Inherent vice

by Thomas Pynchon So Doc Sportello, inveterate doper and sometime private eye, is sitting around hazy L.A. at the end of the Sixties when he gets a visit from former flame Shasta. Seems she's been seeing developer-turned-visionary Mickey Wolfmann, whose wife and boyfriend are cooking up a scheme to kidnap Wolfmann and want to cut her in. Meanwhile, black ex-con Tariq wants Doc's help in hooking up with Glen Charlock, a White Aryan he did business with behind bars, and he's pretty bummed that Channel Vista Estates, Wolfmann's latest development, has wiped out his neighborhood. Doc heads for Channel Vista, where he might have encountered Charlock had he not blacked out (it's those drugs?). Instead, Charlock winds up dead; Doc has another run-in with friendly nemesis Lt. Det. Bigfoot Bjornsen; and Wolfmann disappears. So, for that matter, does Shasta. And it gets even more complicated as Doc is off on one very weird acid trip of an investigation. VERDICT With whip-smart, psychedelic-bright language, Pynchon manages to convey the Sixties—except the Sixties were never really like this. This is Pynchon's world, and it's brilliant. The resolution is as crisp as Doc is laid-back. Highly recommended.—Library Journal. (Check Catalog)

Hudson River Valley farms : the people and the pride behind the produce

by Joanne Michaels. Meet your local farmer! Published for the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson's September 1609 journey up the river that today bears his name, this fascinating portrait celebrates the local farms--and farmers--in one of the country's most scenic and storied regions, once known as the Breadbasket of America. "Hudson River Valley Farms" brings to life the renaissance of food producers who have re-created the region as a source of artisanal cheeses, grass-fed beef, and first-rate organic fruits and vegetables. Stunning photography and short, evocative essays take readers on a rare, behind-the-scenes journey to forty-four farms from Westchester County to the Capital District of Albany, and feature the colorful maverick entrepreneurs behind the striking scenery. The book also includes a directory of nearly 100 local farmers' markets, directions to the featured farms, and an introduction by the region's popular U.S. Congressman, Maurice Hinchey. (Check Catalog)

Julie and Julia : my year of cooking dangerously

by Julie Powell. Nearing thirty and trapped in a dead-end secretarial job, Julie Powell resolved to reclaim her life by cooking, in a single year, every one of the 524 recipes in Julia Child's 1961 classic, Mastering the art of French cooking. Her unexpected reward, a new life lived with gusto (Check Catalog)

Jericho's fall

by Stephen L. Carter. When Beck, now a single mom with a responsible career, hears that old flame Jericho Ainsley is dying, she drops her child with grandma and flies to the bedside. Suddenly, her life is on the line. Her ex-lover is also ex-CIA, ex-Department of Defense, and an ex-investment wizard. He has desperate secrets to protect even in the face of death itself. His family and associates warn Beck that Jericho has lost his marbles, but he drafts her into the front line to guard his intel. In a remote mountain hideaway, the characters battle for mastery of Jericho's assets—psychological, emotional, and tangible. Evoking notes of Helen MacInnes even as he updates for the PDA era, Carter confidently inhabits a female sensibility to portray ground zero at this grisly deathbed. VERDICT In his fourth fictional excursion (after Palace Council), Carter has acquired the Midas touch of good thrillers—plot, pace, and explosive ending. While this represents a switch for Carter from legal thrillers to espionage fiction, fans of his other novels may enjoy. An entertaining summer read. --Library Journal (Check Catalog)

When someone you love needs nursing home, assisted living, or in-home care : the complete guide

by Robert F. Bornstein. Newly revised and updated, this acclaimed, complete guide delivers what people need to know to help an aging loved onea must for all caregivers! Written by two distinguished psychologists for spouses, siblings, and adult children, this frank and highly useful guide is meticulously organized to provide answers, dispel myths, anticipate needs, and provide strategies for dealing with every aspect of in-home and facility care. (Check catalog)

Return to Sullivans Island

by Dorothea Benton Frank. Frank (Sullivan's Island) creates a world in which aspiring writer Beth Hayes, whose chirpy internal monologues and quiet uncertainties make her easily endearing, is as much a character as the house she lives in. After graduating from college in Boston, Beth returns to the South to spend a year house-sitting her family's home, Island Gamble, while her mother, Susan, visits Paris. Frank's portrayal of a large and complicated family is humorous and precise: there's Susan, adoring and kind; Aunt Maggie, a stickler for manners; twin aunts Sophie and Allison, who run an exercise-and-vitamin empire; and uncles Timmy and Henry, the latter of whom has ties to Beth's trust fund. Frank's lovable characters occasionally stymie her pace; there's almost no room left for Beth's friends or her love affairs with sleazy Max Mitchell and cherubic Woody Morrison, though these become important later on. Frank is frequently funny, and she weaves in a dark undercurrent that incites some surprising late-book developments. Tight storytelling, winsomely oddball characters and touches of Southern magic make this a winner. --Publishers weekly (Check Catalog)

The library : an illustrated history

by Stuart A.P. Murray. In this remarkable book, Stuart A. P. Murray traces the elaborate history of the library from its very beginnings in the ancient libraries of Babylon and Alexandria to some of the greatest comtemporary institutions-the Royal Society of London, the Newberry Library, the Smithsonian and many others. Illustrated with 80 color photos, the book leads readers through the fascinating progress of the institution we know today as the library. A rich textual and visual resource, The Library will delight patrons, readers, and library staff alike. (Check Catalog)

Sacred hearts : a novel

by Sarah Dunant. The best-selling author of The Birth of Venus (2003) and In the Company of the Courtesan (2006) re-creates the rarified world of the sixteenth-century convent in her latest historical novel. Those expecting serenity and contemplation are in for an eye-opening surprise as the Benedictine convent of Santa Caterina, in Ferrara, Italy, is anything but a peaceful refuge. Sixteen-year-old Serafina, a talented songstress with a broken heart, literally enters the cloister kicking and screaming, the victim of her nobleman father's callous intent to quash an unsuitable romance. Despite the fact that Serafina strikes up a strong friendship with Suora Zuanna, the gifted mistress of the dispensary, Serafina has one goal in mind: to escape the confines of a life imposed on her by her time, her circumstances, and her station. As Serafina's determination to take control of her own life takes root, her discontent has a domino effect on the other nuns. Although many novelists have successfully tackled the intricacies of court politics, intrigue, and romance, Dunant applies the same type of formula to the Renaissance convent with remarkable success. The author continues to chart the course of strong Renaissance women struggling against all odds to define their own destinies. --Booklist (Check catalog)

1969 : Woodstock, the moon, and Manson : the turbulent end of the '60s

In a single five-week period in the summer of 1969, three American astronauts landed on the moon; more than a hundred thousand hippies grooved at Woodstock; Charles Manson's "family" terrorized Los Angeles; and the scion of America's most celebrated modern political dynasty, Senator Edward Kennedy, found himself embroiled in a scandal in Chappaquiddick, Mass. Here is the full story of this remarkable year--in first-hand accounts by those who were there: from the Beatles' last rooftop jam in London to the trial of the "Chicago 7" to the shocking revelations of U.S. military brutality in My Lai, South Vietnam--and all points in between. (Check Catalog)

The big book of New York ghost stories

by Cheri Revai. The second volume in the Big Book of Ghost Stories series is a treasury of more than 100 stories from each region of the Empire State. Gathered by New York's celebrated Ghost Author, this assortment of spooky tales includes . . .: *The terrified spirit of Seneca Hill*RIT's jovial library tower ghost*The legendary skull of the Adirondacks*State Capitol hauntings in Albany*Shanley Hotel ghosts in the Hudson Valley*The spirit of the most beautiful girl in New York City (Check catalog)

The last bridge : a novel

by Teri Coyne. Summoned home after a 10-year absence by a neighbor's shocking phone call, Cat enters the farmhouse where she wasn't so much raised as pummeled into submission. A delicate lavender sheet of paper waits for her on the kitchen table. Written in precise, cursive script, her mother's suicide note-"He isn't who you think he is"-is diabolically cryptic. Is "he" her father, the abusive drunk who now lays dying in a nearby hospital, or the young son she gave up at birth? Though Cat has long since crawled into a bottle to get away from such demons, her mother's death forces her to relive and confront those nightmarish days when the solace she craved came in the arms of Addison, a young man who may once again prove to be her salvation. Thrumming with a desperate, malevolent intensity, Coyne's debut novel is a psychological tour de force, a disturbing yet ultimately redemptive tale of the burden of secrets and the tenacity of love. --Booklist (Check catalog)

Yes We Can

by Scout Tufankjian

Starred Review. The cover graphics imply a brash book, but the contents have nuance and subtle grace. The book bills Tufankjian only as the photographer—and her photographs are wonderful. With as many character shots of spectators as of the man himself, with framing and depth of field choices that are eloquent without being pretentious, she captures mood and atmosphere with seeming ease. But it is her brief autobiographical text at the start of each chronological section that additionally sets the book apart, allowing the reader to feel in the midst of the press corps as it followed Obama around the country. A tribute not only to Obama, with some pull quotes from his speeches, but to Tufankjian's skills with her Nikon.

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edited by Ronnie Sellers

Helping baby boomers as they age has become a popular subject for writers who are often boomers themselves. The messages are usually upbeat and optimistic, ensuring readers that the best times are ahead. In The Power Years, Dychtwald (Age Power) and Kadlec, a senior writer at Time magazine, focus on the choices and opportunities that are available upon retirement, with more time for friends, family, learning, and fun. They combine inspirational case stories and practical advice to help seniors start new businesses and rekindle the love fires.

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Homeschooling : A Family's Journey

by Gregory Millman
The Millmans, financial journalists and homeschooling parents to six children, share their story and their ideas in this education memoir. They begin by describing their experiences with traditional schools and their reasons for opting for homeschooling. Then they detail their evolving theories of family, education, and learning from the past two decades. This philosophical journey will be especially interesting to readers with little exposure to homeschooling, as it explores the myriad styles, groups, and structures of homeschoolers—and shows that such a self-organized and unregulated world can offer success to students. Homeschooling families will appreciate the chapter about college admissions, which includes tips from admissions officers about perceptions of homeschoolers within admissions offices and college faculties. The Millmans also offer their own extensive admissions advice, based on their experiences of sending their three daughters to college. Some readers may take offense at parts of this work, e.g., the strong opposition to traditional schools and the attempts to debunk stereotypes by devaluing the religious doctrines and rigid structures that some homeschooling families consider essential.
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The Adopted Dog Bible

by Kim Saunders This is a basic book on choosing, training, and caring for a dog, but instead of addressing puppy buyers who purchase their pets from a reputable breeder, this resource assembled by Petfinder.com, a popular pet adoption web site, is for the millions of people who acquire their dogs secondhand. Vice president of shelter outreach at Petfinder.com, Saunders draws on a knowledgeable panel of contributors, including dog-care authors Sheila Boneham, Liz Palika, Sue Sternberg, and others, which adds to the book's credibility. The information covers the usual basics but is substantial, and owners with further concerns or questions are referred to other organizations or their local veterinarian or trainer. Well organized and illustrated, the 22 chapters cover a comprehensive range of topics, from where to find the right dog, breed characteristics, and guidelines for selecting the dog to retraining, modifying undesirable behaviors, and routine care and health considerations. Highly recommended

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