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Welcome to 2022! New Year’s is a time for appreciating the past and looking forward to the future. This year, my resolution is to begin the year by reading the six novels on the 2021 Booker Prize short list. Every year, the Booker Prize selects six contenders for the best novel of the year, with the winning author taking a place in history alongside such greats as Margaret Atwood, Kazuo Ishiguro, and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. 2021’s list features tales that take the reader across the world, back in time, into the tangled web of the internet, and even to other planets.

A Passage North by Anuk Arudpragasam takes on the topic of Sri Lanka’s 30-year Civil War. Protagonist Krishan, having heard of the mysterious death of a beloved family caretaker, leaves the safety of Colombo for the dangerous, war-torn Northern Province to pay his respects while absorbing the violence and devastation of war. This novel is unique in that it contains no dialogue. It takes place entirely in Krishan’s mind as he sifts through his memories, regrets, and grief. It’s a risky concept, but Arudpragasam pulls it off with the skill of a master storyteller.

Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead tells the epic story of Marian Graves, a fearless aviator who attempts to circle the earth from pole to pole. Orphaned in a shipwreck along with her twin brother, Marian becomes fascinated by airplanes while being raised by her uncle in Montana. Marian lives life on her own terms, consistently challenging gender norms and pushing her limits. Marian becomes a legend after she disappears in 1950. One hundred years after her birth, in 2014, Hadley Baxter, an unhappy actress, prepares to play the role of Marian in a Hollywood movie. This is a sweeping adventure story in every sense, and it will have you turning the 600+ pages in anticipation of what will come next for both Marian and Hadley in their seemingly polar-opposite lives.

Patricia Lockwood’s No One is Talking About This introduces the reader to a nameless woman who lives her entire life online, existing in what she deems “The Portal.” Failing to see the absurdity of her reality, she receives two urgent texts from her mother and is suddenly jolted her out of the endless scroll of The Portal and into the real world. Unable to discern between being disconnected from The Portal and being disconnected from reality, she must learn to live a completely different life – one that, as the title suggests, nobody talks about online.

The Fortune Men by Nadia Mohamed centers around Mahmood, a Somalian man in 1950s Cardiff, Wales. Mahmood is a gambler and small-time thief whose antics land him in and out of debt, while his charm endears him to his neighbors. When a Jewish shopkeeper is found murdered, the townspeople begin to whisper about Mahmood, and soon a witch hunt is underway. Mahmood is admittedly a criminal, but he’s no murderer, and he’s confident that his neighbors will help him prove his innocence. Based on a true story about the last man to be hanged in Cardiff, this book explores prejudice, false assumptions, and mob mentality.

Richard Powers’ Bewilderment is a difficult book to categorize. Elements of science fiction, philosophy, and neuroscience converge in this tale of a father/son relationship. Set in a dystopian future, widowed astrobiologist Theo is raising his loving yet volatile nine-year-old son, Robin, while exploring the possibility – or perhaps the reality – of life on other planets. Determined not to put Robin on psychotropic medication, Theo explores otherworldly options. No spoilers – you’ll have to read this one yourself to find out how far Theo will go to save both his son and the planet.

And the winner is…South African writer Damon Galgut’s The Promise. This novel examines a family slowly falling apart outside Pretoria over the course of four funerals. The titular promise of a house of her own is made by the family’s white matriarch on her deathbed to her Black maid, Salome. What follows is a reflection of the social issues facing post-apartheid South Africa – broken promises, devastating decisions, intergenerational confusion, and post-colonial culpability. Readers of J.M. Coetzee and Nadine Gordimer will appreciate Galgut’s powerful writing.

Did the judges make the right choice? Come on down and check out these and other noteworthy books and reach your own conclusion.

From Smiley Library to your home, we wish you a happy new year of reading!

Can you believe 2021 is over? I am so excited to start a fresh, New Year as well as gearing up to read some amazing, new books! Please consider these titles to begin your New Year with the subject of…”Kindness.” Just think, if we all did one, two, or even three acts of kindness each day…what would our city be like?!

“Chicken Soup for Little Souls, The Goodness Gorillas,” written by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen and illustrated by Pat Grant Porter, will have your kids eager to start their own guerrilla goodness club at school, or even just in the neighborhood! Join in on the fun of doing an act of kindness, just like the students in Mrs. King’s class. This book can be found in our “Oversize Picture Book” area under JE McCourt.

Many students know something about being a “Peacekeeper.” Check out “Being a Peacekeeper” by Pam Scheunemann and learn a new, fun way to engage others at being a peacemaker! You can find this title in our non-fiction area at J 177.44 Sch29b.

Todd Parr is an excellent writer and illustrator who has been gracing our library shelves for years with phenomenal stories. May I suggest to you: “The Kindness Book” that he wrote in 2019 which can be found in the picture book section. Filled with his colorful depiction of characters, both four-legged and two, this vibrant book of kindness can get the wheels turning on new ideas you can engage in, right now!

“Pay It Forward: Young Readers Edition” by Catherine Ryan Hyde is a chapter book for fourth – sixth graders that will inspire not only the reader, but also the folks to whom the reader reaches out! Trevor, a 12-year old student accepts the challenge from one of his teachers to ‘design a plan to make his world a better place.’ You will find this title in the chapter book area. Hmmm, I would love to hear your ideas too! Please email, write a letter, give us a call, or just come in and tell our Youth Services Crew what your “Pay It Forward” plan will be! We are anxiously awaiting!!

The last title for this article is (we do have sooooo many more ‘kindness’ type books) “Kindness is a Kite String – The Uplifting Power of Empathy” written by Michelle Schaub and illustrated by Claire LaForte. You can find this title in the picture book area under the author’s last name. This special story will give the reader so many new ideas and help to nurture a kindness plan that could have a trickle effect on your family, neighbors, friends, and, perhaps our entire city! Check this one out right away and let’s get to doing some extra kind things together!

It has been a privilege and an honor to be your Youth Services Librarian for so many years! You have all been so kind to my staff and me by checking out books, attending our programs, and bringing us great suggestions for new titles! I’m excited to begin 2022 with an act of kindness and to continue the path for the entire year! Happy New Year from the Youth Services Crew to you!

In June of 2018, the world was shocked and saddened by the sudden loss of Anthony Bourdain. For those interested in learning more about him, be sure to check out these two books.

As Tony Bourdain’s longtime director and producer for No Reservations and Parts Unknown, Tom Vitale shares insider details and memorable stories of traveling the world with Tony and crew in his new book, “In the Weeds.” Tom cautions us that, “Incidents included in this book are not intended to glamorize or endorse acts of cannibalism, drug use, smuggling, torture, extortion, bribery, wire fraud, attempted vehicular manslaughter, or the poaching of endangered species.”

“Bourdain: The Definitive Oral Biography” by Laurie Woolever is a thought-provoking collection of interviews to help us see the many facets of this complicated man. Those interviewed include his mother and brother, Gladys and Christopher Bourdain, well-known chefs Eric Ripert and Jose Andres, writers, producers, editors, kitchen colleagues, friends and his daughter, Ariane Busia-Bourdain.

Truffles are not beautiful to behold. However, they are an expensive delicacy that can easily fetch $3,000 a pound. Why are they so expensive and how could something so unattractive be worth all that excitement? Food writer Rowan Jacobsen travels to Europe in search of answers. He meets Matteo and his dogs Artu and Miro in Italy, Zack and his black lab Stanley in England, and Ban with dogs Candy, Betty and Lela in Istria as they hunt for culinary gold. Find out what Rowan discovers in his latest book “Truffle Hound.”

Nestled in the little town of Freedom, Maine stands a restored nineteenth-century gristmill. Housed within its walls is one of the country’s most sought-after restaurants called The Lost Kitchen. Reservations are accepted by postcard only and lucky diners are drawn from a pool that can average 20,000 requests a year! Erin French is the talented owner and chef of this amazing establishment. “Finding Freedom” is Erin’s memoir of survival, perseverance, and the life-changing purpose found in cooking meals for others.

If the above books have whetted your appetite for more food-related memoirs, you may be interested in reading these recent titles: “Eat a Peach” by David Chang, “Dirt: Adventures in Lyon as a chef in training, father, and sleuth looking for the secret of French cooking” by Bill Buford, “Rebel Chef: In search of what matters” by Dominique Crenn and “Save Me the Plums: My Gourmet memoir” by Ruth Reichl.

The year is quickly coming to a close and with the New Year comes a chance to revitalize and learn about our outdoor spaces. Take a look at these reads to find new ways to establish some new methods and new connections with the outside world.

The Secret Life of Fungi : Discoveries From a Hidden World by Aliya Whiteley, is less an encyclopedia of mushrooms and more of a biography of them. Whiteley uses the life stages of mushrooms as the structure of the book and creates the body of it through fungi facts and anecdotes of the author’s own life. Whiteley highlights the interesting way fungi live in symbiotic relationships with many of not just the plant kingdom, (orchids cannot grow without mushrooms), but the animal kingdom as well. Whiteley even takes time to describe man’s history with mushrooms and the various ways they are used. The result is an engaging examination of the mystery of mushrooms.

If you are looking for more of an encyclopedia style book about mushrooms, check out How to Forage for Mushrooms Without Dying by Frank Hyman. Hyman is a certified mushroom forager and is spreading his knowledge in the hopes of calming people’s fears of foraging. The author uses detailed descriptions, pictures, and checklists to help insure the safe harvesting and storage of the fruits of your labor. Much like Whiteley, Hyman brings in tales of his own adventures and how foraging has brought many great memories into his life. One great aspect is that Hyman shows look-alike mushrooms and how to differentiate between similar types. He even shows mushrooms that might not be edible but might prove useful in other ways.

While both the previous authors are lovers of the natural world, the third takes it one step further. Stefano Mancuso, author of The Nation of Plants, has created a manifesto on behalf of plants. A leading authority in the field of plant neurobiology, Mancuso has written as if he were the voice of plants and plants certainly have a lot to say. Written akin to a nation’s constitution, the work aims to remind us that plants are necessary and we need them to continue our survival. Mancuso urges the understanding that we are not separate from plants but live in a symbiotic relationship with them and that our survival and theirs is intertwined.

Interested in how to be more of a friend to plants? Check out Garden Allies: The Insects, Birds & Other Animals That Keep Your Garden Beautiful and Thriving by Frederique Lavoipierre. Lavoipierre explains how to cultivate a garden that welcomes different creatures that will actually help it grow and keep down pests. Lavoipierre goes through a myriad of organisms and their different stages and shows how each may be an aid or a hindrance to the home garden. Lavoipierre advocates for the growing of native species in a garden that allow for a diverse ecosystem to grow. By doing so a garden will be more resilient, and pollinators that we rely so heavily on for our own food will be protected. By protecting the plants and animals in our gardens we also inevitably protect ourselves.

Read these books and enjoy a bountiful New Year.

The California State Library has generously made use of State COVID-19 funding to supply A.K. Smiley Public Library with six new electronic resources to help with job hunting and skill building.

These new eResources will be available through September 30, 2022. They may be accessed at the Library or from your home.

 

• Coursera partners with colleges and universities to teach interactive courses leading to “gateway” certifications, which help people get into entry-level jobs where they can continue learning as they move up in their careers.
• GetSetUp is specifically for adults over 55. It features live classes on physical, mental, social, and vocational health. The main objective is to help close the digital divide and teach adults over 55 new skills.
• Learning Express has many test preparation resources and also teaches basic adult core skills such as reading and writing improvement, grammar, and college preparation. This resource can also be used to prepare for the citizenship test. Learning Express is integrated with the job searching website Indeed, so you can search for appropriate jobs without having to leave the site.
• LinkedIn Learning offers state-specific exam preparation in seven languages. Coursework in business, technology, and related areas is offered. This resource is designed for people who have a good working knowledge of technology and wish to keep learning.
• NorthStar Digital Library is helpful for adult learners looking to expand their job opportunities and basic computer skills. You may log on to take an assessment test leading to a specific learning pathway. Essential computer skills for people in today’s job market are taught at a slower pace, and certificates or online badges are awarded when a class is completed.
• SkillShare is an interactive online learning community with a focus on creativity. Learning goals are suggested depending on individual interests. You can use this platform to learn everything from crafts to web design.

These resources can be found on Smiley Library’s eLibrary page at www.akspl.org/elibrary/, along with many other electronic resources for research, learning, and entertainment.