Tech Insider: 19 books that librarians say changed their lives

[NOTE: The titles below with hyerlinks are linked to the book's 
record in the  Mississauga Library's catalogue. -- Transcriber.]

By Nina Godlewski
May 12, 2016

Who better to take book advice from than a librarian?

In a recent blog post, the librarians of the New York Public Library revealed the books they're most thankful for.

The NYPL team rounded up the 19 books that made them laugh, cry, and everything in between. The list includes something for everyone, ranging from classics like Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" to Cynthia Rylant's book of poems, "God Got a Dog."

Keep reading to see the book recommendations.

"Watership Down" 
by Richard Adams

Despite the fact that Adams' novel is about a group of talking rabbits, the parallels between rabbit and human society are clear. The rabbits are in search of a new place to live in the English countryside after a land developer threatens their home.

"Simply thinking about these brave little rabbits seeking their true homes is heartening," said Jenny Baum of the Jefferson market Library.


"My Family and Other Animals" 
by Gerald Durrell

"My Family and Other Animals" follows the Durrell family to the Greek island of Corfu where they move after uprooting their lives in England for a warmer climate.

It tells the story of a boy Gerry as he maneuvers the history, people, and animals of the island. "...This book will make you laugh until you weep," said Virginia Bartow, special collections cataloger.


"Far From The Tree" 
by Andrew Solomon

Author Andrew Solomon spent ten years researching and interviewing parents for this award-winning series of stories about parents learning through raising their exceptional children.

Manager of Reader Services, Lynn Lobash, said, "If I had the power, I would make this required reading for all human beings."



"Starry River of the Sky" 
by Grace Lin

Chinese folklore comes to life in this children's book that tells the story of a young boy named Rendi who's the only one to notice that the moon is missing from the sky and goes on an adventure to find out where it went.

"I will never forget the look of joy and amazement on my kids' faces when we reached the end," said Lobash.


"The Magicians" 
by Lev Grossman

Protagonist Quentin Coldwater secretly obsesses over a children's book series about the fantasy land Fillory.

The fantasy becomes reality when Coldwater is accepted to a secret magical school where he finds out that everything is not what it seemed in his books.




"When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times" 
by Pema Chodron

Pema Chodron is an American Tibetan Buddhist whose advice for difficult times jumps off the page and into the lives of those who read her book.

"I am eternally grateful for the excellent, heartfelt suggestion and to Pema Chodron for writing this book," said Karen Ginman of the Chatham Square Library.


"The Dharma Bums" 
by Jack Kerouac 

This autobiography by Jack Kerouac is about the writer and his friends living in California in the 1950s at the peak of their interest in Buddhism.

The story's narrator, modeled after Kerouac, finds himself working towards a deeper personal understanding.



"Swimming to Antarctica" 
by Lynne Cox

Lynne Cox inspirationally recalls her most impressive swimming stories in her sports memoir "Swimming to Antarctica."

Notorious for wearing only a swimsuit, cap, and goggles when she swam in the Arctic off the coast of Good Hope, Cox proved there was no body of water too difficult for her to take on.


"God Got a Dog" 
by Cynthia Rylant

Cynthia Rylant's "God got a dog" is a book of poetry that takes readers on an emotional journey. The poems examine what it means to be human, connecting the spiritual with the everyday.

"I still break it out to read whenever I'm feeling at my lowest," said Stephanie Whelan of the Seward Park Library.



"Alanna: The First Adventure" 
by Tamora Pierce

The first in a series of four, "Alana: The First Adventure" tells the story of a young girl who disguises herself as a boy to become a warrior. It blends fantasy and adventure to tell the story of the young heroine.

Whelan plans to hand the books down to her children once they're old enough for the series.


"The Out-of-Sync Child" 
by Carol Stock Kranowitz

Maura Muller read "The Out-of-Sync Child" after a librarian at the Mid-Manhattan library location suggested it. Muller had told her about some of the difficulties she was having with her then-4-year-old child.

The book details Sensory Processing Disorder, something Muller soon realized her son had. "Her book suggestion helped me get my son the help he needed and ten years later he's doing fine," she wrote.



"This Is Not My Hat" 
By Jon Klassen

"This Is Not My Hat" tells the tale of a tiny fish that steals the hat of a big fish while it's sleeping. The illustrated book then covers the fate of the fish — and the hat.

"For the warm memories of my sons acting the story out repeatedly, for their giggles as the large fish puts two and two together, for their speculation over the little thief's ultimate fate, for the younger one's fascination with the illustration, I will be forever thankful," said Joshua Soule.


"The Fool's Progress: An Honest Novel" 
by Edward Abbey

Henry Lightcap's wife has left him, he's put a bullet in his refrigerator and he's on the move, driving cross-country from Tuscon to West Virginia to his childhood home.

Charlie Radin of Inwood library calls the story "very semi-autobiographical" about author Edward Abbey.


"Dinner: A Love Story" 
by Jenny Rosenstrach

"Dinner: A Love Story" is a cookbook and memoir rolled into one, born of Jenny Rosenstrach's blog.

She and her husband make dinner every night for their family to sit and enjoy, and spend time together. Her book gives advice for those looking for the same bond she shares with her family.



"On the Road" 
by Jack Kerouac

Kerouac's most famous work uncovers underground American culture in the '50s through the journey of the autobiographical character Sal Paradise.

His journey across the country with friends, and as part of the Beat generation, is at the center of the defining text.


"A Christmas Carol" 
by Charles Dickens


One of the most beloved holiday stories, Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" is a classic. The story of Ebenezer Scrooge and the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future is cemented into holiday traditions.

Jean Harripersaud of the Bronx Library Center chose the book because "it shows that no matter how depraved and selfish we are there is hope we can be transformed into loving and kind human beings."


"The Cross and the Switchblade" 
by David Wilkerson

"The Cross and the Switchblade" tells the story of a preacher from rural Pennsylvania who finds himself in New York City guiding troubled youth.

Amazon reviewers said the book is "as relevant today as it was almost 50 years ago."


"Without" 
by Donald Hall

Hall wrote this book of poems while his wife Jane Kenyon was undergoing treatment for leukemia. She died shortly after treatment and his poems are reflective of the grief and torture of the experience.

Wayne Roylance on the selection team for the libraries said he chose "Without" because of Hall's "eloquence and ability to put into words his feelings of rage, disbelief, love, and compassion."


"Coolie Woman: The Odyssey of Indenture" 
by Gaiutra Bahadur

Journalist and book reviewer Gaiutra Bahdur goes on a journey to discover her great-grandmother's past as an indentured servant in this non-fiction story.

"This has personal resonance for me and finally gives me a sense of belonging to more than one place," said Hyacinth Persad of the Mid-Manhattan Library.

Source: Tech Insider