By Karen Kelly | Special to the Times Vedette
Now that the time and the weather have changed, it’s the perfect time to curl up with a good book. Looking for a good book to do that with? The MJB Library can help.
“The Hollow” is the latest book in Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch detective mystery series. Retired LAPD detective Harry Bosch delves into the darkest chapter of his past. When Harry Bosch was 11, his mother was murdered, and he became a ward of the state, housed in MacLaren Children’s Center, a notorious facility where abuse was rampant. Decades after its closure, a lawsuit has resulted in a massive settlement for former residents. But Bosch says he doesn’t want the money. He wants justice. The news awakens his memories of a place he had hoped never to revisit, and of a boy nicknamed Chops, a fellow ward who wound up dead. Bosch is certain that Chops was killed in a hidden space under the stairs — the kids knew it as “the hollow” — and his murder was covered up. Now he is determined to reopen the investigation and learn the truth. As Bosch digs into the files, he picks up the trail of a predator who not only survived, but went on to a life of vicious crime — possibly including one of the city’s most notorious unsolved cases. Forced to face a history that both scarred him and launched him on his mission as a cop, Bosch must bring down a sadistic criminal and finally put to rest the demons of his past.
Award-winning author Barbara Kingsolver’s new novel “Partita” reflects on class barriers, the risks of ambition, and the life-changing power of art. Livia Cable has made her peace with her marriage and modest livelihood in the farm country where she grew up until a shocking phone call from an old lover shakes her to the core. Decades earlier, this man knew her as Livia Bohusz, a music conservatory student estranged from her home and family, uncertain of anything except her passion for music and promise as an extraordinary pianist. His request to see her again stirs up ghosts she’s kept at bay for a lifetime. Shifting between past and present, Livia’s decision to meet or reject the reunion means confronting, step by step, in memories framed as musical dances, the experiences of childhood loss, abandonment, self-immolating passion, and perilous attachment to a man who broke her belief in love and ruptured the course of her life.
Ten years after the devastating events of The Shack, Mackenzie Allen Phillips is still living in the shadow of loss. Though life has moved forward, grief continues to haunt his family, his relationships, his faith, and his very sense of self. Nan, his wife, carries her own hidden sorrow. They are two people bound together by love yet often divided by pain. On what would have been their daughter Missy’s 16th birthday, Mack and Nan confront the unthinkable when Mack is asked to visit death row to speak with the serial killer who abducted and murdered her. In the stark silence of the prison, Mack encounters not only the brokenness of another human being but also the raw weight of his own anger, doubt, and disappointment with God. Where is God when unbearable suffering endures? How can a shattered heart ever heal? In “Return to the Shack,” William Paul Young invites readers on a profound journey into the depths of grief, the complexity of trauma, and the surprising humanity of those we most fear. With honesty and compassion, he explores the devastating impact of mental illness, abuse, and violence, the strain of loss on relationships, and the staggering cost ― and unexpected freedom ― of forgiveness.
Stop in and check out one of these new books or browse the shelves to find the perfect book to enjoy on a chilly evening.
Thank you to all who attended our annual Li-BOO-ary Bash. Three hundred sixty-one people attended. It was a spooktacular night. The staff extends a special thank you to Lorrie Stringham for sharing her Halloween decorations and her time to create the “spooky” part of the library, and Lacey and Loretta Hall for creating the tunnel in the “not so spooky” area. Friends of the Library volunteers who helped with decorating, staffing the event and clean-up. Your assistance was invaluable and greatly appreciated.
The MJB Library’s Festival of Trees will be here soon. This year’s theme is Merry Christmas America 250. Sign-up forms are available on the MJB Library website. Groups can begin putting up trees on Nov. 20; trees need to be taken down by Jan. 9. Contact the library with questions.
If you’re close to retirement age, you won’t want to miss the program at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 5, presented by the Social Security Administration. Retirement 101 provides answers to questions about how to prepare for retirement.
Youth activities for the month include LEGO Mania Day at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 4, and Creation Corner at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 5. On Thursday, Nov. 12, at 4 p.m., the Guthrie County ISU extension will present a fall program focused on meteorology.
Follow us on Facebook and check the community calendar on our website so you don’t miss any of our events.
The library will be closed on Wednesday, Nov. 11, in observance of Veterans Day, and on Nov. 26 and 27 for the Thanksgiving holiday. Please plan ahead and check out extra books and movies to get you through the closures.
The balloon arch provided a great spot for families to take photos. The arch was contributed by Make It Sparkle Events of Guthrie Center.
This poor guy lost his head in his rush to welcome the kids to the BOO Bash.
This Scarecrow was part of the spooky decor on loan from Lorrie Stringham.
This guy has been waiting a minute for someone to return the book he wants to read.
This tunnel was the highlight of the not-so-scary part of the library.
Boo Bash Trick-or-Treaters were treated to a caramel apple bar at the MJB Library.
It appears that some guests have been at the game table a little too long.
Guests to the Li-BOO-ary Bash were “udderly” thrilled to see the transformed library.