Read It and Reap: Pandemic spurs thirst for books By Ann Connery Frantz With a scarce supply of compliments for 2020, one can at least enjoy that book sales increased. People haven’t stopped reading, buying and borrowing books. Stores and libraries have kept up through online innovation and special services for readers. In Lancaster, for example, library borrowers agree to pick their selection up on the front porch at a certain time. Read, a library-friendly website, recommends reserving these coming releases, so you can get to the top of the request list: George Saunders’ “A Swim in a Pond in the Rain,” about reading and writing of stories; “Beginners: The Joy and Transformative Power of Lifelong Learning” by Tom Vanderbilt; “The Children’s Blizzard,” by Melanie Benjamin (“The Aviator’s Wife”) is a historical novel that deals with courage during a devastating blizzard in the Great Plains during 1888; “The Charmed Wife” by Olga Grushin, is a creative dark Cinderella comedy praised by author Gregory Maguire; “The Liar’s Dictionary,” a comic novel – and a thriller – about a dictionary is by Eley Williams and it has received a lot of attention for its hilarity, within a mystery/love story combo; Alexi Pappas, an Olympic runner, actress and filmmaker, shares her life lessons in self-confidence, mental health and achieving dreams in “Bravey.”