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| Display Name: | Kim B |
| About me: | I love my job as a librarian at HCL. |
| Reading Interests: | First novels are fun to try. There are so many talented new writers out there. I am drawn to literary and historical fiction, memoirs, adventure, and books on spirituality. |
| Kim B's Comments |
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 This time together [sound recording] : [laughter and reflection] by Burnett, Carol. What a wonderful audio! I expected lots of funny stories from Carol’s career (which are delightfully told) but I didn’t expect the spiritual and very moving parts. Carol is a great reader. This is so enjoyable if you have fond memories of The Carol Burnett Show. I especially loved the Tim Conway anecdotes. He’s nuts! And Carrie and the Fib is very cute. posted Jun 23, 2010 at 10:09AM
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 William & Mary. Disc 1, episodes 1-4 [videorecording]
Excellent British series about an undertaker and a midwife. I loved it. posted Jun 15, 2010 at 8:54PM
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 Departures [videorecording] by Takita, Yojiro Moving film, good acting, great ending. See it! posted May 30, 2010 at 12:21PM
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 As It Is In Heaven (DVD)
Best movie I have seen in a very long time. I watched my favorite part four times. Original, lovely, and surprising film about humanity and music. Don’t miss this wonderful Oscar nominated Swedish film! posted May 4, 2010 at 12:52PM
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 Playing the enemy : Nelson Mandela and the game that made a nation by Carlin, John, 1956- Inspired the movie Invictus. posted Mar 10, 2010 at 11:53AM
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 Pygmalion by Shaw, Bernard, 1856-1950. Pygmalion inspired My Fair Lady. posted Mar 10, 2010 at 11:17AM
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 Push : a novel by Sapphire, 1950- Push inspired the movie Precious. posted Mar 10, 2010 at 11:17AM
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 Ein Lied von Liebe und Tod [videorecording] = Gloomy Sunday by Schubel, Rolf Fascinating foreign film set in Budapest. Good story with a surprise ending. posted Mar 8, 2010 at 2:27PM
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 Happens every day : an all-too-true story by Isabel Gillies The author reads the story of her six year marriage and its ending (along with a satisfying epilogue). Isabel Gillies gives up her New York career (she played a small role on Law and Order: Special Victims Unit) to follow her poetry professor husband when he is hired by Oberlin College in Ohio. She loves her life in Oberlin raising their two small sons, and is stunned when one day her husband says, "I can’t do this anymore." She suspects he’s involved with the new English professor, and Isabel tells what happens next with class, brutal honesty and occasional humor. posted Feb 23, 2010 at 1:03PM
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| Say anything [videorecording]
I enjoyed watching the 20th anniversary edition. The deleted scenes and other extras were great. The film holds up wonderfully twenty years later. What a great movie... if you haven’t seen it, do! John Cusack is adorable as Lloyd Dobler. And Ione Skye (the singer Donovan’s daughter!) is perfect as Diane. posted Feb 4, 2010 at 11:36AM
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| Kim B's Book Lists | |
| Run (or walk) to these novels! (11 titles)
Running is a running theme (sorry) in these novels. Since I'm a walker, I included a few that skirt around that theme, too. | |
| (Recent) Memoirs You Must Not Miss (10 titles)
These memoirs were recently published. Instead of a Letter was originally published in 1962; a brilliant person rescued it from out-of-print Obscurity-ville. | |
| Adults love 'em, too! (24 titles)
You don't have to be a kid or teen to love these books. | |
| Number One Fiction (25 titles)
The very first novel to be on the New York Times Best Seller List for Fiction was And Now Tomorrow by Rachel Field (August 9, 1942). Here's a sampling of Number One Fiction over the years... | |
| Don't Be Scared (14 titles)
Try hard, try very hard, not to be scared... | |
| Outstanding Debuts (18 titles)
First novels to discover, savor and reread. All of these authors continued to publish novels except Margaret Mitchell and Harper Lee. Hillary Jordan and Kathryn Stockett are new first novelists. Hopefully, they are working on their second novels. | |
| My Summer Reading List (18 titles)
What books will you take to the beach or cabin this summer? Here's my list. I probably need a bigger beach bag. | |
| The Cream of the Crop: Best Books of the Decade (17 titles)
What would you add to the Best Books of the Decade? | |
| Unlocked Diaries (29 titles)
How delicious to read someone else's diary! Very private thoughts await you... | |
| Expatriate Experiences (15 titles)
If you have ever dreamed of living abroad for an extended period of time, you can try it vicariously by reading one of these novels or memoirs. | |
| Charleston Yarns (9 titles)
Novels that evoke the history and beauty of Charleston, South Carolina. | |
| Books No One Should Miss! (28 titles)
Not-to-be-missed books, under any circumstance! What have I missed? What would you add? | |
| Books that Journeyed to the Oscars (54 titles)
Now that the 2010 Academy Award ceremony is behind us, read a book that inspired a movie. These movies went on to garner Oscar nominations or wins as Best Picture or Best Actor/Actress. | |
| Olympic Figure Skating (16 titles)
I love the Winter Olympics... especially the figure skating competitions. Interviewing gold medalist Peggy Fleming years ago for my high school newspaper was an unforgettable experience! | |
| Quirky Characters (16 titles)
Quirky characters, if brilliantly created, make a novel delicious. Do you have a favorite fictional character who has some kind of unusual personality trait? | |
| Everyone has a Story (29 titles)
An assortment of great memoirs... | |
| Authors I Miss (6 titles)
Sadly, most of these authors are no longer with us and one has retired from writing. I miss reading their work. Which authors do you miss? | |
| Best Books of 2009 (11 titles)
Women authors penned some amazing novels in 2009. Here's a sampling... | |
| Novellas (17 titles)
Short on time yet you would like a worthwhile reading experience? Try a novella, a short novel which usually has between 10,000 and 50,000 words. | |
| Redemption (16 titles)
These novels have characters trying to atone or make good on the price of their error in judgment or their crime (which was sometimes self-inflicted). | |
| Magical Fiction for Grown-ups (23 titles)
Be forewarned: bewitching reading ahead | |
| Nobel Prize Winners (45 titles)
A selection of works by and about a selection of Nobel Prize winners. | |
| Political Novels (25 titles)
You could argue most if not all fiction is political to some degree but this list covers a few notable political novels. | |
| Mysteries for people who don't read mysteries (7 titles)
I normally do not gravitate to mysteries but I did enjoy these; character-driven tales where the people are much more important than the mystery (which I don't really care about). This is a short list. What else should I read? | |
| The Julie and Julia Craze (22 titles)
The memoir and film Julie & Julia fires one up for new culinary adventures. More inspiration below... | |
| Butlers and Maids and Gamekeepers, Oh My! (20 titles)
Novels about maids, butlers, chauffeurs and other domestic workers. | |
| Your One Wild and Precious Life (14 titles)
Books to inspire, change and improve "your one wild and precious life." (from the poem The Summer Day by Mary Oliver) | |
| A Stack of Unread Books (14 titles)
Do you ever buy books and then not read them? You really want to and have every intention to but they haven't been read yet (because you have too many library books at home with a due date). But... it still feels good to know they're there if you need them ... someday! | |
| One Year of Deliberate Change (27 titles)
Memoirs about trying something new and different for a year. | |
| Bananas and Beans (14 titles)
Who knew there were entire history books on beans, bananas, milk and cod? | |
| Highly Anticipated Fall Fiction (20 titles)
Be sure to get on the library's reserve lists for some of these newly released fall novels and short stories by accomplished authors! | |
| Money Matters (7 titles)
Excellent books to help you save money. | |
| Wonderfully Weird (17 titles)
If you like strange books, one of these may be your cup of tea. | |
| Fabulously Fat Fiction (32 titles)
Deliciously long novels you can sink your teeth into. East of Eden is hefty at 601 pages but War and Peace at 1386 pages is more than double its size. | |
| Love Gone Wrong (18 titles)
Stories of unrequited love and other various and sundry problems... | |
| Survival Stories (35 titles)
Different kinds of survival stories; some are fictional and some are real. | |
| Foodie Fiction (21 titles)
Novels that revolve around food. What could be better? | |
| Moving and Settling In (23 titles)
Novels (and one memoir, Angels & Aliens) that explore the experience of starting a new life across the country or the world. | |
| Shakespeare Spinoffs & Snatchings (25 titles)
Ay me... there are so many tales inspired by the Bard! | |
| Emotions... Men Who Get It! (17 titles)
Male novelists who masterfully create characters with emotional depth. | |
| Movie Memoirs and More (29 titles)
A sampling of interesting celebrity biographies and memoirs. "And More" refers to books I've included that are not really "movie" memoirs such as Debra Winger's Undiscovered, Ellen Burstyn's Lessons in Becoming Myself, and Sidney Poitier's Measure of a Man. | |
| First Person Voice (31 titles)
I'm always drawn to novels told in the first person. Spoken and unspoken thoughts, in their uncensored glory, are mine for the taking. | |
| Fiction-like Nonfiction (37 titles)
Nonfiction that reads like fiction. | |
| Dogs are perfectly capable of narrating a story! (16 titles)
Canines have no problem telling it like it is in these novels. | |
| Family Ties (12 titles)
Families and their complex relationships are explored in these original novels. | |
| Unputdownables! (48 titles)
If you're like me, you won't be able to put these down. However, if you're not like me, maybe you will be able to ... but it's highly doubtful! | |
| Prague Fiction (6 titles)
Beautiful Prague, Czech Republic is the setting for these novels. | |
| Banned and Challenged Books (18 titles)
Just a few of many books that have been frequently or recently banned or challenged. | |
| Simply Spring (12 titles)
Stories set in springtime or books that explore the season. | |
| Minnesota Authors (25 titles)
By no means a comprehensive list but here are a few wonderful Minnesota authors to sample. | |
| Short but not Necessarily Sweet (12 titles)
Short novels for when you don't have much time to read. | |
| Oregon Fiction (9 titles)
Novels set in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. | |
| Fiction set in the Middle Ages (13 titles)
Ever wonder what it was like to live in medieval times? These novels give you a good idea. | |
| Strange Titles (29 titles)
There are so many... I'll keep adding as I find them. | |
| Holiday Fiction (22 titles)
Novels with a Thanksgiving or Christmas setting or scene. | |
| Movies Based on Books (25 titles)
All of these movies are based on books. Some have been released; some will come soon. | |
| Stay Calm (15 titles)
Help for finding peace and serenity in an uncertain world. | |
| Articulate Animals (15 titles)
Animals express their unique points of view in these novels. | |
| Water, Water Everywhere (18 titles)
Stories set on an ocean, river or lake. | |
| Timeless Fiction (35 titles)
Novels that will never be out of print (or I'll eat my hat!) | |
| Change the World (12 titles)
Both large and small ways people can make a positive impact in today's world. I especially loved Age of Miracles by Marianne Williamson. | |
| Fictional Takes on Real People (23 titles)
Authors take a real character from history and then imagine dialogues and situations... biographical fiction is fun to read while learning about a famous (or in some cases, infamous) person. | |
| True Originals (45 titles)
One-of-a-kind novels. You'd be hard-pressed to find comparable stories. | |
| Hello. My Name is ... (39 titles)
A variety of fictional characters to meet. | |
| You've Got a Friend (14 titles)
Very good (and a few great) novels about friendship. | |
| Dear Ol' Mom and Dad (21 titles)
Novels that feature someone's mom and/or dad. | |
| You are What You Eat (11 titles)
Great books (especially The China Study!) on eating well. | |
| Maine on my Mind (37 titles)
Stephen King often sets his novels in Maine but he isn't the only one. | |
| Offbeat Love Stories (22 titles)
Unusual love stories with nary a formula in sight. | |
| Childhood: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly (40 titles)
Memoirs and novels about childhood. Some are carefree; some are not carefree yet funny; some are not funny. | |
| A World of Novels (21 titles)
A sampling of good fiction by authors from around the globe. | |
| Novel Endings (19 titles)
Novels (and a few short stories) that have very satisfying endings (but not necessarily happy) OR disturbing endings (those are noted for the squeamish). | |
| Coming of Age (22 titles)
Characters grow up in one way or another in these excellent novels and memoirs. | |
| No Stinkin' Thinkin' (34 titles)
Fiction and non-fiction that inspires and uplifts. | |
| Fascinating Lives (33 titles)
Read about an interesting person; some are new memoirs, some are old, all are fascinating. | |
| Books I Could Not Put Down (30 titles)
I found all of these books impossible to put down... or, if I just had to (to go to work, sleep, etc), I couldn't wait to pick them up again. | |
| Someday (I will read this book) (29 titles)
I can't keep up! Books waiting for me ... | |
| Genre Fiction for Those Who Avoid It (13 titles)
One of my favorite novels is the Time Traveler's Wife but it's cataloged in Science Fiction, a genre I normally do not read. I realized I may be missing some great books by skipping the genres. Have you tried... | |
| Based on the Book (72 titles)
It seems to me the book is almost always better than the movie (except in the case of The Bridges of Madison County!). Some of these movies have been around for awhile; some are new or coming out in the next few months. What do you think? Is the book usually better than the movie? | |
| Funny Books (28 titles)
Humor is subjective but I found these books or parts of these books just hilarious. | |
| My Favorite Reads in 2007 (14 titles)
I enjoyed all of the books on this list; some were published in 2007 and some are older titles. My favorite book this year was Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. | |
| Take a Break During Your Holiday Preparations (16 titles)
You can't bake, shop, wrap gifts, clean, and plan 24/7! Give yourself a break and read a short book. | |
| Going Places (19 titles)
Activate your wanderlust by reading a book with an interesting setting. | |
| Fall into books this fall (17 titles)
As the leaves turn and fall from the trees, bite into a crisp Haralson apple, and read a good book... | |
| Listen... (22 titles)
Here are some great books made even better when listened to because the readers are so very effective. | |
| Lazy Afternoon Reads (20 titles)
If you are lucky enough to find yourself with a free afternoon to read under a big old oak tree or on a comfy sofa, here are some great titles to consider | |
| Must Love Dogs or Cats (24 titles)
Some great dog and cat books... | |
| They Took No Guff! (21 titles)
Strong women and girls in fiction... | |
| Don't wait another minute... (17 titles)
read this book | |
| Heaven Can Wait (12 titles)
Some heavenly titles ... | |
| Going to the Dentist? Don't Forget a Book! (23 titles)
Tip: Always have a good book with you in case you have to kill time waiting for someone. Here are some great titles to consider: | |
| Experience Life in Another Time and Place (24 titles)
Historical fiction at its best. | |
| An Eclectic and Electrifying Mix (34 titles)
A hodgepodge of some favorite books... | |
| Meet Authors (26 titles)
I enjoy attending author readings and signings. I have met the following authors; they were all great (and so are their books!) | |
| Cold Enough For You? (10 titles)
Novels set in the midst of winter. Read these novels close to a roaring fire with hot tea in hand (unless it's summer and you want to cool off!). | |
| Shoes, Legs or Feet on the Book Cover (32 titles)
There seems to be a trend to show feet, legs or shoes on book covers... why, I don't know, but these are all great reads. | |
| Musical Fiction (16 titles)
Fiction where music plays a large part. | |
| You are Almost There (18 titles)
Books with a strong sense of place. The setting is practically another character in the story. | |
| Remarkable Friendships (16 titles)
Novels, memoirs and biographies about unusual friendships. | |
| Oldies but Goodies (23 titles)
Timeless reads that will never go out of style. | |
| Impressive First Novels (60 titles)
It's fun to try first novels. The ones listed here are very well crafted. Some are recently published from writers to watch. Others are debuts from now well-known authors. | |
| Favorite Gift Books (20 titles)
I love these books and like to share them with others. |
