Enjoy the last week of Audiobook Month!

There is still some time left as Audiobook Month comes to a close to enjoy listening to a good book.

Our library has a sizable collection of different authors and titles available in both CD and MP3 format as well as many titles that can be accessed on the Web.

Perfect for listening to on summer road trips as well as for enjoyment while working around the house or sunbathing.  Check out our selection of titles in our A/V Department.

Crime and History

Cyberbullying and the Wild Wild Web: What Everyone Needs to Know by J.A. Hitchcock is a small tome with a great deal of very pertinent information. As more and more of our interactions take place via the world wide web, humanity seems to be losing its ability to be civil with one another. There is a great deal of anonymity on the internet and some people think that gives them open license to say and do whatever they want. Some even resort to cyberbullying. This book tells you what cyberbullying is and how you can avoid it and stay safer online. Hitchcock shares stories to help victims and parents to relate to and understand the unfortunate reality of this growing problem.

The Blood of Emmett Till by Timothy B. Tyson tells the story of what actually happened to the fourteen-year-old from Chicago who was murdered in the Mississippi Delta in 1955. Just the mention of this young man's name brings to mind racial injustice and the terrorism that arose in the south after the United States Supreme Court declared school segregation to be unconstitutional in 1954. This book turns what we thought we knew about the case on its head. Part true crime drama and part political history, this book also includes the only interview by Carolyn Bryant, the white woman in whose name Till was killed.

A Graphic Retelling of an Iconic Story

There are few short stories that I read in my youth that I remember as vividly as 'The Lottery'.  Only around seven pages long, but the impact of it was enormous and it has been called one of the most terrifying stories written in this century.

First published in The New Yorker in 1948, the story initially generated a large negative feedback with reader reactions ranging from cancelling their subscriptions to sending hate mail.  Shirley Jackson is reported to have said that in over three hundred letters, only thirteen were positive.

In this graphic novel, Miles Hyman, the grandson of Shirley Jackson, reenvisions the story in graphic form as a tribute to his grandmother,

It and over 100 other graphic novels are now available for check-out at our library.  See the shelves near the Reference Desk to view our current selection.

June is Bridal Season

June is traditionally thought of as the month of brides and all things bridal. In fact, in the U.S. it is the busiest month for the wedding industry. I thought I would showcase a few books to help you with your bridal needs. One is specifically about weddings; two feature entertaining tips and tricks; and the last one helps you to let go if things in the marriage go south.

Weddiculous: An Unfiltered Guide to Being a Bride by Jamie Lee (with Jacqueline Novak) is a fresh, funny look at all things bridal. The author--a stand-up comedian, TV writer, and actress—talks about her experience planning her own wedding and gives practical and hilarious tips to other brides on how to not run yourself (and others) crazy during this stressful process. Jamie opens each chapter with a snippet of the kind of advice that big bridal business gives to potential brides; she then blows that advice out of the water! This book is worth the read even if you’re not planning a wedding.

Looking for ideas on entertaining in general? Why not check out Modern Hospitality: Simple Recipes with Southern Charm by Whitney Miller or How to Celebrate Everything by Jenny Rosenstrach?

Whitney Miller was the Season 1 winner of MasterChef hosted by Gordon Ramsay. This young woman hales from Poplarville, Mississippi and is a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi. Her book contains more than 75 original southern-style recipes, ideas for entertaining, and stories from her own family and traditions.

Jenny Rosenstrach includes more than 100 recipes in her book; each one designed to celebrate those days most special to your family. She includes complete menus for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve as well as ideas for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Super Bowl Sunday. She also includes notes on her own family rituals for holidays and birthdays and why it is important for families to celebrate together.

If your wedding doesn’t pan out into eternal wedded bliss, then, The Optimist’s Guide to Divorce by Suzanne Riss and Jill Sockwell may be worth reading. When their own marriages began falling apart, the authors looked and looked for advice to help them through their tough times. They both realized that they needed the support of other women who understood what they were going through. In this book they bring together that practical advice on everything from deciding to divorce, custody battles, and moving house to making a plan, budgeting for your new life, and jumping back in the dating pool. Most importantly, they teach women that it’s okay to hurt, but there is hope and healing on the horizon.