Friday, July 12, 2013

Summer Reading 2013

Summer has definitely come to Wells. What you see on the right are the shelves laden with books from other libraries that have arrived for our patrons to pick up.  

In the summer the number of books checked out more than doubles, and the library is filled with summer visitors who come in to use the internet, attend a library program, purchase a book from the ongoing Friends of the Library book sale,  or just cool off.

Summer is a great time for reading.  To me there's nothing better than sitting on my deck with a cold beverage and a good book.  It's a time when many of us try to tackle those books on our ever-growing "to read" lists.  Several years ago a friend of mine took advantage of the summer lull to finally read War and Peace.  This year, in addition to the books I need to read for our semi-monthly book discussions, I decided I would finally read Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall.  This historical novel about Thomas Cromwell, the chief minister to Henry VIII, was a New York Times bestseller, and won the Man Booker Prize in 2009. It had been on my list since it came out, but  at over 600 pages it required a lot of time that I couldn't spare.  Last week I spent several hours waiting in airports and sitting on planes and took advantage of that to start it. I'm thoroughly enjoying it, and can't wait to finish so that I can pick up the sequel, Bring Up the Bodies.

For those of you who like a challenge, the library is also offering a summer reading program for adults.  Stop by the library and pick up a reading log.  Read 5 books of your choice and record them on your log, rating each book with 1-5 stars.  When you turn your log back in you'll receive a book bag and will be entered into a drawing for prizes, including gift cards from local merchants.

Finally, if you're finished all the books on your "to read" list (who am I kidding - I know that never happens), and need some suggestions of what to read next, stop in and ask a librarian.  We're always happy to make suggestions, and we do have some reading lists next to our new book shelves that you can pick up.  In addition, here are links to even more suggestions to add to your list.  Enjoy!

LA Times LA Times Summer Books 2013
NPR Summer Books 2013
Oprah's 2013 Summer Reading List