Do you need a new ear worm?

They did it again. Here is the whole song. It is Bruises by Chairlift.

Pleasurable shades of Dick Francis

For decades Dick Francis has been delivering good stories and they always concern horse racing. The stories, settings, horses, characters, and plots are always different and compelling and those of us who have appreciated them over the years are reminded of the advancing age of Francis and the need for a replacement for his skillful stories. John McEvoy may be the replacement.


McEvoy's latest, Close Call is set in Chicago with a side trip to Ireland, and concerns the struggling horse racing track Monee Park where Jack Doyle takes over PR for the heir who is dedicated to keeping the park alive until legalized slots can provide the cash flow needed to meet the competition of legalized casinos. A Seabuscuit-esq racer contributes to the plot as do some nasty Southside louts. A very respectible third outing featuring Doyle. Earlier works in the series were Blind Switch and Riders Down.


I was up way too late last night reading Close Call and I look forward to the next one.

Leave your opinion at the door

Well, not exactly the door but just inside the front cover.

At the suggestion of a patron who had seen the idea used at another public library, we have begun putting a "What did you think of this book," slip in the front of new books. The sheet lets readers rate the book and leave their initials if they so choose.

Over the years I have noticed that a lot of readers put their initials somewhere in our books so that there is a reminder left behind to tell them that they have already read a book.

Our hope is that those who feel the need to leave notice behind so they won't waste time with a book already read will use the new inserted sheet as the place for them to leave their initials as a reminder.

Whatever. If you read a book and want to share your opinion of the book you now have a place to do it.