Jewish food fest serves deli staples, baked goods & more
Temple B’nai Israel in Laconia is taking orders now for its 2024 Jewish Food Festival.
For 27 years the Reformed Jewish Congregation has held a food festival, and for 23 of those years it was very much like many food festivals held by religious communities. Until the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020.
“It used to be a very different format,” said spokesperson Barbara Katz. “We used to have an on-site food festival at the Temple. One day a year, people came by the droves. They lined up down the street. They bought food to eat there. They bought food to take home. And then Covid hit.”
When the lockdown was announced in the spring of 2020, it put the Temple in a bit of a bind. A lot of the food for the summer Festival had already been prepared and frozen.
“It was like, ‘OK, what are we going to do with this? Are we giving it away?’” Katz remembered. Fortunately, there was already an online ordering system, so fans of Jewish food could ensure they were able to get what they wanted. “It was a simple way for people to pre-order foods,” Katz said. “They would complain that they couldn’t get what they wanted because it was sold out. So we had started this pre-order system, which went really well.”
The members of the congregation were able to adapt that ordering system to take all the orders for food online, then arrange for people to contactlessly pick up their food on a particular date. “We put that into play that summer and we had a fabulous response,” Katz said. “And so now we find that it’s been a lot easier for us to host an online event than an in-person event.”
The Jewish Food Festival has a pretty consistent menu of items available for order.
“Every now and again, we throw something different in,” said Katz, “but not that often.”
The food on offer is traditional Jewish and American-Jewish dishes that customers look forward to each year. Baked goods like challah, blintzes and kugel are made by members of the Temple, as well as homemade Jewish dishes like matzah balls, knishes and slow-cooked brisket. Deli staples such as sliced pastrami, corned beef, and tongue meats, rye bread, and pickles, are ordered from Evan’s Deli in Marblehead, Mass., then brought back to Laconia just before the pick-up date.
“We buy big chunks of meat. We slice it, we package it,” Katz said. “It is fresh to go because we get it a day ahead. Anybody who orders fresh deli meats gets really fresh deli meat. We get great deli pickles that everyone just absolutely loves. We can never buy enough pickles to meet all the requests.”
“The other things we do fresh,” Katz added, “are chopped liver and the chopped herring. That is done right then and there.”
Katz stressed that although all the food at the Festival is authentically Jewish, it is not kosher. “We are a Reformed congregation,” she emphasized. “It is kosher-style in the sense that everything we do is in line with meats and dairy being separate, but we don’t want to lead anybody down a path. The other thing that is really very interesting is the majority of our customers from year to year to year are not Jewish. They love what we have to offer and keep coming back.”
The most high-demand items, Katz said, are the blintzes and the rugelach.
“Ours [the rugelach] is a very different recipe. They are coated with a turbinado sugar and the filling we use is not overly sweet. But that turbinado sugar on the top gives this unbelievable, lovely, little crusty thing going on with the sugary [crunch]. They are so good!”
Katz emphasized the importance of customers’ placing their orders in time.
“We give people four weeks to order,” she said, “but we don’t cook to order; we cook what we think will sell and that’s what’s on the inventory on the menu. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.”
New Hampshire Jewish Food Festival Will accept orders until Sunday, July 7. Order online at tbinh.org. Orders will be available for curbside drive-thru pickup, by appointment, on July 19 or July 20. Select your appointment time at checkout when you place your order.
Celebrate Independence Day with multiple days of fun in area cities and towns. Here’s some of what’s going on.
• In Amherst on Sunday, June 30, festivities start around 6 p.m. with fireworks and family entertainment including a magician, a juggler, face-painting, hot air balloon rides and live music at Souhegan High School (412 Boston Post Road). There will be a parade on the Amherst Village Green on Thursday, July 4, at 9 a.m. with bands, local marchers, floats, fire trucks, antique cars, politicians, and a special children’s bicycle parade. Visit amherstcommunityfoundation.org.
• Concord will celebrate on Thursday, July 4, at Memorial Field (70 S. Fruit St.) with food, vendors, and music starting at 6 p.m. and fireworks at 9:20 p.m. Rain date is Friday, July 5. Visit concordnh.gov.
• July Fourth Family Fun Day at Riverway Park in Contoocook starts at 11 a.m. Thursday, July 4, and will include parades, live music, face painting, dunk tanks and more. The Tooky Cookie Bake-Off cookie drop-off begins at 9:30 a.m. and ends at 11 a.m. Visit their Facebook page.
• In Dover the NH National Guard’s 39th Army Band will play at Henry Law Park on Thursday, July 4, at 4 p.m. and the city will launch its annual fireworks display from Garrison Hill on Saturday, July 6, at dusk, according to @CityofDoverNH on X.
• There will be fireworks in Exeter following the 34th Annual American Independence Festival (1 Governors Lane) on Saturday, July 13, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit independencemuseum.org.
• Fireworks light up Hampstead at the Independence Day Festival on Saturday, June 29, which involves frog jumping, games, a barbecue competition, a craft fair and Hampstead’s Got Musical Talent. Visit hampsteadcivicclub.org.
• Fireworks will be launched at Hampton Beach on Thursday, July 4, at 9:30 p.m from the top of B and C streets. Visit hamptonbeach.org/events/fireworks.
• The Hillsborough Summer Fest (29 Preston St.) will have fireworks the third night of their celebration on Saturday, July 13, at 10 p.m. and the national anthem will be sung by Faith Daley. Admission is free but parking is $10 per car. Visit hillsborosummerfest.com.
• In Manchester, fireworks go off on the evening of Wednesday, July 3, at Arms Park.
• Also in Manchester, get fireworks after each Fisher Cats game (at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium, 1 Line Drive) Thursday, July 4, to Saturday, July 6. Games start at 6:35 p.m. and the Fisher Cats will be playing the Portland Sea Dogs. Visit nhfishercats.com.
• Merrimack has two days of celebrations. On Wednesday, July 3, the town holds its Patriotic Concert in the Park (behind Merrimack Town Hall at 6 Baboosic Lake Road) from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. On Thursday, July 4, at Merrimack High School (38 McElwain St.) there will be a 5K road race at 8 a.m. and a pancake breakfast from 8 to 11 a.m., followed by a parade at 1 p.m. that starts at the Tractor Supply (515 DW Highway) and ends at the high school, and fireworks around 9:15 p.m. at the high school. Visit merrimackparksandrec.org.
• Festivities start in Nashua at 11 a.m. on July 4 at Holman Stadium for a Silver Knights Game where children under 12 and the first 500 adults are free but tickets must be reserved in advance. There will be an expanded kids zone and on-field activities. At 5:30 p.m. there will be a free concert by The Slakas, followed by local acts at 7:30 p.m. Then there will be the Nashua Hall of Fame Inductions followed by Spartans Drum & Bugle Corps at 8:30 p.m. and finally the fireworks at dusk. Visit nashuasilverknights.com for tickets and check out nashuanh.gov/SummerFun.
• New Boston will hold its 94th annual Fourth of July celebration on Thursday, July 4, with food, games, activities and a parade, all culminating in a fireworks display when it gets dark. This year’s parade theme is sci-fi and fantasy; the parade begins at 10 a.m. Admission to the fairgrounds begins at 4 p.m. and is $10 for those ages 12 and up, $5 for those ages 2 to 11; children 2 and under are free, and this year there is a family package price of $40, according to the website. Parking is free. Visit newboston4thofjuly.org.
• The Independence Day celebration in Pelham will be held on the grounds of the Pelham Municipal Center on Marsh Road on Saturday, June 29, starting at 6 p.m. There will be lots of fair food, face painting, music, glow necklaces and more, with fireworks at dusk, according to the same website. Visit pelhamcommunityspirit.org.
• Portsmouth will launch their Fourth of July fireworks on Wednesday, July 3, at 9:15 p.m. at South Mill Pond across from Portsmouth City Hall. Rain date is Friday, July 5.
• The Fourth of July parade and celebration in Raymond take place on Thursday, July 4, and begins at 9:15 a.m. at the intersection of Route 27 and Epping Street. It will journey toward the Town Commons to Old Manchester Road to Wight Street. Raymond will hold a fireworks display as part of the town fair on Saturday, July 13, at 9:30 p.m. The fair itself runs from Thursday, July 11, through Sunday, July 14. Visit raymondnh.gov.
• In Rye, the Fourth of July celebration and fireworks display will be held on Sunday, June 30, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Parsons Field.
• In Salem, there will be festivities at Tuscan Village (19 Via Toscana) on Wednesday, July 3, with food trucks at 4 p.m., live music at 6 p.m. and fireworks at 9 p.m., according to a June 4 post at facebook.com/TuscanKitchenandMarket.
• Sunapee will forgo fireworks for an innovative Independence Day Drone Show on Saturday, June 29, at dusk; spectators are invited to watch the setup process beginning at 2 p.m.) at Sunapee Harbor. The town will hold its Independence Day parade on Thursday, July 4, at noon starting on Old Georges Mills Road; celebrations continue that afternoon at the bandstand with music and activities. See town.sunapee.nh.us.
• Windham will have fireworks on Wednesday, June 26, along with music and food trucks. The show runs from 7 to 10 p.m., with fireworks at 9:30 p.m. The parking lot opens at 5:30 p.m. Visit windhamnh.gov.
Featured Photo: Market Days Festival in Concord. Courtesy photo.
Whether you’re headed for a beach vacation or just a porch with a cool breeze, summer is the perfect time to lose yourself in a good book.
What to read? Here are recommendations from local libraries, book sellers and others for books to keep you entertained through Labor Day.
GENERAL FICTION
The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, by James McBride From the author of the modern classic memoir The Color of Water. Recommended by: MainStreet BookEnds in Warner. “This is storytelling at its very best. A wonderful mix of Jewish immigrants and African Americans in the 1920s, forming bonds of loyalty in the poorest part of an emerging Pennsylvania city.”
Margo’s Got Money Troubles, by Rufi Thorpe The publisher’s description starts, “As the child of a Hooters waitress and an ex-pro wrestler, Margo Millet’s always known she’d have to make it on her own.” Recommended by: Erin Pastore, operations coordinator at Water Street Bookstore in Exeter. “Just absolutely hilarious. … Very heartwarming story of a young mom.”
By Any Other Name, by Jodi Picoult A novel about two women, centuries apart, one of whom is the real author of Shakespeare’s plays. Recommended by: Tanya Ricker, library director at Whipple Free Library in New Boston. “Jodi has been my favorite author since I was in high school and saw her speak at a journalism conference. … This book, she has said, is the book of her heart, the book she feels she was meant to write. You can tell how deeply she feels about it when you read it. I loved the details, the research, the way it made me think and question things I thought that I knew.”
Remarkably Bright Creatures, by Shelby Van Pelt A charming novel about a woman who works the night shift at an aquarium. Recommended by: Jo Flynn at Bookery in Manchester. “It’s a restore-your-faith-in-humanity type of read.” Also recommended by Susan S., Library Director at Seabrook Library.
All Our Yesterdays: A Novel of Lady Macbeth, by Joel H. Morris A debut novel set 10 years before the events of Shakespeare’s play. Recommended by: Jan Locke at Balin Books in Nashua. “Definitely for fans of Hamnet! There is still a love story intertwined, but the times are much more visceral. Lady Macbeth’s character development from young girl to queen is quite powerful. Of course, there are witches!”
The Women, by Kristin Hannah Young nursing student goes to Vietnam to follow her brother and joins the Army Nurse Corps. Recommended by: Andy Richmond, director of Rye Public Library. “[Because Vietnam] from a female perspective is not really addressed anywhere else in novel form … [this book] opened a lot of people’s eyes I think.”
Night Watch, by Jayne Anne Phillips Pulitzer-winning novel about a mother and daughter surviving war and its aftermath. Recommended by: Ken Kozick, proprietor of Sheafe Street Books in Portsmouth. “Like One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest but 100 years before Cuckoo’s Nest, just after the Civil War.”
Recommended by Zachary Lewis, Hippo features writer: Welcome to the Monkeyhouse by Kurt Vonnegut “is a collection of really cool, absurd stories. Each one is great. Breakfast of Champions is my favorite of his novels but The Sirens of Titan is a close second. Vonnegut is one of the most sincere and authentic writers.”
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon “is an awesome tale about the creation of comic books, escape artists from pre-war Europe, and the connection of family in all its iterations.”
1666, by Lora Chilton A story about Patawomeck women living through the decimation of their tribe in Virginia. Recommended by: MainStreet BookEnds. “Historical fiction at its best. … Told through the eyes of two women, it is a piece of our history that is finally being discovered and told.”
Long Island, by Colm Tóibín An Irish woman living on Long Island in the 1970s faces an unexpected situation. Recommended by: Andy Richmond, director of Rye Public Library.
American Spirits, by Russell Banks The final collection of stories by the author before his death in 2023. Recommended by: Liz Ryan, adult programming coordinator at Derry Public Library. “[Banks] was an incredible creative voice in fiction.”
North Woods: A Novel, by Daniel Mason A story about a house in New England, told through the lives of its inhabitants over the centuries. Recommended by: Emerson Sistare, owner of Toadstool Books in Peterborough. “Flat out, one of the best books I have read in the last number of years. Mason’s prose and ability to weave and bounce between genres elevate this book to lofty heights. A triumphant anthem to the beauty of New England and its people.”
The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell, by Robert Dugoni A coming-of-age story about a boy born with red pupils, called “Devil Boy” by his classmates. Recommended by: Diane C., circulation assistant at Seabrook Library. “This book is very inspiring!”
Fire Exit, by Morgan Talty The story of a young man who grew up with his mother and stepfather on a reservation in Maine but must move away when he turns 18 because he is not native. Recommended by: Erin Pastore, operations coordinator at Water Street Bookstore in Exeter. “It’s a really deep family story. Wickedly funny at times while also being very serious about issues of native reservations.”
All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr Pulitzer-winning novel about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in France during World War II. Recommended by: Mary Kennedy, interlibrary loans and circulation, Whipple Free Library in New Boston. “I always enjoy historical fiction books in general and this book was captivating . You are reading the viewpoints of two main characters and then you see how their worlds collide. It took a little bit to get into but then I was hooked at one point. The descriptives and the author’s writing style have you imagining the characters and scenes easily.”
How to Read a Book, by Monica Wood A novel about unlikely friendships and second chances. Recommended by: Jo Flynn at Bookery. “Another restore-your-faith-in-humanity book.”
The Lincoln Highway, by Amor Towles A story of two brothers in 1950s America. Recommended by: Marcia de Steuben, circulation assistant at Whipple Free Library in New Boston. “It’s 1954 and Emmett Watson has just been dropped off at his home in Nebraska by the warden of the work farm where Emmett served a year for involuntary manslaughter. Out of the trunk of the warden’s car pop two friends from the work farm. So begins a 10-day adventure for the teenagers and Emmett’s 8-year-old brother Billy. On their journey they meet lots of interesting characters and have humorous and memorable experiences. This is an entertaining read.”
Table for Two, by Amor Towles Six stories and a novella. Recommended by: Ben Brown, director of Harvey-Mitchell Library in Epping. “He’s very popular, he only writes a book every four to five years…. He does… historical fiction.”
Recommended by Hippo Features writer Micheal Witthaus: Beautiful & Terrible Things, by S.M. Stevens (July 18) “This novel explores the personal and political lives of six city-dwelling twentysomethings, using romantic entanglements and professional challenges to explore issues like environmentalism, social justice, mental health and identity. It’s written by a New Hampshire author and the fictional group’s favorite gathering spot is inspired by Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord.”
Mayluna, by Kelley McNeil “A great read for fans of Daisy Jones and the Six. Its story revolves around a fictional chart-topping rock group but is more focused on the emotional lives of its two main characters: the band’s lead singer and creative force, and the music journalist who becomes their lover and muse. For music industry geeks, Mayluna provides an informative look at its pre-Napster days; the author was once a tour manager.”
MYSTERY
How to Solve Your Own Murder, by Kristen Perrin A cozy mystery in which a woman tries to prevent her foretold murder. Recommended by: Jan Locke at Balin Books. “This is a lovely chick-lit cozy about the bonds of female friendship. Read it in a single bite!”
The Kamogawa Food Detectives, by Hisashi Kashiwai (translated by Jesse Kirkwood) A bestseller in Japan with a sequel due in October. Recommended by: Tracy Kittredge, customer services, Nashua Public Library. “It was the cover that made me pick up this book; I cannot resist cats or noodles. And then I discovered that it’s a cozy mystery, only the ‘detectives’ aren’t investigating crimes. Instead, they bring food memories to life by recreating a dish from their clients’ past. At 208 pages, it’s a delicious, lighthearted read, and the personal stories resonate.”
Lightning Strikes the Silence: A Lane Winslow Mystery, by Iona Whishaw No. 11 in a series. Recommended by: MainStreet BookEnds in Warner. “Wonderful writing and pure escapism. Lane Winslow is back as the former English WWII spy, needing to escape to the quiet of a pastoral little town in British Columbia. But murders happen, and her keen sensibilities are needed at every turn. Caution: you must read them in order, so get started.”
The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels, by Janice Hallett Stylistically innovative mystery in which a true crime journalist who revives an old case. Recommended by: Jaclyn at Nashua Public Library. “I really loved all the different ways we were fed information. Emails, texts, voice recordings that were transcribed made me feel like I was there with the main character putting all the pieces together. If you like a good mystery and want to help figure out what happened to the fictional cult of the Alperton Angels this is the book for you!”
The Frozen River, by Ariel Lawhon Recommended by: Andy Richmond, director of Rye Public Library. “It’s a novelization of Martha Ballard’s diaries as a midwife in Maine” with the addition of a murder mystery.
Recommended by Corinne Robinson, Hippo production designer: The City of Brass, by S. A. Chakraborty (the first in a trilogy). “It’s a fantastic read! It has absolutely fantastic worldbuilding and the author does a great job of gradually building political and emotional tension. Also the characters have such dynamic relationships with one another and each character you meet plays a significant role in the overall storyline. I love all three books!”
ROMANCE AND ROM-COM
Pride, Pancakes, and Paris, by Emmie J. Holland Boy needs plus-one for a wedding, girl reluctantly agrees to pose as his girlfriend because trip to Paris! Recommended by: Emily St. Louis at Bookery. “Trope of best friend’s brother and enemies to lovers, perfect beach read.”
Happy Medium, by Sarah Adler A rom-com involving a fake spirit medium and an actual havoc-wreaking ghost. Recommended by: Tammy McCracken at Balin Books. “A reluctant con-woman, a sexy farmer … and a ghost feeding the con-woman…. Plus, baby goats! It’s a fun romp.”
The Idea of You, by Robinne Lee The book that spawned the Prime video starring Anne Hathaway. Recommended by: Amy Hanmer at Manchester City Library. “You’re a 39-year-old mom dating the lead singer of a boy band, whom your daughter loves. Lee’s book is much better than the movie.”
HORROR
The Angel of Indian Lake, by Stephen Graham Jones Book 3 in a trilogy of horror novels centered on generational trauma in Idaho. Recommended by: Ben Brown, director of Harvey-Mitchell Library in Epping. “Really gory but it’s really good if you like Stephen King or something like that. It has a more unique flavor because of the Native American perspective.”
Horror Movie, by Paul Tremblay A chilling twist on the “cursed film” genre. Recommended by: Tammy McCracken at Balin Books. “The only remaining cast member of a never released 1993 horror film is approached 30 years later to be part of a big-budget Hollywood reboot. What are people willing to do to get this made?”
Recommended by Jennifer Gingras, Hippo production designer: The Women of Weird Tales, stories by Everil Worrell, Eli Colter, Mary Elizabeth Counselman, and Graye La Spina, introduction by Melanie Anderson “13 classic tales of fantasy and horror written by women who were influential in developing the modern genre. Including vampires, ghosts, curses, corpses and other horrors, the stories are fun, imaginative and — most importantly — weird!”
EDGE OF YOUR SEAT
The Exchange: After the Firm, by John Grisham Another legal thriller from the prolific bestselling author. Recommended by: Andy Richmond, director of Rye Public Library. “A follow-up on the big hit The Firm,” filled with international intrigue.
The Guest, by B.A. Paris A psychological thriller about unpredictable friends and dangerous secrets. Recommended by: Jess H., adult services librarian at Seabrook Library. “This book will keep you guessing right up until the last chapter. All of our patrons who read this book rate it as 4 out of 4 stars!” and “This is a book that you will not be able to put down. I read it in a day!”
SCIF-FI
Service Model, by Adrian Tchaikovsky “A delightfully humorous tale of robotic murder,” says the publisher. Recommended by: Sue Harmon, information and technology librarian at Manchester City Library “[Tchaikovsky’s] signature style is deep philosophical takes and meandering story-lines. … A refreshing take on AI-based stories.”
Children of Time, by Adrian Tchaikovsky Humans battle on a terraformed planet. Winner of the Arthur C. Clarke Award. Recommended by: Michael Joachim at Balin Books. “Epic sci-fi adventure spanning time and space. [Tchaikovsky] world-builds with great imagination and details. Big themes and great characters.”
FANTASY
Road to Ruin, by Hana Lee Gritty fantasy with motorcycles, magic and monsters. Recommended by: Lex Hetrick, library technician at Manchester City Library. “I felt like I was hanging onto the back of Jin’s magebike through this sandstorm ride! You can see the twists coming but that doesn’t make the road any less fun.”
The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England, by Brandon Sanderson A fantasy adventure where a man wakes up in medieval England with no idea where he came from. Recommended by: Jo Flynn at Bookery. “A fun, lighthearted immersive fantasy with lots of breaking the fourth wall.”
Recommended by John Fladd, Hippo features editor and food writer: A Deadly Education: A Novel (The Scholomance, Book 1), by Naomi Novik “This is a fantasy about a school of magic. Unlike the one you’re thinking of, it is deliciously dark, with an intricate plot. Imagine Hogwarts, if 60 percent of the students died before leaving. “
Ninth House, by Leigh Bardugo A magical murder mystery set among secret societies at Yale University. Recommended by: Natalie Lapointe, cataloging and technical Services, Whipple Free Library in New Boston. “This is a must-read, can’t-put down kind of book. If you love this, be sure to check out Hell Bent, the second installment of the Alex Stern series. Book 3 will be coming out within the next year (hopefully).”
Threads that Bind, by Kika Hatzopoulou A descendant of the Greek Fates must solve a series of impossible murders. Recommended by: Kirsten Rickershauser at Balin Books. “This one reminds me a lot of the paranormal fantasy I read in high school. Io is a private investigator and third sister of fate, able to see and cut the threads that bind people to their loves and lives. Here she is pushed in investigating how women with their life threads cut are murdering others instead of being dead themselves. With a lot of mirror mythology and world-building, this YA (Young Adult) book is fun for teens and adults alike.”
A Court of Thorns and Roses (the whole series), by Sara J. Maas Wolves, beasts, immortal faeries — oh, and romance. Recommended by: Emily St. Louis at Bookery. “A viral favorite, worth the hype for both fantasy and romance lovers.”
A Touch of Darkness (series), by Scarlett St. Clair Persephone must create life in the Underworld or lose her freedom forever. Recommended by: Emily St. Louis at Bookery. “(Surprisingly) a good spicy romance retelling of Hades x Persephone, as well as a modern aspect of Greek gods. It’s a restore-your- faith-in-humanity type of read.”
Child of a Hidden Sea (Hidden Sea Tales #1), by A.M. Dellamonica A fantasy tale of adventure and adversity. Recommended by: Sue Pellerin, adult services, Whipple Free Library in New Boston. “The book opens as biologist Sophie Hansa crashes into an unfamiliar ocean, suddenly and mysteriously transported there from present-day San Francisco. What follows is a novel full of adventure, political intrigue, magic, and family. The island-world of Stormwrack is fascinating — I loved learning about the various island nations and floating cities as the series progressed. And I adored all the characters, from the unfailingly curious Sophie to her genius brother Bram to the various inhabitants of Stormwrack we meet. The three books in this series are not enough for me — this is a world I could happily return to over and over again!”
Vassa in the Night, by Sarah Porter A dark modern fairy tale. Recommended by: Sue Pellerin, adult services, Whipple Free Library in New Boston. “A modern retelling of the Russian fairy tale ‘Vasilisa the Beautiful.’ Porter’s Brooklyn setting is at once familiar and fantastically alien, and her depiction of Baba Yaga (or Babs Yagg as she’s called here) as a sadistic convenience store owner is nothing short of inspired. Both hauntingly beautiful and deeply unsettling, this gorgeously written book had me hooked from the first page.”
A Broken Blade, by Melissa Blair Fast-paced fantasy about power and resistance. Recommended by: Jaclyn at Nashua Public Library. “If you want a fantasy book with a strong female lead character Keera is your girl. This book is mainly a fantasy but does have some romance. Book 3 just came out and Book 4 is set for next year and I can’t wait to see what the author does with the story!”
POETRY
Good Monster, by Diannely Antigua A 2024 collection from the Poet Laureate of Portsmouth. Recommended by: Ken Kozick, proprietor of Sheafe Street Books in Portsmouth. She “represents her role as Poet Laureate well.” Kosick said.
In the Hour of War: Poetry from Ukraine, edited by Carolyn Forché and Ilya Kaminsky An anthology of current poetry of Ukraine. Recommended by: Ken Kozick, proprietor of Sheafe Street Books in Portsmouth.
NONFICTION
Building: A Carpenter’s Notes on Life & the Art of Good Work, by Mark Ellison Winner of the Inc. Non-Obvious Book Award. Recommended by: MainStreet BookEnds. “This is a lovely meditation on finding the vocation that matters to you and learning its disciplines over time. It is now out in paperback, and makes a great read on finding and living a life that matters.”
Recommended by Hippo features writer Michael Witthaus: Hot Dog Money: Inside the Biggest Scandal in the History of College Sports, by Guy Lawson “Nonfiction that reads like a crime thriller, it begins with the fall from grace of a financial advisor to student athletes on their way to the big leagues. To stay out of prison, he cooperates with federal law enforcement to root out corruption in college basketball, with astonishing success. It turns out that the money involved with keeping amateurs playing for free is irresistible to many.”
The Demon of Unrest, by Erik Larson 592 pages on a slice of Civil War history. Recommended by: Michael Joachim at Balin Books. “A riveting moment-by-moment account of the tense months between Abe Lincoln’s election and the attack on Fort Sumter by a renowned historian.” Also recommended by Ben Brown, Director of Harvey-Mitchell Library in Epping.
Crossings: How Road Ecology is Shaping the Future of Our Planet, by Ben Goldfarb A Smithsonian Staff Favorite and a Science News Favorite of 2023, about the 40 million miles of roadway on Earth. Recommended by: Prudence Wells at Balin Books. “Road ecology affects all of us: turtles, moose, butterflies, humans, etc. Habitat destruction, migration confusion and loss of life (man and beast) occur on account of roads. We can get to where we want to go without damaging our ecology. Here’s how….”
Recommended by John Fladd, Hippo features editor and food writer: No Applause — Just Throw Money: The Book That Made Vaudeville Famous, by Trav S.D. “I’ve always been fascinated by Vaudeville, the traveling variety shows of the late 1800s and early 1900s. I was hoping to learn more about some of the odd acts that toured the Vaudeville circuits, like Swain’s Rats and Cats, where cats dressed in racehorse livery would race around a track, mounted by rats dressed as jockeys. There was a little of that, but No Applause was more about the business model of Vaudeville, which I would have bet anything I wouldn’t care about. Instead, I was fascinated.”
The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America’s Most Imaginative Chefs, by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg “This is the most useful book in my kitchen. And my office. And on my phone, so I can consult it while I’m shopping. It is nothing more or less than a comprehensive series of lists of which ingredients go well together. Creative typography lets the reader know if a pairing is a widely recognized one, or one passionate chef’s guilty pleasure. I use this book to develop new recipes for main dishes, desserts and cocktails. This could be a life-saver for those times when you find yourself shouting to your kitchen ceiling, ‘What am I going to do with all these kumquats!’”
The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family, by Ron and Clint Howard Ron Howard and his brother, Clint, who were both child actors, recount their lives in alternating chapters. Recommended by: Anne P., circulation assistant at Seabrook Library. “This is a memoir about growing up in Hollywood. It is very interesting and well-written.
The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness, by Jonathan Haidt The latest offering from the social psychologist who wrote The Happiness Hypothesis. Recommended by: MainStreet BookEnds. “An important book for our times as California’s governor calls for smartphones to be banned in schools and the U.S. Surgeon General urges a warning label on apps that their use can be addictive to children.”
Who’s Afraid of Gender, by Judith Butler Recommended by: Liz Ryan, adult programming coordinator at Derry Public Library, who called the book “accessible” and said she’s impressed by how Butler puts discussions of gender in terms everyone can understand.
Recommended by Zachary Lewis, Hippo features writer: Me Talk Pretty One Day and Santaland Diaries by David Sedaris “are the gold standards for humorous creative nonfiction. I recommend the audiobook for Me Talk Pretty One Day with Sedaris narrating.”
The Ancient Engineers by L. Sprague De Camp “goes through how civilizations from ancient Egypt, Babylon, etc. could have built their cities in a real, non alien-influenced way. He wrote a lot on debunking claims of the occult and pseudoscience despite also being a fantasy and sci-fi author.”
GRAPHIC NOVELS
Monstress, Volume 1: Awakening, by Marjorie M. Liu & Sana Takeda “An original fantasy epic for mature readers,” according to the publisher at imagecomcis.com. Recommended by: Sue Pellerin, adult services at Whipple Free Library in New Boston. “This is the first volume in an ongoing graphic novel series. It’s set in a matriarchal fantasy Asia, highly inspired by Art Deco and steampunk aesthetics. The world-building is lush and incredibly detailed, and Takeda’s artwork is a feast for the senses. The storytelling is complex, dark and fiercely feminist with political machinations, warring factions and banished old gods. Volume 9 comes out this fall, so there’s plenty of story to catch up on!”
My Favorite Thing is Monsters: Book Two, by Emil Ferris The follow-up to the 2017 graphic novel My Favorite Thing is Monsters, full of mysteries and B-movie horror vibes and set in 1960s Chicago. Recommended by: Liz Ryan, adult programming coordinator at Derry Public Library. “I’ve been waiting for this book for seven years, so I am extremely excited to finally continue the story. … it’s an amazing piece of art.”
Watership Down: The Graphic Novel, by Richard Adams, adapted and illustrated by James Sturm and Joe Sutphin Beloved story of a group of rabbits on an epic journey in search of home. Recommended by: MainStreet BookEnds. “[A] gorgeous interpretation, yet true to the original. After 50 years, something to engage and delight the younger readers.”
CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOKS
Something About the Sky, by Rachel Carson, illustrated by Nikki McClure What do you know about clouds? Recommended by: MainStreet BookEnds.“What happens when you combine the beautiful writing of environmentalist Rachel Carson with the exquisite art of Nikki McClure and roll it into a picture book for children? You get this gem!”
Where is Little Stripe’s Daddy? by Deborah Bruss, illustrated by Cornelius Van Wright Turns out zebras are not the only animals with black and white stripes. Recommended by: MainStreet BookEnds. “Concord’s own Deborah Bruss has a new children’s book out and it is perfectly delightful. … Designed graphically so the child has a window to anticipate the next page’s surprise, there are so many things to see and learn throughout.”
Recommended by Zachary Lewis, Hippo features writer: The Monk by Matthew Lewis “is a great traditional gothic horror, bodice-ripper, silly creepy spooky novel.”
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster, “got me to put down my Nintendo 64 controller when I was in third grade.”
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley “is wonderful, secretly funny, and absurd in all the right places.”
Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino “is truly a unique book. Anything by Calvino is what you want when you want magical realism.”
According to a press release, 33 people have been offered official permits to hunt moose in New Hampshire this October in the state’s annual moose hunt lottery drawing, which was held at the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department in Concord.
The winning hunters will be officially notified by mail. A complete list of names of the 2024 winners and alternates is posted online at wildlife.nh.gov/hunting-nh.
Winners of the Lottery are offered permits to hunt moose in a specific Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) during the nine-day 2024 New Hampshire moose season from Saturday, Oct. 19, to Sunday, Oct. 27. There are eight WMUs. Winners are allowed to enlist a guide and one friend or relative to help on the hunt as a subpermittee, according to the release.
New Hampshire has held an annual moose hunt since 1988, when 75 permits were issued for a three-day hunt in the North Country. In 2023, 22 moose were harvested, for a statewide success rate of 67 percent, according to the release. Visit nhfishgame.com.
New hospice director
According to a press release, Granite VNA has appointed nurse management professional Otillie Dean-Crotty, R.N., B.S.N., as its director of hospice. Dean-Crotty will oversee the clinical business operations and patient care services of Granite VNA’s community hospice program with responsibilities including planning, organizing, developing and managing the agency’s hospice services as well as agency policies and procedures, according to the release.
Dean-Crotty brings 15 years of experience in advanced nursing and leadership roles, most recently as director of clinical services at Compassus, a hospice, home health and palliative care provider in Bedford, and also served as the director of nursing at The Huntington at Nashua, as a senior nurse care manager at Anthem, Inc., in Manchester, and as a hospice team lead for Home Health & Hospice Care in Merrimack, according to the same release. She is currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration degree from Rivier University, where she received her master’s, bachelor’s and associate of science degrees in nursing.
In a statement, Rachel Tracy, M.S., R.N., Granite VNA’s hospice director of clinical operations, said that with Dean-Crotty’s “diverse experience in health and hospice care roles, we are confident in her ability to guide our teams and ensure that patients and their families receive exceptional care.” Visit granitevna.org.
Body cams
In a press release, the New Hampshire Department of Corrections announced that every sworn law enforcement officer in the department is now issued a body-worn camera, and all emergency vehicles are equipped with in-vehicle camera systems.
The New Hampshire Department of Corrections is now the second state corrections department in the country to deploy body-worn cameras department-wide to all sworn law enforcement officers, according to the same release.
The Department began a pilot of body-worn cameras through a U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance federal grant awarded in 2019, which provided technical assistance to engage a variety of stakeholders, to establish a departmental policy, and to purchase 52 body-worn cameras with a total grant amount of $52,006, but the Covid-19 pandemic delayed the pilot’s implementation, according to the release.
The Department advocated for additional state general funds through the budgeting process to deploy cameras to the Department after Gov. Sununu’s Commission on Law Enforcement Accountability, Community and Transparency encouraged all law enforcement agencies to use body and/or dash cameras, and this is funded through state general funds at a cost of $720,000, according to the release.
The Department initiated the pilot deployment in July 2023 in the Secure Psychiatric Unit and expanded rollout to the rest of the department including all corrections officers at the prisons and transitional housing units and all investigators and probation parole officers.
More than 450 body-worn cameras are now deployed department-wide with all officers and investigators trained on their operation, and all 55 of the department’s emergency vehicles are outfitted with cameras on the dash and/or inside the transport compartment, according to the release.
Visit corrections.nh.gov.
Summer fitness
On Friday, June 21, the Boys & Girls Club of Manchester hosted an event with teens at the Planet Fitness on Huse Road to celebrate the fitness center’s High School Summer Pass program. Through Aug. 31, teens age 14 to 19 can sign up to get a free summer membership to Planet Fitness, according to a press release. Teens under age 18 must register with a parent or guardian; see planetfitness.com/summerpass.
See the end of SEE Science Center’s Kickoff to Summer with Zach’s Contraptions with Zach Umperovitch at SEE, 200 Bedford St., Manchester, until Friday, June 28. Visit see-sciencecenter.org or call 669-0400. Read an interview with Umperovitch on page 6 of our June 13 issue.
Granite State Antique Shows (506-9848, gsashows.com) will host an Outdoor Flea Market at the Granite Town Plaza (185 Elm St., Milford) from 8:30 a.m. to noon Sunday, June 30. Early-bird admission starts at 7 a.m. General admission is $5; early-bird admission is $30.
Author Catherine Newman will discuss and sign her novel Sandwich on Saturday, June 29, at 11 a.m. at Toadstool Bookshop (12 Depot Square in Peterborough; toadbooks.com).
On June 13, Jon Anderson & the Band Geeks released a video for “Shine On.” The original song recalls “Siberian Khatru ‘’ and other classics from his former band Yes. Guitarist Andy Graziano’s frenetic arpeggio caused a YouTube commenter to exclaim, “Jon turned to Steve Howe & said, ‘hold my beer’” and another to say “This IS Yes. … The spirit is with Anderson and always has been.”
The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer will weave a few tracks from True, a full album due this summer, with 1970s Yes material on June 22 in Concord. His collaboration with the Band Geeks — Graziano, multi-instrumentalist Richie Castellano, Andy Acolese on drums, and keyboard players Christopher Clark and Robert Kipp — began in 2018, when he saw them cover “Heart of the Sunrise” on their classic rock-centric podcast.
“I went, wait a minute, they sound just like us; they sound perfect, and they look so happy,” Anderson recalled in a recent phone interview. A month later he called Castellano to thank them. “In the middle of the conversation, I said, ‘Why don’t we go on tour?’ He kind of went, ‘What?’ I said, ‘Yeah, we could go on tour and do sort of epics and classics.’”
For still unclear reasons, Anderson, Rabin & Wakeman had dissolved earlier in the year, so the singer was looking for a backing band. However, Castellano is in Blue Öyster Cult, so logistics were tricky. When the pandemic happened, he had to wait some more. Late last summer, after intense rehearsals, they finally were able to play for audiences.
“I couldn’t believe how good it was when we actually performed,” Anderson recalled. “We did 12 shows together and that really inspired me to want to work with them more, because they were just very open, grateful, thankful and everything about life.”
An original from the upcoming LP that’s been previewed at shows is “True Messenger,” which Anderson wrote over a decade ago. It includes elements of “Wondrous Stories” and “Roundabout” along with many tempo changes.
“I’d been working with a guy called Jamie Dunlap, who does a lot of the music for South Park; I found him to be a great musician,” he said. “We wrote two or three songs and that was one of them that I sent to Richie … he opened it up with ideas.”
Castellano was initially “kind of freaked out” at the thought of going into the studio, but Anderson reassured him, “I think we’d make a great album that probably would sound like Yes, and people who love Yes will like it; that’s what we aim for. There are two large 15-minute pieces, and the rest are very happy-go-lucky, rock ’n’ roll, and who knows what.”
The new project has charged up Anderson’s creative energy, and he shows no signs of slowing down.
“I want to tour the world with this band, and after that, who knows?” he said. “For the next couple of years I’m just going to go out there and perform the Yes classics and epics, plus the True album. New music is new music; by the time you’ve got it on the road, it blossoms. It’s just one of those natural things.”
In 2017 Yes was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, an occasion that marked the last time its original members played together, performing “Owner of a Lonely Heart” and “Roundabout.” Sadly, it was without original bassist Chris Squire, who’d died two years before.
Still, Anderson has fond recollections of the experience.
“I was very happy,” he said. “I think one of the things that was exciting about it was that we shook so many hands during the course of the evening. I was there with my beautiful wife, Jane. We were just having a good time, sipping Champagne. Then I remembered, ‘Wait a minute, I’ve got to go on and sing. I’ve got to be careful.’ We got up there and did two songs with the band. It was really fun, and the energy backstage was fantastic.”
Yes Epics, Classics & More featuring Jon Anderson & the Band Geeks When: Saturday, June 22, 7:30 p.m. Where: Capitol Center for the Arts, 44 S. Main St. Concord Tickets: $59 and up at ccanh.com
Featured photo: Jon Anderson and the Band Geeks. Photo by Steven Schenck courtesy Glass Onyon PR.
The puberty alarm goes off and suddenly Riley’s mind is a construction zone with new emotions in Inside Out 2, a less jolly, more complex sequel to the 2015 Pixar movie.
Riley (voice of Kensington Tallman) is 13 and on the cusp of high school. Inside her mind, Joy (voice of Amy Poehler) has learned to let Riley’s emotional experiences have balance — Anger (voice of Lewis Black), Fear (voice of Tony Hale), Disgust (voice of Liza Lapira) and of course Sadness (voice of Phyllis Smith) all have a place in Riley’s life. Joy does tidy things up at the end of the day, sending the less than ideal memories to the back of Riley’s mind, letting Riley’s sense of self (as physically represented by a sort of crystalized snowflake sculpture thing that grows from the roots of the memories kept down below) develop from only positive memories.
Then the puberty alarm goes off and suddenly a wrecking ball crashes through headquarters and the emotional control panel has new colors. A frazzle-headed orange creature pops up and introduces herself as Anxiety (voice of Maya Hawke). Along with her come a small turquoise-colored Envy (voice of Ayo Edebiri), a large shy pink Embarrassment (voice of Paul Walter Hauser) and floppy French Ennui (voice of Adele Exarchopoulos). Anxiety, however, has plans and quickly takes over.
Her plans involve helping Riley to make and solidify friendships with the high school hockey team players, especially team captain Valentina (voice of Lilimar).
While on the way to a three-day hockey camp with her middle school friends, Riley learns that her besties will be going to a different high school. Though a “sadness is a part of life” Joy looks at the camp as a way for Riley to spend as much time with her buddies as possible, Anxiety quickly convinces the gang that Riley needs to use it to make friends with Valentina and secure her place on her high school hockey team so she won’t be friendless and alone next year. Anxiety’s special skill is painting vivid pictures of the things that can go wrong for Riley, so emotions old and new agree to follow Anxiety’s lead, until the original emotions start to argue Anxiety’s actions don’t reflect Riley’s true self. Then Anxiety vacuum tubes them out to “The Vault” to be locked up — “suppressed emotions,” one of them cries.
But of course you can’t keep a plucky Joy down. She rallies the original emotions to find the sense of self that Anxiety jettisoned when it got in the way of her Valentina plan and take it back to headquarters to save Riley.
Ultimately, what they’re saving Riley from is Anxiety’s increasingly aggressive ideas of the things that could go wrong and the resulting beliefs they create in Riley that she’s not good enough. In the movie’s climax, Anxiety creates something of a storm of this blend of real and imagined horrors — which we see as an emotion tornado where Anxiety is both moving so fast she kind of loses her physicality but is also frozen in place. That’s a pretty good visual representation of being in the grip of panic or anxiety — a combination of an increasingly intense feedback loop and of being stuck. The movie also shows Riley — with the help of external friends and internal emotions — working her way out of this feeling. I don’t know that it means anything to younger kids in the audience — the younger members of the crowd in the theater I saw this movie at were antsy by this point — but I do feel like it’s a good teachable moment for teens and tweens. This moment — and a good bit of the movie — does feel more successful as “art saying something about life” than as “entertaining for the littles.”
When I say this movie is less jolly and more complex, I think that’s what I mean. In the first movie, older but still kid Riley was dealing with the sadness of moving away from her friends. This is a life difficulty that I think is easily graspable to a kid, even a younger one. There is something more nuanced about Riley’s fears and hopes and struggles here — she isn’t really losing her friends, she can still see them, but she won’t be with them every day and will be without the social protection a group of buddies brings and so needs to replace that with older kids she must work to impress (versus the buddies who more naturally share her interests). I think the movie does a good job of examining how this feels and how — without veering into Afterschool Special Peer-Pressure territory — your ambitions for certain friends or social acceptance can cause you to act in ways that are against your core beliefs, your sense of self.
In addition to tackling a muddier problem, Inside Out 2 feels less sharp in general probably in part because we’ve seen all this before. The movie’s funniest new addition is probably Bloofy (voice of Ron Funches), a old-school hand-drawn-looking animated dog-thing that is a character from a preschool show that Riley secretly still loves. Bloofy asks questions of a nonexistent audience and has a helpful fanny-pack friend named Pouchy (voice of James Austin Johnson) — all very Dora the Explorer and my kids laughed at both the visual and character absurdities of Bloofy and Pouchy, who always seems to have very Acme-looking dynamite at his disposal.
I asked my daughter, who is not so far from Riley’s age, what she thought of the movie and her response was that the movie itself is decent but that she hated how Anxiety was trying to ruin Riley’s life. Yeah, tell me about it, I thought. It did help to underline to me, though, that while all the Bloofy wackiness and the punny “brain storms” (idea light bulbs hailing from the sky) and the occasional raft ride on a giant broccoli were entertaining enough for the kids, the ideas in this second outing were probably more interesting and thought-provoking for their grownups. B+
Rated PG for some thematic elements, according to the MPA on filmratings.com. Directed by Kelsey Mann with a screenplay by Meg LeFauve and Dave Holstein, Inside Out 2 is an hour and 36 minutes long and distributed in theaters by Walt Disney Studios.
