Category Archives: Mercury Column

Hit the Road: Roadtripping at the Library

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let's go roadtrippingBy John Pecoraro     Assistant Director

With summer just around the corner, our thoughts naturally turn to that vacation ritual, the road trip. Load the car, load the map, then forget the map, but don’t forget the kids, for the gleaming highway awaits you. North, south, east, or west, all directions lead to adventure, new sights, new experiences, or homecomings. Manhattan Public Library has a large travel section on the second floor that includes hundreds of titles about venturing onto the open road in search of new and exciting places.

What was perhaps the first road trip was taken by Horatio Nelson Jackson who, to win a 50 dollar bet, claimed he could cross the country by automobile in 90 days. Jackson left San Francisco on May 23, 1903 and drove into New York City 63 days later. You won’t need quite as much time to drive coast to coast, but a good guide could come in handy. “Let’s Go: Roadtripping USA: The Complete Coast-to-Coast Guide to America” features eight classic cross-country road trip routes, along with hundreds of suggestions for places to eat, drink, and sleep along the way. For more about that first road trip, read “Horatio’s Drive,” by Dayton Duncan and Ken Burns.

If you want to get your kicks on Route 66, check out Tom Snyder’s “Route 66: Traveler’s Guide and Roadside Companion.” Manageable sections are highlighted for the entire 2,448 mile length of the Neon Road from Chicago to Los Angeles. The second half of the book features facts and trivia about places and people along the route.

The Interstate Highway System is the envy of the world, but sometimes those old narrow state and U.S. highways offer a truer picture of America. Try “Road Trip USA: Cross-Country Adventures on America’s Two-Lane Highways” by Jamie Jensen. The guide covers 35,000 miles of blacktop through the heart and soul of America.

Feel like rambling? Then “Ramble: A Field Guide to the U.S.A.,” by Eric Peterson is ramblethe book for you. Celebrating 250 American attractions and six mythic road trips, this travelogue describes each regional chapter using maps, out-of-the-ordinary statistics, and listings of not-so-run-of-the-mill tourist destinations. Chapters are divided into sections including Big Things and Other Road Art (unique sights), R.I.P. (famous graves), Vice (something naughty going on), Sleeps (where to stay), Grub (where to eat), and Huh (the unusual).

     “USA 101: A Guide to America’s Iconic Places, Events, and Festivals,” by Gary McKechnie, is a reverential yet lighthearted look at America in all its quirky diversity. From the Grand Ole Opry to Mount Rushmore, from polka festivals to monster truck rallies, this guide showcases legendary places and hometown events that identify America.

If you’re looking for something out of the ordinary, “Weird U.S.: A Freaky Field Trip through the 50 States,” will take you there. Author Matthew Lake shows you where to find the world’s biggest ball of twine, among other weird, freaky, and unbelievable creatures and places.

Summer crowds can be unbearable, so a guide to uncrowded spots is just what the doctor ordered. “Off the Beaten Path: A Travel Guide to More than 1,000 Scenic and Interesting Places Still Uncrowded and Inviting,” fills the prescription for an enjoyable road trip. The guide features quick day outings as well as longer vacation trips.

For the more historically inclined, there are several excellent guides from which to choose. “Progressive Nation,” by Jerome Pohlen, for example, is a travel guide to over 400 inspiring landmarks and left turns highlighting the Progressive Movement in the U.S. “America’s Best Historic Sites,” by B.J. Welborn lists 101 places to see, spanning more than 1,000 years of history.

civil war road  Civil War enthusiasts will be interested in “The Complete Civil War Road Trip Guide,” by Michael Weeks. The book outlines ten suggested itineraries for short road trips that cover every major battle of the war and contains complete information on and reviews of almost 450 historical sites across the United States related to the Civil War.

Remember to visit the library before you leave, and be careful on the road. Just in case you’re wondering: That big ball of twine could be in Cawker City, Kansas or Darwin, Minnesota or even Branson, Missouri. It all depends on who you ask.

A Glimpse of New Documentaries at MPL

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Marcia Allen
Technical Services & Collections Manager

Judging by the circulation of films from Manhattan Public Library, most library customers are well aware of our holdings.  We’ve got multiple copies of “Lincoln,” Life of Pi,” “Les Miserables,” and “Wreck-it Ralph,” to name but a few of the many available films. Most folks who hear that the library owns some 8,600+ films are reluctant to believe it, as the shelving would not seem to have that capacity, but so many titles are always checked out at any one time.
In addition to features films, the library has an extensive collection of documentaries.  Those do not circulate as much as some of the other offerings, but there are treasures to be found among them.  Just recently added are the following which have received excellent reviews:

joffrey  “Joffrey”:  A favorite of the San Francisco Film Festival as well as the Dance on Camera Film Festival, this lovely piece of work follows the historical dance company’s founding in 1956 by creators Robert Joffrey and Gerald Arpino.  Dogged by financial woes, the dance company managed to re-create itself several times to become one of the premier organizations of the world.  Of special note is the wealth of historical footage of glorious performances.  Testimonials by some of the dancers, choreographers, and the founders themselves allow viewers to trace the growth and tradition-breaking techniques of this highly esteemed company.

 “Deadliest Tornadoes”:  Though we don’t want to think about it, our region is already immersed in one of our most dangerous seasons of the year.  This NOVA PBS presentation recounts the incredibly high occurrences of tornadoes that took place in April of 2011.   Extended footage of Joplin’s horrific storm is a quick reminder of the potency of such winds.  Interviews with scientists and with weather forecasters demonstrate how wind rotation begins, and victim testimonials highlight an informative program.deadliest tornadoes

 “How to Survive a Plague”:  This historical documentary follows the path of AIDS activists in the early 1990s who demonstrated in the streets and who demanded that the Food and Drug Administration take immediate action to approve AIDS-fighting drugs.  They worked to help identify new treatments and move them through safety trials in record time.  Their determination reduced the numbers of AIDS-related deaths and offered new hope to sufferers.  This drama earned both the New York Film Critics Circle Award and the Gotham Award and was nominated for an Academy Award as well.

 planet ocean   “Planet Ocean”:  This beautiful film has a two-fold purpose.    Stunning footage of ocean currents taken from well above the Earth and shots of the feeding mouths of a coral reef are particularly striking.  But this film is also a plea for the protection of the ocean’s vast resources.  Researchers cite the drifting of crucial fish populations toward more temperate waters to the north as an alarming trend.  They also describe populations, like that of the Bluefin tuna, which are nearing extinction because of over-fishing.  This environmental gem was the 2012 Official Cinematography Winner at the Blue Ocean Film Festival.

“You’re Looking at Me Like I Live Here and I Don’t”:  This film has not yet arrived at MPL, but will be available shortly.  A documentary by Scott Kirschenbaum, this touching film recounts the life Of Lee Gorewitz  in the Traditions Alzheimer’s & Other Dementia Care Unit in Danville, California. This in-depth character study reveals that many of our perceptions of Alzheimer’s disease are misguided. The film premiered on PBS and has received much praise from physicians and university instructors for its content.

“Secrets of Highclere Castle”:  For the many fans of “Downton Abbey,” this PBS special is a rare treat.  Highclere Castle is the opulent location for the filming of the Masterpiece classic.  Interested viewers can learn about the current owners, Lord and Lady Carnavon, they can listen to the actual butler’s philosophy of service, and they can explore the beautiful rooms and grounds of one of England’s more famous estates.  They can also learn about Lady Almina’s huge investment in upkeep and restoration during the 19th century.  A visual delight.

   “The Abolitionists”:  This PBS drama follows the interactions of abolitionists like Frederick Douglass, William Garrison, Harriet Beecher Stowe and Angelina Grimke.  At a time when the country was fast approaching the Civil War, those individuals struggled to expose the horrors of slavery.  Their selflessness laid the groundwork for civil rights at a time when violence was a given.  This historic piece generates a lasting respect for those courageous few.

For these titles and a wide selection of others, take a look at the many fine documentaries your library has to offer.

National Hamburger Month

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bobby flayKeri Mills, Young Adult Librarian
I had to laugh when I found out that May is National Hamburger Month. But, when you think about the role the hamburger has played in American culture and cuisine, maybe it should be recognized on the calendar.  If you are interested in knowing more about the hamburger and its humble beginnings, the library has a couple of books on burger history.

“Hamburger Heaven” by Jeffrey Tennyson is a good one to get you started. This book details the beginnings of the hamburger steak from the Tartars of the 13th century, its immigration to the United States via Hamburg, Germany, and the Americans who claim to be the first to put the steak between two pieces of bread. Then, there is a fascinating look at the rise of burger restaurants and the famous burger battles that ensued. What also makes the book so enjoyable, is its numerous photographs of early restaurants, advertisements and burger memorabilia (yes, there really is burger memorabilia).

If you are not that into burger history, and would just like to eat some hamburgers, the library has plenty of cookbooks to choose from. One of my recent favorites is “Bobby Flay’s Burgers, Fries, and Shakes.” Flay has created a cookbook that is great for beginners and burger experts alike. The first chapter offers advice for choosing the right meats, cheeses, buns, cookware, and the best way to cook your burgers. Subsequent chapters offer burger recipes galore, many illustrated with full-page color photographs. After you’ve mastered the burger, try one of Flay’s recipes for fries, condiments, or milkshakes.  What washes down a burger better than a lemon meringue pie milkshake or a dark chocolate milkshake with coconut cream?

You could also try “The Book of Burger” by Rachel Ray.  With over 200 recipes, there are plenty of burgers to choose from. And, as usual, Ray makes her recipes very accessible for the average home cook. Her book includes recipes for beef, lamb, pork, veggie, chicken, turkey, and seafood burgers, not to mention fries and dipping sauces. There is also a selection of favorite burger recipes from other celebrity chefs. Many of the recipes are kid friendly, as well. If macaroni is a staple at your house, try the Chili Mac ‘N’ Cheese Burgers.rachel ray

 “Raichlen’s Indoor! Grilling” by Steven Raichlen is the cookbook for those who do not have an outdoor grill or for those who crave a burger in any kind of weather. Although this book does not contain a huge assortment of burger recipes, each recipe it does contain is fairly detailed. And, every burger recipe contains specific instructions for cooking on five different types of indoor grills: contact grills, grill pans, built-in grills, freestanding grills, and even fireplace grills. There are also chapters on sides, veggies, and desserts. Pound Cake S’mores,  anyone?

If you are an experienced cook and not easily intimidated in the kitchen, try “Burgers: from Barbecue Ranch Burger to Miso Salmon Burger” by Paul Gayler. This one is definitely not for the average cook. All recipe measurements are in metric, and the majority of the burgers take extensive prep and/or have difficult to find ingredients. Take, for instance, the Lamb Burger Briks, which are wrapped in spring roll pastry dough and then deep fried. If you are up for a challenge, you can even try pheasant, ostrich, or swordfish burgers.

 “Grilling Vegan Style” by John Schlimm is perfect for the vegetarians or vegans in your life.  The first couple chapters go over the basics of grilling and the different types of vegan foods and products that are available. There is one chapter devoted to burgers, plus several others on appetizers, marinades, sides, and various grilled dishes. There is even an entire chapter devoted to the perfect drinks to go with your burgers or other grilling masterpieces.

If this has gotten you in the mood for a good burger, come check out one of these or our many other cookbooks from the library today!

Poetry is in the Air

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poemsI recently had a perfect moment.  How often do we get to say that?  As I was riding my bike down linear park surrounded by my family, with the sun on my face, I wished I could capture the moment, to acknowledge the wonder of it. I think that’s what poetry does – it takes the “moments” of life, whether every-day or marked occasion, and ponders them.  Poetry helps us to step away from the busyness of our lives and consider the essence of “what it’s all about.”

April is National Poetry Month and there is poetry in the air.  Some of us were forced to read poetry in school (although we secretly loved it) but then wandered away.  If you’ve lost touch with your poetic side, there are some fun web sites that enable you to explore with abandon.  The Poetry Foundation has a vast collection of poetry, both classic and new.  My favorite part is their video series Poetry Everywhere, which features poems read out-loud, most by the poets themselves.  The Academy of American Poets lists the most popular poets and poems, and will even email a Poem-A-Day to you.  I especially love the Poems for Every Occasion page which has you covered for everything from a break-up to a summer’s day.

If you’re ready to dive in a little deeper, we can help you out at the library with some collections of favorite poems.  Garrison Keillor, a promoter of poetry on his shows “A Prairie Home Companion” and “Writer’s Almanac,” has created collections of his favorites, all titles beginning with Good Poems.  Filled with classics as well as contemporary poems, these collections are meant for ordinary people to enjoy.  Caroline Kennedy was raised by a great lover of poetry and her first collection The Best-Loved Poems of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis honored that early influence.  She has gone on to create two collections for children, Poems to Learn by Heart and A Family of Poems and also a collection for women called She Walks in Beauty.  She talks about her reasons for compiling these poems:  “When you’re going through something, whether it’s a wonderful thing like having a child or a sad thing like losing somebody, you often feel like ‘Oh My God, I’m so overwhelmed; I’m dealing with this huge thing on my own.’ In fact, poetry’s a nice reminder that, no, everybody goes through it.  These are universal experiences.”

From there, poetry has a wealth of material to explore.  You can start with local poets like Jonathan Holden, Elizabeth Dodd, or Ann Carter or revisit the classics with Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, and Langston Hughes.  You might enjoy some of the poet laureates such as Nebraskan Ted Kooser, Rita Dove, or Billy Collins.  At Manhattan Public Library, we have a poetry display up for the month of April, but after that you can delve into poetry at call number 811.

The final question is how to best enjoy poetry.  You can quietly contemplate the words on the page, but reading it aloud adds greatly to the understanding and pleasure of reading poetry.  Find a quiet room or a rooftop (depending on your personality) and savor the words.  As we allow poetry to filter into our everyday lives, we see that opportunities exist everywhere that are just screaming for a poem to be read: family events, gathering of friends, worship services.  I wonder what a poetry flash mob might look like.  I have had several great poetry moments, but my favorite was at a Halloween party when a friend read part 3 of The Bells by Edgar Allen Poe.  It was creepy and haunting and kept us enraptured with wide eyes.  However you experience poetry, recognize it for the beautiful pause in life that it is.  As William Hazlitt said, “Poetry is all that is worth remembering in life.”

Thriving in the Happiest Places on Earth

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Susan Withee, Adult Services Department Manager

A while back I wrote about “The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest” a bestselling book by Dan Buettner, an explorer, scientist, and National Geographic Fellow. The book grew out of a cover story he wrote for National Geographic and from studies on health and longevity done in collaboration with the National Institute on Aging. Traveling to several places around the world where groups of people had been documented to live the longest, Buettner attempted to discover and distill down the essential elements of the path to vigor, long life, and health.

Recently, I read Buettner’s follow-up book, “Thrive: Finding Happiness the Blue Zones Way,” and, like his previous book, I found it engaging, thought-provoking, and very enjoyable – part travelogue, part sociological study, part self-help guide..  Using as his guide the King of Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness Index and the World Database of Happiness from the Netherlands’ Erasmus University, Buettner traveled to some of the happiest places on earth – countries, regions, cities, and villages – and tried to discover the secrets of their success.  The following, according to Buettner, are some of the building blocks for happier individuals and communities.

More than any other factor, where people live affects their level of happiness. Places with economic freedom, high employment, tolerance of diversity, greater status equality, a fair legal system, and a strong democratic process provide people with security and purpose. People are happiest in neighborhoods that provide quiet and safe surroundings, that offer proximity to services, churches, shops, and culture, and that are walkable and bikeable, and they are happiest in communities that have plenty of parks and natural spaces, vibrant city centers, good public transportation, and lots of opportunities for social interaction. Limiting retail shopping hours and limiting the work week afford people time and energy for more beneficial pursuits and more social interaction, both big happiness factors in their own right. Support for the arts, opportunities for personal growth and learning at all ages, and plenty of nearby locations for contact with nature also increase emotional well-being.

In addition to living in a place with economic freedom and high employment, it’s fundamental to personal happiness to find a job that is optimally challenging, draws on one’s natural talents, feeds their passions, and provides for contact with friendly co-workers, while still leaving time away from work to spend on personal interests and family relationships. The happiest people limit their work week to 40 hours (or even work part-time), avoid long commutes, take their vacations, and socialize with colleagues.

The happiest communities are the most connected and those which offer plenty of opportunities for social interaction, whether formally in organizations or clubs or informally in common spaces like parks and public gathering places. The happiest people seek out positive, trustworthy, and supportive friends, are connected to a faith or spiritual practice and, no surprise, have a long-term legally-committed relationship with a spouse or partner.

The happiest people have sufficient money to meet their basic needs and feel secure, but they don’t overly aspire to great wealth and don’t dedicate most of their energy and time to acquiring it. They spend carefully and save automatically, and have less debt. They shop less, have less stuff, and have little preoccupation with the latest consumer products. They invest instead in experiences, by spending money on travel, activities with family or friends, hobbies or lessons.

Most of the world’s happiest people don’t generally have large or luxurious homes.  Instead, most of them live in houses that range anywhere from modest to minimal, but their homes are places that foster a sense of well-being and contentment, that create space to engage in activities and interests and to gather with family and friends.  They serve as a refuge and often have areas, however small, set aside for spiritual practice and meditation.

There were a lot of takeaways in “Thrive,” just as I found there were in “The Blue Zones,” and much to inspire and instruct.  And food for thought at a national, community, and personal level.

 

Six by Six: Six Skills Kids Should Learn by Age Six

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kids.readingSix by Six: Six Skills Kids Should Learn by Age Six

By Jennifer Adams, Children’s Services Manager

Everyone knows that libraries have storytimes so young children can hear good stories read aloud.  People who have attended storytimes know that, in addition to stories, children will learn action rhymes, songs and even dance moves.  It is all great fun and leads to enjoyment of books and the library.  That alone may be reason enough to present ten storytimes or more each week at our library, but there is actually more to it than that.

Public libraries have a strong connection to early childhood education and “early literacy,” a term that does not mean learning to read early, but instead refers to the skills children master in preparation for learning to read when they are older.  It begins with babies – hearing language spoken and sung, touching our mouths as we speak, and beginning to recognize shapes and images.  Babies love books. They love to look at them, hear the words, chew on them, rip their pages. Books are full of wonderment!  A father in the library recently told me he got a kick out of his daughter, who is just a few months old, because she is such a book critic. He can open the page of a new board book to her laughter or her cries – she shares her opinions openly. But we know we need to be reading to our young children, and talking to them and playing with them.  How do these simple exercises translate into reading success?

The American Library Association (ALA) did extensive research into this topic several years ago and launched a nationwide program for librarians called “Every Child Ready to Read.” The research showed six early literacy skills that were key to children’s ability to learn to read when they got to school.  Not surprisingly, many of these skills have been a part of storytimes for ages.  Knowing the research, terminology and results associated with specific skills has helped us hone in on the activities that are best for early literacy. Additionally, we can easily pass this knowledge on to parents who attend our programs so their efforts at home are reinforced and encouraged.

Johnson County Public Library took ALA’s somewhat wordy program and transformed it into a fun, user-friendly version they called “6 By 6” – six skills kids need to know by the time they are ready to read around the age of six.  The State Library of Kansas adopted the 6 By 6 program, making it accessible to every library in the state (http://6by6.mykansaslibrary.org).

The six skills are:
1. Have Fun with Books (print motivation)

2. Notice Print All Around You (print awareness)

3. Talk, Talk, Talk (vocabulary)

4. Look for Letters Everywhere (letter knowledge)

5. Tell Stories about Everything (narrative skills)

6. Take Time to Rhyme, Sing & Play Word Games (phonological awareness)

In addition to weekly storytimes, we have been incorporating early literacy skills into fun 6 By 6 activity stations available in the children’s room all the time.  Our 6 By 6 stations include games, puzzles, felt boards and dress-up items that revolve around a picture book.

This month features “The Gruffalo” by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler.  In the rhyming text, we follow a brave mouse who outsmarts all the animals in the forest who would like to eat him by telling them he is off to have dinner with his friend, the gruffalo, a terrifying monster the mouse makes up as he goes. Much to his surprise, the mouse does indeed meet a strange beast that matches all his frightening descriptions.  But once again, the tiny mouse is able to outwit the gruffalo and all the other critters.  Although this book is more than 10 years old, it has remained popular with a sequel, “The Gruffalo’s Child,” and a short, award-winning animated film.

Now you can visit the library with your child or grandchild to have some fun with this entertaining story.  Read the book together on one of our cozy chairs, then use the stuffed gruffalo and other puppets to retell it to each other.  Put together a funny Mr. Potato Head monster version with extra eyes, horns and other silly body parts.  Use a big magnet board to match words and letters, and pretend to mix up some interesting recipes.

These engaging activities will be available in the children’s room through May.  Librarians change the book and activities every two months, coming up with new and creative ways for children to explore language and stories.

Classic Western Films

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John Pecoraro
Assistant Director
Manhattan Public Library

true grit

What are the ten best Western films of all time? Well, that depends on who you ask. You can find many lists of top Western films on the Web, but Classic Western Films no two lists will include the same films. Gayot.com, Reelz.com, Amctv.com, IGN.com, the American Film Institute, the Internet Movie Database, Rotten Tomatoes, and many other websites have their own opinions on which are the best Westerns. Since there doesn’t seem to be any consensus among the experts, I’ve come up with my own list of favorite Westerns. My own top ten, in no particular order, are:

“The Magnificent Seven,” 1960, directed by John Sturges. In this western remake of Akira Kurosawa’s “Seven Samurai,” seven American gunmen take on the job of defending a Mexican village against marauding bandits. Elmer Bernstein composed the film’s iconic theme music, later used in commercials for Marlboro cigarettes. The film stars Steve McQueen, Yul Brynner, Charles Bronson, James Coburn, and Eli Wallach to name a few.

“The Searchers,” 1956, directed by John Ford. Based on the novel by Alan Le May, the film stars John Wayne as a middle-aged Civil War veteran who spends years looking for his niece (Natalie Wood), who has been abducted by Comanches. Major themes running through the film are the issues of racism and genocide towards Native Americans.

“Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” 1969, directed by George Roy Hill. Loosely based on actual events, the film tells the story of outlaws Robert Leroy Parker, aka Butch Cassidy (Paul Newman), and the Henry Longabaugh, the Sundance Kid (Robert Redford).

“The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly,” 1966, directed by Sergio Leone. One of the “Spaghetti Westerns,” filmed in Italy and Spain, the plot revolves around three gunslingers competing to find a fortune in buried Confederate gold: Blondie, The Good (Clint Eastwood); Angel Eyes, The Bad (Lee Van Cleef); and Tuco, The Ugly (Eli Wallach). Ennio Morricone composed the recognizable and haunting film score.

“The Oxbow Incident,” 1943, directed by William Wellman, and starring Henry Fonda. Based on the novel of the same name by Walter Van Tilburg Clark, the film explores the theme of mob justice and vigilante law as two drifters are drawn into a lynch mob to find and hang three men presumed to be rustlers and the killers of a local man.

“Shane,” 1953, directed by George Stevens. Based on the novel by Jack Shaefer, with a screenplay by Western author A.B. Guthrie, the film tells the story of Shane, a drifter and reluctant gunslinger. Shane (Alan Ladd) stumbles into an isolated valley in Wyoming and becomes embroiled in a land conflict between a homesteader and a ruthless cattle boss.

“True Grit,” 2010, directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. A remake of another classic Western from 1969, “True Grit” directed by Henry Hathaway, and based on the novel by Charles Portis. Fourteen-year-old Mattie Ross hires Deputy U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn (John Wayne in the original; Jeff Bridges in the remake) to bring her father’s murderer to justice.

“Unforgiven,”1992, directed by and starring Clint Eastwood. A dark Western that deals frankly with the uglier aspects of violence and the myth of the Old West. The film tells the story of William Munny, an aging outlaw and killer who takes on one more job years after he had hung up his guns and turned to farming.

“Little Big Man,” 1970, directed by Arthur Penn, and based on the novel by Thomas Berger. At age 121, Jack Crabb (played by Dustin Hoffman) recounts the story of his life, including capture by the Cheyennes and participation in the Little Bighorn fight against George Armstrong Custer.

blazing saddlesAnd last but not least, “Blazing Saddles,” 1974, directed by Mel Brooks, because it’s always fun to spoof the things you love. The campfire scene alone qualifies this film as “classic.” This film satirizes the racism obscured by myth-making Hollywood accounts of the American West, with the hero being a black sheriff in an all-white town.

All of my top ten appear on one or more lists of best Westerns. Most of these titles are available in DVD format at Manhattan Public Library.

The Joys of Gift Books

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The Joys of Gift Books
By Marcia Allen
Technical Services & Collections Manager
Manhattan Public Library

Throughout the year, Manhattan Public Library is the recipient of a great many gifts.  Often, donors will designate a determined amount to be spent and allow staff to make selections.  Other times, the donors have specific titles in mind and provide lists of materials they wish to be purchased.  Either way, staff members at the library are happy to accept those new materials, and gift plates are added to inside covers of books to indicate the donor or nature of the gift.
I bring this up because the library has recently received a lovely gift that arrived at the perfect time of year.  Town and Country Garden Club has once again presented a very generous gift which allowed for the purchase of ten beautiful gardening books that many folks throughout the area will truly enjoy.  If you are one of the many novice or accomplished gardeners dying to get back outside to dig and to plant, you’ll want to peruse the following:
“American Horticultural Society of Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers” edited by Christopher Brickell is an exquisite sourcebook.  This is an updated classic produced by Dorling Kindersley that offers design plans, hundreds of photographs of varieties, and detailed advice on care and planting. In fact, I don’t think there’s much in the gardening world that is not included in these 744 pages.  You might want to consult this excellent reference before even getting started!
“Gardening Projects for Kids” by Jenny Hendy is a parent’s delight.  This kid-friendly book has just the right layout and interest to get children outside and enthused about their own plantings and arrangement.  None of the tasks are labor-intensive, and all are lovely to view.  Some even encourage the building of simple little walls and color-coordinated designs.  There’s enough here to alleviate summer’s boredom and offer kids projects to please.
“Wildflowers of the Tallgrass Prairie” by Sylvan T. Runkel and Dean M. Roosa is a reprint of an older book, with a fresh, new layout and full-page color photographs of each plant.  Common and Latin names are included, and the origins of those names are explained.  And you’ll be surprised at all the unique uses that Native American and pioneer folks found for these plants.  This is a perfect companion for a long walk in the country.
“Seed to Seed” by Suzanne Ashworth is a vegetable-grower’s delight.  This handy book encourages the thrifty practice of saving seeds for next year’s planting.  Ashworth’s book offers detailed information about 160 different vegetables, along with instructions on collecting, storing and planting.  All of the detailed steps have been tested and refined by the author and a wide network of experienced gardeners.
“Fresh Flower Arranging” by Mark Welford and Stephen Wicks goes far beyond simply gathering a handful of flowers and placing them in a favorite vase.  The authors open the book with basic guidelines for the best containers, explain the accepted theory of flower colors, and discuss the shaping involved in an arrangement.  From there, they devote chapters to numbered sets of directions and breathtakingly gorgeous photos of completed arrangements.  It may sound odd, but one striking arrangement is an arresting mix of dahlias, sedum, broccoli florets and spring onions!
“Designing and Creating a Cottager Garden” by Gail Harland is a gardener’s dream.  Besides the expected layout design and construction tips, the book offers different seasonal views of well-planned growing spaces that offer year-long beauty.  In addition, the suggested plant varieties are grouped by tendencies to climb, cluster, or adorn borders of a growing space.  And the plant directory at the back of the book is stellar.flowers
 “Flowers” by Carolyne Roehm is a tribute to the beauty of flowers.  Missing from this book are the guidelines and suggestions of so many other gardening books.  This one is just plain pretty.  Full-page photographs of incredible flowers and the accompanying text by professional photographer Roehm make this a volume that transfixes the eye.  Nature’s colors at their best.
This is not a complete listing of Town and Country Garden Club’s latest generous gift,
but it gives readers an idea of excellent new resources for those who must be planting.  For these gardening books and hundreds of others in the library’s collections, come by and check us out.  Your garden awaits.

An Uncommon History of Common Things

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by Janet Ulrey, Adultuncommon Services Librarian

Living in the information age has made most of us want to know more.    “An Uncommon History of Common Things” by Bethanne Patrick and John Thompson is packed with tons of little known facts concerning all areas of life.  With the World Wide Web, we have information available to us with just a click.  But, I still enjoy sitting down with a book to find tidbits of information to stir up my curiosity, and this book does just that.  For instance, you may be interested in knowing that one of the first uses for Velcro was by NASA, as a nose-scratcher inside helmets.   Discovering that our everyday Saran wrap came about when a scientist was trying to develop a hard plastic car cover is another interesting story.  As the title suggests, some of the most common things in our lives have the most unusual stories.
What is more common in our lives than food?  We consume it every single day.   Corn Flakes, for instance, did not start out to be the first dried cereal; it was discovered by mistake when William Kellogg was trying to make bread dough.   Then there is the story of how Swanson and Sons came up with the TV dinner in 1953, all because they overestimated the amount of turkey they would sell for Thanksgiving that year.  And what was that “runcible spoon” in Edward Lear’s famous poem “The Owl and the Pussycat”?  Just maybe it was a spork, a utensil that was half spoon, half fork.   We may have the foot soldiers of Persia’s Darius the Great to thank for giving us pizza.  It is recorded that the foot soldiers baked dough on their shields and added available toppings while in the field.  It seems that man’s mistakes and measures of necessity have led to many great dietary treasures.
Customs and symbols have been and always will be a part of our lives.  Putting your hand in front of your mouth when you yawn is a polite gesture.  But the custom may have begun because it was once believed that one’s soul could slip out, or evil spirits could slip in, while you were yawning.  You can discover why storks were chosen as the bearers of babies or how bones can bring about one’s wish.   As a child, I remember competing with my cousins to find out who was the lucky one to wish upon the bone from the Thanksgiving turkey.  Yet, it was prior to 400 B.C. when the first wish was whispered over a bird’s clavicle.  Now that tattoos are such a popular form of body art, it is interesting to learn that they were discovered on the body of a man who had been frozen for more than 5,000 years.  It has been amazing to discover the history behind our reasons and ways of doing things.
With computer games and downloadable games so readily available, we are never in want of leisure fun.  Many of us remember spending hours playing board games with friends and family.  The first-known board games, found in the Babylonian tombs of Ur, dated from 3000 B.C.  These gaming boards are thought to be the forerunners of today’s backgammon.  It seems our game of checkers was first played in ancient Egypt around 1400 B.C.  A Hindustan game called chaturanga, played during the sixth century A.D. or earlier, is our counterpart to chess.  While these games may become obsolete with technological changes, the history behind them is fascinating.
I have found that the invention and production of common everyday objects really do have uncommon stories.  If you like history or enjoy trivia, you will find this book informational and entertaining.  It may even change the way you look at the world and the people who live here!

Technology Workshops at MPL!

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Susan Withee
Adult Services Department Manager

Spring Technology Workshops at the Library

Are you an e-rereaderseader novice in need of basic help in using your device and downloading free e-books from Manhattan Public Library’s Sunflower e-library?  Did you miss out on our earlier e-reader workshop series, or are you a previous attendee who’s now ready for a review and some reassurance?  You’re in luck!  Manhattan Pubic Library is happy to announce another set of free e-reader workshops featuring live demos and hands-on assistance from Library staff.

Working one-on-one with Library Technology Center staff and Adult Services librarians, you’ll be guided through the process of accessing e-books online and downloading them to your particular e-reader or device.  These stand-alone workshops will be offered on three Tuesdays, March 12, March 26, and April 2, at 2:00 p.m. in the Library’s Groesbeck Room.  You may register to attend a workshop by stopping by or calling the Information Desk at 776-4741 Ext 173 or by clicking on the E-reader Workshop announcement on the library’s website at http://www.manhattan.lib.ks.us   Workshop attendance will be limited, so register soon.

“But wait!” as they say on television, “That’s not all!”  Through the rest of April and May the library will continue to host twice-monthly technology training sessions that will focus on how to use the online services, information resources, and searching tools offered through the MPL website and online catalog.  We’re calling the series “Technology Tuesdays” and again, the programs will be designed to offer live presentations followed by hands-on assistance and guidance from library staff.  The dates for these spring programs are April 16, May 7, and May 21, at 2:00 p.m., and they will be informal, walk-in opportunities that will welcome all comers and all technology issues.

At Technology Tuesdays, you will explore the value-added features of the library’s catalog, such as creating a wish list or setting up your reading history.  You’ll learn advanced searching methods to help you navigate the library’s catalog to and find the best in books, videos, music, and more.  You’ll place your own holds on library books and videos, fill out a request for an interlibrary loan, reserve a meeting room, or send a suggestion about materials you’d like the library to consider purchasing.  All these and more can be done through the library’s website and catalog from wherever you access the Internet.  In addition to the highlighted topic of the day, Technology Center staff and librarians will be available to talk with you individually about whatever electronic or online issues you may bring to us.  We hope to make Tech Tuesdays a continuing series as we move into next fall, with topic possibilities such as genealogy searching, learning a foreign language, locating car repair information, and planning for your education and career, all possible through the library’s power-packed website.

If you prefer computerto learn individually, don’t forget that we continue to offer basic computer training by appointment, one-on-one with a librarian in the Adult Services Department.  Most training sessions are scheduled for Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings, but we’ll be happy to make appointments to suit your schedule whenever possible.  Training options include basic keyboarding, introduction to computers, searching the Internet, and setting up and using e-mail accounts, but we can also tailor the sessions to fit your needs and interests.  As with all of our programs and services, these sessions are free.  Call the Adult Services Department at 776-4741 Ext 173 to make an appointment.

And finally, training in basic computer use, help with specific computer projects to enrich your life, or assessment of your own need for adaptive computer technology are also available on a one-time or a standing appointment basis in the library’s Assistive Technology Center.  If you would like to make an appointment to discuss the options available to you in the ATC, call or email the center’s instructor, Wandean Rivers, at 776-4741 Ext 202 or wandean@manhattan.lib.ks.us

One Book, Two Book, Red Book, Blue Book

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book saleBy Jennifer Adams, Children’s Services Manager

Dr. Seuss advised everyone to “fill your house with stacks of books, in every cranny and every nook.”  And lucky us, we can celebrate Dr. Seuss’s 109th  birthday by filling bags with cheap books at the library’s annual book sale next weekend.

The book sale opens to members of the Manhattan Library Association (MLA), the library’s friends organization, on Friday, March 1, 5:30-7:30.  An MLA membership is as little as $10 and can be purchased at the door if you want to be among the first to shop.  Saturday, March 2, the book sale is open to the public from 10 to 4. Sunday is a catchall day with remaining books sold by the bag or box from 1-3:30.

“Oh, the things you can find if you don’t stay behind!”

Bargains abound with thousands of books to browse.  Some books are gently read donations from personal collections, and others are books withdrawn from the library’s shelves. Many donations are recently published books in excellent condition. Adult books fill the auditorium and the Groesbeck Meeting Room, arranged by genre, from historical romance to paranormal to self-help.  Paperbacks are 75 cents or 2 for $1. Hardcover books are $1.50.  Many popular young adult books are available this year, as well as children’s titles including picture books, nonfiction, chapter books and novels.  Children’s books can be found on the 2nd floor across from the auditorium, and they are only 75 cents each.  Look for DVDs, CDs, audiobooks and even some VHS and cassette tapes on sale in the Groesbeck room.

“You’re never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read to a child.”

On Saturday, you can also bring a child to our 11:00 storytime or get something good to eat at the bake sale to support teen programs at the library.  In the “Move & GrTLAB Bake Saleoove” storytime for all ages, Ms. Jessica will be reading stories to celebrate Dr. Seuss’s birthday and leading some silly rhymes and songs.  Children will get a Seuss craft to take home.  Young adult librarian Keri Mills and several of our teen volunteers will have delicious goodies for sale from 10:00-2:00, including Seuss-themed cupcakes. Exchange your change for some home-baked goods to raise money for teen summer reading prizes.

Donations for the library’s book sales are always welcome, although the sorting has already begun for this year’s event.  Amazing volunteers keep the donations organized year-round and stock our Rosie’s Corner Bookstore where we sell used books in the library all the time.  In the coming week, volunteers leading our friends group will be working tirelessly to get items set up for the sale, along with some help from library staff and other volunteers from around town.

All proceeds from the Book Sale go to the friends group, which in turn funds many of the library’s guest speakers, special children’s programs, summer reading prizes, new books and media for our collection, and library furnishings and supplies.

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”

A Renaissance in Harlem

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poemsBy John Pecoraro, Assistant Director

African American literature has a long history, tracing its roots to 18th-century writers such as Phillis Wheatley. In addition to being the first African American to publish a book (“Poems on Various Subjects Religious and Moral,” 1773), Wheatley was the first person of African descent to achieve an international reputation as a writer. Continuing into the present day, literature by African Americans, often the descendants of slaves, has survived through diversity.

The flowering of the genre occurred between 1920 and 1940 during the Harlem Renaissance. Writers created novels, plays, and poetry that have stood the test of time. Works by African American visual artists and musicians also flourished as part of the Renaissance.

“The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes” is the ultimate book for those interested in one of the better known writers of the Harlem Renaissance. This weighty volume includes 868 poems written over five decades and is the definitive sampling of a writer called the poet laureate of African America. Hughes’ poetry and fiction portrayed the lives of working-class blacks in America and stressed a racial consciousness and cultural nationalism. Hughes championed racial consciousness as a source of artistic inspiration.

Scholars consider “Their Eyes Were Watching God” by Zora Neale Hurston a seminal work in African American literature, as well aseyes women’s literature. In the novel, Janie Crawford recounts the story of her life and journey to her best friend Pheoby. Janie’s story revolves around her three marriages to three very different men: an older farmer looking for a domestic servant, an enterprising entrepreneur who treats her as a trophy wife, and a drifter and gambler who finally gives her the love she desires. Hurston’s writings were forgotten during the post-World War II period and rediscovered during the surge of Black Studies programs at universities during the 1970s and 1980s, thanks in part to the author Alice Walker.

“My Soul’s High Song” is the collected writings of Countee Cullen, American poet,cullen and a leading figure of the Harlem Renaissance. The collection includes poems and essays, his only novel “One Way to Heaven,” and his translation of the Greek tragedy, “Medea.” Cullen’s first collection of poetry, “Color,” published in 1925, celebrated black beauty and decried the effects of racism. It remains a landmark of the Harlem Renaissance.

Arna Bontemps, a poet in his own right, edited “American Negro Poetry,” a popular and highly respected collection of poems by more than sixty African American poets in its revised edition. Included were Langston Hughes and Countee Cullen, as well as more contemporary writers such as Gwendolyn Brooks and Nikki Giovanni. Bontemps selected poems that reflected the spontaneity, folklore, and religious sensibilities of African Americans.

Steven Watson’s “The Harlem Renaissance” documents one of thharleme most dynamic movements in twentieth century African American history. The author chronicles the brilliant writings of Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Countee Cullen, and Jean Toomer, among others. He also portrays the world that supported this literary and artistic renaissance.

“The Power of Pride” by Carole Marks and Diana Edkins is a visually prideappealing book full of photographs, letters, and drawings capturing the excitement of the Harlem Renaissance. Among the short profiles of style-makers and rule-breakers of the time are biographies of authors Zora Neale Hurston, James Weldon Johnson, Nella Larsen, Langston Hughes, and Dorothy West. Other entries include entertainers such as Josephine Baker, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Bessie Smith.

Cary Wintz has edited a living history of the Harlem Renaissanharlem speaksce in “Harlem Speaks.” This book showcases the artists, writers, and intellectuals behind the outburst of African American culture in the decades after World War I. In a series of biographical essays, experts in the field examine the careers and contributions of individuals including Zora Neale Hurston, Langston Hughes, Richard Wright, Ethel Waters, and Eubie Blake. The book also includes a CD of sound recordings of many of the people profiled.

Celebrate African American History Month by sampling these and other titles available at the Manhattan Public Library.

Stephen Wade’s “The Beautiful Music All Around Us”

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Reviewed by Marcia Allen, Technical Services & Collections Manager
beautiful
In the early 1930s, the Library of Congress initiated a project that was destined to continue until 1942.  Staff traveled through the South, as well as the Great Plains, making field recordings of traditional songs and original compositions.  The selected musicians were not famous performers; in fact, most were ordinary singers who simply enjoyed tinkering with their instruments and setting words to chords.  The recordings themselves were made in churches, in homes, and on porches, so background noise and distortion run throughout.  The result is an astounding expression of feeling that remains a historic American treasure.
Author Stephen Wade sought to discover the backgrounds of some of those musicians.  “The Beautiful Music All Around Us” is the result of decades of interviews with those who knew the original musicians, as well as a careful scrutiny of public records.  He learned that some of those original musicians never recorded beyond that Library of Congress project, while others went on to other public performances.  He uncovered a wealth of material about the lives of the artists, and so wrote this wonderful book, a compilation of brief biographies of thirteen of the performers.
The book opens with the story of Bill Stepp.  Born in 1875, the illegitimate son of a half-Indian mother and local landowner, Bill spent the first few years of his life living in a cave along a Kentucky River.  He was later taken in as a foster child and became fascinated with a step-uncle’s fiddle playing.  A natural talent for playing led Bill to local performances at dances and at weddings.
Why is Bill included in the book?  Because of “Bonaparte’s Retreat,” a fiddle tune that Bill embellished and made his own.  Bill was recorded playing his now-famous tune at the request of Library of Congress staff in 1937.   Bill’s version became a part of Aaron Copeland’s famous score for the ballet “Rodeo” in l942, and it was more recently incorporated for the recent beef growers’ television commercial soundtrack.
Another chapter recalls the careers of sisters Christine and Katherine Shipp.  The girls were taught music in Mississippi by their mother, Mary, who only allowed religious music in the home.  Mary would compose vocal tunes based on ballads her pastor husband had purchased.  She then taught each of her children different parts so that they could all accompany Dad in his pastoring.  Mary explained her rare talent as an ability to “scale” or “call” the songs that were appropriate for church music.
Christine and Katherine were recorded in 1939 as they harmonized on “Sea Lion Woman.”  The song originated as a fiddle tune the girls’ grandfather had played before the Civil War.  As the tune was passed down to later generations, the fiddle arrangement vanished, and the tune was altered to include melodic repetition, clapping and dancing.  To the girls, the music was a fun game that helped them pass the time.
There are other equally talented musicians throughout the book.  Vera Hall was recorded in 1940, performing her version of “Another Man Done Gone.”  That emotionally charged rendition later drew compliments from Carl Sandburg, Johnny Cash, and John Mayall.  Jess Morris, a classically trained violinist who attended Valparaiso, joined the other artists with his field recording of “Goodbye, Old Paint,” during which he combined classical violin techniques with cowboy harmonies.  This nostalgic piece probably recalled his days as a predator controller (or wolf hunter) on a Texas ranch, but it had its origins in Britain and in the Appalachian Mountains.
Why read this book?  It is both a valuable snapshot of American music culture and a terrific collection of biographical sketches of those historic creators.  As there was no studio enhancement of their music, each recorded piece is unique.  You have only to listen to the included CD to experience the originality and freshness of those early recordings.  You are bound to recognize familiar tunes in a new way.

Lots to Love at your Library!

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awr logo (2)February is “Love Your Library” month! There are lots of ways to love your library, but one of the best is just to come in and see what Manhattan Public Library has to offer to the Manhattan community. From free meeting rooms to children’s programs such as story times, Read to a Dog and free films; from Teen programs such as gaming days and the Teen Advisory Board to materials such as Video Games, music CDs, DVDs and Blu-rays, magazines and newspapers, internet access, and of course, books (print and eBook versions), Manhattan Public Library has something for everyone.

Adults can liven up the dreary February days by participating in our Adult Winter Reading Program. Sign up beginning February 1 on our web site or in person. Read what you enjoy and record your books for chances to win a prize in our weekly drawings. Earn extra drawing chances by visiting Rosie’s Corner in the library, by suggesting a book to a friend, by reading a book whose title you found in Great Reads on our web site, or by choosing among other opportunities to earn extra drawing chances. Our display, “Blind Date with a Book”, will give you a chance to read something unexpected. Select a book wrapped in brown paper and check it out—it may be a book that you would not normally choose, but it may introduce you to a new author or a genre that you might enjoy. Inside each book will be a slip for you to “Rate your Date” and share your rating with other readers.  A “Books you Love” display will give you a chance to tell other readers about a book you have enjoyed and also to pick up suggestions from others. Prize drawings will be held weekly and are provided by our sponsors Kitchen Capers, Ray’s Apple Markets and the Manhattan Library Association.

On Saturday, February 23 at 2:00, join us for a Book Lovers’ Social. This is a drop-in gathering in the Groesbeck Room to share your thoughts about books you’ve read and loved (recently or not!), and to hear from other readers about their favorite books.

Oscar-winning films for adults and teens will be shown in the Library Auditorium on the first three Saturdays in February at 2:00. These Academy Award winners include a film about  the creation of a popular social networking web site (2/2/13) and a musical  set in 1920’s Chicago which won six Oscars including Best Picture (2/9/13).  The last film is about about a writer on a trip to Paris mysteriously traveling back to the 1920’s each night at midnight (2/16/13).

The popular annual TALK Program, sponsored by the Manhattan Library Association and the Kansas Humanities Council, begins the themed series “Between Fences” with a book discussion of “The Wire Cutter” by Mollie Davis on January 31 at 7:00 pm.   Other titles include “Farewell to Manzanar”  by Wakatsuki Houston (2/28/13),  “Tortilla Curtain” by T.C. Boyle (3/28/13) and “Fences” by August Wilson (4/25/13). Pick up a copy of each of the books at the Information Desk and join us for the discussions.

Other events at the library include Read to a Dog each Sunday at 2:00, First Monday Gaming at 4:00 on Feb. 4, free films for children on Feb. 8 at 3:00 and Feb. 15 at 2:00 and two parties for children–a Sports Party on the 8th at 2:00 and a Valentines’ Party on the 14th at 2:00. Check our online events calendar for more information on the happenings at MPL this month and every month. Our web site is www.manhattan.lib.ks.us. Click on the “Events” tab to locate our calendar. On the MPL web site you can also find links for finding good books, stock values, how to repair your car, how to reach congressional representatives and more.  Manhattan Public Library offers lots of services, materials and programs for all ages—join us and celebrate “Love Your Library” Month!

Annual winter book discussion series at the library

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talkby Susan Withee, Adult Services Manager

Beginning this month, Manhattan Public Library will again host the annual winter book discussion series, TALK: Talk About Literature in Kansas, sponsored by the Manhattan Library Association and the Kansas Humanities Council.  Discussions will be held monthly from January through April, meeting at 7:00 p.m. in the library’s Groesbeck Room (exception: the February meeting will meet in the library’s lower atrium).  Participants will discuss a different book each month and copies of the books featured are available for individual checkout at the library’s Information Desk. Feel free to attend any one, all four, or as many of the discussions as your schedule will allow.

The 2013 series theme is Between Fences and it was partially inspired by Robert Frost’s famous poem, “Mending Wall.” Frost wrote, “Good fences make good neighbors,” but in the same poem he also noted, “Something there is that doesn’t love a wall.” Fences and walls mark our territory, limit our movement, and convey our sense of property. We define ourselves and our space with fences. Metaphorically, fences and walls can mark different states of being—the familiar and the unfamiliar, the sacred and taboo, even life and death. Fences and walls establish the boundaries between the civilized and uncivilized. In the poem, Frost questions the building of barriers and walls, saying,

Before I built a wall I’d ask to know
What I was walling in or walling out,
And to whom I was like to give offense.

This year’s TALK series’ featured books are “The Wire-Cutters“ by Mollie E. Moore Davis, “Farewell to Manzanar” by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston and James D. Houston, “The Tortilla Curtain” by T. C. Boyle, and “Fences” by August Wilson.

“The Wire-Cutters” by Mollie E. Moore Davis was first published in 1899 and is wire-cuttersconsidered by many to be the first novel of the American Western genre, predating even Owen Wister’s “The Virginian.” In the 19th century, fencing off rangeland with barbed wire transformed the Great Plains and, in Texas, led to the 1880s wire-cutting wars between rancehers and farmers.  Davis’s writing about this era reveals her “sharp ear for regional dialect, abundant sense of frontier humor, and keen grasp of historical detail” (Barnes & Noble).  The discussion of “The Wire Cutters” is scheduled for Thursday, January 31, 2013.

farewellJeanne Wakatsuki was seven years old in 1942 when her family members were uprooted from their home and, along with 10,000 other Japanese-Americans, were sent to live behind barbed-wire fences at Manzanar internment camp in the high mountain desert country of California. Life in the camp combined the incongruities of high school sock hops, Boy Scouts, and baton twirling lessons with searchlight towers and armed guards. “Farewell to Manzanar” is Wakatsuki Houston’s memoir of this experience and a recounting of the years after internment when the family struggled to rebuild their lives. It will be discussed Thursday, February 28, 2013.

“The Tortilla Curtain” by T.C. Boyle is a powerful and timely novel that examines the tortillaparallel lives of a desperately poor, undocumented  immigrant couple and a wealthy, comfortable, and politically correct suburban couple living in close proximity to each other in the southern California hills. By random accident, their lives intersect for a brief period and the encounter provokes difficult questions concerning immigration, unemployment, discrimination, and social responsibility, and the brutal inequities that separate them and expose the failed American Dream. “The Tortilla Curtain”will be featured Thursday, March 28, 2013.

fences“Fences,” a two-act play written by August Wilson, won the Tony Award for Best Play of 1987, the New York Drama Critic’s Circle award, and the Pulitzer Prize.  Set in the 1950s-60s in an urban neighborhood in Pittsburgh, this play tells the story of a middle-aged African-American man, his wife and son, and visits some universal themes of American life that were going through great upheaval at that time – segregation and racism, changing moral boundaries and family values, baseball and the American Dream.  The play will be discussed Thursday, April 25, 2013.

Again, programs will start at 7:00 p.m. and will be held in the Manhattan Public Library’s Groesbeck Room on the second floor of the west wing.