Oh, how quickly the days of summer fly by!  It is hard to believe that August is already upon us. While each season offers its own particular ways to enjoy reading, summer is a great time for reading al fresco.  In particular, I love to read on my annual beach vacation.  At a young age, my mother turned me on to the pleasure of reading under a beach umbrella as wave after wave crashed against the shore. 

As an avid reader, there never seems enough time to fit in all the reading I want to accomplish each summer.  So over the years I have trained myself to be more disciplined and return a book if the author has not engaged me after 50 pages.   So far this summer has been a great one for my reading list. 

I started off with Jane Smiley's, Some Luck.  This is the first in her Last 100 Years trilogy, centered on the Langdon family, a clan of Midwest farmers at the turn of the last century.  As always, Smiley's writing is perfectly descriptive and compelling, and you continue to think about the characters even after you are done reading for the day.  I followed that with the perfect palate cleanser, The Rosie Project, by Graeme Simsion, a light and quirky romance that reminded me of the screwball comedies of the 1930s and 1940s.  Next up is the Pulitzer Prize winner, All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr.  It is a historical novel about a blind French girl and German boy who help each other make their way through occupied France.  According to the reviews, it is a book you can sink your teeth into so I am excited to start!

I hope you are enjoying an equally excellent summer of reading.  If you need help finding a great book to take with you on your next trip to the shore, Crystal Springs or just your backyard, be sure to take advantage of our match+book service.  Fill out this short form and our librarians will give you a list of suggestions to try.

Happy reading!

-Maryann Ralph, Interim Library Director

Are you new to the U.S. and East Brunswick? Not sure how to get around town, sign up for school, or where to shop? Learn about your new community, practice speaking English in a relaxed, casual setting, and make new friends! Guest speakers will help acclimate you to town. 

To register, contact Jill at jdamico@ebpl.org or call 732-390-6772 .

Join us for a short story discussion with a multicultural focus. This month, we will read, "The Journey of the Corpse" from Stories from a Ming Collection: The Art of the Chinese Story-teller.

All are welcome, and refreshments will be served. Pick up a copy of the story at the Information Desk. Questions? Contact Jill at 732-390-6772 or jdamico@ebpl.org.

Led by tutors from Literacy New Jersey, English Conversation Groups meet at the library on Monday evenings and Thursday mornings to practice English speaking skills from September through June. Participants must be 21 years of age or older, able to read and speak some English and must register in person before attending.  

Making ice cream by hand is worth the sore arm! Come make ice cream and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

30 free tickets will be distributed 30 minutes prior to program.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Library

The bocce ball court is next to the Senior Center at 3 Jean Walling Civic Center Drive.

Come and enjoy a friendly tournament of bocce ball. Come with a teammate, or meet someone new!  

Watch the trailer here.

Sponsored by The Friends of the Library 

ARGENTINA. 2014. 122 MINUTES. RATED R.

An anthology of six short films exploring the theme of revenge, this dark comedy swept the Argentinian Academy awards and was nominated for an Oscar.

 Watch the trailer here.

Sponsored by The Friends of the Library