Fabulous Fiction Firsts #17

Fri, 04/21/2006 - 3:15pm by muffy

For Wendy Wasserstein fans, her passing this past January was deeply mourned. (Blog)

However, we could somehow feel a little comforted with the release of her first (and sadly also her last) novel The Elements of Style.

This dishy satire in the wake of 9/11, centers around Frankie Weissman, the down-to-earth pediatrician who treats the children of Manahattan's A-list, but is herself little affected by their excesses. Chock-full of shopping, private preschool worries, anxiety of maintaining a perfect image, or the scrambling simply to be top of the heap, “Wasserstein gets the trappings and tribulations of friendship and of romance right, making her depiction of the rich and fab trying to connect with one another witty and entertaining”. Enjoy.

Celebrate the opening of the first movie theater

Fri, 04/21/2006 - 11:49am by Maxine

On April 23, 1896, the first movie that was shown in a theater was seen at the Koster and Bials Music Hall in New York City. Until this time, people only saw films individually by using a kinetoscope.

Movies have dramatically changed over the years. As evidence, explore our diverse video and dvd collection including the dvd set, Treasures from American Film Archives, a four dvd set of fifty films that represent the breadth of American film making in its first one hundred years. Winner of the 2000 Film Heritage Award from the National Society of Film Critics and hailed by one critic as "...a bottomless bottle of blue tequila..," the series includes silent films, avant-garde works, documentaries and some of the earliest American films.

For books on film, read Adaptations: From Short Story to Big Screen by Stephanie Harrison about the process of converting thirty-five stories to the big screen including Chekhov, and Sherman Alexie's Smoke Signals. Genres from science fiction to social satire are covered. Harrison enlivens her text with quotes and anecdotes from writers, directors and actors.

Fabulous Fiction Firsts #16

Thu, 04/20/2006 - 8:16pm by muffy

Winner of the 1994 Swedish Crime Writer’s Academy Prize for Best Novel Borkmann’s Point (hint - it’s not a place) is Hakan Nesser’s the first Inspector Van Veeteren mystery to be translated into English.

In a measured pace and conversational tone, almost as serene as the small seaside town that he is summoned to, Chief Inspector Van Veeteren narrates the painstaking process of trying to find a serial ax-murderer. When the disappearance of his best detective coincides with discovery of the next victim, he worries that this case might join the only other unsolved one in his 30-year career.

This gripping and atmospheric whodunit will endear Van Veeteren to police procedural fans the world over. Let's hope the next one is already in the capable hands of the translator.

New Fiction Titles on the New York Times Best Sellers List (4/16/06)

Thu, 04/20/2006 - 1:20pm by Mazie

Easter week marked the return of three mystery favorites. Hats off to Jonathan Kellerman for grabbing the top spot from Dan Brown.

At #1 is Gone by Jonathan Kellerman: Alex Delaware investigates a murder that follows the disappearance of two acting students. P.S. Check out Sunstroke, the debut mystery by Kellerman's son Jesse.

At #7 is Tomb of the Golden Bird by Elizabeth Peters: the redoubtable Amelia Peabody gets caught up in the intigue swirling around the discovery of Tutankhamen's tomb in 1922.

At #15 is Dark Assassin by Anne Perry: another Victorian mystery with William Monk descending into the dark and deadly sewers of London to track a murderer.

A New Vision of Democracy

Wed, 04/19/2006 - 12:33pm by Maxine

In Democracy's Edge, Frances Moore Lappe, author of the groundbreaking Diet For A Small Planet, sets forth her analysis of our current political and social systems and encourages individuals to take responsibility for creating change. She looks at how, as a nation, we share more commonalities than differences, e.g. the quest for economic security, protection of our planet and principled government. Instead of feeling powerless, Lappe says, look to what you can do. She cites examples of some major changes to how our country is run including having a multi-party system. In seven states, the Working Families Party has instituted procedures so that candidates can be cross-endorsed on more than one ballot, a concept called fusion voting that can make voters' interests visible and influence candidates. Another project organized by a woman in Arizona has significantly affected campaign finance practices by having everyone in the state contribute $5 to a campaign. All are invested and candidates who don't have money now do. According to Lappe, it's the people, whether Republican or Democrat, who can join forces to combat corporate greed and out of control spending.

Both Frances and her daughter have formed The Small Planet Institute, an educational and research group that supports ongoing projects.

Muriel Spark, 1918-2006

Tue, 04/18/2006 - 8:22pm by sernabad

Muriel Spark, wonderfully prolific novelist, essayist, and poet, died April 13, in Italy.

Shaped by her conversion to Catholicism when she was 36, Ms. Spark wrote with an almost reportorial calmness, often spiced with dry wit, about the absurdities and tragedies of everyday life.

One of her most beloved books, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, was made into a play starring Vanessa Redgrave (in London) and Zoe Caldwell (Broadway); the latter won a Tony for her performance in 1968. A year later, Maggie Smith won an Oscar for the same role on the silver screen.

Ms. Spark was 88.

Owen Parry’s Abel Jones (Civil War Historical Mysteries)

Mon, 04/17/2006 - 12:22pm by Van

Abel Jones, Welsh immigrant, former sergeant with the British army in India, teetotalling Methodist, and bookkeeper for a coal company in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, has sworn off fighting and killing but finds himself compelled to help drill the hapless youths who have gathered to join the Union army. He ends up as their sergeant, is injured at Bull Run, becomes a clerk in the War Department, is recruited by General McClellan to investigate a soldier’s death, and the adventures begin.

His investigations provide wonderful commentary on the political, social, military, ethnic, and ethical background of the Civil War. Exciting, harrowing, humorous, and compulsively readable.

Series in order:
Faded Coat of Blue
Shadows of Glory
Call Each River Jordan
Honor’s Kingdom
Bold Sons of Erin
Rebels of Babylon

Fabulous Fiction Firsts #15

Fri, 04/14/2006 - 3:55pm by muffy

“Unexpected, unrehearsed, unconventional” – that’s how Meg Mullins describes the relationships between the main characters in her sparkling debut novel.

At the center of the story is Iranian Ushman Khan, The Rug Merchant. Middle-aged, and feeling abandoned by a wife who refuses to join him in New York, he runs a small rug store on Madison Avenue by day and endures a solitary existence. A chance meeting with a beautiful Barnard student during his nocturnal wanderings at JFK, blossoms into a serious affair.

Then, there is wealthy and demanding socialite Mrs. Roberts - one of his best customers, who seems to be reaching out to Ushman in the most unexpected way.

A quiet and complex novel of “many extraordinary pleasures”, Mullins's auspiciously wonderful debut is not to be missed. My bet is you will be hand-selling it to your friends. Reviews.

New Fiction Titles on the New York Times Best Sellers List (4/9/06)

Fri, 04/14/2006 - 11:51am by Mazie

It's hard to know what to say when the paperback version of a book is released and the hardcover moves back into the #1 position. And Dan Brown also won his British court case. Now everyone is waiting for the movie of the Da Vinci Code.

At #2 is Prior Bad Acts by Tami Hoag: another judge in jeopardy, this time in Minneapolis.

At #8 is The Secret Supper by Javier Sierra: another mystery starring Da Vinci, this time involving clues from his "Last Supper"

At #9 is A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore: for fans of Buffy and the supernatural, a San Francisco store owner becomes a Death Merchant who protects the souls of the recently dead.

At #15 is Intuition by Allegra Goodman: a literary novel exploring the work and lives of scientists at a cancer research institute that is rocked by allegations of a possible fraud.

Motivational consultant John Baldoni on Communication

Fri, 04/14/2006 - 9:53am by ulrich

You can view local business consultant and author John Baldoni discuss his book Great Communication Secrets of Great Leaders on local Community Televsion Cable Channel 17 on Tuesday, April 18 at 3:30 p.m.; Thursday, April 20 at 1:30 p.m.; Friday, April 21 at 5:00 p.m.; and Saturday, April 22 at 1:30 p.m. He presents an overview of communication styles, techniques and strategies useful for all who need to hone their communication skills. The books also uses illustrative material from notable leaders, both historical and contemporary. The program is also available on video for borrowing from the library. Baldoni is also the author of Great Motivation Secrets of Great Leaders and Personal Leadership: Taking Control of Your Work Life.