Off The Stacks

THIS SITE IS NO LONGER BEING UPDATED…

2010-04-05T12:59:00.003-05:00

For future information about the JOPLIN PUBLIC LIBRARY please visit us at http://www.facebook.com/joplinpubliclibrary.

Library increases diverse music selection

2010-03-18T13:20:00.006-05:00

Joplin Public Library just got a bit more country, and a lot more rock and roll. Due to a wonderful grant, the library was able to purchase over 150 new audio CDs to increase its already widespread and diverse collection.

I will be looking at some of my personal favorite albums from the titles recently added to the library’s collection.

Bob Dylan: “Love and Theft,” “The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan,” “Bringing It All Back Home,” “Blonde on Blonde.” What is there to possibly say about Bob Dylan? Everyone knows who he is, and whether you love him or hate him, there is no denying his importance in the second-half of twentieth century popular culture. While the Beatles were singing three-chord love songs, Dylan was digging deeper, mining society and his own personal psyche with timeless songs filled with lyrical poetry the likes of which had never been heard before. Including the above-mentioned career highlights, the library now owns more than ten albums by this eternal troubadour.

Motorhead: “Ace of Spades,” “No Sleep ‘til Hammersmith.” Motorhead has been loud, brash, rude, and “in yer face” for more than thirty years now. Always working just outside the mainstream of pop culture, they nonetheless have built up a huge cult following throughout their career. Of their remarkably consistent recorded output, these two albums rank amongst the best. In fact, if “Ace of Spades” had been the only song the group had ever recorded, they still would have gone down in heavy metal history. But they were able to back that classic track up with long-time Motorhead standards as “We are the Road Crew” and “Jailbait.” The live “No Sleep ‘til Hammersmith” perfectly captures the manic metal energy of the band’s first lineup, and features numerous tracks from the just-released “Ace of Spades” plus earlier cuts. The album remains one of the most thrilling live recordings of all time.

Nick Drake: “Five Leaves Left,” “Bryter Layter,” “Pink Moon.” By the time Nick Drake died of an overdose of antidepressants at the age of 26, his recorded legacy was small by any standards. Just three albums of heart-rending, beautifully bleak folk-pop were all he had left the world. Unappreciated in his own time, it was only after his death that his reputation began to grow. The three albums listed above went on to inspire a generation of similarly morose young singer songwriters, from Elliott Smith to R.E.M.’s Peter Buck and Robert Smith of The Cure. Decades of earnest imitation have done nothing to dull the power of Drake’s haunted melodies and aching lyrics, however, and these three albums remain essential rainy-day listening.

David Bowie: “The Man Who Sold the World,” “Hunky Dory,” “Ziggy Stardust,” “Low.” Bowie during his 1970’s prime was a thrill and a wonder. He changed personas and musical sounds more often than most people change their clothes. In many ways, he was able to anticipate popular taste and seemingly was always one step ahead of the rest of popular music. Once taste had caught up with him, he was onto something else. During the 70’s, Bowie jumped from hard-rock to folk to glam to electronic to soul to disco, finally emerging in the 80’s as a respected veteran showman. The albums listed above are my personal favorites of Bowie, but they are only the best of an altogether classic run of albums, of which the library now owns seven of note.

Some other artists whose albums the library recently purchased include Prince, Roxy Music, Willie Nelson, Nine Inch Nails, Miles Davis, Jefferson Airplane, Brian Eno, Gary Numan, Lady Gaga, Aretha Franklin, Run-DMC, PJ Harvey, and The Cure (amongst MANY others). A library patron may check out four CDs at a time, and they loan for a period of one week.

Film About Dealing with Death Full of Life

2010-03-16T08:33:00.002-05:00

Now that we’re inching our way out of winter, are you in the mood for a feel-good movie about life, death, and relationships? If so, “Departures” might be for you. This sweet, meditative movie, the 2009 winner of an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, will have you smiling through your tears.

Early in the story, musician Daigo Kobayashi realizes that he’s a man of big dreams but modest talent. In quick order, he loses his orchestra job, sells his cello and moves back to his hometown.

He’s looking for a change — and employment. He finds both when an ad entitled “working with departures” piques his interest.

He’s surprised when he’s offered the job during the interview. He’s even more surprised when he learns that he’ll be working as an encoffiner, someone who prepares a body for burial or cremation.

His new boss explains that the ad had a typo; it should have read “the departed” instead of “departures.”

Daigo accepts the position but hides its true nature from his wife and friends, fearing their disgust. As he becomes more familiar with the job, however, he begins to appreciate its beauty and necessity. He and his boss provide a service that benefits the families as well as the deceased.

“The rite of encoffinment is to prepare the deceased for a peaceful departure,” Daigo tells a grieving family. They are invited to watch as he gently and respectfully positions the body, cleans it, and dresses it. There is profound sadness on their faces, but also fascination; they find comfort in the ritual.

He takes pride in what he does and realizes he’s good at it. When his wife discovers his secret and tells him to get a “normal” job, he replies, “Normal? Everyone dies. I’ll die, and so will you. Death is normal.”

Daigo’s close proximity to death and the family dramas that result from it — parents blame each other for a child’s untimely death, relatives debate whether a cross-dresser should be presented as a male or a female — set him on a journey to reconnecting with his past.

Key to that journey is his rediscovery of a rock wrapped in sheet music. Daigo later explains the significance of giving someone a rock.

It’s a “stone letter,” he tells his wife. “Long ago, before writing, you’d send someone a stone that suited the way you were feeling. From its weight and touch, they’d know how you felt.”

Toward the end of the movie, Daigo’s past returns in a major way, and he performs the encoffining ritual for someone he hasn’t seen in many years. As he prepares the body, past and present meet, and a fuzzy, forgotten face comes back into focus. The moment is powerful and moving.

“Departures” is a meditation on life and death, but it’s far from sorrowful. There is plenty of laughter.

Daigo’s first day on the job is filled with indignity; let’s just say there’s a giant diaper involved. His extreme reaction when encountering his first corpse — that of a woman who’s been dead for two weeks — is hilarious but wholly understandable. And during his first solo run as an encoffiner, he makes a startling discovery while bathing the body.

It’s easy to see why this movie won an Academy Award. From the ballet of the encoffining ritual to the majestic landscape of northern Japan, it’s lovely to look at. The music is beautiful, too, and will linger in your mind.

But it is ultimately the story at the heart of “Departures” that makes it great. It doesn’t rely on 3-D technology, billion-dollar special effects or cameo appearances by a dozen Hollywood stars. It is simple and universal, and it sneaks up on you, packing an emotional wallop that you might not expect.

Not enough films do that these days.

Lisa E. Brown is the Administrative Assistant of the Joplin Public Library

Worldwide Newspapers Available at Library

2010-03-16T08:31:00.001-05:00

Because you are reading this article, you are probably aware of the value newspapers bring to our lives.

The Facts on File World News Digest covers major domestic and international political, social, and economic events since 1940. The database is research oriented covering major news events, but users can also access daily news coverage.

Users can get hourly news feeds from Reuters by searching for a topic and clicking on the “Breaking News” tab. A chronological perspective on the topic is available through the News Digest articles, which are displayed by date in descending order.

To browse and read newspapers, direct links to the Web sites for international newspapers are found by clicking on “World Press Links” under the “Special Features” section (choose “More Special Features” at the bottom of the home page). You can read the Afghan Daily, the Calgary Herald, the Moscow Times, the Boston Globe and more than 200 other newspapers.

Other great features of the database include the reports, encyclopedia, almanac and curriculum tools for teachers. Users can search by date or browse top news stories by decade, country or issue.

Reports on current topics such as the 2010 midterm elections are provided in the “In-Depth Coverage” section. The “Special Features” section includes country profiles, historic documents, newsmaker profiles, photos, charts and maps, world heads of state and government leaders and more.

Infotrac Custom Newspapers is part of the Gale databases that the library receives from MOREnet. The database has full text articles from more than 1,000 local, national and international newspapers.

Coverage is from 1980 to today — or maybe tomorrow, if you are looking at an article from an international newspaper. A search for “2010 Olympics” returns articles from Canada, London, Bangor Maine, Beaumont Texas, China, New York and many other places.

Searching is easy with a prominently displayed search box and helpful information on the home page. When you display an article you can print, e-mail or download (as a text file or a MP3 file). You can translate the article into one of 11 different languages, have it read aloud to you and look up unfamiliar words in the dictionary. You can also setup RSS feeds to track topics and be alerted when a new issue of a newspaper is available.

To read a newspaper instead of searching by topic, choose the “Browse Publications” tab. You can view all the titles in alphabetical order or type in the title of the newspaper.

A search for New York Times gives two results, the newspaper and the magazine. By clicking on the title you get a description of the newspaper and the coverage. You can choose the year (1985-2010) then the day to access the articles published in that day’s edition.

Whether you want the current day’s news or to search for historic happenings, check out the library’s newspaper collections. Discover what is happening in Joplin, Kansas City and around the world.

Both of the databases are available in the library or from home with a Joplin Public Library card. To use from home, go to www.joplinpubliclibrary.org and double click “Reference.” Click on “Magazines & Newspapers” then scroll down the list.

Patty Crane is the Reference Librarian at the Joplin Public Library.

Titles for Young Readers Compelling Enough for Adults

2010-03-16T08:23:00.005-05:00

Red Glass

By Laura Resau
(For 4th-8th grade)

Sixteen-year-old Sophia and her family are summoned to the hospital one night, where a 6-year-old Mexican boy, who they later discover is named Pablo, is recovering from dehydration. The group that Pablo was crossing the border with, including his parents, were all found dead, but the border patrol found Sophie’s stepfather’s business card in the dead man’s pocket.

Juan does not recognize the boy, but since he has no family in the USA, he comes to live Sophie, her parents, and her eccentric, great-aunt Dika — who is a refugee from the war in Bosnia. Over the course of the next year, Pablo becomes part of the family and emerges from his shell enough to help Sophie’s family make contact with his grandmother in Mexico.

In a twist of fate, Dika’s new boyfriend and his son, Angel, are planning to travel through Mexico to their native Guatemala during the summer. Dika, Sophie and Pablo ride along so that Pablo can see his family and eventually make a decision about whether he wants to stay in Mexico or return to the USA.

Sophie always considered herself an amoeba — a single-celled organism that aimlessly floats through life — and she is afraid of everything, from becoming an orphan to getting food poisoning. But it is on this summer adventure that she will have to conquer bigger fears in an effort to help her friends.

This memorable novel seamlessly blends cultures to create one breathtaking narrative. Sophie and the rest of the characters have to cross numerous borders — mentally, socially, as well as physically — and readers of all ages will fall in love with this captivating story.

Marcelo in the Real World

By Francisco X. Stork
(Young adult)

Marcelo Sandoval, a high functioning, 17-year-old with Asperger’s syndrome, is looking forward to a summer of caring for therapeutic-riding ponies at Paterson, the special school that he has attend his entire life.

But then his father, Arturo, blindsides him with a proposition: Agree to work in the “real world” (a.k.a. the mailroom of Arturo’s law firm) for the summer and Marcelo can return to Patterson for his senior year of high school, or decline and go to the mainstream high school of Arturo’s choice.

Marcelo accepts the proposal and at the law firm Marcelo meets Jasmine, his mailroom supervisor, and Wendell, the son of his father’s business partner. It is with their help that Marcelo learns important life lessons about friendship, jealously, competition, trust and anger.

However, it is through the discovery of a mysterious girl’s photograph that he learns of pain and makes a decision that will alter his life forever.

Stork does a fine job developing Marcelo into a well-rounded, believable character. While Marcelo’s condition is a chief element of the story, Stork does an amazing job exploring it without neglecting the rest of the story. His first person narrative is effective for allowing readers the opportunity to understand what is happening in Marcelo’s head, while allowing for the enjoyment of the rest of the story.

This is an engaging, satisfying novel that should not be missed by teens and adults alike.

Jeana Gockley is the children’s librarian at Joplin Public Library.

Movie Review: "Blow-Up"

2010-02-10T10:39:00.002-06:00

A photographer snaps pictures of a couple in a park...

Thus begins one of the most discussed, analyzed, and ambiguous mysteries in cinema history. The first english language film directed by acclaimed Italian film-maker Michaelangelo Antonioni, “Blow-Up” scandalized audiences upon it’s initial release in 1966. Rarely had a mainstream film dealt so openly with the questionable moral fiber of a society’s younger generation. “Blow-Up” ushered in a new morality in cinema, and set a new bar for the inclusion of graphic content in film.

“Blow-Up”, with its sensationalism, would merely be a flash-in-the-pan of cinema history were it not for the rich foundation of mystery the film is built upon. Thomas, a young photographer (played expertly by David Hemmings) has achieved all the trappings of material success. He spends his days photographing the world’s top fashion models, driving around London in his Rolls-Royce, and discussing the publication of his forthcoming book with his agent. The world he inhabits is rich but empty, exciting but apathetic. One day, on a walk through a park, Thomas notices a man and woman embracing in a picturesque meadow. Concealing himself, he begins to photograph the couple. Apparently satisfied, he goes on his way.

Through a series of suspicious incidents, including a tensely erotic encounter with the woman from the park (played by Vanessa Redgrave), Thomas begins to realize that there is something in the pictures he took that nobody was supposed to see. In one of the classic sequences from the film, Thomas begins to obsessively blow-up smaller and smaller elements of the pictures, until, through the masterful use of editing, the audience and Thomas simultaneously begin to realize that something very sinister was happening in the park that morning. But will Thomas be able to prove it, and if he could prove it, does he really want to get involved?

Director Antonioni meticulously crafted every aspect of the film, reportedly listening to hundreds of recordings of wind blowing through leaves before deciding on the soundtrack for the scenes in the park. Antonioni also ordered whole streets painted different colors to reflect the mood of the protagonist, Thomas, as he speeds through London in his Rolls-Royce. The attention to detail pays off, as the film is both visually stunning and emotionally gripping throughout.

“Blow-Up” remains a challenging, rewarding, and exciting viewing experience even 44 years after it was first released. While the film openly addresses topics such as the subjective nature of reality, it never loses touch with the strange, intriguing mystery at its core. Director Antonioni paints the canvas of “Blow-Up” with the broad and confident strokes of a true master film-maker. One of the greatest films of the sixties, it remains a mystery for the ages.

Blow-Up is available in the library's DVD collection.

Movie Review: "The Conversation"

2010-02-10T10:35:00.004-06:00

“I’m not afraid of dying. I am afraid of murder...”

In 1972, director Francis Ford Coppola literally skyrocketed to the forefront of American cinema with the success of his film “The Godfather”. Seemingly on a roll and residing in a creative zenith that would envelop him throughout the following decade, Coppola went on to direct two of the greatest films of his career in the same year. 1974 would see the triumphant return of the Corleone crime saga to the screen, with “The Godfather, Part II”. 1974 also saw a Coppola masterpiece on a much smaller scale. Sandwiched between the one-two punch of the “Godfather” films is “The Conversation”, a much overlooked little gem that, while equally as important as the “Godfather” films, has, for thirty years, stood in their shadow.

“The Conversation” stars Gene Hackman in one of the best performances of his career. Hackman plays Harry Caul, one of the best wire-tapping surveillance experts in the world. Caul makes his living prying into other people’s private moments. While he is the best at what he does, we see that his career has left him a closed-up, paranoid shell of a human being. His heavily padlocked apartment belies the fact that he owns nothing worth stealing. When his girlfriend (played by Terri Garr) begins to ask him the most basic of personal questions, he leaves her apartment, never to return. He is a legend in his field, he is successful, and he is empty and alone.

The film opens with the recording of the conversation which gives the film its title. We watch as Caul, with two associates, takes turns shadowing a young couple through a park. With almost surgical precision, the three men complete their assignment, recording the private words of others without drawing attention to themselves. Later, we see Caul in his workshop, a cage in the far corner of an empty building. Using sophisticated machines, Caul uses the three different recordings of the conversation to make one definitive master, free of distortion, leaving every private word audible. As the audience and Caul listen to the conversation slowly begin to take shape, the ominous overtones of the couple’s words become readily evident. Convinced that the recording will be used for ill purposes, Caul grows a conscience, and refuses to turn in the tape. The events that follow lead to one of the most surprising, haunting, and shattering conclusions in film.

It is a rare film that bears repeated viewings while retaining the power to haunt and disturb. “The Conversation” is such a film. Coppola weaves a tapestry so rich in detail, so complex and layered, that to see this film more than once is not only recommended, it is necessary. On a small scale, “The Conversation” is one of the greatest character studies in the history of film. On a larger scale, “The Conversation” perfectly mirrors the paranoia of a post-Watergate U.S.. The film also raises intriguing questions over the nature of privacy. In our society with security cameras on every street corner, “The Conversation” bears even more relevance today than it did thirty years ago. It stands alone as one of the greatest films of the 1970's.

The Conversation is available in the library's DVD collection.

Movie Review: "8 1/2"

2010-02-10T10:33:00.001-06:00

“Down, you come down. Down for good...”

In 1963, three years after the worldwide success of his film “La Dolce Vita”, legendary Italian film-maker Federico Fellini found himself under tremendous pressure to not only match his previous success, but to top it. He was under contract. He had producers, sets, and actors. All he was lacking was artistic inspiration. He was suffering from what a writer would call “writer’s block”. In a move that probably saved his career, Fellini turned back on himself for inspiration, and what resulted was one of his greatest masterpieces, the autobiographical film “8 1/2”.

“8 1/2”, so named because that was the number of films Fellini had directed up till that time, tells the story of a famous director who is at a loss as to what his next project should be about. The director, Guido Anselmi, (played by master Italian actor Marcello Mastroianni), is constantly being hounded by his producers, the press, and the public to give them some information about his next film. Anselmi does not, not because he wishes to keep his plans secret, but because he has no plans at all.

While not a traditionally narrative story, “8 1/2” never fails to fascinate with its endless array of arresting and unforgettable images. From the circus atmosphere swirling around Anselmi everywhere he goes, to a flashback of truant schoolboys watching the devilish Saraghina dance an obscene rumba on a beach, “8 1/2” is one of the most strikingly photographed films ever. Like several of Fellini’s films, “8 1/2” perfectly blends reality with fantasy and symbolism to create a wholly original type of story unto itself.

The film’s opening sequence, one of the most celebrated in cinema history, perfectly sets up the tone of the rest of the film. The director, Anselmi, is stuck in his car, in a tunnel, in a traffic jam. Noxious gas begins to pour from the heating vents, and Anselmi finds he cannot open any of the car’s doors or windows. As he struggles to free himself, he is claustrophobically surrounded by strange faces peering out of their own un-moving cars. Instead of helping him, they simply sit and stare. At the last minute, Anselmi escapes through his car’s sun-roof, and magically glides over the traffic, into the sky. As he glides through the clouds, he suddenly feels a tug on his leg. Looking down, he notices a rope tied to his ankle, and holding the rope, far below, is his producer. With one almighty tug, Anselmi plummets out of the clouds, and back to reality.

In the whole of cinema history, there has never been a film that dealt so openly with a director’s inability to create a subject for his film, or with the cinematic process in general. Aside from representing Fellini’s almost mystical ability to create something out of nothing, “8 1/2” also represents a definite turning point in the great director’s career. While echoing the sweet lyrical simplicity of Fellini’s early films, “8 1/2” also looks ahead to the gaudy excesses that would come to characterize his later work. As such, “8 1/2” stands poised on the fine line between genius and madness, and remains one of the greatest films of all time.

Bramlage Author Series Presents: Alan Gratz

2010-02-08T15:13:00.003-06:00

Alan Gratz, author of four novels for young adults, will visit the Joplin Public Library Tuesday, February 16, 2010 in the first of a series of author visits made possible by a grant from the Bramlage Family Foundation. His presentation will be in the library’s large meeting room at 6:00 pm and will include time for questions from the audience. Gratz will also be available after his presentation to autograph copies of his novels. Changing Hands Book Shoppe will provide all four of Gratz’s works for sale at the event. This event is open to all ages.

Alan Gratz’s first novel, Samurai Shortstop, was named one of the American Library Association’s Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults in 2007. It is the story of Toyo Shimada, a 16-year-old boy in 1890’s Japan, who must blend baseball and bushido—the way of the warrior—in order to keep his family together. His novels Something Rotten and Something Wicked are loosely based on the Shakespearean plays Hamlet and Macbeth. They follow Horatio Wilkes as he navigates murder, deceit and conspiracy to get to the bottom of two mysteries and save the day. Gratz’s latest novel, The Brooklyn Nine returns to baseball and chronicles nine generations, or innings, of the Schneider family and their ties to the national pastime.

Gratz will spend Wednesday, February 17, 2010 at the Joplin High School visiting with various Communication Arts classes in the school’s library.

In addition to sponsoring the visit from Alan Gratz, the Bramlage Author Series will include author visits from Carolyn Hart on April 10, Nancy Pickard on July 10, and Will Thomas on October 9, 2010.

We're Hiring!

2010-02-05T09:45:00.002-06:00

Want to join the JPL team? Check out our latest position opening (below) and apply at the library!

Joplin Public Library--CHILDREN’S ASSISTANT: 20 hrs per week. Two years of college preferred or equivalent experience. Must enjoy working with children and their parents, have excellent customer service skills, strong computer skills, and a love of literature. Must be reliable, detail-oriented, and able to multi-task. Experience with planning and presenting children’s programs a plus. Must be available to work a flexible schedule (see below), willing to plan and present in-house and outreach programs to all age groups. Library experience is not required, but enthusiasm and creativity are a must. Starting pay is $11.16 per hour and benefits include paid vacation, sick and personal leave, and some holidays.

Must apply in person at Joplin Public Library, 300 S Main St, before February 17.

The schedule requires flexibility, with the hours varying week-to-week, but here's a sample two-week rotation:

Week One:

Saturday 9--6 or 10--4 (8 or 6 hrs)
Sunday 1:00--5:00 p.m. (4 hrs)
Monday 4:00--8:00 p.m. (4 hrs)
Tuesday Off
Wednesday Off
Thursday 9:00--1:00 p.m. (4 hrs)
Friday Off

Week Two:

Saturday Off
Sunday Off
Monday 4:00--8:00 p.m. (4 hrs)
Tuesday 9:00--3:00 p.m. (6 hrs)
Wednesday 9:00--1:00 p.m. (4 hrs)
Thursday 9:00--3:00 p.m. (6 hrs)
Friday Off

And then week one will repeat...

Legal thriller full of plot twists

2010-01-22T16:24:00.002-06:00

“Fugitive”

By Phillip Margolin

(Playaway MP3 audiobook)

Margolin’s latest thriller revolves around Charlie Marsh, a small-time thief and con man.

In 1997, Charlie is serving a prison sentence when he saves the warden’s life during a prison riot and becomes a national hero. He takes advantage of the situation by writing a largely fictional book about his life. The book becomes a bestseller, allowing Charlie to live the high life.

Sally Pope, wife of a prominent congressman, and Charlie have an affair. Sally’s husband, Arnold discovers evidence of the affair and confronts them at a book signing that Sally hosts for Charlie.

Arnold is shot and killed and Sally faces a murder charge, although no one saw the shooter. Charlie is charged as an accomplice.

Amanda Jaffe watches in the courtroom as her father, Frank, successfully defends Sally and gains her acquittal. Charlie flees to Batanga, Africa to avoid his own murder trial.

For twelve years, Charlie works for the Batangan dictator Jean Claude Baptiste. When the dictator discovers that Charlie has been sleeping with one of his wives, he has his wife tortured and killed.

Charlie decides that facing death row in the United States is preferable to the fate he will meet at the hands of the sadistic dictator.

Charlie calls upon Martha Brice, editor-in-chief of “World News” for help in making his escape. She provides the money and makes the plans for Charlie’s harrowing exit from Africa.

He leaves Africa entrusted with a package of diamonds for safekeeping. The diamonds are intended to fund a resistance movement against the African dictator at a future date.

So Brice hires Amanda Jaffe to defend Charlie in his murder trial. Amanda enlists her father to assist an investigation into the events surrounding the congressman’s murder twelve years ago.

Charlie and Amanda quickly discover that the African dictator has sent one of his enforcers to get the diamonds back and to deal with Charlie. Amanda faces two challenges—to clear her client and to protect him from persons that want him dead.

Margolin’s legal thriller, with its non-stop action and gripping plot twists, add suspense until you reach the surprising and shocking conclusion. Narrator Jonathan Davis engages you with his strong delivery, providing unique voices for the intriguing characters while keeping the drama high. Phillip Margolin has written yet another winner featuring Amanda Jaffe.

“Shatter”

By Michael Robotham

(Playaway MP3 audiobook)

Robotham’s protagonist is clinical psychologist Joe O’Loughlin, who teaches psychology at the University of Bath. He and his beautiful wife, Julianne, have been married for twenty years and have two young daughters, but he suffers from the onset of Parkinson’s disease.

Joe’s life changes unexpectedly when he is called by the police to go to the Clifton Suspension Bridge to talk down a woman who is about to jump.

He arrives at the bridge to find a woman standing in the rain sobbing into a cell phone. She is naked except for her shoes. Still on the phone, she turns to Joe and says, “You don’t understand,” and steps off the bridge.

The police rule it suicide and close the case. Joe isn’t so sure.

The sixteen-year-old daughter of Christine Wheeler, the dead woman, appears at Joe’s home a few days later. Darcy Wheeler flatly states that her mother would never commit suicide — certainly not by jumping, since she was terrified of heights.

Darcy begs Joe to find out what really caused her mother to jump. Joe’s doubts about the police’s suicide theory intensify.

Another dead woman is discovered hanging from a tree, also naked with a cell phone nearby. Joe learns that she was Christine Wheeler’s business partner. He calls upon his friend Vincent Ruiz, a retired chief inspector, to help him figure out who is manipulating these women into killing themselves, apparently from the other end of their cell phones — and why.

Joe is able to prevent a third murder victim, but then the killer strikes very close to home.

Australian author Michael Robotham’s novel “Shatter” is a compelling suspense-filled psychological thriller. Chapters written from the villain’s perspective reveal a very dark and twisted personality.

British actor Sean Barrett’s fine narration lends depth to the characters and the chilling plot twists.

Phyllis is the technical services librarian at Joplin Public Library.

Movies speak to audiences in similar ways

2010-01-16T09:25:00.003-06:00

For this column I will look at two movies that couldn’t be any more different from each other — on paper, anyway. But they both possess whatever magic lies within really good movies to make them “speak” to an audience — to show us something about ourselves and the world around us.

“Unfaithfully Yours”

(not rated)

Whenever I’m asked to recommend a movie to a library patron (and it happens fairly often) I always tell them, “Oh, you should get ‘Unfaithfully Yours.’” It’s the perfect movie to recommend to a stranger for three reasons:

1. It’s really good.

2. It’s tasteful (but not boringly so).

3. Most people have never heard of it, let alone seen it.

The movie tells the tale of one Sir Alfred De Carter, a famous orchestra conductor who, despite his prestige and high standing, is a man at heart and as such is given over to petty jealousy and fantasies of revenge when he suspects his wife of having a wandering eye.

As he conducts his symphony through several disparate pieces of classical music, his mind wanders as he envisions impossibly complex ways to both prove his wife’s unfaithfulness and to exact his own ultra-suave brand of revenge. But things go hilariously awry when De Carter actually gets a chance to set his plots into motion.

“Unfaithfully Yours” stars a younger Rex Harrison, 16 years before his famous turn as Professor Henry Higgins in “My Fair Lady,” and benefits tremendously from the highly skilled actor’s wonderful performance. Capturing a pompousness and coldness about De Carter while still remaining sympathetic is no small feat, and Harrison handles it admirably.

Once things start to go seriously downhill for the man, it’s hard not to feel sorry for him, even as you laugh at him and chastise him for ever fantasizing revenge in the first place.

Perhaps not the most obvious draw for the movie, but the most important and the most lasting, is that it was directed and scripted by that manic genius of 1940s cinema, Preston Sturges. A rather late-period entry into the director’s filmography (his earlier, more well-known efforts such as “Lady Eve” and “Sullivan’s Travels” having come at the very beginning of the ’40s), the film still bristles with Sturges’ trademark energy and the unusually structured script is distinctly his own.

A small masterpiece from one of the giants of “golden age” of comedy, as well as a powerful treatise on male hubris and machismo, “Unfaithfully Yours” is a hilarious movie that comes highly recommended.

“Tarnation”

(not rated)

It’s hard to describe the power of Jonathan Caouette’s powerful documentary “Tarnation.”

I was going to finish that sentence with “other than to say that … ” but I couldn’t come up with anything, so I’ll let that first sentence stand all on its own. It’s hard to describe the power of this movie.

“Tarnation” was the end result of a lifetime spent obsessively documenting, archiving and manipulating the life of its director. Culled from more than 20 years worth (hundreds of hours) of old video footage, and made for the sum total budget of $218.32 at the home of the director on his computer, the movie works in spite of its obvious limitations. (Good portions of the movie consist of text scrolling across the screen in front of still photographs.)

The film details the troubled childhood of Caouette, from coping with an absent father to dealing with his mentally disturbed mother who goes through a series of bizarre and disturbing electroshock treatments, rendering her a shell of her former self. Throughout, vintage video footage reveals Caouette to be a highly intelligent, artistic youth left to drift and come to terms with his life in the best way he knows how — in front of a camera.

At times funny, at times deeply disturbing, and at times downright horrifying, “Tarnation” is a film unique unto itself. A highly moving portrait of a tortured soul and his attempts to come to terms with his birthright and the world around him, the film rises above the sum of its limited parts to create a whole both affecting and powerfully memorable.

Mark is the assistant circulation supervisor at Joplin Public Library.

Bonjour! Hello! Hola! Hallo!

2010-01-15T14:51:00.005-06:00

Are you either learning a language or interested in doing so? Ja?! Well, friends, we have what you need: audio books, dictionaries, language books, videos & software! Whether you would like to brush up on your English grammar, learn French for travelers, or immerse yourself in Romanian, we're sure to have something to pique your interest! Chinese, Dutch, English, Japanese, Korean, German, French, Hindi, Italian, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Slang, Sign Language & MORE...Perhaps you could peruse our language section the next time you're in for a visit! Bis später! Au revoir!

Burroughs’ essays rough yet rewarding

2010-01-08T09:48:00.000-06:00

‘You Better Not Cry’

By Augusten Burroughs

Halfway through “You Better Not Cry,” Augusten Burroughs’ latest collection of essays, I still wasn’t sure what to think of it. Or even if I’d finish it.

I’d been hoping for something along the lines of David Sedaris’ “Holidays on Ice,” which was consistently funny and twisted, often at the expense of others, but unfailingly affectionate.

At first, I didn’t find that in “You Better Not Cry.”

The book struck me as uneven, hilarious and disturbing, but cold — much like Burroughs’ own life, I guess. Anyone who has read his books is familiar with his dysfunctional background: an alcoholic father, a mentally ill mother, years of unhealthy relationships and drinking binges.

I didn’t crack a smile until the second piece, “Claus and Effect,” an ode to a child’s greed at Christmas. Even if the essay’s characterization is an exaggeration, Burroughs still must have been a monster. He presents his parents with a list of “acceptable” gifts, among them a gold-plated watch, a bag of coins, gold nuggets and a leather wallet.

“And as far as I was concerned, my parents would give me whatever I wanted,” he writes. “It was my payment for enduring the other 364 days of the year with them. Between my nasty drunk father and my suicidal, mental-patient mother, I felt I was owed certain reimbursements. They had aged me; I would drain them dry.”

Holy cow. Young Augusten makes today’s kids — with their desire for Wii’s, cell phones, and iPods — look like Marxists. Still, I had to laugh at his over-the-top requests. Seriously, what kind of a child asks for gold nuggets?

Less amusing was the essay about Burroughs’ one-night stand with a geriatric Frenchman in Santa regalia. The sleaze factor was just too much for me. It also seemed somewhat unbelievable, right down to its semi-redemptive ending.

But as “You Better Not Cry” progressed, my appreciation for it grew. The writing improved, reminding me of why I like Burroughs so much. The intent no longer seemed to horrify or amuse; rather, it was to touch a deeper emotion in the reader.

In “Why Do You Reward Me Thus?” Burroughs recounts an incident from his boozing days. One minute he’s drinking in a bar; the next he’s waking up in the street, snuggled up against two homeless guys for warmth.

While he has preconceived notions about “bums,” he finds camaraderie among them. One is an elegant woman who professes to be a singer. He asks her for a song, and when she opens her mouth, a Puccini aria emerges.

“As she sang, the windows of the brownstone across the street shimmered in reply. Her voice had weakened the molecular bond of glass. It filled the space between the flakes of falling snow and packed the air with beauty. It was, at once, Christmas in Manhattan.”

This piece marked a turning point in the collection’s overall tone. Burroughs begins to let some vulnerability peek through, enough so that the reader can detect the yearning and loneliness he feels around the holidays.

I realized that “You Better Not Cry” depicts his journey toward a “normal” Christmas, whatever that might be. He has some drunken and depressing ones — my heart broke a little for him when I read “The Best and Only Everything,” about his first Christmas with an HIV-infected lover — but he continues to inch his way toward a functional life.

In the final essay, “Silent Night,” Burrough’s life is calm, for him. He has been sober for a decade and has a long-time partner, with whom he has two dogs, a station wagon, and a house. After years of ignoring the holiday, he tries to have the perfect Christmas.

It’s within reach, but then catastrophe strikes in the form of a household flood. His reaction to the situation is very telling, and the reader realizes that, although Burroughs’ life has been a series of mistakes and disasters, he has learned something along the way.

Perhaps he says it best himself. Looking at the Christmas tree standing in their wrecked home, Burroughs holds his partner’s hand and whispers, “I’m very lucky.”

I felt lucky to have gone on the journey with him in “You Better Not Cry.” I’m glad I stuck with it, and with him.

Lisa is the administrative assistant at the Joplin Public Library.

Storytime Resumes

2010-01-05T10:21:00.004-06:00

It’s hard to believe (at least for me), but storytime resumes next week. We will kick off the sixteen week session with WINTER themed stories, songs, and rhymes!

Here's a complete schedule that is good until May 1st:

Family Storytime (children up to 5 years)--Monday at 6:00 p.m. and Saturday at 10:30 a.m.
Baby Bookworms (only children up to 23 months)--Tuesday at 9:30 and 10:30
Tales for 2s & 3s--Wednesday and Thursday at 9:30 a.m.
Fun for 4s & 5s--Wednesday and Thursday at 10:30 a.m.

There is also a bonus Spanish/English Story Hour on the third Friday of each month, with the first one kicking off on Friday, January 15th at 10:30 a.m. Children 2-5 years and their parents are welcome. Do not worry about understanding the stories, songs and rhymes, because Miss Shawnte does an excellent job presenting everything in the dual languages of English and Spanish.

For more information call 417-623-2184.

"Test your L.Q. (Library Quotient)" - Question #1

2010-01-03T09:57:00.004-06:00

Here's the first question:

What was the name of the man who donated the money for the
construction of the original Joplin library?

------------------------

This is but the first question in a series of four. There will be a new one every two weeks, and the contest will last until the end of February.

You must submit your answer at the official drop-off location at the
Circulation desk inside the library.

Those who submit four correct answers will be entered into a drawing for a $20 gift card to Caldone's fine Italian restaurant!

Have fun and happy answer-hunting!

'Tumblebooks' make reading an adventure

2010-01-01T09:51:00.000-06:00

How would you like to see a book come to life right before your eyes, or better yet, your child’s eyes? A new resource at the library does just that.

Tumblebook Library is an online collection of animated talking picture books called “Tumblebooks.” The books in the Tumblebook Library are existing titles that have animation, sound, music and narration added. The collection includes storybooks, fairy tales, nonfiction books and books for learning.

You can open a Tumblebook (click on the View Online graphic above the book) and join Jason in “50 Below Zero” as he finds his sleepwalking father on the refrigerator, in the bathtub, and numerous other places. You’ll see Jason peer over the covers when a noise wakes him, see his father bound across the room and watch Jason pull his frozen father home.

Most of the storybooks are set to automatically turn the pages, but you can change the setting to manual and turn the pages yourself. Other books, such as the pop-up book “Doors,” are set on manual so that you move through the book at your own pace. The reader opens each door with the click of the mouse and looks for all kinds of things on a boat, at the doctor’s office, in a horse’s stall, on a spaceship and many other places.

Each book has a synopsis of the story; author, illustrator and publisher information; reading time; reading level; book reviews; and accelerated reading info.

You have the option to add the books to “My Favorites” or “My Playlist.” “My Favorites” is just a list of books that you choose. “My Playlist” is a collection of books you choose that will play one after another when you click on the play button. You can add to and delete from the list as you wish.

Some of the Tumblebooks have games and puzzles associated with them, with a link on the right of the book information. There is also a “Puzzles and Games” tab that you can click on to choose the game or puzzle you want to play.

The “Language Learning” tab lets you choose books to be read in five different languages: French, Spanish, Italian, Chinese and Russian. There is only one title each in Chinese and Russian and two titles in Italian, but there are many to choose from in French and Spanish. The information on the books is in English (or Spanish or French if you changed the language on the home page), but when you view the book, the words and narration are in the language you chose.

Not all of the books in the Tumblebook Library show the words. The “Audiobooks” tab gives you access to a collection of books that are read to you. The read times are longer and you have the option to add bookmarks, so you can stop the book, then go back and pick up where you left off.

The “TumbleReadables” tab takes you to a collection of books without the animation. The book is narrated and each sentence read is highlighted. You have the option to control the size of the text. You can choose from “Early Readers,” “Read-Along Classics” or “Chapter Books” (no titles in this category yet).

In the “Large Print Classics,” you read the book (no narration) and you control the text size from 12 to 34 font size. As with the audiobooks, you can bookmark any book to stop and go back to the same place.

Please check out this great resource at the Joplin Public Library or from your home by going to the library Web site (http://www.joplinpubliclibrary.org). If you are in the library, go to the Kids page on the Web site and click on the Tumblebook link.

From home on the Web site, mouse over “Reference” then “Online Resources” and choose “Literature/Reading” from the drop-down menu.

You will need a username and password to access Tumblebooks from home. Contact the Children’s Department (417-623-2184) or the Reference Desk (417-624-5465) for that information.

Patty is the reference librarian at Joplin Public Library.

Medical surprise makes for compelling story

2009-12-25T09:55:00.000-06:00

“What I Thought I Knew”

By Alice Eve Cohen

It is the spring of 1999, and 44-year-old Alice Eve Cohen is deliriously happy. She is raising Julia, her 8-year-old adopted daughter, she is dating a wonderful man and has a thriving career as a playwright and theater artist.

And then one day in early April, she awakens with an upset stomach.

The nausea never abates, and over the course of the next several months Alice gains a host of new symptoms, which her gynecologist diagnoses as early menopause, her gastroenterologist as anemia and reflux, and her general practitioner as a tumor. It is only later, during a CAT scan, that it is accidentally discovered that she is 26 weeks pregnant.

And so begins Alice’s difficult journey in trying to figure out how to proceed. Especially since she has not receive any prenatal care, has been taking prescription medication and synthetic hormones that are know to cause birth defects, is a high-risk pregnancy, and has to deal with an insurance company that offers little coverage or help.

Cohen offers her perspective on the medical system, motherhood and what it means to be a family in today’s society, while providing an honest, entertaining and captivating narrative. She pulls no punches and candidly opens herself to readers, despite how she may appear or be judged.

This is a fast-paced memoir that will preoccupy readers’ thoughts long after the last page has been read.

“When You Reach Me”

By Rebecca Stead

New York City sixth-grader Miranda has a lot on her mind during the fall of 1978.

She would like to know why her best friend, Sal, suddenly stops speaking to her after a stranger punches him in the stomach; who stole the “emergency only” apartment key that she and her mother had hidden outside their apartment; and who is leaving her notes that seem to predict the future.

Using her powers of observation, Miranda seeks to answer these questions and more as her familiar world is abruptly upended.

Stead has written a fantastical mystery that will captivate readers from the opening chapter. Miranda is endearing, perceptive and better yet, a typical sixth-grade student who is struggling with family, friendships and her personal identity. She, along with a diverse cast of characters, steals the show.

Jeana is the children’s librarian at Joplin Public Library.

2009-12-18T09:58:00.002-06:00

“An Uncommon History of Common Things”

By Bethanne Patrick and John Thompson

I’m a bit of a trivia nut, to understate things enormously, so I was happy to see “An Uncommon History of Common Things” by Bethanne Patrick and John Thompson, published by National Geographic. The book is divided into nine chapters, covering Food & Drink, Seasons & Holidays, Ceremony & Customs, Symbols & Markings, Hearth & Home, Garments & Accessories, Medications & Potions, Toys & Games, and Tools & Innovations.

In addition to the main entries, there are blue boxes with Uncommonly Known stories to further inform and entertain and tan boxes with Parallel History information to put things into context. The second Uncommonly Known box, in the Food & Drink section, states that the bread slicer was invented in Iowa in 1917, but the first commercial use was in Chillicothe, Mo.!

In the section on lunch boxes, I learned that the first lunch box made for children was the Aladdin brand with Hopalong Cassidy decoration in the late 1940’s. No big surprise there, but (being a boomer baby) I didn’t realize that “concerned parents” in Florida rang the death knell for the metal lunch box and ushered in the age of plastics in the lunch box world.

Ceremony & Customs has an interesting piece about naming conventions. I remember hearing long ago that in Jewish custom, babies are named after deceased relatives but not living ones. According to the book, however, that is Ashkenazic custom, while Sephardic custom is exactly opposite. In Navajo culture, “a name is so powerful it is never used in everyday conversation.” In India, it is usual to have a “family” name used at home and a different formal name for use in the outside world.

Symbols & Markings gives a history of the peace symbol that I found interesting. It was created by a Londoner named Gerald Holtom for a march against nuclear armaments. It is a combination of the semaphores for “n” (nuclear) and “d” (disarmament). It made its first appearance in public on April 4, 1958 and the first appearance in the U.S. was evidently a photo of the march in Life magazine on April 14th.

What about the superstition about walking under a ladder? Evidently, that one goes back to ancient Egypt. Wood was scarce in Egypt and a ladder was a good luck sign. Triangles represented the sacred trinity of the gods, so walking under a ladder leaning against something was breaking the sacred space and earning the gods’ anger. In Christian times, a leaning ladder brought to mind the ladder used to mount a cross for crucifixion, and so became a symbol of evil and death. Those going to be hanged were forced to walk under the ladder, while the executioner went around it.

In Garments & Accessories, I learned a lot about loafers. One, why they’re called that. I always assumed that it referred to be lazy, since there are no laces to tie. Wrong! It comes from a shoe worn by Norwegian farmer shoes worn in the loafing (meaning gathering) areas for cattle. The Norwegian origin also explains the name of the loafers sold by Bass. “Weejun” is a diminutive form of Norwegian. Ah HA! I always thought (again, wrong assumption on my part) that Weejun was some sort of American Indian reference, like wampum (wampum being covered in the book, too, by the way).

The ubiquitous hook-and-loop fastener was patented in 1955. Brand-named Velcro, the French inventor got the idea from burrs in his dog’s fur. Whyever is it called Velcro? I have wondered, and now I know. The name comes from the French words velours (velvet) and crochet (hook). Ah, the velvet hook! Perfect description of the material, I think.

While there is a lot of information familiar to me in this book, there is obviously a lot that wasn’t. It’s very attractively laid out, with lots of photos, and makes for some interesting browsing. Come check it out, or any of the other books on curiosities, trivia and the like that we have at the Joplin Public Library.

Linda is the circulation supervisor/collection development librarian at Joplin Public Library.

Test Your Library Knowledge in 2010!

2009-12-16T13:54:00.003-06:00

Test your library knowledge in 2010 and be entered to win a great prize!

Every two weeks during the months of January and February, a different "L.Q." (library quotient) question will be posted on the library's blog and Facebook page. These questions will be related to the history of the Joplin Public Library. Answers must be submitted in person to a designated box at the Circulation Desk inside the library.

Those people who submit four correct answers will be entered into a drawing to win a $20.00 gift card to Caldone's, the newest Italian restaurant in town, located at 218 S Main!

Check back in January for the first question!

Intense action propels 'Memory Collector'

2009-12-15T16:14:00.003-06:00

“The Memory Collector”

By Meg Gardiner (compact disc audiobook)

A couple of passengers restrain Ian Kanan, passenger on a flight from London, when he tries to open an exit door. Kanan has no memory of where he is or why he is in the United States.

Dr. Jo Beckett a forensic psychologist is called in to investigate when brain scans reveal that Kanan has no short-term memory. He escapes before she discovers that his exposure to a top-secret nanotech chemical product known as “Slick” has caused a rare form of amnesia. Kanan only remembers things up until the time of his exposure to this mysterious biological contaminant. He will never be able to form new memories or ever hold a memory for more than five minutes.

Kanan is desperately looking for Slick. Kidnappers have his family and Slick is the ransom, only Kanan cannot remember where he put it. The reminder scrawled on his arm — “Saturday they die” — terrifies him. Jo and her friend, Lt. Amy Tang of the San Francisco Police Department, and Jo’s boyfriend, Gabe, race against time to find Kanan and the toxic chemical in order to save the city of San Francisco from this horrifying, brain-devouring substance.

Meg Gardiner’s second novel featuring Dr. Jo Beckett is a suspenseful and fast-paced thriller. Susan Ericksen effectively utilizes foreign dialects to portray realistic characters, while her excellent narration sustains the intense action.

“Gone Tomorrow”

By Lee Child (compact disc audiobook)

Jack Reacher, a former military police major, is riding on a subway car in New York when he notices that the only woman fits all of the criteria of a suicide bomber. However, what would be the point of her carrying out a suicide bombing? It is 2 o’clock in the morning and there are only four or five passengers on the subway train.

In order to try to calm the woman, Reacher approaches her and explains that he a police officer. She pulls out a gun and kills herself. Reacher’s decision sets off a course with deadly consequences. The New York Police Department, the FBI, and other government agencies question Reacher’s motivation for confronting Susan Marks. Susan was no suicide bomber but apparently she was carrying a secret, and a number of people believe that she gave Reacher something that contained the secret before she died. Reacher enlists the aid of her brother to discover Susan’s motivation for taking her life and to exact vengeance from the bad guys.

Reacher tells the heart-stopping story in first person. The terrific action sequences move at breakneck pace and the plotting and characters are first rate. Dick Hill’s skillful narration adds depth to the portrayal of the characters and the tension. Jack Reacher will not disappoint his millions of fans.

“Road Dogs”

By Elmore Leonard (“Playaway” audiobook)

Jack Foley, the charming, sexy bank robber who made his first appearance in “Out of Sight,” claims to have robbed over 170 banks. Foley gets out of jail early thanks to Cundo Rey, who also appeared in “La Brava,” an earlier Leonard novel.

Rey, an extremely wealthy Cuban criminal and Foley’s prison buddy (road dog), pays $50,000 for a lawyer to spring Foley. Rey gives Foley a credit card and access to his multi-million dollar homes in California. Dawn Navarro, a beautiful psychic con and Rey’s common-law wife, has been waiting on Rey’s release for eight years. In the meantime, Little Jimmy, Rey’s partner, has been taking care of Rey’s business.

Foley makes himself at home in one of Rey’s houses. He has decided to go straight — no more bank robberies in his future. Soon, he and Dawn connect and begin a torrid affair, while thinking of ways to relieve Rey of some of his money. Rey’s release comes a few days early and he arrives home unexpectedly. Adding to the tension is FBI agent Lou Adams who dogs Foley’s every step. Agent Adams is determined to catch Foley in one last bank heist and intends to write a book about him.

The plot is weak but Leonard skillfully employs quirky and sleazy engaging characters and rich and colorful dialogue in “Road Dogs.” Peter Francis James narrates this enjoyable, fast-paced caper novel.

~Phyllis- Technical Services Librarian

‘Libyrinth’ a well-written book about another world’s library

2009-12-11T10:00:00.000-06:00

Libyrinth by Pearl North

True confession: Since I earned my degree to become a librarian, the mere mention of libraries in a book, no matter how brief, makes me giddy with excitement — as if the author mentioned the library just for me.

So, when I saw Libyrinth and read the jacket, I had to read it. I mean, there’s a whole civilization built around a library, librarians and the people who want to destroy the library! Giddiness ensued.

Libyrinth is set in a non-Earth world where the two major learned societies are in conflict. The Libyrarians believe in the importance of the written word and that they must preserve all books while the Singers believe that words are sacred, but once written down are dead and that they must burn all books in order to release the words written in them.

Because the Libyrinth relies on others in order to exist and the Singers are a formidable foe, the Libyrarians have struck a deal with the Singers: Each year, the Libyrarians allow the singers to burn a select number of books in exchange for the Singers’ promise that they won’t destroy the entire Libyrinth.

This arrangement, though painful for the Libyrarians, worked out well until Haly, a Libyrinth clerk who can hear written words as if they are spoken to her, discovers the Singers’ plot to find The Book of the Night — the book that contains all the secrets of the Ancients.

Fearing that the Singers will destroy the book, Haly, her friend Clauda and Selene, the Libyrarian Haly serves, flee the Libyrinth to find the book first. When Haly is captured by the Singers, she and her friends embark on an adventure to save the book and the Libyrinth.

For the most part, the giddiness I felt after reading the book jacket was sustained. Through alternating points of view, Haly and Clauda are well developed and quite likable. Their difficult decisions are realistic and they are both clever and resourceful.

North does a good job of making readers understand the viewpoint of the Singers and resists the temptation of making them a mindless and evil society of book burners. North even sprinkles a budding romance in the mix for good measure.

The book was not without distraction, however. The action scenes are great and begin early on, but the pace gets slowed down by world building and in-depth explanations of the world’s various religions and philosophies.

Most distracting for me is that North fails to explain how a non-Earth world can have books like Charlotte’s Web and The Diary of Anne Frank in it. Are the Ancients people from Earth who brought a vast number of books with them?

According to the “About the Author” page, North plans Libyrinth to be the first in a trilogy, so maybe some of these distractions will be dealt with in the second installment. All-in-all, though, it’s a solid read for patient fantasy lovers and nerdy librarians.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies vs. Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters

2009-11-22T20:18:00.002-06:00

Q: On what factors do we judge this year’s new adaptations of classic Jane Austen? Could it be as simple as personal preference for zombies versus sea monsters? Or perhaps personal preference of Pride and Prejudice versus Sense and Sensibility? Think on that a spell while I tell you two reasons why I loved them both:

Reason #1 for embracing Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (additions by Seth Grahame-Smith) and Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters (additions by Ben H. Winters): Using the awesome drawing power of zombies and sea monsters (who can possibly resist the exuberant charm of Frankenstein’s or Loch Ness’s monsters? Not me!) brings a whole new audience for these classics. People are reading Austen for the first time; people, like me, who may never have read these Victorian fiction gems without the lure of aforementioned ghouls and sea slimeys. New Austen converts? Can I get a “Heck yes!”?

Reason #2 for devouring these books anew like you’ve never read them before: Um, they now have zombies and sea monsters: hello! Sure, you’ve seen all the movie versions and read your grandmother’s battered old copies dozens of times, but you’ve never seen Elizabeth sword-fight the undead while worrying about whether or not she secretly loves Darcy. The protagonist and supporting female cast are respected warriors in this new version of Pride and Prejudice. I can’t imagine Ms. Jane Austen herself being anything but pleased to see our 21^st century reimagining turn her main characters into feminist icons.

A: If you have to choose just one of these new classics to read, choose not based on your love of reanimated flesh versus murderous cephalopods, as both are sensationally represented. Choose not even based on the characters or storylines of your favorite Jane Austen, as, let’s face it, both novels are reminiscent of the other. Choose Pride and Prejudice and Zombies because of the aforementioned feminist manifesta excitement, the promise of unique transformation-into-zombie folklore (in this mythology, it takes months to turn once you’re bitten), and the superior marriage of authors the writing displays.

Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters boasts a vast array of surly sea-beasts, to be sure, but the writing isn’t as seamless in this one. The sea-beast plotline can easily be told from the original storyline (and as I said above, I’ve never read the originals of either novel, so I shouldn’t be able to tell…) and the sea monsters seem like an almost trivial afterthought to both the modern writer and the characters in the story. Perhaps Mr. Winters wasn’t confident enough to really dig into the story and find its new purpose with the addition of the Loch Ness monster family, or maybe Pride and Prejudice and Zombies was just too good by comparison. In either case, read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies first to whet your appetite for what might be an exciting new trend in reimagining classic novels.

Social events influence movies during filming

2009-11-19T16:23:00.003-06:00

This review will focus on three movies that, while completely unrelated, share a certain unifying characteristic: They were all filmed in locations with actual social events occurring in and around the film production.

The resulting products are filled with a refreshing spontaneity and sense of being “alive” that was achieved both because of, and in spite of, the remarkable situations surrounding their production.

“Black Orpheus” (not rated)

This is the classic Greek story of Orpheus and Eurydice, as retold in a modern context and set in Brazil, during the time of the annual Carnaval. The story is simple and fairly straight-forward (although I won’t spoil the ending), but the movie positively shines with music and raw energy.

I tried to think of another movie that featured such a persistent beat and so many ecstatically dancing extras, but I simply couldn’t do it.

Sumptuously photographed in color, the movie lavishes attention on the Brazilian locales in which it is set. Everything in the movie seems beautiful, even the ramshackle homes the characters share with their chickens and goats.

They go to work, earn a little money, play music and dance into the night. In the world of “Black Orpheus,” such a life is paradise.

An utterly unique movie experience, masterfully directed (or perhaps “reined-in” would be a better term) by legendary French director Marcel Camus, Black Orpheus was the winner of the 1960 Oscar for best foreign language film.

“Medium Cool” (rated R)

Of the three movies featured in this column, perhaps “Medium Cool” had the most at risk during its production.

Unlike the guarantee of frenzied madness during Carnaval or a rock concert, “Medium Cool” was based partially on an assumption that something dramatic was going to occur during the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Luckily for the production, something dramatic happened there — in a big way.

The first “fiction” film directed by legendary cinematographer Haskell Wexler (look him up online for a list of movies he has shot — it’s mighty impressive), “Medium Cool” frames a dramatic, fictional narrative around real (and uncontrollable) events. The results are not completely successful, but the conceit is compelling and fascinating to watch.

“Medium Cool” is a time capsule, no doubt about it. The music and styles are painfully outdated, but this trait could also be the movie’s greatest strength.

It’s must-see viewing for those interested in the ’60s, fans of documentary movies, those interested in politics or those just looking for a movie pretty “far-out” of the ordinary.

“Gimme Shelter” (rated R)

If that great social phenomenon known as “The ’60s” unofficially began in Haight-Ashbury during 1967’s “Summer of Love,” and reached its zenith two years later at Woodstock, it unofficially came crashing down at the infamous free Rolling Stones concert at Altamont Speedway on Dec. 6, 1969.

Where “Gimme Shelter” differs from the other two movies in this column is that it was always intended as a documentary, with no addition of a fictitious storyline. But, like “Medium Cool,” it “benefits” from a real situation that spins utterly, violently out of control.

The movie takes for granted that audiences were already aware of the happenings at Altamont, and skillfully weaves a tapestry of foreboding from the outset. Footage of the Stones listening to radio coverage of the tragedy is interspersed between raucous footage of the earlier shows in the Stones’ 1969 tour, of which the film was originally supposed to be a straight-forward document.

By the time we get to Altamont, the suspense is at a fever pitch, and the stage is set for one of the great rock and roll tragedies. The Stones hired local Hell’s Angels as security, and as the day wore on, the Angels’ tempers grew short, and things began to get ugly.

As the day wore into night, the atmosphere got more dangerous until, partway through the Stones’ set, a concertgoer pulled a gun on Mick Jagger and was promptly knifed to death (on film) by a Hell’s Angel.

The film remains harrowing today, not just for capturing the death of a young man, but for capturing the death of an era.

~Mark- Assistant Circulation Supervisor

We're Hiring!

2009-11-08T15:02:00.002-06:00

Want to join the JPL team? Check out our latest ad in the Globe (below) and apply at the library!

Children’s Assistant. 20 hours per week. Must enjoy working with children, posses excellent customer service skills, be able to plan and present programs with enthusiasm and creativity. Two year college preferred. Flexible schedule required. Accepting applications until November 11th. Apply in person: 300 S. Main, Joplin.