ANNOUNCEMENT:
Check out our Friends of the Library Fall Book Sale, happening now at Malvern Public Library! Get your Nora Roberts, James Patterson, Nicholas Sparks, Danielle Steele and much more, all gently used and ready for a second life. We have Kids books, DVD's and more -- we're packed to the brim -- so it's time again to clean house! We also have TONS of free books available for the taking, so we hope you'll come check us out! BOOK CLUB READER’S REVIEWS: The Trail to Crazy Man (Part II) by Louis L’Amour Review by Ruby Simms “Rafe said he was going to head for Wyoming and invited them to come with him. Tex Brisco would follow, but Rock set his mind on the goldfields in Nevada. Penn said that if he and Rock didn’t find gold that he may go to Rafe in Wyoming. Rafe’s father used the -C for his brand. Tex knew the brand. Rafe hired two Texans: Johnny Gill and Bo Marsh. He had them searching for stray cattle in the areas where cattle drives had once traveled. They found enough so that the herd was growing. They put their brand on the cattle and drove them to a spot on his Uncle John’s ranch. He then moved into his uncle’s ranch house knowing he had better be watching his back. Rafe learns that Mrs. Rodney had died. Their daughter, Ann Rodney, was living with her aunt and uncle, the Bakers, who operated the local store. She was engaged to Bruce Barkow, a crooked lawyer. She was told by Bruce that her father died along the trail. She was even shown his clothes. When Rafe told her of her father’s death at sea and his wishes for the ranch, Ann was in disbelief. Stay tuned for Part III of this review in our next edition of the Library Monthly! The Orphan’s Tale by Pam Jenoff Review by Regina Loehr Set during WWII, Noa, a sixteen-year-old, becomes pregnant by a German a soldier that was staying with the family. Disgraced, her father disowns her and she is thrown out of her home. She finds work at a railroad station. She looses her baby but rescues a baby that was in a train car filled with Jewish babies headed for a concentration camp. Astrid, a young Jewish lady finds that her marriage to a Nazi soldier is nullified. She returns to her home only to find her circus family was sent away and her home occupied by a Nazis. She joins another circus as an aerialist hoping to hide her identity and eventually escape out of Germany. Noa finds refuge with the same circus and works as an apprentice to Astrid. At first Astrid resents Noa but in order for the two to survive they form a powerful friendship. Both keep dark secrets from each other that eventually need to be revealed in order to prevent destruction of everything they both pursued. Jenoff spins a historically accurate account through these two characters and their life in a circus family as they travel by train to perform in occupied Germany and France. Unlike many books about this dark time in history, this one is tender yet realistic. Love, friendship, forgiveness, survival and courage are interwoven within the story. I would recommend this 342-page book to middle school and high school students as well as adults who are interested in this type of historical fiction. This title is our official selection for “Book of the Month” and available for check out in our library! Join us for Book Club every Tuesday night at 5:00 pm at the library. We would love to see you there!
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BOOK CLUB READER’S REVIEWS:
Dutchman’s Flat & The Trail to Crazy Man (Part 1) by Louis L’Amour Reviews by Ruby Simms Dutchman’s Flat “Johnny Webb was the fastest gunman in Spring Valley, but in the saloon, he prodded Chat Lock to a gunfight. Chat did not want trouble, nor would he back down. He was faster than Johnny Webb, who soon laid dead. A posse took off after Chat Lock and accused him of murder. They followed him a long distance. He irritated them periodically along the trail by leaving them notes. Chat led them to his ranch where his wife, Mary, was making them breakfast. Chat told her ahead of their arrival that a posse was looking for a killer and would be stopping for breakfast. He did not tell her that he was the man the posse was hunting for. The posse was surprised for his action by Chat, which was not the actions of a killer. Chat went outside as they were about to leave. He told them the truth and this time, they believed him. They decided to not arrest him. Some of the posse would be returning to visit his wife and him on a friendly basis.” The Trail to Crazy Man (Part 1) “In the middle of the ocean, the older man in the lower bunk on the ship, the Mary S, lay dying from a severe beating that he, Charles Rodney, had been given by Bully Borger, skipper of the Mary S. This happened due to Rodney’s begging to be let off of the ship. Charlie Rodney, Rafe Caradoc, Roy Penn, Rock Mullaney and Tex Brisco had all been referred to the Hong Kong Bohl’s Place in San Francisco by Bruce Barkow. There, they were shanghaied and became a close clique of men. Penn was a law student and prospector. Mullaney was an able-bodied seaman, hard-rock miner and cowhand. Tex Brisco was a Texas cowhand. Rodney trusted Rafe and, as he lay dying, he told Rafe that he wanted Rafe to have half of his ranch in Wyoming and asked him to watch over his wife and daughter. He gave Rafe the deed and a receipt that showed that a loan which Rodney had borrowed from Bruce Barkow had been paid in full. Rafe was as strong in personality as he was physically. Soon, the ship would be in sight of Cape Mendocino and Rafe would attempt an escape. Josh Briggs knew of Rodney’s death and that Rodney gave the deed to his ranch to Rafe. Josh Briggs started to fight Rafe for the deed, but Rafe won the battle. Rafe told the men that he had one more man to see before making their escape, and that man was the skipper, Bully Borger. Rafe told the captain that he was going to beat him within an inch of his life. Borger lunged for a pair of brass knuckles that were in a drawer. Rafe beat Borger severely. Rafe and friends got into a small boat and escaped to shore. They feared getting caught, as they could be hanged for mutiny. This Review will continue with Part II in the September edition of the Library Monthly. Join us for Book Club every Tuesday night at 5:00 pm at the library. We would love to see you there! |
Rebecca BassichAs Library Director here at our Malvern Public Library, you can count on me for all the latest on books, events, programs & more! Archives
May 2023
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