Legal thriller full of plot twists

“Fugitive”

By Phillip Margolin

(Playaway MP3 audiobook)

Margolin’s latest thriller revolves around Charlie Marsh, a small-time thief and con man.

In 1997, Charlie is serving a prison sentence when he saves the warden’s life during a prison riot and becomes a national hero. He takes advantage of the situation by writing a largely fictional book about his life. The book becomes a bestseller, allowing Charlie to live the high life.

Sally Pope, wife of a prominent congressman, and Charlie have an affair. Sally’s husband, Arnold discovers evidence of the affair and confronts them at a book signing that Sally hosts for Charlie.

Arnold is shot and killed and Sally faces a murder charge, although no one saw the shooter. Charlie is charged as an accomplice.

Amanda Jaffe watches in the courtroom as her father, Frank, successfully defends Sally and gains her acquittal. Charlie flees to Batanga, Africa to avoid his own murder trial.

For twelve years, Charlie works for the Batangan dictator Jean Claude Baptiste. When the dictator discovers that Charlie has been sleeping with one of his wives, he has his wife tortured and killed.

Charlie decides that facing death row in the United States is preferable to the fate he will meet at the hands of the sadistic dictator.

Charlie calls upon Martha Brice, editor-in-chief of “World News” for help in making his escape. She provides the money and makes the plans for Charlie’s harrowing exit from Africa.

He leaves Africa entrusted with a package of diamonds for safekeeping. The diamonds are intended to fund a resistance movement against the African dictator at a future date.

So Brice hires Amanda Jaffe to defend Charlie in his murder trial. Amanda enlists her father to assist an investigation into the events surrounding the congressman’s murder twelve years ago.

Charlie and Amanda quickly discover that the African dictator has sent one of his enforcers to get the diamonds back and to deal with Charlie. Amanda faces two challenges—to clear her client and to protect him from persons that want him dead.

Margolin’s legal thriller, with its non-stop action and gripping plot twists, add suspense until you reach the surprising and shocking conclusion. Narrator Jonathan Davis engages you with his strong delivery, providing unique voices for the intriguing characters while keeping the drama high. Phillip Margolin has written yet another winner featuring Amanda Jaffe.

“Shatter”

By Michael Robotham

(Playaway MP3 audiobook)

Robotham’s protagonist is clinical psychologist Joe O’Loughlin, who teaches psychology at the University of Bath. He and his beautiful wife, Julianne, have been married for twenty years and have two young daughters, but he suffers from the onset of Parkinson’s disease.

Joe’s life changes unexpectedly when he is called by the police to go to the Clifton Suspension Bridge to talk down a woman who is about to jump.

He arrives at the bridge to find a woman standing in the rain sobbing into a cell phone. She is naked except for her shoes. Still on the phone, she turns to Joe and says, “You don’t understand,” and steps off the bridge.

The police rule it suicide and close the case. Joe isn’t so sure.

The sixteen-year-old daughter of Christine Wheeler, the dead woman, appears at Joe’s home a few days later. Darcy Wheeler flatly states that her mother would never commit suicide — certainly not by jumping, since she was terrified of heights.

Darcy begs Joe to find out what really caused her mother to jump. Joe’s doubts about the police’s suicide theory intensify.

Another dead woman is discovered hanging from a tree, also naked with a cell phone nearby. Joe learns that she was Christine Wheeler’s business partner. He calls upon his friend Vincent Ruiz, a retired chief inspector, to help him figure out who is manipulating these women into killing themselves, apparently from the other end of their cell phones — and why.

Joe is able to prevent a third murder victim, but then the killer strikes very close to home.

Australian author Michael Robotham’s novel “Shatter” is a compelling suspense-filled psychological thriller. Chapters written from the villain’s perspective reveal a very dark and twisted personality.

British actor Sean Barrett’s fine narration lends depth to the characters and the chilling plot twists.

Phyllis is the technical services librarian at Joplin Public Library.

Movies speak to audiences in similar ways

For this column I will look at two movies that couldn’t be any more different from each other — on paper, anyway. But they both possess whatever magic lies within really good movies to make them “speak” to an audience — to show us something about ourselves and the world around us.

“Unfaithfully Yours”

(not rated)

Whenever I’m asked to recommend a movie to a library patron (and it happens fairly often) I always tell them, “Oh, you should get ‘Unfaithfully Yours.’” It’s the perfect movie to recommend to a stranger for three reasons:

1. It’s really good.

2. It’s tasteful (but not boringly so).

3. Most people have never heard of it, let alone seen it.

The movie tells the tale of one Sir Alfred De Carter, a famous orchestra conductor who, despite his prestige and high standing, is a man at heart and as such is given over to petty jealousy and fantasies of revenge when he suspects his wife of having a wandering eye.

As he conducts his symphony through several disparate pieces of classical music, his mind wanders as he envisions impossibly complex ways to both prove his wife’s unfaithfulness and to exact his own ultra-suave brand of revenge. But things go hilariously awry when De Carter actually gets a chance to set his plots into motion.

“Unfaithfully Yours” stars a younger Rex Harrison, 16 years before his famous turn as Professor Henry Higgins in “My Fair Lady,” and benefits tremendously from the highly skilled actor’s wonderful performance. Capturing a pompousness and coldness about De Carter while still remaining sympathetic is no small feat, and Harrison handles it admirably.

Once things start to go seriously downhill for the man, it’s hard not to feel sorry for him, even as you laugh at him and chastise him for ever fantasizing revenge in the first place.

Perhaps not the most obvious draw for the movie, but the most important and the most lasting, is that it was directed and scripted by that manic genius of 1940s cinema, Preston Sturges. A rather late-period entry into the director’s filmography (his earlier, more well-known efforts such as “Lady Eve” and “Sullivan’s Travels” having come at the very beginning of the ’40s), the film still bristles with Sturges’ trademark energy and the unusually structured script is distinctly his own.

A small masterpiece from one of the giants of “golden age” of comedy, as well as a powerful treatise on male hubris and machismo, “Unfaithfully Yours” is a hilarious movie that comes highly recommended.

“Tarnation”

(not rated)

It’s hard to describe the power of Jonathan Caouette’s powerful documentary “Tarnation.”

I was going to finish that sentence with “other than to say that … ” but I couldn’t come up with anything, so I’ll let that first sentence stand all on its own. It’s hard to describe the power of this movie.

“Tarnation” was the end result of a lifetime spent obsessively documenting, archiving and manipulating the life of its director. Culled from more than 20 years worth (hundreds of hours) of old video footage, and made for the sum total budget of $218.32 at the home of the director on his computer, the movie works in spite of its obvious limitations. (Good portions of the movie consist of text scrolling across the screen in front of still photographs.)

The film details the troubled childhood of Caouette, from coping with an absent father to dealing with his mentally disturbed mother who goes through a series of bizarre and disturbing electroshock treatments, rendering her a shell of her former self. Throughout, vintage video footage reveals Caouette to be a highly intelligent, artistic youth left to drift and come to terms with his life in the best way he knows how — in front of a camera.

At times funny, at times deeply disturbing, and at times downright horrifying, “Tarnation” is a film unique unto itself. A highly moving portrait of a tortured soul and his attempts to come to terms with his birthright and the world around him, the film rises above the sum of its limited parts to create a whole both affecting and powerfully memorable.

Mark is the assistant circulation supervisor at Joplin Public Library.

Bonjour! Hello! Hola! Hallo!

Are you either learning a language or interested in doing so? Ja?! Well, friends, we have what you need: audio books, dictionaries, language books, videos & software! Whether you would like to brush up on your English grammar, learn French for travelers, or immerse yourself in Romanian, we're sure to have something to pique your interest! Chinese, Dutch, English, Japanese, Korean, German, French, Hindi, Italian, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Slang, Sign Language & MORE...Perhaps you could peruse our language section the next time you're in for a visit! Bis später! Au revoir!

Burroughs’ essays rough yet rewarding

‘You Better Not Cry’

By Augusten Burroughs

Halfway through “You Better Not Cry,” Augusten Burroughs’ latest collection of essays, I still wasn’t sure what to think of it. Or even if I’d finish it.

I’d been hoping for something along the lines of David Sedaris’ “Holidays on Ice,” which was consistently funny and twisted, often at the expense of others, but unfailingly affectionate.

At first, I didn’t find that in “You Better Not Cry.”

The book struck me as uneven, hilarious and disturbing, but cold — much like Burroughs’ own life, I guess. Anyone who has read his books is familiar with his dysfunctional background: an alcoholic father, a mentally ill mother, years of unhealthy relationships and drinking binges.

I didn’t crack a smile until the second piece, “Claus and Effect,” an ode to a child’s greed at Christmas. Even if the essay’s characterization is an exaggeration, Burroughs still must have been a monster. He presents his parents with a list of “acceptable” gifts, among them a gold-plated watch, a bag of coins, gold nuggets and a leather wallet.

“And as far as I was concerned, my parents would give me whatever I wanted,” he writes. “It was my payment for enduring the other 364 days of the year with them. Between my nasty drunk father and my suicidal, mental-patient mother, I felt I was owed certain reimbursements. They had aged me; I would drain them dry.”

Holy cow. Young Augusten makes today’s kids — with their desire for Wii’s, cell phones, and iPods — look like Marxists. Still, I had to laugh at his over-the-top requests. Seriously, what kind of a child asks for gold nuggets?

Less amusing was the essay about Burroughs’ one-night stand with a geriatric Frenchman in Santa regalia. The sleaze factor was just too much for me. It also seemed somewhat unbelievable, right down to its semi-redemptive ending.

But as “You Better Not Cry” progressed, my appreciation for it grew. The writing improved, reminding me of why I like Burroughs so much. The intent no longer seemed to horrify or amuse; rather, it was to touch a deeper emotion in the reader.

In “Why Do You Reward Me Thus?” Burroughs recounts an incident from his boozing days. One minute he’s drinking in a bar; the next he’s waking up in the street, snuggled up against two homeless guys for warmth.

While he has preconceived notions about “bums,” he finds camaraderie among them. One is an elegant woman who professes to be a singer. He asks her for a song, and when she opens her mouth, a Puccini aria emerges.

“As she sang, the windows of the brownstone across the street shimmered in reply. Her voice had weakened the molecular bond of glass. It filled the space between the flakes of falling snow and packed the air with beauty. It was, at once, Christmas in Manhattan.”

This piece marked a turning point in the collection’s overall tone. Burroughs begins to let some vulnerability peek through, enough so that the reader can detect the yearning and loneliness he feels around the holidays.

I realized that “You Better Not Cry” depicts his journey toward a “normal” Christmas, whatever that might be. He has some drunken and depressing ones — my heart broke a little for him when I read “The Best and Only Everything,” about his first Christmas with an HIV-infected lover — but he continues to inch his way toward a functional life.

In the final essay, “Silent Night,” Burrough’s life is calm, for him. He has been sober for a decade and has a long-time partner, with whom he has two dogs, a station wagon, and a house. After years of ignoring the holiday, he tries to have the perfect Christmas.

It’s within reach, but then catastrophe strikes in the form of a household flood. His reaction to the situation is very telling, and the reader realizes that, although Burroughs’ life has been a series of mistakes and disasters, he has learned something along the way.

Perhaps he says it best himself. Looking at the Christmas tree standing in their wrecked home, Burroughs holds his partner’s hand and whispers, “I’m very lucky.”

I felt lucky to have gone on the journey with him in “You Better Not Cry.” I’m glad I stuck with it, and with him.

Lisa is the administrative assistant at the Joplin Public Library.

Storytime Resumes

It’s hard to believe (at least for me), but storytime resumes next week. We will kick off the sixteen week session with WINTER themed stories, songs, and rhymes!

Here's a complete schedule that is good until May 1st:

Family Storytime (children up to 5 years)--Monday at 6:00 p.m. and Saturday at 10:30 a.m.
Baby Bookworms (only children up to 23 months)--Tuesday at 9:30 and 10:30
Tales for 2s & 3s--Wednesday and Thursday at 9:30 a.m.
Fun for 4s & 5s--Wednesday and Thursday at 10:30 a.m.

There is also a bonus Spanish/English Story Hour on the third Friday of each month, with the first one kicking off on Friday, January 15th at 10:30 a.m. Children 2-5 years and their parents are welcome. Do not worry about understanding the stories, songs and rhymes, because Miss Shawnte does an excellent job presenting everything in the dual languages of English and Spanish.

For more information call 417-623-2184.

"Test your L.Q. (Library Quotient)" - Question #1

Here's the first question:

What was the name of the man who donated the money for the
construction of the original Joplin library?

------------------------

This is but the first question in a series of four. There will be a new one every two weeks, and the contest will last until the end of February.

You must submit your answer at the official drop-off location at the
Circulation desk inside the library.

Those who submit four correct answers will be entered into a drawing for a $20 gift card to Caldone's fine Italian restaurant!

Have fun and happy answer-hunting!

'Tumblebooks' make reading an adventure

How would you like to see a book come to life right before your eyes, or better yet, your child’s eyes? A new resource at the library does just that.

Tumblebook Library is an online collection of animated talking picture books called “Tumblebooks.” The books in the Tumblebook Library are existing titles that have animation, sound, music and narration added. The collection includes storybooks, fairy tales, nonfiction books and books for learning.

You can open a Tumblebook (click on the View Online graphic above the book) and join Jason in “50 Below Zero” as he finds his sleepwalking father on the refrigerator, in the bathtub, and numerous other places. You’ll see Jason peer over the covers when a noise wakes him, see his father bound across the room and watch Jason pull his frozen father home.

Most of the storybooks are set to automatically turn the pages, but you can change the setting to manual and turn the pages yourself. Other books, such as the pop-up book “Doors,” are set on manual so that you move through the book at your own pace. The reader opens each door with the click of the mouse and looks for all kinds of things on a boat, at the doctor’s office, in a horse’s stall, on a spaceship and many other places.

Each book has a synopsis of the story; author, illustrator and publisher information; reading time; reading level; book reviews; and accelerated reading info.

You have the option to add the books to “My Favorites” or “My Playlist.” “My Favorites” is just a list of books that you choose. “My Playlist” is a collection of books you choose that will play one after another when you click on the play button. You can add to and delete from the list as you wish.

Some of the Tumblebooks have games and puzzles associated with them, with a link on the right of the book information. There is also a “Puzzles and Games” tab that you can click on to choose the game or puzzle you want to play.

The “Language Learning” tab lets you choose books to be read in five different languages: French, Spanish, Italian, Chinese and Russian. There is only one title each in Chinese and Russian and two titles in Italian, but there are many to choose from in French and Spanish. The information on the books is in English (or Spanish or French if you changed the language on the home page), but when you view the book, the words and narration are in the language you chose.

Not all of the books in the Tumblebook Library show the words. The “Audiobooks” tab gives you access to a collection of books that are read to you. The read times are longer and you have the option to add bookmarks, so you can stop the book, then go back and pick up where you left off.

The “TumbleReadables” tab takes you to a collection of books without the animation. The book is narrated and each sentence read is highlighted. You have the option to control the size of the text. You can choose from “Early Readers,” “Read-Along Classics” or “Chapter Books” (no titles in this category yet).

In the “Large Print Classics,” you read the book (no narration) and you control the text size from 12 to 34 font size. As with the audiobooks, you can bookmark any book to stop and go back to the same place.

Please check out this great resource at the Joplin Public Library or from your home by going to the library Web site (http://www.joplinpubliclibrary.org). If you are in the library, go to the Kids page on the Web site and click on the Tumblebook link.

From home on the Web site, mouse over “Reference” then “Online Resources” and choose “Literature/Reading” from the drop-down menu.

You will need a username and password to access Tumblebooks from home. Contact the Children’s Department (417-623-2184) or the Reference Desk (417-624-5465) for that information.

Patty is the reference librarian at Joplin Public Library.