Staff Favorites 2009

Just in time for Christmas, here’s the list of staff favorites for the past year. Apparently we’re a bit more diverse than you’d think – there are very few overlaps (and those are often because we’ve convinced our fellow coworkers to read one of our favorites). The books are linked to the catalog, but if you want more information, come on in and ask the person who recommended a specific title (I’ve included first names, which should make that a bit easier!). I’ll be adding to this list as the week progresses, so you might want to check back a few times.

BOOKS PUBLISHED IN 2009:

American on Purpose: The Improbable Adventures of an Unlikely Patriot by Craig Ferguson (Beth)

Beat the Reaper by Josh Bazell (Jennifer, Dylan, CJ)

The Bridge of the Golden Horn by Emine Sevgi Ã-zdamar (Ryan)

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (Amy, CJ)

Chicken Cheeks by Michael Ian Black (Laura)

Fire and Ice by J.A. Jance (Barbara)

Killer Summer by Ridley Pearson (Barbara)

Made from Scratch: Discovering the Pleasures of a Handmade Life by Jenna Woginrich (Melissa)

Mounting Fears by Stuart Woods (Clydene)

Patient Zero by Jonathan Maberry (Beth)

The Rose of Sebastopol by Katherine McMahon (Melissa)

The Shadow Queen by Anne Bishop (Sarah)

Shannon: A Poem of the Lewis and Clark Expedition by Campbell McGrath (Jennifer)

Stephen Colbert and Philosophy: I Am Philosophy (and so Can You!) by Aaron Allen Schiller (CJ)

Stone’s Fall by Iain Pears (Jennifer)

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OLDER BOOKS READ THIS YEAR:

90 Classic Books for People in a Hurry by Henrik Lange (Havilah)

Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson (Laura)

Blindspot: By a Gentlemen in Exile and a Lady in Disguise by Jane Kamensky and Jill Lepore (Jennifer)

Blue Heaven by C.J. Box (Barbara)

Buffalo Coat by Carol Ryrie Brink (Beth)

The Chosen by Chaim Potok (Melissa)

Double Take by Catherine Coulter (Clydene)

Every Demon Has His Day by Cara Lockwood (Amy)

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls (Susan)

Graceling by Kristin Cashore (Amy)

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (Sarah)

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (Amy, Havilah)

I Am America (and so Can You!) by Stephen Colbert (CJ)

Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julie Powell (Susan)

Little Britches by Ralph Moody (Melissa)

My Life in France by Julia Child (Susan)

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout (Jennifer)

The Pollen Room by Zoe Jenny (Ryan)

The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz (Beth)

Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein (Dylan)

Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace – One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson (Havilah)

 

Best of 2009

It’s the most wonderful time of the year – and I’m not talking about the holidays. It’s the time when the “Best of” lists come out! Okay, maybe I’m the only nerd, but I always enjoy seeing how many of the “best” books I’ve read – and I also get a few ideas for books to read in the next year.

We choose lists compiled by three organizations/businesses, each for different reasons. We like the Amazon.com list because they tend to look at many of the popular titles, while Publishers Weekly looks at the best titles in several different genres/subjects. Finally, The New York Times list represents a more literary point of view.

Only 10 books made all three lists – making them the Best of the Best. Wow, I just noticed that four of these books were written by a Dave/David. Do I smell a conspiracy here (or maybe “daves” are just better writers…)?:

Fiction -

• Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli
• Await Your Reply by Dan Chaon
• Sag Harbor by Colson Whitehead

Nonfiction -

• Fordlandia: The Rise and Fall of Henry Ford’s Forgotten Jungle City by Greg Grandin
• Born Round: The Secret History of a Full-Time Eater by Frank Bruni
• Columbine by Dave Cullen
• The Age of Wonder: How the Romantic Generation Discovered the Beauty and Terror of Science by Richard Holmes
• The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon by David Grann
• Cheever: A Life by Blake Bailey
• The Good Soldiers by David Finkel

Lists of the Best of Books that TFPL has in stock:

• Amazon
• NYTimes
• PW

Look for a list of staff favorites of 2009 next week!

 

Giving Thanks – After Thanksgiving

When I thought about a theme for this week’s blog, I couldn’t get past the whole pilgrims-Indians-eating-Thanksgiving vibe. It just seemed that no matter how I tried to twist it, my brain was still thinking about the holiday. Finally, it was during my second helping of pumpkin pie (the slices seemed to be a little skinny this year!) that it finally clicked. What topic ties Thanksgiving and Christmas together better than shopping? Thank-yous.

During Thanksgiving, we’re inspired to think about all we are grateful for and after we open our Christmas gifts, we are (or should be) encouraged to say thanks again. For many people, writing a little note or sending a thoughtful voice message is not a tough job. However, when it comes to thank-yous, people often stumble over the words.

To help us all out, here’s a few ideas to help you create a thank-you – and a few stories about the process. Hopefully, this will make it a little easier when you’re looking for the right words to say, whether you’re thanking someone for a new sweater or that ubiquitous fruitcake!

365 Ways to Give Thanks: One for Every Day of the Year by Brenda Shoshanna

Emily Post’s Etiquette by Emily Post

Emily Post’s the Guide to Good Manners for Kids by Peggy Post and Cindy Post Senning

Get Real Greetings: Creating Cards for your Sassiest Sentiments edited by Jessica Strawser

Personal Notes: How to Write from the Heart for any Occasion by Sandra E. Lamb

Say It with Style: Perfect Quotes for Every Card-Making Occasion edited by Tanya Fox

Sweet Gratitude: Bake a Thank-You for the Really Important People in Your Life by Judith Sutton

The Thank-You Book: Hundreds of Clever, Meaningful, and Purposeful Ways to Say Thank You by Robyn Freedman, Spizman

Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Writing Thank You Notes by Peggy Elizabeth Gifford

 

Fairy Tales Retold: Sleeping Beauty

Maleficent from "Sleeping Beauty" by Disney.

So, I’m a sucker for fairy tales. It almost doesn’t matter whether it’s the Brothers Grimm or Walt Disney (although I like the darker stories better).  My favorite was always Sleeping Beauty: I can remember sitting in the theater being frightened and fascinated by Maleficent, the evil fairy witch. What a great villain! I also appreciated the Disney version for their use of music: Tchaikovsky’s ballet, Sleeping Beauty.

Sleeping Beauty was written in 1697 by Charles Perrault, the same writer who created Cinderella. However, we’re more familiar with the Grimm version – it ends soon after the “kiss” and with a “happily ever after”.  Over the years, it has been redesigned a number of times – here’s a list of some of these remixes, as well as some of the classic renditions.

Beauty Sleep by Cameron Dokey

Before I Wake by Terry Lawrence

Briar Rose by Jane Yolen

Bring Me the Head of Prince Charming by Roger Zelazny

The Complete Fairy Tales of Charles Perrault by Charles Perrault

Enchantment by Orson Scott Card

The Gates of Sleep by Mercedes Lackey

The McElderry Book of Grimms’ Fairy Tales by Saviour Pirotta

The Sleeping Beauty by Mercer Mayer (my favorite children’s version)

Spindle’s End by Robin McKinley

Thornspell by Helen Lowe

CD – Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty

VHS- Disney’s Sleeping Beauty

 

Donner, Party of 31…

The Donner Party is a large part of our collective American West mythology.  In 1846, they set out for California, but through bad luck and bad planning were caught in the Sierra Nevadas as winter storms blanketed the mountains. This in itself is an interesting story, but add in the cannibalism of some of the survivors and you have a horror story that still resonates.

Read more about the Donner Party here:

IN THE LIBRARY

Nonfiction:

The Archaeology of the Donner Party by Donald L. Hardesty

The Donner Party Chronicles: A Day-by-Day Account of  Doomed Wagon Train, 1846-1847 by Frank Mullen

The Expedition of the Donner Party and Its Tragic Fate by Eliza Poor Donner Houghton

The Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing Saga of a Donner Party Bride by Daniel Brown

Ordeal by Hunger: The Story of the Donner Party by George Rippey Stewart

Unfortunate Emigrants: Narratives of the Donner Party edited by Kristin Johnson

Fiction:

The American River by Gary McCarthy

The Mothers: An American Saga of Courage by Vardis Fisher

Snow Mountain Passage: A Novel of the Donner Party by James D. Houston

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ON THE WEB:

The Donner Party

The Donner Party (Nova ScienceNow)

The Donner Party (Wikipedia)

Living Through the Donner Party (Discover article by Jared Diamond)

 

Figaro, Figaro, Figggaaarrroooo

If you’re like me, your only true exposure to opera was through cartoons.  One of my all-time favorites is “The Rabbit of Seville“, which featured Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd (I especially love the way Bugs “massages” Elmer’s head, and then builds a fruit salad on top!). I’ll also bet many of us could hum several tunes without realizing they’re actually opera. This month, dare yourself to try a little of one of the most misunderstood and underrated musical genres. Here’s a few items to get you started:

Try NPR’s Curious Listener’s Guide to Opera for a start. It offers a short history, an accessible list of tunes, and  just enough information on the plotlines to get you into trouble.  Other books for beginners include Opera for Dummies (which is a tad less serious) and Opera 101: A Complete Guide to Learning and Loving Opera. For those of you with more experience, look into Getting Opera: A Guide for the Cultured but Confused or A Night at the Opera: An Irreverent Guide to the Plots, the Singers, the Composers, the Recordings. For a little art with your opera, check out Fantastic Opera by John Martinez. This is an illuminated book, with incredible pictures representing some of the most beloved operas.

Once you’ve got your feet wet, wade into our great classical music collection. Here are compilations to give you a taste of some of the most famous songs and performances:

• The Three Tenors in Concert – Carerras, Domingo, & Pavarotti
• Operatic Duets with Joan Sutherland and Luciano Pavarotti
• My Favorite Opera for Children presented by Pavarotti (for adults, too!)
• Aria: The Opera Album by Andrea Bocelli
• Opera for People Who Hate Opera (you know who you are)
• The Best Opera Album in the World- Ever!
• The Opera Lover’s Philadelphia Opera Highlights

Now you’re ready to dive into opera! Check out one of these classic operas on CD:

• Tosca by Puccini – starring the incomparable Maria Callas
• La Bohème by Puccini – the definitive recording with Luciano Pavarotti
• Madama Butterfly by Puccini – again with Pavarotti
• La Traviata by Verdi – with the legendary Placido Domingo
• Aida by Verdi – again with Domingo
• Tristan und Isolde by Wagner – starring Kirtsen Flagstad
• Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg by Wagner – with Placido Domingo
• Don Giovanni by Mozart – starring Joan Sutherland
• Cosi Fan Tutte by Mozart – done by the Royal Opera House
• Carmen by Bizet – with Jose Carreras
• Porgy and Bess by Gershwin – (my favorite, I had to put it in)

Congratulations! You have now become an amateur connoisseur of Opera. (See, it wasn’t so hard.) But in case you’re not ready to leave your new world just yet, here are a few more fun opera items:

FICTION – Novels that feature opera or singers:

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

Gramercy Park by Paula Cohen

Puccini’s Ghosts by Morag Joss

Song of the Lark by Willa Cather

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INTERNET – More opera resources:

Operabase – a database of opera performances through the years

Opera-Opera – plot summaries for most operas

Opera Glass – a compendium of all sorts of opera-related items from Stanford University

 

Get Out Your Horned Helmets…

the Vikings are coming! (And I’m not referring to the football team.) October 9 is considered Leif Ericson day; named after the Norse leader who was probably the first European to visit North America – about 500 years before the other guy who gets a national day this month. In honor of this, here are some interesting resources about Vikings, as well as a few fun, sometimes violent books of fiction. I mean, what’s the use of honoring a Viking without a little bloodshed for old times sake?

IN THE LIBRARY:

FICTION

The Soul Thief, The Witches’ Kitchen, and Varanger by Cecelia Holland

The Whale Road by Robert Low

The Last Kingdom, The Pale Horseman, Lords of the North, and Sword Song by Bernard Cornwell

Odinn’s Child by Time Severin

The Last Light of the Sun by Guy Gavriel Kay

The Beothuk Saga by Bernard Assiniwi

Devoted and Beguiled by Alice Borchardt

War of the Gods by Poul Anderson

Eaters of the Dead by Michael Crichton

NONFICTION

Vikings: The North Atlantic Saga edited by William W. Fitzhugh and Elisabeth I. Ward

Encyclopedia of the Viking Age by John Haywood

The Vikings by Jonathan Wooding

Hagar the Horrible’s Very Nearly Complete Viking Handbook by Dik Browne with Christopher Browne

Vikings! by Magnus Magnusson

DVD

Erik the Viking

The Vikings in North America

Secret Voyages of the Vikings

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ON THE WEB:

PBS – The Vikings

Smithsonian – Vikings: The North Atlantic Saga

BBC History – Viking Quest (cool, interactive game – I’ve played it!)

Wikipedia – Viking Age

 

The Fall Classic and the Boys of Summer

Baseball playoffs gear up this week, leading to the ultimate prize: the World Series trophy. In the past, the second week in October was when the World Series took place – in fact, a number of memorable incidents occurred:

• Oct 7, 1945 – A goat was removed from Wrigley field during Game 4 because of its odor. It’s owner claimed the the Chicago Cubs would not win – and they haven’t, thanks to the Billy Goat Curse.
• Oct 8, 1956 – Don Larsen pitched the only perfect game during a World Series. (And one of only 18, ever.)
• Oct 9, 1919 – The Cincinnati Reds “won” the World Series as a result of the Black Sox scandal.

In honor of all of the craziness, and because I’m a big fan, here are some great resources to celebrate the end of the season.

IN THE LIBRARY:

Autumn Glory: Baseball’s First World Series by Louis P. Masur

The Best Game Ever: Pirates vs. Yankees, October 13, 1960 by JimReisler

Eight Men Out: The Black Sox and the 1919 World Series by Eliot Asinof

The Fall Classic: The Definitive History of the World Series by Eric Enders

Feeding the Monster: How Money, Smarts, and Nerve Took a Team to the Top by Seth Mnookin

The First World Series and the Baseball Fanatics of 1903 by Roger I. Abrams

Fisk’s Homer, Willie’s Catch, and the Shot Heard Round the World: Classic Moments from Postseason Baseball, 1940-1966 by G. Richard McKelvey

The Gashouse Gang: How Dizzy Dean, Leo Durocher, Branch Rickey, Pepper Martin, and Their Colorful, Come-from-Behind Ball Club Won the World Series – and America’s Heart – During the Great Depression by John Heidenry

Mind Game: How the Boston Red Sox Got Smart, Won a World Series, and Created a New Blueprint for Winning edited by Stephen Goldman

Miracle Ball: My Hunt for the Shot Heard ‘Round the World by Brian Biegel

October, 1964 by David Halberstam

DVD: Eight Men Out

DVD: Fever Pitch

ON THE WEB:

MLB’s World Series

Baseball Almanac’s World Series History

Ken Burns’ Baseball on PBS

 

“In the book of life, the answers aren’t in the back.” – Charlie Brown

Who knew almost 60 years ago, a little comic strip called Peanuts would turn into such a philosophical powerhouse? On October 2, 1950, Charles M. Schulz published the first of what would be almost 18,000 strips. Of course, the popularity of the comic inspired television specials, music, and even theater;  You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown even won two Tony awards. To this day, I cannot hear the theme song “Linus & Lucy” without smiling (and thinking of autumn!). Here are a few great resources celebrating this American icon:

IN THE LIBRARY:

BOOKS:

A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Making of a Tradition by Charles M. Schulz

A Charlie Brown Valentine by Charles M. Schulz

The Complete Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz (2 volumes published every year through 2016)

It Was a Dark and Stormy Night, Snoopy by Charles M. Schulz

It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown by Charles M. Schulz

Peanuts: A Golden Celebration: The Art and the Story of the World’s Best-Loved Comic Strip by Charles M. Schulz

Schulz and Peanuts: A Biography by David Michaelis

MUSIC:

A Charlie Brown Christmas by Vince Guaraldi

Jazz for Peanuts: A Retrospective of the Charlie Brown TV Themes by David Benoit

Joe Cool’s Blues by Wynton Marsalis

Linus and Lucy: The Music of Vince Guaraldi by Vince Guaraldi

Snoopy! Original London Cast by Larry Grossman

MOVIES:

Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

A Charlie Brown Christmas

ON THE WEB:

Charles M. Schulz Museum

Peanuts (Wikipedia)

Snoopy.com (Official Peanuts Site)

 

Tricks and Traitors

Before beginning this post, I sat thinking about the word traitor. Was it like the word sailor, in which a sailor is one who sails? That would mean a traitor traits, which didn’t make any sense. So, I did what all good librarians do – I looked it up in the dictionary. It seems that traitor derives from the Latin verb tradere, which means “to betray”. The word tradition is a relative (interesting…). It seems that there’s always been someone willing to betray their traditions for the sake of their own wants or needs.

IN THE LIBRARY:

The Dark Eagle: The Story of Benedict Arnold by Clifford Lindsey Alderman

Fallen Founder: A Life of Aaron Burr by Nancy Isenberg

Patriotic Treason: John Brown and the Soul of America by Evan Carton

The Spy Next Door: The Extraordinary Secret Life of Robert Philip Hanssen, the Most Damaging FBI Agent in U.S. History by Elaine Shannon and Ann Blackman

The Rosenberg File: A Search for the Truth by Ronald Radosh

My Life as a Spy: One of America’s Most Notorious Spies Finally Tells His Story by John A. Walker, Jr.

Faith and Treason: The Story of the Gunpowder Plot by Antonia Fraser

Countdown to Valkyrie: The July Plot to Assassinate Hitler by Nigel Jones

Traitors Among Us: Inside the Spy Catcher’s World by Stuart A. Herrington

Molehunt: The Secret Search for Traitors that Shattered the CIA by David Wise