Can our librarians describe Top Gun having never seen it? Today on the podcast, our staff are playing a little game: trying to accurately describe a popular novel, film, or other ephemera from pop culture solely by what we've HEARD about it..., and then we'll judge each other's responses. This should be fun. The alternate title of this episode is "Everyone's Muppets."  Titles discussed (SPOILER alerts for all): Top Gun (1986) Dune (1984)  Bridgerton (series) Slaughterhouse-Five The DaVinci Code The Moomins books/show Squid Game Succession Jurassic Park  

Mary Grahame & Rodi join Jeff to, once again, discuss the romance genre. We talk about the Flea Bag-ification of Jane Austen adaptations; the Failure to Launchization of animated book covers, the lost art of the Rom Com, a few of our particular favorite romance novelists, and we especially discuss Bridgerton. [Content warning for Bridgerton Season 1, from 22:45-23:15 & 27:30-28:00]  Authors discussed include: Kimberly Lemming, KJ Charles, Alice Clayton, Sophie Irwin, and of course, Beverly Jenkins.   

We've started a new Graphic Novel Book Club! (First meeting is August 16).  So, this week on "A Little Too Quiet," we're discussing GRAPHIC NOVELS! Just in time for the tv adaptations of Sandman and the Paper Girls). Titles discussed include:  Moms by Yeong-Shin Ma Babymouse by Jennifer Holm Goblin Girl by Moa Romanova  Coyote Doggirl by Lisa Hanawalt Stone Fruit by Lee Lai  In case you need them for show notes:  Clash by Kayla Miller (4th book in Click series) Lumberjanes by various authors Nimona by ND Stevenson Saga by BKV Paper Girls by BKV The Backstagers by James Tynion IV The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang Habibi by Craig Thompson The Arrival by Shaun Tan Maus by Art Spiegalman  Giant Days by John Allison and Lissa Treiman Buddha by Osamu Tezuka  

Joining us on our podcast this week is acclaimed bestselling author Mohsin Hamid ('Exit West'), discussing his latest book, 'The Last White Man.' In the book (out this week), people awake in new incarnations, uncertain how their neighbors, friends, and family will greet them. Are these transformations the long-dreaded overturning of the established order, or will this change take on a different shading: a chance at a kind of rebirth?  http://www.mohsinhamid.com/ 

Jeff and Aby welcome April Baer, award-winning broadcast journalist and host of Michigan Radio (91.7)'s Stateside--explicitly to discuss ALL THINGS MARVEL! It's a post-Comic-Con / post-Phase-5 announcement RECAP episode! We talk about what it is about these films that we admire so much, and we wind up hitting upon some fairly emotional / deeply philosophical / dare-we-say existential points, all inspired by the storytelling of these mega-blockbuster movies which sprung from the pages of comic books. 

Today on the podcast, Rodi, Jeff, and Mary Grahame discuss DISNEY, particularly their favorite films and their least-favorite films. What's worked? Sometimes when Disney has been daring, and tried something a little more experimental, the results have PARTICULARLY connected with US, if not with the rest of mainstream audiences...  

On this week's episode, Damon, Jeff, Kerrie and Simon are discussing VIDEO GAMES, which is one of the many items that our library circulates! We're talking about our favorite games from our formative years, as well as the games we enjoy playing today! We also talk about some of the misconceptions commonly held over "gaming" as a recreation. You can find "A Little Too Quiet" wherever you get your podcasts.     Some of the quirkier games discussed today include: Untitled Goose Game (Nintendo Switch/PS4/PS5) Judgment (Yakuza) (PS4/PS5/Xbox) Kingdom Hearts The Story So Far (PS4/Xbox) Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion (Nintendo Switch/Xbox) Monster Prom (Xbox/Nintendo Switch/PS4)  

Kayla Cottingham is a Boston-based YA author and librarian. She is passionate about connecting young people with books featuring diverse voices so they can see themselves and their communities represented on the page. We're discussing Kayla's debut novel, My Dearest Darkest, a cosmic horror story about boarding school students who unknowingly awaken a supernatural evil. https://www.kaylacottingham.com/ 

Rodi and Jeff welcome Aby back to the podcast to discuss anime & manga. We particularly talk a lot about our favorite anime shows, genre breakdowns, favorite narrative tropes, and how there really is "an anime for everyone."  Titles discussed include: Demon Slayer Attack on Titan Gundam Shinichirō Watanabe (Cowboy Bebop, Carole & Tuesday et. al.) Jujutsu Kaisen My Hero Academia Gangsta Dragonball Z Films of Mamoru Hosoda 

Jeff and Kelly discuss some of their favorite audiobooks, particularly their appreciation for each title's narrator! Then, in the second half of the episode, (at 25:44) we feature an interview with Dan John Miller, an award-winning Detroit-area audiobook narrator (as well as musician/actor), discussing the nuances of the profession and what he enjoys most about performing a book.  Dan has garnered multiple Audie Award nominations, winning for The Wrecking Crew by Kent Hartman; has twice been named a Best Voice by AudioFile magazine; and has received several AudioFile Golden Earphones Awards and a Listen-Up Award from Publishers Weekly.  Titles discussed include:  It by Stephen King read by Seven Weber The Fireman by Joe Hill read by Kate Mulgrew Marid Audran Trilogy by George Alec Effinger by Jonathan Davis Devil in the White City by Erik Larson read by Scott Brick Born Standing Up by & read by Steve Martin 1984 by George Orwell read by Simon Prebble Stephanie Plum read by Lorelei King The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King read by Anne Heche 14 by Peter Clines narrated by Ray Porter Emotional: How Feelings Shape Our Thinking by Leonard Mlodinow narrated by Dan John Miller

Tune in to hear sci-fi and fantasy recommendations from two librarians, specifically presenting books for readers who haven't tried either of these genres yet and are curious..., or perhaps you have and just haven't found the right book yet?  Titles discussed include: Damon Skyward by Brandon Sanderson (Skyward series) Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson (Reckoners series) Scythe by Neal Shusterman Galaxy: The Prettiest Star by Jadzia Axelrod, illustrated by Jess Taylor Saga by Brian K. Vaughan, illustrated by Fiona Staples The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers The Extraordinaries by T.J. Klune (also shouted out The House in the Cerulean Sea and Under the Whispering Door) Jeff We Are Satellites by Sarah Pinsker Neuromancer by William Gibson Leviathan Wakes by James A. Corey Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie Descender by Jeff Lemire House of Rumour by Jason Arnott Michelle Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers Comeuppance Served Cold by Marion Deeds All Systems Red by Martha Wells How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins      

We're at it again! Rodi and Mary Grahame join Jeff to discuss why we are drawn (or repulsed) by certain antagonistic characters, or villains, in literature. The books we talk about the most include the Winternight Trilogy, the Murder of Mr. Wickham, and a classic: Les Miserables. 

Librarians Sarah Bowman & Kricket Hoekstra join Jeff to discuss "beach reads," along with some of this summer's most anticipated books. We also delve into books that either evoke pure "summer vibes" or favorite books we've all read "during" the summer.  Books discussed include:  Domestic Thrillers by Lianne Moriarty Maybe some Dostoevsky? Kiley Reid - Such a Fun Age Judy Blume - Summer  Sisters Linda Holmes - Flying Solo Claudia Gray - Murder of Mr. Wickham Ruth Ware - The It Girl Laura Hilderbrand - Seabiscuit Jenny Han - The Summer I Turned Pretty Leo Tolstoy - Anna Karenina Amor Towles - The Lincoln Highway J. Courtney Sullivan - Maine Beatrice Williams - 100 Days of Summer Larry McMurtry - Lonesome Dove Patrick DeWitt - Sisters Brothers Charles Portis - True Grit Michael Chabon - Kavalier & Clay Jeffrey Eugenides - Middlesex Michael Crummey - Galore Ray Bradbury - Dandelion Wine  Tove Janson - The Summer Book Steven Rowley - Guncle Kayle Rae Whitaker - Animators

In Far Company, we hear Cindy Hunter Morgan thinking about the many ways we carry the natural world inside of us as a kind of embedded cartography. Many of these poems commune not only with lost ancestors but also past poets.  Morgan's previous book, Harborless, was a Michigan Notable Book of 2018. We spoke with Morgan about her new collection of poems, out this week via Wayne State University Press. 

"Ding ding on the 'Gothic Bell'"  |  We started out talking about the films of Guillermo del Toro but quickly realized just how much of a similarity his films have with classic gothic literature! So, just in time for World Goth Day, we bring you the venn diagram between one of our greatest living directors and the books of Shelley, Bronte, and even Horace Walpole! 

Today, we're talking about games! The incredible variety of board games and video games that are fun for ALL AGES, and particularly the titles that are engaging for adult audiences. You can check out board games and video games from the library! Try a few and see which ones you like!   

"You're traveling through another dimension -- a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind...." Journey with us, as Rodi and Jeff welcome Josh Malerman (author of Bird Box) back to the podcast to discuss the enduring influence and cultural impact of the Twilight Zone's original television run from 1959-1964--a masterclass in short storytelling, just in time for SHORT STORY MONTH.  

Music in a library! It's not a novel-ty... And we encourage all the artists who perform here to be as loud as possible! Take a trip down memory lane with us, looking back at 12+ years of concerts hosted inside the library and hear a preview of what's to come...

This week, we're talking about twice-told tales and retellings. We go from Greek Mythology to Fairy Tales to Shakespearean Plays, and quite a bit of Arthurian Legends, and discuss the ways in which these centuries-old stories are revitalized today, while also talking about amazing contemporary authors like Silvia Moreno-Garcia and graphic novel series like Once & Future. 

Today, we're chatting with school librarian Julie Saunders, who serves students in Ferndale Public Schools' Lower & Upper Elementary! What are some misconceptions about what a school librarian does? What does a typical day look like for a school librarian? How are they approaching STEM and information literacy? We talk about it all on the latest episode of "A Little Too Quiet."     

Ypsilanti-based photographer Jim Roll talks about incorporating a bit of chaos and the subconscious into his process, as well as the double-exposure "film soup" development of his mesmerizing, polychromatic, dream-like images, all of which is captured from the natural landscapes surrounding the Huron River. www.jimroll.com | Jim is also a musician and audio engineer who has been a part of the Michigan music scene for decades, we talk about that, as well as his philosophy around photography. His work is on display inside the Ferndale Library this spring! 

Librarian Susan Paley joins us again to talk about her favorite books of the year..., so far! That includes three mystery titles from the collection she helps develop here at the Ferndale Library, as well as one biography! Books discussed include The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley, The Maid by Nita Prose, The Ballerinas by Rachel Kapelke-Dale and The Master by Christopher Clarey. 

Today, we're talking about our favorite and least favorite depictions of librarians (& libraries) on screen, through movies and television, from The Mummy to the Music Man! 

Today, we're talking about what it was like to become a Youth Librarian in the midst of a pandemic, whilst also reflecting on everything we learned from visiting our libraries during childhood. We also talk about how the Kids Corner is built for kids, and what it means when a librarian says "reading is reading!" Joining us on this episode is youth librarian Mary Grahame Hunter, who develops our non-fiction collection for young readers, joins librarian Kricket Hoekstra (who has previous experience as a teen librarian). 

Bestselling legal thriller author Lisa Scottoline returns to the podcast, discussing the common thematic elements that are threaded through all of her books, no matter what the genre or elevator pitch may be... She's also specifically discussing her latest book, What Happened to the Bennetts, about a family that has to be taken into the Witness Protection Program. The name of this book's villain is also nearly identical to the name of our podcast host, so we also ask about that... 

This former Michigander, now based in Chicago, recently published his first novel for adult readers and it's a time-bending/mind-bending amalgam of a corporate thriller, existential futurism, philosophic psychedelia, quantum mechanics, and, yes, romance! | James Kennedy is the author of The Order of Odd-Fish and the founder and director of the 90-Second Newbery Film Festival. Before becoming a writer, he was a software engineer with a degree in physics and philosophy, subjects he continues to explore in his writing. https://jameskennedy.com/books/ 

Author Kelsey Ronan joins us to discuss her debut novel Chevy in the Hole, a series of interconnected vignettes spanning generations of two families living in Flint throughout WWII, the Civil Rights Movement, and the recent Water Crisis. At the heart of Ronan's book is a love story, and most importantly, a story of resilience. Kelsey grew up in Flint, Michigan. Her fiction and journalism have appeared in several notable literary reviews. She's the former writer in residence of the Hub City Writers Project, and currently teaches for Inside Out Literary Arts. https://us.macmillan.com/author/kelseyronan 

Host Rodi Brown welcomes Librarians Sarah Bowman and Kricket Hoekstra to the podcast to discuss #classicliterature, and it inevitably becomes a bit of a takedown of #ernesthemingway, although gents like #johnsteinbeck and #fscottfitzgerald are also..., well, let's say scrutinized through a modern lens... We discuss what we love about the classics, what we can't stand about the classics, and so much more! 

Author Donald Levin joins us to talk about his latest novel, a work of historical fiction centering around a tumultuous week in Depression-era Detroit (1932), with crime, murder, union-busting, and four distinctive main characters caught up in the middle of it all. Levin is a veteran of the mystery genre but has also written works of dystopic fiction and poetry. Tune in for our chat and hear about the research required for historical fiction and exploring Detroit's sordid past. http://www.donaldlevin.com/   

Lisabeth Posthuma was a teacher, photographer, and (most importantly) video rental clerk before becoming a writer. ~ And a video store is the central setting of her amazing novel, which we discuss: "Joel's new job at the video store is just what the therapist ordered. But what happens if the first true friend he's made in years finds out about What Was Wrong With Him?..."  https://www.lisabethposthuma.com/ 

Paula Regossy is a detective novel by literary artist Lynn Crawford. The inspiration for the novel began with a painting by artist Peter Williams, which Crawford first saw on view at the gallery Paul Kotula Projects in Ferndale, Michigan, nearly a decade ago. Crawford is a fiction writer, art critic, a founding board member of MOCAD, and a 2010 Kresge Literary Arts Fellow. https://threefoldpress.org/imaginarydinnerparty https://www.lynncrawford.net/  

Well, this was quite an epic episode! Who doesn't love a good villain? Tune in for our nearly comprehensive dissertation featuring library staffers Rodi and Mary Grahame. From Darth Maul to the Phantom of the Opera, Maleficent to Iago, and many many...(ahem, MANY) more! Why do we sometimes root for the villain? Why do we sometimes....love the villain?!? 

The modern librarians' take on Wikipedia and how it relates to/concerns information literacy.  This is a free/open-access multilingual online encyclopedia, written and maintained by a community of volunteers through a model of open collaboration, and it's been around for 20 years, now! So let's talk about it! 

Acclaimed author Brit Bennett joins us to talk about The Vanishing Half (out on paperback), as well as what draws her to the themes explored in both of her books (including The Mothers). We also talk about the impact that her writing continues to have on readers, modern literature, and the public discourse; what it was like releasing two novels during two comparatively tumultuous times in history, her love of libraries, and her fond memories of Ann Arbor! 

Jeff, Rodi and Mary Grahame talk about what's been happening to our impulses to curate 'home libraries...' To buy or not to buy? Should we check out ALL of our books from the library? What about a library test-drive? And what about #booktok? We cover it all. 

Supriya Kelkar is an author, illustrator, and screenwriter who grew up in the Midwest, where she learned Hindi as a child by watching three Hindi movies a week. We're chatting about several of her books this week, including That Thing About Bollywood, Strong as Fire Fierce as Flame, and American as Paneer Pie--the latter of which is featured among our six selections for our 2022 Battle of The Books (for Ferndale 5th graders). https://supriyakelkar.com/ 

Librarian Sarah Bowman joins Jeff and Rodi to talk about the delicate art of recommending books. In this episode, both Jeff and Rodi will receive four recommendations based on their preferences, including... Mr. Penumbra's 24-hour Bookstore, City of Brass, Dread Nation, The Revisioners  |  House of Broken Angels, Nothing to See Here, This is Where I Leave You, The Sun Down Motel. www.fadl.org  

Lisa Gardner's new protagonist, Frankie Elkins, is driven to help find missing persons from old/forgotten cold cases; in this latest novel she's venturing into a national forest in Wyoming to look for a man who disappeared without a trace. Tune in to hear our conversation about crafting a suspense novel in the wilderness. https://www.lisagardner.com/  

Jonathan Evison’s Small World is an epic novel for now. Set against such iconic backdrops as the California gold rush, the development of the transcontinental railroad, and a speeding train of modern-day strangers forced together by fate, it is a grand entertainment that asks big questions.  https://jonathanevison.net/   

We're talking about Ferndale's efforts to encourage sustainable habits with new Zero Waste Program Coordinator Claire Dion. When it comes to "the three R's" of being environmentally conscious, we were all raised on the importance of recycling, but today we're really talking about just how important REDUCING and REUSING can be... Claire will be joining us in the late winter for an event on sustainable mending, so stay tuned for that as well! For more information on the city's recent compost pilot program, click here. And, if you live in Ferndale and have any questions about Zero Waste, you can reach Claire here: [email protected] 

Aaron Blatt teaches English Language Arts at Ferndale Middle School; he's been teaching for 20 years and has experience as a reading specialist. Blatt also cohosts our Middle School Book Club. He recently joined us on a weekday, just as school had let out, to talk about the experience of teaching during the pandemic, and so much more--including culturally responsive teaching and his aspirations of cultivating joy in the classroom setting. 

Since its founding in 1921, the Detroit Historical Society (DHS) has been dedicated to safeguarding the history of our region so that current and future generations of metro Detroiters can better understand the people, places, and events that helped shape our lives. 100 Years of the Detroit Historical Society, written by senior curator Joel Stone, captures in words and photographs the little-known story of the people who have been telling Detroit’s stories and preserving its material culture for the last century.

Staff discuss the joys of reading romance novels, as well as addressing previously stereotyped tropes and celebrating the new wave of contemporary authors of the genre. Circulation specialist Rodi Brown is back, along with Youth Librarian Mary Grahame Hunter--both are ardent fans of this literary genre and they are putting on a master class for the podcast host. Provided below are their top 5 authors of romance novels.  Rodi:  Beverly Jenkins  Alyssa Cole Rebekah Weatherspoon Stacy Reid Helen Hoang  Mary Grahame:  Cat Sebastian KJ Charles Courtney Milan Rose Lerner Joanna Shupe

Peter Markus is the author of the novel, “Bob, or Man on Boat,” as well as three books of short fiction, the most recent of which is “We Make Mud.” He lives in Trenton, Michigan, and is the Senior Writer with the InsideOut Literary Arts Project of Detroit. His first book of poetry, When Our Fathers Return to Us as Birds is an exploration of the grieving process, as well as the healing that can be found in honoring the memories of our loved ones. We also talk about the role poetry can play in ALL of our lives. 

We're chatting with Cleveland-based author Genevieve Gornichec about her debut novel, The Witch's Heart: "When a banished witch falls in love with the legendary trickster Loki, she risks the wrath of the gods in this moving, subversive debut novel that reimagines Norse mythology." Gornichec earned her degree in history from The Ohio State University, but she got as close to majoring in Vikings as she possibly could, and her study of the Norse myths and Icelandic sagas became her writing inspiration.

Jeffery Deaver RETURNS to the podcast, talking about his latest thriller 'The Midnight Lock,' featuring his beloved protagonists Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs as they search for a criminal whose fascination with breaking locks terrorizes New York City. https://www.jefferydeaver.com/novel/the-midnight-lock/ 

Aby and Rodi from the Ferndale Library's Circulation Dept join us to discuss all manner of fantasy & sci-fi series, especially the attempts to adapt them into films or tv shows. We had our eyes on the new Wheel of Time series on Amazon, but our conversation went on a very entertaining tangent.  Books discussed include: The Lord of the Rings / The Hunger Games / Twilight / His Dark Materials / Wheel of Time / Name of the Wind / The Witcher / The Broken Earth Trilogy / The Inheritance Cycle Series / Graphic Novels: The Fables series / The Star Wars Expanded Universe Series / (The Last Jedi) / Anime (Dragonball Z)

In Waves features original poetry, lyric essay, and watercolor paintings by Linda A. Jordan. Linda is an attorney, activist, and writer interested in exploring the intersections between emotion and the natural world. She founded Rent Party Detroit, an organization that raises money through the arts and cultural events to prevent eviction in Detroit and educates the public on persistent housing inequities, and throughout the rest of this month, proceeds from her new chapbook will benefit Rent Party Detroit. https://rentpartydetroit.org/ https://lindaajordan.com/