Here's what's happening at Rossland Public Library
By Contributor
Books of My Life
Q and A with Stacey Boden, who we are pleased to announce is Rossland’s new Library Director.
Many patrons will remember Stacey from her time as Interim Director just over a year ago. Stacey comes to us with an impressive resume of library – related experience, most recently at the Trail Public Library. Stacey’s volunteer contributions to Women Against Violence Against Women as well as the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre in Vancouver shaped her interest in a career in public service and honed her keen interest in the importance of providing welcoming, safe, community spaces. Stacey lives in Trail with her husband and two wonderful children and loves to read as much as possible. When not reading, Stacey enjoys camping and is learning to appreciate winter sports.
What is your favourite childhood book?
My favourite childhood book is The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. It is such a heart wrenching tale of loss, friendship, compassion, and the overall goodness of humanity. It is a great reminder that there is a huge capacity for good in each of us, plus the many beautiful editions and artwork that have graced the covers and pages over the years.
What book did you most enjoy in school?
The book I liked the most in school was Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys. I was blown away by the alternate take on Jane Eyre from the perspective of Rochester’s first wife and without giving too much away, it’s a short novel about colonization, relationships, and mental illness that I’ll never forget.
Name one classic you’re embarrassed to say you’ve never read.
In spite of being a long-time fantasy genre lover, I have never finished Lord of the Rings. I get about halfway through the first one and while Tolkien is the master of description, a person can only read about a forest for so long before it is easier to just be in one. Peter Jackson did such a phenomenal job with the films that I feel all right about this.
Name a book you’ve pretended to have read.
I never made it all the way through Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte and skipped through the book for school. I’ve tried a few times to get through the entire thing but the characters that fascinated me the most got the least amount of development and so I read other books like Wide Sargasso Sea to fill in those gaps and never quite made it back to Jane Eyre. I made sure to get the Cliff Notes for school projects and managed to pass any classes that covered it but haven’t actually read it. I’ll keep trying!
What book do you read over and over?
I have completely lost count of the number of times I have read A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. There’s nothing better for lightening a mood than the humour of Douglas Adams, closely followed by watching old episodes of Monty Python’s Flying Circus. The tongue in cheek exploration of humanity’s highs and lows are such a fun read and who can’t relate to Arthur trying to save the universe in his house coat equipped with a towel and a rag tag group of friends to help him along the way?
Name the last book that made you laugh.
Untamed by Glennon Doyle made me laugh, cry, and feel inspired. Her candid way of writing her latest memoir provides great insight into her life and her sense of humour shines through in every chapter. There’s a good reason why it was at the top of the bestseller list for most of 2020.
Name the last book that made you cry.
This has to be Refugee by Alan Gratz. Gratz takes historical happenstance and weaves it into a compelling and interesting young adult novel. It follows three children in three different time periods all connected through stories of being forced to leave their homes and endure harrowing journeys to safety. Refugee is so relevant for current events today and it was great to read it with my children and discuss the bigger picture issues that are raised.
Name one book everyone should read.
Everyone should absolutely read 21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act by Bob Joseph. This short book dives into the Indian Act in a way that history hasn’t always made clear and provides insights and offerings that we can all take to heart to create a better future for Canadians everywhere.
Name an author / book that changed your life.
Reading Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer changed the way I think about food and where it comes from, and is something I’ve carried with me ever since.
(A great companion is The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan). Foer’s investigative and biographical approach makes for a great read and the subject matter is so thought-provoking.
What are you reading now?
I have a few books on the go right now and they are all very good!
Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice is a beautifully written, post-apocalyptic tale with a real undertone of heaviness as it deals with subjects of loss, survival and colonization. It’s only a little over 200 pages so it’s a quick read and I’m looking forward to the discussion that will follow in an Indigenous Authors Book Club I belong to. Recipe for a Perfect Wife by Karma Brown is another book club read and I’m enjoying that it’s written from two perspectives, a modern-day woman and a 1950’s housewife who wrote recipes left behind for someone else in the house to find. The writing is fast-paced, and the story is so intriguing! I am curious to see how their lives intersect and what mysteries unfold!
RPL Announcements and Information
Annual General Meeting
The RPLA Annual General Meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 14th at 7 p.m. via Zoom. To participate, email info@rossland.bclibrary.ca
If you are interested in becoming a Trustee, pick up an application form and information package at the front desk.
RPL Book Club
RPL’s April Book Club meeting is at 7:00 PM on Thursday, April 29th, via Zoom, and features The Overstory by Richard Powers. The Overstory interweaves the lives and unique relationships between people and trees and was short-listed for the 2018 Man Booker Prize and won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. To participate, register at ravenreadsbookclub@gmail.com.
Kootenay Library Federation Book Club
The April KLF Book Club features Bird’s Eye View by Elinor Florence. This novel chronicles the life of a young woman from Saskatchewan who joins the air force during World War II and travels to England where she is trained as an aerial photographic interpreter. In June 2016, Bird’s Eye View was listed as a Canadian fiction bestseller in The Globe and Mail and Toronto Star. To register and obtain a copy of the book, email kootenaylibrariesprogramming@gmail.com The meeting is also on April 29th but at 6:30 PM.
Art
Sue Deane’s Hemlock now hangs behind the front desk. Please come in to view this beautiful painting.
Kobo
The library has one Kobo reader to loan. See front desk staff if you are interested.
Staff and Patron Recommendations
Are displayed at the front entrance. Librarian Sabine recommends the 2007 novel The Shack by Canadian author Wm. Paul Young. Originally self-published, this novel became an international best-seller and was made into a movie in 2017. The Shack, wrestles with the question: “Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain?” as a father struggles in the aftermath of the kidnapping and murder of his young daughter. According to the author, “the shack is a metaphor for the places you get stuck, you get hurt, you get damaged … the thing where shame or hurt is centered.”
Former library student page Diego recommends bestseller Red Rising by Pierce Brown, a 2014 dystopian science fiction novel set on planet Mars of the future. Red Rising is the first of five books in the series by the same name.
Libby
You can easily access hundreds of magazines from your Libby app. On the main page click on “Library,” then “What’s Available.” You will find a description of books, audio and magazines. Click on “Magazines” and scroll through the list of titles.
