Ferndale Library Picks: Ed’s Book Club Benefits

Ferndale Library Picks: Ed’s Book Club Benefits
(Jeff Milo, FPL Circulation Specialist, Nov. 15, 2014)
 
The best bits about Book Clubs is that you get to read a book you probably wouldn’t normally have found or selected on your own; plus, you get to share your thoughts about the book, out loud & in person, with folks who just experienced the exact same story (but possibly in a very different way). That’s enlightening, all around!
Thus, Ed Burns, Head Reference Librarian at the Ferndale Public Library, is taking a break from his usual tendency of rounding up stupendous (and often under-the-radar) titles in FILM, to embrace a list exclusively composed of BOOKS…specifically, books from the Friends Of The Library Book Club (hosted monthly at FPL). You should inquire further about which of our several book clubs might suit you best at the Circulation Desk, next time you’re here…
Ed’s Picks
Ed Burns, Head Ref. Librarian:
I’ve been in charge of the Friends Book Club here at the library for several years. We meet the last Tuesday of every month (except December) at 7:30 pm. We’re always happy to see new faces. One of the benefits of being in the book club is that I’ve read and enjoyed books that I never would have picked up on my own. Here are a few of them.

Someone by Alice McDermott
(FIC MCDERMOTT)
Find it online: http://bit.ly/1EJSLxG
Someone is the life story of Marie, a plain and ordinary girl. She grows up in a tightknit Irish-Catholic Brooklyn neighborhood with her older brother and immigrant parents. The book is narrated by Marie in a non-linear fashion. She tells of her family, her neighbors, her first love, her first job, her marriage, her children. It doesn’t sound like much, but somehow it is. The prose is so elegant. And, I felt like I was sitting and listening to my great aunt telling stories of her youth. I have to say, I didn’t get into it right away.   But once I did, I didn’t want to put it down.
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
(FIC WALTER)
Find it online: http://bit.ly/1xIGr0r
The story begins in 1962 in a small Italian coastal village. The movie Cleopatra is being filmed in Rome. A starlet from the film, who believes she has cancer, shows up on the island to stay in its sole hotel, the proprietor of which dreams of turning the town into a luxury resort. The story spans about 50 years going back and forth in time and locale. Along the way we meet an author who drinks more than he writes, a sleazy Hollywood movie producer and his ambitious assistant, an aspiring screenwriter, a hard-partying and hilarious Richard Burton, and others. It’s both funny and touching, and what I would call a romp.
The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe
(BIO SCHWALBE)
Find it online: http://bit.ly/1sU0vGI
This is a true story of an elderly woman and her adult son, both of whom are avid readers. When the mother is diagnosed with cancer, the two start spending a lot of time together during her chemo treatments, and they turn the sessions into an informal book club. It may sound depressing, but it’s not. Mary Anne Schwalbe, the mother, is a fascinating person who did a lot with her life, and she makes a very interesting and inspiring subject. You’ll also end up with a new list of books that you’ll want to read.
Moloka’i by Alan Brennert
(Available through interlibrary loan)
Find it online: http://bit.ly/1By9SWW
Moloka’i is a Hawaiian island on which a leper colony was established in the mid-1800s. This novel centers on Rachel, who at age 7 is diagnosed with leprosy, taken from her family, and sent to live on Moloka’i. Given the subject matter, I figured it was a book I’d have to trudge through. But, it’s a compelling story, and beautifully written. It’s full of rich, likeable characters, especially Rachel herself. Don’t get me wrong. It’s a sad story, and I got teary many times throughout. But it’s also very life-affirming. You walk away feeling that there is always joy to be found, whatever your situation.
Previous Library Picks:
https://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/11/01/ferndale-library-picks-griffins-choices/
https://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/10/18/ferndale-library-picks-susans-picks-for-teen-read-week/
https://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/10/02/ferndale-library-picks-jeffs-picks-lately/
https://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/09/15/ferndale-library-picks-end-of-summer-round-up/
https://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/08/01/library-picks-wgabriel-bray-music-mystery-monty-python/
https://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/07/15/ferndale-library-picks-with-board-president-pat-dengate/
https://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/07/01/ferndale-library-picks-with-kelly-bennett/
https://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/06/18/ferndale-library-roundup-best-of-summer-for-youth/
https://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/06/03/ferndale-library-roundup-who-needs-hogwarts/
https://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/05/15/ferndale-library-roundup-bff-roadtrip-edition/
https://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/05/01/ferndale-public-library-round-up-best-in-books-and-more-2/
https://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/04/15/ferndale-public-library-round-up-best-in-books-and-more/
Be sure to visit the Ferndale Library website at http://www.ferndale.lib.mi.us/.

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