Archives for Authors & Books

Macmillan, eBooks, and Access

Macmillan, eBooks, and Access

If you are looking for a new eBook published by Macmillan and can’t find it in our collection, it’s because the publisher, Macmillan, has taken the unprecedented act of limiting public library access to their eBooks. In response, the White Plains Public Library has decided to suspend the acquisition of all eBooks published by Macmillan. Macmillan, one of the country’s five largest publishers, includes such well-known brands as Farrar, Straus & Giroux, St. Martin’s Press, Picador, Tor, and more. This fall, Macmillan announced that it would make eBooks available to libraries under a new model: a library may purchase one
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November 20, 2019 2:54 pm | by | 2 Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Director's Corner, eNewsletter, Evergreen, Featured, Homepage, Homepage Kids, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: eBooks, Macmillan, and publishers.

Meet the Authors: Himmelfarb & Massena

Meet the Authors: Himmelfarb & Massena

This post has expired and the events have already occurred. Copies of the book that is mentioned can be purchased at the Everyday Healthy Cafe on the first floor of the Library. White Plains in the 20th Century (Arcadia Publishing) is a 130-page compendium of photographs of White Plains throughout the 1900s compiled by former White Plains librarian Ben Himmelfarb and current city archivist Elaine Massena. They gathered 200 photographs largely from the collections of artist/photographer John Rosch (1854-1949) and longtime White Plains city historian Renoda Brown Hoffman (1909-2005) to show how a village-turned-city (in 1916) evolved over 100 years.
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November 12, 2019 9:52 am | by | 8 Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Director's Corner, eNewsletter, Library News, and Local History.
Tags: adults, author event, Ben Himmelfarb, books, Elaine Massena, local history, white plains collection, and white plains history.

September 2019 LibraryReads

September 2019 LibraryReads

Here are the top ten books published in September that librarians across the country love. Just click on a title or book cover to place it on hold. Red at the Bone: A Novel by Jacqueline Woodson Published: 9/17/2019 by Riverhead Books “A rich, multigenerational weaving of two families, starting at Melody’s coming-of-age party. She wears the dress her mother didn’t get to wear because she was pregnant with Melody at the time. Alternating narration moves forward and backward in time, reflecting on family, desire, identity, and parenthood. For fans of Jesmyn Ward and Brit Bennett.”—Julie Graham, Yakima Valley Libraries,
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October 23, 2019 11:30 am | by | 2 Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, and Library News.
Tags: book recommendations and Library Reads.

What Should I Read Next?

What Should I Read Next?

This post as expired and the event has passed. Visit our adult calendar here for a current list of book related events or subscribe to our eNewsletter here to find out when Carol Fitzgerald will return. Get a heads-up on new books and refresh your reading list for the colder weather with publishing insider Carol Fitzgerald on Sunday October 20th at 1:30 p.m. Back by popular demand, Carol will share news about the season’s buzz-worthy titles and facilitate a discussion of book group practices, successes, and failures. Carol Fitzgerald is the President of The Book Report Network—a group of internet
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October 9, 2019 11:40 am | by | 2 Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Director's Corner, eNewsletter, and Library News.
Tags: book club, book discussion, book groups, book recommendations, and carol fitzgerald.

Teen Film Series: One Book, One Movie

Teen Film Series: One Book, One Movie

This post has expired. Please visit the teen calendar for the latest Edge events. Teens can extend their One Book, One White Plains reading experience by coming together to watch a film with related themes to Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng. Join in a meaningful discussion afterwards. Light refreshments will be served. The films will be shown at 5:30 p.m. on Thursdays in the Edge. Film schedule: October 3 – The Perks of Being a Wallflower October 10 – The Blind Side October 17 – The Sun is Also a Star October 24 – A Dog's Journey
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October 2, 2019 2:11 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, Events, and Library News.
Tags: film discussion, film series, movies, One Book One White Plains, teen films, and teen movies.

Book Club: The Future is Female

Book Club: The Future is Female

One of our newest book groups returns this month. The Future is Female, a mix of memoirs, short stories, novels, and poetry by and about interesting, talented, and inspiring women in history, the arts, sports, and everyday life. Led by Ellen O’Connell, the group will meet on the first Monday of every month, from 2:00-3:30 p.m. To place one of the readings on hold, simply click on the title. October 7: Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng (2014) a Novel — As part of the One Book, One White Plains program. “A moving exploration of family, history, and
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October 2, 2019 9:00 am | by | 11 Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, Events, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: book discussion, books by women, and feminist books.

Meet Author Ann Chiappetta

Meet Author Ann Chiappetta

This post has expired. Visit our adult calendar to see upcoming book and author events. When Ann Chiappetta lost her vision in 1993 because of retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a “Why me?” cry would have been very understandable. The New Rochelle resident had a family and a successful career as a designer of acrylic displays and furniture, where sight, of course, was critical. RP is a rare, genetic ocular disease that strikes about 1 in 4,000 people (the gene is recessive), and Chiappetta was the first in five generations of her family to be afflicted. “The diagnosis had come years earlier
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September 28, 2019 11:47 am | by | 3 Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, Events, and Library News.
Tags: Ann Chiappetta, book event, and meet the author.

August 2019 LibraryReads

August 2019 LibraryReads

Here are the top ten books published in August that librarians across the country love. Just click on a title or book cover to place it on hold. The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai Published: 8/6/2019 by Avon “An intelligent, multicultural contemporary romance. Rhi, CEO of the Crush dating app, and Samson, NFL star, embark on a joint project that turns into more than just talk. Issues of #MeToo in the tech industry and the NFL’s concussion problem are woven in. For readers of the Forbidden Heart series, Elle Wright, and Alyssa Cole.”—Jessica Werner, The Seattle Public Library, Seattle, WA
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September 25, 2019 9:37 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, Evergreen, and Library News.
Tags: book recommendations and Library Reads.

One Book, One White Plains

One Book, One White Plains

This September and October, White Plains will come together as a community to read Celeste Ng’s Everything I Never Told You. A gripping page-turner and striking family portrait, the novel follows a Chinese American family in 1970s small-town Ohio as they try to understand the death of the oldest daughter, Lydia. It explores “alienation, achievement, race, gender, family, and identity” (Amazon.com). Writes the New York Times Book Review: “If we know this story, we haven’t seen it yet in American Fiction, not until now.” How to participate? If you have a book group, make Everything I Never Told You your
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September 3, 2019 9:00 am | by | 3 Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Director's Corner, eNewsletter, Events, and Library News.
Tags: book discussion and One Book One White Plains.

Book ‘Em Fall 2019-Spring 2020

Book ‘Em Fall 2019-Spring 2020

Book ‘Em, our Mystery Book Group returns select Wednesdays at 2:30 p.m. beginning September 11th. This year we’re reading contemporary women authors—both first time novelists as well as the most acclaimed crime writers—with books that take us from Canada to Ireland to Japan. See the full list of dates below: September 11 (USA) Celeste Ng: Everything I Never Told You A huge mystery eats away at the center of the Lee family. October 16 (Ireland) Jo Spain: With Our Blessing Could a recent murder be linked to the notorious Magdalene Laundries? November 13 (Australia) Jane Harper: The Lost Man A
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August 28, 2019 5:16 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Director's Corner, eNewsletter, Events, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: Book 'Em, book discussion, and mystery.

July 2019 LibraryReads

July 2019 LibraryReads

Here are the top ten books published in June that librarians across the country love. Just click on a title or book cover to place it on hold. The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman Published: 7/9/2019 by Berkley “Nina likes her bookish life just fine. She works in a bookstore and is on a highly competitive trivia team. She is funny and snarky and great company (says this reader). Suddenly, a father she never knew dies and leaves her with a pack of brothers and sisters and Nina may be forced out of her comfortable reading chair.
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August 1, 2019 2:20 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, and Library News.
Tags: book recommendations and Library Reads.

One Book, One White Plains

One Book, One White Plains

This post has expired. For the latest information on One Book, One White Plains and to register for a pop-up discussion group, visit this post. We are excited to announce that Everything I Never Told You, by Celeste Ng, has been selected as our choice for One Book, One White Plains. A moving exploration of family, history and the meaning of home, Everything I Never Told You is both a gripping page-turner and an examination of the rifts that keep us apart. “One Book, One White Plains is an opportunity for White Plains residents of all backgrounds to come together
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July 28, 2019 3:25 pm | by | 6 Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Director's Corner, eNewsletter, and Events.
Tags: book discussion, Celeste Ng, and One Book One White Plains.

June 2019 LibraryReads

June 2019 LibraryReads

Here are the top ten books published in June that librarians across the country love. Just click on a title or book cover to place it on hold. Evvie Drake Starts Over: A Novel by Linda Holmes Published: 6/25/2019 by Ballantine Books “Relationships are hard, whether with a spouse, a best friend, a new love interest, or ourselves. Evvie navigates all of these after a life-changing series of events. An engaging novel that explores relationship nuances without being too dark or too cutesy. For fans of Jenny Colgan, Cecilia Ahern, and Sophie Kinsella.”—Maribeth Fisher, Scotch Plains Public Library, Scotch Plains,
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July 3, 2019 2:42 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, Featured, and Library News.
Tags: book recommendations and Library Reads.

May 2019 LibraryReads

May 2019 LibraryReads

Here are the top ten books published this month that librarians across the country love. Just click on a title or book cover to place it on hold. The Bride Test by Helen Hoang Published: 5/7/2019 by Berkley Jove “On the autism spectrum, Khai doesn’t feel anything for anyone. His mother recruits Esme, a young Vietnamese woman, to marry him. A realistic, humorous romance that reveals the slow path to love and a meaningful relationship. For those who loved The Kiss Quotient, The Rosie Project, and The Wedding Date.”—Jessica C. Williams, Tiffin-Seneca Public Library, Tiffin, OH The Book Woman of
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June 12, 2019 2:29 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, and Library News.
Tags: book recommendations and Library Reads.

New Books Perfect for Book Groups

New Books Perfect for Book Groups

If you’re in a book group, you are always looking for a great book that can stand up to the scrutiny of your friends. Not too long, not too short. Richly detailed but not too slow. Challenging but not Joyce’s Finnegan’s Wake. Well here are five books—all published in the past few months—that are perfect for a book discussion: complex, nuanced and full of issues that reverberate with the present. Oh, and none are over 350 pages! The Only Woman in the Room: A Novel by Marie Benedict In her rousing historical novel, Benedict imagines lesser known aspects of Hedy
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March 27, 2019 9:34 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Director's Corner, eNewsletter, Featured, and Library News.
Tags: book recommendations.

April 2019 LibraryReads

April 2019 LibraryReads

Here are the top ten books published this month that librarians across the country love. Just click on a title or book cover to place it on hold. Lost Roses: A Novel by Martha Hall Kelly Published: 4/9/2019 by Ballantine Books “The Ferriday family (The Lilac Girls) returns in this story of love, loss, and triumph. The voices of four compelling female characters tell of the devastating effects of the Russian Revolution and World War I. Highly recommended for book clubs and fans of Anthony Doerr, Susan Meissner, and Lauren Belfer.”—Mamie Ney, Auburn Public Library, Auburn, ME The Girl He
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March 25, 2019 4:33 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, Featured, and Library News.
Tags: book recommendations and Library Reads.

March 2019 LibraryReads

March 2019 LibraryReads

Here are the top ten books published this month that librarians across the country love. Just click on a title or book cover to place it on hold. My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing Published: 3/26/2019 by Berkley “An incredible, dark, twisty psychological thriller with two of the most seemingly normal but disturbingly depraved people you will read about in fiction. This brilliant debut needs to be at the top of your must-read list. For readers who like taut suspense and works by Gillian Flynn, B.A. Paris, and Mary Kubica.”—Rachel Reeves, Weatherford Public Library, Weatherford, TX Beautiful Bad by Annie
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February 25, 2019 4:55 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, Featured, and Library News.
Tags: book recommendations and Library Reads.

Best Audiobooks of 2018

Best Audiobooks of 2018

Every year, through the Listen List Council of the American Library Association, librarians create the Listen List, selected for both avid listeners of audiobooks and those new to the pleasures of the fastest-growing format in publishing. This juried list of twelve newly-released titles features extraordinary narrators and listening experiences. This past year jury members listened to 2,574 hours as they narrowed the field to 58 nominated audiobooks and selected winners that include fiction, nonfiction, memoir, and poetry, each an outstanding performance in terms of voice, accents, pitch, tone, inflection, rhythm and pace. Here’s the 12 that made the final cut:
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February 20, 2019 12:50 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, Featured, and Library News.
Tags: audiobooks.

February 2019 LibraryReads

February 2019 LibraryReads

Here are the top ten books published this month that librarians across the country love. Just click on a title or book cover to place it on hold. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides Published: 2/5/2019 by Celadon Books “Led on a dark path, readers will quickly guess that there’s more to Alicia’s story than what meets the eye. But the big surprises lie in the deep betrayals and the shock of an ending. Dark, twisted, perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn, Paula Hawkins, and Ruth Ware.”—Amy Fellows, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry
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February 5, 2019 4:42 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, and Library News.
Tags: book recommendations and Library Reads.

Essential Cookbooks

Essential Cookbooks

This is the time of the year when librarians create lists of the best or recommended books of the year—from best picture book for children to best audiobook books for adults. And we’ll be highlighting many of these over the next few weeks. But here’s something completely new: a list of the essential cookbooks, suitable for both avid chefs as well as those just learning the rewards of making a meal. This was the first time the American Library Association ever created a list of recommended cookbooks, and I was happy to serve on the committee. And while it sounds
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January 31, 2019 9:36 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, Evergreen, Featured, and Library News.
Tags: cookbooks.