Ann Holt (website) is no stranger to Norwegian crime fiction enthusiasts, but now, she will reach new readers with a series featuring Norwegian retired police inspector Hanne Wilhelmsen.

This cozy series opens with 1222 * (translated by Marlaine Delargy) when Train no. 601 from Oslo to Bergen derails on the icy tracks during a massive blizzard 1,222 meters above sea level. The driver is killed but luckily the 269 passengers survive and find shelter nearby in an once-grand hotel that is virtually empty, except for a small crew of resourceful staff. With an unexpectedly bountiful supply of food and drinks, the passengers settle in agreeably until one after another, someone turns up dead.

Confined to a wheelchair, retired police inspector Hanne Wilhelmsen (with a solidly related backstory) finds herself slowly being coaxed back into her old habits as curiosity and talent for observation force her to take an interest in the passengers and their secrets. Most intriguing is the presence of a mysterious rail car attached to the back of the train and the rumors of the royal family on board.

"A skillful riff on Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, ...Holt creatively combines the classic locked-room murder police procedural and the Scandinavian thriller in this "frigidly good whodunit."

* = starred review

Chicago, Schimago. Ann Arbor was first. Track A2 city snowplows as they plow through the streets (when we get snow to plow) at Snow, the new Automatic Vehicle Location web page. Zoom into the city snow route map to see the real-time locations and status of snow plow activity, where the plows are right now and what they are doing. You'll know whether they're salting or plowing and can even find out what kind of truck is being used on any street. So how many miles of plowing are we talking in A2? The city’s street maintenance unit is responsible for snow removal on 358 lane miles of salt route roadway and 10 bridges.

If you're like me, you can't wait for the Autumnal Equinox on September 23rd to roll around so you can officially say It's Fall! for those that are excited for the cooler weather and changing colors, check out the Michigan.org website for information about the changing colors and where and when to go to get the best view. Also be sure to check our catalog for books about fall/autumn in the aadl.org catalog!

winter

In anticipation of the winter storm, the City of Ann Arbor has announced there will be no residential trash or recycling pickups on Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2011. The residential trash and recycling pickups will be delayed one day, with the normal Wednesday routes collected on Thursday, the Thursday routes picked up on Friday, and the normal Friday routes picked up on Saturday, Feb. 5, 2011.

Ann Arbor residents and commuters are strongly advised to use alternatives to on-street parking from Tuesday afternoon until Friday afternoon in order to allow the snow plows maximum access to clear the streets. Full details of street maintenance procedures and updates are available on the City's web site.

Many of us who have lived in Michigan for a while know the old saying, "If you don't like the weather, just wait 10 minutes and it will change." But do we know how it all happens, Michigan weather? I know I don't, which is why I'm intrigued by the author event coming up 7:30-9 p.m. Sept. 14 (Tuesday) at U-M Hatcher Library. Paul Gross, author of Extreme Michigan Weather: The Wild World of the Great Lakes State will explain our oppressive heat, harsh snowstorms, and fickle tornadoes. Gross is meteorologist and executive producer of weather at the NBC affiliate WDIV-TV in Detroit, and also consults with Michigan lawyers as a meteorology expert. His book was published by University of Michigan Press.

A library patron recently asked me about books for her child who is scared of thunderstorms. If you are in a similar situation with our stormy spring weather, we have several picture books that can help ease the fears of your little one.
My first recommendation has to be Patricia Polacco's Thunder Cake, which tells the story of a girl and her grandmother in a Michigan storm and the tasty way they overcome her fear. There is even a recipe for Thunder Cake included, so you can make your own special treat when a storm rolls in. Franklin And The Thunderstorm is another picture book that demonstrates creative ways to overcome being scared of the weather. The Monster Storm tells the story of a little monster who is afraid of a thunderstorm and goes outside to try and scare it away. Thunder-Boomer! is local author Shutta Crum's tale of a family's experience on a farm in a storm (with great sound effects for reading out loud) and an unexpected visitor. One last recommendation would be Listen To The Raindrops, which tells the story of a father comforting his scared son, and transforming a frightening thunderstorm into a fantasy of sight and sounds. Written by local author Kirk Lignell, this book includes a CD featuring "The Storm Song".
child fear

If you haven't added Zeitoun by Dave Eggers to your must-read list, please do so immediately. This amazing piece of non-fiction made me laugh, cry, shake with rage, smile with triumph, and recoil in horror and disbelief. For me, it was definitely the best book I have read this year.

After copious research, Eggers shares the story of Abdulrahman Zeitoun, a successful Syrian-born painting contractor, who decided to stay in his New Orleans home during Hurricane Katrina while his wife Kathy and their family fled. Egger's text, simple yet incredibly eloquent, recounts Zeitoun's experiences in such a riveting way, I often forgot that it wasn't Zeitoun himself telling his story. He describes the water filling the city, when the levees first broke, as beautiful and crystal clear, giving everything a surreal, sparkly, otherworldly quality. You, the reader, can easily imagine the scene of him paddling around the city in his canoe, rescuing neighbors and feeding stranded pets. Zeitoun's story takes a horrifying and heart-breaking turn when he is arrested, accused of being a member of Al Qaeda, and thrown into an injust Bush administration/bureaucratic nightmare. The ending of this book kept me up late into the night, unable to go to sleep until I found out what happened to Zeitoun and his frantic family. Out of one family's tragedy does come something positive: Proceeds from the sale of this book go towards supporting the Zeitoun Foundation, formed in 2009 by the Zeitoun family, Dave Eggers, and McSweeney's.

snowsign

We all want the snowplows to do their job tomorrow so remember, if you're heading out of town, don't leave your vehicles parked on residential streets. The City's Snow Website goes live during snow emergencies. There's even a page for general snow removal info. The Snow Desk Hotline is 734.994.2959.

The weather is getting colder, and it is becoming more and more apparent that my house is not very energy efficient. This concerns me because I am interested in environmental issues. And more importantly, I want my utilities bills to be cheap. So what is one to do? Well, one should go to the library and find some handy books on how to save energy (and money) at home. Here’s what I’m reading:

The Energy Saving House
Fun book from French authors who work with the eco-centre Terre Vivante. Very technical at times, but very interesting. Do you know what a negawatt is?

Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings
This tried and true best-seller has several editions. The 9th is the most recent. The book has lots of practical advice, and a lot of the fixes are quick and relatively cheap and easy. Just my style.