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Learn How To Host Your Own Book Discussion: Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Reads: "The New Jim Crow" Book Discussion Training

by hillary dorwart

Sunday, January 13, 2013: 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm -- Malletts Creek Branch: Program Room AB

Are you interested is planning and hosting an Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Reads book discussion for your school or community? This year's theme is 'Understanding Race' and the book for 2013 is The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration In The Age Of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander.

Representatives from the Understanding RACE Project will lead this workshop, presenting tips and tools for leading a discussion of the theme of Race and this award-winning book.

This event is for adults and teens (grade 9 and up).

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On This Day In History--January 12th: Jack London was born in 1876

by nicole

Jack London was born John Griffith Chaney on January 12th, 1876 in San Francisco, CA. An author, journalist, and activist, he was one of the first fiction authors to make a large fortune off of his works and to gain worldwide fame for his writing. His most popular works include Call of the Wild and White Fang, which are available in AADL's collection, along with many of his other works. Call of the Wild and White Fang were also adapted into films.

He died on November 22nd, 1916 in Glen Ellen, CA from what may have been kidney stones.

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Books in the Oscar Spotlight

by SaraP

The 2013 Academy Award nominations have been decided and it's clear that movies based on books are garnering a lot of attention this year. But which books will prove they are oscar-movie-making material? Many of the award categories have multiple book-based films running against each other. Best Picture nominees alone include Argo, Les Miserables, Life of Pi, Lincoln, and Silver Linings Playbook. That's some tough competition! How do you compare, Argo (a secret-ops/hollywood masquerade movie) with, say, Les Miserables (a musical version of Hugo's historical epic)? The selection of book adaptations on the ballot offers book-to-movie lovers a variety of genres to choose from. If CIA rescues and revolutionary France aren't your cup of tea, perhaps revisiting the timeless fairy tale, Snow White, sounds more appealing. The brothers Grimm classic is working double-time this year, with two separately produced films, Mirror Mirror and Snow White and the Huntsman, both appearing in the list of nominees.

2013 Oscar nominated movies based on books:

  • Anna Karenina - based on Anna Karenina, by Leo Tolstoy
  • Argo - based on Argo, by Antonio J. Mendez
  • The Hobbit - based on The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien
  • Les Miserables - based on Les Miserables, by Victor Hugo
  • Life of Pi - based on Life of Pi, by Yann Marel
  • Lincoln - based on Team of Rivals, by Doris Kearns Goodwin
  • "Mirror Mirror" & "Snow White and the Huntsman" - both films are based on Snow White, by the Brothers Grimm
  • Silver Linings Playbook - based on The Silver Linings Playbook, by Matthew Quick
  • The Sessions is not based on a book technically. However, it is based on a short work published by Mark O'Brien in The Sun Magazine.
  • Last, but certainly not least, Skyfall is not based on a single work, like many of the other Bond films, but is nonetheless derived from the Bond series by Ian Fleming.

    For a complete look at Oscar nominees click here.

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    Blog Post

    Made in Detroit

    by schoenbaechlere

    It may (or may not) surprise you to learn that the last time a comprehensive travel guide covering the city of Detroit was published was sometime in the 1970s. The city had at least 800,000 more residents and Coleman A. Young was still in the earliest phase of his mayoral tenure. Fast forward to 2012 when 3 Detroit residents (and University of Michigan grads) put the finishing touches on their newest endeavor and publish Belle Isle to 8 Mile: An Insider’s Guide to Detroit. Andy, Emily and Rob Linn take us to every corner of the 139 square miles which make up the city of Detroit, introducing readers to the well-known, as well as the unknown.

    Belle Isle to 8 Mile will be a great resource for everyone – from first-time visitors to regulars (and even some long-time residents). Grab a copy and plan your next Detroit adventure!

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    YPT: "Fiddler on the Roof"

    by annevm

    Young Peoples Theater is staging Fiddler on the Roof Jan. 10-13 at U-M Lydia Mendelssohn Theater. The show is based on the book by Joseph Stein with lyrics by Sheldon Harnick and music by Jerry Block. Ticket information is here

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    Happy Birthday, Amelia Bedelia!

    by kidlit

    It's hard to believe that the maid who takes everything literally is 50 years old.
    Peggy Parish, the original author of the Amelia Bedelia books, was a third grade teacher
    in Manhattan. She often shared loving anecdotes about her students' vocabulary mix-ups.
    Isn't it funny when some idioms and phrases are taken literally? Amelia Bedelia was published in 1963.
    Ms. Parish wrote 12 Amelia books before her death in 1988. Her nephew, Herman Parish, has
    been writing them since then.
    In honor of the anniversary a reprint of the original title will be re-issued on January 29th.
    And there will be two Amelia Bedelia chapter books coming out later this month as well. Those are on order at the Library.

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    Amazon Teen Bestsellers: Life of Pi and The Hobbit

    by annevm

    If you check out the Amazon Best Sellers in Teen Books you'll see #5 is The Hobbit, by J.R.R Tolkien and #7 is Life of Pi by Yann Martel. I'm thinking that the popularity of these books on teens' Kindles may be fueled by their having seen the two new-ish movies by the same titles and then deciding to read the books. Hurray for reading the books!

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    Create a Custom Hardcover E-Reader Case

    by Caser

    Monday, January 7 | 7 - 8 pm | Traverwood | Grades 6 - Adult

    Are you an e-reader owner who still loves the feel of a good old book in your hands? Bring your e-reader to the Traverwood branch on Monday, January 7 from 7 - 8pm, and create a custom case for your device out of a recycled hardcover book. We will provide the tools and supplies, all you need is your e-reader so that you can find a book cover that fits it. Then, decorate your e-reader case after it is assembled!

    This event is for adults and teens (grade 6 and up).

    For more crafty ideas, check out these books from the AADL.

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    On This Day In History--January 4th: Jacob Grimm was born in 1785

    by nicole

    Jacob Grimm, eldest of the famous storytelling duo The Brothers Grimm, was born on January 4th, 1785 in Hanau, Germany. He and his younger brother Wilhelm were mythologists, linguists, and authors of hundreds of folktales. They also collected and revised many traditional German folktales, believing the stories to be great expressions of German culture and literature.

    Some of their most famous works include stories that are still highly popular and well-known today, like Snow White, Rapunzel, Hansel and Gretel, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty. Though many versions of their stories exist today, the original Grimm fairy tales contained common themes of violence and brutality. For instance, at the close of the original Snow White, the evil queen is forced into iron shoes and made to dance until she drops dead. Seen as inappropriate for children, their stories weren't very popular when they were first published, but the brothers worked to make them more child-friendly as they produced newer editions, and their popularity grew.

    Many of their stories can be found in AADL’s Fairytales and Folklore collection, including ones that have been re-written, re-told, or re-interpreted by other cultures. Some, like Snow White, Cinderella, and Rapunzel have been made into popular movies, as well as operas and ballets. The Grimm Brothers and their lives were the subjects of a fantasy film in 2005.

    Related Posts:
    200th Anniversary of Grimm's Fairy Tales
    Two Tales "Dark and Grimm"

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    January is Hot Tea Month

    by yugure

    Is there anything better than a cup of hot tea on a cold, snowy day? (Besides hot chocolate, that is!) January is Hot Tea Month, so celebrate by brewing up a pot and reading about this perennial favorite drink.

    Culinary Tea: More than 150 Recipes Steeped in Tradition from Around the World
    Liquid Jade: The Story of Tea from East to West
    The Story of Tea: A Cultural History and Drinking Guide
    Tea Chings: The Tea and Herb Companion

    If you're looking for something fun for your little ones to do during vacation or on snow days, how about throwing a tea party? Check out Fancy Nancy Tea Parties or Come to Tea! for tips, games, and menus, and if you feel inspired, throw a tea party for yourself with Victoria, the Essential Tea Companion!