Gold Mine Processing Associate Ben Kreuzer recommends The Stranger by Albert Camus. "Today, Maman died." The blunt opening lines of Albert Camus' The Stranger perfectly drag you into the classical French novel, where Meursault's unflinching straightforwardness, bordering on complete disinterest to everything, is brought to bear against the hot, vibrant world that surrounds him. The beautiful Algerian coast and its myriad inhabitants are as familiar strangers to both the reader and … [Read more...] about Book Review: The Stranger
Library Blog
Best of 2025
A Year in Review, Literarily By Pam ParkerDirector of Library Operations Our “Best of 2025” is a smorgasbord of reads, with 50 fiction and 50 nonfiction titles, selected from books published during the year. Using literary awards, other ‘best of’ lists, starred reviews, staff picks, and patron suggestions, we handcraft our list with an eye for stand-out reads that we suggest will endure well beyond the … [Read more...] about Best of 2025
Review: Bethesda Fountain Puzzle
Bookmobile Librarian Lilianna Bridge recommends Bethesda Fountain, a 1000-piece puzzle by Michael Storrings. I was drawn to the puzzle Bethesda Fountain because of how reminiscent its illustrations were of a fun winter's day. The title of this puzzle really stuck out to me since Bethesda Fountian is located inside Central Park. In my mind, New York City is the epitome of holiday cheer, so I was hopeful that this puzzle would boost my holiday spirit. If anything, I should have paid a bit … [Read more...] about Review: Bethesda Fountain Puzzle
A Nearby Ghost Town: Bullion City
Mary Tyson, Director of the Center for Regional History In the early years of Wood River Valley’s mining boom, many small towns sprang beyond Bellevue, Ketchum, and Hailey. Our towns survived the mining boom and bust that occurred in many parts of the West, but many of the smaller towns didn’t survive and became ghost towns. Initially, in the boom and bust, there was a fevered search for gold and running into silver in pursuit of gold was a nuisance. Then, when silver mining technology … [Read more...] about A Nearby Ghost Town: Bullion City
Book Review: The Wild Robot
Gold Mine Processing Associate Perla Pacheco recommends The Wild Robot by Peter Brown. The Wild Robot is a book with a lot of meaning. It is about a robot called Roz, who washes up on the shore of remote island after a shipwreck. Alone in the wild, she learns to survive by observing the animals around her and adapting to the challenges of nature. Overtime she comes to understand the ecosystem, forms unexpected friendships with the island animals, and becomes part of the island community. … [Read more...] about Book Review: The Wild Robot
Book Review: A World without Summer
Children’s Librarian Judy Zimmer recommends A World without Summer by Nicholas Day. I was drawn to this book by the title: A world without Summer: A Volcano Erupts, a Creature Awakens, and the Sun Goes Out. How could I not be curious? I didn’t read the summary before delving right in with the reading and was delightfully surprised when the book connected the largest volcanic eruption in human history with the birth of Mary … [Read more...] about Book Review: A World without Summer
