The island of Nollop is named for its most famous citizen: Nevin Nollop, creator of the pangram, "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog." Nollopians love language and take great pride in the creative use of their large vocabularies. Indeed, Nollop is a wordy paradise until an ordinary event triggers a fanatical response by the governing council. The council's actions snowball until the Nollopians are robbed of their beloved language, resulting in mayhem, mass exodus, and even a few deaths. These tragic events are documented in the letters of the titular Ella, her family and friends, who are at first horrified witnesses, then determined resistance fighters seeking to restore order through an act of linguistic heroics.
This book is a humorous bit of stunt writing as the calamity removes letters from usage with nearly every chapter, challenging the author to perform grammatical acrobatics to present a readable story. Dunn achieves this feat and some others that will delight language enthusiasts. He also emphasizes the importance of free communication to the well-being of society. Crossword puzzle lovers should enjoy this quick read while picking up several new words along the way.
Check out our e-book copies of this book through Library on the Go (Libby/Overdrive) or eReadIllinois (Axis360)!
The Wilder Life: My Adventures in the Lost World of Little House on the Prairie is equal parts a biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder and a memoir of author Wendy McClure as she goes on a journey into Wilder's history to uncover how her life and her books overlapped.
Growing up in the 1970s, I wanted to live with Laura Ingalls Wilder. I could envision myself listening to Pa play his fiddle while I did the daily chores, with hopes that Almanzo would come past the Homestead. I loved the television series as well as the books, but as with all adaptions onto television or the big screen, things are often lost or added. For instance, Laura Ingalls Wilder did not really have a step brother named Adam, and they did not have bread at every meal, but there indeed was a Nellie Olson.
Wendy McClure writes as if I, too, am taking the adventure with her and bringing my favorite childhood book characters to life-- right down to her trip to Mansfield, Missouri and stopping off at an American Girl Place. It reminded me so much of those stories that now that I have finished The Wilder Life, I want to read about Kirsten and Felicity's adventures in the American Girl books. And someday, when the time comes for travel, I, too, want to be one of the Laura Ingalls Wilder tourists in Pepin, Wisconsin collecting lake pebbles.
Check out one of our e-book copies of this book through Axis360!
In the last several years, Alexander Hamilton has reentered our popular culture thanks in large part to Ron Chernow’s biography of the man as well as Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical. A great deal is known about Alexander, but what about his wife? Susan Holloway Scott has written a fictional account of the life and times of the Hamiltons, but in this case, it is all from the perspective of Eliza, his wife. Readers are taken through the Revolutionary War to post-war times and beyond. Eliza is the central figure in the story, and it is through her that the reader is shown the ups and downs of her life but also her strength of character.
Right from the very beginning, the story truly draws the reader in with this fresh perspective, and the momentum to want to read more never wavers as the reader becomes more and more invested in the characters. I, Eliza Hamilton is a highly recommended historical fiction novel. Check out one of our e-book or e-audiobook copies through Overdrive or Hoopla!
If you're a feminist true crime fan with a sense of humor, then do yourself a favor and give a listen to your new pals, Karen and Georgia. These hosts of the popular My Favorite Murder podcast have written a book and narrate the audiobook version themselves. While they dish about the sordid details of various murders on their podcast, their book is more autobiographical in nature.
Kilgariff and Hardstark open up about their battles with personal demons many women face, such as alcoholism and eating disorders, as well as the influences that may have caused them. They also offer commentary on why so many crime victims are women and how cultural attitudes need to change so that we can all live safely. They encourage women to reject societal pressure to put politeness and conformity above personal safety, while demanding authorities deal more seriously with violence against women.
Though the subject matter is rather heavy, the ladies inject their trademark humor into the narrative, making this both a thought-provoking and enjoyable listen. Check out our e-book or e-audiobook copies through Axis360!
