Our library has a subscription to Book Page, a tabloid-style publication chock-full of stuff about authors, new books, the world of writing and publishing. It is a sort of double-edged sword. Patrons love skimming through Book Page to see what upcoming books they will like to read. On the other hand, those very same patrons, bless ‘em, call the library to reserve those books that haven’t even been published yet. We have tried, but so far we haven’t been able to concoct a plan that would allow us to put someone on the reserve list for a book that doesn’t exist yet. Be patient; we will keep working on it.
Our subscription provides us with 50 copies each month. We used to share a subscription with the Slater Public Library. Each of us took 25 copies to share with our patrons. Recently Slater backed out---they just didn’t have 25 patrons interested enough to pick it up every month. So, now we have 50 to give away. They are free to the public. Pick one up—help us get our money’s worth.
Some of the stuff I learned in the August, 2011 edition:
Book of Fortunes Column is a new feature. A reader volunteers his/her favorite authors and type of reading. The “fortune teller”, column author Eliza Borne, will predict that reader’s newest favorite. Aw, that’s just regular old reader’s advisory prettied up to look like something new! For Melissa, a reader who likes chick-lit and thrillers and Jodi Picoult, Eliza recommended a new book by Chevy Stevens called Never Knowing. He wrote Still Missing. If you haven’t read it, you have missed a scary, late night reading binge you won’t soon forget. Rest assured; I ordered Never Knowing. I’m hoping that I can grab it straight out of the shipping box and sneak it home before anyone else knows it has arrived. Stevens is that good.
Julie Hale’s monthly Book Clubs column offers suggestions of books that are newly released in paperback and just perfect, in her opinion, for book clubs. I’ve found that most of the stuff she recommends could be described as smart or charming. That doesn’t mean that individually her book suggestions aren’t really good reads, it just means that you will rarely find anything deep, dark or mysterious to read mentioned in her column. Often, charming is just what I’m in the market for.
The Author Enablers column, written by Kathi Goldmark and Sam Barry, is advice for would-be writers. It is always interesting to look at how an author goes about the process. Often we non-writers have never given a thought to how an author manages to give us a feel for a particular time or place or character. There is a Whodunit column by Bruce Tierney that I never skip. He has the knack of making mewant to read every book he reviews. I’ve never been disappointed in a book he recommended.
There is a column called Lifestyles which reviews parenting and relationship self-help books. The Cooking column recommends what else? Cookbooks. I read about (and then ordered for the library) a new one called Heartland: The Cookbook, said to be an ode to the Midwestern kitchen.
There is a column for readers of romance, one for the best recent audio books, and one about children’s books. There are lots and lots and lots of book reviews of all sorts of new books, and several interviews with authors. There is something for any reader, writer or listener.
Stop by and pick up your complimentary copy of Book Page at your library.