Harry, Harry, Harry...

     The Harry Dresden novels by Jim Butcher are the epitome of magical-noir. The graphic novels are wonderful additions to this collection. We have added three more stories to accompany The Dresden Files: Omnibus Volume One graphic novels collection: Down Town, Ghoul Goblin, and War Cry.

     Harry is a wizard and private investigator who consults with the Chicago Police Department. He has formidable magical skills but his execution could use some spit and polish. Need to track down some black magic practitioners? blood-thirsty vampires? Ancient monsters all set to destroy mankind? Then Dresden is your man...er...wizard.

     In Down Town, Harry and his new apprentice, Molly Carpenter, are trying to end the chaos caused by a power-mad sorcerer hell bent on turning the streets of Chicago into his own private kingdom. Dresden and Molly find out that this usurper has entered into an alliance with big time, bad news mob boss "Gentleman Johnnie" Marcone. Dresden's brash style may not be enough to protect himself and his young charge when things come to a head.

     Harry comes to the aid of a small Missouri town being terrorized by Nevernever monsters in Ghoul Goblin. The Talbot family has been decimated by a terrible curse that has plagued them for generations. In order for Harry to help them, however, he will have to navigate a quagmire of hostile lawmen, menacing town secrets, and an ancient guardian spirit, and not one, but two, deadly carnivores! Will he be able to clear the Talbot curse without sacrificing himself in the process?

     In War Cry, Harry--now a warden for the White Council--must lead a group of inexperienced young wizards against the vampires of the Red Court. The White Council and the Red Court have been fighting a shadow war for a while now, but the Council's ranks have been decimated by the vampire scourge. Harry and his team head to Iowa to protect the scholars of the Vantori Umbrorum haven from the bloodthirsty legions surrounding them.Once there, Harry realizes that the situation is worse than he imagined; much worse. For hidden beneath the haven lies an ancient and terrifying entity that could bring about the end of humanity.

     These adventures of the irascible Harry Dresden are sure to delight, entertain, and thrill anyone who love a good mystery, fantasy, or both!

A New Book from the fabulous Fannie Flagg!

A new novel from Fannie Flagg, the author of patron favorites 'Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle-Stop Cafe' and 'The All-girl Filling Station's Last Reunion.

Elmwood Springs, Missouri, is a small town like any other, but something strange is happening at the cemetery. Still Meadows, as it’s called, is anything but still. Original, profound, The Whole Town’s Talking, a novel in the tradition of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town and Flagg’s own Can’t Wait to Get to Heaven, tells the story of Lordor Nordstrom, his Swedish mail-order bride, Katrina, and their neighbors and descendants as they live, love, die, and carry on in mysterious and surprising ways.

Lordor Nordstrom created, in his wisdom, not only a lively town and a prosperous legacy for himself but also a beautiful final resting place for his family, friends, and neighbors yet to come. “Resting place” turns out to be a bit of a misnomer, however. Odd things begin to happen, and it starts the whole town talking.

With her usual great storytelling and understanding of both human weaknesses and the human heart, the beloved Fannie Flagg tells an unforgettable story of life, afterlife, and the remarkable goings-on of ordinary people. 

Our patrons that have already read this book give it an enthusiastic thumbs up!

Advice for Women

Two new books in our self-help/relationship section, the following books will help you realize healthy relationships and deal with life's curve balls--big and small.

The first book is Girlfriend to Girlfriend: Everyday Wisdom and Affirmations from the Sisters Circle by Julia A. Boyd. This book is full of straight-talking sisters with advice to help every women get through the obstacle course that makes up daily life. The Sisters Circle advice comes from the heart and is meant to help you realize that things don't always go as planned, but we can get through those moments with a little encouragement, prayer, and a whole lot of truth. Above all, we must remember to laugh, to love, and to care for ourselves as much as we do for others.

The second book for your enjoyment is Don't Give It Away! by Iyanla Vanzant. This workbook styled tome is designed to help you express your thoughts and feelings about the things that matter to you like your family, your friends, your body, and your love life. While problems at home, work, or school are an everyday occurrence, understanding what to do with how you feel about your problems is the key to growing as an individual. Iyanla designed this book to teach practical coping strategies for women young or old.

The Memoir of a Gentleman Golfer

On September 25, 2016, the golfing world lost its King - Arnold Palmer.

With his book that has become his parting gift to his many fans, Arnold Palmer shares his thoughts, advice, and memories - no only about golf, but also about business and life.

In Arnold Palmer's own words : "It's such a pleasure for me to share these stories with my army of fans.  I hope this book illuminates for you some of the important lessons I learned along the way.

The book reached the number two position on the New York Times best seller list for sports related books in November 2016 and is now available on our New Adult Nonfiction shelves.

Non-Fiction for African American History Month

The following titles are new non-fiction that record and continue the African-American Experience. All three of these books seek to tell the story of the contributions of African-Americans in the fields of education and publishing; they also seek to inspire future generations--no matter their race--to raise themselves up out of poverty and ignorance.

First, we have Progressive Education in Black High Schools: the Secondary School Study, 1940-1946 by Craig Kridel. This is a catalog of sixteen black high schools that existed in the American Southeast. Between 1940 and 1946, the Rockefeller Foundation's General Education Board funded a study that looked at the instruction and outcomes of these schools. The project was based upon cooperation and experimentation and helped to develop a generation of African American educators who recognized the hypocrisy society showed blacks and, at the same time, display a willingness to engage in the various forms of struggle to educate the black population. Included in this book is Magnolia Avenue High School here in Vicksburg.

The second book is called The Defender: How the Legendary Black Newspaper Changed America written by Ethan Michaeli. Founded by Robert S. Abbott in 1905, The Chicago Defender condemned Jim Crow, sparked the Great Migration, and helped to focus the electoral power of black Americans. Hundreds of thousands of copies were smuggled into some of the most isolated and segregated communities in the American South. Abbott himself became known as a "Modern Moses" and was one of the first black millionaires in America. The newspaper's clout helped to elect mayors and presidents, including Harry S. Truman and John F. Kennedy. Reporters braved lynch mobs and policemen's clubs to report on the state of race relations in the country. Many famous African Americans wrote columns for the paper as well, including Ida B. Wells, Langston Hughes, and Martin Luther King. A moving look at the power of the press to force a change in the status quo.

The third and final book is The Bridge to Brilliance: How One Principal in a Tough Community is Inspiring the World written by Nadia Lopez with Rebecca Paley. In 2010, Nadia Lopez started her middle-grade public school, Mott Hall Bridges Academy, in one of America s poorest communities, in a record heat wave and crime wave. Everything was an uphill battle getting the school approved as well as recruiting teaches and students; not to mention, having to solve a million new problems every day. From violent crime to vanishing supplies, Lopez was determined to break the downward spiral that had trapped too many inner-city children. The lessons came fast: disengaged teachers, wayward students, and the educational system itself, rarely in tune with the already disadvantaged and ill-prepared. Things were at a low ebb for everyone when one of her students told a photographer that his principal, Ms. Lopez, was the person who most influenced his life. The posting on Brandon Stanton's Humans of New York site was the pebble that started a lucky landslide for Lopez and her team. Lopez found herself in the national spotlight and headed for a meeting with President Obama all the while inspiring and guiding those entrusted to her tutelage.

Gale Virtual Reference Library - Need ideas or information for Black History Month?

Available online through the Gale Virtual Reference Library,
the Contemporary Black Biography series provides informative biographical profiles of the important and influential person of African American and/or black heritage.

There are currently 134 volumes to this set and the articles cover persons of various nationalities in a wide variety of fields, including architecture, art, business, dance, educcation, fashion, film, industry, journalism, law, literature, medicine, music, politics/government, publishing, religion, science/technology, social issues, sports television, theater and others.

The Gale Virtual Reference Library is now integrated with Google apps and Microsoft Office 365. Emailing, organizing and saving documents and citations has never been easier! Additionally, you can bookmark, highlight sections and take notes.

To access the Gale Virtual Reference Library, come to our Reference Desk and ask for the password. Then simply go to http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itweb/mag_p_magn1263 on your personal device, choose the volume you want to reference and read away!

Presto!

     Penn Jillette is nothing if not unconventional. As a magician, comedian, entertainer, and keen observer of the human condition, he is the first to cry, “Bulls#*t,” when it comes to fads and trends that have little to no basis in fact. That may be why this latest memoir is so surprising. Topping 330 pounds and diagnosed with high blood pressure, Jillette knew that he wanted to make it past his 60th birthday and watch his two children grow-up. Presto! tells the story of how Jillette lost 100 pounds by following a diet designed by Ray “Crazy Ray” Cronise—a former NASA scientist and an unconventional personality in his own right.
     Jillette describes how he used this “potato diet” developed by Cronise to change his body and mind. He tells how he survived performing his shows in Las Vegas, taking meetings with Hollywood executives, and hanging out with his friends and family all the while following this restrictive diet. He also intersperses his views on sex, religion, and pop culture using his quick wit and more than a few expletives throughout the book. Presto! is informative, frank, and funny as hell!

Gale Virtual Reference Library - College/Military Entry Preparation

Getting ready to start college or looking to join the Armed Forces?  You can
prepare for the tests with one of these guides available to use for free from the Gale Virtual Reference Library!

All you need to do is to come to our Reference Desk and ask for the password.  Then simply go to http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itweb/mag_p_magn1263 on your personal device, choose the guide you want and study away!

The Gale Virtual Reference Library is now integrated with Google apps and Microsoft Office 365.  Emailing, organizing and saving documents and citations has never been easier! Additionally, you can bookmark, highlight 
sections and take notes.  

The electronic version still includes practice exams.  Print it off and test yourself at your convenience.  Study guides like these usually cost around $30 to purchase, so take advantage of this free resource!

More Large Type Non-Fiction

 

  "Dog Medicine: How My Dog Saved Me From Myself" is by Julie Barton. Julie Barton was twenty-two when she collapsed on her Manhattan kitchen floor. She was only one year out of college, but she was severely depressed. After her mother received an incoherent phone call from her daughter, she raced from Ohio to New York to bring her daughter home. Psychiatrists, therapists, and family all tried to intervene, but nothing seemed to be able to bring Julie out of her darkness. Then, one day, Julie decided to do one hopeful thing: adopt a Golden Retriever puppy that she named Bunker. She tells the story of how depression overwhelmed her, the slow path to recovery that she had to walk, and the astonishing way that animals can heal both broken hearts and minds.

     "Go Big or Go Home: the Journey Toward the Dream" is by Scotty McCreery with Travis Thrasher. When the sixteen-year-old from Garner, North Carolina entered the singing competition, he had no ideas what doors it might open for him. Scotty McCreery was a kid with country songs in his soul and a voice to sing them like they should be sung. He dared to compete on "American Idol" at a young age and he won fans in the U.S. and overseas. This book tells his story from his roots in North Carolina to his victory on America's most popular singing competition and the launch of the music career he had always dreamed about.

     "What I Told My Daughter: Lessons from Leaders on Raising the Next Generation of Empowered Women" is edited by Nina Tassler with Cynthia Littleton. This series of essays from a powerful and diverse group of women explores the best advice they have given their daughters either by examples, through their own lives, or in character-building, teachable moments between parent and child. A popular entertainer and former child star urges her daughter to walk in her own truth, to not break glass ceilings if she desires to nurture a family as a stay-at-home mom, and not to abandon a career if that is her calling. One of the country's few female police chiefs teaches her daughter what it means to be courageous, how to respond to danger, and most importantly, how not to let fear stop her from experiencing all that life has to offer. An Emmy and Tony award winning actress who teaches her daughter the importance of getting back on the horse even after he has thrown you face-first into the mud. From Madeleine Albright and Ruth Bader Ginsburg to Dr. Susan Love and Whoopi Goldberg, these essays are sure to inspire mothers and daughters alike.

Gale Virtual Reference Library - Career Exam Aids

 Studying for a new career?  The Gale Virtual Reference Library can help!

All of the books shown are available online through the GVRL and patrons with a Google account can take advantage of making use of their Google account to save articles and citations to Drive, print and email (with any email account), highlight, take notes and listen to audio.

To use the GVRL items, simply come to our Reference Desk and ask for the password, then go to http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itweb/mag_p_magn1263 and use the password to sign in.  It's that easy!

The career exam aids are all found under the Education section.