GLMA South Metro District
Book Suggestions for “ME” Reading
By Anne Browning, NBCT, South Metro Representative
Why did you become a library media specialist? I can guarantee you entered the field of library media because you were an avid reader? I know I did!
Going into a New Year, many of us make resolutions. In twelve years of librarianship, I have learned to make personal resolutions and professional resolutions. My professional resolutions always include a goal to have neater shelves, more effective communication between staff, teachers, and students, and seeking additional funding sources for my media program. My personal resolution is always to read more books that I enjoy – outside of young adult and children’s literature.
I have compiled a list of six books that I read in 2007 that I recommend to my library peers for leisure reading in 2008. If your 2008 resolution is to do more “ME” reading, please endeavor to enjoy my suggested titles!
The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak: Yes, this is a Young Adult novel, but it is the best book I read in 2007! With the story told in the point of view of Death, this Holocaust novel reads like a black and white movie. It is unsentimental, edgy, and tragic, but it is also a story of hope, love, and good overcoming evil. This book will become a classic and I guarantee, it will become one of the top Holocaust fiction novels of all time!
The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger: Imagine being in love with a man who pops in and out of your life, beginning in your childhood, as a time traveler? Grow up, marry him, have a family, and still, he comes and goes. Best thing about this book? He’s employed as a full-time librarian! This book is a witty, well-written romance, with a bittersweet, but perfect, ending.
The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillipa Gregory: Henry VIII might have broken away from the Roman Catholic Church to marry Anne Boleyn, but before the King’s Great Matter began, there was “the other Boleyn Girl!” This book is told in the point of view of Mary Boleyn, the older sister of Anne, and the first Boleyn girl to be used by her family as a pawn for the King.
Water for Elephants: A Novel by Sara Gruen: When everything in his life falls apart, veterinary student, Jacob Jankowski, joins the circus. Told in flashback from his elderly years, this delightful book captures the essence of the circus culture. The ending is predictable, but the story, full of romance and the circus culture, makes us wonder, “What would happen if I ran away and joined the circus?!”
American Jezebel by Eva LaPlante: This is the best piece of nonfiction I read all year. The story of Anne Hutchinson, who defied the Puritans, is a stunning example of women’s and human’s rights. The author, a direct descendent of Hutchinson, brings her personal search for her ancestor and the awesome life of a 17th century New England heroine to readers in the 21st century.
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova: With all the hype over the teen romance, Twilight, I recommend a better vampire novel – this one for adults! Kostova did something that I find rare: she mixed several genres into this adventurous vampire novel! Her debut novel, The Historian is an exciting read that sweeps across Europe for four decades. Throw in the myth of Dracula, with romance, horror, and suspense, I guarantee you will want to read this in bright daylight! Best thing of all? The Historian toots the importance of archives, research, and of course, libraries!