Newly Notable -- Let's Pretend This Never Happened

In case you happen to be a fan of the Bloggess (and I'm convinced that the only people who aren't are the ones who haven't heard of her yet), check out the book trailer for her memoir Let's Pretend This Never Happened:



Because hey, an Elizabethan mouse? Who can resist that?  Now you KNOW you want to read it, don't you?

Facebook Boot Camp

Join us for a power tour of Facebook*. 

Friday, May 4 9:30-11:30am
Saturday, May 12 9:30-11:30am
Thursday, May 17 2-4pm
Monday, May 21 6-8pm



Timothy Haines will be leading participants through the in's and out's of the Facebook profile, pictures, timeline, friends, privacy, and more.  Meet in the lower level computer lab.  Limited seating available.  Contact the Reference Department (616.355.3720 or reference@herrickdl.org) for more information.

*Active Facebook account required. 

Attention Book Groups

Here is a non-fiction choice for your book group.

The Swerve: how the world became modern by Stephen Greenblatt

One of the world's most celebrated scholars has crafted both an innovative work of history and a thrilling story of discovery, in which one manuscript, plucked from a thousand years of neglect, changed the course of human thought and made possible the world as we know it. This book is the winner of the 2011 National Book Award for non-fiction. It is available as a Book Group to Go bag.

What Pulitzer?

Here's a first...
Well, not actually a first--it happened once before. In 1977. The Pulitzer Awards were announced yesterday and, no kidding: they didn't award one for fiction this year.
The three books on the finalist list were: Train Dreams by Denis Johnson, Swamplandia! by Karen Russell, and The Pale King by David Foster Wallace.
The Pulitzer gave only the statement, "The three books were carefully considered, but in the end, none mustered the mandatory majority for granting a prize, so no prize was awarded."
C'est la vie. For more information on the other awards that were granted this year, see the 2012 Pulitzer Awards page.

Newly Notable -- Between the Lines

Hey, good news, Picoult fans!
The wait this time? Not so long! Jodi Picoult's next book (a collaborative effort with her daughter--how cool is that?) Between the Lines is getting released on June 26! Anyone else smell the perfect beach read coming at us?
Here's what we know so far: Delilah, a bookish teen, finds herself drawn to a fairytale called "Between the Lines." It speaks to her--not really, not at first--she just loves it. Then, one day, the main character, Oliver, starts talking literally.
Although it's being promoted as Teen novel, I mean, come on! It's Jodi Picoult! Am I really NOT going to put a hold on it? (See what I did there? Practicing my teen-talk? Clever, no?)
Happy Reading!

Attention Book Groups

Another new Book Group to Go bag.

Abandoned on a 1913 voyage to Australia, Nell is raised by a dock master and his wife who do not tell her until she is an adult that she is not their child, leading Nell to return to England and eventually hand down her quest for answers to her granddaughter. The Forgotten Garden is an excellent page-turner that is difficult to put down.

Attention Book Groups

A new historical fiction novel for your book group:

Seven-year-old Rachel is forcibly removed from her family's 1890s Honolulu home when she contracts leprosy and is placed in a settlement, where she loses a series of new friends before new medical discoveries enable her to reenter the world.

Available as a Book Group to Go Bag.

Park and Read with Michigan State Parks

Top 5 reasons to check out a 1 day pass at Herrick District Library between now and October 1:

5. Great places to relax and read.  Many participating parks will have hammocks available this year.
4. Plenty of space to stretch your legs during a reading break.
3. 101 different state parks and recreation areas to choose from.
2.  Just think how much progress you can make toward our Summer Reading Program in one entire day! (stay tuned... more details on summer reading to come)
1. You can't beat the price.  It's free!

Can't decide which park to explore?  Click here for a list of great options and more information on the program.

One Series to Rule Them All

Entertainment Weekly just released a graphic which shows which blockbuster book series takes the cake (EW April 13, 2012, p84). Whether you root for team Katniss, team Edward, team Gryffindor or team Millennium, you're sure to think your books are the biggest and baddest on the block.

Here's how the numbers really stack up (in the U.S.):

Harry Potter series by JK Rowling has sold 150 million copies.

Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyer has sold 75 million copies.

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins has sold 36.5 million copies.

And last but not least, Stieg Larsson's Girl With the Dragon Tattoo series has sold 20 million copies.

One thing is for sure; getting a movie deal does not hurt book sales. Time to move to Hollywood!

Show me the Free eReader books

Join us on April 24, 2012 from Noon-1:00pm in the lower level auditorium to find out more on getting free ebooks. It's a great place to pick up tips, tricks, and share experiences. Don't forget to register at http://bit.ly/HDLeReaderApril or call the Reference Desk at 616.355.3720.

Newly Notable -- And in the news....

Attention Anne Tyler fans!

Anne Tyler's newest book, The Beginner's Goodbye, which, like usual has met with universal critic-approval, gets unleashed on the world tomorrow. But if you're like me and simply. Can't. Stand. To. Wait....

There is good news: stay yourself for another 24 hours with this morning's interview on NPR's Morning Edition. Listen here. It'll be good. You'll have your fix--just enough to hold you through to tomorrow morning when you can dash into your favorite District Library and grab a copy for yourself!

Happy Reading!