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.

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.

From the Horse's Mouth

Secretariat (DVD)

A tribute to one of the most legendary and loved thoroughbreds of all time. After twenty-five years of no Triple Crown winners, Secretariat, affectionally known as Big Red, garnered this title in 1973. Penny Chenery Tweedy, who inherited her father's stable, acquires Secretariat when she loses a coin toss. This DVD recreates the spectacular journey of an incredible horse and the women who risks everything to make him a champion. You don't have to love horses to enjoy this family film (PG) filled with warmth, thrill, and drama. Special features include unseen race footage and interviews behind the scenes.

If you're looking for other racehorse DVDs, check out Seabiscuit; On the Muscle: Portrait of a Thoroughbred Racing Stable; and Racing Stripes. If you like to read, check with a reference librarian for some great books on the thoroughbreds.

Have you read...?

Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier

This fine example of historical fiction boasts a starred review in Publishers Weekly. Set in pre-Darwinian Regency England, the story tells of an unlikely friendship between two women fossil hunters who live in the small community of Lyme Regis. Together they explore the world of paleontology, a science where men rule and women are dismissed, receiving little credit for their remarkable finds.

I listened to the book on CD and each of the two characters tells their first person story, beautifully executed by the actors Susan Lyons and Charlotte Parry. As well as being available as a CD and in standard format, the book is available as an e-book and in large print. Chevalier is also the author of the popular book Girl with a Pearl Earring.

We hope you will like Have you read...? We will continue featuring new books on this blog. If you read Remarkable Creatures, please blog to us about it.

Book Discussion

The Remains of the Day

by Kazuo Ishiguro

Monday, February 16, 2911

7:00 p.m.

Please join us to discuss this critically acclaimed novel set in postwar England. Winner of the Booker Prize, its story is told from the viewpoint of Stevens, the perfect English butler. At the end of his three decades of service at Darlington Hall, Stevens confronts his doubts about the true nature of the "great" man he served.

The New York Times Book Review proclaimed this to be "One of the best books of the year" when it was written in 1988, while the Boston Globe labelled it as "One of the best books of the decade." The book was later made into a movie, starring Anthony Hopkins, and produced by Merchant Ivory.

To attend this book discussion, please sign up at the Reference Desk.

Book Discussion: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Saturday, January 22
11 a.m. to noon

Set in Sweden, Stieg Larson's international bestseller The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo introduces a provocatively odd couple who investigate the forty year old disappearance of a young heiress. Mikael Blomkvist, a disgraced financial analyst, and Lisbeth Salander, a multipierced tattooed computer hacker, are a favorite of readers across the globe with Blomkvist reflecting the late author's own tumultuous career as a crusading journalist.

Copies of this remarkable crime novel are available for those wishing to participate in the book discussion. Please sign up at the Reference Desk.

Riverhead Reads: Passport to Mystery

Winter is here and so is the Adult Winter Reading Club 2011, Riverhead Reads: Passport to Mystery. Read or listen to any book for a chance to win prizes in our weekly raffle drawings. Read a book from our preferred reading list, featuring international crime fiction, and double your chances of winning. Here's a sample of a few of the books listed for Scandanavia.

Before the popular Stieg Larsson series (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo), the first grandmasters of Swedish dectecive fiction were the writing team of Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo. The Man on the Balcony features Stockholm police inspector Martin Beck who also fights crime in The Locked Room. If you don't mind Scandinavian dreariness or brutal crimes, put this Edgar winning duo next on your list.

Even James Patterson has hopped on the bandwagon with his own Swedish crime thriller, The Postcard Killers, which he co-wrote with Swedish novelist, Lisa Marklund. We have plenty of extra copies of this book on hand. The number one bestselling author in Europe, Marklund has yet to make it big in the USA, but expect more of her books to surface here in the near future.

Swedish mystery writer Henning Mankell's Detective Inspector Kurt Wallander series features a rumpled, irritable middle-aged cop. Though the character failed to capture the same devoted attention of American readers as did Larsson's tattooed heroine, the author gets high praise for intricate plotting and for his tackling of social and global issues. Try The Dogs of Riga or any of his other available mysteries for something different.

The Scandanavian invasion is not just limited to Sweden. Many top notch crime writers hail from other countries, including Norwegian writer Karin Fossum. Her Inspector Sejer series is kicked off by Don't Look Back, set in an idyllic Norwegian village. Fossum is another author who is widely acclaimed across Europe and many of her books are available here as well.

Most of the international mystery authors write series mysteries with continuing characters. However, their books that are published in the USA may vary from the order in which they were published in their native countries. In most cases it is unnecessary to read an author's books in any particular order. Check with the Reference Desk to join the Adult Winter Reading Club and pick up a kit for your Passport to Mystery.

In the News

Author Thomas Clavin's new release (November 2010) pays tribute to the entertainers who made Las Vegas what it is today. That Old Black Magic: Louis Prima, Keely Smith, and the Golden Age of Las Vegas celebrates these legendary stars along with a host of others who graced the Las Vegas stages--Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, and Eddie Fisher. Set in the 1950s and early 1960s, this true tale tells the captivating Vegas back story that launched the city as an entertainment mecca. Read firsthand accounts about Las Vegas and its entertainers in autobiographies, such as Tony Bennett's The Good Life.

Recently, Mr. Clavin hosted a fascinating author talk at the Riverhead Free Library featuring his book Dark Noon: The Final Voyage of the Fishing Boat "Pelican." It was September 1951 when an overloaded fishing boat sank off the coast of Montauk, killing most of those onboard. The author was able to interview a few remaining survivors to provide a gripping and realistic account of the tragedy. If you haven't read this book yet, now is the time. We will have multiple copies available for check out shortly.

Where the Fur Flies

Human-Animal bonds. Americans love their pets! Just look at all the books written on this subject. Every month there are one or two new titles. This bond is mutually beneficial to our health and well-being. It has existed for thousands of years. In addition to the health benefits, animals actively assist us in many other ways. An unspoken, deeply felt bond is created between animals and people!

The following books are just a few of the many wonderful stories where animals of all types have made our lives richer and fuller. This bond is so good for both species!

Homer's Odyssey: A Fearless Feline Tale or How I Learned About Life and Love with a Blind Wonder Cat by Gwen Cooper. Once in a lifetime story of an extraordinary cat and his human companion. This story about love and hope is funny and moving for anyone who has fallen in love with an animal with a disability. A must read!

An Eagle Named Freedom: My True Story of a Remarkable Friendship by Jeff Guidry. The moment Jeff saw the baby eagle with broken wings, his life was changed. "Freedom" couldn't fly but she had Jeff. A very moving story.

Hachi: a Dog's Tale. DVD. Based on a true story from Japan, it is inspirational and heartwarming. I loved this movie!

Angel by My Side: The True Story of a Dog Who Saved a Man and a Man Who Saved a Dog by Mike Lingenfelter. This is about Mike and his rescue golden retriever. When two serious heart attacks and open heart surgery threaten to take away most of Mike's reason for living, Dakota, an extraordinary service dog, is by his side to help him gain his independance. Dakota was '1999 Service Dog of the Year' by Delta Society and was chosen as 'Humanitarian of the Year' by the National Sertoma Club of Dallas. Dakota was the first non-human recipient in history for this award.

Why We Ride: Women Writers on the Horses in Their Lives. Horses are chosen for their beauty, ability, trust, and friendship. They teach us something about becoming stronger, better people. Based on this trust, this is truly a symbiotic relationship. A great book for both horse owners and horse lovers.

Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl by Stacey O'Brien. I loved this book. The author captured the essence of the soul of Wesley. It is funny, fascinating and powerful. A must read about selfless devotion.

Making Rounds with Oscar: The Extraordinary Gift of an Ordinary Cat by David Dosa. Touching! A must read for cat lovers or anyone with compassion for humans in a medical setting. This story proves there are no ordinary cats!

For more books about the human-animal bond, check out the November 2010 display by the large print books.