Rev. William Sloane Coffin, Jr., author and peace activist, 1924 - 2006

Thu, 04/13/2006 - 11:20am by sernabad

Rev. William Sloane Coffin, Jr. one of the most prominent anti-war voices of the last four decades, died April 12 of congestive heart failure.

Coffin, former chaplain at Yale University, gained prominence during the Vietnam War era with his tireless efforts to use the power of civil disobedience to end the war and to advocate for civil rights. He stood trial with Dr. Benjamin Spock and three others on conspiracy charges for their work with draft resisters; their conviction was later overturned on appeal.

Garry Trudeau immortalized Coffin as Rev. Sloan in the Doonesbury cartoon strip, and in 2004, Warren Goldstein captured Coffin's impact on both U.S. religion and politics in his significant biography, William Sloane Coffin, Jr.: A Holy Impatience.

An author in his own right (Once to Every Man: An Autobiography (1977); The Heart is a Little to the Left: Essays on Public Morality (1999); and Credo (2003), Coffin was 81.

Judas revisited

Wed, 04/12/2006 - 3:32pm by sernabad

Debate is raging over Judas' true role in Christianity. A 1,700 year old manuscript, vetted by scholars as genuine, has recently surfaced and seems to suggest that Jesus asked Judas to betray him, and warned Judas that he would be the ultimate scapegoat.

Tomorrow two ABC programs, Good Morning America and Nightline, will delve into controversy (some scholars feel this document is irrelevant; others claim it could rewrite religious history) by interviewing author James M. Robinson whose new book The Secrets of Judas: The Story of the Misunderstood Disciple and His Lost Gospel is sure to be in demand. The Ann Arbor District Library will order this title this month. Once it appears in the Library's catalog, you may place a hold on it.

Retro Octathalon, DDR, and Karaoke: This Weekend!

Tue, 04/11/2006 - 8:52am by eli

This Friday April 14, AADL-GT is proud to present the first ever Retro Octathalon, an 8-game tour of videogame history with prizes for high scorers of all ages! We'll start off with qualifying rounds for each age bracket, with kids qualifiers from 1-3 PM, Teen qualifiers from 3-6 PM, and Adult qualifiers from 6-8 PM. Players will cycle through all 8 games, and the top 3 scores in each age bracket will win cool Retro Nintendo prizes from Wizzywig.

From 8-9 PM, the top scorers from each age bracket will face off against each other for a shot at a gamestop giftcard: $40 for first place, $30 for second, and $20 for third. Adult qualifiers and the finals will also be broadcast live on Comcast channel 18, so tune in if you can't make it!

We'll also have all-ages DDR on Saturday, 4/15 from Noon - 3 and all-ages Karaoke Revolution on Saturday, 4/15 from 3-5, plus open play on Monday! Come to the downtown library for some great gaming this weekend, and read on for details...

The Silent Spring

Mon, 04/10/2006 - 1:39pm by Maxine

On Thursday, April 13, 1962, The Silent Spring by Rachel Carson was published. The book sounded an alarm about the use of chemicals, especially pesticides, and the harm they caused to humans and the environment. The book's publication heralded the beginning of the environmental movement. Carson, an ecologist, took great pleasure in her natural surroundings, and in her observations saw disturbing signs of the effects of these pollutants.

On April 22, Earth Day, 2006 invites all who care about the future of Planet Earth to celebrations, lectures and activities in the U.S. and around the globe. Ann Arbor will be having its own Earth Day celebration.

Local Documentary about Local Writer in the Works

Mon, 04/10/2006 - 12:50pm by amy

Thomas Lynch, Milford undertaker and author of the National Book Award finalist The Undertaking: Life Studies from the Dismal Trade, is the subject of a full-length documentary-in-progress by Ann Arbor filmmaker Beth Winsten. Winsten recently won a Silver Telly Award (first place) for a five-minute trailer of "Undertakings" and will be on hand, Saturday, May 13, to discuss her film at the Ann Arbor Book Festival.

Calling All Gardeners

Fri, 04/07/2006 - 1:42pm by ulrich

The crocuses are blooming, daffodils and tulips are emerging, and Spring is turning all gardeners' thoughts to the outdoors and the growing season. As a small nod to National Garden Week (April 9-15) here are some very recent books to consider as you plan your flower and vegetable gardens or think about reviving your lawns.
P.Allen Smith P. Allen Smith's Color for the Garden.
Marlene A. Condon The Nature-Friendly Garden
Fern Marshall Bradley Vegetable Gardening: From Planting to Picking
A.M. Armitage Armitage's Native Plants for North American Gardens
Michael Weishan The Victory Garden Companion
Gordon Hayward The Welcoming Garden: Designing Your own Front Garden
Julie M. Messervy Outside the Not So Big House: Creating the Landscape of Home
So get out your hoes, spades, rakes and compost and exercise those green thumbs!

Quarter life crisis

Thu, 04/06/2006 - 5:42pm by S.T. Augustine

It's not easy being green. Or not having much of anything green in your pockets. Or not knowing whether you went to the right college, or have a useful degree, or will ever find the right direction in your life. Quarter-life crisis anyone?

This book could make it a little easier: Should I Do What I Love? (or do what I do--so I can do what I love on the side). Even if it doesn't prove to be helpful, who doesn't love a snarky book?

New Fiction Titles on the New York Times Best Sellers List (4/2/06)

Thu, 04/06/2006 - 10:54am by Mazie

Do you plan to use your extra daylight savings on reading a good book? There are two new contenders on the List this week.

At #5 is Dirty Blonde by Lisa Scottoline: it can be dangerous being a judge when the plaintiff murders the defendant.

At #14 is What Price Love? by Stephanie Laurens: a reformed scoundrel helps a noblewoman rescue her gambling brother. Can love be far behind?

Why did Gandhi make salt?

Wed, 04/05/2006 - 11:35am by Maxine

On April 6, 1930, Mahatma Gandhi made a silent but symbolic protest to British indifference to Indians' civil rights. He and his followers marched 241 miles, leaving March 12th and arriving in the city of Dandi on April 5th. The next day, he made salt by evaporating sea water. This was illegal because only royalty had the privilege of making salt and a heavy tax was placed on everyone else. This protest, in which thousands besides Gandhi were arrested, gained worldwide attention as an example of the effectiveness of non-violent resistance.

For more on Gandhi, the Library has a dvd of Gandhi, the movie, with original footage of Gandhi in England and his death march. For reading, try Mahatma Gandhi: Nonviolent Power in Action by Dennis Dalton. This is an excellent study of Gandhi's concept of satyagraha or non-violent resistance.

Michel Faber is on the shortlist for the National Short Story Prize

Tue, 04/04/2006 - 7:31pm by sernabad

Michel Faber's short story, Safehouse, taken from his novella The Fahrenheit Twins, which appears in The Courage Consort: Three Novellas, is shortlisted for the prestigious National Short Story Prize, now in its second year.

With its substantial purse of £15,000 ($26,303), this Scotland-based honor is to short stories what the Booker is to novels.

The other authors on the shortlist for this year's prize, which will be announced on Monday, May 15, in London, include Rana Dasgupta, William Trevor, James Lasdun, and Rose Tremain.