Girls in Trucks by Katie Crouch

- Ann 1 Comment

girls-in-trucks2“Sweet coming-of-age saga meets Sex-in-the-City.“

This single phrase describes Crouch’s debut novel Girls in Trucks, in a nutshell.  What starts out as a pleasant story about a young Southern debutante, full of all the appropriate adolescent angst, suddenly and surprisingly turns into a slightly tragic sitcom version of the once popular TV show.  I actually liked the first part better, though the novel is really a collection of stories pieced together in the appearance of a novel.  Still, this will prove to be hugely popular, especially with the twenty-something crowd,   as the author effectively captures not only the charming Charleston, South Carolina dialogue and decorum, but also replays the New York City scenes with a saucy wit that leaves the reader both in laughter and in tears.  Warning:  it doesn’t end at all the way you would expect it to —  you’ll just have to read the book to find out for yourself!

President Obama, The First Reader

- Lynn Leave a comment

Any book the President picks up instantly becomes the subject of analysis and fascination. Everyone knows that Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwobama-booksin which describes Lincoln choosing several political rivals for his cabinet and staff, is an Obama favorite.

According to AbeBooks.com, The Post-American World by Fareed Zakaria, and Lincoln: the Biography of a Writer by Fred Kaplan are some other books he has been seen with.

Check out Mr. Obama’s Facebook page for some of his favorite books, such as Moby Dick, Gilead by Marilynne Robinson, and the Bible.

Libraries love the fact that, not only is he the world’s most famous reader, he is also a talented writer (both attributes can do no harm to our bottom line…the number of materials that are checked out).

According to the New York Times, Mr. Obama’s own Dreams from My Father, “evinces an instinctive storytelling talent…and that odd combination of empathy and detachment gifted novelists possess.” Obama won the 2006 Grammy for “Best Spoken Word Album” for his reading of his memoir and search for identity.

So, check out one of these books, carry it around and see if anyone snaps a photo….

The Road Home by Rose Tremain

- Ann Leave a comment

road-homeWidowed and jobless, Lev immigrates from Eastern Europe to London in hopes of finding work and a better future for his daughter in The Road Home by Rose Tremain. What he encounters there – friendship, cruelty, kindness, hardship and hope – becomes a snapshot of the world we live in today.

Arriving in London with just basic English language skills, minimum money and an EU passport, Lev finds a menial job washing dishes at a high-end restaurant where he discovers a passion and a talent for cooking. Lev makes some mistakes along the way – he doesn’t always do the right thing – but he is always sympathetic and likeable and you’ll find yourself pulling for him.

You’ll also meet some wonderful characters – Rudi, Lev’s colorful and outspoken but forever loyal friend from home, Christy, his down-on-his-luck Irish flatmate, Sophie, the English woman he has a passionate affair with, G.K., his gruff, rude yet ultimately life-saving boss, the people at the nursing home he visits and his fellow workers. From these wildly different parts he creates a family that sustain and guide him, yet there is always an undercurrent of sadness and longing for home. How Lev finds his way home again, both literally and figuratively, are the heart of the story. Although the ending is somewhat contrived, it is also exactly right.

Miles from Nowhere by Nami Mun

- Ann Leave a comment

miles-from-nowhereUnlike James Frey’s A Million Little Pieces, the author clearly marks this as a work of fiction.  Still, I found myself studying her photograph, wondering just how much of the story she might have actually experienced herself.  That’s how real it felt.

In this gritty and sometimes sordid tale about the homeless and the addicted, we follow Joon-Mee through her teen years during the 1980’s in New York City in Miles from Nowhere.  Joon, an immigrant from Korea, leaves her troubled home and ends up on the street, falling into prostitution and heroin abuse.  All is not dreary, though, as the book has a hopeful ending.  In the words of  Peter Ho Davies, author of The Welsh Girl, this is a “starkly beautiful book, shot through with grace and lit by an offhand street poetry.  Nami Mun takes a cast of junkies and runaways and brings them fiercely and frankly to life.  It’s a measure of the artistry of the work that even in their grimmest, darkest moments, rather than being repelled by these characters, we want to stay beside them, as if to care for them, or at least bear witness to their lives. “

DVDS for February

- Ann Leave a comment

February 3

beesSecret Life of Bees – Queen Latifah, Dakota Fanning

This is the tale of Lily Owens, a 14 year-old girl who is haunted by the memory of her late mother. To escape her lonely life and troubled relationship with her father, Lily flees with Rosaleen, her caregiver and only friend, to a South Carolina town that holds the secret of her mother’s past. Taken in by the intelligent and independent Boatwright sisters, Lily finds solace in their mesmerizing world of beekeeping.

February 10

Nights in Rodanthe – Richard Gere, Diane Lanenights

Two unhappy people’s lives become entwined when they have a life changing romance. Adrienne is a woman who’s trying to decide whether to stay in the unhappy marriage or not. Her life changes with Paul, a doctor who is traveling to reconcile with this estranged son, checks into an inn in North Carolina beach town where she is staying.

February 17

changlingThe Changeling – Angelina Jolie, John Malkovich

Set in 1928 in a working-class suburb of Los Angeles, Christine returns home from work to discover that her son Walter is nowhere to be found. Just when is seemed that all hope was lost, a nine-year-old boy claiming to be Christine’s son appears out of thin air. Overcome with emotions and uncertain how to face the authorities or the press, Christine invites the child to stay with her even though he is not Walter, yet continues to challenge the Prohibition-era Los Angeles police to find her son. Maligned by the press and slandered by the powers that be the situation grows desperate and the only person willing to help her is local activist Reverend Briegleb.

Frugal Librarian #4: Refurbs

- Bill 1 Comment

frugallibrarianA lot of people buy new computers at the moment of need. See, that’s what “the man” wants you to do…purchase from an uninformed and vulnerable position. You’ll deal with their markup because you’re brokedown.

It’s not enough to visit more than one brick and mortar store or check out two major chains’ weekly specials. Look into refurbs and save a ridiculous amount of money.

Refurbs are returned goods that have supposedly been restored to good-as-new condition. According to technology consulting firm Accenture, more than 2/3rds of electronics returned to retailers meet manufacturer’s specifications, but simply not the consumer’s expectations. Just because someone else gave up after turning the item on or didn’t like a scuff mark on front, why be picky in the face of huge savings?

Refurbs come in all varieties of electronics, even the highly-touted IPod, and even have refund and return guarantees. Stick with a well-known company, however.

Target – pre-owned electronics
Geeks.com – computers (I got a great computer this fall for $229, shipping included)
Dell Factory outlet
Sony retail outlet
Amazon Warehouse Deals

Time of My Life by Allison Winn Scotch

- Ann Leave a comment

time-of-my-life1What if you had the chance to live your life over? Would you make the same choices? Marry the same person? Work the same job? How different would your life be now, and where would you be? These intriguing questions are at the center of Allison Winn Scotch’s Time of My Life when Jillian Westfield gets the chance to re-live part of her past.

Mired in an unhappy marriage, feeling trapped by her “perfect Mommy” image, Jillian finds herself dreaming of her former boyfriend and how different he was than her husband. While life with Henry was steady and reliable, life with Jackson had been exciting and fast-paced, and her career had begun to take off. She begins to believe that if she had stayed with Jackson everything would be glamorous and fun.

One morning Jillian wakes up seven years in the past, before she left Jackson, before she married Henry, before her daughter was born. Now armed with 20/20 hindsight, she aims to get things “right’ this time. But it’s not as simple as she thought – the absence of her daughter is a sharp, constant ache, the fast-paced job isn’t as alluring as she’d remembered and fond memories of Henry keep returning. There are poignant moments too, such as when she sees her friend Meg who, in her former world, would die is a couple years, and when she runs into the current Henry and realizes she’s still in love with him. Can she change the course of her life and the lives of those she loves? What might appear to be a simple chick lit is in fact a thoughtful look at choices and consequences and living the life you’re given.

The Real Reason We Watch the Super Bowl

- Ann 2 Comments

For a lot of people, football is only a secondary reason to watch the Super Bowl. The real reason so many people watch – the Super Bowl commercials! Companies have paid vast sums for a prime 30 or 60 second spot, counting on being seen by a huge television audience. There is an emphasis on new, clever and innovative, an unofficial competition for the favorite or most-talked-about commercial of the day. Economic hard times have meant the commercial spots aren’t as expensive as some years, but the National Football League and NBC have had no trouble filling the time available.

Not only can you can catch previews for this year’s commercials at Super Bowl Ads, you can view the top commercials from the past ten years (my favorite is Cat Herding from EDS, shown here), catch up on the latest breaking Super Bowl commercial news and, after Sunday’s Super Bowl, watch and vote on your favorites from this year.

Just in case you watch the Super Bowl for the actual football game and would like something to keep you going until training camp starts up again in July, check out these videos from the library:

Friday Night Lights, Season 1 and Season 2. One of the best shows on television about the lives and loves of the people of Dillon, Texas where high school football reigns supreme, now without commercial interruption!

We Are Marshall. Based on the true story of how a small West Virginia college overcame one of the worst disasters in sports history when a plane crash killed most of their team and coaches.

The Longest Yard. Remake of the classic prisoners vs prison guards football game.

Brian’s Song. Another true story, this one about the friendship between Chicago Bears star Gayle Sayers and Brian Piccolo. There won’t be a dry eye in the house.

Rudy. The triumph of the little guy overcoming all odds, a tribute to hanging onto your dreams.

The Express: the Ernie Davis Story. Another inspirational true story (football is full of them) about Ernie Davis, the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy.

Super Bowl Fever

- Ann Leave a comment

super-bowl-43

Super Bowl – those words bring visions of chips, Buffalo wings, friends, half time spectaculars and commercials. And, oh yeah – football.

In the beginning there was the National Football League, created in the 1920s. A young upstart, the American Football League, began in 1960. The Super Bowl was established to determine the best professional football team in America when the NFL and AFL merged in June, 1966.

The first Super Bowl – which was called the AFL-NFL World Championship Game until 1969 – was played on January 15, 1967 when the Green Bay Packers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs, 35-10. Excitement about the Super Bowl really took off in 1970 when Joe Namath guarenteed the underdog New York Jets would defeat the Baltimore Colts (they did, 16-7)

The 43rd Super Bowl will be played this Sunday with the Arizona Cardinals taking on the Pittsburgh Steelers. The winning team will be presented with the Vince Lombardi Trophy, named after the beloved coach of the Green Bay Packers. To get a feel for the history of the game of football, be sure to read The Best Game Ever by Mark Bowden, a brilliant portrait of a single game that changed the history of American sports. This game was played December 28, 1958 between the hardworking, blue collar heroes Baltimore Colts and the glamour boys New York Giants. Many consider this the making of the Super Bowl competition.

Now settle back with some Buffalo wings, chips, pop and friends to enjoy the game.

Coffee, Anyone?

- Lynn 3 Comments

p10100331In honor of Cams Coffee House’s grand opening at the Fairmount Street Library, here are some novels to enjoy while you partake of their wares:

Grounds for Murder by Sandra Balzo is the first in her coffee-themed mystery series, starring Maggie Thorsen, a Milwaukee coffee shop owner. Her books provide a fun way to get insider knowledge of the coffee shop culture. There is always a healthy competition among the city’s coffee shops and baristas.

The Various Flavors of Coffee by Anthony Capella. “A well made cup of coffee is the proper beginning to an idle day,” says Robert Wallis, a marginal poet with great belief in his artistic, as well as coffee, expertise.Through a chance encounter, he gets a job in the coffee trade and travels the world, encountering romance and evolving into a more interesting and complicated human being. Because his task is describing the nuances of coffee, this is the perfect book to enjoy while sipping a dark, bold brew.

Espresso Shot by Cleo Coyle is the eighth in her Coffeehouse Mystery series. Clare Cosi is the manager of the Village Blend, in Greenwich Village. Romantic interest is provided by encounters with Detective Mike Quinn, as Clare repeatedly encounters foul play. Again, caffeine fiends will enjoy the coffee industry details, and the New York setting.

To complete the experience, slip in the lovely and soothing soundtrack to Sleepless in Seattle, while you sip your Cams latte, (made with SBC, Seattle’s Best Coffee).

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