERE? (William Morrow, 2006).

Sue Monk Kidd, THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES (Viking, 2002).

Cassandra King, THE SAME SWEET GIRLS (Hyperion, 2005).

Ross King, THE JUDGMENT OF PARIS: The Revolutionary Decade that Gave the World Impressionism (Walker & Co., 2006).

Annette Curtis Klause, BLOOD & CHOCOLATE (Delacorte Press, 1997).

Annette Curtis Klause, FREAKS: Alive, on the Inside (Simon & Schuster, 2006).

Lisa Kleypas, BLUE-EYED DEVIL (St. Martin's Press, 2008).

Lisa Kleypas, SUGAR DADDY (St. Martin's Press, 2007).

Elizabeth Kostova, THE HISTORIAN (Little, Brown and Co., 2005).

Jon Krakauer, INTO THE WILD (Villard Books, 1996).

L

Jhumpa Lahiri, THE NAMESAKE (Houghton Mifflin, 2003).

Erik Larson, THUNDERSTRUCK (Crown Publishers, 2006).

Stephanie Laurens, WHAT PRICE LOVE? (William Morrow, 2006).

Min Jin Lee, FREE FOOD FOR MILLIONAIRES (Warner Books, 2007).

Ursula K. Le Guin, GIFTS (Harcourt, 2004).

Beverly Lewis, THE PREACHER'S DAUGHTER (Bethany House, 2005).

Robert Ludlum, THE PROMETHEUS DECEPTION (St. Martin's Press, 2000).


M

Debbie Macomber, SUSANNAH'S GARDEN (Mira, 2006).

David Maraniss, CLEMENTE: The Passion and Grace of Baseball's Last Hero (Simon & Schuster, 2006).

Robert Marasco, BURNT OFFERINGS (Delacorte Press, 1973).

Steve Martin, THE PLEASURE OF MY COMPANY (Hyperion, 2003).

Frances Mayes, A YEAR IN THE WORLD: Journeys of A Passionate Traveller (Broadway Books, 2006). [second review]

James McBride, MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA (Riverhead Books, 2002).

Cormac McCarthy, ALL THE PRETTY HORSES (Knopf, 2002).

Cormac McCarthy, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (Knopf, 2005).

Cormac McCarthy, THE ROAD (Knopf, 2006).

Bernice L. McFadden, NOWHERE IS A PLACE (Dutton, 2006).

Maureen McHugh, CHINA MOUNTAIN ZHANG (Tom Doherty Associates, 1992).

Larry McMurtry, BUFFALO GIRLS (Simon & Schuster, 1990).

Louise Meriwether, FRAGMENTS OF THE ARK (Pocket Books, 1994).

Mary Monroe, GOD DON'T LIKE UGLY (Dafina Books, 2006).

Greg Mortenson, THREE CUPS OF TEA: One Man's Mission to Fight Terror and Build Nations--One School at a Time (Viking, 2006).

Walter Mosley, DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS (Norton, 1990).

Walter Mosely, GONE FISHIN': An Easy Rawlins Novel (Black Classic Press, 1997).


N

John J. Nance, ORBIT (Simon & Schuster, 2006).

Barbara Neely, BLANCHE ON THE LAM (St. Martin's Press, 1992).


O

Kenneth Oppel, AIRBORN (EOS, 2004).


P

Chuck Palahniuk, SNUFF (Doubleday, 2008).

Diana Palmer, FEARLESS (Harlequin).

T. Jefferson Parker, THE FALLEN (William Morrow, 2006).

Suzan-Lori Parks, GETTING MOTHER' BODY (Random House, 2003).

James Patterson, CROSS (Little, Brown and Co., 2006).

James Patterson and Andrew Gross, JUDGE & JURY (Little, Brown and Co., 2006).

James Patterson and Howard Roughan, YOU'VE BEEN WARNED (Little, Brown, 2007).

James Patterson and Maxine Paetro, THE 6TH TARGET (Little, Brown and Co., 2007).

James Patterson and Maxine Paetro, 7TH HEAVEN (Little, Brown & Co., 2008).

James Patterson and Michael Ledwidgs, THE QUICKIE (Little, Brown and Co., 2007)

James Patterson and Peter de Jonge, BEACH ROAD (Little, Brown and Company, 2006).

Frank Peretti, MONSTER (WestBow Press, 2005).

Anne Perry, FUNERAL IN BLUE (Ballantine Books, 2001).

Ellis Peters, A MORBID TASTE FOR BONES (Morrow, 1977).

Nathaniel Philbrick, MAYFLOWER: A Story of Courage, Community, and War (Viking, 2006).

Carol Plum-Ucci, THE BODY OF CHRISTOPHER CREED (Harcourt, 2000).

Michael Pollan, THE OMNIVORE'S DILEMMA (Penguin Press, 2006).

Paulina Porizkova, A MODEL SUMMER (Hyperion, 2007)

Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, THE BOOK OF THE DEAD (Warner Books, 2006).

Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, RELIC (Forge, 1995).

Philip Pullman, HIS DARK MATERIALS, a trilogy (The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass) (Knopf, 1995-2000).

Mary Jo Putney, THE MARRIAGE SPELL (Ballantine Books, 2006).


Q

Amanda Quick, SECOND SIGHT (G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2006).

Jane Bryant Quinn, SMART AND SIMPLE FINANCIAL STRATEGIES FOR BUSY PEOPLE (Simon & Schuster, 2006).


R

Ruth Reichl, TENDER AT THE BONE (Random House, 1998).

Karen Robards, GUILTY (Putnam, 2008).

Karen Robards, OBSESSION (Putnam, 2007).

Kimberla Lawson Roby, CHANGING FACES (Morrow, 2006).

Deborah Rodriguez, KABUL BEAUTY SCHOOL: An American Woman Goes Behind the Veil (Random House, 2007).

Edward Rutherfurd, THE PRINCES OF IRELAND: The Dublin Saga (Doubleday, 2004).

Leah Ryan, FOR HERE OR TO GO (Garrett County Press, 2004).


S

David Sedaris, NAKED (Little, Brown, 1997).

Charles J. Shields, MOCKINGBIRD: A Portrait of Harper Lee (Henry Holt, 2006).

Anita Shreve, LIGHT ON SNOW (Little, Brown and Co., 2004).

Karen V. Siplin, HIS INSIGNIFICANT OTHER (Free Press, 2002).

Andrea Smith, THE SISTERHOOD OF BLACKBERRY CORNER (Dial Press, 2006).

Erica Spindler, LAST KNOWN VICTIM (Mira Books, 2007).

Danielle Steel, AMAZING GRACE (Delacorte Press, 2007).

Mariah Stewart, LAST BREATH (Ballantine Books, 2007).

Karen Stolz, FANNY AND SUE (Hyperion, 2003).

Karen Stolz, WORLD OF PIES (HyperionBooks, 2000).

Manil Suri, THE DEATH OF VISHNU (Norton, 2001).

Ron Suskind, A HOPE IN THE UNSEEN: An American Odyssey from the Inner City to the Ivy League (Broadway Books, 1998).

James L. Swanson, MANHUNT: The Twelve Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer (William Morrow, 2006).


T

Amy Tan, THE BONESETTER'S DAUGHTER (Putnam, 2001).

Bodie and Brock Thoene, JERUSALEM VIGIL (Viking, 2000).

Brock and Bodie Thoene, THE MAN FROM SHADOW RIDGE (Bethany House, 1990).

Karen Traviss, SACRIFICE (Star Wars: Legacy of the Force) (LucasBooks, 2007).

Adriana Trigiani, BIG STONE GAP TRILOGY (Random House, 2000-2002).

Adriana Trigiani, LUCIA, LUCIA (Random House, 2003).

Gary Troup, BAD TWIN (Hyperion Books, 2006).

Lynn Truss, TALK TO THE HAND: The Utter Bloody Rudeness of the World Today, or Six Good Reasons to Stay Home and Bolt the Door (Gotham Books, 2005).

Anne Tyler, DIGGING TO AMERICA (Knopf, 2006).


V

Derek Van Arman, JUST KILLING TIME (Dutton, 1992).


W

Jennifer Weiner, CERTAIN GIRLS (Atria Books, 2008).

Lauren Weisberger, CHASING HARRY WINSTON (Simon and Schuster, 2008).

Colson Whitehead, THE INTUITIONIST (Anchor Books, 1999).

F. Paul Wilson, CONSPIRACIES (Tom Doherty Associates, 1999).

Jacqueline Winspear, MAISIE DOBBS (Soho Press, 2003).

Labels:



TITLE LIST

A

AIRBORN by Kenneth Oppel, (EOS, 2004).

ALL THE PRETTY HORSES by Cormac McCarthy (Knopf, 2002).

THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF KAVALIER & CLAY by Michael Chabon (Random House, 2000).

AMAZING GRACE by Danielle Steel (Delacorte Press, 2007).

AMERICAN GODS by Neil Gaiman (W. Morrow, 2001).

ANYBODY OUT THERE? by Marian Keyes (William Morrow, 2006).


B

BAD BOY by Olivia Goldsmith (Dutton, 2001).

BAD TWIN by Gary Troup (Hyperion Books, 2006).

BEACH ROAD by James Patterson and Peter de Jonge (Little, Brown and Co., 2006).

BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE by Kate DiCamillo (Candlewick Press, 2000).

BECAUSE SHE CAN by Bridie Clark (Warner Books, 2007).

BIG STONE GAP TRILOGY by Adriana Trigiani (Random House, 2000-2002).

BLANCHE ON THE LAM by Barbara Neely (St. Martin's Press, 1992).

BLUE-EYED DEVIL by Lisa Kleypas (St. Martin's Press, 2008).

BLINK: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell (Little, Brown and Co., 2005).

BLOOD & CHOCOLATE by Annette Curtis Klause (Delacorte Press, 1997).

BLOOD DREAMS by Kay Hooper (Bantam, 2007).

THE BODY OF CHRISTOPHER CREED by Carol Plum-Ucci (Harcourt, 2000).

THE BONESETTER'S DAUGHTER by Amy Tan (Putnam, 2001).

THE BOOK OF THE DEAD by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (Warner Books, 2006).

BUFFALO GIRLS by Larry McMurtry (Simon & Schuster, 1990).

BURNT OFFERINGS by Robert Marasco (Delacorte Press, 1973).


C

CERTAIN GIRLS by Jennifer Weiner (Atria Books, 2008).

CHANGING FACES by Kimberla Lawson Roby (Morrow, 2006).

CHASING DESTINY by Eric Jerome Dickey (Dutton, 2006).

CHASING HARRY WINSTON by Lauren Weisberger (Simon and Schuster, 2008).

CHILD OF THE DEAD by Don Coldsmith (Doubleday, 1995).

CHINA MOUNTAIN ZHANG by Maureen McHugh (Tom Doherty Associates, 1992).

CLEMENTE: The Passion and Grace of Baseball's Last Hero by David Maraniss (Simon & Schuster, 2006).

COMPANY by Max Barry (Doubleday, 2006).


A COMPANY OF SWANS by Eva Ibbotson (St. Martin's Press, 1985).

CONSPIRACIES by F. Paul Wilson (Tom Doherty Associates, 1999).

CRAZY FOR YOU by Jennifer Crusie (St. Martin's Press, 1999).

CROSS by James Patterson (Little, Brown and Co., 2006).

THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME by Mark Haddon (Doubleday, 2003).


D

DANSE MACABRE by Laurell K. Hamilton (Berkley Books, 2005).

DARK TORT by Diane Mott Davidson (William Morrow, 2006).

THE DAY EAZY-E DIED by James Earl Hardy (Alyson Books, 2001).

DEADWOOD by Pete Dexter (Random House, 1986).

THE DEATH OF VISHNU by Manil Suri (Norton, 2001).

DEEP STORM by Lincoln Child (Doubleday, 2007).

DEFINITELY DEAD by Charlaine Harris (Ace Books, 2006).

DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS by Walter Mosley (Norton, 1990).

THE DEVIL'S BONES by Jefferson Bass (William Morrow, 2008).

THE DIARY OF MATTIE SPENSER by Sandra Dallas (St. Martin's Press, 1997).

DIGGING TO AMERICA by Anne Tyler (Knopf, 2006).

DOES MY HEAD LOOK BIG IN THIS? by Randa Abdel-Fattah (Orchard Books, 2007).

DON'T LOOK DOWN by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer (St. Martin's Press, 2006).

DOWN RIVER by John Hart (Thomas Dunne Books, 2007).

DUE SOUTH: Dispatches from Down Home by R. Scott Brunner (Villard, 1999).


E

EAT, PRAY, LOVE: One Woman's Search for Everything across Italy, India, and Indonesia by Elizabeth Gilbert (Viking, 2006).

EMMA BROWN by Clare Boylan (Viking, 2003).


F

THE FALLEN by T. Jefferson Parker (William Morrow, 2006).

FALLING ANGELS by Tracy Chevalier (Dutton, 2001).

FANNY AND SUE by Karen Stolz (Hyperion, 2003).

FEARLESS by Diana Palmer (Harlequin).

FOR A FEW DEMONS MORE by Kim Harrison (Harper Collins, 2007).

FOR HERE OR TO GO by Leah Ryan (Garrett County Press,2004).

FRAGMENTS OF THE ARK by Louise Meriwether (Pocket Books, 1994).

FREAKS: Alive, on the Inside by Annette Curtis Klause (Simon & Schuster, 2006).

FREE FOOD FOR MILLIONAIRES by Min Jin Lee (Warner Books, 2007).

FUNERAL IN BLUE by Anne Perry (Ballantine Books, 2001).


G

GARDEN SPELLS by Sarah Addison Allen (Bantam, 2007).

GETTING MOTHER' BODY by Suzan-Lori Parks (Random House, 2003).

GIFTS by Ursula K. Le Guin (Harcourt, 2004).

GLIMPSES OF TRUTH by Jack Cavanaugh (Zondervan Pub., 1999).

GOD DON'T LIKE UGLY by Mary Monroe (Dafina Books, 2000).

GONE: An Alex Delaware Novel by Jonathan Kellerman (Ballantine Books, 2006).

GONE by Lisa Gardner (Bantam, 2006).

GONE FISHIN': An Easy Rawlins Novel by Walter Mosley (Black Classic Press, 1997).

GOT THE LOOK by James Grippando (HarperCollins, 2006).

A GREAT AND TERRIBLE BEAUTY by Libba Bray (Delacorte, 2003).

THE GREAT INFLUENZA: The Epic Story of the Deadliest Plague in History by John Barry (Viking, 2004).

GUILTY by Karen Robards (Putnam, 2008).


H

THE HARD WAY: A Jack Reacher Novel by Lee Child (Delacorte Press, 2006).

HEART-SHAPED BOX by Joe Hill (William Morrow, 2007).

HIS DARK MATERIALS, a trilogy (The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass) by Philip Pullman (Knopf, 1995-2000).

HIS INSIGNIFICANT OTHER by Karen V. Siplin (Free Press, 2002).

THE HISTORIAN by Elizabeth Kostova (Little, Brown and Co., 2005).

HISTORIC PHOTOS OF MEMPHIS by Gina Cordell and Patrick O'Daniel (Turner Publishing Co., 2006).

A HOPE IN THE UNSEEN: An American Odyssey from the Inner City to the Ivy League by Ron Suskind (Broadway Books, 1998).

THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER by Tom Clancy (Naval Institute Press, 1984).

I

I, CLAUDIUS by Robert Graves (1934).

I HEARD THAT SONG BEFORE by Mary Higgins Clark (Simon & Schuster, 2007).

IF YOU COULD SEE ME NOW by Cecelia Ahern (Hyperion, 2006).

INTO THE WILD by Jon Krakauer (Villard Books, 1996).

THE INTUITIONIST by Colson Whitehead (Anchor Books, 1999).


J

JERUSALEM VIGIL by Bodie and Brock Thoene (Viking, 2000).

JIM & LOUELLA'S HOMEMADE HEART-FIX REMEDY by Bertice Berry (Doubleday, 2002).

JUDGE & JURY by James Patterson and Andrew Gross (Little, Brown and Co., 2006).

THE JUDGMENT OF PARIS: The Revolutionary Decade that Gave the World Impressionism by Ross King (Walker & Co., 2006).

JUST KILLING TIME by Derek Van Arman (Dutton, 1992).


K

KABUL BEAUTY SCHOOL: An American Woman Goes Behind the Veil by Deborah Rodriguez (Random House, 2007).

KILLER DREAMS by Iris Johansen (Bantam Books, 2006).

KISSING DOORKNOBS by Terry Spencer Hesser (Delacorte Press, 1998).

THE KITE RUNNER by Khaled Hosseini (Riverhead Books, 2003).


L

LAST BREATH by Mariah Stewart (Ballantine Books, 2007).

LAST KNOWN VICTIM by Erica Spindler (Mira Books, 2007).

THE LAST REPORT ON THE MIRACLES AT LITTLE NO HORSE by Louise Erdrich (HarperCollins, 2001).

THE LAST SEASON by Eric Blehm (HarperCollins, 2006).

LEONARDO'S SWANS by Karen Essex (Doubleday, 2006).

A LESSON BEFORE DYING by Ernest J. Gaines (Vintage Books, 1993).

A LICK OF FROST (Meredith Gentry Series, Book 6) by Laurell K. Hamilton (Ballatine, 2007).

LIGHT ON SNOW by Anita Shreve (Little, Brown and Co., 2004.

THE LIGHTHOUSE by P.D. James (Knopf, 2005).

A LONG WAY GONE: Memoirs of A Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah (Farrar Straus and Giroux, 2007).

LOVE UNDERCOVER by Jo Edwards (Simon Pulse, 2006).

LUCIA, LUCIA by Adriana Trigiani (Random House, 2003).


M

MAGIC HOUR by Kristin Hannah (Ballantine Books, 2006).

MAISIE DOBBS by Jacqueline Winspear (Soho Press, 2003).

MALINCHE by Laura Esquivel (Atria Books, 2006).

THE MAN FROM SHADOW RIDGE by Brock and Bodie Thoene (Bethany House, 1990).

MANHUNT: The Twelve Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson (William Morrow, 2006).

MARLEY AND ME: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog by John Grogan (Morrow, 2005).

THE MARRIAGE SPELL by Mary Jo Putney (Ballantine Books, 2006).

MAYFLOWER: A Story of Courage, Community, and War by Nathaniel Philbrick (Viking, 2006).

MAYOR CRUMP DON'T LIKE IT: Machine Politics in Memphis by G. Wayne Dowdy (University Press of Mississippi, 2006).

MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA: A Novel by Arthur Golden (Knopf, 1997).

THE MEMORY KEEPER’S DAUGHTER by Kim Edwards (Penguin, 2006).

MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA by James McBride (Riverhead Books, 2002).

MISQUOTING JESUS: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why by Bart D. Ehrman (HarperSanFrancisco, 2005).

MOCKINGBIRD: A Portrait of Harper Lee by Charles J. Shields (Henry Holt, 2006).

A MODEL SUMMER by Paulina Porizkova (Hyperion, 2007)

MONSTER by Frank Peretti (WestBow Press, 2005).

A MORBID TASTE FOR BONES by Ellis Peters (Morrow, 1977).

MOTOR MOUTH by Janet Evanovich (HarperCollins, 2006).

MRS. KIMBLE by Jennifer Haigh (Morrow Books, 2003).

MY LIFE IN FRANCE by Julia Child and Alex Prud’homme (Knopf, 2006).


N

NAKED by David Sedaris (Little, Brown, 1997).

THE NAME OF THE ROSE by Umberto Eco (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1983).

THE NAMESAKE by Jhumpa Lahiri (Houghton Mifflin, 2003).

NIGHTS OF RAIN AND STARS by Maeve Binchy (Dutton, 2004).

NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN by Cormac McCarthy (Knopf, 2005).

NOWHERE IS A PLACE by Bernice L. McFadden (Dutton, 2006).


O

OBSESSION by Karen Robards (Putnam, 2007).

THE OLD WINE SHADES : A Richard Jury Mystery by Martha Grimes (Viking, 2006).

THE OMNIVORE'S DILEMMA by Michael Pollan (Penguin Press,2006).

OPEN HOUSE by Elizabeth Berg (Random House, 2000).

ORBIT by John J. Nance (Simon & Schuster, 2006).

ORYX AND CRAKE by Margaret Atwood (Nan A. Talese, 2003).

OUR LADY OF THE FOREST by David Guterson (Knopf, 2003).

THE OUTLAW DEMON WAILS by Kim Harrison (HarperCollins, 2008).


P

A PIECE OF CAKE: A Memoir by Cupcake Brown (Crown, 2006).

THE PLEASURE OF MY COMPANY by Steve Martin (Hyperion, 2003).

PLUM LOVIN' by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin's Press, 2007).

PLUM LUCKY by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin's Press, 2008).

THE PREACHER'S DAUGHTER by Beverly Lewis (Bethany House, 2005).

PRESUMPTION: An Entertainment by Julia Barrett, (M. Evans, 1993).

PRIME CUT by Diane Mott Davidson (Bantam Books, 1998).

THE PRINCES OF IRELAND: The Dublin Saga by Edward Rutherfurd (Doubleday, 2004).

PRIOR BAD ACTS by Tami Hoag (Bantam Books, 2006).

THE PROMETHEUS DECEPTION by Robert Ludlum (St. Martin's Press, 2000).

PROMISE ME by Harlan Coben (Dutton, 2006).


Q

THE QUICKIE by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge (Little, Brown, 2007).

THE QUILTER'S APPRENTICE by Jennifer Chiaverini (Simon & Schuster, 1999).


R

RELIC by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (Forge, 1995).

THE ROAD by Cormac McCarthy (Knopf, 2006).

RUNNING WITH SCISSORS: A Memoir by Augusten Burroughs (St. Martin's Press, 2002).


S

SACRIFICE (Star Wars: Legacy of the Force) by Karen Traviss (LucasBooks, 2007).

THE SAME SWEET GIRLS by Cassandra king (Hyperion, 2005).

SECOND SIGHT by Amanda Quick (G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2006).

THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES by Sue Monk Kidd (Viking, 2002).

7TH HEAVEN by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro (Little, Brown & Co., 2008).

THE SHAPE SHIFTER by Tony Hillerman (HarperCollins, 2006).

SHEPHERDS ABIDING: A Mitford Christmas Story by Jan Karon (Viking, 2003).

THE SHIRT OFF HIS BACK by Parry Brown (Strivers Row, 2001).

SILVER PIGS by Lindsey Davis (Crown Publishers, 1989).

SIMPLY UNFORGETTABLE by Mary Balogh (Delacorte Press, 2005).

SISTERCHICKS DO THE HULA by Robin Jones Gunn (Multnomah, 2003).

THE SISTERHOOD OF BLACKBERRY CORNER by Andrea Smith (Dial Press, 2006).

THE 6TH TARGET by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro (Little, Brown, 2007).

SLEEPING WITH FEAR by Kay Hooper (Bantam Books, 2006).

SMART AND SIMPLE FINANCIAL STRATEGIES FOR BUSY PEOPLE by Jane Bryant Quinn (Simon & Schuster, 2006).

THE SNACK THIEF by Andrea Camilleri (Viking, 2003).

SNUFF by Chuck Palahniuk (Doubleday, 2008).

SOMEONE TO LOVE by Jude Deveraux (Atria Books, 2007).

SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES by Ray Bradbury (Bantam, 1963).

SPEAK by Laurie Halse Anderson (Farrar Straus Giroux, 1999).

A SPOT OF BOTHER by Mark Haddon (Doubleday, 2006).

SUGAR DADDY by Lisa Kleypas (St. Martin's Press, 2007).

SUNDAY BRUNCH by Norma Jarrett (Harlem Moon, 2004).

SUSANNAH'S GARDEN by Debbie Macomber (Mira, 2006).

THE SWEET POTATO QUEENS' FIRST BIG-ASS NOVEL by Jill Conner Browne (Simon and Schuster, 2007)


T

TALK TO THE HAND: The Utter Bloody Rudeness of the World Today, or Six Good Reasons to Stay Home and Bolt the Door by Lynn Truss (Gotham Books, 2005).

TENDER AT THE BONE by Ruth Reichl (Random House, 1998).

THIRTEEN MOONS by Charles Frazier (Random House, 2006).

THREE CUPS OF TEA: One Man's Mission to Fight Terror and Build Nations--One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson (Viking, 2006).

A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS by Khaled Hosseini (Riverhead Books, 2007).

THUNDERSTRUCK by Erik Larson (Crown Publishers, 2006).

TWELVE SHARP by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin's Press, 2006).

TWO LITTLE GIRLS IN BLUE by Mary Higgins Clark (Simon & Schuster, 2006).


U

UNDER ORDERS by Dick Francis (G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2006).

THE UNEXPECTED MRS. POLLIFAX by Dorothy Gilman (Doubleday, 1966).

UP CLOSE AND DANGEROUS by Linda Howard (Ballantine Books, 2007).


V

VANISH by Tess Gerritsen (Ballantine Books, 2005).


W

THE WATCHMAN by Robert Crais (Simon & Schuster, 2007).

WAY OFF THE ROAD: Discovering The Peculiar Charms of Small-Town America by Bill Geist (Broadway Books, 2007).

WHAT PRICE LOVE? by Stephanie Laurens (William Morrow, 2006).

WILD STARS SEEKING MIDNIGHT SUNS by J. California Cooper (Doubleday, 2006).

WORLD OF PIES by Karen Stolz (HyperionBooks, 2000).

WOUNDED by Stephen Cole (Razorbill, 2003).


Y

A YEAR IN THE WORLD: Journeys of A Passionate Traveller by Frances Mayes (Broadway Books, 2006) [second review].

THE YEAR OF MAGICAL THINKING by Joan Didion (Knopf, 2005).

THE YIDDISH POLICEMEN'S UNION by Michael Chabon (Harper Collins, 2007).

YOU KNOW BETTER by Tina McElroy Ansa (William Morrow, 2002).

YOU'VE BEEN WARNED by James Patterson and Howard Roughan (Little, Brown, 2007).


Z

ZORRO by Isabelle Allende (Harper Collins, 2005).

Labels:



Monday, March 13, 2006

Two Ways to Enjoy Book Discussions Online

The MEMPHIS READS blog offers two options for sharing your thoughts on the best books:




1. THE MEMPHIS READS QUESTIONS raise broad topics for discussion. At the end of each post, follow the link for comments. Links to the MEMPHIS READS QUESTIONS are featured prominently on the blog sidebar.









2. BOOK REVIEWS also offer excellent topics for conversation. Share your thoughts about a book, offer points for discussion, provide links to other resources, or make recommendations of similar authors and titles by following the comments link at the end of each review. The MEMPHIS READS blog features dozens of reviews about mysteries, biographies, romances, and even a book on etiquette.


The blog sidebar features several ways to locate book reviews. Browse by:


Blog Guidelines

Guidelines for the MEMPHIS READS Weblog

1. MEMPHIS READS is an online forum for Memphis Public Library & Information Center customers and staff members to discuss their favorite fiction and non-fiction books. Library staff members contribute reviews, essays, and news items about titles in the Library's collection and raise ideas, questions, and concerns for discussion.

2. To participate in the discussion, leave a comment at the end of a "post" or blog entry. Most posts are books reviews. They provide the content of the blog and are published in reverse chronological order. In a comment, you respond to a review by Click here for more information about how to leave comment.

3. All comments will be reviewed by the weblog administrator prior to publication. Inappropriate comments will be deleted.

4. In order to protect your privacy, please refrain from including such personally identifiable information as telephone numbers, addresses, e-mail addresses or photographs in your comments.

5. Please limit your comments to text only. Any text, artwork or photographs that may be under copyright should not be submitted. Include a source for quotations (author and/or title). A full "academic" citations is not necessary.

6. Do not use profane, obscene, or otherwise offensive language.

7. Please be respectful of other contributors. The posting of deliberately hostile or insulting messages ("flaming") will not be tolerated.

8. The purpose of this blog is to discuss books, therefore, please do not promote any product or service or any non-library event (examples include self-published and commercial books; poetry readings and other public programs; and editing, tutoring and other professional services).

9. All comments must conform to the Memphis Public Library Internet Use Policy.

10. If you consistently fail to follow these guidelines, your comments will be blocked by the blog administrator.


What is "MEMPHIS READS"?

The MEMPHIS READS blog is an online forum for Memphis Public Library & Information Center customers and staff members to discuss their favorite adult fiction and non-fiction books. Library staff members contribute reviews, essays, and news items about titles in the Library's collection and raise ideas, questions, and concerns for discussion.

To join the discussion, leave a comment at the end of a "post" or book review. Share your thoughts about the book, offer points for discussion, provide links to other resources, or make recommendations of similar authors and titles. All comments will be reviewed by a blog administrator prior to publication. Inappropriate comments will be deleted.

MEMPHIS READS was developed as part of the Library program Tell Me About A Book!, which was made possible by a grant from Mid South Reads and The Assisi Foundation. During the summers of 2006 and 2007, Tell Me About A Book! was an adult summer reading club program that promoted book clubs for reading, sharing and lively debate.

Contact information for the administrators of MEMPHIS READS:

Doris G. Dixon
Senor Adult Services Librarian
Raleigh Branch Library

Alan Stewart
Electronic Services Manager


This blog is hosted by Blogger, a third-party, non-Library service, and utilizes del.icio.us, also a third-party, non-Library service, for indexing purposes. Memphis Public Library is only responsible for the unique content of the MEMPHIS READS blog. The Library does not control and is not responsible for other information and hyperlinks provided by Blogger or del.icio.us.


What is "Tell Me About A Book!"?


Tell Me About a Book!
A Summer Reading Club program for Adults,
June 3-July 29, 2006,
to promote book clubs for reading, sharing and lively debate.


Clubs fill out an entry form every time they read and discuss a book.
Book lists include The New York Times Best Sellers and the Essence Reading List.
Book Clubs are not required to read books from these lists,
but they will be posted on the library website.
Copies of the books are available at the library.

One book club from each branch will be chosen to be featured on a personalized READ poster, similar to the Denzel Washington and Orlando Bloom posters you see at many libraries.
(Book Club winners must provide a digital photograph).


A drawing will be held for one book club per branch (up to 10 members)
to attend a BOOK CLUB CONFERENCE on August 26. The Conference features a free lunch, keynote address and conference calls EACH with a bestselling author.
Also includes door prizes and giveaways.


Read the library’s e-newsletter BookLetters so you can pick out the best books for you.

Buttons, bookmarks and a guide entitled “How to Start and Sustain a Book Club” also available.


This program made possible by a grant from Mid South Reads and The Assisi Foundation.







UPDATE Book Club Conference Announcement


Register your Book Club!
Enter the Drawing from June 3-July 29, 2006 to attend the
BOOK CLUB CONFERENCE
Saturday, August 26--9:15 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library

Keynote Speaker
Dennis Lehane,
Author of Mystic River
Each attendee will receive a free copy
of his new release Coronado

Luncheon--Fabulous Food by Fratelli's
Lunch with bestselling chick-lit author
Emily Giffin,
author of Something Borrowed and Baby Proof

Conference Call with Bestselling Author
Jayne Ann Krentz,
also known as Amanda Quick
Her latest book, Second Sight, is climbing
the New York Times best seller list

Conference Call with Bestselling author
Travis Hunter,
author of
The Hearts of Men and One Woman Man

Lots of Door Prizes and Giveaways including a $50 Bass Pro Shops gift card
One book club per branch will win (up to 10 members)
Booksignings provided by Davis Kidd Booksellers

This program made possible by a grant from
Mid South Reads and the Assisi Foundation.


This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?