…. ….
Everybody wins!
Thanks to all the readers who participated in Library Summer Reading. The last submission, The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller was made by one our last minute posters, Esther Markov. She was not alone in submitting all of her reviews on the last day.
Reviewers, keep an eye on your email for prizes and pick-up and delivery options.. There will books old a new, including titles from 2021.
Availability: COSMOS, SMCM, USMAI
Review Submitted by: Sarah Gleason
Rating: Recommended
Challenge: Short story collection
Fever Dream/Distancia de rescate (Rescue Distance)
A vacation in the country that turns into an absolute nightmare, Fever Dream was a page turner that I could not stop listening to. Played out in what we are told is a rural medical clinic, we slowly piece together the narrative as Amanda recounts it for the mysterious kid, David, as she lies dying. Where exactly is she? Why is she dying and who is David really? All these details become clearer as young David guides Amanda through her memories of the past few days.
There’s not a lot I can say without spoiling something, but this story will hit home with anyone who understands the anxiety of allowing a child independence and space to explore the world, while simultaneously being available to step in, at a moment’s notice, to avert danger. While Fever Dream is a great title for the book, I would have preferred the direct translation of the original title, Distancia de rescate or Rescue Distance, as that is such a key concept for the narrative and one that really resonates with me as a parent. Amanda’s constant calculation of “the rescue distance” between her and her child adds to the insidious tension, especially since every caregiver knows that a child can never be completely protected from the world.
Availability: COSMOS
Submitted by: Emily Nelson Ringholm ’07
Rating: Must Read
Challenge: Translated Book, Audiobook
Summer Reading starts on June 1, 2021.Summer is here and it’s safe to go outside. Kick back in your backyard, deck, balcony or head to the nearest beach or park and start reading.
The SMCM Library Adult Summer Reading Program will begin on Tuesday, June 1 and end on August 20, 2021. Look for 2021 prize updates over the next few weeks.
The Summer Reading program is sponsored by the St. Mary’s College’s Hilda C. Landers Library, Archives & Media Center and is open to all members of the St. Mary’s Library community including students, staff, faculty, alumni and residents of the Tri-County area (St. Mary’s, Calvert and Charles counties.) You may read anything you like as long as a copy is available at the St. Mary’s College Library (SMCM) or via COSMOS, the Southern Maryland Libraries catalog, or the USMAI catalog. You do not need to check the book out of the library. To get points you must post a review on the St. Mary’s College Library Summer Reading blog.
Everybody wins!
Thanks to all the readers who participated in Library Summer Reading. The last submission was made by M Denise Brace nee Lerch. Yes, it submitted after the deadline, but we’re running on COVID time and it’s hard to tell one day from the last.
Look for updates on prizes and pick-up and delivery options soon. I have a box of new swag sitting in my office.
Barkskins at over 700 pages, reading this book is a commitment, but well worth the time. Proulx is a skilled storyteller and the sheer breadth of years covered is impressive. The family trees provided in the back of the book are quite helpful to keep track of characters. This is a compelling novel about deforestation and climate change told in an approachable fashion. Highly recommend.
Availability: COSMOS, USMAI
Review Submitted by: Catherine Pell
Rating: Must Read
Macbeth is a must read, or reread in this case, and highly recommended. I had forgotten the eeriness of the three spectral witches and got goosebumps while reading. The character flaws of Macbeth and his wife are as pertinent today as when written. A tale for all time!
Availability: COSMOS, USMAI, SMCM
Review Submitted by: M Denise Brace ’82
Rating: Must Read
Challange: Book to Film
Wild is the inspiring story of 26 year old Cheryl Strayed who hikes the Pacific Crest Trail following a recent divorce and downward spiral after her mother dies. Strayed hikes the trail alone on a mission to find answers to questions she has been asking herself for years. The reader follows her transformation as she follows the 2,000+ mile trail through California, Oregon, and Washington. The book is an absolute page turner filled with fantastic imagery of deserts, mountains, and weird injuries only familiar to those who backpack great distances.
Availability: COSMOS, USMAI, SMCM
Review Submitted by: Madeleine Beller
Rating: Highly Recommended
Challenge: A book with a one word title; book to film
Summer Reading starts on June 1, 2020.Stay safe. Stay home. Read books.
Have you been reading or listening to books during the quarantine? Browsing baking books? Let us know what you thought by submitting a review to the SMCM Library Summer Reading Blog!
The SMCM Library Adult Summer Reading Program will begin on June 1 and end on August 15, 2020. Look for 2020 prize updates over the next few weeks.
The Summer Reading program is sponsored by the St. Mary’s College Library, Archives & Media Center and is open to all members of the St. Mary’s Library community including students, staff, faculty, alumni and residents of the Tri-County area (St. Mary’s, Calvert and Charles counties.) You may read anything you like as long as a copy is available at the St. Mary’s College Library (SMCM) or via COSMOS, the Southern Maryland Libraries catalog, or the USMAI catalog. You do not need to check the book out of the library. To get points you must post a review on the St. Mary’s College Library Summer Reading blog.
Everybody wins!
But Nick Huber, class of 2013 wins the Amazon gift card and Shelley Clark picks up the August raffle prize.
Thanks to all the readers who participated in Library Summer Reading. We had a really great mix of reviews and dedicated readers. Five people qualified for the bag of library swag.
Our top reviewer was Jane Kostenko with 24 reviews, an all time record. In second place was Kaylie Jasinki whose 13 reviews netted her 17.5 points.
Margaret Atwood continues to be one of our most reviewed authors with a review Alias Grace and two new reviews of the Handmaid’s Tale.
So what were you reading this summer? Lots of,
Santa Montefiore’s The Girl in the Castle, (republished as The Irish Girl) is both a love story and a history lesson. If you enjoy romance and intrigue set in historic Ireland, it’s a must read. Kitty Deverill grows up in a castle in West Cork following in her ancestors footsteps. She falls in love with Jack O’Leary and gets involved in the resistance movement only to find her cushy life endangered.
Availability: COSMOS
Review Submitted by: M Denise Brace Lerch ’82
Rating: Must Read
‘Tis, the sequel to Frank McCourt’s Angela’s Ashes, continues his autobiographic fear and self loathing on the oft dreamt about American soil. The US does not welcome him with open arms as he had hoped, and he finds himself not much better off than he’d been back in Ireland. At times humorous, other times heart wrenching, this book was a must read, especially if you read its prequel. Found in COSMOS, it also is a bonus one word title!
Availability: COSMOS, USMAI
Review Submitted by: M Denise Brace Lerch ’82
Rating: Must Read
Challenge: Book with a one word title.
