Borders and Borderlands: The Acadian Experience in Maine

Fort Beaus�jour, Aulac, New Brunswick Photo: Cathy, a teacher from South Carolina

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Sally Leahey recently retired as the Assistant Director of the McArthur Public Library in Biddeford. One of the many things that she has brought to every conversation (including with the editor of this newsletter) is her book recommendations. Here's a quick list of Sally's favorites just before her retirement earlier this summer:

An Unnecessary Woman, Rabin Alameddine  

"It's a novel about a woman in her 70's in Beirut, a translator and former bookstore manager. She reflects back on her life, her family, and her city in a voice that conveys her isolation and the struggles with her family, her culture, and the wars that surrounded her.  The writing is stunning and rich with the main character's love of literature."

Constellation of Vital Phenomena, 

Anthony Marra  

"I'd underscore that recommendation. It's set in Chechnya, with very interesting characters and the backdrop of the excruciating war years there."

The Enchanted Life of Adam Hope,  

Rhonda Riley

"Southern Gothic meets magical realism in North Carolina. Because of the complex characters, I was completely willing to buy into the magical parts and the themes they represented."

The Other Story, Tatiana de Rosnay 

"Interesting for having an unlikeable main character. That the narcissistic and arrogant protagonist grabs your interest is a testament to the author's skill."

The Invention of Wings, Sue Monk Kidd  

"The parallel lives of a slave and her owner in Charleston, SC, in the early nineteenth century underscore the drastic differences and ironic similarities of their circumstances. The audio book in particular is fantastic."

Astonish Me, Maggie Shipstead

"About the ballet world, which makes for an unusual backdrop in an adult novel, and serves to highlight the intensity of the relationships of the characters involved."

The Spinning Heart, Donal Ryan

"Set in Ireland, this novel is made up of vignettes of people in a small community in the present day, after the collapse of the economic boom. It has a stunning voice: you can hear an Irish accent in your mind as you read. Background events rock the town, and they are disclosed through the eyes of various characters and their distinct points of view."

 "The group ...was remarkably well received. Interest ... exceeded the suggested level of participation after only a moderate amount of outreach. Many of the participants were employees and volunteers but many were other professionals; the group was very diverse and yet commonalities were strong. [Our own staff] found the group to be interesting and helpful, so much so that we have talked about incorporating book discussions into staff gatherings on a regular basis. Discussing domestic abuse through the lens of a fictional character is a great way to explore ones' own feelings and thoughts in a safe and comfortable way."