Mountain Writer

Photo by   chuttersnap   on   Unsplash Every library is different- they are set up differently and usually in the ways that best reflect their communities' needs with sections for Youth, Adult, and Non-Fiction.  Inside the doors, the shelves are laid out in the manner thought best by the local powers that be for flow, ease of use, and that important library thing- organization.  But, whatever their layout, some things remain the same.  Mainly, that Libraries are there for everyone, and need to offer multiple perspectives, ideas, and subjects for books.  This inclusivity and diversity is why people off the street can wander in and find something that appeals to them- regardless of their backgrounds. This diversity of subject, however, can lead to questions.  This is where we talk about the big bad C word- CENSORSHIP.  As long as there have been things to read and write or look at, humankind has found things they disagree with, and sou...

Mostly Dead Things by Kristen Arnett Published June 4th 2019 by Tin House Books ISBN: 1947793306 Hardcover, 354 pages Synopsis: Jessa’s life is, for lack of a better word, falling apart.  After her father’s suicide in the back of their taxidermy shop, Jessa is left as the most productive member of the family household- which is saying something as most days she struggles to get out of bed.  But she has no choice when she gets the news that her mother has been creating strange sexual art out of the taxidermy in the shop's display windows.  Her brother Milo is no help at all as he withdraws from them all- including his daughter.  There is also the tricky fact that Milo’s ex-wife, and the only woman Jessa has ever loved, Brynn, disappears from their lives at the same time. As Jessa tries to salvage their financial future amidst the ruins of grief, she learns more about her family, her small Florida town, and herself in this touch...

Photo by   Morgan Vander Hart   on   Unsplash I remember the first time I went to the library and wanted to look for books outside of the kids section- but wasn’t sure I was allowed in the adult section.  I was in 5 th or 6 th grade and reading things like Christopher Pike and V.C. Roberts, authors that are now described as YA or even NA.  Back then (20+ years ago), they were on the shelf in the “Junior Reads” of the youth section.  I had been reading my way through that section, but I was bored, and yet, I remember asking a librarian for a suggestion, and they sent me right back to Junior Reads.  I wanted something different, but I didn't really know what it was.  Eventually, I looked for a sequel to a book in the Junior section and found out it was in the adult section- so I crossed over- with what I still think was the disproval of the librarian on staff in the youth section. This led to years of my going back and forth between Ad...

Divide Me By Zero by Lara Vapnyar Published October 15th 2019 by Tin House Books ISBN: 194779342X Hardcover, 360 pages Synopsis: Katya's view of her childhood in Russia, her immigration to the United States, and her many relationships are all skewed through her mother's belief that math will answer every question, if you just look for an answer like it's a word problem.  This intelligent, sarcastic, and brutally honest examination of modern femininity comes with a twist of learning the language, and how math and language can be keys to happiness, if you know how to problem solve through grief and loss.  As Kayta reviews her life, and its many interesting and inane events she takes readers on a journey of self-discovery, growth, change, and what it means to be outside the establishment for immigrants who just want to have a normal life- whatever that is. Key Elements of Literary Fiction: Language and Style: Having a consistent style of language with elevate...

THE READERS’ ADVISORY MATRIX- NONFICTION River of Lost Souls: The Science, Politics, and Greed Behind the Gold King Mine Disaster by Jonathan P. Thompson Published March 6 th 2018 by Torrey House Press ISBN: 1937226840 1. Where is the book on the narrative continuum? o    Highly narrative (reads like fiction) o    A mix (combines highly narrative moments with periods of fact-based prose) o    Highly fact based (has few or no narrative moments) 2. What is the subject of the book? A history of hard-rock mining and the environment in the San Juan Mountains of Southern Colorado.  It chronicles the area’s Native populations, Western explorers, settlers, and modern populations through the context of the natural environment and the people’s impact on the pollution in the area. 3. What type of book is it?   A journalistic book told through interspersed personal narrative and historical information. ...

Photo by   Obi Onyeador   on   Unsplash I do hope you sang that- as I did while typing it!  I am a musical and audio person, and one of the most exciting things for me is my new(ish) embracing of audiobooks.  More than a decade ago I would occasionally listen to audiobooks on CD that I checked out from my local library, but it was rare.  Still, there were good audiobooks that hooked me- like the Harry Potter audiobooks narrated by Jim Dale, and Christopher Moore’s A Dirty Job narrated by Fisher Stevens.  However, it wasn’t until 2017 when I started working at the Prescott Public Library and was introduced to the Libby by Overdrive App that I became an audiobook-aholic.  Libby is so easy to use, and recommending and teaching people to use Libby is my favorite, because many have never even considered audiobooks or ebooks outside of CD’s and the Kindle.  Libby can be used on any smart device- phone or tablet- and allows you to have m...