As librarians we read a lot and nothing really surprises us anymore. But, last week we had a little shocker. Two of the "senior" librarians were perusing the Victoria’s Secret Catalog during coffee break. I do not purchase Victoria’s Secret apparel and, frankly, I don’t think I need to explain why. As Barb and I browsed through the selections of lingerie, we came upon a page of thongs; that’s not footwear, but underwear. I was aghast, not because of the preposterous nature of the fashions themselves, but because of the exorbitant prices. For example: The beaded string thong went for $85. It is comprised of 12 inches of quarter-inch ribbon, perhaps 20 inches of glass beads (sounds comfy) and a decorative floral unit in front. I flipped out. You could make it for $2.95. Barb observed that the decorative floral unit would protrude under your clothes, possibly leading people to believe you had an abdominal tumor. As we perused the following pages of flirty, feminine fashion, the pencil-thin models, with flawless skin and long flowing hair with natural highlights, started to wear me down. I started to feel my normally-high level of self-esteem start to waver. I was too old and too beefy. My hair didn’t flow and my highlights may not be natural. Then I remembered: I AM A LIBRARIAN. I can recite the First Law of Thermodynamics without faltering. I can sing, "Little Rabbit Foo Foo." I know the Dewey Decimal number for professional wrestling and for lace doily patterns. I seriously doubt that any one of those Victoria’s Secret models can lay claim to that. I can also buy books that you like and here are a couple that I’m pretty sure will be popular. "Fire Flight" by John Nance. Veteran pilot Clark Maxwell thought his fire bombing days were well behind him. But when Jerry Stein, Maxwell's friend and airtanker fleet-owner, calls at the height of the fire season to beg him to reenter the war, he doesn't hesitate. A pair of ferocious forest fires is raging out of control, threatening to destroy Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and incinerate thousands of area homes. A paranoia plagues the fire bombers and smoke jumpers, after a mysterious string of accidents among the airtanker fleet claims the lives of some of the most fearless and experienced veterans. Maxwell has long argued that the airtankers are faulty museum pieces that should have been grounded years ago. Now some of the fleet seems to be falling apart in midair. In the middle of the area's worst wildfire season in history, Maxwell is convinced that a sinister cover-up is behind the horrific air disasters. As he races to unravel the mystery and prevent a natural disaster of massive proportions, Maxwell's probe just may cost him his life. "Safe Harbour" by Danielle Steel. On a windswept summer day, a solitary figure walks down the beach, a dog at her side. At 11, Pip Mackenzie’s life has already been touched by tragedy; nine months before a terrible accident took the lives of her father and brother. From the moment the curly-haired girl walks up to his easel on the sand, Matt Bowles senses something magical about her. Pip reminds him of his own daughter at that age, before a bitter divorce tore his family apart. With her own mother, Ophélie, retreating deeper into her grief, Pip spends her summer at the shore daydreaming and remembering how things used to be. When she meets artist Matt Bowles, who offers to teach the girl to draw — he can't help but notice her beautiful, lonely mother. At first, Ophélie is thrown off balance by her daughter's new companion, but as their newfound friend works his subtle magic, mother and daughter slowly begin to heal.When summer ends, Ophélie and Pip must leave the beach for the city. But as soul-sharing phone calls and autumn beach getaways deepen Ophélie and Matt's friendship, fate strikes another blow. Out of the blue, Matt must confront unfinished business from his past. Days later, Ophélie is struck by a stunning betrayal by someone she trusts. As these events reverberate in two already wounded hearts, something extraordinary happens.
