The Summer Kitchen by Lisa Wingate

This is a great read. Particularly in light of the Christmas season and the economic challenges this past year. It is a heart-wrenching story written in first person from two persons viewpoint, a middle-aged wife and an orphaned girl on the run.

It is a moving story of second chances involving two orphaned siblings attempting to making it on their own, a disintegrating family, and an once-thriving community slowly changing into a less savory area. The book takes us through a tale of how a family tragedy brings the community together once again. It makes the reader take a good look at their own life and how misplaced priorities might lead to missed opportunities. While inspirational, it is not preachy.

Kathy Stutzman
Public Relations Manager

Lost Symbol

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

Exciting, thrilling, a roller coaster ride mystery based in Washington, D.C. Full of twists and turns. A few parts were a bit gruesome (and creepy), however, they weren't a major part of the book. A few cuss words popped up but overall pretty clean. Definitely will be made into a movie! Loved the puzzles and codes. It was hard to put down. My only criticism was the romanticizing of the Freemasons. Having been in the Eastern Star in the past and knowing some Freemasons, it is not as innocent as made out to be in this book, despite Dan Brown's and others protestations made in the Matt Lauer interview last week. Outside of that, it is a good read.


Kathy Stutzman
Public Relations Manager

Ladies in Lavender movie

An English movie definitely. The story is built slowly, layer by layer. Two sisters befriend a mysterious foreigner who washes up on the beach of their 1930's Cornish seaside village. Multi-talented, Judi Dench plays her role wonderfully as Ursula. As the film progresses, you begin to wonder if she is a little slow, mentally handicapped somehow or just incredibly sheltered by her sister. It is actually a sad movie. The young foreigner brings out their maternal instincts while at the same time causes internal conflict with Ursula who has never experienced a love relationship. Very poignant tale.

Kathy Stutzman
Public Relations Manager

Chocolate is divine but Johnny is better!

Good movie! The only thing missing was a box of chocolates to eat while watching it. In the beginning, there is a love scene with nudity but you can always fast forward through it and I would suggest you do as the movie is worth seeing.

Set in a small French town, the movie chronicles town life and its residents. It is a movie about redemption and salvation from a battered wife rescued from her husband, to the Mayor who comes to grip with his judgmental attitude which nearly ends in the death of some visiting gypsies. In the end a mother stops smothering her son, a wife-beater gets his due, a love unrequited for years takes bloom, a grandson is reunited with his grandmother, a married couple regain their love and passion for each other, etc. All of this resulting from the compassion of the new chocolatier in town and her mystical chocolate recipes.

Be prepared and get some chocolate to nibble on before watching this movie! My husband and I ended up having a double chocolate fudge shake after watching this!

Kathy Stutzman
Public Relations Manager

John Adams

I first heard about this HBO seven-part movie series featuring Paul Giamatti from facebook. Unfortunately, it was so popular at our library that I had to keep watch on the returns in order to check it out myself and I work at the library. It was worth the wait! This was quite a series. It chronicled most of John Adam’s political life and his role in founding our country. The depiction of his life and role was fascinating. So much so that my husband and I watched a dvd from it nearly every night, wanting to know what would happen next.

I learned more about John Adams than I ever had before. I was amazed at his tenacity and perseverance that led to us having independence from Britain. Granted, he was a stubborn, opinionated person. However, it was these qualities that made him who he was…a leader and ultimately, Vice-President and President of the United States. I was surprised to learn how much his wife affected his decisions. He sought her advice time after time despite his being a college graduate and she having no formal education.

An amazing love story and a riveting historical account of the early years of our country’s existence and unforgettable glimpses into the lives and roles of other important historical figures of that same time period-Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton and many others. Those who view this series will not be disappointed.

Kathy L. Stutzman
Public Relations Manager

The Lovely Bones

First of all let me say that this book isn't about happy endings. Sadly most stories in life don’t have happy endings and this is what the author, Alice Sebold was trying to tell us. The Lovely Bones is about how the Salmon’s family’s world was turned upside down one winter night when their eldest daughter, Susie, disappears on her way home from school.
With next-to-nothing clues to go on, her father becomes obsessed with the neighbor who he thinks did it. The mother drowns her sorrow into escaping from the family. Lindsey, the sister, has to endure the stigma of being the murdered girl's sister and Buck, the baby, has to endure everyone's loss as well as his. Not only does Susie's death affect her family, it affects two of the people she knew in life, her first love and a friend she barely knew.

Written from Susie's point of view as she observes life on earth from heaven, it is written in a very touching way. This book should have come with a warning on the front cover; "Kleenexes are necessary while reading this book." It is haunting, and the sorrow lingers long after the last page has been turned. This novel is about how people deal with grief and how they move on in spite of the death of a loved one. It is about letting go and remembering. It is about life and death. In spite of its premises, it really isn't a book about revenge. It is about life.

I would definitely recommend you read The Lovely Bones, more so now since the movie based on the novel hits theaters on December 11, 2009.

Searching for Bobby Fischer

Two thumbs up for this movie. Yes, I realize it is an older one. Buy hey, cheese and wine get better with age and this video is no exception.

I had purposely ignored this dvd for years despite others saying it was a good movie. It just seemed like it would be boring. After all, Bobby Fischer? Chess? However, this week was one of those weeks and I decided to give it a try. I am so glad I did. Based on a true story, it is an eye opener on the world of chess and a demonstration of true sportsmanship. This is a story about finding one's character and courage in the face of mounting pressure and high expectations. Although Bobby Fischer’s story and name are weaved in and out of the movie, it is about prodigy chess player, Josh Waitzkin, a young man who even now is the highest place chess player under 18 in the country. You get to experience the world of chess behind the scenes and what a world it is.

It has a great cast of actors such as Laurence Fishburn, Joan Allen, Joe Mantegna, Ben Kingsley, David Paymer, and William H. Macy.

Intensely fascinating, thought-provoking, and heartwarming aptly describe this gripping movie. You will be fascinated by the chess world, aghast at the motivations of some, warmed by the ultimate decision of Josh’s parents and thrilled by the end result. You will find yourself rooting and cheering for Josh as the movie progresses.

This is a must see! You won’t be disappointed.



Kathy L. Stutzman
Community Relations Assistant