Author: Grainger, Jean, author.
Published: 2018
Call Number: F GRAINGER
Format: Books
Summary: Handsome, kind and funny, Conor O'Shea has had enough of driving and guiding tours of Ireland. So when an opportunity to renovate and run the magnificent but rundown Castle Dysert as a five-star resort presents itself, he grabs it with both hands. But problems arise almost immediately when his business partner appears to have more on her agenda than just business. To add to that, his darling wife seems discontented as a stay-at-home mom, and his in-laws have moved in.
With his family's future now entangled in a stunningly beautiful old castle on the coast of Clare, Conor undertakes a mammoth project, and in so doing, he uncovers the troubled past of this ancient stronghold. The mystery of the family who lived, loved, and lost their lives within the walls of the castle are reflected in his own family as they too struggle to let go of the past. Like in every small Irish village, gossip abounds. But do the ghosts of regret still haunt these ancient hallways? It is now left to Conor to explore the truth and uncover a heartbreaking lesson on the power of memory and the long threads that bind us together. In The Story of Grenville King, Jean Grainger takes you once again to the real heart of Ireland.
Author: Grainger, Jean, author.
Published: 2018
Call Number: F GRAINGER
Format: Books
Summary: A luxury stay in an Irish castle, a handsome, experienced tour guide, and a secret that has never been revealed. Life as manager of the magnificent resort of Castle Dysert on Ireland's wild Atlantic coast is never dull, and Conor O'Shea's life to date has taught him to be prepared for the unexpected. Even he however, is not ready for the gang from Bubbles O'Leary's bar in New York. A motley crew, from spinster sisters of a certain age, to exhausted social workers, they are all in Ireland for one reason. The fact that this bunch of unusual people arrive during Ireland's biggest matchmaking festival just adds to the intrigue. But is everyone who they say they are? Are all their motives pure? Conor is ready to do his best to show the visitors his beloved Ireland, but his personal life takes a devastating turn and he finds himself torn, unsure how to proceed. Is the past best left there, or is there redemption to be found in opening old wounds?
Author: Perry, Sarah, 1979- author.
Published: 2017 2016
Call Number: F PERRY
Format: Books
Summary: An exquisitely talented young British author makes her American debut with this rapturously acclaimed historical novel, set in late nineteenth-century England, about an intellectually-minded young widow, a pious vicar, and a rumored mythical serpent that explores questions about science and religion, skepticism, and faith, independence and love. When Cora Seaborne's brilliant, domineering husband dies, she steps into her new life as a widow with as much relief as sadness: her marriage was not a happy one. Wed at nineteen, this woman of exceptional intelligence and curiosity was ill-suited for the role of society wife. Seeking refuge in fresh air and open space in the wake of the funeral, Cora leaves London for a visit to coastal Essex, accompanied by her inquisitive and obsessive eleven-year old son, Francis, and the boy's nanny, Martha, her fiercely protective friend. While admiring the sites, Cora learns of an intriguing rumor that has arisen further up the estuary, of a fearsome creature said to roam the marshes claiming human lives. After nearly 300 years, the mythical Essex Serpent is said to have returned, taking the life of a young man on New Year's Eve. A keen amateur naturalist with no patience for religion or superstition, Cora is immediately enthralled, and certain that what the local people think is a magical sea beast may be a previously undiscovered species. Eager to investigate, she is introduced to local vicar William Ransome. Will, too, is suspicious of the rumors. But unlike Cora, this man of faith is convinced the rumors are caused by moral panic, a flight from true belief. These seeming opposites who agree on nothing soon find themselves inexorably drawn together and torn apart--an intense relationship that will change both of their lives in ways entirely unexpected. Hailed by Sarah Waters as "a work of great intelligence and charm, by a hugely talented author," The Essex Serpent is "irresistible. you can feel the influences of Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker, Wilkie Collins, Charles Dickens, and Hilary Mantel channeled by Perry in some sort of Victorian seance. This is the best new novel I've read in years" (Daily Telegraph, London)--
Author: Sinek, Simon author.
Published: 2017 2014
Call Number: 658.4 SINEK
Format: Books
Summary: "The highly anticipated follow-up to the acclaimed bestseller Start With Why Simon Sinek's mission is to help people wake up every day inspired to go to work and return home every night fulfilled by their work. His first book, Start With Why, offered the essential starting point, explaining the power of focusing on WHY we do what we do, before getting into the details of WHAT and HOW. Start With Why became an instant classic, with a loyal following among Fortune 500 companies, entrepreneurs, nonprofits, governments, and the highest levels of the U.S. Military. Now Sinek is back to reveal the next step in creating happier and healthier organizations. He helps us understand, in simple terms, the biology of trust and cooperation and why they're essential to our success and fulfillment. Organizations that create environments in which trust and cooperation thrive vastly out perform their competition. And, not coincidentally, their employees love working there. But "truly human" cultures don't just happen; they are intentionally created by great leaders. Leaders who, in hard times, would sooner sacrifice their numbers to protect their people, rather than sacrifice people to protect their numbers, are rewarded with deeply loyal teams that consistently contribute their best efforts, ideas and passion. As he did in Start With Why, Sinek illustrates his points with fascinating true stories from many fields. He implores us to act sooner rather than later, because our stressful jobs are literally killing us. And he offers surprisingly simple steps for building a truly human organization"-- "Sinek is back to reveal the next step in creating happier and healthier organizations. He helps us understand, in simple terms, the biology of trust and cooperation and why they're essential to our success and fulfillment. Organizations that create environments in which trust and cooperation thrive vastly out perform their competition. And, not coincidentally, their employees love working there. But "truly human" cultures don't just happen; they are intentionally created by great leaders. Leaders who, in hard times, would sooner sacrifice their numbers to protect their people, rather than sacrifice people to protect their numbers, are rewarded with deeply loyal teams that consistently contribute their best efforts, ideas and passion. As he did in Start With Why, Sinek illustrates his points with fascinating true stories from many fields. He implores us to act sooner rather than later, because our stressful jobs are literally killing us. And he offers surprisingly simple steps for building a truly human organization"--
Author: Grainger, Jean, author.
Published: 2017
Call Number: F GRAINGER
Format: Books
Summary: When a shadowy couple turn up on Conor O'Shea's grand tour of Ireland, the tranquility of Ireland's landscape acts as a shelter against the stormy reality of the life they left behind. On the run from a notorious mob boss, this mysterious couple flees the U.S. in search of sanctuary on the shores of the Emerald Isle, hoping to blend in with the tourists. In their wake lies a mafia family's secrets and a scarred priest torn between his duty to the cloth and to the truth. Intriguing and uniquely consuming, Father Declan Sullivan's tale of destiny and duty lies at the feet of those he has betrayed. Can distance and deliverance save the innocent in their desperate pursuit for peace, or will evil catch up to them all? In Safe at the Edge of the World, author Jean Grainger captures the soothing beauty of Ireland in the lives of those fleeing a criminal bent on revenge.
Author: Grainger, Jean, author.
Published: 2013
Call Number: F GRAINGER
Format: Books
Summary: Every week, Conor O'Shea collects a new group of American visitors from Shannon Airport, from where they embark on a high-end tour of the Real Ireland. But this particular tour, with its cast of unintentionally hilarious characters, presents even seasoned tour guide Conor with dilemmas that render him speechless for the first time in his life. Among this eclectic group are Corlene, a gold-digging multiple divorcee on the prowl; Patrick, a love-starved Boston cop; Dylan, a goth uilleann piper; Elliot, a Wall Street shark who finally shows his true colours. Then there's Ellen, back on Irish soil after so many years after so many years, to discover a truth no-one could ever have guessed at, least of all herself. And that's just a few of the colorful cast. The locals they meet on their journey--West Brits, passionate musicians, Ukrainian waitresses and Garda high flyers--all help to make this a tour no one will ever forget. And of course, there's Conor O'Shea in the thick of it all, solving problems and mending hearts, but what about his own?
Author: Ellson, Edward Thomas.
Published: 2002
Call Number: B PORTOCK
Format: Books
The filmmaker and author’s latest book is “Liarmouth: A Feel-Bad Romance.”
Paul Kennedy’s “Victory at Sea” is a sweeping, encyclopedic account of how six major navies fought World War II.
Stacy McAnulty’s “Save the People!” employs humor to call middle grade readers to action.
In “Answers in the Pages,” a fifth-grade boy and his classmates speak up against parents’ efforts to censor their curriculum.
In their latest works, Azar Nafisi, Elena Ferrante, and Anna Quindlen vigorously assert that reading and writing can pull us out of our mess. In their hands, reading and writing are worth celebrating.
(Image credit: Meghan Collins Sullivan/NPR)
Six new paperbacks to check out this week.
Fukuyama’s “Liberalism and Its Discontents” and Mounk’s “The Great Experiment” confront America’s toxic political divisions.
Suggested reading from critics and editors at The New York Times.
Author Scott Hershovitz sets out to prove that philosophy, like inquisitive, rowdy children, can offer illuminating insights — even when addressing complex subjects related to misbehavior.
(Image credit: Penguin Press)
Sometimes a horse is just a horse. For this writer and illustrator, equine drawings were the path to an artistic future.
Hernan Diaz's novel is constantly pulling a fast one on the reader. It opens with the saga of a Wall Street tycoon, but soon another narrative comes to upend the truth of everything that came before.
(Image credit: Penguin Random House)
unCovered review by Beth Bliss, Manager, ACLS
Brigantine Branch
It’s a wonderful coincidence that this beautiful book is
illustrated by someone named “Meadows,” given its delightful examples of
various vegetables, fruits, and other plants. GROW by Riz Reyes, is a large-format
picture book that introduces its readers to 15 plant families, ranging from
mints to mushrooms to apples, and beyond.
Kids and their grownups can enjoy this book together, delving
into how each plant family has its own tastes, textures, and visual delights.
There is a perfect balance in this book of information and art – a
guaranteed hit for families looking to learn about plant varieties,
pollination, culinary inspiration – and what to plant for the coming gardening
season.
What artists’ wardrobes can tell us about their methods, their personal lives and politics — and even about ourselves.
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