One of our favorite children’s authors and illustrators has unfortunately passed away today. He was 83.
Sendak had an amazing respect for the minds of younger readers, often showing that children are a “tangle of vulnerability and resilience.” You can find a nice obituary of the author atThe New York Times and below we have a video of Sendak talking about his career:
At the library we have quite a few books by Sendak, including many of his classics, such as In The Night Kitchen and Outside Over There, as well as Spike Jonze’s film version of his most classic work, Where The Wild Things Are.
Sendak will be missed and appreciated, and thankfully we’ll have his works forever, which we hope that you’ll come and check out.
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:
Calico Joe by John Grisham
Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult
Dorchester Terrace by Anne Perry
Stories For Nighttime And Some For The Day by Ben Loory
Death Of A Kingfisher by M. C. Beaton
The Lady Of The Rivers by Philippa Gregory
Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Richard Wright
The Invincible Iron Man: Extremis by Warren Ellis and illustrated by Adi Granov
Ex Machina: The Deluxe Edition, Book 1 by Brian K. Vaughan and illustrated by Tony Harris
Guilty Wives by James Patterson and David Ellis
Another thriller from best selling author James Patterson (and one of his co-writers), this time about a group of women on the vacation of a lifetime that’s gone horribly wrong. You can find an interview with the author at CNN, and a rather large excerpt from the book from the author’s own website.
The Fat Years by Guanzonghong Chan
NON-FICTION:
Career Success Without A Real Job: The Career Book For People Too Smart To Work In Corporations by Ernie J. Zelinski
Drift: The Unmooring Of American Military Power by Rachel Maddow
A fascinating book about how the way we go to war has changed by the author of the popular political talk show. Maddow’s book is not really about the politics, but about ideas and facts (something that politics should treat as a little more holy), and the book features a cover blurb from FOX News’ chief, Roger Ailes, which reads as: “People who like Rachel will love the book. People who don’t will get angry, but aggressive debate is good for America. Drift is a book worth reading.” You can find an interview with the author at The Chicago Sun-Times and reviews at the Huffington Post, The Daily Beast, and at The New York Times.
Distrust That Particular Flavor by William Gibson
A very nice collection of essays, articles, and speeches from the past three decades from Gibson, the writer of science fiction and thrillers, and who has been long proclaimed as a cyber visionary. You can find some very interesting reviews of the book at Tech Crunch, Boing Boing, and on The Verge.
400 Years Of The Telescope: A Journey Of Science, Technology And Thought by Donald Goldsmith
Tension City: Inside the Presidential Debates, From Kennedy-Nixon To Obama-McCain by Jim Lehrer
Elizabeth The Queen: The Life Of A Modern Monarch by Sally Bedell Smith
The Hilliker Curse: My Pursuit Of Women by James Ellroy
The Next Decade: Where We’ve Been… And Where We’re Going by George Friedman
Looking Within: How X-Ray, CT, Ultrasound, And Other Medical Images Are Created – And How They Help Physicians Save Lives by Anthony Brinton Wolbarst
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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 OR send us an email at robinsbaselibrary@gmail.com and we’ll put your name on the reserve list for when the item returns.
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.
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.
The Death-Ray, written and illustrated by Daniel Clowes
All My Friends Are Going To Be Strangers by Larry McMurtry
In My Father’s House by E. Lynn Harris
The Wreckage by Michael Robotham
The Angel Esmerelda: Nine Stories by Don Delillo
Harlem Renaissance: Five Novels Of The 1920s, edited by Rafia Zafar
and
Harlem Renaissance: Four Novels Of The 1930s, edited by Rafia Zafar
This is a very exciting two volume set looking at classic works of fiction from an important time in literature and African American history, and featuring authors like Langston Hughes, Nella Larsen, Jean Toomer, and George S. Schuyler, and others. As author Junot Diaz says in his blurb on the back of the 1920s edition, “To have all these novels in one place is the best gift any reader could ever ask for.”
Escape by Barbara Delinsky
Camouflage by Bill Pronzini
Shattered by Karen Robards
Gets off to a bit of a slow start, but another fine example of romantic suspense done right by Robards. Check out an excerpt at the author’s website.
NON-FICTION:
New Men: Manliness In Early America, edited by Thomas A. Foster
This is a very intriguing historical gender study of what it was like for men, fresh from the Old World, coming into the New World, and how the definitions of being an American Man were set, based on old prejudices, manners, and mores, through the colonial periods into the revolutionary era, and shaped by a new culture, society, economy, and political system, and factors such a racism and warfare.
Lions Of Kandahar: The Story Of A Fight Against All Odds by Rusty Bradley and Kevin Maurer
Shades Of Glory: The Negro Leagues And The Story Of African-American Baseball by Lawrence D. Hogan
The Insider’s Guide To Colleges, 2012: Students On Campus Tell You What You Really Need To Know, compiled and edited by the staff of The Yale Daily News
Cooking In Other Women’s Kitchens: Domestic Workers In The South, 1865-1960 by Rebecca Sharpless
This book has been said to show the real version of what was tamefully dramatized in The Help, and that alone makes it fascinating, beyond its being a very insightful and informative read, from what a few patrons have told me. And as one review nicely pointed out, the book is very successful in its goal to “discover how African American cooks successfully functioned within a world of extremely hard work, low wages, and omnipresent racial strife.”
A Quick Start Guide To Google Adwords: Get Your Product To The Top Of Google And Reach Your Customers by Mark Harnett
A Quick Start Guide To Cloud Computing: Moving Your Business Into The Cloud by Mark I. Williams
Burn This Book: PEN Writers Speak Out On The Power Of The Word, edited by Toni Morrison
Firebrand Of Liberty: The Story Of Two Black Regiments That Changed The Course Of The Civil War by Stephen V. Ash
The Elements Of User Experience: User-Centered Design For The Web And Beyond by Jesse James Garrett
This is the second edition of the book, a nice refinement from the first edition, and helpful in taking a lot of the simple ideas for good design that you might use on the internet and bringing to other things. Check out an interview with the author from the publisher.
Border War: Fighting Over Slavery Before The Civil War by Stanley Harrold
The Triple Agent: The Al-Qaeda Mole Who Infiltrated The CIA by Joby Warrick
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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.
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.
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.
Some reading material from around the internet:
from here.
Tracy Morgan reads Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree, from here.
Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book 
Robins AFB Library Blog 