165 years ago, on January 24, 1848, gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill setting off the California Gold Rush. People began flocking to the state later that year, but the majority didn't arrive until the next year — hence the term "forty-niners." All told, the news drew some 300,000 people from all over the world (Latin America, Europe, Australia and China) between the years 1849 and 1855, to seek their fortune in California.

The age of gold: the California Gold Rush and the new American dream by H.W. Brands

The California Gold Rush and the coming of the Civil War by Leonard L. Richards

Days of gold: the California Gold Rush and the American nation by Malcolm J. Rohrbough

Our favorite reads this year from the Adult and Children/Tweens/Teens Librarians:

The age of miracles: a novel by Karen Thompson Walker

The art forger: a novel by B.A. Shapiro

The dog stars by Peter Heller

Before I go to sleep: a novel by S.J. Watson

City of thieves: a novel by David Benioff

Every day by David Levithan

Have you missed these recent additions to some of your favorite series?

A whispering of spies by Rosemary Rowe

Dead man's tunnel by Sheldon Russell

Driven by James Sallis

Father unknown by Fay Sampson

Counterfeit road: a Ben Raveneau thriller by Kirk Russel

A devil is waiting [large print] by Jack Higgins

Hidden summit [large print] by Robyn Carr

Joanne Fluke's Lake Eden cookbook: [large print] Hannah Swensen's recipes from the cookie jar by Joanne Fluke

The sisters [large print] by Nancy Jensen

War of the worldviews [Large print]: science vs. spirituality by Deepak Chopra, Leonard Mlodinow

San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge turns 75 on May 27. On that day in 1937 over 200,000 people crossed the bridge on foot and roller skates. The bridge links the City of San Francisco with Marin County. Singer Tony Bennett immortalized the Golden Gate Bridge in the song "(I Left My Heart) In San Francisco". Construction on the bridge began on January 5, 1933 and ultimately cost $35million. Take a virtual walk across the bridge, read about the history of this world famous bridge, or watch the Golden Gate Bridge being constructed.

Golden Gate Bridge [videodisc] by a Ben Loeterman Productions, Inc. film

The bridge [videodisc] by executive producers Alison Palmer Bourke & Evan Shapiro; produced and directed by Eric Steel

The Golden Gate Bridge by James Barter

The language of flowers: a novel by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

Winterdance: the fine madness of running the Iditarod by Gary Paulsen

My name is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveira

1984: a novel by George Orwell ; with an afterword by Erich Fromm

The alchemist by Paulo Coelho ; translated by Alan R. Clarke

The International Thriller Writers (ITW) has announced the nominees for its 2011 Thriller Awards. Winners will be announced during ThrillerFest VI, to be held at New York City’s Grand Hyatt Hotel from July 6 to 9. For a complete list of the nominations go to ITW's website.

Best Hardcover Novel

The reversal: a novel by Michael Connelly

Edge: a novel by Jeffery Deaver

The burying place by Brian Freeman

Skin by Mo Hayder

Bad blood by John Sandford

Note: Tickets for this event are sold out as of Thursday, April 7, 2011.

Everyone's Reading author, Michael Connelly will talk about his life and experience writing The Lincoln Lawyer, part of the Mickey Haller series. Mr. Connelly will speak on Thursday, April 14 at 2:00PM at The Community House in Birmingham and at 7:30PM at The Jewish Community Center in West Bloomfield. Tickets are free and available to Canton Public Library cardholders at the library's Adult Reference Desk.

Copies of The Lincoln Lawyer will be available for purchase and signing, courtesy of the Book Beat bookstore.

If you like mysteries where all of the main characters are stuck in some kind of confined environment (a large, scary, old house) trying to solve some kind of crime or love the Agatha Christie novels when Poirot dramatically explains the crime's solution at the end of his books to the group of suspects, should enjoy these authors/characters:

Margery Allingham's Albert Campion 

Carolyn Hart's Henrie O'

M. C. Beaton's Agatha Raisin 

Ngaio Marsh's Inspector Alleyn 

Susan Kandel's Cece Caruso

Alexander McCall Smith's No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

David Roberts' Verity Browne & Lord Edward Corinth