From the Horse's Mouth

Soldier Dogs: The Untold Story of America's Canine Heroes by Maria Goodavage

Dogs have always played an important role in all branches of the military. Ms. Goodavage takes an in-depth look at these remarkable canines, known as MWDs (Military Working Dogs). She describes the selection, training, and preparation of these animals for roles in patrol, substance detection, and most of all combat. The book emphasizes the relationships between the animals and their handlers. It also includes information about the war dog memorial and the war dog organization. How do you describe these dogs? Just awesome!

Enjoy reading about dogs? We also have available in book, CD, and ebook the story of Oogy: The Dog Only a Family Could Love by Larry Levin. The author's family adopted this severely injured puppy who had been used as bait in dog fights and brought back from the brink of death. With hope and love, this is a touching tale with a very happy ending!

In the News...

Strangers at the Feast
by Jennifer Vanderbes

The author, who garnered critical acclaim for her first novel, Easter Island, released this, her sophomore effort, in 2010. The story eerily forshadows the Trayvon Martin shooting. Although it takes place during Thanksgiving 2007, as the country teeters on the brink of recession, it is riveting and timely.

As three generations of the Olsen family gather to celebrate the holiday, two African-American teens from a nearby housing project embark on a mysterious job. The worlds of these two very distinct groups collide, culminating in a horrific crime. Vanderbes does an excellent job allowing the tension to build. However, the climatic moments seem rushed. Still, she is a novelist worth reading. This is truly a story "ripped from the headlines..."

Book Discussion

The Glass Castle

by Jeannette Walls

Saturday, March 24

11:00 a.m.

This thought-provoking memoir is as gripping as it is uplifting. As children, the author and her siblings fended for themselves, eating out of trash cans and living by their wits, while their parents inhabited a bizarre dreamworld. Yet Walls presents a unique and sometimes upbeat portrait of her life with them. There's lots to talk about in this thoroughly American chronicle.

All are welcome to register for the discussion at the Reference Desk. Cardholders may pick up a copy of the book here.

Book Discussion

RESCHEDULED

One Thousand White Women
by Jim Fergus

Saturday, March 3
11 a.m. to noon
(Downstairs in the Open Room)

Due to your requests, we are rescheduling this program, which was cancelled due to snow. Please join us to discuss this engrossing novel, a favorite of reading groups. Loosely based on actual historical events, this is the story of May Dodd and a colorful assembly of pioneer women, who under the auspices of the U.S. government, travel to the western prairies in 1874 to intermarry among the Cheyenne Indians. Sports reporter and author Jim Fergus (A Hunter's Road) brings the Cheyenne and their mates vividly to life at a pivotal time in U.S. history.

From the Horse's Mouth

War Horse by Michael Morpurgo

Told from the viewpoint of Joey, a beautiful red-bay colt, this novel evokes the courage and endurance of both man and horse.

Set in 1914 during World War I, Joey is bought by a farmer at an auction. Albert, the farmer's son, trains him and a strong loving bond is formed. Then Albert's father sells the colt to the cavalry. While charging into battle, Joey is captured by the Germans who use him to pull an ambulance and gun carts. The confusion and kindness of the enemies come together to save the wounded horse. A story not just for horse lovers but for those who enjoy historical fiction.

If you like heartwarming horse stories, then you will enjoy watching the DVD Long Shot, a story of courage and of overcoming the obstacles that life throws at us. When her husband leaves her, an equestrian and single mother moves to Colorado and rebuilds her life while working at a horse farm. A nice family movie.

Riverhead Reads: The Wild West

The Adult Winter Reading Club is back with Riverhead Reads: The Wild West. Stake your claim on a reading kit at the Adult Reference desk and begin.

Here are just a few of the books being offered:

Lighting Out for the Territory: How Samuel Clemens Headed West and Became Mark Twain by Roy Morris, Jr.

This lighthearted account of Samuel Clemens's sojourn through the American West documents how a failed search for silver prompted his literary reinvention and work as a journalist, stage performer, and short story writer

Those who prefer more traditional western stories might like to try Max Brand, Zane Grey, or Louis L'Amour. There's also less traditional westerns, designed to appeal to both men and women, and even some mysteries. Robert B. Parker 's acclaimed first western, Gunman's Rhapsody, plays out at the O.K. Corral with Wyatt Earp as the gunman. Check out Parker's Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch series as well.


If romance is what you're looking for, try one of Linda Lael Miller's novels. The Man from Stone Creek kicks off her Stone Creek series. Miller's books are more steamy unlike the Christian romances written by many female western authors such as Susan Page Davis and Lori Copeland.

Don't forget to check out the true stories of remarkable western women including High Spirited Women of the West by Ann Seagraves, Nothing Daunted: The Unexpected Education of Two Society Girls in the West by Dorothy Wickenden, and Cathy Williams: From Slave to Female Buffalo Soldier by Phillip Thomas Tucker.

Although you may read or listen to any book for a chance to win prizes in the Adult Winter Reading Club, you'll double your chances of winning by selecting one of these or other books from our preferred reading list. The Old West has it all!

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.