Ages 18+.
Blog Post
September Books To Films
by muffy
This month, two former UM professors will see their literary works captured on the silver screen.
The film version of The Feast of Love (2000), an award-winner novel by Charles Baxter is described by critics as ” a kaleidoscopic ode to life and love in all its funny, sad, sexy, crazy, heartbreaking and life sustaining facets”. The book’s original setting in Ann Arbor is regrettably changed to that of a small community in Oregon. (More on the movie).
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (1983) by Ron Hansen is the basis for a film adaptation, starring Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck. The novel, a PEN/Faulkner Award nominee, delves into the private lives of America’s most notorious outlaw and his unlikely assassin to offer a new perspective on a legend and address the question of what really may have transpired in the months before that infamous shooting.
Other September releases:
The adaptation of Silk, by Alessandro Baricco (1997) will be released Sept. 21, starring Keira Knightley, Michael Pitt, and Sei Ashina.
In the mid 19th century, a silkworm merchant travels from France to Japan to locate silkworm eggs that are uncontaminated by an epidemic, and falls in love with the concubine of a Japanese baron.
On the same date, expect a rush at the theaters for the release of Into the Wild , - about a young man who leaves his middle class existence for a life of adventure in the North American wilderness. The film is based on the bestseller (1996) by Jon Krakauer.
Blog Post
The Answer is Octarine.
by RiponGood
The question is, "What is The Color of Magic that only wizards and cats can see?" Octarine is unique to the Discworld, a circular world supported four elephants, sitting on the back of Great A'Tuin, the star turtle, who swims its way through space. Terry Prachett has written a number of stories based on the Discworld. This story is primarily about three travellers, Rincewind the Wizard, Twoflower the tourist and Hrun the Barbarian, along with a magical travelling trunk. They run away for a variety of dangers including Bel-Shamharoth a H. P. Lovecraft inspired evil entity. The book has parodies of a variety of classic fantasy characters/themes and is a real hoot to read.
Blog Post
Fabulous Fiction First #86
by muffy
If you liked The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, or Andrew Greer's The Confessions of Max Tivoli, you would enjoy Camille DeAngelis' debut novel Mary Modern.
Though not strictly time travel, critics are calling it "imaginative, near-future, genre-bending" and "a literary mix of love story, s(cience)f(iction) and thriller".
The year is 2009. Frustrated geneticist Lucy Morrigan decides to clone her own grandmother when both academic tenure and pregnancy elude her. A blood-stained apron and her father's experimental equipment in the basement of the family home produces an indignant 22-year-old version of Lucy’s grandmother, Mary. While finding life in the 21st century challenging, Mary quickly adjusts, with the help of a little book called Everyday Life in the Twenty-First Century, penned by another mysterious time-traveler.
What Lucy does not anticipate is for her lived-in boyfriend, a classics professor to fall hopelessly for Mary. What is Lucy to do?
The plot-twists, competent characterization, and inventive storytelling will keep you turning pages. The religious-moral-ethical issues at the heart of the story would make this a good book group choice.
Blog Post
Wicked Lovely...
by erin
Lovers of fairies, and romance - mixed with some wickedness and ancient magical battles will eat up the new book, Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr. Seventeen year old Aislinn, who has the rare ability to see faeries, is drawn against her will into a centuries-old battle between the Summer King and Winter Queen, and the survival of her life, her love, and summer all hang in the balance. Check out all of the other great books on Fairies that AADL owns.
Blog Post
New Fiction on the New York Times Best Sellers List (9/16/07)
by Mazie
Back in the early 90s, I read an advance copy of a book by a new, unknown author. The title was Outlander and the author was Diana Gabaldon. The plain cover did not hint at the wonderful tale of adventure I was about to enjoy. The historical chronicle of Claire and Jamie and their travels through time and space continued through five more novels, picking up more and more fans along the way.
Several years ago the author took a slight break from the Outlander saga by introducing a mystery series starring one of its minor characters. Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade is the latest.
The other new entries are The Wheel of Darkness by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, Dark Possession by Christine Feehan, Bones to Ashes by Kathy Reichs, and The Elves of Cintra by Terry Brooks.
For a look at the rest of the list, click here.
Blog Post
More new Italian fiction
by Tara LS
More new Italian fiction:
"Il volo della farfalla" by Adriana Faranda
The story of a former member of the Marxist-Leninist Red Brigade terrorist group who paradoxically finds in prison, the freedom which she was deprived of for many years.
"Quattro giorni per non morire" by Marino Magliani
A thriller set between South America and the region of Liguria. A man who is doubly condemned, by illness and by prison, tries to escape.
"Fai di te la notte" by Giorgio Scianna
One evening after work, Clara decides not to come back home to her two children and husband as usual, but to change her path.
"Il mistero BonBon" by Sergio Staino
Philippe BonBon is a bon viveur, a man courted by women who belongs to the high class of French society. One day his wife and friends start to suspect him, maybe he has a double life, maybe he is a murderer
Blog Post
New Italian fiction for adults at the library
by Tara LS
New at all library branches in the foreign language collection, there will soon be a selection of modern Italian popular fiction.
Here are some of the new titles:
"La scoperta dell'alba" by Walter Veltroni
Written by the mayor of Rome, a rising political star often mentioned as a future prime minister, this book is the story of Giovanni Astengo, who is in his 40s and works for the State archives where he classifies the lives of people. His career-driven wife and beautiful children aren't enough to heal his wounded heart so he undertakes a search for the father who abandoned him as a child.
"La dama che amò due principi" by Gabriella Magrini
Set in medieval Japan, this is the true story of Izumi Shikibu, an extraordinary beautiful woman poet who lived at the Imperial Japanese Court.
"L'amica americana" by Margherita Oggero Camilla Baudino, a teacher, would love to buy the house in town with the lovely garden. She meets the owner, an intelligent woman with whom she starts a close friendship.
Blog Post
New Portugese books for adults at all branches
by Tara LS
New at all library branches in the foreign language collection, there will soon be a selection of modern Portuguese popular fiction. Put a hold on the books through the library catalog and have them delivered to the branch of your choice or browse the shelves for new books. If you have any questions, suggestions, comments on Portuguese titles or any foreign language books, please e-mail stantont@aadl.org.
Here is a selection of some of the new titles:
"Ilhas Contadal" by Helena Marques
"Requiem para o navegador solitario" by Luis Cardoso
"Combateremos a sombra" by Lídia Jorge
"O paraíso é bem bacana" by André Sant'Anna
"O pescador de girassois" by Antonio Santos
Blog Post
Ann Arbor Ypsilanti Reads 2008 To Focus On China
by TimG
The Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti area has a five-year history of successful community reads programs which encourage all of Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti to read one book. University, Library, bookstore and community representatives from both Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti have been planning Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Reads 2008 for several months.
In 2008, the program will encourage readers of all ages to explore the theme China and America: Bridging Two Worlds. A screening committee, which met throughout the summer, chose three titles for this year’s consideration:
Ha Jin, The Bridegroom: Stories. New York: Pantheon Books, 2000.
William Poy Lee, The Eighth Promise: An American Son's Tribute to His Toisanese Mother. Emmaus, Pa.: Rodale, c2007.
Anchee Min, Red Azalea. New York: Pantheon Books, 1994.
More information about these titles may be found on the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Reads website at aareads.org – and there is an opportunity for individuals to blog their comments for each title on that site. In late October, a selection committee will choose one of these titles to be the focus of the Read.
Blog Post
How Green Is Your Computer?
by MarilynG
Power consumption and sustainability methods being used locally were the focus of the 12th Annual University of Michigan Energy Fest. The Library’s Malletts Creek Branch’s green roof was highlighted. For suggestions on energy management and green computing, check out the web site of the host of the Energy Fest, the University of Michigan Utilities and Plant Engineering.