Best Books of 2008

The end of the year is approaching and that means that lots of folks are thinking about the best books published in 2008. I thought I'd share the links to a couple of those. The first one is from School Library Journal. If you see something on the list that sounds appealing and is targeted for young adults, but you can't find it in the library, slip your title request in the suggestion box; we'll try to get it for you.



The second link is from The New York Times. This list of "100 Notable Books" includes works in three categories: fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. These books are for adult readers, but, of course, many of them will appeal to Midland students. In fact, we already have several of them.



These two lists should keep you busy until the Best Books of 2009 lists come out. Happy reading!

Welcome Back!

Due to my malfunctioning camera, I haven't been able to post photographs of the fine work Jim Quick and his crew have been doing in the library this summer. I'm still having trouble, but I hope to get photos up for you in the next few days. In the meantime, here's what's been happening...

The Willrich side...

The Willrich side is complete, and, if I do say so myself, looks pretty darned spiffy. (This is where fiction and biography live.) My new favorite thing is the beautiful Midland walnut mantle that Tom Rogowski made so that we could put the busts of Paul Squibb and Carl Munger above the fireplace. They look cozy up there, and will soon have a backdrop of Midland art. The Squibb map of the property is moving to Main House where folks will be able to see it better.

My second favorite thing is the new magazine shelving also built by Tom. Last year a survey of the students led to the purchase of several more subscriptions, and we needed more space to show them off.

My third favorite thing is the wooden letters spelling out "fiction" and "biography." Last year's students expressed a very clear desire for better signs in the library so that it would be easier to find things. We're making that a priority this year. Look for more of these signs as we continue to work on the Webb side.

Speaking of the Webb side...

This is the side where all of the nonfiction lives. Unfortunately, we aren't going to be done on this side until the end of September. We tried so hard to get good used library shelving from the Santa Maria Public Library, but it just didn't work out the way we hoped. So, we will not have shelves until September 29. This is not the end of the world. This afternoon, Cymbre, 2007-2008 library intern extraordinaire, put the reference books back on the metal shelves that we kept on that side. We'll also pull out nonfiction topics that folks will be teaching in September. And we're looking forward to firing up the new, efficient wood stove that is located on the windows side of the room.

The Computer Lab...

We still have a few things to finish, but the room is ready. We knocked out a wall and expanded into Jose Juan's old classroom. (Jose Juan's classroom now occupies half of his old classroom and all of what was the old computer lab. It's a beautiful space!) Phil began setting up our 25 new computers today. We have a new printer that also functions as a scanner and photocopier. You'll find all of the prefect, council, and captains boards hanging in this room.

We're looking forward to seeing you all in the library.

~The Bloggers

The Host by Stephenie Meyer

We promised a review of The Host, so finally, here it is. I confess that it took me a while to psyche myself up to read it, but I am really glad that I got myself into the right frame of mind. I loved it, even when I knew what was coming in the end.

For marketing purposes, this is Meyer's first novel for adults. It's true that most of the characters are adults of varying ages, most in their twenties, but this is a book that young adults can also read and appreciate, and it does appeal to a wider audience than the Twilight series.

The book is described as a modern take on an "invasion of the body snatchers" theme, which I suppose is true, but what makes this book so unexpectedly satisfying is Meyer's deft development of relationships between characters, some of whom live in the same body. It is at times a profoundly sad tale, and I'll admit that I shed a few tears. There were also times when I hadn't a clue as to how Meyer was going to resolve some of the escalating conflict within the plot. These twists take it above the typical sci-fi tale. And, really, it's hard to think of this as science fiction. Readers who don't typically enjoy a good sci-fi read will not be turned off by The Host.

OK, I know you're all ticking down the minutes until the release of Breaking Dawn so that you can get back to Bella and Edward, but while you're waiting, get yourself a copy of The Host. You're going to love Wanderer, Melanie, Ian, and Jared.

Hope you're all getting in some good recreational reading this summer.

~The Bloggers

Don't read "The Other Boleyn Girl"....yet

Dear Readers,

If you are planning to read The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory, I have a tip for you. DON'T read it UNTIL you have read The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory. The Constant Princess is about Queen Katherine's becoming Queen of England. If you read The Constant Princess first, it will help you to understand the secrets of The Other Boleyn Girl and give you a completely different (and somewhat shocking) perspective as to the Queen's choices in the situations presented to her. Of course, if you have already read The Other Boleyn Girl, that doesn't mean you should miss out on these advantages. You should still read The Constant Princess and discover the secrets of Queen Katherine and her family.

Enjoy your summer and keep up the reading!!!

~The Bloggers

New Books . . . not so simple

Most people don't realize how much work goes into getting a new book on a library shelf so that people can check it out.

Once a book is selected and purchased, it begins a journey through electronic cataloging, stamping, labeling, pocketing, and covering that takes quite a lot of time and expertise.

This year, I've had some expert help, especially when it comes to covering paperbacks. This involves wrapping an acid-free contact paper around the book as if it was a package. It takes some skill to cover a paperback without leaving a bunch of unsightly air holes. Here's a picture of someone who is an expert. Ruby has covered a lot of books this year, and she claims to actually enjoy doing it! Thanks, Ruby!

Meet the Bloggers: Blues

"Blues" is a sophomore at Midland.

She loves to watch cheesy chick-flicks in her free time and to spend some time with friends and family!

Her favorite book is Prep and The Man of My Dreams, which are realistic novels by Curtis Sittenfeld.

Why PaperCuts?

When I was thinking about what to do to celebrate National Library Week, which isn't much of a to-do outside of the world of librarians, I thought that what I really wanted to do was find some way for Midland students who read a lot, and I do mean a lot, to publish their thoughts about the books they're reading. A blog where we could post reviews, photos, and videos all year long seemed perfect.

Before posting anything, I had to find some catchy name for our blog. (Google won't let you set up a blog without a name!) As soon as I was put on the spot, naturally, I couldn't think of anything at all interesting. So, I called my husband, who has an uncanny talent for such things. The first thing out of his mouth was PaperCuts. I loved it, but I didn't want his head to swell too much, so I consulted a few other folks, who had really great ideas like GreenZine and IQCompost. All good, but I just couldn't get PaperCuts out of my head.

Why PaperCuts? It's so perfect because at Midland we are truly committed to sustainable living. Our students learn from the moment they step onto our campus that we are all stewards of the land, and that with that stewardship comes a certain responsibility. We are 15% solar powered, and our solar arrays are installed by students. And we are particularly passionate about limiting waste and recycling. (Click here to learn more about us.)

That's where PaperCuts comes in. Sure, electronic book reviews cut down on paper, but the real message is recycling. Libraries are the ultimate recyclers. We have been from the first idea of a free, public lending library. One book read over and over and over by scads and scads of people. Saves loads and loads of trees. . . PaperCuts.

Oh sure, PaperCuts, original name? No. A little Google searching (sorry, I still can't accept "googling" as a verb) shows that many others have fancied the name Paper Cuts as well, most notably The New York Times, which is blogging about "books and other printed matter." Many other libraries are blogging under the name Papercuts, and a company in Canada calling itself Paper Cuts will come to your business and professionally shred all of your paper and haul it off for recycling.

But we'll keep PaperCuts and our original twist on the name. It's perfect for Midland and the way we live and read.

Meet the Bloggers: "SomethingShiny"

ShinyStuff is a freshman at Midland. In her spare time (which she has a lot of) she enjoys sitting in hammocks, reading, horseback riding, and theatre.

Her favorite books include The Unbearable Lightness of Being, the Twilight Series, Brothers Grimm, Harry Potter, The Golden Compass, Drowning Wednesday, The Secret Life of Bees, the Sabriel Series, and Cyrano De Bergerac.

This is a very small list that will be edited daily!

Midnight Sun: Twilight from Edward's POV

OK, so we might be a bit preoccupied with the Twilight series around here. Really, we do read other things, and we will tell you about them--eventually--, but, for now, back to Stephenie Meyer.

The library received two copies of her new SciFi book The Host last week. Both copies were reserved before they even arrived. We processed them and checked them out in record time. Now we're waiting for them to come back to hear reviews from our first two readers. It's taking a bit longer because of that pesky World Studies paper, but that's over now, so we're sure to hear about The Host soon. If you've read it, we'd love to hear from you, but please, don't spoil it for us.

In the meantime, there are a few people who've said they find it hard to think about a brand new series when we still haven't finished with Bella and Edward. If you're of like mind, here's some reading candy for you all. Meyer has been working on a novel called Midnight Sun that is Twilight told from Edward's point of view. If you click here, you can read the first chapter, which she has posted on her web site. I've just finished reading it, and I'm looking forward to reading the entire thing asap.

Meet the Bloggers: Demon Hunter

"Demon Hunter" is a freshman at Midland School.

In his valuable spare minutes, he enjoys surfing the bottomless internet and snaring the most interesting fiction book he can find, while juggling everything else along with it.

Meet the Bloggers: "Nightwalker"

"NightWalker" is a sophomore at Midland. In the free time she doesn't have she enjoys: acting, reading, singing, dancing, jumping roofs, and breaking things of value.

Her very favorite books include: the Twilight Series, the Gemma Doyle Series, anything by Shakespeare, Interview With a Vampire, Cyrano De Bergerac, The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, Where the Wild Things Are.

She would list more but it would take up the entire page. . . .

Twilight: the movie

Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series has rapidly become a roaring success. Which is not a surprise, because once you open the book it’s impossible to put down. Bella’s portrayal of life in Forks is hardly a paradise, but as soon as she meets the mysterious Edward Cullen, readers will quickly be anticipating what will come next. With his messy bronze hair, topaz eyes, sparkling skin, and god-like good looks, how could readers not be enthralled by Edward?

With the series' success, it’s surprising that they hadn’t opted to make it into a movie sooner. However, many of the books followers are a tad worried about the movie, which isn’t difficult to understand because Hollywood’s book to movie record isn’t fantastic. One major example of this is the Harry Potter films. One of the main concerns is the casting of Edward. Robert Patterson will be Edward in the upcoming movie, however many of the series followers are worried that he cannot do the role justice. My opinion is very similar, but after viewing some of the fan made trailers, Patterson has begun to grow on me. Then again, most people who have read the books are a bit biased, because we have created images that no human can live up to, which is one of the books best qualities. It allows us to dream, but when you put that dream person into reality, it takes away all the perfection and beauty of him, and makes him, well, human.

The movie is set to be released on the twelfth of December this year. There is a lot of anticipation, but if you aren’t a teenage girl, you will most likely not be as excited as the swooning, screaming and fainting people around you to which I will proudly admit being one of. And even though I have my skepticism about the movie, I can assure I will be one of those screaming girls. Hey, we all have our guilty pleasures.

The Thirteenth Tale…gothic and brilliant

“My gripe is not with lovers of the truth, but with truth herself. What succor, what consolation is there in truth, compared to a story? What good is truth, at midnight, in the dark, when the wind is roaring like a bear in the chimney? When the lightning strikes shadows on the bedroom wall and the rain taps at the window with its long fingernails? No. When fear and cold make a statue of you in your bed, don’t expect hard-boned and fleshless truth to come running to your aid. What you need are the plump comforts of a story. The soothing, rocking safety of a lie.”
--Vida Winter in The Thirteenth Tale

I confess that I’m a sucker for a beautiful book cover. Many a time I have browsed the library stacks or bookstore shelves and checked out or purchased a book simply because I loved its cover. The best book I’ve ever read, Possession by A.S. Byatt, was purchased at Black Oak Books in Berkeley only because I couldn’t walk away from that gorgeous cover. This was before they made a movie out of it and put Gwyneth Paltrow on the front.

The Thirteenth Tale has a beautiful cover—a stack of old leather-bound books with beautiful marbling on the sides of their pages. Naturally, that book was going home with me. It was Spring Break, after all, and I’d finally have time to read in large, uninterrupted stretches.

I was hooked in three pages. Seriously, I haven’t read anything this good in a long, long time. The main character, Margaret Lea, works in a rare book shop and writes biographies about dead authors, mainly because she’d rather not talk to people, if she can help it. She receives a letter from Vida Winter, the most popular author of her day. Margaret hasn’t read any of Vida’s books; she doesn’t read modern fiction. However, this letter is so extraordinary that Margaret shuts herself in her room and reads everything by Vida Winter she can get her hands on.

What does Vida Winter want? She wants Margaret to visit. She claims that she has lied in every interview she has ever given. She wants Margaret to write her biography, and she swears to tell Margaret the truth. The truth, at last, for the first time in her life.

Margaret cannot help herself. She is intrigued. She agrees to visit and write Vida Winter’s biography. The tale that Vida Winter tells her is extraordinarily creepy, horrifying, and mesmerizing. You’ll be repulsed and fascinated at the same time. You’ll also be riveted by Vida’s story and its surprises and by Margaret’s own journey of self-discovery as she unravels Vida’s secrets.

This is author Diane Setterfield’s first novel, which was quite a disappointment to me when I raced off to the public library to see if I could get another one of her books. Setterfield is a former professor of French literature. This novel may be a ripping gothic read, but it is also a work of literary art.

Check it out. You won’t be sorry. If you've already read it, we'd love to hear what you thought of it.

Welcome to the Midland Library Blog!

We're online at last!

This blog exists because we want to share our passion for books. Here is where we plan to discuss our opinions about books, compare books and movies, request your comments about books you're reading, and keep you up-to-date on new books and events in the library. It's all about books! This isn't a site just for current Midland students; it is also open to parents, alumni/alumnae, Midland faculty, and readers who are passionate about books.

Stay tuned for book reviews, surveys, and contests. We're new to this, and we welcome your comments and suggestions.

Keep reading!

~The Bloggers