I don’t understand all the hub-bub about the new location of the public library. Over the last few months I have read a number of stories on the Gazette’s website and for some reason continued on down the page to view the comments. I am shocked that not only do people have emphatic opinions on the subject but are quite rude and presumptuous with them.

Personally, I want the library back. I don’t care if it’s at True North, Emerald Knights,  KCRG or back in it’s previous spot (and I understand that this is impossible according to FEMA guidelines). Now that these decisions are made, perhaps people can be grateful that we’ll get another part of our city back and they can throw their hostility elsewhere.

I am just happy it’s coming back.

Did you know that you can do all of your holiday shopping in one place? Oh yes, it is possible. Just go to your local bookstore. The key when giving someone a book as a gift is to personalize it. Take some time to put a personal inscription in the book.

In the next couple of weeks, Caitlin and I will give you book gift suggestions for everyone on your list.

Dog Lover

For the dog lover in your life, go beyond “Marley & Me” and put some effort into your choice. Try “The Story of Edgar Sawtelle” by David Wroblewski, a story about a family who raises a fictional breed of dog. Or if your dog lover is more inclined to listen to the advice of a talking dog, get “Nose Down, Eyes Up” by Merrill Markoe.

Non-Reader

Let’s face it, not everyone likes to read. For the non-reader on your list, get anything by Frank Warren whose titles include “Post Secret,” “My Secret,” and “Secret Lives of Men and Women.” The books are compilations of anonymous post cards he solicited from men and women throughout the country revealing their deepest secrets. They range from depressing to unbelievably funny.

World Traveler

This list is endless. “Three Cups of Tea” by Greg Mortenson is a good start and sure to inspire the world traveler in your life. It chronicles one man’s journey to promote peace by building schools in remote parts of Pakistan. You could also pick up “Into Thin Air” by John Krakauer and perhaps inspire your world traveler to climb Mount Everest. Stranger things have happened.

Little Tykes
There is no better book for the little tyke on your list than “Love You Forever” by Robert Munsch. Seriously, “Love you forever, like you for always, as long as I’m living, my baby you’ll be.” If that doesn’t bring a tear to your eye, nothing will. And it is so much better than a plastic toy that will undoubtedly break five minutes after its opened.

Movie Buff

Roger Ebert has a number of books out there that any movie buff is sure to enjoy. I personally like
“Your Movie Sucks” but you could also try “The Great Movies, which includes Ebert’s essays on
100 movies ranging from Citizen Kane (of course) to Beauty and the Beast. If you are feeling especially generous, pick up “The Great Movies II” as well.

Next week, find out what to buy the Football Fanatic, Intellectual, Loving Grandma and Foodie on your holiday shopping list.

— NATALIE

“Mister Pip” by Lloyd Jones is a treasure.

The story takes place, for the most part, in a village on a small tropical island and is told by a young girl named Matilda. The island is in the middle of a civil war which forces the village school to close, but the village’s only white resident, Mr. Watts (who all the kids call ‘Popeye’) steps in and reopens the school. With what seems like no teaching experience, Mr. Watts ‘teaches’ by reading the students “Great Expectations” by Charles Dickens. None of the children are familiar with books and find refuge from the trials of life in the story of young Pip. By the end of the first chapter, Matilda (along with most of the children) is enchanted and she describes what this new experience is like for her:

“I had found a new friend. The surprising thing is where I’d found him—not up a tree or sulking in the shade, or splashing around in one of the hill streams, but in a book. No one had told us kids to look there for a friend. Or that you could slip inside the skin of another. Or travel to another place with marshes and where, to our ears, the bad people spoke like pirates.”

As Matilda’s attachment to Pip grows, her relationship with her mother, Dolores, becomes strained. Dolores is jealous of Matilda’s new found knowledge and does little to hide her resentment. When Dolores’ emotions get the better of her, events take a turn for the worst and poor Mr. Watts ends up paying the price. I wish I could say more, but I don’t want to say too much. Suffice it to say, “Mister Pip” is well worth your time.

“Mister Pip” was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize which is an annual award given to a novel written by an English writer. Each year, the judges whittle the nominated books down to a “longlist” then a “shortlist” before picking the winner. A quick look at past authors included show it is distinguished bunch. There are a number of other books that have had the honor of being “shortlisted” that I would definitely recommend:

“Atonement” by Ian McEwan

“On Beauty” by Zadie Smith

“Life of Pi” by Yann Martel

“The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood

“The Blind Assassin” by Margaret Atwood

— NATALIE

Better than books?

We all have at least someone in our life who does not like to read. Whether it’s a friend, spouse, parent or sibling. It just can’t be helped. Not everyone embraces the euphoria that reading offers. While I don’t understand how people survive on a day-to-day basis without reading, I certainly don’t want alienate all non-readers and shut them out of my life. So here is the conundrum: Given that I love to read and like to discuss books, how can I incorporate my non-reader friends into my life and conversations? Answer: Movies.

Everyone likes movies. And so many books are eventually made into movies. So I figure, the non-readers in my life can see the movie. I’ll read the book. Then we’ll chat. In order to make this work, the trick is to find movies that adhere to the book as much as possible and really do the book justice. Because, let’s face it, some movies made from books are absolutely horrible when compared to the book and some are so different from the book that “based on the book” is hardly an apt characterization.

To aid readers and non-readers alike, I put together a list of my top 10 book and movie combos. These are simply books I thought were good and were adapted into movies equally as good or better. “The Soloist” by Steve Lopez is released on film April 24. So if you read fast, you can put my plan into action.

- NATALIE

“To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee
Atticus Finch is without a doubt one of my favorite characters in any book ever written. Gregory Peck, who portrays Atticus in the movie, is amazing.

“Twilight” by Stephenie Meyer
If you don’t know about this book and movie you’ve been living under a rock, and there is nothing I can do to help you.

“The Devil Wears Prada” by Lauren Weisberger
I know. I know. Not exactly a literary classic, but the book was entertaining, as was the movie.

“Count of Monte Cristo” by Alexandre Dumas
This is not an easy read but well worth the effort. The movie, released in 2002, leaves out some important parts (which is not surprising given the length of the book) but adheres to the major plot points.

“The Other Boleyn Girl” by Philippa Gregory
The book was saucy and scandalous to say the least and the movie starring, Scarlett Johansson, Natalie Portman and Eric Bana, is equally saucy and scandalous.

“Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen
The most recent movie version was released in 2005, but I recommend the British Broadcasting Corp. made for TV version starring Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy.

“Absolute Power” by David Baldacci
The book is action packed. As for the movie, can you really go wrong with Clint Eastwood and Ed Harris?

“House of Sand and Fog” by Andre Dubus
Both the movie and the book are absolutely beautiful and depressing.

“Little Children” by Tom Perrota
The movie was released in 2006 and stars Kate Winslet. There are a number of glaring differences between the book and the movie (for example, the endings are completely different) but both were so good I had to include “Little Children” on my list.

“A Civil Action” by Jonathan Harr
The fact that I am an attorney may make me a little biased, but I thought both the book and the movie were compelling dramas.

I have very few complaints about being a grown-up. Why, just today I had Triscuits and cheddar cheese for dinner and I plan to stay up as late as I want tonight. Cray-zay. But sometimes, I get to feeling a little longing for the great Young Adult fiction of my awkward years.

C’mon, you remember how “Harriet the Spy” was more than just a book character; she was a role model, right? I’m here to tell you that some YA fiction, like the wine we can now drink as grown-ups, is even better with age. Reread these and you won’t regret it:

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
Required reading in 5th through 8th-grade classes across the nation at one point, I have no idea if this book is still popular. Gary Paulsen made reading cool for boys back in the 1980s and 90s. He also planted the love of survival fiction in me. Follow Brian, the young hero, as he lives in the wilderness after a plane crash. Since it’s a kids’ book, you probably don’t have to worry too much about whether he’ll make it to the end.

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Katherine Paterson can write. This touching book is both imaginative and starkly real. Lonely friends, Jesse and Leslie, create a fantasy world they call Terabithia. It’s their escape from the real life bullies, poverty and eventually tragedy and grief. For me, it stands out as one of the first times an author made me really feel some emotion. It still does.

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
While Shel Silverstein’s poems about eating a lot and turning into a TV if you watch too much of it are clearly aimed at children, a lot of the poems are surprisingly adult. The messages of other poems range from silly (“I’m being eaten by a boa constrictor and I don’t like it one bit”) to serious (“All the magic I have ever known, I’ve had to make myself”). “Where the Sidewalk Ends” mesmerized me at 8 and decades later has the same effect.

I’m not sure R.L. Stine, “The Babysitter’s Club,” or Choose Your Own Adventures hold up the same way, but it’s great fun to pick up your old childhood favorites and slow down on a Saturday morning. You can do grown-up stuff later.

- CATILIN

L. Frank Baum was a little one-sided when he first wrote The Wizard of Oz in 1900, which as you all know, is the tale of an innocent young girl named Dorothy who was tormented by the evil Wicked Witch of the West when she found herself in the Land of Oz.Didn’t you ever wonder, was the Wicked Witch really that Wicked? And if so, how does one become Wicked? And why was she green? And I certainly can’t be the only person who found Glinda the Good Witch unbelievably annoying.

Gregory Maguire took on the amazing task of exploring all these issues and more in “Wicked: The life and times of the Wicked Witch of the West.” “Wicked” offers another perspective on the story of Oz we all grew up with. Maguire takes events, characters and plot points from the original Wizard of Oz and presents them through a different lens. No longer is Dorothy an innocent young girl. And the Wicked Witch, whose name is Elphaba, is not that horrible evil villain you always thought. She’s simply misunderstood. (An interesting side note, Maguire came up with the name “Elphaba” from the initials of L. Frank Baum, L.F.B.).

Wicked takes the reader from the time prior to Elphaba’s birth through her murder. We meet wonderful characters, including Elphaba’s parents and Elphaba’s sister (Nessarose) who was squished by Dorothy’s house. We learn more about the Land of Oz and all of its political, social and ethical problems. And who knew that at one point Elphaba and Glinda were actually friends who were “changed for the better” because they knew one another. “Wicked” is completely entertaining and is not the easy, simple read you would expect. I had no idea the Land of Oz was fraught with so much drama.

After reading “Wicked”, I was a slightly uncertain as to whether I should read the sequel “Son of a Witch” for fear that I would be disappointed. But I was pleasantly surprised. “Son of a Witch” takes us back to the Land of Oz and tells the tale of Liir, the little boy hiding in the shadows when Dorothy brutally murders the Wicked Witch (aka Elphaba). Don’t let the title “Son of a Witch” mislead you. It is more of a question than a statement. Liir spends the majority of the book searching for who he is. This search includes trying to determine who his parents are.

What I found especially interesting about both “Wicked” and “Son of a Witch” is how Maguire used this fantasy world to put some of what we see everyday (war, famine, power struggles, sexual confusion) in a different light and offer a new perspective. These books are not meant for kids; they have adult language, adult relationships and adult issues. I highly recommend both of these books. And once you are done reading, you can go see the Tony award winning musical “Wicked” which is absolutely amazing!

- NATALIE

Up next for me is “A Lion Among Men,” the third book in the “Wicked” series.

There are very few books I’ve read that I would unequivocally tell caution someone not to read.

“Never Change” by Elizabeth Berg is one of those books.

The fact that I previously read and enjoyed numerous other books by Berg made this a huge and unwelcome surprise. “Open House” was wonderful and “The Year of Pleasures,” while not as good as “Open House,” was definitely enjoyable. Therefore, I had faith that “Never Change” would be worth my time. Boy was I wrong. (If you plan on reading “Never Change” stop reading this article now because I am about to ruin the ending.)

“Never Change” was horrid. The plot, while arguably overdone, was nonetheless marginally intriguing. Myra Lipinski, a 50-something home care nurse, has always been kind of a loner. She was the girl who didn’t get asked to prom and always played second fiddle to the popular girls in school. Then a gentleman from her past, Chip, who she happened to have a huge crush on in high school, becomes one of her patients. Chip is terminally ill and, surprise, surprise, they fall in love. This is where I started to have a problem with the book.

Chip decides that he is going to take his own life rather than suffer the humiliation of completely losing control as his illness progresses. Myra, in her love haze, decides that if Chip is going to kill himself, she is going with him. All of this is decided in the last 25 pages of the novel. As I read Myra’s decision to kill herself and realized that the book was almost over, I thought how on earth is Berg going to conquer this emotional land mine with so few pages left? I got my answer. She doesn’t. It seemed like she just got bored with the novel and decided to end it as soon as she could. As Chip is popping the necessary pills to kill himself, Myra just changes her mind. Why? Who knows. One reviewer said ” ‘Never Change’ is a five-tissue-box novel, for the tears that flow not out of sorrow, but out of living.”

Well, I agree this book results in tears, but for an entirely different reason. It is a tear-jerker because you get to the end and are so ticked off you wasted even a portion of your life reading it that you have nothing left to do but shed a tear for this time you will never get back.

Instead of spending any of your precious time reading “Never Change” grab “Until I Find You” by John Irving. This is not an easy read but worth the effort. Irving makes what could be an otherwise unbelievable and complete irrational plot believable. Irving manages to tie together ink addicts and organ players, Hollywood (including the Oscars), mental institutions, incest, sex abuse and prostitution all in one tale. Though, the attention Irving gives to the sexual elements of the story is, at times, excessive. At 800 pages it may take you a while. At least it took me a while. But it is worth it.

If you aren’t up for the challenge of “Until I Find You” grab “Mrs. Dred Scott” written by Iowa City’s own, Lea Vandervelde. Vandervelde, a professor of law at the University of Iowa, delves into one of the Supreme Court’s most notorious decisions from the perspective of the litigant.

- NATALIE

Next on my list: “Son of a Witch” by Gregory Maguire and “The Mayor of Casterbridge” by Thomas Hardy.

I couldn’t let winter end without telling you about “The Terror” by Dan Simmons. Did you think that the -20 degree days we had this year were scary? Well, make that -70 degrees and picture your food supply rotting while trying to avoid a terrible demise at the hands (claws?) of a vicious snow beast who hunts humans with specific glee. Oh, and imagine that you’re low on rum. That’s the fate of the men of the Terror and Erebus, a two-ship expedition to find the Northwest Passage.

The triumphant crew of the Erebus and Terror, led by Sir John Franklin, begins with high hopes of finding a short way to Asia via the yet-undiscovered Northwest Passage. The plan gets literally stuck, for years, when the ships are frozen in place. Sir John dies right away, and a lot of the book is told from the perspective of the his captain, Captain Crozier. The crew slowly dwindles away as the group scrapes and scratches across the Arctic, seeking rescue. War books and other stories of extreme human suffering tend to stick around in my head for a while, but “The Terror” takes it to a new level.

The psychological aspects are just as [insert favorite synonym for scary] as the outright gore. And what’s a good ol’ exploration book if cannibalism isn’t at least alluded to? The book was relentlessly scary. Simmons pens some amazing descriptions; the reader feels the cold, craves the rum and fears the beast, as if right there on the ship. Unlike a lot of other horror fiction, this book does not disappoint in the end. The message is one of caution against arrogance when dealing with nature. Work with it, don’t try to defeat it.

If you like your history fictional, frightening and with a twist of supernatural, check out “The Terror.” Read past dark at your own risk. Brrrrr.

– CAITLIN

*EDITOR’S NOTE: This week Caitlin and Natalie return to discussing books after sharing their favorite area book dealers with us throughout that last few weeks.

If you live in the Corridor, chances are you’ve purchased a book at Barnes and Noble Booksellers. B&N is like a department store for book lovers.They pay a lot of attention to their displays and layout. During any given holiday, shoppers can find seasonal books laid out in the middle aisle, right inside the door. This is great when you’re bopping in for a last minute gift for Uncle George.

My personal favorite, though, is the fiction section. Big surprise, I know, but rows and rows of books alphabetized by author’s last name can keep me browsing for hours. In a good way. Tightly bound new books are my shopping weakness. Just try packing my house for a move.

Treasure-hunters can often find gems in the bargain books section of the store. This is where giant coffee table books are on sale for prices like $6.99. I think of this as the eye-candy section. I buy unnecessary books on decorating, cookbooks from obscure locales (Cooking: Mid-Central Rhone-Valley Style) and photography books just because.

There’s nothing like shopping for bright shiny books in a store that smells like coffee and cookies. I almost always have to stop by the attached Starbucks, grab a tall coffee (no room for cream necessary, please) and browse the magazines. If there’s anything I love more than books, it’s magazines. So colorful! So . . . specifically targeted. While I have no photography skills whatsoever, I enjoy browsing the art and photography magazines a lot. The super-complicated knitting pattern magazines also fascinate me. I just realized how boring I must sound. What I meant to say is that I love Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue, and all the other stuff the cool kids read.

Sure, B&N isn’t the cheapest place to get a new best-seller, but as the days warm up and you want to get out of your house in the evening, nothing beats a good bookstore browse session. Just remember that you might have to pack all of those books and move them someday. For now, there’s not harm in just looking at “True Colors” by Kristin Hannah, is there?

– CAITLIN

Details: Cedar Rapids: Barnes and Noble Booksellers, 33 Collins Rd. NE; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Sunday and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday; call (319) 393-4800. Coralville: 1451 Coral Ridge Ave. #1108; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, Monday through Saturday 9 a.m.
to 10 p.m.; call (319) 337-3337.

Book lovers love Prairie Lights. This downtown Iowa City bookstore is more than just a store. It’s an information source, a meet-up spot and event venue.

The Prairie Lights Books is seen on Saturday, May 24, 2003, in the Iowa City, Iowa. The bookstore was started by Jim Harris in 1978 on Linn Street. Harris moved the store in 1983 to 15 S. Dubuque St. and has since expanded it to three stories. Prairie Lights brings in more than 100 authors for readings every year and has become a nationally recognized independent bookstore. (AP Photo/ Iowa City Press-Citizen, Deb Barber)

Start at the front for the NYT Bestsellers, and weave your way past the newly released hard-covers and paperbacks. Dig through popular movie scripts and keep walking to find the mysteries. In the back corner, hunker down with the poetry, or cross the store and check out the philosophy section. Nature and science lovers will find plenty of interest on the second floor, and everyone will want to grab a cup of coffee from the Java House café there. Those with a fondness for children’s books and YA fiction will want to block off time to spend in the overflowing basement section. Maurice Sendak! Beverly Cleary! Judy Blume!

I hear independent bookselling is a tough gig, but Prairie Lights has figured it out. Even the name of the store makes you want to read, doesn’t it? Prairie Lights: use ‘em to read late into these dark, cold, winter nights.

Or, on a cold weeknight, make the trip out and hear a reading from a favorite author. “Live From Prairie Lights” hosts two or three authors each week who come and read from their recent books and answer audience questions about their writing. Usually held from 7pm-9pm, the readings used to be broadcast on Iowa Public Radio. But they stopped airing in December. That means. If you want to hear the reading, make the trek to Iowa City. You’ll be glad you did.

Even their website is great: www.prairielights.com. (They’re also at www.prairielightsbooks.com.) I loved browsing Staff Selections, Jan and Paul Recommend and A Personal Selection. The Personal Selections right now are President Barack Obama’s favorite books. I didn’t see any of the fluff I was hoping for, but I suppose his list suits a president: “Moby Dick,” the Bible, “Song of Solomon” by Toni Morrison. The store also displayed the President’s picks so you can read your way to the presidency.

Feeling all warm and fuzzy toward my fellow Midwesterners, I picked up the “Florist’s Daughter,” by Patricia Hampl, on a recent trip to PL. This memoirist has a Czech father and grew up in St. Paul. I’ve been suspicious of memoirs since recent years’ snafus, but I’m going to give this one a try. I also put in an order for Hyperion, by Dan Simmons. I’m just beginning his “Terror” and am fairly certain he’s a genius.

Tell us what bookstores you love and what you’ve gotten there!

– CAITLIN

Details: Prairie Lights, 15 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City; 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.