Once a runner : a novel

by John L. Parker Jr.  Distance runner Quenton Cassidy is suspended from the track team for his involvement in an athlete protest and risks his future prospects to train on a monastic retreat with an Olympic medalist. (Check Catalog)

10-10-10 : a life-transforming idea

 by Suzy Welch. Journalist Welch, coauthor of Winning (with her husband, former GE CEO Jack), offers an in-depth look at the decision making process that has brought her success and formed the basis of her work-life advice column in O, The Oprah Magazine. By imagining a decision's impact in the short and long term-in 10 minutes, 10 months, and 10 years-readers will discover not just their innermost values, but the wisdom to pursue them with confident and empowering choices.  Anyone who feels stuck, rushed or simply too emotional to make important life decisions should find Welch's technique surprisingly useful, and her guide to it both rallying and rational.  (Check Catalog)

Summer on Blossom Street

by Debbie Macomber. The fifth entry (after The Shop on Blossom Street, A Good Yarn, Back on Blossom Street, and Twenty Wishes) in Macomber's "Blossom Street" series follows her successful format of introducing new as well as familiar characters through their joint association at Lydia Goetz's Seattle knit shop. This time, Lydia is offering a "Knit to Quit" class, which attracts a woman trying to forget her unfaithful boyfriend, a man ordered by his doctor to reduce stress, and another young woman trying to give up smoking. Under the gentle guidance of Lydia and her cantankerous sister, Margaret, the class succeeds in coping with their issues in a variety of ways. Macomber manages to remain optimistic if not a tad unrealistic in resolving all of the dilemmas presented and ensuring a happy and satisfying conclusion. Knitting definitely plays a role here, but it shouldn't deter readers who don't have a passion for the needle arts from enjoying this title. Macomber shows no signs of fatigue in keeping her fictional Blossom Street books unique and entertaining. 

(Check Catalog)

The insider's guide to the Peace Corps : what to know before you go

by Dillon Bannerjee. If you are interested in joining the Peace Corps, you probably have questions that run the gamut from "What is the application process like?" to "Is the Peace Corps effective as a development agency?" In this updated second edition, former Peace Corps volunteer Dillon Banerjee shares candid facts and insights about the experience in a practical question-and-answer format. With input from recently returned volunteers who served across the globe, this thorough guide presents valuable information (Check Catalog)

Handle with care : a novel

by Jodi Picoult. Fans of popular author Picoult (My Sister's Keeper) won't be disappointed with her newest novel, which offers a glimpse into the life of a family whose daughter is born with a severe medical condition that could have been prevented, but at what cost? Sean and Charlotte O'Keefe's magical world is turned upside down when daughter Willow is born with brittle bone disease, a disease so severe that Charlotte is forced into the role of caretaker for Willow and emotionally abandoning older daughter Amelia. --Library Journal (Check Catalog)

The Brenner assignment : the untold story of the most daring spy mission of World War II

by Patrick K. O'Donnell. O'Donnell writes of the sabotage team that was dropped into German-occupied Italy in 1944 with the mission of disrupting transport for the retreating Wehrmacht. Things didn't go smoothly, but the help of various partisan groups allowed the team, though reduced by death and capture, to operate for several weeks and to coordinate effectively sabotage and ambush attacks. This exciting narrative of war at the personal level will be a good supplement to subject collections. --Library Journal. (Check Catalog)

Grave goods

by Ariana Franklin. In 12th-century England, a fire at Glastonbury Abbey—one of England's holiest sites—uncovers an ancient box containing the skeletons of a man and a woman. King Henry II calls on his "mistress of the Art of Death," Adelia Aguilar, to identify the bones. The devastated community of Glastonbury, as well as King Henry, would like them to be Arthur and Guinevere. Adelia enlists her regular cadre of companions (Mansur, Gyltha, and daughter Allie) to help her investigate. Highly recommended for all mystery collections. —Library Journal (Check Catalog)

The marriage-go-round : the state of marriage and the family in America today

by Andrew J. Cherlin. Johns Hopkins University sociologist Cherlin (Public and Private Families) analyzes "the profound changes" that have occurred in American family life, especially during the past half century. Although heterosexual marriage as the bedrock institution for raising children remains a strong cultural value, it is challenged by the increasing stress placed on individualism and self-fulfillment. The book presents a comprehensive historical overview of marriage and family in the U.S. and compares American behavior with that of people in other Western countries (Americans have the highest levels of moving from partner to partner). --Publisher Weekly (Check Catalog)

Love mercy

by Earlene Fowler. The mysteries of the human heart fill Fowler's first of a sweet new series about Love Mercy Johnson of Morro Bay, Calif. This delightful departure from her Benni Harper mysteries (Tumbling Blocks, etc.) features cameos of Benni and husband Gabe, but Love, photojournalist and co-owner of the Buttercream Cafe, takes center stage with former Las Vega cop Melina "Mel" Le Blanc and Love's 18-year-old granddaughter, Loretta Lynn "Rett" Johnson. Fowler delivers some wise lessons on life (e.g., "Looks fade... a good heart doesn't") in a heartfelt tale sure to please her fans. (Check catalog)

The atom and the apple : twelve tales from contemporary physics

by Sebastien Balibar. Parisian physics professor Balibar (of the École Normale Supérieure) has a fervor for life and his work that makes this look at everyday physics, its history and his own life experiences contagiously readable. Whether explaining the crystal chime of a wine glass or the "sweet spot" in bicycle touring, his text is eloquent, charming and rigorous, translated beautifully by Stein. ... Full of ways to rethink daily activities and draw out readers' curiosity, this is an excellent, personable scientific tour. --Publisher's Weekly (Check catalog)

Hater

David Moody. Originally self-published, Moody's nail-biter of a debut plausibly creates a nightmare world. Danny McCoyne, an employee of the Parking Fine Processing office in an unnamed, possibly British city, barely manages to support his wife and children. Things get a lot worse after incidents of random violence escalate to a condition that threatens the social fabric of the country. Those afflicted with the violent impulse are dubbed Haters. The rapid onset of the disorder, exacerbated by the frighteningly inadequate government response, leaves Danny and his family virtual prisoners in their own home. While the major twist and the final payoff aren't particularly surprising, the sections building up to them perfectly evoke the quiet desperation of an ordinary life. Moody might have been better off explaining less, but this intelligent, well-written chiller heralds a significant new talent. Guillermo Del Toro has bought film rights. --Publisher's Weekly (Check catalog)

The unforgiving minute : a soldier's education

by Craig M. Mullaney. "An unforgettable portrait of a young soldier grappling with the weight of his hard-earned knowledge, while at last coming to terms with what it means to be a man"--From publisher description. (Check Catalog)

The collector of worlds

by Ilija Trojanow. Sir Richard Francis Burton's (1821–90) facility in learning languages and assimilating into indigenous cultures made him an enigma to other British colonial officers. The accounts from various narrators who describe his exploits in this German prize-winning novel leave him an enigma to readers as well. Burton's Indian servant relates his memories to a scribe who reworks the story further. The Grand Vizier conducts an investigation into Burton's participation in the hajj after his account of the experience is published in Britain. The man who guided Burton and others in their search for the source of the Nile enthralls listeners with tales from the journeys. --Library Journal (Check catalog)

Madoff : corruption, deceit, and the making of the world's most notorious Ponzi scheme

by Peter J. Sander. In the first comprehensive account of this epic scandal, Peter Sander traces Madoff’s rise from schoolboy to Wall Street trader, from money maker to money manager. His gripping narrative examines how Madoff built his brand by infiltrating influential circles, how the scheme came unraveled, and how Madoff—a Jew whose arrest has been called “fodder for the bigots”—ironically wreaked grievous damage to Jewish organizations in particular. --Publisher (Check Catalog)

Dragon in chains

by Daniel Fox. Fox captures the foggy mysteries of feudal China in exquisite style with this rich fantasy series opener. Pirate captain Li Ton needs a new ship's boy, having worn out the old one, so he captures apprentice scribe Han, who becomes infected with magic in a duel. When Li Ton kills the monks who forge links to the chain binding an ancient undersea dragon, he and Han are caught up in a multilayered tale of supernatural creatures, a deposed emperor on the run and jade that grants extraordinary powers. Fox's concisely elegant style mirrors the light brush strokes and deep colors of ancient Chinese paintings, finely balancing detail, emotion and action. Where many Western authors try and fail to capture the nuances of Chinese culture and mythology, this melodious tale quietly succeeds. --Publishers Weekly (Check catalog)

Stealing MySpace : the battle to control the most popular website in America

by Julia Angwin. Angwin explains how high-profile members exert power by threatening to leave if they are not given maximum control of their online experiences. She skillfully shows the combination of business strategies used by MySpace and Facebook, including copying each other's best features, to capture market share and advertising revenue. The first and only business history thus far of MySpace, this outstanding title is highly recommended for all public library and academic collections. --Library Journal (Check Catalog)

Heart and soul

by Maeve Binchy. Binchy delivers another delightful Binchyesque amalgamation of intersecting lives, this time centering on Clara Casey, a cardiologist whose marriage and career have fallen apart. After she accepts an undesirable post at St. Brigid's Hospital, Clara throws herself into work to forget the humiliation of her husband's many affairs, but it's difficult to escape her home life with two adult daughters who still depend on her as if they were children. Though she stands at the center of the book, Clara cedes the stage to others, such as Declan Carroll, a young doctor at the clinic trying to make a life for himself, and Ania, Clara's assistant, whose affair with a married man forced her to leave her Polish hometown. --Publisher's Weekly (Check Catalog)