The year is 1960 and Kennedy is running against Nixon for President. Nixon’s people want Sterling Cooper to market Nixon — but Nixon isn’t the only one who uses Sterling Cooper. Their client list includes Lucky Stripe Cigarettes, Right Guard, Bethlehem Steel, Liberty Capital Savings, even the Israeli Tourism Bureau. 

Enter the world of Mad Men, a group of Madison Avenue advertisers who weave dreams to hock a product, and stop at nothing to land the next big client. And the king of the ad men is Don Draper — cool, sophisticated, and confident enough to get the client to commit to Sterling Cooper, the ad agency where he works. Draper seems to have it all: a beautiful wife, a powerful position at Sterling Cooper, and a good life in the suburbs. But he harbors a secret that could tear it all apart.

The second season takes place in 1962 and leads up to the Cuban Missle crisis. Season three is set in 1963 and ends with the Kennedy assassination. There is an irony within the history. The guys think Nixon can beat Kennedy. People are encouraged to smoke. Children play with "dangerous" toys. The mom drinks while she’s pregnant. But I think that’s what makes it work — history is what it is.

Mad Men gives us an honest portrait of life in the 1960s through the eyes of flawed characters. There is the family man who also is having a number of affairs. There is the ambitious secretary who knows she is as smart as the men. The rich kid that wants to make it on his own. The closeted homosexual who tries to fit in to keep his job and home life intact. And the office manager who is tired of fooling around with the boss and just wants to settle down.

Critics love Mad Men, winner of several Emmy and Golden Globe awards. And now you can love it too. From the complex characters to the turbulent times, you will be sold on Mad Men.

Robert Bates – Glenwood Branch

Judy works the night shift in a grocery store and leads a normal boring life — until she finds a yeti eating all the ice cream in the freezer aisle. Animal Control transfers her call to the Cryptobiological Containment and Rescue Services, who send Monster over. He’s blue, but seems otherwise well equipped to do some monster pest control. The next day, Judy forgets. More like immediately, really. Unfortunately for her, she’s a "light incognizant": she can recognize and absorb magical things happening, but she forgets almost as soon as they’re gone. As opposed to an incognizant — their minds can’t absorb magic at all so they just ignore it — or a cognizant, who sees, understands, and remembers. Life is hardest on light incognizants, because they have to puzzle through only half-remembering weird magical things. Too bad for Judy; things are about to get much worse.

After picking up the yeti at Judy’s grocery store, Monster just keeps running into her. Like he doesn’t have enough to deal with — his paper gnome of an assistant keeps telling him that he’s doing things wrong, his girlfriend is literally a demon, he just wants to sleep for a whole eight hours for once, and he changes to a different color every time he wakes up. But when he’s blue he’s invulnerable to violent harm.

Monster by A. Lee Martinez reads like a Terry Pratchett or Neil Gaiman novel and keeps you giggling while telling you a fun story that you start to think might just be the way things really do work. Especially if you liked Good Omens, by Pratchett and Gaiman, I’d recommend you give Monster a shot. It’s a little bit fantasy, a little bit mystery, but mostly a comedy. This book is perfect for a long flight or car ride as it’s a quick, easy, and entertaining read.

Jessica Seipel – Savage Branch

Gail Carriger’s debut novel Soulless is best described as enchantingly silly. Taking place in a steampunk version of Victorian London, vampires and werewolves — and other supernaturals — are accepted members of society. And, as in all good Victorian novels, manners matter.

The book opens with our heroine Alexia Tarabotti retiring from a ball to enjoy a small repast in her host’s library. No shy debutante, Miss Tarabotti has ordered refreshments from the butler after finding there was scandalously little on offer in the ball room. Instead of being able to enjoy her tea, she is brazenly attacked by a starving vampire. This just isn’t done! Even worse, she manages to kill the poor thing — although her ballgown is definitely the worse for wear and the treacle tart, most sadly, does not survive.

So, how did this society lady survive such a ghastly occurrence? Quite simply, she is soulless. In order to maintain a world in balance, the supernatural creatures must have a natural predator. Such is our preternatural dear Miss Tarabotti, whose touch reverts vampires and werewolves to mundane human status. Aside from her top-secret abilities, Miss Tarabotti labors under several other social handicaps. Her deceased father was Italian, and she inherited his Mediterranean complex. Also, the spinster has a decided scientific and bookish bent.

After the unfortunate scene in the library, the authorities from the ministry assigned to keep track of supernatural activities join the fray. Although they manage to keep Alexia’s face and name from the press, she must deal again with her social nemesis Lord Woolsey, who rules Britain’s werewolves and runs the aforementioned ministry. Alexia finds him socially appalling, but personally appealing.

Added to this stew of passion and mystery, the excellent authoress Gail Carriger also mixes in young dandies about the town, a best friend with awful taste in hats, a nefarious, scientific gentleman’s club, and a stepfamily who just does not appreciate Alexia. The wit is sly, and the romance bold. Our heroine saves the day, but loses her parasol. She gains much more in the end.

Kristen Blount – Administration Office

As long as there are libraries, you should — and likely will — have access to this book. Required reading for many middle and high school curricula, Agatha Christie’s (1890 – 1976) most famous novel And Then There Were None continues to weather the test of time. Widely considered to be the greatest mystery novel of all time, I’ve now read it three times — most recently as an audiobook narrated perfectly by Hugh Fraser. Fraser’s nuanced acting added many new layers of enjoyment to the story this time around.

Christie’s brilliance rests in offering the reader a perfect balance between revelation and secrecy. Ten seemingly unrelated characters are summoned to a house on a tiny island off the coast of England by a Mr. Owen. Upon arrival, it is discovered that none of the folks actually know Mr. Owen, who has not yet joined the party. Soon, one of them dies, although appearances point to mostly natural causes. An unfortunate beginning, they attempt to conclude. Their faith in such a conclusion is tested, however, when another guest dies under slightly less innocent circumstances…

How can a mystery novel provide the same, if not greater, thrills the third time you’ve read it? Once you know whodunnit, what is left to enjoy? Isn’t solving the crime the point of it all? True, with each chapter you are brought closer and closer to the explanations you long for. Yet, alongside this, through dark sub-plots which surround each character, Christie demands the attention of our consciences as well as our intellects. As the perceived innocence of the ten guests becomes harder to maintain, somehow, so does the reader’s — enough to make you feel like you might be on Indian Island right now…

Dan Curry – Savage Branch

It pleases me greatly when customers recommend books to me. Recently, a customer recommended Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo, and I am grateful for the suggestion.

Sworn to Silence features protagonist Kate Burkholder, the formerly Amish (having rejected the faith of her family, she is now “shunned,” or avoided, by the Amish community) chief of police for a rural Ohio town. When the body of a murder victim is discovered in a field, the victim having been savagely brutalized, Kate must identify and apprehend the perpetrator, but Kate’s childhood experiences with the Slaughterhouse Killer could compromise the investigation. Further jeopardizing the investigation could be the assistance, perhaps interference, of John Tomasetti, a grieving, alcoholic, rule violating, off-the-rails FBI agent who has also been assigned to the case.

Beginning with the disturbing yet riveting Prologue, continuing in the Amish farm and “English” (non-Amish) small town worlds, delving into the horrific pasts of some of our main characters, and following the actions of a vicious, intelligent killer, Sworn to Silence is a thrilling mystery, with emphasis on the thrilling. If you enjoy Sworn, be sure to check out Pray for Silence, Linda Castillo’s latest book featuring Kate Burkholder.

Beth Haynes – Central Library

I listen to a lot of audiobooks, and when I first heard about William P. Young’s novel The Shack from a friend, I immediately hoped that it was available in audio format. At the time it wasn’t, so I decided to wait, and fortunately soon I had my audio copy. I sure was not disappointed — the book was much more than I could have imagined.

The story starts with Mac receiving a letter inviting him to spend a weekend with “Papa” at the shack. At first Mac was skeptical and had many questions. Where did this letter come from?  Why after four years since the disappearance and loss of his youngest daughter was he being invited to return to the shack where everything had happened? Who was "Papa?" Eventually he does go to the shack and what he encounters and sees will change his life forever. Narrator Roger Mueller was excellent at portraying the voices of the different characters in the story. His description of the scenes in this story are vividly brought to life.

In listening to The Shack, our belief and understanding of life is brought into question while one’s faith is also tested. Read to find out who “Papa” is and what happens at the shack. The Shack is one of a kind — it is unique and I cannot compare it to any other. This is a must read.

Vera Davies – Administration Office

One of the joys of the summer reading clubs is seeing what other folks enjoy reading and finding new, interesting books. Customers from Miller Branch contributed these reviews, and there’s a little something for everyone.

Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather

Willa Cather captures the feel of New Mexico and the southwest with vivid description. The lovely missions and landscapes of sand and mountains remain today, just as the author pictured in her writings. The dear archbishop really is buried in his Santa Fe church, an architectural prize.  – Janet P.

Confections of a Closet Master Baker by Gesine Bullock-Prado

This is the interesting story of Sandra Bullock’s sister, who left a high-powered Hollywood career to open a small bakery in Vermont. It includes recipes, although not for her specialty Almond Macaroons. I enjoyed reading this book – except for the place where she calls Jane Austen "Victorian." – Ana K.

Playing for Pizza by John Grisham

This upbeat novel is about a third string NFL quarterback who in the last minutes of a championship game blew a 17-point lead and gave the single worst performance in NFL history. Not willing to give up football since that was all he knew, his agent secured him a position of starting quarterback in Italy. Being the only professional (and paid) player on the team, he soon learned how seriously these Italians took their game. What followed every game (win or lose) was beer and pizza paid for by the team’s owner – hence "Playing for Pizza."  – Karen D.

Slightly Shady by Amanda Quick

Full of suspense with a surprise ending, this book is about two people who come together to solve crimes through private inquiries. One does it for a living and one, due to circumstances, is now forced to also do it for a living. Together they solve the crimes of who has been murdering women, and the mystery of the Blue Chamber group. In the end, it was a person no one would or could think of. Also, the two people who started out as adversaries became lovers. – Amy T.

Every entry for Water Your Mind — summer reading for adults — is a chance to win a monthly prize at each branch and a grand prize at the end of summer. Send in your reviews!

Years ago I read V. by Thomas Pynchon after I found out that my favorite band, Thrice, (check out Fire & Water and Air & Earth) used it as inspiration for their album Vheissu. V. is dense, mysterious, oblique, and in some rather indescribable ways felt more true to life than life itself. Since then, I’ve toyed with the idea of reading Pynchon’s other massive novels, but haven’t had time to invest the discipline required.

However, his latest release, Inherent Vice, emanated a more linear vibe from the outset. With a cover (and thickness) that would be right at home with any T. Jefferson Parker or James Patterson novel, I was surprised at its relative accessibility. It could be said that V.’s yarn was chopped up into three-inch segments, while in Inherent Vice the yarn is ten miles long, all jumbled up, and equally bizarre.

Set mainly in the all-pervasive drug haze of late 1960’s Los Angeles, Private Investigator Larry "Doc" Sportello is approached by his old flame and hired to locate her new flame, an iconic land developer who has vanished without a trace. With varying degrees of help from his couch-potato lawyer, an ARPAnet hacker, an overly-dramatic LAPD officer, and countless other one-or-two-page characters, Doc embarks on a virtually endless (and mindless) journey. In the process, Doc repeatedly encounters something called the Golden Fang. What is the Golden Fang? Is it a schooner? A person? A global drug-trafficking organization? A group of dentists? Or is it somehow all of the above?

The elusive identity of the Golden Fang brought to mind the unknown briefcase contents in Pulp Fiction, or the bird statue from Dashiell Hammett’s hard-boiled novel The Maltese Falcon. Both V. and Inherent Vice seem to be more about the search itself than the thing searched for. One of the more playful elements of this novel is Pynchon’s use of the music to set the tone, and even shed light on what’s happening in the plot — Amazon.com even offers a partial list of those songs. I was also amused by how the novel drifts in and out of semi-consciousness, and how the reclusive Pynchon presents Doc as anything but hard-boiled. Half-baked is more like it.

Dan Curry – Savage Branch

Meet Richard Castle (played by Nathan Fillion), a (fictional) popular mystery writer who, having killed off his last beloved character (named Derrick Storm), is following New York Police Detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) for inspiration in developing his new character, Nikki Heat. Reluctantly, she agrees to let Castle shadow her. The two previously met when Beckett was investigating a series of murders that were similar to plotlines from Castle’s books. Castle was brought in as a consultant and helped Detective Beckett solve the case.

Fans of the Castle television series will enjoy Heat Wave, the novel that mirrors ABC’s show, and introduces Nikki Heat as she investigates the murder of a real estate tycoon during an oppressive heat wave. As she follows the murder trail, she finds more secrets — secrets to die for. To further complicate her investigation, the commissioner has assigned Jameson Rook, Pulitzer prize-winning journalist, to follow her for a story on the NYPD. Can Nikki Heat hide the heat between her and Rook?

The two detectives who help Beckett and Castle in the television series are also characters in the book, which reads as if Richard Castle had actually written it. Adding to the fun, throughout the series, the characters make reference to the book, while actual authors appear on the show. Castle, for example, plays poker with famous writers James Patterson and Stephen J. Cannell. Fillion and Katic have good chemistry as Castle and Beckett — two reluctant partners in crime solving.

If you enjoy audiobooks, Johnny Heller is the reader for the book on CD.

Robert Bates – Glenwood Branch

While Sir Arthur Conan Doyle himself stopped writing them back in the 1920s, I doubt that we’ll ever see the last Sherlock Holmes story. For many years since, other authors have been grinding out books about the great "consulting detective" on a pretty regular basis. As near as I can see, there’s no end in sight.

What was the first one though? This is it — A Study in Scarlet. In this 1887 book, an ailing Doctor John Watson, recently returned from military service in Afghanistan (some things never seem to change), takes rooms with a gentleman named Sherlock Holmes, and, for the first time, observes the great fictional detective solve a fictional murder. Oddly enough for a Sherlock Holmes story, about half of this book (the middle half) takes place in the Wild West, with neither Holmes nor Watson making an appearance. Why? Well, that’s where the villains — Mormons — happen to live.

A while back I wrote a review of Zane Grey’s Riders of the Purple Sage. Interestingly, Mormons were the villains in that book, too. Clearly, along with anarchists and a category of people vaguely lumped together under the heading of "foreigners," a hundred years ago Mormons were safe people to beat up on.

As a first effort, A Study in Scarlet is a bit rough around the edges. The segue from London to Utah, in particular, was somewhat jarring. At first, I had the impression that the original story ended and that the wild west section might actually be story number two in an anthology of crime stories. Still, even at the starting gate A Study in Scarlet includes the essentials that we expect in a Sherlock Holmes story. By the end, the action moves back to London and everything is tied together in a proper "Elementary, my dear Watson" ending. By the way, that famous phrase never appears in this or, apparently, in any other Conan Doyle novel.

It’s fascinating to observe the debut of the one of the great characters of detective fiction — a character who, judging by recent box office numbers, is still astoundingly popular. Despite its rough spots, 123 years after it’s first appearance, A Study in Scarlet is still a very good read.

Joe McHugh – Administration Office