OKelly Memorial Library

Author Blake Pierce drew me into his book from the very first page with his writing style, and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the book.       FBI agent Riley Paige is a no-nonsense agent who uses her instincts and has a heart for the victims of a serial killer who tortured women before he strangled them to death.  Riley herself had been in a similar situation of being tortured by a psychopath until she managed to escape. Now she’s baffled by this case, until one of the victim’s father, Senator Newbrough, inadvertently gives her a clue that sets her on a trail of discovery, and leads her closer to the killer. Riley and her partner, Bill, struggle to end the series of murders by finding their suspect.       The story is a gruesome one, but you’ll want to keep reading to the very end. A thumbs up novel for those who love a good mystery.  by S.M. OKelly Memorial Library associate. 

My fascination with the Alamo may go back to seeing “Davy Crockett at the Alamo” on the television show “The Magical World of Disney” back in the 1950s.  It may come from seeing the 1960 production of “The Alamo” staring the Duke, John Wayne, as the Tennessee frontiersman.  It might even come from my Uncle Theodore whose last name was Crockett.  He claimed that his linage went back to this fallen hero of the Alamo.  Wherever it came, I have always been fascinated by the mystique that surrounds this legendary Texas adobe mission turned fortress. The Alamo is one of the few public places that I find to be hallowed.  There is a certain reverence about it as you walk through its compound and recall what happened there.  Roughly 182 Texians sacrificed their lives to liberatetheir republic from the dictatorial regime of Mexico.The names of its leaders are seared into historic memory.  I have mentioned Davy Crockett, but there was also the notorious, Jim Bowie, and the hubristic, William T

When I was a Lutheran pastor, I started a congregation in Lexington, Kentucky, Word of Hope Lutheran Church.  Before we had a building of our own, we held services on Sunday mornings in a landscaping firm’s office.  Sunday evenings, a local Roman Catholic parish let us use their sanctuary for a second service.   I quickly learned that for some of our congregant’s time was more important than space.  They would come every Sunday morning to the “transformed” landscaping office for Mass.  Space didn’t matter.  It was time that mattered.  For others they would come every Sunday to the traditional space of the church even though the time was not what they were accustomed to.   For them space was more significant than time. The truth is both are consequential.  Time and space.  Both have sacredness about them.  But the older I get time is becoming more precious than space.  Space is replaceable, even sacred space, i.e. the Cathedral of Notre Dame.  Time, of course, is not.   Once this mom

While the plot of this book is a good one, the story is very drawn out, and the author loses me as an interested reader.  DeMille’s attention to unnecessary detail is a bit too much for me. I’m wanting to get to the point of the story, but must get through all the things that I think could be edited without diminishing the plot itself.      It’s about a lawyer, John, who’s ex-wife, Susan, kills her Mafia don ex-lover. The don’s son, Anthony, is intent on revenging his father’s death. Anthony also wants to get to John by pulling him into a life with the violent Bellarosa family.  John and Susan (released legally for her crime) happen to live close by each other on Long Island, and soon become mutually attracted once again. Can they save one another?      If you like a good lengthy read, then this book is for you. I feel it might be better as a movie! BY S.M. OKelly Memorial Library Associate.

In his famous march to Selma, Alabama there is a picture of Martin Luther King, Jr. on the frontline linked arm-in-arm with Ralph Abernathy.   One person down to King’s left is the social activist and eminent Jewish theologian and philosopher, Abraham Joshua Heschel.     Heschel was a very prominent figure in both the Civil Rights and the Anti-Vietnam War movements of the 1960s and 70s.   In the aftermath of Selma, he said, “I felt my legs praying.”   Of his involvement in the anti-war movement Heschel wrote, “To speak of God and remain silent on Vietnam is blasphemous.”     For Heschel politics and social concerns were intimately linked to theology.     Belief in God was inconceivable without concern for the pinnacle of His creation, mankind.   This is evident from two of his most famous books, Man’s Quest for God and God in Search for Man .     Both of which I highly recommend. But if you want to just sample the incredible depth of Heschel’s thought about all things moral and

     Fear Hunter is one of the more stranger books that I have ever read. It’s got everything, mystery, murder, witches, a ghost, a cat walker, a haunted lighthouse, a book shop boasting a cafe with cauldrons filled with soups, and a cast of characters to keep you entertained throughout.       This is a story that’s up to the minute contemporary, but also with historic references. It’s centered around the owner of the book store/soup cafe (who only makes soups by the way?), Agatha, and her two aunts, who seem to have lived forever.       A murder in the small sea-side town starts a series of weird and gruesome happenings, which Agatha is determined to solve, along with Detective Remington, who is somewhat captured by Agatha’s alluring, yet naive, personality. A lustful romance develops between them.       A boy-meets-girl type of novel that is somewhat far out ridiculous, but then again somewhat entertaining. I would give this one 2+/- out of 5 stars. By S.M. OKelly Memo

 Here’s your typical story of an on-again off-again relationship between a stubborn 20-something woman and her childhood sweetheart, who throws her for a loop by having an affair with another woman, who subsequently gets pregnant with his child.  Old story where you wonder - will they ever get it right?      I thought about aborting the book halfway through it. But I struggled on to the end. I came to find out that there is a mini-series on Netflix, “Sweet Magnolias “, that uses a lot of the same characters with a little bit different story line. Does anyone dare to watch it?  Get your popcorn and sodas ready! by S.M OKelly Memorial Library Associate

Perhaps it is because I have five daughters myself, and that my three oldest have parallels to the three eldest in the musical, Fiddler on the Roof, that I really like this movie version and have such an affinity for the lead character Tevye.   My Tzeitel married someone that initially her mother and I had serious misgivings about but has turned out to be a great provider.  My Hodel followed her not-so-radical future husband to a “far-off” place called Texas.  I still remember standing in the front yard of our home and watching their car pass out of my sight, waving until I could see them no longer.  And my Chava, she married someone whose background was totally different from that of our family but who treats her well.  Each scene from the movie in which Teyve must break ever more increasingly with tradition to accommodate the wishes of his daughters, I relive the weakening of the traditional ties I had with my own. Now there is more that I like about this movie than just being simpa

Some of you may remember that at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in New York City there was a funeral of an ultra-Orthodox Jewish rabbi that drew thousands of non-social-distancing mourners which incurred the tweeted criticism of NYC’s mayor, Bill de Blasio.  In witnessing the scene on news outlets many “sheltering-in-place” viewers may have wondered what in the heck these clad-from-head-to-foot- in-black devotees were thinking!  Were they utterly oblivious to the dire threat that the virus posed for such gatherings?  Were they crazed, reckless, or what?  What they were was Hasidim, a sect within Judaism that has its origins in 18 th century eastern Europe.  What they are is deeply fervent in their faith and, yes, in their dedication to and love for their spiritual leaders, especially of their dynastic heads known as rebbes of which Rabbi Chaim Mertz was one. If this incident pricked your curiosity about the Hasidim, you may want to check out Elie Wiesel’s portrait of the origina

Review of Things that Matter by Charles Krauthammer: When I used to watch Fox News on a regular basis, I would always tune in to Special Report with Bret Baier.  There were two reasons for this.  Bret is an alum of Marist High School in Atlanta, thereby making him a product of a Catholic parochial education.  I have a similar background, just from a different order of Catholic educators, Jesuits instead of Marists.  Nevertheless, I felt an affinity, a kinship of sorts, with this celebrity who had also beenshaped in the crucible of Catholic secondary education. The other, and more significant, rationale for being a regular viewer of Special Report was Sir Charles Krauthammer.  I say “Sir” not to in any way intimate that he was officially knighted by the Queen of England, although he grew up in Canada and for a time schooled at Oxford, but to highlight how distinguished an individual Charles Krauthammer was.  He brought that quality to the panel deliberations that remain the closin

Review of the DVD Edge of Tomorrow starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt Even though there were previous movies in which he had significant roles, Tom Cruise has been a super star since his “briefs” performance in Risky Business .  He has made a number of other notable films, Top Gun , Born on the Fourth of July , Rain Man , Jerry Maguire , and A Few Good Men .  This last one is one of my all-time, favorite courtroom dramas.  The last fifteen minutes withCruise’s interrogation of the Jack Nicholson character still rivets my attention andhosts the classic line, “You can’t handle the truth!”  There is a more recent Cruise film that has the capacity to repeatedly rivet my attention as well.  It is a cross between two “Day” films, Groundhog Day and Independence Day . As in Groundhog Day , the Cruise character keeps reliving the same day.  As in Independence Day , the world has united to fight off extinction by alien creatures.  The movie’s marketing title, “Live.  Die.  Repeat,” is wha

Review of Grace Notes and Other fragments by Joseph Sittler “The heart of marriage is a promise.  On the face of it, it’s a crazy promise: two people who have only a partial understanding of each other stand up and make this bizarre statement that they’re going to cherish and care for one another for a lifetime.  They say, ‘I take this one and this one takes me as long as we both shall live,’ not ‘as long as we both shall love.’  To many persons this seems like a mad and risky thing to do.  Yet I would suggest that the madness is the romance.  Without risk there is no beauty or strength or goodness.”  This is Joseph Sittler’s opening paragraph in his reflection entitled “Marriage and Snow on the Mountain,” which appears in an enormously gratifying and worthwhile read Grace Notes and Other Fragments .  “Fragments” is a reference to the brevity of each of the entries in this little book.  I see them as priceless “gems” from which the reader will gain wisdom with each reading and re-r

 Everything you need to know about spice superfoods is in this book!  Certain spices have healing powers, from reducing inflammation to even fighting cancer cells.      I didn’t realize that there were so many ways to use spices, but POWER SPICING shows how it’s done.  It shows you studies about each specific spice, and also how to use them in recipes (which are delicious!).       I found this book, which I checked out from my library, very informative.  So much so that I purchased my own copy to keep on hand in the kitchen.  I was pleased to find out that I had most of the necessary spices already in my pantry, so I only had to buy a couple more to have everything I need for great recipes.      I highly recommend POWER SPICING.  Spice it up!!   by S.M. OKelly Memorial Library Associate

This 12-week osteoporosis protocol packs a lot of great information for dieting, exercise, and good habits for rebuilding not only your body and bones, but also introducing ways to change your life.      It gives information regarding do’s and don’ts about taking supplements, while showing a pharmaceutical-free way to restore bone health.      I found it very interesting and have already started making some delicious recipes from this book. I would recommend it to anyone concerned about osteoporosis.   by S.M. OKelly Memorial Library Associate

Review of The United States of Trump: How the President Really Sees America by Bill O’Reilly The American people like to like their governmental leaders. That goes for our local politicians all the way up to the presidency. We feel better about how things are going in our communities, and our country if we have a fondness for the people in charge. It heightens our trust level. It is easier to trust people we like. It is much harder when we don’t. That is why likeability is a factor in elections. I will admit that likeability has been a part of my decision-making in determining which candidate I voted for as president of the United States. Consequently, I have voted for a lot of seemingly nice people. I voted for Jimmy Carter. I voted for Michael Dukakis. I voted for Bill Clinton. I voted for George Bush. I have a long history of voting for people I liked. The question is, “How effective would they be as president of the USofA?” As someone brought to my naive attention, “Rick,

Amber Patterson is fed up. She’s tired of being a nobody: a plain, invisible woman who blends into the background. She deserves more—a life of money and power like the one blond-haired, blue-eyed goddess Daphne Parrish takes for granted. To everyone in the exclusive town of Bishops Harbor, Connecticut, Daphne—a socialite and philanthropist—and her real-estate mogul husband, Jackson, are a couple straight out of a fairy tale. Amber’s envy could eat her alive . . . if she didn't have a plan. Amber uses Daphne’s compassion and caring to insinuate herself into the family’s life—the first step in a meticulous scheme to undermine her. Before long, Amber is Daphne’s closest confidante, traveling to Europe with the Parrish's and their lovely young daughters, and growing closer to Jackson. But a skeleton from her past may undermine everything that Amber has worked towards, and if it is discovered, her well-laid plan may fall to pieces. Readers will learn that things are not

Review of/Introduction to the Bible – Part II In Part I of my review/introduction to the bible I noted that the bible was not a book but a library.  I also shared some things to keep in mind when purchasing a bible and reading it.  I mentioned that in studying the bible it is important to use a “translation” rather than a “paraphrase” because a translation uses as its source the original languages in which the bible was written, Hebrew for the Old Testament and Greek for the New Testament.  In Part II of this review and introduction I want to offer a few other suggestions relative to studying the bible. In Part I I noted that there are a number of very good English translations of the bible, i.e. the New Revised Standard Version, the King James Bible, the New American Bible, etc.  It is a good thing to have two or more translations available so that you can compare them.  Now you can buy two different translations of the bible, but a valuable resource for this is a parallel versio

I first discovered Dorothea Frank’s books on a trip to Charleston, South Carolina. When I read her first book, “Sullivan’s Island”, I was hooked. Her Lowcountry Tales is a series of thirteen books set in Charleston and the surrounding beach towns. The story follows Susan Hayes as she tries to put her life back together after a divorce and deal with her past. The chapters alternate between 1963, when Susan was 13 and present day (1999). Susan and her teenage daughter are going back to her childhood home on Sullivan’s Island to spend time with her sister. The chapters set in 1963 give a historical view of Charleston. There is humor and drama throughout the book. I have read and enjoyed all of Dorothea’s books and always anticipated a new book each year. Her last Lowcountry book, “Queen Bee”, was released last year. I highly recommend the series, along with her seven stand-alone books. by L.P. OKelly Library Associate

Review of the DVD The Yearling starring Gregory Peck, Jane Wyman, and Claude Jarman, Jr. As much of the world and our country, Hollywood is on hold due to COVID-19.  Productions have been suspended.  The summer blockbusters that normally fill our theaters and capture the interests and revenue of millions of movie goers have been postponed until later in the summer or even the fall.  Theaters themselves are still closed with no indication as to when they will be able to open to any great extent.  And so the typical movie devotee is left to OnDemand, the Redbox, or better yet…the library where DVDs are free with a Pines card. I was surfing the TV channels and came across a real oldie (predates me and I am oooolllldddd) but goodie from 1946, The Yearling , starring Gregory Peck, Jane Wyman, and the child actor at that time, Claude Jarman, Jr.  At first,I said to myself, “Seen it,” and went on trolling from station to station.  There were other, more recent movies, but I went back to