Andrew Vachss - Down in the Zero

Librarian Tim wrote: Burke is out of his natural element again, this time called to a wealthy Connecticut suburb by the son of a former acquaintance who is scared about the rash of apparent suicides among his peers. When Burke investigates, he finds more than he bargains for, including sexual exploitation, blackmail and murder. This was a strange Burke novel, not only was he out of his usual New York setting, but it was as if Vachss was trying to have him establish a father-son relationship between him and his client, a very un-Burke like thing to do. The book stumbles along for quite a while before redeeming itself with a very clever finale. It revels itself as a dark, deep and existential novel. Grade: B

Jodi Picoult - The Tenth Circle

Reader #482 wrote: Once again Jodi Picoult spins a compelling tale. Picoult is at her best blurring the lines between right and wrong. A great read I highly recommend. Grade: A

Website review - Hubble gallery

Reader #85 write: This is a wonderful site for exploring the universe, the pictures are amazing and evoke a sense of wonder. Rating A+

Katy Perry's I Kissed a Girl

Reader 62 wrote: I've had Katy Perry's "I Kissed A Girl" from the album One of the Boys stuck in my head for a good day or two now. When I first heard it I was blown away; a song about lesbians on Top 40 radio?!

Not quite. The song is not so much about a recently outed lesbian's first sexual experience as it is a glorification of the "straight women who get drunk and make out with each other at parties" phenomenon ("I got so brave, drink in hand/Lost my discretion"). The song's protagonist kisses a girl "just to try it", and you know she's not a lesbian because she expresses concern and "hope[s her] boyfriend don't mind it".

I guess I have mixed feelings about this song and its message. On the one hand, Perry's singing about a random drunken hookup with a girl whose name she doesn't know. She is not at all ashamed to say she liked it, but makes sure to emphasize that it "ain't no bid deal, it's innocent" and that it "don't mean I'm in love tonight". This emphatically removes her experience from the realm of same-sex romance and makes it difficult to stick a "pro-lesbian" label on the song.

BUT.

"I Kissed A Girl" is a powerful statement about women's right to claim their own sexuality, whatever flavor it might be. Perry is unrepentant and states that her "experimental game" is "just human nature". And there's certainly something a bit revolutionary about a #1 Billboard song featuring a female artist going on about how sexy women are ("Us girls we are so magical/ Soft skin, red lips, so kissable/ Hard to resist so touchable/ Too good to deny it.")

I don't think Perry is going to win any awards for furthering the cause of gay and lesbian visibility and acceptance. She has, however, undeniably made her mark on the public conversation in a way that even just a few years ago would probably have been impossible. really catchy. :) Grade: B Worth a listen so you, too, can be involved; it's also

Juno

Reader Number 411 wrote: An unrealistic view of a teenage pregnancy. Bizarre and slow are the best description I can use. This did win for best screenplay last year, but as usual, I don't know where they come to these conclusions. I did make it through to watch the entire thing and managed to chuckle a few times, but I wouldn't rush out to see it any time soon. Grade: B-

Wolf Watch by Kay Winters

Reader Number 411 wrote: This is a poetic-style story, about an Eagle watching for wolf pups to be born and emerge from their den so he can take one. The father wolf scares it away, but for my 3 year old, she didn't understand the prose and it was more of a book where we look at the pictures and talk about it rather than reading it. The illustrations, although beautiful, were very dark and difficult to see in the light. We will not be reading or borrowing this one again. Grade: C

The Parrot Tico Tango by Anna White

Reader Number 411 wrote: We have read this book over and over since bringing it home--my 3 y/o daughter LOVES this book. It's about a parrot who takes all his friend's food and in the end looses it all and realizes he needs to share it. The bright, colorful pictures, repetitive, rhyming phrases and various descriptive words makes this a home run at our house! I would consider purchasing this book to keep in our home. Grade: A+++

Chester the Out-of-Work Dog by Marilyn Singer

Reader Number 411 wrote: My 3 year old daughter and I both liked this book. It's about a family who live on a farm and then move to the big city. Their dog, Chester, feels out of place without his farm noises and sheep to take care of. In the end, he finds a new job in the city and loves his new home. Illustrations are action-packed and easy to see. Grade: A

McDuff and the Baby by Rosemary Wells and Susan Jeffers

Reader Number 411 wrote: My 3 year old daughter likes this book, this is the second time we have borrowed it. It's about a dog adjusting to his new family life now that there is a baby involved. The illustrations are clear and easy to see with simple colors. Grade: B

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

Reader Number 482 wrote: Jodi Picoult writes a heart-wrenching book about a high school shooting, the events leading up to the shooting, and the aftermath. In classic Picoult style, nothing is as black and white as it seems. I highly recommend this book, but beware, the subject matter is tough. Reading through the tears was difficult.

Volk's Game by Brent Ghelfi

Librarian Tim wrote: A former Russian soldier and survivor of the brutal war in Chechnya, Volk now works as a criminal and an undercover paramilitary operative. When he gets the chance to steal a painting of Leonardo da Vinci's from The Hermitage in St. Petersburg, he jumps at the opportunity, only to see it go spectacularly wrong in a hail of gunfire and double crossings. This hyper-violent thriller does a good job of setting the scene in post communist Russia, where gangs run wild and everybody is looking for a piece of the action. Where the narrative loses steam is in the unrepentant brutality of the characters. The body count and sadism involved in the killings sabotages the narrative, and takes the action from the level of a dark thriller to that of a twisted video game or cartoon. The character of Volk and the settings in Russia have tremendous potential, so hopefully Ghelfi will temper the violence with a more nuanced story in future books.

Upcoming Program: Clean Energy!

Talk & Discussion: Clean Energy at the Central Branch on Tuesday, Jun. 24 at 7:00 p.m. Middlesex County Freeholder James Polos, Chair of the county’s Public Works and Transportation Committee and developer of the Showroom of Environmental Technology presents a program about using Clean Energy in the home and the community. Learn about the benefits of going GREEN! For further information, call: 732-721-5600, ext. 5033.

Book Review: Sacrifice by Andrew Vachss

Librarian Tim wrote: Unlicensed private investigator and con artist Burke is back in New York City for his latest case. An abused child is accused of two brutal murders, but claims he remembers nothing. The DA wants to prosecute him, while child advocates are trying to keep him out of the clutches of the justice system. Burke must locate the adults who abused this child and drove him to kill. Burke is also employed by a Voodoo Queen to track down a child killer, who has escaped into the New York underground. So, it is another dark, haunted Burke adventure. It's heavy stuff, but Vachss writes the hard-boiled crime novel so well that is is impossible to look away.

Adult Summer Reading Rules

HOW TO TAKE PART

You must be an Old Bridge Twp Resident or OBPL Card Holder in order to win prizes.

1. SIGN UP for Summer Reading! To sign up you can do one of the following things:

a) Come to the Adult Services Desk in the Library

b) Call the Library at 732-721-5600 ext5033

c) Email adultsummer (at) oldbridgelibrary (dot) org with your name and how to contact you

You will receive a Reader Number. This number must be included in all posts and comments in order for you to get credit for them.

2. READ books/magazines/graphic novels/websites, WATCH movies, LISTEN to music, or ATTEND library events. We're not too picky...

3. REVIEW IT: Write your review and grade the subject of your review from A through F. Your review needs to be identified by your Reader Number. You can bring a written review to the Adult Services Desk or email it to adultsummer (at) oldbridgelibrary (dot) org.

4. Within 48 hours, your review will appear here on the blog.

5. COMMENT: The Summer Program blog allows for comments to be posted. Both comments & reviews are added into the weekly drawings AND the Grand Prize drawing at the end of the summer. Remember to include your Reader Number!

DO NOT include personal information in ANY posts or comments.

Things which will prevent your Reviews or Comments from being posted: Inappropriate Language, Minimal Content (less than a paragraph), Plagiarism, Off-topic comments.

6. WIN: Each week, one winner will win "Dinner & a Movie" from the Library and Giusseppe's Pizzeria. Two runners up will receive 3 Free Movie checkouts.

Winners will be announced by September 6th, 2008.

7. At the end of the summer all reviews and comments turned in will be put together for a Grand Prize drawing. Three lucky winners will receive their choice of a Year of Free Movie Checkouts from the Library, or a $50 Gift Card from Best Buy or Barnes & Noble.