Articles

Amanda Barrera, Director of Library Services:

Salt to the Sea, by Ruta Sepetys

Salt to the Sea is one of those books that stays with you long after you turn the last page. In her usual lyrical fashion, Sepetys tells her story through the perspectives of four young adults caught in the midst of World War II's Operation Hannibal, the most massive civilian and troop evacuation in history. Over a million German and Eastern European refugees, fleeing before the advance of Stalin's Red Army, sought escape across the Baltic Sea. Those who believed their salvation was assured on board the Wilhelm Gustloff were tragically proved wrong an hour before midnight on January 30, 1945, when three torpedoes from the Soviet submarine S-13 ripped through the bowels of the ship. Close to 11,000 people (about 5,000 of them children) were stuffed stem to stern into a vessel meant to hold 1,500—and less than 1,200 would live to see the dawn. As was the case with the Titanic, many who survived the sinking itself perished in the freezing waters of an unseasonably cold night, hoping in vain for a rescue that did not reach them in time.

Sepetys states in her author's note that suffering was the only true victor of World War II. Reading about the struggles of the four fictional protagonists in Salt to the Sea made me reflect on all the forgotten tragedies endured by real people swallowed up by a brutal war long past.

Cesar Garza, Reference Librarian

Good on Paper, by Rachel Cantor

In Rachel Cantor’s unconventional, eccentric Good on Paper, an opportunity to salvage Shira Greene’s struggling career appears when she is asked to translate an untranslatable work of masterful Italian literature. Good on Paper is published by Melville House, an independent press that publishes books of remarkable quality and popularity including The Girl in the Red Coat, Not on Fire, But Burning, You Too Can Have a Body Like Mine (UK edition), and more.

Three Scenarios in Which Hana Sasaki Grows a Tail,
by Kelly Luce

Kelly Luce’s quiet, lonely short stories involve fantastical elements like a blue demon, an oracular toaster, a surprising sex reassignment and a machine that measures one’s capacity for love. Three Scenarios in Which Hana Sasaki Grows a Tail is published by Austin-based publishing house A Strange Object.

Tim Staley, Executive Director, Austin Public Library Foundation

Part of Our Lives: A People's History of the American Public Library, by Wayne A. Wiegand

Part of Our Lives: A People's History of the American Public Library by Wayne Wiegand, a professor at Florida State University's School of Information, presents the public library from library patrons' perspectives as an institution deeply valued for the access it provides to information and knowledge but also for its role in popularizing reading and providing the public space for a range of community enriching programs such as author readings, lectures, movies, and, more recently, computer classes.

The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu: And Their Race to Save the World's Most Precious Manuscripts, by Joshua Hammer

Whatever Raiders of the Lost Ark might have accomplished in glamorizing archeologists, The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu: And Their Race to Save the World's Most Precious Manuscripts may well do the same for librarians. Journalist Joshua Hammer conveys the compelling story of a librarian named Abdel Kader Haidara who organized a dangerous operation to sneak tens of thousands of ancient Islamic and secular manuscripts out of Timbuktu to the safety of southern Mali as Al-Qaeda militants tightened their control over the city in 2012.

Jamie Eustace, City Librarian:

Grunt, by Mary Roach

Nonfiction readers love the way Mary Roach makes life's most basic topics accessible and interesting. In her latest book, Grunt, she explores the science behind how soldiers process the extreme circumstances of war.

Truly, Madly, Guilty, by Liane Moriarty

Fans of Australian author Liane Moriarty are always eager for her books to be released in America. Her new summer novel Truly, Madly, Guilty promises to be the perfect beach read as a seemingly simple neighborhood barbeque turns out to be more than the guests had bargained for.

Patient H. M.: A Story of Memory, Madness, and Family Secrets, by Luke Dittrich

Patient H. M. is the true account of a factory worker who became the world's most studied human research subject when a brain surgery intended to cure his epilepsy made him an amnesiac. This fascinating history is sure to be in the book bags of medical memoir enthusiasts and fans of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.

Robin Stauber, Adult Services Librarian:

After several years as the teen librarian here, I thought I was more than over dystopian fiction. But two recent (ish) adult novels provided me with some new twists on an overdone genre, and I find myself intrigued by them both for their plausible setups of pending apocalyptic futures, but also for their page-turning ability—perfect summer reads, in other words! 

Station Eleven: A Novel, by Emily St. John Mandel

Centered on the life of aging Hollywood movie star Arthur Leander and the lives he touched in the years prior to the outbreak of a deadly flu that wipes out humanity—as well as the lives he touched on the night he died on stage in the title role of King Lear—this novel is an exploration of what it means to be human when the world as you know it is over and how our connections to each other and to art are perhaps the ties that bind. Kirkus Reviews describes the writing as "Cormac McCarthy seesawing with Joan Didion," and, well, that's about as apt as I could describe it.  

The Queen of the Tearling: A Novel and The Invasion of the Tearling: A Novel, by Erika Johansen

The first two in a planned trilogy (with the third book scheduled to drop in November), this is the story of two women: Kelsea, destined to rule a medieval-type kingdom, and Lilly, a woman living under difficult circumstances in the not-so-distant future of America. They are connected by a mysterious occurrence called "The Crossing," and both of their fates are dependent, it seems, on each other. What I loved about this series is that while the first book is clearly fantasy, the second book very much plays in both the fantasy and the science fiction world, with plenty of questions arising for thought in regards to women's rights, income disparity, and just exactly how these two very disparate stories come together.

Betsy Engelbrecht, Director:

The Son, by Phillipp Meyer

A sweeping Texas saga that chronicles the struggles of a multigenerational family from Comanche raids during the 1800s to the oil booms of the twentieth century. This is storytelling at its finest and is currently in development as a television series on AMC.

The Patient's Playbook, by Leslie D. Michelson

Medical errors are a leading cause of death in the U.S. Leslie D. Michelson outlines strategies that will reduce these errors by suggesting proactive decisions that put the power back in the hands of the patient. His mantra is: educate yourself before the inevitable health crisis strikes you or someone you love. He also includes links that enable patients/family members to research their situation and take action for their care.

Vicki Christopher, President:

One Rough Man, by Brad Taylor

Raised in Conroe, Texas, author Brad Taylor is a fiction thriller military writer with the character Pike Logan solving crime. Read them in order starting with One Rough Man. We get a lot of requests for his books since he grew up in this area.

"A fallen-from-grace former antiterrorist operative and his lady friend chase terrorists armed with a horrifying weapon halfway around the world."

Kristy Smrcka, Librarian:

Honky Tonk Samuari, by Joe R. Lansdale 

Hap and Leonard are on a cold case job in East Texas searching for a missing person. This is the latest book in the Hap and Leonard series that is now a show on Sundance TV.

Jane Steele: A Novel, by Lyndsay Faye

Described as a retelling of the classic Jane Eyre. Jane is a woman with a less-than-happy childhood who sometimes murders people. She finds out that the new owner of her childhood estate is looking for a governess. Jane applies without revealing her true identity—since she has been on the lam because of the trail of bodies she's left behind—in hopes of finding out if she is the rightful heir. What she finds is a potential love interest, and she must decide how much to reveal about her past indiscretions.

The Utterly Uninteresting and Unadventurous Tales of Fred, the Vampire Accountant, by Drew Hayes

"Some people are born boring. Some live boring. Some even die boring. Fred managed to do all three, and when he woke up as a vampire, he did so as a boring one. Timid, socially awkward, and plagued by self-esteem issues, Fred has never been the adventurous sort."

This is a book of short stories about Fred and his friends. It hooked me with Bubba, the weresteed. Undead Fred returns to his high school reunion, and his life is suddenly uninteresting no longer. Fans of Christopher Moore and A. Lee Martinez may get a kick out of this one.

Carmen P. Grant, Public Service Librarian, North Branch:

The Friday Night Knitting Club, by Kate Jacobs

The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs is a story of friendship and sisterhood. Georgia Walker owns a little yarn shop on Manhattan's Upper West Side. She begins a knitting club in her shop. Every Friday night, the knitters work on their latest project. They chat about their lives, loves, and everything in between. When things change for the worst, this group of knitters realize their group is more than a club; they have evolved into a sisterhood where friendships are strong.

Kate Jacobs does a wonderful job of bringing the characters to life. You begin to feel that you are part of the knitting club and privileged to be involved in each characters' life. I must say, after finishing this book, I had to find out what happen to all these wonderful characters. So I read the sequels, Knit Two and Knit the Season.

Margaret M. Neill, Interim Co-Director:

From this Wicked Patch of Dust, by Sergio Troncoso

This is a fascinating book set right here in El Paso about the struggles of an immigrant family trying to realize the American dream while remaining true to their cultural heritage. I think the story of Pilar and Cuauhtémoc Martinez and their children will fascinate anyone who is interested in fiction dealing with family dynamics, culture clashes, and what it means to be an immigrant in America. 

Sergio Troncoso is a resident faculty member of the Yale Writers' Conference in New Haven, Connecticut, and an instructor at the Hudson Valley Writers' Center in Sleepy Hollow, New York, but he's a native El Pasoan, born and raised in Ysleta. Last year, we re-named the Ysleta Branch Library the Sergio Troncoso Branch Library in honor of his contributions to the community and literature. He's very active and involved in the Ysleta community and visits often.

Linda Treviño, Adult Reference Librarian II:

Isaac's Storm, by Erik Larson

During September of 1900, a massive hurricane swept through and devastated the city of Galveston, Texas. This book tells a true-life story of man versus nature concerning Isaac Cline, chief weatherman for Texas at the time, who believed no storm could do serious harm to the city of Galveston. Ultimately, the storm killed thousands of people and changed the way hurricane experts viewed the power of a great hurricane. Originally published in 2000, Isaac's Storm was meticulously investigated by Larson, who offers a story based on Cline's personal letters, telegrams, reports, and the testimony of individual survivors. Isaac's Storm became a top favorite of our current book discussion group, Entwined Minds, because it is both well-written and researched and proves historically valuable as a recounting of the deadliest natural disaster to ever hit the United States. From one of our book club members: "This is a story every Texan should know much like we know the story of the Alamo, but, in this case, it was an epic battle against nature's force in which we suffered tremendous loss."

Maggie Goodman, Director:

Fortune Smiles: Stories, by Adam Johnson

This collection of short stories won the 2015 National Book Award for best fiction. All the stories are very contemporary: a story about Hurricane Katrina survivors or refugees from North Korea. They always have a little "fortune smiles" at the end but not too much. 

The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America, by Erik Larson 

The Devil in the White City is the true story of the creator of the 1900 Chicago World's Fair juxtaposed against a mass murderer in Chicago at the same time. It's one of the creepiest things I've read, but totally fascinating.

John Trischitti III, Director:

Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps that Explain Everything About the World, by Tim Marshall

With up-to-date maps of each region, this title serves as a guide to one of the major factors that determine world affairs and our borders. Marshall, a former foreign correspondent for Britain's Sky News, paints an informed and interesting picture into geopolitics. A compelling read and a departure from "traditional" non-fiction.

The Sage of Waterloo: A Tale, by Leona Francombe

A lively reimagining of a key moment in history, the story is told by William, a resident of Hougoumont, an ancient farmstead a stone's throw from Waterloo. William happens to be a white rabbit.

Servants: A Downstairs History of Britain from the Nineteenth Century to Modern Times, by Lucy Lethbridge 

With Downton Abbey off the air now, fans of the show might be looking to scratch that itch. The upstairs/downstairs relationship of the grand homes of Britain has captivated our imagination. This book brings to life, through letters and diaries, the voices of countless men and women who have often been neglected by history for their "service."

Kim Underwood, Managing Librarian, Southwest History and Genealogy Department:

The Son, by Philipp Meyer

The Son is a remarkable, epic work realized in an historical novel giving credence to the extensive research by its author, Philipp Meyer. The fictional McCullough family could, without a doubt, be a true-bred Texas cornerstone family during the time of Texas Independence on through the twentieth century with the Comanches, the Mexican American element, and the wildness of the land and of the oil. When the reader believes that surely not one more tragedy or traumatic event could occur, the likes of patriarch Col. Eli McCullough and his gritty skills, intuition, and rugged talent for survival—and even that of some of his descendants—make this a page-turning must after each chapter. Meyer's McCullough is not necessarily a likeable character, but he garners the respect of the Comanches, who kidnapped him, the Mexicans who labored for him, and even the reader who can't help but continue to follow him in disbelief and amazement at his life and family. Will stand firm as a classic novel for Texas for years to come!

Janet Vance, Assistant Director of Library Services:

Spare Parts: Four Undocumented Teenagers, One Ugly Robot, and the Battle for the American Dream, by Joshua Davis

I'd like to recommend our Richardson Reads One Book choice for 2016—Spare Parts by Joshua Davis. It's the true story of four undocumented, Hispanic teenagers at a low-performing high school in Phoenix, who challenged themselves by forming a robotics team and entering a national underwater robotics contest. Their quest was complicated by the fact that they lived miles from an ocean, had no access to a swimming pool, often worked long hours at menial jobs outside of school hours, and were kids that society had basically given up on. It's also the true story of two inspiring teachers and their ability to profoundly impact these students and show them that they could have options, dreams, and, ultimately, hope for their future. This book is a great vehicle for kickstarting discussion of important issues such as the value our communities place on education and compassion. Joshua Davis will be coming to Richardson in September as a guest of Richardson Reads One Book to further enrich our town's reading and discussion of this significant book.

Calling Me Home: A Novel, by Julie Kibler

The second book that I'm currently in love with is from Julie Kibler, a first-time novelist from my area (Dallas-Fort Worth). Taking a piece of history from her own grandmother's life, Kibler wrote a beautiful, heartbreaking story of an interracial love affair set in the South in 1939. In the book's present-day opening pages, eighty-nine-year-old Isabelle asks Dorrie, her friend and hairdresser, to drive her from Dallas to Ohio for an important, yet secret, reason. The two women are from different races, different backgrounds, and different generations—yet the sharing of their personal stories during the long road trip forges new bonds of understanding and friendship and deepens the reader's knowledge of a painful time in our nation's past. This book was one of our most popular discussion choices this year in all three of our library's in-house book clubs. Fans of Kathryn Stockett's The Help will devour this one.

Reading Nook Book Club:

The Gargoyle: A Novel, by Andrew Davidson 

I have never been more pleasantly surprised at the content of a book as compared to the expectations set by the jacket. I only cracked the cover as a favor to a friend who highly recommended it. Never before or since have I seen words give life to a story the way they do within these pages. Mr. Davidson takes a character I felt predestined to detest, places him in a setting I rarely read, and spins a story so wonderful that I was forced to reconsider my preconceptions—both in and out of the story. My biggest complaint is the seeming grail quest to find a book to match it.

Euphoria, by Lily King 

An excellent love story that takes place in the 1930s in Papua New Guinea, loosely based on the the life of Margaret Mead.

"Euphoria is Lily King's nationally bestselling breakout novel of three young, gifted anthropologists of the '30s caught in a passionate love triangle that threatens their bonds, their careers, and, ultimately, their lives."

The Vegetarian, by Han King

A very strange but powerful Korean novel about a woman's place in society and her relationship with her family.

"Before the nightmares began, Yeong-hye and her husband lived an ordinary, controlled life. But the dreams—invasive images of blood and brutality—torture her, driving Yeong-hye to purge her mind and renounce eating meat altogether. It's a small act of independence, but it interrupts her marriage and sets into motion an increasingly grotesque chain of events at home."

Vanessa Hartel, Young Adult Librarian, Stephens Central Library
Teen Republic

Cinder, by Marissa Meyer 

The first book of the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer isn't just an ordinary retelling of Cinderella. First of all, the story is set in the future and definitely falls into the science fiction genre; be prepared for flying cars and cyborgs. But the changes don't stop there. Political intrigue, biological warfare, aliens, and many more fantastical additions truly make Cinder its own story, wildly divergent from its source of inspiration. All these elements combine in a beautiful way that transforms an age-old story about a girl, a fabulous pair of shoes, and a charming prince into an engaging story for today's audiences. Younger readers may enjoy the parallels to the fairy tale, while adult readers may become engrossed in the social and political aspects of Meyer's world. All of the books in the Lunar Chronicles series follow this pattern, morphing classic tales into something modern made for all ages.

Casey Dees, Young Adult Librarian, Stephens Central Library
Teen Republic

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, by Ransom Riggs

Far from a fairy tale, our next recommendation is Ransom Riggs's Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. Although initially skeptical of his grandfather's wondrous stories, Jacob (Riggs's protagonist) quickly discovers that the stories were all true after the mysterious circumstance of his grandfather's death. Naturally, Jacob sets out to find more information on the characters featured in his grandfather's not-so-tall-tales; thus begins his perilous quest to find the fabled Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. Riggs does not tell this story with words alone; integral to the story are the various black-and-white photographs mentioned throughout the book, depicting the odd children Jacob heard about from his grandfather. Adults reading this novel may start off thinking it is just another tale of children with magical talents, but an abundance of suspenseful and touching moments, along with the occasional scare, will keep readers of all ages enthralled until the end. And the best part is, with a movie adaptation right around the corner, new readers won't have long to wait before they see the story's fascinating images come to life.

Deb Tomaselli, Program and Outreach Librarian:

The Fountains of Saint Mark: The Amazing San Marcos Springs, by Ron Coley

I never can pick just one favorite book. Being a librarian, after ten years of being a bookseller, is the perfect fit for my book-wandering eye. This summer comes a new photography book that I think all of San Marcos and anyone interested in the Hill Country or rivers and conservation will love to read. The Fountains of Saint Mark: The Amazing San Marcos Springs collects some of Ron Coley's underwater photography of Spring Lake and is punctuated with paintings by Janet Skaggs Hardin and maps by Sam R. Massey. The eight chapters capture and preserve some of the most treasured aspects of our beloved San Marcos community.

Amanda Place, Teen Librarian:

The Thief Lord, by Cornelia Funke 

The Thief Lord, by Cornelia Funke, is a fantasy novel about two orphaned brothers set in modern-day Italy. Prosper, a boy around twelve years of age, learns that he and his younger brother, Bo, are going to be separated through adoption. Thus, the two run away to Venice. As winter nears, Prosper worries they may have to turn themselves in to save his little brother, who was ill. Luckily, the boys are saved by a young girl nicknamed Hornet. She brings them to her hideout (with two other boys), an abandoned movie theater. Their leader Scipio, a.k.a. the Thief Lord, keeps the children safe by stealing and selling. Little do the children know that their lives will change forever after being offered five million lire for stealing something sentimental from an elderly man. The children learn the dark truth of the Thief Lord and how he came to be and also find something powerful that will change their lives forever. This book is exciting and thought-provoking. It highlights the importance of family, both by blood and by choice, and resonates well with readers of all ages.

Kathy Westergren, Public Services Librarian:

The True Meaning of Smekday and Smek for President!, by Adam Rex

My recommendations are The True Meaning of Smekday and Smek for President! by Adam Rex, who started off as an illustrator of children's books. The True Meaning of Smekday is what the Disney movie Home is somewhat based on. These two books are brilliant, should be read in order, and are probably the best books I've read in a long time out of books for adults, teens, or kids.

 Joy Edwards-Huggins, Children's Library Assistant:

The Girl With the Silver Eyes, by Willo Davis Roberts

A favorite book of mine when I was younger, which has seen a relatively new republish date—it was originally published in 1980 and again recently in 2011—was The Girl with the Silver Eyes.

"Katie Welker is used to being alone. She would rather read a book than deal with other people. Other people don't have silver eyes. Other people can't make things happen just by thinking about them! But these special powers make Katie unusual, and it's hard to make friends when you're unusual. Katie knows that she's different but she's never done anything to hurt anyone so why is everyone afraid of her? Maybe there are other kids out there who have the same silver eyes . . . and the same talents . . . and maybe they'll be willing to help her."

Barbarajean Burton-Williams, Programming Services Lead:

Riders on the Orphan Train: A Novel, by Alison Moore

Riders on the Orphan Train is a historical novel about a little-known piece of American history. Between 1854 and 1929, over 250,000 orphans and "surrendered" children were "placed out" across the country. They started their journey in New York and were given away in train stations across the country. The novel is the story of the journey of two children from very different backgrounds who find themselves on the same train heading West in 1918. Ezra Duval, age 11, was left in an orphanage. Ezra's father, a widower, left his son behind for an opportunity to be a part of an archaeological expedition in Egypt. Maud Farrell, age 12, arrives in America from the west of Ireland to join her father, a "sand hog" excavating the subway, and discovers she must make her own way as a singing girl on the streets.

Elene Gedevani, Director:

Hard Rain Falling, by Don Carpenter

Hard Rain Falling includes elements of adventure, crime, and redemption. Library patrons are always interested in this kind of story.

"A tough-as-nails account of being down and out, but never down for good—a Dostoyevskian tale of crime, punishment, and the pursuit of an ever-elusive redemption. The novel follows the adventures of Jack Levitt, an orphaned teenager living off his wits in the fleabag hotels and seedy pool halls of Portland, Oregon. Jack befriends Billy Lancing, a young black runaway and pool hustler extraordinaire. A heist gone wrong gets Jack sent to reform school, from which he emerges embittered by abuse and solitary confinement. In the meantime Billy has joined the middle class—married, fathered a son, acquired a business and a mistress. But neither Jack nor Billy can escape their troubled pasts, and they will meet again in San Quentin before their strange double drama comes to a violent and revelatory end."

The Light Between Oceans: A Novel, by M. L. Stedman

The Light Between Oceans is a novel about adoption, love, and the complex life of parents dealing with the consequences of adopting a child.

"After four harrowing years on the Western Front, Tom Sherbourne returns to Australia and takes a job as the lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock, nearly half a day’s journey from the coast. To this isolated island, where the supply boat comes once a season, Tom brings a young, bold, and loving wife, Isabel. Years later, after two miscarriages and one stillbirth, the grieving Isabel hears a baby’s cries on the wind. A boat has washed up onshore carrying a dead man and a living baby. Tom wants to report the man and infant immediately. But Isabel insists the baby is a “gift from God,” and against Tom’s judgment, they claim her as their own and name her Lucy. When she is two, Tom and Isabel return to the mainland and are reminded that there are other people in the world. Their choice has devastated one of them."

The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration, by Isabel Wilkerson

The Warmth of Other Suns conveys deep knowledge about the Great Migration, an important part of the history of the United States.

"From 1915 to 1970, this exodus of almost six million people changed the face of America. Wilkerson compares this epic migration to the migrations of other peoples in history. She interviewed more than a thousand people, and gained access to new data and official records, to write this definitive and vividly dramatic account of how these American journeys unfolded, altering our cities, our country, and ourselves."