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WORDS Jane Martin, City Librarian Winter Haven Public Library 325 Avenue A NW, Winter Haven
RECITATIF By Toni Morrison THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE By Neil Gaiman “I don’t remember the title, but the cover was blue” is a surprisingly common query in a library, and I think it is a great way to find an unexpected read. One of my favorite blue-covered books is “Ocean at the End of the Lane.” It is childhood in a book. Imagination, whimsy, and magic cavort with dark and scary elements - dancing beautifully into a modern-day fairy tale.
THE MUSIC OF BEES By Eileen Garvin It is a delightful debut novel that follows three lonely strangers in a rural Oregon town, each working through their own individual hardships and grief. Brought together by bees at a local honeybee farm, they find unlikely friendship and connection. This is an enjoyable and heartwarming story.
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It has been a while since I have read Toni Morrison, and this short story reminded me why her stories stay with me long after I have finished the book. Written in 1980, it is Morrison’s only short story. Every word in “Recitatif” is placed with intention and meaning - strung together, the words are utterly thoughtprovoking (and mind-blowing after you are finished and go back to really think about it). In addition, Zadie Smith’s introduction is almost as stunning as the story itself (but, please, read the introduction after you have read the story. It is way more powerful that way).
TELL ME AN ENDING By Jo Harkin A dystopian tale about a tech company that deletes unwanted memories. The story revolves around a dissenting doctor and the consequences for four people who have to contend with what they tried to forget. An interesting and unique debut from Harkin that hits upon questions of the nature of memories and identity.
HOW TO BE PERFECT: THE CORRECT ANSWER TO EVERY MORAL QUESTION By Michael Schur
FIND ME By Alafair Burke “Find Me” is a complex mystery that had me on my toes until the end. A twisty, suspenseful story that successfully intertwines the lives of three women, a 15-year-old case of amnesia, a serial killer, and a current missing person. It is a quick read but with a satisfyingly slow burn of suspense.
If you are as much of a fan of “The Good Place” as I am, you will enjoy this thought-provoking, hilarious book on how to live an ethical life. Yes, it is laugh-out-loud funny but at the same time, it is thought-provoking and tackles the dense subject of moral philosophy in a totally relatable way.
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THE SWIMMERS By Julie Otsuka This book surprised me - I began the book thinking it would be a quirky book about a community swimming pool. And it is for a while, but then the book shifts to the personal and becomes a heartbreaking, poignant story about a mother fading into dementia and a daughter dealing with grief. There is so much emotional range in such a short, poetic book.
THE MAGNIFICENT LIVES OF MARJORIE POST By Allison Pataki I am currently obsessed with the idea of gilded age heiresses, and this fictionalized account of Marjorie Merriweather Post did not disappoint. A fascinating look into the world of a socialite, businesswoman, and philanthropist - including both triumphs and heartbreaks. Although a novel, this book reads much like a biography of this fascinating woman.
