That Stack Of Books with Nancy Pearl and Steve Scher - The House of Podcasts

That Stack of Books listeners, I am back with an interview with none other than Nancy Pearl.

Nancy has written her first novel, "George and Lizzie."  It's a love story, with one partner, Lizzie, trying to figure out just how committed she is to George, who seems to be going along with a heart full of love and a head full of patience.  

We met in Seattle at the Bryant Corner Cafe, our ongoing book club haunt, to talk about her foray into fiction. 

Classic cover of a classic book

Don’t Reject Science Fiction or Books That Take You Outside The Box or Why Nancy Hates Categorizing Books!

Again we are dealing with the basic issue that rankles Nancy Pearl. When you put books into categories or label books as this but not that, too many readers skip over wonderful reading experiences.

She knows some people just can’t relate to the science fiction genre.  We had a lot of folks around the table who felt sort of “meh” about sci-fi and fantasy.

We were interested in what people enjoy or don’t enjoy about sci-fi and fantasy.

Robert Heinlein’s book, “Space Cadet” turned Nancy on to science fiction and fantasy back when she was just a wee lass.

Isaac Asimov’s books inspired many.

Not sure about the genre? Maybe don’t think of it as a genre.

Perhaps start with a classic Clifford Simak like “Shakespeare’s Planet.” A colorful cover that captures the joys of 1950’s science fiction and a story Nancy Pearl says everyone should read.

If you are interested in Science Fiction, Nancy says you can sign up for a daily sci-fi email from Tor.com

Not sure about science fiction, read Ursula Le Guin.

“Stranger in a Strange Land.” That Heinlein book doesn’t sit well with many readers, but it sure fit into its era.

Ray Bradbury is beloved but quite a few readers around the table were bored of the rings. Shocking!

Kurt Vonnegut’s books are steeped in science fiction, yet put in the literature category.

Need some broader views of science fiction than robots and space travel. How about Octavia Butler’s “Kindred” and “Earth Seed.”

Need a laugh, The Hitchikers series.

And if you need a disturbing scare, “The Handmaid’s Tale,” by Margaret Atwood, or “Never Let Me Go,” by Kazuo Ishiguru.

Looking for different views of the modern world. Check out William Gibson, Neal Stephenson

“1Q84,” by Haruki Murakami

We touched on some women in science fiction, but not enough. Check out these lists.

Non-English Sci-Fi, look here.  Asian writers of science fiction, here.

Nancy and Steve had the opportunity to spend some time with King County Librarian Aarene Storms and a great group of young readers at the Teen Pizza and Books group at the Lake Forest Park Library meeting room. You should drop by. The next one at the Lake Forest Park Library is scheduled for June 7th. 

By the way, there are numerous reading groups for teens offered throughout the King County Library System

 Of course, a quick search for Pizza, Teens and Books brings up similar offerings around the country.  Pizza contributes to literacy. You knew that.

On a separate note, applause for the King County Library locating in the basement of a shopping mall. Great use of space, great notion to bring the books to the people, and what a way to enliven a mall.   Thank you. 

And upstairs you can wander Third Place Books.

Teens, Books and Pizza.

compiled by Aarene Storms

Here is the long and extremely eclectic list of books we talked about on Tuesday.  Links are to the KCLS catalog unless otherwise noted.  Whew!

Pizza and Books @ LFPMay 2016

Lumberjanes v.1,  Beware the Kitten Holy By Stevenson, Noelle (graphic novel) Friendship to the max! At Miss Quinzella Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet's camp for hardcore lady-types, things are not what they seem. Three-eyed foxes. Secret caves. Anagrams. Luckily, Jo, April, Mal, Molly and Ripley are five rad, butt-kicking best pals determined to have an awesome summer together-- and they're not gonna let a magical quest or an array of supernatural critters get in their way!

The Graveyard Book Volume 1 and Volume 2 By Russell, P. Craig  (graphic novel) Nobody Owens is a normal boy, except that he has been raised by ghosts and other denizens of the graveyard.  Sadly, this graphic novel isn’t as wonderful as the print novel OR the audiobook.

Saga [Volume One] By Vaughan, Brian K. (graphic novel) When two soldiers from opposite sides of a never-ending galactic war fall in love, they risk everything to bring a fragile new life into a dangerous old universe.

Godspeed: Kurt Cobain graphic novel by Legg, Barnaby  (graphic novel)Writers Barnaby Legg and Jim McCarthy have constructed their story using biographical fact interwoven with references to the singer's tortured self image with vibrant art by Flameboy.  KCLS does not own this book, the link is to Amazon.com

Steve Jobs Insanely Great By Hartland, Jessie (graphic novel) This biography in graphic format presents the story of the ultimate American entrepreneur, who brought us Apple Computer, Pixar, Macs, iPods, iPhones and more, this unique and stylish book is sure to appeal to the legions of readers who live and breathe the techno-centric world Jobs created.

Heavier Than Heaven A Biography of Kurt Cobain By Cross, Charles R. Published on the 10th anniversary of Nirvana's album "Nevermind", this in-depth biography includes new information from over 400 interviews and exclusive access to Cobain's unpublished diaries.  eBook  eAudio  Audio CD 

The Raven King By Stiefvater, Maggie  (book 4 in the series) Blue never thought the warning that she will cause her true love's death would be a problem, but as her life is entangled in the world of the Raven Boys, she's not so sure anymore. Audio CD

The Pillars of the Earth By Follett, Ken (series) Adventure saga of 12th century England, from a stone mason whose dream is to build a glorious cathedral to a man of God in a web of dangerous political intrigue.  Audio CD  eAudio  DVD  Spanish  French

Unleashed By Korman, Gordon (series) Luthor, a former attack dog, is supposed to be on his best behavior now that he's in the care of Savannah, a girl who's easily a dog's best friend. But every time a certain truck passes by Savannah's house, Luthor goes into attack mode and chaos follows.

No More Dead Dogs By Korman, Gordon Wallace Wallace is tired of dog stories because the dog always dies. eAudio  Audio CD 

Sunshine By McKinley, Robin The “anti-vampire” book featuring cinnamon rolls as big as your head, no kidding.  Audio CD  eAudio

Divergent By Roth, Veronica (series) 16-year-old Beatrice Prior must choose among five factions to define her identity for the rest of her life.  Then, she discovers that she is an anomaly who does not fit into any one group, and that the society she lives in is not perfect after all. KCLS does not own this book in Spanish, however, it is available in Chinese as well as eAudio  eBook  DVD  Audio CD  Player

Charming By James, Elliott (series) John Charming, formerly a member of the modern Knights Templar and sworn to protect mortals from supernatural threats until he was infected by a werewolf, now tends bar under an assumed name in a small Virginia town. When a blonde and a vampire create havoc enter his bar, he is forced to confront his true nature as well as his destiny. eBook

Les Misérables By Hugo, Victor (a good translation, unabridged) The story of Jean Valjean, his unjust imprisonment, and his lifelong flight from a relentless police officer.   eBook unabridged  eBook abridged  DVD

The Princess Bride S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure By Goldman, William  Although the authorial voice claims that this is an “abridged” story, the whole thing is made up entirely (and convincingly) by Mr. Goldman.  I libraried this to verify it.  If you want, you can library it yourself!  And then, you can watch the movie.  DVD

As You Wish Inconceivable Tales From the Making of The Princess Bride By Elwes, Carya first-person account and behind-the-scenes look at the making of the cult classic film filled with never-before-told stories, exclusive photographs, and interviews with costars Robin Wright, Wallace Shawn, Billy Crystal, Christopher Guest, and Mandy Patinkin, as well as author and screenwriter William Goldman, producer Norman Lear, and director Rob Reiner.  The audiobook is great too!  eBook  Audio CD  eAudio 

Bloody Jack Being An Account of the Curious Adventures of Mary "Jacky" Faber, Ship's Boy By Meyer, L. A. (series)   Reduced to begging and thievery in the streets of London, a thirteen-year-old orphan disguises herself as a boy and connives her way onto a British warship set for high sea adventure in search of pirates. Awesome audiobook! eBook  Audio CD  eAudio  Wild Rover No More is the last in the series.

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell By Clarke, Susanna In the year 1806, with the Napoleonic Wars raging, the reclusive Mr Norrell reveals his powers, and becomes a celebrity overnight. Soon, another magician comes forth: the young, handsome, Jonathan Strange. eBook  Audio CD  eAudio  DVD   ßthere’s a DVD?!?!?

How to Train your Dragon By Cowell, Cressida  (series) Warrior chieftain, awesome sword-fighter, and amateur naturalist, he was known throughout Vikingdom as 'the Dragon Whisperer' on account of his amazing power over these terrifying beasts. TOTALLY DIFFERENT PLOT FROM THE MOVIE.  And the audio is read by David Tennant! Audio CD  eAudio  Player  DVD 

Reckless By Funke, Cornelia Caroline (series) Jacob and Will Reckless have looked out for each other ever since their father disappeared, but when Jacob discovers a magical mirror that transports him to a warring world populated by witches, giants, and ogres, he keeps it to himself until Will follows him one day, with dire consequences. eBook 

Cry Baby By Martinez, Melanie  this link is to the music CD.  The library doesn’t own the picturebook that isn’t for kids—but you can view it on Youtube HERE.

Go the F**k to Sleep By Mansbach, Adam The bedtime book for parents who live in the real world ... profane, affectionate, and radically honest, it captures the familiar, and unspoken, tribulations of putting your little angel down for the night. Samuel L. Jackson reads the audiobook perfectly.  eBook  Audio CD 

The Supernaturalist By Colfer, Eoin  Fourteen-year-old Cosmo Hill escapes from his abusive orphanage and teams up with three other people who share his unusual ability to see supernatural creatures, and together they determine the nature and purpose of the swarming blue Parasites.   eBook  eAudio  Graphic Novel 

Suicide Notes From Beautiful Girls By Weingarten, Lynn They say Delia burned herself to death in her stepfather's shed, but June does not believe it was suicide.  eBook 

Odyssey By Homer  The story of Odysseus' long journey back to his wife and home after the Trojan War.  Audio CD  eBook  eAudio   Graphic Novel  Vietnamese 

Of Mice and Men By Steinbeck, John  George and Lennie, two migrant workers in California during the Great Depression, grasp for their American Dream. eBook  Audio CD  eAudio  DVD

Tess of the D'Urbervilles By Hardy, Thomas  The life of a simple country girl in nineteenth-century England is destroyed by her father's determination to use her in order to regain the family's former social standing.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone By Rowling, J. K. (series) Rescued from the outrageous neglect of his aunt and uncle, a young boy with a great destiny proves his worth while attending Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. eBook  Audio CD  eAudio  Japanese  Spanish  French  Russian  Chinese  German  Latin  Ukrainian  Hebrew  Vietnamese DVD

The Invasion By Applegate, Katherine (series) Endowed by a dying alien with the power to morph into any animal they touch, friends Jake, Rachel, Cassie, Tobias, and Marco investigate the wonders of the world with their Animorph powers.  eBook

Gerbils By Howell, Laura This is a nice book about gerbils.

The events may not have happened; still, the story is true.  --R. Silvern

Aarene Storms, youth services librarian

Richmond Beach and Lake Forest Park Libraries, KCLS   [email protected]

Do you have SEX in your library?  If not, why not?  Read the SITL book blog:  www.sexinthelibrary.blogspot.com

Stewart O'Nan's newest novel.

“In post-World War II Jerusalem, a concentration camp survivor becomes involved in the underground resistance movement against the British.”

That is the straightforward description of Stewart O’Nan’s newest novel, “City of Secrets.” Brand, the camp survivor navigates between loss and hope in violent Jerusalem.  

Stewart O’Nan is an award winning American novelist. Beginning with the release of his 1993 debut novel “Snow Angel,”O’Nan’s spare, precise storytelling has garnered praise and awards.

Before he turned to writing full-time, O’Nan worked as a test engineer for Grumman Aerospace.

O’Nan’s engineering background serves him. To teach himself how to write, he would take apart the best American short stories in order to figure out how they were put together.

This interview is both a discussion of O’Nan’s latest novel and a generous class in writing from a master storyteller. 

This interview was recorded at our favorite spot for  talking books The Bryant Corner Cafe.   We will be back at the cafe May 10th at 3. Nancy Pearl will be leading a discussion about science fiction and fantasy. Do you read that genre, or do you avoid it? Join us with your thoughts at the cafe, or weigh in on twitter @thatstack or on Facebook, That Stack of Books with Nancy Pearl and Steve Scher. 

Get That Stack of Books delivered to via email. 

Last week we talked about books that make us happy. For balance, we take up books that make a reader sad, that take the reader into the darkest places of the human experience.  Here are some books that are such an emotionally tough read, they might best be read In the sunny days of summer. 

The Bryant Corner Cafe is a warm and cozy place. The sunshine comes streaming the big south facing windows. Steam rises from fresh baked goods and hot off the grill meals. The world looks pretty good.

We had a nice sunny day, hot coffee, iced tea and a plateful of tasty cookies as we discussed murder, rape, mass shootings, imprisonment, genocide and the disintegration of democracy. You can see why we thought these are books that might lend themselves to a summer read. You could look up from the page every once in a while, feel the sun on your face, listen to a few birds sing, watch the leaves rustle in a cooling breeze.  Take a deep breath.  Tell yourself that it isn't all so tragic. It's summer. Then dive back in.

Here are a few of the books we talked about.

Nancy says “The Honorable Schoolboy,” by John Le Carre just broke her heart. She can’t imagine ever picking it up again.

“The Book of Lamentations” is a modern novel by Rosario Castellanos, about the Mayan Spanish conflicts.

“The Bedside Book of Bastards,” Dorothy M. Johnson and R.T. Turner, a light tone about the terrible things people do to one another.

“Democracy For Realists: Why Elections Do Not Produce Responsive Government,” Larry Bartels and Christopher Achen. One reviewer called it brutally depressing.

The novels of Thomas Hardy. His topics are timeless.

“Please Look After Mom,” by Kyung-sook Shin is a novel of Dickensian extremes that had South Korean readers weeping.

“King’s Leopold’s Ghost,” by Adam Hochschild.

“Spain In Our Hearts: Americans in the Spanish Civil War 1936-1939,” also by Adam Hochschild. There is a personal connection for Nancy. Her father fought in that war.

“To The Power of Three,” by Laura Lippman and “We Need to Talk About Kevin,” by Lionel Shriver. These are two books about school shootings.

“My Promised Land The Triumph and Tragedy of Israel” by Ari Shavit.

“Imbeciles: The Supreme Court, American Eugenics, and the Sterilization of Carrie Buck,” by Adam Cohen. A sadly revealing history of Eugenics in America.

“The Divide,” by Matt Taibbi, is about the gaping divide between the haves and have-nots in America and how that reality affects health, justice and opportunity for all Americans. 

“The Last of the Just,” by Andre Schwarz-Bart

Most books by Elie Wiesel

Find us @thatstack on Twitter, and That Stack of Books with Nancy Pearl and Steve Scher on Facebook.

We have had some remarkably wonderful spring days here in Seattle. Record April high's in the 80's have put smiles on our faces and have us thinking happy thoughts and reaching for books that make us happy.

We have tasked ourselves, those of us sitting around the table at the Bryant Corner Cafe and those of basking in the weather in our homes, on the bus, secretly listening at work ( oh we know you are. Keep it up.) We are tasked with coming up with a short list of books that make us happy.

Now this is a topic that lends itself to wide interpretation. Google it. You will see.

And just what is happiness anyway. It's all so personal.

Nevertheless, we made a start at it.

How about adding to our list? You can write us on Twitter @thatstack, post on Facebook, or write us at [email protected].

What books make you happy? 

A shout out first, though.  One of Nancy’s favorite books this year, The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen, just won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction.

Nancy brought in two books that make her happy.

The Remarkable Trees of the World, Thomas Pakenham

When Wanderers Cease to Roam: A Travelers Journal of Staying Put, by Vivian Swift

Here are some of the other books we talked about today.

Phi: A Voyage from the Brain to the Soul , by Giulio Tononi

The Encounter, by Rita Wirkala

No Biking in the House Without a Helmet,  by Melissa Fay Greene. It's been called a brilliant book about a household full of kids, reminiscent of Erma Bombeck or Jean Kerr.

Praying for Sheetrock , Melissa Fay Greene's 1991 National Book Award Finalist that Coretta Scott King called, "An inspiring and absorbing account of the struggle for human dignity and racial equality" 

We Could Almost Eat Outside: An Appreciation of Life's Small Pleasures, Philipe Delerm

The Neapolitan Novels by Elena Ferrante. Shortlisted this year for the Man Booker Prize.  Here is a nice interview she gave about the books.

The Black Count, by Tom Reiss, a compelling history of the man who served as the model for The Count of Monte Cristo.

 And if you like history books that focus on little known figures, Nancy also recommends Dancing to the Precipice by Caroline Moorehead

Steve always gets happy when he reads one of James Thurber’s short stories or when he looks at his cartoons.  Check out The Thurber Carnival for some laughs. 

Toure

Toure, the writer, TV commentator and social critic, was the Signature Speaker at the University of Washington lecture series on Equity and Difference .

Steve spoke to Toure about his work, including his book, "Who is Afraid of Post-Blackness: What it is Like to Be Black In America Now."

Here is a short excerpt from the interview. For the entire conversation-from Trump to Fox news, go to At Length with Steve Scher.

Toure had a  reality TV show from 2008-2011. You can find it on YouTube. In "I'll Try Anything Once," Toure is introduced to a variety of sports and activities and has to master them. 

The program illustrates the message of his book. We are all unique, made up of our ancestry, our ethnicity, our race, our experience. But any one of us can do anything we want. There is no right way of being. Just be. 

Nancy Pearl and Steve Scher will be back with at the Bryant Corner Cafe this Tuesday , April 19th, 2016, at 3 pm to talk about books that make us happy.

What the book that makes you happy? 

Love to have you join us at the table, get a cup of coffee and a half price cookie and tell us about that book.. 

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Nancy and Steve talk about two books that look at the history of the American civil rights movement. But one book sparks another suggestion. 

Carry Me home: Birmingham, Alabama: The Climactic Battle of the Civil Rights Revolution,” by Diane McWhorter.  Nancy says that if you are going to read one book about how young people challenged Jim Crow institutions in the early 60s, this is the book to read.

Nancy is also recommending books by Lewis Norden, a southern white writer. She says that his books are hard to describe. His novel, loosely based on the death of Emmett Till is called, “Wolf Whistle.”  She calls it hilarious and heartbreaking. She invites readers to read it and write to us with your reaction. Maybe post your thoughts on our Facebook page.

She also likes his novel, “The Sharpshooter Blues.”

She says Norden is a writer who never got the readership he deserved. 

Other books mentioned or that came to mind.

The Children, by David Halberstam

The Middle Passage, by Charles Johnson

While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age During the Civil Rights Movement ,  by Carolyn McKinstry

Just Mercy, by Bryan Stevenson

In Peace and Freedom: My Journey To Selma, by Bernard Lafayette

Who’s Afraid of Post-Blackness: What It Means To Be Black Now, by Toure

Archbishop Desmond Tutu wrote about the truth and reconciliation process in South Africa in his book, No Future Without Forgiveness: A Personal Overview of South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission.  Does America need to take such an unflinching look at our past and present?

And maybe we should read some Mark Twain. W.E.B. Du Bois, Langston Hughes, Octavia Butler, James Baldwin, Maya Angelou.

Well, it is a long and fulfilling list.

-Steve

Why do we know the name of an early 20th century Russian mystic? Why is it that the story of Rasputin has become a mini-industry of myth and folklore, well into the 21st century?

Here is a That Stack of Books Extra, an author interview about a forthcoming book. Steve Scher talked to historian Douglas Smith at Folio, the new independent library and cultural center in downtown Seattle. 

So why do we know the name Rasputin?

Oh, right, it may have something to do with the story that he had to be poisoned, stabbed and shot and dumped into a freezing river by his murderers before he would die. Or that he had a momentous appetite for food and wine and women. 

Turns out, these stories are part of the apocryphal tales that arose about the monk. They were usually spread by his court enemies. 

Russian scholar Douglas Smith has a new book coming out in the fall. It may well be the definitive history of the man and the myth. Smith's previous books include "Former People: The Final Days of the Russian Aristocracy," and "The Pearl: A True Tale of Forbidden Love in Catharine the Great's Russia."

For his work on Rasputin, he was given access to Russian archives as well as the papers of some of Rasputin's contemporaries.

We will be back at the Bryant Corner Cafe soon with more conversations about books. 

Check for more information about Folio membership and upcoming events.

Folio is another institution created by Seattle's David Brewster. He is the man behind Crosscut, Town Hall Seattle and The Seattle Weekly. 

When Mount St. Helens erupted on May 18th, 1980, 57 people were killed. What were they still doing in harm's way on the mountain, after months of warnings by scientists and rumblings from the volcano? Steve Olson has gone back to tell their stories in his new book, "Eruption: The Untold Story of Mount St. Helens." We spoke at Town Hall, in Seattle.

If you haven't been to the mountain in a while, it is well worth a visit. The recovery of nature is an incredible sight. 

Check out these resources before you head out.

Mount St. Helens National Monument

Mount St. Helens Institute

Senator Maria Cantwell opposes mining near the Monument.