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Health & Fitness

"Snow" Better Time to Read!

Snow days are a great time to catch up on reading. Stay warm and safe with some new snow books!

The shoveling may be done, but the roads were not the best. Sometimes staying home and staying safe is the best bet. Sit tight and read!

Here are few “snowy” selections for your reading enjoyment.

Guterson, David. Snow Falling on Cedars

Set on a small island off the coast of Washington state in the 1950s  it is the story of a murder, small town life, prejudice, and lost love. Fisherman Kabuo Miyomoto has been charged with the murder of Carl Heine, a fellow fisherman. Years before Miyamoto’s family had nearly completed a purchase of land from Heine family. Then Pearl Harbor happened and the Miyamoto’s were sent to the Internment camps. They were never able to get the land. Ishmael Chambers is a veteran who has returned home from WWII. He becomes the editor and publisher of the town newspaper and he is covering the trial. In an interesting twist Miyamoto’s wife Hatsue was Chambers’ first love, and he never truly recovered from losing her. A well written, beautiful, and haunting story.

Ivey, Eowyn. The Snow Child

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Jack and Mabel, a fiftysomething childless couple, are struggling to survive as homesteaders in the 1920s in Alaska. It is a difficult life and is putting a strain on their already unhappy marriage. Mabel and Jack build a snow child in their yard. The next day they find the snow child gone, and they catch a glimpse of a young girl in the woods. They get to know the girl who is named Faina. She lives in the woods on her own and has no issues with the bitter cold and snow. She is literally appears as white as snow and cannot seem to tolerate heat. Is Faina truly a magical being or is she something else? While this story is based on Russian fairy tales, it is written for an adult audience.

Nesbo, Jo. The  Snowman

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This chilling thriller feature Oslo detective Harry Hole (pronounced Ho-leh). This is actually the seventh book featuring Hole.Readers who have not read the previous volumes will have no problems following along. Hole struggles after a failed relationship and wrestles with his alcoholism. The story opens with a gripping and disturbing interlude which takes place during the 1970s two lovers meet for their last time while the woman’s son waits in the car. During their meeting the man sees a snowman that appears to be watching them. Fast forward to the present day. A mother comes home and notices a snowman in the front yard. When she asks her son if he built it he says no. Just before the boy goes to bed he realizes the snowman appears to be watching him. The next morning the little boy wakes up and his mother is missing. He goes outside and sees the snowman is now wearing his mother’s pink scarf...

Rowland, Laura Joh. The Snow Empress

This series is set in 17th Century shogun era Japan. Sano Ichiro is the main character. He rises up from a lowly samurai to become a government official. (The political maneuvering is fascinating and an important part of the plot). Sano’s son is kidnapped, and he will stop at nothing to bring his son home. Sano’s search brings him to the remote northern city of Ezogashima, where the insane local ruler is holding the entire community hostage. The ruler seeks to find who murdered his mistress who was known as the “Snow Empress”. A brilliant historical mystery series which is best appreciated when readers start with book 1 Shinju as it is written in chronological order. It is a wonderful series that nicely balances historical details and fascinating well-drawn characters with a great mystery.

Joyce, James. “The Dead” featured in The Dubliners

This brilliantly written short story takes place in Dublin at a winter party in 1904. Gabriel Conroy always attends the party that his elderly aunts host every year. On the surface the story is a simple one of a get together, but there is an undercurrent of melancholy. It ends with the haunting image of snow falling "general all over Ireland."

These books can be reserved online or by speaking with one of the librarians on the Reference Desk. Remember even if the Library is not open our website is always available. Patrons can download ebooks and audiobooks from our Live-brary digital branch. The downloaded ebooks and audiobooks can be read on a variety of devices including phones, e-readers, tablets, and your computer.

The Library can always be of help whether the storm has cleared or the blizzard is at the door.

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