In today's episode, I chat with Marie Schmukal, Library Director at the Warren Public Library in Warren, VT. Marie shared some history of the Warren Library that is similar to many public libraries. The library had many different locations when it first began, but its current home is the first floor of the Warren Town Hall.
She also told me about the Mad River Libraries group that offers reciprocal borrowing between towns and collaborates on many events for their communities. Such a great idea, especially for a group of smaller towns and libraries! The Warren Library also has a very cool Maker Space, offers some very cool events - Jigsaw Puzzle Tournaments, a Pub Trivia night - and like all public libraries, so much more. If you stop by, ask about the "Critter Getter."
Marie and I shared some cozy, quirky, and a couple of "must-read" books during this episode. I recommended what I think is one of the best historical novels so far this year. A novel about the life of Florence Nightingale, Flight of the Wild Swan by Melissa Pritchard (March 2024). The story takes our caricature of Florence Nightingale and makes her human. It shows how she felt called to help the sick and injured from when she was a young child and how as she became an adult woman she came up against the Victorian mores of her time. The story is told through a letters, lists, and a series of short vignettes and I liked that format - it worked.
My second book is from one of my favorite quirky, but perfect novels from one of my favorite authors, Kevin Wilson. Nothing to See Here (2019) is like nothing you've ever read before. It's original in capital letters. Two school friends who've kept in touch over the years live very different lives. One of them contacts the other with a job offer - to be a nanny to her twins who have a rare disease that makes them spontaneously combust. It doesn't hurt the children (they sometimes get a mild rash) but of course it's very dangerous to everything and everyone around them. This is Kevin Wilson at his best. And if you like this one, try The Family Fang (2011).
Marie shared a cozy mystery featuring what we both agreed was a "new" popular character in fiction - the "feisty elderly woman." Vera Wong is that woman in Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q Sutanto (2023). She runs a tea shop in San Francisco and lives upstairs. One morning when she heads downstairs she sees someone who's been murdered. Vera doesn't think the police are taking the case seriously, so she decides to help them out. Marie thought this was a hilarious and fun read, especially if you listen on audiobook.
Her second book is North Woods by Daniel Mason (2023) a novel that follows the lives of all the inhabitants of one particular house in rural Massachusetts. The story begins with the people who built the house and continues up to the present time and beyond.
Marie's third book is her "must-read" - James by Percival Everett (2024) a retelling of the classic, Huckleberry Finn by told from Jim's perspective. She said it was engaging and just a really good read. A lot of Jim's story deals with his code switching. How he has to deal with his life with white people and how he lives and acts in his life away from white eyes. This book is particularly hot right now (Fall of 2024), but get on the holds list for it, at the library or on Libby, I second Marie's recommendations but especially James.
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**All of the books mentioned on WTBAnow are available at your public library or through interlibrary loan. The book covers you see on this page are linked to Bookshop.org a great place to purchase books and support your local independent bookstore at the same time.**
Until next time...Happy Reading,
Nancy
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