Law Abiding Citizen

I have a friend who is a BIG fan of Gerard Butler, so naturally, I have to see every movie he plays in so I can discuss the particulars with her. His latest movie, Law Abiding Citizen, has just been published on DVD and is a 3-Day check-out movie at the library. The basic premise of the movie is that Gerard Butler plays the role of Clyde Shelton, an upstanding family man whose wife and daughter were brutally murdered during a home invasion. When the killers are caught, Nick Rice (played by Jamie Foxx) is the up-and-coming Philadelphia prosecutor assigned to the case. Nick is forced to offer one of the suspects a lighter sentence in exchange for his testifying against his accomplice. Ten years later the killer who received the lighter sentence is found dead, and Clyde admits his guilt. Clyde then issues a warning to Nick that he needs to fix the flawed justice system or else other key players in the trial will die. Shelton soon follows through on his threats, orchestrating a string of murders from his jail cell. The movie is very intense, action-packed and full of surprises. Clyde is an ingenious killer and Jamie Foxx plays a great "good guy." It is refreshing to see Gerard Butler play the crafty criminal, and the special effects are wonderful. I think this movie would be great for any fan of taught, suspense-filled thrillers.

Be Crafty with Martha Stewart!

I have been eagerly waiting for the publication of Martha Stewart's latest book, the Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric Crafts. The book includes basic techniques for sewing, applique', embroidery, quilting, dyeing, and printing, plus 150 inspired projects from A to Z. It also includes a CD featuring "print-at-home" patterns and templates! Being a quilter and craft lover, looking at this book made my fingers itch to start another project (just ignore the three half-finished quilts I have currently at my house). The book has beautiful pictures and great ideas for projects such as drawstring pants, box pillows and cases, duvet covers, sarongs, handkerchiefs, roman shades, and upholstered dining room chairs. The instructions are detailed and pictures illustrate many of the steps involved with each project. The book ends with a nice section (with colored picture examples) of tools and materials needed to complete the projects, and a buyer's guide, with phone numbers, for each of the projects. If you are thinking about a perfect gift for your crafty friend or relative (or your friendly local librarian), this book is a real winner!

Get a Handle on Herbs and Nutritional Supplements

Every time I work our library's Circulation Desk I discover a really interesting book that I just have to read! The book I found yesterday is Guide to Herbs & Nutritional Supplements: What You Need to Know from Aloe to Zinc by Laura Shane-McWhorter. Endorsed by the American Diabetes Association, this book is essential reading for anyone, diabetic or not, who decides to treat their ailments with natural dietary supplements. The best part of this book is the beginning--the author's preface quickly notes that dietary supplements are not the "end-all-be-all" answer to curing a person's disease. Shane-McWhorter states that all patients should use dietary supplements with guidance from a medical professional on their benefits and cautions. The book does not recommend specific supplements or brands, but gives general information on the safety and effectiveness of many commonly used supplements. Each entry lists the supplements common name (and other names it is called by), uses, the dosage amount, and studies completed on the supplement, and a list of side effects and drug interactions. The only thing that might have made this book better would be pictures of the individual supplements in the forms you would take them. I think this book would be an excellent choice for persons seeking information on the pros and cons of dietary supplements.

The Seventh Witch

The Seventh Witch is the latest book in the Ophelia and Abby Jensen series by Shirley Damsgaard. Ophelia is a small-town librarian in Iowa who has inherited her supernatural talents from a long line of her ancestors. Her grandmother, Abby is talented also, and together they make a great team. The setting of this book is a change from the usual--Ophelia, Abby and Ophelia's adopted daughter Tink travel to the hills of North Carolina for Great-Aunt Mary's 100th birthday. In this small southern town, Ophelia's family is known for its magical abilities, but a vengeful local witch wants revenge for events from the past. Ophelia must use her talents to save her loved ones, before revenge takes them over and bad blood turns deadly! I love the family relationships in this series, as well as Ophelia's reluctant acceptance of her witch heritage. I recommend reading this series in order, as the relationships develop throughout the books.