This and That

It's hard to believe, but we're more than four months into the challenge. What's not hard to believe is that people have already completed it, and are well on their way to reading their next fifty books. One gentleman told me that he is up to number 83! That's impressive.

Reading this, you may think that it's too late for you to participate in the 50 book challenge. It's not. The flip side of people finishing early is that it's possible to read 50 books in a short period of time. The end of the challenge is still a long ways off. Think of how many books you could read before December.

On our end, we're working on a number of things. We're still waiting for the prizes for completing the challenge to arrive; we promise they'll be worth the wait! We've also contacted authors to make appearances and sign their books. And, of course, we're always thinking of ways to help you find books to read. Don't forget to look at our newsletter, Check It Out!, for reading suggestions and lists of upcoming releases. May's bookmarks will spotlight different countries, offering everyone a chance to do some armchair traveling. In other words, there's something for everyone.

So if you haven't signed up, what are you waiting for? Join the other library patrons, nearly 400 strong, who've already taken the challenge. And if you've finished your 50 books already, good for you! We're proud of you.

February bookmarks

The bookmarks for February highlight 2 iconic holidays. The first is for all the romantics. That's right - Valentine's Day. "Isn't it Romantic?" features a list of books by well-known authors of all things romantic, including Mary Balogh, Julia Quinn, and James Patterson. (yes, that James Patterson, who writes best-selling thrillers). They're a nice, light way to get through a nasty, dark month.

More substantive are the titles on the nonfiction bookmark. As it's Black History Month, it focuses on black history, with a local emphasis. Many people don't know that the Massachusetts 53rd regiment, whose story was told in the movie Glory, was started right here in New Bedford. They went on to fight with distinction in the Civil War. A book telling this story is A Brave Black Regiment, by Russell Duncan.

Another book featuring New Bedford is The Fugitive's Gilbraltar: Escaping Slaves and Abolitionism in New Bedford, Massachusetts, by Kathryn Grover. With its strong Quaker traditions, New Bedford was a haven for escaped slaves in the years preceding the Civil War. Frederick Douglass was just one of the people who found sanctuary here.

The bookmarks, and more reading suggestions, are available in all the New Bedford libraries. And watch for March's bookmarks, which will feature two very different aspects of New England: New England Sports, and Mass(achusetts) Murder.

This and that

We're nearly two months into the 50 Book Challenge now, and things are moving along smoothly. More than 300 people registered for the challenge. Most of them are from the area, but there are also people from Cambridge, Auburn and Falmouth registered. Two people have actually completed it already. We expect within the next month to start seeing that number rise.

You've been promised goodies, and so goodies you shall receive. The prizes for meeting the challenge are a book light, and a book bag. The book bag is red with black handles, and is roomy enough to carry a good supply of reading material. The book light is small but bright, and folds flat for easy storage in the book bag's pocket. Both have been librarian tested. We think you'll be pleased.

Of course, meeting the challenge is reward enough. It's an accomplishment in itself. Even if you don't read 50 books, you've rewarded yourself with hours of reading time. This is why this is a challenge, not a contest. The process is the most important thing.

So keep on reading. That goal is getting closer all the time.

Seen the Movie? Read the Book!

Every year a number of books are adapted into movies, with mixed results. If you're a movie buff, treat yourself to the real thing. Read the books the movies are based on.

Some suggestions:

Shutter Island; Lehane, Dennis, Shutter Island

Charlie St. Cloud; Sherwood, Ben, The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud

Eat, Pray, Love; Gilbert, Elizabeth, Eat, Pray, Love

The Social Network; Mezrich, Ben, The Accidental Billionaires

True Grit; Portis, Charles, True Grit

The American; Booth, Martin, A Very Private Gentleman

Secretariat; Nack, William, Secretariat: the Making of a Champion

Dear John; Sparks, Nicholas, Dear John

So pull up the recliner, make some popcorn, and enjoy!

(Book) Mark the Spot

How are you doing on your 50 book challenge? Finding enough to read? If not, we have some ideas for you. Each month we have new bookmarks available. We try to find themes appropriate to the season or holiday. Our first bookmark gave general suggestions to start you off. For January, though, we have two different lists of suggestions, one non-fiction, "Get in Shape!", and one fiction, "Make 'em Laugh." Each one lists books certain to make your life better, or at least funnier.

In February we'll be celebrating two holidays. The Black History Month bookmark will feature black history from a local perspective. And we can't ignore Valentine's Day. "Isn't it Romantic?" lists titles certain to warm your heart.

Stop by any New Bedford library to pick up your bookmarks. If you have any ideas for book lists you'd like to see, please contact me at mkruger@sailsinc.org, or call me at (508) 991-6214. I'd be happy to put something together.

Get Into Overdrive!

Books today come in other forms than on the printed page. Audio books have been around for a long time. More recently, electronic books, or ebooks, have become popular, with the introduction of such devices as Amazon's Kindle and Apple's iPad. Your library has many titles available to you, both as audiobooks and ebooks, through the Overdrive Media Console. This is software which alows you to download books directly to your device, inluding computers, Blackberries, and the iPhone. Best of all, it's free!

Start at the SAILS website at http://www.sailsinc.org/. From there click on the link for downloads, which will bring up the Overdrive page. Download the free software for your device, and you're ready to go. Browse books the way you do at a library, by title or genre, and add titles you want to your shopping cart. Checkouts work the same as for regular books, with a due date of two weeks. The title automatically expires at the end of the loan period. Once a books is checked out, it's uavailable to anyone else, so check back often to see what's on the shelf. Overdrive books can also be put on hold. Unfortunately, software for the Kindle or Barnes and Noble's Nook is not yet available.

I decided I'd read only for pleasure when I left college, after 4 years of interpreting and deconstructing dense texts. When I got my iPhone, though, I started downloading classics. I've since reread Charlotte Bronte and Jane Austen, and am working through Great Expectations. It took a 21st century device to get me back to 19th century books. For traveling or going to places where I may have to wait, like a doctor's office, an ebook is much easier to handle than a regular book. It's easily portable and accessible. While I'll never give up books in print, I like having the option of reading in a different format. It's still reading.

If you haven't already tried Overdrive, why not start today? Any title you choose is eleigible for the 50 Book Challenge. And, like me, you just might find yourself hooked on new technology.

Review: OUTWITTING TROLLS, by William Tapply

When Boston attorney Brady Coyne meets old friend and neighbor Ken Nichols for a drink, he doesn't expect anything out of the ordinary to happen. Instead, he becomes mixed up in murder, when Ken's ex-wife, Sharon, finds him stabbed to death in his hotel room. When Brady takes Sharon on as a client, he is quickly involved in the mystery surrounding Ken's death. Sharon is the prime suspect, but as Brady investigates he finds other possibilities. Could the mysterious bearded man Brady saw talking to Ken be responsible? Or Ken's drug-dealer son, Wayne? Brady needs to find the real killer, before the killer can find him.

As with all Tapply's books, this is well-written and fast-paced, with solid characterizations and a mystery that keeps the reader guessing to the end. Sadly, Tapply died in 2010, and so this is his last book. His earlier books in the Brady Coyne series, as well as those featuring Stoney Calhoun, are available through the library.