Happy Holidays!

We, here at the Warren County - Vicksburg Public Library, would like to wish you and yours a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy, Vibrant New Year! We would like to remind you that the library will be closed December 24th through December 28th and January 1st through January 4th. We will be open December 22nd, 23rd, 29th, 30th, and 31st from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. We thank you for allowing us to serve you during the past year and we look forward to serving you throughout 2015 and beyond! 

Behind the Scenes on the Creation of a Cult-Fantasy Classic

In 1987, a film was released that took on a life of its own.  The Princess Bride has legions of fans that have watched and rewatched the movie countless times in the past twenty-seven years.  The American Film Institute has it ranked as one of the top 100 Greatest Love Stories and the Writers Guild of America names it as one of the top 100 Sceenplays of all time.

In this book 'As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales From the Making of The Princess Bride', Cary Elwes (Westley) answers a question posed to him during the twenty-fifth anniversary celebration:  "What was your fondest memory of making the film?".

With a forward by Rob Reiner, the film's director, as well as commentary from other stars of the film such as Billy Crystal (Miracle Max), Fred Savage (the grandson the story is told to), Robin Wright (Buttercup), Chris Sarandon (Prince Humperdink), Mandy Patinkin (Inigo Montoya) and Wallace Shawn (Vizzini), this is a book that the fans of The Princess Bride have waited for.

Could You Survive Henry?

Surviving Henry: Adventures in Loving a Canine Catastrophe is an account of Erin Taylor Young's life with an obstinate boxer named Henry. Fueled by fond memories of a boxer she had as a child, Erin Taylor Young sets out to find a boxer puppy for her family. One that could provide laughs and cuddles as well as long walks and wagging tails. What she gets is Henry--who Erin describes as suffering from "Supreme Dictator of the Universe Syndrome." She can't figure out how God chose to give her such and aloof and stubborn creature to be a part of her family. She doesn't understand why Henry doesn't seem to care if he is with the members of the family or not. The only time he seems to show any interest is when she begins her routine to leave the house, then Henry decides that he can't leave her side. Erin knows this is only because he loves riding in the car; not because he likes being with her. But, oh, that face when she closes the door behind her; it's enough to melt her heart, so Henry goes with her to the video store, the gas station, and anywhere else that is even slightly appropriate to take him along.
On their first day at the dog park, Erin keeps Henry outside the fence on his leash to see how he will react to the other dogs. As each new dog passes by the fence to sniff at him, Henry leaps in the air with excited anticipation; as if to say, "I wanna play! Oh please, please let me play!" Once inside the fence and off his leash, Henry quickly makes friends with the dog park set and follows a couple of his new friends--retrievers--into the small pond for water-loving dogs. There is only one problem, Henry doesn't know how to swim and he panics. Poor Erin thinks she is going to have to jump in after her awkward boxer, but he manages to paddle his way back to the shore.
Henry seems to be prone to misadventures and near death scenarios and his poor owner can only hang on for dear life. Take, for instance, their adventures at Erin's parents' lake house. On their first visit with Henry, he falls off the dock and poor Erin plunges in the freezing water to rescue him. It just so happens that every time they visit Henry seems to fall off the dock. Unless, of course, he is wearing the expensive doggie life jacket that they bought him. Once, they decided to take Henry on the Pontoon with them. He did okay, although he did pace around the decking and had to have a petting from everyone on the boat, not to mention he had to sniff the air on all four sides. When Henry moved to the front of the pontoon, he stuck his nose through the gate, but it isn't too long before he spots a flock of ducks up ahead. Erin's son manages to catch Henry's leg before the sixty-pound dog managed to get through the gate and into the water--and probably become fish food after meeting the boat's propeller.
Erin recounts many such near-misses and disasters that seem to be drawn to Henry. He vandalizes his obedience school, crashes through a window, and tears up countless toys. Erin is convinced that Henry lives to torment her. The longer she has Henry, though, the more she comes to realize that he has been put into her life to teach her a new meaning to the concept of unconditional love.
This book is a quick, funny, and poignant read. Henry's adventures can be related to by anyone who has ever been the owner of a stubborn pet. Henry's quirkiness is endearing and the lessons he teaches his family are ones that every family should learn. If you are going to love one another, then you must do so unconditionally.

Take a Moment to Give Thanks!

While the first Thanksgiving was not a successful nor a lasting peace, Abraham Lincoln's proposal of a day to celebrate the coming together of the Native Americans and the Pilgrim settlers for a common meal was truly a moment of inspiration. Thanksgiving is certainly one of my favorite holidays, simply for what it has come to represent. I'm not talking about watching football and stuffing yourself until you fall into a coma from all the calories consumed. What I love the most is the fellowship with friends and family. Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on all of the good things that we have in our lives. It is also a day to slow down and really take stock of what blessings we have and what blessings we can bestow on others. Some people choose to volunteer to serve a meal to those who are less fortunate or to bring a ray of light and some comfort to those who are unable to visit family.
I myself am thankful for my family, friends, and co-workers. I am glad to have had the opportunities for education and career that have been placed before me. I am thankful to live in a country where, as a woman, I have the same opportunities as my male counterparts. I am thankful that my nieces and my nephew are happy and healthy and smart and funny. I am thankful for my mom, my dad, my sister, and even my brother who annoys me endlessly. All these things, as well as others I cannot mention, make me feel truly blessed.
For all those who are less fortunate, I pray they get the opportunities they need to succeed. I pray the homeless will find homes, that the hungry will find a bounty, that the cold will find warmth, and most importantly, I pray that the lonely and downtrodden will find friendship and comfort. For everyone else, I pray that you will take a moment to pull yourself from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, put down the cell phones, and turn off the computer and the t.v. Take a look around at all that you have and see all the things there are to be thankful for in your own lives.

Trapped For 69 Days Underground

In August of 2010, a mine collapse in Chile trapped a group of 33 miners.  Against all odds and expectations, all 33 were rescued sixty-nine days after the start of their ordeal.

Agreeing only to tell their story collectively, the group chose Hector Tobar, a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and novelist, to be the one they told their story through.

The story covers a story never told before - the men's lives before the collapse, the initial seventeen days when no-one on the surface knew if there were any survivors, the long waiting period of waiting for an opening large enough to allow their release and finally the aftermath as they re-adjusted to life above ground.

In Deep Down Dark, Tobar has used personal interviews with the miners and their families, the diary of one of the miners (Victor Segovia), the cellphone videos from the phone of another miner (Jose Henriquez), video from the Chilean government and more and combined them into an intense story of endurance and ultimately, of survival.

What Are You Cooking?

With the holidays coming up, I thought it would be a good idea to highlight some of the wonderful cookbooks and cooking magazines here at the library. We even have holiday cookbooks in the children's department!
Some of our wonderful cookbooks include: Paula Deen Celebrates! by Paula Deen, Historical Thanksgiving Cookery by Robert W. Pelton, Thanksgiving 101 by Rick Rodgers, and Thanksgiving Entertaining and Thanksgiving & Christmas put out by Williams-Sonoma. These books offer recipes and tips for making your holiday special. For instance, in Thanksgiving 101, author Rick Rodgers offers step-by-step instructions for carving the turkey as well as the best way to deep fry you holiday bird. He also includes a section titled "Thanksgiving Menu Planner" to give you some ideas about what to serve for your meal. Historical Thanksgiving Cookery offers recipes from the Revolutionary War through the time of the Civil War. This small book also offers historical excerpts on famous historical figures who enjoyed the dishes featured. If you need any help finding these or other titles, feel free to ask the Reference Desk for help!

We also carry some of the most popular cooking magazines available. We have Better Homes & Gardens, Cooking Light, Country Living, Every Day with Rachael Ray, Food Network Magazine, Good Housekeeping, Martha Stewart Living, and Taste of Home. Some of these may be checked out for one week at a time, or, if you prefer, you may make copies of the recipes you think you would enjoy. Don't forget about our public access computers that allow our patrons and guests to pull up websites for these magazines as well as other recipe sites.

Taking the first steps to launching the career of your dreams.

According to Ben Arment, the author of 'Dream Year : Make the Leap from a Job You Hate to a Life You Love", there is no such thing as a 'dream job'.  A job is where you are working for someone else to fulfill their dreams, not your own.

In his coaching classes, he has worked with hundreds of people to help them identify their dream career, plan it out and launch it in one year.

His new book is full of insights and advice, but most captivating part is the stories of the people who have followed his step-by-step program to switch from the jobs that paid the bills to work that they are enthusiastic about and enjoy while still making a living.

The book covers the steps in individual chapters starting with finding and defining your dream career and follows through to growing and sustaining it.  One of his main points - never give up and he gives several examples of those who had to make multiple tries before they reached their own goals, including Abraham Lincoln.

A love letter to public libraries told in photographs

New to our Adult Non-Fiction collection, The Public Library : A Photographic Essay by Robert Dawson, is a loving tribute to the many forms that public libraries take all across the United States.

With a foreword by Bill Moyers and an afterword by Ann Patchett along with reflections by Isaac Asimov, Barbara Kingsolver, Anne Lamott, Philip Levine, Dr. Seuss, Charles Simic, Amy Tan, E.B. White and others, the book shows how strongly the presence of libraries has affected not only themselves but also those that they've known and how important they continue to be in this 'information age' where there is an ever-larger amount of information that needs to be sifted through to find the information needed.

Bill Moyer perhaps expressed it best in his foreword when he said, "when a library is open, no matter its size or shape, democracy is open, too."

Welcome MLA 2014!

     We are excited to announce that the Mississippi Library Association's annual convention is back in Vicksburg this year. MLA's mission is to "to provide professional leadership for the development, promotion, and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all." This four day conference includes workshops and vendors selling aids for use in academic, public, and school libraries. Also included are tours of historic Vicksburg. On Thursday, October 16, there will be the annual Mississippi Author Awards Dinner. These awards are given to Mississippi authors in one of three categories: fiction, non-fiction, and juvenile literature.  All of this is being held at the Vicksburg Convention Center--just down the street from our own public library. I know that as a community you will join me in showing our participants and presenters the hospitality that Mississippi is famous for! If you would like to learn more about the conference, please feel free to follow one of the links below.

Mississippi Library Association's Convention Page
http://www.misslib.org/event-856714


Vicksburg Convention Center Homepage
http://www.vccmeet.com/

Setting boundaries on technology for your family

With technology changing practically daily and younger children using that technology on a regular basis, where do parents draw the line or even know what lines need to be drawn?

Janell Burley Hofmann, writer for The Huffington Post and mother of five, ran into that problem when she gave her 13 year old son an iPhone for Christmas.  She covered her concerns that outlined the boundaries and expectations for her son in the form of a contract that she had him sign when he was given his first cell phone.  Her editor at The Huffington Post posted a copy, now known as the iRules, and it went viral.

In this book, Hofmann provides families with tools to help them reach their own balance between personal human interactions and technology.  Using her guidance on what makes up the online culture (everything from cyberbullying to sexting), parents can fashion their own iRules to fit the needs of their own families.

The book also contains a glossary of common internet terms, a listing of current popular social networking sites and a list of translations for popular abbreviations used in online chats.  All in all, it's a great reference for both the tech-savvy and the not-so-tech-savvy.

Insomniacs Be Warned!

Black Moon is a novel by Kenneth Calhoun. This is a contemporary novel about the breakdown that can occur when a society is hit with a plague. In Calhoun's United States, people are suffering from endless bouts of insomnia. First, there is the exhaustion. Next is the forgetfulness and impaired reflexes. Then, comes the irrational behavior, hallucinations--both auditory and visual. Finally, is the full-blown descent into insanity and, in most cases, suicide. Men, women, and children roam the streets dazed, confused, and muttering to themselves. They are filthy, ever-maddening creatures who scrounge food where they can. There is hope in those who are still able to sleep at night, but those few are in mortal danger. If someone with this viral insomnia finds a person asleep, then they go into a terrible rage and attack the sleeper--in some cases killing them. There are mass suicides from highway overpasses and tall buildings. Our main protagonist, Biggs, has lost his beloved wife, Carolyn. Biggs is a sleeper, but his wife has succumbed to the insomnia that is running rampant throughout the country. In a fit of confusion and despair, Carolyn wanders from their apartment and out into the chaos. During his journey to find his beloved wife, Biggs meets all sorts of characters in various states of insomnia-induced madness. There is also Lila, a high-school student who has taken to roaming the streets and subdivisions of a desert town wearing an owl mask. She, too, can sleep, but her parents sent her away when they realized that she was not safe around them. The Marine who was taking her to a military base tried to attack her when she falls asleep in the backseat of the car. She suffers minor injuries to her face, but the Marine dies, leaving her alone to roam this new chaotic world. This story starts off strong with an interesting premise, but around the center, it seems to lose steam and the ending feels rushed and a bit contrived. I can deal with the author leaving us hanging with the crumbling state of civilization, but there are loose ends that could have been resolved before bringing this book to a close. One of the main characters seems to die "off stage" (which is very annoying). Overall this is a good book, but it is a bit hard to get through in places. Some of the descriptions of the break-down of people's psyches are pretty disturbing. If you like deeply psychological accounts of dystopian futures (and not-so-futures), then this is a good book for you.

Could You Run the Maze?

The Maze Runner is a juvenile novel by James Dashner that centers around a group of boys trapped in a garden-like prison surrounded by four hundred foot grey walls that open and close on four sides at dawn and dusk. Beyond these walls there is a maze that has to be solved before the boys can escape to the unknown. The story opens with "Thomas" inside a dark room that is moving. The top opens and there are faces peering down on him. Apparently, this happens once a month--a 'greenbean' comes out of the elevator shaft in the middle of the garden. There are no adults, no girls. The boys come to the maze with no real knowledge of who they are or where they come from. They must survive with what they have and what few supplies they receive every week. Thomas decides he has to become a Runner--one of several boys who go out each morning, run through their section of the maze, mapping it in their heads, and returning each night and sketching out what they learn. The maze is familiar to him somehow. The maze is not without dangers, however, there are these half-metallic, half-organic creatures called Grievers that inhabit the maze. Mostly, they come out at night, but if they catch you they inject you with a toxin that causes you to go through an extremely painful process that causes you to see your past and you gain some knowledge of what is going on in the world, but not everyone sees the same things. This dystopian future is a fun, quick read and is the first book in a series. Some of you may have seen previews for a movie with the same title--it is based on Dashner's series. The strong female leads of series like The Hunger Games & Divergent are wonderful, but sometimes, the boys need a strong role model, too--one that uses his brains over his brawn. I highly recommend giving this series a try. The library only has the first book of the series, but it is worth checking into.

Ebooks are also available at the library.

Have a desktop computer, laptop, Nook, Sony Reader, Kobo, iPad, iPhone or Kindle Fire?  The Blio eReader supports Windows, Android and IOS devices.

http://wcvpl.axis360.baker-taylor.com/Admin/ReaderList - this link will take you to the axis360 APPzone where you can find step-by-step directions on how to set up your specific device so that you can start enjoying the convenience of checking out a eBook today.

From the Written Word to the Television Screen

Last summer, CBS decided to run a thirteen episode television series based upon Stephen King's book, Under the Dome. In both the book and the t.v. series, the small town of Chester's Mill, Maine finds itself trapped under an invisible dome. Iraq veteran Dale Barbara and several other townspeople find themselves at odds with the ambitious and murderous Big Jim Rennie and his son. There seems to be a secret lurking around every corner and under every rock. The television show is about the characters and how they react to being trapped under this mysterious dome and how they interact with one another. Everyone must learn to survive, scrounge supplies, and keep everything from falling apart.

The key cast members--Dale "Barbie" Barbara, Julia Shumway, and others--try to figure out what the dome is, who built it, and why was Chester's Mill chosen to be covered? The first season and the book can be found here at the library. The second season of the television series just aired on CBS.

This summer, ABC aired the television series Resurrection. This story is based on the book The Returned by Jason Mott. Both the DVD of the first season of Resurrection and The Returned can be checked out at the library. A mysterious young boy wakes up in a rice patty in China. It turns out that the boy is from Arcadia, Missouri and he died over thirty years ago. He is reunited with his parents who are--understandably--bewildered, scared, and overjoyed. The little boy is just the first, soon, others return. As they do, the people of Arcadia are thrown into chaos. Is this really the miracle that some think, or is there a more sinister purpose to the return of dead loved ones? A local doctor teams with an ICE agent and they try to discover what is going on and why, but they run into trouble when word gets out that the dead have come back.The first season of this series only has eight episodes and the ending leaves you wanting more.

While I have not read the two books mentioned here, they have definitely gone onto my "Must Read" list. When the producers, writers, directors, and actors do a superb job of staying close to the source material and do some spectacular storytelling, you can appreciate the synthesis of literature and film-making.

A view of the Delta and the dogs that live there.

An interesting book we've added to our collection recently is Delta Dogs - a series of photographs by Maude Schuyler Clay, which includes an introduction by Brad Watson and an essay by Beth Ann Fennelly.

But the stars are the combination of the dogs and their surroundings. All the photographs are in sepia tones, showing dogs of nearly every size and shape in fields, by the side of the road, playing in the water and various other doggie activities.  Each of the photographs has a small notation about where the image came from, some very general like 'Field Dogs, Mississippi Delta' and some very specific as 'Dog under the Burrus House, near Benoit'.

The photographer was born in Greenwood, Mississippi and her works are part of the collections of several museums including the Museum of Modern Art.

British Mysteries on DVD

I have recently finished two new British Mystery series on DVD. The first one is Death in Paradise (Season 1) and it stars Ben Miller (Primeval, Johnny English) as the pent-up and proper Detective Inspector Richard Poole. DI Poole has been sent from Scotland Yard to the Caribbean Island of Saint Marie to solve the murder of a fellow police officer. he encounters an island full of colorful characters and a police station manned by an equally raucous crew. Paired with DI Poole is Detective Sergeant Camille Bordey (Sara Martins). Where Poole is up-tight and a little OCD; Camille is laid back and free-spirited. Needless to say, these two but horns at almost every turn, but Camille and her mother, Catherine, take every opportunity to try to get the DI to relax. Adding to Poole's headaches are Officer Dwayne Myers (Danny John-Jules) and Fidel Best (Gary Carr). Dwayne just wants to revel in the island that he loves so much. Fidel is a about to be a new father and while quite competent, he is a little on the green side when it comes to police work, but he is more than willing to learn. This eight episode season is full of character driven stories without all the blood and gore of grittier police shows and it is peppered with enough humor to keep it light and watchable.

The second set of British mysteries I've watched recently is called Scott & Bailey (Season 1). It stars Lesley Sharp (The Full Monty, Cranford) as Detective Constable Janet Scott and Suranne Jones (Coronation Street) as Detective Constable Rachel Bailey. This show is more serious and drama driven than the other series discussed here. DC Scott is the sensible, family-oriented detective. She is kind, intelligent and a by-the-book copper. DC Bailey is a single woman with a penchant for the wrong men. She, too, is intelligent and good at her job, but she is more likely to bend the rules than her partner. These two ladies are best friends as well as partners. They may not always see eye-to-eye, but when things get hairy they have each other's backs. This series doesn't have a lot of gore either, even though the cases are more gritty and urban than Death in Paradise. This is definitely a buddy-cop show and well worth watching.

Getting Old Can Be Hazardous to Your Health

A new addition to our collection is the latest in the 'Geezer-Lit' mysteries, Nursing Homes are Murder by Mike Befeler (number six of the series).

Octogenarian sleuth Paul Jacobson is back again.  This time, he's in Hawaii and asked for help by Detective Chun, who needs someone undercover to help investigate a sexual assault at a nursing home.  Things take a turn when the assault victim becomes a murder victim.

Jacobson has to cope with short-term memory loss as well as with some of the eccentric residents of the Pacific Vista Nursing Home, including wheelchair racers and one with a taste for soap.  It's a well-paced mix of humor, danger and mystery as Jacobson tries to put a stop to a killer before the killer puts a stop to him.

Longmire - Season 2

Walt Longmire gets a heap of trouble in the second season of the popular series on the A&E Network. First of all, he is in the midst of a heated re-election campaign against one of his own deputies--namely, Branch Connelly. Second, his daughter takes off for a few weeks without letting anyone know where she's going. Turns out that after she finds out that her mother was killed by a meth addict and not from cancer like her father told her, she goes to Denver to see what the police there know about the case. Third, we learn that Deputy Victoria "Vic" Moretti left Philadelphia under a dark cloud not of her making and it seems the cloud has found her. Then all hell breaks loose! I don't want to give too much away, so I'll just say that this is a wonderful television series that runs during the summer months on A&E and is based on a series of books by Craig Johnson. There is no mistaking that this is a modern-day western--complete with horses, cowboy hats, rodeos, and cattle rustlers. I thoroughly enjoy the characters and the actors who play them. Robert Taylor, an Aussie import, does a fine job of portraying the rough, intelligent, and caring Sheriff of Absaroka County. Lou Diamond Phillips--still as handsome as ever--plays Longmire's longtime and long suffering best friend, Henry Standing Bear. The first season was more of a way to introduce the characters; the second season goes deeper into their relationships and their pasts. While the television show is not exactly like the books by Craig Johnson, I think that it captures the spirit of Johnson's characters and of the people and places in Wyoming that are so lovingly drawn in the books.  The library owns both Season 1 and 2 of the show and it may be checked out in the audio-visual department.

Cast of Longmire (A&E Network)

"If Something Happens To Me"

A recent addition to our collection is the true story of the disappearance of Susan Powell, twenty-eight year old wife and mother of two young boys, in December 2009 and the eventual murder of her two sons at the hands of her husband/their father and his suicide in February 2012.


The authors have covered the story by making use of emails that were sent by Susan to friends and family, notes left behind, the police files (which were released last year when the case was closed) and interviews with friends, neighbors and family members.


Despite the case being closed, Susan Powell is currently still missing.  A chilling tale best read with the doors locked and the lights on.

Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson

It is only fitting that my last blog entry for this blog, hosted by the Warren County-Vicksburg Public Library, be about a book that astounded me with it's lyrical beauty.   A friend of mine loaned me Gargoyle,  by Andrew Davidson, a few months ago and while I initially was interested in the story, I was distracted by other books and put it down.  I recently took a trip and discovered that the library has Gargoyle on CD, so I jumped at the chance to check it out and

finish it!  The story is simply stunning.  The book opens with the story of the narrator, who is visually beautiful by morally blank, as he is driving along a dark road and becomes distracted by what appears to be a group of arrows.  He crashes into a ravine and suffers horrible burns over most of his body.  He wakes in a hospital and suffers treatments until a somewhat unhinged gargoyle sculptress, Marianne Engel, appears at his bedside and insists they were lovers in medieval Germany.  She then spins the tale of their past life-intertwined with other tales of lovers--in a beautiful, twisting, tale of love and life.  He is eventually released into her care and they attempt to have a life together. The writing is beautiful and the story is intense as is the descriptions of burn victim treatments.  I believe you'll be as entranced as I was with this bookl, whether you check out the library's hardback copy or listen to the audio version.

A Cozy Library Mystery

     Author Miranda James continues her Cat in the Stacks Mysteries with the fifth book --The Silence of the Library. Charlie Harris, a kind and warm semi-retired librarian, and his large Maine Coon cat, Diesel spend their time working at the local college library as well as the public library of Athena, Mississippi. Unfortunately, Charlie always seems to get caught up in nefarious goings-on in this small Southern town. This time, Charlie is helping Teresa, the director of the public library, organize an event centered around children's detective stories for National Library Week. Fortunately for them, the centenary novelist Electra Barnes Cartwright--creator of the beloved Veronica Thane series--is a local resident. Charlie and Teresa convince Mrs. Cartwright to appear at their event. They don't realize, however, that inviting such a beloved writer to the event will bring out all manner of unstable individuals. When Carrie Taylor--a blogger and longtime fan of Mrs. Cartwright's work--agrees to bring some of her own memorabilia to be displayed in the library, she turns up dead. Why would anyone want to kill such a pleasant and innocuous woman? Could it be because she owned a rare version of the very first Veronica Thane book? Charlie is caught up in the matter, much to the chagrin of Deputy Kanesha Berry. On top of the murder, someone has broken into the hotel rooms of a couple of book collectors who have turned up for the event and Mrs. Cartwright's literary agent seems to have gone missing. Charlie and Diesel work their way through the clues and the list of suspects to give Kanesha a helping hand--whether she wants it or not! The ending will surprise many and the little twist is quite refreshing. I highly recommend this series for fans of cozy mysteries. If you would like to check out any of the other Cat in the Stacks Mysteries by Miranda James, they are:

1.  Murder Past Due
2.  Classified As Murder
3.  File M for Murder
4.  Out of Circulation
5.  The Silence of the Library

The Big Book of Baby Quilts!

The library just received a gorgeous new quilting book!  The Big Book of Baby Quilts published by The Patchwork Place contains 87 cute and cuddly baby quilt patterns with patterns, color photos and easy to follow directions.  The patterns range from easy to hard, and from traditional to abstract patterns.  The full-color photographs make creating the quilts an easy process, and the detailed directions make it easy to figure how many different fabrics you need to buy and the amount of each fabric you need.  The book includes quilts that are pieced and appliqued and many different quilting techniques are explained in the book too.  This book would be a great read for any quilter, as the quilt patterns can be used for baby quilts and/or modified to make bigger quilts.  This book is currently housed on our new nonfiction book shelves and can be checked out for a three week period. 

Take a Stroll Through the Pines

Blake Crouch has written an unnerving novel titled the Pines.  Wayward Pines, Idaho is a quintessential small town in America, or so it seems on the surface.  Secret Service Agent Ethan Burke visits the town in search of two missing federal agents but is sidelined by an auto accident when he arrives.  He wakes up at the edge of town with amnesia, a killer headache and soon realizes that this "little corner of paradise" is not what it seems.  Although the townspeople are friendly and act "normal," little cracks in their facades begin to appear.  Ethan has no ID or cell phone and is thwarted whenever he tries to contact his family or his Secret Service boss.  As Ethan continues to drag up more questions than answers, he realizes that he

may never leave this creepy town alive!  Blake Crouch was a fan of the television shows Twin Peaks, Northern Exposure and The X-Files and he wrote Pines in order to create something that made him feel the way Twin Peaks did-- a story about a small town in the middle of nowhere that is beautiful on the outside but with a pitch-black underbelly.  Blake Crouch was born in North Carolina in 1978 and earned his undergraduate degrees in English and Creative Writing from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and published his first two novels within five years of graduation.  He has since published eight novels, many novellas and short stories and three novels cowritten with J. A. Konrath, Fully Loaded, Run,  and Stirred.  He currently lives in Durango, Colorado.

Philomena

I like to watch as many Academy Award Nominated films that I can every year, and I was just able to view Philomena, which was nominated for Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Original Score and Best Adapted Screenplay in 2013.  Judi Dench and Steve Coogan star in this wonderful story about Philomena Lee, an Irish mother who conceived a child out of wedlock and unwillingly gave him up for adoption.  Almost fifty years after his birth, Philomena meets Martin

Sixsmith, a former BBC reporter looking for his next big break, With a few clues in hand, they set off on a journey to find Philomena's long lost son---a journey that takes them from the Abbey in Ireland where Philomena lived and had the baby, then to America and back again.  Based on the 2009 book by Sixsmith, The Lost Child of Philomena Lee, the movie is a wonderful story about an unlikely friendship full of humor and warmth.  The movie is rated PG-13 and contains special features such as "A Conversation with Judi Dench," "The Real Philomena Lee," a "Q & A with Steve Coogan," and "Feature Commentary with Steve Coogan and Screenwriter Jeff Pope."  The library has The Lost Child of Philomena Lee in both book and audio format.

Last Vegas

I recently watched a really fun movie that I checked out on DVD from the library.  Last Vegas stars Michael Douglas, Robert DeNiro, Morgan Freeman and Kevin Kline.  Best friends since childhood, the four "older gentlemen" decide to fly to Las Vegas to celebrate Billy's (Michael Douglas') marriage to his long-time, 32-year-old girlfriend.  Billy is the group's sworn bachelor and the group promises to stop acting their ages and relive their glory days in Vegas before the big wedding.  When they arrive, they realize that the decades have changed them and Sin City and they test the boundaries of their friendship as they take Vegas by storm.  The movie is a hilarious exploration of life and what it means to grow old gracefully.  The movie is rated PG-13  and contains special features such as filmmaker commentary and stories about "The Flatbush Four."

Fizz! Boom! Read!

It's almost time for the start of our Summer Library Program.  This year's theme is science based and called 'Fizz! Boom! Read!'.  Each week will be dedicated to a different topic like colors, weather, oceans and our five senses.  The weekly Storytimes (Tuesdays and Wednesday at 10:30 am) will reflect the theme of the week as will the craft projects.

Registration for the Summer Library Program will begin on Monday, June 2 and end on Friday, June 20.  Ages from preschool through 12th grade are welcome to participate.  Participants will be placed in one of three categories : Preschool, School-age (Kindergarten - 5th grade) or Teen (6th - 12th grade).  Even if your child can't read on their own yet, take part with the 'Read-To-Me' program.

Each child will set his/her own reading goals.  We recommend that the goal be set low enough for the child to realistically reach while leaving time for other summertime activities.

The last day to report on books that have been read is Friday, July 11 and the closing celebration for all participants who meet their reading goals will be on Wednesday, July 16.

Have a happy summer of discovery!

"Death of a Policeman"

     This latest installment of the Hamish Macbeth series by author M.C. Beaton finds our intrepid police sergeant at odds with his superiors. Hamish Macbeth has managed to keep his little station at Lochdubh open so far, but if Chief Inspector Blair has his way, Macbeth and the station will go the way of the dodo. Blair insists that Macbeth does nothing important on his beat, but the people of the small communities surrounding his station rely on him to settle disputes, look in on those who have no one, and to generally put up with all manner of nonsense from the locals. Blair has decided to send policeman Cyril Sessions to spy on Macbeth and gather as much evidence as he can to shut down the Lochdubh station. However, Macbeth is onto Cyril's game almost from the moment he arrives and he is having none of Cyril's nonsense. The only trouble is that Cyril is murdered while following Macbeth in the countryside. At first, it looks like Cyril is killed by a criminal drug ring operating in the highlands. Even while trying to solve Cyril's murder, Macbeth must try to save his station, deal with his lovesick policeman Dick, and his own pitiful attempts at romance.

    The author, Beaton, excels at her descriptions of the Scottish Highlands as well as the myriad of colorful local characters she uses to populate her books. While the ending is a bit of an out-of-nowhere twist, the last part of the book does seem a little hurried. Some may say that this series is getting a little tired, but fans of the series will not be disappointed. I thoroughly enjoyed this book for what it is: a fun, cozy mystery and an easy read.

Share a Meal with Anne Burrell

If you are a food network fanatic like me, you will be happy to learn that the library has a copy of Anne Burrell's newest book, Own Your Kitchen:  Recipes to Inspire and Empower.  This book is about being in charge when you cook--this includes discovering how flavors work together, creating meals with the ingredients you have in your pantry and also how to feel confident and stress free when you are making meals.  Anne Burrell does these three things by sharing the recipes that she makes at home when she's relaxed and wanting to share

something good with her friends and family.  The 100 recipes in this book have been designed to teach the reader how to be comfortable with essential cooking techniques such as:  making an omelet, butterflying a chicken for an easy roast and how to bake focaccia bread.  She also offers tips, such as items that can be prepared ahead (marinades) or how to coax flavor out of a chicken by using a garlic rubdown.  The book contains seasonal as well as everyday recipes and ways to bounce back after you make a mistake.  Anne Burrell is the New York Times best selling author of Cook Like a Rock Star, and the host for many years of Food Network's Secrets of a Restaurant Chef.  She is co-host of Worst Cooks in America and host of Chef Wanted with Anne Burrell.  She is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, worked at Lidia Bastianich's Felidia and Peter Hoffman's Savoy and taught at the Institute of Culinary Education.  She currently lives in New York City.

Tales of the D'Artigo Sisters

By some interesting twist of fate, I just read two Yasmine Galenorn novels at the same time:  Shaded Vision and Crimson Veil.  Both are novels in the "Otherworld" series, and Shaded Vision comes in the series before Crimson Veil.  I listened to Crimson Veil in audio book form and read Shaded Vision in book form.  The narrator of Crimson Veil is Cassandra Campbell and she did a wonderful job with bringing the characters of the story alive.  The D'Artigo sisters are three half-Fae, half-human ex-operatives for the Otherworld Intelligence Agency.  Camille is a witch, Delilah is a werecat and Menolly is an acrobat turned vampire. The sisters have been charged with finding seven spirit seals and keeping them away from a demon lord.  In Shaded Vision, the sisters are trying to find an arsonist who keeps bombing supernatural businesses such as the Supe Community Council and several vampire bars.  In Crimson Veil, the sisters are trying to stop Lowestar Radcliff (the demon in charge of a supernatural corporate power grab) from awakening Suvika, the lord of vice.  Both stories are full of complex characters and it is enjoyable reading (and listening to) how they interact with each other.  The novels are wonderful paranormal stories with romance and fantastical creatures thrown in the mix.  I do suggest you read the books in order as the events of each book build upon each other.  

                                        

Aiming for Scholastic Success

A new addition to our Children's Department is a series of books called 'The 7 Character Strengths of Highly Successful Students'.  Each book of the series is dedicated to one of the character strengths : Curiosity, Gratitude, Grit, Optimism, Self-control, Social Intelligence and Zest.

The books define the featured character strength as well as explain how they help students, both in school and in life.  Each book also has the following helpful sections in the back :
1) Glossary
2) For More Information
3) For Further Reading
4) Bibliography
5) Index

Help your student by showing them these tools that will help them gain success in both academics and, later on, in the workplace.

Judith Ann Rush Signs New Poetry Book

Judith Ann Rush will host a signing of her poetry book on Wednesday,April 23, 2014 from 4:30 to 6:30
PM in the library auditorium. Her book, My Testimony of God’s Love and Mercy: God Speaks to Me Through Poetry, is about the trials and tribulations that Ms. Rush went through and survived, only by the grace of God, a testimony of his love and mercy. Ms. Rush feels that her poems will inspire anyone who is struggling in life to look to God because he is the solution to every problem. Judith Ann Rush grew up in Vicksburg and began going to church at the early age of six. She was raised by her grandmother, who insisted she and her siblings go to church every Sunday. Ms. Rush was very shy and rarely said anything, but met many women and men in various churches of various denominations and made many friends in her life. Ms. Rush graduated from Vicksburg High School in 1977 and received her Bachelor of Science degree from Alcorn State University in Secretarial Science in 1981. Ms. Rush thanks her many friends for the encouragement they gave her to write her book.

National Poetry Month

As some of you may know, April is National Poetry Month. Many a student cringes with the mere mention of the word 'poetry', but they needn't do so. Poetry is a way to express your passions and your pain in a creative outlet that is usually short and readily absorbed by the reader. The poem can be structured in one of the many formal forms or you can express yourself in free verse. Poems can rhyme or not. Traditional forms of poetry include the sonnet, epic, palindrome, acrostic, limerick, haiku and free verse.
     The great thing, I think, about poetry is that anyone can write it. All a person needs is the desire to express themselves through some form of verse. Poetry can be fun. There are so many forms to choose from; you could write dozens of poems and never use the same structure twice!
     Some poets tell a story with their poetry; some express only feelings or ideas. Shakespeare, Browning, Byron, Tennyson, Poe, Dickinson, Whitman, Longfellow, Dunbar, and Angelou are all names synonymous with poetry. But what about names like Dylan, Jackson, Nelson, Ice-T, Eminem, Adele, Lorde? All of these singer-songwriters are also poets; they just set their poetry to music. Poets and poetry can inspire people to love, to create, to sing! Writing poetry can help people deal with grief, depression, and other melancholic feelings. Poetry can also express patriotism, glee, and eroticism.
     As a reader of poetry, you may think some poems are better than others. That is perfectly okay. You may not like the very structured poems. You may prefer happier or shorter poems. The library has an array of books of poems. If you would prefer, you can search online for poetry. The best way to find out which types and poets you prefer is to read, read, read! After you finish reading, ponder what the author is saying. After all, that is what poetry is for, making you think about life, death, love, hate, and all of the other emotions that go along with the human experience. I am going to leave you with two poems that I copied from www.bartleby.com (a wonderful resource for finding not only poems, but other works of fiction and nonfiction).

The first poem is from the Sonnets From the Portuguese by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861).

(XLIII.)

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height

My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight

For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.        200

I love thee to the level of everyday’s

Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.

I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;

I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.

I love thee with the passion put to use        205

In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.

I love thee with a love I seemed to lose

With my lost saints,—I love thee with the breath,

Smiles, tears, of all my life!—and, if God choose,

I shall but love thee better after death.        210

The next poem is Ships That Pass In The Night by Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872-1906).

OUT in the sky the great dark clouds are massing;

  I look far out into the pregnant night,

Where I can hear a solemn booming gun

  And catch the gleaming of a random light,

That tells me that the ship I seek is passing, passing.        5

My tearful eyes my soul’s deep hurt are glassing;

  For I would hail and check that ship of ships.

I stretch my hands imploring, cry aloud,

  My voice falls dead a foot from mine own lips,

And but its ghost doth reach that vessel, passing, passing.        10

O Earth, O Sky, O Ocean, both surpassing,

  O heart of mine, O soul that dreads the dark!

Is there no hope for me? Is there no way

  That I may sight and check that speeding bark

Which out of sight and sound is passing, passing?        15

Celebrate National Library Week, April 13-19 @ the Warren County-Vicksburg Public Library!

National Library Week 2014 will be packed with exciting programs at the Warren County-Vicksburg Public Library!  This year’s theme for the week, April 13-19 is “Lives Change @ Your Library”  This year’s 56th Anniversary of this nationwide observance, sponsored by the American Library Association, celebrates libraries, librarians and the activities and information available to all people. Throughout the week, library staff and guest presenters will host programs for the community.

     National Library Week is a great time to “meet” your friends and family at the library.  Show your support of Mississippi’s Libraries, and your commitment to your community, by visiting us during this special week.  Here is a list of programs:

—Learn how to “Garden With Herbs” on Tuesday, April 15 at 12:00 PM in the library auditorium. Warren         County Master Master Gardener Joelyn James will teach participants how to grow herbs.  The event is a Brown Bag Lunch—attendees are encouraged to bring their lunch and drinks and dessert will be provided by the library.  .—Now that you’ve learned how to grow herbs, attend our “Cooking with Herbs” program on Wednesday, April 16, 2014  at 12:00 PM,  hosted by Chef Chris Brinkley, of Anchuca Historic Mansion and Inn.  Chef Chris will create his famous fresh herb marinade and then teach attendees how to make a bruschetta appetizer  using the marinade.    The event is a Brown Bag Lunch—attendees are encouraged to bring their lunch and drinks and dessert will be provided by the library.

 —On Thursday, April 17 at 4:00 PM,   Blues harmonica player Bobby Rush will present a “Senior Ciizens Play the Blues” where he will teach Senior Citizens how to play the harmonica.  There is a limit of 30 participants and registration forms are available at the library and the Vicksburg Senior Center.  Registration will be on a first come-first served basis and completed forms must be turned in to the library.  Participants will receive their own harmonica and a great lesson from a famous musician!

—Friday, April 17 9:00-11:00 AM, we will celebrate our loyal supporters with “Customer Appreciation Day!’  Join us for coffee and cookies and some great conversations about books and movies.

     We would like to especially thank the members of the Board of Supervisors and our Mississippi Legislators during this week. Warren County provides over 80% of the money needed to run our library and we are thankful for their support.