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World War II Recommended Reading

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June 6, 2019 marks the 75th anniversary of the D-Day Landings and the Battle of Normandy. The library has a wonderful collection of World War II novels and non-fiction. The following are just a few suggested titles. Check back for more recommended reading every week in June.

THE LIGHT OVER LONDON
By Julia Kelly
“This is a bold story of a young woman’s innocence and heartache, and her satisfying discovery of her worth and inner strength.” PW

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

THE ALLIES: ROOSEVELT, CHURCHILL, STALIN,
AND THE UNLIKELY ALLIANCE THAT WON WORLD WAR II
By Winston Groom
“Groom’s legions of fans will enjoy his novelistic approach to history, and all readers will appreciate the plethora of information he offers about three of the most important personalities of the twentieth century. With plenty of action, romance, intrigue, diplomacy, tragedy, and richly detailed history, The Allies is a strong addition to WWII collections.” ~Booklist

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

THE ALICE NETWORK
By Kate Quinn
“A compelling blend of historical fiction, mystery, and women’s fiction, Quinn’s complex story and engaging characters have something to offer just about everyone.” ~Library Journal

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

DOUBLE CROSS: THE TRUE STORY OF THE D-DAY SPIES
By Ben MacIntyre
“Macintyre effortlessly weaves the agents’ deliciously eccentric personalities with larger wartime events to shape a tale that reads like a top-notch spy thriller.” ~PW

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

Staff Picks for May

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Winnie’s Great War
by Lindsay Mattick and Josh Greenhut; illustrated by Sophie Blackall
Winnie-the-Pooh had a namesake: Winnie the bear cub of Winnepeg, Canada. This historic middle grade novel tells the story of how Winnie made it to England during WWI. Mattick is the great-granddaughter of the soldier who started the adventure when he met Winnie in 1914. A magical book, beautifully illustrated, perfect to read together with a child. ~LM

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

The Fifteen Wonders of Daniel Green
by Erica Boyce
Daniel Green has spent his adult life making crop circles as part of a secret society that travels the world. When he is hired by a farmer in a small Vermont town to make his 15th circle, his life is changed forever. Great characters and a satisfying ending. ~LQ

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

Where the Forest Meets the Stars
by Glendy Vanderah
After conquering breast cancer and losing her mother, a grad student returns to her nesting bird research deep in the Illinois forest where she unexpectedly meets a mysterious child. A truly tender story. ~KC

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

Staff Picks For April

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AMERICAN POP
by Snowden Wright
A masterful family saga about the making and unmaking of a soda pop dynasty. Four generations of the Forsters span the 20th century and criss cross the globe while the public searches for the secret ingredient that propels the soft drink to success. ~JF

For more information, or to place a hold on this item, please click here.

THE DREAMERS
by Karen Thompson Walker
A strange new virus is sweeping through Santa Lora, California, putting its victims into a deep and seemingly endless dream filled sleep. As more people fall prey to the rapidly spreading disease, who will be left to care for the dreamers? ~SB

For more information, or to place a hold on this item, please click here.

LEADING MEN
by Christopher Castellani
Castellani weaves pure magic in this historical fiction about playwright Tennessee Williams’ and Frank Merlo’s romantic relationship and their circle of friends. It is really Merlo’s story as Castellani gets inside his head to explore what made this working class man tick. Captivating and beautiful. ~PB

For more information, or to place a hold on this item, please click here.

SHOUT
by Laurie Halse Anderson
The follow up to SPEAK, Anderson once again puts forth a powerful piece of literature filled with compelling prose and fierce dialog. Particularly relevant as the #MeToo movement gains more attention. ~KC

For more information, or to place a hold on this item, please click here.

Staff Picks For March

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In addition to our 2019 One Book, One Town pick HARBOR ME, by Jacqueline Woodson (found here), we have a few more terrific recommendations for your March reading from our library staff:

Her One Mistake by Heidi Perks
Harriet’s four-year old daughter Alice goes missing at a local fair while in the care of Charlotte, a family friend. Told from multiple points of view, this novel is brimming with emotion, unveiling hidden pasts and dark secrets all leading up to a stunning conclusion. ~KC

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

Out of the Dark by Gregg Hurwitz
The fourth novel in the Orphan X series continues the action. Evan Smoak, a former black ops assassin with a heart, uses his training to help ordinary civilians in desperate situations while fighting back against government agents who aren’t happy he’s gone rogue. ~AP

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

Blood Water Paint by Joy McCullough
This novel in verse tells the story of the painter Artemisia Gentileschi. One of the most talented painters in Rome in the early 1600’s, no one knew her name until she was raped by another painter, Agostino Tassi. Can she take strength from the brave female biblical subjects of her paintings to face her attacker and paint again? ~JL

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

Dopesick by Beth Macy
Our country is struggling to cope with a terrorizing opioid crisis. Through interviews with families, addicts, dealers, counselors, clergy and law enforcement, the author attacks this epidemic straight on, unveiling the true criminals—big pharma and our nation’s most dangerous and habit forming gateway drug ~KC

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

Spotlight on Author Louise Penny

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Louise Penny’s series, featuring Chief Inspector Armand Gamache is a perennial favorite among library staff and patrons. Set in the fictional village of Three Pines in the province of Quebec, this series will entertain and enthrall readers with a quirky cast of characters, as well as transport them to a quaint Canadian village with no shortage of secrets and murder. The titles in this series are listed below, in order, for your convenience. Happy reading!

STILL LIFE
“This is a real gem of a book that slowly draws the reader into a beautifully told, lyrically written story of love, life, friendship, and tragedy. And it’s a pretty darn good mystery too.” ~Booklist

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

A FATAL GRACE
“Penny is a careful writer, taking time to establish character and scene, playing around with a large cast, distracting us so we won’t see the final twists coming until they’re upon us. This is a fine mystery in the classic Agatha Christie style, and it is sure to leave mainstream fans wanting more.” ~Booklist

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

THE CRUELEST MONTH
“Penny is an award-winning writer whose cozies go beyond traditional boundaries, providing entertaining characters, a picturesque locale, and thought-provoking plots. Highly recommended.” ~Library Journal

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

A RULE AGAINST MURDER
“Murder interrupts Chief Insp. Armand Gamache and his wife’s annual summer holiday at Quebec’s isolated, lake-front Manoir Bellechasse in Agatha-winner Penny’s intriguing, well-crafted fourth mystery.” ~Publisher’s Weekly

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

THE BRUTAL TELLING
“Having won numerous mystery prizes, including the prestigious Arthur Ellis and Anthony awards for her debut, Still Life, Canadian author Penny has only gotten better with each succeeding novel. Her fifth in the series is the finest of all.” ~Library Journal

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

BURY YOUR DEAD
“Penny’s first five crime novels in her Armand Gamache series have all been outstanding, but her latest is the best yet, a true tour de force of storytelling.” ~Booklist

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

A TRICK OF THE LIGHT
“Readers who love literary mystery writers such as Donna Leon will enjoy Penny’s latest excellent series entry.” ~Library Journal

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

THE BEAUTIFUL MYSTERY
“This heart-rending tale is a marvelous addition to Penny’s acclaimed series. Fans won’t be disappointed.” ~Library Journal

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN
“Another bravura performance from an author who has reinvented the village mystery as profoundly as Dashiell Hammett transformed the detective novel.” ~Booklist

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

THE LONG WAY HOME
“Another gem from the endlessly astonishing Penny.” ~Booklist

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

THE NATURE OF THE BEAST
” A strong sense of place, a multilayered plot, and well-crafted (and for Penny’s fans, familiar) characters combine for a thoughtful, intriguing tale.” ~Library Journal

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

A GREAT RECKONING
“This riveting read, with characters of incredible depth who only add to the strength of the plot, will keep readers guessing until the last page.” Library Journal

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

GLASS HOUSES
“The familiar, sometimes eccentric, denizens of Three Pines and Gamache’s loyal investigative team help propel the plot to an exciting, high-stakes climax.” ~Publisher’s Weekly

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

KINGDOM OF THE BLIND                                                                                                               “Insightful, well-plotted… Penny offers intriguing commentary on the willful blindness that can keep people from acknowledging the secrets and lies in their own lives. Penny wraps up some continuing story lines and sends recurring characters in surprising directions.” ~Publishers Weekly

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

 

Staff Picks For February

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A LIGHT OF HER OWN
By Carrie Callaghan

In Haarlem, Holland in 1633, a young woman sets out to make her mark as a member of the prestigious artist guild. Few women artists existed. Based on the life of Judith Leyster. Comparable to THE MINIATURIST. ~ KC

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

CALLING MAJOR TOM
By David M. Barnett

For everyone who loved A MAN CALLED OVE or THE STORY OF ARTHUR TRULUV, this story of a curmudgeonly astronaut on his way to Mars will have you rooting for everyone involved. ~ LQ

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK (audiobook)
By James Baldwin

Fonny and Tish are a young black couple who fall in love in early 1970s New York City. Baldwin’s writing flows eloquently-authentic and profound. Audiobook narrator Bahni Turpin makes his words come alive. A film adaptation was released in 2018. ~PB

For more information, or to place a hold on the print version of this title, please click here.

The audio version of this title is available through OverDrive here.

January Staff Picks

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Little by Edward Carey
This charming narrator takes us into her strange world —first one of poverty and servitude, later to a time at the palace of Versailles, and finally to glimpses of Paris at the time of the French Revolution. Her large capacity for work and love are what make this book compelling. Based on the early life of the wax artist Madame Tussaud. ~BJS

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.


Ninety-Nine Glimpses of Princess Margaret
by Craig Brown
Unlike other biographies of this fascinating royal, these ninety-nine chapters show insight into the Princess’ personality from numerous points of view through vignettes about her life. Compulsively readable — a must-read for fans of The Crown. ~JF

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.


An Atlas of Natural Beauty: Botanical Ingredients for Retaining and Enhancing Beauty by Victoire de Taillac and Ramdane Touhami
A beautifully illustrated and extremely thorough collection of botanical ingredients for a more natural you! With simple home beauty recipes. ~KC

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.


The Dakota Winters by Tom Barbash
This family driven story is set in 1980. It is bittersweet, poignant chronicle of a moment in the history of New York City and the country at large. ~LQ

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

Staff Picks For November

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Staff Picks For November

Rising Out of Hatred by Eli Saslow
Non-fiction. Recommended highly by three FPL librarians — this book explores the life of a young man raised in hatred and bigotry who steps into the wider world and opens his mind and heart to different people and ideas. ~Linda

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles by Mark Russell (author) and Mark Feehan (illustrator)
Heavens to Murgatroyd, it’s 1953! The closeted Southern playwright known as Snagglepuss is the toast of Broadway and the focus of the House Committee on Un-American Activities. This sophisticated graphic novel hits all the right notes. ~PB

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

A Key to Treehouse Living by Elliot Reed
For William Tyce, the only way to narrate his life is to put it to paper, separating each event and memory in glossary form. After the death of his mother, his father abandons him and he is left in the care of his uncle and cousin. This is truly a unique coming-of-age story told in the most unpredictable way. ~KC

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

Loose Tongues by Chris Simms
First in a thrilling new series featuring DC Sean Blake. New to the Serious Crimes Unit, Blake and his colleagues race to solve a rash of gruesome murders. Heart pounding action throughout and a variety of characters we would like to get to know better. ~Sue B.

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

Staff Picks for October

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The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle
If you could have dinner with five people living or dead, who would you choose? This is a thought-provoking book with a tender love story and Audrey Hepburn thrown in. What’s not to love?! Reminded me of One Day by David Nicholls. —Claudia

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

 

The Lido by Libby Page
When an upscale development threatens the local lido, two very different women bring the community together to try to save the pool. Along the way they find in each other strength, friendship and what real community means. —Linda

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

 

Who is Vera Kelly? by Rosalie Knecht
1962: A young woman discovering her sexuality during pre-Stonewall New York City is recruited as a spy for the CIA and then thrown into a dangerous mission in pre-coup Argentina. —PB

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

 

Harry’s Trees by Jon Cohen
This is the story of an unlikely relationship between a widower, a widow and her 10-year-old daughter, who are all trying to save each other. Meanwhile an aging town librarian desperately seeks to rescue her beloved library. —KC

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

 

Murder at Half Moon Gate by Andrea Penrose
The second book in the Wrexford and Sloane historical mystery series.
Strong and fiercely independent Charlotte Sloane joins forces with handsome Lord Wrexford to track down the vicious killer of a gifted inventor. —Sue B

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

Spotlight on Author Paul Doiron

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If you haven’t read the Mike Bowditch series by author Paul Doiron, you’re missing out on some great thrillers. This series is a favorite among staff and patrons alike. If you would like to take a look, we’ve provided a list of the titles in the series, in order, below. Happy reading!

THE POACHER’S SON
“Doiron’s strong debut features Mike Bowditch, a newbie game warden, who hears that his estranged father, a hard-living poacher, has been accused of murdering two men and has escaped into a wilderness area. Ignoring the orders of both his superior and the police, Bowditch sets out to find his father and prove his innocence.” ~ Publisher’s Weekly

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

TRESPASSER
“Doiron serves up a tense thriller that stars a memorable main character and brings the rugged Maine landscape vividly to life.” ~Library Journal

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

BAD LITTLE FALLS
“Doiron’s third Bowditch entry is riveting and honest, with full-depth characters and a landscape that isn’t cutting any slack. Readers of Nevada Barr and C. J. Box will enjoy this similar tale, with the added surprise of a refreshing hero whose youth and inexperience Doiron skillfully twists into an asset.” ~Booklist

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

MASSACRE POND
“This series follows Bowditch from the start of his warden career, and his evolution creates a constantly fresh perspective, nicely paired with solid procedural details and an outdoors education. Massacre Pond, arguably the best yet, boasts fair-minded exploration of Maine’s conflicting environmental and economic interests and marks a turning point for Bowditch, who questions his fit with a career that constantly requires suppressing his instincts.” ~Booklist

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

THE BONE ORCHARD
“Thoughtful plotting and strong characters raise this above the crime novel pack.”         ~Publisher’s Weekly

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

THE PRECIPICE
“This is one of the finest entries in a uniformly strong series that has quietly taken its place among the very best outdoors-based crime dramas.” ~Booklist

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

WIDOWMAKER
“The seventh Mike Bowditch novel (after The Precipice) continues to deliver vivid descriptions of rural Maine, a satisfying mystery (this one with tantalizing loose ends), and a conflicted main character.” ~Library Journal

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

KNIFE CREEK
“This solid eighth entry in the Mike Bowditch series, following Widowmaker (2016), is full of strong characters, great dialogue, and Doiron’s signature command of the rugged and natural Maine setting.” ~Booklist

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.

STAY HIDDEN
“The extraordinary sense of place makes this Doiron’s strongest novel yet. This is not Jessica Fletcher’s Maine. It is a much darker place, more like C. J. Box’s Wyoming. With foghorns.” ~Booklist

For more information, or to place a hold, please click here.