Ages 18+.
Amazon dvd picks for 2006
by Maxine
Following are a few titles of dvd's on Amazon's Best Dvd's of 2006 list (their choices) that we own at the Library. Check them out.
Little Britain, according to Amazon is "the reigning king of UK comedy." We have the first series and the second is out. Full of quirky, endearing characters like Vicky who is adept at butchering the English language and Andy who sits in a whellchair but can really walk just fine. Amazon says,"Little Britain presents the breathtaking debris of modern life in all its glory."
Thank You for Smoking is an irreverent look at the tobacco industry. Aaron Eckhart stars as the spin doctor for Big Tobacco while also trying to be a role model for his twelve year old son. William H. Macy plays a self-righteous senator bent on destroying the tobacco industry. Hilarious, off-beat and thought provoking, it's one of those movies you'll either love or hate.
The Best of Youth is an Italian film that has won numerous awards. It's the story of two brothers, Nicola and Matteo, who begin their life of activism when they rescue a young girl who has been in an asylum. The film spans the period from 1966 to 2000 and chronicles the unrest of the period through the lives of these two brothers, their romantic liaisons and political alliances. Called a masterpiece by many, the film which is six hours long, is not to be missed by lovers of great cinema.
Love it or have it...
by RiponGood
What do you get when a leper, with a White Gold wedding ring enters the Land? The Chronicles of Thomas Convenant by Stephen R. Donaldson. Right now, I'm in the process of completing Book 1, Lord Foul's Bane. In the story, Thomas Covenant, successful novelist is struck-down with leprosy, abandoned by his wife and society is cast into the Land, to either save or destroy it. Covenant, wielding his White Gold wedding ring, resembles one of the Land's former heros, Berek Halfhand. I have to admit, the first time I tried to read the book 20 years ago, I gave up. This time, I'm going to finish it, along with the rest of the series, The Illearth War and The Power That Preserves.
Planning Your New Barrier-free Garden
by MarilynG
Don’t let physical limitations prevent you from gardening. Make your garden grow using new methods. You have lots of options to consider such as window boxes, raised beds and vertical gardens. Check out our selection of books on accessible gardening including The Able Gardener, The Enabling Garden: Creating Barrier-free Gardens and Accessible Gardening For People With Physical Disabilities.
If you don’t have the ability or desire to create your own accessible garden, consider participating in the Discovery Garden, a part of Project Grow, where accessible gardens are available for use by seniors and wheelchair-bound gardeners.
Fabulous Fiction Firsts #83
by muffy
Sarah Addison Allen’s enchanting debut Garden Spells* is a real charmer.
Claire Waverley, never very good with people, lives alone in the family’s Queen Anne mansion, tending the garden that yields the edible flowers used in her successful catering business. These are no ordinary flowers, especially the ones that grow around the curious apple tree that flowers in the winter.
When Sydney, her sister who ran away as a teenager returns home to Bascom, NC with a young daughter in tow, Claire’s world is turned upside down, especially when their new neighbor, art professor Tyler Hughes, pursues her single-mindedly.
Adding to the spot-on rendering of sibling rivalry, family feuds, small town dynamics, are the delightful story of first loves and second chances; quirky, lovable characters; culinary alchemy; and the magic of place dipped in charm.
Magic Realism fans would know Alice Hoffman's Practical Magic (1995), but have you read Jennifer Cruise's The Unfortunate Miss Fortunes (2007)? Just two more suggestions to keep you totally spellbound.
* = Starred Reviews
Lolita
by jaegerla
Although it has always been considered a controversial book, you haven't read nothin' until you've read Lolita. It is the most beautifully written book of all time (in my opinion). The lyrical style of prose is a device used by Vladimir Nabokov to distract the reader from the sordid nature of the tale and to disguise the satire completely. Through what could be described as a sleight of hand trick, he lulls the reader under a complacent spell, ignoring what the narrator is saying and instead focusing on how lilting the speech itself is. It has been a highly contested book from all sides since its date of publication, with some arguing it is pornographic while others consider it above all other novels. If you are interested in hearing more about critics' reviews of the book, follow the links below.
National Review Critique
Atlantic Monthly Review
New York Times Review
Village Voice Review
And last but not least, if you would like to undertake a very interesting interpretation of the novel check out Reading Lolita in Tehran. While the main focus of the book is on Lolita, it also includes intriguing reviews on other novels (including The Great Gatsby, Pride and Prejudice, and Daisy Miller amongst others).
Spoiler Alert!
by anonymous
Can’t wait for the fall television season to begin? Looking forward to intrigue on Wisteria Lane? Romance at Seattle Grace? Adventure on a remote island? Can’t wait to know what happens? Check out spoilerfix.com. The website is one stop shopping for an episode by episode “sneak peak” of what “may happen” on Desperate Housewives, Grey’s Anatomy, Lost, and many other popular tv series. Be warned! If you don’t like knowing what is going to happen, not even a hint, this website isn’t for you.
History Bits - Birch Canoes
by ryanikoglu
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Birch bark canoes, longhouses, and the Potowatami Trail. Trust our library Dewy Decimal Numbers to carry you into Native American history by browsing collections around "970" (Europeans coming to the North American continent), "975" (Native American cultures), and "978" (Western Expansion).
Fabulous Fiction Firsts #82
by muffy
The Chicago Way*, is a debut thriller by Michael Harvey, a Chicago-based attorney and the co-producer of the A&E award winning documentary Cold Case Files: The Most Infamous Cases (1998), which inspired the likes of CSI and Cold Case.
Michael Kelly, “the latest incarnation of Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe”, (Library Journal) is an ex-Chicago cop turned PI, “ with a taste for liquor, (and an) esoteric penchant for classical literature". When his former partner turned up dead after asking Michael for help on an 8 year-old rape case, and the local brass showed up at his door, Michael smelled cover-up, big time!
In this “… fast-paced thrill ride through Chicago's seedy underbelly” Harvey has created a tough, smart crime fighter (think Spenser and Sam Spade). What stand out in this first novel are not only Harvey's knowledge of forensics and his firm grip on criminal investigations, but also how Chicago is rendered in all its many moods and facets.
For another recent debut of note set in the Windy City, try Marcus Sakey's The Blade Itself
* = Starred Review
Behind the Tabloid Headlines
by Sis
The memoir Grace Will Lead Me Home by Robin Givens will take readers behind the headlines that questioned her troubled marriage to and subsequent divorce from heavy-weight boxing champion Mike Tyson. Ms. Givens delves into her own family history that includes domestic violence and father abandonment for three generations.
Even more new adult Chinese books!
by Tara LS
Here is a selection of more new Chinese books available at the library. Remember that selection varies from branch to branch. You can browse the shelves on the 3rd floor of the downtown branch or in the foreign language collection at the other branches. Questions, comments or suggestions, contact stantont@aadl.org
幸福, 不見不散 by 橘子著
印度墨 by c亦舒著
天使街23號 by 郭妮著
毛孔革命:漂亮肌膚的秘密 by 陳衍良
寂寞之歌 by 藤井樹著
姊姊的守護者/My sister's keeper
凶咒 by 解航著