Tag Archives: Reader Advisory

August 20: “TEXAS GREAT READ” BONUS BOOK CLUB DISCUSSION

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Please join us on Tuesday, August 20 at 7:00 p.m. (Central) for our Great Texas Read book club discussion of WHICH WAY TREE by Elizabeth Crook DB 90644.

Every year, the Library of Congress asks each state Center for the Book to select a title that represents the state’s literary landscape to highlight at the National Book Festival. The event showcases the importance of books and reading. The festival is sponsored by the Library of Congress and takes place during Labor Day weekend in Washington, D.C.

In honor of this event, the Texas Talking Book Program will host a bonus book club meeting so that our patrons can participate in the Great Texas Read initiative. The Great Texas Read is an event sponsored by Texas Center for the Book.

Our Book Club meetings via Zoom, however all you need to participate is a telephone! If you have a land line, we will provide a telephone number for you to dial. If you have a smart phone we will email you an easy “one click” number you can use to join the discussion. We will also email a Zoom invitation to those who prefer to use a computer. This information will be sent to all patrons who RSVP a week prior to the book club meeting.

To RSVP, please call the Talking Book Program at 1-800-252-9605. 

Please indicate if you would like us to mail you the digital cartridge or if you prefer to download it from BARD. Also, please let us know if you would like a reminder via email or phone-call (or both).

NLS Annotation: After a panther attacks her family and kills her mother, young Samantha sets out to stalk and kill the ferocious creature. She travels along with her half brother, Benjamin, a Tejano outlaw, and a preacher. The group is, in turn, pursued by a sadistic Confederate soldier with a score to settle. Violence and some strong language. Commercial audiobook. 2018.

We request that everyone remember the following:

  • Keep external distractions to a minimum.
  • Be courteous and be respectful of differing opinions.
  • Keep discussion points concise and relevant to the book.

We look forward to having you join us on Tuesday, August 20!

Dagger Awards Longlist 2024

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The Dagger Awards were established by the Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) in 1955. The 2024 longlist was announced on April 20, the shortlist was announced on May 10, and awards will be presented in London on July 4, 2024.

For more information check the Awards’ website.

Here are the finalists for 2024 that are in the TBP collection.

Gold Dagger

SMALL MERCIES by Dennis Lehane (DB 114456, LB 14406)
VERA WONG’S UNSOLICITED ADVICE FOR MURDERERS by Jesse Q. Sutanto
(DB 113039, LB 14540)
HOMECOMING by Kate Morton (DB 113914, BR 24840, LB 14824)

Ian Fleming Steel Dagger

SIMPLY LIES by David Baldacci (DB 114114, LB 14300)
LIE MAKER by Linwood Barclay (DB 116519)
ALL THE SINNERS BLEED by S. A. Cosby (DB 115237)
OZARK DOGS by Eli Cranor (DB 114798)
EVERYBODY KNOWS by Jordan Harper (DB 112340)
DROWNING: THE RESCUE OF FLIGHT 1421 by T. J. Newman (DB 116859)
AFTER THAT NIGHT by Karin Slaughter (DB 116356, BR 25334, LB 0000210)

ILP John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger

GOLDEN GATE by Amy Chua (DB 116781, LB 0000040)
SCORCHED GRACE by Margot Douaihy (DB 115165)
GOLDEN SPOON by Jessa Maxwell (DB 117207)
OTHER HALF by Charlotte Vassell (DB 117397)

Historical Dagger

LOCK-UP by John Banville (DB 115375, LB 14762)
FLAGS ON THE BAYOU by James Lee Burke (DB 117205, LB 14778)
HARLEM AFTER MIDNIGHT by Louise Hare (DB 116941)

ALCS Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction

ART THIEF: A TRUE STORY OF LOVE, CRIME, AND A DANGEROUS OBSESSION by Michael Finkel (DB 115367, LB 14518)
G-MAN: J EDGAR HOOVER AND THE MAKING OF THE AMERICAN CENTURY by Beverly Gage (DB 111434)
MANY LIVES OF MAMA LOVE: A MEMOIR OF LYING, STEALING, WRITING, AND HEALING by Lara Love Hardin (DB 120534, LB 14917)
SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN: A TRUE STORY OF MURDER AND MERCY by Alex Mar
(DB 115183)

Dagger for Crime Fiction in Translation

RED QUEEN written by Juan Gómez-Jurado and translated from the Spanish by Nick Caistor (DB 113173, LB 14817)

Texas Talking Book Program Author Talk: Katie Lane

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Join the Talking Book Program for an author talk on Tuesday, August 13 at 7:00 p.m. (Central) with steamy romance author, Katie Lane.

Promo image of stage with red curtain and old fashioned chrome microphone with TBP and TSLAC logos and text mirroring post caption.

Reader’s Advisory Librarian, Laura Jean will talk with her about her career as an author as well as her books, from her DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS Series. A Q&A chat will follow.

Our Author Talks meet via Zoom, however all you need to participate is a telephone! If you have a land line, you will use the telephone number. If you have a smart phone, you will use the “one-tap” number to join the discussion. We will also email a Zoom invitation to those who prefer to use a computer. This information will be sent to all patrons who RSVP a week prior to the author talk.

We would also like to offer you the opportunity to ask Katie Lane questions about her books. Please submit questions by August 6. We will choose questions based on the responses to this form and they may be asked during the event!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdoK0-1wWTFHqC6gKdHhM4HIhu_nl9j0PutFXSPd24QeeQXFg/viewform?usp=sharing

To RSVP, please email us at tbpRAL@tsl.texas.gov, or call the Talking Book Program at 1-800-252-9605

Please indicate if you would like us to mail you a digital cartridge with her series or if you prefer to download them from BARD. Also, please let us know if you would like a reminder via email or phone-call (or both).

Start with the first book in her series: GOING COWBOY CRAZY (DBC 25528) by Katie Lane

NLS Annotation: Bramble, Texas, is the only place Faith Aldridge can find answers–as well as Hope, the identical twin sister she never knew she had. But the townsfolk reckon that shy city-girl Faith is really Hope, back in Bramble at last. And they’re fixin’ to do whatever it takes to heat things up between her and Hope’s longtime flame, Slate Calhoun. If that means rustling her car, spreading rumors like wildfire, and reining in some explosive secrets, well, there’s no way like the Lone Star way… Strong language and some descriptions of sex. Commercial audiobook. 2017.

We look forward to having you join us on Tuesday, August 13!

Summer Reading Program Presents: Olympic Odyssey

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Adventure is the theme for this year’s Summer Reading Program. This week we’re featuring books about athleticism and the Olympics. Find out how the modern Olympics began. Or read about what it’s like to compete at the highest level on a global stage by reading a memoir written by an Olympian. No matter how you choose to participate, remember: adventure begins at your library!

Adult Nonfiction

BRACE ENOUGH by Jessie Diggins (DBC 17761)
BUTTERFLY: FROM REFUGEE TO OLYMPIAN– MY STORY OF RESCUE, HOPE, AND TRIUMPH by Yusra Mardini (DB 91238)
COWBOY STUNTMAN: FROM OLYMPIC GOLD TO THE SILVER SCREEN by Dean Smith (DB 96572)
DON’T GIVE UP, DON’T GIVE IN: LESSONS FROM AN EXTRAORDINARY LIFE by Louis Zamperini (DB 81537)
DREAM TEAM: HOW MICHAEL, MAGIC, LARRY, CHARLES, AND THE GREATEST TEAM OF ALL TIME CONQUERED THE WORLD AND CHANGED THE GAME OF BASKETBALL FOREVER by Jack McCallum (DB 75291)
FINISH STRONG: A FATHER’S CODE AND A SON’S PATH by Nate Ebner (DB 103430)
GAMES: A GLOBAL HISTORY OF THE OLYMPICS by David Goldblatt (DB 91775, BR 22356)
GOING FOR WISCONSIN GOLD: STORIES OF OUR STATE OLYMPIANS by Jessie Garcia (DBC 08262)
IT’S TRUE! IT’S TRUE! by Kurt Angle (DB 53200)
LETTERS TO A YOUNG GYMNAST by Nadia Comaneci (DB 91675)
MAKING OF A MIRACLE: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE CAPTAIN OF THE 1980 GOLD MEDAL-WINNING U.S. OLYMPIC HOCKEY TEAM by Mike Eruzione (DB 98705)
NAKED OLYMPICS: THE TRUE STORY OF THE ANCIENT GAMES by Tony Perrottet (DB 58757)
OLYMPIC PRIDE, AMERICAN PREJUDICE: THE UNTOLD STORY OF 18 AFRICAN AMERICANS WHO DEFIED JIM CROW AND ADOLF HITLER TO COMPETE IN THE 1936 BERLIN OLYMPICS by Deborah Riley Draper (DB 98792)
SIXTH MAN: A MEMOIR by Andre Igodala (DB 95635)
SPEED KINGS: THE 1932 WINTER OLYMPICS AND THE FASTEST MEN IN THE WORLD by Andy Bull (DB 82853)
THREE-YEAR SWIM CLUB: THE UNTOLD STORY OF MAUI’S SUGAR DITCH KIDS AND THEIR QUEST FOR OLYMPIC GLORY by Julie Checkoway (DB 83154)
TIGERBELLE: THE WYOMIA TYUS STORY by Wyomia Tyus (DB 93189)
TOUGH GIRL: LESSONS IN COURAGE AND HEART FROM OLYMPIC GOLD TO THE CAMINO DE SANTIAGO by Carolyn Wood (DBC 15867)
WATERMEN: THE BIRTH OF AMERICAN SWIMMING AND ONE YOUNG MAN’S FIGHT TO CAPTURE OLYMPIC GOLD by (DB 118959 IN PROCESS)

Adult Fiction

Español

TRANSBORDO EN MOSCÚ by Eduardo Mendoza (DB 112229)

English

BEAR PIT by Jon Cleary (DB 99168)
BONE CAGE by Angie Abdou (DBG 08478, BRG 02738)
GAMES by James Patterson (DB 85110)
GOLD by Chris Cleave (DB 75265)
HORSEWOMAN by James Patterson (DB 106198, LB 13608)
LONG JOURNEY HOME by Don Coldsmith (BR 14492)
PRIVATE GAMES by James Patterson (DB 74689)
RAT CATCHERS’ OLYMPICS by Colin Cotterill (DB 96083)
TYPHOON by Charles Cumming (DBC 26527)

Young Adult Nonfiction

GOLD IN THE WATER: THE TRUE STORY OF ORDINARY MEN AND THEIR EXTRAORDINARY DREAM OF OLYMPIC GLORY by P. H. Mullen (DB 56039)
GRACE, GOLD AND GLORY: MY LEAP OF FAITH by Gabrielle Douglas (DB 76347)
INAUGURAL BALLERS: THE TRUE STORY OF THE FIRST US WOMEN’S OLYMPIC BASKETBALL TEAM by Andrew Maraniss (DB 110512, LB 14383)
WORK WITH WHAT YOU GOT: A MEMOIR by Zion Clark (DB 117752 IN PROCESS)

Young Adult Fiction

EVERY REASON WE SHOULDN’T by Sara Fujimura (DB 99186)

Juvenile Nonfiction

AS FAST AS HER: DREAM BIG, BREAK BARRIERS, ACHIEVE SUCCESS by Kendall Coyne (DBC 26533) Grades 6-9
BOBBIE ROSENFELD: THE OLYMPIAN WHO COULD DO EVERYTHING by Anne Dublin (BRG 00872) Grades 3-6
COURAGE TO SOAR: A BODY IN MOTION, A LIFE IN BALANCE by Simone Biles (DB 103602)
FIERCE: HOW COMPETING FOR MYSELF CHANGED EVERYTHING by Aly Raisman (DB 89796)
STORY OF THE OLYMPICS by Dave Anderson (DB 50298) Grades 5-8
WOMEN OLYMPIC CHAMPIONS by Nathan Aaseng (DB 54640) Grades 5-8

Juvenile Fiction

GOLD MEDAL MESS: MVP BOOK 1 by David A. Kelly (DB 87575) Grades 2-4
HOUR OF THE OLYMPICS: MAGIC TREE HOUSE, BOOK 16 by Mary Pope Osborne (DB 54426, BR 23037, en español DB 110933) Grades 2-4
MYSTERY OF THE MASKED MEDALIST: KUDO KIDS by Maia Shibutani (DB 100823)

In His Own Words: Willie Mays

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Considered one of the best baseball players of all time by authorities such as ESPN and The Sporting News, Willie Mays passed away on June 18 in California at the age of 93. Mays wrote several books describing his life and phenomenal career in baseball. Here are the books he’s written that we have in our collection.

24: LIFE STORIES AND LESSONS FROM THE SAY HEY KID (DB 99789, BR 23250)
SAY HEY: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF WILLIE MAYS (DB 30365)

2024 International Booker Prize Longlist

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The International Booker Prize is awarded annually for a single book translated into English and published in the UK or Ireland.

The winner was announced by Eleanor Wachtel, Chair of the 2024 judges, at a ceremony sponsored by Maison Valentino and held at London’s Tate Modern on May 21.

For more information check out the International Booker Prize website.

Here are the books longlisted for 2024 that are in the TBP collection.

HOUSE ON VIA GEMITO by Domenico Starnone and translated from the Italian by Oonagh Stransky
DB 115668
DICTATOR CALLS by Ismail Kadare and translated from the Albanian by John Hodgson
IN PROCESS
KAIROS by Jenny Erpenbeck and translated from the German by Michael Hofmann
DB 117426

2024 Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction Longlist

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Founded in 2009, the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction celebrates quality, innovation, and ambition of writing for books published in the previous year in the UK, Ireland, or the Commonwealth. To qualify, the majority of the storyline must have taken place at least 60 years ago. The winner, HUNGRY GHOSTS, was announced at the Borders Book Festival on June 13.

For more information check out the Prize’s website.

Longlisted titles in the NLS Collection are:

NEW LIFE by Tom Crewe (DB 114042)
HUNGRY GHOSTS by Kevin Jared Hosein (DB 114849)
FRAUD by Zadie Smith (DB 116592)
HOUSE OF DOORS by Twan Eng Tan (DB 117570)
IN THE UPPER COUNTRY by Kai Thomas (DB 112118)

Summer Reading Program Presents: That All May Travel!

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Adventure is the theme for this year’s Summer Reading Program. This week we’re featuring books in our collection about travel. But we don’t want you just to read about adventure. Consequently, we’ve included links to resources with accessibility information for disabled travelers. We want everyone to be able to travel as easily and comfortably as possible. So, if you’ve been putting off that bucket list trip due to the travails of traveling with a disability, put it off no longer. And for those who prefer to experience travel through a good book, we have an armchair traveler section at the end.

Remember: Adventure begins at your library!

Know your Rights

U.S. Department of Transportation: Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights

  • The Right to Be Treated with Dignity and Respect.
  • The Right to Receive Information About Services and Aircraft Capabilities and Limitations.
  • he Right to Receive Information in an Accessible Format.
  • The Right to Accessible Airport Facilities.
  • The Right to Assistance at Airports.
  • The Right to Assistance on the Aircraft.
  • The Right to Travel with an Assistive Device or Service Animal.
  • The Right to Receive Seating Accommodations.
  • The Right to Accessible Aircraft Features.
  • The Right to Resolution of a Disability-Related Issue.

Know your Resources

Society for Accessible Travel and Hospitality: is a non-profit organization that advocates and creates resources and opportunities for disabled travelers. Among their resources includes tips for travelers of all disabilities, a compilation of rights that disabled travelers should know, and lists of accessible activities in many cities. Some of their most valuable articles include:

  • How to travel with a speech impairment
  • How to travel with a sight impairment or blindness
  • How to travel with a hearing impairment or deafness
  • Autism and airport travel safety tips
  • How to travel with an older adult
  • Avis Rent A Car Launches “Avis Access” for Travelers with Disabilities
  • Toll-Free Hotline for Air Travelers with Disabilities

CDC: Traveling with a disability

ETIAS: Step by Step Traveling with a Disability in Europe

European Network for Accessible Tourism

International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers

Mobility International U. S. A.

National Council on Aging: Mobility Friendly Travel Guide

U.S. Department of State: International Travelers with Special Considerations and Smart Traveler Enrollment Program

U.S. Department of Transportation: General Travel Tips for Persons with Disabilities Toll free hotline: 800-778-4838

Accessible Travel DIY

Accessibility apps

Aira: Visual Interpreter Service app for iOS and Android. Uses trained professionals.
Be My Eyes:  Visual Interpreter Service free app for iOS and Android. Uses volunteers.
iAccess Life: Navigate accessible routes and locations.
Google Maps: Includes an “Accessible Places” feature, which labels accessible entrances, seating, restrooms, and parking.

Specialized Car Rental Agencies

MobilityWorks
Wheelers Accessible Van Rentals

Specialty Travel Agencies

Easy Access Travel: https://easyaccesstravel.com/
Tapooz Travel: https://www.tapooztravel.com/
Travel for All: https://travel-for-all.com/
Wheel the World: https://wheeltheworld.com

Traveling by Bus, Train, or Airplane

Amtrak: Accessible Travel Services
Greyhound: Customers with Disabilities Travel Assistance
Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Program: This program assists individuals with hidden disabilities navigate in airports.
TSA: TSA Cares-Disabilities and Medical Conditions
U. S. Airport Sensory Rooms: Sensory rooms enhance the airport experience for travelers with autism and special needs by providing soft lighting and other features to reduce anxiety before a flight.  

Travel How to Books

ACCESS ANYTHING: I CAN DO THAT! ADVENTURING WITH DISABILITIES by Andrea Jehn Kennedy (DB 69444)
AIR TRAVEL FOR WHEELCHAIR USERS by Cory Lee (DB 115733)
TWENTY-TWO ACCESSIBLE ROAD TRIPS: DRIVING VACATIONS FOR WHEELERS AND SLOW WALKERS by Candy Harrington (DB 75991)

Armchair Travel Books

I DIDN’T HEAR THE DRAGON ROAR by Frances M. Parsons (DB 28448, BR 07658)
I’LL PUSH YOU: A JOURNEY OF 500 MILES, TWO BEST FRIENDS, AND ONE WHEELCHAIR by Patrick Gray (DB 89784)
MILO’S EYES: HOW A BLIND EQUESTRIAN AND HER “SEEING EYE HORSE” RESCUED EACH OTHER by Lissa Bachner (DB 110604, BR 24622)
SENSE OF THE WORLD: HOW A BLIND MAN BECAME HISTORY’S GREATEST TRAVELER by Jason Roberts (DB 62703, BR 16660)
SEVEN-TENTHS: LOVE, PIRACY, AND SCIENCE AT SEA by David Fisichella (DB 71749, BR 19090)
SITES UNSEEN: TRAVELING THE WORLD WITHOUT SIGHT by Wendy S. David (DB 73854)
TRAVELS IN A BLUE CHAIR: ALASKA TO ZAMBIA, USHUAIA TO ULURU; A SERIES OF SHORT STORIES by Walt Balenovich (DB 67926)
UNHEARD: A MEMOIR OF DEAFNESS AND AFRICA by Josh Swiller (DB 67060)
UNSEEN TRAIL: THE STORY OF A BLIND HIKER’S JOURNEY ON THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL by Michael O. Hanson (DBC 02612)
YEAR OF SUNDAYS: TAKING THE PLUNGE (AND OUR CAT) TO EXPLORE EUROPE by Edward D. Webster (DB 64156, BR 15594)

Nebula Awards Finalists 2024

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Since 1965, the Nebula Awards were established by the Science Fiction Writers of America to create an annual anthology of the best stories of the year. The finalists were announced March 15. The winners will be announced Saturday, June 8.

For more information check the award’s website.

Here are the finalists for 2024 that are in the TBP collection.

Nebula Award for Novel

SAINT OF BRIGHT DOORS by Vajra Chandrasekera (DB 118283)
WATER OUTLAWS by S. L. Huang (DB 118272, BR IN PROCESS)
TRANSLATION STATE by Ann Leckie (DB 116532)
TERRAFORMERS by Annalee Newitz (DB 113293)
SHIGIDI AND THE BRASS HEAD OF OBALUFON by Wole Talabi (DB 118434)
WITCH KING by Martha Wells (DB 114938)

Nebula Award for Novella

CRANE HUSBAND by Kelly Barnhill (DB 113877, BR 24881, LB 14276)
THORNHEDGE by T. Kingfisher (DB 116446, BR 25269 IN PROCESS)
UNTETHERED SKY by Fonda Lee (DB 118269)
MAMMOTHS AT THE GATES by Vo Nghi (DB 118727, BR IN PROCESS)

Andre Norton Nebula Award for Middle Grade and Young Adult Fiction

TO SHAPE A DRAGON’S BREATH by Moniquill Blackgoose (DB 118278)

Texas Talking Book Program Author Talk: Taylor Moore

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The Talking Book Program’s theme for our Summer Reading Program this year is Adventure begins at your Library, so join us for an author talk on Tuesday, July 16 at 7:00 p.m. (Central) with action-packed thriller author, Taylor Moore.

Reader’s Advisory Librarian, Laura Jean will talk with him about his career as an author as well as his books, from his GARRETT KOHL Series. A Q&A chat will follow.

Our Author Talks meet via Zoom, however all you need to participate is a telephone! If you have a land line, you will use the telephone number. If you have a smart phone, you will use the “one-tap” number to join the discussion. We will also email a Zoom invitation to those who prefer to use a computer. This information will be sent to all patrons who RSVP a week prior to the author talk.

We would also like to offer you the opportunity to ask Taylor Moore questions about his books. Please submit questions by July 9. We will choose questions based on the responses to this form and they may be asked during the event!

Question Submission Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdnJUBaiGh0MUQEMUtqldrlqjQFj5vIXotqLsp1WqghSNwPLg/viewform?usp=sharing

To RSVP, please reply to this email, or call the Talking Book Program at 1-800-252-9605

Please indicate if you would like us to mail you a digital cartridge with his series or if you prefer to download them from BARD. Also, please let us know if you would like a reminder via email or phone-call (or both).

Start with the first book in his series: DOWN RANGE

DOWN RANGE (DBC 26465) by Taylor Moore

NLS Annotation: “As a decorated undercover DEA special agent, Garrett Kohl has traveled the world–and fought in most of it–but it’s the High Plains of northwest Texas he calls home and dreams of returning to one day. When he is ordered back to Texas on a short mission expected to take a week at most, Kohl is unsettled to discover that the once-peaceful ranching community he loves is under attack. A band of criminals who have infiltrated law enforcement, corrupted local businesses, and is now terrorizing Kohl’s own family.”– adapted from jacket. Commercial audiobook. Violence and strong language. 2021.

We look forward to having you join us on Tuesday, July 16!