Frank L. Weyenberg Library Blog

Get Ready for World Book Night!

2012-01-19T17:24:00.005-06:00

On April 23, 2012, something exciting will happen: one million books will be given away across the United States. Even more exciting: you can be one of the people who gives them away!

The event is called World Book Night, and the goal is to promote reading by putting books in the hands of people who seldom read. The organizers (mostly publishing and printing companies) are looking for 50,000 volunteers to each give away 20 books which will be shipped (free!) to a location near you. As a volunteer you even get to choose, from a list of 30 popular titles, which book you’d like to distribute. The idea is for the book-givers to be able to say, “You have to read this book—I loved it!” Interested? Go to worldbooknight.org to find out more about this event or to volunteer to be a book giver. The deadline for applying to be a book giver is February 1, so don’t delay.

Even if you don’t plan to be a part of World Book Night, you may want to peruse the list of books that were chosen to be given away. The committee began with a list of award-winners, best-sellers and frequently-requested books, and asked librarians and booksellers to choose from that list the books they would be most excited to give away. (For more on this process, read howwearechoosingtheusbooks). So the 30 books to be given away are a treasure trove of recommended reads. All of them can be found at the Weyenberg library. How many have you read?

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini was hugely popular several years ago. I love books that give me a glimpse into another country; in this book you’ll get an unforgettable picture of life in Afghanistan under the Taliban. Don’t miss Hosseini’s second book, A Thousand Splendid Suns, which many agree is even more gripping than the first.

My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult is a riveting story about a child who was conceived as a bone marrow match for her older sister, who is fighting leukemia. As always, Picoult does an amazing job of getting into the heads of each of her characters, telling the story from multiple points of view.

Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo is part of the juvenile collection, but it has a protagonist who is so endearing that I’m happy to recommend this book to adults as well as children. It’s funny and charming and sweet, filled with lovable and quirky characters, and focuses on the importance of family and friends--both human and canine.

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls is an unforgettable memoir. The author and her siblings have parents who seem to be blissfully unaware of the fact that they are responsible for their four children, and the children are left to raise themselves. I enjoyed the adventure of their parentless childhood, was amazed at the resilience of the children, and astounded that there could be such parents in the world. You may also enjoy reading Half Broke Horses (or listening to it on CD--read by the author), which is about her incredibly independent and free-thinking grandmother.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak will grab you in the first chapter, and not let go. It’s a story of survival set in Nazi Germany, told by an unusual narrator, but it’s also a tale of how love of others makes all things bearable, and how books nourish the soul.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is a mesmerizing dystopian tale. Most adults I know say they would never have chosen this book on their own, but read it because others raved about how good it was—and they were not disappointed! So if you usually avoid Young Adult books in general, and dystopian fiction in particular, try The Hunger Games. Once you start this book, you won’t be able to put it down, and after turning the last page, you’ll be hungry for more. Fortunately, there are two more titles in the series, Catching Fire and Mockingjay.

The other titles on the list are:

Adult Fiction
Little Bee by Chris Cleve
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
Peace Like a River by Leif Enger
A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
The Stand by Stephen King
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
The History of Love by Nicole Krauss
The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson
Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
Just Kids by Patti Smith

Adult Genres
Kindred by Octavia Butler (Sci Fi)
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card (Sci Fi)
Blood Work byMichael Connelly (Mystery)
Q is for Quarry by Sue Grafton (Mystery)

Adult Non Fiction
Zeitoun by Dave Eggers
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou (Biography)

Young Adult
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Russia Revisited

2012-01-16T12:00:00.000-06:00

Why do so many authors turn to Russia as a setting for their novels? It’s hard to say, but certain places just make for great stories. Russia with all its vastness, people and history, wintered in cold and darkness, shrouded in greatness just seems like a perfect setting for mystery, romance, intrigue or war. Who can forget Doctor Zhivago, Anna Karenina or John le Carre’s dark thrillers of cold war?

While not all novels can compete with the likes of these great books, there certainly are some newer books being written with that same familiar sense of place. The past and the present come full circle in the two novels described below. If it were not for the memories of the past locked up inside each of the characters, we would have no storyline. While one is the sole possessor of one’s own memories, it is in the here and now of the present that matters.

Winter garden by Kristin Hannah was fairly popular with patrons when it first came out and I still get frequent requests for it. The past (Leningrad) becomes the key to unlocking the present in this story of a mother and her two daughters. If you haven’t read anything by Hannah before I recommend you give her a try. Kristin Hannah writes contemporary stories focusing on women’s lives and relationships. Similar authors are Barbara Delinsky and Luanne Rice. I have read some of Rice’s books and have liked them. I found Winter Garden to be a satisfying read. You won’t be disappointed.

I suppose you could say the cover of Russian winter by Daphne Kalotay caught my eye when I first saw it. It’s unusual because it shows the back of a woman’s head with a necklace facing out. The necklace as it turns out is central to the story. Each of the main characters Nina, Drew and Gregori are interconnected through this necklace. Sense of place and history is well defined and the characters are equally drawn out. If you like jewelry, the ballet, a bit of romance and mystery along with an introduction to Russian history this book will appeal to you like it did to me.

I just finished reading Snowdrops by A. D. Miller. This tiny, slim debut volume was shortlisted for the 2011 Man Booker prize. It’s a psychological drama that takes place over one Moscow winter. The story is being told through the words of Nick Platt, a British lawyer living in Moscow as he confesses to a woman he is about to marry. A snowdrop is a corpse that lies buried or hidden in the winter snows, emerging only in the thaw. I’ve read you need to get past the first twenty pages to really enjoy this book. That may be true, but I was interested right from the start with the encounter at the train station. If you like a modern day story with a lot of twists and secrets this book may appeal to you.

With the film Tinker tailor soldier spy now playing in theaters, readers may be interested in rereading the novel of the same name or John le Carre’s other spy novels. It’s best to start with The spy who came in from the cold and then work your way up to the more challenging novels. Readers looking for other similarly complex, layered stories may also look to Alan Furst and Daniel Silva.

May we suggest the following additional titles?

The Russian affair by Michael Wallner
Agent 6 by Tom Rob Smith
Heart of iron by Ekaterina Sedia
The betrayal by Helen Dunmore
City of thieves by David Benioff
Three stations by Martin Cruz Smith
Robert Ludlum’s The Bourne dominion by Eric Lustbader

Picture courtesy: http://english.runsky.com/images/attachement/jpg/site1/20091120/00e061046ec50c7021320a.jpg

I GOT A KINDLE, NOW WHAT DO I DO?

2012-01-09T11:34:00.000-06:00

This holiday season, getting a Kindle or other e-reader device from family and friends seems to be a common gift received. But now that you have an e-reader device, how do you go about using it? Sure, you could buy your books outright. And with prices under $10 for most titles, why not? But what about the books that you don’t want to own? What if you want to borrow books from the library like you have been doing for years? Well, you’re in luck because for a couple years now, the libraries in the state of Wisconsin have been pooling their resources together for OverDrive, a database that lends digital copies of audiobooks and e-books. And since September 2011, the Kindle device has joined the list of the hundreds of supported devices that can be used with OverDrive.

Borrowing e-books through the library system is free, fairly easy to navigate, can be borrowed for up to 3 weeks, returns automatically so there are no late fees, can be done in the comfort of your home, and did I mention free? Now, there can be waiting lists for titles just like there are for the physical books, but because of the automatic return process, you could get a book in a couple weeks versus a couple months.

Some recent books I have read through OverDrive:
A Veiled Deception by Annette Blair, book 1 of the Vintage Magic Mysteries
Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews, book 1 of the Kate Daniels series
Inheritance by Christopher Paolini, book 4 of the Inheritance Cycle series

The Outcasts by John Flanagan, book 1 of the Brotherband Chronicles

You may also find many popular best-sellers available in Overdrive, such as:
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. A hacker and a journalist investigate the disappearance of a Swedish heiress 40 years earlier.
The Litigators by John Grisham. Partners in a small law firm take on a big case after a fast-track burnout joins them.
The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson. In the second volume of the Millennium trilogy, a Swedish hacker becomes a murder suspect.
Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evanovich. After a disastrous vacation in Hawaii, Stephanie Plum becomes the target of an international killer.
The Help by Kathryn Stockett. A young white woman and two black maids in 1960s Mississippi.
A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin. In the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are mustering.
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson. The third volume of the Millennium trilogy, about a Swedish hacker and a journalist.

If you would like instructions on how to use OverDrive with your new e-reader device or how to download audiobooks, here are some links to instructions.
OverDrive Services Summary – audiobooks & e-books
How to get an OverDrive e-book on your E-Reader (Nook & Sony)
How to get an OverDrive e-book on your Kindle

To access OverDrive, go to http://www.flwlib.org/ and click on the OverDrive link on the right hand of the webpage or type in the internet address bar dbooks.wplc.info. Once you have clicked on the OverDrive link, the OverDrive website will load. Sign into your account by going to the top right hand corner and clicking on “Sign In.” Select “Eastern Shores Library System” from the drop down menu. You will then be prompted to enter your library card number (located on the back of your library card) and PIN number (usually the last 4 digits of your telephone number). You are now signed into your OverDrive account and can begin searching!

****Image pulled from Google Images.

GOTHIC NOVELS

2012-01-03T16:27:00.000-06:00

I recently started reading The Distant Hours by Kate Morton, and immediately, I was struck by a layer of creepiness within the story. This got me thinking about other creepy books, and the list I came up with consisted of mainly gothic novels.

Gothic novels combine elements of horror and romance and are often melodramatic. The birth of gothic novels is often attributed to The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole, written in 1764. The age of gothic novels only lasted until about 1820. Then, their popularity began to fade. However, you can still find great gothic novels written today.

The main attributes that make up gothic novels consist of a castle setting, a mysterious and suspenseful atmosphere, a prophecy, omens and visions, supernatural or inexplicable events, high emotions, a woman in distress, a powerful and tyrannical man, and/or the prevalence of gloom and horror. While not all of these elements must be present for a book to be considered gothic, more than one must be prevalent throughout the story.

There is a lot of fear, terror, surprise, and darkness in these books. They make for fun reads on gloomy winter days: perfect for sitting next to a warm fire or curling up in your favorite chair to get lost in the sensationalism of the story.

Newer Gothic Novels:

The Distant Hours by Kate Morton: A long-lost letter arrives fifty years late and sends Edie Burchill to Milderhurst Castle where she encounters the three Blythe sisters. You will follow Edie as she attempts to unravel the mysteries of the castle and the sisters.

The Ghost Writer by John Harwood follows Gerard Freeman as he sets out to solve the mystery of his family. He discovers a ghost story written long ago that implicates his mother in a terrible family tragedy. This is a story of family skeletons and stories.

Half Broken Things by Morag Joss is a psychological suspense story that looks at the lives of three lost people who come together at Walden Manor and the events that occur upon their arrival.

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield tells the story of Vida Winter, a famous author of twelve tales. She tells her life story to a biographer, Margaret Lea. The story is one of beauty, ghosts, a garden, and a terrible fire. The two women must face their pasts in order become transformed by the truth themselves.

Classic Gothic Novels:

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe

Picture from http://irishgothichorrorjournal.homestead.com/IrishGothicHaslam.html

Best Books and Movies of 2011

2011-12-21T14:46:00.005-06:00

It’s the end of another year, and “Best of” lists abound. If you’re a bibliophile, you may want to check out the New York Times Top 10 Books of the Year or its 100 Notable Books. Newsweek and The Daily Beast have their Favorite Books of 2011. Esquire publishes its Top 10 Books list, and The Atlantic has come up with a list of Best Books I Read this Year. Not to be outdone, the staff at the Weyenberg Library has come up with some of our own favorites. We hope you enjoy them:

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett—the heroine of this book must combat not only the jungle, but also a crotchety former professor, as well as her own conscience. The New York Times best-selling author takes the reader on an Amazon adventure, a modern mystery, and a journey in to the protagonist’s multi-layered past.

The language of flowers: a novel by Vanessa Diffenbaugh—Alternating chapters show us 9-year old and 18-year old Victoria, a girl who spent her childhood being shuffled from one foster home to another. She longs for a home and family, but communicates better through flowers than with words. What is the mysterious event in her past that kept her from being adopted by the loving Elizabeth? Will she ever learn to love and be loved?

The Bone House by Brian Freeman—Hilary and Mark move away from the big city to a small town, but they don’t find peace or quiet when Mark finds himself the prime suspect in the murder of a local teen. The wide cast of intriguing characters and the suspenseful plot combine to keep readers riveted to the page.

The Confession by John Grisham—Another fast-paced page-turner that dives into America’s justice system; this book will grab you in the first pages and not let go. Travis Boyette is ready to confess to murder when he realizes that his brain tumor will likely end his life. If no one listens, however, the man who has been wrongfully convicted will be executed. “When it’s over, no one really wants to die.”

Room: a novel by Emma Donoghue—This spare title is reflective of the spare environment in which the four-year old narrator lives: a single room in which he and his young mother are being held captive. But despite her youth, his mother is a remarkable woman, whose resourcefulness gives Jack an astonishingly active life, and earns her the admiration of the reader. Will Jack and his mother live inside “Room” forever?

Lethal by Sandra Brown—This suspense novel reads like an action thriller movie. Honor Gillette is a recent widow, mourning the death of her husband and trying to be a good mother to her four-year old daughter, when her fragile life is shattered. Nothing is as it seems, and it may be that the only one she can trust is the accused 7-time murderer who kidnapped her. You’ll be glued to your seat as Honor and Coburn run from the law and race toward the truth.

Guilt by Association by Marcia Clark—Yes, it’s the Marcia Clark who was the lead prosecutor in the OJ Simpson case, and in this debut novel she proves that she’s not only an able lawyer, but also an excellent writer. Clark combines her knowledge of the Los Angeles judicial system with a fast plot, great characterization, witty dialog, humor and suspense in this LA crime novel.

The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach—This novel takes place at a small college in Wisconsin, and is on the surface a novel about baseball. But more than that, it’s a novel about growing up, making choices, and the fallibility of man. Harbach marries his love of baseball to a love of literature in this novel which is sure to entertain baseball lovers and non-lovers alike.

V is for Vengeance by Sue Grafton—The staff member who recommended this book admitted that Sue Grafton novels sometimes disappoint, but stated that in this one, “She outdid herself!” Mystery lovers will enjoy this book even if they have not read any of the others in Grafton’s long series.

DVD: Crazy Stupid Love—People from multiple generations are looking for love in this star-studded, touching romantic comedy with a few surprise twists and a satisfying ending.

DVD: The Young Victoria—Did you enjoy the royal wedding? Well, here’s another one for you. If you like history, intrigue, or romance, this gorgeously costumed and well-acted movie is for you.

Our DVD list would not be complete without including The Help, the movie about black maids and their white employers that is based on Kathryn Stockett’s popular book. While not the first movie to explore the issue of racism, this one does it with characters who are unforgettable.

So snuggle up on the couch with a hot drink and a blanket, and don’t let the year end without checking out some of the best books and movies 2011 has to offer.

Snowflakes-Winter’s Secret Beauty

2011-12-19T18:37:00.000-06:00

December 21st, the first day of winter, is almost here. When you think about it, we started working our way toward winter back on June 21st, the first day of summer when we had the most amount of sunlight. From that point on, we lost several minutes of light each day which allowed our part of the hemisphere to slowly cool down until we have winter. With winter comes cold and with cold comes SNOW. Now I know it’s hard to see the beauty of a snowflake when a blizzard is howling and you have 12 plus inches of swirling snow to remove from your driveway, but if you took the time to analyze one snowflake, you would see a creation that is truly unique.

Snowflakes are growing crystals, not frozen raindrops, which is what sleet is. They are usually six sided, but rarely they can be three or twelve sided. In the clouds, when one droplet of water begins to freeze, it turns to ice and a snowflake is created. It continues to grow as more water vapor in the air condenses and freezes on it. This process continues the whole time the flake is falling. A snowflake is affected by the temperature and humidity around it and because no two snowflakes fall the exact same way, each snowflake will be unique.

Through time, many people have attempted to record the different designs that are created. The first attempt was back in 1555, by Olaus Magnus, the Archbishop of Upsala. Seeing as there were no cameras back then, woodcuts were used to show what a snowflake looked like. Better observations could be made in 1665 when the microscope was developed. Robert Hooke included sketches of snowflakes in his book Micrographia. More observations and books followed the initial attempts, but these books, just like the first ones, only contained sketches of snowflakes from the author’s memory. In 1885, the first snowflake was successfully photographed by Wilson Bentley, a Vermont farmer who had always had a love affair with snowflakes. He captured more than 5,000 images of snowflakes, many of which are in his book Snow Crystals. In the children’s book Snowflake Bentley you will read about how dedicated he was to this passion of his. The next two books written by Kenneth Libbrecht are phenomenal. In The Secret Life of a Snowflake you will be taken on a step by step journey of a snowflake from its creation to its final resting point on a child’s mitten. To capture the beauty of these fleeting crystals, you need to check out The Snowflake: Winter’s Secret Beauty. You will be able to see snowflakes in a way you’ve never seen them before. The pictures will take your breath away.

If you’d rather read about someone else dealing with the snow season, then you might enjoy these titles:

-Light on Snow-Shreve
-A Reliable Wife-Goolrick
-Hard Winter-Boogs
-Brian’s Winter-Paulsen
-Winter Solstice-Pilcher
-The Mitford Snowmen-Karon
-Esther’s Gift-Karon
-Shepherds Abiding-Karon
-Snow Day: A Novel-Coffey
-Snowed In-Bartolomeo

For you mystery buffs, you might enjoy these books:

-61 Hours: A Reacher Novel
-Ice Cold: A Rizoli and Isles Novel
-The Chocolate Snowman Murders: A Chocoholic Mystery-Carl
-Tell Me Pretty Maiden-Bowen
-White Corridor-Fowler

If you can get the kids to come indoors, they might enjoy these picks:

-A Season of Gifts-Peck
-Duck at the Door-Urbanovic
-The Snow Tree-Repchuk
-Winter on the Farm-Wilder
-In the Snow: Who’s Been Here-George
-Footprints in the Snow-Benjamin
-Winter Barn-Parnall
-Bedtime for Bear-Helquist
Keep warm, happy reading, and just remember, when December 21 rolls around, we are on our way back to summer!

Picture courtesy of Easicat

The Art of Giving

2011-12-12T10:18:00.006-06:00

Do you hear bells ringing? Perhaps you are getting married this December or maybe it’s just another angel getting its wings (think It’s a wonderful life), most likely it’s a Salvation Army bell ringer. Every year Americans willingly open up their wallets and give generously to those in need. You don’t have to be a philanthropist like Warren Buffett or Bill Gates to give. All gifts, whether they be small or large, of time or talent, goods or monies are graciously accepted locally as well as internationally.

The Salvation Army is just one of many charitable organizations whose presence can be found all around the world. It was founded in 1865 in London’s East End by William Booth, a Methodist minister and his wife Catherine. The original name of the organization was the East London Christian Mission. The Salvation Army name came about rather by accident when Booth, while dictating a letter to his secretary, George Scott Railton, said, “We are a volunteer army”. Booth’s son, Bramwell Booth, overheard the conversation and corrected his father saying, “Volunteer! I’m no volunteer. I’m a regular”. It was then the word “volunteer” was replaced with “salvation”. The Salvation Army was organized after the military. The organization adopted its own flag, music and ranks. William Booth as “General “preached to the poor and Catherine rallied support from the wealthy. The army branched out to the United States in 1880. Its reputation was greatly enhanced as a result of relief provided during the Galveston Hurricane in 1900 and the San Francisco Earthquake in 1906. The Salvation Army today can be found in 124 different countries. Its headquarters remain in London, England.

The Huffington Post reports Americans gave $291 billion to charity in 2010, up 4 percent from 2009. The economy, being what is, does not diminish the spirit of giving. Individual households, corporations and the giants like Buffett and Gates continue to give generously. Warren Buffett (chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway), Bill Gates (co-founder of Microsoft) and his wife Melinda, and Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook’s CEO) have signed a promise to give at least half of their wealth to charity over time and they have invited others to do the same.

Your contributions can make a difference in the lives of people in need. America is hungry. Give to local food pantries. This is a great time of the year to donate--when the shelves are near empty. Shelter the homeless. Clothe the poor. Purchase an extra gift for the needy. Consider giving this season.

If you would like to read more about the Salvation Army, Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerman or other celebrities who have made a difference in peoples’ lives check out the books listed below.

The General next to God; the story of William Booth and the Salvation Army by Richard Collier
In darkest England, and the way out [electronic resource] by William Booth
Blood and fire: William and Catherine Booth and their Salvation Army by Roy Hattersley
The snowball: Warren Buffett and the business of life by Alice Schroeder
Bill Gates: a twentieth-century life by Marc Aronson
The accidental billionaires: the founding of Facebook : a tale of sex, money, genius and betrayal by Ben Mezrich
Angelina : an unauthorized biography by Andrew Morton
Paul Newman : a life by Shawn Levy
Oprah: a biography by Kitty Kelley
Mother Teresa : come be my light by Mother Teresa
Barbra : the way she is by Christopher P. Andersen
Driven from within by Michael Jordan

If you would like to know more about a charitable organization check out the links below.

www.bbb.org/us/charity
http://www.charitywatch.org/
http://www.charitynavigator.org/

Picture courtesy of: http://www.libertychampion.com/2011/11/08/the-bells-will-ring-once-more/

Movie Genre Spotlight: WESTERNS!

2011-12-05T13:32:00.000-06:00

In my family, John Wayne is the go-to guy for westerns. My dad loved John Wayne movies; so naturally, my sisters and I grew up loving him. By far, my favorite western starring John Wayne is McLintock! The dialogue between Maureen O’Hara and John Wayne is highly entertaining, and the scenes about the town’s picnic day are the best!
It wasn’t until college that I saw El Dorado with John Wayne and Robert Mitchum, but I grew to like this movie almost as much as McLintock! And in a close 3rd spot, I thoroughly enjoy the movie North to Alaska – it has a lot of the same elements that make McLintock! awesome. North to Alaska might be about loggers and panning for gold instead of ranchers, but the fight scenes from the two movies have the same feeling of chaotic fun. If you are interested in any more of John Wayne’s movies, here is a list of available titles in EasiCat.

Adult Movies:
The Alamo
Angel and the Badman
El Dorado
Hondo
How the West Was Won
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
McLintock!
North to Alaska
Red River
Rio Bravo
Rio Grande
Rodeo Racketeers
The Searchers
The Sons of Katie Elder
Stagecoach
True Grit

There are a couple of children’s movies that deal with the West as well, and while they do not number as many as the adult movies, they are all good stories. I grew up loving the stories about Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox, so when Tall Tale came out, it was an instant hit in our family. It talks about the legends of John Henry, Pecos Bill, Paul Bunyan and Calamity Jane. It also deals with the expansion out West through the railroad and how it affected families and towns.

Children’s Movies:
American Legends
An American Tale: Fievel Goes West
Home on the Range
Rango
Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron
Tall Tale

Beside John Wayne movies, my sisters and I could not get enough of musicals - Seven Brides for Seven Brothers was one of our favorites and would get watched over and over again. Howard Keel played the eldest of seven brothers, Adam, who was pretty clueless about women, but still managed to find a woman who agreed to marry him. His bride’s interactions with her new brothers-in-laws provide plenty of entertainment for the first part of the movie. The second part of the movie is about each of Adam’s brothers trying their hands at courting and the various mistakes they make. Howard Keel also stars alongside Doris Day in another western musical, Calamity Jane. And here are a few more musicals about the wild frontier!

Musicals:
Annie Get Your Gun
Calamity Jane
Oklahoma!
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Last but not least, there are a couple of TV series about the Wild West available as well in EasiCat. A favorite of my father’s was Bonanza, but I grew up watching Jane Seymour in Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.

TV Series:
Annie Oakley
Big Valley
Bonanza
Deadwood
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman
Lone Ranger
Lonesome Dove
Roy Rogers
Wanted: Dead or Alive

If you are interested in seeing a more complete EasiCat listing of the entire western DVD collection, follow this link or go to the EasiCat “Advanced Search” page and type in Western films. If you want to find out more about westerns, Most Wanted Western Movies is a good website to look at. If you are interested in looking into other classic movies, the National Film Registry’s website is also a good resource.

*Image pulled from Google images.

Young Adult Fiction

2011-11-28T10:27:00.000-06:00

Young adult fiction tends to be geared toward readers between the ages of twelve and eighteen, and the main characters of these works fall into that age range as well. However, due to the popularity of books such as Twilight and The Hunger Games, people of all ages are now reading young adult fiction. You can find just about anything in young adult literature: romance, adventure, science fiction, fantasy, dystopias, graphic novels, and historical fiction.

In addition to books being written for young adults, there are awards to honor the best of these books. The 2011 Alex Awards have been released; these are awarded to ten books that are written for adults but appeal to readers age 12-18. You will find some of these listed below. Other awards include the Margaret A. Edwards Award (honors an author and specific works by that author for lifetime contribution to young adult literature), the William C. Morris YA Debut Award (best book by a previously unpublished author writing for teens), and the Michael L. Printz Award (honors the best book written for teens each year). To see a list of all the winners as well as the honor books visit: http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/booklistsawards/bookawards/index.cfm.

The 2011 William C. Morris YA Debut Award goes to The Freak Observer by Blythe Woolston, and Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi won the Michael L. Printz Award for 2011.

Want some more young adult books? Check out some of these popular YA titles:

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George
The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
Looking for Alaska by John Green
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
Eragon by Christopher Paolini
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Maximum Ride: the Angel Experiment by James Patterson

Graphic Novel Selections:

Castle Waiting by Linda Medley
Re-Gifters by Mike Carey
Watchmen by Alan Moore

Some Crossover Titles:

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares
The Boy Who Couldn’t Sleep and Never Had To by D.C. Pierson
Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok
The Lock Artist by Steve Hamilton

Picture from http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hunger-games-suzanne-collins/1100171585

OverDrive and eBooks: The Nitty Gritty

2011-03-22T10:06:00.008-05:00

This Just In—The Weyenberg Library is proud to announce the addition of a brand new OverDrive Download Station available here at the library beginning Monday March 21. The OverDrive Download Station is a self-service kiosk allowing you to easily download audio books and music directly to your own compatible device right in the library! You will still need to download print materials or movies at home or via a wireless device in the library. And now, we return you to our regularly scheduled programming…

OverDrive and eBooks: The Nitty Gritty
Hot on the heels of our recent introduction to the wonders of your library’s OverDrive catalog and all the free eBooks it provides, comes this--the nuts and bolts of actually using it. Once set up, OverDrive requires only a few mouse clicks to begin reading a new eBook, but getting it up and running can be a bit daunting for some. With that in mind, here is a step-by-step guide to getting there:

Step 1: Go to OverDrive and browse all the wonderful titles you will be able to download shortly. (This is not actually a step. It’s just motivation to get you through what follows.)

Actual Step 1: Download and install Adobe Digital Editions (“ADE” from here on) on your computer. This is just a small program that allows you to manage the eBooks on your computer and transfer them to your eReader. It should only take a minute or two and you won’t need to do this part again.

Step 2: Now you have to authorize your computer and this step is where folks tend to get tripped up. The ADE software is also the program that handles the copy-protection stuff on the books and it requires an Adobe ID. If you don’t have one, don’t worry. We’ll make one shortly. Now open the newly installed ADE from your desktop and you will see the “Setup Assistant” screen. Click “Continue.” This takes you to the “Activation” screen. Under “Authorize Computer,” enter the email address and password for your Adobe ID if you have one. Since you probably don’t yet have one, click “Get an Adobe ID online.” That will take you to Adobe’s website. Just follow the directions to set up your ID. This will only take a minute. Now that you have an Adobe ID, return to the ADE “Activation” screen and enter your information. Next click “Activate” and then “Finish.” Your computer is now activated and you’ll never have to do this again for that computer.

Step 3: The fun part. Browse for a title in Overdrive. Check out an available eBook just like you would a regular book by entering your library card number and PIN. Hint: your PIN is probably just the last four digits of your phone number. Download the title. You might need to place a request for the book if it is currently checked out.

Step 4: The eBook you just downloaded will automatically open ADE and after a few seconds the book will appear—ready to read on your computer. To transfer the eBook to an eReader, plug your device into the computer. The first time you do this, a prompt will pop up asking you to now activate your reader. This is a one-time thing and works just like that first activation for your computer. Enter the same Adobe ID info. If all went well, a link for your device should appear under “Bookshelves” in ADE on your computer. Now all that’s left is to drag and drop your downloaded eBook onto the link for your device (under “Bookshelves”). Let it transfer, disconnect your eReader, pour yourself a glass of wine and relax with a good eBook. You earned it.

*** Just before this blog post came out, OverDrive added a fantastic new help feature called “My Help!” on the left side of its home page. It will help walk you through the set-up process. You can also download a snazzy new OverDrive “How-To Guide” here.

Best Audiobooks of 2010

2011-01-24T09:10:00.000-06:00

Do you prefer reading a book or listening to a book? I prefer reading a book myself- there is just something about holding a book that I enjoy. But when I am taking a car ride or am going to be on vacation for a while, I like to listen to audiobooks. Just like there are lists for the Best Books of 2010, there are also lists for the Best Audiobooks of the Year. Here are a few lists for the Best Audiobooks of 2010.

AudioFile's List

61 Hours by Lee Child. Read by Dick Hill.
The Boy with the Cuckoo-Clock Heart by Mathias Malzieu. Read by Jim Dale.
Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny. Read by Ralph Cosham.
The Children's Book by A. S. Byatt. Read by Rosalyn Landor.
The Coral Thief by Rebecca Stott. Read by Simon Prebble.
Faithful Place by Tana French. Read by Tim Gerard Reynolds.
Freedom by Jonathan Franzen. Read by David Ledoux.
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson. Read by Simon Vance.
The Glass Rainbow by James Lee Burke. Read by Will Patton.
The Golden Notebook by Doris Lessing. Read by Juliet Stevenson.
Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes. Read by Bronson Pinchot.
The Midnight House by Alex Berenson. Read by George Guidall.
Nemesis by Philip Roth. Read by Dennis Boutsikaris.
Our Kind of Traitor by John le Carre. Read by Robin Sachs.
Presumed Innocent by Scott Turow. Read by Edward Herrmann.
The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory. Read by Bianca Amato.
The Rembrandt Affair by Daniel Silva. Read by Phil Gigante.
A Secret Kept by Tatiana de Rosnay. Read by Simon Vance.
Spies of the Balkans by Alan Furst. Read by Daniel Gerroll.
The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell. Read by Jonathan Aris & Paula Wilcox.
Three Stations by Martin Smith Cruz. Read by Ron McLarty.
The Tower, The Zoo and the Tortoise by Julia Stuart. Read by Jonathan Crowley.
A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan. Read by Roxana Ortega.

Library Journal's List

Blockade Billy by Stephen King. Read by Craig Wasson.
The Book of Spies by Gayle Lynds. Read by Kate Reading.
Broken by Karin Slaughter. Read by Natalie Ross.
The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway. Read by Gareth Armstrong.
Crossfire by Dick Francis. Read by Martin Jarvis.
The Midnight Zoo by Sonya Hartnett. Read by Richard Aspel.
The Passage by Justin Cronin. Read by Scott Brick.
Pearl of China by Anchee Min. Read by Angela Lin.
The Postmistress by Sarah Blake. Read by Orlagh Cassidy.
Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde. Read by John Lee.
So Cold the River by Michael Koryta. Read by Robert Petkoff.
The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf. Read by Eliza Foss, Therese Plummer, Tony Ward, Andy Paris, Jim Colby, & Cassandra Morris.
Wife of the Gods by Kwei Quartey. Read by Simon Prebble.

Amazon's List

Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny. Read by Ralph Cosham.
Faithful Place by Tana French. Read by Tim Gerard Reynolds.
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson. Read by Simon Vance.
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson. Read by Peter Altschuler.
The Overton Window by Glenn Beck. Read by James Daniels.
Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich. Read by Lorelei King.

If you like to listen to audiobooks on your iPod or MP3 player, you can also check OverDrive for any of the titles listed above. OverDrive continues to increase their online collection of audiobooks and e-books every day, so check out this cool library resource!