The Library in November: How’s the Weather?

In literature, weather can be used in many different ways. It can symbolize themes, set the mood of the story, and even play a central role in the plot. When weather is included in a scene it adds depth and realism, pulling the reader further into the story. Sunny weather typically creates a cheerful mood, symbolizing happiness and new beginnings. Alternatively, rainy weather might contribute to a somber mood, indicating sadness and despair. Furthermore, stormy weather adds tension and a sense of foreboding, often representing conflict and chaos.

Selected books for this month’s display touch on environmental disasters, human struggle, mystery, romance, and spirituality. Samples include:

The Worst Hard Time, by Timothy Eagan
The untold story of those who survived the Great American Dust Bowl, one of the greatest environmental disasters ever to be visited upon our land and a powerful cautionary tale about the dangers of trifling with nature.

The Year Without Summer : 1816 and the Volcano that Darkened the World and Changed History, by William K. Klingaman and Nicholas P. Klingaman
The book examines not only the climate change engendered by this volcanic event, but also its effects on politics, the economy, the arts, and social structures.

Nights in Rodanthe, by Nicholas Sparks
A tender story of hope and joy; of sacrifice and forgiveness. With a North Carolina coastal storm closing in, two wounded people will turn to each other for comfort — and in one weekend set in motion feelings that will resonate throughout the rest of their lives.

Camino Winds, by John Grisham
Welcome to the fictional Florida resort town of Camino Island, where anything can happen – even a murder in the midst of a hurricane, which might prove to be the perfect crime.

The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World, by Laura Imai Messina
About grief, mourning, and the joy of survival, inspired by a real phone booth in Japan with its disconnected “wind” phone, a place of pilgrimage and solace since the 2011 tsunami.

A weather tip for our readers: Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine!