The Children of Willesden Lane

 Book Review 

4.2/5*

By Mona Golebek

You MUST do the audio version! It has piano music as well as sounds like trains in the background. I had planned on picking the book up from the library after hearing the author speak. It sounded like an amazing true story. Although it took me a while to get around to it, I am glad I did. Sometimes I feel like I have read enough books about World War Two. This one is worth it. The main character is sent alone by train from Vienna to London. Her mom told her to continue playing the piano. It will help her get through the separation.

Memoirs of Celebrities

 I feel like I can learn something from reading nonfiction. Do memoirs count? I’m thinking some do but some are just pure entertainment. Right now I am reading Phil Collin’s Not Dead Yet. I enjoy his music so I chose his book. There is so much behind the scenes that I never knew about. I never realized how many different things he accomplished over the years. 

I enjoyed Jerry Seinfeld, Paul Reiser, Molly Shannon and Betty White’s. I had high expectations from Doris Robert’s memoir Are You Hungry Yet. I loved Everyone Loves Raymond including her character. It certainly wasn’t funny, a little bland. I absolutely hated Tim Allen’s also. 

From Baghdad, With Love

 Book Review 

By Jay Kopelman

4/5*

Sweet-yet-sad. Love-violence. Heartwarming-tragic.

The dichotomy of puppy adoration and war is the theme of this true story. A marine finds a weeks-old dog alone in a building. He knows the rules against keeping it but… He goes through so many hoops to try and get this dog home to America. In the meantime there is a brutal war occurring. The description of some incidences are depressing.

Secret Lives of Bookstore Owners and Librarians

 Book Review 

5/5*

By James Patterson

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the stories of so many booksellers and librarians. This book would not be for everyone. It gives insight into where they came from, how they chose their careers and how fulfilling it has been for them. At first I was not going to give it a full 5* because it was only talking about the positives. There was also the negatives such as the banning of books and the fight for freedom to read. One story talked about her inexperience leading to only making $50 on opening weekend.

Jodi Picoult

 Author Review 

I have read almost every book by Jodi. Why have I not mentioned her before? I actually did in the post about book vs. movie with My Sister’s Keeper. That book was my favorite of hers because of the crazy, OMG, twist.

Let me give you a quick take on some of the others I have read and enjoyed.

• Sing You Home was one of her best. Life has a song track. Each life event can be recalled when you hear a particular tune. She uses music therapy.
• Storyteller deals with grief and friendship. Also one of my favorite books of Picoult’s.
• Mercy is about a mercy killing. I thought, what a controversial topic because you could feel for the husband. I found the story was more about the sheriff and his wife and not about the original elderly couple.
• 19 Minutes is about a school shooting. Devastating as you would expect.
• The Pact is about teenagers who did or did not make a pact. He said they did.
• Songs of a Humpback Whale Her first novel takes a couple from west to east to study the humpback.
• A Spark of Light a gunman at a reproduction facility takes hostages. It becomes very personal to the narrator 
• Between the Lines written with Jodi’s daughter it’s a bit different. A girl is reading and living in the fairy tale of her book
• Plain Truth exploring the world of a young Amish girl 
• Book of Two Ways was my least favorite story of Picoult’s
• Change of Heart using the issue of the death penalty to spark a personal debate 
• Handle with Care the struggles with a child’s illness 
• Harvesting the Heart does being abandoned by your mom when you are very young effect how well you are as a mom
• House Rules  The son has Asperger’s syndrome. Although a work of fiction you learn about how it feels to be his mom and how she needs to deal with it.
• Mad Honey was not what I expected to read. The narrator’s son is accused of killing his girlfriend. 

Bookstore Owner

What goes into being a bookstore owner 

As I am listening to an audiobook that includes stories from bookstore owners, I am hearing some of the pros and cons.

All have mentioned they were life long readers. Most did not set out to be bookstore owners. Many had other aspirations such as publishing, writing and other pursuits. The business side of being an owner can sometimes take over their dreams of recommending books, meeting authors and creating displays. This can be the case for many entrepreneurs. An example is a person has a passion for teaching yoga so they open up a yoga studio. So much of their time is spent paying bills, marketing, hiring, cleaning … they aren’t enjoying their original mission.

All have mentioned the ideal situation of putting the perfect book in the hands of the customer in search of a good read. Many recall doubts about the viability of opening a brick and mortar store when the internet seems to be taking over sales. Their mission is to find a niche that will bring in a loyal set of customers plus the drop in traffic.

Robert H. Champlin Memorial Library

 West Warwick, RI

Opening in 1967 after 10 years of work to get it funded and built. Due to the growth in the area, a renovation to double the size took place in 1990. This was the first that I encountered with a specific classroom dedicated to ESL, English as a second language. They have a book nook room for sales, a large room for crafts and a combination children’s and teen’s section. Not the quietest area as you might expect.

https://www.wwpl.org/history