We have made it through the first month of 2022 (yay) and we are heading into the 3rd year of the pandemic (not so yay) with all the uncertainty that brings. We have been told we can have adult programming again at the library, but it will be limited for the foreseeable future. Please check the website to see what programs are currently running. Even though we may not be able to meet together, we can still read, so this month Gita and Jan are providing some reading recommendations.
Jan’s recommendations:
I have selected authors who have visited our library in the past as part of our Out Loud Series. First up: Terry Fallis who has visited us multiple times to talk about his comedic novels. His latest publication, Operation Angus, a comedic spy novel, takes us back to two characters from his first two novels: Angus McLintock and Daniel Addison. McLintock is now the Minister of International Relations and Angus and Daniel are in London for a summit when things take a sinister turn. This is a madcap cloak-and-dagger adventure with humour and heart that will delight and entertain readers until the very last page. Another author of Canadian fiction who has visited us more than once is Gail Bowen. 2021 saw the release of the 20th book in the Joanne Kilbourn series: An Image in the Lake. As with Operation Angus, the reader gets to spend time with characters that have become familiar over the years. In this crime novel, set in Regina, Saskatchewan, a dark secret threatens the future of the ever-growing Shreve family which only Joanne and Zach can neutralize.
For those of you who prefer non-fiction to fiction, Adam Shoalts has a new offering. Adam visited us in 2015 to talk about his book Alone Against the North. Since then, this intrepid Canadian explorer, sometimes referred to as Canada’s Indiana Jones, has written Beyond the Trees and A History of Canada in Ten Maps. His latest work released last year, The Whisper on the Night Wind, combines Shoalts’ love of exploration with folklore and history to uncover the mystery surrounding the community of Traverspine in central Labrador.
Gita’s recommendations:
One I recently enjoyed is Five Little Indians by Michelle Good. The story follows the lives of five native children who go through the life-altering (in most cases, in rather profoundly devastating ways, and predictively so) experience of residential schools. The book is very well written and reads like non-fiction but is fiction. This book really touched me and made me very emotional. Great read.
I have also finally decided to see what Louise Penny was all about. Penny is a popular Canadian Quebecois author who writes murder mystery series featuring Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. Curiously, I started venturing into Louise Penny’s universe with her latest book, The Madness of Crowds, that is portraying life after the COVID pandemic and talks a lot about eugenics.
I am now on another Louise Penny’s title, A Better Man. I have enjoyed both books so far and chances are high I will read more in the series. While major characters are the same in each of the books in the series, they can be read as stand-alone novels without any problems.
Just a note about audiobooks. I love listening to audiobooks on my commute to/from work as well as longer drives I take to the mountains and places. Audiobooks are available to borrow on CDs as well as downloadable in e-formats with your library membership. A few library apps to remember are Cloud Library, Libby (OverDrive), and Hoopla. If you need help starting on the e-audiobooks, talk to me at the library! For e-audiobooks, you need a smart phone or a tablet (Apple’s iPad or an Android one, like Samsung).
We hope you take us up on some of our suggestions and make use of the platforms the library has available during the remainder of our winter months. Stay safe and read lots!