Summer Reads from Thomas Ford Library Staff

How’s your summer reading going? Whether you’ve already plowed through a list or are looking for somewhere to get started, the staff at Thomas Ford Memorial Library have stepped up to help out with a list of a few places you might start—a few of their own favs!

Thomas Ford has nearly 1,000 locals signed up in its summer reading program, including about 750 kids. Librarians can also provide Readers Advisory—specific individual-tailored book recommendations, both in-person and online. (The Teen Librarian even promises a free Slurpee if she can’t find a local teen a book they’ll enjoy.)

Here’s a few suggestions to kickstart your summer reading:

Anne Kozak, Library Director

How It All Began, by Penelope Lively—“When a woman is mugged, her injuries affect the lives of those around her in unpredictable and amazing ways. Beautifully written with characters that pull you into their worlds.”

Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend, by Susan Orlean—“Even if you are not a ‘dog person,’ the glimpses into history and Hollywood that this book provides are fascinating, as is its commentary on our ever-changing American society and what we value.”

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Christine Ricker, Circulation

The Art of Fielding, by Chad Harbac—“You never know how love will hit you, especially when baseball is in the mix.”

2030: The Real Story of What Happens to America, by Albert Brooks—“It's a tragedy.  No, it's a comedy. No, it's a satire.  No, it's all of these and a super thought-provoking novel about where the United States could be in just a few years.”

Doc, by Mary Doria Russell—“If all you know about Doc Holliday is "gun fight at the O. K. Corral," this entertaining, enlightening historical novel is just what the doctor ordered!”

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John Ericson, Trustee and Treasurer

Defending Jacob, by William Landay—“A fast-moving courtroom mystery. The son of a D.A. is accused of murder. Jacob claims he is innocent… but is he telling the truth?”

Wolf Hall, by Hilary Mantel—“A fascinating historical novel set in the court of Henry VIII. Winner of the 2009 Man Booker Prize.”

At Home, by Bill Bryson—“An interesting and humorous look at the history of domestic life.”

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Rich Roche, Adult Services Librarian

Love, Life, and Elephants: An African Love Story, by Dame Daphne Sheldrick—“A new autobiography in which a game warden's wife recounts a lifetime in Kenya caring for orphaned animals, especially elephants.”

The Art of Fielding, by Chad Harbach—“The story of Henry Skrimshander, a college shortstop who loses his confidence right at the point that he ties a national record for the most games without an error, a record held by his idol, former zen-like Aparicio Rodriguez.”

The Wrecking Crew: The Inside Story Of Rock and Roll's Best-Kept Secret, by Kent Hartman—“The story of who was really playing guitars and drums many of the rock and roll hit records of the 1960s.”

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Jim Landman, President, Library Board of Trustees

Snowdrops, by A.D. Miller—“A British expatriate lawyer in Moscow is seduced into a real estate deal that goes very wrong ("snowdrop" is Moscow slang for a corpse that shows up in the spring thaw.)”

Swamplandia!, by Karen Russell—“A family struggles to retain its alligator-wrestling theme park off the Florida coast following the death of their high-diving mother.”

The Sisters Brothers, by Patrick DeWitt—“Hired assassins Eli and Charlie Sisters pursue their target through Gold Rush-era California—dark and funny!”

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Nancy Long, Adult Services Librarian

The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver

The Master Butchers Singing Club, by Louise Erdrich

Half Broke Horses, by Jeannette Walls

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What have you read so far this summer that you'd recommend to others?