Kate’s 2¢: “Blues in stereo: the early works of Langston Hughes, 1921-1927” by Langston Hughes  

“Blues in stereo: the early works of Langston Hughes, 1921-1927” by Langston Hughes  

NOTE: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as, describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ shares her thoughts about what she’s read. In her opinion…

   Danez Smith did a good job of narrating this book that arrived on one cartridge from NLS.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Blues in stereo: the early works of Langston Hughes, 1921-1927 DB126089

Author: Hughes, Langston

Reading Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Production: National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Library of Congress

Read by: Danez Smith

Subjects: Poetry, Stage and Screen, African American Topics

“Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes was most well-known for his poems, novels, and plays that highlight Black American life in post-slavery America. James Mercer Langston Hughes was born on February 1, 1901, in Joplin, Missouri and began writing poetry when he moved to Lincoln, Illinois. After graduating from high school, he spent a year in Mexico followed by a year at Columbia University. During this time, he worked as an assistant cook, a launderer, and a busboy. He also traveled to Africa and Europe working as a seaman before finishing his college education at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania three years later. Setting the stage for an enduring and genre-defining career, Hughes wanted to tell the stories of his people in ways that reflected their actual culture, including their love of music, laughter, and language, alongside their suffering. He began writing short pieces in his personal notebooks before seeking a home for his resonant verse. Over the course of his four-decade career, Hughes published his first book of poetry with Knopf in 1926 as well as poems with Yale University and small, grassroots literary magazines. Today, he stands as one of the greatest literary innovators. But how did this literary giant rise to such heights? Blues in Stereo zooms in on Hughes’s early work (1919-1929). National Book Award finalist Danez Smith joins as curator for this work, offering an introduction on Hughes’s lyrical, evocative, and award-winning poetry and notes on the formation of his signature style and craft. Collected from libraries and little-known publications across the country, Blues in Stereo features some of Hughes’s earliest undiscovered writings; the collection of his poems published in The Crisis, a monthly publication form the NAACP edited by W.E.B. DuBois from 1910-1934; and even an original unreleased play co-written with DuBois, complete with a full score. This beautifully rendered collection of Hughes’s early works is sure to become a bookshelf staple.”– Provided by publisher. Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

New York, NY : Hachette Book Group, 2024.

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Cudmore Libby Negative girl

“Negative girl” by Libby Cudmore

NOTE: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as, describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ shares her thoughts about what she’s read. In her opinion…

   Libby Cudmore as Valerie and  Jay Karnes  as Martin did a good job of alternating the narration of the book. Although I didn’t appreciate the lgbtq under-current of the story, I liked the detective aspect and the numerous references to bands and their music.

Featured snippet from the web

Libby Cudmore worked in video stores, bookstores and temp agencies before settling down in Upstate New York to write. The Big Rewind is her first novel, and her short stories have appeared in PANK, The Stoneslide Corrective, The Big Click, Big Lucks, the HANZAI JAPAN anthology and others.Feb 2, 2016

She is the author of Negative Girl (Datura 2024) and The Big Rewind (William Morrow 2016) as well as the Wade & Jacks P.I. series in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine and Tough.Her short fiction has appeared in The Dark, Smokelong Quarterly, Monkeybicycle, Shotgun Honey, Stone’s Throw and HAD, as well as the anthologies Mixed Up, Welcome Home, Hanzai Japan, A Beast Without a Name and Lawyers, Guns & Money: Crime Fiction Inspired By the Music of Warren Zevon (co-edited with Art Taylor).She is the 2018 recipient of the Oregon Writer’s Colony prize, the 2023 Shamus award for best P.I short story, and the 2023 Black Orchid Novella award.

She is the current co-host of the OST Party and Misbehavin’ podcasts and the former co-host of The Shattered Shield podcast, and teaches short fiction through The Writer’s Circle.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Negative girl DB127875

Author: Cudmore, Libby

Reading Time: 7 hours, 10 minutes

Production: National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Library of Congress

Read by: Karnes, Jay

Subjects: Mystery and Detective Stories, Suspense Fiction

“Martin Wade lived hard in his youth, but unlike many of his former bandmates and roadie friends, he didn’t die young. Instead he hit the recovery path, cleaned up his life, and became a private investigator in a dying city in upstate New York. When his heavily tattooed and scarred assistant Valerie sets up an appointment with a young woman who needs help keeping her biological father away from her, none of the three realize that the father is Martin’s old bandmate, still using, and on a destructive path that will soon be headed straight for Martin’s clean life. As Martin struggles, Valerie becomes increasingly obsessed with their new client’s life.”– Provided by publisher. Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

London : Penguin Random House, 2024.

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Kate’s 2¢: “An Amish reunion four stories” by Clipston, Wiseman, Fuller, and Irvin

“An Amish reunion four stories” by Clipston, Wiseman, Fuller, and Irvin

NOTE: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as, describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ shares her thoughts about what she’s read. In her opinion…

   Lauren Berst did a good job of reading these lovely tales about Amish life, loves, and tribulations.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

An Amish reunion: four stories DB117611

Authors: Clipston, Amy, Wiseman, Beth, Fuller, Kathleen, Irvin, Kelly

Reading Time: 9 hours, 0 minutes

Production: National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Library of Congress

Read by: Lauren Berst

Subjects: Religious Fiction, Romance

Downloaded: 02/20/2026

“From bestselling authors in the Amish genre come four stories about reuniting with those you love. Their True Home by Amy Clipston: When Marlene Bawell moved from Bird-in-Hand ten years ago, she was in the deepest of mourning for her mother. Now they have moved back so her father can seek employment after being laid off. To help save money, Marlene works at the hardware store owned by Rudy Swarey’s father. She knew Rudy growing up and didn’t think much of him—because he was so immature! But just as she starts to realize how much Rudy has changed, her life is once again turned upside down. Will Marlene ever have a chance to find her own true home? A Reunion of Hearts by Beth Wiseman: Elizabeth and Gideon Beiler experienced one of life’s most tragic events. Unable to get past their grief, the couple abandoned their Amish faith and went in different directions, though neither could bear to formally dissolve the marriage. When their loved ones reach out to them to come home for a family reunion, Elizabeth has reason to believe that Gideon won’t be there. Gideon also thinks that Elizabeth has declined the invitation. Family and friends are rooting for them to reunite, but will it all be enough for Elizabeth and Gideon to get past their grief and recapture a time when they were in love and had a bright future ahead of them? A Chance to Remember by Kathleen Fuller: Cevilla Schlabach, Birch Creek’s resident octogenarian matchmaker, is surprised when Richard, a man from her Englisch past, arrives in Birch Creek for a visit. While he and Cevilla take several walks down memory lane, they wonder what the future holds for them at this stage of life—friendship, or the possibility of something else? Mended Hearts by Kelly Irvin: At eighteen Hannah Kauffman made a terrible mistake. Her parents and members of her Jamesport Amish community say they’ve forgiven her. But she feels their eyes following her everywhere she goes with eighteen-month-old Molly. Thaddeus, Molly’s father, escaped this fate by running away to Jamesport. Now that Thaddeus is gone, Hannah’s old friend Phillip is stepping up to be by her side. He has waited patiently for Hannah to realize just how much he cares for her. But when Thaddeus returns after two years, Hannah can’t deny the love she feels for him. Does the fact that Phillip has waited patiently for her all this time mean that she owes him something? Can she trust either one of them? Can she trust herself? She has repented and been forgiven by the One who is most important—her heavenly Father. But is she willing to risk making more mistakes by opening herself up to love?” — Provided by publisher. Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

[Grand Rapids, Michigan] : Zondervan, [2019]

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Kate’s 2¢: “Eggshells” by Caitriona Lally

“Eggshells” by Caitriona Lally

NOTE: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as, describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ shares her thoughts about what she’s read. In her opinion…

   Alana Kerr Collins did a good job reading this unusual story based on Irish culture. In among the weirdness are some very funny comments or observations.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Caitríona Lally is an Irish writer. She has published two novels: Eggshells (2017) and Wunderland (2021).[1] In 2018 she was awarded the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature.[2]

Biography[edit]

Lally studied English literature at Trinity College Dublin.[3] After graduating in 2004, she taught English in Japan and spent time travelling abroad. She then worked as a copywriter, and as a home aide in New York.

Lally began work on her first novel Eggshells in 2011, during a period of unemployment.[4] Eggshells tells the story of Vivian, an enchanting outsider who believes herself to be a changeling[5] and roams the streets of Dublin in search of belonging. The book explores ideas of home and the meaning of society. Lally worked on Eggshells while working a job in data entry. She entered the manuscript into the 2014 Novel Fair Competition held by the Irish Writers Centre in Dublin,[6] and won the chance to pitch it to agents and publishers. The opportunity secured her an agent and a book deal, and the novel was published in 2015.[4] Eggshells was shortlisted for the Newcomer Award at the 2015 Irish Book Awards and the Kate O’Brien Debut Novel Award. In 2015, Lally received a Literature Bursary from the Arts Council, which enabled her to start research for her second novel.[7]

She performed a spoken word piece in the 2016 Dublin Port project Starboard Home.[8]

Wunderland was published in September 2021. It follows Roy, exiled from Ireland to Hamburg, where he works as a cleaner at an exhibition of miniatures. On writing the novel, Lally said, “Writing Wunderland was a chance for me to indulge my obsessions with trains and all things miniature, and to explore two characters coming at life from very different perspectives.”[1]

Lally and her husband, who works for the Irish government, live in Dublin with their family.[9] Alongside her writing, Lally works as a cleaner at Trinity College Dublin.[10]

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Eggshells DB113135

Author: Lally, Caitriona

Reading Time: 7 hours, 37 minutes

Production: National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Library of Congress

Read by: Alana Kerr Collins

Subjects: Humor and Humorous Fiction, Psychological Fiction

“Vivian doesn’t feel like she fits in—and never has. As a child, she was so whimsical that her parents told her she was “left by fairies.” Now, she is living alone in Dublin, where the neighbors treat her like she’s crazy, her older sister condescends to her, social workers seem to have registered her as troubled, and she hasn’t a friend in the world. So, she decides it’s time to change her life: She begins by advertising for a friend. Not just any friend. She wants one named Penelope. Meanwhile, she roams the city, mapping out a new neighborhood every day, seeking her escape route to a better world, the other world her parents told her she came from. And then one day someone named Penelope answers her ad for a friend. And from that moment on, Vivian’s life begins to change. Debut author Caitriona Lally offers readers an exhilaratingly fresh take on the Irish love for lyricism, humor, and inventive wordplay in a book that is, in itself, deeply charming, and deeply moving.” — Provided by publisher. Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

Ashland, Or. : Blackstone Audio, ℗2017.

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