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Kern County Library Staff Suggests...: March Recommendations for Adults


Monday, March 1, 2010

March Recommendations for Adults

Fiction

City of Dragons by Kelli Stanley - Set in San Francisco in 1940, Stanley's stunning first in a new series introduces a gutsy, independent heroine who isn't always likable. As the city celebrates the Chinese New Year with the Rice Bowl Party, a three-day carnival to raise money for China's war relief, PI Miranda Corbie sees Eddie Takahashi, a young Japanese numbers runner, shot dead in front of her on a crowded, fireworks-filled Chinatown street. When the police tell her to forget about Takahashi (Chalk him up to Nanking), the outraged Miranda decides to seek justice on her own. In her quest for Takahashi's killer, she encounters racism and sexism at nearly every turn. A former escort who's reinvented herself as a detective, the 33-year-old Miranda isn't taken seriously by the cops, who enjoy rehashing her past. Stanley (Nox Dormienda) aptly describes San Francisco as a city redolent and glistening with sin and lamplight, forever a girl you didn't take home to Mother. ~Publisher’s Weekly (Feb. 2010)

Dial H for Hitchcock by Susan Kandel - Alfred Hitchcock fans should love Kandel's fifth Cece Caruso mystery, a terrific tribute that's also wickedly funny. L.A. vintage fashionista Cece, who's just returned from her solo honeymoon after dumping LAPD Det. Peter Gambino, is researching a Hitchcock biography when her life takes a Hitchcockian turn. After watching a screening of Vertigo, she returns home to find someone else's cellphone in her purse. A curious call on the cellphone leads Cece to Beechwood Canyon, where she hopes to return it to its owner, Anita Colby. Instead, Cece winds up witnessing the cool blonde's murder. As Cece gets drawn deeper into a plot with alarming similarities to the celebrated director's noir masterpieces, she fears she's become a victim of identity theft as well as a dead ringer for the Kim Novak character in Vertigo. Kandel keeps the action tight all the way to a delightful denouement that Hitch no doubt would've appreciated. --Publisher’s Weekly (Nov. 2009)

The Leisure Seeker by Michael Zadoorian - The Robinas have shared a wonderful life for more than sixty years. Now in their eighties, Ella suffers from cancer and John has Alzheimer's. Yearning for one last adventure, the self-proclaimed "down-on-their-luck geezers" kidnap themselves from the adult children and doctors who seem to run their lives and steal away from their home in suburban Detroit on a forbidden vacation of rediscovery. With Ella as his vigilant copilot, John steers their '78 Leisure Seeker RV along the forgotten roads of Route 66 toward Disneyland in search of a past they're having a damned hard time remembering. Yet Ella is determined to prove that, when it comes to life, you can go back for seconds—even when everyone says you can't.

The Queen’s Governess by Karen Harper - Katherine Ashley, the over-educated daughter of a country squire, enters the turbulent court of Tudor England as a spy for Thomas Cromwell. Gaining the confidence of the doomed Anne Boleyn, Kat pledges to become governess and surrogate-mother to the young Elizabeth Tudor. While Cromwell reigns they endure exile, imprisonment, assassination attempts, and manage a daring escape. When he falls, Elizabeth is crowned queen and Kat continues to serve her, faithfully guarding all her secrets. Solid historical research adds depth and realism to the characters and dialogue. For those who can’t get enough of historical fiction of 16th century England.

Snow Angels by James Thompson - Endless nights of Finland can drive anyone to murder. The long Arctic winters nurture dangerous habits of mind that can ripen into alcoholism, isolation, lust, and revenge. When a beautiful Somali film star vacationing at a resort is found brutally murdered, Inspector Kari Vaara finds that in a small town the suspects are very close to home."This book is wonderful. It took me right in, dropped me into a strange new world, and kept me captivated from first to last page. James Thompson has done a masterful job with Snow Angels!" -Michael Connelly


Nonfiction

Home Based Business for Dummies 3rd ed. by Paul Edwards, et al. - Whether you've been affected by downsizing in these uncertain times or are just looking to earn some extra cash, this book shows you how to avoid scams and truly start working from home for profit. You'll get trusted and creative advice on how to start being your own boss, bringing in a steady paycheck, and running a business you'll enjoy. This book will explain the legal and financial aspects of a home-based business; effective advertising and promotional strategies that won't break the bank; tips and information you need to make your business profitable; and advice on outfitting and running a home office. Also covered is how to manage your time with family in the next room, get through a project when you don’t feel like working, and how to handle your business money wisely. A good place to start if you want to explore the possibilities.

How to Use the Internet to Get Your Next Job by Janet Nagle - The strategies will help you conduct a timesaving, low-cost, and high-impact job search whether you are searching for your first job out of college or looking to change careers. You will learn how to conduct an effective job search by determining keywords and phrases, creating an online resume, and also how to research potential employers. But it does not stop there: This book compiles and analyzes the major job sites Monster.com, Yahoo! HotJobs, and CareerBuilder.com as well as niche sites for every industry, from health care and administrative to accounting and public relations. Employers are hitting the virtual pavement to find top-tier talent, some employers estimate 75% of their staff came through online applications.

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Starting and Running a Thrift Store by Ravel Buckley and Carol Costa - In economic times like these, thrift stores have seen a 35% increase in sales in 2008; so what better time to start one? While fairly cheap, it is complicated. Here, two experts cover the entire process, including such vital topics as how to set up the store on a nonprofit basis; choose a location; get funding; get the word about donations of saleable items; recruit and manage volunteer staff; sort, price and recycle donations. Practical advice, examples of best practices, and finding community partnering opportunities make this an indispensible business asset.

Over 40 and You’re Hired by Robin Ryan - Superb! Is what reviewers are saying about this book. The author of 60 Seconds & You’re Hired!, takes on one of the most daunting challenges someone in this age group can face, finding a job. In a job market that requires candidates to be computer literate, those recently laid off from a long-term position or who have been staying home with children may find themselves at a disadvantage. Ryan has created a guide of valuable advice and detailed explanations culled from over twenty years of experience as a career counselor that people over forty will find indispensible as they look for work. Ryan emphasizes the computer and Internet proficiencies universally demanded, shares tools for job searching online, advises job candidates to get a makeover to look more professional, and—in the book's most useful sections—shows how to fine-tune a résumé . Each résumé and cover letter should be tailored to the particular job and that the job title be explicitly listed in a career objective line, practical examples are included as well as indispensible online resources.

True Food: Eight Simple Steps to a Healthier You by Annie Berthold-Bond, et al., foreword by Alice Waters - This inviting, encouraging how-to turns the ideals of today’s food revolution into eight practical steps to a healthier, more natural diet. It’s a workable blueprint for enlightening your kitchen in ways that are good for you, your family, your pocketbook—and the environment. Friendly and fun, featuring lighthearted design and lively writing, the book shows how preparing good food with simple, natural ingredients can actually cost less than reaching for commercially produced and processed alternatives. Special sidebars called "Budget Benefits" highlight how following these eight simple steps can actually save you money—and at the same time help you nourish better and greener attitudes everywhere.

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