Current Non-Fiction Selection
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Current 3rd Monday Selection
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Non-Fiction Book Group
The Non-Fiction Book Group meets on the second Thursday of every month at 3 pm. This group has been meeting since September of 2016 and is always happy to accept new members! For a copy of the upcoming book call the library (603-744-3352), email minotsleeperlibrary@gmail.com or stop by the circulation desk.
November 9, 2023 3pm The Greatest Beer Run Ever by John "Chick" Donohue and J. T. Molloy
One night in 1967, twenty-six-year-old John Donohue—known as Chick—was out with friends, drinking in a New York City bar. The friends gathered there had lost loved ones in Vietnam. Now, they watched as anti-war protesters turned on the troops themselves.
One neighborhood patriot came up with an inspired—some would call it insane—idea. Someone should sneak into Vietnam, track down their buddies there, give them messages of support from back home, and share a few laughs over a can of beer. It would be the Greatest Beer Run Ever. But who’d be crazy enough to do it?
One man was up for the challenge—a U. S. Marine Corps veteran turned merchant mariner who wasn’t about to desert his buddies on the front lines when they needed him. Chick volunteered.
A day later, he was on a cargo ship headed to Vietnam, armed with Irish luck and a backpack full of alcohol. Landing in Qui Nho’n, Chick set off on an adventure that would change his life forever—an odyssey that took him through a series of hilarious escapades and harrowing close calls, including the Tet Offensive. But none of that mattered if he could bring some cheer to his pals and show them how much the folks back home appreciated them.
This is the story of that epic beer run, told in Chick’s own words and those of the men he visited in Vietnam.
December 14, 2023 3pm The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family By Ron Howard
“What was it like to grow up on TV?” Ron Howard has been asked this question throughout his adult life. in The Boys, he and his younger brother, Clint, examine their childhoods in detail for the first time. For Ron, playing Opie on The Andy Griffith Show and Richie Cunningham on Happy Days offered fame, joy, and opportunity—but also invited stress and bullying. For Clint, a fast start on such programs as Gentle Ben and Star Trek petered out in adolescence, with some tough consequences and lessons. With the perspective of time and success—Ron as a filmmaker, producer, and Hollywood A-lister, Clint as a busy character actor—the Howard brothers delve deep into an upbringing that seemed normal to them yet was anything but. Their Midwestern parents, Rance and Jean, moved to California to pursue their own showbiz dreams. But it was their young sons who found steady employment as actors. Rance put aside his ego and ambition to become Ron and Clint’s teacher, sage, and moral compass. Jean became their loving protector—sometimes over-protector—from the snares and traps of Hollywood.
By turns confessional, nostalgic, heartwarming, and harrowing, THE BOYS is a dual narrative that lifts the lid on the Howard brothers’ closely held lives. It’s the journey of a tight four-person family unit that held fast in an unforgiving business and of two brothers who survived “child-actor syndrome” to become fulfilled adults.
The Non-Fiction Book Group meets on the second Thursday of every month at 3 pm. This group has been meeting since September of 2016 and is always happy to accept new members! For a copy of the upcoming book call the library (603-744-3352), email minotsleeperlibrary@gmail.com or stop by the circulation desk.
November 9, 2023 3pm The Greatest Beer Run Ever by John "Chick" Donohue and J. T. Molloy
One night in 1967, twenty-six-year-old John Donohue—known as Chick—was out with friends, drinking in a New York City bar. The friends gathered there had lost loved ones in Vietnam. Now, they watched as anti-war protesters turned on the troops themselves.
One neighborhood patriot came up with an inspired—some would call it insane—idea. Someone should sneak into Vietnam, track down their buddies there, give them messages of support from back home, and share a few laughs over a can of beer. It would be the Greatest Beer Run Ever. But who’d be crazy enough to do it?
One man was up for the challenge—a U. S. Marine Corps veteran turned merchant mariner who wasn’t about to desert his buddies on the front lines when they needed him. Chick volunteered.
A day later, he was on a cargo ship headed to Vietnam, armed with Irish luck and a backpack full of alcohol. Landing in Qui Nho’n, Chick set off on an adventure that would change his life forever—an odyssey that took him through a series of hilarious escapades and harrowing close calls, including the Tet Offensive. But none of that mattered if he could bring some cheer to his pals and show them how much the folks back home appreciated them.
This is the story of that epic beer run, told in Chick’s own words and those of the men he visited in Vietnam.
December 14, 2023 3pm The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family By Ron Howard
“What was it like to grow up on TV?” Ron Howard has been asked this question throughout his adult life. in The Boys, he and his younger brother, Clint, examine their childhoods in detail for the first time. For Ron, playing Opie on The Andy Griffith Show and Richie Cunningham on Happy Days offered fame, joy, and opportunity—but also invited stress and bullying. For Clint, a fast start on such programs as Gentle Ben and Star Trek petered out in adolescence, with some tough consequences and lessons. With the perspective of time and success—Ron as a filmmaker, producer, and Hollywood A-lister, Clint as a busy character actor—the Howard brothers delve deep into an upbringing that seemed normal to them yet was anything but. Their Midwestern parents, Rance and Jean, moved to California to pursue their own showbiz dreams. But it was their young sons who found steady employment as actors. Rance put aside his ego and ambition to become Ron and Clint’s teacher, sage, and moral compass. Jean became their loving protector—sometimes over-protector—from the snares and traps of Hollywood.
By turns confessional, nostalgic, heartwarming, and harrowing, THE BOYS is a dual narrative that lifts the lid on the Howard brothers’ closely held lives. It’s the journey of a tight four-person family unit that held fast in an unforgiving business and of two brothers who survived “child-actor syndrome” to become fulfilled adults.
Third Monday Book Group
The Third Monday Book Group meets on the third Monday of every month at 10 am. The monthly discussions, lead by our director Jenna, are open to all who wish to participate. For a copy of the upcoming book call the library (603-744-3352), email minotsleeperlibrary@gmail.com or stop by the circulation desk.
November 20, 2023 10am The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now?
Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her, and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career.
Summoned to Evelyn’s luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the ‘80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn’s story near its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.
December 18, 2023 10am The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See
In their remote mountain village, Li-yan and her family align their lives around the seasons and the farming of tea. For the Akha people, ensconced in ritual and routine, life goes on as it has for generations—until a stranger appears at the village gate in a jeep, the first automobile any of the villagers has ever seen. Slowly, Li-yan, one of the few educated girls on her mountain, begins to reject the customs that shaped her early life. When she has a baby out of wedlock she rejects the tradition that would compel her to give the child over to be killed, and instead leaves her, wrapped in a blanket with a tea cake tucked in its folds, near an orphanage in a nearby city. As Li-yan comes into herself, leaving her village for an education, a business, and city life, her daughter, Haley, is raised in California by loving adoptive parents. Despite her privileged childhood, Haley wonders about her origins. Across the ocean Li-yan longs for her lost daughter. Over the course of years, each searches for meaning in the study of Pu’er, the tea that has shaped their family’s destiny for centuries.
The Third Monday Book Group meets on the third Monday of every month at 10 am. The monthly discussions, lead by our director Jenna, are open to all who wish to participate. For a copy of the upcoming book call the library (603-744-3352), email minotsleeperlibrary@gmail.com or stop by the circulation desk.
November 20, 2023 10am The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now?
Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her, and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career.
Summoned to Evelyn’s luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the ‘80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn’s story near its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.
December 18, 2023 10am The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See
In their remote mountain village, Li-yan and her family align their lives around the seasons and the farming of tea. For the Akha people, ensconced in ritual and routine, life goes on as it has for generations—until a stranger appears at the village gate in a jeep, the first automobile any of the villagers has ever seen. Slowly, Li-yan, one of the few educated girls on her mountain, begins to reject the customs that shaped her early life. When she has a baby out of wedlock she rejects the tradition that would compel her to give the child over to be killed, and instead leaves her, wrapped in a blanket with a tea cake tucked in its folds, near an orphanage in a nearby city. As Li-yan comes into herself, leaving her village for an education, a business, and city life, her daughter, Haley, is raised in California by loving adoptive parents. Despite her privileged childhood, Haley wonders about her origins. Across the ocean Li-yan longs for her lost daughter. Over the course of years, each searches for meaning in the study of Pu’er, the tea that has shaped their family’s destiny for centuries.
Short Story Bulletin Board
Short stories serve a special purpose. Like a brisk walk on a fall day that heightens your senses, a short story can take the brief time within it’s lines to deliver something concise, clear, awakening and powerful. A novel is like entering a world as large as the world we live in. A short story is a window into a moment, an incident, a particular experience. This moment is typically experienced in great depth in comparison to the breadth of the novel. Curious? Recalling a short story that surprised you once? Help yourself to a copy of this month's selection and share your thoughts through our online form. Visit the bulletin on our webpage to read responses from other patron readers.
Copies of the short story can be picked up at the circulation desk or emailed to you as a PDF. Inquire at the library or minotsleeperlibrary@gmail.com or call us at (603) 744-3352.
Short stories serve a special purpose. Like a brisk walk on a fall day that heightens your senses, a short story can take the brief time within it’s lines to deliver something concise, clear, awakening and powerful. A novel is like entering a world as large as the world we live in. A short story is a window into a moment, an incident, a particular experience. This moment is typically experienced in great depth in comparison to the breadth of the novel. Curious? Recalling a short story that surprised you once? Help yourself to a copy of this month's selection and share your thoughts through our online form. Visit the bulletin on our webpage to read responses from other patron readers.
Copies of the short story can be picked up at the circulation desk or emailed to you as a PDF. Inquire at the library or minotsleeperlibrary@gmail.com or call us at (603) 744-3352.
The Minot-Sleeper Library Literary Circle
The Literary Circle is a reading group that is comprised solely of women who agree to attend most meetings, read the books in advance, are willing to participate in discussions, and lead the circle when necessary. They meet the second Tuesday of each month from 6:30pm-8:00pm from September to June. The only exception is when the library is closed or a holiday.
Currently, there is a waiting list to join, but please contact Ann Howell at ahlovesread@metrocast.net for more information.
The Literary Circle is a reading group that is comprised solely of women who agree to attend most meetings, read the books in advance, are willing to participate in discussions, and lead the circle when necessary. They meet the second Tuesday of each month from 6:30pm-8:00pm from September to June. The only exception is when the library is closed or a holiday.
Currently, there is a waiting list to join, but please contact Ann Howell at ahlovesread@metrocast.net for more information.