Books in the News: Ulysses

Posted by Alana T.

Last Friday (June 16th) literature lovers around the world celebrated Bloomsday - the date of the events in Ulysses by James Joyce.  The first celebration was held in 1954 in Dublin, the 50th anniversary of the novel.  Traditional activities include eating kidney pie, drinking Guinness, and of course, reading the novel itself.

This year, the Ulysses Meets Twitter Project was launched as an experimental way to re-experience the novel.  The idea was to break the book into parts, then volunteers would tweet synopses, quotes, paraphrases every few minutes.  The entire book took all day to tweet. 

So, was the experiment a success?  Visit the commentary section of the website to learn more.

Don't let the Vampires get you down, Part 1

David Ryckaert III, Dulle Griet (Mad Meg), 17th century

Posted by Alana T.

Are you feeling a bit drained from all the vampires around you?  Ok, maybe they're not actually sipping from your arteries, but the psychological weight of being surrounded by so many vampire books can be intense.  The genre has grown rapidly in the past few years and it can be daunting to make a choice. To help you wade through all the options, I've compiled a list of books and movies with a description of each.   In this post, I'll list some of the older (pre-2000) vampire stories, let's call them retro-classic vampires.  Nearly all of these titles have been made into movies, but consider reading the originals - they're all great!

Salem's Lot by Stephen King.  Things are going wrong in a small New England town....  King combines his usual cast of small town characters with a classic psychological thriller.  Considered by many to be one of King's best books, this title has stood the test of time. 

Dracula by Bram Stoker.  Not the first of the vampire stories (they go back centuries!), but the first that made a literary and cultural impact.  Creepy and mysterious as only a Victorian novel can be, this classic is easy to read and will leave you chilled.

I am Legend by Richard Matheson.   Written in the mid-50's, this book popularized the concept of apocalypse due to a man-made disease; a common theme in many novels today.  Both vampire and zombie fiction owes much to this story, as the infected have qualities of both.  A suspenseful read.  

The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice.  In the first book of a long and popular series, Interview with the Vampire introduces us to Lestat, who shows up in many of the authors other works.  Told from the point of view of Louis, one of Lestat's vampiric children, the story relates both the glamour and desolation of a vampire's life.

My Soul to Keep by Tananarive Due.  A typical American family has to cope with Dad's supernatural past when Mom finally pieces all creepy hints together.  Due is skilled at weaving together storylines from past & present, supernatural entities and strong female characters; this is one of her best works.

Give These a Listen...

Posted by Staff

June is audiobook month, and for those of you who are new to audio and would like some suggestions for titles to try, we always have an up to date list on on the left sidebar of the blog.  We have a wide selection of audio in multiple formats; as always if you have questions or suggestions, please let us know.

Booklist's Joyce Saricks recently described a selection of audiobooks that "I likely would not have read, yet appreciated through their excellent audio versions."  As she points out, listening to audiobooks gives the reader the opportunity to discover books that he or she might not have time to read.  Following is the list of recent audiobooks that Saricks recommends:

At Home by Bill Bryson.  "All that stuff!  Each chapter is filled with fascinating digressions into the history of household objects and, like his other self-narrated titles, its read in his comfortable mid-Atlanctic accent."

Blackout by Connie Willis.  "Superbly read by Katherine Kellgren, ... this book makes perfect listening for fans of time travel and history."

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson.  "It's a doorstop of a novel (over 1000 pages) narrated by husband and wife team Michael Kramer and Kate Reading.  They are wonderfully adept at presenting the contrasting, but intertwined stories that feature magic, political intrigue, scholarship, battle and vividly drawn characters."

Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes.  "Bronson Pinchot's mesmerizing reading ... reinforces the personalities involved, making this more than just another war story."

It by Stephen King.  "Steven Weber narrates and is the consummate interpreter of King's works.  There's a major time commitment involved (over 45 hours)...still, this is one of Kings' best, a near-perfect horror story: evil arising unexpectedly from an unknown source, striking out with a vengeance, then beaten down..."

Behind the Scenes: Magazines at the Library

The EPL currently subscribes to 156 serials.  Topics range from aerospace to yoga, and target audiences from toddlers to seniors.  Not only do we have a wide variety of popular newsstand periodicals, but we also have specialty publications that you might not have seen before.

As with our collection of books, serial publications have records in the online catalog.  This means you can search to see if the title you want is owned by a LCLS library or if a particular issue is available.  Often, the most recent issue of a magazine is not available for request or checkout, but for those that are available, loan periods are the same as for books.

At our library, new issues arrive in the mail, are checked in and go to the rack in the main reading room.  The older issue is removed, given a barcode (see the previous post about cataloging books) and is available for checkout.  Because we have a limited amount of space, we are restricted in how many back issues we can keep on the shelves.  At the end of each month, we remove and withdraw the oldest issue for those periodicals for which we keep 6 months of back issues.  These are placed on the "free shelf" for anyone to take home.  Each November, we remove and withdraw the previous year of back issues for all other magazines. In this case, there are too many to give away, and the bulk are recycled.  If you have a favorite magazine, and would like some back issues, contact the circulation desk; it may be possible to set aside withdrawn items for you to take home.

Chew, Volume One, Taster's Choice

Posted by Evan E.

Chew, Volume One, Taster's Choice.  Written by John Layman, artwork by Rob Guillory

 

ci·bo·path  [see-bo-path] n. A person who can take a bite from anything organic (except beets) and get a psychic sensation of what has happened to that object

Taster's Choice is hilarious and creative.  The story line is set in an alternate reality where poultry products have been made illegal for consumption (because of an avian flue outbreak that took the lives of 23 Americans).  The plot centers around Tony Chu, a cibopathic, Philidelphia detective.  Tony gets hired by the FDA and uses his unique abilities to solve crimes such as breaking up black market poultry syndicates and a variety of murders.

In 2010, Chew won the Eisner Award (given for creative achievement in American Comics) for best new series and two Harvey Awards (excellence in Comics), one for best new series, the other, best new talent.

Chew, Volume Two, International Flavor is also available for request.

Reference Question of the Month

Posted by Judy T.

We can feel overwhelmed sometimes when we try to keep abreast of new technologies along with the vocabulary that goes with these innovations.  There are Smartphones and apps; you can keep in touch long distance via Skype; you can play games on a Wii, and the list goes on.  It’s easy to forget about some earlier inventions we use every day.  Can you guess when the following were invented?  The answers are listed at the bottom of the post.

1) Passenger elevator -  Elisha Graves Otis demonstrates his passenger elevator at the Crystal Palace Exposition in New York.

2) Hearing Aid - R.G. Rhodes improves on the ear trumpet with another very basic hearing aid. The device is a thin sheet of hard rubber or cardboard placed against teeth which conducts vibrations to the auditory nerve.

3) Zipper – Whitcomb L. Judson introduces his clasp locker, a hook-and-eye device opened and closed by a sliding clasp at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Other inventors will make improvements to the device, and in 1923 workers at B.F. Goodrich will coin the name “zipper.”

4) Air Conditioning - Willis H. Carrier designs the first system to control temperature and humidity. He will found his own company, the Carrier Corporation, to produce air-conditioning equipment.

5) Frozen Food - Clarence Birdseye offers quick-frozen foods to the public. Birdseye got the idea during fur-trapping expeditions to Labrador in 1912 and 1916, where he saw the natives use freezing to preserve foods.

Source:  www.pbs.org  The American Experience

1) 1857, 2) 1880, 3) 1893, 4) 1902, 5) 1929

Books in the News: Jane Austen manuscript for sale

Cassandra Austen, Portrait of Jane Austen, 1801

Posted by Alana T.
An unfinished manuscript by Jane Austen is being offered for auction by Sotheby's July 14.  The manuscript is a draft of an unfinished novel called The Watsons and is believed to be written about 1804.  This is the only major manuscript still in private hands and one of the few surviving examples of drafts of Austen's work (none of the completed manuscripts of her other novels survive).

Jane Austen is considered to be one of the finest novelists of the English language and is beloved by readers ranging from high school girls to university scholars.  Because of her focus on the complex relationships among characters and underlying settings of romance, her stories are timeless.  Her stories have been adapted into numerous movies and her characters are continually reinterpreted and re-imagined in new fictional works. 

The Watsons has been "completed" by a few authors and one of these adaptations is available through the library system.  Emma Watson: The Watsons Completed by Joan Aiken (1996) Emma Watson, who tends her father's household along with her sister Elizabeth, finds herself caught up in an adventure as two men compete for her attention.

Perhaps someday soon, we'll see a new adaptation of The Watsons on the library shelves.  Until then, request some modern reinterpretations of her works:

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith (2009).  A mysterious plague has fallen upon the quiet English village of Meryton--and the dead are returning to life! Feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet is determined to wipe out the zombie menace, but she's soon distracted by the arrival of the haughty and arrogant Mr. Darcy.  (Just published, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Dreadfully Ever After by Steve Hockensmith.)

Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters by Ben H. Winters (2009) Following the familiar plot of the original, the Dashwood sisters leave their childhood home and are sent to live on a mysterious island full of sea creatures and secrets. While sensible Elinor falls in love with Edward Ferrars, her romantic sister Marianne is courted by both the handsome Willoughby and the hideous man-monster Colonel Brandon.

Mr. Knightley's Diary by Amanda Grange (2007).  A retelling of Jane Austen's classic novel , Emma, from Mr. Knightley's point of view.  The novel describes his reactions to the misguided matchmaking attempts of his beautiful and mischievous neighbor, Emma Woodhouse, reactions that take an unexpected turn when a handsome newcomer catches Emma's attentions. 

 

Jane Austen in Boca by Paula Marantz Cohen (2002) A witty send-up of Pride and Prejudice set in a Florida retirement village follows a circle of retirees on a hilarious voyage of love and manners. 

 

Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor: Being the First Jane Austen Mystery by Stephanie Barron (1996) Visiting the estate of her friend Isobel, the newly married Countess of Scargrave, Jane Austen is drawn into a mystery when Isobel's husband dies suspiciously and the bereaved young bride is implicated in the murder. First in a series. 

James Beard Foundation Awards

Two Hunters Cooking a Meal, Italian mosaic, 3rd-4th CE

Posted by Staff

The 2011 James Beard Awards were announced recently and reading the list of winning cookbooks makes one hungry!   We have many of these books available - what better way to learn about food trends and good cooking than read a new cookbook!  We don't have room to list all the nominees and winners, but have chosen a selection from each category.  Happy cooking!

American  Cooking
Pig: King of the Southern Table by James Villas.  Go way beyond ham, bacon and ribs in this thorough and delectable exploration of southern cooking.  If you don't find something tasty in these pages, you are picky, indeed!

Baking and Dessert
My Sweet Mexico:  Recipes for Authentic Pastries, Breads, Candies, Beverages, and Frozen Treats by Fany Gerson.  Tired of tacos & enchiladas?  This cookbook covers the commonly overlooked topic of sweets in Mexican cooking.  Desserts are well represented, as are beverages, fruits, and spices.  Educational as well as inspirational.

Beverage
Opus Vino Editor-in-Chief, Jim Gordon  Written by a new generation of wine critics with tons of new information.

General Cooking
Heart of the Artichoke and Other Kitchen Journeys by David Tanis  The author, a chef at Chez Panisse, has written about his kitchen philosophy while providing  20 seasonal menus.

Healthy Focus
The Simple Art of Eating Well: 400 Easy Recipes, Tips and Techniques for Delicious Healthy Meals by Jessie Price and the Eating Well Test Kitchen  Easy to prepare, health conscious and delicious meals for busy families. 

International
Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge: The Ultimate Guide to Mastery, with Authentic Recipes and Stories by Grace Young    Learn the elegant art of stir-fry along with recipes from multiple cuisines.

Single Subject 
Meat: A Kitchen Education by James Peterson  The author believes we should be eating less meat, but have more understanding about it's preparation and where it ultimately comes from. 

June Staff Picks

Charles Louis Bombled, La Gramophone, 1902

Posted by Staff

June is National Audiobook Month and we're celebrating by sharing some audio gems.  Our current recommendations focus on the narrators, the unsung heroes and heroines of the audio platform.  Quite a few of these narrators record numerous books, but these are standouts for our staff.

Sara S. & Evan E.: The Strain narrated by actor Ron Perlman; the legend of the vampire, modern and realistic.

Deanne H.:  Anything narrated by George Guidell - there are hundreds of records in our catalog!  He could read the phone book and I would probably listen.

Judy T.:  Davina Porter is pitch perfect and a joy to listen to as she narrates the Anne Perry mysteries.  The Thomas and Charlotte Pitt series is especially good.

 Susan C.:  Bag of Bones narrated by Stephen King.  When King narrates his own books, his voice hits the suspense and mystery perfectly!  No one else could have done it so effectively.

Alana T.:  The early Douglas Preston/Lincoln Childs Pendergast novels narrated by Scott Brick are great.  Brick captures Agent Pendergast's New Orleans aristocratic drawl perfectly and does a great job creating and maintaining the spookiness of each scene.

Susan C.:  Bag of Bones narrated by Stephen King.  When King narrates his own books, his voice hits the suspense and mystery perfectly!  No one else could have done it so effectively.

Amanda E.: Heather O'Neill narrates Denise Mina's Paddy Meehan books. A) Her accent is very pleasant to listen to & B) she makes the character male and female come to life in your mind's eye.

Cary H.: Any of Agatha Christie's stories narrated by Joan Hickson or Hugh Fraser!!  The both do accents and gender well and take you to the heart of the story -- for true Christie fans they are the best.

Jacob D.:  My favorites; Columbine narrated by Don Leslie,  Orson Scott Card's Ender series narrated by Stephan Rudnicki, and Assassination Vacation read by the author, Sara Vowell.

Lisa E.: Jim Dale narrated all 7 Harry Potter audiobooks and gave voices to all the wonderful characters J.K. Rowling created.  According to Jim Dale, there were over 250 speaking characters in the entire series.

Illustrator Spotlight: Yuyi Morales

image from Ladder to the Moon

Posted by Dani G.

This month's featured children's book illustrator is Yuyi Morales. After immigrating to the United States from  Mexico in 1994, Yuyi became inspired to create her own children's books when she was introduced to her local library. 

Image from Harvesting Hope

"From the books I borrowed, I learned how to make handmade-paper, and baskets, and how to bind books, carve rubber stamps, and build puppets and make them walk. But mostly I learned that everything I always wanted to learn, I could find it in a book. From books in the library, I fell in love with children's literature and their art. I awed at the sight of illustrations and studied picture book after picture book, wondering at how illustrators could bring such a magic to their work."

When she is not busy illustrating she enjoys Afro Brazilian dancing and making puppets. 

Image from Just a Minute

Request items illustrated by Yugi Morales here.  Visit her website for more information about her and her work.

Image from Just a Minute

Bookclub on the Blog: May Selection

Posted by the Edwardsville Public Library Bookclub

Posted by the Edwardsville Public Library Bookclub

This month's book was Stiff by Mary Roach. With the preponderance of forensics shows on TV, most of us have an idea of what happens to a body after death.  But how close to the truth are we, really?  In this book, the author describes the wide of variety of uses of cadavers donated to science.  Covering topics like ballistics testing, medical experimentation and plane crash investigations, the author presents the information with a balance of humor and seriousness. 

Comments from bookclub members:
"Lots of interesting factual information!  Thoroughly enjoyed reading this book."

"Very blunt.  Nice style of writing.  Very interesting and scientific."

"If you're interested in what happens to your body ofter you die, you may want to read this book.  Informative and at times humorous, as well as honest."

"Liked the authors sense of humor, but thought the book read too much like a text book.  I didn't finish it."

"I loved the author's writing style - kept the subject matter from being overwhelming.  This book will make you think about your will.  Also, forget about your seat cushion as a flotation device - not going to happen!"

Next month's selection is Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier.  Join us June 13 @ 7 PM for snacks and a lively discussion!