Emma’s Table by Philip Galanes

- Ann 1 Comment

emmas-tableIn Emma’s Table by Philip Galanes, Emma Sutton – famous interior design and lifestyle guru – attends the prestigious FitzCoopers auction determined to purchase a unique antique table, no matter who stands in her way. Fresh from a stint in Federal Prison and feeling battered by the accompanying public scrutiny, Emma doesn’t realize she’s going to come away with much more than a table.

Still enjoying great success professionally, Emma’s personal life needs some work – her ex-husband has returned to try to work things out, her adult daughter is aimless and angry and Emma  goes through personal assistants at an alarming rate. Despite the public image of perfection, she has no idea where or how to make the needed changes.

Emma’s weekend-personal assistant Benjamin (one of the few that has hung on), struggles with his own issues – a social worker during the week, he is puzzled by the case of Grace, a troubled, overweight little girl and her mother, as well as demands from his girlfriend. And then there’s the Japanese diplomat whom Emma outmaneuvered for the table. Emma searches for a way to make things right, heal all the insults and wounds she’s inflicted and therefore somehow save herself.

These disparete characters slowly come together in a story that is both lighthearted and thoughtful, about second (and even third) chances, redemption and starting again. Because everyone deserves a second chance.

Pizza : Grill It, Bake It, Love It by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough

- Ann Leave a comment

pizza-grill-it-bake-it-love-itWho doesn’t love pizza? An Italian staple that has been embraced by America and made our own, we consume, on average, more than 46 slices of pizza a year. From deep-dish to exotic toppings, loaded with meat or vegetables only, the pizza can be adapted to any taste, any whim and still be delicious. Now Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough take it up another notch in Pizza : Grill It, Bake It, Love It when they show you just how easy – and scrumptious – homemade pizza can be.

The authors first cover the basics – including in-depth descriptions of different cheeses, recipes for eight crusts and three basic sauces – and then launch into ideas for putting together your masterpiece. Pizzas range from the classic Pepperoni to international Tandoori Chicken to modern Prosciutto and Arugula as well as ten variations of Deep Dish pizza. Weinstein and Scarbrough also provide inspiration for “appetizer” pizzas (including Artichoke, Olive and Feta) and “salad” pizzas (such as Chicken Ceasar Salad)

Our own Frugal Librarian will soon be posting his own tips for making this dinnertime favorite that is both economical and fun – watch this space!

Good Dog!

- Lynn 1 Comment

dog-trainingYet another way libraries can transform your life! What if you need to introduce a couple new dogs to a cat household? It’s critical to have some control over the dogs’ behavior (forget about controlling the cat).

Many will tell you, “Just throw them all together and it’ll work out.” Maybe, but probably not without a lot of needless stress.

The following books will fundamentally change the way you think about training; it’s amazing to witness the transformation in your pets and yourself:

Dog-Friendly Dog Training by Andrea Arden explains in clear language the philosophy of the Reward-Good-Behavior/Ignore-Bad-Behavior method of training.

Teach Yourself Visually Dog Training by Sarah Hodgson then shows you how to do it with well-chosen photographs and concise instructions.

Another wonderful service your library provides is interlibrary loan. Dvds in the PetsIncredible series are great reinforcement to the techniques you’ve read about.  Just ask at the Reference staff for more information.

Tick Tock

- Ann 2 Comments

daylight-savingIt’s almost that time of year again – you’re about to lose an hour of your life! OK, not really – it’s just time to return to Daylight Saving. Sunday at 2am the clocks will leap forward an hour. And while for a few weeks it’ll be dark again when you get up in the morning, it’ll also stay lighter later when you get home at night. Which means spring and warmer temperatures can’t be far away!

This is also a great time to check the batteries in your smoke detector, carbon monoxide detector and flashlights so that you and your family will be prepared in case of an emergency. And you might want to make sure to take a nap Sunday afternoon – studies have shown that there is a spike in heart attacks the first week after Daylight Saving begins; many doctors believe this is due to the disruption of sleep patterns.

On Display – Crafts!

- Ann 1 Comment

March is National Craft Month, so if you’ve ever felt the urge to be creative, now’s a great time to try something new. No matter whether you’d like to try a paper craft, such as origami, or you’re more interested in making jewelry (with beads or clay) or you’re just looking for a fun activity to keep your kids occupied, we’ve got something for you at the Davenport Public Library. Check out some of these titles:

Rosie O’Donnell’s Crafty U

Ceramic Bead Jewelry: 30 Fired & Inspired Projects by Jennifer Heynen

The Papercraft Weekend Workbook by Fiona Jones

rosie-crafts beads papercraft

Snark attack

- Bill 1 Comment

snark1David Denby is a man on a moral, ethical mission in Snark: A Polemic in Seven Fits. In it, he seeks to quell “the bad kind of invective — low, teasing, snide, condescending, knowing” he refers to as snark.

This extended essay of a little over 100 pages has a definite academic lean. In it, he defines and traces forms of this disdainful rhetoric over the centuries. Included is a section on the purported origin of the word in Lewis Carroll’s Hunting the Snark, as well as its roots among macho posturing poets and warriors over the ages.

The more poignant examples are culled from the combatants in the last presidential campaign.  A shocking revelation, I know.

The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa

- Ann Leave a comment

housekeeper-and-the-professorThis lovely jewel of a novel, set in Japan, explores the power of memory and how it shapes our lives, and how love and friendship can transcend hardship and loss.

The Professor is a brilliant mathematician, able to describe and demonstrate the most complex formulas into something simple and poetic and beautiful, but due to a traumatic head injury his short-term memory lasts only 80 minutes. The Professor spends his days in his study, working on difficult mathematics problems; everything before that fateful night in 1975 still clear and real to him, everything else more than 80 minutes old, new and confusing.

The Housekeeper, a struggling single mother, is assigned to care for him. Gradually they make a connection – the Professor pins multiple notes to his coat to help him cope with his handicap – and the Housekeeper’s young son often joins them. The Professor shares his love of numbers with them and joins the boy in his love of baseball.  Together the three form an unconventional family.

Thoughtful, poignant and bittersweet, this spare, elegant novel will stay with you long after you’ve finished.

DVDs for March

- Ann 1 Comment

australia2March 3

Australia – Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman

An English aristocrat inherits a large ranch in the untamed wilderness of Australia. When English cattle barons plot to take her land she reluctantly joins forces with a rough-hewn cattle drover to save her ranch. Together they experience a cattle drive, a love affair and the bombing of their town by the Japanese at the beginning of World War II.milk1

March 10

Milk – Josh Brolin, Sean Penn

Based on the true story of the first openly gay man elected to a major public office,  Harvey Milk’s powerful journey inspired hope for equal rights for all. Sean Penn won the Oscar for Best Actor for his performance.

rachael1Rachel Getting Married – Anne Hathaway

After being in and out of rehab for ten years, Kym returns to the family home to attend her sister’s wedding. Though friends and relatives have gathered for a joyful weekend of celebration, Kym’s passion for drama creates tension in the family.

Also coming out March 10 – Cadillac Records and Transporter 3

twilight1March 21

Twilight – Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson

Bella Swan moves to a small town in Washington where she meets the mysterious and handsome Edward Cullen, a boy who’s hiding a dark secret – he’s a vampire. Edward must battle the bloodlust raging inside himself as well as the undead that would make Bella their prey.

March 24bolt1

Bolt – voices of Miley Cyrus, John Travolta

Super-dog Bolt, the star of a hit TV show, is accidently shipped to New York City. His cross-country journey through the real world to get back to his owner and co-star becomes his biggest adventure yet where Bolt discovers that he doesn’t need superpowers to be a hero.

solace1Quantum of Solace – Daniel Craig

Betrayed by Vesper,  the woman he loved, 007 fights the urge to make his latest mission peronsal. Bond and M interrogate Mr White who reeals that the organization that blackmailed Vesper and is far more complex and dangerous than anyone imagined.

March 31

marley1Marley and Me – Jennifer Anniston, Owen Wilson

A memoir of Philadelphia Inquirer columnist John Grogan’s life with his yellow Labrador this is the heartwarming and unforgettable story of a family in the making and the wondrously neurotic dog who taught them what really matters in life.

Also coming out March 31 – Seven Pounds

Changes in the Public Computers at the Library!

- Ann Leave a comment

The Davenport Public Library will be implementing a new computer reserve and print release system on

Sunday, March 1 – Tuesday, March 3.

Here is what you need to know:

1. All copies will be $0.10 per page once the system is complete. (See schedule below) The first 10 pages will no longer be free.

2. If you currently have money on your card, you will need to cash it out before March 1.

3. The computers will be down according to the schedule below.

On Sunday 3/1 – the adult public computers at Main will be unavailable

On Monday 3/2 – All Public Computers at Main (Adult, Children, Special Collections) will be unavailable.

On Tuesday 3/3 – All Public Computers at Fairmount (Adult, Children) will be unavailable.

WE ARE SORRY FOR THE INCONVIENCE

*If you have any questions, please see a Customer Service

Representative. Thank you!*

Explore Darwin in Fiction

- Lynn 1 Comment

evolution-of-janeHave Darwin’s birthday celebrations piqued your interest in natural selection and evolution? One painless way to learn about a complex subject is to explore it through fiction.  A funny, easy-to-read example is The Evolution of Jane by Cathleen Schine. While on an ecological tour of the Galapagos Islands, Jane  begins to apply Darwin’s principles to her own relationships – in particular, the unexplained break with her childhood friend, who(coincidentally!) is leading the tour.

Barbara Kingsolver calls the book  a “beautifully descriptive travelogue of the Galapagos, loaded with mini-lectures on natural history, evolutinary theory and Darwiniana, wrapped around a rollicking family saga tinged with hints of sexual intrigue….My hat is off to any writer who can render such complex ideas comprehensibly in English…”

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