Staff Picks – Page 4 – Favorites Old and New from the East Greenbush Community Library Staff

The Wright Brothers by David McCullough

How did two bicycle mechanics teach the world to fly?

Prize-winning author David McCullough is just the person to answer that question. Along the way, we learn about the private lives of the brothers. Their skills were a perfect fit — Wilber was a genius and Orville was a mechanical wiz. Together, they made history.

McCullough’s stories are always set in a rich, historical context. The story takes us from their Ohio hometown, to the banks of North Carolina, to Paris and beyond.

I enjoyed the journey. I’m sure you will, too.

The Great Bridge: the epic story of the building of the Brooklyn Bridge by David McCullough

One of McCullough’s early books, this is the amazing story of the planning and building of what would become, at the time, the world’s longest suspension bridge. It’s a tale of tremendous optimism and accomplishment as well as a story of greed, political rivalry and corruption.

McCullough devotes a good portion of the book to the engineer behind the project. But he sets his accomplish into a broader, historical context. It is the tale of two cities — New York (Manhattan) and Brooklyn — their growth, development and increasing inter-dependence. The engineering obstacles were enormous. The construction obstacles more so – bodies were crushed and broken; danger was the constant companion of the construction workers.

It’s a fantastic story. Give it a good read, then, take a walk over the Brooklyn Bridge.

The Alienist by Caleb Carr

Caleb Carr is a military historian turned novelist. In The Alienist, he employs his specialty to paint a stark picture of the underside of New York City, circa 1896.

An “alienist” was the popular term used for people in the then-budding discipline of psychology. Carr’s main character uses his skills to develop what we now call a “profile” to find a serial killer, stalking the male bordellos of lower Manhattan.

Carr populates his novel with prominent people from the history of NYC in the late 19th century. Central to the story is Theodore Roosevelt, in his role as Police Commissioner. You’ll also meet folks like author Jacob Riis and J. P. Morgan.

This is a police procedural which uncovers the complex social history of NYC in an era of rapid social change via immigration, the rise of a super-wealthy class, and class conflict. Carr also pushes the social envelop by making a woman police employee a central character.

For a strong taste of life in New York in this era, read The Alienist.

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

I loved this quick read YA fantasy. It reminded me of The Hunger Games series. This fantasy world is divided into the Silvers and the Reds (based on the color of your blood). The Silvers are the rulers with special powers, and the Reds are the slaves working day and night to ensure the comfort of Silvers. The story centers on Mare Barrow, a Red, and this determines her identity. She’s a thief from a large family, trying to survive in a cruel world. Unexpectedly she is thrown into the royal palace as a servant. But, in an instant, her life takes a new turn. It is discovered that Mare bleeds Red, but possesses a very distinct superpower — one that could overthrow the crown and the hierarchies of the Silvers and Reds. Thus starts the battle for the power of the kingdom and for loyalties. . . I just got the sequel to start reading, and I am looking forward to the adventure continuing.

The Lost Heiress by Roseanna M. White

The Lost Heiress by Rosanna White is right at the top of my “favorite books list.” It is set in the Edwardian Era of England. Brook, the main character, has never known where she truly belongs. She was adopted by the woman who saved her from a carriage accident as an infant. She was raised in Monaco’s palace by the prince. Once grown, she longed to know where she came from. The death of her adoptive mother brought with it some secrets of her past. Best friend and Duke, Justin, helped her find the family who thought her missing forever. While her father accepted her right away, others were suspicious of her motives. Unknowingly, she has carried a curse that threatens to tear her from the family she has just found. Will she learn to love and rely on those who betrayed her before? You will just have to read it to see! I literally couldn’t put this book down. It had me completely captivated. I liked it so much I purchased my own copy and have the next book pre-ordered!

The Ice Twins by S. K. Tremayne

The Ice Twins is about a family that moves from London to a remote island in Scotland after the death of one of their twin daughters. Shortly before the move, Sarah, the mother of the girls, begins to wonder if something is off about her surviving daughter, Kirstie.

After the family moves to the island, the feeling of isolation adds to the mystery of what is going on with Kirstie, whose behavior is becoming more and more erratic. She begins to insist that she is her dead sister, Lydia, and that there has been a horrible case of mistaken identity. As Sarah delves more deeply into what has happened, she wonders if they have in fact a horrible case of mistaken identity. The novel is told in the alternating perspective of Sarah and of her husband, Angus, who is the father of the girls.

I found this novel very enjoyable and fast paced. I’d recommend it to readers who enjoy a good mystery/thriller. I’m looking forward to reading more of S. K. Tremayne’s books.

Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Have you ever wondered how one decision can change your life? If you decide to cross the street at a certain time, does that affect your life? There was a lot of pondering about destiny and fate and what is or isn’t meant to be in this novel. Hannah is at club one night. She meets up with Ethan, a guy she had dated in high school. The book splits into alternating sections: one timeline where she decided to stay at the club with Ethan and one where she leaves with her friend to go home.

I really liked the premise. I enjoy the author and have read all of her books. I was very excited for this one to come out, and I finished it quickly. I would’ve preferred it to be a little less chick-lit-centric, but other than that, I enjoyed it. I like the idea of alternate universes, how each decision we make in life creates a different universe and that there are billions of possible universes where we are living different lives.

Rosemary : The Hidden Kennedy Daughter by Kate Clifford Larson

I just finished this book and I guess I was somewhat disappointed : I think I was looking for something a little more revelatory about Rosemary Kennedy. Ironically, the reason the book wasn’t able to reveal more was outlined in the Author’s Note — a bill sponsored and passed by Senator Edward Kennedy in 1996, called HIPAA, made the medical records relating to Rosemary’s lobotomy surgery in 1941 permanently inaccessible.

That being said, the author does a very good job of recounting Rosemary’s life growing up in America and England. She also outlines all the great work Eunice Kennedy did in the intervening years with the Special Olympics, spurred on by her sister Rosemary’s disabilities .

On a personal note, Rosemary’s story gave me more background on some issues I know about firsthand in trying to assimilate individuals with disabilities in educational and vocational situations. It also pointed out to me the stigma and fear people experienced if they had a family member with a disability, often causing families to keep members at home with them or institutionalize them if they could not meet their needs. Finally, it reinforced what I already knew — families can benefit in so many ways from accepting and welcoming members with disabilities into their lives.

Yes Please by Amy Poehler

Amy Poehler is such a nice person! Funny, down-to-earth, and very likeable, she does a terrific job as the narrator. Her description of her faults is endearing and easy to relate to. Aren’t we all our own worst critic?

From her childhood to her work on Saturday Night Live, Baby Mama, Blades of Glory and Parks and Recreation, she shares well-told, amusing anecdotes. Many of the stars she has worked with appear in the audiobook. Also included is a special one-night only live performance from the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater.

Strange, her need to know more about the day she was born. This part made me go home and ask my mother about the day I was born. The answer was very unsatisfactory. Still, you should listen to Yes Please or read the book if you prefer. I do recommend it!

Give Us the Ballot by Ari Berman

In 1965, Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act, a moment many Americans believed would bring suffrage to all. But, as this book depicts, the Act signaled both heroic accomplishments and heartbreaking setbacks in the efforts to allow all the right to vote. Berman approaches his topic as if it were a crime novel. While working in legal terms and court decisions, his focus on the individuals—both those who thwarted and those who fostered the law—is what holds the reader’s attention. Moreover, political figures who tried to achieve one result often, ironically, achieved the opposite.

Swerve by Vicki Pettersson

Swerve Swerve is a dark and twisty novel. We follow the story of Kristine, who is traveling across the desert with her fiance, Daniel, to a family gathering. While stopped at an abandoned rest stop, Daniel is abducted. Kristine must do whatever she can to get Daniel back, following the deranged kidnapper across the desert.

Swerve was definitely a page turner, and I finished it quickly. It’s hard to say too much without giving away key plot points, but I found this to be well-written, engrossing, and hard to put down. The characters were well written, and I look forward to reading more by Ms. Pettersson.

When Books Went to War by Molly Guptill Manning

Think there is nothing much left to know about World War II? Think again. This book tells of enlisted men whose one and only form of entertainment became reading, and of the enormous home-front effort to supply them with the books they desperately wanted. Ms. Manning’s book not only depicts the need of soldiers for books to alleviate the horrors of war, but also reminds us all never to take them for granted. Librarians, (let’s hear it for them), were the first to realize the lack of books and take steps to organize. Along the way, we get clear glimpses of the hardships of the soldiers and the deep and varied joy the books brought. While one might assume that a drive for books for soldiers would only meet with support, one would be wrong. Along the way, there were problems of supply, cost and, of course, censors. But the achievements were outstanding. Indeed, the reader begins to realize that the solace and inspiration that the books brought were as powerful a weapon as any the military could provide.

The Murderer’s Daughter by Jonathan Kellerman

This was my first time reading this author, and enjoyed him. The book was advertised as a thriller, but basically it’s a psychological thriller. The story follows the life of Dr. Grace Blades, a psychologist, who has a special gift for treating troubled souls, people who have experienced certain traumatic events. Her own past is very dark, which makes her a fascinating character. The novel switches from the past to present day, explaining Grace’s troubled past, which ends up coming back to haunt her grownup life. Her upbringing was very twisted, which was disturbing. However, I enjoyed it seeing how she overcame it to become the successful woman she was.

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

I’ve always believed that giving flowers meant something. However, until I read this book, which explains the meaning of flowers that originated in the Victorian era, I had no idea how they could be used to communicate feelings. Do flowers speak to us in this way ? I really don’t know, but it’s nice to think so, and the author has wrapped this language into a wonderful story.

The Language of Flowers tells the story of Victoria, a girl who has never known the security of a real family or home, having been tossed around between foster homes as a child. Switching between Victoria as a child and then as a young adult, the novel tells the story of her haunted past and how she came to love and understand this language of flowers, which eventually finds her love and happiness. An easy read that was touching.

The Light of the World, A Memoir by Elizabeth Alexander

The book jacket states that Alexander writes “a lyrical celebration of a life well-lived.” This is so true. She beautifully illustrates the love she and her husband shared and the life they made together. She also tells stories about her husband Ficre’s life (he was from Eritrea, in the Horn of Africa) as a chef and a painter. Sadly, her husband died unexpectedly. The story continues as she and her two sons slowly but surely make their way from grief to light. The book is beautifully written and a fitting tribute to a wonderful and talented man.