Medical surprise makes for compelling story

“What I Thought I Knew”

By Alice Eve Cohen

It is the spring of 1999, and 44-year-old Alice Eve Cohen is deliriously happy. She is raising Julia, her 8-year-old adopted daughter, she is dating a wonderful man and has a thriving career as a playwright and theater artist.

And then one day in early April, she awakens with an upset stomach.

The nausea never abates, and over the course of the next several months Alice gains a host of new symptoms, which her gynecologist diagnoses as early menopause, her gastroenterologist as anemia and reflux, and her general practitioner as a tumor. It is only later, during a CAT scan, that it is accidentally discovered that she is 26 weeks pregnant.

And so begins Alice’s difficult journey in trying to figure out how to proceed. Especially since she has not receive any prenatal care, has been taking prescription medication and synthetic hormones that are know to cause birth defects, is a high-risk pregnancy, and has to deal with an insurance company that offers little coverage or help.

Cohen offers her perspective on the medical system, motherhood and what it means to be a family in today’s society, while providing an honest, entertaining and captivating narrative. She pulls no punches and candidly opens herself to readers, despite how she may appear or be judged.

This is a fast-paced memoir that will preoccupy readers’ thoughts long after the last page has been read.

“When You Reach Me”

By Rebecca Stead

New York City sixth-grader Miranda has a lot on her mind during the fall of 1978.

She would like to know why her best friend, Sal, suddenly stops speaking to her after a stranger punches him in the stomach; who stole the “emergency only” apartment key that she and her mother had hidden outside their apartment; and who is leaving her notes that seem to predict the future.

Using her powers of observation, Miranda seeks to answer these questions and more as her familiar world is abruptly upended.

Stead has written a fantastical mystery that will captivate readers from the opening chapter. Miranda is endearing, perceptive and better yet, a typical sixth-grade student who is struggling with family, friendships and her personal identity. She, along with a diverse cast of characters, steals the show.

Jeana is the children’s librarian at Joplin Public Library.

“An Uncommon History of Common Things”

By Bethanne Patrick and John Thompson

I’m a bit of a trivia nut, to understate things enormously, so I was happy to see “An Uncommon History of Common Things” by Bethanne Patrick and John Thompson, published by National Geographic. The book is divided into nine chapters, covering Food & Drink, Seasons & Holidays, Ceremony & Customs, Symbols & Markings, Hearth & Home, Garments & Accessories, Medications & Potions, Toys & Games, and Tools & Innovations.

In addition to the main entries, there are blue boxes with Uncommonly Known stories to further inform and entertain and tan boxes with Parallel History information to put things into context. The second Uncommonly Known box, in the Food & Drink section, states that the bread slicer was invented in Iowa in 1917, but the first commercial use was in Chillicothe, Mo.!

In the section on lunch boxes, I learned that the first lunch box made for children was the Aladdin brand with Hopalong Cassidy decoration in the late 1940’s. No big surprise there, but (being a boomer baby) I didn’t realize that “concerned parents” in Florida rang the death knell for the metal lunch box and ushered in the age of plastics in the lunch box world.

Ceremony & Customs has an interesting piece about naming conventions. I remember hearing long ago that in Jewish custom, babies are named after deceased relatives but not living ones. According to the book, however, that is Ashkenazic custom, while Sephardic custom is exactly opposite. In Navajo culture, “a name is so powerful it is never used in everyday conversation.” In India, it is usual to have a “family” name used at home and a different formal name for use in the outside world.

Symbols & Markings gives a history of the peace symbol that I found interesting. It was created by a Londoner named Gerald Holtom for a march against nuclear armaments. It is a combination of the semaphores for “n” (nuclear) and “d” (disarmament). It made its first appearance in public on April 4, 1958 and the first appearance in the U.S. was evidently a photo of the march in Life magazine on April 14th.

What about the superstition about walking under a ladder? Evidently, that one goes back to ancient Egypt. Wood was scarce in Egypt and a ladder was a good luck sign. Triangles represented the sacred trinity of the gods, so walking under a ladder leaning against something was breaking the sacred space and earning the gods’ anger. In Christian times, a leaning ladder brought to mind the ladder used to mount a cross for crucifixion, and so became a symbol of evil and death. Those going to be hanged were forced to walk under the ladder, while the executioner went around it.

In Garments & Accessories, I learned a lot about loafers. One, why they’re called that. I always assumed that it referred to be lazy, since there are no laces to tie. Wrong! It comes from a shoe worn by Norwegian farmer shoes worn in the loafing (meaning gathering) areas for cattle. The Norwegian origin also explains the name of the loafers sold by Bass. “Weejun” is a diminutive form of Norwegian. Ah HA! I always thought (again, wrong assumption on my part) that Weejun was some sort of American Indian reference, like wampum (wampum being covered in the book, too, by the way).

The ubiquitous hook-and-loop fastener was patented in 1955. Brand-named Velcro, the French inventor got the idea from burrs in his dog’s fur. Whyever is it called Velcro? I have wondered, and now I know. The name comes from the French words velours (velvet) and crochet (hook). Ah, the velvet hook! Perfect description of the material, I think.

While there is a lot of information familiar to me in this book, there is obviously a lot that wasn’t. It’s very attractively laid out, with lots of photos, and makes for some interesting browsing. Come check it out, or any of the other books on curiosities, trivia and the like that we have at the Joplin Public Library.

Linda is the circulation supervisor/collection development librarian at Joplin Public Library.

Test Your Library Knowledge in 2010!

Test your library knowledge in 2010 and be entered to win a great prize!

Every two weeks during the months of January and February, a different "L.Q." (library quotient) question will be posted on the library's blog and Facebook page. These questions will be related to the history of the Joplin Public Library. Answers must be submitted in person to a designated box at the Circulation Desk inside the library.

Those people who submit four correct answers will be entered into a drawing to win a $20.00 gift card to Caldone's, the newest Italian restaurant in town, located at 218 S Main!

Check back in January for the first question!

Intense action propels 'Memory Collector'

“The Memory Collector”

By Meg Gardiner (compact disc audiobook)

A couple of passengers restrain Ian Kanan, passenger on a flight from London, when he tries to open an exit door. Kanan has no memory of where he is or why he is in the United States.

Dr. Jo Beckett a forensic psychologist is called in to investigate when brain scans reveal that Kanan has no short-term memory. He escapes before she discovers that his exposure to a top-secret nanotech chemical product known as “Slick” has caused a rare form of amnesia. Kanan only remembers things up until the time of his exposure to this mysterious biological contaminant. He will never be able to form new memories or ever hold a memory for more than five minutes.

Kanan is desperately looking for Slick. Kidnappers have his family and Slick is the ransom, only Kanan cannot remember where he put it. The reminder scrawled on his arm — “Saturday they die” — terrifies him. Jo and her friend, Lt. Amy Tang of the San Francisco Police Department, and Jo’s boyfriend, Gabe, race against time to find Kanan and the toxic chemical in order to save the city of San Francisco from this horrifying, brain-devouring substance.

Meg Gardiner’s second novel featuring Dr. Jo Beckett is a suspenseful and fast-paced thriller. Susan Ericksen effectively utilizes foreign dialects to portray realistic characters, while her excellent narration sustains the intense action.

“Gone Tomorrow”

By Lee Child (compact disc audiobook)

Jack Reacher, a former military police major, is riding on a subway car in New York when he notices that the only woman fits all of the criteria of a suicide bomber. However, what would be the point of her carrying out a suicide bombing? It is 2 o’clock in the morning and there are only four or five passengers on the subway train.

In order to try to calm the woman, Reacher approaches her and explains that he a police officer. She pulls out a gun and kills herself. Reacher’s decision sets off a course with deadly consequences. The New York Police Department, the FBI, and other government agencies question Reacher’s motivation for confronting Susan Marks. Susan was no suicide bomber but apparently she was carrying a secret, and a number of people believe that she gave Reacher something that contained the secret before she died. Reacher enlists the aid of her brother to discover Susan’s motivation for taking her life and to exact vengeance from the bad guys.

Reacher tells the heart-stopping story in first person. The terrific action sequences move at breakneck pace and the plotting and characters are first rate. Dick Hill’s skillful narration adds depth to the portrayal of the characters and the tension. Jack Reacher will not disappoint his millions of fans.

“Road Dogs”

By Elmore Leonard (“Playaway” audiobook)

Jack Foley, the charming, sexy bank robber who made his first appearance in “Out of Sight,” claims to have robbed over 170 banks. Foley gets out of jail early thanks to Cundo Rey, who also appeared in “La Brava,” an earlier Leonard novel.

Rey, an extremely wealthy Cuban criminal and Foley’s prison buddy (road dog), pays $50,000 for a lawyer to spring Foley. Rey gives Foley a credit card and access to his multi-million dollar homes in California. Dawn Navarro, a beautiful psychic con and Rey’s common-law wife, has been waiting on Rey’s release for eight years. In the meantime, Little Jimmy, Rey’s partner, has been taking care of Rey’s business.

Foley makes himself at home in one of Rey’s houses. He has decided to go straight — no more bank robberies in his future. Soon, he and Dawn connect and begin a torrid affair, while thinking of ways to relieve Rey of some of his money. Rey’s release comes a few days early and he arrives home unexpectedly. Adding to the tension is FBI agent Lou Adams who dogs Foley’s every step. Agent Adams is determined to catch Foley in one last bank heist and intends to write a book about him.

The plot is weak but Leonard skillfully employs quirky and sleazy engaging characters and rich and colorful dialogue in “Road Dogs.” Peter Francis James narrates this enjoyable, fast-paced caper novel.

~Phyllis- Technical Services Librarian

‘Libyrinth’ a well-written book about another world’s library

Libyrinth by Pearl North

True confession: Since I earned my degree to become a librarian, the mere mention of libraries in a book, no matter how brief, makes me giddy with excitement — as if the author mentioned the library just for me.

So, when I saw Libyrinth and read the jacket, I had to read it. I mean, there’s a whole civilization built around a library, librarians and the people who want to destroy the library! Giddiness ensued.

Libyrinth is set in a non-Earth world where the two major learned societies are in conflict. The Libyrarians believe in the importance of the written word and that they must preserve all books while the Singers believe that words are sacred, but once written down are dead and that they must burn all books in order to release the words written in them.

Because the Libyrinth relies on others in order to exist and the Singers are a formidable foe, the Libyrarians have struck a deal with the Singers: Each year, the Libyrarians allow the singers to burn a select number of books in exchange for the Singers’ promise that they won’t destroy the entire Libyrinth.

This arrangement, though painful for the Libyrarians, worked out well until Haly, a Libyrinth clerk who can hear written words as if they are spoken to her, discovers the Singers’ plot to find The Book of the Night — the book that contains all the secrets of the Ancients.

Fearing that the Singers will destroy the book, Haly, her friend Clauda and Selene, the Libyrarian Haly serves, flee the Libyrinth to find the book first. When Haly is captured by the Singers, she and her friends embark on an adventure to save the book and the Libyrinth.

For the most part, the giddiness I felt after reading the book jacket was sustained. Through alternating points of view, Haly and Clauda are well developed and quite likable. Their difficult decisions are realistic and they are both clever and resourceful.

North does a good job of making readers understand the viewpoint of the Singers and resists the temptation of making them a mindless and evil society of book burners. North even sprinkles a budding romance in the mix for good measure.

The book was not without distraction, however. The action scenes are great and begin early on, but the pace gets slowed down by world building and in-depth explanations of the world’s various religions and philosophies.

Most distracting for me is that North fails to explain how a non-Earth world can have books like Charlotte’s Web and The Diary of Anne Frank in it. Are the Ancients people from Earth who brought a vast number of books with them?

According to the “About the Author” page, North plans Libyrinth to be the first in a trilogy, so maybe some of these distractions will be dealt with in the second installment. All-in-all, though, it’s a solid read for patient fantasy lovers and nerdy librarians.