Lima Public Library Book Reviews

FICTION

The Old Lion: A Novel of Theodore Roosevelt by Jeff Shaara

From the mid-nineteenth century to the early twentieth century, from the waning days of the rugged frontier of a young country to the emergence of a modern, industrial nation exerting its power on the world stage, Theodore Roosevelt embodied both the myth and reality of the country he loved and led.

At the Hour Between Dog and Wolf by Tara Ison

When Danielle Marton’s father is killed during the early days of the German Occupation, her mother sends her to live in a quiet farming town near Limoges in Vichy France. Now called Marie-Jeanne Chantier, Danielle struggles to balance the truth of what’s happened to her family and her country with the lies she must tell to keep herself safe. At first, she’s bitter about being left behind by her mother, and horrified at having to milk the cow and memorize Catholic prayers for church.

The Chinese Groove by Kathryn Ma

Eighteen-year-old Shelley, born into a much-despised branch of the Zheng family in Yunnan Province, dreams of bigger things. Buoyed by an exuberant heart and his cousin Deng’s tall tales about the United States, Shelley heads to San Francisco to claim his destiny, confident that any hurdles will be easily overcome by the awesome powers of the “Chinese groove,” a belief in the unspoken bonds between countrymen that transcend time and borders.

Device Free Weekend by Sean Doolittle

Ryan Cloverhill, founder and CEO of the world’s most popular social media platform, invites his six best friends from college to his home on his private island near Puget Sound. For Stephen, Emma, Perry, Will, Beau, and Lainie, day one is just what the doctor ordered: amazing food, many drinks, lots of laughter, and a sunset cruise around the island aboard their host’s custom Van Dutch 55.

NON-FICTION

The Curious History of the Heart: A Cultural and Scientific Journey by Vincent M. Figueredo

For much of recorded history, people considered the heart to be the most important organ in the body. In cultures around the world, the heart―not the brain―was believed to be the location of intelligence, memory, emotion, and the soul. Modern medicine and science dismissed what was once the king of the organs as a mere blood pump subservient to the brain, yet the heart remains a potent symbol of love and health and an important part of our cultural iconography.

The Great Gelatin Revival: Savory Aspics, Jiggly Shots, and Outrageous Desserts by Ken Albala

Once synonymous with food novelty, gelatin has re-emerged as an attention-grabbing element of creative cuisine and avant-garde drinkology. Ken Albala’s most fearless food exploration yet takes readers into the sublime world of aspics past and present. Albala traces gelatin’s ever-changing fortunes alongside one-of-a-kind recipes that inspire, delight, and terrify as only jello can do. Gelatin’s wondrous arrival in the medieval era was part of a technological watershed.

The Stories Whiteness Tells Itself: Racial Myths and Our American Narratives by David Mura

The police murders of two Black men, Philando Castile and George Floyd, frame this searing exploration of the historical and fictional narratives that white America tells itself to justify and maintain white supremacy. From the country’s founding through the summer of Black Lives Matter in 2020, David Mura unmasks how white stories about race attempt to erase the brutality of the past and underpin systemic racism in the present.

The Windsors at War: The King, His Brother, and a Family Divided by Alexander Larman

At the beginning of 1937, the British monarchy was in a state of turmoil. The previous king, Edward VIII, had abdicated the throne, leaving his unprepared and terrified brother Bertie to become George VI, surrounded by a gaggle of courtiers and politicians who barely thought him up to the job. Meanwhile, as the now-Duke of Windsor awaited the decree that would allow him to marry his mistress Wallis Simpson, he took an increased interest in the expansionist plans of Adolf Hitler.

CHILDREN’S

I Help at Home (Montessori Life Skills) by Saniyyah Khalilallah

Sweeping, scrubbing, dusting, and picking up are perfect hands-on activities for teaching toddlers to care for their environment, while also fostering independence and developing strong motor skills. Inspired by the Montessori curriculum, this colorful guide specially created for 2- to 5-year-olds, teaches practical life skills with step-by-step photos. From setting a table to washing dishes, dusting shelves, and cleaning the bedroom, toddlers and preschoolers learn the confidence and satisfaction that comes from being able to help at home. The unique book format features an interactive skills chart with sliding windows on the inside back cover, encouraging toddlers to complete the task, slide the window to earn a star and proudly say, “I Did It!”.

Ages: Parent-Teacher

LIBRARY OPEN

• Lima Public Library is open to the public six days a week. Hours for the Main Library in Lima are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Our Cairo, Elida and Spencerville branch libraries are open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Our Lafayette branch is open from 12 noon to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday.

• Curbside pickup is available at the Main Library from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. Arrangements can be made by calling 567-712-5239, contacting the library through Facebook Messenger, or putting a hold on a book through the online catalog. 24 hour notice is required. Call us when you arrive (park near the main entrance) and your items will be brought to you.