New in Our Library

Books That Made Me

Each week we will use this space to recommend something great to read, an exciting or informative audiobook, something to encourage young readers or a great movie to entertain you.  This week, at the start of all things, I thought I would share something personal, the very first book I ever read that became a part of me.  I am sure we all have books like that, especially when we are children.  This book became a part of me a little later.  In Claude Carlson’s English class, I was introduced to The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien.  I had never read a book like that in my life and it stuck with me.  I know that technically it is three books, but he did initially want to publish it in one book.  The publisher balked at  a book of that size and the trilogy was born.  I know many of you may have read this book, and many more would not touch it with a 10 foot pole.  It really is so much more than fantasy.  It has invented languages so intricate that they are still studied today.  It has a really solid basis in classic Norse mythology and it has a moral compass that drove expectations in science fiction and fantasy for years.  It also created lasting works of art from authors like Stephen R. Donaldson, Neil Gaiman, and George R.R. Martin, who defied those strictures, gleefully and with reverence.  So many things we call tropes were brand new when written by J.R.R. Tolkien.  The wise powerful wizard we find in Harry Potter, the world building in Eragon, the Dragons in Pern, and the bittersweet endings of so many of our favorite stories are a direct homage to Tolkien.  It has even inspired a new generation of really exciting fantasy authors like N.K. Jemisin, Nnedi Okorafor, Tochi Onyebouchi, Tomi Adyemi, Liu Cixin, and Sabaa Tahir that are exploring the world of fantasy and adventure through the lens other other cultures. It makes it a really exciting time to be a book nerd. Many people have asked me how I like my job or how I like living back in a very small town. I have just one answer. It’s great. The best part of my day is putting books in someone’s hand… for free! In the spirit of that I wish you many things, but most of all, I wish you a great read.  If you haven’t read The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings, we have them waiting for you in the library.  If you want to learn more about the man, Tolkien is a great movie about his life, in particular his lifelong love for his wife and children and his enduring friendship with C.S. Lewis, the author of the Chronicles of Narnia series. We even have a biography of him. If Tolkien isn’t of interest to you, that’s okay too. We have lots of great books in the library and access to even more through interlibrary loan. Explore our catalog through our website. Stop in and chat. I will absolutely find you something good to read.