Since childhood, I've had a fascination with times of warfare and the people who live in them ... the French Revolution, the Civil War, both World Wars.  Through the years, I've read many memorable books on and around the topic, from The Warriors: reflections on men in battle, by J. Glenn Gray, to The Great War and Modern Memory, by Paul Fussell (both of which I highly recommend).

It's no surprise, then, that my eye alighted upon "Beyond Fear: Great Combat Memoirs of the 20th Century," an article in the current issue of Military History.  The editors draw attention to 9 memoirs that demonstrate the spirit, strength, pain, and raw courage that have enabled the best to survive the worst, from World War I through Vietnam.

For a truly compelling reading experience, try a book from the list:

With the Old Breed at Peleliu and Okinawa, by E. B. Sledge.
Quartered Safe Out Here: a recollection of the war in Burma, by George MacDonald Fraser.
The Coldest War: a memoir of Korea, by James Brady.
A Rumor of War, by Philip Caputo.
We Were Soldiers Once...and Young:  Ia Drang, the battle that changed the war in Vietnam, by Harold G. Moore and Joseph L. Galloway.

As we celebrate Father's Day on Sunday, June 20, 2010 ... here are some great recent books that remind us of the importance of fathers in our lives ... no matter how old we get.

The Council of Dads : my daughters, my illness, and the men who could be me, by Bruce S. Feiler.

Father Fiction : chapters from a fatherless childhood, by Donald Miller.

Not My Boy! : a father, a son, and one family's journey with autism, by Rodney Peete.

My Father, the Captain : my life with Jacques Cousteau, by Jean-Michel Cousteau.

Losing My Cool : how a father's love and 15,000 books beat hip-hop culture, by Thomas Chatterton Williams.

No Wonder My Parents Drank : tales from a stand-up dad, by Jay Mohr.

Join us Tuesday, June 15 at 7:00 p.m. for our discussion of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot.  The Washington Post review states:  "...Immortal Life reads like a novel...It's a deftly crafted investigation of a social wrong committed by the medical establishment, as well as the scientific and medical miracles to which it led." Read more...

_{(HeLa cells from Henrietta Lacks)}

Spring is here.  Time to get outside and loosen up.  This month, when you come to the library, browse through our displays for inspiration.

Gardeners and nature lovers are eager to get their hands dirty.  We've got an impressive range of materials on display to get your floral imagination going and to sharpen your cultivating skills.

After freshening your yard and garden, sit back and enjoy a funny book from the "Humor Me" display.  It features books of wit and laughter that are sure to tickle you.

Finally, young and old alike can enjoy the sleuthing skills of Nancy Drew.  We celebrate the 80th anniversary of the consummate girl detective with a display of all things Nancy.

In an effort to educate myself and read books other than fiction, I recently finished a book called China Road: A Journey Into the Future of a Rising Power, by NPR correspondent Rob Gifford. I have to admit that nonfiction books take me longer to read, but that can be a good thing - I really did learn something!

Read and discuss My Stroke of Insight, Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor's account of her stroke and remarkable recovery.  She will be speaking at the Wharton Center on March 1.

As the New York Times Review stated:  "Jill Bolte Taylor was a neuroscientist working at Harvard's brain research center when she experienced nirvana.  But she did it by having a stroke. On Dec. 10, 1996, Dr. Taylor, then 37, woke up in her apartment near Boston with a piercing pain behind her eye. A blood vessel in her brain had popped. Within minutes, her left lobe — the source of ego, analysis, judgment and context — began to fail her. Oddly, it felt great."

Find out why that was the case and discuss your thoughts with the Nonfiction Book Group.

Confirmed! There will be a drawing for book group attendees for a pair of free tickets to Dr. Bolte Taylor's presentation courtesy of the Wharton Center.

Author Helen Frost must be a genius.  In her new book Crossing Stones, not only has she written a beautifully sensitive portrayal of two Michigan farm families during World War I, but she has done it in a "cupped-hand sonnet" form.  This is a 14-line poem in which the first line rhymes with the last line, the second line rhymes with the second-to-last, and so on, so that the 7th and 8th lines rhyme with each other at the poem's center.  In addition, the poems themselves are arranged as "stepping stones", or as the flowing creek that separates the Norman and Jorgenson family farms.  However, this structure does not detract from the lovely language that envelops the reader and that draws the reader into this story of love, heartache, acceptance and friendship.  The book also imparts a lot of American history that is not seen in too much teen fiction - World War I and its aftermath, and the woman's suffrage movement.  Highly recommended.

Did you make a New Year's resolution to become more fit?  Are you feeling the winter blues?  Would you like to increase your physical energy and level of awareness?  Would you just like to move and have fun?  Perhaps you'd like to try something different and don't know where to get started.  The library can help you along the path to achieving all of your fitness goals!

You can start by joining us for a series of free fitness classes at the library!  Local experts in various mind/body/spirit disciplines will be offering sample classes to help you explore your interests or try something completely new.  All classes are FREE, so you have even more reason to jump in and explore!

The votes are in! BookBrowse.com has announced the 2009 BookBrowse Favorite Awards.  Over 4,000 votes were submitted, and the winners are...

• Overall Winner: The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Everything I Need to Know I Learned from a Children's Book: Life Lessons from Notable People from All Walks of Life edited by Anita Silvey is a book that called out my name from the moment I saw it in a book review journal.  I couldn't wait for the library to order it!  The title and subtitle of this book describe it perfectly. Editor Anita Silvey brings together testimonies from 110 leaders of society from all walks of life - scientists, politicians, entertainers, artists, athletes - to tell what their favorite children's book was and how it affected their life.

Books have just been selected for our January and February meetings!

January 12 @ 6:30pm:  Await Your Reply by Dan Chaon

February 9 @ 6:30pm: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind : creating currents of electricity and hope by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer

Please join us for drinks and discussion!  We meet at Dublin Square Irish Pub in downtown East Lansing.

On November 10th we met at Dublin Square to discuss Dave Eggers' latest non-fiction book, Zeitoun.   This book not only tells the harrowing experiences of the Zeitoun family during Hurricane Katrina, but provides insight into the larger issues of government action in crisis, criminal justice, religion, race and ethnicity, and community.

If you haven’t read the book, it’s definitely a worthwhile read!  For additional information check out these links:

Video Interview with Abdulrahman Zeitoun The Zeitoun Foundation New York Times Book Review Voices of Witness 

Oprah's latest book club selection, Say You're One of Them by Uwem Akpan is now available as a Lit Kit.

For more information about Lit Kits and the titles available at the library click here.

Are you in a book group? Thinking about joining or starting one? October is National Reading Group Month, so if you're not in a book group already, now is a good time to join. Check out the following web sites for info on reading groups and lists of good books:

National Reading Group Month (with lists of featured books)
Reading Group Choices (sign up for their free newsletter)

Whether it's Simone Weil or Simone de Beauvoir...    Whether it's John Mayer or John Tyler...   Whether it's Marilyn Monroe or Marilyn Manson...

Biographical information is at your fingertips for over 380,000 people--from throughout history, around the world, and across all disciplines and subject areas--in the Biography Resource Center. 

Whatever the depth of knowledge you need, it's here.  Brief summary biographies give you "just the facts, ma'am."   In-depth biographies provide overviews of the person's life and