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| A traveller in time [electronic resource] |
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| This is the story of Penelope Taberner who goes to stay in a country farmhouse, Thackers, a manor house once inhabited by the Babington family of 1582. The Babingtons were supporters of Mary Queen of Scots and wanted her restored to the throne. Penelope finds she is able to slip back in time to the Elizabethan era and becomes involved with inhabitants of the manor house and the plot to liberate Mary Queen of Scots from the nearby Wingfield Manor. She slips effortlessly between the past and the present. It is a bittersweet story because Penelope is aware of the fate of both the Queen and the Babington family and that she will not be able to change the future. The book is written for children but it was written in the 1930’s and the language is very formal and somewhat old fashioned—I don’t think this is a book that would be enjoyed by younger children or even teens. Even I had a hard time finishing the book though I found the topic intriguing. A 2.5 out of 5 stars. |
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![Cover Art: Aesop's fables [sound recording].](http://content.hclib.org/perl/syndetics/syndetics.pl?type=xw12&client=hennp&isbn=1400108918/sC.GIF) |
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![Cover Art: I know why the caged bird sings [sound recording] /](http://content.hclib.org/perl/syndetics/syndetics.pl?type=xw12&client=hennp&isbn=0307879399/sC.GIF) |
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| Emma |
| Austen, Jane, 1775-1817 |
| Adult Fiction AUSTEN |
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| The Devil's bones |
| Bass, Jefferson. |
| The Devil’s Bones is the third novel in the Body Farm forensics series. This time Dr. Bill Brockton is involved in a number of plots that involve remains, bones and fire including charred remains found in a burned-out car, and a disreputable Georgia crematorium that simply dumped bodies on its grounds. I enjoyed this novel (I have read several others of the series) though I found the flow somewhat disjointed because there appeared to be little real connection between the different plots. It was interesting to learn about the science about how fire consumes flesh and bone. In addition to these mysteries, Dr. Brockton is also dealing with his nemesis Garland Hamilton who has escaped from prison. Though I have enjoyed others in this series more, the Devil’s Bones was still a good read--3 1/2 out of 5. |
| Adult Fiction BASS |
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| The inquisitor's key |
| Bass, Jefferson. |
| The Inquisitor's Key, the seventh entry in the Body Farm series, finds Dr. Bill Brockton and his graduate assistant Miranda Lovelady not only investigating ancient bones, but dealing with ancient relics, church and art history and the South of France. In the Palace of the Popes, a stone chest is discovered, inscribed with the crest of Jesus of Nazareth. Could the bones found inside possibly be the remains of Christ himself? How do the bones relate to the Shroud of Turin? These are the questions that Bill and Miranda try to answer, despite being hampered by relic collectors and the Church itself. The chapters bounce between medieval and present day Avignon—which helped enhance the understanding of the present. I have really enjoyed others of this series—and this one was no exception. Fast paced, full of twists and turns—a really great read. A definite 4 ½ out of 5. |
| Adult Fiction BASS |
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| The cost of hope : a memoir |
| Bennett, Amanda. |
| When Amanda Bennett meets Terence Foley while on assignment in China, the last thing she expects is to marry him. Their marriage brings with it great passion, deep love and respect, two children, and a life together over two decades. Then comes a terrible illness, and the fight to win a longer life for Terence. This memoir chronicles the extraordinary measures Amanda and Terence take to preserve not only to save Terence's life but also the life of their family as well as their ongoing hope for life. After his death, Bennett uses her skills as investigative reporter to determine the cost of their mission of hope. What she discovers raises important questions many people face, and vital issues about the intricacies of America's healthcare system. At first I was reluctant to read this memoir—anticipating a deep sadness, but at times I found it surprisingly joyful. I believe that this memoir along with the Times article on the cost of heathcare by Steven Brill will help readers understand the complexity of our healthcare system both financially and emotionally. 4 ½ out of 5 stars. |
| Adult Nonfiction Book 362.19699 B 2012 |
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| Midwives |
| Bohjalian, Chris, 1960- |
| Adult Fiction BOHJALIAN |
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| Drop City |
| Boyle, T. Coraghessan. |
| Adult Fiction BOYLE |
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![Cover Art: Going bovine [sound recording] /](http://content.hclib.org/perl/syndetics/syndetics.pl?type=xw12&client=hennp&isbn=0739385593/sC.GIF) |
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![Cover Art: Jane Eyre [compact disc] /](http://content.hclib.org/perl/syndetics/syndetics.pl?type=xw12&client=hennp&isbn=0736686835/sC.GIF) |
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![Cover Art: Ender's game [sound recording] /](http://content.hclib.org/perl/syndetics/syndetics.pl?type=xw12&client=hennp&isbn=1427205264/sC.GIF) |
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![Cover Art: My Antonia [sound recording] /](http://content.hclib.org/perl/syndetics/syndetics.pl?type=xw12&client=hennp&isbn=1400108454/sC.GIF) |
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| The adventures of Pinocchio |
| Collodi, Carlo, 1826-1890. |
| The Adventures of Pinocchio is a novel for children by Italian author Carlo Collodi. It is about the mischievous adventures of Pinocchio a marionette; and his poor father, a woodcarver named Geppetto. Pinocchio was created as a wooden puppet but dreamed of becoming a real boy. Its main theme is that of a naughty child who must learn to be good, not just for his own sake but for the sake of others around him too. The thing to keep in mind is that this is not your Disney’s Pinocchio. This classic flirts with death and disasters that Pinocchio can’t seem to stay away from. At various points in the story Pinocchio is hung from a tree until he dies, he bites a cat's paw off, his leg is caught in a bear trap, he gets arrested and he is turned into a donkey. Oh My! Despite this and the moral lessons being “taught”—the adventures are really quite fun. Despite some of moralizing and the gruesomeness of the story I found myself really liking this tale. 4 out of 5 stars. |
| Children's Nonfiction BookPZ8.C7 Ad 1996 |
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| Night watch |
| Fairstein, Linda A. |
| Night Watch is the fourteenth mystery in Linda Fairstein's Alexandra Cooper series. This is a ripped from the headlines kind of book. The story not only follows Alex's exploits and her relationship with Luc Rouget, a French restaurateur, the cutthroat restaurant industry both in New York City and France, but also the fact that the powerful leader of a major financial institution (think IMF's Dominique Strauss-Kahn) is brought to his knees by charges of rape.
The main reason that I like this series is that Fairstein explores the history in and around the New York CIty. This time, the reader is treated not only to a behind-the-scenes tour of some of America's finest haute cuisine restaurants, but also to the history, dating back to the Prohibition Era, of the various means used to keep the liquor flowing from their camouflaged cellars. Two things hampered my enjoyment of this novel: Luc and the MGD storyline. To be fair, I have never liked Luc and am somewhat baffled he and Alex are still together. Alex’s behavior changes when she is around him, and he tends to be very patronizing in his treatment of her. The second failing of this novel is more universal: the MGD rape case. I found the characters involved in this plot line to be unsympathetic and difficult to respond to—this included the lawyers, victim and perpetrator. Still, the novel was a fun read—3 out of 5 stars. |
| Adult Fiction FAIRSTE |
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| The Eyre affair : a novel |
| Fforde, Jasper. |
| The Eyre Affair opens in an alternative universe--Great Britain in 1985, where England has been at war with Russia over the Crimea for 130 years, time travel is routine, cloning is a reality and literature is taken very seriously. Acheron Hades, Third Most Wanted Man In the World, steals the original manuscript of Martin Chuzzlewit and kills a minor character, who then disappears from every volume of the novel ever printed! Enter Thursday Next. She's the Special Ops literary detective, who pursues literary crimes such as forgery, plagiarism, manuscript theft, and the abuse of literary characters. Thursday is put in charge of the investigation, but soon Jane Eyre and Rochester are also involved in the adventure—literally! Usually I love the alternative history, time travel and fantasy genres—but I found this novel to drag on. So much of the book deals with the “set up” of Thursday’s world that I felt that the plot was somewhat thin. However, the end of the book does move along more quickly—and is more satisfying. A 3 out of 5 stars. |
| Adult Fiction FFORDE |
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| Gone girl |
| Flynn, Gillian, 1971- |
| Adult Fiction FLYNN |
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| Mistress of the art of death |
| Franklin, Ariana. |
| In 12th century England, Vesuvia Adelia Rachel Ortese Aguilar, a female doctor and forensics expert with a strong sense of herself, is summoned by King Henry II to investigate a series of gruesome murders which the town has accused the Jews of committing (and preventing Henry from receiving his taxes from his biggest contributors). Adelia is accompanied by Simon, a Jewish investigator, and Mansur, a Muslim eunuch who is her bodyguard. It becomes clear that one of the pilgrim's they traveled with is the likely murderer, and as they close in on the killer, the chase takes some unexpected twists and turns, including a budding romance for Adelia with the King’s tax collector Sir Rowley Picot. The story combines, crusader knights, questionable nuns, suspicious monks, and a sly King Henry II. In addition, the book offers well researched period details not only about twelfth century England and way of life of the crusaders, but also Henry’s relationship with the church and the establishment of common law. The book is a well written, highly satisfying historical mystery. 4 out of 5 stars. |
| Adult Fiction FRANKLI |
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| Inkheart |
| Funke, Cornelia Caroline |
| Children's Fiction FUNKE |
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![Cover Art: Neuromancer [sound recording] /](http://content.hclib.org/perl/syndetics/syndetics.pl?type=xw12&client=hennp&isbn=0307969940/sC.GIF) |
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| The thin man |
| Hammett, Dashiell, 1894-1961. |
| The last of Dashiell Hammett's novels, it centers on Nick (a former PI) and Nora Charles who are reluctantly pulled into a case involving an old client who appears to have shot his assistant. The Thin Man is a hard-boiled noir mystery classic—with heavy drinking, casual adultery, parties, speakeasies and hard-nosed cops and crooks. I loved the 1940s Thin Man movies with William Powell and Myrna Loy—but I found the book somewhat dated and “politically incorrect”. 2 out of 5 stars. |
| Adult Fiction HAMMETT |
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| Shadow of night |
| Harkness, Deborah E., 1965- |
| Shadow of the Night is the second book of the All Souls Trilogy. It continues the story of Diana Bishop, a historian and witch, her love, a vampire, Matthew Clairmont and the mystery of a book, Ashmole 782. Beginning where Discovery of Witches left off, Diana and Matthew have time travelled to Elizabethan England in search of Ashmole 782 and someone to teach Diana the skills of being a witch. Along the way, we meet many of Matthew’s friends, including Marlowe, Raleigh, as well as the head of the Clairmont family, Phillipe. The novel also leads us to 16th century France and Prague. During the course of the novel Diana discovers her true talent as a “weaver.” As with the first book I thoroughly enjoyed the plot and the characters—and also the way “time and setting” affect the characters of Diana and Matthew. Deborah Harkness brings Elizabethan England to life using her professional knowledge and extensive and detailed descriptions. Only one caveat—because there had been sometime between reading the first and second book I found myself returning to the first book to refresh my memory. 5 out of 5 stars. |
| Adult Fiction HARKNES |
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![Cover Art: Stranger in a strange land [sound recording] /](http://content.hclib.org/perl/syndetics/syndetics.pl?type=xw12&client=hennp&isbn=0786185945/sC.GIF) |
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| Catch-22 |
| Heller, Joseph. |
| Adult Fiction HELLER |
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| The physick book of Deliverance Dane |
| Howe, Katherine |
| Set in Cambridge and Marblehead, Mass , this novel alternates between Connie Goodwin, a 20th century PhD candidate in history searching for an original primary source, and the story of a group of 17th-century outcast women who are accused of witchcraft (which may or may not be true). After moving into her grandmother's house to get it in shape for sale, Connie comes across a small key and piece of paper reading only Deliverance Dane. This discovery launches Connie on a quest—to find out who this woman was and to unearth a rare artifact: a physick book or “receipt book” which may really be a witch’s shadow book. The novel gives an interesting look at not only the Salem witch trials, but the process of research and discovery.. Similar to another book I read recently, Ghostwalk, this novel was much better written, well told, fast paced, engrossing, and interesting. A 4 out of 5 stars. |
| Adult Fiction HOWE |
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![Cover Art: A prayer for Owen Meany [sound recording] /](http://content.hclib.org/perl/syndetics/syndetics.pl?type=xw12&client=hennp&isbn=1423391632/sC.GIF) |
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| Ex-libris |
| King, Ross, 1962- |
| Adult Fiction KING |
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![Cover Art: The painted bird [sound recording] /](http://content.hclib.org/perl/syndetics/syndetics.pl?type=xw12&client=hennp&isbn=161573080X/sC.GIF) |
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![Cover Art: Shunning Sarah [sound recording] /](http://content.hclib.org/perl/syndetics/syndetics.pl?type=xw12&client=hennp&isbn=1611208793/sC.GIF) |
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| The girl who played with fire |
| Larsson, Stieg, 1954-2004 |
| The second book of the Millennium Trilogy—the book is set 2 years after the Wennerström affair and Lisbeth Salander is enjoying the benefits of her “acquisition” of wealth, traveling, purchasing an apartment and changing her appearance. She returns to Stockholm and soon becomes embroiled and framed in the murder of two writers working with Mikael Blomkvist (her former lover) and her guardian Nils Bjurman. The investigation leads Lisbeth to confront her violent childhood and the resulting tragedies. I enjoyed the fast paced action of this novel—though I enjoyed the first book more. The one thing that I didn’t like as well in this novel was the lack of real interaction between Bloomquist and Salander—which was one of my favorite parts of the first novel. A 4 out of 5 stars. |
| Adult Fiction LARSSON |
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![Cover Art: White Fang [compact disc] /](http://content.hclib.org/perl/syndetics/syndetics.pl?type=xw12&client=hennp&isbn=1400102685/sC.GIF) |
| White Fang [compact disc] |
| London, Jack, 1876-1916 |
| A classic by Jack London, White Fang could be considered the companion to London’s Call of the Wild, except in reserve. Whereas Buck from Call of the Wild finds his wild nature—White Fang finds his human love and is able to integrate into domestic life. White Fang is born in the wild to a wolf father and a half wolf mother. When he is made captive by humans, he is outcast from the other dogs because of his wildness. He learns to fight for his life. Finally, he has an opportunity to experience a new life away from the violence and savagery—but will he learn to embrace it is the question. I loved this book despite the violence and the brutality of the life led by White Fang—and the cruelty of the humans he encounters. A 4 out of 5 stars. |
| Adult Fiction LONDON |
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![Cover Art: Wolf Hall [sound recording] : [a novel] /](http://content.hclib.org/perl/syndetics/syndetics.pl?type=xw12&client=hennp&isbn=1427210160/sC.GIF) |
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| The ruby in the smoke [compact disc] |
| Pullman, Philip, 1946- |
| This young adult novel, opens with 16 year old Sally Lockhart visiting her deceased father’s shipping firm and accidentally causing one of his associates to die of a heart-attack when she ask him if he knows of the Seven Blessings. The phrase was on a piece of paper dictated by her father before his death and sent to her in secret. Believing that her life is in danger, Sally seeks to determine why her father died, who would like to see her dead, and where to find a mysterious ruby. The novel is set in Victorian London, and quickly Sally becomes entangled in a web of mystery involving murder, illegal opium trading, and a stolen ruby. She also meets a variety of characters along the way--both good and bad--including Frederick and his sister Rosa ( photographer and actress respectively) and Jim, a plucky office boy. Sally is a wonderful character--brave, smart, realistic and pragmatic. Lots of twists and turns keep the reader wanting more. 4 1/2 out of 4 stars. |
| Teen Fiction PULLMAN |
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| On beauty |
| Smith, Zadie. |
| On Beauty is about two families on opposing sides of the culture war: The atheist, liberal Belseys on one side and the ultra-religious, ultra-conservative Kipps' on the other. It's also about race and racial identity: black versus white, academic life and intellectualism and the hypocrisy of those the "firm ideals". Though I found the book well written I found it difficult to like many of the main characters, particularly Howard and Zora. These two characters show the hypocrisy of their lives and beliefs and their lack of real emotional intelligence or empathy. The characters I was able to connect with were Kiki, Levi and Carlene--who show real growth and understanding of their lives. They were the real redemption of this novel. 3 1/2 out of 5 stars. |
| Adult Fiction SMITH |
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| Dracula |
| Stoker, Bram, 1847-1912 |
| Adult Fiction STOKER |
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| Ghostwalk : a novel |
| Stott, Rebecca |
| A Cambridge historian, Elizabeth Vogelsang, is found drowned, clutching a glass prism in her hand and thus begins the novel Ghostwalk. Her son, Cameron, asks his former lover, Lydia Brooke, to ghostwrite the missing final chapters of his mother’s book on Isaac Newton and his early involvement in alchemy at Trinity College. Lydia agrees and moves into Elizabeth’s house. Lydia is soon entrenched and entangled in the deaths of five people in the late 1660s that may or may not be connected with several modern-day murders that have taken place; as well as an animal-rights group, who may or may not be killing animals in and around Cambridge. Ghostwalk has all the elements of a modern gothic mystery novel: murders, secrets, passion rekindled, and ghosts. However, after a promising beginning I simply had a difficult time sustaining my interest in the various storylines. This is one novel I would have a difficultly recommending—1 out of 5 stars. |
| Adult Fiction STOTT |
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| The Secret history |
| Tartt, Donna. |
| The Secret History is the story of a closely knit group of six classics students at a small Vermont college, involved in the murder of one of their own. This is not a spoiler—we know this from the beginning, the question becomes why. The majority of the novel explores the circumstances and lasting effects of Bunny's death on the group, particularly the narrator Richard—more an observer than a member of the group. I found this book interesting yet very disturbing at the same time. These characters are not very likeable—though you do feel sorry for both Francis and Richard is some ways—but they do expose some of the flaws of being human. Some parts of the novel do drag on a bit—but worth the effort. A 4 out of 5 stars. |
| Adult Fiction TARTT |
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| The 13 clocks |
| Thurber, James, 1894-1961. |
| Children's Fiction THURBER |
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![Cover Art: The death of Ivan Ilyich [sound recording] /](http://content.hclib.org/perl/syndetics/syndetics.pl?type=xw12&client=hennp&isbn=9626348518/sC.GIF) |
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| Journey to the center of the earth |
| Verne, Jules, 1828-1905. |
| A classic novel by the father of science fiction Jules Vernon. Written in 1864, the eccentric scientist Professor Hardwigg finds directions to the center of the earth in an old book and sets out, with his nephew Henry and the guide Hans, to Iceland where they find the mountain and the shaft that allows them access to the depths of the earth. There they find an expansive ocean, huge creatures, giant mushrooms and insects, a herd of mastodons, prehistoric humans and more. This was a fun read--I was expecting it to be somewhat dated because of its age, but was pleasantly surprised how contemporary it felt. 3 out of 5 stars. |
| Adult Fiction VERNE |
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| Leaves of grass |
| Whitman, Walt, 1819-1892. |
| Adult Nonfiction Book PS3201 1993 |
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