I remember when I was in sixth grade, I could not wait for summer break when I could sit down undisturbed for an entire day at a time and read. I was an absolute fan of Doc Savage and could read one of those pocket sized paperbacks in a couple days and dream of adventure and fast-paced action. These days I don’t get that much undisturbed time to devour a good book but I remember very fondly those times when I could.

So, I challenge my young friends who are off this summer reading, to post an opinion of the books they read. Tell us if you found a good series of books, who the author is and if you lost yourself in a really good story. The whole world is just the turn of a page away.

Out here on the plains the wind has been raging for several days and everything that was not tied down is somewhere down range now. It makes it hard to do yard work and the warm weather earlier in the season has the grass growing rapidly and I need to mow. Still with the weather bad I have had time for some good reading. I have been using the Overdrive e-book library to find some new authors and even read a few genres I don’t usually read such as “Kitchen Confidential” by Anthony Bourdain. I have seen a few of his Travel Channel shows and decided to read a non-fiction! Being the sci-fi addict that I am, that was quite a stretch, but it was a good read and an interesting insight into the New York restaurant scene. Trenton Public Library has recently acquired the book “The Sixth Extinction” by Elizabeth Kolbert that looks like an interesting non-fiction, if you have a good book you would like to see the library get, let us know. We also are always on the look out for good book reviews which we would be glad to post.Keep reading

Spring is upon us even if there is still snow on the ground or in the air. The library has been very lucky this spring with a large donation of westerns, mostly Louis L’Amour but still very generous, thank you mysterious donor. We have many new books in as well with a strong showing for our devoted fans of Quaker and Inspirational fiction with new books by Wanda Brunstetter, Maggie Brendan and Kathleen Morgan. I need to read some of this work as it seems very popular but being a sci-fi guy I do not find romance as appealing as other genres. Speaking of which I was talking about the Magnus Flyte book I was reading and it did end pretty good. The story had enough of a twist at the end to offer satisfaction and a happy ending, not always a compatible mix. The library is still struggling with the difficulties of adopting an online card catalog and integrated checkout system, so we have been running ragged as new an unforeseen issues arise but time and a steady pace will see us through. So in between yard work and sun bathing try to stop by the library, it is always improving and I am sure you will be able to find something to make you smile in the sun.

Good reading Trenton.

Our library has several fans of the Western genre. I have not read any yet but plan to. My difficulty lies in the point that I am the book buyer for the library and I am having a terrible time finding new and popular western authors. Our library has, of course plenty of Zane Gray, Louis L’Amour, Ralph Compton and William Johnstone but who else is a good author of westerns? What are some good titles? Does anybody else read these stories?

I am currently reading a novel by a new author,  a gentleman I believe, by the name of Magnus Flyte. It is called City of Lost Dreams and so far it has been quite engaging but a bit confusing when it comes to following the story. It has a rather extended cast and sometimes I think I need a program to follow who’s who, but I am hoping for a thrilling surprise ending.

Anybody else read this author?

I was recently reading an article at Time magazine entitled Top 10 Gadgets of 2013 http://techland.time.com/2013/12/04/technology/slide/top-10-gadgets/ and it occurred to me that many of the gadgets were not new but merely upgrades of technology already available. Smart phones with better cameras, virtual reality glasses finally making the main stream after their poor debut when they caused motion sickness. Video screens reduced in size, not enlarged, so they can fit on your wrist; What great new tech! (he says tongue in cheek). Of the tech of 2013 that Time presented I must say that the e-reader/kindle/ipad/pad computer is still the most promising new tech. Specifically for the reason that for students with a dozen books in a backpack, these devices are a miracle of the modern age. It is now possible for students to carry every text book, journal and article they need for school with them at all times, as well as offering an access point to the sum of human knowledge we call the internet. Libraries of the future will merely be repositories of digital data to be accessed by patrons with the proper authority and technology. But, and this is the most emphatic “but” that I can make, with the rise of digital data comes the ease with which data can be corrupted, censored, edited and forever lost due to changes in the technology or the efforts of those wishing to exploit the truth/facts or twist knowledge for their own personal gain. I feel that this is a real and very probable threat. Perhaps one that is already being visited upon us and the best response is to maintain the printing of books. Use the technology as the tool it is and should be but, always have a permanent and unalterable source to refer to for the future. Read a real book some time it feels good.

This site has recently shown itself to be a tool for myself and I hope others, as a way to continue the growing process that is life. To remain an in tune, in step library in the world today continuing education is essential. We all want a life of contentment and security but we often overlook the point that we also want a life that is not boring. How do we overcome that? We try new things, we embrace new techniques, new foods, new friends, new places and despite conservative political ideologies, new ideas. Most of these things we need to learn about as we move forward. The best way to do that is often read a book, either old school on paper with hard leather covers or from that new electronic device you are holding in your hand. The results are very much the same and the method is time tested and honored. Read, practice, repeat, oh yeah and have fun or at least be satisfied doing it.

If you have a new pursuit that interests you stop by the library and let us know, we can get books

We got off to a rocky start here. I needed to move our page a bit and in the process we lost a little bit but now we can move on proudly.

Some of the new titles we have added to the library this month are:

No Man’s Nightingale by Ruth Rendell

Left for Dead by J. A. Jance

The King and Max by David Baldacci

Cross my Heart by James Patterson

Takedown Twenty by Janet Evanovich

Personally I have read Evanovich and Patterson but know little of Rendell. My favorite genre being science fiction, and my favorite authors are Larry Niven, Isaac Asimov and Frank Herbert. Most people I know are mystery readers and the science fiction section offers no interest but I would recommend The Mote in God’s Eye by Larry Niven as one of the best social predictions I have ever read.

Let us know what you read, who are your favorite authors and if you have any insight into great books we should read. Oh yeah, support your local library.

The Bookroom is an online place for Trenton Public Library friends to talk about their favorite books and authors. A place to share with others their favorite stories and perhaps find a new author or title to fall in love with. Reading is the original way to escape the daily grind, help one fall asleep or lose yourself during a cold winter weekend.

So, let us know about your favorite authors and books and we’ll share ours with you. Good reading.