Need a Good Book to Read?
How to Find Your Next Favorite Book
Do you need a good book to read? What are you looking for in your next book?
A fast paced book you just can’t put down?
A book whose characters are so real that you feel as if you’d know them if you met them on the street?
Something that will take you someplace completely different?
Or a book whose language is powerful or poetic?
Did you ever think about why you loved your favorite book? What was it about that particular book that appealed to you so much? Was it the story, the characters, the setting, or the language used by the author? That part of the book that hooked you is called it’s appeal characteristic (by those of us who practice the fine art of Readers’ Advisory) and the trick to finding your next favorite book is to find one that has similar appeal characterics.
Readers’ Advisor guru Nancy Pearl (author of Book Lust and several other books) calls these appeal characteristics Doorways and has determined that there are four main Doorways, of varying sizes, through which readers prefer to get into a book: 1. story, 2. characters, 3. setting and 4. language.
The largest doorway into fiction, according to Nancy Pearl, is story. If you are drawn to books that you just can’t put down and can’t wait to get back to, story is your preferred doorway. You might like a book that’s easy to get into and has a fair amount of dialogue. As the largest doorway, books whose appeal is story are the most prevalent: most best sellers, thrillers, police procedurals, chick lit, romance, horror and young adult literature appeal to readers because of their emphasis on story.
Here are some suggestions of authors you might enjoy if you’re mostly looking for a good story:
1. Dan Brown
2. Stephen King
3. Clive Cussler
4. James Patterson
5. J. D. Robb
6. Jodi Picoult
7. David Baldacci
8. Scott Turow
9. Charlaine Harris
10. Harlen Coban
11. Nicholas Sparks
12. Stephenie Meyer
13. Suzanne Collins
14. Michael Crichton
15. Ken Follett
Next week, I’ll write about my favorite Doorway into fiction: character.
Come visit us at the FMM desk and tell us what you've been reading lately!
Ellen J. 
Extreme Makeover Library Edition
Connie with our Book Club books in the lower level.
Have you been afraid to go into our Lower Level at Cook Park? Is it a warehouse? A dungeon? A black hole?
Were you afraid if you ventured into the tall, black shelves you would never be heard from again?
Be afraid no more!
The lower level has been transformed with new, lighter shelving. The whole room looks larger and brighter. Collections have been moved around and new signs are prominent and helpful for identification and browsing. Mysteries and science fiction surround the reference desk—don’t be afraid to ask for recommendations.
Check out our pinwheel shelving featuring the foreign language collection and our book club books. Did you even know that we have a local history, literary criticism and a large paperback collection? We have a vast CD collection and new titles come in every week.
You’ll be AMAZED or at least “pleasantly surprised.”
On a Mystery note—I really enjoyed the mystery series by Elly Griffiths. Ruth Galloway is a forensic archaeologist in Norfolk, England who gets called to identify discoveries of bones, some modern and some from medieval times. Of course, the local policeman is annoying but attractive. If you like a strong female character, start with The Crossing Places.
Connie Regan, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Add a commentDownton Abbey-esque Books
Are you mourning the end of Season 3 of Downton Abbey? Don't worry -- there's a whole new crop of books that can sweep you right back into the spirit of that era. I just finished one of them, Lauren Willig's "The Ashford Affair," and it was a terrific, engrossing read. Here are some recently published (or soon-to-be-published) titles, with links to our catalog.
"The American Heiress" by Daisy Goodwin http://goo.gl/FDCjg
The story of Cora Cash, an American heiress in the 1890s who marries an English duke, this evocative novel reminds us that money doesn't always buy happiness. Witty, moving, and brilliantly entertaining, Cora's story marks the debut of a glorious storyteller who brings a fresh new spirit to the world of Edith Wharton and Henry James.
"The Ashford Affair" by Lauren Willig http://goo.gl/Iqop0
From New York Times bestselling author Willig comes a page-turning novel about two different women, from different eras and on different continents, who are connected by one deeply buried secret. From the inner circles of British society to the skyscrapers of Manhattan and the red-dirt hills of Kenya, the never-told secrets of a woman and a family unfurl.
"Ashenden" by Elizabeth Wilhide http://goo.gl/tKzBa
A beautifully atmospheric novel about an English country house and the people who inhabit it, upstairs and downstairs, over the course of 240 years.
"Crossing on the Paris" by Dana Gynther http://goo.gl/gkt1d
This book chronicles the experiences of three women from different generations and classes whose lives intersect on a majestic ocean liner traveling from Paris to New York.
"Habits of the House" by Fay Weldon http://goo.gl/iC9fZ
From the award-winning novelist and writer of "Upstairs Downstairs," this book launches a brilliant new trilogy about what life was really like for masters and servants before the world of Downton Abbey.
"The Last Summer" by Judith Kinghorn http://goo.gl/ZWaVT
Clarissa lives with her parents and three brothers in the idyllic isolation of Deyning Park, a grand English country house. Clarissa is drawn to the housekeeper's handsome son. Though her parents disapprove of their upstairs-downstairs friendship, the two are determined to see each other, and they meet in secret to share what becomes a deep romance.
"Park Lane" by Frances Osborne http://goo.gl/pVDMO
The bestselling author of "The Bolter" returns with a delicious novel about two determined women whose lives collide in the halls of a pedigreed London town home in 1914. But unbeknownst to both of the young women, the choices they make will connect their chances at future happiness.
"Parlor Games" by Maryka Biaggio http://goo.gl/5YPmm
A beautiful con artist relates her turn-of-the-century escapades that took her around the world as she was being doggedly pursued by a Pinkerton Agency detective.
Happy reading!
--Andrea Larson, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.Add a comment
Follow Us On Goodreads!
If you are looking for your next favorite book, then follow the Cook Memorial Public Library District on Goodreads!
Goodreads is the largest site for readers and book recommendations in the world. It has more than 13 million members who have added more than 460 million books to their shelves.The library staff posts rankings and reviews of titles we recommend on Goodreads, We have rated more than 400 books so far. Our virtual shelves keep growing because we add new titles every week.
We also break down our recommendations into genres and themes. Are you a mystery fan? Check out our mystery shelf. Love historical fiction? We have a lot of titles to suggest. Do you prefer nonfiction? We have a shelf for that too! We have other fun shelves as well, including our favorites of 2012 and 2011. The Goodreads rating system is based on 5 stars. Here is the star breakdown:
5 stars - It was amazing
4 stars - Really liked it
3 stars - Liked it
2 stars - It was OK
1 star - Didn't like it
Goodreads also is a handy tool for keeping track of what you have read, and keep a list of books you want to read. You can review your own books and read reviews from other fellow readers around the world. Once you build up your virtual library, the site will even recommend books for you to try.
The service is free, and easy to join. Follow Cook Library by following this link: http://www.goodreads.com/CookLibrary
Jo Hansen, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Add a commentNate's Favorite Albums of 2012
I know I'm a little late to the game and best music of 2012 lists are a dime a dozen on the Internet. But selecting the library's music collection exposes me to so much good, often unheard music that it seemed like a crime for me not to share a few of my favorites. Each one of these albums is owned by the library and I highly recommend checking them out. I mean, what do you really have to lose?
This year I've taken a note from Twitter and kept my remarks down to a tweetable 140 characters, so you can spend less time reading my poor descriptions of the music and more time listening to it yourself. Enjoy!
1. Yeasayer- Fragrant World
Check it out!
"First Yeasayer album I ever listened to. Fingers Never Bleed hooked me immediately and the album was in constant rotation. Favorite of 2012!"
2. Dr. John- Locked Down
Check it out!
"Dr. John delivers New Orleans funk with the help of the Black Keys' Dan Auerbach. Voodoo mood music perfect for getting your groove on."
3. Swans- The Seer
Check it out!
"This album was 30 years in the making and does not permit passive listening- needs to be slowly digested and not for the faint of heart."
4. Air- Le Voyage Dans La Lune
Check it out!
"Melies silent film "A Trip To The Moon" needed an updated score. French duo Air took the job and wrote some of my favorite music of 2012."
5. Beach House- Bloom
Check it out!
6. Punch Brothers- Who's Feeling Young Now?
Check it out!
"The bluegrass pop virtuosos wrote their best album yet. The interplay of the instruments is top notch. The Kid A cover will blow you away."
7. White Rabbits- Milk Famous
Check it out!
"Intricate/sonically layered rock record, that's still fun and filled with hooks. Listen to "Danny Come Inside" and try not to love this stuff.
8. THEESatisfaction- awE naturalE
Check it out!
"Debut from Seattle duo is self-described as an album of "funk-psychedelic feminista sci-fi epics." My favorite R&B/Hip Hop album of 2012."
9. mewithoutYou- Ten Stories
Check it out!
"Allegories abound in mewithoutYou's 5th album. For those that like layered guitar rock with a heavy dose of poetry (and talking animals)."
10. Bill Ryder-Jones- If...
Check it out!
