Book clubs offer a great opportunity for friends and book lovers to gather (whether virtually or in person) to catch up and discuss a good book. There’s only two problems with this activity and they seem to come up at every meeting: what book should the group read next and how do you find enough... Continue Reading →
In search of some new mystery and crime series? Try some of these titles, featuring Detectives and Private Investigators. Case Histories, by Kate Atkinson - Jackson Brodie series The Beekeeper's Apprentice, by Laurie R. King - Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series Cover Her Face, by P. D. James - Adam... Continue Reading →
C.C. Benison is the nom de plume of Douglas Whiteway, who was born sometime in the last century in Winnipeg, Canada, and was educated at the University of Manitoba and Carleton University, in Ottawa. He has worked as writer and editor for newspapers, including the Winnipeg Free Press, and for magazines, including Canada’s History (formerly The Beaver). He also contributes to nonfiction... Continue Reading →
TBPL is working on its next five year Strategic Plan for the period 2019 – 2023. Previous plans have been produced by external consultants, but this time around we are doing it for ourselves. We are using a tried and tested method of community consultation – known as community conversations - which was developed in... Continue Reading →
Intrigue, moral turmoil and scandal are integral elements to many a great novel. Turns out they are also central to the plot of book thievery. The Man Who Loved Books Too Much dives right into the industry of rare book dealers and the sentiments that drive people to steal from them. It also serves... Continue Reading →
When the British Government’s motivational Keep Calm and Carry On poster was merchandised a few years ago, I thought it was terrific, and was probably one of the first people to have a Keep Calm mug. As is often the case with great ideas, though, people get carried away and introduce variations on the theme.... Continue Reading →
Stephanie Plum is back and this time its with a great story. Having a huge fan base, Evanovich hasn't been eager to change any aspect of her hit series, which has resulted in a number of uneven books as the years have progressed. Stephanie is still pretty inept as a bounty hunter, she can't quite... Continue Reading →
“Iceland was angry:” quite possibly my favourite opening line to date. With over 130 volcanoes, 30 to 40 of which are active, the resultant topography and climate have rendered Iceland somewhat mercurial, a tad tetchy. But that’s just the land. With a pluckiness akin to the sisu of the Finns, Icelanders are a resilient and... Continue Reading →
Borrowing from a Chinese proverb, Frederick R. Barnard once said: “one look is worth a thousand words.” Similarly, one look at the author photo of Jussi Adler-Olsen tells us a multitude of things: the expression on his face says it all. Adler-Olsen is obviously a man who doesn’t suffer fools gladly; he doesn’t put up... Continue Reading →
This book was recommended to me by a patron but I think I would have grabbed it off the shelf regardless. Everything about it says, happy, happy, happy: the title, the bright orange colour of the cover, and the whacky story itself. All the way through reading it I thought “this would make the perfect... Continue Reading →
Thunder Bay Public Library's Book Blog 