Garden State Speculative Fiction Writers

The Garden State Speculative Fiction Writers will meet at the Old Bridge Library on the following dates: May 3 with special guests author Danielle Ackley-McPhail and Neal Levinon; June 7 with special guest author Laura Anne Gilman and July 5 with special guest to be announced. For more information, please call the Library (732) 721-5600 ext. 5033.

Old Bridge Public Library - General Book Discussion Group

On Thursday, October 24 at 7:00 p.m. The General Book Discussion Group will discuss The Language Instinct by Steven Pinker: Pinker, an expert on language and the mind explains everything you always wanted to know about language: how it works, how children learn it, how it changes, how the brain computes it, and how it evolved. He weaves our knowledge of language into a compelling story. Books are available at the Circulation Desk. For more information, please call (732) 721-5600 ext. 5033.

Old Bridge Library - Bookenders Book Discussion Group

On Thursday, October 17 at 7:00 p.m. The Bookenders Book Discussion Group will meet to discuss The House At Riverton by Kate Morton: Living out her final days in a nursing home, ninety-eight-year-old Grace remembers the secrets surrounding the 1924 suicide of a young poet during a glittering society party hosted by Grace's English aristocrat employers, a family that is shattered by war. Books are available at the Circulation Desk. For more information, please call (732) 721-5600 ext. 5033.

Old Bridge Library - The Ladies Night Out Book Discussion Group

On Monday, October 14 at 7:00 p.m., The Ladies Night Out Book Discussion Group will review Last Letter From Your Lover by Jojo Moyes: More than 40 years after a car accident causes Jennifer to lose her memory, a journalist becomes obsessed by the story and seeks the truth in the hopes of revitalizing her career. Also: The Chaperone by Laura Morarity: A story of friendship between the young Louise Brooks, and the 36-year-old woman who chaperones her in New York City for a summer, and how it changes both lives. Books are available at the Circulation Desk. For more information, please call (732) 721-5600 ext. 5033.

Old Bridge Library - Author presentation and signing

On Thursday, December 13 at 7:30pm: “The Everything Kosher Slow Cooker Cookbook” Author Book Signing with the library's own Dena Price.

Send comments to: OBPL

Old Bridge Library - It's not too late!

For fabulous prizes! This summer the adults in Old Bridge can join their own summer reading club “Between the Covers” which allows readers to review the books they read and vie for weekly prizes. It is simple to join! First, fill out a short registration form at the adult services desk. Then, members fill out a brief card for each book they read, each audiobook they listen to, or each adult program they attend. The more one reads, the greater the chance of winning a weekly prize or the grand prize, a NOOK Simple Touch. Send comments to: OBPL

Old Bridge Library - Book Review: The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke

American orphans Prosper and Bo have run away from their Aunt Esther to the enchanting city of Venice, Italy.  Along the way they meet up with Hornet, Mosca, Riccio and Scippio who are all part of a gang of thieves who steal objects from the rich Venetians and their golden palaces.  Among their tightly knit group, one of them holds a secret which could tear their bond apart forever. Their latest mission is to steal a wooden wing from the wealthy Signora Spavento which belongs to a magical carousel located on a mysterious island.  Sounds easy enough for the gang, but when an unexpected visitor arrives who becomes their greatest ally, and a recent change of events, their easy task suddenly becomes a game of survival and trust.  This book is a quick read for those who likes stories about friendships and the challenges and adventures they face together. If you enjoyed the spirit of adventure and friendship of the Harry Potter series, you should definitely check this book out!

Send comments to: Dennis

May is Mental Health Month. There is a display of books near the new non-fiction. Send comments to: OBPL

A Librarian Recommends: Every Dead Thing by John Connolly

When NYPD detective Charlie Parker comes home from a night of binge drinking to find his wife and child murdered and skinned by a sadistic serial killer, his life is turned upside down. Leaving the police force and bottle behind, he takes on some under the table private eye work, but his real mission is to track down the killer. When a lead in the case takes Parker to the swamps of Louisiana, he is accompanied by his lethal friends Angel and Louis and the brilliant criminal psychologist Rachel. While in the bayous, the sadistic murders continue and Parker is also trapped in a gang war between two rival factions who may unwittingly have information about the identity of the killer. Like all books in this excellent series, there is a light touch of the supernatural in this story, with Parker sensing the spirits of his wife and daughter, and being contacted in a dream by one of the murder victims. But don't let that scare away fans of straight ahead crime fiction, as most of the book centers on a frantic chase between Parker and friends, the local police and the FBI to find the killer. This is the opening book in the continuously excellent Charlie Parker series. Elements of extremely graphic violence make this a melding of crime and horror fiction with a hard-boiled veneer of the great private eye stories.

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A Librarian's Ten Favorite Books of 2011

10. Feast Day of Fools by James Lee Burke - Burke makes beautiful observations about the folly and stupidity of warfare, and the fallible nature of human beings in this excellent story.
9. Wyatt by Garry Discher - Like Richard Stark's great American anti-hero, Parker, Wyatt is a cold and calculating thief, looking for ways to ply his trade in an increasingly digital world.
8. The Sentry by Robert Crais - Crais keeps the action moving briskly and the complex storyline is logical and compelling. This longstanding series continues to produce interesting stories, flipping the perspective between Pike and Cole keeps things fresh and the Southern California setting is always alluring.
7. Devil Red Joe R. Lansdale - In this story, Hap and Leonard are helping a former cop friend of theirs who has recently started a detective agency. When a series of murders is committed that appears to be attributed to a vampire cult, Hap and Leonard investigate and stumble into much more than they bargain for.
6. Headstone by Ken Bruen - This was a fantastic novel in one of the best series going in contemporary crime fiction. Jack Taylor is such a compelling character, that whatever happens, you can't stop rooting for him and be simultaneously repulsed and fascinated by his deeds.
5. Rule 34 by Charles Stross - Charles Stross, one of the premier science fiction authors in the genre ties all of these threads and many more involving rouge artificial intelligence, international criminal syndicates, smuggling, human greed, culpability, and the unceasing march of technological progress.
4. The Gentlemen's Hour by Don Winslow - This is another excellent Winslow adventure, a sequel to The Dawn Patrol (although reading that book first is not necessary.) The protagonist is a very appealing character, someone we really we really want to root for to win against all odds.
3. You'd Better Watch Out by Tom Piccrilli - When a nameless young man witnesses his mother being murdered on Christmas Day by his crooked cop father, he vows one day to have revenge.
2. The Killer Is Dying by James Sallis - While James Sallis ostensibly writes crime novels, the crime itself becomes almost incidental to the haunted and melancholy lives of the characters he composes.
1. Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead by Sara Gran - Claire is about as far from Nancy Drew and Stephanie Plum as you can get, but if you are looking for a gritty and well written crime novel, this is one of the year's finest.

Send your favorites list to: Tim.

Top 10 movies coming out in 2012 that are based on best selling novels. (Order based on release date)

1. One For the Money by Janet Evanovich. Starring: Katherine Heigl, Jason O'Mara Release Date: January 27, 2012

2. The Lorax by Dr. Seuss. Voices By: Zac Efron, Taylor Swift Release Date: March 2, 2012

3. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson Release Date: March 23, 2012

4. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth-Grahame-Smith. Starring: Benjamin Walker Release Date: June 22, 2012

5. The Hobbit by J.K.R. Tolkien. Staring: Luke Evans, Elijah Wood Release Date: December 14, 2012

6. Life of Pi by Yann Martel. Starring: Tobey Maguire, Irrfan Khan Release Date: December 21, 2012

7. World War Z by Max Brooks. Starring: Brad Pitt, Eric West Release Date: December 21, 2012

8. The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald. Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire Release Date: December 25, 2012

9. The Perks of Being A Wallflower Starring: Emma Watson, Logan Lerman Slated Release Date: 2012

10. Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz. Starring Anton Yelchin, Willem Dafoe Slated Release Date: 2012

Please check IMDb.com for any release date changes or production information on these upcoming movies. To place a hold on any of these titles, please visit the library's online catalog or call the library at 732-721-5600 ext. 5010

Send comments to: Dennis.

Just to let you know, we are getting some movie titles on Blu-Ray and DVD because they come packaged together for the price of one.

When we get both formats, they are going into separate cases. In the Library catalog, search the title and it will say "Blu-ray/digital combo pack." When you click on this, you will see the call number for DVD and Blu-ray versions.

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Staff recommends: Snuff by Terry Pratchett

The venerable fantasy series Discworld has many sub-plots among its nearly forty books, but my favorite involve the city watch commander Sam Vimes and his ever present search for law and order. Asked to finally take a vacation on his wife's country estate, Vimes is bored stiff in the sticks, and soon begins to sniff around in search of wrongs to right. He doesn't have to look far. After the local blacksmith Vimes quarreled with goes missing and he is nearly arrested by the clueless local constabulary, Vimes is heralded by local goblin leaders looking for "just ice," justice that is for a goblin woman found murdered and eviscerated while others were shipped off to slavery in the dead of night. Vimes attacks the crime with his usual vigor, making for a very entertaining story. As with much of Pratchett's work, the story is rife with thinly veiled social commentary, about the nature of good and evil, rich and poor and especially about the outcasts of society and how they are often mistreated. He can be a little preachy at times, with characters getting long grandstanding speeches, but the world and the memorable characters that he has created over the course of thirty plus years of storytelling win the day with a very entertaining book for fantasy fans, and open minded fans of police procedural that don't mind the satirical fantasy setting. Snuff - OBPL Catalog

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TOP 10 ROYALTY BOOKS
By Staff Member Amy

THE RELUCTANT EMPRESS: ELISABETH of AUSTRIA by Brigitte Hamann
B ELISABETH HAM
Often called the 19th Century Princess Diana. Married at age 16 to Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria, her turbulent life and tragic death resembles Princess Diana’s life.

VICKY: PRINCESS ROYAL OF ENGLAND & GERMAN EMPRESS by Daphne Bennett
943.084 BEN
Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s eldest and favorite child. An exceptionally brilliant woman, she never achieved the greatness her parents wished for her.

MARIE ANTOINETTE: THE JOURNEY by Antonia Fraser
B MARIE ANTOINETTE FRA
One of history’s most misunderstood women. You’ll discover the truth about her and her tragic life.

GEORGE, NICHOLAS, AND WILHELM: THREE ROYAL COUSINS AND THE ROAD TO WORLD WAR I by Miranda Carter
940.3 CAR
A incredibly informative narrative that gives insight to the three cousins and rulers who were swept up the events leading to the First World War.

NICHOLAS AND ALEXANDRA by Robert Massie
947.08 MAS
Considered by some, the standard by which other royal biographies are measured. At the heart of this biography is a classic love story.

ROYAL FEUD : THE DARK SIDE OF THE LOVE STORY OF THE CENTURY by Michael Thornton
941.084 THO
A fun read. This book tells the truth behind the “love affair of the century”. This was the first book that hinted that the beloved Queen Mother could be tough. Fans of the movie “A King’s Speech” will recognize some of the scenes of the book.

EDWARD & ALEXANDRA by Richard Hough
941.0823 HOU
Edward was the second child and Queen Victoria’ heir. Ascending the throne at age 60, he and his beautiful Danish consort Alexandra only reigned for 9 years but made a lasting impact. Alexandra was the daughter of Denmark’s King Christian IX, “The Father – In –Law of Europe”

MATRIARCH: QUEEN MARY AND THE HOUSE OF WINDSOR by Anne Edwards
B MARY EDW
A biography of a “minor” princess who rose from obscurity to marry the future King George V. A fascinating woman who became an exemplary Queen. She is probably most known for her collection of jewels.

THE LAST ROMANTIC : A BIOGRAPHY OF QUEEN MARIE OF ROMANIA by Hannah Pakula
B MARIE PAK
One of the most famous Queens of our time if not the most eccentric.

ROYAL SISTERS : QUEEN ELIZABETH AND PRINCESS MARGARET by Anne Edwards
941.085 EDW
A very informative biography of Queen Elizabeth and her late sister Princess Margaret.

Send comments to: Amy.

Staff recommends: Black Light by Patrick Melton, et. al.

Buck Carlsbad is a private investigator, traveling the country taking jobs and pulling marks. Sounds pretty innocuous, right? Until you learn that Buck has a special gift, and that pulling marks means capturing wayward ghosts and poltergeists. Buck is scarred by thoughts a desolate stretch of Nevada where the ghosts of several notorious killers lie and where his parents themselves were killed. He tried to go there once before and was nearly killed himself by what lies in wait there. When he learns of plans to build a high-speed rail line that will connect Los Angeles and Las Vegas, traveling right through the paranormal "triangle" in the desert, and he receives a mysterious invitation to ride the inaugural journey, he knows that there is trouble brewing. As Buck rides the high-speed train and the ghosts come out of the woodwork, he's in a life or death struggle, where everything is on the line. This book is an interesting horror-thriller, and it moves seamlessly despite being a collaboration between three different writers. There is a considerable amount of graphic violence on par with some movies (the writers wrote the screenplays for the Saw franchise if that gives you any idea) but if you are a fan of supernatural horror, you should definitely check Black Light out.

Send comments to: Tim

Staff recommends: The Magicians by Lev Grossman

Everyone growing up wants to believe that there is a fantasy world where they can escape to; a place where there are magical creatures and where Kings and Queens rule. Quentin is an everyday teenager from Brooklyn, New York who believes that magic is real. When he accidentally steps between the real world and the magical world, he ends up at a school called Brakebills, where he is accepted in as a student of magic. As he learns spells, new friendships are formed and Quentin's dreams finally come true when Quentin and his friends reach the magical world of Fillory; a magical land they all dreamed was real. Along the way they find out the real back story to the Fillory novels, and the danger that lurks behind each corner. Taking inspiration from Harry Potter and the Chronicles of Narnia, The Magicians is a tale about friendship, and the magic and adventure they all encounter together. This is a fantastic read for anyone who loves the Harry Potter and The Chronicles of Narnia series as you will be able to pick up on the influences quickly. The reading is fast and there is a lot of action and a little romance. This is the first book in the trilogy written by Lev Grossman.

Send comments to: Dennis

A Librarian Recommends: Damned by Chuck Palahniuk

Madison Spencer is the chubby, precocious daughter of a pair of wildly narcissistic movie stars condemned to Hell for dying of a drug overdose. In this wicked satire of the afterlife, adult greed and teen drama, Madison finds out that Hell is often like the infamous teenage movie The Breakfast Club, as she joins forces with teen stereotypes: the jock, the rebel and the diva, in order to make her way through the afterlife. Starting every chapter with a snarky jab at Judy Blune's teen fiction nugget Are You There God, It's Me Margaret, Madison describes her time in Hell, working in the Satanic call center where telephone solicitations are placed to the living during the dinner hour asking inane questions about consumer products. Madison also recounts her brief life with her super wealthy and self-absorbed parents, a brutal send-up of the celebrity worship culture we live in in America today. As Madison travels through hell, she meets historical figures of the past, from the expected like Adolf Hitler to the unusual like Charles Darwin. Slowly Madison begins to change, and the quiet and servile child grows more brazen and literally discovers her true self... in Hell. This was a well done satire, and one of Palahniuk's more successful books. The narrative is a little choppy and underdeveloped at times (possibly over-edited do to the potential controversial subject matter) but he makes his characters convincing and believable, and the satire and in-jokes are quite amusing. While certainly not for everybody, any open minded reader looking for a sharply worded satire should enjoy this book.

Send comments to: OBPL

On Monday evening, July 11 at 7:00 p.m., The Ladies Night Out Book Discussion Group will review Pull of the Moon by Elizabeth Berg. Disturbed by the course of her life and marriage, Nan embarks on a backroads odyssey, following the moon and stopping to talk with women, men, her husband through letters, and herself through her diary, and discovering how her life can be reshaped. (Novelist)

Send questions to: Diane

This evening at the Library:

The Craft Club will meet at 6:30 p.m. to work on projects and plan new ones.
The Ladies Night Out Book Discussion Group will meet to discuss Midwives by Christopher Bohjalian.

Send comments to: OBPL

Thursday July 14 at 7 p.m. A Novel Destination: The Mughal Empire - author Phiroz Madon, will bring his magnificent mystery of the Mughal Empire of India, The Third Prince, alive with spirited readings of select passages. Author Madon will share details of his experiences writing the novel and finding a publisher. Q&A and a book signing will end the program. Send comments to: Nancy.