For two years, I have published the column Libraries We Love. Each month, we have profiled a library located somewhere in America: Large, small, urban, rural, post-modern, quaint or neo-classic; the libraries we have written about range from the quaint Griffin Free Library in Auburn, New Hampshire to the Granddaddy of All Libraries on 42nd Street and 5th Avenue in New York City.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, many libraries have temporarily closed. So, we are turning our attention to books. You can still order books online or maybe browse your own bookshelves at home to find books you never thought you’d have the time to read.
In the next few weeks I’ll mention books that I have personally read and can recommend. Sometimes, I have been so enchanted by a book that I’ve read it multiple times. Old, new, classic, popular culture, genre, I read everything. Some books are jewels that have been long buried and forgotten.
Unbeknownst to many people, the publishing industry rarely promotes a new book beyond six weeks. After a six-week publicity cycle, the book drops out of sight. Authors are forced to hire their own publicist, which is very expensive, or they must spend time promoting their own work. Many authors do not have the skills or experience to effectively promote their own work. Often this is why some great books are no longer top-of-mind.
Do you have a book that you love? Tell me about it. Maybe I’ll read it and review it.
During this time of great anxiety and sacrifice, we can still read. Books not only transform lives; books have the power to save lives and ennoble us to become better human beings.
Patricia Vaccarino
Patricia Vaccarino is an accomplished writer who has written award-winning film scripts, press materials, articles, essays, speeches, web content, marketing collateral, and ten books.