New Reads Abound

Some wonderful reads are available for take-out from the New Book Shelf this week including the following four books.

Featuring an eight-page photo insert, and written by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Don Van Natta, Jr., Wonder Girl is the extraordinary story of a nearly forgotten American superstar athlete. Born in Texas in 1911, Babe Didrikson Zaharias won Olympic gold in track and field, could throw a nasty curveball, achieved all-American status in basketball, was an expert diver, played billiards like a shark and won more consecutive golf tournaments than any player in history. Even in an era that frowned on women’s sports, she was celebrated as a true superstar. At the height of her fame, she was diagnosed with cancer. Babe would then take her most daring step of all: go public and try to win again with the hope of inspiring the world.

The Total Outdoorsman Manual, written by the editors of Field &Stream, is packed with 374 hunting, fishing, survival, and camping skills. A great book for Muskokans of all stripes, the book is beautifully illustrated, is filled with practical and smart advice on every page, has some of the best insider's tips available, has great recipes, and all the fundamentals to help you enjoy (and maybe even survive) the outdoors as much as possible.

Author Wayne Tefs translates fact to fiction in his newest novel, Bandit: A Portrait of Ken Leishman. In 1966, Ken Leishman stepped onto the Winnipeg Airport tarmac and into the pages of Canadian history as the mastermind behind the country’s largest gold theft. By then, Leishman had already gained Dillingeresque notoriety as a gentlemanly bank robber when he brazenly— and politely—held up a bank in Toronto. Master storyteller Wayne Tefs imagines what happened behind the “Flying Bandit” headlines, intermingling the full-on action of the gold heist with the story of a smart but troubled kid growing up in a stifling small prairie town.

The Delta Solution is an action-packed novel dealing with the Somali pirates operating off the southerly reaches of the lawless East African republic on the Indian Ocean. If you like Vince Flynn, Steve Berry, and James Rollins, then be sure to check out this thriller by Patrick Robinson.

Thank you to all who supported the Friends of the Library book sale on the Victoria Day weekend. The funds raised will be used to further support the Township of Muskoka Lakes Public Libraries. Missed the sale? A great variety of used books continue to be offered for sale at the Port Carling branch.

We also invite you to check out the Muskoka Literary Trail www.muskokaliterarytrail.com. This is an exciting initiative linking several different literary events and organizations around Muskoka. With events occurring throughout the district during the spring, summer and fall, literary enthusiasts can follow the trail to exciting author talks, book festivals, readings and presentations.

Looking for summer employment? If you are a full- time student between the ages of 14 and 30 who will be returning to school on a full- time basis in September, with a keen interest in libraries then this might be the perfect job for you. This part-time position begins June 27 and includes evenings and weekends at the Ontario minimum wage rate. Applicants must have own transportation and be willing to drive to alternate location as required. Please submit resumé to S. Durand at pclib@muskoka.com by June 3, 2011.