BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Our lives are about to begin a new chapter.
So the staff at Bethlehem Area Public Library has taken out the time to tell us their favorite chapters of the entire year that has just passed.
The staff — which admittedly is exposed to far more books than most of us, at a far greater frequency, has again compiled its list of favorite books of the year and shared them with LehighValleyNews.com.
"So many books, so little time!" library Executive Director Josh Berk said in an email.
"Every year we see thousands of books cross our desks here at the Bethlehem Area Public Library. We love them all but also love to choose our favorites."
Berk noted the list isn't necessarily new books — "Some are classics or just new to us," he said.
"The only criteria was (a) Did you read it this year? (b) Did you love it? (c) That’s it.
"The only thing we love more than reading is sharing books with others, so we are happy to share these titles with you. Come to the library and check one out — we’d love to see you in 2024."
Here is the list:
"Assistant to the Villain" by Hannah Nicole Maehrer. Recommended by Julia
"A fun, fast-paced read involving a villain with a heart of gold and a well-organized protagonist hired to be the assistant to keep things organized in his dastardly lair. Maehrer did a great job of building a funny and quick read with plenty of hilarious quips throughout the book. Best of all, Maehrer is born and raised in PA."
"The Book That No One Wanted to Read" by Richard Ayoade. Recommended by Bethany
"Arguably, the best books to read are books about books, and this particular book is told from the point of view of a book. The concept was so unique and it was laugh-out-loud funny. This is a quick and enjoyable read for book lovers of any age."
"Connie Mack and the Early Years of Baseball" by Norman Macht. Recommended by Brad
"Volume one of a very comprehensive three-volume set, this biography delivers just what it promises: wonderful information about Connie Mack and professional baseball from the 1880s up through the founding of the American League in the early 20th century. It also functions as a biography of the Philadelphia (then Kansas City, then Oakland, and now soon to be Las Vegas) Athletics, which Connie Mack created with Ben Shibe. Great read."
"The Covenant of Water" by Abraham Verghese. Recommended by Michelle
"'The Covenant of Water' is a sweeping epic of love, family and medicine set in Kerala, South India. From the start of this novel, you will stay entranced as author Abraham Verghese intricately weaves together a story full of seemingly unconnected people. The prose is lyrical and expressive. The characters are multi-layered and vulnerable yet resilient. The book weighs in at more than 700 pages. I could not devour this book fast enough, and was seriously sad that the book was finished. I didn't want to say goodbye to these characters who now feel like family. This is a story that the reader will remember long after the last page. Verghese is a master storyteller and this book, published 15 years after his bestseller 'Cutting for Stone,' is worth the wait."
"Differ We Must: How Lincoln Succeeded in a Divided America" by Steve Inskeep. Recommended by David.
"One might almost insist that everything there is to be said about President Abraham Lincoln already has been said. But author Inskeep finds a fresh — and fascinating — angle from which to organize his material: after the protagonist is briefly introduced, the narrative moves forward in a series of 16 interactions with specific individuals (including the familiar Stephen Douglas, William Henry Seward and George McClellan, as well as the largely forgotten Owen Lovejoy, George Pendleton, and 'Billy the Barber'). Each interaction displays Lincoln in action, plying and sharpening his political tools as he built alliances, confronted opponents, and sought supporters. The man who emerges from this patchwork of conversations and interviews is smart as a whip, but careful in his communications, compassionate toward others, but no pushover or soft touch, crafty but not dishonest. Perhaps even more importantly, Inskeep demonstrates his mastery of many sources and he writes in a clear, direct way that Lincoln would have appreciated. Highly recommended, especially for those who have an interest in American history of the antebellum and Civil War eras."
"A Dowry of Blood" by S.T. Gibson. Recommended by Christine.
"'A Dowry of Blood' is written from the point of view of Constanta, Dracula's first bride, as she and her eventual fellow consorts grapple with his reign of terror and find comfort in one another. Part love letter and part confession, Constanta recounts her life with Dracula and the years of passion and deceit that ultimately lead to his death. Gibson's prose is dark yet beautiful, and I've never read another Dracula-inspired novel that comes close to this one. The follow-up, 'An Education in Malice,' comes out in February 2024."
"Jawbreaker" by Christina Wyman. Recommended by Julia
"Wow, wow, what a fantastic children’s book. Max is a three-dimensional protagonist with three-dimensional problems. Her main issue is her teeth issues, which leads to her wearing the ugliest headgear and it's not helping her social anxiety. It also doesn't help that her little sister is bullying her and their parents are having a rough time. It's a tough introduction since you're thrown into the middle of Max's issues — economic and social — but it starts building up from there. Her parents have dark sides to them but nothing too depressing and, in the end, they're shown as flawed parents but are willing to be better. It was a genuine book with real issues and it was wonderful to see Max develop throughout the story and how her family worked with her to resolve issues. 'Jawbreaker' is a really sweet read too. Highly recommended."
"Martin Dressler: The Tale of an American Dream" by Steven Millhauser. Recommended by Matthew
This 1997 Pulitzer Prize winner is part frenzied retelling of New York City’s period of rapid growth during the turn of the century, part American opportunity story, and part dystopian steampunk. Millhauser writes with humor and historical accuracy, and the book simultaneously feels modern and antiquated, much like the main character’s own magnum opus, 'The Hotel.' In capturing the emptiness of unbridled ambition, Milhauser delivers a timeless piece of fiction."
"A Month in the Country" by J.L. Carr. Recommended by Brad.
"Carr's pastoral masterpiece centers around a "shell-shocked" World War I veteran who has taken his art restoration skills to a small village church in Yorkshire. As he recovers, he enters into the life of the village, as well as the life of the medieval painter of the church's mural. An amazingly moving book, considering its concision."
"The National Parks: Preserving America’s Wild Places" by Falynn Koch. Recommended by Catherine.
"Who would have thought? A graphic novel on the history of the national parks, told by a Sasquatch with an eagle sidekick, works as well for adult readers as it would for older kids. History is interspersed with humor, but the author does not sugar coat the darker aspects of the parks’ founding. This is an information-rich read, both serious and fun."
"The Razor’s Edge" by W. Somerset Maugham. Recommended by Vincent
"How does one truly define a 'classic?' To my mind, a classic explores timeless themes and offers fresh, deft, human insight into those themes. The Razor’s Edge is one such novel. Larry Darrell, a veteran of WWI, is disillusioned after his return from combat, unable to escape a sense of meaninglessness inspired by the horrors he witnessed. Not to be denied purpose and driven by his own insatiability, he embarks on a journey of knowledge and experience to find the answers he seeks to fundamental questions: Does God exist? What does it mean to live a good life? You may not find answers here, but you will certainly find a delightful read."
"Why We Love Baseball: A History in 50 Moments" by Joe Posnanski. Recommended by Josh
"I was obsessed with Posananski’s 'The Baseball 100.' in which he counted down the greatest players in the game’s long history; this new one is just as fascinating. As the title says, it focuses on the moments that make us love the game. It doesn’t avoid the harsh truths about the game’s checkered past, but it also celebrates the joy it brings. There are plenty of famous plays fans will have read about before, but there are also obscure moments on and off the field that even the biggest fan will find surprising, emotional, and joyous."
