Have You Read?

“Simple Times,” by Amy Sedaris, Grand Central Publishing, 2010

Are you down on your luck and wondering how to entertain yourself in these austere times? Have you ever hankered to make your own seashell toilet seat cover, or how to properly stretch your muscles for crafting? Enter the bizarre and irreverent crafting world of humorist Amy Sedaris in her latest densely illustrated book. “Being poor is a wonderful motivation to be creative,” Sedaris says. “Simple Times” is more a vehicle for Sedaris’s knack for farce and costume than a real how-to guide … It, nevertheless, contains a few useful facts, ideas, and recipes.”

Children’s Books

“Learning To Ski With Mr. Magee,” by Chris Van Dusen, Chronicle Books, 2010

Mr. Magee has returned for his third madcap adventure with his little dog, Dee. What starts out as a self-taught skiing lesson turns into a wild adventure that puts both children and adults on the edge of their seats. The rhymes, illustrations and fun-filled story create the perfect combination for a fantastic book for children of all ages. Van Dusen lives in Camden.

YA Lit

“Small Persons with Wings,” by Ellen Booraem, Dial, 2011

This is the second Young Adult (YA) novel written by Brooklin author Ellen Booraem. This fantasy is the story of Mellie, her belief in fairies and the special revelation that her family has been guardians of fairies for years. Booraem has created a quirky yet likable character in Mellie and a very different look at fairies.

Nonfiction

“The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,” by Rebecca Skloot, Crown Publishers 2010

This is a story of how a poor Southern tobacco farmer became immortal. Although she has been dead for more than 60 years, cells taken from Henrietta Lacks’ body without her knowledge or permission live on today and continue to contribute to scientific research. This is a fascinating story of race, class, bioethics and of a woman who unknowingly contributed to the lives of so many.

Fiction

“A Kind of Intimacy,” by Jenn Ashworth, Europa Editions 2010

An edge-of-your-seat novel told from the perspective of Annie, who may or may not be a murderer. What starts as a tale of suburban boringness builds into a high-tension psychological thriller. Annie is at times as endearing as she is repulsive and the reader finds herself being equally frightened and sorry for her.

Back List

“Undone,” by Michael Kimball Avon Books, 1996

In “Undone,” the reader joins Bobby Swift underground as he regains consciousness inside a coffin. Having just faked his own death and been purposefully buried alive, questions surface: Did the scam go awry? Should he Bobby trust his accomplices to dig him up, or was he betrayed? Stephen King called the book “The sort of book you think about during the day and can’t wait to settle back into at night.” This Maine-based thriller is not for the claustrophobic!

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