What the librarians saw

Now I could be accused of a non continuous plot here, because I was about to tell you what the librarians recommended, and then I jumped over to an old favourite from the bookclub. Let's call that a cliffhanger to get your attention, and not an inability to stay on track!




So here are the books the librarians recommended:

1. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows needs little introduction because everyone else discovered it at the same time we did! A cast of amusing characters discuss the bookclub that formed on the occupied Guernsey island (between England and France) during WW II. It sounds like a heavy topic, but the treatment was light, and anything about a bookclub is bound to be a hit. If you Google search "guernsey shell church" you will find pictures of the lovely church mentioned in the book. This book was universally liked, but generated little discussion.


2. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley has also hit fame on the bestseller lists. We didn't end up picking this one, but I read it myself, so I can report it is a solid, traditional mystery with an unusual heroine, 11 year old Flavia, who loves chemistry and lives in the usual English mansion. What makes it fresh is the heroine, whose sisters lock her in the closet, but she gets her revenge.


3. Come thou tortoise by Jessica Grant is alternately written by childlike Audrey and her pet tortoise Winnifred, the latter who lets you know what's really going on. I've only started, and bookclub is scheduled to read this in the spring, so you will have to wait for the word on this one. See, more suspense generated!


4. The Film Club: A True Story of a Father and a Son by David Gilmour. This non fiction book, a slight collections of essays about the relationship between a father and son as they watched movies together, was successful because it resulted in heated debate. We argued over whether it was a good parenting choice for the father to offer the film club as an alternative to high school. It is often the books that we disagree on that are the most memorable.

Next blog: our all time favourite book...