Today’s Harrisburg bookmobile stop is canceled due to a mechanical issue. All library locations will be closed Thursday, November 28 and Friday, November 29 for Thanksgiving.
Posted on Wednesday, September 28, 2022 by Reading Addict
In “The Sum of Us” Heather McGhee says, “The American landscape was once graced with resplendent public swimming pools, some big enough to hold thousands of swimmers at a time. In the 1920s, towns and cities tried to outdo one another by building the most elaborate pools; in the 1930s, the Works Progress Administration put people to work building hundreds more… Officials envisioned the distinctly American phenomenon of the grand public resort pools as ‘social melting pots.’ Like free public grade schools, public pools were part of an ’Americanizing’ project intended to overcome ethnic divisions and cohere a common identity — and it worked.” It worked, she conceded, until integration arrived. Continue reading “The Sum Of Us and a Reflection on the WPA”
Posted on Friday, September 23, 2022 by Jason Delpire
Hispanic Heritage Month is observed from September 15 to October 15. In recognition of this, I will offer a short booklist of cookbooks in Spanish, English, and bilingual languages.
I looked at a few of the titles in English, but one quickly grabbed my interest: “The Latin American Cookbook” by Virgilio Martinez. I also paged through: “The Cuban Table” by Ana Sofia Peleaz and Ellen Silverman, “The Chilean Kitchen” by Pilar Hernandez and Eileen Smith, “Peru: The Cookbook” by Gaston Acurio, “My Mexico City Kitchen” by Gabriela Camara and “Mexico: The Cookbook” by Margarita Carrilo Arrante. It’s a long list, though nowhere near complete, but I wanted a wider representation of the variety of ingredients and approaches. Though I think the previous titles are all good and will be referenced for future meals, I ended up focusing on “The Latin American Cookbook.” Continue reading “Read The Recipe! Hispanic Heritage Month”
Posted on Monday, September 19, 2022 by Reading Addict
Not all challenged books are great literature, but many of them are. Not all challenged books are award-winning books, but many of them are. Not all challenged books are the right book for everyone, but they are almost certainly the right book for someone. And even a bad book can make a good point depending on how it’s approached.
Here are a few of the most notable adult fiction debuts for September. These titles have all received positive reviews in library journals. For a longer list, please visit our catalog.
In the 1970s, Topper and Sanya flee to Miami as political violence consumes their native Kingston. But America, as the couple and their two children learn, is far from the promised land. Excluded from society as Black immigrants, the family pushes on through Hurricane Andrew and later the 2008 recession, living in a house so cursed that the pet fish launches itself out of its own tank rather than stay. But even as things fall apart, the family remains motivated, often to its own detriment, by what their younger son, Trelawny, calls “the exquisite, racking compulsion to survive.”
Masterfully constructed with heart and humor, the linked stories in Jonathan Escoffery’s “If I Survive You” center on Trelawny as he struggles to carve out a place for himself amid financial disaster, racism and flat-out bad luck. After a fight with Topper — himself reckoning with his failures as a parent and his longing for Jamaica — Trelawny claws his way out of homelessness through a series of odd, often hilarious jobs. Meanwhile, his brother, Delano, attempts a disastrous cash grab to get his kids back, and his cousin, Cukie, looks for a father who doesn’t want to be found. As each character searches for a foothold, they never forget the profound danger of climbing without a safety net.
Posted on Sunday, September 11, 2022 by Stellan Harris
There’s nothing better for a relaxed gathering of friends than kicking back and enjoying a game, whether it be with cards, a board or any other kind. In recent history, the ways that we play games have changed in significant and fascinating ways. While some classic games are still enjoyed, contemporary options like video games and role-playing games are increasingly popular. The history of these pastimes and what they mean to us is an under-told story. Several fascinating books are trying to change that, and show the path that brought us to the games of today. Continue reading “Literary Links: All Work, No Play”
Val Germann, Party With the Stars founder, with a telescope during an eclipse viewing event on May 25th 1994. See the full set of photos on our Community Archives page.
One of the library’s longest-running programs will celebrate its 40th anniversary this autumn: Party with the Stars. Through the decades, with a two-year pause due to Covid in 2020 and 2021, Val Germann and the Central Missouri Astronomical Association (CMAA) have been the driving force behind this collaboration. Party with the Stars has seen a seasonal program (March through October) through nearly every phase of the modern library’s growth.
Below I’m highlighting some nonfiction books coming out in September. All of the mentioned titles are available to put on hold in our catalog and will also be made available via the library’s Overdrive website on the day of publication in eBook and downloadable audiobook format (as available). For a more extensive list of new nonfiction books coming out this month, check our online catalog.
Top Picks
“What If? 2: Additional Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions” by Randall Munroe (Sep 13)
The millions of people around the world who read and loved “What If?” still have questions, and those questions are getting stranger. Thank goodness xkcd creator Randall Munroe is here to help. Planning to ride a fire pole from the moon back to Earth? The hardest part is sticking the landing. Hoping to cool the atmosphere by opening everyone’s freezer door at the same time? Maybe it’s time for a brief introduction to thermodynamics. Want to know what would happen if you rode a helicopter blade, built a billion-story building, made a lava lamp out of lava, or jumped on a geyser as it erupted? Okay, if you insist. Before you go on a cosmic road trip, feed the residents of New York City to a T. rex, or fill every church with bananas, be sure to consult this practical guide for impractical ideas. Unfazed by absurdity, Randall consults the latest research on everything from swing-set physics to airplane-catapult design to clearly and concisely answer his readers’ questions. As he consistently demonstrates, you can learn a lot from examining how the world might work in very specific extreme circumstances. Filled with bonkers science, boundless curiosity, and Randall’s signature stick-figure comics, “What If? 2” is sure to be another instant classic adored by inquisitive readers of all ages. Continue reading “Nonfiction Roundup: September 2022”
Fall is right around the corner, and with it comes lots of spooky books. Murder, witches, a curse and at least one ghost? Yes, please! These books are those that library staff from all over the country have read and loved enough to share with us. Read on to discover September’s LibraryReads:
In 16th-century Italy, teen Lucrezia de Medici passes from her father’s control to her husband’s, with neither considering her a person with a right to her own life. O’Farrell’s poetic writing pulls you into this taled on the likely subject of Robert Browning’s poem “My Last Duchess.” For fans of Geraldine Brooks, Isabel Allende, and Hilary Mantel. ~Diana Armstrong, Multnomah County Library, Portland, ORContinue reading “LibraryReads: September 2022”
Do you remember history classes in school? How you studied big things, governmental things, and wars and civics of the countries? I’m more interested in the daily life of people who were dealing with the wars and changes brought on by the big things of the world. For example, in 1947, when French fashion designer Christian Dior held his first show and introduced The New Look, how long did it take the American woman to adopt that look? I find that in the 1950 Spring/Summer Sears catalog, dresses still had the military shoulders and slim skirts, but only one year later, skirts are fuller, waists smaller and the shoulders more rounded. Sears, J.C. Penney’s & Montgomery Wards’ catalogs give you a wonderful snapshot into changes in ready-to-wear fashions which is what most of us wear.
My Featherweight sewing machine was “born” in 1947 and that’s the tie-in to this post about history, in case you were wondering. There are many fine years and perhaps in the future I’ll address another one, but today, let’s dig into what you can learn at the library about everyday life in 1947. Continue reading “Life in 1947”
Posted on Monday, August 29, 2022 by patron reviewer
“The Thirteenth Tale” introduces readers to Margaret, a young woman working in her father’s rare book shop and an occasional writer of biographical essays about long-dead authors. She is summoned by Britain’s most famous writer, Vida Winter, to document the author’s story before she dies. Both harbor secrets and the tale Winter spins involves twins, a falling-down estate, a governess, violence, a fire, orphans, gardens and gates — all of the makings of a fairy tale.
This book has echoes of “Jane Eyre,” “Wuthering Heights,” and other gothic classics. It’s a twisty literary mystery with just the right amount of darkness. I listened to the audiobook and was absorbed. It would be a great vacation read.
Three words that describe this book: Gothic, spellbinding, twisty
You might want to pick this book up if: You are a fan of the Bronte sisters, fairy tales, and love books about other people who love books.
-Anonymous
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading 2022. We will continue to share these throughout the year.
