Friends of the Galena Public Library

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11/14/2026

My husband Jeff told me that I had to read And Every Morning The Way Home Gets Longer and Longer by Fredrik Backman (author of A Man Called Ove, among many others). He said it was sad but probably the best book that Backman has written. So of course I had to read it.
This novella tells the story of a family, especially the grandfather, son and grandson, trying to cope with the grandfather’s descent into dementia; trying to recover his happy memories and to live with regrets.
Yes, it’s incredibly sad, especially if you have experience with the impact that dementia can have on a person and their loved ones. I’m glad that I had a box of tissues close by.
And it is also one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read. I found myself re-reading sentences and paragraphs just to experience the lyrical writing and how well it expressed experiences and emotions.
Highly recommended.

10/31/2026

The book I read in October as part of my monthly “friends recommend books for me to read” challenge is The Woman in The Photo by Mary Hogan. It was recommended to me by Gwen Wills, another Pennsylvania native as well as the person who always had to stand next to me in group photos because we were the shortest two people in our business group.
This book was especially interesting to me as one of the timelines concerns the infamous Johnstown Flood which took place in 1889.
The second timeline of the book takes place in current time and concerns an adoptee who turns 18 and is therefore able to research and learn about her birth mother, who as you might expect, has connections to someone who was impacted by the Johnstown flood.
Some dual timeline books are challenging to keep track of, but this one was well written without the confusion that often occurs in this type of story.
Growing up in Pennsylvania I had heard some things about the Johnstown Flood but not in any detail. This book presented the geographical and social causes of the flood in such a way to bring it to life. Characters are fictional but some real characters such as Clara Barton are part of the story.
If you like historical fiction, and especially if you are from Pennsylvania , I think you’ll enjoy reading this book. I certainly did.

10/23/2026

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If you have not yet visited the “Friends” mini- book sale in the Library, you have 8 more days to find great bargains in new and pre-read books. Is there a reader in your holiday gift list? check. Have you been looking for something new? Check. Do you want to introduce a child to the joys of reading? Check.

All proceeds go to support special programs at the library such as LitFest, large print books, Ancestry, audio books, and more!

Library hours:

Friday and Saturday: 10 AM- 5 PM

Monday-Thursday: 10 AM- 7 PM

closed on Sunday

10/07/2026

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If you have read all the books you bought at this summer’s book sale (or even if you have not) join the Friends of the Galena Library at the library for our now traditional October book sale- yes, a book sale right in the library. You do not need to have a library card to shop, just come and look for your next favorite books.

Library hours:

Monday-Thursday: 10am-7pm

Friday &Saturday: 10 am- 5 pm

Sunday: closed

See you there, and in the meantime, happy reading!

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09/30/2026

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I just finished reading my book challenge for September- The River is Waiting by Wally Lamb. It was recommended to me by my long-time friend Katherine Bell Stankiewicz.

This book covers the range of human emotions: hope, despair, joy, forgiveness. The protagonist is Corby Ledbetter who has been sentenced to prison after a tragic accident. He’s also facing the loss of his job as well as double addictions.

While in prison, Corby learns so much about himself, his past and his capabilities as a human. When an 18 year old boy is sent to prison instead of to the psychiatric hospital he should have gone to, Corby somewhat unwillingly takes him under his wing and stands up for him again prison bullies and the bureaucracy that is keeping him in the wrong institution.

The reader will find themselves rooting for Corby even though he unwittingly steps in his own toes over and over again. We cheer for his successes and despair about his setbacks.

I found myself feeling a full range of emotions while reading this book, and because of its impact on me I recommend it to all of you to read.

09/15/2026

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It’s a great night for butter burgers, Chicken sandwiches, fish dinners and custard. From 5-8 tonight (Tuesday) come to Culver’s and support the Friends of the Galena Public Library.

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09/10/2026

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Don’t cook dinner on Tuesday, Sept 15!!

Instead join the Friends of the Library at our Culver’s Share Night. If you’re like me, you have a favorite Culver’s meal: mine is the cod, whether a sandwich or dinner, and I’ve very partial to the Wisconsin Swiss Melt and the Sourdough Melt.

We’ll be at Culver’s from 5-8 PM and we hope to see many of you there- enjoying a good meal and supporting our library.

09/06/2026

What are you reading today on National Book Day?

I’m reading the third book in Tana French’s Cal Hooper series: The Keeper. I’ve enjoyed the first two books in the series and this one is a winner so far.

08/23/2026

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My book challenge book for August was The Quiet Librarian by Allen Eskens. It was recommended to me by one of my high school orchestra musician friends, Alice Dampman Humel. So, yes, we knew each other a long time ago.

The book is the story of Hana who is a middle-aged librarian in Minnesota. But after the murder of her best friend, we learn that Hana is not really Hana but instead is Nura, a refugee from the Bosnian/Serbian War, and she was anything but a quiet librarian when she lived in Bosnia. Going from her youth to her life in Minnesota, we learn how Nura/Hana came to live in Minnesota and the secrets she has had to keep throughout her years in the U.S.

I especially liked this book because I spent a couple days in Bosnia when it was still Yugoslavia, and I was on tour with a youth orchestra. The people I met there were warm and friendly, so I was saddened as the war progressed. The book gave me even more insights into the politics and cultural ideologies that went behind the war.

The story and the characters in The Quiet Librarian were engaging and got my attention right from the beginning. This is a book that I would recommend to all. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

07/28/2026

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My book challenge book for July was Star of the Sea by Joseph O’Connor, and it was recommended to me by a long time friend (since junior high school) David W Chandler.

In the winter of 1847, the “ocean liner”

Star of the Sea left famine-ridden Ireland for New York City carrying people of all classes and wealth, some of whom are escaping problems, and others who are just for a new life in America. This book is the story of the voyage, but more so about the passengers aboard the ship. Through the captain’s log, we learn the backstories of a small group of passengers who are all tied together through their lives in Ireland, some wealthy peers of the British Empire, some servants of wealthy families who have lost their homes and health due to the potato famine, and others criminals who are escaping the law. The backstories are like mini-novellas during which we learn how the characters are tied together and what led them to be on the ship taking them away from their homes.

In addition to the stories of specific characters, the captain’s log includes the navigational information, the weather of the day, and information about the passengers in general whether they be traveling First Class or below decks in steerage. During the 27 day voyage we learn of the deaths of passengers due to starvation, disease and crime. In reading these stories, I became even more grateful that I was born at the time I was, as I was saddened so many times reading about the challenging lives people left at home as well as the horrible conditions they suffered during the voyage.

The author clearly did a tremendous amount of research into the history and sociology of the times (mid-1840’s) and the detail in the book reflects all the research. And he shows a clear understanding of human nature that is demonstrated as he brings all the characters to life.

This book will interest you if you want to know more about the beginnings and impacts of the Irish potato famine, as well as how people of all classes in Ireland reacted to them both on land and on sea. This is one book I can see myself reading a 2nd time.

Address

601 Bench Street
Galena, IL
61036

Website

http://www.galenalibrary.org/

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