Blog Post
African Lit 101
by wheloc
Interested in African literature (that is, novels by people from Africa about people in Africa)? The following should get you started:
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe (Nigeria)
Xala by Ousmane Sembène (Senegal)
A Grain of Wheat by Ngugi wa Thiong'o (Kenya)
The House of Hunger by Dambudzo Marechera (Zimbabwe/Rhodesia)
Butterfly Burning by Yvonne Vera (Zimbabwe)
A Sleepwalking Land by Mia Couto (Mozambique)
The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born by Ayi Kwei Armah (Ghana)
The Famished Road by Ben Okri (Nigeria)
Blog Post
Elizabeth Jolley, champion of oddball characters, has died
by sernabad
Novelist Elizabeth Jolley, born in England in 1923 and a resident of Australia since 1959, died February 13, 2007.
Ms. Jolley was first published late in life, when she was in her 1950s. Her dark novels, often described as Australian gothic, showcased society’s marginal characters. Loners, quiet murderers, and eccentric senior citizens were found within her pages. Her body of work included:
Miss Peabody’s Inheritance (1984)
Mr. Scobie’s Riddle (1987)
Milk and Honey (1984)
Ms. Jolley was 83.
Blog Post
Geisha
by ryanikoglu
Do Geisha fascinate you? Did you read and enjoy Memoirs Of A Geisha by Arthur Golden? You may also enjoy Geisha by Liza Dalby, an American who had the unique experience of living and training with Japanese Geisha and wrote this book; or Autobiography of a Geisha by Sayo Masuda. Then check out Secret Life Of Geisha, a documentary DVD on geisha that includes interviews with Golden and Dalby.
Blog Post
What would we do without them?
by Maxine
Did you know that on April 10, 1849, Walter Hunt, also the inventor of the sewing machine, patented the safety pin? Thinking it wasn't worth much, he sold the patent for $400. What would we do about torn hems and missing buttons without them?
For some interesting reading on objects we take for granted, information on patents and some wacky inventions, try these titles from our collection:
The Evolution of Useful Things by Henry Petroski
Inventor's Guide to Trademarks and Patents by Craig Fellenstein and
Big Bento Book of Unuseless Japanese Inventions by Kenji Kawakami.
Blog Post
Calling all bibliophiles
by StoryLaura
There is a free event on Tuesday, April 17 at 7:30 p.m. at the Arbor Women's City Club, 1830 Washtenaw Ave., for teachers, parents, grandparents and book lovers. "LANGUAGE, LEARNING, AND LIFE LESSONS: How four readers became writers for young people" is an opportunity to hear authors Shutta Crum, Nancy Shaw, Carol Stepanchuk, and Hope Vestergaard share their personal perspectives and suggestions on exploring and using a world of books. The American Association of University Women is opening their meeting for all to discover the writing magic.
Blog Post
Avatar @ Animanga Club Thursday, April 12!
by erin
What's the coolest type of air bending? Join us this Thursday @ the Northeast Branch from 7-8:30 as we discuss an American spin on anime, Avatar The Last Airbender. We'll watch the DVD of Book 1: Water. Not a fan of Avatar? Come anyway! You can talk about ANYTHING relating to anime, manga, Japan - etc. Snacks and drinks will also be served. See you there!
Blog Post
Expedition 15 Launch!
by anned
The launch of Expedition 15, the next crew to the International Space Station, is scheduled to takeoff today at 1:31PM (EDT) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. You can watch it live on NASA TV. On board will be the fifth space tourist to be launched into space, Charles Simonyi. He is President, CEO, and co-founder of International Software and worked for Microsoft from 1981 to 2002. While onboard ISS, Simonyi will be performing a series of experiments for the European Space Agency (ESA), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Hungarian Space Office.
In addition to paying $25,000,000 for his seat on the mission, Simonyi is bringing a six-course meal to share with the crew. The food was selected by close friend Martha Stewart (who is reportedly dating Simonyi). You can visit Simonyi’s website to keep track of his progress.
Blog Post
Michael Dibdin, author the Aurelio Zen mysteries, has died
by sernabad
Michael Dibdin, prolific and hard-to-pigeonhole mystery writer, best known for his Aurelio Zen mysteries, died March 30, 2007, in Seattle.
Born in England, Dibdin’s popular series of the Italian Police Commissioner, Aurelio Zen, charmed its readers with its skewering of Italian politics and its unbeatable mix of complicated plots and underscored humor. Ratking was the first in the series. Number 10, Back to Bologna, came out last year. His 11th, and final, Aurelio Zen book, End Games will be published posthumously this fall.
Dibdin kept the critics hopping with his other books which were darker and more cynical.
Dibdin, married to the crime writer, K.K. Beck, was 60.
Blog Post
Fabulous Fiction Firsts #58
by muffy
Michael Wallner’s, debut novel April in Paris*, is a thrilling read.
The story begins in the summer of 1943, in German occupied Paris. Roth, a 22 year-old German corporal, fluent in French, is newly assigned to the SS headquarters to translate the confessions of the local Resistance fighters caught and tortured. In the evenings, he takes to wandering the city disguised as “Monsieur Antoine” a Frenchman, and meets up with Chantal, a bookseller's daughter who is connected to the Resistance.
When a bomb at a club kills several high-ranking German officers, Chantal disappears, leaving Roth as suspect in the hands of the SS, and his future very grim.
Realistic and suspenseful, with authentic period details of war-torn Paris, this love story of two decent individuals finding each other in the wrong place and at a difficult time will move you and keep you hoping for a happy ending.
Michael Wallner is an actor and screenwriter. He divides his time between Berlin and the Black Forest. The book is translated from the German by John Cullen.
* = Starred Review
Blog Post
Baby Bits - Dance Into April !
by ryanikoglu
Join us at Malletts Creek Branch Library on Saturday, April 7, at 11:00 am for Mother Goose Singing and Dancing Games with musicians "Miss Sara" Melton-Keller and "Banjo Betsy" Beckerman.
Every year, April means Dancing Babies at the Library.
Dancing Babies celebrates "Month of the Young Child" AND the Library's partnership with First Steps Washtenaw. Both organizations care deeply about young families and early literacy. Come and lift your knees to the notes.