The truth is out!  Librarian, Nancy Fort likes to read quick-reads, too, not just heavy tomes.  See what you think of her new passion, Why I Love Alexander McCall Smith.

Image thanks to www.famousauthors.org

The first Alexander McCall Smith book that I ever read was La’s Orchestra Saves the World. It tells the story of Lavender, also known as La, who moves from London to a small town during World War 2. It is a great story with many wonderful characters. McCall Smith may be best known for his No. 1 Ladies Detective Series but I have not read any of those. I did read one or two from his Isabel Dalhousie mystery series but I’m just not a mystery reader. I always feel like I missed something and when the mystery is solved in the end, I am often more confused than I was in the beginning. This series is set in Scotland and I do enjoy trying to decipher some of the colloquial phrases the characters use and some of the foods they eat for various meals.

The reason I love Alexander McCall Smith is because many of his books are short. I know that seems like an odd reason to pick a book but sometimes I need a break from bigger stories and he excels at storytelling that is both compelling and concise. The most recent book that I read was Trains and Lovers. I wasn’t sure what to expect. The title and book cover make it seem like it is a romance but it is not. It’s a story about four people on a long train journey that start a conversation that focuses on the themes of love and relationships. It was the kind of conversation that I was happy to eavesdrop on but may have been uncomfortable having with strangers on a train!

If none of the titles that I described here appeal to you, chances are that you will find something to your liking if you check the bookshelves or catalog under Smith, Alexander McCall.

Are  you stressed out about writing a personal statement for your college applications?  Are you unsure about how to say something distinct and original about yourself so admissions officers will really know you?  In this workshop, you will work on popular topics that colleges often ask about, and we’ll think deeply about the particular story your are trying to tell.  The workshop facilitator, Professor Scott Warnock, is an English professor and Director of the University Writing Program at Drexel University.

• Date: Wednesday, September 16, 2015
• Time: 7:30 PM – 9 PM
• Registration: Registration suggested by calling the library at 856-829-2476 on online at the BCLS.

The Riverton Free Library will be closed for the Labor Day holiday and will open on Tuesday, September 8th.

Librarian, Nancy Fort, is recommending another great book in her series of book reviews that adults will enjoy.  She has chosen a fiction title, set in Great Britain during World War II — Crooked Heart by Lissa Evans.

Image from LissaEvans.com

Crooked Heart by Lissa Evans is the story of two unlikely partners in crime. Vee is an anxious, heartburn-ridden woman taking care of her invalid mother and unmotivated son in St. Albans, a city about 20 miles outside of London. Her days consist of doing odd jobs for the minister’s wife, making fabric flowers for the milliner and dodging the local tax collector. She suffers from low self-esteem and poor morale as a result of a lifetime of drudgery and poverty. She concocts money making schemes that fail miserably and do nothing to pull her out of her debt ridden lifestyle.

Noel is a ten year old boy, raised by his godmother in London until her unexpected death. Noel arrives in St. Albans with other children evacuated from his neighborhood during the Blitz. He is passed over by many of the residents due to his odd appearance and manners. Vee sees him in the street and thinks she can use his slight limp and detached demeanor to coerce money from well-meaning strangers. Vee is the idea person and Noel is the planner and together they successfully bilk unsuspecting people of their money.

The great thing about this story is the way the characters develop and the way their relationship evolves. It is hard for me to imagine the strain that people lived under during World War II but the book highlights how happiness can be found in the little things and hope can be present even in the bleakest situations.