Library offers books for holiday reading

Dec. 3—This month the librarians at the St. Joseph Public Library are sharing some holiday stories, a new book by John Irving and a mystery with a connection to libraries. Visit the library's online catalog at https://sjpl.ent.sirsi.net/ to find these or other great books to read or listen to.

"Christmas Train" by David Baldacci. This is not a new book but it is a lovely little Christmas story that is not the typical thriller we expect from Baldacci. Disillusioned journalist Tom Langdon must get from Washington to Los Angeles in time for Christmas. Forced to travel by train, he begins a journey of rude awakenings, thrilling adventures and holiday magic.

"The Last Chairlift" by John Irving. The first novel by Irving in several years is nearly 900 pages. We recommend this book for anyone ready to curl up with a good story, enjoys literature versus a beach read and has the time to enjoy a good story. The book begins in 1941 when Rachel Brewster is a skier at the National Downhill and Slalom Championships. Instead of returning home with a medal, she comes back pregnant and determined to keep her baby. Years later, her son Adam starts looking for answers about where he came from.

"Once Upon a Wardrobe" by Patti Callahan. Megs Devonshire is on a scholarship at Oxford and excels at numbers and equations. Her younger brother George doesn't have long to live and becomes captivated by a brand-new book called "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" and begs her to find out where Narnia came from. Of course, she does all she can to answer his questions. This magical novel explores how the events in C.S. Lewis' life inspired him to create the magical and mythical world of Narnia.

"Small Things Like These" by Claire Keegan. If you are looking for a good story but have trouble finding time to read, try this little 128-page book. It is 1985 in a small Irish town. During the weeks leading up to Christmas, Bill Furlong, a coal merchant and family man, is at his busiest. Early one morning, while delivering an order to the local convent, Bill makes a discovery that forces him to confront both his past and the complicit silences of a town controlled by the church. The novel is a quick read or listen and is a story of hope, quiet heroism and empathy.

"The Woman in the Library" by Sulari Gentill. We librarians love novels that feature books and/or libraries. This an entertaining mystery about a murder that occurs at the Boston Public Library and also features a story within a story. Not only is there a crime mystery, which is fun in itself, but there is another story about the author who is writing that mystery and getting input on it from a fan. It's a fun twisty literary adventure and definitely librarian-approved.