We're taking a break from our standard interviews this month to offer you some great ideas for books to relax with this summer. We'll be back next month to give a look at the reading life of our latest interviewee.
"Pioneer Girl: The Annotated Autobiography" by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Hidden away since the 1930s, Laura Ingalls Wilder's never-before-published autobiography reveals the true stories of her pioneering life. Some of her experiences will be familiar; some will be a surprise. "Pioneer Girl" re-introduces readers to the woman who defined the pioneer experience for millions of people around the world. If you've ever enjoyed the "Little House" books, you won't be able to put this massive volume down.
"Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch" by Sally Bedell Smith
From the moment of her ascension to the throne at age 25, Queen Elizabeth II has been the object of unparalleled admiration and scrutiny. But through the fog of glamour and gossip, how well do we really know the world's most famous monarch? A timely pick not only because of the Queen's 90th birthday celebration, but because the Monroe Public Library's book club will be discussing this title on July 13.
"The Circle" by Dave Eggers
When Mae Holland takes a job at the Circle, a tech giant with a utopian culture and cult-like following, she quickly loses sight of her friends, family and sense of self in favor of professional success and social acceptance. As her Circle star rises, Mae succumbs to the corporate code of full disclosure, eventually agreeing to "go transparent" and let the public watch - and comment on - her every move. This one will make you think twice about checking your smartphone every three minutes.
"Homer Price" by Robert McCloskey
Rediscover this childhood classic, or enjoy it for the first time. In six preposterous tales, Robert McCloskey takes a good look at the face of Midwestern America with humorous and affectionate eyes. No matter how old or young the reader, the strange skullduggery of the Sensational Scent, the extravagant affair of the Doughnuts, the breathtaking suspense of "Mystery Yarn," the doleful defeat of The Super-Duper, the puzzling problem of Michael Murphy's musical Mouse-trap, and the Great Pageant of One Hundred and Fifty Years of Centerburg Progress Week, will reduce him or her to helpless fits laughter.
"Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter" by Kate Clifford Larson
Joe and Rose Kennedy's beautiful daughter Rosemary was intellectually disabled, a secret fiercely guarded by her powerful and glamorous family. The author reveals both the sensitive care Rose and Joe gave to Rosemary and then - as the family's standing reached an apex - the often desperate and duplicitous arrangements the Kennedys made to keep her away from home as she became increasingly difficult in her early 20s. Joe's decision to have Rosemary lobotomized at age 23 and the repercussions of that decision make this an unforgettable read.
"Big Little Lies" by Liane Moriarty
The focus is on three women, all of whom have children at the same preschool. One is a great beauty married to a fabulously rich businessman; they have a "perfect" set of twins. One is the can-do mom who can put together a mean pre-school art project but can't prevent her teenage daughter from preferring her divorced dad. The third is a withdrawn, single mother who doesn't quite fit in. Right from the start, we know that someone is going to end up dead. The questions are who and how.
"Harriet the Spy" by Louise Fitzhugh
This 1964 classic has become neither dated nor obsolete and remains one of the best children's novels ever written. The fascinating story is about an intensely curious and intelligent girl, who literally spies on people and writes about them in her secret notebook, trying to make sense of life's absurdities. When her classmates find her notebook and read her painfully blunt comments about them, Harriet finds herself a lonely outcast. Life lessons learned in childhood are sometimes the most painful.
"The Litigators" by John Grisham
This Grisham novel has more humor than most other legal thrillers. The partners at Finley & Figg often refer to themselves as a "boutique law firm." Boutique as in chic, selective and prosperous. Oscar Finley and Wally Figg are none of these things. They are a two-bit operation of ambulance chasers who bicker like an old married couple. Until change comes their way - or, more accurately, stumbles in. After leaving a fast-track career and going on a serious bender, David Zinc is sober, unemployed and desperate enough to take a job at Finley & Figg.
"The Martian" by Andy Weir
Even if you've seen the movie, you should not deprive yourself of the novel. Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there. After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and alone with no way to signal Earth that he's alive - and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive.
"The Nest" by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney
The four Plumb siblings are waiting for their inheritance (affectionately called the nest) to be dispersed once the youngest sister turns 40. The nest has been growing exponentially since their father's untimely death when they were all adolescents, and each one of the Plumbs has been making poor financial decisions in the hopes of being bailed out by the nest. Instead, the oldest brother is allowed to withdraw the majority of the money early to be used as a payoff for an unfortunate accident he causes. You won't find lovable characters here, but you will get a great read.
Browse our "Most Wanted" Collection
Looking for something else? Check out the Monroe Public Library's "Most Wanted" collection. This collection, located on the library's first floor, features popular bestsellers and other in-demand titles, available for checkout right away. These cannot be placed on hold or renewed, giving you a great chance of finding something special on the shelf.
- Cover to Cover is provided by the Monroe Public Library and is published the fourth Wednesday of the month.
"Pioneer Girl: The Annotated Autobiography" by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Hidden away since the 1930s, Laura Ingalls Wilder's never-before-published autobiography reveals the true stories of her pioneering life. Some of her experiences will be familiar; some will be a surprise. "Pioneer Girl" re-introduces readers to the woman who defined the pioneer experience for millions of people around the world. If you've ever enjoyed the "Little House" books, you won't be able to put this massive volume down.
"Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch" by Sally Bedell Smith
From the moment of her ascension to the throne at age 25, Queen Elizabeth II has been the object of unparalleled admiration and scrutiny. But through the fog of glamour and gossip, how well do we really know the world's most famous monarch? A timely pick not only because of the Queen's 90th birthday celebration, but because the Monroe Public Library's book club will be discussing this title on July 13.
"The Circle" by Dave Eggers
When Mae Holland takes a job at the Circle, a tech giant with a utopian culture and cult-like following, she quickly loses sight of her friends, family and sense of self in favor of professional success and social acceptance. As her Circle star rises, Mae succumbs to the corporate code of full disclosure, eventually agreeing to "go transparent" and let the public watch - and comment on - her every move. This one will make you think twice about checking your smartphone every three minutes.
"Homer Price" by Robert McCloskey
Rediscover this childhood classic, or enjoy it for the first time. In six preposterous tales, Robert McCloskey takes a good look at the face of Midwestern America with humorous and affectionate eyes. No matter how old or young the reader, the strange skullduggery of the Sensational Scent, the extravagant affair of the Doughnuts, the breathtaking suspense of "Mystery Yarn," the doleful defeat of The Super-Duper, the puzzling problem of Michael Murphy's musical Mouse-trap, and the Great Pageant of One Hundred and Fifty Years of Centerburg Progress Week, will reduce him or her to helpless fits laughter.
"Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter" by Kate Clifford Larson
Joe and Rose Kennedy's beautiful daughter Rosemary was intellectually disabled, a secret fiercely guarded by her powerful and glamorous family. The author reveals both the sensitive care Rose and Joe gave to Rosemary and then - as the family's standing reached an apex - the often desperate and duplicitous arrangements the Kennedys made to keep her away from home as she became increasingly difficult in her early 20s. Joe's decision to have Rosemary lobotomized at age 23 and the repercussions of that decision make this an unforgettable read.
"Big Little Lies" by Liane Moriarty
The focus is on three women, all of whom have children at the same preschool. One is a great beauty married to a fabulously rich businessman; they have a "perfect" set of twins. One is the can-do mom who can put together a mean pre-school art project but can't prevent her teenage daughter from preferring her divorced dad. The third is a withdrawn, single mother who doesn't quite fit in. Right from the start, we know that someone is going to end up dead. The questions are who and how.
"Harriet the Spy" by Louise Fitzhugh
This 1964 classic has become neither dated nor obsolete and remains one of the best children's novels ever written. The fascinating story is about an intensely curious and intelligent girl, who literally spies on people and writes about them in her secret notebook, trying to make sense of life's absurdities. When her classmates find her notebook and read her painfully blunt comments about them, Harriet finds herself a lonely outcast. Life lessons learned in childhood are sometimes the most painful.
"The Litigators" by John Grisham
This Grisham novel has more humor than most other legal thrillers. The partners at Finley & Figg often refer to themselves as a "boutique law firm." Boutique as in chic, selective and prosperous. Oscar Finley and Wally Figg are none of these things. They are a two-bit operation of ambulance chasers who bicker like an old married couple. Until change comes their way - or, more accurately, stumbles in. After leaving a fast-track career and going on a serious bender, David Zinc is sober, unemployed and desperate enough to take a job at Finley & Figg.
"The Martian" by Andy Weir
Even if you've seen the movie, you should not deprive yourself of the novel. Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there. After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and alone with no way to signal Earth that he's alive - and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive.
"The Nest" by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney
The four Plumb siblings are waiting for their inheritance (affectionately called the nest) to be dispersed once the youngest sister turns 40. The nest has been growing exponentially since their father's untimely death when they were all adolescents, and each one of the Plumbs has been making poor financial decisions in the hopes of being bailed out by the nest. Instead, the oldest brother is allowed to withdraw the majority of the money early to be used as a payoff for an unfortunate accident he causes. You won't find lovable characters here, but you will get a great read.
Browse our "Most Wanted" Collection
Looking for something else? Check out the Monroe Public Library's "Most Wanted" collection. This collection, located on the library's first floor, features popular bestsellers and other in-demand titles, available for checkout right away. These cannot be placed on hold or renewed, giving you a great chance of finding something special on the shelf.
- Cover to Cover is provided by the Monroe Public Library and is published the fourth Wednesday of the month.