The Reader's Shelf

From Library Journal

Tales from the Heartland

Dandelion Wine By Bradbury, Ray 1999-02 - William Morrow & Company 9780380977260 Check Our Catalog During one golden summer in 1928, twelve-year-old Douglas and his brother wander in and out of the lives of their elders. …More

The Orchard By Weir, Theresa 2012-09 - Grand Central Publishing 9780446584685 Check Our Catalog …More

In the Lake of the Woods By O'Brien, Tim 2006-09 - Mariner Books 9780618709861 Check Our Catalog This riveting novel of love and mystery from the author of "The Things They Carried" examines the lasting impact of the 20th century's legacy of violence and warfare, both at home and abroad. …More

Methland: The Death and Life of an American Small Town By Reding, Nick 2010-05 - Bloomsbury Publishing PLC 9781608192076 Check Our Catalog "Methland" tells the story of Oelwein, Iowa, which, like thousands of other small towns across the country, has been affected by one of the most dangerous drugs in the world. …More

A Map of the World By Hamilton, Jane 1999-12 - Anchor Books 9780385720106 Check Our Catalog From the author of the widely acclaimed The Book of Ruth comes a harrowing, heartbreaking drama about a rural American family and a disastrous event that forever changes their lives. The Goodwins, Howard, Alice, and their little girls, Emma and Claire, live on a dairy farm in Wisconsin. Although suspiciously regarded by their neighbors as "that hippie couple" because of their well-educated, urban background, Howard and Alice believe they have found a source of emotional strength in the farm, he tending the barn while Alice works as a nurse in the local elementary school. But their peaceful life is shattered one day when a neighbor's two-year-old daughter drowns in the Goodwins' pond while under Alice's care. Tormented by the accident, Alice descends even further into darkness when she is accused of sexually abusing of a student at the elementary school. Soon, Alice is arrested, incarcerated, and as good as convicted in the eyes of a suspicious community. As a child, Alice designed her own map of the world to find her bearings. Now, as an adult, she must find her way again, through a maze of lies, doubt and ill will. A vivid human drama of guilt and betrayal, A Map of the World chronicles the intricate geographies of the human heart and all its mysterious, uncharted terrain. The result is a piercing drama about family bonds and a disappearing rural American life. …More

The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio: How My Mother Raised 10 Kids on 25 Words or Less By Ryan, Terry Afterword by Ryan, Betsy Foreword by Orman, Suze 2005-09 - Simon & Schuster 9780743217279 Check Our Catalog "Angela's Ashes" meets "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" in this inspirational, true story of an enterprising mother who kept poverty at bay with wit, poetry, and perfect prose during the "contest era" of the '50s and '60s. "The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio" is the biography Evelyn Ryan, whose joy for life overshadows both lean times and her husband's alcoholism to raise children who seek out their own winning ways. Photos throughout. …More

Truck: A Love Story By Perry, Michael 2006-11 - HarperCollins Publishers 9780060571177 Check Our Catalog 2007 Banta Award Winner As with his popular Population: 485, Perry delivers a truckload of humor, heart, and gardening tips in this chronicle of a year in which he grows his own food, seeks to live peaceably with his neighbors, and sort out his love life. …More