More advice from Epic Reads.

How to Handle a Book Hangover

Have you ever read a book or a series that was so good that you were sad to be done with it? Maybe you even read it slowly so that the reading experience would last longer. Maybe you laughed or cried over this book, and these characters – you will love them or hate them forever. They might even feel more like real people than the actual real people you know. And now, the story is all over… and you have this lost feeling, this longing to read more of the same even though there is no more to be read. What do you do? My friends, this is what book nerds refer to as book hangover. It’s a very real thing and it can feel terrible. I’m here to give you a few tips on treating your book hangover that might not cure it but will at least take the edge off.

1. Have you tried fanfiction? For the uninitiated, fanfiction is fiction about an already established setting or a character written about by fans as opposed to the original author. This solution is not for everyone, and might even feel a little strange. But there are some fanfiction pieces out there that might be as good as the original work, or explore a creative avenue you haven’t before considered. A few of the more famous fanfiction sites are fanfiction.net, Wattpad, Archive of Our Own.
2. Switch mediums. Part of what makes a book hangover difficult is that it’s really hard to get into a different book after you’re done with one you really loved. Even if you know you should like this new book, the old book lingers in your mind. This is a good time to try binge watching a show or movie series that you either already love or have always wanted to try. Or, binge listen to a podcast. This might give you television/movie/podcast hangover, but then you’ll be able to switch mediums again and pick up another book.
3. Read something completely different. If changing mediums doesn’t get your mind of of the book in question, you can try reading a different book that is completely different from the hangover book. Trying to read books similar to the hangover book is a mistake because you’ll only compare the two and find the new book lacking. I’m actually going through book hangover right now. The hangover series were mystery books. I’m currently reading an amazing book of essays – We are Never Meeting in Real Life by Samantha Irby. Both books are good but not comparable.
4. Get online and join a fan forum. Some people might think this solution is bad the same way scratching mosquito bites is bad. But, talking out your book obsession and hangover can be helpful. You can find a fan group for anything online and maybe talking out every last bit of minutia about a book will get that book out of your head and free up space to read and enjoy other books.

I hope this helps! And if you need assistance with any of these things, come down to the library. We love talking books, movies and podcasts and want you to have really great reading experiences!

Post by Carey Gibbons, Reference Specialist

About #FDL

Welcome to #FDL! #FDL is a twice weekly update on all things Fondulac District Library and East Peoria. Twice a week, library staff will make posts that highlight some aspect of library life and relate it to you – our readers. Have you ever wanted to know which Dewey number represented a certain topic? Are you looking for book recommendations based on your favorite television show or television recommendations based on your favorite book? Have you ever wondered about the secret details of librarian life? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then #FDL is for you. We look forward to writing posts that are informative and entertaining and hope that you enjoy getting better acquainted with Fondulac District Library.

Author Spotlight – David Sedaris

Happy David Sedaris book day! Every so often, when a new book comes out by a not super prolific but big name author #FDL will do an author spotlight and today’s spotlight subject is David Sedaris. His new book, Theft By Finding: Diaries (1977-2002) came out today and the book world is excited. This book deviates a little from Sedaris’s essay collection format as it focuses on his more organic journal entries. Sedaris is known for turning his seemingly random observations into well-crafted essays but this collection is more raw, comprising of original note taking and observation. Whether you pick up this book as your first Sedaris experience or are a long time fan, reading his work is always a special experience. The following are my three favorite books by Sedaris:

1. Naked. This was the first Sedaris book I ever read when I was in my late teens. I fell instantly in love because Sedaris comes from the same small town in upstate NY that I do. This essay collection is largely devoted to Sedaris’s post college life and his travels and odd job work experiences. But he covers a lot of topics from early childhood to his large family, to coming out.
2. Me Talk Pretty One Day. This is probably my favorite Sedaris book because of his observations on language both as a young kid with a lisp and as an adult learning French as a second language. It also has in it one of my all time favorite essays, “Jesus Shaves.” How do you explain complex concepts to someone in a language that you can barely speak?
3. Holidays on Ice. This is Sedaris’s Christmas themed collection. It’s a mix of fiction and non-fiction and includes the piece that made him famous – “The Santaland Diaries,” about his time as an elf in Macy’s Santaland.

Post by Carey Gibbons

About #FDL

Welcome to #FDL! #FDL is a twice weekly update on all things Fondulac District Library and East Peoria. Twice a week, library staff will make posts that highlight some aspect of library life and relate it to you – our readers. Have you ever wanted to know which Dewey number represented a certain topic? Are you looking for book recommendations based on your favorite television show or television recommendations based on your favorite book? Have you ever wondered about the secret details of librarian life? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then #FDL is for you. We look forward to writing posts that are informative and entertaining and hope that you enjoy getting better acquainted with Fondulac District Library.

Courtesy of TripleThreatLibrarian – DIY NVPL card!

5 Fictional Weird Libraries

Libraries are great. I love them. But some libraries are bizarre and operate a little differently than your friendly neighborhood public library. In this installment of #FDL, I’m going to take a look at some of the fictional, weird, and maybe creepy libraries I’ve come across in reading, listening, and viewing (in no particular order).

1. The Night Vale Public Library. The NVPL is a terrifying place full of malevolent, hooded, eyeless librarians who might eat you, but will definitely cut off your hands for not returning books on time. But you really shouldn’t let this discourage you from visiting the library. They have a great biography section comprising 33 copies of Helen Hunt’s biography. They also run an amazing educational program for illiterate spiders. And their summer reading program for teens and tweens is the most competitive in the area, boasting its first survivor – intrepid teen, Tamika Flynn. She managed to complete her sticker chart *and* kill one of the librarians.
2. Dunsmouth High School Library. Harrison Harrison travels with his mother to Dunsmouth so she can do some marine biology science. But he still has to go to school and Dunsmouth High School is weird. The library within the high school is also weird. No one ever goes in there and none of the students are really even sure where it is. But Harrison finds it and the librarian inside. Prof. Freitag is constantly looking for something in the library but doesn’t know what or where that thing is. He also doesn’t ever touch anything… weird.
3. The Library at Mount Char. Well, this library isn’t really open to the public. It serves as the home and school of 13 child apprentices, each tasked with learning a certain aspect of the world, including all of its secrets. Father runs the library and raises and teaches the children. But one day, Father disappears, and it’s up to the now grown children to figure out who will take his place.
4. The Palace. The Palace of the High Ones has a kind of library, unlike anything on the World of Two Moons. The Palace is home to the Scroll of Colors, a visual account of all that has been, all that is, and all that will be. It forever changes, based on the actions of elves, humans, and well – anything. While it is impossible to know the entirety of the Scroll due to its vastness and ever changing information, it’s been a useful tool for the elves in understanding themselves and their purpose in the universe.
5. RuPaul’s Drag Race. This library isn’t fictional, but it can be weird. In the grand tradition of Paris is Burning, the library is open! This is a library where you go to read, and get read. To filth. Reading at this library takes a wicked wit and a thick skin. Reading is what? Fundamental!

Post by Carey Gibbons, Reference Specialist

About #FDL

Welcome to #FDL! #FDL is a twice weekly update on all things Fondulac District Library and East Peoria. Twice a week, library staff will make posts that highlight some aspect of library life and relate it to you – our readers. Have you ever wanted to know which Dewey number represented a certain topic? Are you looking for book recommendations based on your favorite television show or television recommendations based on your favorite book? Have you ever wondered about the secret details of librarian life? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then #FDL is for you. We look forward to writing posts that are informative and entertaining and hope that you enjoy getting better acquainted with Fondulac District Library.