Fiction - the long and short of it

I've been reading reviews of The Drowned Life by Jeffrey Ford, and I think I'll have to check it out. Short story collections, which this is, don't always fare so well in libraries. I think that's too bad because some of the best writing out there happens in shorter fiction, and unless an author has a name that people recognize, many titles go unnoticed. Now, Jeffrey Ford is not an unknown - he's written several novels including last year's The Shadow Year which received very positive reviews for its intriguing blend of genres. But I hope that readers will give The Drowned Life a try too - it's eclectic enough to entertain just about anyone. In a quick check of the library's catalog, I see that we have two copies, both on the shelf.

Every cat has his day

Remember all of the dog books that reached best seller lists in the past couple of years? Marley and Me, A Good Dog, The Dog Whisperer ... Well, the cats knew their time was coming, and sure enough, a cat named Dewey busted through the doggie door and captured the hearts of feline lovers everywhere. Now there's another one, and it looks to be a hit as well. Homer's Odyssey by Gwen Cooper tells the amazing and touching story of a blind cat who learned to do everything that sighted cats do while teaching his owner about the resilient nature of animals.

Waiting for Julia

I just checked our delivery area to see what kinds of new books are soon heading to library shelves. If you've been to the movies to see "Julie and Julia" and are now waiting patiently to read the book, you'll be happy to know that we've ordered more copies - so hang in there! And I've been reading about the fantastic consequences of releasing the movie - Julia Child's cookbooks are in hot demand! I did a quick check in the library's catalog, and yep, anything by the grande dame of cooking is checked out. But try not to be too disappointed if you have to wait for one of her books - several new cookbooks will be cataloged soon. Here are three I recommend:

Fresh Mexico by Marcela Valladolid
1000 Gluten-Free Recipes by Carol Lee Fenster
Family Feasts for $75 a Week by Mary Ostyn

Bon appetit!