Recommendations
See what La Grange Public Library staff members have to recommend.
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A Gathering of Old Men
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by Ernest J. Gaines
When a brutal Cajun farmer is killed on a Louisiana plantation, a white woman and 18 elderly black men each claim responsibility. The sheriff believes he knows who did it, though plenty of people had motives. Meanwhile, the dead man’s father debates whether to form a lynch mob while his college student son tries to convince him “the old days are over.” This is a fascinating… Continue
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The Secret Scripture
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by Sebastian Barry
The tragic story of a 100-year-old Irish woman unjustly installed in a mental asylum for most of her life is told through journal entries. Roseanne McNulty had several strikes against her when she was locked up. She was Protestant in a strongly Catholic county, beautiful and joyfully sexual with her new husband, and acquainted with local rebels. Now, the Roscommon Regional Mental Hospital is… Continue
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What Doesn't Kill Her
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by Carla Norton
Seven years ago, Reeve was rescued from the predator who kidnapped her at age 12 and kept her as his toy for four years. Her former captor, Daryl Wayne Flint, has escaped from the mental institution that has been his home since. Knowing Flint will soon begin hunting other young girls, Reeve leaves the relative safety of her new life as a college student and returns to Seattle to assist the FBI in… Continue
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Stuff to Die For
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by Don Bruns
James and Skip are recent college grads whose plans of becoming rich are progressing much too slowly. At loose ends with no solid career plans, the friends start a hauling business because everyone has “stuff” to move. Their first job involves them with a messy divorce, a high school classmate and a dangerous plot by ex-pat Cubans. There’s humor and not too much gore in this… Continue
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Hoodlum
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by K'wan
Born into a New York City crime family, Shai was known as the “good” brother. While Tommy was groomed to inherit their empire from powerful Trinidadian immigrant Poppa Clark, Shai’s future plans included college and a pro basketball career. Shai loses his spot on the college team (for betting) so he returns home. There, he reconnects with buddy Swan and is sucked into the lure… Continue
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Shakespeare and Company
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by Sylvia Beach
Paris in the 1920s! Imagine lounging in cafés late into the night and discussing the latest works of Joyce, Hemingway and Fitzgerald (who are also your neighbors and friends)! Author Sylvia Beach lived that dream life. An American who owned a bookshop specializing in American works, her store was frequented by all the major players of the era. Beach shares stories of her shop, her talented… Continue
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The Noise of Time
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by Julian Barnes
The near-impossibility of maintaining artistic integrity under Soviet rule is explored in this fictional portrait of composer Dmitri Shostakovich. Though Shostakovich survives the potentially fatal experience of Stalin denouncing his work, the price he pays is great. To keep his family and friends (as well as himself) safe, he must submit to the political forces and represent himself as a good… Continue
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The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry
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by Gabrielle Zevin
A. J. Fikry is an independent bookstore proprietor whose painful life of solitude and cynicism changes when an orphaned baby is left in his failing establishment. Fikry finds himself facing new circumstances that, over time, enable him to connect with the island’s townspeople who become like an extended family. This page-turning read is overall light and upbeat, but has some dark… Continue
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No Mercy
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by Lori Armstrong
When a Native American boy is found dead on her property, Mercy Gunderson can’t understand why the new sheriff isn’t trying harder to learn why. The teen was a friend of her nephew, so Mercy does some sleuthing herself, using her ex-military skills and contacts from her past. She soon finds herself in a tangle involving real estate developers and fraudulent religious leaders. A shaky… Continue
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The Hundred-Foot Journey
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by Richard C. Morais
When an Indian family begins a new life in the French Alps, not all of the neighbors are pleased. The restaurant opened by the Hajis, with exotic aromas and loud music, angers Madame Gerturde Mallory, owner of a traditional French restaurant across the street. In a fit of pique, she accidentally injures young Hassan. However, she sees the potential for a gifted chef in him, and as an act of… Continue
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No One You Know
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by Michelle Richmond
20 years ago, Ellie’s sister was murdered. Lila, a math prodigy, had been secretive about a relationship before her death. Grief-stricken Ellie confided in her favorite teacher, who betrayed her by writing a best-selling true crime book naming a colleague of Lila’s as the murderer (though he was never charged). Now a coffee buyer by profession, Ellie is stunned when she meets the… Continue
