Horns by Joe Hill

Steven King-ophiles will enjoy this creepy keeper.  The premise here surrounds Ig Perrish, a privileged man with a long held secret past who wakes up one morning after a drunken all-nighter with a throbbing headache and upon looking in the mirror sees his reflection….altered to include satanic horns coming out of his head.  The “horns” are tuned into a “frequency” that causes everyone that Ig meets to purge unfiltered their innermost thoughts, secrets, and desires and unlocks for Ig the real truth behind the death of his girlfriend Merrin Williams, years earlier.  If you get hooked on the style of this unsettling read like I did you will want to continue right on with one of Hill’s prior novels, Heart-Shaped Box.  Imagine, you’re an uber wealthy collector of the macabre and your personal assistant gets an email sent directly to you with an offer to purchase something that you just can’t resist …. it’s a ghost.  Judas Coyne has begun to see his rock-star glory days fading into the past but this could be a way to re-ignite his popularity if he is the highest bidder on a black funeral suit that – according to the item description -  the ghost is attached to and will follow wherever the suit goes.  This is a “keep your light on” fast paced novel filled with suspense and horror….

The Good House by Ann Leary

This might very well be your first “beach read” recommendation!  Ann Leary crafts a fun, gossipy, novel about realtor Hildy Good.  The story is set in the town of Wendover, Massachusetts (if you’re familiar with the North Shore, there are references to “fictitious” locations, and some of them may have readers living in Wenham and Andover smiling.)  I enjoyed learning more about lobster fishing and the “horsey” Hunt Club characters who make the story a quick read that currently has close to 300 holds…get on that list!

The King Arthur Flour Baker’s Companion by The Bakers at the King Arthur Flour Company

I love to bake as a means of relaxing and enjoy sharing the results.  I really enjoyed this particular cookbook because, for those who bake, you will have the majority of the ingredients needed for most of the recipes on hand (nothing rankles me more than a cookbook whose recipes include a variety of far-fetched or cost prohibitive ingredients that you only need 1/8 tsp of)!  My favorite chapters included the “Buckles, Cobblers, and Crisps” and the “Cookies and Bars” (yummy!)  I look at it this way, if you can read a cookbook and almost taste the results, it’s a weight conscious cook’s dream!  Most of the recipes have some connection to New England, so there are explanations and references to those things familiar (Grunts and Slumps for example) and a re-introduction to things like Easy or One Bowl Cakes.  New England is a rich blend of ethnicities and there are some family favorites like biscotti, scones, and artisan breads and the King Arthur Bakers have a knack for teaching the reader with a no nonsense approach peppered “how-to”s and real kitchen “tips”.

Johnny’s message of giving 110% to your projects, learning to delegate, and doing the little things right was inspiring and brutally honest. It was fantastic to see a packed auditorium with such an age range. Many were fans of the brand before but also great to see some younger attendees who are now emboldened to create their own ventures.

This was the fifth in a general series of design talks the Friends of the Somerville Public have organized, and a huge thanks goes to Johnny for adding us to his schedule. We have planned this for almost a year and was a real treat. Must also thank Eli Epstein of Union Press in Somerville for creating the handsome tickets/souvenirs that we used.     - James Fox

To learn more about the Friends please find us online at

https://www.facebook.com/FriendsOfTheSomervillePublicLibrary

The Plot Against America by Philip Roth is an alternative history of the twentieth century (Lindbergh defeats Roosevelt in the 1940 election) that the NYT called “sinister, vivid, dreamlike, preposterous and, at the same time, creepily plausible.”

Gods, Graves and Scholars by C.W.  Ceram is a high points history of archaeaology that covers all the spine-tingling moments of discovery: Carter’s first look into Tutankahmen’s tomb, Stephens stumbling upon Maya ruins, Champillion cracking the hieroglyphs, to name a few.

The Horror! The Horror! Comic Books the Government Didn’t Want You to Read. The title speaks for itself.

Tepper Isn’t Going Out by Calvin Trillin. A novel about an ordinary, albeit quirky New Yorker that The Christian Science Monitor called, “as delightful as finding a free spot in Times Square.”

The Snow Leopard by Peter Matthiessen. In 1973 Matthiessen accompanied a field biologist into the Himalayas in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the elusive snow leopard and to visit the Lama of the Shey Monastery. The Snow Leopard is “a magical book, a kind of lunar paradigm and map of the sacred” (The Nation).

The House of Wisdom is the story of this crucial chapter in world history. It’s one of the books provided to SPL by the NEH Muslim Journeys grant. On Thursday, May 30, at 7 pm in the Central Library, Tufts University professor Malik Mufti will lead a discussion of this fascinating book.

There are a number of copies in the network, so place your requests now.

Happy reading…

Summer might still seem far off, but now is the time to start thinking about summer vacation.  Whether you are thinking of a get-away to some distant place, something a little more local, or a staycation, the library has plenty of resources to help you plan and make the most of your time off.  Look in the travel section (917 call number range, or use the catalog to find ebooks) for guides to help you plan tours, map routes, and choose places to stay and dine.  While you’re at it, you might want to check out the library’s Mango Languages® — an electronic resource for language learning.  Whether you want to go in-depth or just learn a few phrases, this system can help you get started.  And if you’re staying local, keep an eye on the library events calendar for ideas to keep you and the kids busy, and don’t forget that you can reserve passes to most of the area museums through the library.

As I said, it’s been a few weeks since my last post, and it’s amazing how much has happened at the Somerville Public Library since then!  I want to wrap up with a big congratulations to Library Director Maria Carpenter and her staff for all of their accomplishments so far this year: the Somerville Public Library is one of only ten libraries nationwide to be awarded a grant to act as a StoryCorps hub, allowing patrons to record oral histories to be archived at the Library of Congress.  In addition, East Branch librarian Marilyn Eastwood was named a 2013 Woman of Excellence by the Somerville Commission for Women.  The library has also launched the Awesome Box project—let the library know what you think is awesome, and see what others have recommended!—and beat out Arlington, Belmont, and Lexington for the largest increase in new library card registrations in February- over a 300% increase from last year!!  So put those cards to good use, and check out what’s happening at the library!

-Laura Saunders

Some of the old sitcoms make me laugh too, and The Dick Van Dyke Show has to be one of the best. The show features great writing (much of it by Carl Reiner) and an incredibly talented cast. Check out this clip for some crazy 60′s dancing by Buddy, Sally, and the rest of the gang, including a 25 year old Mary Tyler Moore. As for Dick Van Dyke’s performance, I have no words, only a question – how does he do that?

East Branch Director Marilyn suggests A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole.  I have to second that: Confederacy is one of the craziest, best-written pieces of inspired lunacy that I have ever read. To get a sense of the book and what it means to so many readers, check out the foreword  by the writer who shepherded the manuscript of the novel to publication, Walker Percy.

Marilyn also recommends Cold Comfort Farm, a 1932 comic novel by English writer Stella Gibbons. She’s also partial to the 1995 film adaptation, starring Kate Beckinsale and Stephen Fry.

Cynthia, one of our teen librarians, told me her “go-to movies for comfort” are Beauty and the Beast, Knight and Day, The Princess Bride, and Whisper of the Heart.

Cynthia added, “I tend to re-read books over and over again, but some that always make me feel happy are Ella Enchanted, Chasing Redbird, and the Belgariad series.”

For my part, the funniest movies I’ve ever seen are Bowfinger and The Big Lebowski. As for books, it’s impossible for me to be in a bad mood when reading  Carl Hiaasen’s comic Florida thrillers or Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum novels.

And there’s more comfort reading and viewing to come, so stay tuned…

It’s nice when it’s possible to be proud of human beings.

Actually helping others is one of the best things someone can do in a situation like this, not  just for the inherent decency of doing so, but also because it reminds us we’re not helpless.

The Boston Globe has posted a list of ways people can help. Some people need places to stay. If you can offer someone shelter, please fill out this form. Donations are being collected for the Richards family: everything  from money for medical expenses to help with housework.

And if you need a place to stay, go here.

News you need to know:

Copley Square is closed from Mass. Ave. to Clarendon and Huntington to Newbury.

The Green Line is running; Copley station remains closed

Bags will be searched on T.

Mass Pike Exit 22 is closed

Emerson & Berklee Colleges, Back Bay businesses closed.

The Celtics-Pacers game at TD Garden has been canceled.

Stay safe.

The book’s U.S. editor, Clint Marsh, told the BBC, “Reginald and I take this as a clear sign that people have had enough of goblins in their chicken coops.”

We at SPL are very happy for Mr. Bakeley.

But in my opinion the all-time best title is still 2011′s winner, Managing a Dental Practice the Genghis Khan Way.

Did you know that the Library subscribes to LearningExpress Job & Career Accelerator, a resource that combines everything you need for a successful job search into one easy-to-use online application?  With this innovative job-hunting system, you can:

• Explore detailed information on over 1,000 different occupations
• Match your interests and skills with the career that’s best for you
• Search over five million up-to-the-minute local and national job postings
• Search for internships, schools & programs, scholarships & financial aid
• Create professional resumes and cover letters
• Practice and master interviewing skills
• Get invaluable tips and advice every step of the way—from your initial search to accepting an offer
• Conveniently organize and track your job-search progress all in one place

Whether you’re looking to find a new job in your current field, or to pursue a career in an exciting new industry, LearningExpress Job & Career Accelerator will guide you through every step of the process.

The Library is offering free workshops on how to get started using Job and Career Accelerator throughout the month of April.   Choose from the dates and times listed below:

Tuesday, April 9th at 7:00 p.m.

Tuesday, April 16th at 11:00 a.m.

Saturday, April 20th at 10:00 a.m.

Tuesday, April 23rd at 7:00 p.m.

Thursday, April 25th at 3:00 p.m.

The workshops will be held at the Central Library.  Please register in person at the Reference Desk or call 617-623-5000 x2955 or email raugarten@minlib.net.