The Kelloggs: the battling brothers of Battle Creek

 

 

 

Our July book for Let’s Get Real!  is The Kelloggs: the battling brothers of Battle Creek by Howard Markel

 

Pick up a copy and join us for an interesting discussion on Monday, July 22 at 6:30pm at the Main Library.

 

 

Natalie recommends "Return of the Wolf: Conflict and Coexistence"

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Return of the Wolf: Conflict and Coexistence is a nonfiction adult book looking into the lives of wolves. Their history, their unfortunate reputation for being bad/evil,  what they symbolize in some cultures, misconceptions and their future.  It talks about diets, breeding habits, and the coexistent relationship that wolves and ravens have when it comes to hunting and eating.  It even has a section talking about coywolves (wolf and coyote hybrids) and wolf-dogs (the half wolf, half domesticated dog breed).  The author shares what they've learned and it's really interesting.



It's a fascinating read and helps give an understanding to one of the most misunderstood Apex predators.​  And if you're looking for something kind of different, or a good nonfiction book, I would recommend this.

Sarah recommends “Where the Crawdads Sing”

The Books on Tap Book Club's June pick was "Where the Crawdads Sing" by Delia Owens.

Summary from the publisher:

For years, rumors of the "Marsh Girl" have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. She's barefoot and wild; unfit for polite society. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark. But Kya is not what they say. Abandoned at age ten, she has survived on her own in the marsh that she calls home. A born naturalist with just one day of school, she takes life lessons from the land, learning the real ways of the world from the false signals of fireflies. But while she could have lived in solitude forever, the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. Drawn to two young men from town, who are each intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new and startling world—until the unthinkable happens.

Part mystery, part coming-of-age story, "Where the Crawdads Sing" is a beautifully written debut novel from an acclaimed nature writer. All 10 members of the book club really liked this book, particularly the lyrical descriptions of the natural world, and we all were moved by the heartbreaking story of the sensitive yet resilient Kya.

If you're interested in joining a casual book club for adults that discusses new and popular fiction, please join us at our next Books on Tap meeting on July 8, 2019, 6pm, at Bar Louie Partridge Creek. We'll be discussing "My Sister the Serial Killer" by Oyinkan Braithwaite.

Kathy recommends "Nickel and Dimed: on (not) getting by in America

First published in 2001, Nickel and Dimed describes the author’s attempt to subsist on a variety of minimum wage jobs over the course of two years in three different cities. She worked as a waitress, hotel maid, house cleaner, nursing-home aide and Wal-Mart associate. The author vividly describes each work experience and what she endured in humorous and thoughtful prose. Most of the time her earnings barely covered her expenses unless she worked two jobs seven days a week. Ehrenreich says that the experience changed her forever. She writes that the hardest thing to accept is the “invisibility of the poor.” We see them every day but don’t recognize them as poor because after all, they work. This is a quick, entertaining and thought provoking read. My eyes were opened many times, especially at her description of working for a franchise cleaning company. Comparisons to today’s wage earners are eerily similar and inevitable.

As it so happens, this title is our selection for the next “Let’s Get Real” nonfiction book discussion on June 24^th at 6:30. Pick up your copy at any one of our branches and please join us for some lively conversation at the Main library.