November Audiobook of the Month

So far my audio suggestions this year have been fiction titles. November had me in the mood to switch to nonfiction although you're in luck because I love narrative nonfiction and I found a really good one too! 😋 It was a Library Journal 2015 Best Audio award winner for Nonfiction and also selected for RUSA's 2016 Listen List (an American Library Association award).

Click on the For Listeners tab to find this month's audiobook and don't forget to scroll down the page to find other audio suggestions for your listening pleasure.

2016 PEN Shortlists Announced

The PEN Literary Awards are sponsored by PEN America. PEN confers an annual monetary award to some of the best writers currently working in the fields of fiction, science writing, essays, sports writing, biography, children’s literature, translation, drama, or poetry.

In concert with their international colleagues, PEN American Center works “to ensure that people everywhere have the freedom to create literature, to convey information and ideas, to express their views, and to make it possible for everyone to access the views, ideas, and literatures of others.”

The shortlist for this year's PEN/Robert W Bingham Prize for Debut Fiction are:

• In the Country: Stories by Mia Alvar
• The Turner House by Angela Flournoy
• Mr. and Mrs. Doctor by Julie Iromuanya
• The Sympathizer: A Novel by Viet Thanh Nguyen
• Mayumi and the Sea of Happiness by Jennifer Tseng

The complete set of shortlists can be found at PEN Awards 2016 Shortlists Announced 

Except in five fields, all winners of the 2016 awards will be announced on March 1. The Debut Fiction, Art of the Essay, Literary Science Writing, and PEN Open Book awards along with the PEN/Fusion Prize will be presented on April 11 during the 2016 PEN Literary Awards Ceremony at The New School in New York City.

NONFICTION Book Discussion - Question # 7

Let's talk about similar reads ...

• What read-alike titles might you suggest for someone wishing a book like In the Kingdom of Ice?

• Would you only suggest other Nonfiction titles or could you expand into fiction? If so, what title(s) could you suggest?

Enter your responses using the COMMENTS: link below.

NONFICTION Book Discussion - Question # 6

Now lets discuss how to 'sell' the book to potential readers ...

• Using no more than 4 sentences, how would you give a book talk for In the Kingdom of Ice? Try applying the PRES technique listed under the RA Resources tab.

• What about using social media ... how would you describe the book on Twitter or Hootsuite, using less than 140 characters?

Use the COMMENTS: link below to provide your answers.

NONFICTION Book Discussion - Question # 5

Let's discuss the book from a readers' advisory point of view ...

• To which of your customers, family, friends, or co-workers might you suggest In the Kingdom of Ice? Why do you think they would enjoy it?

Please enter your response by using the COMMENTS: link.

NONFICTION Book Discussion - Question # 4

How about comparing the story to events of similar import ...

• According to the newspapers in 1879, if successful, the Jeannette Expedition would "be one of the most brilliant geographical adventures ever won by man." Another paper stated "man is on the verge of a discovery before which the discovery of America by Columbus would pale." (Page 128)  Are there any recent or current endeavors which have been proclaimed in similar terms? If Yes, name one. If No, why not?

• Taking into account the fate of De Long's expedition, would you consider it a success? Was is 'doomed' from the start?

Use the COMMENTS: link below to discuss this issue.

NONFICTION Book Discussion - Question # 3

Now let's discuss Hampton Sides' presentation ...

• What did you think of the author's writing style? Was the use of source documents helpful or a hindrance in following and understanding the narrative? Please explain your point of view.

Use the COMMENTS: link below to discuss this point.

NONFICTION Book Discussion - Question # 2

Let's continue with the history of the time period ...

• What did you learn from In the Kingdom of Ice? How familiar were you with any of the events, personalities, theories, or science which lead to De Long's arctic exploration expedition in 1879? 

Use the COMMENTS: link below to continue the discussion.

NONFICTION Book Discussion - Question # 1

The Nonfiction benchmark title is In the Kingdom of Ice: the Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette by Hampton Sides, "a white-knuckle tale of polar exploration and survival in the Gilded Age."

Let's start with a bit about the time period ...

• How did news reporting in the 1800's differ from the the way the news is reported today?  If a newspaper were written in such a manner today, do you think people would subscribe to such a paper?  Explain why or why not?

Enter your response by using the COMMENTS: link below.

Read a Great Nonfiction Title Recently?

Well, have you read an interesting nonfiction title in the last few months? If so, the SCCCLD staff would love to hear about it!

Do you have customers asking for assistance in finding that next great nonfiction read but you don't know where to begin? Come hear about some titles that you could share the next time the question comes your way ...

A Nonfiction Staff Book Talks session will be held Wednesday, December 3, 2014. starting at 9:00 AM in Room 112 at GA. All staff are invited to come and talk (or just listen) to co-workers present brief book talks about nonfiction titles which caught their interest. 

Looking for a nonfiction title for yourself? Consider one of the suggested titles on the Nonfiction Book Talk list under Book Talk Titles. Copies of each title on that list are available in the district collection, including the designated *benchmark* title. 

If you have read or are listening to the *benchmark*, In the Kingdom of Ice by Hampton Sides, join in an online book discussion through the blog. 

Watch for a question to be posted each day, beginning Wednesday, November 26 running through Tuesday, December 2. Use the Comments link at the bottom of each post to carry on the discussion.

Looking forward to hearing about the Nonfiction discoveries from among the SCCCLD staff!