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New and Featured Books for 11/12/2013:

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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:

The All-Girl Filling Station’s Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg

The new No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency novel.

The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon by Alexander McCall Smith

Winners by Danielle Steele

Savage Texas: The Stampeders by William W. Johnstone with J. A. Johnstone

A Big Sky Christmas by William W. Johnstone with J. A. Johnstone

Through The Evil Days by Julia Spencer-Fleming

Poisonous, smart, and outrageously entertaining.

The Dinosaur Feather by S. J. Gazan

Dark Witch by Nora Roberts

By the author of The Joy Luck Club.

The Valley Of Amazement by Amy Tan

Sense & Sensibility by Joanna Trollope

Found by H. Terrell Griffin

A prelude to Great Expectations by Charles Dickens.

Havisham by Ronald Frame

Batman, vol. 3: Death Of The Family by Scott Snyder and illustrated by Greg Capullo

NON-FICTION:

November 22, 1963: Ordinary And Extraordinary People Recall Their Reactions When They Heard The News by Jodie Elliott Hansen and Laura Hansen

The Letters Of John F. Kennedy, edited by Martin W. Sandler

Fosse!

Fosse by Sam Wasson

Chaser: Unlocking The Genius Of The Dog Who Knows A Thousand Words by John W. Pilley with Hilary Hinzmann

His own story.

Jimi Hendrix: Starting At Zero – His Own Story

All American: Two Young Men, The 2001 Army-Navy Game And The War They Fought In Iraq by Steve Eubanks

Their Life’s Work: The Brotherhood Of The 1970s Pittsburgh Steelers, Then And Now by Gary M. Pomerantz

The life and art of Norman Rockwell.

American Mirror: The Life And Art Of Norman Rockwell by Deborah Solomon

The Embassy House: The Explosive Eyewitness Account Of The Libyan Embassy Siege By The Soldier Who Was There by Morgan Jones and Damien Lewis

American Heroes On The Homefront: The Hearts of Heroes by Oliver North and Bob Hamer

Game Change 2012.

Double Down: Game Change 2012 by Mark Halperin and John Heilemann

Chasing Utopia: A Hybird by Nikki Giovanni

Miss Kay’s Duck Commander Kitchen: Faith, Family, And Food – Bringing Our Home To Your Table by Kay Robertson with Chrys Howard

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Please note that books mentioned here 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, OR call us, OR send us an email at robinsbaselibrary@gmail.com and  we’ll put your name on the reserve list for when the item returns.

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Previous New/Featured books:

10/25/13.

10/23/13.

10/21/13.

10/18/13.

New and Featured Books for Young Adults for 09/06/2013:

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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:

Chronal Engine by Greg Leitich Smith and illustrated by Blake Henry

Infinitely us.

The Infinite Moment Of Us by Lauren Myracle

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Someone looks hungry.

Unfed by Kirsty McKay

Your kiss is not on my list.

Naomi And Ely’s No Kiss List by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

Survivors: A Hidden Enemy by Erin Hunter

How Not To Find A Boyfriend by Allyson Valentine

Can you know the truth if your memory has been erased?

Slated by Teri Terry

NON-FICTION:

Understanding The Rule Of Law: No One Is Above The Law by G. S. Prentzas

Your favorite authors take a stab at the dreaded essay assignment.

Breakfast On Mars, And 37 Other Delectable Essays, edited by Rebecca Stern and Brad Wolfe

Facebook Safety And Privacy by Tracy Brown

How To Survive Online Embarrassment by Lisa Miles and Xanna Eve Chown

Real-life stories about anxiety.

Freaking Out: Real-Life Stories About Anxiety by Polly Wells and illustrated by Peter Mitchell

Deadly High-Risk Jobs by Elaine Landau

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Please note that books mentioned here 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, OR call us, OR send us an email at robinsbaselibrary@gmail.com and  we’ll put your name on the reserve list for when the item returns.

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Previous New/Featured books for Adults:

09/03/13.

08/14/13.

08/06/13.

07/16/13.

And for Young Adults:

07/15/13.

06/28/13.

06/05/13.

05/08/13.

And for Kids/Juvenile Readers:

06/19/13.

06/18/13.

05/21/13.

05/06/13.

New and Featured Books for 05/09/2013:

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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:

A House Divided by Kimberla Lawson Roby

Angora Alibi by Sally Goldenbaum

An absolute master of the thriller, says Dean Koontz.

Murder As A Fine Art by David Morrell

Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris

Dead, White, And Blue by Carolyn Hart

Spenser in Wonderland.

Robert B. Parker’s Wonderland by Ace Atkins

Wonder Woman, vol. 2: Guts by Brian Azzarello and illustrated by Cliff Chiang

Superman – Action Comics, vol. 2: Bulletproof by Grant Morrison and illustrated by Rags Morales, Gene Ha, Cully Hamner, and Ryan Sook

Batman: Detective Comics, volume 2: Scare Tactics, written and illustrated by Tony S. Daniel

Avengers: Season One by Peter David and illustrated by various artists

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo: A Graphic Novel, Book 2 by Stieg Larsson, adapted by Denise Mina and illustrated by Leonardo Manco and Andrea Mutti

The fine art of strange crimes.

Red Handed: The Fine Art Of Strange Crimes by Matt Kindt

Long Live The King by Fay Weldon

Star Wars: Dawn Of The Jedi – Into The Void by Tim Lebbon

The return of Mike Hammer.

Complex 90 by Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins

NON-FICTION:

American Phoenix: John Quincy And Louisa Adams, The War Of 1812, And The Exile THat Saved American Independence by Jane Hampton Cook

Believe it or not!

A Curious Man: The Strange And Brilliant Life Of Robert “Believe It Or Not” Ripley by Neal Thompson

Six weeks that saved the nation.

Through The Perilous Fight: Six Weeks That Saved The Nation by Steve Vogel

Picasso To Warhol: Fourteen Modern Masters by Jodi Hauptman, with essays by Samantha Friedman and Michael Rooks

Global Tilt: Leading Your Business Through The Gerat Economic Power Shift by Ram Charan with Geri Willigan and Charles Burck

Tourettes, faith, strength, power, family.

The World’s Strongest Librarian: A Memoir Of Tourette’s, Faith, Strength, And The Power Of Family by Josh Hanagarne

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Please note that books mentioned here 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, OR call us, OR send us an email at robinsbaselibrary@gmail.com and  we’ll put your name on the reserve list for when the item returns.

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Previous New/Featured books for Adults:

04/29/13.

04/22/13.

04/17/13.

02/28/13.

New and Featured Books for 11/20/2012:

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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:

The Lawgiver by Herman Wouk

Odd Apocalypse by Dean Koontz

77 Shadow Street by Dean Koontz

The Dark Winter by David Mark

Dear Life: Stories by Alice Munro

Victory At Yorktown by Newt Gingrich and William R. Forstchen

Crashed: A Junior Bender Mystery by Timothy Hallinan

The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie

Notorious Nineteen: A Stephanie Plum novel by Janet Evanovich

A Gangster And A Gentleman by Kiki Swinson and De’Nesha Diamond

Christmas With Holly by Lisa Kleypas

Superman: Reign Of Doomsday by Paul Cornell, and illustrated by Axel Giménez, Pete Woods, Kenneth Rocafort, Jesus Merino, and Ronan Cliquet

Superman: Earth One, vol. 2 by J. Michael Straczynski and illustrated by Shane Davis

Poseidon’s Arrow by Clive Cussler and Dirk Cussler

NON-FICTION:

The Secret Race – Inside The Hidden World Of The Tour de France: Doping, Cover-Ups, And Winning At All Costs by Tyler Hamilton and Daniel Coyle

Both Flesh And Not: Essays by David Foster Wallace

Thomas Jefferson: The Art Of Power by Jon Meacham

The Patriot’s History Of The Modern World – From America’s Exceptional Ascent To The Atomic Bomb: 1898 – 1945 by Larry Schweikart and Dave Dougherty

Superman Versus The Ku Klux Klan: The True Story Of How The Iconic Superhero Battled The Men Of Hate by Rick Bowers

Superman: The High-Flying History Of America’s Most Enduring Hero by Larry Tye

The Outpost: An Untold Story Of American Valor by Jake Tapper

Silver Like Dust: One Family’s Story Of America’s Japanese Internment by Kimi Cunningham Grant

Super Brain: Unleashing The Explosive Power Of Your Mind To Maximize Health, Happiness, And Spiritual Well-Being by Deepak Chopra and Rudolph E. Tanzi

Super Immunity: The Essential Nutrition Guide To Boosting Your Body’s Defenses To Live Longer, Stronger, And Disease Free by Joel Fuhrman

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Please note that books mentioned here 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, OR call us, OR send us an email at robinsbaselibrary@gmail.com and  we’ll put your name on the reserve list for when the item returns.

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Previous New/Featured books for Adults:

11/19/12.

11/01/12.

10/19/12.

10/16/12.

10/12/12.

10/11/12.

New and Featured Books for 10/16/2012:

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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:

12.21 by Dustin Thomason

Everyman by Philip Roth

The Dog Stars by Peter Heller

Because She Can by Bridie Clark

The Seven Days Of Peter Crumb by Jonny Glynn

Flirt by Laurell K. Hamilton

Superman – Action Comics, vol. 1: Superman And The Man Of Steel by Grant Morrison and illustrated by Rags Morales and Andy Kubert

The Avengers: Kree/Skrull War by Roy Thomas and illustrated by Neal Adams, Sal Buscema, and John Buscema

The Fiction Class by Susan Breen

Murder Walks The Plank: A Death On Demand Mystery by Carolyn Hart

Death On The River Walk: A Henrie O. Mystery by Carolyn Hart

The Lost Diary Of Don Juan by Douglas Carlton Abrams

The Book Of Love by Kathleen McGowan

In The Shadows Of Paris by Claude Izner

Tiger’s Claw by Dale Brown

Elvis And The Blue Christmas Corpse by Peggy Webb

Liar’s Kiss by Eric Skillman and Jhomar Soriano

NON-FICTION:

Concussions And Our Kids: America’s Leading Expert On How To Protect Your Young Athletes And Keep Sports Safe by Robert Cantu and Mark Hyman

Airpower For Strategic Effect by Colin S. Gray

100 Ways To Stay Young: Great Tips And Treatments For Diet, Lifestyle, Health, And Beauty

On Dupont Circle: Franklin And Eleanor Roosevelt And The Progressives Who Shaped Our World by James Srodes

Gangster Squad: Covert Cops, The Mob, And The Battle For Los Angeles by Paul Lieberman

January First: A Child’s Descent Into Madness And Her Father’s Struggle To Save Her by Michael Schofield

What Now? by Ann Patchett

Mugged By The State: Outrageous Government Assaults On Ordinary People And Their Property by Randall Fitzgerald

Deciding The Next Decider: The 2008 Presidential Race In Rhyme by Calvin Trillin

Philosophy: A Brief Insight by Edward Craig

The Web-Savvy Patient: An Insider’s Guide To Navigating The Internet When Facing Medical Crisis by Andrew Schorr with Mary Adam Thomas

Fifty Places To Dive Before You Die by Chris Santella

The Complete Book Of Aunts by Rupert Christiansen with Beth Brophy and illustrated by Stephanie von Reiswitz

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Please note that books mentioned here 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, OR call us, OR send us an email at robinsbaselibrary@gmail.com and  we’ll put your name on the reserve list for when the item returns.

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Previous New/Featured books for Adults:

10/12/12.

10/11/12.

09/21/12.

09/06/12.

08/23/12.

08/15/12.

Reading material for 10/01/12:

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Some reading material from around the internet:

Why the wet dog shake gets mammals dry in no time.

Is Alzheimer’s Type 3 Diabetes?

11 things Wal-Mart has banned.

Five realizations that will help you write regularly.

How hiring really happens.

The rise of the “friendly” logo.

from here.

Why can’t we spell English words phonetically?

The 10 most amazing library laboratories.

An adaptation of H. P. Lovecraft’s The Tomb, as done in the style of Dr. Seuss.

75 biographies to read before you die.

Agatha Christie: “Why I Got fed up with Poirot.”

50 books to build your character.

from here.

The compact disc is 30 years old today.

They’re planning on remaking The Rocketeer and Videodrome.

Rian Johnson talks Looper and Breaking Bad.

David Byrne explains How Music Works in his new book.

Natalie Portman as Jackie Kennedy?

Marc Webb and Andrew Garfield will return for the sequel to The Amazing Spider-Man.

Could there be a Downton Abbey prequel?

via Steve McCurry.

Apparently the BMI test doesn’t accurately depict how prevalent obesity is.

Six mysteries that could be solved with time travel.

The man who owns the most land in America.

How to spot hidden problems in older homes.

Can you fire a pistol underwater?

9 of the world’s weirdest museums.

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Previous online reading material:

08/13/12.

08/06/12.

07/23/12.

07/17/12.

07/09/12.

New and Featured Books for 08/15/2012:

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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:

The Ten Year Nap by Meg Wolitzer

The Temptation Of The Night Jasmine by Lauren Willig

Delicious by Sherry Thomas

The Triumph Of Caesar: A Novel Of Ancient Rome by Steven Saylor

You Are The Love Of My Life by Susan Richards Shreve

By Starlight by Dorothy Garlock

Captain Freedom: A Superhero’s Quest For Truth, Justice, And The Celebrity He So Richly Deserves by G. Xavier Robillard

Sea Of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh

NON-FICTION:

It’s A Jungle In There: Inspiring Lessons, Hard-Won Insights, And Other Acts Of Entreprenurial Daring by Seven Schussler with Marvin Karlins

Danger’s Hour: The Story Of The USS Bunker Kill And The Kamikaze Pilot Who Crippled Her by Maxwell Taylor Kennedy

The Day After The Dollar Crashes: A Survival Guide For the Rise Of The New World Order by Damon Vickers

When I Was A Child I Read Books: Essays by Marilynne Robinson

Airport Planning & Management by Alexander T. Wells

Airport Planning & Development Handbook: A Global Survey by Paul Stephen Dempsey

The Crazy Makers: How The Food Industry Is Destroying Our Brains And Harming Out Children by Carol Simontacchi

The New New Deal: The Hidden Story Of Change In The Obama Era by Michael Grunwald

Energy For Future Presidents: The Science Behind The Headlines by Richard A. Muller

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Please note that books mentioned here 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, OR call us, OR send us an email at robinsbaselibrary@gmail.com and  we’ll put your name on the reserve list for when the item returns.

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Previous New/Featured books:

08/09/12.

08/02/12.

07/27/12.

07/18/12.

07/03/12.

New and Featured Audiobooks for 04/05/12:

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Come and check out these and some of the other new audiobooks (or at least new to us) added to our library collection, which come in several different formats…

Audiobooks on CD…

FICTION:

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie, and read by Hugh Fraser

The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith, and read by Lisette Lecat

Mistress Of The Art Of Death by Ariana Franklin, and read by Rosalyn Landor

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, and read by Lynne Thigpen

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova, and read by Joanne Whalley, Martin Jarvis, Dennis Boutsikaris, Jim Ward, Rosalyn Landor, and Robin Atkin Downes

The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova, and read by Treat Williams, Anne Heche, Sarah Zimmerman, Erin Cottrell, and John Rafter Lee

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, and read by Sissy Spacek

Fresh Disasters by Stuart Woods, and read by Tony Roberts

Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers, and read by J. D. Jackson

Survivor by Chuck Palahniuk, and read by Paul Michael Garcia

World War Z: An Oral History Of The Zombie War by Max Brooks, and performed by a full cast featuring the author, Carl Reiner, Henry Rollins, Jurgen Prochnow, Alan Alda, Ron Reiner, John Turturro, Becky Ann Baker, and many others

Velocity by Dean Koontz, and read by Michael Hayden

NON-FICTION:

Sea Of Glory: America’s Voyage Of Discovery – The U.S. Exploring Expedition, 1838 – 1842 by Nathaniel Philbrick, and read by Dennis Boutsikaris

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou, and read by the author

Getting Things Done: The Art Of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen, and read by the author

Confessions Of An Alien Hunter: A Scientist’s Search For Extraterristrial Intelligence  by Seth Shostak, and read by Patrick Lawler

Team Of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin, and read by Richard Thomas

Not only is this a very interesting book, but it’s also the basis for Steven Spielberg’s upcoming film about Lincoln, which stars Daniel Day Lewis as our 16th president. Check out a picture below of the actor’s look in the film:

Michelangelo And The Pope’s Ceiling by Ross King, and read by Alan Sklar

Black Boy by Richard Wright, and read by Peter Francis James

The Professor And The Madman: A Tale Of Murder, Insanity, And The Making Of The Oxford English Dictionary by Simon Winchester, and read by the author

City Of The Soul: A Walk In Rome by William Murray, and read by the author

The Black Swan: The Impact Of The Highly Improbable by Nassim Nicholas Taleb, and read by David Chandler

The War That Made America: A Short History Of The French And Indian War by Fred Anderson, and read by Simon Vance

Game Change: Obama And The Clintons, McCain And Palin, And The Race Of A Lifetime by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin, and read by Dennis Boutsikaris

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And we also have Audiobooks in the Playaway format…

If you don’t know much about the Playaway format, then we’d suggest that you come and check them out.

A Playaway is basically a single book loaded onto an MP3 player. All you have to do is plug in some headphones and press play and you’re off to the races. The Playway is small enough to fit into your pocket, and it’s great for working out or running/jogging, or even just doing something like cleaning the house. But where the CD format is really nice for listening to an audiobook in the car, you’d have to have something to transfer the sound from the Playaway to your car stereo. Perhaps if you do something like that with an iPod or a similar MP3 device then maybe that could work as well.

FICTION:

To The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf, and read by Juliet Stevenson

The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler, and read by Kimberly Schraf

Then She Found Me by Elinor Lipman, and read by Mia Barron

Double Cross by James Patterson, and ready by Peter J. Fernandez and Michael Stuhlbarg

The Enemy by Lee Child

The Hard Way by Lee Child

One Shot by Lee Child

All read by Dick Hill

To Die For by Linda Howard, and read by Franette Liebow

The Trial by Franz Kafka, and read by Rupert Degas

The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett, dramatized for audio by Yuri Rasovsky, and performed by Michael Madsen, Sandra Oh, and Edward Herrman, amongst others

A Confederacy Of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole, and read by Barrett Whitener

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, and read by Christopher Hurt

Atonement by Ian McEwan, and read by Josephine Baily

Deadlock by Iris Johansen, and read by Jennifer Van Dyck

NON-FICTION:

The Art Of War by Sun Tzu, translated by Thomas Cleary, and read by David Warrilow

You Had Me At Woof: How Dogs Taught Me The Secrets Of Happiness by Julie Klam, and read by Karen White

Marley: A Dog Like No Other by John Grogan, and performed by Neil Patrick Harris

When Janey Comes Marching Home by Laura Browder, with photographs by Sascha Pflaeging, and read by Claudia Aleck, Cassandra Campbell, Bernadette Dunne, Tavia Gilbert, Vanessa Hart, Carrington MacDuffie, Lisa Renee Pitts, Kirsten Potter, Robynn Rodriguez, Kimberly Scott, Bahni Turpin, and Pam Ward

Chinese For Dummies by Mengjun Liu and Mike Packevicz

Living Well In A Down Economy For Dummies by Tracy L. Barr, and read by Brett Barry

The War That Killed Achilles: The Story Of Homer’s Iliad And The Trojan War by Caroline Alexander, and read by Michael Page

Most Evil: Avenger, Zodiac, And The Further Serial Murders Of Dr. George Hill Hodel by Steve Hodel and Ralph Pezzullo, and read by Malcolm Hillgartner

When You Are Engulfed In Flames by David Sedaris

The History Of The Classical Music by Richard Fawkes, and read by Robert Powell

How To Stop Smoking And Stay Stopped For Good – Fully Revised And Updated by Gillian Riley, and read by Jerome Pride

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We’re looking to get into MP3 CDs, so stay tuned for that, but until then…

…can you believe that we still have audiobooks on tape/cassette available for checkout? Perfect for anyone whose car has a tape player in it.

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Please note that audiobooks mentioned here 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 OR send us an email at robinsbaselibrary@gmail.com and we’ll put your name on the reserve list for when the item returns.

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Previous New/Featured books for Adults:

04/04/12.

03/29/12.

03/01/12.

02/02/11.

01/27/12.

New and Featured Books for 03/29/2012:

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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.

Author quotes: Discrimination, discovery, and freedom.

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As I said last week, when you’ve set out to share great quotes from wonderful authors with the world, then it’s nice to be doing so from a library, where there is never a shortage of such unique and talented voices, with such wisdom to share. And today I didn’t want to limit myself to just one voice, so today we are going to hear from three of American literature’s finest…

First we have a nice perspective from one of the writers at the center of the Harlem Renaissance:

“Sometimes I feel discriminated against, but it does not make me angry. It merely astonishes me. How can any deny themselves the pleasure of my company? It is beyond me.”

-Zora Neale Hurston, from “How It Feels To Be Colored Me,” an essay which appeared in The World Tomorrow in May, 1928.

Next we have a quote from a novel that not only changed what people could expect from an African American protagonist, but also from an African American novelist:

“When I discover who I am, I’ll be free.”

-Ralph Ellison, from his famous 1952 novel, Invisible Man, which won the National Book Award in 1953.

Our last quote for today comes from a writer who only wrote one novel in her lifetime, but it was an amazing novel:

“I think there’s just one kind of folks: folks.”

-Harper Lee, from her famous novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, 1960. Lee is, of course, pictured above, with her friend, Truman Capote, her childhood schoolmate, neighbor, and best friend.

Elsewhere on the internet:

It’s important to note that both Invisible Man and To Kill A Mockingbird are on The Modern Library’s list of 100 Best Novels, a nice list of the best novels written in the English language in the twentieth century.

It’s also important to note that Invisible Man, To Kill A Mockingbird, and Their Eyes Were Watching God are all on Time magazine’s list of the 100 Best English-Language Novels from 1923 to 2005.

The New York Times’ review of Invisible Man.

Saul Bellow’s review of Invisible Man.

A podcast about Ralph Ellison, and how his works are still being taught today, from Voices Of America.

An interview with Ralph Ellison in The Paris Review.

To Kill A Mockingbird: A historical perspective.

Harper Lee was given the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2007.

To Kill A Mockingbird was named the UK’s most beloved book last year.

The mystery of Harper Lee.

Harper Lee made a rare written appearance in 2006, writing an open letter to Oprah Winfrey in O magazine.

The official website of Zora Neale Hurston.

Study guides for Their Eyes Were Watching God at both Grade Saver and Shmoop.

An interview with Zora Neale Hurston about her research into actual zombies in Haiti.

An in depth biography of Zora Neale Hurston from Gale.

At the library we have quite a few books both by Ralph Ellison, Zora Neale Hurston, and Harper Lee, and about them. To Kill A Mockingbird and Their Eyes Were Watching God are always popular, partially because students get assignments involving them every year, so I’m glad that we have those books, as well as quite a few volumes of literary criticism about their authors, but I wish more people would come in asking about Ralph Ellison. Either way, there’s a reason that all three of these authors and their works are considered classics and I hope you’ll come and check them out.

Author quotes: Burning books.

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Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. once said, “We must be careful what we pretend to be,”  which is one of my favorite quotes of all time, but Vonnegut was a highly opinionated and prolific author and essayist, and he was always a good source for a good quote or a witty turn of phrase.

The other day I got into a conversation with a few patrons not just about the need for intellectual curiosity in people, especially in this day and age, but the need for constant access to the tools that could inspire and grow that curiosity in these modern times, and it reminded me of something Vonnegut had said a few years before his death (in 2007):

“While on the subject of burning books, I want to congratulate librarians, not famous for their physical strength, who, all over this country, have staunchly resisted anti-democratic bullies who have tried to remove certain books from their shelves, and destroyed records rather than have to reveal to thought police the names of persons who have checked out those titles.

So the America I loved still exists, if not in the White House, the Supreme Court, the Senate, the House of Representatives, or the media. The America I loved still exists at the front desks of our public libraries.

And still on the subject of books: our daily news sources, newspapers and TV, are now so craven, so unvigilant on behalf of the American people, so uninformative, that only in books do we learn what’s really going on.”

-from A Man Without A Country, his 2005 memoir/essay collection.

You can find an excerpt from the book over at The Guardian, which includes the portion the above text comes from. Much of this book, and in particular this excerpt, are very political with Vonnegut discussing his disappointment in the then-current political climate of the country. Whether you agree with Vonnegut’s politics there or not, you have to admire that there are some nuggets of common sense true for all people, and that he always maintained a strong humanistic outlook on life.

Also, on a side note, in the paragraph preceding the above quote Vonnegut references Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11, his documentary about the September 11 attacks and everything after, and reminds us that the title of the documentary is a reference/parody of Ray Bradbury’s great, classic science fiction novel, Fahrenheit 451. That novel refers to the fact that 451 degrees Fahrenheit is the combustion point, at which paper and the information on it will burn.

The gist of it is this: Not to toot our own horn (too much) but libraries curate and cultivate information, and with information comes intelligence, which is never a bad thing and always in short supply. The library is a resource that you should never let go to waste.

by Eddie Campbell, from here.

Elsewhere on the internet:

Vonnegut’s obituary in The New York Times.

15 things Vonnegut said better than anyone else ever has or will.

Venus On The Half-Shell by Philip José Farmer under the name “Kilgore Trout.”

Vonnegut’s advice for writers.

Vonnegut’s story diagrams.

Harrison Bergeron,” Vonnegut’s classic short story.

An interview with Vonnegut in The Paris Review.

2BR02B,” a 1962 short story that appeared in Vonnegut’s third collection, Bagombo Snuff Box.

The Big Trip Up Yonder,” a short story that appeared in Vonnegut’s first two collections under different names.

The Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library in Indianapolis.

Dave Eggers reviews Vonnegut’s first collection of unpublished fiction.

At the library we have quite a few books both by Vonnegut and about his life and work, including When Mortals Sleep, a posthumous release of previously unpublished short fiction by the author, as well as And So It Goes – Kurt Vonnegut: A Life, a new biography of the author by Charles J. Shields, and…

Vonnegut And Hemingway: Writers At War by Lawrence Broer, which draws interesting parallels between these two literary artists, who previously might have been only been coupled together by how vastly different they were. Both were born under the spectre of hereditary insanity, forged in wartime experiences, and used their writing as a means of therapy and survival. And how much more fitting to see them linked, since Hemingway was our quoted author last week? I hope you’ll come and check them out.