Category: Book Reviews

• Reading Room by Day, Theater by Night

  Many folks are wondering why we chose to stage A Christmas Carol in the Reading Room of Russell Library. Besides the fact that the room has its own ghosts, I mean. If you have never seen our Reading Room, let me give you a brief history and description. Frances Russell established Russell Library in memory…

  Mary

  September 29, 2025

  A Christmas Carol, Book Reviews, Events, Inside Stories, Libraries, Library Services, Recommendations, Secrets of Russell Library

  AChristmasCarol, CharlesDickens, ChurchOfTheHolyTrinity, EasternConnecticutParanormalSociety, ECPS, EpiscopalChurch, FilmAdaptations, FrancesRussell, ghosts, LibraryFundraiser, MuppetChristmasCarol, PurchaseTickets, ReadingRoom, SamRussell

• Lost in Translation: What I’ve been Reading

  As summer comes to a close and fall is just around the corner, I wanted to revisit and highlight a few manga series that would make great companions to cozy up with as the seasons change. “Kaoru Hana wa Rin to Saku,” or its English title, “The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity,” written by Saka…

  dillhelm

  September 22, 2025

  Book Reviews, Graphic Novels / Manga, Kids and Teens, Lost In Translation, Recommendations

  Anime, Chidori, ChidoriPublicHighSchool, Gachiakuta, KaoruHanaWaRinToSaku, KaorukoWaguri, KikyoAcademy, KikyoPrivateAcademyGirlsHighSchool, korean-drama, MikamiSensei, Netflix, reviews, RintaroTsumugi, SakaMikami, story, TheFragrantFlowerBloomsWithDignity, TheGuySheWasInterestedInWasn’tAGuyAtAll

• Wine & Words: Are you a Giggler?

  How to Giggle: A Guide to Taking Life Less SeriouslyBy Hannah Berner and Paige DeSorbo  Brat summer was so last year and this summer it is time to giggle. Hannah Berner and Paige DeSorbo are the OG gigglers. We first saw this dynamic duo from Bravo’s fascinating anthropological reality television show called Summer House. I…

  sbarillari

  July 28, 2025

  Book Reviews, Podcast, Recommendations, Trending, Wine & Words

  GigglySquad, Grenache, HamptonWater, HannahBerner, HowToGiggle, LoveYouBunches, PaigeDesorbo, Rosé, StolpmanVineyards, SummerHouse

• Classic Mysteries: Nero Wolfe

  Who is Nero Wolfe? He is everyone’s favorite gourmet, orchid-growing, beer-loving, rotund, stay-at-home detective. One of the quirkier detectives ever invented, Nero Wolfe was the creation of author Rex Stout. Both Wolfe and Stout have been nominated for Best Mystery Series of the Century and Best Mystery Writer of the Century, respectively. What makes Nero…

  Mary

  July 21, 2025

  Book Reviews, Mysteries

  AFamilyAffair, ArchieGoodwin, ArsèneLupin, BestMysterySeriesOfTheCentury, BestMysteryWriterOfTheCentury, CaptainArthurHastings, DeathOfADude, Fer-de-Lance, HerculePoirot, IreneAdler, JohnWatson, NeroWolfe, NewYorkCity, Orchids, RexStout, RicoTomaso, RobertGoldsborough, Rustermans, SherlockHolmes, TheAmericanMagazine, TheDoorbellRang, TheLeagueOfFrightenedMen, TooManyCooks

• Wine & Words: Pour Local, Read Local

  Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life  By Barbara Kingsolver  Throughout our existence, humans have created environments to fit our needs. We are the most adaptable species. In some ways, some may think that we mastered Mother Earth, they could not be more wrong. By creating an environment to fit our needs, we are…

  sbarillari

  July 14, 2025

  Book Reviews, Recommendations, Wine & Words

  AnimalVegetableMiracle, BarbaraKingsolver, Breweries, ConnecticutBeerTrail, ConnecticutPizzaTrail, ConnecticutWinePassport, ConnecticutWineTrail, CTBeerTrail, CTpizzatrail, CTWinePassport, CTWineTrail, DemonCopperhead, Pizza, ThePoisonwoodBible, Wineries