Library Blog

"Long Train Running"

noreply@blogger.com (MM) — Thu, 24 May 2012 18:22:29 PDT

May 10th marked the 143rd anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad. The Central Pacific Railroad heading east from San Francisco and the Union Pacific heading west from Omaha, Nebraska met at Promontory Summit, Utah in 1869. A ceremony was held marking the joining of east and west by the driving of a golden spike into the last railroad tie.

Author Richard White has written a Los Angeles Times Book Prize winner (and a Pulitzer nominee) work about the transcontinental railroad - its social, economic and political impact on America - called “Railroaded: the transcontinentals and the making of modern America”. White looks past the "triumph of progress" to examine the negative impact of the railroads on everyone (except the few who managed to get rich in spite of their incompetence and illegal acts). - the displaced Native Americans and the destruction of their way of life, the relations between management and labor with the recruitment of Chinese workers, wholesale political graft and corruption, environmental degradation, and finally, financial collapse resulting in the Panic of 1893. White draws parallels between the railroad magnates of the 19th century and the Wall Street bankers of the present times running highly leveraged businesses which contributed to their eventual collapse and causing an ensuing depression.

While some of White's conclusions may be controversial, White's sardonic descriptions are entertaining. Of John C. Fremont, "Fremont, in railroads as in many things, was a man not to be trusted." Or when describing a railroad, "For hubris, grandiosity, and repeated failure, few corporations could surpass the Northern Pacific".

To read a blog written by Richard White about the 1901 Frank Norris classic, The Octopus, see the Library of America website.

Share Your Photos with the Library

noreply@blogger.com (MM) — Thu, 24 May 2012 14:53:19 PDT

Vacation, all I ever wanted …

Vacation, had to get away …

“Vacation” by The Go-Go’s

Do you know that you can apply for a passport at the Buena Park Library? If you need information about the application process, see our webpage for more information. Have you applied for a passport at the Buena Park Library? Then let us know where in the world your passport has taken you … share your travel photo with us! Send your “family friendly” picture to the Library at:

library@buenapark.lib.ca.us
Let us know where you have been (and if we can tag you). We will post your picture to our Facebook page.

And even if you don’t travel to a distant and exotic location … your library card can take you there through the books, DVDs, compacts discs, and audiobooks that you can check out. So take a picture of yourself and your library card and send it to us! We know where your Library card can take you … but we would love to know where you have taken your card!

Book vs. Movie Review: The Hunger Games

noreply@blogger.com (HD) — Fri, 18 May 2012 14:50:59 PDT

The Book: 2008

I jumped on the Hunger Games Bandwagon shortly after the final book was published. At first I was resistant to the hype because I've been burned before (I'm looking at you, Twilight) but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I love science fiction, and this book is science fiction that manages to be highly accessible - no spaceships or aliens, simply a fascinating dark vision of a future American society, adventure, action, and characters that immediately draw you in.

This story reminded me of other literature that I have loved and that's definitely not a bad thing. There's a little bit of Shirley Jackson's short story The Lottery, and definitely some Lord of the Flies. There are many parallels with Battle Royale of course, and all with a modern twist that seems the logical development of our culture's obsession with reality TV.

Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale also comes to mind. It tells the story of a woman forced into a subservient and degrading life in a future America which, like the Hunger Games' Panem, is the result of a mysterious but violent social upheaval. In this case, the social order is built on religious oppression, whereas in the Hunger Games, society has become a rigidly stratified class system with a dramatically unequal distribution of wealth. Atwood's heroine can remember a life before the current regime, and there are hints as to the existence of an outside world. In the Hunger Games, Panem has been in existence for generations, and our heroine, Katniss, has never known any other way of life. However, this does not stop her from fighting the system, and her struggle makes for great reading.

I give the book 5 out of 5 Mockingjays!

The Movie: 2012

I could talk about how elements of the story are always lost in translation and the difficulty in communicating a character's inner turmoil etc, but I'll just skip it and admit that this is not how I pictured any of the main characters. I remember agonizing over casting announcements during pre-production, analyzing photo releases, trying to picture how the different actors would would embody their roles based on their performances in past movies. In short, I went a little overboard with worry. But the final product far exceeded my expectations, both as a book adaptation and as a sci-fi adventure film. I absolutely loved it.

The Pros:
1) The movie takes its time telling the story. It does not rush through to the violent payoff of the games or give that part of the story more screen time than the less action-packed but no less entertaining character development and political maneuvering that leads up to it.

2) The actors! They all give excellent performances. Whenever I reread the book (which I undoubtedly will), I will be picturing these people and hearing their voices.

3) The movie is beautiful. The cinematography, special effects, makeup and costumes are fantastic. The contrast between the muted, washed out colors of poverty stricken district 12, the intense greens of the forest just outside the electrified fence surrounding the district, and the elaborate garishness of the Capitol and its residents all serve to convey the rigidly enforced class distinctions in Panem, as well as the harsh limitations faced by those who are not lucky enough to be among the upper class.

These two are probably not next-door neighbors

In the Capitol, beard wears YOU

The Cons:

1) The movie really does take its time. At 2 hrs 22 min, it is not exactly breaking any records for length, but if your personal limit for sitting in a theater seat is around 90 min, this movie will test your fortitude.

2) The actors! They are so attractive and well groomed. Certainly none of the main 3 look as if they are barely scraping by (hush now, fangirls - I know Peeta's family is supposed to be comparatively well off) and even Haymitch, the bitter, drunken, slovenly former champion is just a a quick hair-brushing away from being totally presentable.

From the District 12 Fall Catalog

"And that's when I swore off conditioner forever"

3) The franchising. It really doesn't have anything to do the movie itself, but I'm just not sure how I feel about this... Ok, maybe jealous that I didn't think of it first?

This is an actual thing

I give the movie 6 out of 5 Mockingjays!! (Hey, it's my review, I can do what I want!)

English Conversation Club

noreply@blogger.com (Gotham Girl) — Fri, 11 May 2012 15:51:32 PDT

Here is a photo of the English Conversation Club that meets here on Thursday evenings from 6 to 7:30. It is held on the 2nd floor in the Bookstore. If you would like to improve your English, enjoy lively discussions and learn about American culture. Please join the group here at the Buena Park Library District.

Why Yes, This Is Relevant to My Interests

noreply@blogger.com (HD) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:42:35 PDT

Well, it's Tuesday - and Tuesday has basically become our Monday here at the library - so, to shake off the Monday (Tuesday) blues, here's some fun stuff to look at...

Did you know yesterday was William Shakespeare's birthday (sort of )?

Check out (ha!) these amazing bookmobiles from around the world.

Ever dreamed of being the hero or heroine of your favorite classic book? Well, now your dream can come true!

Get some truly horrific dating advice from H.P. Lovecraft.

In case you were wondering, George R.R. Martin is not a fan of your Game of Thrones fan-fiction.

But then again, you probably shouldn't let that discourage you - you might be working on a future masterpiece that the world just isn't ready for yet!

Happy Tuesday!

Buena Park Reads: Book Discussion on Unbroken

noreply@blogger.com (PN) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 09:45:01 PDT

As part of the month long Buena Park Reads event, the Buena Park Library will be having a discussion on the book Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand on Thursday, April 26^th at 1:00 p.m. Buena Park Reads is a month long event in which the city has been reading Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, the story of the courageous life of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic athlete and World War II POW.

Unbroken is the story of Torrance, California native Louis Zamperini, an Army Air Forces bomber during World War II, whose plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean while on a rescue mission. Join us for an uplifting discussion of this story of courage, determination, survival, perseverance, and the resilience of the human spirit.

Happy Birthday John Muir

noreply@blogger.com (MM) — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 00:01:03 PDT

Born on April 21, 1838 in Dunbar, Scotland, John Muir was one of America’s most famous naturalists and conservationists. He explored and wrote about California’s Sierra mountain range and his adventures in Alaska. His writings stressed the importance of preserving the natural heritage of the country and contributed to the founding of the National Parks system. In 1892, he and other supporters, founded the Sierra Club. For more information about the man, see the John Muir Exhibit at the Sierra Club website.

The Buena Park Library owns the 100th anniversary illustrated edition of “My First Summer in the Sierra”. Illustrated with stunning photographs by Scot Miller and sketches by John Muir, it is worth revisiting this classic nature journal. You can check out the book trailer here.

Buena Park Reads: Louis Zamperini Documentary

noreply@blogger.com (PN) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 09:42:00 PDT

As part of the month long Buena Park Reads event, the Buena Park Library will be showing a documentary on the life of Louis Zamperini on Saturday, April 21st at 3:00 p.m. Buena Park Reads is a month long event in which the city has been reading Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, the story of the courageous life of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic athlete and World War II POW.

Louis’ life is a powerful story of survival, perseverance and forgiveness. Join us for this unforgettable and inspirational retelling of Louis Zamperini’s life in film.

A Night to Remember

noreply@blogger.com (MM) — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 00:01:00 PDT

100 years ago, on the evening of April 14, 1912, the Titanic struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic. It sank a few hours later with the loss of over 1500 lives.

To commemorate the anniversary, you could watch James Cameron’s Titanic one more time, in 3-D, or you could check out this newly acquired title:

The Band That Played On: the Extraordinary Story of the 8 Musicians Who Went Down with the Titanic by Steve Turner

When the Titanic collided with the iceberg, the eight members of the band put on their overcoats and played in the ship’s lounge, and later on the deck of the sinking ship, to calm the passengers and lift their spirits. Survivors claim they heard music playing until the very end. Their bravery became an instant legend but until this time, little had been written about the lives of these men. The author presents a portrait of eight unique individuals and takes on the controversy of the last song played by the musicians (was it "Nearer, My God, to Thee" or "Autumn"?)

Buena Park Reads: WWII Veterans Panel

noreply@blogger.com (PN) — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 10:02:00 PDT

As part of the month long Buena Park Reads event, a panel of local World War II veterans will discuss their wartime experiences on Saturday, April 14^th at 3:00 p.m. at the Library. Buena Park Reads is a month long event in which the city has been reading Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, the story of the courageous life of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic athlete and World War II POW. Invited panelists include Wayne Day, Lloyd Kramer, Bob Meyer, Robert Seelye, and Walter Ehlers, the recipient of the United States military’s highest decoration, the Medal of Honor.

Everyone is invited to come and meet these men, ask questions, and honor these local veterans who have served us and their country with bravery and valor.

"Square Foot Gardening" this Saturday

noreply@blogger.com (MM) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 00:01:02 PDT

Right now, citrus trees are in bloom and the air is saturated with their fragrance. However, many gardens aren't much more than a Darwinian adventure in survival of the fittest. A hole is dug somewhere in the backyard. A potted plant or some seeds are stuck in the hole. Water is added on an irregular schedule. Hopefully something edible grows.

In a previous program presented by Robert Shaw, a member and past president of the Orange County Independent Master Gardeners, he demonstrated there was more to successful gardening than sticking something in the ground. On Saturday, April 14, 2012, from 10:00 – 11:00 am, Mr. Shaw will present a program on Square Foot Gardening. Learn what it takes to increase yields in any size space and how to organize and tame the backyard chaos. Hope to see you there!

April Sale in the Volunteer Guild Bookstore

noreply@blogger.com (Buena Park Library District) — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 16:44:11 PDT

ALL HARDBACK FICTION
ON SALE FOR $1.00

Shop early for the best selection!!

Learn How to “Grow a Green Thumb” at the Buena Park Library

noreply@blogger.com (Buena Park Library District) — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 11:22:22 PDT

The Buena Park Library is offering a program on Square Foot Gardening on Saturday, April 14, 2012 from 10 am to 11 am. Join us to learn what it takes to be successful in gardening in any size space. Square Foot Gardening is a simple system that adapts to all levels of experience, physical abilities, and geographical locations. It makes a great family project and all ages can participate - kids love to garden.

The presenter is Robert Shaw, a member and past president of The Orange County Independent Master Gardeners. Master Gardeners receive 50+ hrs of classroom training and volunteer 50+ hrs of hands-on tutoring to be certified.

This program will be in the Board Room on the 2nd floor of the Library. No reservations are required. The program is for all ages and a great opportunity to learn about how to “grow your green thumb”.

The Taxman Cometh

noreply@blogger.com (MM) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 12:00:05 PDT

Let me tell you how it will be

There's one for you, nineteen for me

'Cause I'm the taxman, yeah, I'm the taxman

The Beatles

Are you an individual who lives on the edge ... by waiting to the last minute to file your tax returns? Still need a form? As a service to its patrons, the Library is distributing some of the basic state and federal tax forms. You can pick them up on the first floor … near the Children’s Area. You can print forms out from the Internal Revenue Service website (www.irs.gov) and the website of the California Franchise Tax Board (www.ftb.ca.gov). The Library Staff cannot answer your tax questions (some of us can’t do our own returns!) ... however, contact info from each agency’s website is posted below:

Telephone Assistance for Individuals (IRS)

Toll-Free, 1-800-829-1040

Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. your local time

California Franchise Tax Board

800.338.0505 automated service

800.852.5711 or 916.845.6500 from outside the U.S.
Hours of operation: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, except state holidays

Now power up the calculators and sharpen those pencils … (some of us are still old school)

Buena Park Reads

noreply@blogger.com (PN) — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 06:10:00 PDT

The Library will be holding its second annual Buena Park Reads community wide event during the month of April. This program is designed to get the entire community reading and discussing the same book. This year's selection is Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand. It is the story of Torrance, California native Louis Zamperini, an Army Air Forces bomber during World War II, whose plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean while on a rescue mission. Unbroken is a story of courage, determination, survival, perseverance, and the resilience of the human spirit. Check out a copy of this unforgettable story today and join us on April 14th at 3:00 as a panel of World War II veterans discusses their wartime experiences, a documentary on Louis Zamperini's life on April 21st at 3:00 and a discussion of the book Unbroken on April 26th at 1:00.

Cesar Chavez Day

noreply@blogger.com (HD) — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 11:53:44 PDT

"From the depth of need and despair, people can work together,

can organize themselves to solve their own problems

and fill their own needs with dignity and strength."

Cesar Chavez was a pioneering civil rights activist. He overcame poverty and prejudice to organize the first successful union (United Farm Workers) for America’s farm workers. Chavez fought for fair wages and humane treatment for farm workers in California through nonviolent means such as boycotts, fasts,and marches. Also of concern to Chavez was the health of farm workers as pesticides used in agriculture were not strictly regulated at the time. Chavez went on hunger strikes to protest the use of these chemicals. In 1968, a 25-day hunger strike helped earn better pay and medical benefits for farm workers.

Cesar Chavez Day is celebrated as a state holiday in California, Colorado, and Texas.

Books the library has about Cesar Chavez... BPLD Catalog - Cesar Chavez

State holiday celebration info, curriculum, resources and his biography in many different languages... http://chavez.cde.ca.gov/ModelCurriculum/Intro.aspx

Cesar Chavez Foundation... http://www.chavezfoundation.org/

Do You Believe in Magic?!

noreply@blogger.com (DM) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 19:16:10 PDT

I’m sure you’ve heard by now that Magic Johnson has bought the Los Angeles Dodgers (not to be confused with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim who got Albert Pujols) for a cool 2 billion dollars. Too bad that McCourt guy still owns the surrounding lands of the stadium including the parking lots.

But another baseball tidbit slipped by many people. Today was actually the first official baseball game of the regular season. Yup, the Seattle Mariners duked it out with the Oakland Athletics in Japan and the Mariners won 3 to…ah, who cares about those teams because baseball season is finally here!

The Buena Park Library District has many baseball books to help you get back in the swing of things ranging from famous players to teams to seasons.

Maybe your child, grandchild, or yourself (there’s no late starts in baseball!) are joining a baseball league? The BPLD has many books to help them throw that curveball, steal that base, and become an all-around Babe Ruth on the baseball diamond.

This season should be a doozy, especially for Dodger fans (and Angel fans too, I haven’t forgotten). Reading can only enhance it. And the Buena Park Library District has got it covered!

Tuesdays with Melville

noreply@blogger.com (HD) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 19:15:31 PDT

OK it's not Tuesday. I did plan to put this up next Tuesday but I just couldn't wait the whole weekend. Unless you are reading this on a Tuesday, in which case, happy Tuesday and please enjoy the humor of my post title which at this moment is absolutely making sense to you!

I have Melville shenanigans to report: a few weeks back, an employee had loaded up a cart of supplies he needed for some repair work. Don't ask me why but one of the items on his cart was a big ball of twine. At some point he walked away from his cart and when he returned the ball of twine was gone! Flash forward to this week when the same employee ventured down into the basement machine-room... what should he discover but the all but forgotten ball of twine! So he took a picture...

Do you see it? It's between those paper bags. Yes, it's the same color as the bags, look hard!

Now who would want to steal a ball of twine and hide it in the basement? Perhaps a ghostly cat who likes to hide out there? But there's one more thing. You can't tell from the picture but that ball of twine is really big -- much bigger than the average ball of yarn that a normal sized kitty would be able to bat around.

Melville, are you a mountain lion??

Book vs Movie Review: The Big Sleep

noreply@blogger.com (HD) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 19:17:06 PDT

The Book: 1939

I think it took me this long to get around to reading this book because I have never been a mystery fan. However, after finishing I immediately embarked on a quest to read every single one of Chandler's books, and when I finished that I started on Dashiell Hammett because I suddenly could not get enough of those hard-boiled detectives.

The Big Sleep introduces Philip Marlowe, Chandler's iconic detective. The Thrilling Detective sums him up pretty well: "Philip Marlowe, for better or worse, is the archetypical private eye....He runs a single man operation out of the Cahuenga Building in Los Angeles... he likes liquor, women, reading, chess and working alone... He used to work for the district attorney, but was fired for insubordination, thus starting a cliche that still hasn't run out of steam."

This book has everything you could want from a detective story: double-crossing, family secrets, cover-ups, gangsters, blackmail, femmes fatales, vice, a wise-cracking hero, and a twisting and turning plot. It is, however, definitely not politically correct. The intolerance of the time manifests itself in a certain dismissive attitude towards social minorities. If you can get past that, Marlowe is, in his own gruff way, actually quite the gentleman, especially when compared to Dashiell Hammett's cold and sometimes morally ambiguous "Continental Op" (you should read those books too!).

I give the book 4 out of 5 Dangerous Dames!

The Movie: 1946

I fell in love with the movie long before I ever opened the book, but reading the novel added to my appreciation of the movie. For one, the movie is a good deal more tame than the book. Movie censorship at the time meant that the dialogue had to skirt around some of the grittier aspects of the story. And of course, the romance between Bogart's and Bacall's characters took center stage as the studio attempted to cash in on the popularity of their first film together, "To Have and Have Not". However much this deviates from the book, I'm not complaining. Their chemistry is really something to watch. When they met in 1944 she was 19, he was 44 and married. Bogart divorced his wife in 1945 and he and Bacall were married the same month. Just look at them!

Since the plot is complicated, having read the novel actually helped me get a better grip on what was going on. Even if the intricacies of the story don't quite sink in on the first viewing, the movie bears endless re-watching (at least I think so). Then again, who needs plot when you have so many gorgeous people? Just look at all these smoldering gazes...

I give the movie 4 out of 5 Dangerous Dames!

I just can't decide which one I like better!
Which one would you choose?

Check them both out at the library

Time for Tin Foil Hats?

noreply@blogger.com (MM) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 11:44:51 PST

There have been a number of stories in the news about the recent coronal mass ejections from the sun. (CMEs are bursts of super hot plasma - charged particles - speeding away from the sun at incredible rates of speed). You can take a look at the websites of Popular Science , the Los Angeles Times, and NASA for more information on solar flares and CMEs.

If you would like more information about how solar flares can affect life on this planet, the Buena Park Library has the book by Jeff Kanipe "The Cosmic Connection: how astronomical events impact life on Earth".

We also have some new acquisitions on astronomical topics:

Solar system : a visual exploration of all the planets, moons and other heavenly bodies that orbit our sun by Marcus Chown

The Cambridge guide to the solar system by Kenneth R. Lang

Celestial delights: the best astronomical events through 2020 by Francis Reddy

Reports of the effects of the solar flare washing over the earth this morning have noted minimal effects; however, this might be a candidate for the list of ever popular excuses ... "Why didn't you finish your homework?" "Sorry, coronal mass ejection". Now, where is that aluminum foil?

The Irish in America ... or "Why Corned Beef and Cabbage?"

noreply@blogger.com (MM) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 15:37:25 PST

According to the U.S. Census website there were 34.7 million U.S. residents who claimed Irish ancestry in 2010. This number was more than seven times the population of Ireland. The History Channel website reviews a number of traditions surrounding the St. Patrick's Day holiday. The tradition of eating Corned Beef and Cabbage on St. Patrick’s Day was a purely Irish American invention. In Ireland, the traditional St. Patrick’s Day dinner would consist of boiled cabbage and bacon. However, in late 1800’s America, the cheapest cut of meat was brisket and brining the meat would preserve it. The poor Irish immigrants would serve this at their dinner.

[Looking for some authentic Irish recipes? Try Irish Cooking by Biddy White Lennon and Georgina Campbell Call Number 641.5941 LEN]

Infoplease, the online almanac, has more information on St. Patrick’s Day and all things Irish.

Finally, if you want to "get your green on" the Library has some Irish movies and music you might enjoy!

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

noreply@blogger.com (HD) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 19:48:33 PST

March 2nd is Dr. Seuss' 108th birthday!

It's no coincidence that this day was chosen for the premiere of the movie adaptation of his beloved book, The Lorax. And it's no wonder that The Lorax is the showcase book for this year's Read Across America Day.

Check out these heartwarming and inspiring quotes from the man himself at Thinkexist.

Flavorwire has an entertaining article highlighting iconic Seuss characters and ranking them from best to worst.

And did you know there is a Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden in Springfield, Massachusetts? Well now you do and you can plan your next family vacation accordingly!

Attention All Artists

noreply@blogger.com (Buena Park Library District) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 12:11:38 PST

The Volunteer Guild Bookstore at the Buena Park Library is having a special sale during the month of March. ALL Art books will be 20% off!!! Shop early for the best selection.

Discover Your Inner Poet at the Poetry Writing Workshop

noreply@blogger.com (HD) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 16:32:05 PST

A member of the Buena Park Library's Poetry Writing Workshop describes her experience and explains why you should join...

In five minutes you could do many things: brush and floss your teeth, read a page of a book, or prepare a sandwich, just to name a few. However, for the Poetry Writing Workshop at the Buena Park Library, five minutes means writing an entire poem. Sometimes it's about love, hate, and friendship, and other times, it’s about time. Sometimes it’s about none of those things and about the inspirations of life. It is a challenge to write a poem in such a short amount of time but with the guidance of Juan de Farias (published poet), it becomes an intriguing routine.

In the workshop you can meet interesting people. You may or may not expect to pursue poetry as a life-long passion, but you will come out of every workshop refreshed and revitalized. You see, you don’t have to be a “poet” to write poetry. You can be a person who finds writing poetry a challenge and perhaps, the form of expression which you have been looking for. Or, you can just be a person who needs to get out of the house!

Regardless of why you attend, the Poetry Writing Workshop is more than happy to accommodate you. If you are interested, we encourage you to join us on the first Tuesdays of every month in the Guild Bookstore from 6:00pm – 7:30pm.

The next meeting is on Tuesday, March 6. See you there!

Happy Birthday John Steinbeck!

noreply@blogger.com (DM) — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 10:00:02 PST

Here’s a birthday shout out to John Steinbeck, who was born on February 27, 1902. Steinbeck was a famous American writer widely known for the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, Grapes of Wrath (1939) and the novella Of Mice and Men (1937). Both were transformed into critically acclaimed feature films later on. The Buena Park Library District’s catalog has a wide variety of Steinbeck material here.

And though Steinbeck died on December 20, 1968, his legacy lives on at the National Steinbeck Center and the John Steinbeck exhibit at The California Museum.