Books We Can’t Keep on the Shelf & Library Title Feature

Library News - Books We Can’t Keep on the Shelf & Library Title Feature

Although we have a lot of great books on our shelves, there are some books we simply cannot keep there! Why is that? Are these books that keep showing up on our Facebook feed? Is it good old-fashioned word of mouth? Or perhaps they’re just exceptional books.

I have been here at the library since the middle of June, and I can confidently think of three books we haven’t been able to keep shelved since my arrival. Those books are The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett, Theo of Golden by Allen Levi, and last but not least, The Correspondent by Virginia Evans. Of the three, you can currently find The Correspondent on our shelves, but there’s no telling how long it will stay there!

If you haven’t heard of Kathryn Stockett, you might remember her book The Help, which was adapted into a movie in 2011. I will say, I believe Kathryn Stockett likes to write strong female characters into her books. The Calamity Club takes place in 1933 Oxford, Mississippi. We meet eleven year old Meg, a spirited girl and one of the older girls at the Lafayette County Orphan Asylum. We also meet Birdie, an unmarried and outspoken woman on a mission to ask her sister for money for the family she has left behind. Lastly, we meet Charlie, a woman with a past who is driven by a deep love for her daughter. When their lives come together, they form an unlikely friendship and set out to take back their lives. Speaking from experience, this book may make you laugh out loud, cry, or cheer. I cannot recommend the audiobook on Hoopla enough. The book is a bit of an investment, but it is well worth it.

Not surprisingly, Theo of Golden follows a man named Theo who arrives in the city of Golden. He finds himself at a local coffeehouse, where 92 pencil portraits of Golden’s residents hang on the walls. Theo purchases these portraits one at a time, with the mission of returning them to their “rightful owners.” Each exchange reveals a story and creates a friendship. This is a book we have heard great reviews about from our local patrons.

The Correspondent is not written like your average novel. Instead, the story is told entirely through letters, emails, and postcards. Sybil Van Antwerp uses letter writing to make sense of the world around her. She writes to her brother, her best friend, and even authors of her favorite books. She also tries to process unimaginable grief through her letters. This is a book we’ve lent out our own copy, while also borrowing more copies from other libraries! 

Looking for a book you might have better luck finding on the shelf? Three titles come to mind that were once frequent flyers. The Women by Kristin Hannah follows a 20 year old nursing student who volunteers for the Army Nurse Corps during the Vietnam War. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus follows Elizabeth Zott, a brilliant research chemist who turns a reluctant gig as a television cooking show host into a revolutionary platform. Lastly, Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens follows Kya Clark, who is abandoned by her family and must learn to survive on her own in the marshes of North Carolina.

If you haven’t read these titles yet, most are waiting for you here at the library. Want to make sure you’re next in line for one of these popular reads? You can place a hold through our online catalog or give us a call, and we’ll be happy to place one for you! Happy Reading!

Library Title Feature - Peck & Peck, by Bonnie Garmus

The author of Lessons in Chemistry, returns with a novel set in the publishing world of 1980s New York City about a young man whose life turns upside down when he is hired by the most prestigious, secretive, and dysfunctional poetry journal in the world: the renowned Peck & Peck. "I'm absolutely over the moon about Bonnie Garmus' new novel. It is EXACTLY what I needed to read right now. Charming, uplifting, soulful, and original, this is the perfect successor to Lessons in Chemistry. If you loved Elizabeth Zott, you will adore Batter Gray. Book clubs will adore this novel. I loved it." —Kristin Hannah, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Nightingale and The Women

Library Hours:  Monday, Wednesday and Thursday: 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m., Tuesday and Friday: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. 

Library Contact Information:  Phone: (906) 252-4316, Email: mspl@manistiqueschools.org, Website: https://www.manistiquelibrary.org.