Library Corner…
Where would space exploration be without the telescope? Believe it or not, this instrument is
400 years old. Author and astronomer Fred Watson’s “Stargazer” is a unique history of the life
and times of the telescope and the people involved with its development. Its discovery shaped the
scientific and philosophical world of the 1600s. We break something, and we get a new one to
replace it. Forget about repairs; we are products of life in a throwaway society. “Garbage Land” is
Elizabeth Royte’s scary but true narrative about trash’s traumatic effect on our environment. The
stuff we put in our trashcans travels to landfills and it is not decomposing. This can’t be good for
the future of the planet. 1977 was a pivotal year for the Bronx, New York. It was a tumultuous,
conflicted time when the city sank to its lowest point but then turned itself around to find a
miraculous rebirth. “The Bronx is Burning” by Jonathan Mahler recounts this historical year. His
sports and politics are interwoven to create a fascinating tale. Young adult scientists (and their
parents) will love reading Jeanette Farrell’s “Invisible Allies: Microbes that Shape our Lives.” This
is a captivating lesson about the beneficial microorganisms that are necessary to sustain life as
we know it. After reading this book you’ll think twice about that hunk of cheese or carton of milk in
your refrigerator. Baby boomers can relate to Michael Stein’s “This Room is Yours.” What does
one do with an aging parent who can no longer live alone? Is assisted living the answer? When
the author impulsively decides that this is the best plan for his failing mother the two embark on
an emotional journey. The summer is just about at the midway point. Why does it always go by so
quickly? Hopefully you’ve visited the library to cool off, relax, and let your mind wander. It’s a
wonderfully refreshing oasis where you can escape the heat and humidity while exercising your
brain. Our children’s programs seem to get more and more popular with parents as well as kids.

Alessandra’s Book Bites: Football fans will want to read Michael MacCambridge’s entertaining and all encompassing “America’s Game: The Epic Story of How Pro Football Captured A Nation.” The author guides the reader through sixty years of professional football from Johnny Unitas’s high-topped shoes to Janet Jackson’s half-time show. Anyone who remembers the Cold War will want to read Wayne Coffey’s New York Times Bestseller, “The Boys of Winter: The Untold Story of a Coach, a Dream, and the 1980’s U.S. Olympic Hockey Team.” This book is a detailed enrichment of the greatest sports moment of the twentieth century. Yankee fans will want to read Jonathan Eig’s “Luckiest Man” the biography of Lou Gehrig who was regarded as the greatest first baseman in baseball history. Fans of Patricia Cornwell will be interested in a new book by Glenn L. Feole and Don Lasseter entitled “The Complete Patricia Cornwell Companion.” This book includes photographs, an analysis of Cornwell’s career to date, biographies of her unforgettable characters, an introduction to the world of forensic detection and a complete, book-by-book synopses. In “Secrets & Mysteries of the World,” Sylvia Browne uses her psychic powers to research and provide us with detailed explanations about seemingly inexplicable concepts. From the Great Pyramid to Stonehenge, Browne reveals amazing facts about some of the world’s most mysterious sites. Anne Bird was given up for adoption in 1965 by her mother Jackie Latham. In the 1990’s Anne contacted her mother, now Jackie Peterson, and became close to her brother Peter and his wife Laci. Then on the Christmas Eve 2002, Laci Peterson went missing. Anne Bird’s book, “Blood Brother: 33 Reasons My Brother Scott Peterson Is Guilty” is filled with news-making revelations and intimate glimpses of the Peterson family and of her suspicions that her brother knew more than he was telling. Librarian’s Pick of the Week: “Dialogues” by Stephen Spignesi. Tory Troy graduated from college and immediately got a job as a pharmaceutical sales representative, but then her job was eliminated because of the company’s new interactive website for ordering medicine. She moved in with her mother while she wrote (she was a talented writer) and pondered her next job. One day she watched a documentary about animals, and was moved to take a job at an animal shelter. When Tory walked in, her idea was to be part of the office staff, perhaps showing the animals to would-be pet owners, but what she was offered was the chance to train as a euthanasia technician. The job was fairly simple, but at some point Tory cracked, and is now in a psychiatric hospital being reviewed – for the crime of murdering six of her coworkers. Dr. Baraka Bexley is the psychiatrist who has to examine the facts to determine if this gifted young woman is competent to stand trial or should be locked up in an insane asylum. In a series of interviews which make up most of the story, Dr. Bexley tries to understand the divide between the person that Tory seems to be and the crimes she has committed. This is a riveting story and an amazing accomplishment for Spignesi’s first novel. Other titles of interest: “Perennials fir Every Purpose” by Larry Hodgson; “Garbage Land: On the Secret Trail of Trash” by Elizabeth Royte; “In Search of Gauguin” by Jean-Luc Coatalem; “Finding Atlantis” by David King; “Underground London: Travels Beneath the City Streets” by Stephen Smith; “In the Footsteps of Churchill” by Richard Holmes; “Dr. Seuss & Mr. Geisel” by Judith Morgan; and “Jimmy Stewart: Bomber Pilot” by Starr Smith. In Large Print: “Aunt Dimity and the Next of Kin” by Nancy Atherton; “By Myself and Then Some” by Lauren Bacall; “Hard Truth” by Nevada Barr; “Marker” by Robin Cook; “Irish Cream” by Andrew Greeley; “To Die For” by Linda Howard; “Improbable Cause” by Judith Jance; “St. Dale” by Sharyn McCrumb; “Cut and Run” by Ridley Pearson; “The Point in the Market” by Michael Pearce; “Lie by Moonlight” by Amanda Quick; “Survivor in Death” by J.D. Robb; “Sullivan’s Justice” by Nancy Rosenberg; “Black Rose” by Nora Roberts; “Broken Prey” by John Sandford; and “Missing Persons” by Stephen White. If you would like to review complete lists of titles for each month, there is a loose-leaf folder at the Circulation Desk which lists materials by Call Number, title and author.
Alessandra’s Web Bites: Fun Stuff: TV Games you can play online: Jeopardy at www.jeopardy.com/play_games.php; Who Wants to be a Millionaire at www.millionairetv.com/; Wheel of Fortune at www.wheeloffortune.com/; Selection of games at www.sonypictures.com/games/index1.html. Amusement Park Physics at www.learner.org/exhibits/parkphysics/ provides simple explanations for the physics that make amusement park rides possible. Find out what Newton's laws of motion have to do with bumper cars, design a roller coaster, see what Galileo has to do with the design of free fall rides, and learn more about carousels, pendulums, and ride safety. Roller Coaster Database at): find thousands of roller coasters and amusement parks in North America and Europe. Summer Reading Lists for Adults: www.lib.berkeley.edu/Instruction/readinglists/; www.lib.berkeley.edu/Instruction/readinglists/; www.bookreporter.com/features/beachbag2005/; www.carnegielibrary.org/dontmiss/adultsr/booklists.html); www.npr.org/templates/topics/topic.php?topicId=1084). Can I Retire Early? at http://money.cnn.com/2005/05/03/pf/expert/ask_expert/ discusses issues to consider when planning for early retirement. Topics include lifestyle and emotional issues, and financial considerations. The site also includes links to related articles and to retirement income and benefits calculators. A reminder to parents and Middle School students that we have the Middle School reading list collection only through the second week of August, after which the books have to be packed up and returned to the school in time to be back on the shelves for the first day of school. Although we own many of the titles, we do not have the shelf space to house more than one or two copies of a title, so to avoid disappointment and the possibility of not getting your reading done, please come in and borrow the books now, while there is still time.If you are missing the wonderful programs Ms. Talon is presenting for the Summer Reading Program, please call and ask about upcoming programs. This week we hosted Carolyn Croll, a well-known children’s illustrator. It has been very busy in the Library this Summer, especially in the Children’s Room, and we like it that way, so come on in!
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