Reader's Block

Recipe Tester: Cookbook Discoveries of the Year

2011-12-30T11:55:00.004-06:00

While I love reading, my favorite books to buy and browse are definitely cookbooks. We get a lot of cookbooks at the library that are fascinating to look at, but I'd never actually make anything inside because I lack the skills and ingredients to make most of the dishes (NOMA, Momofuku Milk Bar come to mind this year). However, my favorite cookbooks are ones that are accessible for every day cooking. Below are the best cookbooks I discovered this year (whether or not they were actually published in 2011):

Slow Cooker Revolution by America's Test Kitchen.
Call No.: 641.5884 SLO
Find it in the catalog!
I've had a slow cooker for about three years, but never got around to using it until last spring. Now I use it every time I plan on having a late night dinner. It's a super convenient way to cook for days that you know are going to be on the long side. I especially love to make anything Indian or Moroccan this way, because very rarely to do I have two hours to let a tagine or curry simmer properly. It's also ideal for preparing meats that need to be cooked slowly, like short ribs or pork shoulder. Stand out recipes include Korean braised short ribs (p.103), red lentil stew (p. 76), chicken curry in a hurry (p. 52), and the chickpea tagine (p.74).

Flour by Joanne Chang
Call No.: 641.815 CHA
Find it in the catalog!
Flour is a fun, quirky baking book, with new twists on traditional recipes. I really like her upscale versions of the fig newton (137-9) and Oreo (p.134-6), though both are a lot of work to make. The pie section is full of deliciousness of both the savory (smoked salmon, herbed cream cheese and red onion pie on p.241 is to die for good) and sweet (bittersweet chocolate truffle pie, p. 236) varieties. Other yummy recipes include the rosemary shortbread (p.146), pumpkin muffins with pepitas (p. 56-7), and the chunky Lola cookies (p. 110-1)- a spin on kitchen sink cookies.

In the Small Kitchen by Cara Eisenpress and Phoebe Lapin.
Call No.: 641.5 EIS (on the You and Your Family--Wall Display)
Find it in the catalog!
Read my earlier blog post about this book.

Tyler's Ultimate by Tyler Florence
Call No.: 641.5 FLO
Find it in the catalog!
Snob confession: My feelings towards anything on the Food Network are just a little gentler than Anthony Bourdain's. However, I was lured in by a bacon and pea macaroni and cheese recipe (which is awesome, BTW). Once I checked out the book, I discovered that there were tons of recipes that I wanted to try. Favorites include the pear cobbler with cranberry streusel (p. 238), baked rigatoni with eggplant and pork sausage (p.162) and the chicken paillard with fresh fig salad and blue cheese (p.138- this dish is so pretty, it's a good summer dish to impress guests).

Speakeasy by Jason Kosmas and Dushan Zaric.
Call No.: 641.874 KOS
Find it in the catalog!
An excellent cocktail book, see my earlier review.

Jamie Oliver's Meals in Minutes by Jamie Oliver.
Call No.: 641.555 OLI (You and Your Family--Wall Display)
Find it in the catalog!
Oliver's book from two years ago, Jamie's Food Revolution, is one of my favorite cookbooks ever, so I psyched to see that he a new book coming out this year. The format for the book is a little unusual. Each recipe is for an entire meal essentially (main dish, side dishes and dessert), so it's a little confusing to follow if you are just making one dish on the page. However, with a little bit of work, you'll figure it out. This is a great source for fast meal ideas, especially for families. Favorite recipes include Pregnant Jool's Pasta (p.30) and oozy mushroom risotto (p.64, seriously the cheesiest and most delicious risotto I've tried). I really like Oliver's multicultural mix of recipes, including lots of Italian, Indian, Greek Asian dishes and some British ones too.

Micheal's Genuine Food by Michael Schwartz
Call No.:641.5973 SCH
Find it in the catalog!
This book made a lot of best of the year lists last December, which is why I checked it out. It's easy to see why, the has excellent photography, an emphasis on seasonal cooking and making things from scratch, and an interesting mix of recipes. Michael's Genuine Food is worth checking out for the Kimchi quesadilla (p.23) alone, which is a wonderfully cheesy, spicy, and unusual fusion concoction. His Greek farro salad (p. 79) makes for an excellent lunch or side dish. The fried gnudi with shaved Parmesan and lemon creme (p. 36-7) didn't turn out at all the first time I made them, but the second time they were so good that I'd definitely say it was worth the hassle. The garlic herbed breadsticks (p. 35) were also a delicious side, even though I used store-bought pizza dough. I haven't had the chance to try them yet, but the Bulletproof Manhattan (p. 222) and the tomato harissa (p. 243) definitely sound delicious.

Good Mood Food by Donal Skehan
Call No.: 641.563 SKE
Find it in the catalog!
This book has a lot of really yummy, super healthy soup recipes which are great for the winter months. I'm especially found of the carrot ginger soup (p.249) and the boot camp soup (p. 59, though I use spinach instead of iceberg lettuce and add a pinch of cumin). The Thai green chicken curry (p. 187) makes for quick and delicious mid-week meal, as is the Bulgar wheat, chicken rocket and parsley salad (p.189). Best of all is the hummus recipe (p.133), which has become a staple of mine. Sometimes, I skip the cayenne pepper and add other things to the hummus like kalamata olives or roasted red peppers.

Super Natural Every Day by Heidi Swanson.
Call No.: 641.5636 SWA (You and Your Family--Wall Display)
Find it in the catalog!
This book is gorgeous to look at and has lots of quick, easy meals that are full of interesting flavors. All of the recipes are vegetarian and super healthy, but taste so good that you don't even notice. Stand out recipes from this book include the ravioli salad with black olives and pepitas (p.75)- an easy to make dish for lunches, the wild rice casserole (p. 155) which is loaded with delicious mushrooms and Gruyere cheese, and the white bean spread (p. 110) which makes an easy appetizer for parties. I am also a big fan of the harissa ravioli (p.131), cauliflower soup with cheese and Dijon mustard (p.152) and the broccoli orzo salad (p. 95).

Christopher Hitchens: 1949-2011

2011-12-17T10:34:00.000-06:00

Christopher Hitchens, prolific author and journalist, died Thursday, December 15, after a long bout with esophageal cancer. He was 62 years old. A renowned columnist and literary critic for such publications as Vanity Fair and The Atlantic, Hitchens is probably best known for his controversial stance on, well, virtually everything. As erudite as he was outspoken, Hitchens wrote frankly and with a wicked sense of humor on myriad topics. His views on religion, politics, foreign affairs, and world history, were often divisive, but always frankly stated and elegantly written. Hitchens own life was, in many ways, as complicated and courageous as any of his written work.

What follows is a list of highlights from the author's extensive bibliography:

Arguably: Essays by Christopher Hitchens

Hitch-22: A Memoir

God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything

Thomas Jefferson: Author of America

Love, Poverty, and War: Journeys and Essays

Thomas Paine's Rights of Man

The Quotable Hitchens: From Alcohol to Zionism

Destiny of the Republic by Candace Millard

2011-12-16T09:30:00.000-06:00

Part biography, part true crime, and part science, Destiny of the Republic by Candace Millard is a book in the vein of Erik Larson's The Devil in the White City. Millard follows multiple lives as they converge into a life-changing event for all and then splinter off again on individual paths.

Our twentieth president, James A. Garfield, was shot in a Washington D.C. train station on July 2, 1881 by Charles Guiteau. Only four months into office, Garfield had begun to show great promise as president: he championed civil rights 80 years before they became a reality and he stood up to political corruption. He had a Cinderella story, if there ever was one, having lived as a child in poverty only to rise to become a college president, congressman, and eventual U.S. president (interestingly, an office he did not actively seek). When he finally succumbed to death on September 19, he was beloved by Americans, both Northern and Southern-- a tough feat in the post-Civil War era. This would be a cut-and-dry book about his assassination and assassin if Garfield had died because of his gunshot wound, but, instead he suffered months of agonizing medical care administered by Dr. D.W. Bliss, who some might actually fault for the president's death. Many American physicians, including Bliss, had yet to adopt the sterilizing procedures introduced by Dr. Joseph Lister. Meanwhile, an unlikely protagonist emerges in Alexander Graham Bell, who fervently attempts to help the wounded president by inventing a metal detector of sorts in order to locate the bullet in his body.

The rare thing that comes out in this book is that the president and the inventor are infinitely more interesting than the killer(s?). As a society I think we tend to dwell on the perpetrator more than the victim, shadowing the life with the death. Garfield's and Bell's lives and accomplishments are much more interesting and impressive than Guiteau or Bliss could ever hope. Reading about the out-pouring of support for Garfield and the first family reminded me of the months following 9/11 and how people pulled together. Even vice-president Chester Arthur stepped up when the time came; citizens and colleagues alike were weary of his impending administration, but he managed to surprise people. It appears that Garfield had the ability to bring the best out in people, except, of course for his assassin and doctor.

Destiny of the Republic by Candace Millard
Find it in the Catalog!

Beyond Egg Nog: Get in the Holiday Spirits

2011-12-09T12:24:00.002-06:00

Egg Nog is probably the most dreaded of holiday drinks. Heavy, difficult to make (who wants to separate eggs for a cockatil!), and high and calories, you can probably do better. Thankfully we have a whole bunch of cocktail drinks to help you discover the perfect drink for your next holiday party!:

Craft of the Cocktail by Dale DeGroff (2002).
641.874 DEG
Find it in the Catalog!

Dale DeGroff is one of the most well-known bartenders in the world and is credited with creating the modern Cosmo. This book is a great reference guide to all things cocktails. There are primers on cocktail ingredients, bar tools, and creating garnishes. If you are starting to become a cocktail nerd, this book is perfect for you. But even seasoned mixologist will find something to admire in DeGroff's 500 recipes!

Crowd Pleasers: The Bloody Mary Buffet (p. 88-9) screams winter brunch. DeGroff is known in part for the Cosmo, so you might want to check out either the original or one of his variants (Cosmopolitan Delight, Strawberry Cosmo, all on p. 108).

Heather Recommends: The Absinthe no.2 (p.72) is one of the more palatable ways to partake in the green fairy, but it's only recommended if you are familiar with absinthe's acquired taste and can handle it's extremely high proof. It's a drink best sipped. The Aviation (p.78) is a nice smooth gin drink accented with lemon and maraschino cherry liqueur.

The Essential Cocktail by Dale DeGroff (2008) .
641.874 DEG
Find it in the catalog!

While Craft of Cocktail has volume on it's side, Essential Cocktail goes into greater detail about the drinks included. Also, almost all drinks are accompanied by a picture (for you visual drinkers). This is a great book to learn about the history of a drink as well as the techniques of making a drink work.

Crowd Pleasers: The Chai Toddy (p. 52) sound like a nice twist on a classic winter drink. Kir (p.82) is always a nice brunch cocktail or aperitif. I make a variation called Rose Royale which use Chicago-based Koval Distillery's Rose Hip Liqueur. Port-Whiskey Punch (p. 204) sounds like a fine winter punch, as I'm for anything with whiskey in the colder months.

Heather Recommends: The Manhattan (p. 32) is probably my favorite classic cocktail besides the Old Fashioned. Simple, elegant, it never goes out of style. But I garnish with three cherries instead of DeGroff's recommend one.

Jellyshot Test Kitchen by Michelle Palm (2011).
641. 874 PAU
Find it in the catalog!

I'm more of a cocktail person, but these jelly shots look really cute and impressive. They are sure to liven up any New Year's Eve party. The author gives lots of instructions on how to make different shapes and recipes are ranked by difficulty. They have Shirley Temple shots too.

Crowd Pleasers: The Cucumber-Lime Saketini (p.80) looks so cute served in a soup spoon. Grasshopper (p.100) is a minty holiday drink. Peanut Butter and Jelly Martini (p. 144) and White Chocolate Martini (p.171) will probably appeal to drinkers who like sweet drinks. The Pink Squirrel (p. 151) looks so adorable and has a great name.

Heather recommends: I don't do Jelly Shots, but curiosity would make me try the Old Fashioned (p.143) or the Side Car (p.16). The Lemon Drop sounds okay too (p. 115).

Mix Shake Stir by Danny Meyer (2009).
641.874 MEY
Find it in the catalog!

This book is for do-it-yourselfers who don't mind infusing their own liquor or making their own lavender syrup. I'm a little too lazy to make most of the cocktails in this book. However, I appreciate the author's selection seasonal cocktails. Also, these drinks are definitely show stoppers. So if you want to impress your friends and family, highly recommended.

Crowd Pleasers: There are a whole bunch of winter drinks here that look delicious: Winter Vacation (p.113) which combines scotch, creme de violette, and lavender, Winter Solstice (p.136) a combo of rosemary pear nectar and brandy, and Winter Mojito (p. 166) which is accented with dark rum and drunken cranberries. The Kentucky Cream (p.173) sounds like a classy version of egg nog. Also, I love that it is served in a mason jar.

Heather Recommends: Their version of the Old Fashioned (p.26) sounds like the dressed up version of my everyday version.

Speakeasy by Jason Kosmas and Dushan Zaric (2010).
641.874 KOS
Find it in the catalog!

This is by my far my favorite book on the list. Written by the guys behind Employees Only, a hot NYC cocktail bar, this book is full of interesting twists on classic drinks. They do have some syrups and bitters you have to DIY, but many of the drinks can be made with relative ease. Best of all, Kosmas and Zaric are huge cocktail nerds, you get lots of cocktail history here!

Crowd Pleasers: Amelia (p.61) is a blackberry martini with hints of elderberry- fruity but not too sweet. I haven't got around to making Fraise Sauvage yet, a which combines champagne, gin and strawberries, but it sounds like a winning combo. It's on the shortlist for my own holiday party menu.

Heather recommends: The Negroni (p.42) has steadily become my go-to-drink. It's a smoky and complex combination of Campari, gin, and vermouth. I use Old Tom gin, which helps eliminate any bitter aftertaste. I'm also a big fan its sister drink, the Boulevardier, which has whiskey instead of gin.

Web resource: Cocktalia is my number one resource for drink recipes. There is a big selection of both mainstream and more obscure drinks. The site's blogger honestly appraises recipes: how they turned out and what he would change. I've found many winners.

Crowd Pleasers: The Calvados Cocktail is an appletini done right: it's not green, it isn't too sweet, and it doesn't have vodka in it. However, it's accessible to pretty much anyone. The Dingbat is a pleasant, sweet whiskey drink made with orange juice and Lillet Blanc. The Gin-Gin-Gin Mule is a nice summer drink that would probably hold up in the winter. Instead of ginger syrup, I use Koval's ginger liqueur.

Heather Recommends: I've linked to some of my favorites all ready. Additionally, I love the French Gimlet, a combo of gin, St. Germain Elderflower liqueur and lime. I use Ransom Old Tom gin which makes the cocktail look gold and cuts the bitterness. Corpse Reviver #2 dates back to pre-prohibition times and is truly delicious. This could be a crowd pleaser, but it's hard to make en masse. Also, I serve mine with a maraschino cherry in the bottom and use 1 oz. of everything (instead of 3/4 oz.). Finally, the Improved Whiskey Cocktail is a good lazy night cocktail. I skip the simple syrup and put in a maraschino cherry (no surprise there).

Happy holidays and drink responsibly!

Recipe Tester: In the Small Kitchen

2011-11-03T18:30:00.000-05:00

In the Small Kitchen (2011)
by Cara Eisenpress and Phoebe Lapin
Call No. 641.5 EIS (You and Your Family Wall Display)
Find it in the catalog!

This book is aimed at twenty-and-thirty somethings who are learning to cook for themselves and dealing with limited storage space and income. Since I fall into this demographic, I was thrilled to finally see a book for novice cookers that was nicely photographed and branched out beyond the basics. Even nicer, the book has a fair amount of recipes that are portioned for only one or two servings; no more leftovers!

While most cookbooks are organized by meal type (appetizers, entrees, desserts, etc.), In the Small Kitchen is organized topically (Cooking for One, Dating and Food, Cocktail Parties). Because the book is based off the girls' blog, Big Girls Small Kitchen, there are several anecdotes that go along with the recipes which make for light, fun reading when you aren't hungry.

The book does have a few small problems. The index can be a little hard to navigate if you don't know the exact title of the recipe you are looking for. I spent several minutes trying to track down a chipolte hummus recipe, that wasn't listed under hummus in the index (not that I'm bitter). Likewise, a few of the page numbers refrences in recipes are off, especially when they are referring to passages in the "Prep school" portion of the book. Nothing critical, but you may need to look around a bit while prepping a recipe. However, in spite of the minor errors, this is a pretty fabulous cookbook.

So far, every recipe I've tried from the book has been totally delicious. The Sexy-Ugly Onion Tart (p. 80-81) is possibly my favorite in the book, but I add goat cheese and bacon to the recipe. The Pretzel-Toffee Chocolate Bark (p.45-6) is a wonderful party dessert and only takes about 15 minutes of work (though you have to freeze it for an hour or so). I'm a big fan of the various dips throughout the book, including the Chipolte Hummus (p. 110), White Bean and Rosemary Dip (p.111), and the Three Onion Dip (p. 274-5). For entertaining, the Provencal Baked Chicken (p.207) and Chicken Tagine with Sweet Potatoes and Golden Raisins (p.210) make impressive and tasty entrees. Initially, I was skeptical of the raspberry and peanut butter cupcakes (p. 287-9), especially when the dough appeared to a be a weird blue-purple color, but they turned out lovely.

In the Small Kitchen is a winning cookbook for people of all ages irregardless of their actual kitchen size!

It's autumn! Let's bake pies!

2011-10-18T17:38:00.003-05:00

I love to bake, and now that autumn finally is in the air I can't get enough of baking pies. I'm highlighting my two favorite pie cookbooks from the library's collection. You can also browse call number 641.8652 for more.

Pie: 300 Tried-and-true Recipes for Delicious Homemade Pie by Ken Haedrich (2004)
641.8652 HAE
Find it in the catalog!
Three years ago I checked this book out from the library with the goal of baking my own pies for Thanksgiving. I had never baked a pie before and was a little intimidated by the process. I selected the recipes for Caramel Apple-Pecan Pie and Butterscotch Pecan Pie and immediately fell in love. Each Thanksgiving since then I have returned to Pie and those delicious recipes. Haedrich's book is a valuable resource for all things relating to pies. He writes about choosing a pie pan, instructs the reader on how to prebake a pie shell, and provides a helpful list of the shelf life of different pies, all in the first twenty-five pages. Throughout the cookbook Haedrich also has "Recipe for Success" tips in addition to fun pie-related facts.

Haedrich includes a variety of takes on classic pies. Check out the "Make Mine Apple" chapter to find recipes for Brown Sugar Apple Pie, Cinnamon Applesauce Pie, and more, in addition to the classic recipe. As I mentioned earlier I love the Butterscotch Pecan Pie. But I keep telling myself to try another pecan pie recipe, like the Jack Daniel's Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie or the Maple Pecan Pie. Perhaps the most difficult part of baking a pie from this book is deciding which recipe you want to test out first!

The only negative about this cookbook is the lack of photographs. The book has a small section of color photographs in the center and that's it. I still highly recommend this cookbook to anyone who enjoys baking pies, or to anyone interested in learning.

My pies from last Thanksgiving:

Butterscotch Pecan Pie

Caramel Apple-Pecan Pie

Last month as a way to relieve stress I baked a Sugar Pie:

Will the White Squirrel waits for the Sugar Pie to cool.

My pie crusts don't tend to look too attractive, but I think I'm getting better with each pie I bake!

Martha Stewart's New Pies and Tarts: 150 Recipes for Old-fashioned and Modern Favorites (2011)
641.8652 STE
Find it in the catalog!
This is an updated edition of the 1985 cookbook. I highly recommend any cookbook by Martha Stewart. Along with her previous books Cookies (2008) and Cupcakes (2009), New Pies and Tarts is another must-have for bakers. Color photographs accompany all the recipes. A "basics" section at the back of the book informs the reader about baking staples, specialty ingredients, tools, equipment, and techniques for working with different types of pastry. Step-by-step instructions as well as several photographs accompany the "how-to" techniques. I've never constructed a lattice pie crust, but thanks to the step-by-step photos, I think I should be able to follow along and be successful.

This cookbook includes both sweet and savory pie and tart recipes, and I do enjoy the way the recipes are divided: classic, free-form, sleek, dreamy, rustic, layered, dainty, artful, holiday, and savory. In the past three weeks I have baked the Alsatian Potato Pie recipe twice, to rave reviews all around. The Alsatian Potato Pie recipe is a heavenly combination of tender potato rounds, Gruyere cheese, cooked leeks, and garlic-nutmeg infused cream layered inside a flaky puff pastry crust. Unfortunately I cannot provide a photo because the pies did not last long enough for me to snap one. One taste-tester did tell me, "That smells glorious," as the pie baked in the oven.

Apple Butter Hand Pies, Chocolate-Almond Tart with Fleur de Sel, and the Apple Crostada are the recipes high on my list to try next.

What pies are your favorites to bake? Have you discovered any interesting pie recipes lately?

Thanks for participating in summer reading!

2011-08-16T15:14:00.000-05:00

Our summer reading program for 2011, A Midsummer Knight's Read, ran June 6-July 30. 157 teens and adults signed up this year, and 19 teens and 52 adults finished the program. Summer reading participants read a total of 797 books... in hardcover, paperback, large type, audiobook, eBook, and eAudiobook formats! Catherine W. won the grand prize $100 Target gift card. We also had 10 adult weekly winners who won $15 Target gift cards throughout the summer. Thank you to everyone who signed up, turned in their reading entries, and wrote their own mini book reviews! Stay tuned for next year's theme, "Reading is So Delicious!"

Staff reviews and recommendations from summer reading

2011-08-02T16:54:00.001-05:00

Jefferson Key by Steve Berry
NEW FICTION BERRY
Find it in the catalog!
"Good series, good author history I didn't know about. Author's notes at end saying what's real and what is fiction is wonderful." Rating: 4
-- Jeanne E.

The Enchanter's Forest by Alys Clare
MYSTERY CLARE
Find it in the catalog!
"Good series, takes place in 1190's. This one is when Richard the Lionheart has returned from captivity. The English people were taxed to pay his captor's ransom demands -- many nearly destitute." Rating: 4
-- Jeanne E.

High Five by Janet Evanovich
MYSTERY EVANOVICH
Find it in the catalog!
"Who doesn't like Janet Evanovich?! This book is fast-paced, funny and sometimes sexy." Rating: 4
-- Heather Z.

The Neighbor by Lisa Gardner
FICTION GARDNER
Find it in the catalog!
"A decent 'detective' story. Lots of possibilities and then wrapped up neatly at the end. Not heart-pounding, but kept my interest." Rating: 3
-- Kirstin F.

Crank by Ellen Hopkins
TEEN HOPKINS
Find it in the catalog!
"A tragic account of a teen's descent into drugs. Written like poetry (liked that a lot)." Rating: 4
-- Kirstin F.

Slam by Nick Hornby
TEEN HORNBY
Find it in the catalog!
"Hornby never disappoints. His writing is witty, funny and his characters are endearing." Rating: 5
-- Kirstin F.

The Principles of Uncertainty by Maira Kalman
741.642092 KAL
Find it in the catalog!
"Certainly a unique read. It's quirky and inspiring." Rating: 4
-- Heather Z.

Masterpiece of Murder by Mary Kruger
Find it in the catalog!
"Historical mystery -- 1890's husband/wife team. Husband is a cop and doesn't want wife to help but she always gets involved anyway." Rating: 4
-- Kathy S.

The Borrower by Rebecca Makkai
NEW FICTION MAKKAI
Find it in the catalog!
"A funny, smart, quick read. I related a lot to the main character -- a young library assistant. Probably my most-enjoyable read of the summer!" Rating: 4.5
-- Heather Z.

Tiger’s Wife by Tea Obreht
NEW FICTION OBREHT
Find it in the catalog!
"It was a little slow in the beginning but I couldn't put it down by the end. The story is a fascinating blend of folklore and science, war and family." Rating: 5
-- Heather Z.

Zombie Spaceship Wasteland by Patton Oswalt
IN THE NEWS -- BIOGRAPHY
Find it in the catalog!
"I really liked the memoiry stuff and inside view of standup comedy. The more experimental stuff I didn't like as much." Rating: 3.5
-- Heather Z.

The Dreamer by Pam Muñoz Ryan
NEW JUV FICTION RYAN
Find it in the catalog!
"Fictionalized account of Pablo Neruda's childhood in Chile. The writing is elegant with Neruda's poems interspersed . Peter Sis adds his delicate pen drawings to make this a very special book for children and adults." Rating: 5
-- Heidi H.

Save Me by Lisa Scottoline
NEW FICTION SCOTTOLINE
Find it in the catalog!
"Well-written -- could happen to anyone. A mother's courage to do the right thing. Lots of twists and turns." Rating: 5
-- Carrie E.

Murder on Sisters' Row by Victoria Thompson
NEW MYSTERY THOMPSON
Find it in the catalog!
"Historical mystery. A good 'cozy' mystery." Rating: 3
-- Kathy S.

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
TEEN WESTERFELD
Find it in the catalog!
"Good juvenile fantasy based on an alternative World War I. Military moves in mechanical walkers (clankers/Germans) vs Darwinists (Brits) who have bred fantastical creatures to use in battles. Good fun." Rating: 4
-- Heidi H.

Summer reading reviews: Mystery

2011-07-29T16:41:00.001-05:00

Best Murder of the Year by Jon P. Bloch
MYSTERY BLOCH
Find it in the catalog!
"It was ok! Slow in the beginning. Picks up when the character everyone loves dies." Rating: 3
-- Andrew R.

Below Zero by C.J. Box
MYSTERY BOX
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"A new author for me. I enjoyed the story and suspense but because the characers go from book to book I should have started with books from years ago and then caught up to the present." Rating: 4
-- Diane M.

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
MYSTERY BRADLEY
Find it in the catalog!
"Flavia de Luce is a delightful 11-year-old sleuth." Rating: 5
-- Louvera M.

Jinxed by Carol Higgins Clark
MYSTERY CLARK
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"Another smart, short and quicky sleuth about the wine area of California and its inhabitants. Cute and entertaining." Rating: 4
-- Donna R.

Zapped by Carol Higgins Clark
MYSTERY CLARK
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"Comedy, mystery and adventure taking place during the New York, New Jersey Blackout. Good reading. Entertaining." Rating: 5
-- Donna R.

Whiplash by Catherine Coulter
FICTION COULTER
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"Good mystery. She always writes a book that holds your interest." Rating: 5
-- Marie K.

Love You More by Lisa Gardner
NEW FICTION GARDNER
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"Good mystery - Keeps you guessing until the end! Enjoyed Ms Gardner's writing style." Rating: 5
-- Marie K.

Goodnight Nobody by Jennifer Weiner
FICTION WEINER
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"This murder/mystery book kept me guessing until the end. I haven't read one lately that you don't know the ending by the end of the first chapter!" Rating: 4
-- Kimberly W.

Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear
MYSTERY WINSPEAR
Find it in the catalog!
"This is a good depiction of pre WWI England -- class structure and how the war began a change." Rating: 4
-- Louvera M.

Summer reading reviews: New books

2011-07-23T09:30:00.000-05:00

The Jefferson Key by Steve Berry
Find it in the catalog!
"This and his last book have definitely been sub par. The story starts off captivating but then quickly tapers off." Rating: 3
-- Emily K.

Minding Frankie by Maeve Binchy
Find it in the catalog!
"A predictable Binchy group of people -- eccentric, but lovable who all do their bit to help a single father raise a baby after the baby's mother dies in childbirth." Rating: 4
-- Louvera M.

The Devil’s Light by Richard North Patterson
Find it in the catalog!
"Excellent insight into intrigue and greed in the Middle East." Rating: 5
-- Donna R.

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakthrough by Ruth Pennebaker
Find it in the catalog!
"Three generations of women living together proves to be a challenge to all of them. Refreshing ending that isn't 'all tidy,' but is realistic." Rating: 4
-- Sue G.

The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes by Marcus Sakey
Find it in the catalog!
"It was good. I couldn't put it down. Had to see what happens next." -- Andrew R.

Summer reading reviews: Biographies and memoirs

2011-07-21T16:11:00.002-05:00

Defending Baltimore Against Enemy Attack: A Boyhood Year During World War II by Charles Osgood
LARGE TYPE BIOGRAPHY OSGOOD
Find it in the catalog!
Rating: 5 out of 5

Bossypants by Tina Fey
NEW BIOGRAPHY
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"This book had me laughing throughout. It didn't make me like or dislike Tina Fey anymore than I already did. She is just like her TV persona in this book." Rating: 4
-- Lindsey S.

Life’s That Way by Jim Beaver
BIOGRAPHY BEAVER
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Rating: 4

Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs
BIOGRAPHY BURROUGHS
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"Great book. A page turner. Not a book for anyone who is easily offended or kids due to frank description of sexual activity. I would definitely re-read!" Rating: 4
-- Shannon M.

Unbearable Lightness: A Story of Loss and Gain by Portia De Rossi
BIOGRAPHY DE ROSSI
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"It was quite a heartwrenching story. She struggled so much but was able to overcome a lot as well. Truly enjoyed reading this." Rating: 5
-- Lizza A.

Coming Home to Myself by Wynona Judd
BIOGRAPHY JUDD
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"Alright muddy depiction of Wynona -- hard read." Rating: 3
-- Heather K.

My summer reading picks

2011-07-18T13:07:00.002-05:00

The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino
FICTION HIGASHINO
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This was the first time I've read this author and I plan to read more by him. Yasuko's ex-husband won't stop harassing her. To defend themselves during one of his visits, she and her daughter Misato kill him. Their neighbor, Ishigami, a mathematics genius, offers his help to them and takes care of all the details to hide the evidence of what happened. He does not tell them what he did and only asks that they follow his directions exactly. The police come to question Yasuko, her daughter, Yasuko's former employer, etc., and it seems that they are hot on the trail of what actually happened. I thought I knew where the story would end up, but I was wrong. I really enjoyed Higashino's writing style.

Bossypants by Tina Fey
NEW BIOGRAPHY FEY
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I'm a fan of Tina Fey and her work on SNL and 30 Rock. I enjoyed reading her stories about growing up and loved the passages where she describes her intimidating father, Don Fey. It was also fun to read about how she juggled 30 Rock, appearing on SNL as Sarah Palin, and throwing her daughter's birthday party during the same period of time during the 2008 election campaign.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
TEEN PERKINS
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Anna is sent to Paris by her father for her senior year of high school. She doesn't know the language and misses her friends and family back home. After meeting some new people they encourage her to explore Paris. Her friendship with Etienne, the guy everyone seems to have a crush on, grows into something more but neither admits to their feelings. Anna and the French Kiss has realistic dialogue and a great concept. I love how Perkins wrote the character of Anna. Anna is a cinephile who wants to be a film critic. She is quite self-conscious about not being able to speak French; she listens to how a friend purchases a movie ticket and writes it down phonetically so she is able to go to the movies by herself. I highly recommend this book and can't wait for Perkins' next book, Lola and the Boy Next Door, due to be released at the end of September.

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
SCIENCE FICTION MARTIN
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This is a really engrossing read in the fantasy genre spanning many characters. I like how Martin writes each chapter "in the head" of a different character. It was hard to keep track of everyone at first. At the end I was excited to start right in on the second book in the series, A Clash of Kings. I also plan to watch HBO's TV series of the same name to see how they brought Martin's creation to life.

The Sweet Life in Paris: Delicious Adventures in the World's Most Glorious--and Perplexing--City by David Lebovitz

641.013 LEB

Find it in the catalog!

Lebovitz writes about moving to Paris, acclimating himself to the often confusing ways of Parisian culture, and shares many delicious recipes, which I want to photocopy and test out myself. I enjoyed reading his observations of and experiences in Paris.

Summer reading picks: "I couldn't put it down!"

2011-07-13T09:03:00.003-05:00

One Summer by David Baldacci
NEW FICTION
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"Definitely a different venue for this author. But still exciting and a constant page-turner to the end." -- Donna R.

The Confession by John Grisham
FICTION GRISHAM
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"Grisham pulls you into this one. Can't put it down until the final verdict. True courtroom drama." -- Shirley K.

Stone Cold by David Baldacci
FICTION BALDACCI
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"Excellent, kept you glued to book til you reached the end." -- Donna R.

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
FICTION GRUEN
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"It was very good and it kept me interested. There weren't many slow parts and I was always eager to read on. Some parts were a bit 'racy' and you would have to be mature to read it." -- Olivia B.

Joust by Mercedes Lackey
SCIENCE FICTION LACKEY
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"Tastes a bit like Dragonriders of Pern, and a bit like every Egypt story you've ever read; but with enough of its own unique flavor that you just can't put it down." -- Rhonda S.

Lost Lake by Phillip Margolin
FICTION MARGOLIN
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"Margoli is a master of criminal thrillers. You are drawn in to the story and do not want to put it down. 'Enjoy the read.'" -- Diane M.

Secret Confessions of the Applewood PTA by Ellen Meister
FICTION MEISTER
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"Funny, easy to relate to. Couldn't put it down." -- Natalie S.

Summer reading: Staff picks

2011-07-11T19:30:00.002-05:00

Summer in Tuscany by Elizabeth Adler
FICTION ADLER
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"A light, easy read. Good descriptions of scenery, food, and wine. Started to get a little frustrated with the main character. It's annoying when a woman constantly thinks she doesn't deserve love right up until the end." -- Kirstin F.

Call Me Irresistible by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
NEW FICTION PHILLIPS
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"I thought the premise was great: Brie from out of town has second thoughts just before wedding and runs off. Everyone hates the maid of honor who talked her into it and she gets stuck in town with no money to pay the hotel and has to find a job." -- Jeanne E.

Murder on Nob Hill by Shirley Tallman
MYSTERY TALLMAN
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"Very good. Tried a new author -- the main character in 1890s was 3rd woman to become an attorney." -- Kathy S.

A Dark and Stormy Night by Jeanne M. Dams
MYSTERY DAMS
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"If you like a good British mystery, this is one for you. Great setting, characters, keeps you guessing. " -- Carrie E.

Bottom Dollar Girls series by Karin Gillespie

A Dollar Short: The Bottom Dollar Girls go to Hollywood
FICTION GILLESPIE
Find it in the catalog!
"A nice little feel good book." -- Gemma W.

Bet Your Bottom Dollar
LARGE TYPE FICTION GILLESPIE
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"A very sweet and humorous novel. The Bottom Dollar Girls are too cute." -- Gemma W.

Dollar Daze: The Bottomed Girls in Love
FICTION GILLESPIE
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"This was a very cute book. I'm sad there are no more in the series." -- Gemma W.

Miles to Go by Richard Paul Evans
NEW FICTION EVANS
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"A believeable story. Things that look bad can get better and there is always a light at the end of the tunnel." -- Carrie E.

Romance in the Stacks: The Librarian's Secret Scandal

2011-06-16T14:40:00.003-05:00

The Librarian's Secret Scandal (2010) by Jennifer Morey.
Find it in the catalog!

Like so many who come to the library profession, Lily Masterson was a bad girl in her youth. But 15 years after she left her hometown of Honey Creek, she has put her bar fights and affairs behind her and is a reformed lady. She's now a mother to teen-aged May and takes care of her dying father. However, the rest of Honey Creek still continues to gossip about her and her daughter. And she's got even bigger problems, the man who raped her 15 years ago is up for parole. In fact, she runs (literally...with her car) into hunky Sheriff Wes Colton in the prison parking lot after testifying for the parole hearing. Lest you think there is not nearly enough drama going on, Colton's brother was just recently acquitted of a murder after severing several years in prison...and the real killer is on the loose.

Quibbles: I wish there was more moral ambiguity with the characters. Lily may have been a bad girl in her past, but now she's downright stoic. She puts up with her father treating her like mud, even though she's taking care of him instead of sending him to a nursing home. She tells her daughter May not to defend herself from the gossip mongers. And she tries to keep her residual pain from her rape a secret from everyone, including Wes. Likewise, Wes is very honorable and is the only person who doesn't judge Lily on her past. Meanwhile, the rest of the townsfolk come off as mean and petty. Also, I found Lily to be frustratingly stubborn, though that's probably supposed to show her strength of character.

The novel's plot takes a long time to develop and doesn't quite wrap up in a satisfying way either. I honestly don't even remember who the real killer is, granted the suspense storyline is less important than the romance one. Also, it is mentioned several times that Wes mysteriously left the Navy SEALS, but that plot line is kind of dropped. This book is part of a series, so it's possible these loose ends are tied up in another book.

Praise: I prefer my leading men to be more quirky, but until Harlequin publishes a series about sensitive hipsters with beards or neurotic intellectuals, I guess I'll have to make do with typical hunky sheriff who probably wears flannel shirts unironically. That being said, Wes is pretty dreamy. First, his name sounds super manly (seriously, say "Wes Colton" out loud...Manly). Second, he's good at taking charge of a situation. Third, he's the only sheriff from Montana who refuses to wear a cowboy hat in public. And fourth, he's probably better at defending you from an attacker than a Jesse Eisenberg type. Also, in my brain, Paul Schneider played him.

The Librarian's Secret Scandal was a quick and easy read. The librarian angle doesn't play too much into the plot, once and a while Lily will shelve books or read a trashy romance. The book probably works better within the context of the whole Coltons of Montana series. On it's own, I would recommend it to fans of romantic-suspense novels, small town life, and hunky sheriffs.

Romance in the Stacks: What the Librarian Did

2011-06-13T12:51:00.000-05:00

What the Librarian Did (2010) by Katrina Bliss
Find it in the catalog!

I first became aware of this book from Awful Library Books, so my expectations weren't super high when I checked out. Especially since I'm not really a romance reader (I prefer romance's neurotic sister- chick lit). But I actually liked the book, even though the plot was a little bit overstuffed.

The book takes place at Auckland University in New Zealand, where former rock star turned student Devin Freeman has just enrolled (James Franco style). Freeman has just quit his band (Rage) and his life of hard partying. While at Auckland U, he keeps on running into librarian Rachel Robinson, who has just turned down a marriage proposal despite being 34 and wanting a family. She has her own secret, though, which we'll get to later. Naturally, being a librarian, and therefore totally unaware of popular culture, Rachel is the only person who doesn't know Devin is famous. Therefore, he feels slightly more comfortable around her.

Devin also befriends a 17-year old kid and aspiring musician, Mark, while at the university . Mark is adopted and looking for his birth mother, who is 34 and works at the university (gee...I wonder who that could be!). Rachel worries that Devin might be a poor influence on Mark, but also uses her flirtation with Devin so she can be a part of Mark's life.

Quibbles: There's a lot going on in the plot. Rachel has her secret child to deal with and a strained relationship with her mom. Devin has family problems of his own- his brother (and Rage's lead singer) might have stolen money from him. Also, his mom, who had health problems, might be falling in love again. There's also a lot of conflict between Rachel and Devin; they always seem to assume the worst about each other.

Praise: The characters are all fairly enjoyable here. I have a soft spot for bad boys with a heart of gold (at least in fiction; in real life they almost never look like Taylor Kitsch), so naturally I liked Devin right away, even with his purple boots. Rachel might come off as prim and proper at first, but she's totally cool. She is funny when she verbally spars with Devin and she's a vintage clotheshorse to boot! The book is lighthearted and funny, and fairly tame as romances go. Also, the characters have refreshingly normal names for a romance!

Overall, What the Librarian Did is a fun, humorous and quick read. It should appeal to fans of chick lit as well as romance readers.

Fortress of Bookitude

2011-06-07T09:45:00.001-05:00

In accordance of this year's summer reading theme, A Midsummer Knight's Read, two of our library's gentry, Sir Readsalot and Lady Lorelai, assembled a castle tower made of library books. Be sure to check it out in person and enter our contest to guess the number of books it contains!

Hear ye, hear ye: Sign up for summer reading!

2011-06-06T20:10:00.009-05:00

Summer reading at the Dundee Library runs today through Saturday, July 30 for children, teens, and adults. This year's theme is A Midsummer Knight's Read.

In order to finish the program, teens must read at least 4 books and adults must read 5. But you don't have to stop at the required number of books. The more you read, the more chances you will have in both our weekly prize drawings and the grand prize drawing. We'll start drawing weekly winners at the end of week 3 of summer reading (June 25).

The grand prize for teens is a $100 Target gift card. Weekly drawings will be for $15 gift cards from GameStop or Barnes and Noble. For more information on prizes for teens click here.
The grand prize for adults is a $100 Target gift card. Weekly drawings will be for $15 gift cards from Target.

We will also post on the blog recommendations that come in from summer reading participants. Check back to see what your fellow readers are enjoying!

Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell

2011-06-01T20:05:00.003-05:00

Looking for a quirky idea for a summer vacation? Sarah Vowell took one of her own in Assassination Vacation. She details her trip to famous political assassination sites in America and her sister and nephew tag along for most of the ride. Vowell's trip is an excellent vehicle (pardon the pun) for presenting a bit of history, political and cultural education, and droll humor. It's also a great read for any true crime buffs, and possibly, armchair travelers. It would be hard to not find this book interesting on some level.

Better than high school history class, there's some interesting tidbits: For example, Vowell discusses the Robert Todd Lincoln "curse" in the book: Robert (Abraham's son) was present at his father's deathbed and two Presidential assassinations (Garfield and McKinley). After the death of McKinley, Robert declined to spend time with any other presidents.

Vowell has written several other history-related books and you may recognize her as a former contributor on Public Radio International's This American Life, and interestingly, the voice of daughter Violet in The Incredibles.

Assassination Vacation
Sarah Vowell
973.099 VOW
Find it in the catalog!

Awkward Moments With Rocco Dispirito, Part 2.

2011-05-25T20:17:00.001-05:00

Rocco may be a talented chef and blandly attractive (the Bradley Cooper of celebrity chefs), but he's not too proud to take a goofy photograph...or a thousand! In a follow up to my first post on Rocco, here are some more funny photos of Rocco from his Now Eat This ! cookbook.

Ha, ha...you talk to me like that again...I'm gonna prod you with this fork.

Rocco has never hear the expression, where there's smoke, there's fire.

Gonna Fly Now

Flying High Now

Gonna fly...fly...fly

Can Grant Achatz do this?! Huh! I bet he didn't even GO to Clown College!

I hate to be THAT GIRL here, but I have to be serious. Celebs, can we keep our tongues in our mouths please? You are not Mr. Winkle, no one wants to see your tongue. George Strait, this goes double for you!

Awkward Moments with Gwyneth Paltrow

2011-05-24T14:56:00.002-05:00

There has not been a lot of love for Gwyneth Paltrow in recent years. Some people find her to be a little bit snobby and privileged. While I'm certainly not a Gwyneth superfan, I liked her in the Royal Tenenbaums and Iron Man. I also subscribe to her GOOP newsletter, which has solid fashion advice and good recipes. I'm not a big fan of celebrity cookbooks, but between GOOP and Spain: On The Road Again TV series, Gwyneth seemed at least knowledgeable about food; so I checked out her cookbook My Father's Daughter. Overall, I found it to be a pretty solid cookbook. Most of the recipes are simple, organic and healthy (but not diet) takes on traditional American, Italian and Spanish dishes. There is definitely an emphasis on cooking and dining as a family in My Father's Daughter, so this cookbook will especially appeal to parents.

Okay, now that I've said lots of nice things about Gwyneth, it's time to take a look at some goofy photographs from My Father's Daughter. Is Gwyneth channeling her inner Rocco DiSpirito?:

Sure, Gwyneth has a woodburing pizza oven installed in her house, gets lectured on the environment by Leonard DiCaprio, and is BFF with Jay-Z and Mario Batali...but she cooks with a wine glass in one hand and tongs in the other. She's JUST LIKE US!

Gwyneth loves to pose while sniffing food! Here she's taking a moment to stop and smell the tomatoes.

Sniffing cookies...Now that's something Rocco can relate to!

Don't make eye contact with mommy... little peasants!

Lest you think that Gwyneth only smells food...she does eat. Though that ravioli is her whole meal!

Charlaine Harris Q&A and book signing at the Tivoli Theatre, 5/5/11

2011-05-07T14:33:00.006-05:00

Author Charlaine Harris appeared at an Anderson's Bookshop event at the Tivoli Theatre Thursday night in Downers Grove. She took questions from the audience for about 25 minutes and then signed copies of her newest book in the Sookie Stackhouse series, Dead Reckoning. Fans were called in groups of 20 to go out into the lobby to meet her and have their books signed. While everyone in the theatre waited for our numbers to be called, we watched season 1 episodes of True Blood. I was #150 and the waiting didn't feel long at all. Watching True Blood with a large audience made the episodes even more entertaining, especially episode 4, where Jason suffers the side effects from drinking an entire vial of vampire blood.

For the most part Harris talked about the Sookie Stackhouse series but she did briefly touch on her other book series (Aurora Teagarden, Lily Bard, and Harper Connelly) when a fan asked which series she should try next. During the Q&A many fans asked about the TV series True Blood, and Harris had nothing but good things to say about show creator Alan Ball's casting choices and vision of the Sookie universe, including the detours he makes from her novels.
Other things I learned from the Q&A:

Harris picked the name Sookie because that was the name of her grandmother's best friend; the name Bill was chosen because she thought it would be a funny name for a vampire
She has always known how the Sookie series would end-- the final scene was written before any of the ten books. Her assistant is the only other person who knows the ending.
Harris confirmed that after Dead Reckoning she will write only two more books in the series.
Bravery and loyalty are her favorite qualities about Sookie.
At one point she placed both index fingers on the side of her head and shared, "That's where Bill and Eric live, by the way."
One audience member questioned Harris about how she got the idea to use "Dead" in each of the book titles in the series (Dead and Gone, Dead in the Family, Dead as a Doornail...). Harris shared that her publishers came up with that idea as a way to brand the series. She "got tired of it very quickly" and wishes they hadn't started that.
Her favorite Sookie book to write was All Together Dead, where Sookie attends a vampire summit, because of the research involved and how fun it was to write.
Some of the authors she's reading (or re-reading) include Laurell K. Hamilton, Lee Child, and Robert Crais. She reads four books a week! Find out what's she reading each week on her blog.
Whenever she receives questions about who's her favorite Sookie suitor she said it's difficult to choose, as if being asked, "Which baby is prettiest?" No matter what her answer is, someone will be unhappy with her choice.
Near the end of the Q&A, Harris mentioned that the next season of True Blood will start on June 26, which will include "amnesia Eric." At this point the crowd roared and broke out into applause. I might add I pumped my fist a couple times in excitement before joining in with the clapping. The plotline where Eric has amnesia is from book four, Dead to the World.

Included in the price of the event was a copy of Dead Reckoning, and Anderson's had plenty of other Sookie books available to purchase. Each person was allowed two books to personalize the first time through in line. Even though many people attended the book signing, Harris was very nice and took the time to talk to each person, even posing for photographs.

Romance in the Stacks: The Dewey Decimal Sytem of Love

2011-05-05T11:42:00.002-05:00

The Dewey Decimal System of Love (2003).

By Josephine Carr.

Find it in the catalog!

When I came across this book in the stacks, my first thought was “My goodness! What a terrible title!” The cover has a red pair of glasses on it and old school card catalog entry on it. How could a librarian resist such a promising trashy library romance? Unfortunately, Dewey Decimal System of Love (DDSoL) is far too tame to qualify as a “trashy romance.” So tame in fact that the main character, reference librarian Allison Sheffield has lived a chastely for 15 years. DDSoL is actually a combination between the chick lit genre and mystery; but if you are thinking Stephanie Plum the librarian, your expectations might be a little to high! DDSoL lacks the laugh-out humor of Janet Evanovich (it’s more crack a smile funny) and the mystery plot never really amounts too much suspense.

At the beginning of the novel, Allison Sheffield lives the quiet, monk-like existence of a forty-yearold spinster librarian. She takes no pleasure in food or fashion (what’s wrong with her!) and has all but given up on romance. That is until she sees the new Finnish orchestra conductor Aleksi Kullio in action and develops an obsessive crush on him. However, there are two problems with Kullio: 1). he’s married and 2). his beautiful wife might be trying to poison him. Allison feels she has no choice but to investigate the wife and attempt to woo Kullio by transforming herself from a librarian with glasses into a librarian without glasses and with bouncy hair!

Quibbles: Aleksi Kullio never really appealed to me as a potential romantic lead. He was described as being middle aged and having long, white blond hair. I pretty much pictured him as Dewey Largo (appropriate name!), Lisa’s music teacher from the Simpsons’-- not exactly Rodrigo Santoro. Also, he came across as being pretentious and a little bit creepy. It was hard to understand why Allison was so smitten with him. Allison’s boss (and other potential love interest) Gordon was slightly more appealing, though Carr never really described what he looked like besides being a lady killer. I really don’t think there are too many handsome, charming playboy librarians running around though!

The not-so-hunky Dewey Largo!

The mystery plot also seemed a little tacked on. There is never too much suspense, besides Kullio’s wife Michelle walking into the library, looking up poisons (for her "novel”), and being mean to Allison. In turn, Allison “investigates” by following Michelle around to keep tabs on her. Not exactly the best or most subtle method.

Praise: I did like the fact that Allison isn’t really a typical chick lit character. She’s skinny because she lives off Lean Cuisine meals and not all that concerned with her hygiene. She’s also well read, Bryn Mawr-educated, and listens primarily to classical music. It was refreshing to have a character who was a little bit pretentious, mean and socially awkward. It also made her obsession with Kullio a little more plausible (seriously though I don’t know why anybody would be obsessed with Dewey Largo!).

Overall, I thought DDSoL was a fun, light read. Fans of libraries, classic music, and late bloomers would probably enjoy this book, though the mystery could have been better developed.

Charlaine Harris appearing in Downers Grove this week

2011-05-01T15:48:00.000-05:00

Author Charlaine Harris will appear at the Tivoli Theatre in Downers Grove this Thursday at 7PM in an event run by Anderson's Bookshop. Harris is the author of the Sookie Stackhouse series, which has been adapted into the True Blood TV show on HBO. Tickets are required and can be reserved by phone or in person. The $36 cost covers the author program itself and a copy of Dead Reckoning. Visit the Anderson's Bookshop website for more information on this and other author events.

The newest installment of the Sookie books, Dead Reckoning, will be released this Tuesday, May 3. Place your hold on a copy if you haven't already!

What's up with that? Romance novel character names

2011-04-28T18:35:00.001-05:00

Let me clarify from the outset that I'm not dissing romance novels (I have read some, but it's not my usual fare)... I'm just pointing out an observation on their oftentimes ridiculous character names. I realize that romance novels are escapist, so the setting, time period and names will inherently be more unusual, but some are actually laughable. Where's Matt? Or Maggie? I know, not different enough. Try Cerynise Kendall and Beauregard Birmingham (who find love in Kathleen Woodiwiss' The Elusive Flame; I think it's the alliteration of his name that gets me on that one).

However, romance novels' cousin, chick lit, does find balance between naming characters uniquely without entering ridiculous territory. For example, in Emily Giffin's Something Borrowed (the movie based on this book will be in theaters May 6), the characters are Rachel, Darcy and Dex. Overused, everyday names? No, but you actually might know someone in real life named Rachel. Maybe it's the time periods that determine the names more so than the genre ...

For a little fun, check out this amusing Regency name generator.

So, have any funny character names to share?

Me Want Books!

2011-04-27T13:27:00.000-05:00

I came across this hilarious Sesame Street clip today, featuring the one and only Cookie Monster (my favorite Sesame Street-er). Personally, I think the librarian is being far to stuffy and dramatic. Who doesn't want books with a side of cookies?!

Via LIS News.

Frank O'Hara Goes to the Movies

2011-04-21T12:00:00.002-05:00

"glorious Silver Screen, tragic Technicolor, amorous Cinemascope,

stretching Vistavision and startling Stereophonic Sound, with all

your heavenly dimensions and reverberations and iconoclasms!"

- Frank O'Hara, "To the Film Industry in Crisis"

Frank O'Hara (1926 - 1966) loved the movies. His poetry is bursting at the seams with actors and actresses, arcane film references, even Hollywood gossip. O'Hara literally composed love poetry to the entire film industry. (While he doesn't seem to make any distinction between "good" and "bad" movies, I'd hesitate to call his feelings about Hollywood uncomplicated. See his wry poem "Ave Maria" as evidence.) Without question, his most direct ode to the art of movie-making is "To the Film Industry in Crisis", available in The Collected Poems of Frank O'Hara. This exuberant poem is breathless in its praise of everyone from Clark Gable to the extras.

Follow the link for my breakdown of the many film references in this poem:

"Richard Barthelmess as the "tol'able" boy barefoot and in pants"

A reference to the 1921 film Tol'able David, starring Barthelmess as a country boy struggling to prove his manhood.

"Jeanette MacDonald of the flaming hair and lips and long, long neck"

An actress primarily associated with musicals of the 1930s (often starring alongside Nelson Eddy), MacDonald retired from acting in the late '40s.

"Sue Carroll as she sits for eternity on the damaged fender of a car and smiles"

A reference to the 1929 film Girls Gone Wild, in which Carol played a character with the wonderfully phony-sounding name Babs Holworthy.

"Ginger Rogers with her pageboy bob like a sausage on her shuffling shoulders"

Legendary hoofer Ginger Rogers must have had a bob at some point, but I only remember her with blonde curls.

"peach-melba-voiced Fred Astaire of the feet"

O'Hara is working on a couple levels with this one. Peach Melba is a French dessert comprised of peach and raspberry sauces over vanilla ice-cream. So, he considers Astaire's voice to be delicious, maybe even decadent. He's also cleverly referencing another singer, as Peach Melba is named after Austrian soprano Dame Nellie Melba.

"Eric von Stroheim, the seducer of mountain-climbers' gasping spouses"

I think this is the funniest line in the entire poem. Eric von Stroheim was an Austrian-born actor/director, often cast as an amoral rake that "audiences love to hate." O'Hara is probably referencing the 1919 film Blind Husbands.

"I cannot bring myself to prefer Johnny Weissmuller to Lex Barker, I cannot!"

Weissmuller originated the role of Tarzan in the 1932 film Tarzan the Ape Man. Lex Barker was the tenth actor to portray the character onscreen, but it seems O'Hara considered him the definitive Lord of the Jungle.

"Mae West in a furry sled, her bordello radiance and bland remarks"

A reference to the 1936 film Klondike Annie, in which West plays a "kept woman" on the lam in Alaska.

"Rudolph Valentino of the moon, its crushing passions, and moonlike, too, the gentle Norma Shearer"

Two of the biggest stars of the silent era. Valentino's early death in 1926 (he was only 31 years old) caused mass hysteria among the most devoted of his legions of fans. Shearer retired from acting in the early '40s, having successfully transitioned to talkies. (O'Hara uses the word "moonlike" several times in his poetry. His poem to James Schuyler is one example, and it's a personal favorite of mine. "...as if I were Endymion and she, moon-like, hated to love me.")

"Miriam Hopkins dropping her champagne glass off Joel McCrea's yacht"

A reference to the 1935 film Barbary Coast, directed by Howard Hawks.

"and crying into the dappled sea, Clark Gable rescuing Gene Tierney from Russia"

A reference to the 1953 film Never Let Me Go, which starred Gable as a journalist married to a Russian ballerina played by Tierney.

"and Allan Jones rescuing Kitty Carlisle from Harpo Marx"

A reference to the 1935 Marx Brothers classic A Night at the Opera.

"Cornel Wilde coughing blood on the piano keys while Merle Oberon berates"

A reference to the 1945 film A Song to Remember, a biopic of Frederic Chopin.

"Marilyn Monroe in her little spike heels reeling through Niagara Falls"

A reference to the 1953 film Niagara, in which Marilyn Monroe does considerable running in decidedly unsuitable footwear.

"Joseph Cotten puzzling and Orson Welles puzzled and Dolores del Rio eating orchids for lunch and breaking mirrors"

A reference to the 1943 film noir Journey Into Fear. The orchid-eating reference relates to a bizarre Hollywood rumor that actress Dolores del Rio survived on a diet of orchids.

"Gloria Swanson reclining, and Jean Harlow reclining and wiggling, and Alice Faye reclining and wiggling and singing"

Both Harlow and Swanson were glamorous leading ladies of the 1920s and '30s. Swanson returned to acting in 1950 for an outstanding role in Billy Wilder's Sunset Boulevard, a devastating indictment of the film industry. Alice Faye was a popular performer in the 1940s. Though generally associated with musicals, she was a versatile actress, one notable example being the 1945 film noir Fallen Angel.

"Myrna Loy being calm and wise, William Powell in his stunning urbanity"

Powell and Loy acted together in fourteen films, most notably as Nick and Nora Charles in the six Thin Man movies. O'Hara nicely sums up their appeal, as no one has ever done urbanity with the same charm and ease that Powell did, and Powell was certainly at his best when playing off of Myrna Loy's knowing tranquility.

"Elizabeth Taylor blossoming"

Elizabeth Taylor was quite literally raised in public; from her child acting days in Lassie Come Home and National Velvet, to her acclaimed performance opposite Montgomery Clift in A Place in the Sun, to her mature, complex performance as "Maggie the Cat" in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. She passed away March 23, 2011. See our Media Corner obit.

Have you mastered the Dewey Decimal System?

2011-04-20T13:46:00.001-05:00

Mental Floss created a belated National Library Week lunchtime quiz about the much beloved (and frequently misunderstood) Dewey Decimal System. While I always knew that non-fiction books were arranged by numbers starting with 000 and ending at 999, I didn't have all 10 major classes memorized (let alone the divisions under each class). I pretty much only knew the numbers I visited frequently (641= cookbooks, 741= graphic novels, 810s= American Literature, 780s= Music, and so forth). This is probably the way most library users understand Dewey.

However, now as a librarian, I am almost fully fluent in Dewey. You can give me a call number (613.25 for instance) and I can tell you what the subject of the book is going to be (dieting) and where it is in the stacks. It's a nerdy and specific science, but useful. Naturally, I scored a (perfect) 10 on the quiz, not that I'm the bragging type...

Happy Record Shop Day!

2011-04-16T12:17:00.000-05:00

Remember back in the olden days, when you used to buy music in actual stores? As a kid, I always wished I lived in an area where we had a cool independent record shop, like Reckless or Permanent Records. Instead, I was stuck ordering all my weird indie rock CDs online, and once a year or so, heading to Chicago or Madison (home of B-Side Records) to check out actual records stores. Now it seems like everyone purchases their music online. I, for one, still prefer the cramped, messy record stores to the convenient but austere and sonically inferior route of purchasing digital music online. In honor of Record Store Day, here is a few books about records and Rock n' Roll:

Record Store Days: From Vinyl to Digital and Back Again by Gary Calamar and Phil Gallo (2009).
Call #: 780.266 CAL
Find it in the catalog!

An appreciation of music stores past and present, this book explores the history of record stores and their place in the community.

Wish You Were Here: An Essential Guide to Your Favorite Music Scenes- From Punk to Indie and Everything In Between by Leslie Simon (2009).
Call #: 780.66 SIM
Find it in the catalog!

Sort of like a travel guide for music geeks, this books has primers on major music scenes, as well as locations to visit in the different cities profiled, including even obscure sights like the Dunkin Donuts on Clark St. in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago aka. "Punkin Donuts," supposedly a popular punk hangout since the 80s.

The Show I'll Never Forget: 50 Writers Relive Their Most Memorable Concert Going Experience (2007).
Call #: 781.66 MAN
Find it in the catalog!

Record and music geeks will probably relate to these stories about unforgettable shows.

Rip It Up and Start Again: Postpunk 1978-1984 by Simon Reynolds.
Call #: 781.66 REY
Find it in the catalog!

Profiles a very cool era of music history, featuring the formation of bands like Gang of Four, Joy Division, and Talking Heads.

Awkward Moments with Rocco Dispirto

2011-04-14T11:41:00.003-05:00

Just a dude, sitting on a stoop, petting my tomatoes.

Celebrity chef/ author/ awkward hand gesture-maker Rocco DiSpirito has several different cookbooks with delicious looking but healthy meals. However, I mostly enjoy his cookbooks for another reason, DiSpirito's odd posing in photographs. Blessed with generically handsome looks, DiSpirito could have been a Sears catalog model in another life. Below are some of my favorite DiSpirito poses from his books:

Dog, you are the only one I can trust now.

Yah, brah, I'm down with that!

So hot right now!

Mugger Chic: It's a hard knock life for Rocco.

Ninja Chef: Any closer and I will throw this burger at your face!

I hear what you are saying, little girl, and I completely disagree!

Shame Eating: Two burgers! Bad Rocco, bad!

Passionate Eating: I can be your hero, burger. I can kiss away the pain.

Ain't nobody at Whole Foods gonna steal Rocco's wallet!

It tickles! It tickles!

Sweet smell of success: These cookies make it all worthwhile.

Check out more awkward modeling by Rocco (and recipes too) in one of his cookbooks:

Now Eat This! Diet (2011).

Now Eat This! (2010).

Rocco's Five Minute Flavor (2005).

National Poetry Month 2011

2011-04-12T20:00:00.011-05:00

"ONE'S-SELF I sing, a simple separate person,

Yet utter the word Democratic, the word En-Masse."
- Walt Whitman, Ones-Self I Sing

National Poetry Month has afforded us here at the Reader's Block the welcome opportunity of addressing a literary form that's too often neglected. Last April we allowed our repressed love of poetry to come proudly to the surface. Danielle highlighted the many volumes written by and about Shakespeare, sundry poetry anthologies, and provided a thoughtful introduction to the work of Billy Collins. I took inventory of some of my own favorites, specifically Hart Crane, Pablo Neruda, Frank O'Hara, Carl Sandburg, and Dylan Thomas. Well, it's April again, and the 800s are our destination. (I'm speaking of Dewey numbers, natch.)

No single book of poetry in my own collection has proven to be as durable, as frankly indispensable, as Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass. While I'm not qualified to offer an educated discourse on the significance of Whitman's liberated verse and wide-open stanzas, I do know something about the value of this collection. With each passing year, as I learn new things and meet new people, I find greater wisdom in the words. There is incredible optimism in these pages. A hopefulness, even an expectation, that America's future generations of poets will be "a new brood, native, athletic, continental, greater than before known." Whitman speaks with a collective, all-encompassing "I" that boldly demands fraternity. This inclusiveness is vital to an understanding of Whitman's poetics; he doesn't merely speak for himself, he speaks for all of us. (See Langston Hughes' poem "I, Too, Sing America" for a powerful example of this enduring legacy.) For me, as a reader and just simply as a human being, there isn't a more incisively empathic worldview than this passage from "Song of Myself":

I have said that the soul is not more than the body,
And I have said that the body is not more than the soul,
And nothing, not god, is greater to one than one's self is,
And whoever walks a furlong without sympathy walks to his own funeral drest in his shroud,
And I or you pocketless of a dime may purchase the pick of the earth,
And to glance with an eye or show a bean in its pod confounds the learning of all times,
And there is no trade or employment but the young man following it may become a hero,
And there is no object so soft but it makes a hub for the wheel'd universe,
And I say to any man or woman, Let your soul stand cool and composed before a million universes.

The Young & The Restless: Pizza Summit!!

2011-03-19T12:00:00.005-05:00

Tuesday, March 22, the Dundee Library's 20s and 30s group will meet for a gloriously indulgent celebration of pizza. We will sample different types of pizza - all of it delicious - from various local pizzerias. Come prepared to sample these succulent slices and share your thoughts on that most wonderful of all foods. Register for this event on the library homepage, or give us a call at 847-428-3661, ext. 308.

Is the pizza summit more Eat Pray Love or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle?
Only you can decide.

Date: 3/22/2011
Time: 7 PM - 8:30 PM
Location: Library Meeting Room, Lower Level

Winter Reading by the numbers

2011-03-17T14:18:00.005-05:00

Teen and adult Winter Reading ended on March 5. Here is a brief wrap-up:

266: total number of books read by teen and adult participants
49: number of books read by teens
130: number of books receiving highest rating from participants (5 out of 5)
4: number of books receiving lowest rating from participants (1 out of 5)
29: most books read by a single Winter Reading participant (Evelyn)

Week 7 winners (previously unannounced): Martha, Catherine, & Patti (each won a $20 gift card to either Classic Cinemas or Dunkin' Donuts)

10: total number of weekly winners
Starting in the second week of Winter Reading, we pulled at least one weekly winner from book entries received up to that point. In weeks 4, 5, and 6 we pulled two winners, and in week 7 we pulled three winners.

2: Grand Prize winners:
Teen winner: Stacy (winner of a $75 Target gift card)
Adult winner: Evelyn (winner of a $75 Target gift card)

Thank you to everyone for participating. Summer reading (A Midsummer Knight's Read) begins in June!

Recipe Tester: Making Whoopie PIes

2011-03-14T11:08:00.002-05:00

Whoopie Pies by Sarah Billingsley.
Call No.: 641.8654 WEI
Find it in the catalog!

Generally, I like my desserts to be as glamorous as possible. I prefer tartlets to pie, creme brulee to custard, and macaroons (the fancy, French kind--of course) to drop cookies. Even though they are so hot right now, I don't think I've eaten a whoopie pie since I was ten. After all, they don't put gold leaf and sugared currants on whoopie pies!

Thankfully, when it comes to baking, I'm not such a snob. I'll make anything that doesn't involve a rolling pin or a pastry bag. So when I saw this stylish retro looking cookbook, I decided to embrace the whoopie trend and try making some of my own. It helped that some of recipes had fancypants ingredients like matcha and rosewater which appealed to my inner snob, and fun names like "Fat Elvis" and "The Happy Pilgrim."

This cookbook has mix and match recipes, so you can decide to match different cakes with different fillings. The authors do give you some suggestions. Most of the whoopies I tried were based off their suggestions, though I did go rogue and make a Reese's Peanut Butter cup inspired whoopie. Below are photos of the different whoopies I tried:

The Purist Whoopie: Classic Chocolate Whoopie (p. 43) and Classic Marshmellow filling (p. 76).
This tastes pretty much like the classic whoopie pie that I used to have as a kid. Though I still enjoyed it as an adult, which means it's probably tastier than the Hostess variety.

Peanut Butter Cup Whoopie: Classic Chocolate Whoopie (p. 43) and Salty Peanut Butter Filling (p.87).
This is my personal favorite whoopie that I have made. I did notice a mistake in the peanut butter filling. The book calls for "3/4 cup (6 tablespoons) of butter." Really, 3/4 cup of butter is more like 12 tablespoons, but I used 6 tablespoons and the recipe turned out fine.

Savory Whoopie: Jalepeno Cornbread Whoopie (p. 73) and Bacon-Chive Goat Cheese filling (p. 107).
This recipe had me at goat cheese and bacon. Delicious, though if I made it again, I'd top the whoopie with pepitas.

Chocolate Chip Whoopie: Chocolate Chip Whoopie (p. 50) and Chocolate Buttercream filling (p. 79).
This is another of my creations, mainly because I didn't want to have to buy another can of Fluff to make the classic marshmellow filling. The chocolate buttercream is extremely delicious, though I think the recipe is a little bit off. I had to put in a few extra tablespoons of heavy cream to make it work.

Fat Elvis Whoopie: Banana Whoopie (p.55) and Peanut Butter filling (p. 43).
The recipe recommends rolling the whoopie in bacon for maximum homage. I didn't do that because I was afraid I would be the only person who would enjoy that. A lot of people don't like bacon in their desserts. Still, even without the bacon, it tastes like banana bread covered in peanut butter- yummy!

Paczki Day!

2011-03-08T11:53:00.001-06:00

Fans of deep-fried donuts filled with jelly (and who isn't one?) can rejoice as today is Paczki Day-- the Polish equivalent of Mardi Gras. Throughout Chicagoland, you should have no trouble finding paczki for a reasonable price, but pronouncing their name might be another story (I say "POONCH-key"). However, if you are feeling ambitious, you can try making your own.

Check out the paczki recipe and many other traditional Polish recipes in:

Polish Touches: Recipes and Traditions
Call No.: 973.049185 POL
Find it in the Catalog!
Paczki recipe on page 181.

Historical fiction recommendations from Winter Reading participants

2011-02-23T14:49:00.001-06:00

Congratulations to Week 5 winners, Stacy and Kelly, and Week 6 winners, Carrie and Jason. They each won a $20 gift card to either Target, Dunkin' Donuts, or Classic Cinemas. At the end of this week we will pull three names for our Week 7 winners. Next Saturday, March 5, is the last day to turn in Winter Reading entries. We will pull the grand prize winners from ALL the reading entries received during the course of the Winter Reading program. The grand prize teen and adult winners will each receive a $75 Target gift card. Keep your reading entries coming in -- participants have read 156 books in our Winter Reading program so far! Here are some books you may be interested in if you enjoy books set in the past:

	Alice's Tulips by Sandra Dallas Set during the Civil War, with a main character taking care of her family's Iowa farm while her husband is away at war. Rating: 4 out of 5 Find it in the catalog!
	The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory Set during the reign of King Henry VIII, after the beheading of Anne Boleyn. Rating: 5 out of 5 Find it in the catalog!
	Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder Frontier and pioneer life on the Great Plains. Rating: 3 out of 5 Find it in the catalog!
	The Diary of Mattie Spenser by Sandra Dallas The just-married protagonist, Mattie Spenser, shares her story as she travels from Iowa to the Colorado Territories by Conestoga wagon to start a new life with her husband. Rating: 5 out of 5 Find it in the catalog!
	Shanghai Girls by Lisa See In the mid 1930s two sisters from Shanghai immigrate to Los Angeles in search of a better life. Rating: 5 out of 5 Find it in the catalog!
	Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden The story of Nitta Sayuri, sold to a geisha house at the age of 9 in 1929. Rating: 4 out of 5 Find it in the catalog!

	Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder Frontier and pioneer life on the Great Plains Rating: 5 out of 5 Find it in the catalog!

Well, whadda you know!

2011-02-16T12:00:00.000-06:00

Spotted this fabulous library ad on Boing Boing, originally published courtesy of the National Social Welfare Assembly. Ed is kind of a know-it-all, but he's got the right idea.

Staff recommendations from Winter Reading

2011-02-10T12:38:00.001-06:00

Congratulations to Matthew, our winner for Week 3, and Celeste, our winner for Week 4. They each win a $20 gift card! Keep your entries coming in! The next three weeks we will be drawing multiple weekly winners! Participants in this year's Winter Reading have read 89 books so far. Check out some of the books library staff members have enjoyed during Winter Reading:

	The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins Find it in the catalog! Rating: 5 out of 5 "Very engrossing. Katniss is a strong, intelligent teenage character, and if the people behind the movie version mess up the casting for her I will be mad. Collins presents a future in which Panem, formerly North America, is composed of districts, and each year, to atone for uprising against the Capitol, each district must select two kids to participate in the Hunger Games, where they are required to fight each other to the death. The games are televised, and homes in all the districts tune in to root for their tributes. The manipulation of the tributes throughout the Games reminds me of reality TV in our culture. You will not be able to put this book down." --DP
	Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris Find it in the catalog! Rating: 5 out of 5 "I'm going through the Sookie Stackhouse series for the second time because I love how Charlaine Harris writes. This book contains one of my favorite plotlines from the series -- Eric loses his memory and stays with Sookie while she tries to keep him safe from the witches who are after him. His complete change of character is quite funny, as he is frightened and unsure of himself when Sookie finds him running along the side of the road. Plus Alcide returns, the witches arrive, and the mysterious, secluded community of Hotshot is introduced. I hope the writers of the TV series True Blood incorporate the plotlines from this book in the next season!" --DP
	Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks Find it in the catalog! Rating: 4 out of 5 --GB A new woman in town keeps her past to herself and arouses suspicions of the townspeople. She eventually falls in love and then must face her past and decide between leaving or staying.
	House Rules by Jodi Picoult Find it in the catalog! Rating: 4 out of 5 --GB In Picoult's latest, a teenager with Asberger's syndrome is on trial for murder.
	Almost French: Love and a New Life in Paris by Sarah Turnbull Find it in the catalog! Rating: 5 out of 5 "I enjoyed reading about the author's experiences living in Paris. As an Australian she talks about the differences between her culture and that of the French. She also shares her struggle to find work as a freelance journalist. Although she lives with a Frenchman, she still feels like an outsider and it is difficult for her to find her place in the city. Especially intriguing is what happens when she gets a dog and then becomes subject to all sorts of unsolicited advice and comments from passerbys. I had no idea how serious the French were about their dogs!" --DP
	Dracula in Love by Karen Essex Find it in the catalog! Rating: 5 out of 5 "Essex retells the story of Dracula from the female point of view, with Mina, not Dracula, being the focus of the story -- the character we know as Dracula doesn't appear until more than a quarter of the way through the book. I actually think the way the author tells the story is very refreshing and something I had never read before in regards to literature about vampires. The writing is dark and sensual in a way that I had not expected. Dracula in Love is also a good work of historical fiction set in Victorian England, and I recommend it to readers who enjoy books set in that era. Just don't call it a "vampire book."--DP

Book Lust to Go

2011-02-07T17:33:00.001-06:00

Book Lust to Go: Recommended Reading for Travelers, Vagabonds, and Dreamers
by Nancy Pearl
011.6 PEA
Find it in the catalog!

If you enjoy reading books set in far off countries and are wondering what to check out next, Book Lust to Go is a great guide. Nancy Pearl, Library Journal's Librarian of the Year, has compiled a detailed list of books dealing with travel from A to Z -- from "A is for Adventure" to "Zipping Through Zimbabwe." The types of books she includes are diverse as well. In addition to fiction and mysteries Pearl recommends armchair travel books, biographies, and history books. And if you're not necessarily looking to read about a specific place, you may find titles that are appealing in the chapters "See the Sea," "Making Tracks by Train," "Row, Row, Row Your Boat," or "Comics with a Sense of Place," just to name a few are Pearl's fun travel-themed categories. At the front of Book Lust to Go, in addition to the Contents page, is a Geographical Index. Pick your spot on the map and you'll see a line pointing to the page number for that chapter! This is a wonderful resource and I found the suggestions very helpful. After paging through chapters covering settings such as Malaysia, Japan, and Scotland, I found so many intriguing titles that I did not know which one to start reading first!

Winter Reading update and book recommendations

2011-01-25T20:50:00.001-06:00

We are now into week 3 of Teen and Adult Winter Reading: Reading is Your Ticket to Travel. Congratulations to Emily, who is the winner of our week 2 drawing. She wins a $20 gift card to Dunkin' Donuts! Get your reading entries in for a chance to win in our weekly drawings or the grand prize of a $75 gift card!

These books have received high ratings and positive reviews from teen and adult participants in Winter Reading.

Rachel's Garden by Marta Perry LARGE TYPE FICTION PERRY Find it in the catalog!	The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Adventure of the Speckled Band by Sir A. Conan Doyle MYSTERY DOYLE Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Find it in the catalog!
Side Jobs: Stories from the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher NEW MYSTERY BUTCHER Find it in the catalog!	Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro FICTION ISHIGURO Find it in the catalog!
The Exodus Quest by Will Adams FICTION ADAMS Find it in the catalog!	Million Dollar Dilemma by Judy Baer FICTION BAER Find it in the catalog!
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins TEEN COLLINS or JUV FICTION COLLINS Find it in the catalog!	Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor by Lisa Kleypas NEW FICTION KLEYPAS Find it in the catalog!

Cookbook Nook

2011-01-21T11:45:00.000-06:00

There's nothing us librarians love more than food (even more than books!) and now we have our own pseudo kitchen at the library. Even better yet, it's full of cookbooks, which you can check out and make actual delicious food with!

Read chapter 1 of the next Sookie Stackhouse book

2011-01-20T14:05:00.008-06:00

The next installment in the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris, Dead Reckoning, is due to be released in May. Fans who are looking for their Sookie fix can read the first chapter, all nineteen pages of it, on Charlaine Harris' official site. Are you all caught up with reading this series? If you're working your way through the books or are a newcomer to the series, here are the books (not including short stories featuring Sookie), listed in order:

Dead Until Dark
Living Dead in Dallas
Club Dead
Dead to the World
Dead as a Doornail
Definitely Dead
All Together Dead
From Dead to Worse
Dead and Gone
Dead in the Family
Dead Reckoning (coming in May 2011)

Since we already have Dead Reckoning listed in the catalog as being "on order" you are now able to put yourself on hold for the book! If you do a title search for Dead Reckoning or a words or phrase search for "charlaine harris and sookie stackhouse" the book will appear in your results list.

Have you signed up for Winter Reading yet?

2011-01-17T13:30:00.005-06:00

Reading is Your Ticket to Travel is the theme for Teen and Adult Winter Reading this year. When you sign up at the Information Desk, you will receive a reading log where you can write down the books you listen to or read. There is no requirement for a certain number of books to read. Read 1 book. Read 5. Read 15! Grab more entries from the Information Desk if you need them. Each book you read enters you into the weekly gift card prize drawings. All entries must by in by Saturday, March 5 before we close at 5:30 PM.

Winter Reading prizes:
Weekly gift card drawings: $20 to Dunkin' Donuts, Classic Cinemas, or Target
Grand prize for adults: $75 gift card to Target
Grand prize for teens: $75 gift card to Target

If you will read at least one book between now and March 5, be sure to sign up and fill out an entry slip! That $75 Target gift card could be yours!

The Pyramid: The First Wallander Cases

2011-01-06T12:00:00.001-06:00

Inspector Kurt Wallander made his first appearance in Henning Mankell's 1991 novel, Faceless Killers; an intelligent, elegantly plotted police procedural set in the small Swedish community of Ystad. At the time of that first introduction, Wallander is approaching middle age, divorced, intermittently estranged from his father, consumed by the responsibilities of his profession, and yet ambivalent about the value of police-work. He is a complex character, and one not given to undue self-examination. In Faceless Killers and subsequent novels in the series, we learn that Wallander suffered a life-threatening injury early in his career, that he has loved opera virtually all his life, and that the roots of his father's disapproval are oblique. With the publication of The Pyramid: The First Wallander Cases, Mankell has chosen to elaborate on these hints at his creation's past. The book is comprised of five short mysteries: Wallander's First Case, The Man with the Mask, The Man on the Beach, The Death of the Photographer, and the novella-length The Pyramid. (It seems fitting that this "prequel" is structured around Wallander's investigations, as the cases he's worked are unquestionably the defining experiences of his life.) Mankell establishes connections between these narratives, often foreshadowing events that are well known to readers of the series. Some of these connections, though subtle, are quite touching. There is something thrilling, and yet bittersweet, in our first glimpse of Wallander as a brash young man. Something like seeing an old photograph of your father, stronger and younger than you can remember him. We get a sense of the character's innate gifts for investigation, and some revealing hints at his deteriorating private life. I was particularly affected by the scenes involving Wallander's mentor and senior detective, Rydberg. In a scene that takes place on New Year's Day, Wallander and Rydberg shake hands before parting, "as if to mark the occasion." More than just a touching example of how colleagues express their affection, it's an indicator of how much Wallander values his older friend, whose absence casts a long shadow over the series. Mankell does a fine job of portraying the passage of time from one case to the next. In Wallander's First Case, the twenty-three-year-old cavalierly tells his father that he never gets sick, and his father replies, "Wait ." By the last narrative in the book, 40-year-old Wallander is following leads while nursing a cold and a fever, carrying toilet paper in his pocket to wipe his endlessly running nose. The author wisely holds back as much as he reveals, never quite specifying the cause of enmity between the father and the son, but The Pyramid does provide a powerful example of how similar and yet divergent are the personalities of these two characters. In light of these new cases, it seems clear that Wallander's aptitude for investigative work is innate, and not something that was completely taught. Wallander's progression as a detective can be seen as an ongoing refinement of temperament. The brash young police officer of Wallander's First Case is still alive and well, tempered by experience, maturity, and some regret.

The Pyramid: The First Wallander Cases
Find it in the catalog!

O Bookmas Tree

2010-12-17T10:06:00.001-06:00

Two of our library elves*, Gingerbread Crumble and Merriweather, assembled a holiday tree out of library books. Sprinkles, our craftiest elf, made the garland and super cool topper.

*We have several library elves, most just move books around and generally cause mischief.

Read/ Listen: 33 1/3 Book Series

2010-12-15T19:27:00.001-06:00

Proving that sometimes good things do come in small packages, Continuum's 33 1/3 series is a dream come true for the musically obsessed. Each tiny book is written by a different author and is focused entirely on one album. There is great variety among the different albums chosen, ranging from Neutral Milk Hotel's indie rock cult classic In the Aeroplane Over the Sea to Nas's masterpiece Illmatic to Celine Dion's Let's Talk About Love. Super fans will enjoy reading all about their favorite albums. But casual listeners and even skeptics might just discover a new appreciation for the albums highlighted in these books. Below are some of the newest titles in the series:

Read: Song Cycle by Richard Henderson (2010).
Find it in the catalog!
Listen to: Song Cycle by Van Dyke Parks (1968).
Find it in the catalog!

Read: Highway to Hell by Joe Bonomo (2010).
Find it in the catalog!
Listen to: Highway to Hell by AC/DC (1979).
Find it in the catalog!

Read: Wowee Zowee by Bryan Charles (2010).
Find it in the catalog!
Listen to: Wowee Zowee by Pavement (1995).
Find it in the catalog!

Read: It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back by Christopher R. Weingarten (2010).
Find it in the catalog!
Listen to: It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back by Public Enemy (1988).
Find it in the catalog!

Read: Spiderland by Scott Tenant (2011).
Find it in the catalog!
Listen to: Spiderland by Slint (1991).
Find it in the catalog!

You can discover more about the series (and lots of other cool stuff too) by checking out the official 33 1/3 blog.

Holiday Horror Movie Night: Gremlins

2010-12-12T15:17:00.002-06:00

On Tuesday Night at 6:30 PM, we will be showing Joe Dante's classic '80s horror film Gremlins at Dundee Township Public Library. Whether you are tired of watching classic, violence-free Holiday films (you can only watch It's a Wonderful Life so many times), want to wax nostalgic about Corey Feldman's career, you really love Howie Mandel's voice work, or just think the little gremlins are so cute, you should come and check it out! There will popcorn, holiday cookies, and a raffle for a gift card.

The movie is part of a new club we have at the library for 20 and 30 somethings. Below is the event info:

When: Tuesday, December 14 at 6:30 PM
Where: The meeting room (downstairs) at Dundee Township Public Library District.
What: Watch Gremlins and nibble on popcorn and holiday cookies.

Shelf oddities: wardrobe edition

2010-12-09T19:10:00.000-06:00

Spruce up your wardrobe for the holiday season with some ideas from French Chic: How to Dress Like a Frenchwoman by Susan Sommers. Truthfully, some of the content is still basically useful. The photos, however, are not.

Aww, look: the gigantic tote had a baby purse!

The caption in the book actually reads "You may not dare wear a towel, but it does provide inspiration." Oh yes, a towel will push my outfit over the edge into chic-land. I don't know about you, but I'm also inspired to rock a side pony tail and crimp it.

If you're not into butt bows, you could always try butt ruffles . . . that match your shoes.

646.34 SOM
Find it in the catalog!

Cast the Book: Inherent Vice.

2010-12-06T14:20:00.011-06:00

Read the Book:

Inherent Vice by Thomas Pynchon

FICTION PYNCHON

Find it in the catalog!

Boogie Nights director Paul Thomas Anderson has recently expressed in interest in adapting the Thomas Pynchon stoner noir novel Inherent Vice, which follows drug-addled P.I. Larry "Doc" Sportello who is trying to track down his ex-girlfriend's missing mobster beau. The novel is set in 1969 and set in the mythical L.A. neighborhood of Gordita Beach. It's an enjoyable read that could easily pass as an account of Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski's early years (though less funny than the Coen Brother's film). P.T. Anderson has an excellent track record; most of his films range from good (Hard Eight) to mind-bogglingly awesome (There Will Be Blood, Boogie Nights ). So I, for one, couldn't be more excited to see his take on the book.

Robert Downey Jr. is rumored to be cast as Doc. I think RDJ is an excellent actor and really shines in comedies, but I don’t quite see him for this part. First off, RDJ is quite a bit older than Doc, who is 29 in the book. Also, I think RDJ is a bit too smart and charming to really be a convincing Doc, though he did a nice job playing a paranoid drug addict in A Scanner Darkly . However, if P.T. Anderson is interested in a middle-aged Doc; I think RDJ's blue collar counterpart, Sam Rockwell, would be a great choice. He’s made a career out of playing desperate and pathetic characters (think: Snow Angels , Confessions of a Dangerous Mind , and Safe Men ). Also, NOTE TO CASTING DIRECTORS, he has real life experience as a private investigator. Then all the movie would need is one good dance sequence!

Below are my casting choices for the major characters in Inherent Vice:

Larry “Doc” Sportello: A short, 29-year-old pothead P.I.
First Choice: Joaquin Phoenix.

Other Ideas: Jason Schwartzman (who plays a similar character on Bored to Death), Sam Rockwell, or Michael Raymond-James (Terriers, True Blood).

Lieutenant “Bigfoot” Bjornson. L.A.P.D. officer Bjornson is Doc’s sometime nemesis, sometime co-conspirator. He’s a giant Swede, who love’s chocolate covered bananas. He’s also the most intellectual character in the book.
First Choice: Philip Seymour Hoffman

Other Ideas: Richard Jenkins.

Shasta Fay Hepworth: Doc’s ex-girl. A free-spirited blonde hippie chick who turns straight for real estate mogul Mickey Wolfmann.
First Choice: Drew Barrymore.

Other Ideas: Heather Graham, Kate Hudson, or Kirsten Dunst.

Denis: Cheech to Doc’s Chong.
First Choice: Danny McBride.

Other Ideas: Really any of the Apatow crew could do this, but I’ll go with Jason Segel, because he’s the funniest playing dim-witted.

Mickey Wolfmann: Shasta’s married beau; a Jewish real estate mogul with connections to Skinhead thugs. This is a small part, but central to the plot.
First Choice: David Morse.

Other Ideas: William H. Macy, Michael Chiklis.

Sloane Wofmann: Mickey’s pretty, young wife who is cheating on him.
First Choice: Minka Kelly.

Other Ideas: Scar Jo, human mannequin Megan Fox, any other of Esquire’s Sexiest Women Alive.

Coy Harlingen: A former surf musician and junkie who faked his death and works an informant.
First Choice: Paul Schneider.

Other Ideas: John C. Reilly (since this is a P.T. Anderson movie), Vincent Gallo.

Puck Beaverton: Wolfmann’s former body guard who betrayed him. Puck isn’t very smart and is a thug, so basically this part only requires a pretty face and a buff build.
First Choice: The pectoral muscles that are known as Kellan Lutz.

Other Ideas: Any of the guys from 90210 or Chace Crawford of Gossip Girl.

Trillium Fortnight: Puck’s girlfriend and Doc’s dream girl. Trillium is considerably smarter than her boyfriend as she teaches music theory at UCLA, but she remains smitten with beefcake criminal Puck nonetheless.
First Choice: Olivia Thirlby.

Other Ideas: Mila Kunis or Debra Ann Woll.

Adrian Prussia: Notorious loan shark and hit man. There’s not a lot of information to go on here and it’s a relatively small part.

First Choice: I think Tom Waits should be somewhere in this picture, and why not as a seedy loan shark?

Recommended holiday craft book: A Greener Christmas

2010-12-04T12:05:00.002-06:00

edited by Sheherazade Goldsmith
745.59412 GRE
Find it in the catalog!

A Greener Christmas is filled with a variety creative ideas for holiday crafts, decorations, gifts, and recipes. Even if you are a novice crafter you will find projects to complete, such as natural cards, recycled paper cards, or fabric Christmas cards. If you enjoy sewing, colorful crafts like fabric garland, glove purses, or a flock of festive birds are projects you may like to tackle. I really appreciate that the idea for these crafts is that you are using what you already have on hand. Many times I come across interesting projects that require materials I would have to go out and purchase before I could even start any of the steps. Now whenever I work on crafts and greeting cards my goal is to reuse as many materials as possible in the creation of something new.

Not into crafts at all? I still recommend this book to you if you enjoy baking or cooking. Goldsmith provides tips on buying locally, choosing seasonal foods, and more. Plus you'll find many mouth-watering recipes to make for holiday get-togethers, like shortbread cookies, spiced nuts, mulled drinks, ginger cake, and four types of stuffing.

A Greener Christmas is also a great gift to buy for a friend or family member who enjoys crafting and baking. The book includes many color photos of both the finished products and the instructions, which I'm always happy to see and is extremely helpful.

Charles Schulz

2010-11-26T09:08:00.001-06:00

Cartoonist Charles M. Schulz was born on November 26, 1922. His comic strip, "Peanuts" (which Schulz originally called "Li'l Folks"), continues to run in syndication, and TV specials written by Shulz featuring the Peanuts gang have become a big part of many people's holiday-viewing rituals (It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown; A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving; A Charlie Brown Christmas, etc.). Schulz died February 12, 2000, the night before his final strip appeared in Sunday papers February 13, 2000, announcing his retirement. For as long as I can remember I've looked forward to reading the Sunday "Peanuts" strip; even now, the reprinted strips are the first ones I go to read in the paper.

In honor of Schulz's birthday, I thought I'd highlight the excellent book Schulz and Peanuts: A Biography by David Michaelis. When I read this book several years ago I couldn't put it down. Actual comic strips from the "Peanuts" run are included throughout the book, which really highlights how much of Schulz's life he included in the strips-- from his childhood and his own family. If you are a fan of the "Peanuts" comic strip I think you will become engrossed in this book, especially if you know little about its creator's life.

BIOGRAPHY SCHULZ
Find it in the catalog!

Frances Hodgson Burnett

2010-11-24T13:49:00.000-06:00

Author Frances Hodgson Burnett was born November 24, 1849, in Manchester, England. She immigrated to the United States with her family in 1865, living near Knoxville, Tennessee. To help with her family's finances Frances started to submit stories to women's magazines, which lead to her publishing children's books, novels, and even plays.

In honor of her birthday, here are some materials in our collection you may want to check out. For the books, the years in parenthesis denote the original publication date.

The Secret Garden (1911)
Norton Critical Edition:
PB CLASSIC BURNETT (other versions also located in JUV FICTION BURNETT)
Find it in the catalog!

The Secret Garden is one of my favorite books. Mary Lennox, a spoiled, bratty girl, is sent to live at her reclusive uncle's Yorkshire estate in England after her parents die of cholera in India. Mary is transformed into an independent, active girl through her time spent out in nature in the gardens and develops close friendships with Martha, Dickon, and her cousin Colin.

We have two movie adaptations at the library. I love the 1993 movie adaptation, starring Kate Mabley and Maggie Smith:

The Secret Garden (1993)
J-DVD FICTION SECRET
Find it in the catalog!

The Secret Garden (1975 TV adaptation)
Find it in the catalog!

Other books by Frances Hodgson Burnett:

Little Lord Fauntleroy (1886)
JUV FICTION BURNETT
Find it in the catalog!

A Little Princess (1905)
PB CLASSIC BURNETT
Find it in the catalog!

The Lost Prince (1915)
JUV FICTION BURNETT
Find it in the catalog!

Sara Crewe: Or, What Happened at Miss Minchin's (1888)
JUV FICTION BURNETT
Find it in the catalog!

Biography:
Frances Hodgson Burnett: Beyond the Secret Garden
by Angelica Shirley Carpenter
JUV BIOGRAPHY BURNETT
Find it in the catalog!

Geek Chic: Vintage robots and tin toys

2010-11-17T18:53:00.003-06:00

Robots are a geeky obsession of mine. Perhaps it's the result of watching too many episodes of the Jetsons as a kid, but robots have a fun retro appeal to me. I have a small collection of robot tin toy reproductions, which started when I spotted the super cool Schyllling reproduction of Robot Lilliput at a toy store. Many of the original toy robots were manufactured in Japan before World War II. Below are photos from my robot and tin toy collection:

This Robot Lilliput who is thought to be first ever robot toy in existence. The original was manufactured in the mid-to-late 1930s.

Atomic Man is the newest addition to my gang. I found him at the awesome Lakeview toy shop Uncle Fun, which is pretty much a must visit for robot or retro toy enthusiasts. The original Atomic Man dates back to 1940s.

Robot Lilliput's shorter, greener fraternal twin.

Spaceman and his ray gun ushers us into the the Space Age era of the 1950s and 60s. The kit comes with different face stickers, so you can change Spacemen's expression when you get bored.

Last but not least is the Mars Invader. I think he's supposed to be an alien and not a robot, but close enough.

Want to start your own retro toy collection, check out one of these books:

Ultimate Robot by Robert Malone (2004).
Call Number: 629.892 MAL
A very cool exploration of the Robot in American pop culture. Also has some of the more popular robot collectible toys like Robot Lilliput, Atomic Man, Nando, and more.
Find it in the catalog!

Warman's 101 Greatest Baby Boomer Toys by Mark Rich (2005).
Call Number: 745.592 RIC
Find it in the catalog!

Wham-O Super Book: Celebrating 60 Years Inside the Fun Factory! by Tim Walsh (2008).
Call Number: 688.72 WAL
Find it in the catalog!

Gifts for People You Don't Like, Part 2: Christmas from the Heart

2010-11-15T09:53:00.002-06:00

Christmas from the Heart: All Through the House.
Better Homes and Gardens.
Call Number: 745.59412 CHR 1996
Find it in the catalog!

Appreciating this book requires a certain aesthetic that just doesn't appeal to a grouchy, minimalist like myself. I lead an existence that doesn't require tea cozies, tissue box covers, dolls, or napkin rings. But whimsical people who have a fondness for Mary Engelbreitian quaintness, or people with seasonally themed tableware, most likely will find many projects to their liking in this book. That being said, I find some of the ornamentation in the book to be on the outrageously lavish. Do you really need to decorate every square inch of your house for the holidays?

Anyway, below are some of the stranger highlights from the book:

I don't know what's creepier: the sweaters, the matching pajama pants, or the fact the girls look so pleased with their outfits. If you want to embrace the gingerbread fashion trend too, the pattern is found on page 56.

You can tell it's a fancy party by the ridged carrots and sourdough bread bowl.

Real nice, dress your daughter up to match the theme of your tree. She's not a prop, okay? And you just know that she's planning to push the tree over.

Is she peacocking? If you want to make your own fowl vest, you can find the pattern on page 36.

Check out the evil glow in the snowman's eyes. All he wants for Christmas is your soul.

Amazon's Best of 2010

2010-11-12T10:00:00.002-06:00

As we approach the end of the year, we'll see more and more best of 2010 lists. One I find especially valuable is Amazon's best of the year. I'll extol its virtues with a list of my own:

1) There are 100 titles, which allows for quite a bit of variety.

2) I like to see if I have read any of them (no), so I can see if I'm more in-the-know than I thought (no).

3) Decide, then, which ones I would like to read. Amazon does a good job of giving you a lot of information up front about titles. Not only the synopsis, but reviews from professionals and customers, author information, and some books you're able to "look inside."

4) Compare the customers' ratings and how they align with the editors' choices. I have found that customers are harsher. Controversy can be good.

5) Ideas for holiday gift giving. There's something for everyone.

Check our catalog before you buy. We might have what you're looking for.

Gifts for people you don't like, part 1: Glorious Christmas Crafts

2010-11-11T14:52:00.004-06:00

Glorious Christmas Crafts: A Treasury of Wonderful Creation of the Holiday by Anna Hobbs
Call Number: 745.5951 GLO
Find it in the catalog!

Though I can barely operate a hot glue gun without risking hospitalization, I come from a long line of crafty and handy people. So naturally, a lot of the gifts I've received over the years have been homemade and, on occasion, terrible. Some examples include: sweatshirts "jazzed" up by use of glitter pens and bedazzlers, a reindeer doorstop made out a sock and a soda liter filled with beans, several draft snakes, and not one, but two bat houses. But hey, it's the thought that counts and as an adult, I appreciate these gifts in their odd glory, granted I haven't saved too many of them.

Glorious Christmas Crafts has some cute Christmas craft ideas for non-grinchy people who posses the talent and the will. But since I can barely handle the task of wrapping the gifts I buy, I don't really care about those projects. Instead, I'm highlighting some of the more head-scratching gift ideas and decorations in the book. They are sure to make memorable if not appreciated holiday presents:

Name: Cheeky Little Angel

Found on: page 42

Gracious acceptance: Gee grandma thanks for the wonderful ornament. I'll be sure to find a nice spot for in the back of the tree!

Name: Pipe-Cleaner Clown

Found on: page 91

Gracious Acceptance: Just what I've always wanted--a conga line of zombie clowns!

Name: Child's yoked pullover
Found on: pages 59-62
Gracious Acceptance: Awesome sweaters. We'll wear them forever...and ever...and ever!

Name: Glitzen, the Sock Reindeer
Found on: pages 94-5.
Gracious Acceptance: That's something, huh? The false eyelashes really add a glamorous touch.

Name: Chaps Apron
Found on: pages 118-9
Gracious Acceptance: Finally, I can ride horseback and grill at the same time!

Bigfoot Books

2010-11-10T16:10:00.003-06:00

I'm a big fan of Graham Roumieu's wonderfully deranged and hilarious Bigfoot memoirs, which show Bigfoot's every day life as a celebrity that very few people ever see. If you've ever wondered how Bigfoot really feels about Chewbacca, Snuffleupagus, or people who litter (hint: he wants to smash them all), these books are a must read. Roumieu's Bigfoot is lonely, violent, occasionally profane, and grammarians will gasp at his prose. I imagine Bigfoot's voice sounds very similar to the Cookie Monster's. These books are probably best read indoors and away from public areas, as you may receive strange looks from laughing too hard otherwise. Lest you need anymore incentive to read the book, the author is kinda cute too. Below are the three titles in the series:

Call no.: 741.5 ROU
In Me Own Words: The Autobiography of Bigfoot (2003).
Find it in the catalog!

Me Write Book: It Bigfoot Memoir (2005).
Find it in the catalog!
Bigfoot: I Not Dead (2008).
Find it in the catalog!

Other titles on everyone favorite Sasquatch:

Ape-Men: Fact or Fiction? (2006).
Call Number: 001.944 APE
Find it in the catalog!

Bigfoot: The Life and Times of a Legend by Joshua Blu Buhs (2009).
Call Number: 001.944 BUH
Find it in the catalog!

The Spectres Reveal Themselves!

2010-10-28T10:00:00.005-05:00

- Ghost Busters, 1984

Thanks to an experimental new photography method, one so highly technical that I can't go into it here, we are able to provide you with actual physical images of the apparitions haunting your local library. I must warn you, these images may be unsettling for some of you. Think twice before following the link.

Phantom #1: The ghostly apparition gestures toward a book stack, as if proud of the ungodly work it has done.

The apparition seems to have enjoyed the attention, going so far as to pose for the camera. Here, we have a pose eerily reminiscent of Ricky Gervais/David Brent:

And here, the phantom seems to be doing some sort of Blair Witch homage:

All in all, a surprisingly sprightly ghost.

Phantom #2, caught in the act:

Again, notice the maniacal glee the apparition takes in causing such mischief. We have confirmed that the top-most book is Why People Believe Weird Things: Pseudoscience, Superstition, and Other Confusions of Our Time. What wry wit! For a ghost, that is.

Strange Happenings

2010-10-25T14:00:00.002-05:00

"Symmetrical book stacking. Just like the Philadelphia mass turbulence of 1947."
- Ghost Busters, 1984

As even a non-Ghost Busting scientist can tell you, no human being would stack books this way. It's illogical and frankly not something a mortal being is capable of. So, we couldn't help being alarmed when these seemingly random symmetrical book stackings began to crop up around the library. We've chosen to document this paranormal activity. You know, for science. See the spine-tingling photos below for what can only be concrete evidence of the supernatural at work. (We have ruled out the possibility of smarmy, egg-headed librarian humor. It couldn't be that.) Stay tuned for further paranormal developments.

* Note: The signs referencing the eerie similarity to Ghostbusters were added by library staff.

Cool Stuff on the Web: Hop Cast

2010-10-18T12:08:00.001-05:00

Check out the Hop Cast.

This video podcast by Chicagoans Brad Chmielewski and Ken Hunnemeder should be appreciated by beer enthusiasts of all varieties. New fans of craft beer will find Brad and Ken's beer reviews very useful. Hardcore beer geeks will love the interviews with commercial and home-brewers. Chmielewski and Hunnemeder have traveled around the country visiting different breweries, but Chicago breweries really take the spotlight on the Hopcast. And why not? Chicagoland has some of the best breweries in the country. My favorite episode is an interview with Gabriel Magliaro and Matt Gallagher from Half Acre (my current favorite brewery).

The Hop Cast definitely have a laid back and casual vibe to it. Brad and Ken aren't such huge snobs that they would throw away a bottle of beer just because it's a couple of years old. The hosts have a wacky sense of humor and their podcasts often feature friends and family members. However, they have also had Chicago food royalty like Rick Bayless and Paul Kahan of Publican on the show too. The Hop Cast will definitely deepen your appreciation for the fine craft beer produced in this area. Drink well and responsibly!

For even more information on beer, check out one of these awesome titles:

Great Beers: 700 of the Best from Around the World (2010).
641.23 GRE (New Non-Fiction)
Find it in the catalog!

1001 Beers You Must Taste Before You Die (2010).
641.23 ONE (New Non-Fiction)
Find it in the catalog!

Tasting Beer: An Insider's Guide to the World's Greatest Drink (2009).
Mosher, Randy.
641.23 MOS
Find it in the catalog!
Check out my earlier review.

Extreme Brewing: An Enthusiast's Guide to Brewing Craft Beer at Home (2006).
Calagione, Sam.
641.873 CAL
Find it in the catalog!

Bill Bryson at the Chicago Public Library

2010-10-11T20:00:00.000-05:00

Author Bill Bryson will be stopping in Chicago as part of his book tour for the recently released At Home: A Short History of Private Life. This Wednesday, October 13, Bryson will be at the Harold Washington Library. Visit the Chicago Public Library's event page for more information about his appearance. It starts at 6 PM and is first come, first served.

Bryson is one of my favorite authors, and I've loved his past books Notes from a Small Island, A Walk in the Woods, and I'm a Stranger Here Myself (just to name a few). No matter what the subject matter, he always injects humor into the discussion that makes you think about any number of things--history, people, culture-- from a different angle. If you can't attend his appearance in Chicago, you can still enjoy his new book At Home by putting yourself on hold for the book version or audiobook version.

witches, potions and spells oh my

2010-10-07T19:21:00.008-05:00

It's that time of year again, you know the dark, scary time when all good witches and wizards are out getting ready for the most important night of the year....Halloween.

"Double double, toll and trouble, fire burn and cauldron bubble". Come see all things witches and wizards at our display at the library until then end of the witching hour.

Young and Restless Event: Trivia Night

2010-10-06T15:18:00.002-05:00

Brain full of useless information? Don't waste it! Join us for Trivia Night this Tuesday (October 12th) at 7 PM. We will be meeting at Emmett's Tavern in West Dundee (128 W. Main St.). Perhaps you can even put us know-it-all librarians to shame. We will bring a variety trivia games with us as well as our sparkling personalities.

The Young and Restless is a new group at the Dundee Township Public Library District for twenty and thirty somethings. You can find out more about us by joing our Facebook group or giving us a call at (847)428-3661 x 308.

Register for this event online.

Page through some magazines...

2010-09-22T14:20:00.000-05:00

Haven't checked out our collection of magazines yet, well this is the time. We have over 250 magazines which includes our Children's Dept. collection. We have something for everyone. Magazines on cooking, business, travel, men's and women's issues, woodworking, finance and health.

One favorite is Real Simple. It has everything and anything to do with organization, cooking, re-using items, crafts, articles and suggestions on family and cutting back on stress which we all seem to have nowadays!

Looks like People magazine isn't the only one with an annual list. Check out Time magazines top 100 of the world's most influential people in the April 2010 issue.

Check out the Teen area for magazines like Seventeen and Thrasher.

We also carry the the newspapers for this area which includes: Dundee Herald, Elgin Courier, Northwest Herald, Chicago Tribune, Sun-Times, Wall Street Journal and Barrons.

Recommended craft book: Collage Playground

2010-09-20T20:09:00.006-05:00

Collage Playground: A Fresh Approach to Creating Mixed-Media Art
by Kimberly Santiago
NEW 702.812 SAN
Find it in the catalog!

In this book Kimberly Santiago shares many creative ideas that she uses in her collage projects, which look like mini works of art. I found the book useful in triggering my imagination for how I could apply Santiago's techniques to other projects I enjoy working on, such as homemade cards and envelopes. While Santiago provides directions for making specific collage projects, I focused on the Collage Elements chapter, which demonstrates how to make collage sheets, altered book pages, weaving, and transparency art. When learning about the different collage elements I thought about how I can reuse materials I already own, like old book and magazine pages.

I immediately tried out the weaving technique:

I tore out some book pages, shaded one page with different colors of crayons, and used an exacto knife to cut the weaving slits into the other book page. Since I was using an old history book with yellowed and delicate pages, I had to start over a few times when cutting the weaving slits, since they keep ripping. I'm going to make pages like this for my next batch of homemade cards.

Check out Collage Playground and you will become inspired to create, create, create!

Reader's Block

Recipe Tester: Cookbook Discoveries of the Year

Christopher Hitchens: 1949-2011

Destiny of the Republic by Candace Millard

Beyond Egg Nog: Get in the Holiday Spirits

Recipe Tester: In the Small Kitchen

It's autumn! Let's bake pies!

Thanks for participating in summer reading!

Recommended read: Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead by Sara Gran

Staff reviews and recommendations from summer reading

Popular summer reading author: Jodi Picoult

Popular summer reading author: Nicholas Sparks

Summer reading reviews: Mystery

Popular summer reading author: Philip Margolin

Popular summer reading picks

Summer reading reviews: New books

Summer reading reviews: Biographies and memoirs

My summer reading picks

Summer reading picks: "I couldn't put it down!"

Summer reading: Staff picks

Romance in the Stacks: The Librarian's Secret Scandal

Romance in the Stacks: What the Librarian Did

Fortress of Bookitude

Hear ye, hear ye: Sign up for summer reading!

Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell

Awkward Moments With Rocco Dispirito, Part 2.

Awkward Moments with Gwyneth Paltrow

Charlaine Harris Q&A and book signing at the Tivoli Theatre, 5/5/11

Romance in the Stacks: The Dewey Decimal Sytem of Love

Charlaine Harris appearing in Downers Grove this week

What's up with that? Romance novel character names

Me Want Books!

Frank O'Hara Goes to the Movies

Have you mastered the Dewey Decimal System?

Happy Record Shop Day!

Awkward Moments with Rocco Dispirto

National Poetry Month 2011

Recommended read: Open by Andre Agassi

Recommended read: 13, rue Thérèse by Elena Mauli Shapiro

The Young & The Restless: Pizza Summit!!

Winter Reading by the numbers

Recipe Tester: Making Whoopie PIes

Paczki Day!

Recommended read: Encyclopedia of the Exquisite

Historical fiction recommendations from Winter Reading participants

Well, whadda you know!

Recommended read: 127 Hours: Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Staff recommendations from Winter Reading

Book Lust to Go

Winter Reading update and book recommendations

Cookbook Nook

Read chapter 1 of the next Sookie Stackhouse book

Have you signed up for Winter Reading yet?

The Pyramid: The First Wallander Cases

Recommended read: Half a Life

O Bookmas Tree

Read/ Listen: 33 1/3 Book Series

Holiday Horror Movie Night: Gremlins

Recommended read: Room by Emma Donoghue

Shelf oddities: wardrobe edition

Cast the Book: Inherent Vice.

Recommended holiday craft book: A Greener Christmas

Recommended escapist read: Star Island

Charles Schulz

Frances Hodgson Burnett

Recommended read: Welcome to Utopia

Geek Chic: Vintage robots and tin toys

Gifts for People You Don't Like, Part 2: Christmas from the Heart

Amazon's Best of 2010

Gifts for people you don't like, part 1: Glorious Christmas Crafts

Bigfoot Books

The Spectres Reveal Themselves!

Strange Happenings

Recommended read: The Lost Cyclist

Cool Stuff on the Web: Hop Cast

Bill Bryson at the Chicago Public Library

witches, potions and spells oh my

Young and Restless Event: Trivia Night

Recommended read: A Vintage Affair

Page through some magazines...