A tragic and happy story...

A woman, Agnes Morel, appears twenty years ago in the cloisters of the ancient cathedral of Notre-Dame, in the medieval town of Chartres, France. To the townspeople, nothing is known about this young woman, past or present, and she works unobserved. Gradually, we learn more about the tragic events that brought her to Notre-Dame. When one woman she cleans for, Madame Beck, is provoked into an accusation that Agnes stole from her, events are put into motion that force Agnes to confront her past. The Cleaner of Chartres is a sometimes tragic, but lovely story with a happy ending! ML

What's that sound?

Alex Bledsoe has written another book about the Tufa, a mysterious ancient race of people that live in isolated ridges and hollows of the Smoky Mountains. Wisp of a Thing is set in the same sometimes sinister landscape of Appalachia as was The Hum and the Shiver. The story starts out as a grieving musician finds his way to Cloud County, Tennessee in pursuit of a song that will ease his broken heart. His girlfriend has died tragically in a plane crash and a mysterious figure appeared to him and told him the story about the song. Rob finds both music and mystery in the mountains. Close-lipped locals guard their secrets, even as Rob gets caught up in a subtle power struggle he can't begin to comprehend. A vacationing wife goes missing, raising suspicions of foul play, and a strange feral girl runs wild in the woods, howling in the night like a lost spirit.Change is coming to Cloud County, and only the night wind knows what part Rob will play when the last leaf falls from the Widow's Tree. For readers who like a little magic with their stories! ML

Furry Little Friends

I'm not much of a crafter, but I saw this book sitting on the cart near the entrance to the Adult department, and I couldn't resist.  Fleece Dog walks you through the process and art of creating your own little furry pal out of raw wool -- which looks surprisingly simple.  I love the whimsical photos and there's even a section on how to use your dog's own hair!

Do you like crafting?  Stop by the library any time between 2:00-7:00pm this Wednesday, July 31st for Crafternoon -- bring a craft of your own to work on, or try one of ours!  HM

What is that smell?

Luca Turin is a biophysicist and scholar of smell. In his 2008 book Perfumes: The Guide he writes a brief history of perfume, his top ten lists of scent and a rating system (five stars is a masterpiece and one is "awful") of 315 pages of perfumes. He pulls no punches, and the writing is highly descriptive, such as this review of Nanette Lepore (one star) "...the most intensely sweet,cloying, syrupy fruity floral possible, radiating all the way down the block and lingering for years...Vile, yes, but somebody in a jeweled cardigan has been waiting for it all her life." The fragrances he likes though, he raves about, like Cuir de Russie from Chanel. This perfume rates a half a page and five stars and prose like "This superb fragrance still smells exactly as it should: to me, just like the interior of my stepfather's 1954 Bentley Type R...this rich leather effect is achieved by mixing things that have noting to do with tanned animal skins: ylang ylang, jasmine, iris,...this is the real deal, an undamaged monument of classical perfumery, and the purest emanation of luxury ever captured in a bottle." Whew, makes you want to smell it! Whether you just are interested in perfume history or are contemplating a purchase, this is a great read. MLis

Guest Blogger

In Bonobo and the Atheist: In Search of Humanism Among the Primates the author, biologist Frans De Waal, explores the evolutionary evidence, studying primate behavior in particular, of morality.  He argues both against a religious orthodoxy and its neo-atheism counterpart, to embrace a view of human morality that is innate within our genetic make-up.  Emotional attachment, from dogs that learn how to fight by playing, to a childs' and bonobes' sense of what's 'fair,' plays a large role in the development of moral standards.  He argues that what separates us from our primate cousins isn't genetics or morality, but our ability to think in abstractions and to apply those abstractions not only to our own behavior, but to others around us.  The book is well-written and organized.  I definitely will be adding it to my bookshelf!  Five stars.  Anonymous.

When the going gets tough...raise chickens!

Mardi Jo Link may be broke but she is determined to make it. Recently divorced with three sons and an old farmhouse in northern Michigan, she prides herself in finding unique ways to pay bills, heat the house and provide food. She and the boys enter a zucchini contest put on by a local bakery, gather firewood, cook on a campfire, raise chickens and survive the holidays-- pioneer style. Mardi’s positive attitude and her creative solutions will stir your inner strength. Bootstrapper: from broke to badass on a northern Michigan farm is funny, uplifting, and realistic. DB

Guest Blogger Teddi

Unlike other books that have been written about the infamous Titanic that concentrate on the story of the voyage and the actual tragedy when it happened Shadow of the Titanic by Andrew Wilson focuses on the afterwards.  How did the survivors live their lives after the sinking of the Titanic and how did others and the world react?  A very interesting and worthwhile read - five stars.  

Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape by Jenna Hill is an interesting read about the author's life.  She was raised by Scientologists who gave up their dream home, careers, and life for the church.  Her uncle is the Head of the Scientology church so she reveals many of the deep dark secrets of this "religion." The neglect and abuse that these children endure is unbelievable.  Four stars.  Teddi Bradford