The Reader's Shelf

From Library Journal What Would You Do?  Inspiring Reads for Tough Times

The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating By Bailey, Elisabeth Tova 2010-08 - Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill 9781565126060 Check Our Catalog A woman, confined to her bed, watches a snail on her night stand, living a life that mirrors the limitations of her own. What follows is an oddly compelling story of her discovery of companionship and beauty in the most unexpected of creatures. …More

The Year We Disappeared: A Father-Daughter Memoir By Busby, Cylin Author Busby, John 2010-03 - Bloomsbury Publishing PLC 9781599904542 Check Our Catalog With their lives unraveling around them, the Busby family left everything and everyone they had ever known--and simply disappeared. As told by both father and daughter, this is a harrowing true story of a family, a brutal shooting, and the year that would change their lives forever. …More

365 Thank Yous: The Year a Simple Act of Daily Gratitude Changed My Life By Kralik, John 2010-12 - Hyperion Books 9781401324056 Check Our Catalog BookPage Notable Title Personal and uplifting, "365 Thank Yous" is Kralik's inspiring memoir about how the seemingly ordinary act of writing thank you notes led him out of hopelessness and into fulfillment of lifelong dreams. HPL patron: The power of a thank you note- or rather 365 of them written by the author over 14 months is explored.  Kralik is engaging and tranparent in how the trials of his life were turned around is his quest for gratitude. …More

An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination By McCracken, Elizabeth 2010-02 - Back Bay Books 9780316027663 Check Our Catalog "A New York Times notable book of the year"--Cover. …More

Making Toast: A Family Story By Rosenblatt, Roger 2011-02 - Ecco Press 9780061825958 Check Our Catalog Though still reeling from their daughter's untimely death, Rosenblatt and his wife Ginny carry on, reconstructing a family, sustaining one another, and guiding three lively, alert, and tenderhearted grandchildren through the pains and confusions of grief. …More

The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle and Generally Have By Rubin, Gretchen 2011-03 - Harper Paperbacks 9780061583261 Check Our Catalog A #1 "New York Times" bestseller, this relatable, inspiring project is the result of the author's 12-month adventure in becoming a happier person. Written with a wicked sense of humor and sharp insight, her story will inspire readers to embrace the pleasure in their lives and remind them how to have fun. …More