Join us on November 4 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the Friends Room of the Columbia Public Library to create art for your wall. Let your creative expression run free in making a wall clock with painted disks creating a unique ambiance with interesting design shapes that also tell the time. These can be adapted to your color scheme with paint — go bright and bold or muted and atmospheric. All supplies provided. This program is for adults, and we recommend you register early as craft classes fill quickly.
For more ideas on clocks and other wall art ideas, check out these library resources. You can also explore CreativeBug, which is our database on arts and crafts activities. You can view tons of creative ideas with instructional videos and more are added monthly! You will need your library card and pin (your birthdate in MMDDYYYY format) to use this database.
There is not an activity planned for December, but stay tuned for the January Crafternoon in our program guide, on our website and on social media!
20 years ago, Chloe Davis’ worldview was shattered. In her small Louisiana town, teenage girls went missing and wound up dead. At the end of the terrifying summer, her beacon of safety amidst the fear, her own father, confesses to the crimes. Now, an established child psychologist, Chloe works to heal the scars of her own trauma by helping adolescent patients with their troubling experiences.
During the sweltering anniversary summer of her father’s crimes, Chloe finally feels like she has a grip on moving forward: she’s engaged to a lovely guy she met a year ago, her in-and-out of her life brother is around again and showing his protective side, and she’s successfully dodging a determined reporter who wants to write a “Where Are They Now?” article on the children of a convicted serial killer. Chloe’s goal is to power through the summer and replace the anniversary of her past with a new one: her wedding day.
But this summer won’t slide by easily. Teenage girls are being reported missing again and it all bears an eerie resemblance to a series of crimes she knows too much about. “A Flicker in the Dark” is fast-paced and full of twists and turns as Chloe begins to question her history, her memories, and everyone around her.
Three words that describe this book: Foreboding, Suspicious, Captivating
You might want to pick this book up if: you want a pulpy murder mystery with a foreboding sense of dread that will seep into your bones like a hot Louisiana night.
-Amy
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. We will continue to share reviews throughout the year.
As we are nearing Halloween, I thought I should look at some books devoted to creepy-themed dishes. I grabbed a few titles from our collection and tried to find something fun to make. The first book I looked at just didn’t work for me (more on that later). Thankfully, there was another book I had brought home: “Zach Neil’s The Nightmare Before Dinner: Recipes To Die For.” Continue reading “Read The Recipe! Spooky Food”
As leaves burst into their glorious autumn colors and as pumpkins begin adorning doorsteps, it is a sure sign that Halloween is just around the corner. The last week of October, many people will perform the ritual carving of pumpkins giving them eerie, flickering faces, an iconic symbol of the holiday. But where did this tradition originate? Let’s dive into the fascinating history of the jack-o’-lantern and its evolution from folklore to a beloved Halloween tradition.
The name “jack-o’-lantern” is derived from “Jack of the Lantern” which refers to a mysterious figure known for carrying a flickering lantern to guide lost souls. Over time, the name was associated with the practice of carving faces into vegetables and placing candles inside to create a similar, eerie glow.
The Legend of Stingy Jack
One of the most prevalent origin stories of the jack-o’-lantern is tied to the legend of Stingy Jack. This tale tells of a man named Jack who was not only a trickster but also miserly. As one version of the story goes, Jack invited the Devil to have a drink with him but cleverly avoided paying by convincing the Devil to transform into a coin. Instead of paying, Jack pocketed the coin next to a silver cross, preventing the Devil from returning to his original form. Continue reading “The History of the Jack-o’-Lantern”
October 21, 2023 would have been Ursula K. Le Guin’s 94th birthday. On October 25, 2023, the winner of the second annual Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for Fiction will be announced. Ahead of the award announcement, we’re reflecting on some of Le Guin’s works in a series of blog posts: Le Guin and Her Legacy. Interested in some of the authors Ursula inspired? Click here to see the titles nominated for the prize, as well as titles by the judges!
Spoiler warning: Given how short this story is, and how integral the title is to any discussion, this post will discuss in detail the events within. If you have any interest, I highly recommend reading the story before continuing with this post. Content Warning: The subject of this post is a story that contains child abuse and neglect. (If these are subjects you are not comfortable reading about, you might check out these animal live cam feeds for something lighter.)
“The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” was originally published in 1973, in a collection of short science fiction stories from various authors. It was republished in Le Guin’s 1975 “The Wind’s Twelve Quarters,” and has since been widely published online and in other short story collections. Continue reading “Le Guin and Her Legacy: The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas”
Seriously, “The Déjà Glitch” is probably the most delightful book I have read or will read this year! I loved Holly James’ writing style and found the story of Jack and Gemma’s journey out of a time loop to scratch every specific itch I have in a sweet magical realism romance!
Gemma is very relatable and lovable. I deeply understood her family issues and the lack of confidence that would naturally accompany said issues. Jack is the perfect lovesick dream boy. They are both saving each other here and the desperate collision of hearts through time and space is palpable right off the page. The scientific explanation of what is going on within the “glitch” is nothing short of poetry. I highlighted the heck out of the professor’s explanation!
I mostly want to praise the pacing of this book. Just from the little I knew before starting it, I was worried about a painful repetition of days, but the author did a wonderful job of keeping it fresh every step of the way. I genuinely enjoyed reading every page and felt a bit bereft for it to end. I highly recommend this book to those in search of wonder, heart explosions and a chance at being rescued from the mundane linear timeline we could all use a break from!
Three words that describe this book: Romantic, comedy, time loop
You might want to pick this book up if: You enjoy rom-coms and magical realism.
-Anonymous
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. We will continue to share reviews throughout the year.
Learn to make a beautiful luminaria with an intricate mandala design. No previous experience necessary to create some lovely ambiance for the upcoming fall nights. We will be using autumn-colored constructions paper, an awl and your hands to punch designs into paper. All materials provided, including lights to take home. This program is for adults, and we recommend that you register early as craft classes fill quickly.
For more ideas on fall crafts, check out these library resources. You can also explore CreativeBug, which is our database on arts and crafts activities. You can view tons of craft ideas with instructional videos and more are added monthly! You will need your library card and pin (your birthdate in MMDDYYYY format) to use this database.
Stay tuned for our November Crafternoon in our program guide, on our website and on social media! In the meantime, you can explore past Crafternoon crafts, too.
Ahead of the second annual Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for Fiction, we’re reflecting on some of Le Guin’s works in a series of blog posts: Le Guin and Her Legacy.
Ursula K. Le Guin (1929 – 2018) was an author and poet who wrote science fiction and fantasy for adults and young adults. Her works garnered her six Nebula Awards, seven Hugo Awards, and many, many more accolades. 2023 marks the second annual Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for Fiction. The award is intended to recognize those writers Ursula spoke of in her 2014 National Book Awards speech — realists of a larger reality, who can imagine real grounds for hope and see alternatives to how we live now. The Prize is given to a writer whose work reflects the concepts and ideas that were central to Ursula’s own work, including but not limited to: hope, equity, and freedom; non-violence and alternatives to conflict; and a holistic view of humanity’s place in the natural world. Continue reading “Le Guin and Her Legacy: Seasons of the Ansarac”
Alice Lindstedt is an amateur filmmaker who’s taking on a passion project about the village of Silvertjarn, a lost village where every single member mysteriously disappeared without a trace in the ’50s save for one woman who had been stoned in the town square. Alice’s grandmother had grown up in the village and told her stories of it growing up — this made Alice want to uncover the mystery. She rounds up a small crew with money from her Kickstarter backers and they drive out to scout out filming locations and get shots for the documentary trailer. Weird things immediately begin to happen and the group quickly realizes there may be a greater force at work in the village. The book bounces between present day and the 1950s, right before the disappearance took place with POVs from Alice in the present and Elsa, Alice’s great-grandmother, in the past. As Alice uncovers the secrets of Silvertjarn in the present day, Elsa explains how everything came to be in the past.
I loved the atmosphere of “The Lost Village” and it made me feel as if I was isolated from civilization with the rest of the characters — the village is creepy and unsettling to say the least. The twist at the end will have you at the edge of your seat. The climax was a little lackluster for me but it wasn’t enough for me to bump down a star in my four-star rating. It was still chilling and left me thinking about it for awhile afterward.
Three words that describe this book: Creepy, suspenseful, dark
You might want to pick this book up if: If you enjoy a good, atmospheric horror story with a dark subplot.
-Bailey
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. We will continue to share reviews throughout the year.
Here is a new DVD list highlighting various titles recently added to the library’s collection.
“Past Lives” – Website / Reviews
Two childhood sweethearts, after decades apart, are reunited for one fateful week in New York as they confront notions of destiny, love, and the choices that make a life in this dramatic modern romance.
“Poker Face” – Season 1 – Website / Reviews
A 10-episode mystery-of-the-week series following Natasha Lyonne’s “Charlie”, who has an ability to determine when someone is lying. She hits the road and encounters strange crimes she can’t help but solve.
“Spider-Man, Across the Spider-Verse” – Website / Reviews
In this animated film, Brooklyn’s full-time, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is catapulted across the multiverse, where he encounters a team of Spider-People charged with protecting its very existence.
“Air” – Website / Reviews
A dramatic film revealing the partnership between a then-rookie Michael Jordan and Nike’s fledgling basketball division which revolutionized the world of sports and culture with the Air Jordan brand.
“Joyce Carol Oates: A Body in the Service of Mind” – Website / Reviews
In this documentary literary icon Joyce Carol Oates, author of more than 100 novels, provides rare insight into her life and creative process. Featuring readings by Oscar winner Laura Dern. Continue reading “New DVD List: October 2023”
