My LINKcat AccountThis past weekend, as well as being the lefse maker at the library's Open House on Saturday, I was also a participant in the Annual Midwest (Sandhill) Crane Count earlier in the day (5:30-7:30 a.m.). I have been doing the Crane Count since 1994 and not missed a year. I have mostly counted the same sites in Columbia County since I started. Now I am counting closer to the Dane County / Columbia County line. This year I probably saw and/or heard about a dozen cranes. It was a clear morning and the sunrise was spectacular. A red ball rising through a stand of pines after turning the eastern sky pastel oranges and yellows and pinks. The killdeer and red-winged black birds were everywhere and letting everyone know this was their territory. There were a couple of hundred Canadian geese on the site's pond, and a couple of swans. Ducks were quacking and flying here and there. Even with all the avian activity it was very quiet without much vehicular traffic. It was just Mother Nature putting on a bit of show. The Crane Count is citizen science at its best. You can be a counter too-- next year. In the meantime, there are a number of new books, listed below, that you might consider reading. Enjoy!
Jan's Column 2025
If you want to reserve any of these titles, give us a call at 846-5482 and have your library card handy!
Can't make it in when we're open? Call and ask about our electronic locker system.
New Non-Fiction:
“The Gut-Brain Parados: Improve Your Mood, Clear Brain Fog, and Reverse Disease by Healing Your Microbiome.” By Steven Gundry. Explores the intricate connection between gut health and brain function, detailing how gut microbiome imbalances impact mental and neurological health, while offering dietary strategies to heal the gut, reduce inflammation, and restore cognitive and emotional well-being.
“Homestand: Small Town Baseball and the Fight for the Soul of America” by Will Bardenwerper. This heartfelt memoir uses small-town baseball to reflect on modern America’s struggles and resilience, highlighting the revival of a beloved Rust Belt team and the enduring community spirit amidst corporate greed and changing traditions.
“America, Amèrica: A New History of the New World” by Greg Grandin. This sweeping history of the Western Hemisphere from a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian re-examines the intertwined destinies of North and South America, challenging traditional narratives and revealing a complex and dynamic relationship shaped by conflict, cooperation and mutual influence.
“The Illegals: Russia’s Most Audacious Spies and Their Century-Long Mission to Infiltrate the West” by Shaun Walker. Traces the history of the Soviet Union’s "illegals" spy program, revealing how deeply embedded, long-term operatives shaped global espionage from the Bolshevik era to modern Russia, while examining its enduring influence on Russian identity, global politics, and Putin’s strategies today.
New Fiction:
“Silent as the Grave: A Molly Murphy Mystery, No. 21” by Rhys Bowen & Clare Broyles. Molly Murphy Sullivan, juggling motherhood in 1900s New York, investigates deadly sabotage on a film set after her adopted daughter, Bridie, lands a starring role, uncovering tensions between rival studios amidst the fledgling movie industry’s dangerous.
“The King’s Messenger” by Susanna Kearsley. In 1613, Andrew Logan, a messenger for King James, embarks on a mission to frame an innocent advisor for treason, but as he unravels the truth alongside his spirited neighbor Phoebe Westaway, their growing bond challenges loyalty, justice, and the possibilities of love.
“The Book That Held Her Heart, No.3 (The Library Trilogy)” by Mark Lawrence. As an infinite library teeters on destruction, Livira must mend fragile bonds with Evar and reunite scattered allies across time and space to confront an unresolvable conflict threatening the very fabric of existence.
“The Cat Who Saved the Library” by Sosuke Natsukawa Translated by Louise Heal Kawai. Thirteen-year-old Nanami, aided by Tiger, a talking tabby cat, investigates disappearing books and a mysterious man in her school library, leading to a fantastical adventure to confront faceless soldiers destroying literature and uncover secrets of a previous book-saving hero.
“The Library of Lost Dollhouses” by Elise Hooper. Tildy Barrows, a San Francisco library curator, uncovers hidden dollhouses tied to a century-old mystery, leading her on a journey through forgotten histories, inspiring women, and unexpected revelations that could save her library and reshape her future.
“The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits” by Jennifer Weiner. Two decades after tragedy ended Cassie and Zoe Grossberg's rise to pop stardom as "The Griffin Sisters," Zoe’s daughter Cherry uncovers hidden truths about the sisters' breakup, compelling the family to face old wounds, buried secrets, and the potential for reconciliation.
“The Fact Checker” by Austin Kelley. When a cryptic quote leads a fact checker to uncover possible corruption at a trendy farm, his obsession deepens after the mysterious disappearance of volunteer farmhand Sylvia, taking him on a whimsical and poignant journey through New York City's hidden corners in search of the truth.
“Fun for the Whole Family” by Jennifer E. Smith. Four formerly close but now estranged siblings reunite at their famous sister’s house and are forced to confront their shared past and hidden truths in the new novel from the best-selling author of “The Unsinkable Greta James”.
“Heartwood” by Amity Gaige. A search-and-rescue team race against time when an experienced hiker mysteriously disappears on the Appalachian Trail in Maine.
Today – if you are reading this on Friday, April 11th, is the eve of a great library event. Tomorrow our annual National Library Week Open House takes place between 10 a.m. and Noon. Saturday, April 12th is the last day of National Library Week and our celebration of all things library. The open house will feature displays and demonstrations of many of the items you can check out from your public library. The Friends of the DeForest Area Public Library will be holding a mini-book sale. There will be treats – some showing the marvelous cakes that can be made from the library’s cake pan collection (which you can check out) while also demonstrating the Wilton Master Cake Decorating Tip set (which you can check out). There will be egg-dyeing (you must bring your own eggs --up to one dozen hard boiled eggs each. Someone may be attempting to reconnect with their Norwegian roots after more than a few decades by making lefse using the library’s lefse making kit (which you can check out). You can get a “passport” and visit all the various areas and demonstration stations around the library. Getting your passport stamp at all the locations lets you put your name into a drawing for some fabulous prizes. It’s sure to be a fun time. Be sure to stop by! Before, after, or during the Open House, you might want to check out some of the new titles, listed below, which recently arrived at the library. Enjoy!
New Non-Fiction:
“Close to Home: The Wonders of Nature Just Outside Your Door” by Thor Hanson. An award-winning natural-history writer uncovers hidden wonders in everyday environments, revealing how backyards, park, and local landscapes host fascinating wildlife, scientific potential, and opportunities to connect with and contribute to the health of our planet.
“Untethered: Creating Connected Families, Schools, and Communities to Raise a Resilient Generation” by Doug Bolton. Addresses the epidemic of children’s mental health challenges, advocating for a shift away from punitive methods toward fostering strong, supportive communities that promote emotional wellbeing, resilience, and healthy attachment, with practical tools for parents and educators to guide children toward healthier, more connected futures.
“Make Your Mark: Lessons in Character from Seven Presidents” by Mark Updegrove. The award-wining author of Second Acts and The Last Republicans draws on interviews and conversations with seven presidents to identify the essence of character, leadership, and legacy that has defined each of them and the modern American presidency.
“Yoko: A Biography” by David Sheff. An intimate and revelatory biography of Yoko Ono from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of “Beautiful Boy”.
“Build a Business You Love: Mastering the Five Stages of Business” by Dave Ramsey. The Ramsey Solutions Founder and CEO breaks down the system that took his business from a card table in his living room to a $250 million operation.
New Fiction:
“Elphie: A Wicked Childhood” by Gregory Maguire. Elphaba, the green-skinner girl destined to become the Wicked Witch of the West experiences a turbulent childhood, family struggles, friendships and the injustices of Oz on her path to Shiz University.
“Red Dog Farm” by Nathaniel Miller. After a semester at university in Reykjavik, Orri returns to help his father Pabbi run the family’s cattle farm, but when Orri meets parttime student Mihan online and their connection deepens, he must decide if he wants to—or should—return to university and a possible future with Mihan.
“Sons and Daughters” by Chaim Grade Translated by Rose Waldman. In 1930s Poland and Lithuania, Rabbi Sholem Shachne Katzenellenbogen grapples with his children’s embrace of modern, secular ideals over traditional Jewish life, amid rising anti-Semitism and the cultural shifts threatening their shtetl’s way of life.
“Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave, No.5 (The Finlay Donovan Series)” by Elle Cosimano. After a body is found in a neighbor's yard, Finlay and Vero must solve the murder before police uncover secrets they’d rather keep buried in the fifth novel of the series following “Finlay
Donovan Rolls the Dice”.
“Nobody’s Fool” by Harlan Coben. Backpacking in Spain, Sami Kierce wakes up covered in blood, his girlfriend Anna dead, and he runs—then years later he sees Anna in his night school classroom, she bolts, and he must find her to solve the mystery that has haunted him.
“The Icarus Coda, No. 7(Icarus Saga)” by Timothy Zahn. Fugitive Gregory Roarke and his Kadolian partner Selene, pursued for their connection to the Icari teleportation portals, uncover a confused alien with rare abilities, forcing them to protect him while unraveling ancient mysteries and evading deadly foes vying for control of the Spiral's future.
“The World’s Fair Quilt (Elm Creek Quilts)” by Jennifer Chiaverini. As financial struggles threaten Elm Creek Quilts, Sylvia Bergstrom Compson revisits a quilt she and her sister created for the 1933 World’s Fair, uncovering its divisive history and an unexpected revelation that may help preserve her family’s legacy and the future of the quilting retreat.
“Ward D” by Freida McFadden. Medical student Amy Brenner’s dreaded overnight shift on Ward D spirals into a nightmare as patients and staff mysteriously vanish, forcing her to confront buried secrets and the escalating danger within the locked psychiatric ward.
They say April showers bring May flowers; however, so far this month (admittedly we are only 4 days into the month) those showers have little to show for their efforts. Perhaps it is because some of those showers have come in a more solid form of precipitation. The trees are definitely getting lacier in profile as their leaves and flowers are getting set to burst forth. The sun is definitely getting stronger and the dawn chorus is definitely starting earlier (a cardinal in my neighborhood is starting to sing while it is still dark our), is louder, and has more voices. We have rolled past a number of days of note including the start of Daylight Savings Time, St. Patrick’s Day, the Vernal Equinox, and April Fool’s Day which also happens (this year) to be Election Day. “With so many things in our rear view mirror, what possibly can lay ahead?”, I hear you ask. National Library Week is my reply. The week of April 6th through is just around the corner. We are celebrating with a “Spirit Week” in which you and yours as well as library staff are asked to show their library spirt by dressing to meet the day’s theme as follows: Monday, April 7: Hat Day; Tuesday, April 8: Cozy Day (your favorite cozy mystery title or character or, in a pinch, you could wear a tea cozy): Wednesday, April 9: Book Day (dress as your favorite book or book character); Thursday, April 10: Favorite Color Day; Friday, April 11: Mismatch Day; Saturday, April 12: DAPL (wear your library gear or anything tangentially related to your library) Day. This is supposed to be fun, so don’t over think it and be sure to attend our National Library Week Open House on Saturday, April 12th from 10a.m. to noon. Below are some of the new books which recently arrived at the library. Enjoy!
New Non-Fiction:
“Who is Government?: The Untold Story of Public Service” by Michael Lewis. Explores the lives of dedicated government workers, from an IRS agent to a coal mine safety expert, showcasing how their behind-the scenes work addresses societal problems, challenges stereotypes, and reveals the critical, often unnoticed contributions of public servants.
“Healing the Modern Brain: Nine Tenets to Build Mental Fitness and Revitalize Your Mind” by Drew Ramsey. A doctor presents a holistic approach to mental fitness, combining science and clinical practice to help nurture mental health and heal conditions like depression and anxiety amidst the challenges of modern life.
“A History of the World in Six Plagues: How Contagion, Class, and Captivity Shaped Us, from Cholera to COVID 19” by Edna Bonhomme. An account of humankind’s battles with epidemic disease, and their outsized role in deepening inequality along racial, ethnic, class and gender lines.
“There is No Place for Us: Working and Homeless in America” by Brian Goldstone. The working homeless, trapped by skyrocketing rents and stagnant wages in gentrifying cities, are examined through the lens of five families in Atlanta, showing the human cost of homelessness for people with fulltime jobs, revealing the extent and causes of a crisis where housing is treated as a privilege.
“Black Tunnel White Magic: A Murder, a Detective’s Obsession, and ‘90s Los Angeles at the Brink” by Matthew Mcgough & Rick Jackson. In June 1990, Ronald Baker, a straight-A UCLA student, was found repeatedly stabbed to death in a tunnel near Spahn Ranch, where Charles Manson and his followers once lived. In straightforward, matter-of-fact prose, Rick Jackson, the now-retired police detective who helped inspire Michael Connelly’s beloved Harry Bosch, along with co-writer, Matthew McGough, take us through the events as he and his partner experienced them, piecing together the truth with each emerging clue.
New Fiction:
“Lethal Prey” by John Sandford. Twenty years after her sister Doris’s murder, when Lara
Grandfelt offers $5 million for information leading to an arrest and a truecrime blogger finds the murder weapon, detectives Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers must discover the killer who’s lurking in plain.
“Saltwater” by Katy Hays. Thirty years after Sarah Lingate’s mysterious death on Capri, her daughter Helen returns with the family for their annual retreat, only to uncover a buried necklace, renewed suspicions, and dangerous secrets, as betrayal and paranoia threaten to rupture the family and claim more lives.
“The Writer” by James Patterson & J.D. Barker. When the husband of bestselling truecrime author Denise Morrow is found dead in their luxury apartment, NYPD Detective Declan Shaw must unravel whether she is a target, a victim, or the mastermind behind a chilling crime.
“Death in the Dressing Room, No.22 (A Fethering Mystery)” by Simon Brett. When her neighbor discovers the leading actor of a new play dead in his dressing room, retiree Carole Seddon is drawn into a thrilling investigation in the latest addition to the long-running series following Death and the Decorator.
“Passing Through a Prairie Country” by Dennis Staples. At Hidden Atlantis Lake Resort and Casino, Ojibwe Marion Lafournier barely escapes dark force “the sandman” with help from cousins Alana and Cherie, and Alana and Marion must defeat the wraith using her seven-fire sight and his ability to navigate the spirit world.
Here we are at the end of March,which certainly came in like a blustery lion. And here I am on vacation. I am sitting in a hotel room about to drive up to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. While I am waiting for my buddy to get ready, and since I am conscientious and dutiful by nature, I thought I would take this time to write a column. My road trip started on the day the blizzard struck most of the middle section of the country. We drove through a hail storm outside of Dodgeville. The road was covered with hail deep enough to look like snow. There were cars in the ditch. The trip was supposed to take us to Kearney, Nebraska to see cranes and then on to the South West. That didn’t happen. We headed south at Des Moines and had to stop in Topeka, KS because the interstate was closed, due to the blizzard in Saliana, KS. Since then the weather has been sunny, windy, and warm. Driving to Taos, New Mexico there were mule deer strolling through the town we stopped at for gas. Their appearance was followed shortly by the bookmobile. There were signs for public libraries in most of the little towns we traveled through. I have an innate sense of where libraries are located in any community and I can’t seem to escape public libraries even on vacation. Kansas roads were great. Oklahoma roads not. New Mexico road were good but the scenery got extremely boring until we got to Georgia O’Keefe area where the rock formations are as stunning as her paintings. Went to Abiquiu (where one of the elementary schools has a dragon that looks a bit like ours as a mascot), Plaza Blanca, and Ghost Ranch. Then on to Albuquerque and straight through Arizona to Williams, AZ from whence I am writing. I am enjoying the sun and warm weather. Below you will find some books to perhaps warm your hearts and minds. Enjoy!
New Non-Fiction:
“When the Going Was Good: An Editor’s Adventure During the Golden Age of Magazines" by Graydon Carter with James Fox. The journalist and editor recounts his journey from launching Spy magazine to transforming Vanity Fair during his 25-year tenure, detailing his editorial innovations, his collaborations with legendary contributors, and his role in shaping the magazine's cultural prominence amidst the challenges of the digital media era.
“Ordinary Magic: The Science of How We Can Achieve Big Change With Small Acts” by Gregory Walton. An esteemed Stanford psychologist and codirector of the DweckWalton lab presents the simple psychological shifts that can intercept cycles of doubt, unlocking new levels of performance and more fulfilling relationships.
“Unmasking for Life: The Autistic Person’s Guide to Connecting, Loving, and Living Authentically” by Devon Price. Provides practical tools for Autistic individuals to embrace neurodiversity, develop key skills for authentic relationships, and create new ways of living, loving, and advocating for their needs, moving beyond the unmasking process to navigate life with confidence and assertiveness.
“The Fifteen: Murder, Retribution, and the Forgotten Story of Nazi POWs in America” by William Geroux. Uncovers the forgotten story of German POW camps in the U.S. during World War II, revealing Naziled killings within the camps, secret military tribunals, and a dramatic diplomatic standoff involving condemned prisoners.
“Four Red Sweaters: Powerful True Stories of Women and the Holocaust” by Lucy Adlington. The “New York Times” bestselling author of “The Dressmakers of Auschwitz” tells the stories of four Jewish girls during the Holocaust, strangers whose lives were unknowingly linked by everyday garments.
New Fiction:
“The Fisherman’s Gift” by Julia Kelly. In a snowbound Scottish fishing village in 1900, teacher Dorothy cares for a mysterious boy who resembles her lost son, unearthing buried secrets, confronting past love, and testing the fragile bonds of a tight-knit community.
“The Paris Express” by Emma Donoghue. Set on a fateful 1895 train journey to Paris, a diverse group of passengers—including politicians, a medical student, an inventor, and an anarchist—navigate personal ambitions and hidden motives, culminating in a disaster that forever changes their lives.
The Story She Left Behind” by Patti Callahan Henry. In 1952, illustrator Clara Harrington travels to London with her daughter Wynnie to investigate a discovery linked to her vanished mother, a famed author, uncovering long-buried truths amid the chaos of the Great Smog and a remote Lake
District retreat.
“Bridal Shower Muder, No. 31 (Lucy Stone Mysteries)” by Leslie Meier. When a guest is murdered at her daughter's bridal shower, Lucy Stone must uncover deadly secrets before the entire wedding is ruined in the latest addition to the long-running series following “Patchwork Quilt Murder”.
“Blood Moon” by Sandra Brown. Haunted by an unsolved case, a detective teams up with a determined true crime producer to solve the mysterious disappearances of local teenage girls, all who went missing during the night of a blood moon.
“Dissolution” by Nicholas Binge. Grieving the loss of her husband to Alzheimer's, Maggie embarks on a dangerous quest to uncover the truth behind his illness, leading her on a mind-bending adventure through time and memory to save him and change the course of history.
“Fight or Flight” by Fern Michaels. Haunted by a tragedy in her past, reclusive author Katherine Winston must leave her isolated mountain retreat to help a young fan whose life is threatened, leading her on a journey of self-discovery and courage
“Jane and Dan at the End of the World” by Colleen Oakley. While celebrating their anniversary at La Fin du While celebrating their anniversary unhappy couple Jane and Dan find themselves taken hostage by bumbling climate activists whose actions are eerily similar to those in Jane’s failed novel so only they know what will happen.