Blog Post
Baby Bits - NEW !
by ryanikoglu
NEW Books that are perfect for baby lap-reads are The Busy Little Squirrel by Nancy Tafuri; So Sleepy Story by Uri Shulevitz; and A Good Day by Kevin Henkes. They show pictures that baby sees in her world. They have words that sound lovely to say and use and repeat from the driver's seat.
Blog Post
Toddler Bits - Kittens
by ryanikoglu
Nothing cuter than Toddlers and Kittens ... well a few things just as cute. Anyway, if you like kittens and have a toddler at home, try these NEW books out. Kittens! Kittens! Kittens! by Susan Meyers and illustrated by David Walker; and Nini Here And There by Anita Lobel. Meow!
Blog Post
One of the "Merry Pranksters"
by Maxine
Ken Kesey, novelist known as one of the the Merry Pranksters was born on this day, September 17, 1935 in La Junta, Colorado. When he was a student at Stanford, he took part in a VA experiment which was his introduction to a psychedelic drug called LSD. The experience changed his life and he became fascinated with the concepts of sanity and insanity. He took a job as a night attendant at a psychiatric ward which inspired his most famous book, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest which later became a movie starring Jack Nicholson as the infamous McMurphy.
Kesey was an inspiration to a whole generation of counter-cultural activists with his famous bus tour on the "Further," the name of the Prankster's bus. This journey inspired Tom Wolfe to write The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test. Kesey's second novel, Sometimes a Great Notion about a lumberworkers'strike on the Oregon coast was probably of greater literary merit but not as successful as Cuckoo's Nest.
Blog Post
Exploring Anxiety
by Sancho Panza
A few months ago, I read a fascinating book by Allen Shawn, brother of the actor and playwright Wallace Shawn, called Wish I Could Be There: Notes from a Phobic Life. Though a successful professor and composer, Shawn faces debilitating anxiety when crossing bridges, walking across parking lots, navigating shopping malls, and generally encountering new situations. Despite his ability to intellectually comprehend his predicament, Shawn remains, to some extent, ensnared by his fears.
Do these limitations imposed by anxiety and fear sound familiar? Next Tuesday, September 25 in the Downtown Library’s Multipurpose Room, Bright Nights Community Forum will attempt to explore anxiety disorders such as Shawn’s, and perhaps offer some relief. A panel of medical professionals from UM’s Depression Center will discuss recent findings related to anxiety, panic and phobia, and how these conditions relate to depression. Following the talk, there will be an opportunity for the audience to ask questions.
Blog Post
Kid Bits - New Babies in the Family
by ryanikoglu
Is a new baby arriving at your house? Brothers and Sisters can prepare with these titles. Now We Have A Baby; What Baby Needs; Just Add One Chinese Sister; What To Expect When The New Baby Comes Home; and Peter's Chair.
Blog Post
New Arabic books for children!
by Tara LS
Soon to be arriving at the branches, there will be many new Arabic books for children. Many of these books are especially good for children (or anyone) learning Arabic as they have the vowel marks (tashkeel) on every word to aid in recognition and understanding. There will be board books, dictionaries, picture books and kits which will contain a book and a CD or cassette. The selection varies from branch to branch so check out the youth foreign language collection in the youth department on the first floor of the downtown library or in the foreign language collection at any of the branches. Any questions, comments or suggestions about Arabic books or any other foreign languages, please e-mail stantont@aadl.org
Blog Post
Robert Jordan (James Oliver Rigney, Jr) 1948 - 2007
by N3RD
Best known for his Wheel of time series Robert Jordan passed away on Sunday at the age of 58.
Since early 2006 friends and fans have followed his battle with cardiac amyloidosis on his fan blog.
Robert had the first book of the wheel of time “The Eye of the World” published in 1990 and fans have been following the adventures of Rand al'Thor, Matrim Cauthon and Perrin Aybara.
For over 15 years. Although knowing that his time was short Robert was confident that “A Memory of Light” the final book (12) in the wheel of time series would be finished. The status of “A Memory of Light” is at present unknown.
Blog Post
2007 Quill Book Awards Announced
by kidlit
The 2007 Quill Book Awards were recently announced. The Quills recognize books in a variety of categories. Titles are first nominated by a panel of editors from Publisher's Weekly and then voted on by the public.
There were three categories for children's books.
Flotsam by David Wiesner won in the Picture Book category. This title also won the 2007 Caldecott Medal. It is the story of a camera that washes up on a beach and reveals many wondrous sights.
In the Children's Chapter Book/Middle Grade category the award went to Brian Selznick's The Invention of Hugo Cabret. This book is half narrative, half graphic novel. It's almost like watching a silent movie.
Sold by Patricia McCormick won the Young Adult/Teen award. Written in free verse, this is the story of a 13-year-old girl who is sold into prostitution in India.
Blog Post
It Rhymes With Lust
by anned
And it's not a euphemism. It's Rust Masson. This voluptuous vixen has a lust for power that will destroy anyone who gets in her way. In 1950, Arnold Drake and Leslie Waller collaborated under the pen name Drake Waller to write what many consider to be the first graphic novel: It Rhymes With Lust. Their aim was to create a sophisticated, novel-length comic tailored to their peers. The result was pulpy noir masterfully done and advertised as Picture Novels . Matt Baker's illustrations are simply beautiful. Ray Osrin did some wonderful things with half-tones to show atmospheric perspective and to draw your attention to the main focus of the scene. Lucky for us that Dark Horse released this replica edition.
Blog Post
September Books To Films
by muffy
This month, two former UM professors will see their literary works captured on the silver screen.
The film version of The Feast of Love (2000), an award-winner novel by Charles Baxter is described by critics as ” a kaleidoscopic ode to life and love in all its funny, sad, sexy, crazy, heartbreaking and life sustaining facets”. The book’s original setting in Ann Arbor is regrettably changed to that of a small community in Oregon. (More on the movie).
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (1983) by Ron Hansen is the basis for a film adaptation, starring Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck. The novel, a PEN/Faulkner Award nominee, delves into the private lives of America’s most notorious outlaw and his unlikely assassin to offer a new perspective on a legend and address the question of what really may have transpired in the months before that infamous shooting.
Other September releases:
The adaptation of Silk, by Alessandro Baricco (1997) will be released Sept. 21, starring Keira Knightley, Michael Pitt, and Sei Ashina.
In the mid 19th century, a silkworm merchant travels from France to Japan to locate silkworm eggs that are uncontaminated by an epidemic, and falls in love with the concubine of a Japanese baron.
On the same date, expect a rush at the theaters for the release of Into the Wild , - about a young man who leaves his middle class existence for a life of adventure in the North American wilderness. The film is based on the bestseller (1996) by Jon Krakauer.