Library Finds

One of my greatest enjoyments is the public library. We've settled on the Greece Public Library as our favorite local place to love books. This photo is taken on the children's side of the library and you can see the wall divider aquarium that divides the periodicals from the children's section. We're loving the freedom to read a slew of books every week - for free! This really is an amazing thing. This library has been especially helpful in ordering books and getting new releases on the shelf the day they're released. Big hurray for our libraries and librarians. Here are a few library finds from my reading basket:



Last week I got my hands on a copy of "My Sister's Keeper" by Jodi Picoult - a hot find it he library system right now. The librarian warned me that I only had a one week borrowing time frame on a new book - funny! I consumed this book in less than 48 hours. Got 5 days to spare!

The book is well written and tight in details. It uncovers the family dynamics around a long term, terminal illness - the joys, strains, priorities, and lives lived in light of the looming death & suffering of a family member. It also plumbs into the field of bioethics and fertility. It does both of these without being an "issues" book - and stays a compelling, family story. I emotionally understood each of the characters and felt with them as they walked through the story. Huge twists at the end of the book so don't go see the movie before you finish reading - you won't want to spoil it for yourself.



My new biography/memoir reading for this week is captivating. I'm reading Called Out of Darkness - a spiritual confession - by Anne Rice. She writes about her childhood faith rooted in the Catholic church. Her deliberate turn from faith to athiesm in her college years and then her return to faith and life transformation in her later life. She is aware and articulate and has lived the extremes of paganism and now a return to a love for Christ. Her thoughts on how much "faith" it takes to actively stay an athiest and not allow yourself any spiritual comfort was a stunning point. Very thought provoking - I'd love to sit over coffee and discuss this with someone.



I've been checking out a cookbook a week just to read & be inspired to cook new foods and old food in new ways. This week is a BONANZA - the bon appetit fast easy fresh cookbook edited by Barbara Fairchild. It is a 5 pound huge compilation of over 1000 from the monthly colum "fast easy fresh" in the bon appetit magazine. It is laid out by category and season. The photos are inspiring, the writing clear, the pages clean and inviting. (Christmas gift plug: it is currently on sale at Amazon for only $23 with free shipping - a deal on this huge of a cookbook. On Amazon you can also see the 100 positive comments about it from readers - a great Christmas find)