Inspirational/Christian Fiction

The Lord Is My Shepherd by Debbie Viguie (The Psalm 23 series)
Mary Anne, BPL Southern History

An Amish Christmas by Cynthia Keller
Gina, Gardendale
Beth, Homewood

As Young As We Feel by Melody Carlson (The Four Lindas series)
Beth, Homewood

In Every Heartbeat by Kim Vogel Sawyer
April, Irondale

While We’re Far Apart by Lynn Austin
April, Irondale

Though Waters Roar by Lynn Austin
Beth, Homewood

Breach of Trust by DiAnne Mills (Call of Duty series)
Shannon, Hoover

Thirsty and Tandem by Tracey Victoria Bateman (billed as a sort of Christian vampire romance)
general discussion

The Devil’s Playground (DVD about Amish rumspringa)
general discussion

A Bride in the Bargain by Deeanne Gist
Anna is looking for another job in order to escape her lecherous boss. Joe is looking for a bride to secure his land and livelihood. Thrown together by the unscrupulous merchant, Asa Mercer, these two star-crossed romantics engage in a delightful battle of wills set in the 1860’s Seattle wilderness.
Holley, Emmet O’Neal

The Christmas Promise by Donna vanLierre
Mondretta, Leeds

A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg
Mondretta, Leeds

Philip Gulley’s Harmony series
Mondretta, Leeds

Gilbert Morris’s many, many series, particularly the Lady Trent mysteries
general discussion

All I Have To Give by Melody Carlson
Leigh, North Birmingham

The Trouble with Tulip by Mindy Starnes Clark
Theresa, Hoover

Plaguemaker by Tim Downs (faith-based thriller)
A fiendish mastermind is attempting to ignite the Black Death anew in the U.S. by strategically releasing containers of bubonic plague-infested fleas around New York City. FBI counterterrorism agent Nathan Donovan must race to find out who’s behind the plot before it’s too late. The author also writes the Bug Man series starring forensic entomologist Nick Polchak.
Holley, Emmet O’Neal

If You Want to Walk on Water, You’ve Got to Get Out of the Boat by John Ortberg
Sally, Hoover

Authors to Remember

Linda Chaikin
Francine Rivers
Jan Karon
Vanessa Davis Griggs (local author)
Ted Dekker
Michele Andrea Bowen
Dynah Zale
Lutishia Lovely
Taylor Caldwell
Victoria Christopher Murray
ReShonda Tate Billingsley

Shared by:
Jon, Avondale
Mary Anne, BPL Southern History
Maya, West End

Our next meeting will be Wednesday, February 9^th at Emmet O’Neal Library at 9am to discuss Nonfiction of Choice!

RA meets this week

We'll meet at Emmet O'Neal Library on Wednesday, December 15th at 9am to discuss inspirational/christian fiction!

recent inspirational fiction webinar

In anticipation of our meeting next week, the lovely and talented April Wallace (Irondale) has shared the notes she took during a recent inspirational fiction webinar sponsored by Booklist! If you are new to the genre or just looking for a little....wait for it!....INSPIRATION for our meeting, have a look at the list below! If you'd like to view the webinar, here's the link: http://vimeo.com/14040381

Booklist Webcast – Selecting and Recommending Inspirational Fiction

Terms Defined

Inspirational Fiction encourages the reader to examine his or her own life in view of the characters’ struggles: it can be generally uplifting or morally prescriptive and may incorporate religious tenets.

Christian Fiction focuses on the characters’ relationship to God using a Christian worldview (the belief that Jesus Christ is God’s son and the Messiah).

Evangelical titles preach the Gospel with the intent to convert the character/reader; they usually offer at least one conversion during the course of the story and provide numerous Biblical passages.

Gentle Fiction offers clean language, chaste relationships, and minimal violence, generally occurring off-screen.

Examples

Amish/Bonnet – Wanda Brunsetter, Cindy Woodsmall, Ann Gabhart, Hillary Manton Lodge

Contemporary Mainstream – Karen Kingsbury, Terri Blackstock, William Young

Chick Lit – Judy Baer, Neta Jackson, Tracey Batemen, Laura Jensen Walker, Sandra Bickler

African –American –Michelle Andrea Bowen, Jacquelin Thomas, Victoria Christopher Murray, Vanessa Davis Griggs

Historical – Stephen Bly, Tamera Alexander, Sarah Sundin, Tracie Peterson, Lynn Austin, Julie Lessman

Speculative Fiction: Horror, Sci-Fi & Fantasy – Maurice Broaddus, Tracey Bateman, Mary Doria Russell, Stephen Lawhead

Crime: Cozies, Thrillers & Suspense – Ted Dekker, Frank Peretti, James Scott Bell, Dr. Richard Mabry

Romance Series – PJ Sugar Series by Susan May Warren (similar to Janet Evanovich), Call of Duty Series by DiAnn Mills (similar to Dee Henderson), Mercy Hospital Series by former ER nurse Candace Calvert (similar to Karen Kingsbury)

See you next Wednesday!

meeting next week!

The meeting was rescheduled to avoid conflict with the JCPLA Holiday Luncheon so we will be meeting next Wednesday, December 15th @ 9am at Emmet O'Neal Library for the Christian/Inspirational fiction meeting. This is also our annual holiday potluck so please bring something to share if you plan on joining us!

I know we had originally planned a field trip to the new Vestavia Library, but that will be postponed so the hard-working folks over there get a chance to get their feet under them. I'm certain we all wish them the best as their new facility opens to the public next week!

Questions/comments? Let me know!

Happy reading!

Holley

What Scares You?

This meeting was so good, it was scary!

Okay, that's a bit melodramatic but it was a fantastic meeting! The topic was scary books, but the variety of topics that can be creepy is vast and that vastness was well represented by roundtable participants. For even MORE scary titles, Friend "JCPLA Reader's Advisory Roundtable" on Facebook and look for the relevant wall post!

I’ll take just a minute to note that the December meeting, originally scheduled
for December 8^th, will go through both a date and venue change. I’ll get that information out just as soon as I get some firm plans in place!

On to the list:

Kiss the Girls by James Patterson
Sally, Hoover

Still Missing by Chevy Stevens
Sally, Hoover

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
Gina, Gardendale

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
Gina, Gardendale

Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King
Gina, Gardendale

The Passage by Justin Cronin
Mondretta, Leeds

House of Reckoning by John Saul
Mondretta, Leeds

The Red Tree by Caitlin Kiernan
Alabama connection: the author was born in Dublin, Ireland but her family moved to Leeds, Alabama when she was a small girl and then to Trussville during her teen years.
The Red Tree is a mind-blowing blend of pseudo-reality and fiction. It is a story within a story within a story, maybe one more story on top of that. For lack of a better term, the “foreword” is an editor’s letter relating how she came to acquire and publish the manuscript that follows. The manuscript author, Sarah, was supposed to have been working on a novel, but the manuscript, Sarah’s diary in the months before her suicide, is apparently the only work she did. Sarah’s diary follows the editor’s letter. Sarah is a coming-up-on-middle-age author, possibly suffering from burn out, from a small Alabama town who has arrived on this New England farm seeking a respite from the grief of the death of her lover, Amanda. While exploring the house’s cellar, she finds an old typewriter and a manuscript written by the house’s former tenant. He chronicles the myths and legends surrounding a creepy, rather sinister tree on the property. As Sarah reads his research and makes her own journey out to see the supposedly evil tree, the root of obsession takes hold and her life quickly spirals out of control. The Red Tree takes its pace from its name. Slow, steady, resolute, unstoppable dread looms over the reader and never lets go. No monsters jump out of dark alcoves, no undead lumber across the old farmhouse’s wooden floors, but the monsters of the mind prove more dangerous than any that could have trod the ground anyway.
Holley, Emmet O’Neal

The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
This book was shortlisted for the 2009 Man Booker Prize, eventually losing out to Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall. A novel just as much about the ghost of the aristocracy as it may be about ghosts in the shadowed corridors of Hundreds Hall, The Little Stranger has a wonderfully gothic feel and tone. Dr. Faraday’s mother was a maid at Hundreds Hall and he has always considered it a nearly hallowed place, a residence to envy and covet. He has overcome those humble beginnings to become the town physician and finally gets a call from the stately old manor. The young servant girl will tell him little except that there is something wrong, something bad, in the house and it doesn’t like her to be there. Dismissing her complaints as childish fancies, Dr. Faraday makes excuses for her to the matron of the household, Mrs. Ayers, and her daughter, Caroline. Caroline takes Dr. Faraday into her confidences concerning her brother Roderick, recovering from injuries he received in WWII. She details her brother’s erratic behavior and paranoia and Dr. Faraday agrees to treat him. As his association with this once affluent family becomes closer, Dr. Faraday struggles with his dedication to science and begins to wonder whether childish fancies are all that is going on a Hundreds Hall or if something truly is wrong there, something bad, something evil.
Holley, Emmet O’Neal

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson
Jason, Trussville

Mark Z. Danielewski's House of Leaves by Zampano
Jason, Trussville

Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill
Jason, Trussville

Horns by Joe Hill
Theresa, Hoover

Dracula by Bram Stoker
Ellen, Avondale

Hollywood Gothic: The Tangled Web of Dracula from Novel to Stage to Screen by David J. Skal
Ellen, Avondale

Sundays with Vlad: From Pennsylvania to Transylvania, One Man's Quest to Live in the World of the Undead by Paul Bibeau
The subtitle is a bit dramatic because what he is actually trying to do is find out how a medieval prince became the most famous symbol of horror in the world, EVER. Some of what he finds we've all seen before, like Vlad's family life and the coincidence of the Dracul last name but some of the gems Bibeau teases from the Dracula legacy are real treasures. I have never read such a good, concise survey of the current trends in today’s vampire communities. I also have no idea if it is an exhaustive study, but it seems fairly thorough. I'd never heard of most of these people or groups and it makes me wonder which might be active here. Some drink blood, others only take in psychic energy, if the stories are to be believed, but all are very, very secretive. Also, I found Bibeau to be HiLaRiOuS! He has a description of Keanu Reeves' fame for unemotional acting that had me ROLLING! He also describes his attempts to get into a pair of plastic pants for a vampire party and other equally amusing tales that keep you reading well into the night. This blend of history and humor was a real treat and I heartily suggest it. I think it would make a great, interesting book group choice at Halloween so I'm keeping it on my radar to suggest to my own book group when the time comes. It also reminded me that I have never, ever read Bram Stoker's Dracula and that I should ASAP.
Holley, Emmet O’Neal

The Fall by Guillermo del Toro & Chuck Hogan
Jonathan, Avondale

Floating Dragon by Peter Straub
Jonathan, Avondale

Armageddon's Children by Terry Brooks
Jonathan, Avondale

The Stand by Stephen King
Jonathan, Avondale

Salem’s Lot by Stephen King
Jonathan, Avondale

Sometimes, the classic, tried & true of a master like Stephen King cannot be trumped. His second book, 'Salem's Lot was about the slow takeover of an small town called Jerusalem's Lot by a vampire patterned after Bram Stoker's Dracula and has two elements that he also uses to good effect in later novels: a small American town, usually in Maine, where people are disconnected from each other, quietly nursing their potential for evil; and a mixed bag of rational, goodhearted people, including a writer, who band together to fight that evil. Simply taken as a contemporary vampire novel, 'Salem's Lot is great fun to read, and has been very influential in the horror genre. No one who has ever read about the vampires that float up to scratch on their potential victims windows will forget that image. But this title is also a sly piece of social commentary. As King said in 1983, "In 'Salem's Lot, the thing that really scared me was not vampires, but the town in the daytime, the town that was empty, knowing that there were things in closets, that there were people tucked under beds, under the concrete pilings of all those trailers. And all the time I was writing that, the Watergate hearings were pouring out of the TV.... Howard Baker kept asking, 'What I want to know is, what did you know and when did you know it?' That line haunts me, it stays in my mind.... During that time I was thinking about secrets, things that have been hidden and were being dragged out into the light."
Leslie, Vestavia

Directive 51 by John Barnes
Jonathan, Avondale

Dust by Charles Pellegrino
Jonathan, Avondale

World War Z by Max Brooks
Jonathan, Avondale

The Deadliest Strain by Jan Coffey
Jonathan, Avondale

Faithless by Karin Slaughter
Slaughter's dark, forensic-driven Grant County series of crime novels has always drawn a thin line between the members of the law-enforcement team and the victims of the crimes being investigated. The title of the fifth entry in the series reflects both the marital difficulties of coroner Sara Linton and her ex-husband, police chief Jeffrey Tolliver, and the label affixed to certain willful members
of a religious cult. Jeffrey makes a grisly discovery in the woods when he stumbles over a metal pipe. A young woman was buried alive in a wooden crate for several days and appears to have died of asphyxiation. But
Sara's autopsy reveals a far different scenario. Jeffrey and officer Lena Adams' investigation leads to a farm owned by the Church of the Greater Good, which appears to have used burial as a form of punishment before. Meanwhile, Lena finds her own sick relationship with an abusive lover mirrored in the marriage of a former cult member who has damning information but is too afraid to disclose it for fear of provoking another vicious beating from her husband. Slaughter cannily incorporates any number of women's issues--from the difficult work of rebuilding a ruined relationship to finally figuring out when to call it quits--within a
compulsively readable narrative. And for anyone with claustrophobia will be terrorized by descriptions of being buried alive for three days to “atone” for your sins. I was!!!
Leslie, Vestavia

Crashers by Dana Haynes
The premise is simple: a crack team of National Transportation Safety Board experts, nicknamed the Crashers, investigate airplane crashes. Normally they take months to sift through wreckage and evidence, but this time they have mere days: if they can’t figure out what and who brought down CascadeAir Flight 818, more planes will fall from the sky. The lead characters consist of a hotshot engineer, the voice-recorder specialist, the veteran pathologist, and so on. The cockpit recorder shows that everything was working fine up to the point where the co-pilot notices a signal for a catastrophic system failure and instantly the plane starts to shake itself to pieces. Part of the team wants to write the crash off to pilot error, but one character isn't quite ready to buy that explanation, as the behavior of the pilots doesn't fit for him. Focus starts to turn to the new generation of flight recorder on the plane, and the technical lead from the company is more than happy to show off the capabilities of the device. However, it could be that the device does more than just record, and that the tech lead is part of a larger terrorist plot that could have international ramifications. A solid debut guaranteed to make you think twice before getting on another plane!
Leslie, Vestavia

Room by Emma Donoghue
This book was shortlisted for this year's Man Booker Prize, but lost out to Howard Jacobson's The Finkler Question.
To five-year-old Jack, Room is the entire world. It is where he was born and grew up; it's where he lives with his Ma as they learn and read and eat and sleep and play. At night, his Ma shuts him safely in the wardrobe, where he is meant to be asleep when Old Nick visits. Room is home to Jack, but to Ma, it is the prison where Old Nick has held her captive for seven years. Through determination, ingenuity, and fierce motherly love, Ma has created a life for Jack. But she knows it's not enough...not for her or for him. She devises a bold escape plan, one that relies on her young son's bravery and a lot of luck. What she does not realize is just how unprepared she is for the plan to actually work. Told entirely in the language of the energetic, pragmatic five-year-old Jack, ROOM is a celebration of resilience and the limitless bond between parent and child, a brilliantly executed novel about what it means to journey from one world to another.
This book was mentioned in the general discussion.

Book vs. movie showdown! Richard Preston’s Hot Zone vs. Outbreak! Read the book, then watch the similar-story movie. The movie is not an adaptation, but the two deal with a similar topic. Preston - scary (and not a little gross)...Outbreak - "and they all lived happily ever after."

Read scary!
Holley

RA Roundtable meets this Wednesday!

Just another friendly reminder about the Roundtable meeting this Wednesday, October 13th at 9am at the Emmet O'Neal Library! Bring a book that you find scary and tell us about it!

Read scary,
Holley

Next meeting - October 13th

If you haven't marked your calendars yet, get to scribbling! Our next meeting will be Wednesday, October 13th at 9am at Emmet O'Neal Library and we will be discussing a THEME!!!

What Scares You?

Straight out horror was too much for some, thrillers too little for others...we couldn't decide what exactly qualified as scary across the board, so you get to pick!

Bring a book and share, or bring yourself and just listen!

Read scary,

Holley

JCPLA Staff Development Day notes

These are the talking points I used to guide discussion:

This program is a condensed version of reader’s advisory guru Nancy Pearl’s 2010 Public Library Association half-day preconference program. In order to effectively match up a reader with just the right book, it’s helpful to understand how to apply the concept of “doorways” in suggesting reading material. This session will focus on defining, identifying, and using doorways in RA interviews.

Nothing cements a library in a community like providing the connections that service gives and this is a service EVERYONE has the chance to excel at on a daily basis.

Whole library RA – don’t be afraid to recommend an audiobook or a video on a subject someone might like. Also, readers need to discover that they can have the same reading experience by taking books from different parts of the library, not just the same area they always visit (i.e. the patron who only reads one genre/author).

RA isn’t like a reference interview. In a RI, the capital of Peru is always Lima but a person’s reading interests change depending mood.

Don’t feel like you can only suggest books you’ve read, it’s impossible to remember every book much less the plot details of each one.

RA is not about us. The reader should never know our opinion about a book unless they ask for it.

It’s essential to make an effort to read books in areas we wouldn’t normally read, especially if those areas are popular in your library. We need to be willing to read anything. Even if we don’t like it we only need to read it long enough to be able to answer the question, “What kind of reader would like this book?” Read promiscuously

The “shoe story” Provide three suggestions: one spot on, one similar, and a “reach” choice.

“suggest”, not “recommend” because “recommend” carries with it the subtle insinuation that the potential reader should have the very same experience with the book that you did.

Don’t ask what they like, but what they liked about it.

Invite the reader to come back and discuss the book with you.

The Doorways: Story, Character, Setting, and Language

Each book has all four but the difference is in the size of each doorway within the book.

STORY/PLOT

Possible display title: “Stories You May Not Have Heard”

The drive to know what happens next becomes the main motivation, “I stayed up all night, I just HAD to know what happened”, and “a real page-turner”

Harry Potter, Twilight, John Grisham, Tom Clancy, Douglas Preston, James Patterson, Janet Evanovich, Dean Koontz

CHARACTER

Possible display title: “People You Ought To Meet”

“I felt like I knew him/her”, “That was my family”, “I know people like that”

Is the main character named or described in the title? This MIGHT be an indication of a character-drive book.

mystery series (a Detective/Inspector so-and-so…), sci-fi/fant series, memoirs/biographies/autobiographies, Alexander McCall Smith, John Green, , Julia Glass, Adriana Trigiani, Lee Smith, Amy Tan, Frank McCourt, Rick Bragg, Charlaine Harris, David Webber, Elizabeth Strout’s Olive Kitteridge

SETTING

Possible display title: “Places You Should Go”

“This book just brought this place to life”, “I felt like I’d been there”, “I could see it clearly in my mind’s eye”

Is the place name in the title? This MIGHT be an indication of a setting-driven book.

SF/F world building makes great setting portals, westerns, dystopian fictions, Scandinavian mysteries, any sort of regional/ethnic literature (why do we like Southern literature so much?), Midnight In the Garden of Good and Evil, Devil in the White City, 1000 Splendid Suns, James Michener, Bill Bryson, Undaunted Courage, Elizabeth Peters, Tony Hillerman, Lonesome Dove, Fannie Flagg

LANGUAGE

Built in lists in the literary awards: Pulitzer Prize, Man Booker Awards, Orange Prize, National Book Awards, etc.

Usually “the classics”, more literary, sometimes require more effort to read and get into, frequently feature complex plotting and potentially confusing viewpoints

Toni Morrison, Willa Cather, Zadie Smith, Faulkner, Joyce, Annie Dillard, Doty Roy, Thomas Hardy, Stegner, Chabon, Maugham, McEwan, Cormac McCarthy, Olive Kitteridge, Philip Roth, The Hours, Pat Conroy, Salman Rushdie, Jonathan Foer, Jeffery Eugenides, The Book Thief, Don Quixote, Wolf Hall

These are the EXTREMELY on-the-fly notes I took via Google Documents while session participants fired titles at me! Please forgive the informality of it all!

Early Afternoon Session

STORY/PLOT
The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Vertical Run by Joseph Garber
James Patterson
Danielle Steel
Under the Banner of Heaven by Krakauer
Devil in the White city eric larson
L.A. Confidential by James Ellroy
The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
with series books - recurring characters vs chronological series
good starter question for nonreaders/reluctant readers - “what kind of movies do you like?”
imbd - literature listings on lower left
“best of” lists
nonrequired reading of the year lists

CHARACTER
their eyes were watching god by zora neale hurston
harry potter
sinclair lewis
olive kitteridge by elizabeth strout
jan karon - mitford series
memory keeper’s daughter by kim edwards
family linen by lee smith
lisbeth salandar series by stieg larsson
biographies
stolen child by keith donohue
sandman series by neil naiman
chronicles of vladimir todd by heather brewer
time traveler’s wife by Audrey niffenegger
encyclopedia brown series by david sobol
nancy drew series by Carolyn keene
junie b. jones series by Barbara park
fancy nancy series by jane o’connor
ramona quimby series by Beverly cleary
sherlock holmes series by Arthur conan doyle
graphic novels

SETTING
boneshaker by cherie priest
the forest of hands and teeth by carrie ryan
j.r.r. tolkien
to build a fire by jack london
skeletons on the zahara by dean king
blood and ice robert masello
travel writing
dune by frank herbert
yiddish policemen’s union by Michael chabon
song of ice & fire series by George r.r. martin
james michener’s books
historical fiction
shame by salman rushdie
midnight’s children by salman rushdie
midnight in the garden of good and evil by john berendt
jack finney time travel novels
connie willis’ doomsday book (another books in the Historians series - to say nothing of the dog)
world lit only by fire by William Raymond manchester
year 1000 by Robert lacey
travels with a tangerine by tim mackintosh-smith

LANGUAGE
the road by cormac mccarthy
make lemonade by Virginia euwer wolff
wolf hall by Hilary mantel
elmore leonard’s books
life of pi by yan martel
William faulkner’s books
james joyce’s books
ray bradbury’s books
claiming ground by laura bell
electric michaelanglo by sarah hall
post office by Charles bukowski
warlock by oakley m. hall
true grit by Charles portis
god of small things by arundhati roy

Late Afternoon Session

PLOT / STORY
harry potter series by j.k. rowling
twilight series by stephenie meyer
john grisham’s books
tom clancy’s books
douglas preston’s books
james patterson’s books
janet evanovich’s books
dean koontz’s books
anathem by neal stephenson
james rollins’s books
matthew reilly’s books
jack du brul’s books
stieg larsson’s millennium trilogy
skullduggery pleasant series by Derek landy
rick riordan’s books
incarceron by Catherine fisher
uglies series by scott westerfel

CHARACTER

olive kitteridge by Elizabeth strout
time traveler’s wife by Audrey niffenegger
memory keepers daughter by kim edwards
disreputable history of frankie landau banks by e. lockhart
girl with the dragon tattoo by stieg larsson
ahab’s wife by sena jeter naslund
anne tyler’s entire oeuvre
carl Hiaasen’s books
Edward rutherford - new york, london
david rosenfelt’s books
art of racing in the rain by garth stein
world war z by max brooks
terry pratchett’s wee free men series
stephen donaldson’s books
kite runner by khaled hosseini
jan karon - mitford books
thomas kinkade series
jane austen and spinoffs
dark tower series (characters from other books show up) by stephen king

SETTING

shutter island by dennis lehane
all dennis lehane’s books
travel writing
james michener’s books
roger zelazny (sp?) chronicles of amber
ringworld series by larry niven
dune by frank herbert
j.r.r. tolkein’s books
jon krakauer’s books
skeletons on the zahara by dean king
midnight in the garden of good and evil by john berendt
big burn by timothy egan
worst hard time by timothy egan
devil in the white city by erik larson
claiming ground by laura bell

LANGUAGE

awards
poetry
anne morrow lindberg’s gifts from the sea
c.s. lewis
paradise lost by milton
shakespeare
“the classics”
edgar allan poe
w. somerset maugham
boy’s life by Robert mccammon
markus zusak’s book thief and i am the messenger



If you didn't have the opportunity to attend either of these sessions, here's your opportunity to contribute to the discussion!'

Happy reading!

Holley

Books Adapted for Film

Thanks to everyone who took time from their busy schedules to attend the meeting! After a unanimous vote before the meeting, I am pleased to serve as the moderator of the roundtable for another year. I forgot to mention at the meeting, but our blog visits for all of June and July and so far in August total 229!

Also, we selected topics for next year's meetings:

February 9th - Nonfiction of Choice
April 13th - Graphic Novels
June 8th - Fiction of Choice
August 10th - Award Winners (any award, bring a description of the award)
October 12th - Cross-genre Romance
December 14th - Travel Writing

I'd like to thank AND congratulate April Wallace on taking over Project Read One Book (PROB)! The RA Roundtable will assist April as needed with gathering titles for her committee to consider and with building "reader's map" content for the PROB website.

Leslie shared with us her philosophy of the book-to-movie experience:
"Books will always be better than movies; there is no question about that fact. While some movies totally disembowel the book they are based on, there are many good movie adaptations out there. Who doesn't want to see their favorite characters come to life on the big screen? Most times the movies don't end up quite how we imagined and the characters don't quite fit our expectations, but it is still fun to see our favorite books turned into movies."

Ellen Griffin Shade (BPL-Avondale) let us know about their new book-to-film discussion group, Adaptations! On selected Sunday afternoons each month, a film adapted from a book will be shown. Later that month, an after-party/book discussion will be held in the eventing. For more information, contact the Avondale Branch Library at 205/226-4000!

September - To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

October - Dracula by Bram Stoker (I heard they were hosting a Dracula Film Festival each Sunday in October!)

November - The Princess Bride by William Goldman

December - In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash by Jean Shepherd

We had a lot of great variety in the titles members brought for discussion, just look!

Good Morning Miss Dove by Frances Gray Patton (film)
Mary Ann Ellis, BPL Southern History

Nicholas & Alexandra: The Story of the Love that Ended an Empire by Robert K. Massey (film)
Mary Ann Ellis, BPL Southern History

Appaloosa by Robert B. Parker (film)
Mondretta Williams, Leeds

3:10 to Yuma by Elmore Leonard (original & remake)

While Leonard's short story shows up largely as the endings of both movies, both the original and the remake were great examples of the Western films of their respective eras. Well worth your time!
general discussion

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult (film)

When Anna Fitzgerald (Abigail Breslin) learns the true nature of why she was born (to save her sister who has cancer) she hires a lawyer (Alec Baldwin) to sue her parents (Cameron Diaz & Jason Patric) for rights to her own body. If you haven't read the novel before you see this movie then you should. Then watch this adaptation. There were some major differences. Without giving away too much, I’ll say that I preferred the movie version. I found the ending much more credible and preferred it to the book’s ending. Read then watch this adaptation and see if you don’t agree. When you see this movie be prepared to cry. The acting was superb and in this case I liked the movie more than the book. Very unusual.
Leslie West, Vestavia

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (film)
The Time Traveler's Wife is a tale about a time librarian who has a gene that causes him to involuntarily travel through time, thus causing tension in his marriage. I am a fan of time travel novels but this idea that you pop in and out of different time with no warning, showing up in the new place buck naked is a bit discombobulating. The novel by Audrey Niffenegger was different and good, but the film adaptation was excellent. Perhaps it was the visuals, but I felt the story was better served on screen than in the actual novel. Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana starred as the lovers plagued by his random time travel. A quality adaptation that will leave fans satisfied at the movie's end.

Leslie West, Vestavia

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold (film)

The Lovely Bones tells the story of Susie Salmon who’s murdered but continues to observe her family on Earth after her death. Although she is detached from the world she once knew, Susie witnesses the impact of her loss on her loved ones, whilst her killer skillfully covers his tracks and prepares to murder again. In a tone that is both emotionally truthful, and darkly humorous, Susie tries to balance her desire for vengeance against the love she feels for her family and her need to see them heal; and ultimately comes to understand that the concept of family can encompass both the living and the dead. I suspect that those open to “alternative” versions of Heaven will enjoy the fantastic scenes of Susie’s unusual afterlife. I found it amazing and thoroughly enjoyable. In my estimation this was a phenomenal adaptation, every bit as good as the book. The cast (Saoirse Ronan as Susie, Rachel Weisz and Mark Wahlberg as Susie’s parents, Susan Sarandon as Susie’s feisty grandmother, Stanley Tucci as Susie’s neighbor and killer, and Michael Imperioli as the police officer on the case) is fabulous. Great adaptation. Read the book & watch the movie!
Leslie West, Vestavia

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson (original & remake)

Forty years ago, Harriet Vanger disappeared from a family gathering on the island owned and inhabited by the powerful Vanger clan. Her body was never found, yet her beloved uncle is convinced it was murder and that the killer is a member of his own tightly knit but dysfunctional family. He employs disgraced financial journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) and the tattooed and troubled but resourceful computer hacker Lisbeth Salander (the amazing and perfectly cast Noomi Rapace) to investigate. When the pair link Harriet’s disappearance to a number of grotesque murders from almost 40 years ago, they begin to unravel a dark and appalling family history. But the Vangers are a secretive clan, and Blomkvist and Salander are about to find out just how far they are prepared to go to protect themselves. A mystery thriller based on Stieg Larsson’s international bestselling novel by the same name. Turn on the English dubbing, which is excellent, and enjoy a fast paced thriller that does not disappoint fans of the series. I intend on seeing all the Swedish film versions while waiting on the American versions to be filmed.
Leslie West, Vestavia
Sally Sizemore, Hoover

The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson (original & remake)

general discussion

Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane (film)

Two U.S. marshals, Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo), are summoned to a remote and barren island off the coast of Massachusetts to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a murderess from the island's fortress-like hospital for the criminally insane. It is hard to tell what is creepier, the patients, the staff or the hospital grounds themselves. This story has so many twists and turns that I dare you to guess the ending! An excellent well acted movie co-starring Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams, and Max von Sydow all in pivotal roles. Based on the equally excellent Dennis Lehane book Shutter Island. Great book, great movie!
Leslie West, Vestavia

Neon Angel: A Memoir of a Runaway by Cherie Currie (film)
Los Angeles 1975. Joan Jett (Kristen Stewart) and Cherie Currie (Dakota Fanning), two teenage valley girls with punk in their blood, meet and become the heart and soul of the seminal all-girl band, The Runaways. The Runaways comes to the big screen in this story of a group of extraordinary young women as they rise from rebellious Southern California kids to rock stars of the now legendary band that paved the way for future generations of girl musicians. Under the Svengali-like influence of rock impresario Kim Fowley, the group evolves into an outrageous success and a family of misfits. With its tough-chick image and raw talent, the band quickly earns a name for itself --- and so do its two leads: Joan is the band’s pure rock ‘n’ roll heart, while Cherie, with her Bowie-Bardot looks, is the sex kitten. Based on Neon Angel: A Memoir of a Runaway by Cherie Currie, with Tony O’Neill. Curious about the inside story of this group, I found a dark and depressing story, with deafening music, a lot of drug use, as well as excellent acting. I think fans of the group will love it. But it’s not for the faint-hearted!

Leslie West, Vestavia

East to the Dawn: The Life of Amelia Earhart by Susan Butler (film)

Amelia is a movie about the life story of legendary female pilot, Amelia Earhart. This movie stars Hilary Swank as Amelia Earhart, as well as Ewen McGregor, Richard Gere, and Virginia Madsen in key roles. This was an exciting movie about Earhart's life and disappearance that is more than a documentary style film. Swank gives a remarkable performance as the legendary female pilot. This movie was adaptated from Susan Butler and Mary Lovell's biography of Earhart.
Leslie West, Vestavia

Mystic River by Dennis Lehane (film)
general discussion

Prince of Thieves by Chuck Hogan (film)
Sally Sizemore, Hoover

Push by Sapphire (film)

April Wallace, Irondale

True Grit by Charles Portis (original & remake)

Jason Baker, Trussville

Crazy Heart by Tom Cobb (film)

general discussion

Miami Blues by Charles Ray Willeford (film)

Jason Baker, Trussville

Empire Falls by Richard Russo (TV miniseries)

general discussion

Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett (TV miniseries)

general discussion

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald (film)

Benjamin Button's case is curious indeed. Benjamin is born an old man and ages in reverse. Along the way, his relationship changes with the girl he comes to love. Both the book and the movie have this love interest, though the treatment is vastly different between the two. Benjamin in the movie has more depth and is much more likable. Benjamin in the book is more self-serving and grasping. All in all, an excellent treatment of this slim Fitzgerald short story!

Holley Wesley, Emmet O'Neal

The Vanishing by Tim Krabbe (original & remake)

A young couple, in the midst of a lovers' quarrel while on vacation, stop at a busy gas station. The woman goes in to shop and never returns. The man is haunted by her disappearance, never guessing at the malevolence behind her abduction until it's too late. The book is translated from Dutch and is a very slim, yet affective psychological thriller. The villain's cold, dispassionate preparations are chilling in both forms. An additional love interest is expanded upon in the remake, but I liked her character enough to forgive the embellishment. I have not yet seen the Dutch original but I look forward to it!

Holley Wesley, Emmet O'Neal

The Reader by Bernard Schlink (film)

The Reader opens in post-WWII Germany when teenager Michael Berg becomes ill and is helped home by Hanna, a stranger twice his age. Michael recovers from scarlet fever and seeks out Hanna to thank her. The two are quickly drawn into a passionate but secretive affair. Michael discovers that Hanna loves being read to and their physical relationship deepens. Despite their intense bond, Hanna mysteriously disappears one day and Michael is left confused and heartbroken. Eight years later, while Michael is a law student observing the Nazi war crime trials, he is stunned to find Hanna back in his life - this time as a defendant in the courtroom. As Hanna's past is revealed, Michael uncovers a deep secret that will impact both of their lives. The Reader is a story about truth and reconciliation, about how one generation comes to terms with the crimes of another. The book is a modern classic written by Bernhard Schlink, and the movie an award winner featuring Oscar winning Kate Winslet as Hanna. Highly recommended reading, then follow up with a viewing of this excellent movie.

Leslie West, Vestavia

Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates (film)

general discussion

Shoeless Joe by W. P. Kinsella (film)

Ellen Griffin Shade, BPL Avondale

Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo (film)

Leigh Wilson, North Birmingham

Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella (film)

Theresa Davis, Hoover

Atonement by Ian McEwan (film)

Theresa Davis, Hoover

Catch Me If You Can by Frank Abagnale (film)

Andrei T. Jones, Five Points West

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (film) and Second Variety (film) by Philip K. Dick

Jonathan Newman, Avondale

Golden Years by Stephen King (TV miniseries)

Jonathan Newman, Avondale

This subject makes an easy and popular display. There are several references in the JCLC available for making a bibliography at your library.

Novels Into Film: The Encyclopedia of Movies Adapted From Books by John C. Tibbetts

The Encyclopedia of Novels Into Film by John C. Tibbetts

Enser's Filmed Books and Plays: A List of Books and Plays From Which Films Have Been Made 1928-1991 by Ellen Baskin

Short Stories On Film by Carol A. Emmens

Writers On the American Screen: A Guide To Film Adaptations of American and Foreign Literary Works by Larry Langman

No, But I Saw the Movie: The Best Short Stories Ever Made Into Film

As always, the internet is a treasure trove of information when looking for broad topics like this. Seek the wisdom of the crowd!

What is YOUR favorite book-to-movie adaptation?

Happy reading (and viewing)!

Holley

Meeting Reminder!

Mark your calendars! Our movie tie-in discussion is next Wednesday, August 11th at Emmet O'Neal Library at 9am! Bring your ideas for meeting topics next year because it's time to vote again!

Happy reading!

Holley

Nonfiction of Choice

For those libraries with nonfiction fans, Hoover Library has a dedicated nonfiction book group! Check them out in the Bookgroup sidebar item; they meet the last Thursday of each month at 7pm. This month's meeting (June 24th) will be for Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle! Look for a review of this book (coming soon!) below!

Theresa also mentioned that interested parties looking for Hoover's book kits should do a Millennium TITLE search for "hoover public library". From the list you may selected "Fiction Book Club Kits" or "Nonfiction Book Club Kits".

We had a small but vocal group with some great suggestions at this morning's meeting!

Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace With Marriage by Elizabeth Gilbert
Jason Baker, Trussville

People seem to have a love/hate relationship with Elizabeth Gilbert after the breakaway success of Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search For Everything Across Italy, India, and Indonesia. I personally fall into the love category as that book ranks among my favorites. I am super excited about the movie, starring Julia Roberts, coming out in August! Committed is a very specific, focused examination of the research Gilbert did into Western marriage customs and traditions. She says up front that this is not an exhaustive examination of the topic but merely her thoughts and opinions on what she herself studied. I don't have a problem with that, some people do. There is an especially good chapter on being a childless aunt (a trait I share with her) that made me glow with pride for the impact I have on the life of my niece (and honorary nieces) and nephew. If you are already a Gilbert fan, I believe you'll love it! If you've not yet picked up any of her books, it's the perfect time! Her other books include The Last American Man (nonfiction),Pilgrims (short stories), and Stern Men (novel).
Holley Wesley, Emmet O'Neal

Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern
Jason Baker, Trussville


Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver
Leslie West, Vestavia
The Vestavia Library is going green! Literally, with the new building, and in their summer reading programming. The library's book clubs will be discussing the book at their summer meetings and green and slow food programming will abound! Call Leslie for details, 205.978.3684!

Victor Fleming: An American Movie Master by Michael Sragow
Victor Fleming was the most sought-after director in Hollywood’s golden age, renowned for his ability to make films across an astounding range of genres–westerns, earthy sexual dramas, family entertainment, screwball comedies, buddy pictures, romances, and adventures. Fleming is remembered for the two most iconic movies of the period, Gone With the Wind and The Wizard of Oz, but the more than forty films he directed also included classics like Red Dust, Test Pilot, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Captains Courageous. Sragow restores the director to the pantheon of our greatest filmmakers and fills a gaping hole in Hollywood history with this vibrant portrait of a man at the center of the most exciting era in American filmmaking. The actors Fleming directed wanted to be him (Fleming created enduring screen personas for Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, and Gary Cooper), and his actresses wanted to be with him (Ingrid Bergman, Clara Bow, and Norma Shearer were among his many lovers).

Leslie West, Vestavia

Silent Stars by Jeanine Basinger

Through concise biographies, explorations of filmographies, and captivating still shots, Basinger offers remarkable insight into both the on- and offscreen lives of the cinema's first stars. Basinger shows an incredible knack for getting past the average movie fan's barriers to appreciating silent film actors: the larger-than-life acting style, frequently goofy plots, and general difficulty in finding films of all but a few luminaries like Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. Deft plot synopses, careful explanations of the skills needed for silent acting, and a genuine affection for the movies she's describing allow Basinger to give the reader a real sense of why these early actors were so beloved--and why they are so deserving of tribute. Equally engaging as browsing material or a cover-to-cover read, Silent Stars gives voice to both the sung and unsung pioneers of film.

Leslie West, Vestavia

Mother Night: Myths, Stories, and Teachings for Learning To See In the Dark by Clarissa Pinkola Estes

Clarissa Pinkola Estés, PhD, is an internationally recognized scholar, award-winning poet, Diplomate senior Jungian psychoanalyst, and cantadora (keeper of the old stories in the Latina tradition.) The program Mother Night presents a new series of audio teachings from the Jungian psychoanalyst and author of Women Who Run With the Wolves. This six-session learning event invites us to tap the generative power of the goodness of the core self--that is, all creativity and understanding that lies out of sight in darkness--often called the unconscious. Throughout 11 hours of teaching stories, you'll hear 12 stories and myths told here for the first time along with Dr. Estés' commentary, Q & A sessions with her, and special prayers of blessing onto your hearts, bodies, minds, and souls. According to Dr. Estés, "The most endangered species on earth is the human soul.” Listen to these beautiful stories, told by Dr. Estes, and begin to heal your soul. All of her books are wonderful, in particular: Women Who Run With the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype, In the House of the Riddle Mother: The Most Common Archetypal Motifs in Women's Dreams, and How To Love a Woman: On Intimacy and the Erotic Life of Women.

Leslie West, Vestavia

Spirit Whisperer: Chronicles of a Medium by John Holland
In John Holland’s past books, he explained how he came to terms with, and learned to accept and embrace, his spiritual gifts as a psychic medium; and how “readers” could develop their own intuitive psychic abilities. In this book, John picks up the fascinating story of his personal journey of growth and development as one of the most respected practicing mediums today. This work chronicles his career to date and includes some enlightening and heartfelt real-life case studies. He candidly discusses readings with clients, including those who’ve had their own After Death Communications (ADCs)—from the outrageous to the profound. John also explains the signs and symbols that our loved ones continually try to send us. John divulges for the first time some of the extraordinary paranormal occurrences he’s witnessed throughout his career, and provides a rare glimpse behind the scenes of what it’s like to be a “Psychic Time Machine” for several television shows. He also provides guidance for parents who have a psychic child themselves.

Leslie West, Vestavia

Chess Doctor: Surefire Cures for What Ails Your Game by Bruce Pandolfini
Want to improve your chess game? Why of course you do. You may want to visit the Chess Doctor. This book is designed for chess players who have weaknesses in their game that they would like to improve. Every aspect of the game is covered in this book. Some of the problems addressed include: blocking your own forces, overusing the queen and attacking prematurely. Each problem is diagnosed and the Chess Doctor prescribes a cure. Filled with detailed diagrams, this book will surely help one to improve on their chess game.

Andrei T. Jones, Five Points West

The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes From an Accidental Country Girl by Ree Drummond
Any cookbook lover must check this one out! The author is a ex-city gal who falls in love with a country boy, starts a family, and learns how to make Southern food. She is also a photographer so the cookbook is sprinkled with beautiful pictures of her farm, her family and of course, food! One thing that I like best about this book is that the author includes photos every step of the way in making a particular dish. No more guessing if your creation looks like it is supposed to :-)

April Wallace, Irondale

Claiming Ground: A Memoir by Laura Bell
Laura Bell graduated from college in 1977 and found herself at loose ends, unable to find a passion or direction in life. A fateful summer trip to a Wyoming sheep ranch leads her to spontaneous seek employment there. So she spends the greater part of each year alone on a remote mountaintop with no electricity and the responsibility of tending 1,000 sheep, 2 dogs, and a horse. She goes on to other work over the years but it is the period of time she describes herding sheep that made me fall in love with this book. Here in Alabama, I am acquainted with a million different shades of green but her descriptions of the purples, whites, and ochers she was viewing at the time fired my imagination. I was almost ready to give up my librarian shoes and learn about sheep. This is one of the most beautiful books I've read in quite some time and I was compelled to email the publisher to demand inquire if they'd considered submitting it for a National Book Award. I was delighted to get an email back saying this book is on their shortlist! Everyone should read it!
Holley Wesley, Emmet O'Neal

F5: Devastation, Survival, and the Most Violent Tornado Outbreak of the Twentieth Century by Mark Levine
Katie Moellering, Emmet O'Neal

The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
This book is great for someone looking for a self-help book that is too not hokey. The author is someone who isn't unhappy per say, but wants to try appreciating life more. She tackles one subject or area each month of the year. It was an easy read that offered helpful, realistic tips that a person can use in their day-to-day life.

April Wallace, Irondale

April also mentioned some authors that make fabulous summer reads (though be mindful of the content when suggesting them):
Jen Lancaster
Chelsea Handler
Celia Rivenbark

I See Rude People: One Woman's Battle To Beat Some Manners Into Impolite Society by Amy Alkon
Sally Sizemore, Hoover