Harborfields Public Library Adult Summer Reading Club "Swing Into Reading"

Club 31's Grand Prize Winner is...

2009-08-19T11:30:00.002-04:00

Shirley Levy! She won two tickets to the John W. Engeman Theater at Northport.

We would like to thank all those who participated so enthusiastically in the Club 31 Swing Into Reading program. We hope you all discovered and enjoyed many memorable books.

Raffle Winners Week # 6

2009-08-03T14:12:00.003-04:00

Congratulations to the following Club 31 Winners:
Do-It-Yourself: Mitchell Thomas
Picnic In The Park: Michael Fallon

Raffle Winners - Week #7

2009-08-06T17:03:00.002-04:00

Congratulations to the following Club 31 winners:

Tower of Games 2: Sandy Bucher

Be Creative: Jill de la Sota

Date Nite: Suzanne MacDevitt

Booknote Review: A Short History of Nearly Everything

2009-08-10T12:42:00.002-04:00

Excellent knowledge of all things science for the lay person.

Title: A Short History of Nearly Everything
Author: Bill Bryson
Reviewed by: Paul N.
5 Stars

Booknote Review: No Country for Old Men

2009-08-10T12:39:00.003-04:00

Book turned into a movie, where miraculously the movie is as great as the book. Story of regular guy who finds a lot of money and the criminals who own it move to retrieve it.

Title: No Country for Old Men
Author: Cormac McCarthy
Reviewed by: Anonymous
5 Stars

Booknote Review: The Horse Boy

2009-08-06T17:00:00.003-04:00

Despair, hope, willingness to explore and keep faith in the unknown. These are some of the elements that keep these parents on the path for healing their son Rowan's autism. The instant connection of Rowan and the two horses in this story is miraculous. an arduous and challenging journey on horseback and van across Mongolia to see a number of faith healers brings an unexpected transformation of Rowan and his parents' lives.

Title: The Horse Boy: A Father's Quest to Heal His Son
Author: Rupert Isaacson
Reviewed by: Shirley L.
5 Stars

Booknote Review: City of Thieves

2009-08-03T14:45:00.007-04:00

Two young men, on a quest to find eggs during the siege of Leningrad, encounter the horrors of war but also discover some simple joys of life.

Title: City of Thieves
Author: David Benioff
Reviewed by: Dianne G.
5 Stars

Booknote Review: Olive Kitteridge

2009-08-06T15:29:00.004-04:00

A joyous and tearful reminder of our own human frailties. Written in a series of short stories, each connecting the lives of both young and old in the ocean village of Crosby, Maine. Olive Kitteridge, a retired school teacher is the constant character who dislikes the changes in her town and doesn't always confront the changes in her own life.

Title: Olive Kitteridge
Author: Elizabeth Strout
Reviewed by: Susan W.
4 Stars

Booknote Review: The Siege

2009-08-06T15:33:00.003-04:00

A group of Yale students from prominent families are held hostage on campus. All agencies become involved in trying to rescue them before they all die. Very engrossing.

Title: The Siege
Author: Stephen WHite
Reviewed by: Maureen B.
5 Stars

Booknote Review: Area 7

2009-08-06T15:35:00.003-04:00

Sequel to "Ice Station". Can read as stand-alone. Non-stop action. Fast read. U.S. President with squad of marines versus 50 special forces traitors in a show down with 14 nukes as the prize.

Title: Area 7
Author: Matthew Reilly
Reviewed by: John C.
5 Stars

Second Book Prize

2009-07-30T10:04:00.002-04:00

You are entitled to a "Swing Into Reading" Calendar for reading at least two books. If you haven't gotten yours yet, please pick it up at the Reference Desk before August 7th.

Booknote Review: Growing Up Again

2009-07-27T14:02:00.002-04:00

A must read for those with Type 1 diabetes or their families.

Title: Growing Up Again: life, loves, and oh yeah, Diabetes
Author: Mary Tyler Moore
Reviewed by: Sharon L.
5 stars

Booknote Review: The House at Sugar Beach

2009-07-27T13:57:00.002-04:00

Helene Cooper is a "Congo" descendant of two Liberian dynasties dating back to 1820. Born in Liberia in the 60's to the black privileged class,their lives changed forever in April 1980 when the overthrow of the government forced them out of Liberia to live in America. Living in various southern states, Helen eventually became a reporter for the "Wall Street Journal" and "The New York Times." After spending time in Iraq as a reporter, Helene went back to Liberia to make peace with her past, and especially her adopted sister whom she hasn't seen in 23 years. Fascinating, informative historical content as well as a story sure to reach your heart.

Title: The House at Sugar Beach
Author: Helene Cooper
Reviewed by: Susan W.
5 Stars

Booknote Review: The Defector

2009-07-27T13:46:00.002-04:00

Gabriel Allan, smart super spy once again keeps the world safe from bad guys. The story includes recurring characters from his previous novels. Very good!

Title: The Defector
Author: Daniel Silva
Reviewed by: Shirl C.
5 Stars

Booknote Review: The Forgery of Venus

2009-07-27T13:43:00.002-04:00

Chaz Wilmot is a famous artist who has the ability to paint in the style of the old master. This ability gets him involved in a world-wide forgery ring and its (many) consequences.

Title: The Forgery of Venus
Author: Michael Gruber
Reviewed by: Marilyn G.
5 Stars

Booknote Review: Dewey

2009-07-27T13:33:00.004-04:00

A kitten is abandoned in the library book slot. The library adopts him and soon he becomes a hero in the town of Spencer, Iowa. It's a story of love, friendship and pride in this farming community. A great book.

Title: Dewey: the small town cat who touched the world
Author: Vicki Myron
Reviewed by: Sharon L.
5 stars

Raffle Winners - Week #5

2009-07-27T09:50:00.003-04:00

Congratulations to this weeks raffle winners:

Taste of Italy: Pat Radovich

Ultimate Car Wash: Sharon Somerville

Booknote Review: The Five Love Languages

2009-07-23T09:40:00.002-04:00

A wonderful book about discovering your own primary love language and the love language of other people in your life. With this knowledge, you can communicate love to people in your life in a way that it can be received.

Title: The Five Love Languages: how to express heartfelt commitment to your mate

Author: Gary Chapman

Reviewed by: Felice P.

5 stars

Booknote Review: The Land of Mango Sunsets

2009-07-23T09:37:00.002-04:00

Great book. Easy summer read. Keeps your interest -- you will enjoy it!

Title: The Land of Mango Sunsets

Author: Dorothea Benton Frank

Reviewed by: Michelle M.

4 stars

Booknote Review: Horse Soldiers

2009-07-23T09:31:00.003-04:00

True story about a small group of special forces soldiers who entered Afghanistan right after 9-11 to fight the Taliban with the Afghans. Very enlightening, politically, considering today's war in Afghanistan. Will appeal to military types.

Title: Horse Soldiers: the extraordinary story of a band of U.S. soldiers who rode to victory in Afghanistan

Author: Doug Stanton

Reviewed by: Fred D.

5 stars

Booknote Review: The Glass Palace

2009-07-23T09:28:00.001-04:00

Follows several families through trials and tribulations from 1885 to about 1998 throughout Malaysia, India and Burma. Great cultural detail of these little-known places.

Title: The Glass Palace

Author: Amitav Ghosh

Reviewed by: Sandy B.

5 stars

Booknote Review: A Year by the Sea

2009-07-23T09:25:00.003-04:00

Wonderful memoir describing a year in Joan's life; rediscovering herself after kids and a long marriage. Inspiring.

Title: A Year by the Sea: thoughts of an unfinished woman

Author: Joan Anderson

Reviewed by: Terry D.

5 stars

Booknote Review: The Help

2009-07-23T09:21:00.003-04:00

What a great read! It's 1962 Mississippi. Two black maids and one white young woman's lives intertwine at a time when so much is changing in the South. I could not put this book down.

Title: The Help

Author: Kathryn Stockett

Reviewed by: Karen B.

5 stars

Raffle Winners Week #4

2009-07-20T11:54:00.002-04:00

Congratulations to this week's raffle winners:

Wine Connoisseur was won by Marilyn Guariglia
Snuggle Up With a Good Book was won by Dena Maldon

Booknote Review: Tough Luck

2009-07-16T12:16:00.004-04:00

Brooklyn kid gets mixed up with the wrong crowd and tries to solve his money problems by taking part in a "can't lose" robbery which goes very wrong. Great 80s/Brooklyn references. A fast, fun read.

Title: Tough Luck

Author: Jason Starr

Reviewed by: Chris F.

4 stars