Unreturned library book leads to woman's arrest

Unreturned library book leads to woman's arrest (copied below) was published online day before yesterday (January 24th), but I didn't get around to reading it until just now. I was surprised to learn the book she failed to return was the last book we read together (in September 2008): The Freedom Writers Diary. (Click on the title to read our discussion about the book, or click here to read what we said about the book on my Banned Books blog.)

INDEPENDENCE, Iowa – An Iowa woman has been arrested because she failed to return a library book. Thirty-nine-year-old Shelly Koontz was arrested Thursday night on a fifth-degree theft charge. She is accused of keeping "The Freedom Writers Diary," which she checked out from the public library in nearby Jesup in April. Police say the book — which is about a high school teacher's effort to inspire students to write — is valued at $13.95. Court records show library employees tried repeatedly to contact Koontz by phone and mail. A police officer even visited her home last September. Officials at the Buchanan County jail say Koontz was released after posting $250 bond.

It appears to me this woman "borrowed" the book in order to take it out of circulation, which may be the REAL reason she was arrested. What do you think?

Greetings!

It was good to read Toby's post and to be updated with Bonnie's move.

I agree with Toby that the letters at the end of the book were extremely touching and helpful in giving a better understanding of the author's life and ultimate death.

Best wishes to you in your new apartment, Bonnie!

I have slowed down in my reading this year, but miss our discussions. The reading I've done is primarily lighter fare, but I recently enjoyed Tom Brokaw's Boom--Voices of the Sixties which was both a good way to recall my youth and catch up on the lives of some of the famous folks of that era. Amazing how much has changed since those turbulent years.

I'm trying to wrap up this year's annual Christmas cookbook. The theme this year was friends. Next year, I'm going to start a new tradition of just having each participant summarize their year. I'm also working on the family calendar. I am now up to August and will then go in and add quotes. The calendars have photos of each family member preferably taken sometime around their birthday so wind up being a nice keepsake for each year.

Hoping everyone has a nice holiday!

Shirley

Toby ~ link to article about Irène Némirovsky

Hi Bonnie! I see you made it. Congrates on finishing your novel at nanowrimo!!!!!!!

Happy Holidays to you!!!

Irène Némirovsky in the woods by Ruth Scurr (Times Literary Supplement)

Someone gave this link in my "kindle" group. Would you post this link for me in your book buddies group? I have finished reading "the letters" at the end of the book, awhile ago & thought that the book, Suite Francais, was worth the price for those letters alone. It's just too bad they didn't escape to another country. However, the husband was either in denial of the current events or was not aware of what was going on.

If you like mysteries, go to Robert Robinson's (http://www.robertburtonrobinson.com/) site to read his free books, short stories online.

I read The Story of Edgar Sawtelle. Great book until the end. The ending sucked big time. It was so bad. The ending made no sense at all. The loose ends were not tied up. It was Oprah's Book Club selection, & I only read it because it was about dogs. 99% of the people hate this book, because of the ending. Just something to keep in mind when writing your bestseller.

All the best,
Toby

__________

NOTE from Bonnie

All of you BBs still have the ability to post at Book Buddies (everybuddy does) and can do it yourself. That hasn't changed. It's a place you can update everybuddy about your life or what you're reading or anything you like. The names of those able to do it are listed at the bottom of the sidebar.

I'm moving!


My cat and I are moving into a gated community for seniors, and it may take me some time to get settled in. Tomorrow I'll sign the lease and start moving boxes over there each time I go. I really am looking forward to this, so be glad for me, but moving (as most of you probably know) takes time and effort. Kiki, my cat, won't be happy to have to go in the car, but maybe she'll be happy when she realizes the other cat (Sammy is my roommate's cat) won't be living in the same apartment with us. They both grew up as only-cats and resent each other. Sammy and Donna will be moving into a different apartment next week. Here's Kiki among the boxes:

Follow up on "Jim the Boy" ~ now he's 17

The Blue Star. By Tony Earley. (Little, Brown, $23.99.) The caring, thoughtful hero of Earley’s engrossing first novel, Jim the Boy, is now 17 and confronting not only the eternal turmoil of love, but also venality and the frightening calls of duty and war.

FWD ~ Follow-Up Read

Because I read The Freedom Writers Diary last year, I didn't read it with the Book Buddies in September. But I had hoped to read Erin Gruwell's memoir Teach With Your Heart: Lessons I Learned From the Freedom Writers instead.


As is more often than not the case in my life at present, I was running behind schedule - so I didn't get to Teach With Your Heart until October. I did want to let those who enjoyed The Freedom Writers Diary know that I enjoyed Teach With Your Heart just as well. It's the same story but more from Gruwell's viewpoint than from the students'. (I've posted a brief review on my book blog.)

Last chance to vote on a year's worth of books

Voting has been open since the end of August, and you have only one more day to vote. Anyone reading this blog is welcome to vote, so click on your favorites of these twelve ... and also your least favorites in the next poll down the sidebar.

From The Other Side of the Bridge to The Freedom Writers Diary, we've traveled the globe together. Help me remember (in the comments) where we've been.

The Other Side of the Bridge (OSB)
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (BSP)
Cold Comfort Farm (CCF)
Pictures of Hollis Woods (PHW)
In Lucia's Eyes (ILE)
People of the Book (POB)
The Camel Bookmobile (CB)
Windfalls (WF)
The Devil in the White City (DWC)
Jim the Boy (JTB)
Suite Française (SF)
The Freedom Writers Diary (FWD)

We have completed a year together, but I think that's enough ... at least for me. I'm sorry, Shirley, but the interest just isn't here. Thanks, Marylyn, for your major effort to make Book Buddies work during August. Thanks to those of you who have read and commented on books we've shared. For now, however, I have decided to devote more time to writing ... and to leading the writers in the Chattanooga region who (foolishly?) try to write the draft of a novel in the 30 days of November. Read about it on Bonnie's NaNoWriMo* 2008 blog.

Essencia Island will continue to be a place for book buddies to talk to each other, so drop by there anytime you want to chat.

Superstar Teachers

In reading the Freedom Writers, I was quite impressed with the dedication and enthusiasm of the author. She is the teacher everyone would have liked to have had for themselves and their children. Has anyone had or has one of their children had a teacher that made such a difference in the life of themself or their child? I have had some good teachers and mainly mediocre ones which was the experience for my children as well with none being truly outstanding. This is the same way with coaches. I have read stories and seen movies of a coach that makes a difference in the lives of the team, but again none made the mark of the ones in the lives of my children. Of course, if such teachers were the rule rather than the exception, it wouldn't be worth reading a book about her.