Dive Into Jesmyn Ward's World

I picked up Where the Line Bleeds by Jesmyn Ward because I was intrigued by the setting. The story is set in the small town of Bois Sauvage, which is located on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. I enjoy reading books about places I know, so a story set in a rural Gulf Coast community really appealed to me! The story traces the lives of twin African-American boys, Christophe and Joshua as they graduate from high school and try to make a living in their town. Intertwined with their lives are the lives of many family members, many of whom reside on the same road where Joshua and Christophe live with their grandma, Ma-mee. The twins live with their grandmother and receive infrequent visits from both their mom (who lives in Atlanta) and their dad (who appears every now and then in Bois Sauvage). The novel is a great story about living, and making the right choices, and the consequences of your actions. Jesmyn Ward is a wonderful story-teller- her prose is lyrical and her descriptions of events such as Joshua and Christophe's Fourth of July picnic have so much detail (even down to the food) that it just makes you want to weep. The relationship between the twins is intense and it is amazing that the twins feel as deeply as they do about themselves and each other. Although Where the Line Bleeds is classified as an adult novel, it would also appeal to older teen readers. There is some drug use described in the book, as well as some profanity. This book has also been classified as a "recommended read" by the Essence Book Club. Check out other recommended reads at http://www.essence.com/.

Drama at the Dairy Queen

I am blessed to live in a town where there is a Dairy Queen. Well, really, it's a mixed blessing because it is all too easy to jump in my car and drive to the Dairy Queen to satisfy my urge for a caramel sundae or a blizzard pretty much whenever I want to! If you are not one of those folks who have ever visited a Dairy Queen, I recommend you visit one whenever you can. There is just something about their creamy vanilla ice cream that is so wonderful. My mother told me not too long ago that her dad actually managed a Dairy Queen at one point in his life, so perhaps my affinity for their ice cream is not too far-fetched? The title of my latest find, Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen by Susan Gregg Gilmore really intrigued me when I first saw it. It immediately made me think of the times I have spent at Dairy Queen with my friends, eating tasty treats and talking about our lives--but I am not sure I could say that I have ever had an epiphany while sitting there! This is something that I do not share with Catherine Grace Cline, the heroine of this delightful story. Set in 1970's in the town of Ringgold, Georgia, Catherine Grace is the oldest daughter of Ringgold's third-generation Baptist preacher, who dreams of someday leaving her boring small town for a life in "the big city." Every Saturday afternoon she and her sister, Martha Ann, sit on the picnic bench at the Dairy Queen, eating Dilly Bars and plotting her escape to Atlanta when she turns eighteen. Catherine Grace dreams of a wonderful job in retail, as she and Martha Ann live their lives and long for their mom, who drowned when Catherine Grace was six. Catherine lives her dream until unexpected events occur that force her to return to Ringgold. This book truly charmed me! Catherine Grace is a smart girl trying to live a normal life as a "preacher's daughter" and her depth and knowlege of life is wonderful. The characters in this book are well developed and resemble folks in any small Southern town. If you like this book, try also reading Fannie Flagg's Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle-Stop Cafe.

HOPEWELL CEMETERY

While recently researching the Vicksburg Post microfilm I came upon articles about volunteers cleaning and restoring Hopewell Cemetery. The newspaper articles state that this is the oldest cemetery in Warren County and that the land was given by William Lewis in 1804-1805.
The cemetery served the Hopewell Methodist Church, located in Warrenton and the first county seat of Warren County. The cemetery contains burials of the earliest settlers in Warren County.
The oldest stone in Hopewell belongs to Susan Schweppe, having a death date of August 9, 1822.

Mr. Gordon Cotton published a book in 1999 titled, Hopewell Cemetery and the old town of Warrenton: a history of the first county seat of Warren County, Mississippi, and Hopewell Methodist Church, which was the first church established in the county.
This book gives the history of the church, cemetery and the early settlers buried there. I found the accounts given very interesting such as; one of the biggest cases for an early lawyer, friends going the extra mile to have Jim Pace freed from the Warrenton Jail and the Last Will of Alex McNeill, listing by name, the slaves sold and the buyers with the prices paid. There’s also a listing of Yellow Fever Fatalities of 1853 for the Warrenton Population.

Special thanks to Jeff at the Old Court House Museum and Mr. Gordon Cotton for donating this book to our library.

Sit Down with "The Associate"

The Associate is John Grisham's latest legal thriller. The book is set in New York City and stars newly-graduated Yale Law Journal editor and Yale Law School Graduate Kyle McAvoy. All his life, Kyle has dreamed of becoming a lawyer "for the people" and loathing his friends and acquaintances who joined high-powered law firms after graduation, to work like a dog, make a huge pile of money and hopefully become a partner in a couple of years. Kyle dreams of becoming a small-town lawyer like his dad, John McAvoy, who's payment was often given in vegetables and free lawn mowings. Encouraged by Yale to pursue his dream, Kyle is looking forward to a salary of $32,000 per year helping immigrant's receive justice, when he is approached by a sinister man who drags up an incident from Kyle's past involving him and his fraternity brothers at a late-night party in his apartment. Fearing blackmail from his past actions, Kyle abandons his dream to become an Associate at Scully & Pershing, the biggest law firm in New York City, and break many laws in order to pass information on to the sinister men who haunt his every step. The story exposes the brutal world of the "law firm associate" and exactly what it takes to make it to the top. The book is a great expose' of the deals and corruption that occur in law firms and the unscrupulous practices of some lawyers.

Bollywood Blockbusters

I recently watched "Slumdog Millionaire" and though it was not a Bollywood film, the wonderful dance sequence at the end reminded of why I like Bollywood films. In a nutshell, they are FUN to watch! Although our library does not currently own "Slumdog Millionaire," we have other movies filmed in India that are sure to please your taste for a piece of Bollywood. This weekend I checked out the DVD Marigold and watched it for the second time. It is a really nice film, filled with singing, dancing, comedy, romance and a beautiful setting (did I mention that the costumes in the film are wonderful, too?) The basic story is that Marigold Lexton (played by Ali Larter - "Nikki, etc." for all of you Heroes television fans) is a B-list actress who is stranded and broke in Goa, India after the financing is pulled on the low-budget, last-chance film she was scheduled to make. Trying to pay for a plane ticket home, she catches the eye of the Indian Director of a "Bollywood" film and finagles her way into a role. Thus commences a madcap adventure as Marigold tries to perform in a musical, and is irresistibly pulled into a romance with a famed choreographer. This film is PG-13, but I think it is suitable for family viewing. You might also be interested in checking out A Passage to India, another great DVD (it was nominated for 11 Academy Awards) which delves into the culture of India.

A "Fool" for Merriment

Christopher Moore has to be one of the funniest authors I have ever read. I stumbled across his books one day in our library, and after reading the first one I was hooked! Each book he writes is full of unique characters who end up in the most bizarre situations, and whose narratives are delivered with a droll wit and plenty of hilarity. Moore's latest is Fool, and it is a satiric romp through the world of Shakespeare and King Lear. The book is a twisted and funny tale of the deranged king and his conniving daughters, with the addedd benefit of Moore's unique twists. The hero of the story is Pocket, King Lear's "small-statured" jester and his side-kick apprentice Drool (his nickname aptly describes him), who decide to make events turn out right when King Lear stubbornly takes away his youngest daughter Cordelia's inheritance and banishes her from the kingdom. Pocket and Drool travel across the kingdom, consult with three witches (has anyone read MacBeth?), cast magic spells and encounter a ghost (there's always a bloody ghost) while orchestrating enough wars and murders to make the readers' head swim. It took me a couple of chapters to get used to the English slang but don't worry--Moore has included plenty of footnotes with definitions of each slang word. Christopher Moore is the author of ten other novels and I think any one you pick up will be a joy to read. Christopher Moore invites readers to e-mail him at BSFiends@aol.com and check out his website located at http://www.chrismoore.com/.

Put Your Vacation to Work!

I recently read a magazine article about Gen X and Gen Y, those generations born between 1960 and 1980, respectively. In the article, they didn’t want just a job or a career, they wanted what they did to be meaningful. While those jobs may be few and far between, making your time meaningful can be found in other ways. A recent addition to our collection can help. Volunteer Vacations by Bill McMillon, Doug Cutchings, and Anne Geissinger offers short-term adventures that will benefit you and others. The blurb says that “if you’re looking for a way to make a difference while on vacation—simultaneously getting away and using your talents to improve the world—this guide shows you how a short-term volunteer stint can transform your life as much as the people, animals, and ecology you choose to help.” This edition is filled with in-depth information and profiles of more than 150 select organizations running thousands of quality programs in the United States and around the world. Each listing includes complete contact information with locations, costs, dates and project details you won’t find anywhere else. In addition, it features some of the better established long-term projects as well as organizations specifically tailored for families, seniors, and people with disabilities.

Kitty Sewell's Psychological Suspense

Kitty Sewell's new novel, Bloodprint, delivers on its promise to be, as the book jacket states, a "searing novel of psychological suspense." Madeleine West plays the starring role in this book, as she is the flawed heroine who has fled her native island of Key West due to a devastating hearbreak, and taken up residence in the ancient city of Bath, England. When Rachel Locklear visits Madeleine's office seeking therapy, Madeleine is intrigued and increasingly fascinated by the history of the hostile, damaged young woman, whose childhood eerily echoes Madeleine's. Sinister forces have begun acting in Rachel's life and she is on the run from her ruthless partner, her child's father, who will do whatever he can to control Rachel and her son. This is a tale of revenge and deception that takes place on the beautiful tropical island of Key West as well as the crumbling, historical streets of Bath. Madeleine and Rachel and their painful pasts collide in this story with Cuban sorcery, prostitution and murder. The story is both terrifying and compelling and it is hard to put down once you begin reading it. Ms. Sewell was born in Sweden and trained to be a psychotherapist and a sculptor before she found her true love in the art of writing. Her first novel, Ice Trap is the story of a British surgeon who discovers he fathered twins in icy, remote Canada fifteen years earlier, and details the unraveling of his career and marriage as he confronts the demons of his past.

You Only Have Three Weeks...

Three Weeks to Say Goodbye is the latest thriller written by C. J. Box. The premise of the story is this: Jack and Melissa McGuane have spent many years and miserable moments trying to have a baby. Finally, they are able to adopt Angelina, a sweet baby who is all they have hoped for. Nine months after her adoption, however, the adoption agency calls with horrible news. Angelina's birth father, a teen, never signed away his parental rights and wants her back. The teen's dad is a powerful Denver judge who is willing to use all his power to make sure his son owns up to his own responsibilities and takes care of Angelina. Jack and Melissa decide to meed with Angelina's dad and grandfather face-to-face, and when they meet them they realize that there is something sinister about both men and that love for Angelina is not what is motivating them to get her back. Thus begins a terrifying game of intimidation and double cross in this book that will leave you breathless! This book is intense, and the action keeps you guessing until the very last page of the book. Jack and Melissa are wonderful parents who risk everything to keep Angelina safe and their terror and love for her is expertly communicated throughout the novel. C. J.Box is the author of the bestselling Blue Heaven and seven Joe Pickett novels, and currently lives outside Cheyenne, Wyoming with his family. Be sure to check out his website at http://www.cjbox.net/.