I am no careerist, but I still have to be a functional human at work, and Hiding in the Bathroom: an introvert’s roadmap to getting out there (when you’d rather stay home), by Morra Aarons-Mele, seems like a great title to help my reluctant introvert nebbish self. Bathrooms are not my preferred refuge, of course; my cat-furred […]
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Local History Thursday: Dr. Everett H. Munro, Private Detective
When you utter the word, “detective,” a couple different characters may come to mind: Sherlock Holmes lurking around in his Milford coat with a magnifying glass, or perhaps a group of sleuths who don the motto, “We Never Sleep,” and call themselves the Pinkerton Detective Agency. According to David Grann in his highly applauded book, […]
Continue readingThe plucky ladies of fiction
As a veritable vanilla pudding of a woman, I am always gladdened by reading about the intrepid exploits of the sturdy and brave. That’s why I love novels about spunky females as they plunge fearlessly into danger, stand up to the wicked, and defeat their oppressors. These novels inspire and remind us of the strength. […]
Continue readingTeen Reviews: In Cold Blood
This is one of those books that most people have probably heard of. It investigates the gruesome murder of a family living in a tiny Kansas town, the search for their killers, and the process of the trial of the century. It is written in the style of a novel, so you get inside the […]
Continue readingA horrid new book list
When you’ve run out of ideas and your to-be-read pile is gone, desperation can set in quickly. That’s uncool. Book lists are the key to defeating the dreaded slump, and to honor the 200th birthday of the most famous horror novel of all time, Frankenstein, NPR put together a list of 100 favorite horror stories. Frankenstein and Dracula made […]
Continue readingTeen Reviews: Love Scene, Take Two
This was a great book. Not exactly what I was expecting when I picked it up, and we’ll get to why in a bit, but a great book. This is the sort of book that makes me shout at the characters and laugh out loud as I read. Teddy and Bennett are great characters – […]
Continue readingKids Read Picks, Vol. 2
Kids Read Picks presents book reviews and recommendations from kids in Mesa County. Don’t be surprised if you can’t find some of these books at the library or in stores: kids who attend Kids Read Book Club on Tuesdays at 4:00 at the Central Library have access to books before they are officially published. Rating […]
Continue readingHappy birthday, Annie Oakley
When I found out Annie Oakley’s birthday day was August 13, 1860, it reminded me of my girlhood enthusiasm for the petite sharpshooter from rural western Ohio. Born Phoebe Ann Mosey, Annie’s early years were marked by poverty and hardship. Her early interest in shooting was forbidden, and she says in her autobiography that “my […]
Continue readingJane Eyre
Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte, was published 171 years ago. The story of the “poor, obscure, plain, and little” Jane who survived a harsh, unloved, and lonely childhood has enthralled readers ever since, and her passionate nature, realized both in her rebellion against her oppressors and her love for Mr. Rochester, makes the novel a romantic […]
Continue readingTime to sew
Everyone needs a quiet place of their own when they can pout, lurk, or snivel quietly. I’m lucky to have a sewing room to hide in, and when I want to escape from the hurly-burly of everyday life, I turn to my trusted sewing machine. I can’t claim any great sewing expertise, but I like doing […]
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