Blog Post
New dvd releases from Amazon now at AADL
by Maxine
Following are descriptions of four new dvds listed on Amazon's "New Releases" which are now available at the Library. Get your name on the hold list!
Spiderwick Chronicles- An excellent adaptation of the series by Holly Black and Tony DiTerllizi in which boy twins and their mother move into a haunted house.
In Bruges. Colin Farrell and Ralph Fiennes star in this comedy of hitmen who are told to cool their heels after a major job but get into more trouble, incurring the wrath of their crime boss.
10,000 B.C.. The filmaker of Independence Day and The Day After Tomorrow makes another adventure saga in which a hunter sets out to rescue his beloved who's been kidnapped. Along the way, he faces a saber-toothed tiger and other dangers and ultimately, of course, proves a hero and gets the girl.
Definitely, Maybe is a a heartwarming romantic comedy about a father (Ryan Reynolds) who tells his daughter (Abigail Breslin) how he met her mother which leads to unexpected changes in the future.
Blog Post
Le Tour de France
by Caser
The world's largest cycling race, Le Tour de France, has begun again! This televised, 21 stage event will test the limits of international riders with over 2200 miles of picturesque -- albeit arduous -- French countryside for the next three weeks. The Tour began on July 5th, and the champion will be crowned on July 27th. If this year's race has you excited about bicycle racing then check out the AADL's collection of books and magazines on the sport of cycling.
Blog Post
American Earth: Environmental Writing Since Thoreau
by ballybeg
American Earth, a hefty collection of essays and poetry, reads like a who's who of the shining stars of the environmental movement. Such literary environmentalists as Wendell Berry and John Burroughs; contemporary foodies Barbara Kingsolver and Michael Pollan; poets Mary Oliver and Gary Snyder and activists John Muir, Julia Butterfly Hill and Cesar Chavez are represented, and join the voices of 92 other advocates for protecting and preserving the natural heritage of our planet. Edited by Bill McKibben, a prolific author and activist himself, this timely and thought-provoking book gives a picture of the long history and creativity of the environmental imagination. The range of material and diversity of authors - farmers, scientists, university professors, economists, singers, two presidents and one vice-president - means there is something here for everyone.
Blog Post
"A woman precedes me up the long rope...."
by Maxine
Today, June 27th, is the birthday of poet Lucille Clifton who was born in 1936 in Depew, New York. Clifton's first book, Good Times, was entered into a poetry competition by Robert Hayden, an acclaimed poet who taught at the University of Michigan. Clifton's poetry like that of other African-American poets of her time including Amiri Baraka and Sonia Sanchez described the lives of African Americans, using free verse and the cadences of language she heard around her. Later in her writing, she dealt with themes related to being a woman and described social conditions, always drawing from her own experience. Clifton is also well known for her books for children, especially those about her beloved character, Everett Anderson.
Blog Post
Hunting for Crayfish
by Caser
I remember very little from childhood, but some of the memories I've retained involve swimming in neighborhood creeks and rivers, and hunting for crayfish in the summer. When I moved to Ann Arbor last year, it was great to see so many canoes and kayaks on the Huron River, but surprising to see so few people swimming in the water. The Huron River Watershed Council has addressed this issue by working with local organizations to put on Huron River events, such as canoe races, group swims, and educational courses. The HRWC has also compiled resources and reports on its website regarding the increased safety of the water. You can also find the seasonal Huron River Report periodical, as well as several other books on activities in the Huron River available at the AADL. Come on in, the water is fine!
Blog Post
Carnegie Medal winner a riveting read
by Maxine
In Tamar, a compelling story of courage, love and betrayal, Mal Peet, winner of Britain's 2005 Carnegie Medal for the best children's and young adult books, takes us back and forth in time, from the Dutch resistance movement during World War II to the 1990's. Tamar, named by her grandfather who was a code breaker in Holland during the war, is shocked by his suicide and determined to solve the puzzle he's left her in some old maps. But the most exciting sections of the book take place in Holland where Tamar and Dart, both code breakers, try to organize the resistance in the most dangerous of circumstances with the Nazis on their heels at every moment. Add romance to this mix in the person of Marijke who is Tamar's love but also the object of Dart's passion. A tightly constructed plot with unrelenting suspense and sound characterization will hold you hostage till the last page.
Blog Post
June is National Dairy Month
by manz
But perhaps not everyone wishes to celebrate by consuming dairy. Perhaps there are moral or health reasons. So lets just say we can celebrate dairy or nondairy by consuming and acknowledging how great calcium and protein are, whether we get it via dairy or nondairy products. (Check here if you dare to compare.) There are many books about dairy and there are also books on how to live a dairy-free life.
Since it’s summer, my favorite way to take in soy is in smoothies! Whether it’s dairy or nondairy you desire, Earthen Jar has fabulous mango or strawberry banana lassis to hit the spot!
Blog Post
Navigating aadl.org
by iralax
Book clubs are for readers of all ages. The flowering of tween and teen lit offers many possibilities for terrific social and educational group activities. Whether your book group is for adults or adolescents, aadl.org has excellent books and data bases that will assist you in your quest for great reads. Just click on Research at the top of this page, choose Research Databases by Subject, then Arts & Literature to see what we have. You may also attend the June 24 1:30-3:00 pm program at Malletts Creek Branch, How to Get the Most from aadl.org to learn how to use our databases and several other user friendly features of our Website.
Blog Post
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
by Caser
An audiobook with 10+ discs will probably not come home with me. The problem is not in the writing, but in the reader/narrator. Few readers are dynamic enough to keep my interest for ten hours, so when I found an audiobook with multiple readers, I knew that someone had figured this out.
Jonathan Safran Foer's second novel, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, is told through several perspectives (a la Faulkner) and voiced through three excellent readers: Barbara Caruso, Richard Ferrone, and Jeff Woodsman. The story begins in New York City a few years after 9/11, where Oskar Schell, a nine-year-old with a penchant for inventions, tambourines, and Stephen Hawking, searches for the lock that fits the key he found hidden in his deceased father's closet. Essentially a tale of loss and recovery, Oskar's startling wit and cautious self-awareness make this a highly inviting listen. The novel is also available in our collection.
Blog Post
More Cool Reads for the 20somethings
by muffy
Now meet Kayleigh George, (also at HarperCollins) and check out her new zine The Roaring 20s: Quarterlife Lit for the Twentysomething Set - with a nice mix of genres and appeal.
"As a 20something, I can assure you— the 10 years between 20 and 30 are hectic, stressful, strange, and euphoric. The bottom line is that we're in the process of discovering who we are, and books are a great mirror to that experience. Within these pages is my own take on 20something lit—something for hipsters, English majors, girls who shop, poetry buffs, and 20somethings making their first foray into the sometimes unforgiving corporate world."