Community Corner

Must-Read Books from Local Librarians

In honor of National Read Across America Day, we asked librarians from each of the six towns to name a book worthy of space on our shelves.

Today is National Read Across America Day! To celebrate, we’ve asked some of our local librarians to suggest a few great books worthy of our attention. 

 

1. “The Fiddler in the Subway,” by Gene Weingarten

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What happens when one of the world’s best violinists takes to busking in the subway? Very little, according to Gene Weingarten: few people even take notice. Weingarten explores the topic in this new non-fiction release, a collection of previously published newspaper columns. The Edgartown library will discuss the book on Tuesday, March 29, at 4 p.m. Anybody and everybody is invited to attend—especially men, who have been less apt to come to the discussions, said Edgartown library director Felicia Cheney.

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2. “The Year of the Flood,” by Margaret Atwood

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Margaret Atwood’s long-awaited new novel, “The Year of the Flood,” takes readers back to the near-apocalyptic world she first created for her acclaimed novel “Oryx and Crake.” The book will be discussed at the next Sustainable Book Club meeting, on March 16. The Sustainable Book Club, a collaboration between Island libraries, , the and other nonprofits, examines books that focus on our relationship to nature. It was co-founded by Chilmark library director Ebba Hierta.

 

3. "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle,” by Barbara Kingsolver

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Best-selling author Barbara Kinsolver shines new light on locavorism in her personal tale of a year spent eating only locally produced, often home-grown food. Part environmental treatise, part love letter, Kingsolver’s book has been heralded as a smart, fresh take on the ever-expanding food genre. The Oak Bluffs library will discuss the book on April 27, at 11 a.m.; the next day, it will host a panel on the topic of local food. The book will later be discussed at the Chilmark library on May 5, at 5 p.m.

 

4. “The Year of the Hare,” by Arto Passilinna

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“The Year of the Hare” details the story of a Finnish journalist who was in a car that accidentally struck a young rabbit. He spends the next year tending to the hare and learning from it, eventually shedding his former life for a cabin in the woods. The book will be discussed at the Aquinnah library’s next book group meeting, on March 17, from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The novel, first released in 1975, was recently re-released in paperback. "It’s a fabulous book," said library director Catherine Thompson.

 

5. “Autobiography of Mark Twain,” by Mark Twain

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Yes, Mark Twain released an autobiography before his death. No, this book is not the same. Twain was prescient enough to know the public would retain interest in him long into the future; he was cautious enough not to want to include his most scalding opinions in the autobiography’s first edition. Instead, he laid down the request that, 100 years after his passing, a new, more detailed and never-before-seen version would be released. “Mark Twain is still releasing best-sellers 100 years after his death,” said West Tisbury reference librarian Steve Klebs. “I thought it would be scraps, but it’s not. It’s pure Mark Twain.”

 

6. “Four Fish: The Future of the Last Wild Food,” by Paul Greenberg

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New York Times seafood writer Paul Greenberg explores fish consumption throughout history, from cod to genetically modified salmon. Greenberg argues in favor of sustainable fish farming and the preservation of wild food systems in this new non-fiction book. The staff is currently reading the book, in preparation for a discussion on May 11 at 5:30 p.m., said Vineyard Haven library director Amy Ryan. 


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