Metro
Area Reader's Round Table
Newsletter of Metro Area
Reader’s Round Table-MARRT
July –
September, 2006
BLOOD, BEDLAM, BULLETS &
BADGUYS: THE EXCITING WORLD OF ADVENTURE & SUSPENSE
Another successful MARRT workshop was held
on May 2, 2006 at the Community of Christ Church in Independence, MO.
An audience of approximately 49 library staff laughed, cheered, and
practiced readers’ advisory skills as the speakers presented this exciting
program on the the adventure/suspense genre.
Michael B Gannon, author of the book Blood, Bedlam, Bullets & Badguys: The
Extreme World of Adventure & Suspense and Branch Manager with the Anne
Arundel County Public Library in Maryland, was the main
speaker.
Evan McNamara, author of Fair Game and Superior Position, entertained us with
his presentation about writing and researching novels.
Bob Lunn, AV Librarian for KCPL, was our luncheon
speaker and gave us a lot of information about what books are currently hot in
the adventure/suspense genre and what will be published in the
future.
Finally, Shelle Rosenfeld, Reference
Librarian at Lawrence Public Library, and Amy Fisher, Branch Manager of
Mid-Continent Public Library’s Parkville Branch, used guns that “banged” and a
timed bell during their fun Adventure & Suspense Quiz. All participants tested their knowledge
of the genre. Chocolate was given
as prizes.
We also enjoyed the taco bar and other
refreshments while learning all about the adventure/suspense genre. Everyone left the workshop with many
good titles to read or recommend to our patrons. A good time was had by
all!
By Virginia Hermes,
JCPL
I have often thought that nothing
would do more extensive good at small expense than the establishment of a small
circulating library in every county, to consist of a few well-chosen books, to
be lent to the people of the county, under such regulations as would secure
their safe return in due time.
--Thomas
Jefferson
The state of Kansas has chosen THE
LEARNING TREE by Gordon Parks as the all state read.
The following is part of
an article written by JCCC English faculty member Dr. Carmaletta Williams:
It is altogether
appropriate that The Kansas Reads Committee and the State Librarian chose Gordon
Parks’ THE LEARNING TREE for the statewide one book, one state reading project
for adults. Gordon Parks
(1912-2006) was born and raised and now is buried in the state. But the value of the choice lies far
deeper that that. Gordon
Parks’ novel is a wonderful portrayal of a young boy’s growing up in the land of
uncertainty that was early-twentieth century Kansas.
Published in 1963, the
book tells a fictionalized version of what it was like for Parks to grow up in
FortScott. Newt Winger, the Parks character, lives
in Cherokee Flats, which “ain’t a all-good place and it ain’t a all bad
place. But you can learn just as
much here about people and things as you can learn any place else.” More that just learning about the Parks
family, the readers of this book will learn much about life in their state. This is not a book simply about race,
although Parks certainly addresses racial issues in a straight-forward, though
sensitive manner. Parks includes
such an incredible variety of situations, characters, issues and emotions that
every reader of this novel, regardless of race, class, gender, or sensibilities,
will find something that draws them into the text.
Submitted by Andrea Kempf,
JCCC
DEATHS IN THE INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY OF AUTHORS
Two international
superstars in the world of fiction died recently. From Indonesia came
notice of the death of Pramoedya Ananta Toer. Toer, who was regularly nominated for
the Nobel Prize in literature, was an unapologetic leftist who endured years of
imprisonment under the Dutch colonists in his homeland, and later under the
regime Suharto. His books were
widely translated throughout the world and many are available in English. The most famous of his works was the
BURA QUARTET, written while he was in prison. The novels which include, CHILD OF ALL
NATIONS and THIS EARTH OF MANKIND, chronicle the life of Minke an ambitious
young man in the waning years of Dutch rule. Some of his other books include THE GIRL
FROM THE COAST which looks at the abuse of women under Islam and THE FUGITIVE
about a political fugitive who is betrayed by members of his own village. Toer was 81 at the time of his
death.
From Israel came the
announcement of the unexpected death from lung cancer of mystery author Batya
Gur. Gur, whose Michael Ohayan
mysteries have been popular with lovers of police procedurals in exotic
locations, was only fifty-seven.
Her most recent novel, MURDER IN JERUSALEM is being published in English
posthumously. The hallmark of her
mysteries was murder committed in a closed society. The first novel, THE SATURDAY MORNING
MURDER, took place in a psychoanalytical institute; MURDER ON A KIBBUTZ was set
in one of Israel’s communal farming
communities; LITERARY MURDER occurred in an academic literature department at a
university. Most people who read
her mysteries tend to become addicted to them. She died in May
2005.
Getting Graphic: Using Graphic Novels to
Promote Library Services
Location: KCKPL- West Wyandotte
Nuts & Bolts- Reader’s Advisory
I
Location: KCKPL- West Wyandotte
Faith in Fiction: Inspirational Fiction of
all Religions
Location: MCPL-Administrative
Headquarters
More information to come in later issues
about all of these workshops.
LINKS TO OTHER READERS
ADVISORY WEBSITES:
Send in you favorite readers advisory
websites to: pv_librarian@mcpl.lib.mo.us
JOHNSON COUNTYCOMMUNITY
COLLEGE:
JOHNSON COUNTYPUBLIC LIBRARY:
MORTON
GROVE PUBLIC LIBRARY’S
WEBRARY:
KANSAS
CITY, KANSAS PUBLIC
LIBRARY:
These are the current books read by
individual members of the MARRT committee.
BLACK
SWAN GREEN by David Mitchell
PEOPLE’S ACT OF LOVE by James Meek
WEATHER MAKERS by Tim Flannery
THE GIRLS by Lori Lansing
REBEL
ANGELS by Libba Bray
SOFIE METROPOLIS by Torri Carrington
SECRET HISTORY OF THE PINK CARNATION by Lauren
Willig
HIGHGATE RISE by Anne Perry
FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST (graphic novel) by Hiromu
Arakawa
GASA-GASA GIRL by Naomi
Hirahama
DON’T LOOK DOWN by Jennifer Crusie
ZORRO by Isabelle Allende
BARNEY ROSS by Douglas Century
Donna Jo Atwood-Olathe
Pub.
HEY
GOOD LOOKING by Fern Michaels
LAKESIDE COTTAGE by Susan
Wiggs
1,000 WHITE WOMEN by Jim Fergus
THE BELL JAR by Sylvia Plath
EDWIN OF THE IRON SHOES by Marcia Muller
V FOR VENDETTA by Alan Moore
12th CARD by Jeffery
Deaver
MERMAID CHAIR by Sue Kidd Monk
SCARLET LETTER by Nathaniel Hawthorne
BROKEN PREY by John Sanford
THE UNDOMESTIC GODDESS by Sophie Kinsella
THE
INSPIRATION by Nancy Moser
NOBODY’S KATE by Carol Duerksen and Maynard Knepp
AUNT DIMITY AND THE DEEPBLUESEA by Nancy
Atherton
MADONNA’S OF LENINGRAD by Debra Dean
TWO MINUTE RULE by Robert Crais
MARRT is a group of librarians, library
staff and individuals who are interested in developing their reader’s advisory
skills and in promoting literature and reading for
pleasure.
Are you looking for information on the
current best sellers? Have you been wondering what titles have recently hit the
shelves? Did you just finish reading a wonderful World War II book and are
looking for another? Is it baseball
season and you are in need of a reading suggestion? Do you have a little free time that you
would like to devote to a book discussion group? Would you like to share a great book
you’ve just read? Looking for read
alikes from you favorite author?
Display ideas?
JOIN MARRT TODAY. Membership is only $10 a year. All MARRT members will receive special
discounts to all MARRT sponsored activities and access to book lists, book
reviews and author connections. To
join contact by email or fax to KCMLIN:
__ One year membership
$10.00
Contact KCMLIN:
sburton@kcmlin.org
Last Updated
8/15/06