After the heavy snow this week, Kansas City may think it has the world's worst weather. In reality, this claim is held by the weather observatory at the top of Mount Washington in Northern New Hampshire. This peak is only 6,288 feet tall (as compared to many peaks over 14,000 feet tall in the Rocky Mountains) but lies at the convergence of several predominant weather storm tracks. The extreme weather conditions result in a bare mountain top, well above the tree line. The vertical rise of the
I am an adult. As an adult, I should only be enjoying books written for my age group. Or, if not written for my age group, they should have enough substance and weight to warrant my attention (like Newbery Award Winners). So, how do I justify my love of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books by Jeff Kinney?
While shelving books one day at the Library, I happened across a book titled Braniac: Adventures in the Curious, Competitive, Compulsive World of Trivia Buffs. What caught my eye was a cover blurb about the book’s author, Ken Jennings. He was the individual who won 75 straight rounds of the TV game show, Jeopardy. He won over $2.5 million dollars on the show before he was finally bested. I succumbed to the book’s cover marketing and decided give it a try.
When I read a review of the recent film The Hobbit, the writer commented on the fact that even though the movie was just as well made as The Lord of the Rings, it probably would not garner the same kind of Oscar buzz. Why? It wasn’t dark enough (translation: not dramatic enough). Tolkien’s book was always lighter fare, so the movie is simply reflecting the source material. But it made me wonder why it is that for movies, television, and books to be honored, it seems they must also be grim.
I first encountered one of my favorite authors, Jack Finney (1911-1995), back in 1965. A popular writer of short fiction stories for magazines, Finney also wrote a number of novels. Several that made their way to the silver screen include Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Assault on a Queen, Good Neighbor Sam, The Love Letter, and Maxie. Finney is probably best known for his stories involving time travel. This recurring theme usually involves an inanimate object like a desk with a secret drawer containing a love letter from the past (The Love Let
During Black History month, the most famous African American authors will be celebrated. Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, Maya Angelou, Alex Haley, and Zora Neale Hurston are often the first names to spring to mind when people are asked to recount an author of color. However, there are many other writers who don't get the same recognition. One of these is James Weldon Johnson.
Last week I blogged about an inscription I found in a book I had obtained through WorldCat and MCPL's Interlibrary Loan Department. This inscription about the author of volume is what I call a "hidden gem," or something found in a book that is relevant to my personal world. This blog is the second in a continuing series of "hidden gems."
One of the great things about MCPL is the fact that you can access movies and documentaries on DVD for free. It's great not having to shell out rental fees (although, we do ask for a little money if you return things to us late), and we have VHS cassettes for those of us who still have that antiquated thing called a VCR. But one thing you must still do in order to obtain these free items is make a trip to one of our branches. However, did you know that you can access a lot of productions without ever having to leave the comfort of your own home?
The History of Valentine's Day and MCPL Online Resources
In this day and age when many holidays have become so secular and over-commercialized, it is easy to lose the true meaning of the holiday or not even be aware of its origin in the first place. We all know that Valentine’s Day is celebrated by giving flowers, candy, chocolates, and cards, and by showing others that we love them. But how many of us truly know the history behind Valentine’s Day and St. Valentine? Probably not that many.
Even if you’re not old enough to remember Lesley Gore’s mid-sixties classic hit, It’s My Party (and I’ll Cry If I Want to), but are eagerly anticipating your daughter’s wedding, this little book – It’s Her Wedding, But I’ll Cry if I Want To -- might be just the book for you. Aimed at the MOB (that’s short for mother of the bride, for the uninitiated), this book by Leslie Milk will certainly serve as a humorous, though common sense, approach to all the detailed planning required. Ms.
