October 3, 2003


Library Corner...
The History of New York and the History of art are intertwined. Richard Kostelantetz paints a realistic portrait of "Soho: the Rise and Fall of an Artists' Colony." He was there in person and witnessed its birth and death. His personal historical account takes the reader back to Manhattan "loft life" of the 60's. The barns of Iowa are disappearing at an alarming rate. Photographer Michael P. Harker documents these American icons in "Harker's Barns." Stunning black and white photographs are realistic representations of America's rural past. Elizabeth Bentley was the spy who ushered in the McCarthy era. Lauren Kessler's moving biography of this communist turned government witness is a readable narrative of the Cold War. Bentley's life was a study in drama. She was a woman with ambition far ahead of her time. Be sure to check out "Clever Girl: Elizabeth Bentley's Life In and Out if Espionage." Is your family in the market for a new dog? "The Perfect Puppy For Me" by Jane O'Connor is a fact filled, adorably illustrated children's book. Each page is a delightful combination of humor and information about a different breed. Man has been fascinated with optical reflections since prehistoric times. Mark Pendergrast's "Mirror Mirror" is history of reflection and its use in science, art, and daily activities. This is a fascinating look at the world through its mirror image.




New Form Children's Department:
In "Three Lives to Live" by Anne Lindbergh a single person gets to be granny to herself at different ages, and as different beings. The author does a good job of keeping all of this straight and of giving good reasons for the varied personalities of the main character. The ending is abrupt and unsatisfying, but the tale and telling are engaging. "Flipped is written by Wendelin van Draanen. In "Flipped" we meet Bryce and Juliana when they are seven and we leave them when they are about 14. We hear the same story from each point of view, and more is going on here than just boy-girl stuff. The author gives us to a good story, well told and well controlled. It is not every modern storyteller that can catch the tone of teen talk, Van Draanen goes in and out of it with ease. And she gives us characters we can like, something I have come to value in Junior fiction.




Librarian's pick of the Week:
"The Dogs of Babel" by Carolyn Parkhurts. I read this story on the recommendation of a fellow staff member, and at first I was puzzled by the behavior of the main character, Paul Iverson. Paul is a college professor who calls home one day to tell his wife something interesting he just learned, only to have a stranger answer the phone and tell him to come home. Paul's wife Lexy, for some reason, has climbed the old apple tree in their yard and fallen to her death. He finds that before her accident, Lexy rearranged all of their books, and fed the dog, Lorelei, a cooked steak. As Paul grieves for his talented and unusual wife, he becomes obsessed with finding out what really happened: did she jump, lose her balance, or just lean back and let herself fall. The only witness is Lorelei, and she can't speak. But Paul is a student of linguistics, and decides to see if he can teach Lorelei to speak, or at least to comprehend the English language. Is Paul just a grieving husband, or has he gone off the deep end? This is a wonderfully complex book. Also new and recommended: "The Amber Room" by Steve Berry: "Some Things I Never Thought I'd Do" by Pearl Cleage; "Every Secret Thing" by Laura Lippman; "The Rabbit Factory" by Larry Brown; "Love and a Bad Hair Day" by Annie Flanigan; "last Lessons of Summer" by Margaret Maron; "Sense of Evil" by Kay Hooper; "Bold Sons of Erin" by Owen Parry; "Deadly Divots" by Gene Breaznell; "Lost" by Joy Fielding; and "My Anecdotal Life" by Carl Reiner.


Eleanor's Good Stuff:
American Memory:Historical Collection for the National Digital Library
Arab Gateway: Calligraphy
Image Gallery for Geology- Images of Geologic Phenomena
KingTutOne.com- Ancient Egypt
Palette of Colors
Steinhart Aquarium