The Downieville Library will host its monthly Library@Nite next Monday, November 11, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. (This opportunity is now set for the second Monday of each month — so go ahead and put it on your calendar.) All of the library’s regular offerings will be available. In addition, starting at 6:15 PM, we will continue with the reading of Ray Bradbury’s The Halloween Tree, which we began at Library@Nite in October. We’ll begin with a brief synopsis of what has already occurred in the book, for anyone who wasn’t in attendance when we began. But, to give you just a hint: we have been following our group of eight trick-or-treating boys, now led by the mysterious Carapace Clavicle Moundshroud, on their quest to find and save their friend, Joe Pipkin. On their journey through time and space, searching for the origins of our modern-day Halloween, they have visited ancient Egypt of the pharaohs’ time, and even further back to the time of cavemen discovering fire. The journey is getting exciting! Come join us.
One book that has just recently come into the library, plus another that has been on our shelves for a while are our featured books in this column:
Remarkably Bright Creatures, by Shelby Van Pelt: This is a book of fiction that deals in the realities of one of the most amazing creatures on our planet — the octopus. Tova Sullivan is what we would describe as a “senior citizen”, at 70 years of age. After the death of her husband, she begins to work the night shift as a cleaner at the local aquarium. There she meets Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus. Through their growing relationship, they become, first, acquaintances, and then, friends. Together they help to solve each other problems.
The story is told in the first person by Marcellus, and in the third person about Tova. Through Marcellus’ monologues, a great deal of information about octopuses is shared — so that anyone who doesn’t already have a familiarity with the species gets at least a working knowledge. I have read several books about the octopus — as well as spending time in front of their exhibits at the Monterey Bay Aquarium — and this book opened my eyes even further to these remarkable creatures.
My own thoughts about the book are summed up beautifully in this appraisal of the book by Jamie Ford, author of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet: “Shelby Van Pelt has done the impossible. She’s created a perfect story with imperfect characters that is so heartwarming, so mysterious, and so completely absorbing, you won’t be able to put it down because when you’re not reading this book you’ll be hugging it”.
Coyote America: A Natural and Supernatural History, by Dan Flores: Speaking of remarkable creatures, in this non-fiction book, we are introduced to yet another one — the coyote. Through exacting research (the bibliography alone runs to eight pages), interviews with experts, and his own experience in the field, the author details the history of this canine in North America. He takes us from the prominence of the coyote in indigenous cultures, to the United States government’s total misunderstanding of the animal — and dedication to its eradication — to the absolute refusal of the coyote to be eradicated. In fact, despite the “best” efforts of the government and of ranchers, the coyote has found ways to thrive and to expand their territory. Now, writes Flores, the animal is found not just in the Western United States, but also roaming the streets of large midwestern and eastern cities.
Additionally, the book details how the lives and societies of coyotes and humans mirror one another — and how much we humans could learn from these canine neighbors of ours. Also, we learn that how a person pronounces the word “coyote” provides a really good indication of where they stand on the “coyote problem”. (You’ll have to read the book to learn that one.)
And again, a comment by a different reviewer gives a good insight into the book. This one comes from Bill McKibben, an environmentalist, author, journalist, and leader of the climate campaign group, 350.org: “A biologist once told me, ‘When the last man dies, a coyote will be howling over his grave.’ This splendid book makes it clear why that’s true, and why the persistent, enduring wildness of this remarkable neighbor should give us great delight”.