Albany Public Library discussion

Apropos to this week's topic... I just received news from my best friend via text message that Olivia Newton John has passed away. I have since confirmed this information through Internet searches and Kate.

Her performance in Grease will forever standout in my memory. But in my mind, Olivia was more of an ICON... which begs the question, what is the difference between an icon and a hero? Can one person be both? And is one superior to the other? If so... would you rather be an icon or a hero?

Our Week 7 Book List:
Taste Makers: Seven Immigrant Women Who Revolutionized Food in America
Somebody's Daughter: A Memoir
House of Sticks: A Memoir
All about Me!: My Remarkable Life in Show Business
Manifesto: On Never Giving Up
Steve Jobs
Invisible Child: Poverty, Survival & Hope in an American City
Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood
Lost & Found: A Memoir
She Memes Well
We Had a Little Real Estate Problem: The Unheralded Story of Native Americans in Comedy
Wildflower

This week's theme has led me to reflect on some of my heroes from fiction... Jo March from Little Women and Anne Shirley from Anne of Green Gables immediately come to mind.

Share your heroes (real or literary!) in the comments! (And also what you've been reading!)

I read “the Last Chance Library “ by Freya Sampson on the suggestion of a patron. It was about a very reluctant heroine who was inspired to activism by Roald Dahl’s heroine Matilda.

I’m a fan of heroines Wonder Woman, Mary Poppins and the staunch women in my family who kept everything together when it wasn’t.

What a great question! Icon and hero have distinct but I'm sure there are plenty of examples of those that have attained both statuses especially for individual people if not publicly recognized as such. Icon to me is more of a specialization-- a fashion icon or food icon. Their specialization and craft make them revered. Whereas heroes have faced odds and used their bravery and voice to champion others or the work they do. And I'd settle for either though I'd probably feel more comfortable as an icon than a hero-- I think we expect MORE from a hero.

As for my reading, I finished the poetry collection on Hoopla this morning, a memoir that is BEAUTIFUL called Home for Hurricanes: A Memoir of Resilience in Poetry and Prose.

And heroes and icons of mine? Hmmm! Clearly I can think of several iconic authors and artists. Bands.

This morning, I finished The Dictionary of Lost Words , and I look forward to discussing it in Summer Reading Book Club this evening.

I can't decide what hero to share, maybe because there are too many to choose from. But now I have the David Bowie song "Heroes" stuck in my head. Does that count?

Mirkat wrote: "This morning, I finished The Dictionary of Lost Words, and I look forward to discussing it in Summer Reading Book Club this evening.

I can't decide what hero to share, maybe becaus..."

You know it counts to me! Haha! Yeah, I can't wait to discuss this horrible book tonight... good thing there will be ice cream...

This morning, I finished I'm Glad My Mom Died It's a memoir by Jennette McCurdy, who played Sam on iCarly. She's gotten some heat for the title being "insensitive," but as a YouTuber I follow has said, by the time you get halfway through the memoir, you will most likely be rooting for the mother to die. She was a narcissistic, abusive stage mom who literally taught her daughter how to have an eating disorder. At age 11. Audiobook is narrated by the author.

Not this week, but I finished Daisy Jones & the Six on July 19th. It was okay, I preferred The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (not completed during the reading challenge).

I was busy reading this week! I finished City of Girls, Educated, and Harry Potter 1,2, and 3!

Anne C wrote: "Mirkat wrote: "This morning, I finished The Dictionary of Lost Words, and I look forward to discussing it in Summer Reading Book Club this evening.

I can't decide what hero to shar..."
I finished The Dictionary of Lost Words right before the Summer Reading Book Club meeting. I liked it a lot more than Anne did!

Kelly wrote: "I was busy reading this week! I finished City of Girls, Educated, and Harry Potter 1,2, and 3!"

May wrote: "Not this week, but I finished Daisy Jones & the Six on July 19th. It was okay, I preferred The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (not completed during the reading challenge)."

OMG Kelly! You really were busy reading this week!!!

I finished Nanny Needed last night. Very creepy and uncomfortable.

I just finished “Girls They Write Songs About” by Carlene Bauer.

This week I finished All This Could Be Yours and The Sun Down Motel. I think that brings me to 10 books!

I read House of Sticks from this list. It was an engaging story of a very young Vietnamese immigrant's story from arrival in NY, her rough childhood and young adulthood, and her finally coming to terms with it all.

One plea after reading this book - if your kid says they need glasses, please, please believe them!

This week I finished Perpetual West! The author may have tried to take on too many topics in one book, leading to a rather unsatisfying ending, but I did enjoy the read nevertheless. It’s about a young couple living on the El Paso / Juarez border and navigating issues of family, identity, sexuality, academia, disordered eating, Mexican wrestling, etc.

All titles have been recorded up until this point :-)

Jody wrote: "I just finished “Girls They Write Songs About” by Carlene Bauer."

Congratulations Jody! You have completed the APL Summer Reading Challenge! Please let us know your preferred t-shirt size and the branch you would like to pick up from by emailing albanyreads@albanypubliclibrary.org. Once the t-shirt arrives at the branch, a staff member will notify you to pick it up. If you have any additional questions do not hesitate to ask.

Jane wrote: "This week I finished All This Could Be Yours and The Sun Down Motel. I think that brings me to 10 books!"

Hi Jane,

You are correct! You have completed the APL Summer Reading Challenge! Please let us know your preferred t-shirt size and the branch you would like to pick up from by emailing albanyreads@albanypubliclibrary.org. Once the t-shirt arrives at the branch, a staff member will notify you to pick it up. If you have any additional questions do not hesitate to ask.

Susan wrote: "I read House of Sticks from this list. It was an engaging story of a very young Vietnamese immigrant's story from arrival in NY, her rough childhood and young adulthood, and her fin..."

Congratulations Susan! You have completed the APL Summer Reading Challenge! Please let us know your preferred t-shirt size and the branch you would like to pick up from by emailing albanyreads@albanypubliclibrary.org. Once the t-shirt arrives at the branch, a staff member will notify you to pick it up. If you have any additional questions do not hesitate to ask.

I completed Queen of Shadows by Sarah J Maas. I liked the book, but somehow the positive ending was almost as stressful as a cliffhanger, because I’m predicting that there will be challenges ahead for the heroes!

Mya wrote: "I completed Queen of Shadows by Sarah J Maas. I liked the book, but somehow the positive ending was almost as stressful as a cliffhanger, because I’m predicting that there will be challenges ahead ..."

Thanks Mya for the review! I recorded the title.