Arlington Public Library What to Read

Lisa Kudrow found her Ancestors; find yours!

2010-03-20T08:58:00.000-05:00

I watched Who Do You Think You Are last night and nearly cried through half of it. Lisa's ancestor's came from Eastern Europe as Russian Jew's in the early 1920s. But her great grandmother stayed and was massacred by the Germans some 20 years later.

The most familiar part of the show was where she was looking up ship manifests for her father's cousin. She was using Ancestry.com! And then she actually went to Poland and he was there, 60 years after her father saw him.

So if you haven't used Ancestry: Library edition, please consider it. While it can only be used in the library, it is simply the single most powerful database of genealogy information. Matthew Broderick is going to be on the show next week, searching for his Civil War roots. This is going to be a great show!

Your country needs your help

2010-03-19T16:24:00.002-05:00

Many of you have already received your questionaire in the mail. It does not take very long to complete. Should you have trouble filling out your census questionaire, U.S Census staff is available at the George W. Hawkes Central Library every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (March 19-April 24) between 1:00 pm and 5:00 pm to provide assistance.

Census information is important, and can help determine how many seats your state gets to occupy in the U.S. House of Representatives. This information is also used to help determine how tax dollars should be spent. If you choose not to mail your census information, a staff member will come to your house to collect the information in person.

If you are not able to make it to the library for help, telephone questionaire assistance lines are available:

English: 1-866-872-6868
Chinese: 1-866-935-2010
Korean: 1-866-955-2010
Russian: 1-866-965-2010
Spanish: 1-866-928-2010
Vietnames: 1-866-945-2010
TDD: 1-866-783-2010

For more information on this year's census, visit the website: http://2010.census.gov/2010census/index.php

My favorite Irish-American author

2010-03-17T11:17:00.015-05:00

It is always sad when your favorite author dies. How can they write more books? Last summer, I was very saddend to hear about the passing of one of my favorite authors, Frank McCourt. On a day that we celebrate everything Irish, I think I might have to check out one of his titles for a reread. You should too. If you haven't read them yet, even better.

Hopefully his brother, Malachy McCourt will hang in there. I like his books too. A Monk Swimming is my favorite of his books.

I just discovered the youngest brother, Alphie McCourt writes too! I'll pick up his book right after I'm done reading my much anticipated celebrity biography.

Getting to Know Us: Lina R.

2010-03-09T12:17:00.003-06:00

Lina is a Customer Service Assistant at the Woodland West Branch. The accompanying image is Lina's "self-portrait".

10 facts about Lina:

1) Totally Awesome
2) Work at two libraries: Woodland West and UTA Central Library.
3) Working at two libraries makes me even more awesome.
4) Studied languages but speak neither one (Russian and French - I prefer to read them.)
5) I do however speak Cambodian with a rather horrible accent.
6) Applying for graduate studies in library science at UNT to be an academic/reference librarian.
7) Just started with polymer clay crafts.
8) Favorite things to do with friends: karaoke, trying new food, and just chilling.
9) Clumsy. Really clumsy.
10) Will be starting a swim class entitled Swimming for the Terrified Adult soon. Thought it might come in handy.

Some stuff I really like that you can find at the library:

Books
Emma by Jane Austen
The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Music
Super Taranta by Gogol Bordello
Dimanche a Bimako by Amadou & Mariam

Movie

Chocolate

Good Grounds For Books - February 2010 selections

2010-03-05T14:00:00.000-06:00

Check out the books that the Good Grounds for Books members read in February. If you ever need book suggestions, these are the people to talk to!

Laureen:
The Vintage Caper by Peter Mayle
Heart of a Shepherd by Rosanne Parry

Virginia:
They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky by Alephonsion Deng
Here If You Need Me by Kate Braestrup

Elizabeth:
Gifts of War by McKenzie Ford
The Wet Nurse’s Tale by Erica Eisdorfer
The Lost Art of Gratitude by Alexander McCall-Smith
A Hidden Life: a memoir of August 1969 by Johanna Reis

Pete:
Shadow Tag by Louise Erdrich

Ron:
The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

Jane:
I Know This Much Is True by Wally Lamb
The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb
She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb
The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule

Anita:
The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver
Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albom
Wild Women and Books: bibliophiles, bluestockings, and prolific pens from Aphra Behn to Zora Neale Hurston and from Anne Rice to the Ya-Ya
Sisterhood by Brenda Knight
Literary Life: a second memoir by Larry McMurtry

Joyce:
Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Mrs. Astor Regrets: the hidden betrayals of a family beyond reproach by Meryl Gordon

Lynn:
Dawn of Man by Robin McKie

Steampunk revival

2010-03-04T16:15:00.000-06:00

I was looking through some images from the Library of Congress and this one of a 1910 racecar driver had a tag on it that said "steampunk". It seems I can't turn around without someone talking about steampunk, because today I also was reading the Library Journal website and it came up again in an article on the top steampunk books.

For those that are unfamiliar with steampunk, the word was coined in 1987 when K. W. Jeter, a science fiction author, was trying out a variant of cyberpunk (science fiction in a dystopian future). Steampunk books are set in settings involving steam power (think locomotives, or steam powered guns and computers) and involving Victorian elements (think tea and crumpets, or cool clothes) and can be science fiction or fantasy or a mix. One of my favorite books that should be considered steampunk (but isn't) is the Diamond Age or, A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer by Neal Stephenson. Others that are actually in the genre are listed below.

Steampunk was influenced by:
G K Chesterton
Charles Dickens
Arthur Conan Doyle
Robert Louis Stevenson
Bram Stoker
Jules Verne
H.G. Wells
Mark Twain
Mary Shelley

Steampunk Firsts:
Titus Alone (part of the Gormenghast series) by Mervyn Peake
The Difference Engine by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen by Alan Moore

Steampunk in its Prime (right now!):

March is National Nutrition Month!

2010-03-01T12:38:00.001-06:00

As mentioned above, March is National Nutrition Month. Consider celebrating by trying some new, healthy recipes. A healthy diet can help reduce the risk of many chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertention, and cancer. The library has many great books that will help you eat right!
Superhealth: 6 Simple Steps, 6 Easy Weeks, 1 Longer, Healthier Life
The Mayo Clinic Diet: [Eat Well, Enjoy Life, Lose Weight]
So Easy: Luscious, Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Week
Real Food for Healthy Kids: 200+ Easy, Wholesome Recipes

Cook This Not That: Kitchen Survival Guide: the No-Diet Weight Loss Solution

Don't worry, for those of you who are like me and don't eat as healthy as should, the library also has titles that promote fried foods and desserts....as well as diabetes, hypertension and cancer.

African American Genealogy

2010-02-22T16:10:00.000-06:00

Gayle Hanson, president of the Texas Historical and Ancestry Researchers, spoke at the Northeast Branch Library in honor of Black History Month on the topic of African American Genealogy. Although many of the tips Hanson shared are the same for people searching for their ancestors of any ethnicity, at a certain point in the search, African Americans must take a different path.

For instance, most African Americans were not included in the Federal Census until 1870, after emancipation and the end of the Civil War (except for freed men). But even if your ancestors were in the Census, they might not be listed by the name you know. Even though it is an “official” document, there is no guarantee that people didn’t use their nicknames when asked by the Census taker. Furthermore, names could be misspelled. Brainstorm any and all variations of surnames.

Hanson also suggests browsing the Census listings before and after a relative. Many times it is possible to find other ancestors who lived in close proximity to one another.

Another great resource for Texans is the Works Progress Administration’s collection of slave narratives. The Federal Writers’ Project conducted thousands of interviews with former slaves living in 17 states, mostly in the South, during the 1930s. You can search over 2,000 narratives on the Library of Congress website at http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/snhtml/snhome.html. Keep in mind that the narratives are organized by the state in which they were gathered, not necessarily the state where the person was born or grew up.

Arlington Public Library has tried to make your search a little easier by compiling many useful databases and ancestry websites in one place. Go to http://www.arlingtonlibrary.org/research/gene.aspx to get started.

And on a somewhat related note: the 2010 Census will be sent to your house in March. It is a 10-question form for you to fill out and send back. Perhaps 72 years from now, your descendants will be trying to find you using the records you create today. Not only that, the statistics generated by the Census determines how much representation you have in Congress, and are used to advocate for more services and infrastructure in your community. For more information on the Census, go to 2010census.gov

Best Actress Oscars

2010-02-19T12:23:00.000-06:00

Well it's that time of year and we are looking forward to the Oscars. The Best Actress awards have always been a great race to see. In 1967, Katharine Hepburn won the best actress Oscar for a film that broke racial barriers, and we will be showing that film on Sunday, February 28, at 3 p.m. at the Southeast Branch. Call 817-459-6395 for more information.

Katherine Hepburn won the most best actess Oscars with four. She has set the bar high for the actresses who are following her. She won for Morning Glory in 1933, Guess Who's Coming To Dinner in 1967, The Lion In Winter in 1968, and On Golden Pond in 1981. She had a total of 12 nominations, winning four. In our day the actress some would compare her to is Meryl Streep who has won two Oscars with a total of 13 nominations for Best Actress.

For your viewing pleasure please check out the following Best Actress Oscar winning movies.

2007	Marion Cotillard	La Vie En Rose	DVD
2006	Helen Mirren	The Queen	DVD
2005	Reese Witherspoon	Walk the Line	DVD
2004	Hilary Swank	Million Dollar Baby	DVD
2003	Charlize Theron	Monster	Book
2002	Nicole Kidman	The Hours	DVD Book Audio
2001	Halle Berry	Monsters Ball	DVD
2000	Julia Roberts	Erin Brockovich	DVD Book
1998	Gwyneth Paltrow	Shakespeare in Love	DVD VHS E-Book
1997	Helen Hunt	As Good as it Gets	DVD VHS
1996	Frances McDormand	Fargo	DVD
1995	Susan Sarandon	Dead Man Walking	Book Audio
1993	Holly Hunter	The Piano	DVD
1992	Emma Thompson	Howard's End	DVD Book Audio Downloadable Audio
1991	Jodie Foster	Silence of the Lambs	DVD Book
1990	Kathy Bates	Misery	DVD Book En Español
1989	Jessica Tandy	Driving Miss Daisy	DVD Book

Resource Spotlight: Reference USA revisited

2010-02-17T11:10:00.008-06:00

We talked about how great Reference USA is last December and now there are three more reasons to get to know this resource:

U.S. New Movers

Updated weekly, this database is a great way to reach out to new members of your community. Search by housing type, geography, move type, moving distance, and more. This is a valuable resource for service providers looking to drum up new business. It is also helpful for organizations looking for new members.

U.S. New Businesses

This databse contains over 4 million new business with approximately 50,000 new businesses added each week. Use this resource, and be the first to offer your goods and services to these new startups. Search by business type/filing type, contact information, and more.

U.S. Lifestyle

Save money by targeting consumers who might actually have an interest in your goods or services! Find potential customers by searching by lifestyles, hobbies and interests. Many categories (broken into sub-categories) are available. NOTE: Sorting search results will occasionally cause an error. We've notified RefUSA and they are working on a solution to the issue.

You can find Reference USA on our database page in the "Business and Legal" category.

Angela's Romance Novel Five Step Program: admitting that, yes, you are are romance reader

2010-02-12T11:30:00.000-06:00

Hi! My name is Angela, and I am a Romance reader! This admission feels liberating. For years I have been made to feel frivolous, trivial, and unintellectual because of my choice of reading material. I have suffered the smirking glances of my coworkers at the library as I load and unload my book bag. I have been taunted, teased and called the girl who reads “trash”. I have been exposed to ridicule because of the book jackets of my favorite reads and staff picks. But, no more will I blush. No more will I turn my book around in order to hide the cover.

This is a brave step for me! I am so use to being beat down that it has taken me YEARS to come to terms with my romance preferences. I know many of you are not yet at the point that you can be open and proud about your romance reading. Perhaps some are only part-time romance readers—using romance as “fillers” between your more weighty reading. Whatever the reason you pick up a romance book, do so with pride. I have devised a few steps to help you come to terms with the romance genre in hopes that you will read openly and honestly.

1. Admit that you do indeed love and read romance literature. Take an inventory of the books you have read or are currently reading. Are there ANY that fall in the romance genre? If so, you are indeed a romance reader.

2. Recognize that you are not alone. According to the Romance Writers of America, over 78 million people read at least one romance novel in 2008 with 29 million being hard-core romance readers. Go ahead, take a sneak peek around you. Chances are the person right next to you shares your love of romances. They may not be as evolved and open about it.

3. Forgive the teachers, professors, librarians, fellow travelers on airplanes who have looked down their noses at your reading choices. Just as you want others to respect your reading choices, you must accept theirs (however misguided they may be).

4. Do not be afraid to suggest your favorite romance titles to your friends and acquaintances. You may inadvertently find that you will provide the impetus for them to realize and accept their inner romance reading tendencies. Then take it a step further and welcome them into the fold with open arms. Continue to feed their growing need for romances.

5. Try new and unfamiliar romance authors. Romance readers in general are a loyal bunch. We stick to our beloved authors like glue. But with over 7,000 new romance books published in 2008 alone, there is a lot of new material to choose from. Embrace and encourage new authors. Your find may become the number one romance writer of the future.

So how do you know if what you’re reading is Romance? Here are some characteristics of the genre according to The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction by Joyce G. Saricks to help make the distinction .

♥ The plot follows the formula of boy meets girl, boy loses girl (or some conflict occurs), boy gets girl back. A happy-ending is required.
♥ The characters are stereotypical. Tall, dark (or blonde, or even red headed) and handsome is the preferred male character. The women are usually independent, smart, and of course, beautiful (or at least interesting and unconventional).
♥ Romances are “fast” reads. You can stop reading and pick it back up easily. They are perfect for the chauffeur parent who is always waiting for their kids to finish extracurricular activities (that would be me).
♥ Romances use very descriptive language to set the mood, define the characters, and convey the action in the story.

Whether you are a current romance reader or new to the genre, hold your head high! Here are some of my favorite authors (feel free to post some of your own!):

♥Contemporary Romance Susan Elizabeth Phillips Linda Lael Miller Carly Phillips	♥Romantic Suspense Suzanne Brockmann Linda Howard Elizabeth Lowell
♥Alternative Reality Romance (aka Paranormal Romance) Jayne Ann Krentz Charlaine Harris Katie MacAlister	♥Historical Romance Diana Gabaldon Stephanie Laurens Gaelen Foley Judith McNaught

Written by Angela J.

Kage Baker 1952-2010

2010-02-08T15:27:00.000-06:00

Kage Baker, science fiction writer and author of the excellent Company novels, died January 31 from cancer. I know that there are other authors more famous than her that have died in the past couple of weeks or so (namely J.D. Salinger and Howard Zinn, both brilliant authors), but Kage Baker's books profoundly moved me, made me laugh, made me think, and most of all entertained me. I didn't enjoy every one of her books--in fact, I wanted to throw The Machine's Child across the room when Baker couldn't manage to stay in one orderly timeline (which to be fair, must be hard when you are writing a novel about immortal time travelers). In spite of that I was hooked and am profoundly glad that she was able to round out the series with Not Less Than Gods, a look at Victorian assassin Edward Anton Bell-Fairfax.

Mystery and sci fi combined

2010-02-07T16:24:00.002-06:00

I was running out of books to read this past week so I raced over to the new book section to see if I could find a good book to read. The Domino Pattern by Timothy Zahn stuck out to me because the cover was pretty, I liked the font, and I knew I recognized the author's name, although I was pretty sure I'd never read any of his books. Star Wars fans will recognize his name because of his many books about Admiral Thrawn and Han Solo. Domino Pattern features Frank Compton, a loner detective, on a train, solving a murder. Sounds pretty Agatha Christie (re: the train) or Dashell Hammet (re: loner detective), right? Well you would be right, except the people murdered are aliens, and the train is a sort of supergalactic highway across space run by a species of spiders. I really enjoyed the melding of the traditional "must solve the mystery before the end of the train ride" and the mixing of alien cultures, including an alien/human hybrid "Girl Friday" for Compton. Compton was once a cop for Westali, which would be the European Union for us, but was blacklisted due to irritating his superiors by uncovering a plot funneling money to another world. Unfortunately for him, his superiors were the ones doing the money laundering and the cover up.

About halfway through the book I realized that yes, once again I had picked up a book that was the fourth in the series of books that started out back in 2005 with Night Train to Rigel. I went ahead and went back and read the first three including The Third Lynx and Odd Girl Out (I'm in the middle of it right now). Even though the whole series has a futuristic bent, my favorite part by far is the humanity of the characters amidst the strange backdrop. In fact one of his publishers, Random House, has a blurb for him that sums this up, that he is "known for pitting realistic human characters against a well-researched background of future science and technology." Each of the books has a murder at the center of it, while intergalactic politics and intrigue are scattered throughout, making these some of the most enjoyable books I've read in awhile.

Resource Spotlight: Mango Languages

2010-01-28T15:49:00.006-06:00

Learn a Language with your Library Card!

Did you know you can learn a new language from the Arlington Public Library’s website? The Library offers a free online service called Mango Languages that is accessible from the Library’s website.

Mango Languages uses real-life situations and conversations to teach a new language. The user listens and repeats material designed from native conversations to learn how words and phrases are used in practical situations. Currently, the Arlington Public Library offers the following languages through Mango:

English for Spanish Speakers
French
German
Spanish
Russian
Mandarin Chinese

There are two levels of learning. Mango Basic courses quickly teach basic words and phrases, helpful to travelers going on business trips and short vacations. Mango Complete courses are aimed at students who want to move beyond basic language skills.

To access this service, all you need is an internet connection and an Arlington Public Library card. Try it today!

Good Grounds For Books - January 2010 Meeting

2010-01-27T11:56:00.000-06:00

As usual, a list of titles mentioned or discussed at Woodland West's January meeting of the Good Grounds For Books group. It was the most lively meeting we've had yet and I hope the next one follows suit! Remember, click on a title to read more about it or request a copy to be held at the branch of your choice. Happy reading!

Flags of Our Fathers: heroes of Iwo Jima by James Bradley
The Mysteries of Beethoven's Hair by Russell Martin
Baking Cakes in Kigali by Gaile Parkin

Say You Are One of Them by Uwem Akpan
The Qur'an: a biography by Bruce B. Lawrence

Islam: a short history by Karen Armstrong

Home to Holly Springs by Jan Karon (listened to the audiobook version)
The Road by Cormac McCarthy (listened to the audiobook version)

Homer and Langley by E.L. Doctorow (This is the Woodland West Reading Group's February 2nd selection.)
Brass Verdict by Michael Connelly

Ice Land by Betsy Tobin
The Greenlanders by Jane Smiley
Kristen Lavransdatter trilogy: The Bridal Wreath (bk.1) ; The Mistress of Husaby (bk.2) ; The Cross (bk.3) by Sigrid Undset

Ford County: stories by John Grisham

The End of the Alphabet by C.S. Richardson
In the Company of the Courtesan by Sarah Dunant
Sacred Hearts by Sarah Dunant

The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb

The Woman Who Named God by Charlotte Gordon
Cruel and Usual Punishment by Nonie Darwish
True Blue by David Balducci
The Case for God by Karen Armstrong

Deadly Triangle: a true story of lies, sports, and murder by Fran Parker
Love in Condition Yellow: a memoir of an unlikely marriage by Sophia Raday
Shake the Devil Off: a true story of the murder that rocked New Orleans by Ethan Brown

Green Rider by Kristen Britain
The Devil You Know by Mike Carey
Bloody Jack: being an account of the curious adventures of Mary "Jacky" Faber, ship's boy by L.A. Meyer (listened to the audiobook version)

Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton
My Lobotomy: a memoir by Howard Dully

Robert B. Parker 1932-2010

2010-01-21T12:18:00.000-06:00

Robert B. Parker died of a heart attack at his desk Monday, at the age of 77. He was the author of 60 novels, with the majority of them being about Spenser, a character that ushered in a new brand of hardboiled detective. Split Image, a Jesse Stone novel, is due out in February.

Display your collection @ the library

2010-01-16T09:00:00.021-06:00

This is a call to all! If you have any artifacts, doodads, memoribilia, art, avocation, craft, craze, distraction, diversion, divertissement, fad, fancy, favorite occupation, labor of love, leisure activity, leisure pursuit, obsession, occupation, pet topic, relaxation, schtick, sideline, specialty, sport, thing, vagary, weakness, whim, or whimsy that you would like to display at the library, please let us know! There are display cases at multiple locations and while some are stockpiled for the coming months, some are waiting for your collection.

(Thanks to Tom McQueen for his awesome dragons at the Southwest Branch, and thank you Thesaurus.com for the above words)

Food Journey in 2009

2010-01-13T11:55:00.001-06:00

I haven't eaten any beef or pork products since 2001. I haven't had a glass of milk since then either. No I am not crazy...seriously. I'm just unique! Or at least my mom thinks so. I'm still trying to live the same way as I did eight years ago. But I admit, I've gotten a bit lazy. Which is why 2009 was the year of food for me, reminding myself of why I started on this Journey of Crazy years ago.

I started listening to Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food when it first came to the library on audiobook. I typically cannot STAND to read adult nonfiction but I do love to listen to it, and the narrator of this book does a great job of keeping the listeners interest. Pollan's food laws are simple: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." He argues that humans used to know how to eat but nutrition and diets have since been distorted by scientists, marketers, writers, and the phenomenon of convenient food. As a result our once interesting and nutritionally complex diet is now based on foods that aren't nutritionally real. This is a great book or audiobook and I recommend it..not as a diet book but for anyone who wants to eat the way their great-grandmother used to.

After Pollan's audiobook, I HAD to listen to more. I was so intrigued, mainly because he suggested ways I could eat red meat again guilt free. Hoorah! Immediately I began to listen to Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. The book follows Kingsolver and her family as they make a commitment to become locavores -people who only eat self or locally grown foods. This meant having to move from Tuscon, AZ to a family farm in Virginia. Thankfully Kingsolver and her husband already had a hand at gardening and their daughters were up to try 14 different varieties of potatoes and squash! The novel was enchanting and even though I cannot grow a plant to save my life Kingsolver and her family inspired me to visit my local farmer's market! What an experience (and wonderful food!).

So at this point I was in love with Pollan and Kingsolver. Ha. . .but seriously I was intrigued by their stories and theories. This interest finally led me to the Angelika Theater in Plano where I saw a movie by myself for the first time ever. And yes, it was a bit weird, but definitely worth it. Food, Inc. was a phenomenal documentary that talked to farmers, authors, and advotcates like Michael Pollan (fan love!) and Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation. I don't know how to explain this movie other then to say see it. See it and let it change the way you look at your food. The movie is not overly preachy or stuffy and it is quick to praise those who have taken steps to be responsible eaters (including Wal-Mart!).

For the new year I'd like to give you a challenge to think about what you eat. Quit counting calories and hounding yourself for eating that last chocolate chip cookie. Instead read and watch and become aware of what you put into your body.

Other titles I would recommend:

King Corn DVD	Super Size M DVD	Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser
The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan (adult version)	The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan (teen version)	The End of Overeating by David A. Kessler

written by Jenny Ethington, Young Adult Librarian

Amy's Top 5 Books of 2009

2010-01-11T17:50:00.000-06:00

I am very excited to talk about 5 of my favorite books that I read in 2009. These titles weren't necessarily published in 2009. I never can get to all the books published in one year that I really want to get to! And if you haven't already looked at my top 5 young adult books of 2009, why don't you take a quick peek?

5. Dexter by Design by Jeff Lindsay
If you watch the Dexter television series but haven't read the books, then you are really missing out on some brilliant, clever writing. If you don't know Dexter at all, let's just call him your friendly, neighborhood sociopath. Dexter is a serial killer who lives by a code that requires he only kill bad guys. Twisted? Yes. But you will find yourself rooting for Dexter. This is the fourth installment of the series and, to my great relief, is back to Jeff Lindsay-caliber writing. The first two books were fabulous, but book number three fell short of Lindsay's usual clever plotting. In this fourth installment, Dexter's home life has changed drastically and that means Dexter must be more clever than before. If you were disappointed with book three like I was, book four should lift your spirits (although that does sound funny when in reference to this series).

4. Johannes Cabal: the necromancer by Jonathan L. Howard
I actually bought this book after reading the first few pages at a bookstore and laughing hysterically in the middle of the aisle. Plus, I really just loved the cover. Johannes Cabal is, as the cover says, a necromancer. But he's also a big snob and sometimes kind of lazy. There is a great cast of bizarre and amusing characters and, as it turns out, hell is basically a place where the dead are stuck in an endless line because the massive amount of forms required to enter are too complicated for even the most supreme genius to complete. This is a great mix of horror, fantasy, and humor. It's a weird amalgamation of Jim Butcher, Douglas Adams, Christopher Moore, and Brian Lumley.

3. The Brief History of the Dead
I picked up this book because of an excerpt I heard the author read on NPR. It was beautiful. I couldn't stop thinking about it for days. When I finally read the entire book (it was one of our selections for the Woodland West book club), I read it pretty much in one sitting. While this isn't a book for every reader, it is one I highly recommend to someone who loves what certain authors can do with the English language, with description, with the idea of what a story is. In this novel, there is a city in which the dead live after they pass from their earthly lives. The people who live in this city are only there as long as there is someone alive on Earth who remembers them. But something terrible is happening on Earth because there is a sudden influx of the dead and, just as quickly, a sudden disappearance. I love how the author shows the importance of memories of little moments in the lives of his characters. If you enjoy slightly odd literature such as Carolyn Parkhurst's The Dogs of Babel (another absolute favorite of mine), I would recommend this title.

2. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
I almost feel as if I shouldn't even introduce this book because everyone is reading it! This is the story of three women who live in Jackson, Mississippi in 1962. Chapters alternate between two women who are "the help" (black maids to white women) and one white girl who has recently returned home from college. I loved the unique voices of each character, even the minor ones. Now, there are a few historical inaccuracies (like the mentioning of Shake 'n Bake, which wasn't in stores until a few years later, and the mentioning of a Bob Dylan song that hadn't come out yet), but they are done to help further plot and character development, so I am able to forgive them. I highly recommend the audio-book version of this. It is also available as a download-able book via our website.

1. The Road by Cormac McCarthy
This last one is definitely not for everyone. It is a harsh, bleak, and ultimately horror-filled landscape that McCarthy writes about. The premise is that a disaster of some kind (most likely a bomb) has destroyed nearly all life on our planet. The reader follows a father and a son as they journey across the vast wasteland that America has become. We never know the names of the father and son, and this only serves to give them both an "everyman" quality. Many of the survivors have resorted to cannibalism of the most extreme kinds, but throughout their journey the father and son hold on to their humanity. McCarthy crafts gorgeous, lyrical sentences despite such a gruesome topic. In the end, this is a story about the persistence and endurance of the individual and of the pure, uncompromising love of a parent for a child. I also highly recommend the audio-book version of this. This novel won the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.

Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Group

2010-01-09T10:00:00.001-06:00

I know there are several reading groups already in the system. So, why create another?

Well, this one focuses on science fiction and fantasy. Yes, other groups read these genres. However, this group is willing to take on the challenge of lengthy series and titles. The book's a thousand pages, you say? No problem.

The group will decide which books and/or series it wants to tackle next. So, if you've ever read a book you were just dying to discuss with someone, come to the Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Group at the Northeast Branch Library the third Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m. Books available at the Northeast Circulation Desk. All adults welcome!

Can't make the meetings? Don't worry. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Group is also online at: http://aplbookclubs.ning.com/

Upcoming Selections:
January 20th: Green Rider by Kristen Britain
February 17th: Darwin's Radio by Greg Bear
March 17th: The Nameless Day by Sara Douglass
April 21st: Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein

Name That Frog

2010-01-08T16:22:00.008-06:00

For four years I have lived across the street from the pond of a 103 acre park. It’s a great location; even though it’s in the city it’s home to all sorts of wildlife. Being of a curious bent where critters are concerned, I’ve used the library’s resources to identify widgeons, shovellers, mallards, great blue herons, grebes, loons, kinglets, swallows, meadowlarks, martins, kildeer, eastern screech owls, red sliders, snapping turtles, grass snakes, green anoles, and Texas spiny lizards. I’ve seen raccoons, possums, armadillos, and road runners; no research needed to identify them!

There is one park dweller though who has defied all my efforts at identification. I’ve never seen him, at least not that I know of. Hearing him is a totally different matter! On a midsummer night each year his chorus begins. Don’t worry if you miss his opening number; he and his cohorts will repeat it, loudly, for hours, every night for weeks. The calls are very distinctive – loud, metallic, and repetitive, and they come from above, in the treetops – many different treetops. I suspect he’s a treefrog, and next summer I plan to be ready for him, thanks to a book we recently added to the collection: The Frogs and Toads of North America : a Comprehensive Guide to Their Identification, Behavior, and Calls by Lang Elliott. This marvellous book comes with a cd of frog and toad calls. Perfect! Especially since the author is known and respected for the quality of his recordings of bird and animal calls.

If you are likewise intrigued by the nature around you, you might also enjoy Music of the Birds : a Celebration of Bird Song which includes a cd and is by the same author.

It's that time of the year, folks

2010-01-08T13:30:00.005-06:00

It's tax time! Don't let April 15th sneak up on you this year. Many tax forms are now available at George W. Hawkes Central branch (and will be ready at the branches soon, if they aren't already). Hurry and get yours today before we run out. It might even be a good idea to get a few of extras. You know, in case you mess up a couple of times.

If you find that you need a form that we don't have, a staff member would be happy to print it off from the IRS website for a small fee of fifteen cents per page. Also, don't forget to check out our AARP Tax-Aide Tax Filing Assistance!

Happy Tax Season!

MJ's top books of 2009

2010-01-04T14:03:00.000-06:00

We've been really busy at the library already in the new year, and Amy over on Library Ninja helpfully suggested that I might want to list my top five books that I read last year--trying to keep my choices actually published in the past year. So hear they are in reverse chronologically read order (I can't choose in order of favorites).

The Magicians
by Lev Grossman

In the spirit of taking my own advice from this blog, I continue to check NPR books out and read them. This time I grabbed this right before my Christmas vacation because it was billed as a "Harry Potter for adults". The author sort of melds the school vibe of HP with the magical traveling to a Narnia like place in the second half of the book. What struck me most about the book was how the author described most books about magic. They are definitely escapist, but what if magic didn't make you able to escape a dull and dreary life? Maybe no matter how interesting your life is, you've got to learn to deal with the mundane aspects.

Peter and Max
Bill Willingham

I don't read many fantasy books, so as I'm looking down my list of choices I find it odd that 3 out of 5 can definitely be considered in the fantasy realm. Peter and Max is the first hardcover book version of the award winning Fables comic book series. The Fables in the book are ones that are familiar to lovers of fairy tales--the Big Bad Wolf (now reformed and married to Snow White), Little Bo Peep (who lost it all escaping from an invasion of their homelands), and the protagonists of the story Peter and Max Piper; respectively Peter Piper and the Pied Piper. There is no need to read the comic books before reading this book--I honestly think it might detract from the book since I was expecting more characters from the comics to show up. But I loved Willingham's prose so much so that I want more Fables in this text format of lush and vibrant wordplay.

Hands of My Father
Myron Uhlberg

I read this for our Southwest morning book group and I loved this non-fiction book about growing up in the depression with parents that are deaf. He describes 1930s New York and makes me feel if I was there with him while he is helping take care of his seizure-ridden brother and while he is listening to boxing matches over the radio.

Dead and Gone
Charlaine Harris

For my final of my fantasy books, I give you a mystery/fantasy mixed together. After I wrote a blog post in the summer about werewolves, I promptly went back and read a couple of vampire books--among these, the Sookie Stackhouse books. I loved them all and even went on to check out the True Blood series based on the books. What I think I like the best about her books is that the vampires aren't "other". They live in the world just like us and while they might have different problems, they still have problems I can understand--not big fantastical wars or cabals (just small skirmishes). In fact because I started to like the mystery parts of the books as much as the sexy vampire parts, I started reading J.D. Robb's (Nora Robert's) In Death series.

Free Range Kids
Lenore Skenazy

My life changing book! I first heard about Lenore when she was "America's worst mom" (google it!) when she let her elementary school child ride the subway one stop while she walked along topside to pick him up. Since the uproar, she's written a book and has a blog chronicaling this year's "contenders" for worst mom as well as things children aren't allowed to do any more. My favorite recent incident was when a girl was suspended from school for bringing peppermint oil to flavor her and her friends water (its an "over the counter substance"). While some of the incidents are amusing, her main point is completely serious--from her blog

Any kid killed is a horrible tragedy. It makes my stomach plunge to even think about it. But when the numbers are about 50 kids in a country of 300 million, it’s also a very random, rare event. It is far more rare, for instance, than dying from a fall off the bed or other furniture. So should we, for safety’s sake, all start sleeping on the floor?

The book has the statistics to back her facts up and even if I still won't let my kids play in the front yard (more so they won't run in the street), Lenore has opened my eyes and countless other parents to the idea that maybe they won't try to poke their eyes out on everything.

Sherlock Holmes Revisited

2009-12-24T10:21:00.002-06:00

Even if you’ve never read any of the stories by Arthur Conan Doyle, chances are you recognize the name Sherlock Holmes. In fact, the name probably conjures images of deerstalker hats, magnifying glasses, curved pipes, and maybe a choice phrase, like “Elementary my dear Watson.”

But the new Sherlock Holmes movie to be released on Christmas Day holds little in common with that cocaine-addicted brainiac of old. Robert Downey Jr. is an action-hero Holmes, complete with mad fighting skills, love scenes and explosions never imagined by the character’s creator.

But the filmmakers insist that their movie is closer to original stories than it appears. The original Holmes had experience in baritsu, swordplay and gunfighting. Furthermore, the long-suffering sidekick, Dr. Watson, was not the bumbling, clueless assistant as popularly believed. (Jude Law as Watson fights alongside the new movie Holmes.)

Members of The Diogenes Club of Dallas, a local Sherlockian society, told me they are looking forward to the movie if for no other reason than it will reignite interest in the original Sherlock Holmes stories and the pastiches that followed, both in print and in film. (Members of the society will be discussing the movie and all other things Holmesian at the Northeast Branch Library on January 9.)

As a librarian, I love movies that are based on books, especially if the film encourages reading. In fact, here’s a list of recommended titles that can be found at Arlington Public Library. (This is in no way a complete list!)

The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes
by Arthur Conan Doyle

Sherlock Holmes in America

The Beekeeper’s Apprentice
by Laurie King

Sherlock Holmes: the unauthorized biography
by Nick Rennison

The Empress of India: A Professor Moriarty novel
by Michael Kurland

The Italian Secretary
by Caleb Carr

The Return of Sherlock Holmes
DVD Collection
Jeremy Brett as Holmes

Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes
on DVD

So what’s next in the Sherlock Holmes lexicon? A comedy film starring Sacha Baron Cohen as Holmes and Will Ferrell as Watson is in the works, and the makers of this year’s Holmes are looking to make a sequel.

Creativity Corner at Woodland West Branch

2009-12-23T14:51:00.005-06:00

The first meeting is:
Monday, January 11th
6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Woodland West Branch Library
If you remember from my post Not Your Mama's Crafts, I came into my own as a crafter a few years ago after a childhood spent cursing my owned failed attempts at perfecting the crochet techniques my mother passed down. I now spend a lot of my free time frantically crocheting gifts and trying to create my own patterns for everything from casual scarves to funky fingerless gloves. And now I can finally show off my projects to someone other than my family and skeptical co-workers (they're beginning to think that I crochet even in my sleep).

The Woodland West Branch will begin hosting a monthly craft night called Creativity Corner. This will be a place to relax and work on your own craft projects among other crafters, a place to bring your projects to show off or get advice, and, in general, just a place to be crafty. Every crafter is welcome, female or male, teen or senior, crocheter or knitter, seamster or quilter, scrap-booker or jewelry-maker. This group is also open to those wanting to learn a particular craft, so don't be shy!