Staff Picks : Julie

 Julie's October Picks

The Girls in the Stilt House, by Kelly Mustian - Ada is white and Matilda is black living in Mississippi during the 1920's. Both are living very harsh lives, but for different reasons. They come together when Matilda saves Ada's life by killing Ada's father. The book has been advertised as being similar to Where the Crawdad's Sing and I agree that it has some of the same feel. My only issue with the book is it seems like everything that could possibly go wrong does, especially for Matilda. Realistically, maybe only a few of those bad things would happen at one time. I enjoyed the story, though, and was happy with the resolution.

The Madness of Crowds, by Louise Penny - I read this on the recommendation of my mom - she's pretty reliable in giving good recommendations! A speaker with controversial ideas about eugenics is speaking at a small university. When an attempt is made on her life, Inspector Gamache must try to figure out the ins and outs of what happened while putting aside his own disgust with her ideas. While this is the most recent book in the Inspector Gamache series, it is the first I have read. I have the first one on hold now on Libby so I can go back and read the series from the beginning.

The Lights of Sugarberry Cove, by Heather Webber - Sadie, her sister Leala, and their mother are struggling with their relationships with each other and with their significant others. They live around a lake and the festival of lanterns where everyone in town makes a wish is soon. I have enjoyed all of Heather Webber's books. They all have fun small town settings and a hint of magic.

Patron Picks : Donna Hill

*In addition to Staff Picks, I have asked a few patrons to let us feature their recommendations. If you would like your picks featured, contact Julie at jbaxter@co.franklin.tx.us or 903-537-4916

Donna's October Picks

Still Life by Louise Penny is the first in a series of mysteries involving Inspector Armand Gamache of the Surete du Quebec.  Ms. Penny has created an engaging set of characters, starting with Inspector Gamache.  Each book has a different, unique murder mystery to be solved by Gamache and his underlings and friends.  The books definitely should be read in order because the characters develop and change over the course of the series.  I believe there are currently 17 books featuring Inspector Gamache.

 

Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear is also the first in a series of British mysteries.  The heroine, Maisie Dobbs, "psychologist and investigator", is the daughter of a common laborer who rises above her humble beginnings.  Another series that needs to be read in order, the Maisie Dobbs books feature an engaging young woman who goes about solving mysteries and achieving success unusual to her time and place in society.  Ms. Winspear does an excellent job of conveying time and place, the England of post WWI and later.

 

The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown is a non-fiction novel that relates the story of the eight-oar rowing crew from the University of Washington who managed to win the gold medal at the 1936 Olympics.  The story of the young men on the crew is inspiring, to say the least.  These were hard working, tough young men who grew up in families working to survive.  In a sport that was dominated by elite athletes from schools in the New England, they fought to become a skilled team that could win the Olympics.  While the author includes a lot of technical details about boat building, the real story is the grit and determination exhibited by the young men on the team.

 

The Flight Girls by Noelle Salazar is an inspiring novel of the young women who joined the Women’s Airforce Service Pilot (WASP) organization during WWII.  At a time when few women worked outside the home, these intrepid women came from all over the United States to train at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, TX.  Having been to Sweetwater, TX I can only imagine what culture shock these women faced when they arrived from places like New York and California.  These female pilots tested aircraft, ferried aircraft, and trained other pilots.  The novel does have a love story and it’s a good one. 

Patron Picks : Kate Dennis

In addition to Staff Picks, I have asked a few patrons to let us feature their recommendations.  If you would like your picks featured, contact Julie at jbaxter@co.franklin.tx.us or 903-537-4916.   

Kate's September Picks

Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess by Dr. Caroline Leaf is a self-help book that is well worth the time to read.  The book begins with an explanation of  the physical repercussions of  "toxic" thoughts that made total sense to this novice.   Dr. Leaf has formulated a 5 step process to enable one to thwart the mental takeover by these toxic thoughts and thus live a healthier life.  This is not a quick fix.  It is a daily exercise in mindfulness, patience, and self-control, (and a lot of chocolate).

Billy Summers by Stephen King is a fictional account of the life of a paid assassin.  King deftly weaves the story with glimpses of the assassin's character.  The assassin definitely operates on the dark side but he also plays monopoly with the neighborhood kids.  You can't help but root for him.

Every Thing Is Fine by Vince Granata is a powerful memoir about a family dealing with the mental illness of one of their own.  The book chronicles the evolution of the disease and the tragedy that eventually befalls the family.   The author poignantly relates how he and his family have been affected by the manifestation of the disease. 

Staff Picks : Jeltje

We are launching a new feature on this blog in which every week or so a different staff member will feature a few books or movies that they have enjoyed recently.  The selections may not all be brand new, but we hope it will help you find something you like.  

Jeltje's September Picks

The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix

I am not a fan of slasher movies, but if you like the slasher movies from the 80’s and 90’s (Halloween through Scream) you would appreciate the references to those kinds of movies. There is a support group for “Final Girls,” or the girls who survived bloody and gruesome attacks like in those movies mentioned and they are now in their late thirties to forties, but someone seems to be trying to kill them off. Throughout the book, you will follow one of the Final Girls and her attempts to figure out who is trying to kill them and stay alive at the same time.

 

The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn

The story is in the point of view of a woman who is agoraphobic and watches her neighbors to pass her time, but she witnesses a murder through the window of one of her neighbor’s houses. As you read the book, you will wonder if she really did see someone killed and also, why is she so afraid to leave the house over the last several months? This book was interesting enough for it to be made into a movie as well.

 

The French Girl by Lexie Elliot 

In the point of view of Kate, she remembers when 10 years ago, she and a group of friends went to France for a vacation and met a young French girl who disappears. Now, the body of the French girl has been found and there are questions as well as tensions within their friend group with new information coming up that also upsets her personal and professional life.

Staff Picks : Christian

We are launching a new feature on this blog in which every week or so a different staff member will feature a few books or movies that they have enjoyed recently.  The selections may not all be brand new, but we hope it will help you find something you like.  

Christian's September Picks

All Souls Series by Deborah E. Harkness

A Discovery of Witches

Shadow of Night

The Book of Life

Time’s Convert

A fascinating and intelligent Sci Fi/ Fantasy series, it will keep you thinking as you navigate the world of “creatures.”  We also have Seasons 1 & 2 of A Discovery of Witches, the television show based on this series (also fabulous).

The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman

The Invisible Library

The Masked City

The Burning Page

The Lost Plot

The Mortal Word

The Secret Chapter

                                    The Dark Archive

This is another action packed and intriguing Sci Fi/Fantasy series.  Visit an interdimensional library, many other worlds, and meet dragons, fae, and Librarians (oh my!) as you join Irene and Kai on their often harrowing adventures.

The Last Garden in England by Julia Kelly

This dual time-line book is centered around the gardens of Highbury House in England and the people who care for them, in 1907 and 1944

Staff Picks : Julie

We are launching a new feature on this blog in which every week or so a different staff member will feature a few books or movies that they have enjoyed recently.  The selections may not all be brand new, but we hope it will help you find something you like.  

Julie's September Picks

My Southern Journey by Rick Bragg

Short essays about life in the South, specifically Alabama. Some of the stories are funny and some are poignant. I related to almost all of them, except the football ones. Just a nice book to read about home. 

The Escape Room by Megan Goldin

Have you tried an escape room?  This one takes place in an elevator, and not everyone will make it out alive!

Bellewether by Susanna Kearsley

I have enjoyed everything Susanna Kearsley has written and may have featured her before on the blog.  She writes dual time-line books, sometimes with a supernatural twist.  Bellewether is the first of her books to take place in the Americas.  I'm looking forward to her new book coming this fall, The Vanished Days.  

Staff Picks : Lisa

We are launching a new feature on this blog in which every week or so a different staff member will feature a few books or movies that they have enjoyed recently.  The selections may not all be brand new, but we hope it will help you find something you like.  

Lisa's September Picks

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

Based on a true story, this is an insightful look at the remarkable life of Bell da Costa Greene. Bell became one of the most influential and powerful people in the art and book world, all while hiding her true identity.  I cannot imagine the fear of living everyday “on stage”. 

Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann

Soon to be a motion picture!

The Osage Indian Nation of Oklahoma, were the richest people per capita in the world in the 1920s.  Murder, destruction, and a massive coverup followed this little-known conspiracy in American history. 

The Survivors by Jane Harper

I love Jane Harper and she didn’t disappoint in this gut-wrenching story of murder, secrets, and consequences.

Tom's Two Cents : In Memoriam

Written by Julie Baxter

Franklin County Library lost a great friend on July 21st.  Tom Wilkinson was a beloved fixture in Mt. Vernon and at Franklin County Library.  

May 11, 1932 - July 21, 2021

I have been struggling with what to say about my friend Tom.  I first met Tom when I started at the library 13 years ago.  Every morning he would make his rounds in town.  He would show up here mid-morning and spend an hour or two with the newspaper or his current book.  As I got to know him I found him to be an intelligent, well-read, and well-informed gentleman.  He could converse on just about any topic.  He talked movies with Chance, theater with Christian, and books with me.  He preferred classic literature, and loved all things Russian.  Occasionally, he would read something a little more modern on the recommendation of a friend, but invariably returned to the classics.  When I started this blog, he was very supportive and quickly became a regular contributor.  His "Tom's Two Cents" columns are still available to read and show both the wide range of his interests and the depth of his thinking.  Prior to Covid he led a book discussion group here at the library and covered War and Peace, Lonesome Dove, and Gone With the Wind.  A retired librarian himself, he was a great supporter of Franklin County Library and contributed in many ways over the years, but he never wanted to be publicly acknowledged for it.  I think that is true for many of the organizations in Franklin County.  

Over the years, Tom became a good friend to me.  He had a love/hate relationship with technology, so I became his go-to for tech help.  I kept everything going for him and he brought me plants.  I always told people he gave me more credit than I deserved for keeping the plants alive.  I needed lots of help to keep them watered and thriving.  The last plant he gave me, a money tree, is still doing well.  Hopefully, it will stay healthy.  I think of Tom every time I see it.  I will miss him.  

Julie's Journal : A Rare Movie Recommendation

Y'all know that I'm not a huge movie buff.  Christian is the library employee to talk to if you want all the details and recommendations about movies.  However, last weekend my husband asked me to bring home a movie.  I picked out several hoping that something would turn out to be good and lo and behold we found one we really enjoyed.  

The Upside was released in 2019 and is loosely based on the true story of Philippe Pozzo di Borgo and his "life auxilary" Abdel Sellou of France.  For The Upside, the story has been Americanized and is based in New York City.  Phillip Lacasse (Bryan Cranston) is a billionaire who has become a quadriplegic after a paragliding accident.  Dell Scott (Kevin Hart) is an ex-con who is trying to put his life back together.  When Phillip hires Dell to be his life auxilary (a caretaker and assistant of sorts), the two men fuss and fight and gradually become friends.  

We chose this movie because it promised hilarity and it delivered. However, along with the laugh-out-loud moments it provides a poignant and uplifting story.  I recommended it to my parents and they watched it last night.  My mom told me that both she and my dad enjoyed the story.  It is rated PG-13 and while the language was surprisingly mild, there were a few scenes I wouldn't have wanted to watch with kids or young teens.    

If you are interested in The Upside it is currently available for check out for FREE.  All you need is a library card - also FREE.  Come on by and pick it up!

Julie's Journal : A Few Fun Things

Today, I thought I'd share a few small things that are bringing me joy....

1.  Nintendo Switch:  For Christmas I asked for and received a Nintendo Switch gaming system.  I've always been a Nintendo fan.  I love all the Mario and Zelda games along with Professor Layton and Rune Factory.  My system came with The Legend of Zelda : Breath of the Wild and I was immediately hooked.  The game is a huge open world and it is up to you how you explore it and what you focus on.  The big goal of course, is to beat the evil Ganon but there are dozens of side quests along the way.  More recently, I've been enjoying Super Smash Brothers Ultimate.  I haven't played many of the Smash Brothers games, but my 11 year old nephew loves it and we can play each other through online play.  Many evenings I get a one word text from him - "play".  He loves that the game lets him beat me up over and over again and I love that it helps us stay connected.  I'm better than I used to be, but he still wins most of our matches.  

2.  Crochet:  Our "Creative Hands" group has been meeting again at the library (Thursday mornings at 10:00).  The group provides me the motivation I need to keep working on my projects.  Recently, I completed two small stuffed animals.  The crocheting wasn't too hard, but getting the embroidered faces right was beyond me so I passed that chore on to my mom.  I am also almost finished with an afghan I've been working on off and on for a couple of years now.  I'm ready to get it done and move on to something else.

3.  Jenny Colgan:  Every now and then I discover a new author and then go back and read their older works.  Jenny Colgan has been that author for me recently.  I very much enjoyed the Scottish Bookshop series.  It begins with The Bookshop on the Corner.  Nina was a librarian in the big city, but due to budget cuts, she finds herself without a job.  Following a dream, she buys a used van and fixes it up as a mobile bookshop.  She travels in Scotland, from village to village, selling books and reworking her life.  Ms. Colgan's books often revolve around a bookshop or a cafe and someone who is having to start over.  They are quick, light reads, and I have enjoyed most of them.  We do not have any of the physical books in the library, but they are available as e-books via Libby/Overdrive.  

4.  Puzzles:  For my birthday earlier in the year, my sister gave me a set of mini puzzles.  There were three 150 piece puzzles and each one is 4x6".  They weren't too difficult to do, so I enjoyed them.  I also used some of my birthday money to buy the Find Momo puzzle.  The 1000 piece puzzle has 12 different scenes and each one has Momo the dog hidden in it.  Now, my dad has me working on one based on the Realtree Camo Pattern.  He said it was hard, so it may take me awhile.

What fun things have you been into lately?  I need ideas for a good new TV show or movie to watch that my husband would also enjoy.  Any suggestions?

Tom's Two Cents : On the Passing of a Great Texas Author

 

Larry McMurtry passed on last week into the annals of great Texas writers, among whom he kept dubious company. His early years were devoted to de-bunking some of the grand old men of Texas letters, such as Dobie, Webb, and Bedichek, (In a Narrow Grave, one of his best non-fiction books) until, ironically he became one himself—though he probably wouldn’t claim the title! In fact, he has steadfastly maintained that his real passion is for books themselves, that is, collecting them, not writing them.

He was born and raised in the small northwest Texas town of Archer City, near Wichita Falls, a place unlikely to produce great authors, but one never knows about that! What one does know about McMurtry is that he had a love/hate relationship with his hometown that kept him leaving and going back most of his life. His early novel The Last Picture Show, one of his most well-known, largely because of the highly successful film, is a clear case of his ambivalent feelings.

That he had an American wanderlust is hardly in doubt, either—a wanderlust that kept him moving (he loved to drive long stretches of highway alone) from West Coast (Hollywood, where he wrote a number of movie scripts, including the Academy Award winning Brokeback Mountain), to East Coast (Washington, D.C., specifically Georgetown, where he established Booked Up, his first bookstore). But eventually he returned to Archer City, buying the Country Club and filling it with his personal collection of books, then ultimately adding four vacant stores downtown, extending his passion for books right into the streets of Archer City, where he had read paperback novels as a kid.

At the same time, he kept a home near Tucson, Arizona, where he doted on the Southwestern esthetic, inviting many friends, both celebrities and writers, to visit.

Among those who came to stay was a young writer, Diana Ossana, who nursed him back to health after a major heart attack, and surprisingly Norma Faye Kesey, a lifetime friend and widow of Ken Kesey, whom he married late in life.

McMurtry’s collected works are substantial, approximately sixty in number, falling largely within the framework of Modern America and the Old West, but there are some very interesting essays and autobiographical things as well. Almost everyone’s favorite seems to be Lonesome Dove, an early novel that won him a Pulitzer, followed by a later sequel and two prequels. The author claimed not to prefer his Westerns, but they brought him fame and fortune, though I suspect that he didn’t care much for either. A modest and retiring man, he never totally left his roots—an authentic Texan, and despite a few really awful books, the State of Texas should be proud of him.

Julie's Journal : Franklin County Library Patron Favorites for 2020

Every year I like to look back and see what books and movies were the most popular with our patrons.  So without further ado, here are some favorites for 2020.  

New Releases:

1.  Camino Winds, by John Grisham

2.  Blindside, by James Patterson

3.  Long Range, by C.J. Box

4.  Golden in Death, by J.D. Robb

5.  The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, by Kim Michele Richardson

DVDs:

1.  Maleficient : Mistress of Evil

2.  Hobbs and Shaw

3.  The Lion King 2019

4.  Knives Out

5.  Joker

Early Readers:

1.  An Elephant & Piggie Biggie!, by Mo Willems

2.  How I Met My Monster, by Amanda Noll

3.  There's a Dragon in Your Book, by Tom Fletcher

4.  How to Catch a Unicorn, by Adam Wallace

5.  Twinkle, by Katherine Holabird

Juvenile and Youth

1.  Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid, by Jeff Kinney

2.  The Big Secret, by Alexa Pearl

3.  Bad Kitty Goes to the Vet, by Nick Bruel

4.  Wrecking Ball, by Jeff Kinney

5.  Wrath of the Dragon King, by Brandon Mull

Young Adult

1.  Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, by Ransom Riggs

2.  The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, by Suzanne Collins

3.  The Shadow Wand, by Laurie Forest

4.  The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton

5.  Midnight Sun, by Stephanie Meyer

Nonfiction

1.  Before and After, by Judy Christie

2.  Air Fryer Cookbook

3.  The Writer's Library, by Nancy Pearl and Jeff Schwager

4.  Without Pity, by Ann Rule

5.  What Color is Your Parachute? 2020, by Richard Bolles

Biography

1.  Where I Come From, by Rick Bragg

2.  Greenlights, by Matthew McConaughey

3.  Frontier Follies, by Ree Drummond

4.  Educated, by Tara Westover

5.  The Answer Is..., by Alex Trebek

Tom's Two Cents : William Faulkner - Absalom, Absalom and The Sound and the Fury

 

In the early half of the 20th century, three authors dominated American Literature, and though only one (ironically the one who did not win the Nobel Prize for Lit) is still widely read and praised (and again, ironically, for just a single book), the three deserve attention from any careful and committed reader of American Lit.  Interestingly too, they all made their first literary splashes during the roaring 20’s: William Faulkner, Ernest Hemingway, and F. Scott Fitzgerald.  Nowadays—well, time moves on, though it is still hard to believe that some of these authors’ works were published literally a hundred years ago!  Isn’t that enough to make yours truly feel absolutely ancient!  I’ve already written in this column about Fitzgerald and Hemingway, but not Faulkner, who is, by all odds, the most difficult and the most elusive to understand and fully appreciate.

Faulkner was that rarity in American Lit, a true Southerner, born and bred in Mississippi, who spent time early in his career on the West Coast, mostly trying to write movie scripts unsuccessfully, and much later as Artist-in-Residence at the University of Virginia, but his real home was Oxford, Mississippi, and Oxford was the center of both his actual and literary world.  He even created a fictional county, unspellable and unpronounceable, Yoknapotawa, and peopled it with several representative types of families, Sartoris, Snopes, Compson, Sutpen, etc. in that area.  Today in Oxford there is a statue to him downtown, sitting casually on a park bench.  His home, Rowan Oak, is on the edge of Oxford, and who else but John Tutor could have managed to turn up a vintage whiskey bottle in the property’s dumping ground!  (Faulkner’s fondness for “the juice” is well documented, and one of the central traits he shared with his fellow writers, Fitzgerald and Hemingway.)

The two novels referred to in the title allude to two Southern fictional families, Sutpen and Compson, that represent the Old and the New South, and I am using those terms to mean pre and post Civil War Era.  Although a number of creative writers have used these eras historically,
relatively few have taken on the issue of Slavery as deeply or directly as Faulkner.  His attitude toward the subject is often as convoluted and complex as these works, both of which are written, in whole or in part, in a modern style of writing first appearing in Europe, known as “stream of consciousness,” and first expounded by writers like James Joyce and Virginia Woolf.

I am not a fan of this style, and that is putting it mildly.  So it will suffice here to say that the style attempts to convey a character’s thoughts and/or feelings, as they supposedly exist in the mind or psyche, in random order, with no thought given to the organization imposed by grammar, syntax or punctuation.  There may be some kind of order, but it is in no way apparent to the general reader.  To say that such an approach renders much of these novels virtually incomprehensible is no exaggeration.  The reader must concentrate in a way that is seldom demanded by general fiction of today, and Faulkner is definitely not for lazy readers.  His work is both challenging and substantive, and to be fair, many of his other works are written in a far more accessible style.  But central to almost all of his work is the Southern Family, and rarely does he paint a pretty picture.

Harper Lee provides a good contrast to Faulkner.  Her work also concentrated on the South and the Southern Family, but her view was much gentler and not so flawed.  Faulkner’s people are seldom admirable and sometimes downright despicable.  Nonetheless they seem very true to life, or to Southern type.  As for the style, you may be able to slug right through or surely not be as annoyed by it as a former English teacher!  It is what it is, and what it is is what Faulkner wanted it to be.  He was not striving for clarity, but depth, and the deepest waters are often the murkiest!

Julie's Journal : What I Have Checked Out

For a slight variation on "What I've Been Reading", I thought I'd give a run down on what I have checked out of the library.

Physical Books:

Where I Come From, by Rick Bragg - A collection of true short stories about living in the South.  I've read a few of the stories and enjoyed them.  I shared one, about the perils and pleasures of fishing, with my husband and he enjoyed it as well.  Although short story collections don't circulate well in the library, I like them.  It's a book I can dip in and out of while reading other things.  

To Sleep in a Sea of Stars, by Christopher Paolini - This is the first adult science fiction offering by Paolini.  I haven't started it yet, but I have his Young Adult series, the Eragon books, in my own personal collection and reread them occasionally.  I'm sometimes a little leery of Young Adult authors who venture into Adult books, but I'm interested to see how he makes the transition.  

Where the Forest Meets the Stars, by Glendy Vanderah - This debut novel caught my attention when it came into the library.  It's about a mysterious child and two strangers who come together to try and figure out what to do about her.  Although I checked it out a while ago, I keep bypassing it to read other things.  I'm going to have to either buckle down and read it or bring it back. 

All Thirteen : The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team, by Christina Soontornvat - I was fascinated along with the rest of the world in 2018 when I heard about the dramatic rescue of the soccer team from a flooded cave.  I'm interested to read the whole story.

Fortune and Glory : Tantalizing Twenty-Seven, by Janet Evanovich - I'm cheating a little bit by putting this on the list because I finished the book last night and turned it in this morning.  It is the latest offering in the Stephanie Plum series.  Stephanie and her gang of quirky sidekicks and their bounty hunting adventures are always good for a laugh.  It has a waiting list on it, so let us know if you want added to the list.

 

E-books : 

Never Caught, by Erica Armstrong Dunbar - This is the true story of Ona Judge, a slave of George Washington who ran away and was never captured.  I've just started this but I think it will be very interesting.  It is giving details of slave life from the point of view of the slave which I haven't seen very much.

The Last Train to Key West, by Chanel Cleeton - I haven't started this one yet, but I've heard several positive reviews of it.  The tag line on Libby reads, "In 1935 three women are forever changed when one of the most powerful hurricanes in history barrels toward the Florida Keys."  Sounds intriguing!

DVD : 

The Jetsons : Complete Series - For fun and a little nostalgia I also checked out The Jetsons.  I'll probably watch some of it this weekend while my husband is hunting.  I'm not sure I can convince him to watch the whole thing with me!

Do you see anything here that interests you?  What have you been reading lately?

Julie's Journal : A Comparison of Two Books

I'm going to start off this post with a few warnings...

1.  Trigger Warning : Suicide - both of the books mentioned below deal in large part with suicide, but in very different ways.  

2.  The following are very much my personal opinions.  I had very strong reactions to these books because of my personal beliefs about suicide and the culture around it.  You may or may not agree with me and that's ok.  

3.  If you haven't read the books, this post will contain spoilers.

I read Me Before You by Jojo Moyes not long after it first came out at the very end of 2012.  Since then it has stayed at the top of my "Books I Hate" list.  Anytime anyone asked me about books I didn't like, this one came to mind.  The biggest emotion I felt when I finished the last page was anger.  More than any other book I can think of, this book made me see red and I still feel angry when I think about the story line.  The story centers on Louisa and Will.  Will is a quadriplegic after an accident.  Louisa takes a job as his caregiver/companion.  She discovers pretty quickly that Will has decided that for the sake of his parents he will hang on another six months and then he is going to take advantage of an assisted suicide facility and end his life.  His pre-accident life had been one of extreme physical activity.  He was a bit of a daredevil who lived life on the edge.  Now that he is confined to a wheelchair he cannot see any reason to keep going.  Over the course of the story, Louisa and Will fall in love, and Louisa begins trying to show him how wonderful their life could be if he chooses to continue his.  I read this entire book hoping she would convince him to live, and he does tell her that the last six months have been the best of his life.  However, in spite of Louisa and his family, he still decides to end his life.  Will is such a selfish, selfish character.  This is not a case of depression keeping him from seeing clearly.  He knows exactly what he is doing and who it will hurt, but continues anyway.  What I took away from this book was that the author does not see that the quadriplegic life as worth living and that if your life doesn't turn out the way you expect it to, it is perfectly fine - normal even - to decide to end it all, regardless of the affect your actions have on the people around you.  

On the other hand we have The Midnight Library, by Matt Haig.  The book begins with Nora losing her job and her cat in the same day.  Her relationship with her brother has faltered, and her one piano student is no longer interested.  Overwhelmed by depression, when her neighbor also no longer needs her services to pick up his medications she decides that there is no one who needs her and no reason to keep going.  She takes a handful of pills and waits to die.  She wakes up in the Midnight Library, staffed by Mrs. Elm, a librarian who was kind to Nora in her childhood.  Nora is first given a book of regrets and is quickly overwhelmed by the weight and content.  She is told that she can change decisions she made earlier in life and see where her life would be now if she had followed a different path.  All of the books on the shelves are stories of her life lived a different way.  She can take trips she didn't take, go on dates she said no to, or continue activities she previously set aside.  The first life she tries finds her married to the guy she recently broke up with.  They are running a pub in the English countryside like they always dreamed of doing.  It takes her less than the course of an evening to realize that this life isn't what she had hoped it would be.  When she returns to the library, one regret - the one of not marrying Dan - has been erased from her book of regrets.  Over the course of the book and several more lives, Nora realizes that life has infinite possibilities and all suicide does is erase the chance to make new decisions and change directions.  She ends up returning to her original life and quickly discovers that many of the things she thought had ended had in fact only paused.  She quickly finds joy in all the possibilities life offers that she hadn't seen before.   

Both these books are available in the library, but I feel that The Midnight Library is by far the better book.  It doesn't gloss over the difficult parts of life, but the reader is left with a very life-affirming feeling.  I definitely prefer that feeling at the end of a story over a feeling of depression and anger, like I had at the end of Me Before You.  I want books that glorify life rather than ones that glorify death.  Of course you are welcome to try them both and decide for yourself!