Between the lines

Book Review: The Hobbit

noreply@blogger.com (The Information Store) — Wed, 18 Dec 2013 11:28:00 +0000

With the second part of Peter Jackson’s sprawling film adaptation in cinemas, it might surprise you to learn that The Hobbit is relatively short book. Tolkien wrote it before The Lord of the Rings, his most famous work, and, first published in 1937, it is a standalone fantasy novel filled with action, adventure and, most importantly, dragons!

The story is about a hobbit called Bilbo Baggins who just wants to be left alone to his quiet life, but when a group of dwarves and a wizard turn up for an unexpected party and press-gang him into accompanying them on a quest, his world is turned upside down. It is only a matter of time before he tangles with trolls, elves and eventually the great dragon Smaug.

Tolkien’s story is epic but the most compelling aspect of it is Bilbo’s character arc, shifting from bewildered stay-at-home hobbit to thief and adventurer. The dwarves have distinct personalities and you’ll definitely have a favourite! While the book can’t show you the stunning landscapes visually as Jackson’s film trilogy can, Tolkien has a knack for evoking a sense of wonder from the marvellous places the party travel through, from the Elven town Rivendell to mines under a mountain where goblins roam, to Lake-town, a settlement in the shadow of the great Lonely Mountain. There are daring escapes, thrilling chases and tense confrontations. In one of the most memorable sections, Bilbo has a spine-tingling encounter with the now-familiar Gollum and steals a mysterious magic ring. When The Hobbit leapt to publishing success and Tolkien’s publishers requested more from Middle Earth, Tolkien realised that this seemingly minor treasure could become the most important ring in the history of Middle-Earth in the sequel, The Lord of the Rings.

The Lord of the Rings is without doubt Tolkien’s epic masterpiece and the inspiration for the majority of the fantasy genre today, but The Hobbit is an odd little story that appeals to children and adults and tells the story of a reluctant hero who ultimately embraces adventure and does great things.

To quote Bilbo in his later appearance in The Lord of the Rings, 'It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out of your door…You step into the Road, and if you don't keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept off to.”

If you liked The Hobbit…

You’ll enjoy the graphic novel The Hobbit Or There and Back Again by Chuck Dixon (741.5941)

Have a look at the DVD of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the first part of Peter Jackson’s film adaptation (823.91)

Try the sequel that has eclipsed its predecessor, The Lord of the Rings – Tolkien makes Middle Earth even more epic as we find out the truth about that magic ring Bilbo stole from Gollum. Start with The Fellowship of the Ring (823.91)

Defending Middle-Earth: Tolkien, Myth and Modernity by Patrick Curry examines Tolkien’s world building of Middle Earth (823.91

DVD Review: Citizen Kane (1941)

noreply@blogger.com (The Information Store) — Mon, 16 Dec 2013 16:55:00 +0000

It may not be your stereotypical Christmas movie full of dancing elves, fat Santa’s and talking reindeers but there is something about Citizen Kane that always makes me feel festive. Orson Welles co-wrote, produced, directed and starred in this 9 times academy nominated film from 1941 and it despite almost costing Welles his career has gained notoriety in the film world and is often the subject of cinematic debate.

Loosely based on the life of William Randolph Hearst, a prominent figure in the newspaper industry of the time, Welles plays Charles Foster Kane, a wealthy newspaper producer, who is living in seclusion in his huge mansion in Florida. We first meet him on his death bed as he utters the word ‘Rosebud’ in his final breath and drops the snow globe he was clutching in his pale hands. His death becomes global news and a reporter, Jerry Thompson, seeks to decipher the meaning of his final word by talking to those who knew him. He tracks down Kane’s childhood Guardian whose memoirs allow Thompson to learn about Kane’s childhood. He finds out that he grew up in poverty in Colorado. Through a series of flashbacks we learn that the boarding house run by his parents was sitting on top of the world’s third largest goldmine. He was forced to leave his Mother and ended up in the care of Walter Parks Thatcher, his new legal Guardian. At the age of 25, Kane gained full legal access to all of his possessions and enters the newspaper with his seemingly attractive journalistic style of writing which was void of all fact and knowledge and used bold headlines to sell papers. He took over the company, The New York Inquirer, and his rise to power is documented. He marries a President’s niece and runs for the office of Governor of New York State. The next few years see his marriage disintegrate, his chance at office disappear and the wonders of his life ripped away from him. His last few years were spent in isolation in his Floridian home and his staff recall a time he had previously uttered the word ‘Rosebud’ shortly after his first wife had left him.

At the end of the film it is revealed to the audience what ‘Rosebud’ really means, Thompson couldn’t decipher the meaning of the word and it is us and Kane who know exactly what it refers to. This reveal has since been called ‘the greatest secret in cinema’ by renowned film critic David Thomson. Welles was never particularly keen on the concept of using ‘Rosebud’ as a thematic device for mystery and said in an interview “we did everything we could to take the mickey out of it”. William Randolph Hearst reportedly banned the film from being advertised in any of his newspapers and offered distribution company RKO Films over $800’000 to destroy all known prints and negatives of the film. Despite Hearst’s efforts the film was fairly profitable and was the 6^th most successful film that year, however it is considered to be Welles’ worst work as it almost cost him his career due to the backlash from Hearst.

I can’t tell you why exactly this film reminds me of Christmas because that will ruin it for you, so you will just have to borrow it and see for yourselves! Nothing like a bit of Christmas mystery.

If a black and white film documenting the life and death of a successful newspaper magnate isn’t your idea of a festive favourite, we have plenty of others in the DVD ZONE to choose from, including ELF, MIRACLE ON 34^th STREET and THE MUPPETS CHRISTMAS CAROL.

Have a great Christmas!

Further Reading in the Information Store

Citizen Kane by Orson Welles – DVD ZONE – Shelved at 791.43

Citizen Kane by Dan Williams – BOOK ZONE – Shelved at 791.4372

Orson Welles: A Biography by Barbara Leaming – BOOK ZONE – Shelved at 791.430233092

Information Store Christmas opening hours

noreply@blogger.com (The Information Store) — Mon, 09 Dec 2013 15:27:00 +0000

Christmas opening hours:

This week:
Both sites will be open as usual Monday to Friday. NB We will be closed this Saturday.

Next week (16th - 20th Dec):
We will be open at both sites 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. NB Norfolk House will be open.

Christmas week:
We will be open 23rd and 24th December, 9am to 5pm at the main campus only.

New Year week:
We will be open on 2nd January at 10:30am, closing at 5pm (main campus only).
We will be open on 3rd January from 9am to 5pm (main campus only).

Saturdays:
NB We will be closed Sat 14th, Sat 21st, Sat 28th December and Sat 4th January.

Back to normal hours on both sites on Monday 6th January.

Please check Blackboard regularly for any changes over the Christmas period, including for any snow updates!

Have a wonderful holiday from everyone in the Information Store.

New and LONGER opening hours at Norfolk House Library

noreply@blogger.com (The Information Store) — Mon, 09 Dec 2013 15:23:00 +0000

As of today we are now open longer hours in the Library @ Norfolk House

Monday - 8:30am to 6:30pm
Tuesday - 8:30 am to 6:30pm
Wednesday - 8:30am to 6:30pm
Thursday - 8:30am to 6:30pm
Friday - 8:30am to 5pm

Saturday - closed (but we are open 9:15am to 1pm at the main campus)

The Life of Nelson Mandela

noreply@blogger.com (The Information Store) — Fri, 06 Dec 2013 10:57:00 +0000

Today the world mourns the loss of South Africa's most famous and influential leader, Nelson Mandela. Some people may be reading the headlines this morning, aware of the name but not of the life this amazing man had, so here is a quick run down of Nelson Mandela and why South Africa are grieving for his death.

Nelson Mandela was born on the 18^th July 1918 in Umtatu, South Africa. He was known by most by his clan name of Madiba and it wasn't until he attended school that his teacher gave him the English name of Nelson, this was a common tradition in South African education and one, Mandela says, was due to British bias on their education system at the time. He received an excellent education up until he was expelled from Fort Hare University for leading a strike against university authorities and so his rebellious streak began to appear.

Young Nelson Mandela

He completed his degree in Law, became very interested in politics and joined the African National Congress. In 1944, Mandela married his first wife Evelyn and in 1946, they had their first son, Thembekile. In 1948 the National Party won the general election and began building the apartheid which involved enforcing racial segregation in all aspects of life, separating white people and black people by law. Mandela, outraged by the apartheid led strikes against the regime, most famously the Defiance Campaign which in 1952 saw him publicly burn the pass he was legally obliged to carry as a black male. During this time he divorced Evelyn and married another woman called Winnie with whom he had two children.

In 1960, police killed 69 demonstrators protesting after the banning of the ANC party, this was known as the Sharpeville Massacre. Mandela organised a bombing campaign which involved planting bombs under an abandoned Government building. There was never any intention to kill anyone, but one fatality came when a bomb exploded too early in the hands of a young activist. Following an uproar from the bombing he left South Africa in 1961 and upon his return a year later he was imprisoned for leaving the country illegally. He was then trialled for acts of sabotage, violence and treason. He said he had dedicated his life to the struggles of the African people and told of his ideal situation in that white people and black people could live together, harmoniously once more. He added that he was prepared to die for this ideal. He was sentence to life imprisonment.

Nelson revisits his prison cell

He was imprisoned in a small cell and spent most of his time doing mundane chores such as breaking rocks or sewing. While in prison his eldest son, Thembekile died in a car accident and his mother also died. His wife, Winnie, was jailed by the apartheid regime and spent thirteen months in solitary confinement. These three tragic events almost broke Mandela and he wrote how he had no words to describe the sorrow he was feeling. He started gaining access to books while in prison and studied the work of Shakespeare and Churchill and learned about the Afrikaans. He demanded respect from the prison guards and became highly regarded amongst the other prisoners. In 1970 he secretly began writing his autobiography and smuggled the pages out of the prison. In 1982 he was moved to a different prison and his conditions became better as he was allowed access to more books. His status amongst followers of the ANC party reached a unique level and members of the apartheid regime began negotiating with him.

In the 1980's the Anti-Apartheid movement was formed in London in response to the Sharpeville Massacre. It was during this time that the world became aware of the situation in South Africa and the imprisonment of Mandela. It was the eventual demise of the Cold War that began to encourage the apartheid regime to negotiating their political stance. The current South African President P. W Botha suffered a mild stroke and the country was taken over by F.W Klerk who upon his appointment as President announced that the regime was to be abolished and all political prisoners were to be freed, including Nelson Mandela.

The 'Walk to Freedom' Nelson and Winnie

In 1990, at 71 years old and after 27 years in prison, Mandela walked free, hand in hand with his wife Winnie. The countries hopes of the prevention of a civil war rested upon his shoulders. He made a speech, to 50’000 people showing his support for both the black and white communities, unifying them the way he had envisioned the world would be able to do. Between 1990 and 1994, South Africa was torn apart by various political parties coming to blows, including the ANC party and in 1992, 45 people were massacred and hacked to death by security forces. Mandela blamed Klerk for turning a blind eye on what had happened and his relationship with Klerk became increasingly tense.

In 1993, Chris Ani an ANC leader was murdered and the anger in the country was reaching its limit. Mandela went on National television and made a statement used to calm and defuse the anger in the country. A year later, it was decided the first multi-racial election would take place and Mandela was elected as President of South Africa in 1994. He worked at building bridges between African communities, giving White people a new confidence and reconciling the nation.

Rugby in South Africa was associated with the apartheid movement, as all players had to be white. During the 1995 Rugby World Cup, Mandela made his most celebrated political gesture by cheering on the predominantly white South African team. While dressed in the same coloured clothes as the South African team he shook the hands of each player with 63’000 supporters chanting his name.

Nelson Mandela and The Queen 1995

Mandela broke South Africa’s era of isolation and travelled the world. The Queen visited Mandela in 1994 and he, in turn visited her in 1995. In 1997 he handed over his leadership to Thabo Mbeki as he had always made it clear he would only serve one term. He retired in 1999.

He came over to London in 2008 for his 90^th birthday, despite his various health problems and his last public appearance was at the South African World Cup in 2010. He retired to his home in the suburbs of Johannesburg where he died, peacefully, surrounded by his family and friends on December 5^th 2013.

Nelson Mandela at the 2010 World Cup

Further Reading in the Information Store:

This World: Mandela at 90 - DVD - Shelved in the Book Zone at 320.968

Nelson Mandela by Colleen Degnan-Veness - 428.64

South Africa 1948 - 2000: the Rise and Fall of the Apartheid by Martin Roberts - 968.056

History of South Africa by Leonard Thompson - 968

DVD Review: Black Swan (2010)

noreply@blogger.com (The Information Store) — Tue, 03 Dec 2013 09:45:00 +0000

The theme in the Information Store for the last couple of weeks has been around looking great and feeling great, so the DVD review for this week is Black Swan a psychological thriller/horror addressing the themes of deteriorating mental and physical health. Directed by Darren Aranofsky and starring Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis, this film will be sure to raise even the most reluctant hairs on the back of your neck.

Nina (Portman) is a professional ballet dancer who is desperate to be cast as the White Swan in her dance group’s latest production of Swan Lake. She is the perfect ballerina. She’s disciplined, elegant, pure and beautiful and encompasses everything the White Swan represents. Her problem is portraying the White Swan’s darker counterpart – the Black Swan. Her innocence and purity makes it impossible for her to unlock her inner darkness so she can ‘become’ the Black Swan. She lives and breathes ballet and the production’s director, Thomas (Vincent Cassell), refuses to give her the role of the Swan if she cannot become the White and Black Swan equally. Lily (Kunis) is a new ballerina and she is everything Nina is not. She is dark, edgy and dangerous as well as an outstanding ballerina and her jealousy and rivalry becomes more intensified as she loses grip on reality and slips into the darkness she so desperately desires.

Natalie Portman as Nina

As well as having a captivating story, Black Swan uses various thematic devices to evoke fear in the audience, Aranofsky’s use of mirrors is especially interesting as he uses this to portray the war Nina is having with her own personality. Her body and mind starts dissolving and descending into madness as obsession and desire overtakes everything else. As she welcomes the darkness into her life, it quickly takes hold of her soul, wrapping her in the blackened wings of the swan she is so desperate to become.

The music, choreography and skill of the performance itself is breath taking and will have you firmly glued to your seat, it’s as intense as it is terrifying and the performances from Portman, Kunis and Cassell exceeds the brilliance of the direction.

Not for the faint hearted but perfect for those who fancy something a bit different and a bit challenging.

Black Swan is shelved in the DVD ZONE at 791.43 B

Top 5 Books for Feeling Great!

noreply@blogger.com (The Information Store) — Mon, 02 Dec 2013 14:52:00 +0000

In the Information Store this week we are displaying 'Feel Good Books' a display of resources designed to equip with the best knowledge we can offer on how to secure healthy emotional wellbeing.

Food for Fitness by Anita Bean

This book provides a plethora of information on the best foods to eat while trying to get fit. There are useful chapters on how to replace certain foods and still maintaining a balanced diet as well as information on the best foods to eat for certain kinds of exercise. There are also some excellent recipes to try at home!

Shelved at 613.2 BEA

Get up and do it! by B & J Colclough

This excellent self help books will help you achieve your goals by following some simple steps. It covers motivation, beliving in yourself, making plans and overcoming difficulties. It also addresses how to stay focussed and how to finish and achieve your goals.

Shelved at 361.06 COL

The Massage Manual by Fiona Harrold
This book provides step by step techniques for complete body treatment. The introductory chapters provide useful tips on preparations for massage including information on oils as well as covering the basi strokes. The rest of the book focuses on different areas of the body providing easy to follow images for safe massage practice.
Shelved at: 615.822HAR

So You Think You're Mad? by Paul Hewitt
This book breaks down the steps to mental health in an honest, practical and easy to follow way. It then offers a review of the seven steps as they are all completed. He addresses recognising and identifying the problem, accepting the problem, tolerating and overcoming the problem as well as information on self esteem and motivation.
Shelved at 362.2HEW

Girls' Guide to Feeling Fabulous by Barbara Sheen
This book coveres everything from healthy eating and fitness to setting and achieving realistic goals. It also provides useful information on sleep and the female body. With excellent factfiles, checklists and quizzes to help you learn, the colourful and informative book provides girls with all the information they need for healthy living.
Shelved at 613.0424SHE

Further Reading in the Information Store:

Check out our display of Feel Good Books by the Information Store issue desk. There are books on stress, happiness, yoga, fitness, healthy eating, feeling happy, anxiety, love and massages as well as a few sneaky DVD's to make you laugh!

On this Day: The Assassination of John F. Kennedy

noreply@blogger.com (The Information Store) — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 11:54:00 +0000

On this day, November 22^nd 1963, President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. He was shot three times; once in the neck, once in the back and the fatal shot was to his head. He was on his way to resolving some conflicts in the Democratic party and while riding in the Presidential limousine he was murdered. The suspected assassin, Lee Harvey Oswold, was originally arrested for killing a local police office on the same day as the Kennedy assassination. Detectives concluded that he was the lone assassin and arrested him for the crime. However, before he could be trialed and charged he was murdered by Jack Ruby two days after the Kennedy assassination. This has led many people to believe that the assassination of John F Kennedy is part of massive conspiracy as Oswold denied killing anyone and an actual trial never occurred.

During JFK’s Presidency, some of the world most historic events occurred, including the Cuban Missile Crisis, the initiation of the Apollo programme, the early stages of the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Movement and the construction of the Berlin Wall. He served in the US Army between 1941 and 1945 as a Lieutenant and was on active duty through the Second World War. Upon his election as President in 1961, he was the youngest man to ever preside over the United Sates. He preceded President Dwight Eisenhower and was succeeded by President Lyndon B Johnson.

The conspiracy surrounding the assassination of JFK stems from the inconsistencies in the case against Lee Harvey Oswold as the gunman. However, in a recent poll by Fox News, 66% of Americans believe there was a conspiracy to murder President Kennedy, while 74% believe it be a cover up. The main conspiracy being that there were two gunmen. Some conspiracy theorists and dedicated researchers of the case write how witnesses to the murder were threatened by FBI agents not to reveal what they had observed on the day, one such witness a colleague of Oswold’s at the Texas Book Repository. According to further investigations, many of the witnesses of the crime conveniently died shortly after the threats from the FBI and, according to some theorists, were murdered to prevent them uncovering what they knew about the crime.

USA Today cites 6 different conspiracy theories which point to specific organisations or individuals as being behind the murder. They include the CIA, the Mafia and the Soviets as well as Vice President Lyndon Johnson and as mentioned above the two shooters theory. Some more far out conspiracies include aliens and a mysterious man with an umbrella, although these have largely been debunked.

There are many theories associated with the JFK assassination and whether or not Lee Harvey Oswold was solely responsible will remain a complete mystery. Investigation and theories are always bubbling under the surface but the truth may always be kept a secret.

Further Reading in the Information Store

JFK: The Making of a Modern President – Book Zone – Shelved at 973.922

Apollo: Race to the Moon – Book Zone – Shelved at 629.45

The Moon Landing – Book Zone – Shelved at 520

The Vietnam War – Book Zone – Shelved at 959.7043

The Berlin Wall – Book Zone – Shelved at 943.086

The Civil Rights Movement – Book Zone – Shelved at 363

The Information Store's Top 5 Spookfests!

noreply@blogger.com (The Information Store) — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 09:51:00 +0000

Rather than frightening you all with one horror film this year, we thought we would give you FIVE of our spookiest films to chill you to your bones.

Ghostface in Scream

5. SCREAM (1996)

So strictly speaking, Scream is more of the horror spoof genre than an actual horror, but it is still packed with enough jumps, blood and gore to warrant a spot in our list. Scream has one of horror’s greatest opening sequences as a young girl is harassed on the phone by the murderous ‘Ghostface’ who murders her boyfriend and mutilates her in her own back garden. Word gets around the school and young Sydney, a student, is reminded of her awful past and her mother’s brutal murder. However, it becomes clear that Ghostface’s intentions are to bring about a swift end to Sydney’s life as her friends are gut wrenchingly murdered one by one, will she be able to uncover the person beneath the mask?

Starring Neve Campbell, David Arquette & Courtney Cox

Best line: “Movies don't create psychos. Movies make psychos more creative!” – Billy

The Headless Horseman in Sleepy Hollow

4. SLEEPY HOLLOW (1999)
A genuine horror film this time, as creepy as the name suggests and sure enough to raise the hairs on your spine at least once. Ichabod Crane, played by Johnny Depp, is sent to the small village of Sleepy Hollow to investigate three beheadings, the culprit of which is the legendary Headless Horseman who haunts the nearby forest. With the body count rising as the Horseman continues to massacre the village inhabitants, time is running out for Crane, who fears he could be next. With romance, comedy, peril, danger, mystery, magic and horror it’s a Halloween classic!

Starring Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci and Christopher Walken

Best line: “Villainy wears many masks, none of which so dangerous as virtue...” – Ichabod Crane

The Biker Gang of Vampires in The Lost Boys

3. THE LOST BOYS (1987)

Again, like Scream, we have wandered into Comedy/Horror territory with our third place film. However, The Lost Boys is the perfect mixture of genuinely scary and subtly funny. It’s a cult classic about a gang of vampires who terrorise a small town in California. A series of unexplained deaths and strange goings on lead two of the towns newest inhabitants, two brothers to investigate further. One befriends a pair of so-called ‘vampire hunters’ and the other joins a biker gang who sleep all day and party all night…will they manage to uncover the towns gory secret? As scary as it is funny and gruesome enough to turn your stomach, this is the perfect example of how a vampire movie should be.

Starring Corey Haim, Keifer Sutherland and Corey Feldman

Best line: “What, you don't like rice? Tell me Michael, how could a billion Chinese people be wrong?” - David

Stabbing its way into second place:

Norman Bates in Psycho

2. PSYCHO (1960)

Last year’s blog entry for Halloween was all about Alfred Hitchcock’s creepy, suspenseful and terrifying Psycho so I won’t go in to too much detail. Norman Bates is the owner of the secluded Bates Motel which is visited by a woman on the run. The heavy rain forces her to pull in and she famously meets her end while showering in her room. The mystery unravels in pure Hitchcockian style as more people fall to the same fate, but who is wielding the dreaded knife? From ‘The Master of Suspense’ Psycho is a classic horror movie with a gasp-inducing final twist.

Starring Janet Leigh and Anthony Perkins

Best line: “We all go a little mad sometimes” – Norman

Screaming into first place is:

A terrified Wendy in The Shining

1. THE SHINING (1980)
Based on Stephen Kings legendary novel of the same name, Stanley Kubrick took a classic text and turned it into something else, something more twisted, creepy and frightening than King could have predicted. The Shining is a terrifying, psychological story of a family who offer to take care of The Overlook Hotel during the winter months when the road to it is closed off and the hotel is void of any guests. Jack and Wendy Torrance along with their strange son Danny travel up there for a peaceful, secluded winter in the mountains, but little do they know, the hotel has other ideas. Plagued with the terrifying memories, the hotel unleashes hell upon Jack and Danny who both receive strange visions and meet apparitions of it’s former inhabitants. The hotel takes a hold of Jack and he spirals into madness taking an unexpecting Wendy with him. By far, my all-time favourite horror movie, it will stay with you for days. What’s REDRUM backwards?

Starring Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall and Scatman Carruthers

Best line: “Redrum. Redrum. REDRUM!” – Danny Torrance

Further Reading the Information Store:

Come and see our HALLOWEEN display of books and DVD's. Its packed full of scary films, horror novels, books about ghosts, witches and hauntings! Plenty to scare you silly this Halloween!

DVD Review: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

noreply@blogger.com (The Information Store) — Wed, 16 Oct 2013 11:05:00 +0000

This week in the Information Store we are displaying various resources to do with dyslexia and celebrating the work of some very famous and successful people who have dyslexia. Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley both suffer with dyslexia but have had very successful acting careers and starred together in this week’s DVD review Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl!

Since the released of the first instalment of the Pirates of the Caribbean series in 2003 there have been three more films and a fifth to be released in 2016. It’s become a massive franchise and although the subsequent films have been increasingly poorly received, the immense popularity of the characters, especially Captain Jack Sparrow, played by Johnny Depp is undeniable.

The story goes a little something like this. Elizabeth Swann (Knightley) the daughter of a Governer is kidnapped by Captain Barbosa, of the Black Pearl ship as he needs her piece of Aztec gold and her blood to lift the curse set upon his currently un dead crew. Jack Sparrow (Captain) was marooned on an island by the same crew after Barbosa lead a mutiny against him. He meets a young Will Turner, who is head over heels in love with Elizabeth Swann and he and Jack team up to save her and to help Jack become Captain of his ship once more. Will young Mr Turner be able to save his true love from being sacrificed? Will Jack Sparrow be able to stop drinking rum long enough to overthrow Barbosa and regain control of his ship? The Curse of the Black Pearl is a fast paced, swashbuckling adventure full of sword fights, swagger, rum, romance and of course, pirates!

Johnny Depp’s portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow is the main contributor to the film’s success. His appearance oozes cool and his mannerisms resemble those of a drunk Londoner as he very camply staggers around looking for his ship. The funniest lines in the film come from Jack and he is the perfect anti-hero to the clean cut, good boy Will Turner. All Jack cares about is his ship and drinking rum, he makes himself out to be this magnificent pirate, but in actual fact he is just a lazy drunk. He is very entertaining to watch and Depp carries the film throughout. Elizabeth Swann and Will Turner provide a heart-warming side to the adventure and the romance comes from their time on screen together. Will Turner looks like a Disney Prince and is ever girls dream hero, when he scoops the vulnerable and beautiful Elizabeth up in his arms he simultaneously creates a chorus of ‘Awhhh’ from all the women in the room.

It’s a great adventure film and an entertaining watch from start to finish. Knightley and Bloom are great, but it is Johnny Depp who really steals the show. Why not have a look at our display and find out which other famous people have dyslexia? For instance, did you know, the genius scientist Albert Einstein was dyslexic?

Further Reading in the Information Store:

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Directed by Gore Verbinski – DVD ZONE – 791.43 P

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest Directed by Gore Verbinski – DVD ZONE – 791.43 P

Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End Directed by Gore Verbinksi – DVD ZONE – 791.43 P

The display by the desk also has loads of great books about dyslexia, why not come and have a look?

Oo, arr me hearties!

DVD Review: To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)

noreply@blogger.com (The Information Store) — Mon, 14 Oct 2013 15:56:00 +0000

October is Black History Month and Harper Lee’s classic novel To Kill a Mockingbird is often celebrated at a pillar of Black History literature. It seems only apt, to then for this week’s DVD review to write about the 1962 film adaptation by Robert Mulligan.

Thankfully the film follows the storyline in the novel very closely and the film takes place almost entirely in a court room. The film is show through the eyes of Scout, the daughter of Lawyer Atticus Finch, who lives in the American state of Alabama. Scout and her brother Jem develop a fascination with their mysterious neighbour known as Boo Radley who lives a life of solitude. They often find gifts in a nearby tree and spend their summer afternoon’s spying on him from afar. The era in which the story takes place in the era of the Great Depression and Harper Lee wrote it at the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement. Up until which, Black people had a tremendously hard time at being accepted by society. Atticus is assigned the case of Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white girl. Atticus, believing that everyone should be treated equally takes on the case and works hard at defending Tom Robinson. Scout and Jem end up getting bullied at school for their father’s decision and they soon become aware of the racism and evil in the people of their town.

When the accused is ‘murdered’ during transportation to prison, the father of the young girl who was raped attacks Scout on her way home from a Halloween party at her school. Boo Radley, now a friend to young Scout takes matters silently into his own hands, how far will he go to protect the young girl and to help Atticus?

To Kill a Mockingbird is a ground breaking representation of racism in the Southern states of America during the late 1920’s/early 1930’s and is widely celebrated by all ethnicities and backgrounds all over the world. Harper Lee has confessed that in palces the story is semi-autobiographical having observed similar situations during her childhood, growing up in Alabama. The film, starring Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch was very well received by critics upon it’s released and hailed as a masterpiece, winning three Academy Awards and three Golden Globes. Gregory Peck has often declared how lucky he was to be cast in such a defining role.

Borrow it today from the Information Store and immerse yourself in an outstanding, gripping and heart-warming story. You could borrow the book as well!

Further Reading in the Information Store:

To Kill a Mockingbird (DVD & Novel) - BOOK ZONE - 823.91 LEE

Independence & Equality by Elizabeth Cregan - BOOK ZONE - 323.4 CRE

Building the Future by Elizabeth Cregan - BOOK ZONE - 305.8 CRE

Think Pink in the Information Store this week

noreply@blogger.com (The Information Store) — Mon, 07 Oct 2013 09:00:00 +0000

We've gone all the pink this week, come and have a look at what's on offer....

Information Store @ Norfolk House closed over half term

noreply@blogger.com (The Information Store) — Fri, 04 Oct 2013 08:43:00 +0000

Please note that the library at Norfolk House will be closed over half term (w/c 28th October) for maintenance work.

The Information Store at the Ipswich Road campus will be open throughout half term (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm), with librarians available to help with any queries.

We also run a book delivery service if there are books / resources at the main campus that you would like delivering to Norfolk House ahead of half term. Simply email tis@ccn.ac.uk with the details of your request and your student number.

DVD Review: My Neighbour Totoro (1988)

noreply@blogger.com (The Information Store) — Wed, 25 Sep 2013 08:00:00 +0000

The theme around the Information Store display this week is Manga and Anime! There are a wide range of books about how to draw in a manga style, the history of manga and loads of manga books and films. Among them is the critically acclaimed anime film My Neighbour Totoro made by Hayao Miyazaki in 1988. A common theme amongst anime films by Miyazaki is the fantastical and his films often involve strange, mysterious creatures of myth. Totoro is no exception to this, he has the ears of a rabbit, staring eyes and a great round body which resembles that of a penguin.

The story is simply that a father and his two young daughters Satsuki and Mei move to a new house to be closer to their mother who is recovering from a long illness in hospital. One day, while playing the garden, Mei sees two ears sticking up from the grass, she follows them to a large mystical creature who identifies himself as Totoro, living in the hollow of a camphor tree. She falls asleep on Totoro and when she wakes up again he has gone. She tries to explain her discovery to her father and sister, and to comfort young Mei, her father tells her he is the ‘Keeper of the Forest’ and will make himself known to her when he is ready. As Mei and Satsuki wait for their fathers bus one stormy night, they become worried when it doesn't arrive. Totoro appears to both of the girls with only a leaf sheltering him from the rain. Satsuki, seeing him for the first time, offers him her umbrella. In return, he gives the girls a bundle of nuts and seeds and disappears on a bus shaped like a cat – I told you Miyazaki was good at creating fantastical creatures! Shortly after the cat bus slinks away, their fathers bus arrives.

The girls plant the seeds and Totoro and his companions appear to be doing a ceremonial dance around them, the seeds start to sprout. A few days later, a planned visit to their mother in hospital gets cancelled, angry and upset, Mei walks to hospital herself to bring her mother some fresh corn. Satsuki, thinking Mei has disappeared runs to the camphor tree and pleads with Totoro to help her find her sister who takes her on the cat bus to Mei who is sitting on a bench. The two return home and learn that their mother is fine and will be coming home to them soon. The film ends as the two girls, Totoro and his two companions play in the garden.

The animation of My Neighbour Totoro is what brings this innocent and simple story to life as the mystical creatures are filled with life and the film swirls in beautiful colours, emotions and images that make it all the more fantastical. It’s a beautiful masterpiece which addresses the innocence and grace of childhood perfectly, igniting a flame in the coldest hearts and whisking you away for 83 minutes of pure escapism.

I have found, however, that anime is not to everyone’s taste. It’s a very different type of animation that us Westerners are used to, the drawings and expression are very unique, the use of colour and emotion is important and very defining to its style. To put it simply, it’s a million miles away from Disney and Pixar animation!

Highly praised by critics and audiences world wide, My Neighbour Totoro is the perfect introduction to anime, and the reigning king of anime Hayao Miyazaki. Keep an eye out for other Studio Ghibli films like Kiki's Delivery Service, Castle in the Sky, Howls Moving Castle and The Cat Returns – all of which are available to borrow! For free!

Further Reading in the Information Store

MANGA: Learn to Draw by Jeannie Lee - BOOK ZONE - 741.2 LEE

The Rough Guide to Manga by Jason Jadao - BOOK ZONE - 741.5 JAD

Manga Mania: VILLAINS by Christopher Hart - BOOK ZONE - 741.5 HAR

DVD Review: Juno (2007)

noreply@blogger.com (The Information Store) — Fri, 20 Sep 2013 10:37:00 +0000

Seeing as the Wellbeing Zone have dedicated their display to sexual health I thought I would address the problem of unsafe sex in this week’s DVD review. Pregnancy is a pretty huge, life changing consequence of unsafe sex, as young Juno MacGuff found out when she made the bold step to lose her virginity to best friend Paulie Bleaker.

This quirky American comedy first hit cinema screens back in 2007 and writer Diablo Cody scooped the Oscar that year for her wonderfully colloquial screenplay. We are first introduced to Juno as she is buying a pregnancy test and learning she is pregnant. As we can see already, Juno is not the most conventional of 16 year old girls, she has a bold confidence and very off-beat manner that you would more likely see in an adult man. Juno, accompanied with best friend Leah – an attractive cheerleader type with a penchant for older man – decide to break the news to Juno’s father and step mother. Who, while disappointed in her, are supportive at her decision to have the baby and give it up for adoption. Juno and Leah hunt through the personal ads and find a couple, Mark and Vanessa Loring, with whom she makes a legal agreement with that they can have her baby when she has it. That’s the baby problem solved, now what about the father? Paulie Bleeker is a sweet, kind young boy who wholly supports Juno’s decision to give the baby to The Lorings. Bleeker and Juno are best friends, turned couple, who’s unconventional relationship takes a dramatic turn when Paulie asks another girl to go to prom with him. Juno, without saying so, is clearly very heart broken by this and struggles to deal with her ever increasing size and the staring students in the school corridors.

She finds an unlikely friend in Mark Loring, future adoptive father to the little foetus, who writes music for commercials. They two end up spending the day together when Juno visits them with a picture from her first sonogram. Vanessa is at work, so they listen to music, talk about music and watch old, gory horror movies together while debating the genius of Herschell Gordon Lewis. Juno gets into the habit quite quickly of spending her days with Mark, which to her is a perfectly normal thing to do and she thinks nothing of it, however, it becomes clear that Mark is seeing it as something more. Juno’s whole world starts crumbling all around her just as her waters break and she is left facing a very difficult decision that could dramatically change her life forever.

Juno is perfectly played by Ellen Page who is accompanied by a whole host of great actors. Michael Cera plays the naïve Paulie Bleeker and Olivia Thirlby plays best pal Leah. With the help of J.K Simmons and Allison Janney as Juno’s parents and Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman as The Lorings, its not wonder this film was such a great success.

Director Jason Reitman, whose feature film career was kicked off with Thankyou For Not Smoking in 2005 sky rocketed after the release of Juno and he went on to make more indie films including Up in the Air starring George Clooney and Anna Kendrick and Young Adult starring Charlize Theron. Pairing up with Diablo Cody at the helm of the screenplay, the successes the film received were well and truly deserving of the talent that was the driving force behind it.

Perfect acting, masterful direction and triumphant writing all topped off with a strong soundtrack makes Juno a must watch for all young adults!

Further Reading in the Information Store:

Juno - DVD ZONE - 791.43 J

Juno: The Orginal Motion Picture Soundtrack - MUSIC CD - Soundtrack J

It Happened to Me: Teenage Pregnancy by Suzie Hayman - BOOK ZONE - 305.23 HAY

Great Answers to Difficult Questions About Adoption by Fanny Cohen Herlem - BOOK ZONE - 362.734 HER

Free Resources!

noreply@blogger.com (The Information Store) — Fri, 06 Sep 2013 08:00:00 +0000

We don't just deal in books here at the Information Store, we also offer a wide range of other resources that are completely FREE to borrow! There are:

Magazines & Journals

Only the ones with a ‘borrow me’ sticker are available to borrow on a one week loan, but all the rest are free for you to use within the Information Store. There are academic journals for all subjects at the college as well as magazines like Good Food, Vogue and Inside Soap!

CD’s

As well as offering a selection of up to date music CD’s we also have a great section of world music, movie soundtracks, musical and sound effects! Come and have a browse, they are free to borrow and you can borrow up to 10 at a time!

DVD’s

We have got a very extensive DVD collection of a wide range of films and television shows. We have new releases like Silver Linings Playbook and Life of Pi as well as classic films, some even dating back to the silent era. There are also animated films including Disney, Anime, Aardman, Dreamworks and Pixar. There is also a great collection of world cinema featuring films from France, Japan, Spain and Mongolia! Finally is our selection of television box sets including The Wire, Six Feet Under, Green Wing, Peep Show, The Inbetweeners, The Mighty Boosh, Flight of The Conchords…the list goes on! In the book zone is a great variety of music DVD’s featuring live shows and documentaries.

Audio Books

In the main collection and by the quick read books are some audio books which are also free to borrow, included in these are all the Harry Potter books wonderfully read by Stephen Fry. Perfect for long car journeys or just relaxing at home!

Student Survival!

noreply@blogger.com (The Information Store) — Thu, 05 Sep 2013 10:49:00 +0000

On the main display this week are a wide range of books to help you during your time at City College. Whether you are a new or returning student, there is information on student finance and housing as well as useful cookery books, information on drugs and alcohol and guides on how to manage stress and boost confidence!

101 Ways to Organise Your Life

by Deborah Underwood

“Do you know how organising can improve your creativity? How to keep your family in line? How to be smart about studying?” This book will show you how in 101 ways. A great self helper!

Studying at University or College

by Suzanna O'Hara

“Packed with easy to follow advice and written in a lively style, this practical book will show you how to avoid time wasting routes and help you achieve University success”

Moody to Mellow

by Stephen Palmer and Christine Wilding

“Your 100 step path to peace of mind will give you everything you need to transform your mind and mood forever. Offering tools, tips and techniques for identifying stress triggers and rediscovering a laid back life”

Brilliant Study Skills

by Bill Kirton

“Brilliant Study Skills is an accessible, practical guide to the most important and essential study skills that and student needs to master to succeed on any university course.” This book offers so much help with important academic skills you will need to develop to get the most out of your course and maximise your final grade.

Student’s Veggie Cook Book

by Carolyn Humphries

“All you need while you area away from home is a few pans, some scales, knives and a dish to put in the oven. With these, I will feed you well and save you pots of money. My recipes will feed three to four people. They work very well in a communal kitchen but when you do have to eat alone, everything keeps in the fridge to heat up for another time.”

Making the Most of Being a Student

by Judy Bastyra and Charles Bradley

“University if not just about studying for your degree: there are many other skills that you will need to master as well.”

This book offers help and advice with finances, personal wellbeing and health, decision making and how to study and live independently.

Managing Stress

by Terry Looker and Olga Gregson

“Covering all the sources of stress, this fully updated edition of Managing Stress will help you feel calm and back in control. Featuring the latest on stress management techniques such as NLP and with up-to-date information on the benefits of physical and mental exercise, it offers both inspiration and practical advice”

Confidence: The Art of Getting Whatever You Want

by Rob Yeung

“Confidence combines the best methods from cognitive behavioural therapy, sports psychology, neuro-liguistic programming, positive psychology and much more. Dr Rob Yeung, psychologists and coach, shows you how to challenge your fears, build your confidence and achieve your goals in life”

SMASHED: Growing Up a Drunk Girl

by Koren Zailckas

“The day Koren turned 14 she tasted alcohol for the first time. By the time she was fifteen, she was piecing together forgotten fragments of drink, men and misplaced clothes. And so it began”

A brutally honest account of author Koren’s first and last experiences with alcohol, starting at aged 14 and finishing at aged 22.

Student Housing and the Law

by Martin Davies and Graham Robson

“Keeping up to date with the law can be a nightmare. This book provides comprehensive and up-to-date information for all those involved in housing students, and advising them as to their housing rights, whether in private halls, traditional halls of residence, the private secotr or housing association properties"

Familiar faces and new faces

noreply@blogger.com (The Information Store) — Wed, 04 Sep 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Welcome from everyone in the Information Store

A big welcome to all new faces around college, and to those who are returning after (hopefully) a lovely summer break.

For everyone who is new, here's a few things to get you started with the Information Store (the college library). We're a friendly bunch so pop in and say hi, we're here to help you make the most of your time at college.

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Your library card:

Your student card doubles as your library card, so no need to come in and apply for a card or activate your card, it is all set up and ready for you to borrow.

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A quick tour:

Follow Jim and Blake as they give you a tour of the Information Store: Information Store tour 2013.

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Frequently Asked Questions:

I am sure you have 101 questions as you start at college, and it can be hard to know where to start. We have compiled some of our most Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), and put them (and their answers) on Blackboard.

To find our homepage, start at the Blackboard homepage and click "Information Store" (on the left under "Useful Links". The FAQ box is the purple box in the middle of the screen.

If you have any questions at all, please just ask. You can also ring us on 01603 773114, or email tis@ccn.ac.uk

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DVD Review - Life of Pi (2012)

noreply@blogger.com (The Information Store) — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 10:13:00 +0000

Another new film in the Information Store’s collection is the award winning Life of Pi, directed by Ang Lee and starring Suraj Sharma in the title role. Based on the novel of the same name by Yann Martel Life of Pi chronicles the adolescence of a young boy called Pi and a dramatic, life changing event which results in him drifting on a boat across the ocean with a tiger as his only companion.

The tiger, Richard Parker, had once belonged to his father’s zoo which was being moved, by boat, to a new location. The boat was caught in a huge storm and sunk; Pi found a lifeboat in which to save himself and soon discovered that underneath the tarpaulin was the vicious Bengal, Richard Parker. The following few weeks would be an emotional and physical struggle as the two drifted further and further out to sea willing to be rescued. The hostility of Richard Parker meant that Pi had to build his own flotation device which trailed next to the boat in order to keep himself safe. Pi fed and looked after Richard Parker from afar and the two developed a respect for each other that meant Pi no longer feared being eaten by the beast. Their journey for survival is a constant battle as fierce storms, starvation and utter hopelessness taint their hopes of ever being found.

The tiger’s name, Richard Parker, comes from several characters through fiction and history. In 1884, a young cabin boy on board the yacht Mignonette was eaten by his crew by means of their survival, his name was Richard Parker. As was the name of another young seaman sacrificed on board the Francis Speight in 1846 which floundered and he was thrown overboard to prevent the lifeboat capsizing. Finally, in the Edgar Allen Poe novel The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket Richard Parker is a mutinous young sailor who suggests they cannibalise one of their own crew after their ship the Grampus capsizes in a storm. After drawing lots on Parker’s suggestion, it is he who ends up being eaten by the crew. Will the tiger fall to the same fate, will Pi eat him to maintain his own survival?

While the story being told is an epic tale of adventure, self-discovery and survival it is also riddled with morals and Indian folklore. It is also an absolutely spectacular feast for the eyes as the vast, sweeping ocean is brought to life by Ang Lee’s direction. More impressive is the tiger itself which was created entirely through motion capture and advanced CGI technologies and looks like a real tiger. If I didn’t know it was CGI I would have been harping on about how well trained the tiger was, it was that realistic. Luckily I did my research.

However, despite the amazing special effects, the epic story and beautiful CGI tiger I couldn’t get over how awful an actor Suraj Sharma was. I had high hopes for whoever was chosen to play Pi especially after being so invested in the book when I read it, I was so disappointed in the result. I found him to be annoying, over dramatic and his performance felt forced and unnatural. So much so, I would go as far to say he completely ruined the film for me. Richard Parker completely stole the show and he wasn’t even a real tiger, that’s how bad Sharma was.

Be that as it may, it is an amazing film to watch and a spectacular achievement for Ang Lee who scooped the Oscar for Best Director that year. Sharma wasn’t even nominated, surprise surprise.

Further Reading in the Information Store:

Life of Pi - DVD ZONE - 791.43 L

Life of Pi - BOOK ZONE - 823.91 MAR

Visual Effects for Film and Television by A.J Mitchell - BOOK ZONE - 791.45024 MIT

Movie Special Effects by Liz Miles - BOOK ZONE - 791.43024 MIL

DVD Review - Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

noreply@blogger.com (The Information Store) — Fri, 02 Aug 2013 13:23:00 +0000

David O Russell’s superb film Silver Linings Playbook graced our screens and enchanted our hearts back in 2012 and through generous backing from producer Harvey Weinstein earned itself a great reputation and a bundle of awards to boot, including an Academy Award for Jennifer Lawrence as Best Actress.

The story is about Pat (Bradley Cooper) who has just been released from a psychiatric hospital for attacking his wife’s lover after he found them romantically entwined in his bathroom, Pat has bipolar disorder and he has to see a therapist every week as part of the terms of his release. He returns home and is greeted by his father (Robert De Niro) who also shows signs of having a mental disorder, although this is never actually pinned down to specifics. Pat learns that his wife, Nikki, has moved away yet is still desperate to pick their marriage back up again, delusional to the fact his relationship is completely over. Along the way he meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) a sufferer of depression who was diagnosed when her husband, Tommy, died.

She makes a deal with Pat that she will deliver letters to Nikki for him if he agrees to be her dance partner for an upcoming dance competition. A couple of letters pass hands and Pat thinks that a reconciliation with Nikki is on the cards. A racially fuelled brawl at football match lands Pat in trouble and his Father in a pile of debt, hope for his family lies entirely on the dance competition with Tiffany, with Nikki in attendance things start to heat up as they both take to the dance floor. With the sounds of The White Stripes ringing out and enough gyration to make Elvis’ head spin, will they reign victorious?

As serious as the subject matter of bipolar disorder may be, Silver Linings Playbook manages to keeps its head above the water without plunging into a swell of depression. The friendship of Pat and Tiffany is at times hilarious, while at others heart wrenching and their story is encapsulating from start to finish. Pat has some painfully honest personal moments which are short, sharp stabs of realism that bipolar disorder is a serious and unrelenting problem suffered by millions.

Beautifully acted and wonderfully directed, Silver Linings Playbook is a real treat from start to finish and every award and nomination well deserving. It manages to dip into the subject of mental health while simultaneously sculpting an unconventional love story, throw in a bit of wacky dancing and illegal gambling and you’ve got yourself some pretty excellent entertainment.

Further Reading in the Information Store:

Silver Linings Playbook by David O' Russell - DVD ZONE - 791.43 S

Bipolar Disorder: Your Questions Answered by Neil Hunt - BOOK ZONE - 616.895 HUN

The Pits and the Pendulum: A Life with Bipolar Disorder by Brian Adams - BOOK ZONE - 616.895 ADA

DVD Review - Amelie (2001)

noreply@blogger.com (The Information Store) — Mon, 15 Jul 2013 14:44:00 +0000

Amelie Poulain is a young woman who endeavours to bring a little happiness to the lives of those living around her. Despite a rather stunted childhood, she uses many ingenious methods to help the quirky and eccentric people she loves. These include her father, a glum recluse, who has never offered Amelie any warmth or love. As a result, Amelie has grown up wrapped in her own dreams by way of escaping her lonely life. However, Amelie’s vocation in helping others draws her out of herself and she finds what she believes to be her purpose.

Unlike many feel good films, Amelie is not the perfect heroine. She’s clever and childlike and a little bit out of step, but you love her for it. The film has a typically French sense of style and subtly, with a recurring theme of nostalgia. Throughout the film we are reminded of those things we loved as children, and forgot as we grew up.

The film is shot in saturated colour with a ‘hyper real’ atmosphere in every shot. The sound track is utterly beautiful, echoing the film’s whimsical and sweet nature. The Montmartre portrayed is picture-postcard like, if not completely realistic. And that is quite in tune with the films suspension from reality.

By Erin Bradshaw

Amelie is shelved in the DVD ZONE under 'Foreign Language, French' 791.430944 A

Summer Hobbies and Activites

noreply@blogger.com (The Information Store) — Wed, 10 Jul 2013 11:54:00 +0000

The summer holidays are upon us and maybe you are jetting off to a sunny beach, escaping to the mountains or just chilling out at home. Either way, there will no doubt be a couple of rainy days where you are stuck inside, twiddling your thumbs thinking ‘I wish I had a hobby’.

Our display this week is dedicated to hobbies and activities and there are loads of books to get your mind turning and heart pumping. Here are a handful of examples:

Paper Cutting by Laura Heyenga

Paper cutting has become a popular art form in the last few years, where artists skilfully cut stencil-like designs into paper. This book chaptered by different paper cutting artists, discusses how they got started, their techniques and what they have achieved while showcasing the immense intricacies of their work.

The Complete Idiots Guide to Astronomy by Christopher De Pree & Alan Axelrod

Summer offers clear, crisp skies and warm nights which are perfect for practicing astronomy. This books gives you a complete run down of everything you need to know before gazing into the depths of space, including, guidance on locating planets and tips for using a telescope.

Low-Budget Shooting by Cyrill Harnischmacher

Fancy spending the summer making low budget movies with your friends? This book tells you how to shortcut your way around film equipment without spending thousands of pounds. Couple with our other book on the display ‘The Guerilla Film Makers Handbook’ you should be sauntering up the red carpet in no time!

Cooking with the Masterchef: Michel Roux Jr.

Do you enjoy cooking? Following recipes? A challenge in the kitchen? This book written by Master Chef Michel Roux Jr. is full of great, gourmet recipes that aren’t easy to perfect, but will be certain to satisfy the taste buds. A fun summer project could be cooking through the recipes and starting a blog to present your findings – disasters and successes!

Design & Make: Mixed Media Jewellery by Joanne Haywood

This book covers all kinds of areas of jewellery making, introducing you to the wide range of materials and techniques. The easy to follow illustrations are suitable for a variety of ages and abilities, whether you are starting out or developing your skills, this books is a great starter.

Roots, Shoots, Buckets and Boots by Sharon Lovejoy

Gardening doesn’t have to be all weeding, mowing and planting, in fact, as demonstrated here by author Sharon Lovejoy, there are lots of cool things you can do with a patch of soil or grass including making a ‘pizza patch’,’ moon garden’ or ‘medicine chest’ . She also offers basic gardening tips and tricks. The colourful layout and imaginative ideas make for fun reading and may even ignite a new found love for gardening!

All these books and more can be found on the display near the issue desk! Keep your eyes peeled for a few of these titles:

Simply Pottery

by Sarah Pearch

Printmaking on a Budget

by Mandy Bonnell & Stephen Mumberson

The Bicycle Book

By Bella Bathurst

The Complete Book of Running for Beginners

By Amby Burfoot

The Wagamama Cookbook

by Hugo Arnold

Summery Movies!

noreply@blogger.com (The Information Store) — Fri, 05 Jul 2013 09:50:00 +0000

Grease

Love-struck Kiwi, Sandy, moves to America and falls in love with high school stud Danny Zucko in this classic musical comedy. She meets him during the summer, knowing nothing of his bad boy reputation and notoriety as leader of the gang ‘T-Birds’. When she starts at Rydell High School all becomes clear to her as Danny’s not the boy she fell in love with on the beach. She decides to prove her worth to him, be the kind of woman that will make him sit up and listen, not the wimpy little Sandra D everyone teases her for being. The result is a feel good classic with tons of catchy tunes and groovy dance moves that will leave you tapping your toes for hours afterwards.

(500) Days of Summer

The clue is in the name, however, this is not a film about a prolonged season, instead about a girl named after a season. Tom falls for the whimsical, beautiful and quirky Summer and despite a great start to their relationship, things soon start to completely fall apart. Tom recalls his relationship with Summer through a series of clever flashbacks including an ‘expectations vs. reality’ sequence where he arrives at a party to see Summer. It’s not the happiest story in the world but it is well acted and hilarious in places. Worth a watch, for sure.

Slumdog Millionaire

Everyone was talking about Danny Boyle’s 2008 summer blockbuster Slumdog Millionaire because it was such an amazing, sweeping love story that captured the imaginations of viewers all over the world. Dev Patel plays Jamal who winds up on the Indian version of ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire?’ Through the tribulations of Jamal’s life and the events that have lead him to this point he is able to easily answer every question down to life experience. He has no need for riches, he hasn’t gone on the show to become a millionaire, yet he is one question away from being one, so why is he there?

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

What would you do with one day off school? Play video games? Watch movies? Sleep in until 2pm? Ferris decides that with one day off, he is free to do whatever he wants. He and his friend Cameron bust their other friend Sloane out of school and borrow Cameron’s Dad’s Ferrari and the three of them set out to have the best day they possibly can, and they do. Classic 80’s comedy in the same vain as The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is a feel-good summer hit!

The Inbetweeners Movie

If you’ve ever watched the TV show The Inbetweener’s, you will know, before watching the film, that you will be in for some vulgarity from the start. The boys decide to go on holiday to Malia together, but of course, its not going to be that simple. Their dreams of a weekend full of girls, alcohol and all night raves is soon completely shattered when everything starts to go very wrong. Have a pillow to hand, this film will have you wanting to cover your face with embarrassment as their misadventures become more and more unfortunate.

If you find yourself faced with a rainy summer day, which let’s face it, is pretty likely, have a borrow of one of these movies to keep your summery spirits up!

Be safe and have a great summer!!

Summer Reads!

noreply@blogger.com (The Information Store) — Thu, 04 Jul 2013 08:46:00 +0000

Our display this week is SUMMER READS!

Amongst the display are some great novels for you to get stuck into over the summer months as well as some gardening and cookery books!

Some titles include:

Bring up the Bodies

Hilary Mantel

Hello Cupcake!

Karen Tack

Flight Behaviour

Barbera Kingsolver

Death Comes to Pemberley

P.D James

Narcopolis

Jeet Thayil

River Cottage Veg

Hugh Fearnley-Wittingstall

Between the lines

Book Review: The Hobbit

DVD Review: Citizen Kane (1941)

Information Store Christmas opening hours

New and LONGER opening hours at Norfolk House Library

The Life of Nelson Mandela

DVD Review: Black Swan (2010)

Top 5 Books for Feeling Great!

On this Day: The Assassination of John F. Kennedy

The Information Store's Top 5 Spookfests!

DVD Review: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

DVD Review: To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)

Think Pink in the Information Store this week

Information Store @ Norfolk House closed over half term

DVD Review: My Neighbour Totoro (1988)

DVD Review: Juno (2007)

Free Resources!

We don't just deal in books here at the Information Store, we also offer a wide range of other resources that are completely FREE to borrow! There are:

Student Survival!

Familiar faces and new faces

DVD Review - Life of Pi (2012)

More Summer Reads!

DVD Review - Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

DVD Review - Amelie (2001)

Summer Hobbies and Activites

Summery Movies!

Summer Reads!