Mahopac Public Library Reader's Advisory

4. Stop by or e-mail our circulation desk and let us know what kind of books you like to read; we will help you find others that are similar or help you find other books your favorite authors have written.

5. Stop by the library's new Reader's Advisory corner and pick up a book mark.

6. Check the new selections on the Book List below.

Current Book Lists:

AUGUST IS NATIONAL GOLF MONTH

The Downhill Lie: A Hacker’s Return to a Ruinous Sport
by Carl Hiaasen
Hiaasen, an admittedly woeful golfer, recounts his clumsy resumption of the game after a 32-year layoff. He interweaves passages about his return to the game with diary entries covering more than a year and a half on the links. He mixes childhood memories of playing with his father, who died prematurely, with anecdotes, including the time he and a friend ejected an invasion of poisonous toads from his friend's patio with short irons. His analysis of his lessons, hapless rounds and gimmicky golf equipment is hilarious, and his descriptions are vintage Hiaasen, such as golf balls that are designed to run like a scalded gerbil.

The Last Putt: Two Teams, One Dream, and a Freshman Named Tiger
by Neil Hayes
Based on exhaustive reporting and interviews, The Last Putt tells the story of an epic rivalry that encapsulated the changing face of the game. On one side was Oklahoma State, a true golfing dynasty featuring the young bloods of a privileged golf family and a coach whose winning record and reputation for toughness made him a mythical figure. On the other side was Stanford, born of the creative recruiting of an unforgettable group of players: Notah Begay (golf's first prominent Native American), Casey Martin (who broke down barriers by playing with a severe disability), and Tiger Woods.

Arnie & Jack: Palmer, Nicklaus, and Golf’s Greatest Rivalry
by Ian O’Connor & David Black
Sports columnist O'Connor documents the decades-long rivalry between Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. The two men couldn't have been more different. Palmer was an effortlessly charming man, a self-made champion from humble Pennsylvania roots who bashed line drives with astounding force. Nicklaus was more introverted and endured endless taunting from those who saw him as a cheerless striver caring only about winning. The two men rode their rivalry as golf grew from a sleepy amateur-only sport through its postwar boom into one of America's leading pastimes.

Are You Kidding Me? The Story of Rocco Mediate’s Extraordinary Battle with Tiger Woods at the US Open
by Rocco Mediate and John Feinstein
June 2008's US Open produced one of the most unexpected and dramatic showdowns in golf history. Day after day the invincible Tiger Woods was challenged by Rocco Mediate, a respected journeyman. On Sunday, both ended play tied at par, forcing a playoff. Defying expectations, Mediate played Woods to yet another tie, losing only after forcing a sudden-death showdown. He emerged as one of the most likable, open, and fascinating golfers. In Are You Kidding Me? Mediate tells the full story of these five life-changing days.

Jack Nicklaus: Memories and Mementos from Golf’s Golden Bear
by Jack Nicklaus with David Shedloski
In Jack Nicklaus, his first fully illustrated autobiography, the legendary golfer offers the story of his life, both professional and personal, in his own voice. From the thrill of winning his first U.S. Amateur title in 1959 to the heart-warming ovation after a birdie on his final hole at the 2005 British Open, Nicklaus walks us through his most significant career highlights. The book includes rare photographs from the Jack Nicklaus Museum.

Tiger: The Real Story
by Steve Helling
Helling gives a recount created largely from previously released information: Tiger's early nerdy image was corrected in school when "glasses were replaced by contact lenses and his thick curls cut shorter;" the golfer places "...family first, school second, and golf third;" and while Tiger had had affairs before his father's death, he "went into overdrive" afterward. He offers observations torn right from the playbook: "Tiger is still one of the best golfers to ever play the game...that will probably not ever be enough to fully restore his public image as perhaps the most beloved athlete in the world."

Preferred Lies: A Journey Into the Heart of Scottish Golf
by Andrew Greig
Greig returns to golf as he is returning to life, the survivor of brain surgery. Drawn to the fairways of his youth, he travels his native country playing courses that have personal significance to him (only a few of which are among those on the British Open rota) and reconnecting with old friends. His story separates itself from the field on multiple levels. It is idiosyncratically but never egotistically personal—reflective, often melancholy anecdotes about his family, his past, his poetry, and his illness all weave their way unobtrusively into the text—but it is also remarkably precise about the game.

BEACH READS FOR THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER:

A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron
A tail-wagging three hanky boo-hooer, this delightful fiction debut by newspaper columnist Cameron (8 Simple Rules for Marrying My Daughter) proposes that a dog's purpose might entail being reborn several times. A book for all age groups who admire canine courage, Cameron also successfully captures the essence of a dog's amazing capacity to love and protect.

Dogs and Goddesses by Jennifer Crusie, Anne Stuart, and Lani Diane Rich
Don't be put off by the talking dogs; clever (human) dialogue and sassy heroines make this joint novel an amusing standout. After meeting at a local dog obedience-training session, coffeehouse owner Abby, Web writer Daisy and history professor Shar become fast friends. They also discover that the dog trainer is the Mesopotamian goddess Kammani, determined to rule the world like she did 4,000 years ago. Chosen as Kammani's priestesses, Abby, Daisy and Shar aren't quite ready to support the goddess's destructive goals, even when she grants them magical powers including the ability to understand their dogs.

The Unscratchables by Cornelius Kane
Det. Max Crusher McNash, a fearless bull terrier in the slaughter unit of the San Bernardo police dog force, must overcome his distrust of special agent Cassius Lap, a very Zen Siamese of the FBI (Feline Bureau of Investigation), in their pursuit of a serial killer cat targeting dogs in this off-the-leash hard-boiled satire from the pseudonymous Kane. The fur begins flying when two rottweilers are torn apart. Later victims include a retriever attending a museum shindig, movie star Jack Russell Crowe and a newshound. Crusher and Cassius deal with gangsta hounds as well as visit Kathattan, an island where dogs are unwelcome, and Cattica Correctional Facility, where convicted murderer Quentin Riossiti, a debonair psycho cat, offers his help for a price.

Stay by Allie Larkin
Larkin debuts with a funny and touching story about love, loss, and dog ownership. Twenty-something Van Leone, fresh from serving as maid of honor at the wedding of her childhood best friend and the man Van's been in love with since college, impulsively buys a German shepherd puppy on the Internet while drowning her sorrows in vodka and a late-night Rin Tin Tin marathon. Van's surprised to discover, however, that the little ball of fuzz she's expecting is an enormous Slovakian police dog that she names Joe. The expected furniture-destroying and neighbor-terrifying antics ensue, but Joe quickly becomes Van's family, chief confidant, and romantic catalyst.

Dog on It: A Chet and Bernie Mystery by Spencer Quinn
An exciting new mystery series debuts with this first Chet and Bernie novel. Chet the Jet is a dog who failed K-9 school (cats in the open country played a role in his demise), but now he is a dedicated PI and works with Bernie, owner of the Little Detective Agency. The story is told entirely from Chet’s point of view, which will delight dog-loving mystery readers, but the book is also an excellent PI tale, dogs aside, as Chet and Bernie investigate the disappearance of a teenage girl whose developer dad may be up to no good.

The Highly Effective Detective Goes to the Dogs by Richard Yancey
In Yancey's delightful second mystery to feature lovably inept Teddy Ruzak (after 2006's The Highly Effective Detective), Teddy fails the Tennessee PI licensing exam for the second time and is served notice that he can no longer work as a PI. After shutting down the office, Teddy spots a homeless man on the street and, on impulse, gives him his hat. The next day Teddy finds the man beaten to death in an alley behind his office building. Determined to dig up the truth, Teddy, in his inimitable way, follows the trail. Along the way to a most surprising solution, he finds his life complicated by two unexpected new acquaintances from the dog pound, one four-legged and the other a young woman who finds Teddy very attractive.

Doggie Day Care Murder by Laurien Berenson
At the start of Berenson's warm and fuzzy 15th dog mystery, Melanie Travis, standard poodle lover and dedicated amateur sleuth, checks out the Pine Ridge Canine Care Center in Stamford, Conn., on behalf of Alice Brickman, a mom recently returned to the work force who needs a place to park her golden retriever. On Melanie's second tour of the posh doggie day care center, she discovers the corpse of seriously cute Steve Pine, who co-owned Pine Ridge with his sister, Candy. On Alice's wacky recommendation , Candy asks Melanie to catch the killer. Who cares if Melanie isn't a licensed PI or the local police department doesn't appear to investigate anything? With winning pluck and lots of luck, Berenson's cluehound pursues another cute tail-wagging puzzler.

One Good Dog by Susan Wilson
Adam March is a married father and successful businessman poised to become a CEO—that is, until the day his troubled past catches up with him. Soon Adam has lost his job, his family, and his house and is living in a lonely apartment working off his community-service sentence in a local men’s shelter. Adam’s story alternates with that of Chance, a former fighting pit bull who has escaped, lived on the streets, and is now back at the animal shelter. When circumstances require Adam to adopt and care for Chance, he comes to realize the joy and comfort of animal companionship. Adam’s and Chance’s tale is one of love, loyalty, and determination, as both fight to begin new lives and relationships.

Play Dead by David Rosenfelt
In the sixth Andy Carpenter mystery, Rosenfelt turns his love of golden retrievers into a cracking good yarn. Andy, the New Jersey attorney whose inheritance of $22 million has diluted his work ethic, tends to take a case only when it interests him. When he learns that a beautiful retriever is scheduled to be put down after biting its owner, he decides to represent the dog in court. He is successful, but soon his delight at saving the animal's life turns to amazement--or at least bemusement--when he discovers that the dog may be a key witness in a five-year-old murder.

The Search by Nora Roberts
The latest from Roberts centers on Fiona Bristow, a professional canine search-and-rescue trainer, who moved to Orcas Island in Puget Sound eight years earlier, just after barely escaping from a serial killer. The story opens with Simon Doyle, an artisan cabinetmaker who arrives on the island with a puppy in tow. It's the puppy that brings Fiona and Simon together, and the romance gets off to a rocky start; he's grumpy and plainspoken; she doesn't scare easily. Then a serial killer begins operating within striking distance, and all Fiona's hard-won peace and equanimity begins to wobble.

Monday Evening Book Group meets at 7:30 on the first Monday of every month, unless otherwise noted.	Click to join the blog:
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The Flo Brandon Book Review Group meets on the first Friday morning of each month at 11:00, unless otherwise noted.