Whether for school or pleasure, autumn and reading go together like a squirrel and an acorn. Of course, these acorns are only a handful of the numerous and diverse literary creations to be found in the Rogue Valley, but this listing should be enough to get even the most voracious reader started. The two consultants for this list were Karen Chapman, owner of Bloomsbury Books in Ashland, and Constance Frankland of Authors Innovative Marketing or “Authors in Motion,” a collaboration of local authors. As the crisp leaves fall, new books call.

 

Artful Parenting: Simple Tips for Raising Awesome Kids

Judi Holdeman

People say it’s “concise, cleverly written” – “wisdom simply expressed” – “a beautiful book with adorable illustrations” – and many readers buy one copy themselves and more to give to mothers and others who want to treat children and adults with greater respect.

 

Between Two Harbors: Reflections of a Santa Catalina Harbormaster and Five Weeks to Jamaica

Doug Oudin

Doug Oudin’s personal tales of daily life in Catalina and his work on the water have broad appeal to outdoorsman and romantics as “thrilling” and “amusing,” while readers call Jamaica a “summer vacation page-turner” and “fun romp.”

 

Branches on the Conejo: Leaving the Soil After Five Generations and Maria Inez

Anne Schroeder

A past President of Women Writing the West, Anne Schroeder is an award-winning writer of books, short stories, and poetry. Readers praise her well-researched “poetic” narrative, character development, dialogue, descriptive detail, and believability.

 

Grace of Gratitude

Deborah Perdue

Deborah Perdue gives others the opportunity to write in her beautifully decorated and inspirationally inscribed journaling and coloring pages, even giving space for records of thankfulness.

 

Journey Out of Sad: Beat the Seasonal Blues NOW!

Victoria Leo

As a health coach with an MA in biology, Victoria Leo tackles the reality of winter (and summer) seasonal depression in a practical workbook style with the goal of each reader finding their personal cure.

 

Learning from Dogs: Innate Wisdom from Man’s Best Friend

Paul Handover

Learning from Dogs focuses on the relationship between man and canine, with personal stories and pictures interplaying with history, geography, and psychology.

 

The More We Get Together: The Sexual and Spiritual Language of Love

Robert McDowell

Robert McDowell takes readers on a journey, not only within themselves, but to new levels of relationship with others—not just with lovers, but also coworkers, family members and friends.

 

Ogallala Blue: Water and Life on the Great Plains

William Ashworth

The great underground, freshwater ocean under the Great Plains from Texas to Colorado, the Ogallala Aquifer, irrigates $20 billion worth of the food and fiber grown in our country to the tune of five trillion gallons per year. The question remains: What if it dries up?

 

Only What We Could Carry: The Japanese American Internment Experience

Lawson Fusao Inada (Editor)

A unique anthology of personal documents, art and propaganda tell the horrific tale of over 100,000 Japanese Americans who were displaced to internment camps following the attack on Pearl Harbor.

 

Out in the All of It

Chris Honoré

Through the easy-to-digest format of short recollections Chris Honoré captures the not-so-easy-to-digest reality of how most of the world lives during his work as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Colombia.

 

Outer Perimeter

Ken Goddard

Crime scene investigator Colin Cellars finds himself in the unusual position of the witness of a murder, though this thrilling case promises to be more challenging and terrifying than most. Book two of the “First Evidence” series.

 

Set in Stone, A Stone’s Throw, No Stone Unturned (Petralist series) Saving Face, The Memory Hunter, Rune Warrior (Facetakers series)

Frank Morin

Readers call Frank Morin’s novels “imaginative” and “compelling” – “filled with twists and surprises” – with “excellent world-building and character development.”

 

The Shifting Winds

Janet Fisher

The pioneer Oregon experience in the mid-1800s is not what studious New Yorker Jennie Haviland had in mind for her future, but two young fellas both take a shine to Jennie, spicing up her seemingly bleak future. Reading by the author at 7 pm on October 10 at Bloomsbury Books, 290 E. Main, Ashland.

 

Split Second and Finding Faith

Ellie Pulikonda

Both works are clever mysteries with emphasis on characters, roles, and relationships. Ellie Pulikonda is strong on character development with a gift for crafting tales.

 

Ukelele Hayley, The Secret Chicken Society, and The Secret of the Doolittle Device

Judy Cox.

Judy Cox can actually play the ukulele and write, but probably not both at the same time. The Secret Chicken Society is an Oregon Spirit Award winner and a Children’s Crown Honor Book.

 

Your Baby, Your Way: Taking Charge of Your Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Parenting Decisions for a Happier, Healthier Family

Jennifer Margulis

From pre-conception to the first steps and beyond, Your Baby, Your Way empowers families to make decisions and have a plan for adding to the household, avoiding the stress of uncertainty and fear of the unknown.

 

Your Body Book: Guide to Better Body Motion With Less Pain

Doranne Long, MS PT

Clear and concise in language and respectful in tone, Doranne Long educates readers about common sense first steps you can take to keep a sprain, strain, ache, or pain from sending you unnecessarily to the doctor or ER.

 

[AND IF THERE IS ROOM FOR A SIDEBAR]

 

Recommended Fall Reading from Friends of the Medford Library

by Sandra Winters

 

Many big authors have new books coming out this fall. While you’re waiting for their on-sale dates, why not take the opportunity to read some of their other titles: perhaps previous books in the series, or the big book that made them famous? Look for these and other titles at the Friends of the Medford Library Book Shop.

 

Caleb Carr

What’s New: Surrender, New York

What Else You Should Read: The Alienist and The Angel of Darkness

 

Harlan Coben

What’s New: Home

What Else You Should Read: The Innocent and Tell No One

 

Tana French

What’s New: The Trespasser

What Else You Should Read: In the Woods and Broken Harbor

 

John Grisham

What’s New: The Whistler

What Else You Should Read: The Confession

 

John leCarré

What’s New: The Pigeon Tunnel: Stories from My Life

What Else You Should Read: The Night Manager and Absolute Friends

 

Elmore Leonard

What You Should Read: Raylan and Swag

 

Ian McEwan

What’s New: Nutshell

What Else You Should Read: Atonement

 

Ann Patchett

What’s New: Commonwealth

What Else You Should Read: Bel Campo