Fiction_L Archives "Well Written" fiction Dates: 3/28/02,1:01 PM  through  4/1/02,3:02 PM  (18 postings) Search for: Select one or more indexes to search: 2009-current     2007-2008     1996-2006    (Matches from each index will be displayed separately in the results page.) Return to March 2002 thread menu   |   Fiction_L Archives Menu

FROM: "Amy J Richard" <amy.richard@lycos.com>
REC'D: 3/28/02, 1:01 PM

Hello All! I have a frustrating problem that I am hoping you all can help me with.

I have an elderly female patron that comes in periodically and wants help finding books to read. I try to ask what types of books she likes and her only response is "something well written." I have explained to her that well written is totally subjective and in the eyes of the reader. I usually end up pulling books from the new adult fiction area and letting her look through those.

Does anyone have any advice for me? Any ideas of "well written" books? Oh, she will not take anything that says Oprah.

Thanks in advance.
Amy Richard
University City Regional Library
Charlotte, NC
---
****************************
Amy Richard
amy.richard@lycos.com

"A room without books is like a body without a soul." -Cicero


See Dave Matthews Band live or win a signed guitar
http://r.lycos.com/r/bmgfly_mail_dmb/http://win.ipromotions.com/lycos_020201/splash.asp

FROM: "SHARRON SMITH" <SSMITH@kpl.org>
REC'D: 3/28/02, 1:11 PM

Amy:

If you have access to Now Read This: a guide to Mainstream Fiction,
1978-1998 by Nancy Pearl, you might look for some ideas there. I have
used it with very good success with my patrons when asked about "well
written fiction.

Sharron Smith, Readers' Advisory Librarian
Kitchener Public Library
85 Queen St. N
Kitchener, ON N2H 2H1

(519) 743-0271 x259

ssmith@kpl.org <mailto:ssmith@kpl.org>

www.kpl.org <http://www.kpl.org>



-----Original Message-----
From: Amy J Richard [mailto:amy.richard@lycos.com]
Sent: Thursday, March 28, 2002 1:58 PM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: "Well Written" fiction


Hello All! I have a frustrating problem that I am hoping you all can
help me with.

I have an elderly female patron that comes in periodically and wants
help finding books to read. I try to ask what types of books she likes
and her only response is "something well written." I have explained to
her that well written is totally subjective and in the eyes of the
reader. I usually end up pulling books from the new adult fiction area
and letting her look through those.

Does anyone have any advice for me? Any ideas of "well written" books?
Oh, she will not take anything that says Oprah.

Thanks in advance.
Amy Richard
University City Regional Library
Charlotte, NC
---
****************************
Amy Richard
amy.richard@lycos.com

"A room without books is like a body without a soul." -Cicero


See Dave Matthews Band live or win a signed guitar
http://r.lycos.com/r/bmgfly_mail_dmb/http://win.ipromotions.com/lycos_02
0201/splash.asp

FROM: "Marsha Valance" <Mvalan@mpl.org>
REC'D: 3/28/02, 1:22 PM

Have you tried her with National Book Award, Booker Prize & Pulitzer winners & nominees?


Marsha Valance
Regional Librarian
Wisconsin Regional Library f/t Blind & Physically Handicapped
813 West Wells St.
Milwaukee, WI 53233
1.800.242.8822 [in-state]
<mvalan@mpl.org>

>>> amy.richard@lycos.com 03/28/02 12:58PM >>>
Hello All! I have a frustrating problem that I am hoping you all can help me with.

I have an elderly female patron that comes in periodically and wants help finding books to read. I try to ask what types of books she likes and her only response is "something well written." I have explained to her that well written is totally subjective and in the eyes of the reader. I usually end up pulling books from the new adult fiction area and letting her look through those.

Does anyone have any advice for me? Any ideas of "well written" books? Oh, she will not take anything that says Oprah.

Thanks in advance.
Amy Richard
University City Regional Library
Charlotte, NC
---
****************************
Amy Richard
amy.richard@lycos.com

"A room without books is like a body without a soul." -Cicero


See Dave Matthews Band live or win a signed guitar
http://r.lycos.com/r/bmgfly_mail_dmb/http://win.ipromotions.com/lycos_020201/splash.asp

FROM: "Steven A. Roman" <Roman@addison.lib.il.us>
REC'D: 3/28/02, 1:22 PM

Well, I can't help but ask ... When she says "well-written," does she mean:

Well-plotted? = No glaring plot holes. No unnecessary loose ends. The plot
is completely conceivable given the conventions of the imagined world.

Well-characterized? = The characters are believable, acting as real people
would given their abilities and situation. The important characters are
completely realized personalities.

Of literary quality? = A complex and thoughtful thematic structure.

Well-paced? = Does the book's pace match its content? (A faster pace for
adventure fiction, for example.)

All of the above?

Of course, not *all* readers actually *want* all of these qualities in their
reading. This may sound strange, but (for example) not all readers want
their pulp adventure or romance fiction to have the thematic complexity of
_Ulysses_ or _Midnight's Children_.

I hope this doesn't sound like splitting hairs.

Steven Roman
Addison Public Library
Addison, IL 60101

-----Original Message-----
From: Amy J Richard [mailto:amy.richard@lycos.com]
Sent: Thursday, March 28, 2002 12:58 PM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: "Well Written" fiction


Hello All! I have a frustrating problem that I am hoping you all can help
me with.

I have an elderly female patron that comes in periodically and wants help
finding books to read. I try to ask what types of books she likes and her
only response is "something well written." I have explained to her that
well written is totally subjective and in the eyes of the reader. I usually
end up pulling books from the new adult fiction area and letting her look
through those.

Does anyone have any advice for me? Any ideas of "well written" books? Oh,
she will not take anything that says Oprah.

Thanks in advance.
Amy Richard
University City Regional Library
Charlotte, NC
---
****************************
Amy Richard
amy.richard@lycos.com

"A room without books is like a body without a soul." -Cicero


See Dave Matthews Band live or win a signed guitar
http://r.lycos.com/r/bmgfly_mail_dmb/http://win.ipromotions.com/lycos_020201
/splash.asp

FROM: "Rachel Berrington" <rgmdb@hotmail.com>
REC'D: 3/28/02, 1:33 PM

How about showing her some award winning books and nominees?

Powell's Books has a great awards page at:
http://www.powells.com/prizes/prizes.html

If she says something like, "Oh those are too difficult to read" then share
the NYT Bestseller list with her!

Rachel

_________________________________________________________________
Join the world’s largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail.
http://www.hotmail.com

FROM: "Amy J Richard" <amy.richard@lycos.com>
REC'D: 3/28/02, 1:33 PM

Steven,

Thanks for your reponse. She gives no help whatsoever. All I can get out of her is well written. She likes Robert Parker and I have given her some other mystery writers too. I gave her Susan Issacs one time. Once she told me she used to look in NY Book Review for titles. I told her we had that newspaper perhaps she would like to look at it. No, I was told, it's been too long since she has looked at it.

Amy
---
****************************
Amy Richard
amy.richard@lycos.com

"A room without books is like a body without a soul." -Cicero

On Thu, 28 Mar 2002 13:15:29
Steven A. Roman wrote:
>Well, I can't help but ask ... When she says "well-written," does she mean:
>
>Well-plotted? = No glaring plot holes. No unnecessary loose ends. The plot
>is completely conceivable given the conventions of the imagined world.
>
>Well-characterized? = The characters are believable, acting as real people
>would given their abilities and situation. The important characters are
>completely realized personalities.
>
>Of literary quality? = A complex and thoughtful thematic structure.
>
>Well-paced? = Does the book's pace match its content? (A faster pace for
>adventure fiction, for example.)
>
>All of the above?
>
>Of course, not *all* readers actually *want* all of these qualities in their
>reading. This may sound strange, but (for example) not all readers want
>their pulp adventure or romance fiction to have the thematic complexity of
>_Ulysses_ or _Midnight's Children_.
>
>I hope this doesn't sound like splitting hairs.
>
>Steven Roman
>Addison Public Library
>Addison, IL 60101
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Amy J Richard [mailto:amy.richard@lycos.com]
>Sent: Thursday, March 28, 2002 12:58 PM
>To: Fiction_L
>Subject: "Well Written" fiction
>
>
>Hello All! I have a frustrating problem that I am hoping you all can help
>me with.
>
>I have an elderly female patron that comes in periodically and wants help
>finding books to read. I try to ask what types of books she likes and her
>only response is "something well written." I have explained to her that
>well written is totally subjective and in the eyes of the reader. I usually
>end up pulling books from the new adult fiction area and letting her look
>through those.
>
>Does anyone have any advice for me? Any ideas of "well written" books? Oh,
>she will not take anything that says Oprah.
>
>Thanks in advance.
>Amy Richard
>University City Regional Library
>Charlotte, NC
>---
>****************************
>Amy Richard
>amy.richard@lycos.com
>
>"A room without books is like a body without a soul." -Cicero
>
>
>
>
>See Dave Matthews Band live or win a signed guitar
>http://r.lycos.com/r/bmgfly_mail_dmb/http://win.ipromotions.com/lycos_020201
>/splash.asp
>
>......................................................................
>Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
>Everything Fiction_L: http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html
>
>......................................................................
>Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
>Everything Fiction_L: http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html
>


See Dave Matthews Band live or win a signed guitar
http://r.lycos.com/r/bmgfly_mail_dmb/http://win.ipromotions.com/lycos_020201/splash.asp

FROM: Susan <silverymoon@uia.net>
REC'D: 3/28/02, 2:25 PM

A recent well-written book I read is _The Distant Land Of My Father_ by Bo
Caldwell. Very well reviewed in the Los Angeles Times and lived up to the
review.

Susan

-------
>
>Does anyone have any advice for me? Any ideas of "well written" books?
Oh, she will not take anything that says Oprah.
>
>

FROM: Cheryl Edwards <cedwards@mail.wrl.org>
REC'D: 3/28/02, 4:20 PM

I consider "Out of Africa" By Isak Dineson and "West With the Night" by
Beryl Markham to be lovely, well written books that an elderly patron
might enjoy. The Sherlock Holmes books by Conan Doyle would also be
suitable.

The works of James Ellroy like "L.A. Confidential" and "Black Dahlia" are
written in an unusual, interesting hardbitten fashion but the subject
matter is probably a little gruesome for a little old lady. But then some
little old ladies like the nasty crime stuff.

-Cheryl-
Williamsburg Regional Library

On Thu, 28 Mar 2002, Amy J Richard wrote:

> Hello All! I have a frustrating problem that I am hoping you all can help me with.
>
> I have an elderly female patron that comes in periodically and wants help finding books to read. I try to ask what types of books she likes and her only response is "something well written." I have explained to her that well written is totally subjective and in the eyes of the reader. I usually end up pulling books from the new adult fiction area and letting her look through those.
>
> Does anyone have any advice for me? Any ideas of "well written" books? Oh, she will not take anything that says Oprah.
>
> Thanks in advance.
> Amy Richard
> University City Regional Library
> Charlotte, NC
> ---
> ****************************
> Amy Richard
> amy.richard@lycos.com
>
> "A room without books is like a body without a soul." -Cicero
>
>
>
>
> See Dave Matthews Band live or win a signed guitar
> http://r.lycos.com/r/bmgfly_mail_dmb/http://win.ipromotions.com/lycos_020201/splash.asp
>
> ......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html
>

FROM: Jennifer Hance <jjhance@yahoo.com>
REC'D: 3/28/02, 4:32 PM

Amy,
In addition to the good ideas already given, here are a few titles I personally have read
and would describe as well-written.

Industry of Souls by Martin Booth
The Night Inspector by Frederick Busch
Girl in Hyacinth Blue by Susan Vreeland
In Cuba I was a German Sheperd by A. Menendez
The Bookshop by Penelope Fitzgerald
Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding
Tulip Fever by D. Moggach

Best regards,
Jenn Hance
Belleview Public Library, Florida

__________________________________________________
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FROM: Candice Michalik <cjoy0821@yahoo.com>
REC'D: 3/28/02, 6:29 PM

Like you said, "well-written" is definitely a
subjective term! In going through the list of books I
have read in the past couple of years, I would
nominate the following:

Prodigal Summer - Barbara Kingsolver
Bel Canto - Ann Patchett
all of Amy Tan's books
In the Country of the Young by Lisa Carey
Ahab's wife by Sena Jeter Naslund
The wholeness of a broken heart by Katie Singer

I hope some of these will appeal to your patron.

=====
Candice Michalik
Reference Librarian
Lynchburg Public Library
Lynchburg, VA
cjoy0821@yahoo.com

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Movies - coverage of the 74th Academy Awards®
http://movies.yahoo.com/

FROM: "BookBitch" <bookbitch@yahoo.com>
REC'D: 3/28/02, 10:06 PM

I don't know whether or not you've tried this, but if I'm asked for a "good
book" I ask the patron what their favorite books are or what books they've
read lately that they liked. With at least one or two titles as a
guideline, it is much easier to find their definition of "good". Just a
thought...

Stacy Alesi
Southwest County Regional Library
Palm Beach County Library System

I am the BookBitch
www.bookbitch.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Fiction_L@maillist.webrary.org
[mailto:Fiction_L@maillist.webrary.org]On Behalf Of Amy J Richard
Sent: Thursday, March 28, 2002 1:58 PM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: "Well Written" fiction


Hello All! I have a frustrating problem that I am hoping you all can help
me with.

I have an elderly female patron that comes in periodically and wants help
finding books to read. I try to ask what types of books she likes and her
only response is "something well written." I have explained to her that
well written is totally subjective and in the eyes of the reader. I usually
end up pulling books from the new adult fiction area and letting her look
through those.

Does anyone have any advice for me? Any ideas of "well written" books? Oh,
she will not take anything that says Oprah.

Thanks in advance.
Amy Richard
University City Regional Library
Charlotte, NC
---
****************************
Amy Richard
amy.richard@lycos.com

"A room without books is like a body without a soul." -Cicero


See Dave Matthews Band live or win a signed guitar
http://r.lycos.com/r/bmgfly_mail_dmb/http://win.ipromotions.com/lycos_020201
/splash.asp


_________________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com

FROM: "Lisa Colcord" <lcolcord@ci.glendale.az.us>
REC'D: 4/1/02, 10:01 AM

If she hasn't already read them, definitely suggest Amy Tan's fiction...I am reading Bonesetter's Daughter right now and it is fantastic!

Lisa


>>> silverymoon@uia.net 03/28/02 13:17 PM >>>
A recent well-written book I read is _The Distant Land Of My Father_ by Bo
Caldwell. Very well reviewed in the Los Angeles Times and lived up to the
review.

Susan

-------
>
>Does anyone have any advice for me? Any ideas of "well written" books?
Oh, she will not take anything that says Oprah.
>
>

FROM: Jsimowski@aol.com
REC'D: 3/30/02, 10:02 AM

There is a wonderful website for seniors: www.seniornet.org that has online book discussions. While your patron may not want to participate in the discussions, you'll have a list of books selected by seniors.

Joyce M. Simowski
Canton Public Library
Canton, MI 48188

FROM: Sandy Westbrook <sandyw@crlc.org>
REC'D: 4/1/02, 10:43 AM

Amy,
I've been out coughing and blowing my nose, so I'm reading all these
"well written" queries and responses at the same time and something struck
me. I'm with you - "well written" is so subjective. And, I sometimes hate
well written books.
The patron is described as an elderly woman who used to read the NY Book
Review but doesn't want to look at it anymore as it's been "too long" since
she'd looked at it. I'm wondering if maybe she doesn't have the energy
anymore for keeping up with all the new authors and is hoping that "the
librarians" will be able to steer her in the right direction. So, giving
her books from the "new" shelf is certainly a start.
I wouldn't bother with giving her reviews to look at, but I would give
her a list of the NY Book Reviews Top 2001 books (if there is such a
thing)or any other "best" books list. It sounds to me like she still likes
to read but needs more "quick and easy" ways to find good books.
I know you're trying to follow up on what you give her and whether she
likes it or not and I know that you've already asked her for authors and
titles she likes - since she won't give any particular criteria maybe you
can come up with them for her.
HTH

Sandy Westbrook
South Windsor Public Library
South Windsor, CT 06074
Ph 860-644-1541
Fax 860-644-7645
sandyw@crlc.org


At 02:28 PM 3/28/2002 -0500, you wrote:
>Steven,
>
>Thanks for your reponse. She gives no help whatsoever. All I can get out
of her is well written. She likes Robert Parker and I have given her some
other mystery writers too. I gave her Susan Issacs one time. Once she
told me she used to look in NY Book Review for titles. I told her we had
that newspaper perhaps she would like to look at it. No, I was told, it's
been too long since she has looked at it.
>
>Amy
>---
>****************************
>Amy Richard
>amy.richard@lycos.com
>
>"A room without books is like a body without a soul." -Cicero
>

FROM: dbeaver@co.wake.nc.us
REC'D: 4/1/02, 10:32 AM

If your patron likes Robert Parker, she might like William Tappley.

Donna Beaver
Wake County Libraries
Zebulon, NC branch

FROM: "ROBIN BEERBOWER" <RBEERBOWER@mail.open.org>
REC'D: 4/1/02, 11:37 AM

Amy,

You might make a copy of our Library's Best Books of 2001 and 2000. Go to www.salemlibrary.org and click on Books and Clubs in the left column (forgive the roughness of the Readers Corner webpage; it is still "young"). You will see a link on that page. Ours is a little different as I compile two separate lists. One is for critical choices (award winners, from best lists such as Booklist, Library Journal, etc.) and the other list is what patrons, staff, and volunteers have liked over the year. There are all kinds of books covered so it might be of some help.

Robin Beerbower
Outreach Services
Salem Public Library
PO Box 14810
Salem, OR 97309
503-588-6089

FROM: "Zarqa Javed" <Zarqa.Javed@spl.org>
REC'D: 4/1/02, 3:02 PM

I'm a newbie and I get the digest form so this response may be too
late...but something "well-written" to me would mean something
literary.
And the fabulous NoveLIST lets you search for literary prize winners.
I second the motion to get the patron talking by asking them what they
have already read and liked. Asking if she likes male or female
protagonists, local, national, or international settings is also
possible before she starts to get frustrated and won't answer any more
questions. I'm totally new to this but is seems a large part of
reader's
advisory is listening...sometimes to stuff that has nothing to do with
books and then sort of "divining" from various clues what would suit
that particular person. Plus with general reader's advisory there
isn't
that feeling of instant gratification when you hand a patron *exactly*
what they were looking for. Sometimes you have to believe that you've
hit the mark. And if you're lucky the patron will come back and tell
you
they loved the book you gave them...which is of course a LOVELY
feeling.

Zarqa Javed
Seattle Public Library
Columbia Branch
Seattle, WA

FROM: David Wright <dwright333@yahoo.com>
REC'D: 4/1/02, 12:43 PM

Similarly, this patron might enjoy browsing
through the ABA's Booksense 76 quarterly list of
titles. I've used this a couple of times with
patrons who seemed resistant to being 'analyzed'
and seemed to want enhanced browsing rather than
guidance. You can find a print copy at your
local Indie bookstore, or get it online at
http://www.bookweb.org/booksense/seventysix/1474.html

David Wright
Seattle Public Library

--- ROBIN BEERBOWER <RBEERBOWER@mail.open.org>
wrote:
> Amy,
>
> You might make a copy of our Library's Best
> Books of 2001 and 2000. Go to
> www.salemlibrary.org and click on Books and
> Clubs in the left column (forgive the roughness
> of the Readers Corner webpage; it is still
> "young"). You will see a link on that page.
> Ours is a little different as I compile two
> separate lists. One is for critical choices
> (award winners, from best lists such as
> Booklist, Library Journal, etc.) and the other
> list is what patrons, staff, and volunteers
> have liked over the year. There are all kinds
> of books covered so it might be of some help.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Robin Beerbower
> Outreach Services
> Salem Public Library
> PO Box 14810
> Salem, OR 97309
> 503-588-6089
>
>
>
>
......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the
> archives?
> Everything Fiction_L:
http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html


=====
David Wright Seattle Public Library

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