Writers recommend....

Tue, 11/07/2006 - 6:10pm by Maxine

The most recent book recommended in the "You must read this" feature on NPR is Tillie Olsen's Tell Me a Riddle. Scott Turow talks about the profound influence Olsen's novella had on him as a young writer in college. Other titles recently discussed on the program have been Pale Horse, Pale Rider by Katherine Anne Porter, recommended by Alice McDermott and Maud Martha, Gwendolyn Brooks' only work of fiction described as "indispensable" by Asali Solomon whose book of short stories, Get Down was recently published.

Shedding light on Happy Meals

Tue, 11/07/2006 - 1:40pm by K.C.

Many of us eat McDonald’s burgers and Chicken McNuggets and yet know very little about what we’re putting in our bodies. Chew on This! Everything You Don’t Want to Know about Fast Food shares what fast food industry officials would rather you not know about what’s in the food, what it does to the body, and about their campaign to lure children into a life long habit of fast food eating.

What if you ate nothing but fast food? Check out film director Morgan Spurlock's 2004 film, Super Size Me and see.

Clay -- Wierd & Scary or Dirt & Water?

Tue, 11/07/2006 - 1:01pm by erin

Clay by David Almond is the odd story of two teenage boys in England who get pulled into the disturbed world of the new boy in town. A boy who creates saints and creatures out of clay - with an eye on creating his own clay man to commit disturbing deeds. With a crazy aunt and a priest to round out the picture it's a typical David Almond tale. It left me a little cold and I would be interested in what others thought of it...

November New and Noteworthy

Sun, 11/05/2006 - 4:18pm by muffy

Margherita Dolce Vita* by Stefano Benni.
“An elegant little piece of dark comedy” by a prolific Italian author (FFF in translation). Wise and charismatic 15 yr.-old Margherita and her odd-ball family are transformed by their new neighbors from hell.

Harlem Girl Lost* by Treasure E. Blue.
A bright young woman fights her way out of the mean streets of New York, only to be drawn back in to save her man. A lurid, gripping debut and a self-publishing sensation.

Last Seen Leaving* by Kelly Braffet.
New Age spiritualist searches for her estranged daughter who has not been seen after being picked up by a stranger on a deserted highway, while a serial killer is on the loose. Gripping.

Love in a Fallen City* by Eileen Chang (Ailing Zhang).
Six vibrant stories depict life in post WWII China and bristle with equal parts passion and resentment.

Eifelheim* by Michael Flynn.
Young modern historian obsesses with the mysterious disappearance of a German village from all maps during the Black Death. The story intersects with the heartbreaking saga of stranded aliens from a distant star.

Vince and Joy* by Lisa Jewell.
Tired of all the heavy stuff around? Try this deliciously addictive read filled with London oddballs. First loves reunite after 17 years of miscommunication, disappointments and all the things life throw at you. Romantic.

The Sky People* by S.M. Stirling.
First of a new alternate history series with "broad-brush pulp sensibility". Space colonization and a classic love triangle.

The Orphan's Tales : In the night garden* by Catherynne Valente.
“A beautiful relayed, interlinked fairy tales” of magic, adventure, quests and murder, told by a mysterious young woman with tattoos around her eyelids. Think Sheherezade and the Arabian Nights.

Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall* by Bill Willingham.
Re-imagined new lives and backstories for fairyland citizens , the likes of Snow White and the Big Bad Wolf, now living as secret refugees in New York - probably the “smartest mainstream comics going”.

*= Starred Review(s)

The women behind poets dying young

Fri, 11/03/2006 - 9:40am by Maxine

I know Halloween overshadowed (no pun intended) everything on October 31, but we must also remember John Keats who was born on that day, as well as his cronies Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley. John Keats was born on October 31, 1795 and died an untimely death from tuberculosis on February 23, 1821. Shelley and Byron also died young, leaving only William Wordsworth, the father of the Romantic poets to live to a ripe old age.

A new novel, Passion by Jude Morgan looks at the lives of their wives and lovers including Mary Shelley and Fanny Brawne. Morgan's novel gives us a glimpse of early nineteenth century life where these women flouted the more rigid conventions of the time and created their own identities apart from the men they loved.

Youmacon is here!

Wed, 11/01/2006 - 8:48pm by joy k

Youmacon, “Metro Detroit's first and only anime con,” is being held this weekend, from November 3-5, 2006 at the Hilton Detroit/Troy. The full programming schedule has now been posted on the con web site. Be sure you don’t miss the featured guests, who include Caitlyn Glass, voice actress for Winry in Fullmetal Alchemist, and Matt Hill, voice actor for Kero in Cardcaptor Sakura.

Don’t worry if you missed pre-registration--on-site registration will be available!

Community service opportunity, Saturday, November 11

Wed, 11/01/2006 - 1:13pm by K.C.

Join Washtenaw Youth Mentoring Coalition to rake leaves for local senior citizens in need of help on November 11 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

To register, contact Jen Chapin-Smith of Ann Arbor CIL, by phone (734-971-0277 x23) or via e-mail (jchapin@aacil.org).

Comics Art Digital Coloring 101, Sunday, November 12

Tue, 10/31/2006 - 1:49pm by K.C.

Enjoy drawing your own comics and working on computers? This teens only program is for you. You’ll learn how to use Adobe Photoshop Elements 4.0 on Mac computers to clean up your art, fill in line work with colors and halftones, create cool lettering, prep the finished page for printing, and more.

Choose one of two sessions to attend [12:30-2:30 p.m. OR 3-5 p.m.]. Register by calling 327-8301 or stop by any information desk.

Vamp out for Animanga Club

Tue, 10/31/2006 - 8:11am by lola

Here comes another Animanga Club gathering. This time we’re meeting at Pittsfield branch on November 3 from 7:00 to 8:30 pm.

We’ll be talking about vampires and working on our Japanese culture knowledge. Stop by to make your own edible fangs and eat tons of Pocky. We are also making vampire wreaths complete with garlic and stakes to ward off vampires, and gothic chokers to spice up your wardrobe.

The laminator will be out again too if you need to make your manga into cool wall hangings.

Halloween Vampin'

Mon, 10/30/2006 - 12:42pm by erin

Tonight at the Malletts Creek branch from 6:30-8:30 or so we'll be making vampire protection wreaths and catching goblins in jars. Using all natural materials you'll leave with the perfect Halloween accessory! See you there.