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Literary Salon meets the 2nd Wednesday of the month to share recent favorite books, authors, or series. Four readers shared the following books in July. Please join us at the next Lit Salon on Wednesday, August 10th at 5pm. Check lopezlibrary.org or email Beth for current information. Happy Summer Reading!
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Bravely
by Maggie Stiefvater
When a supernatural being appears in DunBroch on Christmas Eve with the intent of demolishing the realm, Princess Merida, under the watchful eyes of the gods, embarks on a series of epic journeys to save those she loves from ruin.
BETH says: If you loved the animated film, Brave, starring fiery young Merida, you will enjoy this follow-up book full of adventure, but also Celtic folklore and thoughtful insights into character.
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Answers in the pages
by David Levithan
When his mother rallies other parents to pull the book his class is reading from the district curriculum because it depicts a relationship between two boys, Donovan must speak up and stand out to stop this book from being banned.
BETH says: Told from 3 viewpoints. Quoting another reviewer, she wholeheartedly agrees that the author "...is a master of books that are kind but not precious, deeply thoughtful without being preachy, and always, always generous in their belief in the possibility of goodness and community."
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The thirteenth tale : a novel
by Diane Setterfield
Having spent six decades creating a series of alternate lives designed to bring her fame and fortune while hiding the truth about her tragic past, reclusive and enigmatic Vida Winter finds herself torn by young Margaret Lea's simple request for the truth about her own birth.
SHARI says: Endearingly billed as a Gothic romance, even though it's set in modern times.
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The watchmaker of Filigree Street
by Natasha Pulley
When a strange watch saves his life, warning him of a blast that destroys Scotland Yard, telegraphist Thaniel Steepleton goes in search of its maker and meets Keita Mori, a Japanese immigrant who remembers the future, and soon Thaniel discovers that nothing in this world is certain.
INGRID says: Set in 1883 London and Japan, this novel blends historical fiction, fantasy, steampunk, and mystery into a wonderful whole.
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To speak for the trees : my life's journey from ancient Celtic wisdom to a healing vision of the forest
by Diana Beresford-Kroeger
"Diana Beresford-Kroeger-- world-recognized botanist and medical biochemist has revolutionized our understanding of the natural world with her startling insights into the hidden life of trees. In this riveting memoir, she uncovers the roots of her discoveries in her extraordinary childhood in Ireland. Soon after, her brilliant mind bloomed into an illustrious scientific career that melds the intricacies of the natural world with the truths of traditional Celtic wisdom. To Speak for the Trees uniquely blends the story of Beresford-Kroeger's incredible life and her outstanding achievement as a scientist. It elegantly shows us how forests can not only heal us as people but can also help save the planet"
DONNA says: I was fascinated to learn that trees possess the same chemicals that we have in our brains.
Another book celebrating trees is Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest by Suzanne Simard.
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Finding the mother tree : discovering the wisdom of the forest
by S. Simard
The worlds leading forest ecologist, in her first book, draws us into the intimate world of trees where she brilliantly illuminates the fascinating and vital truth that trees are a complex, interdependent circle of life. Illustrations.
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The dig
by John Preston
"A succinct and witty literary venture that tells the strange story of a priceless treasure discovered in East Anglia on the eve of World War II. In the long, hot summer of 1939, Britain is preparing for war, but on a riverside farm in Suffolk there is excitement of another kind. Mrs. Pretty, the widowed owner of the farm, has had her hunch confirmed that the mounds on her land hold buried treasure. As the dig proceeds, it becomes clear that this is no ordinary find. This fictional recreation of the famed Sutton Hoo dig follows three months of intense activity when locals fought outsiders, professionals thwarted amateurs, and love and rivalry flourished in equal measure. As the war looms ever closer, engraved gold peeks through the soil, and each character searches for answers in the buried treasure. Their threads of love, loss, and aspiration weave a common awareness of the past as something that can never truly be left behind"
DONNA says: I thoroughly enjoyed this novel based on a true event in 1939 England.
It is also a Netflix film.
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Deadly Sin : A Chief Inspector Bliss Mystery
by James Hawkins
When the Queen decides to attend a mosque for Friday prayers, David Bliss is assigned to protect the royal couple.
SHARI says: I accidentally started with the last book in this series! The novel was fast-paced and the characters well-developed. The author was a policeman and then a private detective.
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How to talk to a science denier : conversations with flat Earthers, climate deniers, and others who defy reason
by Lee C. McIntyre
"In How to Talk to a Science Denier, Lee McIntyre tells the story of his own adventures in talking face to face with science deniers and their victims-including a Flat Earth convention in Denver, coal miners in rural Pennsylvania, and fishermen in the Maldives-and what he learned from the experience"
Recommended by INGRID. We had a wonderful discussion about this topic, growing our empathy for people who have different beliefs than us. Since our beliefs are so attached to our identity, attacking someone's beliefs attacks their identity. We need to treat adversaries with respect. They may be operating out of fear or feel they have no other choice.
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Lopez Island Library 2225 Fisherman Bay Rd Lopez Island, Washington 98261 360-468-2265www.lopezlibrary.org |
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