Here at the Library, we are often asked to recommend “a good book.”
Suffice it to say, there are many definitions of “a good book.”  Just Google “The best books of 2018” and you will marvel at the variety of those mentioned. Some books are considered good because they have won major awards.  Some books we expect to be good because they are the latest by our favorite author.  In this column, we will feature works by authors generally acknowledged for the quality of their work. Some will be more recent than others. We hope that you will find all of them interesting. This month, we are featuring the work of several lawyers who went from practicing law to writing legal thrillers. Non-fiction can often read like a novel and be just as spellbinding as a legal thriller.  Nathaniel Philbrick fits that description.

Fiction:  The lawyerEarle Stanley Gardner (1889-1970) wrote a series of legal thriller short stories featuring criminal defense lawyer Perry Mason. While the stories sold well, America’s appetite for legal thrillers was whetted by the television series based on those stories starring Raymond Burr as Perry Mason.  The series ran from September, 1957, into May, 1966.   The genre was born, and several lawyers quickly found an audience for their work.   Richard North Patterson (1949-) published his first work “The Lasko Tangent in 1979.” Scott Turow’s “Presumed Innocent” followed in 1987. John Grisham (1955-) published “A Time to Kill” in 1989.  Lisa Scottoline (1955-) published “Everywhere That Mary Went” in 1993.  And, Meg Gardiner (1957-) published the first of the Evan Delaney mysteries in 2002.  All these writers went on to write many more blockbuster legal thrillers, many of which became blockbuster movies.

Non-Fiction: If you have never read non-fiction, but you like American history, the work of Nathaniel Philbrick might be just for you, because Philbrick’s  work really does read like a novel.  He takes his subject and explores the “before, during and after” in such a way that the reader comes away with a very good understanding of the “why” of it.   To mention just a few:  Philbrick’s “In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex,” published in 1999, won the National Book Award. Revenge of the Whale” followed in  2002, “ Mayflower” in 2006, “Why Read Moby Dick,” in 2011 and many more!.

NEW BOOKS:

ADULT FICTION: “Labyrinth,” Catherine Coulter
“A Dangerous Man,” Robert Crais
“Tidelands,” Philippa Gregory
“The Girl Who Lived Twice,” David Lagercrantz
“Someone We Know,” Shari Lapena
“Temptation’s Darling,” Johanna Lindsey
“Lady in the Lake,” Laura Lippman
“Killer Instinct,” James Patterson and Howard Roughan
“Old Bones,” Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
“Vendetta in Death,” J.D. Robb
“The Last Widow,” Karin Slaughter
“The Dark Side,” Danielle Steel
“The Turn of the Key,” Ruth Ware

Adult Non-Fiction:
“Life After Suicide:  Finding Courage, Comfort and Community After Unthinkable Loss,” Jennifer Ashton MD
“Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About the People We Don’t Know,” Malcom Gladwell
“Justice on Trial: The Kavanaugh Confirmation and the Future of the Supreme Court,” Mollie Hemingway and Carrie Severino
‘Unfreedom of the Press,” Mark R. Levin
“Alone at Dawn: Medal of Honor Recipient John Chapman and the Untold Story of the World’s Deadliest Special Operations Force,” Dan Schilling and Lori Chapman Longfritz
“Three Women,” Lisa Taddeo.

Juvenile:
“What is NASA?” Sarah Fabiny
“Magic Tree House: To the Future, Ben Franklin!” Mary Pope Osborne
“Wings of Fire: The Poison Jungle,” Tui T. Sutherland

Young Adult:
“Wilder Girls,” Rory Power

Children’s Picture Books:
“The King of Kindergarten,” Derrick Barnes
“Sorry, Grown-Ups, You Can’t Go to School!” Christina Geist
“Red: A Crayon’s Story,” Michael Hall
“Moon’s First Friends: One Giant Leap for Friendship,” Susanna Leonard Hill
“How to Catch a Dinosaur,” Adam Wallace and Andy Elkerton

The first stanza of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s poem “Concord Hymn” gave us the immortal phrase
“the shot heard round the world.” In 1775, who could have known what that shot would mean to the
history of the world?

By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled,
Here once the embattled farmers stood
And fired the shot heard round the world.

While the birth of what would become the United States of America absolutely occurred on April 19,
1775, at the Battles of Lexington and Concord, here are a few examples of what really happened.

1. Who shot the shot heard ’round the world?
In Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Concord Hymn,” the “embattled farmers” fired “the shot heard ’round the
world” at the British regulars in Concord. More likely, the shots were fired at Lexington, where the
British fired on the Patriot militia, who also may have taken a few shots in the confusion.
One eyewitness to the skirmish was Paul Revere who had been detained but not arrested by the British.
He couldn’t tell who fired the first shot, in his account. Both sides later accused the other of firing first.

2. Did Paul Revere say, “The British are coming”?
That seems highly unlikely for several reasons. Revere was on a secret mission to warn the Patriots
about the advance of British forces, and at the time, the colonists were British. His more likely response
was, “The regulars are coming out.”

3. Did Revere ride by himself at midnight to warn the Patriots?
There were multiple riders as part of the intelligence effort set up by the Patriots. Two other men,
William Dawes, and Samuel Prescott rode with Revere. Revere never reached Concord as part of the
ride. He was detained by the British after leaving Lexington. It was Prescott who rode from Lexington to
Concord.

4. Were the colonists just a bunch of farmers fighting against the British?
In reality, the Patriots at Lexington and Concord were well organized and well supplied. Many were
veterans of the French and Indian campaigns, and they better understood the battle tactics in the area
than the British. After withdrawing back to Boston, Lord Percy said, “They have amongst them those
who know very well what they are about, having been employed as rangers among the Indians.”

5. Did the Patriots engage the British from a distance using rifles?
The Colonists primarily used muskets and not rifles, and they had to get fairly close to the enemy in
small-group formations to be effective.

An article on the American Rifleman website makes a convincing argument that the Patriots were better
shots than the British, but only 2 percent of their shots were on target.

Much of the fighting in the British retreat was in hand-to-hand combat, and the British were able to use
bayonets. The Patriots used circling tactics to constantly harass the British while building up their troop
strength. In the end, about 15,000 Patriot militia and Minutemen surrounded Boston as they trailed the
British retreat.

For a wealth of information about our nation’s beginnings, I highly recommend
https://constitution.org which is the source of these five fact bytes. All of us at the Public Library of
Catasauqua wish all of you a safe and very happy Independence Day celebration!

NEW BOOKS:

ADULT FICTION:
“Outfox,” Sandra Brown
“Shamed,” Linda Castillo
“City of Girls,” Elizabeth Gilbert
“The Friends We Keep,” Jane Green
“Willing to Die,” Lisa Jackson
“Smokescreen,” Iris Johansen
“The Inn,” James Patterson and Candice Fox
“A Better Man,” Louise Penny
“Surfside Sisters,” Nancy Thayer
“Blacklash,” Brad Thor
“Mrs. Everything,” Jennifer Weiner
“The Nickel Boys,” Colson Whitehead
“Contraband,” Stuart Woods

ADULT NON-FICTION:
“The Enemy of the People: A Dangerous Time to Tell the Truth in America,” Jim Acosta
“One Giant Leap: The Impossible Mission That Flew Us to the Moon,” Charles Fishman
“America’s Reluctant Prince: The Life of John F. Kennedy Jr.,” Steven M. Gillon
“Songs of America: Patriotism, Protest, and the Music That Made a Nation,” Jon Meacham and Tim McGraw
“Darkness to Light,” Lamar Odom
“Radicals, Resistance, and Revenge: The Left’s Plot to Remake America,” Judge Jeanine Pirro
“Siege: Trump Under Fire,” Michael Wolff

JUVENILE:
“Dog Man: For Whom the Ball Rolls,” Dave Pilkey
“I Survived the Attacks of September 11th , 2001,” Lauren Tarshis
“I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912,” Lauren Tarshis

YOUNG ADULT:
“The Rest of the Story,” Sarah Dessen

CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOKS:
The Crayon Man: The True Story of the Invention of Crayola Crayons,” Natascha Bouchard
“Old Friends, New Friends (Disney/Pixar Toy Story 4) (Step Into Reading),” Natasha Bouchard
“If You Had Your Birthday on the Moon,” Joyce Lapin
“Puppy Truck,” Brian Pinkney
“Hold Hands,” Sara Varon

Join us as we celebrate the 50^thAnniversary of the 1969 Apollo 11 Moon Landing during Summer Reading 2019.  Parents, register your children aged 4 through grade 12 in person at the Library. Our programs are guaranteed to be high-interest for all ages. All programs are on  Tuesdays at 1:30pm, with one exception- “Animals in Space” is “Just-for-Teens” at 4:30pm.

June 18^th Summer Reading begins, as it has for the past few years, with the Catasauqua Garden Club helping us plant flowers in pots to take home.  This year, the flowers represent the “Sun, Moon and Stars.”

June 25^th Decorate “Moon Landing” cupcakes with Blondie.

July 2^nd Skype to Japan for a “Star Festival” with Storyteller Karen Maurer.

July 9^th Make and launch your own rocket with the Da Vinci Science Center.

July 16^th Moravian College’s “Professor Gary” guides us through the July 20, 1969 Moon Landing.  That Apollo 11 mission launched from earth on July 16, 1969!

July 16^th Learn about “Animals in Space,” a program Just-for-Teens at 4:30pm.

July 23^rd Watch NASA’s acclaimed new movie “Apollo 11,” a movie for all ages.

July 30^th Summer Reading 2019 concludes with our traditional visit from Officer Wiseman, K9 Officer Zora and Oogies’s Ice Cream Truck with treats for everyone!

NEW BOOKS:

ADULT FICTION:
“One Good Deed,” David Baldacci
“Sidney Sheldon’s The Silent Widow,” Tilly Bagshawe
“The Guest Book,” Sarah Blake
“The Oracle,” Clive Cussler and Robin Burcell
“Cari Mora,” Thomas Harris
“Summer of ’69,” Elin Hilderbrand
“Paranoid,” Lisa Jackson
“Robert B. Parker’s Buckskin,” Robert Knott
“Window on the Bay,” Debbie Macomber
“Tom Clancy Enemy Contact,” Mike Maden
“The Summer Guests,” Mary Alice Monroe
“The 13 Minute Murder,” James Patterson
“Sophia, Princess Among Beasts,” James Patterson with Emily Raymond
“Under Currents,” Nora Roberts
“The New Girl,” Daniel Silva
“Lost and Found,” Danielle Steel

ADULT NON-FICTION:
“Theodore Roosevelt for the Defense: The Courtroom Battle to Save His Legacy,” Dan Abrams and David Fisher
“Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud and the Last Trial of Harper Lee,” Casey Cep
“Every Man a Hero: A Memoir of D-Day, the First Wave at Omaha Beach, and a World at War,” Ray Lambert and Jim DeFelice
“Howard Stern Comes Again,” Howard Stern
“The Kennedy Heirs: John, Caroline and the New Generation- A Legacy of Triumph and Tragedy,” J. Randy Taraborrelli
“The Impeachers: The Trial of Andrew Johnson and the Dream of a Just Nation,” Brenda Wineapple
“Fall and Rise: The Story of 9/11,” Mitchell Zuckoff

JUVENILE:
“National Geographic Kids Almanac 2020,” National Geographic Kids

CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOKS:
“Sticks,” Diane Alber
“Hair Love,” Matthew A. Cherry
“Dear Boy,” Paris Rosenthal and Jason Rosenthal
“Dr. Seuss’s I Love Pop!: A Celebration of Dads,” Dr. Seuss
“The Pigeon Has to Go to School,” Mo Willems

The Board of Trustees and the Staff of the Public Library of Catasauqua are very pleased to announce that we will be working with Pastor Brian Riedy and parishioners of Holy Trinity Memorial Lutheran Church on their Annual Yard Sale that takes place this year on June 1^st  from 8am to 1pm.  

The Library has been asked to take an active part in the coordination of the responsibilities and activities that lead up to the Annual Yard Sale, which in past years has been an important fundraiser for the Church.  Holy Trinity Lutheran’s commitment to serve the needs of the Catasauqua community is well known and takes many forms.  This year, Holy Trinity Lutheran will be donating the proceeds of the Yard Sale to the Library to help with our on-going plans to improve library services.

The Library’s Trustees and Staff are extremely grateful to Pastor Brian for acknowledging, in this way, the important role the Library plays in the life of the communities we serve. “Many hands make light work!”  Please call the Library at 610-264-4151 to sign up to help for an hour or two on any day, Tuesday thru Friday, preceding Saturday’s June 1^stYard Sale. Please consider contributing to the success of this special event.  You can be sure there will be treasures and bargains galore!

In recognition of the 50^thAnniversary of Apollo 11’s mission to the moon and Neil Armstrong’s historic moon walk, the Library’s Summer Reading 2019 programs are all about SPACE!  Beginning Monday, May 13^th, parents may register their children in person at the Library for a Summer of exciting, SPACE-themed, hands-on activities on Tuesdays at 1:30pm from June 18^ththrough July 30^th.

NEW BOOKS:

ADULT FICTION: “Sunset Beach,” Mary Kay Andrews
“Things My Son Needs to Know About the World,” Fredrik Backman
“The Better Sister,” Alafair Burke
“Queen Bee, “ Dorothea Benton Frank
“Lost Roses,” Martha Hall Kelly
“Two Weeks,” Karen Kingsbury
“Miracle at St. Andrews,” James Patterson with Peter de Jonge
“Unsolved,” James Patterson and David Ellis
“Tightrope,” Amanda Quick
“Skin Game,“ Stuart Woods and Parnell Hall

ADULT NON-FICTION:
“The British Are Coming: The War For America, Lexington to Princeton, 1775-1777,” Rick Atkinson
“Where the Light Enters: Building a Family, Discovering Myself,” Jill Biden
“Accidental Presidents: Eight Men Who Changed America,” Jared Cohen
“Collusion,” Newt Gingrich and Pete Earley
“The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World,” Melinda Gates
“Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, HER Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed,“ Lori Gottlieb
“Life Will Be the Death of Me:…And You Too!” Chelsea Handler
“Dutch Girl: Audrey Hepburn and World War II,” Robert Matzen
“Sea Stories: My Life in Special Operations,” Admiral William H. McRaven
“The Matriarch: Barbara Bush and the Making of an American Dynasty,” Susan Page

JUVENILE FICTION:  “Katt vs. Dogg,” James Patterson and Christopher Grabenstein
“Dog Man: Brawl of the Wild,” Dav Pilkey

CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOKS:
“Don’t Let Them Disappear,” Chelsea Clinton
“There Was An Old Astronaut Who Swallowed the Moon!” Lucille Colandro
“A Piglet Named Mercy,” Kate DiCamillo
“The Day Snuffy Had the Sniffles (Sesame Street),” Linda Lee Maifair

April showers bring May flowers!
Last month, this column was all about the month of March and the many celebrations associated with March events, some weather related, some more complex. Continuing that theme, the good news is that now we are in the month when “April showers bring May flowers!” Hoping that we are all enjoying the change of seasons and that we got past April Fool’s Day unscathed,  I’d like to focus on a little known, but to a librarian very important, holiday known as the “International Children’s Book Day,” celebrated each year on April 2nd.

The work of a great Author.
Danish author and beloved writer of fairy tales, Hans Christian Anderson was born on April 2, 1805.  Hans Christian Anderson’s tales are examples of virtue and resilience in the face of adversity. While to many, the name “Hans Christian Anderson” is synonymous with “fairy tales,” it is important to remember that Anderson’s tales can be edgy and even scary. It is believed by some child development professionals that fairy tales give children the opportunity to conquer their fears vicariously in order to mature into well-adjusted adults. They do so because in fairy tales’ children are often depicted as problem solvers, even heroes. Most of us remember well the lessons of “The Ugly Duckling” and “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” Fairy tales are a safe place for children to work out the complexities of personality and character development. And, they are timeless.

Anderson’s works have inspired ballets, plays, and films, both animated and live-action.
While International Children’s Book Day honors Anderson, the day is celebrated to inspire a love of reading and to call attention to children’s books generally. I invite all of you who have children in your lives to visit our Children’s Room and to browse our children’s non-fiction collections, especially 398.2, the Dewey Call Number for “Fairy Tales.”

In closing, April brings the solemnities of Passover, Palm Sunday and Good Friday, followed by the joy of Easter Sunday. All of us at the Public Library of Catasauqua, Trustees and Staff, wish all of you the Blessings of this season.

NEW BOOKS:

Adult Fiction:
“The Big Kahuna,” Janet Evanovich and Peter Evanovich
“The Night Window,” Dean Koontz
“The 18th Seduction,” James Peterson and Maxine Paetro
“The Fall of Crazy House,” James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonne
“Blessing in Disguide,” Danielle Steel

Adult Non-Fiction:
“The Pioneer: The Heroic Story of the Settlers Who Brought the American Ideal West,” David McCullough
“Ladies Who Punch:  The Explosive Inside Story of ‘The View’,” Ramin Setoodeh
“First: Sandra Day O’Connor,” Evan Thomas

Juvenile Fiction:
“Training Camp (The Wizenard Series #1),” Wesley King

In celebration of International Children’s Book Day,  the Library has purchased the following titles from The Penworthy Company, a high quality publisher of children’s books for ages PK to Grade 5:
“Curious George Discovers Plants”
“Curious George Discovers the Seasons”
“Curious George Harvest Hoedown”
“Dino Park”
“Library Day”
“Mr. Moon Wakes Up”
“Real Lie Heroes”
“Rocket Science”
“Spiders and Other Deadly Animals”
“The Story of Coding; Wendy Saves the Day”
“Women Who Launched the Computer Age.”

New to the Collection:
A patron donated 64 volumes of Nancy Drew mysteries by Carolyn Keene.

Every year we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on March 17th; this year on a Sunday.
St. Patrick’s Day is both a religious and a cultural celebration:  Religious, because it celebrates the life of St. Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland.  Cultural, because on St Patrick’s Day, everyone is Irish!  Roughly translated as “Ireland Forever!” we express  appreciation of all things  Irish  when we exclaim, “Erin Go Bragh!” Here at the Library, we are reminded of the enormous contribution to literature made by Irish writers. Foremost among the many  are James Joyce (Ulysses), Oscar Wilde (The Picture of Dorian Grey), George Bernard Shaw (Pygmalion, the inspiration for  My Fair Lady) and, my personal favorite and arguably the greatest poet of the 20^thcentury, William Butler Yeats.  I have printed out two of Yeats’s most famous poems as a handout for anyone who would like to become acquainted with poetry at its most sublime.

Not to be forgotten are three popular phrases associated with the month of March:
“In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb.”  “In Like a Lamb, Out Like a Lion.” And,  “Beware the Ides of March.”  The origins of these phrases are very different.   Before you think that the first two are just about the weather, think again.  According to the astrological calendar, at the beginning of March, the constellation Leo the Lion is the rising sun sign.  By April, it is Aries, the Ram/Lamb on the ascendant- “In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb.”  On quite a different note, from the perspective of the Christian calendar, in March Jesus arrives as the sacrificial Lamb, but returns in April as the Lion of Judah- “In Like a Lamb, Out Like a Lion.”  On an altogether different note, “Beware the Ides of March”  was a warning given to Julius Caesar by a soothsayer, a mystic, most notably remembered in Shakespeare’s play, Julius Caesar.

The Ides of March is a day on the Roman calendar that corresponds to March 15th.  On March 15, 44BC,  Roman politician and military general Julius Caesar was brutally assassinated by Roman senators- “Beware the Ides of March.”

There you have it!  March is a month packed full of meaning on all sorts of levels, not the least of which is the acquisition of many new books for our collections.  They are:

NEW BOOKS:

Adult Fiction:
“Redemption,” David Baldacci
“Wolf Pack,” C.J. Box
“The Last Romantics,” Tara Conklin
“The Last Second,” Catherine Coulter and J.T. Ellison
“Celtic Empire,” Clive Cussler and Dirk Cussler
“Blood Oath,” Linda Fairstein
“All the Wrong Places,” Joy Fielding
“The A List,” J.A. Jance
“Dark Tribute,” Iris Johansen
“The Silent Patient,” Alex Michaelides
“Deep Harbor,” Fern Michaels
“Neon Prey,” John Sandford
“Someone Knows,” Lisa Scottoline
“The Island of Sea Women,” Lisa See

Adult Non-Fiction:
American Moonshot: John F. Kennedy and the Great Space Race,” Douglas Brinkley
“Mama’s Last Hug: Animal Emotions and What They Tell Us About Ourselves,” Frans de Waal
“Dannemora: Two Escaped Killers, Three Weeks of Terror, and the Largest Manhunt Ever in New York State,” Charles A. Gardner
“Spearhead: An American Tank Gunner, His Enemy, and a Collision of Lives in World War II,” Adam Makos
“The Threat: How the FBI Protects America in the Age of Terror and Trump,” Andrew G. McCabe
“Top Gun: An American Story,” Dan Pedersen
“Grateful American: A Journey from Self to Service,” Gary Sinise
“Kushner, Inc.: Greed, Ambition, Corruption.  The Extraordinary Story of Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump,” Vicky Ward
“The Path Made Clear:  Discovering Your Life’s Direction and Purpose,” Oprah Winfrey

Juvenile Fiction:
“Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid:  Rowley Jefferson’s Journal,” Jeff Kinney
“Max and the Midknights,” Lincoln Peirce

Children’s Picture Books
“Hugs and Kisses for the Grouchy Ladybug,” Eric Carle
“We Are the Gardeners,” Joanna Gaines
“The Good Egg,” Jory John and Pete Oswald
“You Are My Happy,” Hoda Kotb
“Pup 681: A Sea Otter Rescue Story,” Jean Reidy
“Tiny T. Rex and the Impossible Hug,” John Stutzman

I can’t think of a better day than Valentine’s Day to highlight the work of Nora Roberts and Danielle Steel, both reigning queens of the romance fiction genre.
Although romance fiction is known to have existed in ancient Greece, it’s not until the 19th century that romantic fiction ruled. The novels of Jane Austen, while known for their literary excellence, most certainly qualify to be called romance fiction in its highest form.

By definition, the modern romance novel places its primary focus on the relationship and romantic love between two people. That relationship must have an emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending to be an example of romance fiction. Most certainly, Jane Austen’s time honored fiction does just that. Let’s take a look at how Nora Roberts and Danielle Steel make it happen.

Nora Roberts (born Eleanor Marie Robertson on October 10, 1950) is the author of more than 225 romance novels.
Roberts sums up the genre, saying: “The books are about the celebration of falling in love and emotion and commitment, and all of those things we really want.” Roberts and her career were featured in Pamela Regis’ A Natural History of the Romance Novel. Regis calls Roberts “a master of the romance novel form,” because she “has a keen ear for dialogue, constructs deft scenes, maintains a page-turning pace, and provides compelling characterization.”

Publishers Weekly once talked about her “wry humor and the use of different narrators, two devices that were once rarities” in the romance novel genre. Many of Roberts’ novels have been, or will be, reissued. To avoid confusion, all of Roberts’ new releases include a logo that is a circle with the initials “NR” inside, indicating that the book has never been published before.

Danielle Fernandes Dominique Schuelein-Steel (born August 14, 1947) is best known for her romance novels.
She has sold more books than any other living author and is the fourth bestselling fiction author of all time, with over 800 million copies sold. She has written 165 books, including 141 novels. As the daughter of a German father and a Portuguese mother, in a wealthy and privileged family, she spent much of her childhood in France. From an early age, she was included in her parents’ dinner parties, giving her an opportunity to observe the lives and habits of high society.

No doubt, these early experiences gave her the background she would need to portray the lives of the rich and famous. As time progressed, Steel’s writing evolved. Her later heroines tend to be stronger and more authoritative. In 2002, Steel was decorated by the French government as an Officier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, for her contributions to world culture, the culture she so often described in her novels.

NEW BOOKS:

Fiction:
The Silhouette Girl,” V.C.Andrews
“The Only Woman in the Room,” Marie Benedict
“Run Away,” Harlan Coben
“Chocolate Cream Pie Murder,” Joanne Fluke
“Never Tell,” Lisa Gardner
“Cemetery Road,” Greg Iles
“Best Family Ever,” Karen Kingsbury
“The Perfect Alibi,” Phillip Margolin
“The Cornwalls Are Gone,” James Patterson and Brendan DuBois
“The First Lady,” James Patterson and Brendan DuBois
“Say You’re Sorry,” Karen Rose
“Silent Night,” Danielle Steel
“Wild Card,” Stuart Woods.

Non-Fiction:
“Let Me Finish: Trump, the Kushners, Bannon,  New Jersey and the Power of In-Your-Face Politics,” Chris Christie
“Parkland: Birth of a Movement,” Dave Cullen
“Girl, Stop Apologizing: A Shame-Free Plan for Embracing and Achieving Your Goals,” Rachel Hollis
“Mar-A-Lago: Inside the Gates of Power at Donald Trump’s Presidential Palace,” Laurence Leamer
“Code Name: Lise: The True Story of the Woman Who Became WWII’s Most Highly Decorated Spy,” Larry Loftis
“A Serial Killer’s Daughter,” Kerri Rawson
“Obstruction of Justice:  How the Deep State Risked National Security to Protect the Democrats,” Luke Rosiak
“From the Ground Up: A Journey to Reimagine the Promise of America,” Howard Schultz
“Team of Vipers: My 500 Extraordinary Days in the Trump White House,” Cliff Sims
“Camelot’s End: Kennedy vs. Carter and the Fight That Broke the Democratic Party,” John Ward

Juvenile Fiction:
“Dog Diaries:  A Middle School Story,” James Patterson with Steven Butler

Young Adult:
Astrophysics for Young People in a Hurry,” Neil DeGrasse Tyson and Gregory Mone
“On the Come Up,” Angie Thomas

Children’s Picture Books:
“Happy Birthday from the Very Hungry Caterpillar,” Eric Carle
“A is for Awesome! 23 Iconic Women Who Changed the World,” Eva Chen (Board Book)

It’s official! The Public Library of Catasauqua just got a whole lot bigger.
As a member of the Lehigh Carbon Library Cooperative (LCLC), the Public Library of Catasauqua  is now able to “resource share” over 500,000 library materials.  On our Catalog Page, either in house at the Library or from the comfort of your home,  patrons can search the collections of the following eleven LCLC libraries: Catasauqua, Coplay, Dimmick (Jim Thorpe), Emmaus, Lehighton, Lower Macungie, Palmerton, Parkland, Slatington, Southern Lehigh and Whitehall.

Let’s say you found a DVD that you have wanted to see for ages, but it’s in Lower Macungie.
Patrons may place a “hold” on items at any one of the LCLC libraries, and those  items will be sent to your chosen library destination for pick-up.  There are some exceptions, but very few. Reference books do not circulate, as well as some Special Collections and  “High Demand”  materials  that are brand new, that is,  less than 6 months old. Catasauqua Library, while part of the eleven member Lehigh Carbon Library Cooperative, does remain your friendly neighborhood Library “where  everyone knows your name.” At the same time, your access to books, DVDs and Audio Books has  opened up into  an extensive, county-wide system.

And the good news just keeps getting better!
In a few short weeks, all eleven libraries that make up the Lehigh Carbon Library Cooperative are going to issue their  patrons a new library card, a  “One Card” that is the only card you will need for library services in all eleven LCLC  libraries. Not only will patrons be able to borrow from all LCLC libraries, their “ One Card” will be the only  card needed in all LCLC libraries.  It doesn’t get better or easier than that.  Welcome, Catasauqua Library patrons,  to the new and greatly improved  LCLC Library World 2019!

NEW BOOKS:

Fiction:
“The Suspect,” Fiona Barton
“An Anonymous Girl,” Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
“The Lost Girls of Paris,” Pam Jenoff
“The Wedding Guest,” Jonathan Kellerman
“The Rule of Law,” John Lescroart
“Circe,” Madeline Miller
“Hazards of Time Travel,” Joyce Carol  Oates
“The Chef,” James Patterson with Max Dilallo
“Connections in Death,” J.D. Robb
“Beneath the Scarlet Sky,” Mark Sullivan

Non-Fiction:
“The Minimalist Home:  A Room-by-Room Guide to a Decluttered, Refocused Life,” Joshua Becker
“Queen of the World,” Robert Hardman
“The Truths We Hold,” Kamala Harris
“The Point of It All: A Lifetime of Great Loves and Endeavors,” Charles Krauthammer
“Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive,” Stephanie Land
“The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington,” Brad Meltzer
“The 6 Keys: Unlock Your Genetic Potential for Ageless Strength, Health & Beauty,” Jillian Michaels
“The Book of General Ignorance: Everything You Think You Know Is Wrong,” John Mitchinson and John Lloyd
“The Clean Plate: Eat, Reset, Heal,” Gwyneth Paltrow
“Lies Too Big To Fail: The True History of the Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy,” Lisa Pease
“The Martha Manual: How to Do (Almost) Everything,” Martha Stewart

Young Adult:
“Five Feet Apart,” Rachel Lippincott
“We Are Displaced: My Journey and Stories from Refugee Girls Around the World,” Malala Yousafzai

Juvenile Fiction:
I Survived the Battle of D-Day, 1944,” Lauren Tarshis

Children’s Picture Books:
“Pig the Star,” Aaron Blabey
“Cece Loves Science,” Kimberly Derting and Shelli R. Johannes
“Superheroes Are Everywhere,” Kamala Harris and Mechal Renee Roe
“Friends Stick Together,” Hannah E. Harrison
“Grumpy Monkey,” Suzanne Lang

During this very special time of year, the three great faith traditions of Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanza follow one another and fill our days. Among the many faith-based messages of the Holiday Season, peace is a common theme. One of the greatest is found in the Gospel of Luke: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men.” I’d like to pass along some contemporary messages of peace:  Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel  has said that “ Peace is our gift to each other.” Nobel Peace Prize Laureate the Dalai Lama tells us that “World peace begins with inner peace.”  Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta believed that “Peace begins with a smile.” And an African proverb says that “There can be no peace without understanding.”

Sometimes, important messages are found in unexpected places. I can think of two: 
John Lennon’s, “Imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only  one.  I hope someday you’ll join us, and the world will live as one.” And, from acclaimed author David Baldacci, a warm and fuzzy message, “Why can’t people just sit and read books and be nice to each other?

On behalf of the Trustees of the Public Library of Catasauqua, the Library Staff, Sandra, Kathy and Phil, wish everyone a spirit-filled Holiday Season and a very Happy New Year. 
Our good wishes would not be complete without mentioning the many individuals and agencies that have kept the Library connected to the communities we serve. Our friends  in health education:  the Center for Vision Loss, Hartzell’s Pharmacy and Penn State Extension Division. Our friends  in community services:  Blondie’s Rebecca Zukowski-Gillespie, Catasauqua Community Partnerships, Catasauqua Emergency Services, Catasauqua Garden Club, Catasauqua Main Streets, Historic Catasauqua Preservation Association, Lehigh Valley Storytelling Guild, North Penn Legal Services, Northampton Regional Emergency Medical Services, The Presbyterian Church of Catasauqua Women and Vacation Bible School, Dr. Stephen Sell, Suburban North Family YMCA, Harry C. Trexler Trust Trustees, Officer John Wiseman and Officer Zora, and Women’s Club of Catasauqua.

Heartfelt thanks go to all our many friends who have remembered the Library in their charitable giving, and for the specific gifts of  Patti Danko, Kevin Fraser and Adrianne Kiesbar and those who wish to remain anonymous.

NEW BOOKS:

Adult Fiction:
“The New Iberia Blues,” James Lee Burke
“Pandemic,” Robin Cook
“Sea of Greed,” Clive Cussler
“The Boy,” Tami Hoag
“Before We Were Strangers,” Brenda Novak
“The House Next Door,” James Patterson
“Liar, Liar,” James Patterson and Candice Fox
“Verses for the Dead,” Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
“The Other Wife,” Michael Robotham
“Turning Point,” Danielle Steel
“A Delicate Touch,” Stuart Woods

Adult Non-Fiction:
“Good Housekeeping Air Fryer Cookbook: 70 Delicious Recipes,” Good Housekeeping and Susan Westmoreland
“Good Housekeeping Instant Pot Cookbook: 60 Delicious Foolproof Recipes,” Good Housekeeping and Susan Westmoreland
“The Allies: Roosevelt, Churchill, Stalin and the Unlikely Alliance That Won World War II,” Winston Groom
“Guinness World Records 2019,” Guinness World Records
“The World Almanac and Book of Facts 2019,” Sarah Janssen (Editor)
“The Library Book,” Susan Orlean
“Churchill: Walking with Destiny,” Andrew Roberts
“Heartland: A Memoir of Working Hard and Being Broke in the Richest Country on Earth,” Sarah Smarsh
“Shade: A Tale of Two Presidents,” Pete Souza

Young Adult:
“Two Can Keep a Secret,” Karen M. McManus
“The Fork, the Witch and the Worm: Tales from Alagaesia (Volume 1: Eragon),” Christopher Paolini

Juvenile Fiction:
“The Atlas Obscura Explorer’s Guide for the World’s Most Adventurous Kid,” Dylan Thuras and Rosemary Mosco

Children’s Picture Books:
“The Snowy Nap,” Jan Brett
“Pete the Cat’s 12 Groovy Days of Christmas,” James Dean and Kimberly Dean
“How to Catch a Mermaid,” Adam Wallace and Andy Elkerton