I’d like to recommend some great books that we have in the library! These are books that I’ve really enjoyed over the years, and I think they would make great stress-relievers as the semester moves along!
The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith
This book, set in the African country of Botswana, is about Precious Ramotswe, who decides to use the money her Daddy left her to start the only detective agency run by women in her country (hence, it is “No. 1″). A very warm, funny and feel-good story about a determined woman who uses her intelligence and compassion to solve the small mysteries of every day life.
All Creatures Great and Small by James HerriottThis book covers the adventures of a newly graduated veterinarian in Northern England in the 1930s. He encounters spoiled dogs, shrieking pigs, mysteriously downed sheep and other assorted mysteries on his day-to-day rounds. Add to this his eccentric boss Sigfried and you’ve got a recipe for some hilarious and heart-wrenching stories!
On Writing by Stephen KingSince Stephen King has sold a book or two in his time, I expected this book to be something of a guide for aspiring writers. It turns out to be more of an autobiography. He tells about his childhood, with a single mother who was often working to support the family, his shock at selling his first book for an enormous sum of money, his drug addiction, and the accident that nearly took his life. It’s an amazing story by a truly engrossing writer . . . even if I didn’t find many tips on how to write my own best-seller!
A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
This is a hilarious story, set in New Orleans, about Ignatius T. Reilly, a 32-year-old only child who still lives at home with his Momma. To say that Ignatius is unambitious is bit of an understatement. He is attempting to write a great work, but he keeps getting interrupted by his mother, who insists that it’s time he thinks about getting a job. He does try . . . in his own way, but each job is a bigger disaster than the last one. This book was published over a decade after it was written, after the suicide of the author.
Twilight by William GayIf you won’t take my word for it, Stephen King listed it as one of his favorite books of 2007. It concerns two teenage siblings who become convinced that there is something not quite right with the local undertaker. They determine to dig up their father’s grave to find out if their suspicions are correct. Not surprisingly, the undertaker in question takes a dim view of their meddling, and things quickly go from bad to worse. Creepy!
Stiff by Mary RoachMary Roach has written several non-fiction books, all looking at an unusual topic. In Stiff, she takes a look at what happens to dead bodies. It would seem to be an especially morbid topic, but she deals with the subject with surprising sympathy and humor. Did you know that “crash test dummies” are sometimes the bodies of the recently departed? That and many other fascinating facts are covered in this intriguing book.
Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
This book gives a new slant on the topic of success. Just why did Bill Gates become the king of the computer industry? Gladwell looks at factors that came together in unusual ways to create extraordinary opportunities for success. There is also a local aspect to the book: why is it that people in Harlan County, KY are so prone to feuding and fighting? Gladwell has a theory . . .
All of these books are available for check out on the table just inside the library’s front door!
