Ages 18+.
Blog Post
The Crime Of Padre Amaro
by french_film_grl
What do you get when you mix together; awesome acting, sensational scenery, and a controversial storyline...then throw in a pinch of pride, a cup of corruption, a tablespoon of tragedy, and a liter of lust?? You have the spicy dish of a movie, The Crime Of Padre Amaro.
Father Amaro, Gael Garcia Bernal, is a young priest sent to work in the small Mexican town of Los Reyes. Once there, he soon finds himself drawn to beautiful 16 year old waitress Amelia, Ana Claudia Talancón.
We can see Father Amaro's slide into temptation, and right away we know what is going to happen. There is no rope for him to grab onto, and frankly we wouldn't want to throw him the rope if we could. However, there is no forseeing the path he ultimately chooses to walk which, unfortuanely, includes a lifetime stroll down redemption lane.
There is no surprise that this sensational Mexican film was nominated as Best Foreign Language Film in 2002 by the Golden Globes and Academy Awards. The official FFG rating of this movie is a 10.
Blog Post
New Fiction Titles on the New York Times Best Sellers List (7/1/07)
by Mazie
Stephen King is at it again (and again). Years ago he wrote a few books under the pseudonym of Richard Bachman (in a rock n roll nod to the Bachman Turner Overdrive). Blaze is a revision of one of those books, written back before his alias "died" 22 years ago.
The only other new addition is Double Take by Catherine Coulter.
Click here for the entire List.
Blog Post
Happy Birthday, Lloyd Dobler!
by manz
Today is John Cusack’s birthday. You remember John Cusack, don’t you? His current flick showing in theaters now, 1408, is a thriller, but he’s best known for his fast talking charming characters in various romantic comedies and those unforgettable eighties flicks. His filmography is huge, here are some of my favorites available on DVD: Better Off Dead, One Crazy Summer, Say Anything, Grosse Pointe Blank, and Being John Malkovich.
Blog Post
New French books at the library
by Tara LS
Look for new French books on the shelf at all branches very soon marked with "NEW" stickers. The library just received many new French books. The selection includes:
Books by Francophone African authors:
Kiffe Kiffe Demain by Faiza Guene
La Retournee by Fawzia Zouari
Les Sirenes de Bagdad by Yasmina Khadra
Books translated from other languages:
La Maison aux esprits by Isabel Allende
Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
Le Zahir by Paulo Coelho
Other new French books include:
Impuretes by Philippe Djian
Plateforme by Michel Houellebecq
La ligne noire by Jean-Christophe Grange
Blog Post
Coal town blues
by Maxine
In her debut novel, When We Get There, Shauna Seliy describes the coming of age of 13 year old Lucas who in 1974 lives in one of the few remaining coal mining towns in Western Pennsylvania. His large Eastern European family is ruled by Lucas' grandmother, Slats. Lucas' father has recently died in a mining accident. His grief-stricken mother, Mirjana flees and Lucas goes off in search of her. Seliy's novel is a moving and authentic description of a vanishing culture and way of life and the maturation of a young man who faces his losses head on.
For two other novels that expose union busting by coal companies in Kentucky and West Virginia, try Denise Giardina's Storming Heaven and its sequel, An Unquiet Earth.
Blog Post
Literary Insights
by iottJen
With increasing life expectancy, family relationships may change over the course of many years. How can we make the most of these years and learn from the experience? Good books—both fiction and non-fiction—have a lot to say about family dynamics and aging. Gerontology educator and consultant Joanne Grabinski will address the topic in Aging and Family: Literary Insights on Sat., July 21 at 2 - 3:30 pm at the Malletts Creek Branch. Join the discussion and bring your own recommendations of helpful literature.
Blog Post
New Fiction on the New York Times Best Sellers List (6/24/07)
by Mazie
Ian McEwan has been one of my favorite authors from the start. His earliest novels were short and weird, with unsettling characters caught up in strange relationships and violence just lurking around the corner. McEwan was definitely an acquired taste but the brilliance of his prose won him early kudos and many fans. Through the years his work matured and he has written in the last few years what I consider some of the greatest fiction of his generation, culminating in the sublime Atonement. In On Chesil Beach, the time is the early Sixties and his naive honeymooners find confusion and unhappiness there instead of bliss.
The other new entries are The Harlequin by Hamilton, The Navigator by Cussler, The Last Summer (of You and Me) by Brashares, The Bourne Betrayal by Van Lustbader, The Sleeping Doll by Deaver, and Spare Change by Parker. What more proof do you need to know it is summer!
You can look at the entire List here.
Blog Post
Two Wheel Tango BIKE Experts!
by Bertha
Two Wheel Tango has recently been named the best bike store in Ann Arbor by many local publications. Check out their website for cool gear, cycling events, and bike maintenance classes.
They will be at the Downtown Library from 12 - 1pm on June 23rd. Check out gear, see a demo on quick and easy bike repairs, and ask questions from our local bike experts at the Two Wheel Tango.
A couple cycling books you might be interested in, Bicycling Magazine's New Cyclist Handbook or the Complete Bike Book
Blog Post
City of God
by french_film_grl
City Of God is a very interesting title for a movie that gives us a glimpse into a world of hell on earth. What I found most disturbing about this movie is that it is based on a true story. While I loved this movie for showing me a world I never knew existed, I simultaneously found myself in a state of agitation throughout the film. Watching this film was like watching a train wreck. I wanted to cover my eyes, but I could not turn them away. The setting for this film is a Brazilian ghetto filled with poverty, anarchy, crime, violence, and drug dealing. The youth running wild in the streets brought to mind the William Golding masterpiece "Lord of the Flies". Watch this movie for a jarring dose of reality, but be prepared for a raw shot of cinematography served straight up. The official FFG rating of this movie is a 10.
Blog Post
Innocent or guilty?
by Maxine
On June 20 in 1893, the verdict was announced in the trial of Lizzie Borden who was accused of murdering her father and stepmother with an ax. It was the first murder trial to be covered by the national media. All the evidence against Lizzie was circumstantial since no one had actually witnessed the murder and no weapon was found. All that could be proven was that Lizzie had been at the house at the time of the murder, had a lot of money to gain and that she had recently bought poison at a local pharmacy.
Lizzie was found innocent and no one else was ever tried for the murder. Even though the New York Times wrote that the trial had been cruel and unjust, there were many other writers of articles and books who still accused her of the murder and the trial has become an icon for sensationalized crime coverage to this day.