Historical Fiction

Title: The Light Between Oceans

Author: M.L. Stedman

Publication: Scribner; July 31, 2012

Edition: Hardcover: 345 pages

Synopsis: After four harrowing years on the Western Front, Tom Sherbourne returns to Australia and takes a job as the lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock, nearly half a day’s journey from the coast. To this isolated island, where the supply boat comes once a season, Tom brings a young, bold, and loving wife, Isabel. Years later, after two miscarriages and one stillbirth, the grieving Isabel hears a baby’s cries on the wind. A boat has washed up onshore carrying a dead man and a living baby.

Tom, who keeps meticulous records and whose moral principles have withstood a horrific war, wants to report the man and infant immediately. But Isabel insists the baby is a “gift from God,” and against Tom’s judgment, they claim her as their own and name her Lucy. When she is two, Tom and Isabel return to the mainland and are reminded that there are other people in the world. Their choice has devastated one of them.  (Amazon, 2010)

Setting/Time Period: Australia 1920s

Genre: Historical Fiction

Subject Headings: Australia—fiction

                                 Domestic fiction

                                 Married people—fiction

                                 Foundlings—fiction

         Lighthouse keepers                             

Elements of historical fiction: Set before author’s lifetime; uses historical accurate place and events; world building based on the time period that very descriptive; storyline heavily focused on Australia circa 1920s and social and moral issues presented at that particular time; contained historical accurate dialect that reflects Australia in the 1920s; leisurely paced.

Appeal: Intriguing, unique storyline that kept me on my toes wanting to know what happens next. Slow paced yet still interesting. Generally good page length that flowed nicely.  Painted a good picture of Australia in the 1920s that presented social and moral issues in an interesting manner, reflective to that time period. Love presented with really sad elements of loss and fear. Great character engagement in a way that you can feel what each character is going through. I enjoyed reading The Light Between Oceans. Previously, I preferred not to read historical fiction or pretty much anything that wasn’t based on present time. I was impressed with this read and now I’m interested in reading others in this genre. The questions of morals, decisions and love and what the book’s characters had to go through is what kept me interested and wanting to know how things ended. Very impressed.

Read A Likes:

The Lightkeeper’s Wife by Karen Viggers

Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

What She Left Behind by Ellen Marie Wiseman

Week 11 Prompt Response

Appeal factors for both eBooks and audiobooks varies from person to person. I think the appeal for both lies in convenience. Both do not require adequate light sources to be read, you can read whenever the most convenience, more privacy; not everyone knows what you are reading, easy to get; a simple download can get you instant reading and it doesn’t take up any physical space. These factors appeal those who want different types of reading experiences. Those who may just only care about the contents of the book, not how it’s delivered to them.

The tangible feel of the physical book does somewhat affect the genre. For example, if you love easy reads that are on the shorter side, you won’t necessary get that appeal from an eBook or audiobook because you wouldn’t have any idea when the story is going to end and how to measure how long it takes you to read that book. With a physical book, you can set reading goals for how many pages you can read in an hour and other ways for you to keep track about where you left off and how soon you’ll be done. It’s almost as if you are listening to an audiobook or reading an eBook that you kind of have to read the entire book within a couple of days to get the full effect of the book and its hard to go back and reread anything you have missed with an audiobook or eBook.

Changing the font, line spacing with eBooks does affect the tone of the book. The font chosen for the book was chosen for a reason to depict a certain tone for the book. With eBooks you are most likely changing the font to make it easier on your eyes than the book its self. The book length varies and can become twice as long if you are always changing the font and line spacing. Also, it makes reading book twice as long to finish. As for audiobooks, the tone of the book it affected because the narrator may read at a slower pace than how you read. Track lengths may run longer than anticipated and can be hard to keep up with where you left off. These factors take away from the experience of reading and getting done with a book. Not to mention, the strain on the eyes from eBooks and multitasking and distractions audiobooks allow for. I think both have its pros and cons and that each individual should decide if and when to read or listen to these formats. 

I think its great to read an eBook from time to time or listen to an audio here and there to get the experience of trying out these to different mediums because some books may only be accessed by these formats and its worth a try.

My personal experience with audiobooks is that I find them convenience and I would love to just listen to audiobooks all the time to give my eyes rest but I always end up falling asleep when trying to listen to one. I don’t listen to them when I’m driving because I don’t drive far enough to get any real listening out of it and I always opt for listening to music instead. I love the idea of eBooks, but one major downfall is that it hurts my eyes to constantly read on my iPad. Since I’m always on my phone or laptop reading something all day then having to be on another digital device is an overload for my eyes so I always opt for a physical book to give my eyes some rest. I just love the convenience factor of both and wish the cons wouldn’t out weigh the pros otherwise I would completely love these two formats.

Book Club Experience

I attended a book discussion at the Valparaiso Public Library called Valpo Brown Baggers. Moderated by the branch manager, Valpo Brown Baggers meets every second Tuesday of each month at noon. This is an open discussion, so anyone can attend any of the discussions throughout the year; no one has to attend every month. The list of each month’s book is posted on the library’s website. Those who attend are also welcomed to bring a lunch.

February’s featured book was Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. It tells the story of Louisa Clark, a twenty-something who lives a content life, with a job working in a coffee shop, staying with her parents in a very cramped room and a boyfriend who cares more about exercise than her. One day, Louisa finds out she is laid of from her job at the coffee shop and so she lands herself a temporary job as a caregiver for a quadriplegic named Will. Before his accident, Will had it all, a life of luxury until one day he lost it. Will lost his passion for life and it’s up Louisa to help bring a life worth living back to him.  A fellow member requested this book and so the group’s moderator asked the members to request any book they would like for the group to discuss in the future.

Before the discussion began, the moderator had everyone write their names on a piece of paper so she and everyone else can become familiar with one another. Also, she had available flyers for other programs she is hosting such as the movie discussion. One of the attendees bought pizza for everyone to eat as part of their lunch. The room was full, not one available seat. It seemed like everyone was familiar with one another so I can see that mostly all of the attendees were regulars and attended both the brown baggers and the movie discussion when they are offered.

The discussion began a little after noon, the moderator began the discussion with a great question “what do you think the title means?” This is an open for interpretation questions so the attendees all jumped with their thoughts. They all seemed to have so many ideas for the title may reference to and took turns answering. I noticed that when someone was speaking everyone else listened intently to the speaker and waited for their turn to speak. Everyone who attended participated in the discussion and provided their thoughts and opinions when the moderator asked them questions. They all also gave real life examples in reference to the book. I saw this, as everyone was comfortable with expressing and sharing something about their lives because they all linked personal examples with what occurred in the book. No one shied away from giving their opinions of the book or expanding on what others thought of it.  The discussion lasted for an hour and it went by rather quickly. Their wasn’t one quiet moment and everyone actively participated both verbally and non-verbally.

To end the discussion, the moderator gave a reminder for next month’s book and also took names for those who want to check out next month’s book because there were no available copies in the system. Even after the discussion was over, everyone was talking with one another, hanging out. I thought it was a good group and I can tell all of the participants enjoyed both the book and the discussion.

Special Topics Paper: Future of Readers Advisory and Emerging Trends

Future of Readers Advisory and Emerging Trends

            Readers advisory asks more of information professionals than supplying readers suggestions of items similar to what they’ve already read or what might feed their current interest. Advisory is a proactive duty, and when taken seriously can open readers’ minds to a plethora of new information, literary genres and authors. It’s equal parts marketing and educating, which means its effectiveness depends heavily on adaptability. Readers—as well as what they read and how they read—have evolved. In recent years, this evolution has come rapidly and dramatically with the arrival of the digital age. Connecting readers to information through digital means isn’t necessarily a post-twenty-first-century phenomenon, but the widespread use of digital devices and the process of storing and accessing information with these devices has come quickly. In order for institutions that offer information to the public to remain relevant and forward-thinking, they must be able to adapt as the world evolves. What this means for readers advisory is that new means of performing this role are necessary.

            When asked to explain the function of readers advisory, the average person might offer something basic, such as, “Recommending books to a person based on what they read before.” While this is certainly a way to perform this function, it’s not the only way and is overly simplified. In fact, this description is reactive more than proactive, and readers advisory is anything but reactive. Libraries must move constantly ahead of the curve. Instead of waiting for a patron to first establish a borrowing history before identifying patterns in their reading material of choice, a library professional would welcome questions about new acquisitions and trending collections and he or she would also identify some key information about what the patron enjoyed (or didn’t enjoy!) about their previous read. This information would help create a framework from which the library professional would guide the patron to a broader and sometimes different landscape of literature. “Readers’ advisory requires a certain skill set to perform well, though by no means is it something limited to librarians. The ways of performing readers’ advisory can be what sets librarians or others in the book industry apart from a friend offering book recommendations, though. It requires being able to ask someone about their reading preferences and being able to interpret their answers (or non-answers as often the case is) with sensitivity to their needs. In other words, what I like to read isn’t what matters; it’s what the person standing in front of me likes to read that matters. The questions I ask revolve around recent favorite reads, favorite genres, and my favorite—things they definitely do not enjoy reading” (Stacked). Introducing readers to new authors and different genres is an important part of readers advisory because it enables readers to further broaden their perspectives and reading interests. This isn’t to break a reader’s patterns or preferences. Instead, it enhances them.

            Readers’ advisory can occur in a retail outlet in the form of employees’ recommendations. Employee picks are eye-catching and typically compel customers to give the picks a second look. In libraries, displays and book lists are created with careful thought and planning. Displays are clearly constructed to draw patrons’ attention, while book lists are handy and well-organized guides that allow patrons to have their potential next read at their fingertips. Because we are currently living in a digital age, people can with good reason question the necessity of such proactive measures when online retailers as well as websites devoted to books and reading use algorithms and highly sophisticated computerized methods to recommend future reads. Purchase a book via Amazon.com and you’re guaranteed to see a horizontal list of recommendations following the purchase or the next time you sign in to the site. Become a member of Goodreads and you’re bound to see a box on the right of the screen that tells you what other readers who read the books you’ve read have also enjoyed. And yes, Amazon currently owns Goodreads, so there’s clearly a correlation. Nevertheless, other retailers and reading websites function in similar ways. The key element to remember is that digitized readers’ advisory is simply that: digitized. The personal touch is absent. In libraries, patrons interact face-to-face at reference or circulation desks with library employees. They are allowed and encouraged to ask questions, get opinions, and very importantly they can speak to someone about specific reasons why a particular book would be recommended. Amazon recommendations don’t tell a customer why a book has been recommended. Neither does Goodreads or Library Thing or other similarly popular sites. Even in a digital age, human interaction is important and relied upon.

            What’s important to keep in mind is that readers’ advisory does not exist for the purpose of defying digital advisory. On the contrary, libraries are embracing trends and using digital methods to connect with patrons. Libraries are also connecting patrons to digital methods to not only pick their next read but to actually read. E-readers have become immensely popular for several reasons, including lower prices of ebooks, convenience of storing ebooks, and immediate access to ebooks. In the digital age people want what they want immediately. Purchasing an ebook that’s not a preorder means downloading and having full access to that material within a few short minutes. This new format has not only influenced consumer behavior, but also what material is “out there” for readers to access.

            A significant trend that affects readers advisory is that publishing doesn’t depend solely on the New York Big Five. The popularity of self-publishing has grown exponentially. Consumers who shop online are exposed to a huge variety of material that can fit into virtually any genre and across numerous genres. It can be overwhelming and library patrons would need guidance in order to navigate that environment and digest what’s being made available to them. With self-published materials, quality control is a concern. Sometimes the material isn’t professionally edited, and it’s important to remember that gatekeepers (sometimes viewed as the New York publishing machine) are in place for several reasons and oftentimes it benefits readers. It’s also important for libraries to be aware and fully educated on traditionally published material available via digital means in addition to fully self-published material. A major trend in readers’ advisory will be communicating with patrons about self-published works, though this new landscape is not without challenges. In fact, it contributes to existing challenges. “Since RA is seen as mission-critical and an area of growth, libraries may need to identify and remove or reduce obstacles to the best service. Among the impediments are lack of resources and lack of confidence. The biggest cause of RA angst is keeping up with books and genres, a problem cited by 21% of the librarians. Almost as many, at 17%, noted discomfort with unfamiliar genres. Says one respondent, “making recommendations for types of reading none of the staff has personal familiarity with” gives staff members pause. The volume of materials being published can be overwhelming, too; librarians comment that “there are just too many books to know about.” In addition, while 72% of respondents are confident or very confident in their adult RA work, when it comes to advising children and young adults, only 58% and 51% of respondents who advise those groups, respectively, feel that their abilities are up to par” (Library Journal).

            These pains are not uncommon, nor are they insurmountable. With dedication and concentrated effort, and perhaps innovative ways to use library websites and apps, professionals can comfortably navigate and understand the multitudes of information that digital trends have made available to the public. Libraries can still exist as not only a bridge but as a facilitator, and that’s a positive thing that makes the future of readers advisory bright.

Works Cited

Schwartz, Meredith, and Verma-Thorton, Henrietta. “The State of Readers’ Advisory.” 3

Feb. 2014. Library Journal. Web. 7 Mar. 2015.

Jensen, Kelly. “Why Good Readers’ Advisory Matters.” Stacked. Stacked, 6 Sept. 2012.

Web. 7 Mar. 2015.