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Local librarians give Christmas recommendations

By MICHAEL BOYLAN
mboylan@TheCitizenNews.com

A good book can be the perfect gift for a loved one at Christmas, but finding the right book can often be a challenge. We asked the local librarians, people who know books, for their recommendations.

• Sharon Campbell: “What Southern Women Know That Every Woman Should” by Ronda Rich; a book that explains the mystique of Southern women and shows women how to get the same kind of romantic, professional and personal success.

• Jessica Griffin: “A Hat Full of Sky” by Terry Pratchett; a fantasy novel for children in grades 5-8. The story follows Tiffany Aching, an incipient witch and cheese maker extraordinaire, as she battles the Forces of Darkness while armed with a frying pan.

• Edna Lee: “Cry No More” by Linda Howard; a romantic thriller about a woman, Milla Edge, who uncovers a sinister baby-smuggling ring.

• Steve McMinn: “The Mindbody Prescription” by John Sarno; this book states that emotions like guilt, anxiety and depression can stimulate the brain to manufacture physical symptoms including migraine headaches, hay fever and fibromyalgia.

• Annika Pigford: “Chocolate Sangria” by Tracy Price-Thompson; the book explores the hearts of two lovers who get caught in a great cultural divide.

• Chris Snell: “Our Granny” by Margaret Wild; a book for children that is an ode to grannys of all sizes and hues.

• Charlotte Sturgell: “How to Listen to God” by Charles Stanley; Stanley uses personal experiences and discusses why God wants to communicate with us, how God gets our attention and how we listen to God.

• Gloria Thomas: “The Debt: What America Owes to Blacks” by Randall Robinson; Robinson shows that only be reclaiming their lost past and proud heritage can blacks lay the foundation for their future.

• Eugenia West: “Last Promise” by Richard Paul Evans; a romantic triangle set in Tuscany.

• Jim White: “If I Ever Get Back to Georgia, I’m Gonna Nail My Feet To The Ground” by Lewis Grizzard; a comical and insightful look into the usually crazy world of the daily newspaper.

Peachtree City Library

• Carol Lavin: “Seabiscuit: An American Legend” by Laura Hillenbrand; the story of a broken horse named Seabiscuit and the owner, jockey and trainer who were healed by the horse and his amazing racing career. “The Notebook” by Nicholas Sparks; a story of two teens from opposite sides of the tracks who fall in love. “Snow Falling on Cedars” by David Guterson; a murder mystery, a courtroom drama and the story of a doomed love affair all rolled into one.

• Connie Berger: “The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency” by Alexander McCall Smith; the story of Precious Ramotswe, Botswana’s first female detective.

• Diane Austin: “The Ultimate Weight Solution: The Seven Keys to Weight Loss Freedom” by Dr. Phil McGraw; Dr. Phil’s help for people to effectively lose weight.

• Nancy Jurchenko: “The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment” by Eckhart Tolle; a book that describes the author’s transition from despair to self-realization soon after his 29th birthday. “The Christmas Tree” by Julie Salamon; a fable about the chief gardener of Rockefeller Center and his search for the tree whose lighting heralds the holiday season in Manhattan. “The Special Guest: A Christmas Story” by Lee W. Allen; a story about the miracle of forgiveness.

• Mary Haas: “Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini; the story provides an eye-opening account of political turmoil in Afghanistan, while engaging readers with the struggles and triumphs of his characters. “To Whom the Angel Spoke” by Terry Kay; the story of Christ’s birth through the perspective of three shepherds outside of Bethlehem. “Integrity” by Stephen L. Carter; thought-provoking nonfiction about why the virtue of integrity holds such sway over the American political imagination. “Sammy’s Hill” by Kristen Gore; Al Gore’s daughter writes a humorous novel about an insider’s view of life and love on Capitol Hill.

• Lola Williams: “Ghost Riders” by Sharon McCrumb; once you read a Sharon McCrumb novel, you want to go back and read all of them. McCrumb's award winning novels feature the history and folklore of Appalachia, along with some strange characters. “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” by John Berendt; a great fit for someone who will be visiting Savannah, this story focuses on a landmark murder case.

• Jill Prouty: “Committed: Confessions of a Fantasy Football Junkie” by Mark St. Amant; a great book for the fantasy football addict in your family. “On the Run: A Mafia Childhood” by Gina and Gregg Hill; if you liked the movie “Goodfellas,” you should read this book, which picks up where “Goodfellas” left off, written by Henry Hill’s children about the family’s experiences in the witness protection program. “Life Mask” by Emma Donoghue; Donoghue is a wonderful novelist who writes about women in 18th-century England and whose last book, “Slammerkin,” was also a great read. “The Midnight Band of Mercy” by Michael Blaine; a mystery set in late 19th-century New York, as reporter Max Greengrass is on a hot story of a group of upper-class ladies who are killing cats, but the murder of a source leads Greengrass to a wide-reaching conspiracy.

• Janice Dukes (book suggestions for children): ages 4-8, “America the Beautiful: A Pop up Book” by Robert Sabuda. Ages 7-11 (younger if reading aloud), “Thanks & Giving” by Marlo Thomas and Friends; proceeds from this book go the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Ages 12 and up, “Shadowmancer” by G.P. Taylor; two orphans and a young African stranger band together to thwart an evil vicar’s quest to control the universe.

Tyrone Library

• Julie Digby: (children) “Miss Nelson is Missing” by Harry Allard; the story focuses on a nice teacher with the worst class ever, which bands together to find Miss Nelson after having a terrible substitute teacher. (adult) “Wuthering Heights” by Emily Bronte; a story of love and revenge set on the moors of England. “Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Bronte. The story of a young orphan who lands a job as a governess for the unusual Mr. Rochester.

• Cindy Ferrill: (children) “All the Places to Love” by Patricia MacLachlan; a boy talks about the all of the places his family members love on a farm. “The Polar Express” by Chris Vanallsburg; the story of a boy’s magical journey to the North Pole. “Black Beauty” by Anna Sewell; the story of a horse and his life. “Little Men” by Louisa May Alcott; the story of Jo March and her husband, Professor Bhaer, as they try to make their school for boys a happy, comfortable and stimulating place. (adult) All books by Francine Rivers, Jan Karon, and Jennifer Chiaverini. The Bible, Matthew 1:18-2:23 and Luke 1:26-2:40. “The Lady & Sons Just Dessert: More than 120 sweet temptations from Savannah’s Favorite Restaurant” by Paula H. Deen.

• Nancy Massey: (children) “Miss Rumphius” by Barbara Cooney; a picture book about the author’s great Aunt Alice, now called the Lupine Lady, who spread lupine seeds wherever she walked and had many great adventures. (adult) “Under the Tuscan Sun” by Frances Mayes; a woman moves to a small Tuscan village and establishes a new life. “To Kill a Mockingbird“ by Harper Lee. The story of an attorney defending a black man against charges of rape in the south while also defending his children from prejudice in the 1930s.

• Patty Newland: (children) “A Series of Unfortunate Events” by Lemony Snicket; books about the unfortunate events that befall the Baudelaire orphans as their evil Count Olaf schemes to get his hands on their fortune. (adult) “A Christmas Memory” by Truman Capote; a reminiscence of a Christmas shared by a seven-year-old boy and a 60ish childlike woman, with enormous love and friendship between them. “Hissy Fit” by Mary Kay Andrews; a woman throws a fit and calls off her wedding when she catches her fiance cheating on her, then must find a way to clear her name and give her ex-fiance some much deserved comeuppance.

• Barbara Biggs: (adult) “The Mitford Series Books” by Jan Karon; a series of books about the characters that inhabit a small town. “All Through the Night” by Mary Higgins Clark; the winners of a lottery solve a crime around Christmas. “Silent Night” by Mary Higgins Clark; a story about a child’s courage in the face of danger. “The Christmas Thief” by Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark; a mystery surrounding the tree destined for Rockefeller Center.

This reporter’s recommendations are:

• “Summerland,” by Michael Chabon. This magical adventure is filled with fantastic creatures and lots of baseball. It is aimed at children but fun for anyone young at heart.

• “Middlesex” by Jeffrey Euginides. An epic about a Greek-American family and their history in Detroit. It is filled with everything that makes a great story.

These books are all available at local bookstores and online at Web sites like Amazon.com.