Library Bookshelf: Get your head in the clouds with these titles
The Fresno County Library’s Bookshelf column shares suggestions for books, music, and other items, and provides information about library programs.
Top 5 Most Requested Books
▪ “The Girl on the Train,” by Paula Hawkins.
▪ “Go Set a Watchman,” by Harper Lee.
▪ “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing,” by Marie Kondo.
▪ “Circling the Sun: A Novel,” by Paula McLain.
▪ “The Isle of the Lost: A Descendants Novel,” by Melissa de la Cruz.
New Arrivals
▪ “The Blumhouse Book of Nightmares: The Haunted City,” edited by Jason Blum. From the producer of “The Gallows,” a varied collection of authors imagine urban places of high weirdness. Eli Roth and Ethan Hawke are among the contributors.
▪ “Sweet Ache,” by K. Bromberg. Hawkin and Hunter Play are rock star twins infected with a serious case of sibling rivalry. When a beautiful woman gets between them, sparks fly and soon threaten to consume all concerned.
▪ “Faith Versus Fact: Why Science and Religion Are Incompatible,” by Jerry A. Coyne. The author lays out his arguments for a not-so-friendly divorce in this provocative new book. It’s guaranteed to stimulate, if not settle, a centuries-long debate.
Celebrating National Aviation Week
National Aviation Day is Aug. 19, the day Orville Wright was born in 1871. President Franklin Roosevelt proclaimed Aug. 19 National Aviation Day in Orville Wright’s honor in 1939.
▪ “The Interstellar Age: Inside the Forty-Year Voyager Mission,” by Jim Bell. When NASA launched two space probes in 1977, it was hoped they could explore Jupiter and Saturn. They’ve now traveled far beyond those planets and learned much more than anyone ever expected.
▪ “The Aviators: Eddie Rickenbacker, Jimmy Doolittle, Charles Lindbergh, and the Epic Age of Flight,” by Winston Groom. The story of three heroes – two war aces and one civilian pilot – who launched America’s fascination with flying.
▪ “The Wright Brothers,” by David McCullough. Inventing the first workable aircraft was a matter of luck, frustration, scientific groundbreaking and perseverance. McCullough’s book has all the details, right down to the Wrights’ crowning success at Kitty Hawk.
Events
▪ Friends of the Fresno County Library BIG Book Sale: This annual event, featuring books, CDs, DVDs, and much more, is at Sierra Vista Mall (Shaw and Clovis avenues, Clovis). Open 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 20-Friday, Aug. 21; 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 22; and 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 23. Details: 559-600-7286.
▪ Mystery Book Club: Co-hosted by the San Joaquin Sisters in Crime. This month’s selection: “Cut and Run,” by Ridley Pearson. 2:30-3:30 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 16, at the Clovis Regional Library. Details: 559-600-9531.
This is a weekly column written by the Fresno County Public Library staff. Events are usually free. Visit fresnolibrary.org or call 559-600-6227 for details.
This story was originally published August 14, 2015 at 10:45 AM with the headline "Library Bookshelf: Get your head in the clouds with these titles."