As you gear up for summer break and the delightful thought of sitting by the lake with 12 books in tow, you may be reconsidering that eReader you got for Christmas. Wouldn't it be nice to download all your books to one lightweight device instead of packing so many cumbersome books?

If learning the eBook technology has seemed a bit overwhelming for you, may we remind you that Hennepin County Library is offering eBook Basics classes in many locations over the next couple of months. You will learn how to search for books, download them to your device, and manage your digital account. Take advantage of this opportunity to learn the technology and start enjoying the wonder of eBooks!

You've seen the name, you've heard the hype, you have a vague sense that she writes creepy psychological thrillers. But who is Tana French? Is she an author you'd enjoy? Here's the scoop:

Name: Tana French
Genres: Mystery stories/police procedurals/psychological suspense
Popular series written by French: French has written a total of four books, only two of which follow the same characters. But her most well-known book to-date is In the Woods, a thriller set in Dublin. French won numerous awards and widespread critical praise for her atmospheric detective story.
What makes her stand out: French creates vivid characters, nonformulaic plot twists and truly creepy stories that are perfect for those with a taste for the psychological, similar to Val McDermid.
Where to Start: In the Woods (2007)

And check out our Bestseller Express service for the latest French titles and skip the long wait!

Do you love seeing author interviews such as Talking Volumes at the Fitzgerald? You're in luck! Hennepin County Library offers Talk of the Stacks, a series of author presentations and book-signings featuring some of the hottest writers around.

Our next set of Talk of the Stacks programs begins next month. The line-up is as follows:

Tuesday, June 11: David Rhodes
Monday, June 24: Colum McCann
Tuesday, July 23: Terry Brooks

All programs are held at the Minneapolis Central Library from 7:00-8:30pm. Learn more about the specifics of these authors and their visits. We hope to see you there!

Hennepin County Library is delighted to participate in the third year of the One Minneapolis One Read program. Along with other community partners in Minneapolis, the library promotes reading, discussion and ongoing programming each year devoted to a book of local interest. This year's pick, A Choice of Weapons, tells the autobiographical story of Gordon Parks, a renowned photographer who grew up in the Twin Cities. His inspirational story promises to spark meaningful conversation as the program gets underway.

Get involved with One Minneapolis One Read this fall and, for other nonfiction recommendations of related interests, check out some of these great lists from Bookspace:
Black Voices
Biographies and Memoirs
Minnesota Experience

Book awards season has begun with two major awards' ceremonies held this month.

The Pulitzer Prize is awarded for journalism, letters, drama and music, with this year's winners announced April 15. In addition to two exciting wins for the Star Tribune, book winners included:
The Orphan Master's Son
Embers of War: the Fall of an Empire and the Making of America's Vietnam
The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal and the Real Count of Monte Cristo

On a local level, the Minnesota Book Awards were held on April 13. In major categories, a few of the winners were:
Rez Life
Curse of the Jade Lily
The Round House

To see the complete winners' lists, visit the websites of the Friends of the Saint Paul Library and the Pulitzer Prize.

Food plays a magical role in many works of literature, from Edmund's Turkish delights in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe to the fried green tomatoes from Fannie Flagg's Whistle Stop Cafe. And when planning a top-notch book club meeting, finding foods that relate to the book is the perfect finishing touch for great conversation.

Try one of these titles to find recipes and inspiration for your book club:
The Book Lover's Cookbook
The Book Club Cookbook
Kafka's Soup

Bon Appetit!

Don't miss your opportunity to see author Theresa Weir at Ridgedale Library on Thursday, April 18 at 7:00 p.m. Weir (aka Anne Frasier) will speak about her new memoir The Man Who Left and her previous work The Orchard.

I loved The Orchard, a gripping memoir about Theresa's brief courtship with a farmer and then her eye-opening experiences living on his apple orchard after they marry. O magazine said, "What do those perfectly round, shiny red apples really cost? This poignant memoir of love, labor, and dangerous pesticides reveals the terrible true price."

Books will be available for purchase and signing.

You've seen the name, you know his latest book has a million holds, you have a vague sense that he writes fast-paced thrillers. But who is Vince Flynn? Is he worth checking out? Here's the scoop:

Name: Vince Flynn
Genres: Political/suspense/anti-terrorism thrillers
Popular series written by Flynn: the Mitch Rapp chronicles, which follow an undercover CIA operative fighting terrorist plots
What makes him stand out: in the words of Publisher's Weekly, "Flynn knows his politicians and pits his characters against impossible odds with nonstop action and suspense."
Where to Start: American Assassin (2010)

And check out our Bestseller Express service for the latest Flynn titles and skip the long wait!

One of the options on the eBooks Advanced Search page allows you to limit your search to an award winning category. Choose an Audie award winning audiobook to listen to. Or browse the chilling titles that have won the Bram Stoker award.

This Alex Award winning story is about June, an awkward, intelligent fourteen-year-old girl who adored her uncle Finn. The story is told from June’s point of view. June is a loner who likes to walk in the woods and pretend she’s living in the Middle Ages. The novel explores her relationships with Finn, her often difficult older sister, and Finn’s boyfriend Toby whom she gets to know and secretly befriends after Finn dies of AIDS. I don’t think I will ever forget this wonderfully unique novel. A friend told me it was the best book she read last year, and I wonder if I will discover one I like more this year. I kind of doubt it.