LIBRARY NOTES: BROWSING THE SHELVES AT RPL
PAUL BIRKHEAD – MAY 30, 2010

For a book lover like me, there’s nothing quite like browsing the stacks at Rowan Public Library. I get the same feeling at bookstores, but it’s usually accompanied by feelings of guilt for spending an inordinate amount of time sampling and not buying. The library is tough to beat because borrowing books on a wide variety of subjects doesn’t cost me a penny. Just the other day, I found myself exploring the new non-fiction shelves at the library, and here are some books I just had to take home with me.

The Letter and the Scroll: What Archaeology Tells Us about the Bible is a fascinating book published by the National Geographic Society. The book is divided into chapters which cover major eras in biblical history. While the book’s authors are careful to state that their purpose is neither to prove nor disprove the Bible, anyone interested in the Bible or ancient times is sure to be impressed by the content. As is typical in National Geographic publications, the book is filled with a generous number of beautiful maps and illustrations as well as stunning photographs of priceless artifacts and archaeological finds.

In Sweet Carolina: Favorite Desserts and Candies from the Old North State, author Foy Allen Edelman presents a collection of recipes she compiled from the kitchens of North Carolinians. Over the course of several years, Edelman traveled across her home state interviewing cooks from dozens of communities. Often, she was able to procure the recipe for their signature dessert. The result is a mouthwatering collection of recipes for pies, cakes, cookies, cobblers, and even a sonker or two.

If you decide to leave the confines of North Carolina and head, with kids in tow, to Washington, D.C., you might find this book interesting. The newest edition of Washington, D.C. with Kids, published by Fodor’s, is a comprehensive tour guide. This book does a good job of guiding visitors to must-see exhibits, monuments, and historic sites. Symbols in the book designate specific things to note, such as Helpful Hints, Smart Stuff, as well as Money-Saving and Time-Saving Tips. Items of interest to ‘Tweens and Teens’ and even those of ‘All Ages’ are also found for most attractions.

The final book that caught my attention was Letters to Jackie: Condolences from a Grieving Nation. The cover of the book is graced by the smiling faces of John and Jackie Kennedy taken from a photograph made shortly after their arrival in Texas. Little did anyone know what horrors lay ahead for them and the Nation. The assassination of President Kennedy in Dallas unleashed a whirlwind of sympathy for his widow. In the course of seven weeks, Mrs. Kennedy received nearly a million condolence letters. A large collection of these letters was kept and has been stored for years, largely unexamined, in the archives of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library. In Letters to Jackie, historian Ellen Fitzpatrick selected 250 letters she felt compelling. In these, ordinary Americans sought to relay their sympathies to the late President’s wife and perhaps come to grips with their own grief.

No matter what subjects might interest you, come to the Rowan Public Library, and I’m sure you’ll find many books that will catch your eye. Be forewarned, though, simply browsing the shelves of our newest acquisitions can result in walking out the door with a whole armload.