Staff Reviews: Books, Films, Music, and More

Regional History Librarian Liam Guthrie recommends Icebound: Shipwrecked at the Edge of the World by Andrea Pitzer.

In 1594, Europe’s age of exploration was in its infancy. Spain and Portugal had only recently begun to establish their trading empires, and much of the world remained unknown western Europeans. The newly independent Dutch Republic, barely a decade old after it’s revolution against the Spanish monarchy, sought to establish its own foothold in the realm of international trade. Lacking the naval power to compete with the Portuguese on the Indian Ocean, the Dutch decided to discover their own route to the East. They would go north over Eurasia.

Andrea Pitzer’s Icebound: Shipwrecked at the Edge of the World, describes in fantastic detail these Dutch expeditions, the very earliest of their kind, into the great white north.

Led by legendary Dutch navigator, William Barents, these expeditions pushed the frontiers of exploration, science, and survival in the Arctic. They would encounter things that no western European had ever seen before: polar bears, walruses, polar mirages, and unimaginable cold. Despite a severe lack of knowledge of and preparation for their environment, they pushed onward. On their third expedition they pushed too far and (as the title suggests) were shipwrecked on the ice. Barents and his sixteen men would have to survive the winter further north than possibly any human in history had ever done.

Icebound is often harrowing, sometimes humorous (these naïve 16^th century Dutchmen at first believed they could capture a live polar bear to bring home to Amsterdam with halberds and pikes), and fascinating read throughout. Andrea Pitzer does an incredible job of putting the reader into the (sometimes wooden) shoes of these Renaissance-era Dutchmen experiencing a world entirely new and alien to them, sometimes coming up with ingenious solutions to their problems and other times making the most rudimentary of mistakes in their struggle for survival.

Icebound is a must read for any fan of history, adventure, and tragedy.

Find it in our collection here.

Philanthropy Associate and Program Assistant Ann Sandefur recommends The Way of the Bear by Anne Hillerman. 

The Way of The Bear is a compelling mystery that unfolds in the Bears Ears National Monument at the edge of the Navajo Nation—an area rich in both geological and spiritual significance for the Navajo people. A seasoned outdoorsman and paleontologist is found frozen to death, and a second, unidentified man is murdered in a home invasion.

The characters are well-developed, authentic, and gripping, drawing you ever deeper into the book and its plot with surprising twists and turns.

Fossil harvesting, ancient lore, greed, rejected love, and murder. For Navajo Tribal Police officers Jim Chee and Bernadette “Bernie” Manuelito, the area glows with geological interest and spiritual insight. Their visit to this beautiful place is disrupted by violence that sweeps them both into danger.

Chee and Bernie are drawn into the investigation, where they find a web of illicit business, a fossilized jawbone, and a hint of witchcraft. The novel explores themes of greed, cultural respect, and the tension between personal dreams and realities, as Chee and Bernie work through the complexities of their roles and the traditions of their people. It takes all of their experience, skill, and intuition to navigate the threats that arise and see justice served.

This novel by Anne Hillerman, who is known for continuing the legacy of her father, Tony Hillerman, is the eighth in a series with these well-developed and intriguing characters. I found this book to be a wonderful read, following the further adventures of the characters her father made famous going back to1970.

Find it in our collection here.

Librarian Andrea Nelson recommends The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan.
Unapologetically dedicated to birders everywhere.

Birds. My husband calls them flying rodents—lovingly, of course. But birders. OMG, right? They’re everywhere, blocking trails while pointing at treetops, sketching in their annoying little weatherproof journals, breaking every rule of fashion imaginable. My twenty-something self would flounce by them in her little jean skirt and crop top thinking, “I will never, ever, be seen in public in a canvas fishing hat, staring at the sky with binoculars around my neck.”

So, my book review is about… Hold on, is that a Yellow Warbler? It’s WAY too early in the season for those. Or is it?

I grab my worn copy of Birds of the Rocky Mountains and my binoculars simultaneously. While fumbling through the pages, I silently beg the bright little bird to stay put. Then it hits me. Somewhere along life’s journey from youthful arrogance to—let’s just say late middle age—I’ve become a birder. I even have a life list. I have proudly embraced my inner dork, and more power to her. She sees things the sorority girl did not. She appreciates even the tiny, feisty, jewel-toned little Rufus Hummingbird dive-bombing her head and giving her the stink-eye when she comes near its feeder.

Which gets me to my book choice: Amy Tan’s The Backyard Bird Chronicles. I love this book, but fair warning: It’s not the literary banquet you’ve come to expect from Amy Tan. Maybe I’m wrong, but I think you need to be into bird watching (at least a little) to truly love this book. If you are, you must read it. This is not a suggestion. Go read it. It’s awesome.

Why, you ask, is this one different from any other bird book? Well, for one, Amy Tan, the author of Joy Luck Club, The Bonesetter’s Daughter, and other unforgettable books, is an extraordinary writer. How many bird journals are written by winners of the National Humanities Medal, the Carl Sandburg Literary Award, and the Commonwealth Award of Distinguished Service?

For two, Amy takes us through her experience developing a new talent as a nature sketch artist. Drawing by drawing, bird by bird, the reader sees her improvement. She becomes an artist on two fronts, writing and drawing. For three, you learn about backyard birds. Even though Amy Tan lives in the Bay Area, many species she observes reside in or pass through Sun Valley.

As her journal entries progress, the reader is treated to Tan’s increasing knowledge of sixty species of birds. She learns about and applies methods of identification, feeding habits, avian social orders, and interactions both comical and dramatic.

She personifies the birds, imagining dialog easily relatable to birders. Magpies, unsurprisingly, are mafia.

Ornithologist David Allen Sibley describes The Backyard Bird Chronicles as a “collection of delightfully quirky, thoughtful, and personal observations of birds in sketches and words.” He’s spot on. I highly recommend this little gem to anyone who has ever developed a relationship, imaged or real, with the birds in their backyard.

Find it in our collection in print and audiobook here.

Director of The Children’s and Young Adult Library DeAnn Campbell recommends We are Definitely Human by X. Fang.

Here in the Children’s Library, we’ve read this book to all sorts of children and teens, who all understand its message and its charm.

When three creatures arrive in Mr. Li’s field, they claim that they are “definitely human.” Taking them at their word, Mr. Li, being a kind human, takes them home and offers to help them fix their. . . car. (Their car looks suspiciously like a spaceship, but no matter).

When Mrs. Li awakens, she finds three strange visitors in her home. The claim to be “definitely human.” They tell her about themselves: “they make business,” “they play sportsball,” and “they wear hat.” And so, they all set off to town to find parts to fix their. . . car.

When the “definitely humans” encounter the townspeople, how will the townspeople react to and treat these three different-looking humans?

We Are Definitely Human is a charming picture book about . . . well, maybe it’s mostly about the best part of what makes us human.

Find it in our collection here.

Director of Gold Mine Stores Raeghen Peavey recommends Dracula by Bram Stoker.

This classic is the most important novel in gothic literature, and probably one of the best novels of all time. Originally published in 1897, Dracula has endured in the literary canon ever since. This novel has spawned numerous movies and other novels and expanded on the mythology of vampire lore.

The plot is nothing short of entertaining. Jonathan Harker, an attorney from London, has been asked to go to Transylvania to help Count Dracula purchase property in England.  Written in a series of letters and journal entries, the novel creates a documentary feel to the story.

Once in Dracula’s castle, Harker realizes that Dracula is not an average everyday count. He has supernatural abilities and a thirst for blood.

Harker barely manages to escape the Count’s grasp with his life. The story shifts back to London where Dracula has arrived. There he is causing havoc in Victorian London and two young women, Lucy Westenra and Mina Harker, fall under Dracula’s spell. Lucy is raised as a vampire and is ultimately destroyed by her family. Jonathan is determined to save his fiancée, Mina, and end Dracula’s reign. He follows Dracula back to Transylvania, confronts and destroys him.

The novel reflects the times in which it was written. In 19^th century England, the idea of globalization and immigration were just beginning. The fear that other cultures would undermine the established traditions causes great concern. The novel also illustrates the concern over new science and old religion.

Times and industries were changing fast, leaving many Victorians feeling groundless. Other themes in the novel concern gender roles. England is a patriarchal society, and any thoughts of feminism were seen as a challenge to hierarchical rule.

Stoker keeps his female characters within the boundaries of society; but their wit, intelligence, and other active roles in the story opens a challenge to old gender norms.

Overall, Dracula is an excellent read and I can emphatically say the novel is far better than any Dracula/vampire movie. I would certainly recommend this read.

Find it in our collection in print, ebook, and eaudiobook, here.

Gold Mine Processing Manager Kelly Noble recommends The Swimming Pool Library by Alan Hollinghurst.

When it comes to exceptional writing skills, Alan Hollinghurst is among the best. In his 1988 novel, The Swimming Pool Library, Hollinghurst authors an exquisite story that capture gay life in pre-AIDs London.

It is a novel of privilege, wealth, homosexuality, history, and social class.

The novel centers on the life of a young William Beckworth. Young, wealthy and gay, William’s life is all about what privilege allows. He moves from sexual exploit to sexual exploit without blinking an eye. The novel is set before the AIDs crisis and captures a time when free love was all that some people wanted.

As the story moves forward, William saves the life of an elderly aristocrat, Lord Charles Nantwich. Nantwich offers William the opportunity to write his memoirs. William starts by reading old dairies and comes to find that Lord Nantwich is also gay but lived through a different time. At one point, Lord Nantwich was imprisoned for the crime of homosexuality.

This is true history and a plug to the brave journey many young men faced growing up in a homophobic world.

In the end, William declines to write the memoir. He learns through his research of his own family’s participation in these criminal prosecutions. Most of the crimes were brought to trial by William’s grandfather. This is an exceptional novel that approaches a controversial topic with sensitivity and depth. As with many LGBTQ+ novels, the ending is not one of happiness. The novel ends with William letting go of his boyfriend and moving on with his life. It always seems difficult to find a happy conclusion in this genre. Such as life!

Overall, Alan Hollinghurst is an exceptional writer. The quality of the writing cannot be understated. If I had to site an example of what a British novel should read like, The Swimming Pool Library, would be it. Hollinghurst captures not only British dialogue but something deeper. There is something quintessential British about this novel.

Request this title through interlibrary loan here.