The Library

[pedln]

The Library Our library cafe is open 24/7, the welcome mat is  always out. Do come in from daily chores and spend some time with us. We look forward to hearing from you, about you and the books you are enjoying (or not). Let the book talk begin here!  Everyone is welcome!

 Suggestion Box for Future Discussions

Babi, is that for real -- that idiot at the prep school?  It's not an urban legend?  Updated War of the Worlds?  Next week will he say, "ha ha ha, I didn't think you would believe me?"

That sent me off to the NYT to see what was under "library."  O shock, shock, one of my favorite cities, and look what they've done.

Seattle’s entire library system — from its branches to book drops to Web site — is shut down this week to save money. All city departments have been told to reduce spending to make up a $43 million gap in the city’s 2009 budget. The public library is trying to cut 2 percent, or about $1 million, and the weeklong closing of its downtown central library and 26 branches is intended to save $655,000. About 700 library employees are forgoing a week of pay, and the system will reopen the day after Labor Day. No materials will be due and no fines will accrue during the closing. Library officials cautioned people not to simply leave books or materials on library doorsteps, saying patrons will be responsible for any damage or thefts. The shutdown is not unprecedented; Seattle has closed its libraries, for two weeks each in 2002 and 2003 during earlier downturns. The city announced this week’s closing in April.

 from the Associate Press

[pedln]

And another favorite city is doing it RIGHT!!

New York Public Library Extends Hours at 10 Branches

will mean that library branches are open an average of 52.5 hours a week, the most in more than three decades.

“In the current economic climate we have seen that access to libraries is essential,” Paul LeClerc, the president of the New York Public Library, said in a statement.

“We’re truly fortunate that our elected officials view libraries as one of the top public services to protect,” she said

To celebrate the change, the Mid-Manhattan Library, at Fifth Avenue and 40th Street, will serve free coffee and doughnut holes from Tim Hortons from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday at its Cover-to-Cover Cafe. The cafe will also have live music starting at 8 p.m.

Wanna go?

[Frybabe]

Hurray for the NYPL. Our local libraries are not closing branches, but they are shortening their hours.

[PatH]

Actually, in a perverse way I approve of the way Seattle handled their problem, because it will have no lasting effects.  It's bad to be without libraries for 2 weeks, but when it's over you still have the same hours and the same books (unless some got stolen from the doorstep).

What I don't approve of is the budget-cutting that made it necessary.

[Phyll]

Hurray for the NYPL. Our local libraries are not closing branches, but they are shortening their hours.

That's what they are doing here in Wake County, NC, too.  I don't mind shortened hours as long as it helps keep libraries open.

When I was on the library staff in upstate NY it was a constant battle with the Town Council over library funding.  It was always the first place the Council would go to when they needed to cut funds!

[mabel1015j]

Well, the Pennsylvania legislature finally got their budget passed, which will help Phila, but i don't know about the libraries. It saved 2500 jobs, but i have a feeling that will be for the people who work in some of the more direct services. Perhaps some of the libraries can remain open now.................jean

[jane]

It's so sad that legislators are so short sighted. Circulation and in-library use are all up significantly in our area. All the libraries are reporting this gain. People are watching their $$ and using the library to get books and videos (free) for their kids and for themselves.  They're also using the computers in the library...perhaps to job hunt or have given up internet at home and coming to check their email, etc. at a place that's free.  

Our summer children's programming had higher attendance than normal...and the most asked question was "How much does it cost for my child to attend"...and they were shocked to learn...it's FREE.  The same was asked about some special programs funded by the Friends...and attended by 94. That's a lot for a small town like ours.  With the price of books...gads, even paperbacks are often in the $12.95-$14.95 range the library remains a terrific bargain.  

Our latest issue has been a change in our Sex Offender Law.  The legislature changed the law from where they're required to live to where they're required to be.  They can't be near a swimming pool, a playground, or in the Library (without written permission from the Lib. Director).  Our Board passed a policy that no Sex Offender (against a minor) can be on Library grounds at all.  No permission will be given to any of them.  [Yep, several visited  the library almost daily].  They can access the collection online and they can have someone they designate come and check out books for them.  Several called for permission...DENIED....and two have shown up. The police were called and they were removed from the site.  The Board has told the staff to call the police...let them deal with these people and not try to play "cop" themselves.

There was some talk that we were denying these people their "rights." Our view is the rights of children to visit the Children's Room and come to the Library comes over the rights of a convicted sex offender (against a minor).  I don't think anyone here in small town USA will make much of a fuss about that.


jane

[Babi]

FRYBABE, maybe you could pass along that information from the education
specialist to Mr. Tracy at Cushing.  I am hoping that he is being flooded
with negative feedback on this one.

 I've heard that, GINNY, and I think it's a wonderful idea. But cheaper
or not, I suspect I still couldn't afford it.  And it would make it harder
for the kids to visit.   

THREE CHEERS FOR NEW YORK!!!

 You fellow book-lovers may be interested in this bit I found in the book I'm
reading about Dona Gracia Nasi (converso name: Beatrice Mendes).
This lady was patron to several authors during her time in Ferrara, including
a translation of the Jewish bible from Hebrew to Spanish. Actually, it was a
Judaeo-Spanish dialect.  It is know as the Ferrara Bible. I was especially
intrigued by this paragraph:
 "Even before the Renaissance, wealthy and aristocratic women--Christian or Jewish--had been able to wield considerable influence by favoring the creation of books above all else. They used books to pass along to the next generation aspects of their culture or religious beliefs that they felt were important.  They commissioned books as wedding presents for their daughters. They commissioned vernacular translations of religious books to help less-educated women follow Latin church ritual.  By doing so, they undermined the stranglehold that the male clergy maintained over their congregations. Indeed, some scholars maintain that those books became a key element in the spread of the Reformation."

[mabel1015j]

Every semester that i taught i would start the term by saying "the library is the best buy in society and the best buy in your educational experience. You can learn about any subject you want to for free at the library."  I have preached that to my children and all of their friends and relatives. Even w/ the internet, i think it is still true. Can you think of anything else that can give you so much education, fun, inspiration, how-to info, enjoyment for free as a library?  Even if you are paying taxes, or a fee, to use it, it is still the best buy ever.

Babi - isn't it wonderful and exciting how much we are learning about women in history? When i was pregnant w/ our dgt, our first child, (1970) I, of course, had to stop teaching when i was 5 months pregnant and i started going to the county library, which was and is superb, and reading thru the biographies of women. I found many that i didn't know about, even tho i was a history major. From that point on i have had an avocation of women's history. The information has just been expanding by leaps and bounds and i read as much as i can, finding it fascinating what misinformation i had learned about women lives and lifestyles during my history education - pre1970.......................jean

[Steph]

We almost did the QEii, but wanted to end up in Spain, since we have not been before. I do hope they have a library, but truth is, my suitcase is half books and half clothes always.
My husband hates the dressing up, but we are told that the Noordam has alternative dining places. I personally like to dress up, not every night, but on some occasions.
Libraries.. I cannot begin to imagine a world without libraries.. or a school with no books. I think I am glad I am older..

[ginny]

Donnie, I keep meaning to say how much I enjoy your insights and the wonderful posts you write.

Loved the one on Anita Brookner:

Anita Brookner has a new book out called The Strangers.  I may or may not read it.  I have read at least a half dozen of her books.  They are quite depressing; yet, I find them fascinating.  I say they are depressing because her main characters are often isolated, and lonely.  What fascinates me is that they are almost always well educated, travel a lot, know about art, and are well read. They are not poor.  I read Brookner to see if she can figure out a way to get her characters to open the door to their holes that they seemingly want to stay closed. the Book of Shadows by Namita Gokhale and really, really like it.

What's the Book of Shadows about?

I liked this too:

A critic (I don't remember who) wrote that Lahiri only gets to a certain point in exploring major cultural issues and doesn't get to a resolution which is fine for a first book but then she goes over the same ground in her later works.

This is my first Lahiri, and it's short stories, so I'm curious to see whether that prediction holds true in them.



___________________

I'm finished with the  Boy Who Followed Ripley, finally. Not her best book, strained, but I know the next one is really good so I'm looking forward to it.

________________________________

But I am most excited about  the arrival of Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont by Elizabeth Taylor, whom I had never heard of until reading about her here.

Boy the reviews are out of this world for her! It's got Joan Plowright on the cover breaking up the actor who played Ludovic Meyer, it's obvious they enjoyed each other. But it's different, the people at the Claremont are different and apparently it's somewhat stunning, here from the Introduction: "It is the reader who acknowledges that they (the people living in the Claremont) have been cast aside, not they." The Introduction also notes, "[Elizabeth Taylor's] peculiar gift is for noticing the casual cruelty that people use to protect themselves from the not always casual cruelty of others."

Here are some of the reviews:

---Sarah Waters said, "Elizabeth Taylor is finally being recognised as an important British author: an author of great subtlety, great compassion and great depth."

---"Always intelligent, often subversive and never dull, Elizabeth Taylor is the thinking person's dangerous housewife. Her sophisticated prose combines elegance, icy wit, and freshness in a stimulating cocktail--the perfect toast to the quite horror of domestic life."

---"How deeply I envy any reader coming to her for the first time!"

---"Sophisticated, sensitive, and brilliantly amusing."

Oh boy!! And it appears she has written quite a few novels, thank you Marcie for bringing her up!! I've read three pages of Mrs.Palfrey at the Claremont,  and am hooked already!

[serenesheila]

I love the movie, "Mrs. P. at the Clarmount", with Joan Plowright.  Have watched it many times.  JP is one of my favorite actresses!  However, I didn't realize that it is based upon Elizabeth Taylor's book.  This is great news.  I will order it for my Kindle.  Thank all of you for sharing this information.

Sheila

[winsummm]

the power of three by laura lippman  well writen and much about the teen age sub cultue. interesting to me considering my grandson enmeshed .

[Babi]

   JEAN, since the Gracia Nasi bio. is about a remarkable woman, it
features information about other remarkable women of the times as well.
Many of them I had never heard of before. It has been fascinating
learning about them.
  I was disappointed at being unable to watch the 'Mrs. Palfrey..." movie. (No
CC)   My library has...guess what..the video only.  However, I did find three
other books by an Elizabeth Atwood Taylor.  Is this the same author, SHEILA?  All three seem to be murder mysteries.

[Steph]

Claire, I read all of Laura Lippman. Both her stand alone and her series are quite interesting. She seems to do a lot of research in her stand alone types.

[mrssherlock]

Babi:  The government should make it mandatory that any movie have CC.  Maybe the ADA folks or the ACLU could take a hand. 

FF lists these novels by ET:  http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/t/elizabeth-taylor/ 
and here is her bio:  http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/t/elizabeth-taylor/

[marcie]

Babi, you'll find a listing of the books written by Elizabeth Taylor at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Taylor_(novelist).

If that url doesn't work, search for Elizabeth Taylor novelist using the wikipedia search.

[mrssherlock]

Marcie: Thanks for fixing my  dud URL.  It was supposed to be the wiki link you posted. 

[marcie]

Oh, I didn't see your post, Jackie. We were posting at the same time. GMTA :-)

[Steph]

I tried two of the Elizabeth Taylor books, but simply could not get into them.. No idea why.

[ALF43]

I would like another opinion of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, by Stieg Larsson.  Have any of you read that one or the follow up The Girl Who Played With Fire?  It's about a troubled wise-beyond-her-years genius computer hacker.

[Babi]

 Thanks for the referrals, JACKIE & MARCIE.  I don't know if the ACLU
would really consider closed captioning a civil liberties issue, but
the idea did make me grin. 

[mrssherlock]

I've read both Tattoo and Fire of the Steig Larsson books and I couldn't put them down.  They are complex and violent but the milieu and characters keep me entranced.  They are so popular at my library that I'm still waiting for the third one, Hornet's Nest, and overjoyed to hear that there is a fourth one scheduled. 

[ALF43]

Thanks MsSherlock.  I've read the Dragon Tattoo and enjoyed it as much as you.  It was very violent but that didn't bother me too much.  I like this guy's writing and it's my understanding that Fire is his LAST novel as he recently passed away.

[Pat]

I would like another opinion of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, by Stieg Larsson.  Have any of you read that one or the follow up The Girl Who Played With Fire?  It's about a troubled wise-beyond-her-years genius computer hacker.

My SIL - Patrick - has read both and recommended them to me.  I have a hold for them at my library.

[ginny]

Looks like Mrs. Palfrey was shortlisted for the Booker, too, I love the old Booker nominees and so far, the book.

But I came in to say I don't know  if you got to see the Emmys last night,  but I was really pleased, having blathered on and on about Grey Gardens  on HBO and the book and the original documentary here,  hahahaa ad nauseam, to see it win so many awards.

I think it got 6 all together, including some awarded previously, there must have been another earlier ceremony for writers, or something? Anyway it won Best Made for Television Movie, Outstanding Lead  Actress  for Jessica Lange as Big Edie, and Ken Howard won for Best Supporting  actor and he was good, too.  It was really well done.

In fact the only show getting more awards was Little Dorrit and we all know who wrote that   with 7 total.

_______________________________

As always we're so au courant here! And now Matthew Pearl, the best selling author, will return next month in his new book which people say is fabulous about  Dickens and the last book he wrote. Whether or not you have read The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Dickens, people are saying you'll love Matthew Pearl's The Last Dickens,   so don't miss this chance (are we lucky here or WHAT?) to talk  to an author about his work. He's wonderfully responsive, too. Everybody has heard of Dickens, but not everybody knows about his last unfinished book: should be a wow!

We have never had this many authors in our Books coming month after month! I'm so excited about our Books sections, even after 13 years (we started in 1996) we're going strong! YAY for our readers and participants!

[CallieOK]

I've just finished "Last Light Over Carolina" - Mary Alice Monroe's novel that came out in July.
It's very good - set in a shrimping area of South Carolina. (Hint: the title refers to one of the characters as well)

[joangrimes]

Callie,

I want to read that book.   I really like Mary Alice Monroe.   Several of us met her at a books gathering.  I was  very impressed by her.  It was shortly after Theron died and she said the sweetest and nicest things to me that really encouraged me to go on.

Joan Grimes

[mrssherlock]

Mary Alice Monroe is another author I like so I've added Carolina to my library list.  Thanks.

[ginny]

Wow, Mrs Palfrey in its gentle calm tone is extremely powerful. You wouldn't think that a couple of pages about people sitting in a hotel lobby could be quite so....wow.

Here's an example of her prose:

In spite of long practice, she found that resolution was more difficult thee days. When she was young, she had had an image of herself to present to her new husband, whom she admired; then to herself, thirdly to the natives (I am an Englishwoman). Now, no one reflected the image of herself, and it seemed diminished: it had lost two-thirds of its erstwhile value (no husband, no natives).

The "natives" refers to her husband's being posted to Burma, where she had had to give herself a stern talking to (just like she has in her current situation), it's very powerful, about aging...very.

[Babi]

 JACKIE, are you any closer to getting your copy of "March"?  I would be
interested in your take on it.  I'm finding some things that would lend themselves to a discussion, but some of them are in sensitive areas and others
are 'been there, done that'.  But it is a very good, beautifully written book. I
would very much like to have your thinking on it.  Same goes for any of you that
may be reading this book.

[Steph]

I finished the book written by a woman who grew up in a polygmous society. Excellent, although a bit drawn out. I cannot imagine putting that much faith in a single male.. But I would guess they dont know anything else..

[bellemere]

a new discovery, for me, is Sebastian Barry, Irish author: The Long Walk and Annie Dunne.  Both deal with some of the same characters, The Long Walk comes first chronologically.  But I read Annie Dunne first, so I know the tragic ending of the Long Walk.  it is WW1, in all its horrors.  Very strong, but what a wonderul writer.  Annie Dunne is much gentler on the reader, rural Ireland setting, and I am thinking of making it one of my recommendations at Book Club.  It is my turn next month, and it is so difficult.  Recent recommendations have had us reading a lot of chick lit, and I think I would like to find something a little more worthwhile.  Annie Dunne fits the bill. 
since they want to hear more than one choice, I am thinking of going All Irish, besiddes Annie Dunne, with Felicia's Journey by the great William Trevor, and The Gathering by Elizabeth Enright, Booker Prize for last year. 
any opinions on these to generate good discussion at the meeting? 

[JoanR]

How about "By the Lake" by William Gahern, a highly regarded book that captures the essence of rural Ireland.  See this Amazon article & reviews:

http://www.amazon.com/Lake-John-McGahern/dp/0679744029/ref=pd_sim_b_2

I'm sorry!  I don't know how to make url's shorter!!!!

[ALF43]

hahah Ginny always says that we are "au courant "and she's so right.
Matthew Pearl the author of The Last Dickens is just chomping at the bit to get in and get going with our discussion.  Why not come on over here and join us?  There are so many of you that add such a great dimension and contribute so much to our discussion.  We would love to have you and your thoughts.

come on down and join us

It's a great mystery and an enjoyable read.  I am behaving (yeah, right) and reading only what we have been assigned- so I'm still in the dark with this "who-done-it."  

JoanP and I will be there to meet and greet you.

[marcie]

I've read and enjoyed The Last Dickens and definitely want to participate in the discussion with the author. For those of you who haven't really been able to get into Dickens' novels, I want to say that you don't even have to be a fan of Dickens to enjoy Matthew Pearl's book. It stands on its own as a good adventure/mystery novel.

[mrssherlock]

What a journey I've just been on.  It started with looking up William McGahern in FF but he isn't listed.  The Amazon link displayed some other titles which lead in a round about way to Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo.  http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/m/michael-morpurgo/private-peaceful.htm
So now I have more books on my TBR list!  Just what I needed.

Read a couple of thrillers which were hard to put down.  Christopher Reich's Rules of Deception (five stars) and Tell No One by Harlan Coben.  A fun book is Elvis and the Dearly Departed, by Peggy Webb. Elvis is a basset hound who is convinced that he is Elvis.  That Elvis.  He and his humans, a family who have a mortuary, get into trouble when a body disappears.  The trail leads to Vegas, a mysterious former show girl who inherits the dead doctor's millions.  This is a change of pace following something intense like the thrillers above.

[marjifay]

Marcie said,  "want to say that you don't even have to be a fan of Dickens to enjoy Matthew Pearl's book. It stands on its own as a good adventure/mystery novel."

That's interesting, and maybe I'll look into that one.  The only book I tried to read by Matthew Pearl was his The Dante Club, and it was so boring I couldn't finish it.

Marj

[ALF43]

marjfay- The Last Dickens is FAR from boring.  I really am enjoying the book.  I never realized that Dickens had a sense of humor.  You will love the characters in this one, naturally more modern and up to date in thought, even if it does take place right after Dicken's demise.  DO join in with us in solving the mystery.

[winsummm]

following a lead from ginny i am into mary alice's the girl in the mirror. I do have to skip a lot of nice description to get on with the story though.  Sometimes a good poetic lyrical writer forgets that she is telling a story.

claire