New and Featured Books for 03/29/2012:

Come and check out these and some of the other new books and materials (or at least new to us) added to our library collection…

FICTION:

State Of Wonder by Ann Patchett

The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings

This is the novel that was adapted into the Oscar nominated film (the screenplay adaption won an Oscar) directed by Alexander Payne and starring George Clooney. The movie is very good, and we’d definitely recommend the book to anyone who likes funny and poignant character-driven stories, and who likes to read the book before the movie. Check out a review of the book in The New York Times, and the author’s website.

Paradise by Toni Morrison

Red Inferno: 1945 by Robert Conroy

The Fallen Angels by Bernard Cornwell and Susannah Kells

The Valcourt Heiress by Catherine Coulter

100 Bullets: The Deluxe Edition, Book 1 by Brian Azzarello and illustrated by Eduardo Risso

Like the cover blurb says, Azzarello and Risso’s long running comic book series from DC/Vertigo comics was “one of the greatest works of crime fiction in any medium,” telling some very hard-boiled pulp/noir stories in a very modern way. And this is where it began with it’s very simple initial premise: A mysterious man named Graves would visit people who had been the victim of a serious wrong and present them with evidence of who it was that was responsible for their plight. In the vein of revenge he’d then offer them a handgun and the eponymous 100 bullets, all untraceable by the police. And a lot of very interesting and very dark and very complex stories would spin out of that. Here are reviews of the series at Wired, The Comics Journal, and Pop Matters, and an interview with writer Brian Azzarello at The Onion AV Club.

The Glass Rainbow by James Lee Burke

NON-FICTION:

Women Pilots Of World War II by Jean Hascall Cole

Playing With Trains: A Passion Beyond Scale by Sam Posey

Forged: Writing In The Name Of God – Why The Bible’s Authors Are Not Who We Think They Are by Bart D. Ehrman

Harriet Tubman: Myth, Memory, And History by Milton C. Sernett

Marie Antoinette by Antonia Fraser

Unfamiliar Fishes by Sarah Vowell

This is a very fun and informative look at history by journalism, essayist, social commentator, and This American Life contributor Vowell, who looks at America’s imperialist desires and manifest destiny ideals at the end of the 19th century, and which lead to America annexing Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, and invading Cuba and the Philippines. Vowell also talks about the culture clash as Christian missionaries swiftly moved in and tried to convert the far more laid back native Hawaiians to the American way of life. Here’s an interview with the author, and you can find interesting reviews of the book at The Los Angeles Times and in The New York Times.

And here’s an odd fun fact for you: Sarah Vowell, seen above, voiced the character Violet in Disney/Pixar’s The Incredibles.

This Is Your Brain On Music: The Science Of A Human Obsession by Daniel J. Levitin

Raw Basics: Incorporating Raw Living Foods Into Your Diet Using Easy And Delicious Recipes by Jenny Ross

The Intimate Lives Of The Founding Fathers by Thomas Fleming

The Reading Promise: My Father And The Books We Shared by Alice Ozma

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Please note that books could be checked out between the time they end up on the blog and when you come to check them out. If you don’t see the items you’re looking for then please come up to the front desk and we’ll put your name on the reserve list for when the item returns.

* * *

Previous New/Featured books for Adults:

03/01/12.

02/02/11.

01/27/12.

12/27/11.

And for Young Adults:

03/20/12.

03/06/12.

02/21/12.

02/09/12.

And for Kids/Juvenile Readers:

03/27/12.

03/13/12.

02/28/12.

02/23/12.

Don’t forget to enter our Trivia/Survey CONTEST.

We just wanted to remind you…

Don’t forget to enter our Trivia/Survey contest. Saturday is the last day to enter. All you have to do is answer 50 extremely short and fun questions and email us those answers for a prize. What could be easier than that?

We’ve already gotten some very, ah, interesting answers from several patrons. The only thing we’re missing now is yours.

New and Featured Books for Kids/Juvenile Readers for 03/27/2012:

Come and check out these and some of the other new books and materials (or at least new to us) for younger and juvenile readers added to our library collection…

EASY READING:

A Year In The City by Kathy Henderson and illustrated by Paul Howard

Always In Trouble by Corinne Demas and illustrated by Noah Z. Jones

Families by Ann Morris

Cool Cat by Nonny Hogrogian

Jamaica And The Substitute Teacher by Juanita Havill and illustrated by Anne Sibley O’Brien

My Brother Is Autistic by Jennifer Moore-Mallinos and illustrated by Marta Fabrega

The Bookshop Dog by Cynthia Rylant

Shibumi And The Kitemaker by Mercer Mayer

Betsy Ross by Becky White and illustrated by Megan Lloyd

Told in extreme brevity with some lovely illustrations, this is a nice retelling of the Betsy Ross myth, often rhyming, but with no evidence towards proving the tale. But that’s okay, since that may not be something you really need for the age level this book is aimed towards. All in all, a nice read for younger readers, and possibly a good spark towards conversation about the flag, the beginnings of America, and patriotism. Check out a review of the book over at The Wielded Pen.

FICTION:

Glory Be by Augusta Scattergood

This is a nice bit of historical fiction with a great protagonist. Set during 1964, firmly placed in the battle for civil rights and desegregation and change, the book has been described as “The Help for kids,” but the book really has so much more to offer a younger reader. Definitely recommended. Check out a nice interview with Augusta Scattergood at NPR, and the author’s blog.

Where I Live by Eileen Spinelli and illustrated by Matt Phelan

Andrew North Blows Up The World by Adam Selzer

The Story Of Mankind by Hendrik Willem Van Loon, and updated by John Merriman

Roland Wright: Future Knight by Tony Davis

NON-FICTION:

The San Francisco Earthquake by John Dudman and illustrated by Richard Scollins

About Penguins: A Guide For Children by Cathryn Sill and illustrated by John Sill

Mary Cassatt by Susan E. Meyer

Baby Mammoth Mummy: Frozen In Time! – A Prehistoric Animal’s Journey Into The 21st Century by Christopher Sloan, with photography by Francis Latreille

The prehistoric world comes into the modern world, or the “Ice Age meets the Technology Age,” as one review put it, this is definitely a good example of a fun and informative non-fiction book for the younger reader. It’s the story of a nicely preserved mammoth, discovered in Siberia 31,000 years after her birth, and the various fields of science, including radiology, palaeontology, and forensic investigation, that have allowed researchers to investigate this find.

Dogku by Andrew Clements and illustrated by Tim Bowers

Women Who Reformed Politics by Isobel V. Morin

Women In The Military by Sandra Carson Stanley

Secrets Of A Civil War Submarine: Solving The Mysteries Of The H. L. Hunley by Sally M. Walker

The Blues Singers: Ten Who Rocked The World by Julius Lester and illustrated by Lisa Cohen

Lucy Maud Montgomery: A Writer’s Life by Elizabeth MacLeod

Crocodiles & Alligators by Seymour Simon

You’re A Grand Old Flag by George M. Cohan and illustrated by Warren Kimble

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Please note that books could be checked out between the time they end up on the blog and when you come to check them out. If you don’t see the items you’re looking for then please come up to the front desk and we’ll put your name on the reserve list for when the item returns.

* * *

Previous New/Featured books for Adults:

03/01/12.

02/02/11.

01/27/12.

12/27/11.

And for Young Adults:

03/20/12.

03/06/12.

02/21/12.

02/09/12.

And for Kids/Juvenile Readers:

03/13/12.

02/28/12.

02/23/12.

02/16/12.

Reading material for 03/26/12:

from here.

Some reading material from around the internet:

Amazing new photos of the Titanic.

Starbucks to release their own energy drink.

Rainbow-striped Jello Easter eggs.

Mystery booms in Wisconsin.

Just how big is Wal-Mart?

What you need to know about Mad Men season 5.

A new painting by Van Gogh has been discovered.

A child’s wardrobe that actually leads to Narnia!

from here.

Retina display!

Watch all of Mass Effect 3‘s different endings.

A nice review of Angry Birds Space.

Neil deGrasse Tyson on being a meme.

10 things that are smarter than you’d expect.

Historic photos of female scientists at work.

Social media will probably not democratize the world.

Play the interactive 8-bit Mad Men game.

Watch celebrities read their follower’s meanest tweets.

Young people are losing interest in cars.

Suzanne Collins is Kindle’s best selling author of all time, and 29 of the 100 most highlighted passages on the Kindle come from The Hunger Games trilogy.

Speaking of which: the film version of The Hunger Games opens huge.

Defending the thesaurus.

A previously unreleased Kurt Vonnegut novella was released last week.

How does 1Q84 stack up against Haruki Murakami’s other classic novels?

Famous lost novels.

A list of Irish heroes in Jame Joyce’s Ulysses.

Dreamily eerie Alice In Wonderland drawings.

Robert Louis Stevenson on the books that have inspired him.

via Entertainment Weekly.

A nice Game Of Thrones featurette  to get you caught up for the show’s return on April 1.

Some hilarious audience notes from a 1980s screening of David Cronenberg’s Videodrome.

Could Hawkeye from The Avengers be the world’s worst archer?

This is what Carrie looks like in The Sex And The City prequel.

They’re making a Hannibal Lecter TV show.

Meet the new companion on Doctor Who, and learn some details from the upcoming season.

An oral history of The Sopranos.

Many buyers fooled by The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo‘s DVD joke.

The beginning of the end of HBO?

A bizarre picture from a Chinese dog show.

Why cats can survive falls that would kill any other animals.

How does the brain secrete morality?

A brief guide to pop culture in 1966.

10 great songs from 1966.

Chick-Fil-A threatens the guy who made the “Eat More Kale” t-shirts, he fights back with a Kickstarter documentary.

Cell division humor.

Even Geraldo Rivera’s son is ashamed of his father’s comments, re: Trayvon Martin and hoodies.

Pictures of toddlers being best friends with their dogs.

An impossible font.

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Previous online reading material:

03/12/12.

03/05/12.

02/27/12.

02/20/12.

02/13/12.

New and Featured Books for Young Adults for 03/20/2012:

Come and check out these and some of the other new books and materials (or at least new to us) for Young Adults added to our library collection…

FICTION:

The Case Of The Peculiar Pink Fan by Nancy Springer

Evil Genius by Catherine Jinks

Grandville by Bryan Talbot

Bone: Tall Tales by Jeff Smith, with Tom Sniegoski

The Monster In Me by Mette Ivie Harrison

Marvel Age Spider-Man: Special Inauguration Day Edition! by Zeb Wells and illustrated by Todd Nauck

The Host by Stephenie Meyer

This book was published a few years ago by this little known author (heavy sarcrasm there), but we just got another copy and figured it’d be interesting to remind our patrons of another work of hers, outside the Twilight saga. I haven’t read the novel myself, but it’s got a very intriguing sounding sci fi plot, and is soon to be adapted into a film starring Saoirse Ronan and Diane Kruger.

The Color Of Fire by Ann Rinaldi

We Need To Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver

A complex novel about the aftermath of a school massacre, written from the perspective of the killer’s mother, who’s trying to understand why and come to terms with the crimes that her son has committed. It was adapted into a highly acclaimed film last year by director Lynne Ramsay and starring cinematic chameleon Tilda Swinton and John C. Reilly. Check out this interview with the author at Salon.

NON-FICTION:

Can Diets By Harmful? edited by Christine Watkins

Escape: The Story Of The Great Houdini by Sid Fleischman

A Lifetime Of Secrets: A PostSecret Book by Frank Warren

Learn How To Speak Dance: A Guide To Creating, Performing, And Promoting Your Moves by Ann-Marie Williams with design and illustrations by Jeff Kulak

Elephant Talk: The Surprising Science Of Elephant Communication by Ann Downer

Conflict Resolution: The Win-Win Situation by Carolyn Casey

Sally Ride And The New Astronauts: Scientists In Space by Karen O’Connor

Making Costumes For School Plays by Joan Peters and Anna Sutcliffe

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Please note that books could be checked out between the time they end up on the blog and when you come to check them out. If you don’t see the items you’re looking for then please come up to the front desk and we’ll put your name on the reserve list for when the item returns.

* * *

Previous New/Featured books for Adults:

03/01/12.

02/02/11.

01/27/12.

12/27/11.

And for Young Adults:

03/06/12.

02/21/12.

02/09/12.

01/31/12.

And for Kids/Juvenile Readers:

03/13/12.

02/28/12.

02/23/12.

02/16/12.

Library hours.

As always, we want to thank you again for checking out our blog.

Quite a few patrons call us to ask what our hours are, or a lot of the hits that lead internet travelers to this very blog are searches for our hours of operation, and even though you can find it and more about us elsewhere on the blog, or at our FSS page, we just figured that we’d share it with you again…

Our hours of operation are:

Mon. – Thurs. 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Fri. – Sun. Noon – 5 p.m.
Closed on Federal Holidays

We are located at:

620 9th Street
Bldg. 905, Suite 100
Warner Robins, GA 31098

You can contact us either here on our blog, or calling us at:

478-327-8761 (commercial) or 497-8761 (DSN)

Or you can send us an email:

robinsbaselibrary@gmail.com

And don’t forget to check out and enter our Trivia/Survey contest, which goes through the end of March.

We hope that you survived the Ides of March, and have (safe and responsible) fun tomorrow, which is St. Patrick’s Day. Have a good weekend.

New and Featured DVDs for 03/15/12:

Come and check out these and some of the other new DVDs and materials (or at least new to us) added to our library collection…

FICTION:

Sunset Boulevard

The Trip

2010, directed by Michael Winterbottom. A compilation film from a short British television series featuring comedians Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon playing fictionalized versions of themselves, as friends and rivals, on a road trip to review restaurants in the north of England. But it’s about so much more than that. And it’s hilarious. Check out the trailer below:

And if that’s not enough for you, go to YouTube and check out the clip of Coogan and Brydon’s compete Michael Caine impressions.

Stop-Loss

The Last Starfighter

Vantage Point

To Sir, With Love

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, Part 1

and

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, Part 2

Splice

Where The Wild Things Are

Julius Caesar

1953, directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz

L’Avventura

Under The Mountain

The Town

The Hidden Fortress

1958, directed by Akira Kurosawa

The first Star Wars movie, A New Hope, was based on this film as a primary influence. But beyond that, this is another great film from Kurosawa, and another great release from the Criterion Collection.

Cousins

Synecdoche, New York

2008, directed by Charlie Kaufman. This is a personal favorite of mine, and partly because of that, I can’t say too much about it. It’s not a film for everyone, mostly because it’s a very difficult movie, with a lot of meanings on a lot of levels. Phillip Seymour Hoffman gives the performance of his career as a playwright trying to capture the sadness and infinitely mundane aspects of every day life in a new work that seems to be growing more and more epic (that’s putting it lightly) with each passing moment. I know that’s a very vague plot description, and I apologize. I’ll just put it this way: This is one of the bleakest and most depressing movies I’ve ever seen in my life, but it’s also one of the best films I’ve ever seen, and one of the most uplifting. Check out Roger Ebert’s review and an interview with writer/director Charlie Kaufman.

NON-FICTION:

Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise And Fall Of Jack Johnson

How Art Made The World

F For Fake

1975, directed by Orson Welles. This is the last major film by Welles, and it’s partially a documentary, focusing on the life of art forger Elmyr de Hory, and partially an essay work, dealing with the ideas of authorship and authenticity, and the value of art. This is a truly enchanting work, and for proof of that, check out the film’s introduction:

Mysteries Of The Garden Of Eden

Secret Origin: The Story Of DC Comics

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Please note that DVDs could be checked out between the time they end up on the blog and when you come to check them out. If you don’t see the items you’re looking for then please come up to the front desk and we’ll put your name on the reserve list for when the item returns.

* * *

Previous New/Featured DVDs:

02/14/12.

02/07/12.

12/30/11.

Previous New/Featured books:

03/01/12.

02/02/11.

01/27/12.

12/27/11.

New and Featured Books for Kids/Juvenile Readers for 03/13/2012:

Come and check out these and some of the other new books and materials (or at least new to us) for younger and juvenile readers added to our library collection…

EASY READING:

Fishing Sunday by Tony Johnston and pictures by Barry Root

My Mom Is My Show-And-Tell by Dolores Johnson

Happy Belly, Happy Smile by Rachel Isadora

Berkeley’s Barn Owl Dance by Tera Johnson and illustrated by Tanie Howells

The Incredible Book Eating Boy by Oliver Jeffers

This is the story of Henry, a young boy who enjoys books immensely, but in a different way from the rest of us. Henry enjoys eating books. And the more books Henry eats, the smarter he gets. This is a fun book, and a nice celebration of reading, and it’s great for younger readers, and a treat for the adult who enjoys reading with them. Check out a review at Inis magazine.

Grandma’s Hands by Dolores Johnson

FICTION:

Doctor Proctor’s Fart Powder: Who Cut The Cheese? by Jo Nesbo and illustrated by Mike Lowery

Adam Of The Road by Elizabeth Janet Gray

The Whole Story Of Half A Girl by Veera Hiranandani

The Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis

The Voyages Of Doctor Dolittle by Hugo Lofting

Color Me Dark: The Diary Of Nellie Lee Love, The Great Migration North by Patricia C. McKissack

Eleanor, Crown Jewel Of Aquitaine by Kristiana Gregory

The Great Railroad Race: The Diary Of Libby West by Kristiana Gregory

B. Aster And The Warrior Eggs At The Earth’s Core! by William Joyce

Chanticleer And The Fox, adapted from Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, and illustrated by Barbara Cooney

A nice adaptation of the story of the Chanticleer and the Fox, from “The Nun’s Priest’s Tale” in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. Cooney was awarded the Caldecott Medal in 1959 for illustration for this book, and I really like her philosophy about children’s literature, as displayed in what she said when she accepted her award: “I believe that children in this country need a more robust literary diet than they are getting. …It does not hurt them to read about good and evil, love and hate, life and death. Nor do I think they should read only about things that they understand. ‘…a man’s reach should exceed his grasp.’ So should a child’s. For myself, I will never talk down to, or draw down to, children.”

NON-FICTION:

Forest Explorer: A Life-Size Field Guide by Nic Bishop

City Alphabet by Joanne Schwartz and illustrated by Matt Beam

This is an absolutely beautifully designed book, and a nice introduction to younger readers to pleasure of exploring the immediate world around them, to see the words and language that surround them. Check out this great interview with the author and illustrator.

She’s Been Working On The Railroad by Nancy Smiler Levinson, with photos collected and taken by Shirley Burman

Lena Horne by Leslie Palmer

Women Of The U.S. Congress by Isobel V. Morin

The Story Of Noah’s Ark, retold by Margrit Haubensak-Tellenbach and illustratedy by Erna Emhardt

100 People Who Made History: Meet The People Who Shaped The Modern World by Ben Gilliland

A good starter book for learning about a variety of historical figures, and told with some very vibrant images. Here’s a nice review from Juno magazine.

Sharks! Strange And Wonderful by Laurence Pringle and illustrated by Meryl Henderson

* * *

Please note that books could be checked out between the time they end up on the blog and when you come to check them out. If you don’t see the items you’re looking for then please come up to the front desk and we’ll put your name on the reserve list for when the item returns.

* * *

Previous New/Featured books for Adults:

03/01/12.

02/02/11.

01/27/12.

12/27/11.

And for Young Adults:

03/06/12.

02/21/12.

02/09/12.

01/31/12.

And for Kids/Juvenile Readers:

02/28/12.

02/23/12.

02/16/12.

01/28/12.

Reading material for 03/12/12:

Some reading material from around the internet:

Apparently tweets can now be cited as evidence in academic papers.

The massive launch of Mass Effect 3.

RIP Jean Giraud, AKA Moebius.

Wal-Mart debuts their “Great For You” seal.

The “QWERTY Effect” is changing what words mean to us.

How do you ship a horse to the London Olympics?

The picture above is by Jan van der Veken, from here.

NASA would like you to know that the world will not end in 2012.

The youngest female self-made billionaire.

Car breaks down before Consumer Reports can even test it.

A 340 ton boulder turned work of art.

Inside some of the world’s tallest buildings.

Here’s a fascinating radio documentary: “Nuclear Power After Fukushima.”

Penguins fly first class on airplanes.

They’re going to make a movie out of the theft of Nic Cage’s prized Action Comics No.1!

by Yale Stewart, from here.

The 10,000 year plan for Amazon.

Get ready to share even more on Facebook.

Apple has announced the new iPad.

Speaking of which, are Apple’s insanely high profit margins built to last?

The Navy will be testing a new firefighting robot in 2013.

RFID your stuff, then find it with your mobile phone.

Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes buys The New Republic.

Why are companies ditching Google maps?

10 of the most powerful female characters in literature.

The review of 1984 that Aldous Huxley sent to George Orwell.

The paranoia of Philip K. Dick.

Audiobooks and the celebrities who were born to read them.

There’s still quite a gender bias in book journalism.

10 essential history books written by women.

The only Game Of Thrones/Song Of Ice And Fire map you’ll ever need.

A few things that Jonathan Franzen actually likes.

The trailer for the return of Community.

Also, check out this mash up Community/The Dark Knight Rises trailer.

And speaking of The Dark Knight Rises: Action figures!

Jennifer Lawrence almost said no to The Hunger Games.

A complete guide to 2012’s TV pilots.

Apparently there’s an R-rated version of Galaxy Quest out there somewhere.

A picture of Peter Dinklage as Wolverine.

A chart that helps explain just how much of “a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away” does Star Wars take place.

Speaking of Star Wars: Topher Grace has edited all the prequels into one concise 85 minute long film that is supposedly fairly good.

Your first look at Johnny Depp as Tonto in Gore Verbinksi’s The Lone Ranger adaptation.

by Scott Ferguson, from here.

The many dimensions of Catherine the Great.

Kids found living in abandoned bus.

Fiona Apple reveals her new album title, and it’s 23 words long (as opposed to 90 words).

Disturbing school lunch menus.

What visions of the future do high speed rail lines provide us?

Is this the nicest Taco Bell on the planet?

A 7 year old makes an awesome Rube Goldberg machine.

This will be an interesting week, since it contains both Pi Day and the Ides of March. Beware!

* * *

Previous online reading material:

03/05/12.

02/27/12.

02/20/12.

02/13/12.

02/06/12.

About Us/About You, and a: CONTEST!

Here’s a little bit about us…

We’re the Robins Air Force Base Library, located in Building 905 on – where else? – Robins Air Force Base, in Warner Robins, Georgia. You are currently reading our blog, and you can find our hours of operations here. We have over 52,000 items in our collection, including books, audiobooks, magazines, newspapers, DVDs, research databases, foreign language help, and downloadable materials. We specialize in knowledge and entertainment, and lots and lots of both.

Our turn offs include: Inconsiderate people, rainy days, patrons who are somehow louder than us (which is a feat, we assure you), people are who are not curious, people who don’t use coasters or who do use too many napkins, being late, dirty keyboards, finding used chewing gum, not being able to find the second sock to your pair, especially when you’re already late, and… Well, our list of pet peeves could go on and on and on…

And besides:

Our turn ons include: CONTESTS!

Okay, that’s us. And now we would like to know a little about you…

And what better way to do that then a survey. A survey and a CONTEST. Prize: A $20 gift card from Best Buy. All you have to do is fill out the 50 questions below (which are short, simple, and easy, and will honestly take you very little time at all), and email us the answers at:

robinsbaselibrary@gmail.com.

It could not be any simpler than that, could it?

Well, we’re going to find out. But, without further ado, the questions…

01. How often do you use the library on base?

02. Would you say that you check out books and/or movies from the library on base more than any other service that we provide?

03. Would you say that you come in to enjoy our comfy chairs and couches and relax for a few moments glancing at one of our magazine subscriptions more so than any other service that we provide?

04. Or, would you say that you use our computers more than any other service that we provide?

05. Please give yourself an extra 10 points if you’re filling out this survey while using one of our computers right now.

06. How many books would you read in a given year? We’re talking about fiction and non-fiction, including anthologies or short story collections.

07. How many books would you say that you claim to read to strangers to look smarter? (It’s cool, we all do it.)

Edited to add: The specific wording of this question has proved problematic for some of our patrons taking this quiz. We meant to ask how many books have you told strangers that you read in order to look smarter and/or cooler. We didn’t mean to ask how many books have you physically read to a person who is a stranger to you. Although, if you have an answer to that question, we’d

08. Do you believe in love at first sight?

09. What is your favorite novel?

10. What is your favorite film adaptation of a novel?

11. What was the last movie that you saw in a movie theater?

12. Would you say that mankind in inherently good or evil, or neither and it doesn’t really matter?

13. If there was an apartment building or an office building that actually had a 13th floor, and your apartment or office was one of those un/lucky enough to be on that 13th floor, would you be okay with that?

14. The quick brown fox jumps over the _________?

15. Who is your favorite author?

16. Why?

17. What is the last book that you ever read by that author?

18. What is your favorite Michael Crichton book and/or movie?

19. What is your favorite Stephen King book and/or movie?

20. When was the last time a machine or a piece of technology really let you down?

21. Have you ever read any books by James Patterson?

22. Did you know that James Patterson has written or “written” (his name appears along side that of a co-author on the cover, but the co-author may or may not have done the actual “writing” contained within the book) books in the adult fiction, adult non-fiction areas, as well as fiction and non-fiction for young adults?

23. If you answered “Yes” to both questions #21 and possibly #22 as well, then how many books by James Patterson have you read?

24. How many of those books, if you don’t mind us asking, were checked out from the Robins AFB Library?

25. Why have you read so many James Patterson books?

26. The same question as question #21, but with Clive Cussler instead of James Patterson.

27. We have a puzzle set out in the library for our patrons to come and help us put together. Once completed, the puzzle will reveal itself to be a depiction of a famous work of art by a famous post-Impressionist artist. If you wanted to tell us the name of that work of art or the name of the artist, that would be great, but what we really want to know is: What is the one and only work of art that this artist sold in their lifetime?

28. Name one or more actors who have portrayed that artist in film or television.

29. Referring back to question #03, you did know that we have comfy chairs and couches, right?

30. Referring back to question #28, you did know that we have a wide variety of magazine subscriptions for you to peruse through, right?

31. If you win this contest, do you want the $20 gift card that is listed above as the prize?

32. Or, for your prize awarded for your hard work, would you rather instead win the chance to take a picture with your favorite library worker?

33. It’s a tempting offer, isn’t it?

34. What was the most played song on American radio in the 20th century and how many times was it played?

35. Now that you’ve found our blog, and we are so glad that you have, what kind of things would you like to see on our blog?

36. Can you cook?

37. And regardless of your answer to question #36, do you like to cook?

38. If you answered “yes” to question #36, or even if you didn’t, and regardless of your answer to question #37, do you like to read cook books or watch cooking shows on TV?

39. Count carefully: What number post is this on our blog? And, for an extra point, how many posts are there on our blog at the time of you answering this survey?

40. This is a funny picture:

Please write a funny caption for that picture.

41. We respectfully request that you do not fail to notice that that dog is wearing a top hat and a monocle, and is smoking a pipe. This is not a question.

But bonus points will be awarded if you can tell us what an appropriately funny name would be for this dog.

Further bonus points will be awarded if the name you choose starts with either Mr. or Mrs. i.e. “Mr. Bigglesworth.” Please do not submit “Mr. Bigglesworth” as your answer for this question.

42. What is, according to Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy, the meaning of life? Or, put more simply, what is the answer to “the Ultimate Question to Life, the Universe, and Everything?”

43. What is a group of crows known as?

44. What is a group of frogs known as?

45. What is a group of unicorns known as?

46. Animals are not allowed to use human language in China. Seriously. It’s against the rules. This rule caused what famous book by a famous author to be banned in China?

Hint: This book is widely considered to be a work for children. You’ve seen movies made of it, some live action and some animated. Songs have been written about this book.

47. Other than the Robins AFB Library, what other FSS/Services facilities would you say that you frequent the most on Robins Air Force Base?

Also, check out the new FSS website: http://www.robinsfss.com

48. What was the last book you read that you’d really recommend to a stranger if you had to, or if you were asked to in a survey much like this one?

49. How did you first discover our blog?

50. Make up a question and give us the answer. We’re not so concerned with the question, but we’d really like to know the answer…

Okay, that’s our survey! And again, all you have to do to enter our contest is to answer these questions, #s 1 thru 50, and email those answers to us at robinsbaselibrary@gmail.com. Please put some variation of “Survey” or “Survey Answers” or “CONTEST!” in the subject line. The contest closes on 04/01/12 at midnight, and we’ll announce the winners the following week.

Wait, did that say “winners” and not just “winner” on it? That’s right, it did. Not only will we be giving out our award to the person who gets the most answers right, but we’ll also pick a random entry, or perhaps the person who’s answers amuse us the most, and make them a winner too. Gotta love those odds.

When you send us your questions, please include your name, your email address (of course), and possibly your phone number. And your phone number, especially if you don’t check your email that often. Please be at least 16 years old, or older, or have a parent or guardian’s permission to participate (regardless of how old you are). If you win, we ask that you please come in and pick up your prize and let us take a picture of you to share with the world here on our blog, and perhaps interview you about how you got to be so smart.

New and Featured Books for Young Adults for 03/06/2012:

Come and check out these and some of the other new books and materials (or at least new to us) for Young Adults added to our library collection…

FICTION:

Goddess Of Yesterday by Caroline B. Cooney

Gyakushu! vol. 1, written and illustrated by Dan Hipp

Saint Louis Armstrong Beach by Brenda Woods

Historical fiction about how Hurricane Katrina effects an 11 year old boy, dealing with the struggles of evacuation and the strength of a people determined to survive in their city. The review from Kirkus Reviews sums it up nicely: “A small gem that sparkles with hope, resilience and the Crescent City’s unique, jazz-infused spirit.”

Hooked by Catherine Greenman

The River by Gary Paulsen

Girl Parts by John M. Cusick

Flawless by Sara Shepard

Fallen by Lauren Kate

Nation by Terry Pratchett

Re-Gifters by Mike Carey and illustrated by Sonny Liew and Marc Hempel

Saving Zoë by Alyson Noël

Angry Management by Chris Crutcher

What They Found: Love On 145th Street by Walter Dean Myers

The Demon’s Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan

An Abundance Of Katherines by John Green

Another novel from author and vlogger, John Green, and his second book. As I’ve said before, Green is extremely popular with our young adult (and adult) readers, and it’s not hard to understand why when you read one of his books. They’re sweet, but they’re quirky and unique, and they’re smart, and the characters are memorable, especially the characters in this book, which is about a boy with an affinity for girls with the name Katherine, and his friend who accompanies him on a road trip. Check out reviews for the novel done by The Young Folks and The New York Times.

My Boyfriend Is A Monster, vol. 1: I Love Him To Pieces by Evonne Tsang and illustrated by Janina Görrissen

Great tagline: “Can love survive the zombie apocalypse?” This is a fun graphic novel. It’s boy meets girl, and of course they come from two different worlds: she’s a jock, and he’s a nerd. And then the zombie outbreak happens. It’s got horror, romance, and the art by Janina Görrissen is just wonderful. Here’s a review from The Ninja Librarian.

NON-FICTION:

Web Design For Teens by Maneesh Sethi

The Brave Escape Of Edith Wharton by Connie Nordheilm Wooldridge

A fine biography of Edith Wharton, author of books like Ethan Frome and The House Of Mirth, who was born into a priveleged, wealthy New York City family during the Gilded Age, and her escape into a more creative life. Connie Nordheilm Wooldridge‘s book is very interesting in that it focuses much more on the life of Wharton, rather than her works, which makes it very insightful for anyone who’s read her books or is looking to discover them. Check out The New York Times‘ review.

Cool Tech: Gadgets, Games, Robots, And The Digital World by Clive Gifford, with consulting by Mike Goldsmith

How Cool Is This? An Up-Close Inside Look At How Things Work

Tattoos And Secret Societies by Jason Porterfield

The Influencing Machine: Brooke Gladstone On The Media by Brooke Gladstone and illustrated by Josh Neufeld

Brooke Gladstone is a journalist and media analyst, and an expert on trends in the media, and she hosts NPR’s On The Media. She has called this book, a graphic novel illustrated by cartoonist Josh Neufeld to be a “a treatise on the relationship between us and the news media,” and the story utilizes an illustrated version of Gladstone herself taking the reader through the history of the American press. It is a very interesting book. You can find reviews at Slate and NPR, and an interview with Gladstone at Newsarama. Check out the trailer below:

Wild At Heart: The Story Of Joy Adamson, Author Of Born Free by Anne E. Neimark

Come Back To Afghanistan: A California Teenager’s Story by Said Hyder Akbar

The Big Idea Science Book: The Incredible Concepts That Show How Science Works In The World

Georgia O’Keeffe: The “Widenss And Wonder” Of Her World by Beverly Gherman

Wheels Of Change: How Women Rode The Bicycle To Freedom (With A Few Flat Tires Along The Way) by Sue Macy

Very interesting. Features a brief memoir section of author Sue Macy‘s childhood reminiscences of bicycle riding and then moves into a very informative history of the bicycle and how women were able to use it as innovative technology to cycle out of repressive conditions in the past and closer to independence. There’s also a nice foreword by Leah Missback Day, the founder of World Bicycle Relief. Check out reviews from Booklist and Read Kiddo Read.

Pre-Algebra And Algebra Smarts! by Lucille Caron and Philip M. St. Jacques

Celebrating A Quinceanera: A Latina’s 15th Birthday Celebration by Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith and with photographs by Lawrence Migdale

Tricky Mindtrap Puzzles: Challenges The Way You Think & See by Detective Shadow

Raggin’ Jazzin’ Rockin’: A History Of American Musical Instrument Makers by Susan VanHecke

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Please note that books could be checked out between the time they end up on the blog and when you come to check them out. If you don’t see the items you’re looking for then please come up to the front desk and we’ll put your name on the reserve list for when the item returns.

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And please don’t forget to check back here tomorrow to find out more about our Survey/Trivia contest.

And for info on other future contests we’ll be doing, you can always check out our CONTESTS page.

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Previous New/Featured books for Adults:

03/01/12.

02/02/11.

01/27/12.

12/27/11.

And for Young Adults:

02/21/12.

02/09/12.

01/31/12.

And for Kids/Juvenile Readers:

02/28/12.

02/23/12.

02/16/12.

01/28/12.