Erica and Brooke, one of the Library's Maintenance staff, talk about two new historical fiction titles and what we can learn from them.

Titles and authors mentioned in this episode:

• The Women by Kristen Hannah
• Cahokia Jazz by Francis Spufford
• China Beach (TV Series)
• Lou Berney
• S.A. Cosby
• Dwyer Murphy
• The Yiddish Policeman's Union by Michael Chabon

For a personalized list of reading suggestions, fill out our Ask A Bookie form.

Contact us at webmaster@cooklib.org.

Erica and Bronwyn, the Library's Communications Coordinator, talk about the romantasy series that has taken over the internet: Sarah J. Maas's A Court of Thorns and Roses, the RenFaire, and how books are better with friends.

Titles mentioned in this episode:

• A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
• The Crescent City Series by Sarah J. Maas
• Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
• A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin
• Game of Thrones: the television series
• Dune by Frank Herbert
• Dune: the films
• The Eye of the World (The Wheel of Time, Book 1) by Robert Jordan
• Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
• Outlander: the television series

Want more ACOTAR readalikes? Fill out our Ask A Bookie form for a personalized list of suggestions.

Contact us at webmaster@cooklib.org.

For the 9th year in a row librarians Becky and Nate discuss last night's Academy Awards ceremony and celebrate the year in film.

Listen and discover the highlights - the movies recognized by the Academy and the movies that were overlooked but not to be missed.

Then find out how your library card is the ultimate ticket to the movies.

Readers' Advisors Erica and Amy share three recent books that bring their worlds -- a tense near-future, a legendary past, and present-day America - to life in vivid and unexpected ways.

Books featured in this episode:

• Prophet Song by Paul Lynch
• The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo
• Our Hidden Conversations: What Americans Really Think About Race and Identity by Michele Norris

Click here to register for the Spring Book Buzz.

For personalized book recommendations, visit www.cooklib.org/bookies.

For the library's blog, visit shelflife.cooklib.org.

Email us at webmaster@cooklib.org.

Erica and Marianne are sticking to their reading resolutions by digging into great historical fiction featuring real-life banditos and midwives. Then, Marianne gives us the inside scoop on this year's One Book, One Community series.

Titles discussed in this episode:

The Bullet Swallower, by Elizabeth Gonzalez James

The Frozen River, by Ariel Lawhon

The Violin Conspiracy, by Brendan Slocumb

For details on all of the One Book, One Community events, visit 1book.org.

For personalized book recommendations, visit www.cooklib.org/bookies.

For the library's blog, visit shelflife.cooklib.org.

Email us at webmaster@cooklib.org.

Erica and Hannah talk about the top titles of the year, our annual Staff Favorites booklets, and the books they can't wait to read in 2024. Thanks for a great year of reading and listening!

For a copy of our Favorite Fiction and Nonfiction booklets, stop by Cook Park or Aspen Drive Library, or visit our website.

Titles discussed in this episode:

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

I am Homeless if This is Not My Home by Lorrie Moore

North Woods by Daniel Mason

Cahokia Jazz by Francis Spufford (February 2024)

The Extinction of Irina Rey by Jennifer Croft (March 2024)

The Book of Love by Kelly Link (February 2024)

The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo (April 2024)

Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune (September 2024)

Haunted Ever After by Jen DeLuca (August 2024)

Please note some upcoming titles are not yet available in the catalog - we've linked to the authors so you can enjoy their backlist while you wait!

Enjoy part two of Celebrity Spotting, where local history librarian Jenny Barry guides us through a few notable people who made historical appearances in Libertyville. We pick up right where part one left off!

Mentioned in the Podcast

Watch John F. Kennedy's 1960 Cook Park speech

John F. Kennedy's Libertyville campaign stop in the Illinois Digital Archives

Local History page