The Buzz...About Books

According to the good people at Days of the Year, March is Umbrella Month. People have no doubt been seeking shelter from the elements throughout the ages. Using large leaves as a means of shade may have led to the development of the parasol in Ancient Egypt about 3500 years ago. These early umbrellas were used by royalty to protect their skin from the sun. The idea of a waterproof umbrella comes from China in 11th century B.C.

Today umbrellas are available in a huge variety of colours and patterns. They even show up on book covers from time to time:

After it Rains by Bill Haugland
After 45 years as a broadcast journalist Bill Haugland has turned to writing. After it Rains is his first collection of short stories.

Beautiful Fools: the Last Affair of Zelda and Scott Fitzgerald by R. Clifton Spargo
Scott has been toiling away in Hollywood while Zelda has been in and out of mental hospitals on the East coast. This novel is a fictionalized account of a Cuban vacation they took together–their final vacation, as it turns out.

The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka
• Audiobook
• eAudiobook
• eBook
• Large Print
• Talking Book: CD Format (restricted to Print Disabled patrons)
The story of 8 "picture brides" who came to the United States from Japan in the early 1900s.

First Sight by Danielle Steel
• Audiobook
• eBook
• Large Print
A busy fashion designer doesn't think she has time for love; then she meets a handsome French surgeon and reconsiders.

One Step Too Far by Tina Seskis
• eAudiobook
• eBook
• Large Print
A woman leaves behind her comfortable suburban life to completely reinvent herself. What is she running from?

Please note that these books are only moderately useful protection from the elements and do not replace proper umbrellas.