(Originally published in the Andover American 9/5/13. "Library Buzz" is written by Toria Hamilton.)
I’ve eaten a cucumber or two each day for the past week. Librarian Cheri gardens with her husband, and after they’ve frozen, canned, and pickled all they care to, Cheri brings the excess to the library and gives them away. They’re delicious! Almost delicious enough to convince me to start my own garden.
Unfortunately, gardening is a huge commitment: hours of effort for months on end, while success or failure hinges on bugs, weather, and fate. No, thank you! Whenever I’m tempted to start a garden, I lie down until the feeling passes.
That doesn’t stop me from reading a few garden-themed books, though. See what you think of these:
Historical fiction fans should try “Earthly Joys” by Philippa Gregory. Set in seventeenth century England, the story follows John Tradescant, a commoner who rises above his circumstances to become a gardener in the king’s service. Tradescant befriends important members of the court, becoming privy to plots and intrigues at the highest levels. Fans of Gregory’s War of the Roses series (“The White Queen”) or The Tudors (“The Other Boleyn Girl”) should enjoy this well-researched novel.
For a cozy mystery, you can’t go wrong with The Darling Dahlias series by Susan Wittig Albert, starting with “The Darling Dahlias and the Cucumber Tree.” The Darling Dahlias are a gardening club in Alabama during the Great Depression, but it’s not all tea and sandwiches: they solve murders on the side. We have the whole series at Andover Public Library, including the newest volume, “The Darling Dahlias and the Texas Star” out this month.
If you’d prefer something lighter, try a fluffy romance, like the In the Garden trilogy by Nora Roberts, beginning with “Blue Dahlia”. Three women brought together by a historical mansion, a successful gardening business, and a ghostly mystery, find their way to love and deeper friendships as they follow their hearts. Since we have the whole trilogy available on CD, consider listening to this one outside in a lawn chair in this cooling weather.
If gardening isn’t for you, be sure to check our website (andoverlibrary.org) this month for more information about our upcoming events, including a pirate party on 9/19 and GAD festivities starting 9/26. Come by to browse our New Books shelf, and check out the new additions to our juvenile and young adult audio sections. If you’re lucky, there might even be a cucumber left for you.
I’ve eaten a cucumber or two each day for the past week. Librarian Cheri gardens with her husband, and after they’ve frozen, canned, and pickled all they care to, Cheri brings the excess to the library and gives them away. They’re delicious! Almost delicious enough to convince me to start my own garden.
Unfortunately, gardening is a huge commitment: hours of effort for months on end, while success or failure hinges on bugs, weather, and fate. No, thank you! Whenever I’m tempted to start a garden, I lie down until the feeling passes.
That doesn’t stop me from reading a few garden-themed books, though. See what you think of these:
Historical fiction fans should try “Earthly Joys” by Philippa Gregory. Set in seventeenth century England, the story follows John Tradescant, a commoner who rises above his circumstances to become a gardener in the king’s service. Tradescant befriends important members of the court, becoming privy to plots and intrigues at the highest levels. Fans of Gregory’s War of the Roses series (“The White Queen”) or The Tudors (“The Other Boleyn Girl”) should enjoy this well-researched novel.
For a cozy mystery, you can’t go wrong with The Darling Dahlias series by Susan Wittig Albert, starting with “The Darling Dahlias and the Cucumber Tree.” The Darling Dahlias are a gardening club in Alabama during the Great Depression, but it’s not all tea and sandwiches: they solve murders on the side. We have the whole series at Andover Public Library, including the newest volume, “The Darling Dahlias and the Texas Star” out this month.
If you’d prefer something lighter, try a fluffy romance, like the In the Garden trilogy by Nora Roberts, beginning with “Blue Dahlia”. Three women brought together by a historical mansion, a successful gardening business, and a ghostly mystery, find their way to love and deeper friendships as they follow their hearts. Since we have the whole trilogy available on CD, consider listening to this one outside in a lawn chair in this cooling weather.
If gardening isn’t for you, be sure to check our website (andoverlibrary.org) this month for more information about our upcoming events, including a pirate party on 9/19 and GAD festivities starting 9/26. Come by to browse our New Books shelf, and check out the new additions to our juvenile and young adult audio sections. If you’re lucky, there might even be a cucumber left for you.
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