Week 5 Prompt Response

The question of reliability when it comes to reviews is a knotty one. The reviews for Billionaire’s First Christmas, for example, while “unreliable” in terms of whether or not they objectively address the novel’s artistic quality (they do not, for instance, talk about whether or not the novel is a good representative of its genre, how effectively the author uses figurative language, etc), they are certainly reliable in representing how an average reader is likely to respond to Rayner’s book. As a collection developer or reader’s advisor, this kind of information is probably just as useful as the more polished reviews published in recognized review journals--but only as a method for determining whether or not the book in question is likely to circulate and be enjoyed. As mentioned above, these reviews do not address the fact that this book is clearly not romantic suspense, and should therefore not be purchased for a library as a representative of this genre.

It seems advisable, then, that more informal, reader reviews and more polished, published reviews be used in tandem. As much as the reviews for Angela’s Ashes, for example, suggest that the novel is indeed a promising read and will be a worthwhile addition to any library collection, it is difficult to determine from these reviews alone whether a book such as this (one of those “reviewed to death”) will indeed be enjoyed by the average library patron, or whether it is simply a media darling chosen and pushed by the publishing company. A chicken-and-egg scenario, while these “chosen” books are not necessarily any better than the many books surely under-reviewed by the media, they are the books that will probably be in higher demand at the library, simply because they are the titles people know. This lopsided characteristic of the reviewing media fundamentally affects the library collection by influencing which books it collects.

On that note, negative reviews seem just as useful as positive reviews, and I would personally shy away from review sources which are purely positive. While I wouldn’t necessarily decide not to buy an item due to a negative review--especially if patrons are likely to request the item either way--I think negative reviews can still be quite useful. From a reader’s advisory standpoint, a negative review could, for instance, alert you to a jarring change in a long-running series, which you might want to mention to loyal readers, or serve as the deciding factor in whether or not you’d recommend a book described as poorly-plotted to a particularly literary reader.

While I do not purchase for a library or use reviews very much to influence my own reading choices, I do use reviews to help me find good literary candidates for my work with children. School Library Journal’s reviews have been instrumental in helping me stay up to date on what’s happening in the world of children’s lit and helping me determine whether or not a given book is worth looking into for a certain age group. Another review source I’ve frequently consulted is Common Sense Media. Their reviews of both books and media for youth have been invaluable, and their web site hosts a very user-friendly interface, with easy-to-browse lists of books and media organized by different categories, such as age group, genre, topic, and “multicultural” reads.

Adventure Annotation: Treasure by Clive Cussler

Treasure

Clive Cussler

A Dirk Pitt Adventure

Adventurer Dirk Pitt thinks he’s merely on a mission to find a sunken Russian submarine… when he finds himself embroiled in both an international terrorist conspiracy and a mystery as old as time. Torn between the modern drama of a brutal ruler rising to power in Mexico and an Islamic terrorist plot with its sights set on controlling Egypt, and the discovery of scattered antiquities originating from the storied Library of Alexandria, the roguish and charming Dirk doesn’t settle for saving just one day: he saves them all—and even finds time for a little romance while he’s at it! Transitioning smoothly from scenes lifted from ancient Aztec rituals—and depicting blood-chilling torture— to super-technical descriptions of archaeological reconnaissance missions, the rapid pace of Cussler’s vivid prose keeps readers eager to find out what happens next.

Appeal Terms

-Adventure: Cussler seamlessly incorporates both contemporary and traditional elements of adventure, from high-tech aeronautics to an ancient treasure map

-Fast-paced: New discoveries and revelations are made frequently, as are international scene changes, which keep readers on their toes.

-Vivid: Cussler’s clear and vibrant descriptions make even the dustiest of archaeological finds interesting and easy to picture.

-Action-packed: Never a dull moment here!

> Extra! Extra! < While not part of a chronological series, Treasure is a Dirk Pitt novel, joining the ranks of many other books by Cussler featuring Dirk as the main character. If you like what you find here, there’s much more adventure to experience!

Read-Alikes

The Atlantis Code by Charles Brokaw: When the ancient ruins of Atlantis are discovered along the Spanish coast, linguist and archaeologist Thomas Lourds joins a violent competition to be the first of its explorers, an effort marked by a series of puzzles that must be solved in order to gainentry into the lost civilization. (NoveList)

Angels & Demons by Dan Brown: The murder of a world-famous physicist raises fears that the Illuminati are operating again after centuries of silence, and religion professor Robert Langdon is called in to assist with the case. (NoveList)

The Alexander Cipher by Will Adams: Sneaking along at an archaeological dig that turns out to be the long-lost tomb of Alexander the Great, enthusiast Daniel Knox finds himself pitted against rival archaeologists, Egyptian officials, and Macedonian nationalists in a cutthroat race to find the body of the ancient conqueror. (NoveList)

Four-Legged Girl by Diane Seuss, a Kirkus-Style Review

Four-Legged Girl by Diane Seuss

Poetry

 Electrifying language and evocative images anchor poems narrating the episodes—both mundane and bizarre--of a woman’s life.

Electrifying language and evocative images anchor poems narrating the episodes—both mundane and bizarre--of a woman’s life. Written from the vantage point of an older person reliving her earlier experiences, this collection of poetry is nevertheless no sedate reflection. Threading along in a loosely chronological manner, the speaker recounts with a startling vividness the loss of her father to cancer, her fresh-eyed move to New York City from the sticks of Michigan, her admittance to the fringes of the New York art world of the 60s, and her tumultuous relationship with a heroin addict. These poems are rhythmic, sensual, steamy and smoky: they gulp you down into a rabbit hole equal parts greenhouse and whorehouse, complete with fragrant metaphors and raw imagery. While there is plenty of tenderness found throughout the book, as the speaker moves from eulogizing her father to addressing her own son, the sentimental is overshadowed by the erotic, the creative, the brutal, and the starstruck, as these poems pay homage to a bygone era in American art culture and probe the realities of the body. Indeed, the speaker’s exploration of the body—especially the body claimed and experienced as female, especially this body experienced as it ages—is a sustaining theme, and one that is interrogated from a fiercely feminist perspective which revels in pleasure even as It refuses to conceal that which is ugly, painful, and/or stigmatized. Each poem in this collection is a sizzling galaxy unto itself; simultaneously, each poem is strengthened by its inclusion in the dynamic tapestry of narrative and theme that Seuss so boldly creates. 

Secret Shopper Experience

My Secret Shopper experience was middle of the road. While I did come away from the interaction with a good book, I also feel that there are aspects of the interview that could have been better. The librarian I consulted relied heavily on the computer, making only minimal eye contact with me and asking few questions to suss out what exactly I was looking for in my next book. That being said, they used a variety of tools (NoveList and, when that didn't supply satisfactory results, Goodreads), and explained these tools to me briefly as they used them. Once they'd found a suggestion, they accompanied me to the shelf to find the book, a touch I found particularly hospitable, and I left the library with a book I'm genuinely quite excited to read!

Prompt Response 1

Preface: I responded to these questions as if I were actually writing/speaking to a patron, thus the direct-address writing style! I used NoveList to find recommendations for almost all of these imaginary patrons, as I hadn't used the resource before and wanted to familiarize myself with it. For Number 7, however, I consulted Goodreads' Clean Reads discussion group, as they have a thread particularly devoted to Clean Suspense/Thrillers.

1. I am looking for a book by Laurell K. Hamilton. I just read the third book in the Anita Blake series and I can’t figure out which one comes next!

The fourth book in the Anita Blake series is called “The Lunatic Cafe.” There’s many more which come after this one, too, so let us know if you want the titles of the fifth and sixth books as well.

2. What have I read recently? Well, I just finished this great book by Barbara Kingsolver, Prodigal Summer. I really liked the way it was written, you know, the way she used language. I wouldn't mind something a bit faster paced though.

You might try out Church of Marvels, by Leslie Parry. It’s not on the same subject matter, but if you liked Kingsolver’s beautiful writing style, I think you might like this! The reviews say that Parry’s writing style is “smooth and descriptive,” plus the novel seems to offer a few more twists and turns to make the pacing a little speedier.

3. I like reading books set in different countries. I just read one set in China, could you help me find one set in Japan? No, not modern – historical. I like it when the author describes it so much it feels like I was there!

You might try out The Shogun’s Daughter by Laura Joh Rowland. It’s set in Feudal Japan and is written with a real attention to historical detail. It’s also a mystery, so if you’re not super into mysteries, you could try The Translation of Love by Lynne Kutsukake. This one is set in post-World War II Japan, and while it’s also historically detailed, it follows two young girls as they try to make sense of the world around them.

4. I read this great mystery by Elizabeth George called Well-Schooled in Murder and I loved it. Then my dentist said that if I liked mysteries I would probably like John Sandford, but boy was he creepy I couldn't finish it! Do you have any suggestions?

Maybe you could try out Louise Penny’s novels. She’s got many, but Still Life could be one to start with--it’s gotten some great reviews! It’s still suspenseful and mysterious, but it’s got that more police procedural focus that you might’ve liked from Elizabeth George--instead of focusing on just scaring your senseless!

5. My husband has really gotten into zombies lately. He’s already read The Walking Dead and World War Z, is there anything else you can recommend?

The Zombie Autopsies by Steven C. Schlozman looks like one good option-- it’s about some doctors who are attempting to research the zombie virus and zombie anatomy, so it could be an interesting way for him to get into some new details! Another one he might try is Passage by Justin Cronin. This one’s a little more on the Walking Dead side of things: It’s also set in New Orleans, and it’s also a part of a series, though if he’s a zombie purist he might be frustrated, because this one features a zombie-esque epidemic, rather than straight zombies.

6. I love books that get turned into movies, especially literary ones. Can you recommend some? Nothing too old, maybe just those from the last 5 years or so.

Absolutely! Some good ones recently include The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins, which got many starred reviews from all the major reviewers and was made into a movie in 2016, and The History of Love by Nicole Krauss, which won some national and international fiction awards and was also made into a movie in 2016.

7. I love thrillers but I hate foul language and sex scenes. I want something clean and fast paced.

A few options you could try out are Playing Saint by Zachary Bartels, which is a Christian suspense novel published in 2014 that’s gotten great reviews, or Ted Dekker’s novels--readers on Goodreads praised both of these authors for writing such page turners and for interesting them even if they weren’t practicing in the Christian church.

(Note: Wasn’t sure whether I should assume this patron meant “clean” to be taken as Christian, which is why I picked books that were reviewed as being appealing to a broader audience)

• Second, after you get a chance to do the readings and explore Mary Chelton's list of tools, I want to hear about how you find books to read. It could be a site or a resource you've just discovered or one you've used for years, one you use for yourself or for your patrons or family and friends.

When finding books for myself, I tend to use Goodreads, as well as a variety of book lists. I like the list of Lamda Literary Award winners and honors, the list from A Year of Reading the World blog, and Bitch Magazine’s book reviews. I will often also just search things that I’ve liked on Amazon and then see what comes up under the “People Who Looked at this Item Also Bought…” suggestions. :0

When finding books for others (which, in my life so far, has mostly meant finding books for children and young adults), my first stop is always School Library Journal. Other favorite resources of mine are The Brown Bookshelf and the Cooperative Children’s Book Center.

Reading Profile

Reading Profile

I like to read a little bit of everything, and usually all at the same time. While my favorite genres are poetry, realistic fiction, and political/historical nonfiction, I also really enjoy theory, picture books (fiction and non-fiction), sci-fi and fantasy targeted at children, graphic novels, and self-help books. Reading has always been an important solo undertaking for me, keeping me company and entertaining me during travel or new experiences, but my favorite way to read is in connection with other people: I love reading plays and poetry aloud with friends, as well as discussing books in letters, essays, or plain old conversation. Hard copy books will probably always be my favorite reading format, but I'm also a huge fan of audiobooks, and tend to consume a lot of classic literature this way.

Despite reading virtually non-stop, there are some glaring gaps in my reading experience! I've never read a romance novel, for example, and studiously avoid thrillers/horror because I just can't stomach the suspense. I'd love to broaden my experience in reading sci fi/speculative fiction targeted at adults, try some Westerns on for size, and learn more about quality non-fiction texts in areas outside of my own realms of interest. Books that really floated my boat in this past year include Robin Coste Lewis' Voyage of the Sable Venus (poetry), Louise Erdrich's The Birchbark House (children's historical fiction), Pema Chödrön's When Things Fall Apart (self-help/spiritual), Chinelo Okparanta's Under the Udala Trees (realistic/historical fiction/LGBTQ), and Peter Brown's Mr. Tiger Goes Wild (picture book). I loved each of these books for their literary beauty and inventiveness, but also their humor and ability to make me see the world in new light.

Here's my Goodreads page!