Memorial Day and Wisconsin Reads

 

5-24-2024

This week I’m going to switch gears quite a bit. It’s rare that I focus on new books in the library, but the timing on two of them have me convinced this is the week to do so. Therefore, this article will be a mix of Memorial Day and local author titles or series.

It would be all Wisconsin if not for one of the military titles: This Troubled Ground by Les Carroll. Carroll served in the Air Force and National Guard for twenty-eight years including two tours of Afghanistan and on tour at the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations Center. The opening chapter, which takes place at Dover Air Force Base where he witnessed the dignified transfer of fallen service members to their families. It doesn’t get any easier after as he works to describe his experiences at Dover and on the battlefield.

The second Memorial Day inspired choice is written by a Wisconsin author. Tailspin by John Armbruster was recommended by this year’s speaker at East Troy’s observance. I’m afraid I didn’t catch his name, but he made the recommendation as the book will be a focal point in his speech. The book is about Wisconsin veteran, tail gunner Gene Moran, whose plane was shot during WWII. Gene fell four miles without a parachute, was captured by the Germans and survived eighteen months as a prisoner of war.

Continuing with biographies, Wisconsin writer Catherine Young writes about her childhood spent in Pennsylvania in Black Diamonds: A Childhood Colored by Coal. Young’s focus is actually the environmental history of her section of Pennsylvania and the changes from fueling America’s industrial revolution.

On a lighter note, if fictional murders are considered light, Sue Berg’s Driftless series has Detective Jim Higgins solving mysteries in the LaCrosse area. The series began with Driftless Gold which mixes Civil War history with modern day bodies discovery. The fifth book, Driftless Insurrection, was released last month. While it also pulls in Wisconsin history this time Sauk warrior Black Hawk, the three books in between stay in current times. Recommending these books has given me and patrons a break from Joy Ellis and has been well received.

In the hopes this is being read on Friday, I will end with a plug for the Friends of the ETLPL’s Books & Bites sale. This is the one time each year that all the books, DVDs and audiobooks in our storage room are on display at the same time. In addition, the Friends have some mighty good bakers to help keep bargain hunter’s blood sugar up and hats, scarves and book marks made by the Yarn & Stitch group will also be on sale. The sale runs Saturday, May 25^th 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.

Reading Now: The Trees by Percival Everett

Listening to Now: Buried on the Fens by Joy Ellis (DI Nikki Galena #7)