Techie Books and Movies by Keri Mills, Young Adult Librarian

Posted on March 18, 2013 by Judi

For those of you lucky enough to get a few days off from work or school, Spring Break is a great time to relax with a stack of books or have a movie marathon. Why not celebrate your inner nerd by focusing on techie books or movies?
There are many great techie books out there, but here are a few of my recent favorites:
“Ready Player One” by Ernest Cline
It is the year 2044, and the world is a pretty bleak place. Like many others, Wade Watts prefers to spend the majority of his time in the virtual reality world of OASIS, rather than his poverty-stricken real world. For years, Wade and countless others have been searching OASIS for hidden clues that will lead to the billions of dollars amassed by the late OASIS creator, James Halliday. To find the clues, Wade has immersed himself in the life of Halliday, including his obsession with 80’s pop culture. When Wade stumbles upon the first clue, suddenly the whole world is watching him, and Wade realizes that some will stop at nothing ,including murder, to be the first to find Halliday’s fortune. If you grew up in the 80’s, this book is particularly enjoyable, since it is filled with references to video games, movies, TV, and music from the 80’s.

“Robopocalypse” by Daniel Wilson
Set in the near-future, this chilling read recounts the history of a massive war between machines and humans. Dr. Wasserman has created an artificial intelligence named Archos who finds a way to kill off his creator and begin his plan to destroy humankind from the earth. Archos slowly takes control of machines all over the world, including toys, factory equipment, domestic service robots, cars, and military equipment. Few humans notice until it is too late. By then, Archos has launched a full-scale coordinated attack all over the world. Millions are killed instantly, and human annihilation seems likely. Be aware that reading this could lead to significant paranoia!

“Epic” by Conor Kostick
Welcome to a planet where violence has been banned and disputes are settled in the fantasy computing game, Epic. Status and wealth are also dependent upon winning in the gaming world. Things seem to be running along smoothly, until Erik’s dad is unfairly punished by the Central Allocations committee that rules the entire planet. Erik and his friends embark on a quest to bring an end to Epic, but must face dangers within Epic and in the real world. This book is great for middle school grades and older, so after you read it yourself, share it with your teens.

If you need a break from reading, check out some movies. Revisit one of these classic techie movies:

“Brazil”
In a future world, Sam Lowry, a bureaucrat, tries to correct an administrative error and inadvertently becomes entangled in a revolution.

“Blade Runner”
Deckard is a blade runner, a cop who tracks down replicants (human clones) and terminates them. He comes out of retirement to track down four replicants who have escaped from an off-world colony and returned to earth.

“Terminator”
A cyborg is sent from the future to find and kill Sarah Connor, whose son will grow up to lead humanity in a war against machines.

“2001: A Space Odyssey”
Humans find a mysterious artifact buried on the moon, and with the intelligent computer HAL 9000, set off on a quest to Jupiter to try to find the source of the artifact.

Or, try a newer techie movie like one of these:

“The Social Network”
This is the story of how Mark Zuckerberg, a Harvard student at the time, created Facebook and became the youngest billionaire in history.

“Star Trek” (2009)
Newly commissioned James T. Kirk and his crew of the USS Enterprise head to Vulcan when an emergency arises. Watch this before “Star Trek Into Darkness” comes out in theaters in May.

“The Prestige”
At the end of the nineteenth century in London, two famous rival magicians battle it out to be the greatest, which results in tragic consequences.

All of these techie books and movies can be found at Manhattan Public Library. Be sure to check out the techie books display in the young adult area for other great techie reads.

Grace, Gold and Glory: My Leap of Faith

Posted on March 16, 2013 by Mary

The Summer Olympics seem in the distant past, but we haven’t forgotten the amazing, star gymnast Gabby Douglas who won the gold along with all our hearts. She has co-authored an autobiography about her rise to the pinnacle of Olympic history which is enjoyable and inspiring. Particularly recommended for young adults as encouragement to keep on pursueing their dreams, Gabby tells her story of sacrifice with little negativity. She shares her families history of struggle when they lived in their car and had nothing, the endless practice,the sacrifice of her sisters who gave up their own loves of ballroom dancing and ice skating, and the neglect of her father- her biggest hurt. She gives credit to her families faith in God and their love as the biggest factors in her successful rise to stardom.

The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen by Syrie James

Posted on March 13, 2013 by Mary

For all Austen enthusiasts Syrie James has written a novel in the essence and style of Jane. It begins with a contemporary story of American librarian, Samantha McDonough, discovering a hidden letter written by Jane Austen in the back of a book of poetry while vacationing in London She gains enough insight from the letter to begin to believe that Jane has written and lost another manuscript while visiting friends at Greenbrier in Devonshire. Pursuing this exciting possibility, Samantha meets handsome owner of Greenbrier, Anthony Whtaker and begins the search within his home. Now the story within the story begins when the manuscript is found and the two begin reading it to each other. We walk the streets of Bath with Austen characters in a story with all the atmosphere, romance and charm found in a Jane Austen novel.

Dogs of Courage by Lisa Rogak

Posted on March 12, 2013 by Judi

If you are a dog lover or are amazed by the abilities of our canine friends, you will enjoy the stories and descriptions of working dogs in this fascinating book, Dogs of Courage. Not just wonderful companions and pets, dogs are taking on jobs that make our lives easier, safer and are even saving lives. From police dogs that make it safer for officers to track suspects and provide a positive link to the community to search and rescue and FEMA dogs, who search for lost or injured people and climb through earthquake and other disaster debris to locate survivors, dogs are willing to work hard for their human handlers. Arson dogs can discern the scent a flammable liquid to one part per trillion and can locate the source of an arson based fire faster than any human. Search and rescue dogs can often follow a scent up to 10 days after a person has passed through an area. Avalanche rescue dogs can locate a survivor buried in snow up to 35 feet deep, and can locate them in a fraction of the time required by rescuers, even with avalanche beacons. Dogs are being taught to identify tissue samples that contain cancer cells, can warn owners of impending seizures, help children improve their reading and can provide stability and reassurance for a veteran with PTSD. They help biologists locate endangered animals and plants and can locate seals and other animals under arctic ice. The uses for and abilities of dogs are amazing and our canine friends are most worthy of our admiration.

An Uncommon History of Common Things

Posted on March 10, 2013 by Rhonna

by Janet Ulrey, Adult 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!

The Best Man by Kristan Higgins

Posted on March 8, 2013 by Judi

Faith Holland is heading home to upstate New York and her family, after having been jilted at the altar 3 years earlier by her fiancée Jeremy, who chose their wedding day to inform her that his sexual preferences were geared to men rather than women. His Best Man at the wedding, Levi Cooper, is the one who convinced Jeremy to cancel the wedding and Faith has resented him since. Levi is now the Chief of Police in Manningsport and still Jeremy’s best friend. Faith returns to her family and it’s winery and her friends in this small town where everyone knows everything that happens. Both Levi and Faith have issues in their past that keep them from building relationships, and both must deal with them before they can move on with their lives. The Best Man is a typical Kristan Higgins novel, filled with quirky characters, laugh out loud scenes, funny dialog and characters you grow to care about. The path to finding love is a bumpy one for Levi and Faith and their vulnerability and likeability make this a perfect romance!

Frontier Manhattan: Yankee Settlement to Kansas Town, 1854-1894 by Kevin G. Olson

Posted on March 6, 2013 by Linda

“Kevin Olson fell in love with Manhattan history at a young age. But he didn’t know that his encounter with Chief Tatarrax would lead him to write his first book. ‘My spark of history happened …as a small child at an Arts in the Park event, and I wandered off to find a monument of Chief Tatarrax,’ said Olson, now a lawyer in New York City. ‘That’s when I became interested in the history of the area.’ The project started six years ago when Olson was back in Manhattan to visit family during the sesquicentannial.” Hutchnews.com

In Frontier Manhattan, Olson covers the first four decades of Manhattan as it grew from tent to town. When Isaac Goodnow and five fellow New Englanders arrived, they pitched a tent and launched a town. Despite illness, harassment and homesickness, they established an anti-slavery and educational stronghold. His account of Kansa Indian Settlement Blue Earth Village shines a light on pre-history that has been little covered. Spared much of the Bleeding Kansas violence, Manhattan saw its share of shootout and lynchings in its Wild West days. He relates the story of the emigration of New England settlers, the antebellum era and the 1860s in great detail.

Come Home by Lisa Scottoline

Posted on March 5, 2013 by Linda

Pediatrician Jill Farrow’s idyllic life with her daughter, Megan and her fiance, Sam, is turned upside down when one of her ex-stepdaughters, Abby, arrives on the doorstep at midnight, drunk, soaked to the skin, and crying that her dad, William, Jill’s ex, has been murdered. Despite distaste for her ex and a three-year estrangement from her ex-stepdaughters, Jill is overcome with love and concern for Abby. Jill is propelled into a dangerous cat-and-mouse chase that risks her relationships with Megan and Sam and eventually threatens her life. Come Home is a satisfying thriller with a family story at its core.

A Week in Winter by Maeve Binchy

Posted on March 4, 2013 by Mary

The wonderful books of Maeve Binchy have come to an end with her death last July in Ireland. This last delightful book, A Week in Winter was finished just a few weeks prior to her becoming ill. Those of us who are her fans will miss her common sense and creative approach to life’s obstacles and trauma. Maeve has written about every kind of personality imaginable in her Irish tales. Her stories unite characters bringing support to each other and finding answers to difficulties. Whether it be divorce, unwanted pregnancy, lover’s who run off, death, senility, Maeve’s characters learn to journey on.

In her last novel we are experiencing the windswept coast of western Ireland where Chicky is turning an old estate into a bed and breakfast. She has returned to her home town after many years in New York hiding the fact that her love deserted her after convincing her to leave home. The following chapters each tell the story of a person who finds themselves at Stone House that first week.
Maeve was a journalist for the Irish Times for many years. When interviewed about her books she shared this bit of philosophy that was evident in her wonderful books, “I don’t think you’re happier if you’re thin or beautiful or rich or married. You have to make your own happiness,” Binchy told Australia’s Illawarra Mercury newspaper in 2000. “My heroines do not become beautiful elegant swans, they become confident ducks and get on with life.”

Technology Workshops at MPL!

Posted on March 3, 2013 by Judi

Susan Withee
Adult Services Department Manager

Spring Technology Workshops at the Library

Are you an e-reader 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 to 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

Geek Mom: Projects, Tips, and Adventures for Moms and Their 21st-Century Families

Posted on March 2, 2013 by Susan

I am a rather geeky mom and always looking for new ways to share my geekiness with my kid. So I picked up Geek Mom, a book based on the wired.com GeekMom blog, for safe, fun projects to do at home. I really enjoyed looking through this book. The projects are varied and for kids of all different ages from 3 on up to late teens. There are also a few projects just for mom (like the Renaissance style corset). There are a few ideas I particularly liked (like the “One Thousand Blank White Cards” game, the homemade lava lamp, and all the ideas related to food) but there were great ideas for a variety of interests.

Each project included in this book only has a few pages of explanation, so if you’re looking for more, you’ll have to use your internet searching skills for more complete instructions. You might try the website http://www.instructables.com/, recommended in the book.

We also have a few books specifically for geeky dads. Geek Dad : Awesomely Geeky Projects and Activities for Dads and Kids to Share by Ken Denmead and Handy Dad : 25 Awesome Projects for Dads and Kids by Todd Davis. And wired.com also has a GeekDad blog.

Great Travel Books from Lonely Planet

Posted on March 1, 2013 by Judi

If you are a world traveler or merely an armchair tourist, two new books published by Lonely Planet offer dazzling photos and vivid descriptions of fascinating trips and adventures. Great Adventures: Experience the World at its Breathtaking Best and Great Journeys:Travel the World’s Most Spectacular Routes both offer insights into planning travels to some of the most exotic places on earth. Great Journeys offers descriptions of 74 trips set in locations around the globe, from well-known travels down the Silk Road to less known trails such as the Hippy Trail across Asia. Besides spectacular photographs, each book contains maps and an “Essential Experiences” section that recommends activities that should not be missed. Great Adventures describes adventures of all kinds from around the world–from caving and exploring canyons to mountain climbing and rafting on the Amazon. Travel information, practical advice and spectacular photographs make these books ones to savor and delight in–check one out and dream about your next travel adventure.

A Time to Dance

Posted on February 28, 2013 by Janet

by Karen Kingsbury

Every one believes that John and Abby Reynolds are and have always been madly in love. After 22 years of marriage, no one but John and Abby know the truth. The day they had decided to tell their children that they were filing for divorce, was the day their daughter announced her engagement. They couldn’t tell them now, not until after the wedding six months down the road. How could they keep up the farce for that long.

They have left there faith by the wayside and now their love for one another doesn’t exist. Abby believes John is having an affair, despite John’s insistence that he is not. John believes Abby is envolved with her editor, but Abby insists it isn’t true. Although, A Time to Dance is mainly about John and Abby, there are many other interesting characters involved with this story of life. I read this book from the Sunflower eLibrary, but it is available in hard copy too.

How the States Got Their Shapes

Posted on February 27, 2013 by Rhonna

Why do the eastern states have more squiggly borders and the western have more straight borders? What does the Civil War have to do with the border of Nevada? If you’re a curious person at all, How the States Got Their Shapes is a fascinating look at our nation’s geography. Brian Unger travels throughout the U.S. talking to the locals and experts about borders, how they came to be and how they affect our lives now. Originally aired on the History Channel, this series will crack you up while you expand your knowledge.

Carnage

Posted on February 26, 2013 by Amy

This is probably one of those movies that you will either love or hate. Based on a French play, Carnage features Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz and John C. Reilly, and takes place almost entirely in the living room of a New York City apartment. It details two couples’ attempts to reconcile an incident that occurred between their sons. As the four parents spend more time together, they regress to childlike behavior and grow increasingly frustrated with each other. Great for people watchers, this film allows you to see interpersonal conflict up close. You’ll see the bigger picture and laugh at the ridiculousness into which some situations digress.