Ferndale Library Lists (New Suggestions from the Library Board)

Welcome back to Ferndale Library's weekly round up of in-house recommendations - Last week, I took you on a bit of a video tour of the Library while I rattled off my favorites of 2013. This week, Monique Herzig, from our Board of Trustees, makes the Picks a family affair, highlighting recent reads of her immediate family. Herzig, owns her own business: Alchemy - Apothecary & Henna - specializing in highly personalized skin-care, henna body art, and aromatic treats. 

Here, with her first and final picks, she goes a bit old school; particularly with her last pick, which is a favorite of all library staffers. 

Monique Picks

This was a tricky exercise for me because of the readers in my home; I’m the least likely to read something 'new'. These days I find myself reading old favorites like Pride and Prejudice, while, my children and husband stay more current with literature. So, what follows are our family Patch Picks.

Monique:

Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
Fic Austen

Monique: “Austin's classic tale of misplaced pride on the part of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet is well played out. But I love finding references in other literary places, like Jasper Ffordes book Eyre Affair which parodies the opening quote; "It is a truth universally acknowledged..." and sets portions of his series in the back story of Sense and Sensiblity. Or, in comparing the 1813 classic to 'Bride and Prejudice' the 2004 film noted for it's Bollywood-style adaptation with fantastic dance numbers.”

Max (8) and Emma (10) have more contemporary recommendations. 

Max:
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
J Fic Rowling

The Deathly Hallows is suggested by Max who says the main characters set off in search of horcruxes, but "wouldn't tell you what happens or the book would be 0 stars instead of 4.5".

Emma:
The Sixty-Eight Rooms by Marianne Malone
J Fic Malone

"I thought the author was very descriptive and creative", says Emma, of The Sixty-Eight Rooms.

“Marianne Malone sucked me into her own world. I felt like I was right by Jack and Ruthie's side the whole time. "First big then small as they explored the miniature rooms at the Chicago Institute of Arts".

The last Herzig family contribution is from Walt:

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
Fic Tartt

Walt: “I loved Donna Tartt's debut novel, The Secret History and over the years I've recommended it to more people than I can count.  Her second book, The Little Friend left me a bit cold, but I enthusiastically bought The Goldfinch the day it became available and I'm glad I did -- it was like coming home to an old friend.  The plot includes a terrorist attack, worldwide travel, the antique furniture market, love -- both unrequited and fully realized, the mechanics and various considerations of prescription drug abuse, the shadowy market in stolen works of art, a dollop of Russian language (heavy on cursing), and the painting referenced in the book's title.  It's a long book, but it's gorgeous and memorable and is well worth reading.”

Monique: “Reading is a lynchpin in our family life, and our current read is one that Walt and I both remember fondly reading on our own as young readers ourselves, The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankwiler (Konigsberg) follows two children living alone in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York as they discover a mystery in a statue of an angel.”