BOOKSHELF

FICTION

Brightly Shining, by Ingvild Rishoi

Christmas is just around the corner, and Ronja and Melissa’s dreamer of a father is out of work again. When 10-year-old Ronja hears about a job at a Christmas tree stand near where the family lives in central Oslo, she thinks it might be the stroke of luck they all need. Soon, the fridge fills with food, and their father returns home with money in his pocket and a smile on his face. But one evening he disappears into the night under the pretense of buying Christmas gifts — and his daughters know he has gone to his favorite local pub, Stargate. Melissa decides to take his place at the Christmas tree stand, working before and after school in the December dark, and brings along Ronja, who quickly charms all the middle-class customers. The sisters dream of a brighter place of kindness and find help from some of those around them in this story that has all the markings of a magical modern classic.

The Library of Heartbeats, by Laura Imai Messina

On the peaceful Japanese island of Teshima there is a library of heartbeats, a place where the heartbeats of visitors from all around the world are collected. In this small, isolated building, the heartbeats of people who are still alive or have already passed away continue to echo. Several miles away, in the ancient city of Kamakura, two lonely souls meet: Shuichi, a 40-year-old illustrator who returns to his hometown to fix up the house of his recently deceased mother, and 8-year-old Kenta, a child who wanders like a shadow around Shuichi’s house. Day by day, the trust between Shuichi and Kenta grows, until they discover they share a bond that will tie them together for life. Enchanting, touching and emotionally riveting The Library of Heartbeats is a story about loss and hope, pain and joy, reality and imagination, and the promise of healing and overcoming the odds.

NONFICTION

Trails & Treats: A Hiker and Runner’s Guide To Great Trails and Good Eats In North Carolina, by Palmer McIntyre and Hollis Oberlies

Want to step out of the old routine and discover the beautiful landscapes of North Carolina? Trails & Treats describes 30 trails across the state, broken down into four geographical areas: the Triad, Triangle, Mountain and Charlotte regions. Not only does the book provide the distance of each trail and level of difficulty for hikers or runners, in it are recommendations for the restaurants, coffee shops, local markets and picnic areas that are worth a visit before or after the workout. A great read for seasoned hikers and runners or first-time explorers.

The Name of This Band is R.E.M: A Biography, 
by Peter Ames Carlin

In the spring of 1980, an unexpected group of musical eccentrics came together to play their very first performance at a college party in Athens, Georgia. Within a few short years, they had taken over the world with smash records like Out of Time, Automatic for the People, Monster and Green. Raw, outrageous and expressive, R.E.M.’s distinctive musical flair was unmatched, and a string of mega-successes solidified them as generational spokesmen. In this rich, intimate biography, Carlin looks beyond the sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll to open a window into the fascinating lives of four college friends —Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Bill Berry — who stuck together at any cost, until the end.