Scottoline or Grisham

 Book Review 

What Happened to the Bennetts

Lisa Scottoline

4.1/5*

I swear I was reading early Grisham just now. It is a very intense story. When you think of early Grisham, the main character single handily takes on the bad guys whether they are the government, mafia, a greedy law firm… I believe most people wonder how the character can come up with these strategies. Don’t get me wrong I did enjoy the fast paced mystery.

School Library

 Chick’s School 

Sandwich, NH

A one room school house that closed in 1950. The community feels the importance of keeping the 200+ year old school house alive. Students are brought by to learn about the history of the building and the school system from so many years ago. Each year the school is opened up for Old Homes Week for tours.

Ashland Public Library

 Ashland, NH

This building was originally built as a home. It was donated to the town in 1937. Prior to this the library was moved from place to place. You can feel how the flow of the building would have been a typical house back in 1821. The building was remodeled to have a better fit. The librarians are now looking for more space. There was an idea of moving once more but eventually decided on an expansion and a reorganization of current location. I wish them well in getting the improvements that they need.

Ashlandtownlibrary.org

A Cover Versus a Story

 Book Review 

The World According to Bob

By James Bowen

3.6/5*

When you look at the cover you think a cute little story. I mean a cat with a scarf? How adorable. However this is a memoir about a man and his cat who survived some dark times and came out the other side. James dealt with drugs which lead to homelessness. He struggled to get on his feet. Bob, the cat, made his life bearable and worth the work. Many people treated him poorly as he worked the streets trying to sell magazines. He worked hard to make a better life for the two of them.

Pictured is one of my companions.

Airy

 Jamestown Philmenia Library 

Jamestown, RI

What you would expect from a library on an island. A great story walk around the building amongst a perfect landscape. The large windows create an open, airy feel to the space. Close to half of the building is dedicated to the children’s section. There is a playroom with windows looking out to a playground right next door. A relatively new building considering it’s in New England. It was opened in 1971 after much fundraising.

Peace Dale Library

 Wakefield, RI

What a great structure! A large portion of the building was being renovated so I was not able to see the entire interior. I hope they took some before pictures of the space. I look forward to seeing the results. The librarian explained the front of the building was the library and the back was a community center. It was originally built in 1891 in a Richardsonian Romanesque style. Over time as most libraries tend to need more space, they took over the entire building. The children’s area is in the basement. It needed to be renovated recently due to a burst pipe. The bronze statue in the front garden is called “The Weaver”. It was created and donated in 1920. https://www.skpl.org/785/Our-Buildings

Wakefield Books

 Wakefield, RI

Bookstore 

I can’t remember the last time I went into a mall and saw a bookstore. Here is my one example. Nicely organized and neat. They start with the bargain books outside the door with mostly fiction towards the front. A good selection of many genres. Seemed to be a good traffic flow for a sunny summer afternoon. I hope the mall can sustain in these times for the benefit of this store specifically. https://wakefieldbooks.com/

Gilford Public Library

 Gilford, NH

I enjoy seeing a different statue than I’ve seen before. Open, airy, welcoming spaces in this library. It has options of sitting by a fireplace or a shady spot outside, continuing a puzzle or enjoying the murals in the children’s section. 

This building was built rather recently in 2008 using a $3 million donation from Dick and Betty Persons. The town had several locations prior; each of which never met the growing population of the town. “ the newest facility does indeed paint a portrait of an intelligent town, but also paints a picture of the tremendous dedication of the numerous individuals who were determined to offer the town a vehicle for information, information that helps create an educated public” https://www.fosters.com/story/news/local/2009/04/12/lots-history-within-gilford-public/51998296007/

Quirky

 Hall Memorial Library 

Northfield, NH

Yes, that’s the first word that came to mind when I wandered about this library. The building has some great details. It was built in 1885 with a donation from Mary Hall Cummings in memory of her husband. There are many cute alcoves to dive into upstairs and downstairs. Some of the spaces have a bit of clutter. The lower level holds the children’s section. I thought a couple of videos would help envision the small nooks. The upstairs has cathedral ceilings and stain glass windows. I had been by the library before but it was closed at the time. Very glad I was able to return and get the full experience. It is said to be one of the finest examples of Queen Anne Architecture. Hallmemoriallibrary.org 

Innisfree Bookshop

 Bookstore 

Meredith, NH

More than a bookstore, it’s a community center. There are posters of local activities on the front windows. There is a wall of games and puzzles to browse. They have a beautiful children’s section. One of the reasons I love the town of Meredith so much is their sculptures around the village. They change yearly which is great. This year they have a sculpture of Louisa May Alcott, best known as the author of Little Women, in front of the bookstore. See below for a picture.

Remarkably Bright Creatures

 Book/Movie Review 

4.3/5*

Shelby Van Pelt

Although I read this book back in 2024, I bring it up now because I just watched the movie. I feel like there were a few changes made from the original story. The movie was worth the wait. I enjoyed Sally Field as the main character. She did a great job. The other main character is Marcellos, the octopus. I would have liked more of his wit in the movie. Poor fella was stuck in an aquarium and missed his former quiet life.

Life and Other Inconveniences

 Book Review 

Kristen Higgins

4.2/5*

The relationship between a grumpy rich grandmother and her strong independent granddaughter is the basis of this book. It took almost the entire story to understand why the title and why the picture on the front. A dog on the cover is what drew me to purchase the book plus I have read some of Higgins other books. I really enjoyed the interactions between all of the characters. The story enfolds with each person understanding the other's reasoning. You hope that it all works out in the end.

Blank Bookshelves

Observation:

 I have seen this in movies. I get that. But a home where the owner puts all of their books backwards, I don’t get. How do they know what books they have? Are they arranged so only the owner knows where books are located? I have to guess that they don’t read. The books are just for aesthetics. It is said to be an interior design craze. A way to declutter a room to make other items the main focus. Sorry but when you have a passion for books, it needs to be a part of your home life. I remember hearing someone say your home should be filled with what you love. I’ve tried to keep that in mind.

Another way to organize your bookcases is by color coding. Since I have several bookcases I decided to try it on one of my own. I didn’t realize how difficult it would be. Most books are not one solid color like I have seen in some examples.  I did the best I could. Now when I choose a book from it I consider what color I have the most of and choose one of those.

During Covid one of my favorite things to do when watching reporters and others discussing something from their homes, was to look at their bookcases. I was interested in which books were facing out. I noticed if they were the author it would be set to be visible to the viewers. They spent some time arranging for the books along with their personal tchotchkes.

The Measure

Book Review 

4.5/5*

 By Nikki Erlick

Everyone 22 years old and older gets a box. Inside is a string that will tell you how long you will live. At first it was a vague time line. After some research the scientists were able to narrow the range down to a specific month that you could expect to live to. Not everyone wanted to know. The world took a twist. Two types of people; long stringers and short were created. There was no love lost between these groups. A great story for a book club discussion.

• Do you want to know how much longer you have to live?
• How will you handle the answer?
• Will you change the way you live, your habits, your job?
• How will this effect the economy?
• Will it effect health care and insurance?
• What changes will be seen on travel and extreme sports?

The Correspondent

 Book Review 

By Virginia Evans

4.2/5*

I found it a different way to tell a story. Listening to letters to and from an older retired female law clerk. She enjoyed writing over talking on the phone so she could consider what she wanted to say. She enjoyed the ability to reread letters from the past. It felt like a legacy to her. 

This woman has been writing to everyone since she was young. It does make you want to pick up some stationary and a nice pen to begin your own letter writing. I listened to the audiobook. I appreciated the change of readers when different people were writing. It made it easier to distinguish between the characters. I’m going to miss the group now that I am finished. 

Fundraiser

 Book Sale FUNDRAISER 

Is a book sale still a profitable fundraiser? It looks like an older customer is the majority of the shoppers. How do readers feel about purchasing someone else’s books?There are people who like the crispness of a new book. There are those who prefer digital. Libraries have been having sales to raise money to assist their library for years. I have found many to add on baked goods, puzzles and other items to improve their sales.