Gene Chávez to lead book discussion Gene Chávez, founder and president of Chávez and Associates in Kansas City, will lead a discussion of Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya, at 7 p.m. on September 20. This is the second book in a three-part “Faith in Fiction: Christianity” series. Bless Me Ultima tells the tale of…
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—Steve Richards reviews “The Knowledge Illusion” by Steven Sloman and Philip Fernbach Imagine a book that upsets your world in a way that is also comforting and encouraging. The Knowledge Illusion by Steven Sloman and Philip Fernbach convincingly argues that we don’t know as much as we think we do. Yet that is what enables…
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I appreciate the Newton Public Library for many things. One of those things is the library book clubs. It has helped me expand the type of authors and literature I read. I would not have selected the variety that I have been exposed to through the book clubs.…
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NPL’s favorite reads of 2016, according to circulation: 1. Rogue Lawyer by John Grisham Sebastian Rudd is not your typical street lawyer. He works out of a customized bulletproof van, complete with Wi-Fi, a bar, a small fridge, fine leather chairs, a hidden gun compartment, and a heavily armed driver. He has no firm, no…
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Steve Richards reviews The Moor’s Account by Laila Lalami. Variously said, history is written by victors, survivors and dominant cultures. Fortunately, contrasting stories may be available from research in many disciplines of science and humanities. Sometimes the evocative and truthful stories are told by historical novelists. The Moor’s Account, by Laila Lalami, is a wonderful example.…
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It’s Oscar season! And as many movies are receiving their idiomatic “time in the spotlight,” their respective books are, too. Here are four popular books-turned-adapted screenplays of the past year, enjoyed by teens and adults alike: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews Greg Gaines is the last master of…
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Steve Richards Reviews The Edge of the Sky: All You Need to Know About the All-There-Is, by Roberto Trotta The Edge of the Sky is a small book about very big subjects. The origin of the universe and particle physics are described in simple words. Really! Author and astrophysicist Roberto Trotta took on this curious task with…
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Nathan Carr, IT Supervisor, reviews an audio book for your holiday travels. Star Wars : The Empire Strikes Back, So You Want to be a Jedi? By Adam Gidwitz; Read by Marc Thompson This is The Empire Strikes Back as I have never encountered it before. This book is written in 2nd person narrative with…
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November is Picture Book Month. Here are three favorites: Interstellar Cinderella by Deborah Underwood A charming take on a classic tale. Cinderella lives in space and dreams of working on rockets. When the Prince has a space parade, Cinderella and her stepfamily are invited, but she can only go if she fixes her broken spaceship.…
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Lost & Found by Brooke Davis This debut novel comes to us from Australia. Brooke Davis brings to life three very alive, very different characters. The story follows the unlikely relationships of an old man Karl the touch typist, Agatha Pantha a widow, and Millie Bird an abandoned seven year old girl as they experience…
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