You're my new "Book Bestie" 8-)

One of the wonderful things about working in a library is that the majority of people who work there are avid readers.  This means that at any time you may find yourself animatedly discussing books with a coworker.  Library workers are encouraged to try books from different genres and sample non-fiction from a variety of topics.  That means that when you have a new favorite author or book to share, they tend to be good listeners.
One of the regular duties librarians have is picking out the book of their choice to for the library's book discussion group.  Sadly, we don't have time to read every single book that our co-workers pick out, but we try to be familiar with them because they will eventually be made into book discussion kits that are loaned out to the public.  Picking out a book for your book discussion group can be intimidating.  As with all questions about readers' advisory, the people at the desk are eager to help with this decision.

In April, our local library group discussed Wingshooters by Nina Revoyr. This is a riveting read set in northern Wisconsin during the 1970's.  Parts of this story are loving and poignant.  They make the reader recall fond childhood memories of visits with their favorite grandparent.  The author details the difficulties that the main character faces as a child of an American man and Japanese woman who has been left in a small town to live with her grandparents.  The loving relationship with her grandparents is sharply contrasted by the racism and prejudice that the young girl is dealt every day by the children and adults in Deerhorn, WI.  Racial tensions increase when a young black couple move to into town.    What follows changes the town and the loving relationship between grandparent and grandchild.

The great thing about having a variety of people pick out discussion books is that the library now owns a very diverse selection of book discussion kits.  There are kits with books on history like Founding Brothers or Assassination Vacation.  Memoirs range from A Girl Named Zippy:  growing up small in Mooreland, Indiana to Dewey:  the small-town library cat who touched the world and all manner of joyful and sad stories in between.  Fiction selections run the gamut from classics like Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice to A Thread of Grace and lighter fare like The Hindi-Bindi Club.  We've discussed our Fast Food Nation,  The Greatest Generation, and The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.
Why join a book discussion group?  Books can connect us with complete strangers as we're waiting for the elevator or sitting in the doctor's office.  An inviting book cover can lead to the discovery of a new "book friend" with whom you can share your guilty pleasure-books.

BWAHAHA!

There comes a point during every spring in Wisconsin when the phrase, "Well, at least it's not snowing" ceases to raise our spirits.  Admittedly, most eastern Wisconsinites probably snickered behind their hands when the giant May snowstorm of 2013 hit Minnesota and western Wisconsin.  There are times when living by a huge lake has its advantages.  However, our momentary glee over our neighbor's May snowstorm has now run its course and we are more than ready for better weather.

We need to focus our thoughts on something else.  Perhaps you have been attempting to read Victor Hugo's Les Miserables because the movie was just so wonderful only to discover that you do not have the mental fortitude to tackle over one thousand pages at this time.  Put it away and turn to something that requires less brain power, the comics.

This is reading that requires nothing from the reader.  Sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.  Look carefully at these pictures and find the humor.  Occasionally you may have the privilege of finding yourself on the same mental wavelength as the author and actually laugh out loud at their quirky sense of humor.  I found that book today.  It's called T-Rex Trying... by Hugh Murphy.

Poor T-Rex, I do feel a little sorry for him.  After all, he has an enormous head and body but tiny little arms and hands.  How is he  supposed to take care of his personal needs or get anything done around the house?  The entire book is pictures of T-Rex trying to cope with life's mundane chores.  Think about it.  How would T-Rex paint his house?  How would he brush his teeth?  How can he even pick anything up off of the ground with those tiny arms?  You know that big head is going to get in the way.  This book gifted me with several smiles, a chuckle or two, and a couple of belly laughs.  I suppose one has to have a certain type of humor in order to enjoy the struggles of T-Rex.  Just remember, that you're not laughing at something that is still stomping through meadows devouring gazelles.  It's OK to laugh.  It's good to laugh.

Clearly the Bunny Suicides books cater to a darker sense of humor. While one may not approve of the implications of cute, cuddly, precious bunnies committing hara-kiri, the concept is unique. These are not smart bunnies either.  Some of their methods are downright gruesome and look very painful.  It's amusing because in real life, all bunnies really care about is getting into and out of Mr. McGregor's garden with a belly full of vegetables.

 

While reading comic books will not make the sun shine any brighter or stop the rain, it will make you stop thinking about the fact that you haven't seen the sun in several days.  Put your feet up (next to the fire), grab a hot drink, and open up a book of the funny and improbable.  Take a break from the things you have to do, the places you have the go, the spring cleaning you don't feel like doing and just have yourself a giggle.  Trust me,  Snoopy would approve.

Like, don't like, won't try.....why not?

Nancy Pearl librarian action figure-
no batteries required.

Contrary to popular belief, librarians do not sit behind a desk stamping due dates into books and waiting to pounce on patrons who speak too loudly.  (We will pounce, but the offense must be more egregious than talking too loudly.)  When we are not helping you find the perfect book for your book club, attempting to download an ebook onto a myriad of patron owned devices, or helping patrons with our public computers we are not sitting in a comfy chair with a cup of tea and the latest John Grisham novel either.  We are hard at work educating ourselves.
After all, how can we recommend a mystery to a patron if we rarely read one?  The avid mystery reader has most likely already seen everything written by the big names in mystery.  Sending a patron over the the new book section or into our fiction collection with advice like, "Just look for the books with the mystery label on the spine", would be doing a disservice to the patron.  The axiom may be not to judge a book by its cover but readers still do. Publishers spend large amounts of cash on cover art so that their books will attract more readers.  Just because something has an attractive picture on the cover doesn't mean the story inside will appeal to you.  It's our job to help you with that.
Mysteries, like many other genres, can be divided into a variety of sub-genres.  Recently my assigned reading was Mr. Churchill's Secretary by Susan Elia MacNeal.  Out of an extensive list, why did I choose this one?  This is a historical mystery set in London during World War II.  The setting, the time period, and the strong female lead character appealed to me.  Since it was required reading, I made a conscious effort to find a book on the list that met several of my reading preferences.  This allowed me to find something in the genre that I instinctively knew I would enjoy.  The end result is that the next time someone asks me for a historical mystery, I can speak knowledgeably and enthusiastically about this author and series.  Since I enjoyed the experience, there is the possibility that this will be the mystery author I go to the next time I am in the mood for that type of book.
The best part about reading different books from a genre and then sharing them with your coworkers is that you get a sampling of several different books.  If you take notes or have a great memory, you can store this information away for later use.  The Boy in the Suitcase was given rave reviews at one of our meetings and has now seen increased circulation due to the positive feedback.  (It's not as gruesome as the title sounds.  The suspense will keep you reading long after you should have turned out the light.)
Currently we are endeavoring to read literary fiction.  This is not a study of "the classics" such as you might experience during your school years.  These are character studies and the plot does not always move swiftly.  (The person who chose Indignation by Philip Roth will attest to that.)  The title Gentlemen and Players by Joanne Harris was the one that appealed to me.  Anyone who has attended private school or taught boys will be able to make a connection with the characters in this book.  Although it has been categorized as a mystery, its main focus is a duel of wits between two characters.  A real life chess match.  One character is depicted as a pawn, the other the king.  The reader is allowed inside the mind of each character as the "match" progresses.  The first person narration allows the author to withhold pertinent information from the reader because it would already be a known fact to the narrator.  This forces the reader to focus in on the clues that each narrator slowly reveals.  It is fascinating following the different perspectives of the two characters, one of whom is not aware of the "game" until about half way through the book.

The experience of having to choose a book from a specific genre can be daunting.  However, this exercise will open up new doors for you as you challenge yourself to go outside your comfort zone.  Avid readers sometimes believe they will never run out of things to read and that their favorite authors will continue to write forever.  This simply is not true (ask the fans of LaVyrle Spencer).  Do yourself a favor.  Walk into the library and tell the librarians you are looking for something new to read.  Be patient while they ask you questions about your reading tastes.  Be open-minded when they hand you a list of books or authors you might like.  They're just suggestions and some may not be to your liking.  If at first you don't like your read, try, try again.  That's why the library staff are there and they can't wait to share their love of books and reading with you.

Suspense? Horror? (certainly not boring)

This profile picture used to be recognizable to almost anyone who watched television or movies.  He was the master of the "MacGuffin" and the king of suspense.  He was a creative innovator who irrevocably changed the way people viewed the movies.  When "Funeral March of a Marionette" came on TV, it was time to stop what you were doing and brace yourself.  Inevitably the story that he would present would send chills down your spine or involve a plot twist that could cause you to ask someone else in the room to explain what just happened.  He still claims a spot as a premier film director, Alfred Hitchcock.

March 28th of this year marked the 50th anniversary of the Hitchcock classic, The Birds.  Birds are not frightening creatures to most human beings.  People who live on farms or raise poultry in their backyard may have a fracas with a fowl on occasion but those confrontations normally end with the birds coming out the loser.  In Hitchcock's version, there is no explanation for the sudden appearance of an alarming number of birds in one small town.  Nor is there any reason for the birds to suddenly flock together and attack.  The genius of the movie is that there are no simple explanations but rather a series of strange events that become more menacing as the movie progresses.  Based on a story by Daphne du Maurier, this movie will cause you to think twice about filling up your bird feeder in the backyard.  

 Hitchcock had favorite actors and actresses that he preferred to use multiple times in his films.  Jimmy Stewart appears in both Vertigo and Rear Window.  In contrast to The Birds, these films focus on the human characters and their flaws and weaknesses.  In Vertigo, Stewart's character is a pawn in another man's scheme.  His physical weaknesses, vertigo and depression, are used to make him the witness (and therefore an alibi) in an apparent suicide.  As his character recovers and attempts to find an explanation for the terrible events, the audience discovers that there is no happy ending for this Hitchcock classic, there is merely an end.
Rear Window, starring Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly begins in a much lighter tone.  As the story line progresses, the audience is led to contemplate the wisdom and ethics of watching one's neighbors too closely.  One is inclined to tell Jimmy Stewart's character Jeff to put down the binoculars and do something useful.  However, when presented with the growing pile of evidence it becomes clear that he has uncovered something nefarious.  Then the fear starts to take root as the audience, who has now become attached to the various characters, watch helplessly while their danger grows.  It starts as a character study in an apartment courtyard and ends with a deadly duel of wits.
Finally, there is Psycho.  If you haven't witnessed the terror that is Psycho, you've never been frightened.  This is the classic suspense/horror film that keeps other directors working on the genre until they get it just right, just like Hitchcock.  On Friday, April 19th, 2013 there will be a Hitchcock film marathon at the Manitowoc Public Library starting in the morning.  If you haven't had a good scare lately, join us for one of these movie classics.  National Library Week starts Sunday April 14th when we offer a plethora of fun activities and events.  Come celebrate with us!

Your Library: the no-judgment zone

Looking for your next favorite read?  Look no further than your favorite librarian please.  Libraries and librarians have the keys to help you find your next favorite series, character, or author.  If you've ever asked a librarian for help finding something new to read, you will recall how that person's face lit up with excitement.  They eagerly started asking you questions and you stood back and wondered why you were getting the third degree.  However, your answers to a few key questions will help the librarian help you.  Those are the "book seeds" that will help you branch out in your reading adventures.

For example, if you tell someone that the last three books that you enjoyed were The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Allen Addison, Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys, and Star Lake Saloon and Housekeeping Cottages by Sara Rath they are not going to automatically recommend that you read the latest Dresden Files book by Jim Butcher because that is what they like and are currently reading.  They are going to ask you what it was specifically that you liked about the books you remembered.  The books you listed are clues for a librarian to follow as they contemplate which direction to steer you.  The questions will become specific to the books you mentioned.  

They may ask you what you have read recently that you really didn't like.  Maybe the last book you couldn't force yourself to finish was Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks.  Naturally the next question to follow will be what didn't you like about it?  There are no wrong answers to any of these questions.

What you like to read is your choice, your preference, for your own enjoyment.  Librarians aren't waiting to sit in judgment of you because you would like to read something similar to Fifty Shades of Grey.  They can't wait to tell you to try Sylvia Day's books next.  They are eager to share their own catalogs and websites like whatshouldireadnext.com,  librarything.com, novelist, or overbooked.org with patrons who like to explore on their own.

Come and ask the experts what you should read next.  Then make sure that you tell them on your next trip how much you liked (or didn't like) their recommendations.  Tell them what you think they should read next.   It's an imperfect science but one that can be an endless source of enjoyment.

Is it "snow fatigue" or are the zombies among us getting sloppy?

The evidence is clear, people.  Stop preparing for the zombie apocalypse.  It is useless.  Clearly we are experiencing the zombification of our fellow human beings right now.  Social critics will attempt to gloss over the gradual deterioration of polite society by placing blame on one societal ill or another.  Parents will claim that bizarre teen behavior can be logically explained away by out of control hormones and acne issues.  Teachers will give evidence that students have been unable to raise their hands in the classroom for years and that one word answers or grunting is the norm.  Let us open our eyes to reality and resolve to learn to navigate this new world together.
People are quick to dismiss the evidence of the widespread zombie affliction with terms like "snow fatigue" or "winter fatigue".  Symptoms of these syndromes range from insomnia (zombies don't sleep) to the inability to concentrate (zombies can't form words or sentences, much less read them) to overall clumsiness or a feeling of physical malaise or fatigue.  Ask yourself, is it winter depression and lack of warmth and sunlight that is ailing you or it is the thought of lurching through life like a zombie while you watch your various body parts wither, decay and fall off?  Anyone who has had to drive in the past few weeks knows that there are zombies driving on our roads terrifying the rest of us.  (Evidence:  They can't read or follow road signs. They pass when they shouldn't. They aren't able to slow down on ice-covered roads. They forget how to use the gas pedal and turn signals.  This list is endless.)
Thankfully, Isaac Marion has written a book filled with zombie hopes and dreams.  Zombies are not eternally doomed to a life of mindlessly attacking humans and eating their brains.  With will, determination, and education, they can get better.  In time, they will recover.  (This is the same advice given to the parents of teens.)  They can relearn how to feel and dream and become a useful part of society.  How will you know that the zombie working in the cubicle next to you is recovering?  They will stop trying to eat your brain every chance they get.  Grunts and one word replies will eventually become complete sentences.  Motor skills will slowly but steadily improve.  They will start to remember their old life.  They will respond to their name.  They will vow to keep you safe from the other zombies which means they have feelings for other people again.
 While we await this day of recovery, we need to arm ourselves by studying informational literature about zombies.  In the past several years, it has become clear that this virus is sweeping our nation but we have been reluctant to admit it.  Perhaps "The Walking Dead" is actually reality television, not a fictional drama/horror series.  (After all, it's on TV and they can't put anything on TV that isn't real, right?)  Max Brooks has even written a book about the zombie war and a zombie survival guide.  (If it's in a book and it's labeled non-fiction, it must be true, right?)  The reality check for non-believers is that there are zombie action figures being made for children to play with. (A conspiracy of socially functioning zombies, perhaps?)
Time to check your teen for a pulse and a temperature.  If they lack either of these essential signs of life, head to your library for an instructional manual on how to care for them.  Teens seem to be the group most vulnerable to this disease.  Zombies won't laugh at your jokes, they won't eat your food, they certainly won't listen to you, and they get angry if you tell them you don't like how they're driving.  (When they do eat, they attack their food voraciously.)  Zombies spend copious amounts of time sitting or laying in one place but when they want something, they are relentless.  Does any of this sound familiar?  Better hope the zombie instructional guide is checked in.

"I see funny people."

"And now, here's something we hope you'll really like!"  Let's hope it's the sun. Let's hope it's a weather report with good news such as the temperature soaring above 32 degrees.  Spring in Wisconsin is a fickle thing.  In one week we can go from snowplowing driveways to sitting in blazing hot 70 degree weather watching a baseball game or a track meet.  (Seventy degrees is hot after months of freezing weather.)  It's the waiting for those "outside days" that makes it seem like spring will never arrive.  How to keep ourselves occupied inside while waiting to enjoy outside is the question.
Share something silly with the people you spend time with.  Introduce your children to the cartoons you enjoyed as a child.  Stay up late on Friday night and remind yourself why Monty Python and the Holy Grail was so funny when you were in high school or college.  ("It's just a flesh wound!")  Check out your favorite John Hughes 80's movie and relive teen angst at its best....or worst.  Indulge yourself with a guilty pleasure, a musical.

How could anyone watch Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and not crack a smile?  Think you have the winter blues?  Try being snowbound in the mountains for months with seven angry women.  With a songs like "Bless Your Beautiful Hide" and "Lonesome Polecat", this musical is the epitome of what the genre is all about.  An interesting or quirky little story made into a stage or screen spectacle thanks to a liberal sprinkling of singing and dancing.  Not cheerful enough?  How about Singin' in the Rain?  The Sound Of Music?  The practically perfect Mary Poppins?  For something classy, there's My Fair Lady.  If you like to gamble on love, pull out Guys and Dolls.  For sweeping drama and heartbreak, Show Boat or West Side Story are just the ticket.  Watching with the kids?  Then you can't go wrong with The Wizard of Oz.  You don't have to go back fifty years or more to find a good musical.  Remember this?  "I laughed.  I cried.  It was better than Cats!"  Cats ran on Broadway for eighteen years, the longest run in history until is was surpassed by The Phantom of the Opera.

Realistically, most people can only pull out their favorite musicals when their better half is in the woods or out on the ice.  Most guys won't sit through a musical.  Due to the vast selection at your library, that isn't an issue.  Check out National Lampoon's Vacation, it will help you recall your last summer family car trip.  Or try calling on Ghostbusters, the music alone will put a smile on your face.  Too much weekend and not enough activities planned?  There are four Indiana Jones movies to choose from as well as six Starwars episodes to ponder.  Lately, Ferris Bueller's Day Off has been played at our house to rave reviews.  I guess the idea of "playing hooky" never goes out of style.  In winter, each day can seem to repeat itself over and over.  Watch Groundhog Day to find out what you could be doing with those lost hours.

There's no guarantee that we will be doing the Snoopy happy dance in a field of flowers any time soon.  Might as well plan on Spring coming when it normally does to Wisconsin, in June.  Meanwhile, share some DVD brain candy with your fellow sufferers and know that the sun will come out tomorrow, there's no place like home, and tomorrow is another new day.  Or as James Fennimore Cooper so eloquently put it, "Stay alive, no matter what occurs!"  Sometimes winter is just about surviving.