My LINKcat AccountHere we are, almost half-way through the month of October and the weather has turned, yet again, towards the gloom and cold one associates more with November. That balmy stretch of weather during the past week certainly spoiled us for this week's weather and the 10 day forecast. The evenings continue to happen earlier and the dawn's early light is appearing later every day. The dawn chorus has turned from full-throated (and if you'l allow me to anthropomorphize, or would that be cathect?) one might say joyous song to the petty squabbles that are now occurring around bird feeders, water sources, and the bush outside my living room window. Geese are practicing flying in formation as some get ready to move south. Migrant flocks of songbirds are passing through as suddenly a flock of robins appears and you realize you haven't been seeing any for a while. White-crowned sparrows have moved on through. The birds and squirrels are busy with stocking up on food for the coming cold. Now is the perfect time for you to stock up on some of the most recent books which have arrived at the library. If you still have too many things that need doing outside, including getting fresh air (and sunshine when it deigns to put in an appearance) then place holds on the titles in your to-be-read list. The availability of a book put on hold many days (or weeks, or months) ago is like an unexpected gift which can change the course and feel of your day. Below are some new titles which recently arrived at the library. Put some holds on them and enjoy!
New Non-Fiction
The Home Edit Life: The No-Guilt Guide to Owning What You Want and Organizing Everything by Clea Shearer & Joanna Teplin. The stars of Home Edit outline holistic, tech-friendly approaches to rendering everyday work more productive and fulfilling through organization, offering customizable, guilt-free recommendations for everything from office spaces and holiday storage to luggage and pet supplies.
Nala’s World: One Man, His Rescue Cat, and a Bike Ride Around the Globe by Dean Nicholson. The @1bike1world Instagram sensation shares the full story of his life-changing relationship with his rescue cat, Nala, and their inspiring bicycle journeys through the refugee camps, remarkable terrains and animal shelters of the world.
Overstated: A Coast-to-Coast Roast of the 50 States by Colin Quinn. The comedian star of the one-man Broadway show Red State, Blue State lampoons the idiosyncrasies of the 50 United States, sharing sharp-witted observations about their contradictory interpretations of the Constitution and a representative government.
Solutions and Other Problems by Allie Brosh. The creator of the award-winning “Hyperbole and a Half” presents a new collection of comedic, autobiographical and deceptively illustrated essays on topics ranging from childhood and very bad pets to grief, loneliness and powerlessness in modern life.
Welcome Home: A Cozy Minimalist Guide to Decorating and Hosting All Year Round by Myquillyn Smith. The expert home stylist shares step-by-step instructions on how to adapt the principles of her best-selling Cozy Minimalist Home for the rest of the year, outlining strategies to tasteful home decorating that can be readily adapted for impromptu gatherings.
Whale Day: And Other Poems by Billy Collins. A latest collection by the former Poet Laureate of the United States gathers more than 50 new poems that reflect the writer's signature mix of playful and serious language. By the author of “The Rain in Portugal”.
New Fiction
Battle Ground, No. 17 (Dresden Files) by Jim Butcher. When the Last Titan, a being more dangerous than anything humanity has faced in a millennium, declares war on the city of Chicago, professional wizard Harry Dresden embarks on a defense that permanently transforms the mortal world.
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman. Taken hostage by a failed bank robber while attending an open house, eight anxiety-prone strangers including a redemption-seeking bank director, two couples who would fix their marriages and a plucky octogenarian discover their unexpected common traits.
Jack, No. 4 (Gilead) by Marilynne Robinson. A conclusion to the story that began with the Pulitzer Prize-winning Gilead traces the story of prodigal son John Ames Boughton, who pursues a star-crossed, interracial romance with a high school teacher who is also the son of a preacher.
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke. Living in a labyrinthine house of endless corridors, flooded staircases and thousands of statues, Piranesi assists the dreamlike dwellings only other resident throughout a mysterious research project before evidence emerges of an astonishing alternate world.
Christmas Cupcake Murder, No. 26 (Hannah Swenson) by Joanne Fluke. Firing up the Cookie Jar's ovens to attend a lengthy holiday checklist, Hannah Swensen helps loved ones manage seasonal doldrums before she is challenged to identify a skilled antique restorer found near death outside her bakery.
The Darkest Evening, No. 9 (Vera Stanhope) by Ann Cleeves. Discovering a toddler in an abandoned vehicle near the run-down home where her estranged father grew up, Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope approaches the property during a boisterous Christmas party before discovering the body of a woman outside.
Next to Last Stand, No.16 (Longmire Mysteries) by Craig Johnson. Walt Longmire visits the 7th Cavalry Headquarters of 1946 Fort Bliss, Texas to investigate links between a fatal heart attack, a fire that has destroyed a high-profile work of American art and a shoebox containing a million dollars.
Robert B. Parker’s Fool’s Paradise, No. 19 (Jesse Stone) by Mike Lupica. Surprised by the murder of a man he met the night before at an AA meeting, Paradise Police Chief Jesse Stone follows leads to one of the wealthiest families in town to identify the victim and his mysterious agenda.