Staff Reviews: Books, Films, Music, and More

Aly Wepplo, Media and Digital Librarian, recommends Der Hund Von Baskerville (The Hound of the Baskervilles), a silent film directed by Richard Oswald. I’m thrilled to be a part of The Liberty Theatre Company’s upcoming play, The Hound of the Baskervilles. It’s a modern adaptation of the classic Sherlock Holmes mystery, and it’s brought to life by just three actors – playing almost 20 parts. The story is a classic of English literature. In it, Holmes and Watson investigate the legend of a … [Read more...] about Film Review: Hound of the Baskervilles

Pam Parker, Circulation Manager, recommends The Candy House by Jennifer Egan.  The Candy House (2022): Highly recommended for those that like to wax philosophic and unravel complex plots as they read.  Be prepared for a dose of gritty reality.  Jennifer Egan’s newest work of fiction, The Candy House, is unusual.   Published as a novel, it reads more like a series of related short stories. A number of the characters appear in several stories but at different periods … [Read more...] about Book Review: The Candy House

Sara Zagorski, Gold Mine Thrift Retail Manager, recommends Nettle & Bones by T. Kingfisher. So, a pseudo-nun, magical mortician, evil fairy godmother, convicted murderer, and a dog made of bones walk into a bar… Nettle & Bones is a fairy tale turned on its head, as told from the perspective of Marra, the third-born princess of a small city-state. Her home is under constant threat, surrounded by far larger domains eager to get their hands on the Harbor Kingdom and the valuable … [Read more...] about Book Review: Nettle & Bones

Children’s and Young Adult Library Director, DeAnn Campbell, recommends Mushroom Rain by Laura Zimmerman.  Mushrooms, to me, have always been enchanting. Maybe it is the prominence of red roofed mushroom houses for tiny mice that were the backdrop in children’s stories, or the magical appearance of a mushroom fairy ring in my middle school reading of Where the Red Fern Grows, but mushrooms have always sparked my curiosity. Yet, I don’t know an awful lot about them, and when I don’t … [Read more...] about Book Review: Mushroom Rain

Buffy McDonald, Reference Librarian, recommends The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. Have you ever wondered how habits are created? Well, Charles Duhigg has written a book that digs into the science behind how habits are formed. He describes the process with interesting and illuminating stories that help you to understand how habits work—both how to acquire new habits and how to eliminate old ones. Over time our habits have an enormous impact on our health, productivity, financial … [Read more...] about Book Review: The Power of Habit

Peter Matschek, Gold Mine Processing Associate, recommends The Alienist by Caleb Carr. Note: The term "alienist" comes from the fact that, prior to the twentieth century, people who were mentally ill were considered to be "alienated" from society. Those who studied them were therefore called alienists. It was not a field that received a lot of support at that time. The Alienist takes place in 1890s New York City in the slums. In some of the seediest … [Read more...] about Book Review: The Alienist