Staff Reviews: Books, Films, Music, and More

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

Gold Mine Processing Associate Eric Brown recommends Lying Awake by Mark Salzman. Lying Awake is ultimately a story about faith. It's a present day tale of a nun, Sister John of the Cross, in a Carmelite monastery near Los Angeles. She discovers that she has epilepsy but is troubled that the remedy for her illness will interfere with her spirituality. Mark Salzman wrote the story with a simple narrative and with an emphasis on prayer. He describes Sister John's dilemma with … [Read more...] about Book Review: Lying Awake

All Decked Out. Now Where Do I Go..? Kyla Merwin, Communications Manager, recommends The Hiker's Guide to Sun Valley & Ketchum by Scott Marchant. Just another gorgeous day in the Wood River Valley…Yeah baby! Adventure is calling my name, so I’m gearing up: Boots = ✓Sunscreen = ✓Water = ✓Snacks (lots) = ✓New Camera = ✓­­­­­Three-day Holiday = Check check check! Now all I need is a place to go. Hmmm. . .I’m new to this area, having arrived last autumn from the sea-level … [Read more...] about Book Review: The Hiker’s Guide to Sun Valley & Ketchum