Image Up Advertising & Design

What a wonderful time of year to read a good book! I admit I say this all the time and don't know what I would do without books. For me, books are friends. It makes waiting for appointments of any kind so easy and I never feel alone if I go out to lunch without a human friend. It's holiday tradition time once again. You ask, what tradition? Purchase that new 2018/2019 book to read when those days become stressful, then donate it to our library. The mind of a writer… so interesting. What makes a book hard to put down? Is there peer pressure among writers? If you have enjoyed our "author's talks," then many of these questions have been answered. I bet there are many of you out there that have a hidden book inside your mind. Come find out. We are excited to continue inviting different authors but we need your attendance. Four Seasons is earning a wonderful reputation as a great host in many communities, thanks to our committee, but we need more readers to take the time to attend. We even serve cookies! The audio books will remain! We have another set of pull out shelves that could hold many more but we need donations. What a great Christmas idea — add an audio book to your gift list and then donate to our library. Our hardbound selection is fantastic thanks to our residents. Please remember that all of our books are donated by you! We work on the honor system. The books don't become your property when you take them home. Our residents purchased and donated them for all of us. Take the time to return them in a timely fashion. After reading a good book you might want to lend it to the neighbors and they might want to lend it to someone. We have residents checking in all the time waiting forever for a particular book. Please return the books and tell your friends the book was great and check to see if we have it. That's fair. We display the hardbound books from 2010 up. We need to be able to shelve as many current books as possible. Keep them coming. And, a big thank you to those who bring them to us. The paperback books are accepted from 2014-2019. Five years doesn't seem like it would fill the cabinet but we actually have an over-flow situation. We are currently taking out many of the 2014 books just to have space. The rules are in use just to have the largest amount of reading material available for you. Each time I am there to work there is always a book or two snuck in without a stamp and certainly not within the years accepted. Too funny. Our magazines are a different story. I write about them each month but they still disappear at record speed! Many years ago we had a card table that was provided for magazines. TONS of magazines were brought down from any year and they would fall off and make a mess on the floor. While working on solutions to improve the room and create a "real" library we were approved a magazine rack. Enough magazines are donated but many are taken at one time and not returned. Bring September, October and November to fill the beautiful rack to share with other residents. It takes many hours to keep your library in order. We are all volunteers and avid readers. Usually three or four of us work DAILY putting books away. Most formal meeting days we need to work in the library and carry our items into the room. We sit purses, bags and water bottles down to free up our arms to work. We are not drinking. In our Rules & Regulations, page 15, it states: "No food or open beverages are allowed. Beverages in covered containers (capable of containing the beverage) are allowed." It is also necessary to speak to each other when we work. We have always apologized to anyone who is reading and have been supported by those there. Loud conversations are prohibited. We pretty much tip toe when readers are there but talk openly when several of us work. We are receiving complaints that we speak while there and have water bottles. We are working on a solution but do know we appreciate the support almost all of the residents give us. Thanks, Cookie Thoughts from Blair: "Why can't people just sit and read books and be nice to each other? ~ David Baldacci, The Camel Club Committee member Bernadette Koretke read The Knife by Jo Nesbo: Detective Harry Hole takes on so much damage physically and mentally with each novel that it's a wonder there's anything left of him. In "Knife" Hole, the troubled, brilliant protagonist of 11 previous books by Norway's Jo Nesbo, is both a lady killer and police officer. Harry is drunk, despairing, lovesick, and lost down blind alleys most of the time. He is not in a good place. Rakel, the only woman he ever loved, has ended it with him. Although he's been given a chance for a new start with the Oslo police department, he is investigating cases he suspects have ties to Svein Finne, the serial murderer Harry helped put behind bars. And now Finne is free after decades plus in prison. Nesbo has a great sense of pacing. Each did-he-do-it, did-she- is meticulously laid out as he takes readers along for the ride. The final whodunit is powerful and leaves the reader wondering what's next when Nesbo does the only sensible thing an author can do after writing 12 best-selling books; set you up for book 13. | Four Seasons Hemet Herald | NOVEMBER 2019 | 13 Library Committee

• Cover