Books become board games

One of the new board games our family is enjoying is “The Pillars of the Earth.” It’s based on the popular Ken Follett novel of the same name. Each player represents a team of builders trying to gather and use the most materials to build a magnificent cathedral in medieval England.

Novels have inspired several good board games over the years, including “A Game of Thrones,” “Dune” and, of course, several versions of “Lord of the Rings.” Particularly interesting was the way publisher TSR combined Tom Clancy’s “The Hunt for Red October” and “Red Storm Rising” into a scenario in which the Red Army was hard-pressing the NATO forces in Germany on one board while the Soviet Navy was trying to intercept the NATO reinforcements crossing the Atlantic on the other board.

Boardgamegeek.com, the source of the links on this posting, is a great site for all sorts of information about board games, especially strategy games for teen-agers and adults. It even has its own list of games based on books — or games based on movies that were based on books. Check it out. Maybe one of your favorite stories became a game and you never knew it. If you do see a game you want to get, there are various sources on the Internet, but I’d encourage you first to call a local game dealer. Some of them will give discounts for games you order, and, at least in my opinion, it’s a good thing to spend your retail dollars in support of local merchants.

Evan

Still no definitive study of stamp collectors, but until then…

Obituaries and the people who love them: sounds like a bucket of fun, hm?

Actually, yes.

In The Dead Beat, Marilyn Johnson takes what could be a dry and depressing topic and crafts a lively (pardon the pun) yet respectful study. Her wonderfully quirky look at the world of obituaries–the writers who create them, the readers who collect them, the departed who appear as the subjects–is humorous and though-provoking, often in tandem. Johnson pontificates on wildly different obituary styles and the social mores behind them. She probes the reasoning of those who are drawn to the obit section as writers, or as consumers. While the book occasionally feels repetitive, it is ultimately enlightening and satisfying. One can only hope that ones obituary is written with a fraction of the care that went into this work.

PS: Only kidding, philatelics.

~Angela, Grabill branch

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

I just heard that Cinema Center is showing the movie The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. I am curious about how they could make this beautiful little book into a movie. It’s the memoir of a man with “Locked-In Syndrome,” which leaves him completely paralyzed except for a slight head movement and the use of one eye. So how did he write the book? He dictated it to his assistant, letter by letter, by blinking his eye. This book – filled with despair intermingled with some surprisingly humorous moments – is profound, touching, and heart wrenching, yet somehow ultimately uplifting.

Rebecca, Dupont Branch

Peace Like a River

Sometimes I like a book because the author puts words together so beautifully. At other times, I’m drawn to memorable characters. And sometimes I’m just looking for a book with good, old-fashioned storytelling. Peace Like a River by Leif Enger offers all three and has become one of my favorite books.

Reuben Land, an 11-year-old living in 1960s Minnesota, is our narrator, and his sincerity and quirkiness remind me of Scout Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird. Reuben is convinced that his gentle, kind father can perform miracles (he tells us about several), and the boy is depending on his father to pull off his greatest miracle to date: find Reuben’s older brother Davy, who is on the run after killing two young men who threatened the family. Featuring a spare but beautiful writing style, this novel has an old-fashioned feel with a mystical twist and several interesting, likable characters.

Rebecca, Dupont Branch

Richard Matheson’s “I Am Legend”

I Am Legend is a nightmarish vision of a post-apocalyptic world—I could not put this book down. Robert Neville appears to be the only survivor of a plague—but he is not alone. The plague has turned every other man, woman and child into vampires–or has it? Robert’s tenuous survival makes this book a page-turner—but this book also raises serious questions—is survival without any kind of companionship enough?—what is normal?

I haven’t seen the recent movie version yet but hope to soon!

Becky, Interdepartmental Librarian

The Return of the Vegan Betties

Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero, authors of Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World and Vegan With a Vengeance, are continuing their quest for world dominance with Veganomicon, the Betty Crocker of vegan cookbooks. This book contains a full range of recipes for every occasion from simple fare, like “Diner Home Fries”, to fancy-schmancy desserts such as “Strawberry Rosewater Cobbler with Lemon Pastry Lattice Crust.”

Even non-vegetarians, such as those who are watching their cholesterol intake, might enjoy trying these cookbooks. But be aware that, while nearly all these easy-to-follow recipes are low in cholesterol (usually cholesterol free), they are not all low-fat!

–Mari

This is why I read science fiction.

Or one reason, anyway. Wired Magazine offers this opinion piece:

Clive Thompson on Why Sci-Fi Is the Last Bastion of Philosophical Writing

Maybe there’s a science fiction fan hidden away somewhere inside you, too.

Speaking of Margaret Atwood (sorry, Clive Thompson was), I will always be grateful to my friend Margaret Lion, who gave me the hardcover of The Handmaid’s Tale without the dust jacket, so I had absolutely nothing – not even a picture – to hint at what the story was about. In my opinion, it’s the best way to read it for the first time. However, if I want you to read it, I’ve got to throw you some kind of bone, I guess …

The Handmaid’s Tale is a historical recounting of a future period in history during which the rights of citizens – women in particular – have been trampled on by a repressive government. It was published in 1986, but holds up very well, and is even timely, considering the debate over the Patriot Act, among other current topics. And hey, it’s not even in our science fiction section! So you can try it out without committing yourself.

Ian, science-fiction-reading librarian

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Twilight
Here’s a book for all you YA fans out there – some of you may have already read Twilight, and maybe the other two books in Meyer’s series (did you know a fourth one is coming out later this year?). For those who haven’t, let me tell you why you should.

Normally, a high-school-drama-turned-vampire-story wouldn’t catch my attention, and that’s why it took me so long to read it. But I finally had heard enough people at the library talking about it that I just had to give it a try. It was one of the best decisions I think I ever made when it comes to deciding which book to read. This book was so captivating that I finished it about as fast I finished the last Harry Potter book (read: less than 48 hours). At one point, it took me 15 minutes of trying to put the dishes into the dishwasher without putting the book down before I gave up and just focused on reading. I was expecting typical high school drama – the popular kids vs. the that-could-have-been-me kid with cheesy vampire bits thrown in. What I got was an unforgettable story and a new favorite book! The characters’ personalities are realistic and vivid, and the story will keep you on the edge of your seat – you won’t want to put it down! While I was reading, my own high school experience began to pale in comparison to Bella’s – hers was so much more exciting than mine that I wanted to go back and try it all over again. But this time, I would want there to be vampires.

If you want to know a little bit more about the premise (since I don’t want to give anything away) read Amazon’s review here. If you’re looking for a great book that’s exciting and full of surprises, I highly suggest you check this one out.

~ Amy, Children’s Assistant Librarian

The Pleasures and Perils of Farming

Hit by a Farm by Catherine Friend kept me up half the night, since I was compelled to read it from start to finish in one sitting.  The author purchased 50 acres with her partner to start a small farm, deciding to produce sheep, chickens, and grapes.  The demands of the farm are enormous, and Friend struggles to continue to write children’s books among the chaos.  If you’ve dreamed of your own farm, or just want to appreciate the work of modern farmers, this memoir will do the trick.

–Carly from Tecumseh Branch

Release Date For Brisingr, Sequel to Eragon and Eldest

According to the Book Standard, Knopf Publishers has set the release date for Brisingr, the third of the hugely popular Inheritance Cycle books by Christopher Paolini, for Sept. 20, 2008. The first printing will be 2.5 million copies.

~Bibliotron