Less freak, more economics?

Sun, 01/22/2006 - 12:45pm by carbonear

If you liked Freakonomics, try The Undercover Economist. Subtitled "Exposing why the rich are rich, the poor are poor, and you can never buy a decent used car," this book by Tim Harford seems a bit -- but just a bit -- more hardcore than Levitt's book.

Of course, my metric is how hard one is to read right before I go to sleep compared to the other. It probably wouldn't stand up to the scrutiny of either economist.

In any case, if you'd like to find out how you might avoid self-selecting a higher price for essentially the same items, Harford has the answer: the price of lower prices is eternal vigilance. Take that, marketers!

Finals are just around the corner..

Sat, 01/21/2006 - 11:45am by Edith Wharton

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And we want to remind you the Downtown public library has both group study spaces and personal study areas that are quiet and perfect for final test preparation. There are snack and drink machines on the second floor for break-time, and librarians that can help if you come upon a conundrum.

Inspiring Stories

Fri, 01/20/2006 - 6:54pm by Maxine

On Martin Luther King Day, I had the privilege to hear the two doctors and one dentist who make up The Pact and wrote the book by the same name. Sampson Davis, George Jenkins and Rameck Hunt grew up in Newark, New Jersey and never in their wildest dreams thought they'd be doctors or dentists. But the opportunity came to attend Seton Hall University and then medical and dental school. In their book, they describe the hard times in their childhood and teenage years and the thin line they walked to steer clear of drugs and other temptations. It was only in forming "the pact," a tight bond of friendship and support, that they were able to make it through. All three of them are now practicing medicine and dentistry in the Newark area. They also have formed a foundation to support inner city youth and their families and to provide scholarships for aspiring college students.

Their second book, We Beat the Street, jointly written with Sharon Draper, tells the same story but is directed more to middle and high school students. Following stories of each individual's challenges, the three offer advice to young people who are on the brink of making those same choices.

Both are inspirational and important books.

Booklist names its Top of the List for 2005

Fri, 01/20/2006 - 4:53pm by sernabad

Booklist, one of the most prestigious reviewing sources used by librarians and booksellers in book selection, has announced its 16th annual Top of the List choices for 2005.

The winners and their categories are:

Adult Fiction
The March, by E.L. Doctorow

Adult Nonfiction
American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin

Youth Fiction
Elsewhere, by Gabrielle Zevin (this also won in the Young Adult category for the 2005 Borders Original Voices Awards – see below)

Youth Nonfiction
Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler’s Shadow, by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

Youth Picture Book
Michael Rosen’s Sad Book, by Michael Rosen (illustrated by Quentin Blake)

Reference Source
Encyclopedia of Religion, edited by Lindsay Jones

Video & DVD
Einstein’s Big Idea

Audio
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, written by Susanna Clarke, and narrated by Simon Prebble

Booklist is published by the American Library Association.

Baby Bits: Are You Reading?

Fri, 01/20/2006 - 4:12pm by ryanikoglu

Babies love to listen to Your Voice. Start reading (or singing) with I Love You A Bushel And A Peck; Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed; Jiggle Joggle Jee; and Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear. Rhythm and Rhymes are fun enough to read over, and over, and over...

Borders announces the winners of its 2005 Original Voices Awards

Fri, 01/20/2006 - 4:09pm by sernabad

Yesterday Borders Books and Music announced the winners in its 9th annual Original Voices Awards. The mega bookstore chain bestows $5000 on each of the winners in five categories. The members of the selection process are all Borders employees, both store and Corporate. Their mission is to recognize writers and musicians for…”their outstanding achievement in crafting creative original books and music.” (The music category was just added this year.)

The categories and their winners are:

Fiction
Nicole Krauss for The History of Love

Nonfiction
Emma Larkin for Finding George Orwell in Burma

Children’s picture book
Robb Scotton for Russell the Sheep

Young Adult
Gabrielle Zevin for Elsewhere

Music
Madeleine Peyroux for Careless Love

All recipients will be honored at the Book Expo America convention in Washington, D.C. in May.

Family Bits: Retro Read

Fri, 01/20/2006 - 3:08pm by ryanikoglu

The Penderwicks is a fun family read aloud, if you are looking for a story of innocence, of four loving sisters, a gentle father, the boy next door, some pets, and a summer's adventure. This book won the National Book Award 2005 for Jeanne Birdsall.

Dr. W. Scott Westerman Jr. to Speak on No Child Left Behind

Fri, 01/20/2006 - 1:07pm by Van

Dr. Westerman will speak Tuesday, January 24, at 7:00 p.m. in the Downtown Library Multi-purpose Room. Please come to learn about the No Child Left Behind Act.

For further reflections on this legislation, consult these books:

America’s Failing Schools: How Parents and Educators Can Cope with No Child Left Behind by W. James Popham
Leave No Child Behind: Preparing Today’s Youth for Tomorrow’s World by J. P. Comer
Many Children Left Behind: How the No Child Left Behind Act is Damaging Our Children and Our Schools edited by Deborah Meier and George Wood
Saving Our Schools: the Case for Public Education: Saying No to “No Child Left Behind” edited by Ken Goodman
What Every Teacher Should Know about No Child Left Behind by Nathan Essex

The Play Ground

Fri, 01/20/2006 - 9:33am by Albert

Even The Play Ground has to venture outside once and a while in the winter. Put on your long underwear for the 24th Annual Plymouth International Ice Sculpture Spectacular. Professional, hobby and student ice carvers display their work in this family friendly extravaganza that draws about a half a million visitors each year. Light show begins at dusk. Kellogg Park in downtown Plymouth. It's a lot closer than The Snow Show in Lapland.

Falling into a Million Little Pieces

Sun, 01/15/2006 - 1:03pm by amy

James Frey admitted last week that he fabricated parts of his best-selling memoir A Million Little Pieces. His publisher didn't mind. Oprah didn't mind (Frey's book was recently chosen for Oprah's Book Club). And during an appearance on Larry King, Frey suggested that fabricating personal history is an accepted American literary tradition in the manner of Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Bukowski and Keruoac. Do you agree? If not, are you still planning to read the book or will you be canceling your hold?