Book Discussion

The Mayor of Casterbridge
by Thomas Hardy

Tuesday, November 22
7 to 8 p.m.

Please join us for this timeless classic. It is a tale of a man who is undone by his character defects, yet labors to redeem himself. Set in the fictional area of Wessex, Hardy's novels capture the essence of the rustic southwest region of England. His colorful, memorable characters and their fates are intricately linked to their natural environment.

The Green Spot

Take a hike! Attend our library program Hiking on Long Island, Thursday, September 22, 7 to 8:30 p.m. If you're too late for this, there are many other options.

Visit our hiking display on the first section of The Green Spot for hiking schedules from local organizations and books featuring some great treks and easy strolls. Some standouts include Short Nature Walks Long Island in which authors Rodney & Priscilla Albright take you on fifty-three leisurely walks with clear directions and detailed maps for each.

Long Island: A Guide to New York's Suffolk and Nassau Counties by Raymond Edward Spinzia, Judith Ader Spinzia and Kathryn Spinzia Rayne features many of the parklands on Long Island where you stroll the grounds of former estates or take more rigorous hikes through woodland preserves.

For those wishing to go further afield, try 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles of New York City by Christopher & Catherine Brooks. Unbounded by state lines, the trails showcase swamp streams and roaring waterfalls, hidden lakes and bald summits. A very scenic section of the Appalachian Trail is highlighted.

Many general books provide outdoor basics for hikers and backpackers, including Wilderness Basics by the San Diego Chapter of the Sierra Club. So get ready to get up and go!

Book Discussion

The Double Bind
by Chris Bohjalian
Wednesday, September 21
7 to 8 p.m.

The reading continues...
Now that the Adult Summer Reading Club and Booked for Lunch have ended, you can still get motivated to read by signing up and attending some great book discussions.

This spellbinding literary thriller, travels between the Roaring Twenties and the present, through Jazz Age Long Island and rural New England. A troubled homeless man's box of photographs holds the key to a deeply hidden secret that puts a young woman in jeopardy and into a cat and mouse game with pursuers who claim they want to save her.

Chris Bohjalian is a critically acclaimed bestselling author who takes readers on his most intriguing, most haunting, and most unforgettable journey yet.

Please sign up for the discussion at the Reference Desk where cardholders may pick up a copy of the book.

Booked for Lunch

Lunch time is book time at the Riverhead Free Library. Every Friday from 12: 30 to 1:30 p.m. through the end of August, librarians will present new authors and new books available for checkout to Riverhead cardholders. Here are a few samples of some of the latest titles.

The Beginners by Rebecca Wolff - Set in a secluded New England village, this atmospheric novel evokes a darkly Gothic aura. When two strangers show up in town, an adolescent girl becomes entangled in their lives and gets an unlikely education. Dread and desire hang over every page of this delicious thriller, as creepy as it is marvelous.

Silicon Jungle by Shumeet Baluja - In this sinister novel, a company's vast database of people's most private thoughts and actions raises ethical questions about today's cutting edge data-mining industry. Do-gooders, voyeurs, government agents, and radicals surface, and a naive, young intern is caught in the middle.

Last Men Out: The True Story of America's Heroic Final Hours in Vietnam by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin - The local author of Dark Noon, Tom Clavin co-authors this gripping true account of the brave U.S. Marines who led daring helicopter rescues, evacuating the remaining fellow marines and civilians as Saigon fell.

The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by Ree Drummond - This popular true romance is available in CD and in large print as well as in standard format. It tells the entertaining tale of a city girl who fell for an Oklahoma cowboy. From the author of The Pioneer Woman Cooks, this humorous story also provides some good "home-cooked" recipes.

Bring your own lunch and join us outdoors in the courtyard by the Yellow Barn for Booked for Lunch or indoors in case of rain or extreme heat!

Book Discussion: The Piano Teacher

by Janice J.K. Lee

Wednesday, July 20
7 to 8 p.m.

Join us for this intriguing piece of historical fiction set in Hong Kong during WWII and ten years later. Seduced by the social life of the expatriate community, Claire Pendelton begins an affair with an enigmatic Englishman whose devastating past threatens the present. This standout debut has been hailed by critics for its adept pacing and unexpected twists. The Piano Teacher offers a lush examination of East-West relations and compelling characters.

From the Horse's Mouth

Heartland (DVD)
Based on the books by Lauren Brooke, this series is set against the beautiful vistas of the Rocky Mountains. It is a story about a fifteen-year-old horse whisperer, her sister, and an inspirational grandfather, who live on their family-owned horse ranch. The multi-generational stories are about horses, family, friendship, and relationships. You will yearn for a trip to Alberta after viewing this compelling TV drama. The library has DVDs available for seasons 1, 2, and 3.

An enjoyable series for all! For those who prefer a movie to a TV series, check out Moondance Alexander or Touching Wild Horses.

In the News...

The 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War has begun. Numerous books--both fact and fiction--are available at the display (April 2011) nearest the Welcome Desk. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell is a classic. This superb piece of storytelling brings the Civil War and Reconstruction vividly to life. With the missing four chapters of the original manuscript recently found, you'll no doubt hear more about this acclaimed novel.

Cold Mountain, a novel by Charles Frazier, was the subject of a popular movie and was a National Book Award Finalist. Based on local history and family stories passed down by the author's great-great-grandfather, this novel tells the tale of a soldier's perilous journey back to his prewar sweetheart at the end of the Civil War.

Those more interested in the facts might like to read A Short History of the Civil War by James L. Stokesbury, an author who specializes in war history. The Everything Civil War Book by Brooke C. Stoddard and Daniel P. Murphy, PhD, is an easy to use source for referencing battles and events surrounding the Civil War.