January 16, 2020 - Snow

This past weekend we finally got a little snow on the ground. As of this writing (Monday), it is as yet unknown if that snow cover will persist or if the warmer weather predicted will melt it off -- again. The snow cover has brought many birds into the bird feeders, especially onto the suet packs. Last Friday, when all the dire weather predictions had a two-pronged snow attack heading our way over the entire weekend, I happened to drive past the grocery store around noon. The parking lot was packed. People were stocking up in front of the impending (predicted) storm. The large number of cars was true at the library. There was an uptick in foot traffic at the library as people came in to stock up on movies and books to get them through the weekend as the storm, with it's 6-10 inches of snow--kept them housebound. When I got home, I noticed frenzied feeding activity on the suet packs outside my windows as twilight fell. A study in 2013 out of Western University in London, Ontario posits that birds have an internal barometric pressure sensor and the urge to eat is trigger by the shift in barometric pressure in front of a storm. So we at least a working theory about the bird behavior. One wonders if there were no dire weather forecasts to goad people to stock their larders, if some internal sensor would send us scurrying off to the store and the library as a storm moved towards us. Whatever your reason , even if you don't feel an internal urge to visit the library, the weather forecast for this week should be about 85% conducive for stocking up at the library. Below are some of the new titles that have recently arrived. Enjoy!

New Non-Fiction

The Brain Health Book: Using the Power of Neuroscience to Improve Your Life” by John Randolph. This book includes information on the brain- boosting effects of exercise, social activity, mental stimulation, task management strategies, nutrition, and positive self-care as well as lessons from neuroscience, positive psychology, social and clinical psychology, and habit formation research.

 

Inside Outside: A Sourcebook of Inspired Garden Rooms” by Linda O’Keeffe. Using the principles and language of interior design, the author offers a fresh and inspirational look at creating inviting, beautiful and personalized outdoor rooms.

 

The Mediterranean Method: Your Complete Plan to Harness the Power of the Healthiest Diet on the Planet…” by Steven Masley. A fresh approach to the Mediterranean diet focuses on low-glycemic foods that benefit the heart, brain, gut and microbiome.

 

The New Keto-friendly South Beach Diet: Put Your Body Into Fat-burning Mode…” by Arthur Agatston. Combines the good fats and healthy carbs of the world-famous heart-healthy program with the advanced nutrition science of keto—all in a doctor-approved plan that is easier than strict keto diets.

 

American Demagogue: The Great Awakening and the Rise and Fall of Populism” by J.D Dickey. The author of the best-selling Empire of Mud examines how modern demagoguery and the positive and negative populism it inspires can be traced to the fervent religious agendas of 18th-century preacher George Whitefield and his many supporters and detractors.

 

999: The Extraordinary Young Women of the First Official Jewish Transport to Auschwitz” by Heather Macadam. The acclaimed internationally best-selling author of Rena's Promise reveals the poignant stories of the 999 women on the first official transport to Auschwitz, drawing on extensive interviews with survivors, and consulting with historians, witnesses and relatives of those first deportees

New Fiction

When Old Midnight Comes Along, No. 28 (Amos Walker)” by Loren Estleman. Hired to prove the death of an influential politician's missing wife, Amos Walker is embroiled in a case involving questions about the woman's disappearance, the death of an investigating officer and his client's upcoming nuptials.

 

Winter Grave, No. 2 (Embla Nystrom Investigations)” by Helene Tursten. When a mentally disabled boy is wrongly targeted with suspicion in the wake of a child's disappearance, Detective Inspector Embla uncovers suspicious links to an unsolved missing-persons case from her childhood. By the author of the Irene Huss series.

 

Just Watch Me, No. 1(Riley Wolfe)” by Jeffry Lindsay. Targeting a crown jewel collection that is protected by airtight security, a Robin Hood-type master thief finds his efforts complicated by an equally skilled nemesis cop and an expert forger with dubious loyalties. By the author of the Dexter series.

Followers” by Megan Angelo. Decades after an ambitious writer and her A-list wannabe roommate abandon their ethics for social-media stardom, a government-appointed celebrity discovers a shattering secret from her past that her corporate sponsors would gladly exploit. A first novel.

 

Dear Edward” by Ann Napolitano. A 12-year-old lone survivor of a plane crash investigates the stories of his less-fortunate fellow passengers before making a profound discovery about his life purpose in the face of transcendent losses. By the author of “A Good Hard Look”.

 

First Cut” by Judy Melinek. A medical examiner discovers an attempt at a cover up during a suspected overdose case, and is shocked when her supervisors tell her to ignore it, in the fiction debut of the best-selling author of “Working Stiff”.

 

Hindsight, No.7 (Kendra Michaels)” by Iris and Roy Johansen. Investigating the baffling murders of two staff members at a school for the blind, investigator Kendra Michaels draws on her experience with a former sight disability to uncover a terrifying conspiracy.