Music

New Books Tuesday @ RRPL

semanurLeave a comment

Take a look at some of the exciting new releases coming to our shelves in this week…

Paris: The Memoir

In this deeply personal memoir, the ultimate It Girl shares, for the first time, the hidden history that traumatized and defined her and how she rose above a series of heart-wrenching challenges to find healing, lasting love, and a life of meaning and purpose.

I Will Find You

Receiving evidence that his son might still be alive, an innocent father convicted of murdering his own child breaks out of prison to uncover the truth, in the new novel by the best-selling author of The Stranger.

Collateral Damage

After her husband is involved in a suspicious accident, Ali Reynolds must take his place at a ransomware conference in London and finds herself in a race against time as she uncovers mysterious vendettas that endanger the people she loves.

Hello Beautiful

Awarded a college basketball scholarship away from his childhood home silenced by tragedy, a young man befriends a spirited young woman who welcomes him into her loving, loud, chaotic household, in the new novel by the author of Dear Edward.

Good Dog, Bad Cop

Paterson Police Department’s Corey Douglas and his K Team investigate a suspicious crime near the Long Island sound that resulted in two deaths and a cold case, in the fourth novel of the series following Citizen K-9.

All That Is Hidden

Former private detective Molly Murphy Sullivan is shocked when her husband tells her they are moving to Fifth Avenue and that he’s running for sheriff, in the latest addition to the long-running series following Wild Irish Rose.

So Shall You Reap

Assigned to investigate the murder of an undocumented Sri Lankan immigrant, Commissario Guido Brunetti must rely on gossip and the memories of people who knew the victim, and as parts of the puzzle come together, a connection to his own youthful past turns out to be the final piece.

Dust Child

The abandoned son of a Black American soldier and a Vietnamese woman during the war dreams of finding his family and a better life in the new novel, from the internationally best-selling author of The Mountains Sing.

Our Best Intentions

Caught in the middle of a criminal investigation after finding her classmate stabbed and bleeding, Angie, an introverted teenager, must navigate conflicting narratives while her father attempts to shield her and protect his hard-earned efforts to assimilate, which overshadows his ability to see right from wrong.

~Semanur

Beatlemania Begins!

LinneaLeave a comment

It’s hard to escape the Beatles. Their music still gets consistent radio play, new documentaries are put out regularly, and the pop culture references are numerous. In the 60s, Beatlemania was in full swing in the United States. The absolute obsession with this group was unbelievable, undeniable, and (perhaps) unparalleled. 

Fifty-nine years ago, the Beatles made their first of three consecutive appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, performing to a record-setting 73 million viewers across the United States. They performed “All My Loving”; “Till There Was You”; and “She Loves You”. After a break, they returned to the stage to perform “I Saw Her Standing There” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand”. This performance is often noted, in the United States, as the beginning of Beatlemania and the beginning of the British Invasion in music.  

If you’re still feeling Beatlemania all these years later or you want to dive into the mayhem, we’ve got the books for you! 

The Beatles Anthology 

The Beatles: Get Back 

150 Glimpses of the Beatles by Craig Brown 

The Beatles Lyrics: The Stories Behind the Music, including the Handwritten Drafts of More than 100 Classic Beatles Songs by Hunter Davies 

The Story of Music: From Babylon to the Beatles: How Music Has Shaped Civilization by Howard Goodall 

And in the End: The Last Days of the Beatles by Ken McNab 

-Linnea 

Happy Birthday, Dolly Parton!

LinneaLeave a comment

Dolly Parton has long been considered an icon. Even before she was a teenager, Dolly was singing on local radio stations in their small Tennessee town. And at 13 years old, she performed at the Grand Ole Opry and met Johnny Cash. After high school, Dolly immediately moved to Nashville to hone her talents and live her dream. I think we all know how that panned out—Dolly Parton is a household name with the records to support it, but her legendary status doesn’t stop with just music. 

Dolly is a well-known philanthropist, through her Dollywood Foundation. It originally provided scholarships to local high school students then continued to grow and provide other charitable support as well. Her Imagination Library provides books to pre-school-age children in over five countries; one book per month from birth until they enter kindergarten. (For more information, visit our Children’s Department webpage!) During the 2016 Great Smoky Mountains wildfires, she organized a telethon and gathered about $9 million for those impacted by the fires. She’s also donated to medical centers and specifically pediatric programs.

Even if you swear that you’re not a country music fan, it’s easy to find something to appreciate about Dolly Parton. Check out some of these books to pique your interest and then maybe you’ll feel inspired to listen to one of her albums! 

Unlikely Angel: The Songs of Dolly Parton by Lydia Hamessley 

Dolly Parton: Songteller, My Life in Lyrics by Dolly Parton 

Run, Rose, Run by Dolly Parton and James Patterson 

(And if you want some music to listen to while you read, Dolly wrote an album of the same name to accompany the novel!) 

She Come by It Natural: Dolly Parton and the Women Who Lived Her Songs by Sarah Smarsh 

Diamonds & Rhinestones: The Greatest Hits Collection  

-Linnea

A Concert for the Ages 

LinneaLeave a comment

On December 22, 1808, Ludwig van Beethoven debuted two symphonies (including perhaps his most famous, The Fifth Symphony), a piano concerto, and a choral piece, plus a few other favorites in a four-hour long benefit concert at the Theater-an-der-Wien, one of Vienna’s grandest theaters.  

The concert was…not a success. From frigid temperatures to ill-rehearsed pieces to contentious relationships between Beethoven and the musicians, the concert was certainly one to remember, but maybe not for the reasons a composer would want!  

Even though the concert may not have gone to plan, Beethoven did make a cash profit—his only of the entire year. Many composers were not revered in their time and only in their later years or even posthumously, were they appreciated and acknowledged for their talent. 

Beethoven is probably one of the most famous names in composing and if you’re interested in some of the reasons he is so highly regarded, here are some books to learn more: 

Beethoven: A Life by Jan Caeyers 

The Great Composers: The Lives and Music of 50 Great Classical Composers by Jeremy Nicholas 

How Music Works: The Science and Psychology of Beautiful Sounds, from Beethoven to the Beatles and Beyond by John Powell 

Playlist: The Rebels and Revolutionaries of Sound by James Rhodes 

Mr. Beethoven by Paul Griffiths 

And if you want to recreate the concert from the comfort of your home, here are some of the pieces on CD: 

Piano Concertos Nos. 2 & 4 

Choral Fantasy, Piano Concertos Nos. 3 & 5 

Symphony No. 5, C minor; Symphony No. 6, F major, “Pastoral” 

Give us a call (440-333-7610) if you’d like to place any of the physical copies on hold! 

-Linnea 

New Books Tuesday @ RRPL

semanurLeave a comment

Here some of the new exciting releases for you to take a look at this week!

HIDDEN PICTURES by Jason Rekulak – A woman working as a nanny for a young boy who has strange and disturbing secrets.

OVERBOARD by Sara Paretsky – In a city emerging from its pandemic lockdown, detective V.I. Warshawski must elude Chicago powerbrokers and mobsters as she tries to find a missing girl who is the key witness to a nefarious conspiracy, which makes Warshawski a target as well.

BY THE BOOK by Jasmine Guillory – A young, black woman working in publishing makes a surprise connection with an author who has failed to deliver his highly-anticipated manuscript in the second novel of the series following If the Shoe Fits.

THE LIONESS by Chris Bohjalian – In 1964, Hollywood royalty Katie Barstow and her new husband, along her glittering entourage, arrive for their luxury African safari, but are instead taken hostage by Russians mercenaries, in this blistering story of fame, race, love death set in a world on the cusp of great change.

BACK TO THE PRAIRIE by Melissa Gilbert – The New York Times best-selling author and star of Little House on the Prairie recounts her return to rustic life with her new husband in a cottage in the Catskill Mountains during the COVID-19 pandemic.

LONG TRAIN RUNNIN: Our Story of the Doobie Brothers by Pat Simmons & Tom Johnston, with Chris Epting – Written by the founding members of the iconic American rock band, this incredible true story brings to life the longevity, success and drama of The Doobie Brothers—born out of the late 1960’s NorCal and stood alongside The Grateful Dead, The Allman Brothers and many others.

THE MOVEMENT MADE US: A Father, a Son, and the Legacy of a Freedom Ride by David Dennis Jr. – A work of oral history and memoir chronicles the extraordinary story of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and its living legacy embodied in Black Lives Matter.

FRIEND OF THE DEVIL by Stephen Lloyd – A substance-abusing war veteran working as an insurance investigator visits an elite New England boarding school to find an invaluable, stolen manuscript and soon discovers students are vanishing from campus and investigates with a reporter for the school paper.

MISRULE by Heather Walter – When the woman she loves falls under a curse that not even her vast power can break, Alyce, a dark sorceress, vows to do everything she can to save Princess Aurora, even if it means turning into the monster everyone in Briar believes her to be.

SIREN QUEEN by Nghi Vo – A new novel offers an exploration of an outsider achieving stardom on her own terms, in a fantastical Hollywood where the monsters are real and the magic of the silver screen illuminates every page.

STAR WARS: BROTHERHOOD by Mike Chen – Anakin and Obi-Wan must learn a new way to work together to save Cato Neimoidia when the planet’s fragile neutrality is threatened, dangerously shifting the balance that pushes this world to the brink of war.

BITTER ORANGE TREE by Jokha Alharthi – A young Omani woman attempting to assimilate in Britain reflects on the relationships that have been central to her life in the new novel from the Man Booker International Prize-winning author of Celestial Bodies.

~Semanur

New Books Tuesday @ RRPL

semanurLeave a comment

Here some of the new exciting releases for you to take a look at this week!

Better Off Dead by Andrew Child & Lee Child – Jack Reacher doesn’t back down and doesn’t hesitate to teach someone a lesson when a shadowy crew picks a fight with the former US Army military police major in the latest novel of the series following The Sentinel.

Down the Hatch by M.C. Beaton & R. W. Green – Private detective Agatha Raisin, having recently taken up power-walking, is striding along a path in Mircester Park during her lunch break when she hears a cry for help. Rushing over, she finds an elderly couple, Mr. and Mrs. Swinburn, in the middle of the green with the body of an old man lying at their feet.

Forgiving Paris by Karen Kingsbury – The #1 New York Times bestselling author of life-changing fiction brings her signature emotional, heart-tugging (Woman’s World) prose to this wise and worldly novel of forgiveness and hope in the City of Lights.

The Nameless Ones by John Connolly – From the international and instant New York Times bestselling author of The Dirty South, the white-knuckled Charlie Parker series returns with this heart-pounding race to hunt down the deadliest of war criminals. In Amsterdam, four bodies, violently butchered, are discovered in a canal house, the remains of friends and confidantes of the assassin known only as Louis.

Going There by Katie Couric – Heartbreaking, hilarious, and brutally honest, Going There is the deeply personal life story of a girl next door turned household name. The iconic media star discusses her professional and personal life, including losing her husband at a young age, her historic turn as anchor of the CBS Evening News, and experiences dealing with gender inequality.

As the Wicked Watch by Tamron Hall – The first in a thrilling new series from Emmy Award-winning TV Host and Journalist Tamron Hall, As The Wicked Watch follows a reporter as she unravels the disturbing mystery around the deaths of two Black girls the work of a serial killer terrorizing Chicago.

The Unheard by Nicci French – In this new heart-pounding standalone from the internationally bestselling author that People calls “razor sharp,” a single mother suspects her young daughter has witnessed a horrible crime when she draws a disturbing picture but the deadly path to unravel the truth could cost her everything.

Renegades: Born in the USA by Barack Obama& Bruce Springsteen – Two longtime friends share an intimate and urgent conversation about life, music, and their enduring love of America, with all its challenges and contradictions, in this stunningly produced expansion of their groundbreaking Higher Ground podcast, featuring more than 350 photographs, exclusive bonus content, and never-before-seen archival material.

The Wicked Widow by Beatriz Williams – While digging up dirt on a Presidential candidate at the behest of her 90-something society queen aunt, pregnant Ella Dommerich, with the help of her mysterious connection to a certain redheaded flapper, stands between a ruthless family and the prize it’s sought for generations.

The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan – Perfect for the holidays! A brand-new heartwarming Christmas novel from the beloved New York Times bestselling author of The Bookshop on the Corner and Christmas at the Island Hotel. 

Gated Prey by Lee Goldberg – A simple sting operation takes a violent and unexpected turn for Detective Eve Ronin in a gripping thriller by #1 New York Times bestselling author Lee Goldberg.

The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven by Nathaniel Ian Miller – The captivating and powerful story of one man who banishes himself to a solitary life in the Arctic Circle, and is saved by good friends, a loyal dog, and a surprise visit that changes everything, in a novel that is both ceaselessly brilliant and pure delight.

~Semanur

Imagine Your Story -Variety Pack

staceyLeave a comment

You know how sometimes (or fairly often) it can be hard to settle down and read? I’ve found a variety pack of options to entertain myself, and maybe some of these ideas will appeal to you as well…

Magazines! From HGTV to Gourmet to bite sized articles in How it Works that help me learn something new, I’ve been enjoying flicking those pages until something catches my eye.

I’ve also been reading from the Diverse Voices for Younger Readers collection. I 100% think books for teens and younger readers can be as good -or better!- than adult books as they tell stories that are compelling but tend to be shorter (aka don’t get bogged down in wordy, unnecessary extras). Why not give it a try?

Sometimes I just listen to music while I clean or do some crafting…

But if you want to be ambitious? You could join me in the Great Courses Myth in Human History and -so far, so good!! And then I have an eye on How to Make Stress Work for You….

I hope one of these choices sounds appealing and gives you something new to try!

—Stacey