What We're Reading

Check out the "What We're Reading" display at the library and read something new and different. We keep this display stocked with books that staff members have read and enjoyed.

"The books on that display have made me read outside the box." -- Library patron

Every other week, the West Linn Tidings and Lake Oswego Review publish book reviews written by West Linn Public Library staff. Click on the titles to find these books at the library.

When You Reach Me
by Rebecca Stead

All sixth-grader Miranda wants is peace to read her tattered copy of "A Wrinkle in Time," her friend Sal to start speaking to her again, the crazy guy on the corner to stop pestering her when she walks by, her mother to win the $20,000 pyramid, and the creepy, mysterious notes to stop showing up in her backpack. As Miranda and her friends maneuver the sometimes dangerous streets and social climes of 1978 New York City, the cryptic notes Miranda keeps receiving tell her that she is the only hope between life and death for an unnamed friend and the note-writer himself. How will she even know who needs her and once she does, will it be too late? Alongside the mystery, this story deftly deals with the difficult issues of racism, poverty and class differences, and mental illness with a grace and honesty that one would expect from a Newberry Award winning novel. Stead paces the storytelling perfectly, keeping the reader wanting to know more up until the novel's dramatic climax. A definite must read for older kids and adults alike!

--recommended by Rebecca Mayer, Reference Librarian

Cutting for Stone
by Abraham Verghese

This remarkable story of compassion and redemption spans five decades in three countries. Marion Stone narrates the epic story, which begins years before the day he and his twin brother are born at the Addis Ababa’s Missing Hospital. This same day their mother dies and their father, Thomas, vanishes. The twins are raised in a nurturing environment by two Indian doctors, Hema and Ghosh. The deep connection the brothers share leads Marion to think of them as one entity: ShivaMarion. Although alienated during adolescence and early adulthood, both become successful doctors, and ultimately Marion’s life depends on reuniting with Thomas Stone, the father who abandoned him, and Shiva, the brother who betrayed him. Memorable characters, precise detail, and skilled writing about the hearts and minds of human beings make this a novel worth reading.

--recommended by Carole Hull, Library Assistant

"Perceptions of Pacha"
Gold Fish

Has that song from the Kia commercial with the hilarious groovin' hamsters been bugging you? Well, hilarious hamsters notwithstanding, the appeal comes from the inspired use of a truly fabulous song by the South African band Gold Fish (alternately spelled Goldfish and GoldFish). There has been a great deal of chatter on the Net and most people probably know by now that the song is “Fort Knox,” from the album ”Perceptions of Pacha.” Saxophonist David Poole and bassist Dominic Peters are the masterminds behind this music. The listener will hear shades of Euro techno-pop, but there is a strong African rhythm to many of the tracks, and the classical jazz background of both musicians shines through, even as they add samplers, a grove box, a vocoder, flutes and other elements to their mix. The two-disc edition of the album contains party mixes of the songs and two videos from live shows, playable on PCs or Mac.

-- recommendation from Linda Malone, Adult Services Supervisor, West Linn Public Library

Moon
Directed by Duncan Jones

In the not-too-distant future, Earth’s energy problems have been solved thanks to Helium-3, a cheap and plentiful substance found only on the moon. Lunar Industries operates the sole Helium-3 mining facility, staffed by one astronaut. With just 2 weeks left to go on his contract, Sam Bell is eager to return to Earth. The isolation, however, seems to be catching up to Sam, who suffers from a hallucination that leads to a near fatal accident. After waking up and recuperating in the base’s infirmary, Sam returns to the scene of the accident and makes a discovery which causes him to question his sanity, his future, and the true nature of his employment. While some aspects of the film seem a bit too heavily influenced by Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey” (especially the base’s omnipresent computer system, GERTY, voiced by Kevin Spacey), the film is nevertheless an effective and enjoyable combination of science fiction, mystery, and psychological suspense.

--recommended by Greg Williams, Reference Librarian, West Linn Public Library

The Life & Love of Trees
By Lewis Blackwell

This amazing book celebrates the wonderful tree, from little bonsai trees to the biggest old growth. There’s a good amount of text, and it is surprisingly readable and full of interesting information about trees. But the real draw of this book is the collection of stunning photographs of trees from all over the world: there are booyong trees from Australia, baobab trees from Madascar, banyan trees from India, and giant sequoias from California. We who live in the Pacific Northwest may take trees for granted since we have so many of them, but after looking through this book, you’ll want to take a walk through the forest and appreciate the magnificent beauty of the majestic trees that surround you.

--recommended by Cheryl Hill, Librarian, West Linn Public Library

The Simpsons: An Uncensored, Unauthorized History
by John Ortved

After 21 seasons, the antics and adventures of "The Simpsons" are well-known by millions of television viewers around the globe. Less familiar, however, are the behind-the-scenes collaborations, controversies, dust-ups, and dramas that have occurred during the show's two-decade-and-counting run. Using contemporary interviews and previously-published sources, John Ortved gives readers a warts-and-all look at the show’s genesis, evolution, and inner workings. Not surprisingly, much of the material Ortved has collected revolves around the show's original creators (cartoonist Matt Groening, producer/director James L. Brooks and writer Sam Simon), and the portraits that emerge of these three are frequently at odds with public perception. Groening, for example, although universally lauded as the show’s creator and driving creative force, seems to have had much less of an influence on the show than one might expect. The book does have some flaws, namely lack of direct participation by some of the story's most integral characters (all the quotes from Brooks and Groening are from previously-published sources), and Ortved often gives his opinion as a writ-in-stone fact. On the whole, however, the book succeeds in providing a credible and engaging history of one of pop culture’s most revered institutions.

--recommendation from Greg Williams, Librarian