eAudiobooks

There are so many reasons to listen to audiobooks. We like to listen to them while we are struggling with household chores, or crafting. Some people enjoy listening to them in the car, particularly for long road trips. And they are not just available in CDs anymore, although we still have plenty of those - the library catalog also offers the Playaway format and downloadable audiobooks (eAudio). There are two eResources for eAudio avaible to ABC Library customers, Overdrive (which also provides eBooks) and OneClickdigital; you can search their databases for titles rather than the library catalog, if you prefer.

If you would like to stick to books on CD, don't miss the featured collections list of Adult Books on CD and Playaways and Children's Books on CD and Playaways - these will show you our latest acquisitions. However, if you'd like to give eAudio a try, the list below is compiled from recommended recent audiobook lists - because, for audiobooks, a good reader is so important! If you find you need help with downloading, you can find help on the library website or stop at one of our Gizmo Garage sessions!

Non-Fiction

Wildflower by Drew Barrymore

Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

A House of My Own: Stories From My Life by Sandra Cisneros

A Fine Romance: A Memoir by Candice Bergen

Words Without Music: A Memoir by Philip Glass

The Witches: Salem, 1692 by Stacy Schiff

Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson 

Fiction

A Strangeness in My Mind by Orhan Pamuk 

The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro 

A God in Ruins by Kate Atkinson 

Early Warning by Jane Smiley

Uprooted by Naomi Novik
  

And finally, if you want the personal touch, try Adult Storytime at our San Pedro branch or Storytime for Grownups at our Los Griegos branch! "Sit back, relax and listen to a San Pedro Library staff member read aloud from a selection of classic literature, short stories or other favorite works. Unlike a book club, there is no need for you to read the selection ahead of time, but feel free to join in a lively discussion after the reading. Adult Storytime happens at the San Pedro Library on the last Saturday of each month." Or, "Storytime for Grownups meets the first Wednesday of each month at Los Griegos Library. Hear great short stories or excerpts from longer works read by Book Mark."

 

Featured Author: Paul Auster

Paul Auster was a novelist in Brooklyn before there were novelists in Brooklyn. (When I was growing up there in the 1980s, my father used to point him out to me as we did the grocery shopping in Park Slope — this was a rare kind of sighting.) Since those days much has changed; you can’t go out to the Fort Greene Greenmarket on Saturday without running into a spangle of fiction writers. But Auster’s fictional concerns — the contingency of identity, the nihilism of urban living, the clarities of asceticism — have remained steadfast, even as the postmodern toolbox has grown more elaborate, demanding greater semantic complexity of its users than ever before.
~Meghan O'Rourke, "These Wild Solitudes"

Paul Auster was born in 1947 in Newark, New Jersey. His first book was a critically acclaimed memoir called The Invention of Solitude, published in 1982 after his graduation from Columbia University and his move to Paris, where he tried to become a poet. His books defy categories - his acclaimed series of loosely connected stories, The New York Trilogy (winner of the Prix France Culture de Littérature Étrangère in 1989), are billed as detective stories, but not traditional ones, as they feature an existential bent - they once described as "Kafka goes gumshoe". His themes include American history, absence of father, loss of language, coincidence, intertextuality, and an obsessive writer as a character. He has credited his start in writing to failing, at age 7, to get an autograph from baseball great Willie Mays because he didn't have a pen to hand.

Paul Auster has also been a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction and on the IMPAC Award longlist multiple times. He was part of NPR's National Story Project from 1999-2001, and has written the screenplay for the movie Smoke, and directed the movie The Inner Life of Martin Frost, among other cinematic accomplishments. Auster has also translated works by French writers. Personally, he was married to writer Lydia Davis and is now married to writer Siri Hustvedt, with whom he lives in Brooklyn.

Fiction

The Brooklyn Follies 

Travels in the Scriptorium [LP, audiobook]

Man in the Dark 

Invisible

Sunset Park  

The Book of Illusions

Timbuktu

Leviathan

In the Country of Last Things

Auggie Wren's Christmas Story

Oracle Night 

The Locked Room 

Non-Fiction & Biography

The Invention of Solitude 

City of Glass [adaptation by Paul Karasik and David Mazzucchelli}

Report from the Interior 

Winter Journal

Hand to Mouth: A Chronicle of Early Failure

Collected Prose: Autobiographical Writings, True Stories, Critical Essays, Prefaces and Collaborations with Artists 

Collected Poems   

I Thought My Father was God and Other True Tales From the National Story Project [editor]

Links

Paul Auster, The Art of Fiction [Paris Review] 

Paul Auster, Abstract Expressionist [The Guardian]

Jonathan Lethem Talks With Paul Auster [The Believer]

Paul Auster (Official) on Facebook

Young Adult Book Trends: 2016

I've been thinking about what trends we can look forward to seeing this year in young adult fiction, and I thought I'd start by focusing on book covers. I did a similar post last year, and some of the trends I mentioned there are continuing, but I've noticed a few new things, as well.

Continuing trend: handwritten covers

The Art of Not Breathing by Sarah Alexander
Liars and Losers Like Us by Ami Allen-Vath
The Way Back to You by Michelle Andreani
Suffer Love by Ashley Herring Blake
The Distance From A to Z by Natalie Blitt
A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro
The Museum of Heartbreak by Meg Leder
How It Ends by Catherine Lo
Save Me, Kurt Cobain by Jenny Manzer
The Year We Fell Apart by Emily Martin
This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp
The Girl Who Fell by Shannon M. Parker
My Kind of Crazy by Robin Reul
Jerk Bait by Mia Siegert

Continuing trend: girls in dresses

I'm not sure if this trend faded out for a while, but it's back now.

The Great Hunt by Wendy Higgins
Banished by Kimberley Griffiths Little
Kingdom of Ashes by Rhiannon Thomas
The Forbidden Orchid by Sharon B. Waller









New trend: water

Whether it's an ocean, someone falling into water or already submerged underwater, someone near water, or water in a glass bottle, I've noticed a lot of covers feature water in some way.

Tell the Wind and Fire by Sarah Rees Brennan
Blackhearts by Nicole Castroman
Lessons in Falling by Diana Gallagher
The Girl From Everywhere by Heidi Heilig
The First Time She Drowned by Kerry Kletter
Fear the Drowning Deep by Sarah Glenn Marsh
The Mystery of Hollow Places by Rebecca Podos
Underwater by Marisa Reichardt
Summer of Sloane by Erin L. Schneider
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
The Abyss Surrounds Us by Emily Skrutskie
The Crown's Game by Evelyn Skye

New trend: falling

As mentioned at Stacked Books, people falling also seems to be a new trend.

The Accident Season by Moïra Fowley-Doyle
The Love the Split the World by Emily Henry
Ascending the Boneyard by C.G. Watson

Are there any book cover trends you've noticed for this year? Let me know in the comments!

Authors as Characters in Fiction

As for the most popular fictionalized writers? No surprise to see a ton of Shakespeares, Austens, Dickenses and Brontës scampering with pens through the pages of other peoples’ novels. But a...[c]ranky Robert Frost? Witty Alexander Pope? These are some of the delights we uncovered for your reading pleasure.
~Sarah Seltzer, "50 Novels Featuring Famous Authors as Characters"

With the recent success of books like The Paris Wife and movies like Midnight in Paris, nostalgia for times past - and the famous people who lived through those eras - continues to be popular. Why is imagining the lives of the famous from history so entertaining? People with romantic or tragic lives seem to be often chosen as subjects; also people of whom not too much is known. Trying to blend non-fiction and fiction seamlessly is always an interesting experiment. A good novel might bring a famous person or their era alive for you - instead of just the facts, the emotional truth can be evoked. When you try to imagine the real-life experiences of famous authors, the challenge seems to be writing about those whose words resonate with so many and making your own words live up to theirs. What novels with famous authors, or other famous historical figures, as characters have you enjoyed? Or do you eschew historical fiction of this type in favor of biography or history?

With some help from the folks at Flavorwire, we've compiled a lists of books with authors as characters that are available in the library catalog. Please note, we have touched upon fiction with Jane Austen as a character in a recent post, so we have not included any in this list.

Dorothy Parker Drank Here by Ellen Meister [Dorothy Parker]

Vanessa and Her Sister by Priya Parmar [Vanessa Bell & Virginia Woolf]

The Hours by Michael Cunningham [Virginia Woolf]

The Master by Colm Tóibín [Henry James]

The Scandal of the Season by Sophie Gee [Alexander Pope]

Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler [Zelda Fitzgerald]

Drood by Dan Simmons [Charles Dickens]

Under the Wide and Starry Sky by Nancy Horan [Robert Louis Stevenson]

The Book of Salt by Monique Truong [Gertude Stein & Alice B. Toklas]

Old School by Tobias Wolff [Robert Frost, Ayn Rand, & Ernest Hemingway]

The Poe Shadow by Matthew Pearl [Edgar Allan Poe] 

Angelmonster by Veronica Bennett [Mary Shelley; YA]

Loving Will Shakespeare by Carolyn Meyer [William Shakespeare; YA]

Fall of Frost by Brian Hall [Robert Frost; eAudiobook]

The Blue Flower by Penelope Fitzgerald [Novalis]

Wintering: A Novel of Sylvia Plath by Kate Moses [Sylvia Plath]

Passion by Jude Morgan [Mary Shelley]

The Dogist

My newest favorite book does not contain many words, but it is so great that it doesn't need to!  It is a coffee table style book of dog photographs.  Called The Dogist, it is The Sartorialist - a popular street fashion photography blog - for dogs.  Being a dog lover who cannot enjoy them because of allergies, I'm not sure whether the 1,000 photos in this delightful book make me happier or more heartsick.  Either way, this book is a good thing.  Adorable and fun are always a good thing.  And even if you aren't obsessed with dogs, don't they make you smile?  They are so care-free and so happy to just give affection no matter what - and if you'll forgive the corniness, I'll be darned if that doesn't come across in these photos.  

The dogs' name, breed and sometimes their age are listed next to their photo, along with occasional tidbits and funny captions.  This is how I learned that service dogs frequently have a "street name" that is different from their real name so that they can still be introduced to anyone who asks without being distracted while they do their job.  My favorite sections were entitled: Costumes, Doodles, Sassy, Snow, and of course, the many Puppies selections.  To sum it up, some coffee table types of dog books are a bit too sappy for me, but The Dogist is really not.  It's fun, funny, and fascinating.  If you check it out, let me know what you think!

More Dog Photography Books


Tails From the Booth by Lynne Terry 

Underwater Puppies by Seth Casteel

Underwater Dogs: Kids Edition by Seth Casteel

Dogs in Cars by Lara Jo Regan

Find Momo: My Dog is Hiding In This Book. Can You Find Him? by Andrew Knapp

I Am Puppy, Hear Me Yap: Ages of a Dog by Valerie Schaff

Dog Photography for Dummies by Kim Rodgers   

Maddie on Things: A Super Serious Project About Dogs and Physics by Theron Humphrey


Websites & Articles


The Dogist  

Canines of New York: A Day Behind the Lens with The Dogist

The Man Behind the Famed 'The Dogist' Is Looking to Give Back

The Catist

The Sartorialist

New Year, New You: Personal Finance

Personal finance stock. Photography. Encyclopædia Britannica ImageQuest. Web. 8 Dec 2015.
http://quest.eb.com/search/158_2459783/1/158_2459783/cite

It's that time of year--the season when we reflect on the last 12 months and make resolutions to better ourselves in the new year. But whether you're taking on a new fitness routine, a more positive outlook, or a commitment to strengthening your finances, the key to success is baby steps. Incremental change makes a large goal more manageable.
~Jonathan Sparling, "5 Easy-to-Achieve Personal Finance Resolutions for the New Year"

Personal finance is a big concern for everyone these days. Whether you want to buy a house, save to travel or for some other big goal, learn about investing, or you are about to retire, it can be helpful to learn the ropes before you get started. The library catalog has many books that can help you wrangle with your personal finances if you are an adult; also, learning about money can start in childhood, and it's good to start sound financial planning at a young age - and the library has some reads for you and your offspring on that topic as well.

You probably already know the big names in personal finance - Suze Orman, Robert Kiyosaki of Rich Dad, Poor Dad fame, Dave Ramsey, Ric Edelman, Tony Robbins. So, our booklist below concentrates on some newer library acquisitions that might serve as useful coaching tools for you to gain control of your financial future.


Personal Finance for Adults

The Thin Green Line: The Money Secrets of the Super Wealthy by Paul Sullivan

The One-Page Financial Plan: A Simple Way to Be Smart About Your Money by Carl Richards 

Living a Beautiful Life On Less: The Blissful and Domestic Guide to Food, Fun, and Finances by Danielle Wagasky 

Living Well, Spending Less: 12 Secrets of the Good Life by Ruth Soukup

The Charles Schwab Guide to Finances After Fifty: Answers to Your Most Important Money Questions by Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz with Joanne Cuthbertson

Girl, Get Your Credit Straight!: A Sister's Guide to Ditching Your Debt, Mending Your Credit, and Building a Strong Financial Future by Glinda Bridgforth 

Get What's Yours: The Secrets to Maxing Out Your Social Security by Laurence J. Kotlikoff, Philip Moeller, Paul Solman

Picture Your Prosperity: Smart Money Moves to Turn Your Vision Into Reality by Ellen Rogin, CPA, CFP & Lisa Kueng

The Decade Series by Peter Dunn

Your Money Life: Your 20s

Your Money Life: Your 30s 

Your Money Life: Your 40s

Personal Finance  for Youth 

Show Me the Money by Alvin Hall

Penny Chic: How to Be Stylish on a Real Girl's Budget by by Shauna Miller

Real World Math: Personal Finance

Living on a Budget

Saving For the Future 

Smart Shopping

Giving Back

Blastoff Readers: Money Matters

Saving Money

Spending Money

Talking to Your Children About Money

The Opposite of Spoiled: How to Talk to Kids About Money and Values in a Material World by Ron Lieber

The 5 Money Conversations to Have With Your Kids at Every Age and Stage by Scott Palmer and Bethany Palmer  

New Year, New You: Creativity

Creativity, conceptual image. Photography. Encyclopædia Britannica ImageQuest. Web. 8 Dec 2015.
http://quest.eb.com/search/132_1250225/1/132_1250225/cite

Making an annual list of New Year's resolutions is a venerable tradition. By some accounts, it dates back to the ancient Romans, who customarily made a show of promising the god Janus that they would behave better over the next 12 months than they had in the past 12 [source: Huchison]. But while Janus was the patron deity of new beginnings, he also provided a convenient excuse. If a citizen of Rome didn't actually follow through with his various self-improvement vows, he could always shrug it off by explaining that it was Janus' will [source: Chicago Institute]. Then, presumably, he could just go on gorging himself at banquets or betting excessively on gladiator fights.
~Patrick J. Kiger, "10 New Year's Resolutions You Might Actually Keep"

Happy New Year! We hope your plans for 2016 include embracing creativity! "You can be creative in math, science, music, dance, cuisine, teaching, running a family, or engineering. Because creativity is a process of having original ideas that have value. A big part of being creative is looking for new ways of doing things within whatever activity you're involved in," creativity expert and author of The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything, Sir Ken Robinson, reminds us. He stresses that we need creativity more than ever - because of the challenges facing the world right now; because of the unpredictability we face; and "to promote and teach—collaborating and benefiting from diversity rather than promoting homogeneity". If you are not convinced, try watching some of the TED talks from Steve Jobs, Frank Gehry, and others about the importance of creativity. Or, embrace the theory of some scientists who say international travel and living abroad can enhance creativity! We like that theory.

We have compiled a list of some books that encourage creativity and creative thinking for your perusal. Hope these stimulate you to get innovative! Remember, 

A creative process may begin with a flash of a new idea or with a hunch. It may just start as noodling around with a problem, getting some fresh ideas along the way. It's a process, not a single event, and genuine creative processes involve critical thinking as well as imaginative insights and fresh ideas. But creativity isn't just about coming up with new ideas; some ideas might be completely crazy and impractical. So an essential bit of every creative process is evaluation.

Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert

What We Ache For: Creativity and the Unfolding of Your Soul by Oriah Mountain Dreamer

The Treehouse: Eccentric Wisdom From My Father on How to Live, Love, and See by Naomi Wolf

Make It Mighty Ugly: Exercises & Advice For Getting Creative Even When It Ain't Pretty by Kim Piper Werker

Zigzag: The Surprising Path to Greater Creativity by Keith Sawyer

The Art of Tinkering: Meet 150+ Makers Working at the Intersection of Art, Science & Technology by Karen Wilkinson & Mike Petrich

The Creative Family: How to Encourage Imagination & Nurture Family Connections by Amanda Blake Soule 

Caffeine for the Creative Mind: 250 Exercises to Wake Up Your Brain by Stefan Mumaw & Wendy Lee Oldfield

The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It For Life: A Practical Guide by Twyla Tharp, with Mark Reiter    

Creative Block: Get Unstuck, Discover New Ideas; Advice and Projects From 50 Successful Artists by Danielle Krysa
   

Design the Life You Love: A Guide to Thinking About Your Life Playfully and With Optimism by Ayse Birsel

The Artisan Soul: Crafting Your Life Into a Work of Art by Erwin Raphael [eBook]

Living and Sustaining a Creative Life: Essays by 40 Working Artists edited by Sharon Louden