Lionel Shriver, JP Clark and Medieval Midwives - Books of the Week: July 15, 2013

Looking for a good book to read? Every week, ZODML spotlights three great books from our extensive collection to inspire readers to try out books they might not have previously heard of. The selections fall under three major categories – fiction, non-fiction and children and young adult literature – so there’s a book to suit every taste. All of the books selected are available to borrow at our Community Library. Also check out our archives to see which books have been selected in the past. 
Fiction: We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver Eva never really wanted to be a mother - and certainly not the mother of the unlovable boy, Kevin, who murdered seven of his fellow high school students, a cafeteria worker, and a much-adored teacher who tried to befriend him, all two days before his sixteenth birthday. Now, two years later, it is time for her to come to terms with marriage, career, family, parenthood, and Kevin's horrific rampage in a series of startlingly direct correspondences with her estranged husband, Franklin We Need to Talk About Kevin won the Orange Prize (now the Women's Prize for Fiction) in 2005. Non-Fiction: JP Clark: A Voyage by Femi Osofisan JP Clark: A Voyage is the definitive biography of John Pepper Clark- Bekederemo by Femi Osofisan, himself one of Nigeria's most accomplished playwrights. It chronicles the life and career of JP Clark, from his remarkable childhood to his emergence in the '60s among the best and brightest of Nigerian literature. Children and Young Adults: The Midwife's Apprentice by Karen Cushman A homeless girl is taken in as an apprentice by a hot-tempered midwife, and eventually, in spite of obstacles and hardships, gains a place in the world. A humorous and insightful novel filled with fascinating details of village life in medieval England, The Midwife's Apprentice won the Newbery Medalin 1996.
Share the books you're reading this week with us in the comments or by tweeting @ZODML!