Potterville

Life on Librarian Boulevard has revolved around Harry Potter, not for the patrons but for the staff. I have not had one patron interaction involving the book. Two patrons read my sign out loud, however (see previous post). We all picked up our books this morning. Those of us working today have been reading at breaks. In fact, the staff lounge at lunchtime looked like we ate books and we all ate the same meal. Throughout the day we have been providing each other with page updates. This branch is definitely competitive! ScheduleMaster is ahead at Chapter 10. I am on Chapter 6. TFM is on break now, he may pull ahead.

Welcome Back, Potter

Yesterday I was off for working today and my personal assignment was to finish Raymond Khoury's new book for my Library Journal review. Some of you may be familiar with Erica's poll, "Do You Eat in Bed?" She has been on this kick since last Saturday when this issue came up at dinner at Red Lobster. She has been asking EVERYBODY including our director (he does not). Her most recent blog post discusses this issue. The people who do not eat in bed answer no with such derision in their voices you might think the issue were sacrificing puppies to volcano gods. Those who answer yes discuss the joys and pleasures and can't believe everyone doesn't do it. Quite the divided issue. Erica will be polling until she has a landslide victory of nays. Anyway...to facilitate my assignment, I spent the day in bed (including having a bowl of cereal) reading. I finished my book and started my review. Today at work I finished the review and submitted it. Yea!!! That means that I am Potter-ready. I am bound and determined to be be done with the new Potter by work on Monday. We are so afraid of spoilers around here today that several of us have changed our Internet opening page defaults from Yahoo! to Google not to risk any news. Additionally, I posted signs everywhere requesting, "Please do not discuss the details or ending of the newest Harry Potter book (#7). Not everyone has had a chance to read it yet."

Sacco and Vanzetti Must Die

Today's book discussion was interesting. I had 6 attendees including a new participant and our intern. Jane, our Head of Circ. did not attend this month and I am not counted in that total. Only Harry, the intern, and I finished the book. Those who didn't finish couldn't get into it and found it unreadable. No one really liked it, although they kept stressing they didn't blame me. Harry had a hard time reconciling the book characters with the historical Sacco and Vanzetti because he has a soft spot for the real ones. Our discussion was interesting anyway and I brought in a Publix Cassata Cake (from Publix Web site: "Our rendition of the classic Italian wedding cake layers sweet ricotta cheese filling and rum-flavored chocolate custard in a moist cake. Enrobed in whipped topping and toasted almond crunch, crowned with a small cannoli") to celebrate the several July birthdays in my book group. The Cassata Cake also make the connection to our Italian protagonists. The cake, which I had never had before, was fabulous! Next month...A French Country Murder.

One More Book

Oh...yeah...the new Harry Potter book comes out this weekend. Add that to my book pile, as well. That's another reason why I need to finish my review book asap!

Librarian to the Highest Bidder

Yesterday I had my "lunch with a librarian" date with Harry to discuss Everything is Illuminated (book and movie). We had a nice time. I'm glad we got this over with, not because I was dreading lunch, but because books are starting to pile up again. On Saturday I arrived at work to find a DHL envelope on my desk indicating an assignment from LJ. Curiously, the due date on the enclosed form letter was July 13. Suspecting an error I pulled the shipping sheet out of the front pocket and found it dated 6/28/07. Had DHL lost the package or had someone at LJ meant to write July 23 on the letter? I immediately dashed off an email to my editor. Before tackling this new book I still needed to finish my book discussion book by Wednesday and I was 300 pages shy and I haven't cracked the spine on In Cold Blood for the Librarian Boulevard Book Discussion Blog. Turns out, DHL did lose the book but Wilda is giving me until the 23rd. On the plus side, I reviewed the author's first novel and found it highly readable so if this second novel is as good as the first, I should be able to steam through it. The cool part is that the publicity that accompanied the advanced reader's copy includes my blurb about the first book, which also made it to the paperback. So...Sacco and Vanzetti Must Die! on Wednesday, Raymond Khoury's second novel (The Sanctuary) due Monday, start In Cold Blood, then A French Country Murder for next month's book discussion.

The Highest Tide

Last week I held my June book discussion. The book was Jim Lynch's The Highest Tide. We had a great book discussion with 9 in attendance. That has to be a record for me for a non-One Book One Community event. The neat thing about my small but devoted group is that that they are not seasonal and seem to be growing. Several of my members are from Philadelphia, my favorite city, my grandmother's hometown, and my point of emigration to Florida. I'm originally from New Jersey (the nice part) and some of my members are from New Jersey. In fact, one couple is from my hometown...Small world! Recently we have been joined by our Head of Circ. who is finishing library school and wishes to experience a book discussion. Jane, like me, an R.N., has a connection to the Princeton/Philly area. Each month, invariably at some point during the book discussion we veer off course and start talking about New Jersey or Philly and where certain landmarks were when. During The Highest Tide we all contributed stories of visiting the beach, some Ft. Myers Beach before it was developed (two locals in my group), and some the Jersey Shore. I was glad I went shelling with my friend, Ann, as part of my 43 Things because it helped me appreciate the book. I had the best time this month.

Returning from Vacation

I am freshly returned from a glorious Mexican vacation. Right before I left, I read my June book discussion book, The Highest Tide. Quite an interesting book, especially given my recent shelling experiences. Also before I left, one of my loyal book discussion patrons called me to request that I read (and view the film) Everything is Illuminated because he would like to have a personal book discussion session with me about it. He offered to take me to lunch because I always provide treats during my monthly adult book discussions. This offer made me think of two things. The first was that when I was a freshman in high school I scheduled a special meeting with my English/Latin teacher to discuss Faulkner's As I Lay Dying. I had decided to read it as my foray into Faulkner and didn't get it so I asked Mrs. Beck to meet with me to discuss it. Mrs. Beck was a Wellesley graduate, had a house on Nantucket, a basket that she called "Corbula" (Latin for basket) that she carried her stuff in, a pen named "The Red Slasher," and a cat who sat on our papers - preferring some over others. She was formidable and liked the word "foibles." I took 2 years of Latin because my mother said, "of course you will take Latin!" followed by "there's no point to having only 1 year of Latin!" I'm glad her logic stopped there. When Harry asked for his private session, suddenly, I became Mrs. Beck. The second thing I thought of was those fundraisers where dates with eligible escorts are auctioned off to the highest bidders. This struck me as a funny twist...pimping oneself out for book discussions.

While I was away I was able to read 4 books for me. Until LJ comes calling again and I begin my July book discussion book, Sacco and Vanzetti Must Die, I am reading The Sushi Economy and Rethinking Thin.