tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80741886120302373842012-02-16T03:14:29.612-05:00Welcome to the Tewksbury Public Library's Reading Room... Let's talk about the books we read, share recommendations and have a good time!Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283510741669633060noreply@blogger.comBlogger251100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074188612030237384.post-70012962887159517142011-05-19T10:23:00.003-04:002011-05-27T12:25:04.061-04:00

I enjoy reading Science Fiction or SF, as it is abbreviated. I won't say I'm an expert, but I usually know a bit more than the other librarians I'm with when we start talking about SF.  Science Fiction is a sub-genre of Speculative Fiction which includes Fantasy, Alternate History, Utopian/Dystopian fiction, Paranormal and Horror. In general, SF appeals to the reader's intellect. It is often

Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283510741669633060noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074188612030237384.post-8643452124889113252011-05-05T11:09:00.002-04:002011-05-27T12:27:38.488-04:00

Last week I wrote about upcoming Mystery Awards. Here's an update: The Agatha Award went to Louise Penny for Bury Your Dead. The Edgar Award went to Steve Hamilton for The Lock Artist. Both of these books are being purchased for the Library. Congratulations to the winners! Now there are 2 more books on my TBR* pile! *=To Be Read (title of post edited for clarity)

Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283510741669633060noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074188612030237384.post-62643781763030239622011-05-02T10:05:00.001-04:002011-05-02T10:08:47.976-04:00

My how quickly the days fly by. It seems like yesterday that I put up a list of our April Displays, and now, here it is May already! We have some great displays going up this week. In the First Floor look for these displays: Authors of the Month Michael Lawson who writes the Joe DeMarco thrillers, Graham Masterton who is known for his Sissy Sawyer mysteries, and George Pelecanos who writes

Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283510741669633060noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074188612030237384.post-17339591926239527132011-04-30T15:11:00.007-04:002011-05-27T12:32:00.596-04:00

It is the last day of April. Do you know what that means? The year is already ¼ over. How many books have you read so far? To be on track to finish the 50 by the end of the year, you should have read about 12 books so far. My count right now is 21 (21.5 if you count the book I’m currently reading), and that doesn’t even include my text book from my class (and I read every page, I swear!). I know

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01946714775333146034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074188612030237384.post-80290821273657341882011-04-22T09:25:00.001-04:002011-04-22T09:27:47.479-04:00

Sometimes I like to wander the blogs and find fun tidbits. I hope you enjoy these links. Happy Easter! A fun interview with Michael Connelly from ShelfAwareness.com http://www.shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?issue=1446#m12058 From the Academy of American Poets (Poets.org) comes Spring Poems. Maybe reading these poems will finally usher in spring! http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/20045

Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283510741669633060noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074188612030237384.post-28474135445242016962011-04-11T14:52:00.002-04:002011-05-27T12:33:02.372-04:00

Library Journal informed me that April hosts two major mystery book awards. The Mystery Writers of America sponsor the Edgar Awards and Malice Domestic sponsors the Agatha Award. If you are a mystery reader, you've probably heard of these awards, and probably read most of the nominated titles. According to their sites, the Edgar Award is awarded to the best fiction, non-fiction and television

Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283510741669633060noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074188612030237384.post-86766843527871322952011-04-01T15:23:00.000-04:002011-04-01T15:23:26.800-04:00

It's no joke... Our new displays are up today. (Groan with me...) Leave time on Saturday (tomorrow!) when you're here to vote to borrow something that interests you! Or visit us anytime in April to borrow these great books and media. On the First Floor you'll find... Gumshoe Gals : Books starring female detectives Authors of the Month :  Laura Levine, known for her Jane Austen mysteries Lee

Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283510741669633060noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074188612030237384.post-15657287740552676612011-03-30T12:36:00.002-04:002011-05-27T12:33:57.683-04:00

The librarian's genre study group that I'm part of just finished reading and discussing the Western genre. I'd forgotten how much I love the Western ethos: strong men and their horses forging a new world in the mostly undeveloped western territories. The redemptive powers of the west--leaving home for a fresh start, adventure or a new life--is so appealing to many of us; as is the struggle to

Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283510741669633060noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074188612030237384.post-56702733656939958342011-03-25T10:59:00.000-04:002011-03-25T10:59:20.421-04:00

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Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283510741669633060noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074188612030237384.post-38666115475532587422011-03-10T13:36:00.002-05:002011-05-27T12:36:03.571-04:00

Once a book becomes very popular, the first question on many people’s minds is when is it going to be a movie? This year many great books are hitting the big screen and will have people lining up to see them. Now most people know that another installment of the Twilight franchise is coming out in November and the last half of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be out in July, but I wanted

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01946714775333146034noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074188612030237384.post-28928760455839451322011-03-04T16:55:00.000-05:002011-03-04T16:55:18.215-05:00

We've recently put up a few new displays that I thought you'd like to know about. In the Fiction Area of the First Floor we have a number of new displays. In addition to our usual New Books and Staff Favorites you'll find:Fiction celebrating "Ireland and the Irish" Philip Roth is our Author of the Month Several "Adventure Novels" await your perusal Our Book Club book is Kenneth Tingle's The Girl

Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283510741669633060noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074188612030237384.post-35179915651530291452011-02-18T12:13:00.001-05:002011-05-27T12:36:23.018-04:00

I'm currently listening to The Help by Kathryn Stockett during my commute. I'm really enjoying the story and the narrators. This is one of those stories that make me enjoy a traffic jam because it means I get more time to listen! For those of you who haven't read the book, the plot concerns a newly graduated young white woman who wishes to be a journalist and begins to become more disturbed by

Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283510741669633060noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074188612030237384.post-2643759753532940252011-02-16T16:32:00.001-05:002011-05-27T12:37:41.331-04:00

I am using the 50 book challenge as a way to explore many types of books. This year, I’ve challenged myself to read books from different genres, in different formats, and to also spread the word about the books I have been enjoying. I have been on a Teen novel kick lately reading books like Return to Paradise, Uglies and Janes in Love, but I have also read a few biographies such as Patti Smith's

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01946714775333146034noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074188612030237384.post-21039194827344154252011-02-16T14:11:00.002-05:002011-05-27T12:38:23.983-04:00

I knew it would happen. One of our library patrons is in very regularly and reads quickly. Today, this patron turned in a filled reading log! We eagerly gave the patron another log to begin to fill! Now, don't feel inadequate...this patron is retired and spends a lot of time reading. Sigh... This is how I want to live my retired life...visiting the library everyday for good books, a quick chat,

Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283510741669633060noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074188612030237384.post-41875540257634603352011-02-10T11:16:00.000-05:002011-02-10T11:16:57.751-05:00

Look for this button on the Library website! You can now sign up and keep track of your books online. If you live your life on the web, this will be perfectly easy for you! If you want to keep track of your reading using the paper reading logs, that's fine with us. Either way works! The Library has a new online tool called "LitKeeper" which will allow you to keep track of all your reading and

Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283510741669633060noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074188612030237384.post-50591377623103717872011-02-09T17:51:00.000-05:002011-02-09T17:51:31.035-05:00

It's one of my fears...someone will ask me to recommend a book to them. It's not like I don't read or enjoy talking about books; it's that my memory doesn't often go further back than the book(s) I've just read... I'm one of these people that has to walk through the shelves and remember the books as I see them or use a book list to remind me about books I enjoyed. A patron I didn't know was at

Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283510741669633060noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074188612030237384.post-21668481858328448562011-02-04T16:08:00.001-05:002011-05-27T12:39:08.306-04:00

As a child, one of the things I loved were days off from school. Snow days were like gifts from the weather gods--I could stay home and read all day if I wanted to. I usually did want to read in my spare time! Snow days can be a wonderful break from the routine, although they seem to have become the routine these past few weeks! Settling in with a good book and a cup of coffee is a great way to

Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283510741669633060noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074188612030237384.post-12767430588710711662011-01-20T11:20:00.001-05:002011-05-27T12:40:07.082-04:00

Please tell me you've read at least 1 book in the past 2 weeks! I haven't been able to complete any books yet for the 50 Book Challenge. What's a librarian to do??? First, I'll stop panicking  about it. Second, I'll just keep reading and listening to the two books I'm enjoying right now. I'm reading Gregory Maguire's The Next Queen of Heaven (thanks for the present, Mom!) and I'm listening to

Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283510741669633060noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074188612030237384.post-45436204096831718522011-01-13T12:50:00.000-05:002011-01-13T12:50:54.332-05:00

Best fiction, non-fiction and poetry for adults named to 2011 Notable Books List | American Libraries Magazine Take a peek! Let us know what you think!

Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283510741669633060noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074188612030237384.post-85837544268585227492011-01-10T15:33:00.000-05:002011-01-10T15:33:39.888-05:00

Every January, lovers of children's literature await the news of which books won these coveted awards. The Caldecott Award is for the best illustrated book for children of the previous year (2010) and the Newbery is for the best written literature for children of the previous year. The 2011 winner of the Caldecott Award is A Sick Day For Amos McGee by Philip Stead, illustrated by Erin Stead. 

Noellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04450296824652243931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074188612030237384.post-69415741114454028952011-01-03T09:00:00.006-05:002011-01-03T09:00:05.986-05:00

Today's the day! Let the challenge begin! You can stop by the Library to pick up your 50 Book Challenge Reading Log and participate with us. Try to read 50 books in 2011. We hope you'll join us! See this blog post for the details!

Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283510741669633060noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074188612030237384.post-61557088253864464262010-12-29T15:09:00.002-05:002010-12-29T15:09:00.802-05:00

I have fairly eclectic tastes when it comes to reading, and one of the types of books I like to read are novels for teens. I recently put together a new adventure-themed book list for teens. On it are several books I want to read, but so far, I've only read this one. Being by Kevin Brooks is survival novel with futuristic overtones and plenty of suspenseful moments. After having a routine exam

Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283510741669633060noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074188612030237384.post-65584166676816257622010-12-23T16:15:00.001-05:002010-12-23T16:15:00.310-05:00

It's that time of year when everyone does their Best Books Lists. Here are some lists that we look at this time of year! New York Times 10 Best books of 2010 Publishers Weekly Best Books of 2010 National Public Radio's Best Books of 2010 Seattle Times 27 Best Books of 2010 What are your favorite lists? Do you agree or disagree with the books on this list? Do you think it's ridiculous to try

Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283510741669633060noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074188612030237384.post-87240404598416573872010-12-21T15:47:00.002-05:002010-12-21T16:14:22.768-05:00

Even though it's a couple of weeks before the 50 Book Challenge, I wanted to call your attention to the recommended links to the left of the page and then talk a bit about reading advisory and what the Tewksbury Public Library can do to assist you. To the left are some categories of popular fiction. Each category has a few websites of interest to readers who enjoy that type of book, or which

Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283510741669633060noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074188612030237384.post-65963879434016691102010-12-17T14:38:00.001-05:002010-12-21T16:41:52.455-05:00

Resolve to read in 2011! Can you read 50 books in a year??? Truly, I'm not sure I can, but I'm going to give it a try and I invite you to join me! The Friends of the Tewksbury Public Library and the Tewksbury Public Library are sponsoring a book challenge for 2011. Try to read 50 books between January 3 and December 30, 2011. If you can, you can be entered to win a grand prize (to be announced--

Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283510741669633060noreply@blogger.com1