Linda Stevens's blog

I recently saw a copy of an old series romance I liked when I was a teenager in a used bookstore, and decided to pick it up to see if we were still compatible when aged by a couple of decades.  There were truly some cringe-worthy moments in the book, but clothing and hairstyles and cultural attitudes weren't the reasons I no longer connected with the material. I realized that most modern romances feature multiple points of view and this book was only giving me the story through the eyes of one character, the heroine.  I am a nosy person.  I like to know what all of the characters are thinking and feeling, even the villains.  When I only had one viewpoint, I felt too distant from all of the other characters.  I think this is a phenomena peculiar to romance readers, but I could be wrong.  Is this only me?

Gulf Coast Reads: On the Same Page is an exciting new initiative supporting community reading and discussion that will be held each September.  This program replaces and expands the Big Read and Books on the Bayou programs from previous years and brings together libraries and community groups from Houston, Harris County and surrounding counties.

The premise of the program is that people living in Harris County and the surrounding areas along the gulf coast will all read the same book at the same time, generating discussion among co-workers, friends, families and classrooms. The goal of Gulf Coast Reads is to cultivate a culture of reading in the local area by encouraging people to come together in libraries, bookstores, community centers, homes, churches, and schools to discuss the book. 

This year’s selection is One Amazing Thing by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni.   This book was selected because it shows that culturally diverse people can come together during their collective struggle to overcome adversity. In a moment when the psychological and emotional stress seems nearly too much for them to bear, the characters in the book each tell a personal tale, "one amazing thing" from their lives, which they have never told anyone before.  The novel proves the transcendent power of stories and the meaningfulness of human expression itself.  We invite you to share your "one amazing thing" story on the Gulf Coast Reads website.

With temperatures often in the triple digits these days, we invite you to cool off at any of our branches. All branches have air conditioning and plenty of places to sit and relax. You might want to peruse our collection of books, DVDs, and audios, take a free computer class or bring your child to storytime. All branches offer a variety of programming this summer to expand your mind and help keep you cool.

County health officials offer these tips to keep cool: