Springfield-Greene County Library District discussion

Here are some titles our staff members have recently read and enjoyed:

"The Atlas of Beauty: Women of the World in 500 Portraits" by Mihaela Noroc

"Behind Her Eyes"by Sarah Pinborough

"Echo" by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine"by Gail Honeyman

"Illuminae" by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

"The Last Days of Night" by Graham Moore

"Midnight Without a Moon" by Linda Williams Jackson

"The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit" by Michael Finkel

"Today Will Be Different" by Maria Semple

"Wool" by Hugh Howey

What's the best book you've read recently?

I"m in the middle of "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng and so far it's the best book I've read in the last couple of months.

I just finished Priestdaddy: A Memoir The author is a poet and it shows in her writing. It's lovely and very funny. She is sometime crass, but in a George Saunders kind of way: never without purpose and honesty.

I know this is not new, but I'm a movie addict and try my best to read the books before seeing the film adaptations. Ready Player One blew. me. away. I hadn't experienced that kind of world-building magic with a main character I loved so much since I read The Magicians trilogy six years ago and Harry Potter 15 years ago. What a book!

Is the magicians trilogy the one they made a show about or are you talking about a different thing?

Ren wrote: Ready Player One blew. me. away." I love that book so much! Your comment about the world building is exactly how I feel. It's been a long time since a book sucked me in so much. I'm excited about the movie, though I'm a little worried about it as I always am when they make a movie based on a book I love.

Beloved is probably the best overall recently. The best new book i'd give to Ultraluminous: A Novel.

They are both very different in terms of content, but also both provide some interesting insights into the human condition, are beautifully written, and formally experimental and engaging.

Tumble & Blue
Currently my favorite children's general fiction; I admit that I picked it up because the cover art was pretty. However, the story inside is just as charming and magical with vivid imagery and characters, humor, and the importance of family and friendship.

Insanity on the Road to Glory by Estie Culler Bennington…

Ghosts of Evolution by Connie Barlow
-and-
The Ark Before Noah by Irving Finkle

I'm currently reading 11/22/63 by Stephen King. It has been a hard book to put down! 11/22/63

Stayed up way too late reading F. Scott Fitzgerald’s story collection “Flappers and Philosophers” last night. Perfect summer read!

Jake wrote: "I'm currently reading 11/22/63 by Stephen King. It has been a hard book to put down! 11/22/63"

My favorite book to recommend to others!

I loved 84, Charing Cross Road. I've been recommending it to everyone!

Have you heard of ACE scores or take the 10 question ACE test? Wow! Read The Deepest Well: Healing the Long-term Effects of Childhood Adversity by Nadine Burke Harris

I used the ACE tests in a past job in Child Welfare, but hadn't heard of this book, thanks for the lead.
I just finished Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult, It's about racism, in all it's forms, and an intense story, and engrossing. I highly recommend it.

I just finished Lisa Wingate's Tending Roses and loved it. I highly recommend it. It takes place in a small town not far from Springfield and the characters come to Springfield for shopping and such.

I'm currently reading The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. It is about how our brain and body respond to trauma and traumatic memories and flashbacks. It's very interesting!

Non-fiction: The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein. Great book about the racial segregation effects of public policies on housing and land use.

Fiction: The Hellfire Club by Jake Tapper. Tight, gripping political thriller set in 1954.

I recently read 'The Casual Vacancy' by J.K. Rowling. I've never read any of the Harry Potter books. This is a book for adults and I was really impressed with how good the writing is, how well-developed the characters are. and how good the story line is. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book.

Annora wrote: "I recently read 'The Casual Vacancy' by J.K. Rowling. I've never read any of the Harry Potter books. This is a book for adults and I was really impressed with how good the writing is, how well-deve..."

I enjoyed "The Casual Vacancy" too, and I recently read all three novels in Rowling's Cormoran Strike series (written under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith). They are different from "The Casual Vacancy" in a lot of ways, because it's a detective series, but it also has very well-developed characters and fascinating plots. I highly recommend!