From the outset, let me just say this post has nothing to do with the book whose cover is featured here (although it is very well reviewed on Amazon and it’s currently available in the Public Libraries ).

Nope, in the context of High Browse Online, “Book Whisperers” is a new feature by two of our book selectors, codenamed “K. Lock” and “poetrygirl.” And by “book selectors,” we mean these are some of the people responsible for what’s on the shelves in the Public Libraries. (Now, now, hold on to those rotten tomatoes and let me finish.) The truth is our book selectors are probably the best people to share with us the books that are worth our time and attention as readers. What, don’t believe me? Check out their brief biographical notes here and tell me these guys (okay, this guy and this gal) don’t read just a little too much for their own good. But hey, they do it so we don’t have to, right? A little appreciation is in order.

For users of the Public Libraries and readers of the High Browse blog, this also means you now have yet another way to recommend titles that you think should be on our shelves (you may also use this to recommend titles for the Public Libraries). In addition, you may also comment or give feedback on any title you have read that made you happy/angsty/feel like murdering a complete stranger. This will give our book selectors an idea of what library users like or don’t like, and adjust their selections accordingly. However, remember what the Rolling Stones said: you can’t always get what you what, but sometimes, you might get what you need.

So look out for the first Book Whisperers post by K. Lock sometime this week.