PaperCuts

New on DVD for February 26^th

30 Days of Night
The residents of an Alaskan town that is plunged into darkness for 30 days straight head south for the winter. When a group of vampires comes in, looking to feed on the town's remaining inhabitants, it's up to them to survive the night! With Josh Hartnett, Melissa George, Danny Huston. (2008, 113 minutes, rated R)

Beowulf
Mighty warrior Beowulf becomes involved in an epic battle with the ruthlessly seductive mother of a demon named Grendel after he destroys the demon. With Robin Wright Penn, Angelina Jolie, Anthony Hopkins, John Malkovich, Ray Winstone. (2008, 114 minutes, rated PG-13)

The Darjeeling Limited
Three American brothers set off on a train voyage across India to find themselves and bond with each other. They find themselves stranded alone in the middle of a desert and a new unplanned journey begins. With Jason Schwartzman, Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody. (2008, 91 minutes, rated R)

Death At a Funeral
Mourners and guests at a British country manor stuggle valiantly to 'keep a stiff upper lip,' as a dignified ceremony devolves into a hilarious, no-holds-barred debacle of misplaced cadavers and shocking family secrets. With Peter Dinklage, Matthew Macfadyen, Keeley Hawes, Rupert Graves. (2008, 91 minutes, rated R)

Goya's Ghosts
A look at Spanish painter Francisco Goya's involvement in the Spanish Inquisition when his teenaged muse Ines is sent to prison after being falsely accused of heresy, and of the brother and member of the Inquistion who becomes infatuated with her. With Randy Quaid, Javier Bardem, Stellan Skarsgard, Natalie Portman. (2008, 114 minutes, rated R)

Continue reading "New This Week @ your library, February 26th 2008" »

Posted on February 26, 2008 by Daniel at 12:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Review of: A Walk with Jane Austen: A Journey into Adventure, Love, and Faith by Lori Smith

Attention all Austen lovers out there, you have to read this book!  In it Lori Smith writes about her trip to England to experience the places Jane Austen lived and wrote in. While there she hopes to experience an Austen like romance and to find some spiritual comfort as she suffers from a mysterious illness. She is remarkably candid, sharing quite a bit about her inner life including her romantic hopes and dreams and depression about her illness. I enjoyed these personal aspects, and I also learned a lot about Austen's life and the places she frequented while reading about Smith's trip. I liked how she linked bits and pieces of Austen's life to her own, such as talking about Austen's siblings and then comparing her own sibling relationships.  Smith also included a nice map and summary of the places she visited which was very helpful. I definitely recommend this book to anyone with an affection for Jane Austen, especially if they want to see how her writing meshes with the life of a young, single American in the 21st century. 
Smith also has a couple of Austen related blogs, I highly recommend her Jane Austen Quote of the Day blog for a daily dose of Austen.   Her Following Austen blog is a more general blog on Austen related news and musings.

Posted on February 23, 2008 by Deb at 10:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

New on DVD for February 19^th

American Gangster
Frank Lucas is a crime boss armed with ruthless, streetwise tactics and a strict sense of honor. Through ingenuity and a strict business ethic, Lucas comes to rule the inner-city drug trade. With Denzel Washington, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Josh Brolin, Russell Crowe. (2008, 174 minutes, rated R)

Lust, Caution
A young woman is caught up in a plot to assassinate a powerful political figure in Japanese-occupied Shanghai during World War II. With Joan Chen, Anupam Kher, Tony Leung. (2008, 155 minutes, rated R) 

Rendition
A CIA analyst is forced to question his assignment as he becomes party to the unorthodox interrogation of an Egyptian chemical engineer who disappeared on a flight to Washington, while his American-born wife desperately tries to track her husband down. With Alan Arkin, J.K. Simmons, Reese Witherspoon, Meryl Streep, Jake Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard. (2008, 120 minutes, rated R)

Michael Clayton
Michael Clayton is known as 'the fixer' at a powerful New York law firm. The firm's top litigator has become a whistleblower, and when Michael tries to undo the damage, he finds himself up against forces that put corporate survival over human life. With Tilda Swinton, Sydney Pollack, Tom Wilkinson, George Clooney. (2008, 119 minutes, rated R)

Margot At the Wedding
Relationships are tested and family secrets are exposed after Margot decides to visit her newly engaged sister and her less-than-impressive fiance on the eve of their wedding. With ennifer Jason Leigh, Nicole Kidman, Jack Black. (2008, 92 minutes, rated R)

In the Valley of Elah
A career officer and his wife work with a police detective to uncover the truth behind their son's disappearance following his return from a tour of duty in Iraq. With James Franco, Josh Brolin, Susan Sarandon, Jason Patric, Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron. (2008, 121 minutes, rated R)

Continue reading "New This Week @ your library, February 19th 2008" »

Posted on February 18, 2008 by Daniel at 09:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here is another sampling of books I recently read and what I thought of them:

Straight Up by Lisa Sampson
This story switches back and forth between narrators who are cousins, one of whom married a guy many years her senior who has since died and is trying to cope with life without him. The other cousin has great musical talent but she is dealing with a husband who went off to join a monastary and lots of childhood trauma. She is squandering her life with drinking and her other relatives try to help her but she may be beyond help.
This is definitely a thinking book, one that sucks you in and makes you examine the characters. It was good but not a "light read" so I would say that you have to be in the mood for a book that requires more thinking and reflection to pick this one up.

In High Places by Tom Morrisey

Continue reading "Thoughts on Recent Reads" »

Posted on February 16, 2008 by Deb at 10:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Rats!!

That’s right, Rats!! Chocolate covered Rats, that is, made from delicious dried apricots with peanut ears and Starburst candy tails. It’s what’s for dinner, if you use What’s Cooking?, A Cookbook for Kids based on the Disney Pixar movie Ratatouille.

In a burst of hands on creativity to deliver a book review for fellow staffers, Head Chef Nancy Wurm from the TSCPL Bookmobile department enlisted fellow cooks Sandra Lane and Robin Clark to create several tasty dishes from the book for the staff to sample.

Continue reading "Project Library: Rats!!" »

Posted on February 15, 2008 by Karen at 08:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

New on DVD for February 12^th

Becoming Jane
Based on an incident in the life of the beloved writer Jane Austen that follows the real-life romance that inspired her classic novels. Jane meets a young Irishman whom she initially can't stand, but a romance blooms, inspiring Pride and Prejudice. With James Mcavoy, James Cromwell, Anne Hathaway, Maggie Smith. (2008, 118 minutes, rated PG)

Dedication
Henry is an author of children's books that is forced to work with a beautiful illustrator after his best friend and collaborator dies, and discovers that sometimes in order to find love, you have to take a chance. With Christine Taylor, Dianne Wiest, Billy Crudup, Amy Sedaris, Mandy Moore, Bob Balaban, Tom Wilkinson. (2008, 111 minutes, rated R)

Gone Baby Gone
Two private detectives taking a closer look at the mysterious disappearance of a little girl discover that nothing is what it seems. They will have to risk everything - their relationship, their sanity, and even their lives - to find a little girl lost. With Ed Harris, Michelle Monaghan, Casey Affleck, Morgan Freeman. (2008, 114 minutes, rated R)

I Could Never Be Your Woman
A young woman falls in love for the first time, as her mother falls in love with a younger man, with Mother Nature meddling in the middle of it all. With Tracey Ullman, Jon Lovitz, Henry Winkler, Paul Rudd, Michelle Pfeiffer, Saoirse Ronan. (2008, 97 minutes, rated PG-13)

In the Shadow of the Moon
The surviving Apollo astronauts are gathered for this intimate epic about their inspiring and moving voyages to the moon. Combines archival material from original NASA footage with new interviews with Jim Lovell, Buzz Aldrin, and eight other astronauts. (2008, 110 minutes, rated PG)

Martian Child
A science fiction author who is still mourning the death of his wife adopts a 6-year-old boy with a hyper-imagination who says he's really from Mars. With Amanda Peet, John Cusack, Joan Cusack, Oliver Platt. (2008, 108 minutes, rated PG)

No Reservations
A perfectionist chef addicted to her work struggles to adjust when her sister passes away, leaving her with a little girl to raise, and a new sous chef threatens to take over her kitchen with his high-spirited and free-wheeling ways. With Catherine Zeta-Jones, Bob Balaban, Aaron Eckhart, Abigail Breslin. (2008, 104 minutes, rated PG)

We Own the Night
A nightclub owner with ties to the Russian mafia tries to turn his back on his brother, an up-and-coming NYPD officer, and his father, the legendary Deputy Chief of Police. With Robert Duvall, Eva Mendes, Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Wahlberg. (2008, 118 minutes, rated R)

Why Did I Get Married?
A story about the difficulty of maintaining a solid love relationship in modern times. Over the weekend, husbands and wives take a hard look at their lives, wrestling with issues of commitment, betrayal, and forgiveness as they seek a way forward. With Janet Jackson, Tyler Perry, Jill Scott. (2008, 118 minutes, rated PG-13)

Continue reading "New This Week @ you library, February 12th 2008" »

Posted on February 12, 2008 by Daniel at 12:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

 

This week library customer, Anne P., shares her handmade knitted and crocheted washcloths with us. The pattern was taken from the book Knitting Loves Crochet: 22 Stylish Designs to Hook Up Your Knitting with a Touch of Crochet by Candi Jensen .  Anne has the following to say about her project:

I enjoyed the basic nature of this pattern. I had been searching for a simple yet elegant design for dishrags to knit for my mom. This fit the bill perfectly! I don't know a lot of crochet, as I'm primarily a knitter, but I could still follow the pattern and it turned out fantastic!”

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Continue reading "Project Library: Handmade Washcloth" »

Posted on February 08, 2008 by Karen at 08:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

New on DVD for February 5^th

Across the Universe
Jude, a young dockworker from Liverpool, travels to America, where he falls in love with Lucy, and together they join the Vietnam war protests after Lucy's brother is drafted. Set to some of the Beatles' most popular songs. With Eddie Izzard, Evan Rachel Wood, Bono, Jim Sturgess. (2007, 133 minutes, rated PG-13)

The Assassination of Jesse James
Robert Ford joins Jesse James' gang, only to become resentful of the legendary outlaw and hatch a plan to kill the fastest gun in the West. With Mary Louise Parker, Brad Pitt, Sam Rockwell, Sam Shepard, Casey Affleck. (2008, 159 minutes, rated R)

The Brave One
New York radio host Erica Bain loves her life and her fiancé. All of it is taken from her when a brutal attack leaves Erica wounded and her fiancé dead. Unable to move past the tragedy, she prowls the streets, looking for the men she holds responsible. With Jodie Foster, Mary Steenburgen, Nicky Katt, Naveen Andrews, Terrence Howard. (2007, 122 minutes, rated R)

Elizabeth the Golden Age
Queen Elizabeth's reign is threatened by familial betrayal and Spain's invading army, and she must act to protect the lives of her people, which will include a tragic sacrifice on her part. With Samantha Morton, Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush, Clive Owen. (2007, 115 minutes, rated PG-13)

Feast of Love
A professor who sees love and heartbreak in a coffee shop helps others with their problems and in the process gets help with his own problems. With Selma Blair, Radha Mitchell, Jane Alexander, Greg Kinnear, Morgan Freeman. (2007, 102 minutes, rated R)

The Jane Austen Book Club
A group of book club members examine six books from Jane Austen, and their lives and relationships begin to mirror the novels they are engrossed in. With Kathy Baker, Hugh Dancy, Emily Blunt, Amy Brenneman, Maria Bello, Jimmy Smits, Marc Blucas. (2008, 106 minutes, rated PG-13)

Snow Buddies
The adorable talking puppies are back, and this time they venture to the frosty arctic and team up with new friends in a thrilling dogsled race across Alaska. This heartwarming film teaches them the power of teamwork and to follow your dreams. With Dylan Sprouse, Jim Belushi. (2007, 87 minutes, rated G)

2 Days In Paris
A hypochondriac New Yorker on vacation in Europe with his Parisian girlfriend gets an unexpected shock when he meets her sexually perverse and emotionally unstable family, and a few of her many ex-lovers. With Julie Delpy, Adam Goldberg. (2007, 100 minutes, rated R)

Continue reading "New This Week @ your library, February 5th 2008" »

Posted on February 05, 2008 by Daniel at 12:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This week’s project was submitted by Meghan. 

“I’ve been trying to think of ways to get my husband to eat healthier without all the moaning and complaining that usually arises when I try to make him eat vegetables. When a coworker highly recommended Jessica Seinfeld’s Deceptively Delicious cookbook, I figured it couldn’t hurt! Since his diet mostly consists of things that kids like to eat (mac ‘n’ cheese, pizza, hamburgers), this seemed like an easy way to trick him into eating healthier. And for the most part, it worked!

Continue reading "Project Library: Deceptively Delicious" »

Posted on February 01, 2008 by Karen at 08:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

New on DVD for January 29^th

Bordertown
When a young girl is raped and left for dead in Mexico, she enlists the help of an ambitious reporter and a local newspaper owner for help. Soon their own lives are in danger as they try to uncover the terrors on the border. Inspired by true events. With Antonio Banderas, Jennifer Lopez, Martin Sheen. (2008, 114 minutes, rated R)

Canvas
A woman's mental health puts her family and her own life in jeopardy, and she is taken from the family. Now her husband must raise a family alone and deal with her schizophrenia. With Joe Pantoliano, Marcia Gay Harden. (2008, 100 minutes, rated PG-13)

The Comebacks
A hilarious spoof comedy that tackles the most memorable scenes from your favorite sports movies. An out-of-luck coach tries to lead a ragtag team of fumbling footballers to victory. With Carl Weathers, David Koechner. (2008, 87 minutes, rated PG-13)

Daddy Day Camp
Charlie and Phil are two dads that decide to turn a dilapidated camp into a day camp for a group of unruly kids. Facing foreclosure and lack of enrollment, it's up to Charlie's father, a colonel, to help get things in order. With Cuba Gooding, Jr., Brian Doyle-Murray, Lochlyn Munro. (2008, 89 minutes, rated PG)

Feel the Noise
A young man living in South Bronx, with dreams of becoming a rapper, must hide in Puerto Rico with a father he doesn't know when members of a local gang are after him. With Omarion, Giancarlo Esposito. (2008, 89 minutes, rated PG-13)

The Invasion
A psychiatrist discovers that a mysterious epidemic altering human behavior is extraterrestrial, and she fights to protect her son, who may hold the key to stopping the escalating invasion. With Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Veronica Cartwright, Jeremy Northam. (2008, 99 minutes, rated PG-13)

King of California
A man is reunited with his teenage daughter after spending years in a mental institute. When he becomes convinced that ancient treasure is buried under his home, his daughter decides to go along with his antics. With Michael Douglas, Evan Rachel Wood. (2008, 93 minutes, rated PG-13)

King of Kong - a Fistful of Quarters
A hilarious, critically acclaimed story of two Donkey Kong players, one an arrogant 20-year reigning champion and one a soft-spoken newcomer to the game, who find themselves in a riveting rivalry to see who can reach the highest rung on the ladder. (2007, 90 minutes, rated PG-13)

The Nines
The lives of an actor, a television game show personality, and a videogame designer are intertwined, and the lines between fantasy and reality become blurred. With Ryan Reynolds, Hope Davis, Elle Fanning. (2008, 99 minutes, rated R)

Rocket Science
In spite of his stuttering problem, the high school debate team star invites Hal to join the team. Stumbling his way to the championship, Hal falls in love, gains confidence, and ultimately realizes that love and life should not be rocket science. (2008, 101 minutes, rated R)

Continue reading "New This Week @ your library, January 29th 2008" »

Posted on January 29, 2008 by Daniel at 12:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Not only does the library have a plethora of books, videos, games, and music for you to check out, library patron, Jim, reminds us that the Red Carpet Services has visual aids to assist in any number of projects whether it be reading or, in his case, tying flies.

Jim has the following to say about Red Carpet Services:

For the past several years I've borrowed a magnifier from Red Carpet Services to assist in my fly tying hobby. It fits over my head and enables me to tie small flies I would otherwise be unable to construct.  There are several powers of magnification available for checkout, and I know I'll be ramping up in that department as I age. The ability to check out this resource allows me to continue enjoying my hobby, not to mention the cost savings involved. I wish more people knew about this wonderful library service.

Continue reading "Project Library: Magnifiers and Fly Tying" »

Posted on January 25, 2008 by Karen at 08:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

New on DVD for January 22^nd

Adrift in Manhattan
A beautiful and mysterious doctor crosses paths with a young photographer who has become infatuated with her, and a patient that's going blind, on a New York subway. With William Baldwin, Heather Graham. (2007, 91 minutes, rated R)

The Hunting Party
An ex-hotshot reporter, along with his cameraman, sets off on a dangerous journey to interview and capture a wanted war criminal deep in Bosnia. With Richard Gere, James Brolin, Terrence Howard. (2007, 101 minutes, rated R)

Sydney White
In a new spin on an old story, a tomboy joins a group of seven geeky outcasts, and wages war on her sorority sisters and the reigning campus queen to try and change the social cliques of the college. With Matt Long, John Schneider, Sara Paxton, Amanda Bynes. (2007, 108 minutes, rated PG-13)

Saw IV
When SWAT Commander Rigg is abducted and thrust into a game, the last officer untouched by Jigsaw has but ninety minutes to overcome a series of demented traps and save an old friend or face the deadly consequences. With Donnie Wahlberg, Shawnee Smith, Costas Mandylor, Tobin Bell, Angus Macfadyen, Betsy Russell. (2007, 95 minutes, rated R)

The Game Plan
Superstar quarterback Joe Kingman is living the ultimate fantasy: he's rich, famous, and the life of the party. He's getting ready for a big championship game when the 8-year-old daughter he never knew existed shows up at his bachelor pad. With Roselyn Sanchez, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, Kyra Sedgwick, Morris Chestnut. (2007, 110 minutes, rated PG)

Continue reading "New This Week @ your library, January 22nd 2008" »

Posted on January 22, 2008 by Daniel at 12:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Library customer, Robin, submitted this delicious project taken from the book "Hot Chocolate: 50 Heavenly Cups of Comfort" by Fred Thompson. What a fun project for cold, wintry days.

If you are looking for a project that will wow kids and adults alike with a yummy taste, try the recipe in this book for marshmallows. They are easy to make (but they have to "set-up" overnight) and taste remarkably good. They melt deliciously in hot chocolate, and taste just as good all by themselves or rolled in powdered chocolate or strawberry drink mix. I found marshmallow making to be a fantastically fun time for the whole family. Plus the hot chocolate recipes in this book are divine!!

According to Robin, the following was what was most helpful about this project: easy to read, simple to make recipes, uses common ingredients, and it was yummy.

Thanks for sharing your project with us, Robin.  If this book doesn’t help satisfy your sweet tooth, check out these other books on S’mores, Chocolate Drinks, and Desserts.

If you’re interested in submitting your own project fill out the Project Library form and tell us about your completed (or half completed) projects: meals that you’ve cooked, breads and cookies that you’ve baked, quilts that you’ve sewn, volcanoes that you’ve erupted, papers you’ve written, babies you’ve named, pictures you’ve drawn, rooms that you’ve decorated, or dogs that you’ve trained. Send us pictures or video of your library projects, a brief description, and the titles of the books or other library resources that you used to help complete your project and we’ll post them here in the Project Library column.

 

Posted on January 18, 2008 by Karen at 08:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The True-Life Misadventures of a 30-SomethingWho Learned to Knit After He Split by Laurie Perry aka Crazy Aunt Purl

Laurie Perry was shocked one day when her husband up and left.  She had thought everything was ok.  Drunk, Divorced and Covered in Cat Hair chronicles those days after he's gone, disbelief, crying, downsizing, crying, moving, crying, and finally settling into a new life, discovering a new hobby and friends along the way.  It is not a book about knitting so much as a tribute to the healing power of knitting and how it helped Laurie find herself again in the midst of the post break-up crazies. 

It is quick, appealing read; Laurie’s honesty and humor fills every page.  There are some bonus knitting patterns in the back; and she even claims to have found the ever elusive urban myth of “shoes that were both cute and easy to walk in”.  I just want to know where are they? And do they come in size 6½?

Make sure you check out Laurie’s blog @ Crazy Aunt Purl.

Posted on January 17, 2008 by Shari at 10:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

New on DVD for January 15^th

The Ten
Ten stories inspired by the Ten Commandments. Includes a woman who falls for a ventriloquist's puppet, a guy who becomes a hero after falling out of a plane, and more, presented by a man who has to choose between his wife and his lover! With Adam Brody, Famke Janssen, Gretchen Mol, Oliver Platt, Paul Rudd, Winona Ryder, Liev Schreiber. (2007, 96 minutes, rated R)

Good Luck Chuck
Meet Charlie Logan. He's a good luck charm and women are guaranteed to find true love after they sleep with him. What seems like a blessing feels like a curse when he meets the girl of his dreams and does anything he can to break the curse. With Jessica Alba, Dane Cook, Dan Fogler. (2007, 99 minutes, rated R)

Mr Woodcock
Self-made success John Farley returns home to find that his worst nightmare, his junior high gym teacher, is dating his mom. With Amy Poehler, Susan Sarandon, Seann William Scott, Ethan Suplee, Billy Bob Thornton. (2007, 87 minutes, rated PG-13)

Persuasion (2007)
Adaptation of Jane Austen's novel about lost and found love. Anne is persuaded to reject a proposition of marriage from the man she loves due to his lack of fortune. Years later she is made the offer again. (2007, 93 minutes, not rated)

Saving Sarah Cain
A newspaper columnist returns home for her Amish sister's funeral and discovers that she is now the guardian of her five nieces and nephews. How will everyone adapt when she moves them out of their world and into her own? With Elliott Gould, Tess Harper, Lisa Pepper. (2007, 103 minutes, rated R)

Continue reading "New This Week @ your library, January 15th 2008" »

Posted on January 15, 2008 by Daniel at 12:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Two cases of plagiarism in the news (via CNN.com):

NEW YORK (AP) -- An author who claims Jerry Seinfeld's wife plagiarized her cookbook sued the famous couple on Monday, finding no humor when the comedian compared the three-name author to the three-name killers of John Lennon and Martin Luther King Jr.

The lawsuit, seeking unspecified damages for copyright and trademark infringement, was brought in U.S. District Court in Manhattan by Missy Chase Lapine, the author of "The Sneaky Chef: Simple Strategies for Hiding Healthy Foods in Kids' Favorite Meals."

"Jerry Seinfeld is an enormously wealthy and well-known comedian, and Jessica Seinfeld is his wife, but that does not give them license to slander and plagiarize," the lawsuit said.

The Seinfelds' lawyer, Richard Menaker, disputed Lapine's claims of defamation and plagiarism and suggested Lapine was seeking publicity to boost her book's sales.
Continue reading this article here.

Also:
NEW YORK (AP) -- A popular romance novelist who's been criticized for allegedly lifting material has angered the biggest name in the genre: Nora Roberts.

A romance novel Web site, http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com, has posted numerous excerpts from Cassie Edwards' novels and placed them alongside passages from magazines and nonfiction books that were found by using the Google search program.

Roberts, whose fiction has sold hundreds of millions of copies, told The Associated Press on Thursday that "it seems clear" Edwards acted improperly.

"Given the side-by-side comparisons I've read, it seems clear Ms. Edwards copied considerable portions of previously published work and used them in her books without attribution to the original source," Roberts wrote in an e-mail to the AP. "By my definition, copying another's work and passing it as your own equals plagiarism. As a writer, a reader and a victim of plagiarism, I feel very strongly on this issue. I'm not a lawyer, but I can't see it as fair use, or fair anything when one writer takes another's work."
Continue reading this article here.

Posted on January 11, 2008 by Meghan at 09:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

New on DVD for January 8^th

Dragon Wars
A young girl has the power to make a giant serpent into a dragon that can only go to Heaven when she sacrifices herself. Now it is up to her reincarnated lover and his mentor to help her when the forces of evil try to claim her for themselves. With Jason Behr, Amanda Brooks. (2007, 90 minutes, rated PG-13)

Smiley Face
An actress eats some special cupcakes left by her psycho roommate, and then proceeds to repay a drug dealer, attend an audition, and replace the cupcakes that made her high. With Adam Brody, John Cho, Anna Faris, John Krasinski, Jane Lynch, Danny Masterson, Marion Ross, Danny Trejo. (2007, 85 minutes, rated R)

3:10 To Yuma
A captured outlaw and a Civil War veteran cross paths when the outlaw needs safe passage to the train taking him to prison and the veteran volunteers for the job. With Christian Bale, Russell Crowe, Peter Fonda, Gretchen Mol. (2007, 122 minutes, rated R)

Golden Door
Salvatore, a Sicilian peasant, and Englishwoman Lucy fall in love on a perilous trans-Atlantic journey to America. But neither is prepared for the realities of Ellis Island, where they'll stop at nothing to make it through the golden door into America. With Charlotte Gainsbourg. (2007, 118 minutes, rated PG-13)

 

Continue reading "New This Week @ your library, January 8th 2008" »

Posted on January 08, 2008 by Daniel at 12:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here's what our staffer's had to say about some of their recent reads:

An Irish Country Doctor by Patrick Taylor--"James Herriotesque, but with cruder language"
Rhett Butler's People by Donald McCraig--"Better than Scarlett, but no Gone With the Wind"
Black Monday by R. Scott Reiss (the audiobook version)--" a far fetched story that was thrilling to listen to and thought provoking"
Pontoon by Garrison Keillor--"Funny"
Before I Die by Jenny Downham--"One of the best I've read in a long time"
Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfield--"Really good, kid friendly, and easy"
World Without End by Ken Follet--"Liking it"
Dexter in the Dark by Jeff Lindsay--"Disappointed"
the Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher--"Great!"
Star of the Sea by Joseph O'Connor--"a really good historical"
Tree of Smoke by Denis Johnson--"very good, a compulsive read, the Vietnam novel to end all Vietnam novels"
The Concrete Blonde by Michael Connely--"good for a fast read"
the Close to Home cartoon collections by John McPherson--"like Gary Larsen"

And from someone who had seen the recently released movie adaptation of No Country for Old Men--"Fabulous!  Go See it!"

Posted on January 05, 2008 by Deb at 08:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This project comes from Scarlett and her husband; just in time for these cold snowy days we’ve been having.

"My husband and I completely revitalized our old fireplace with a little help from some handy library books. A little background on this project: our home was owned by the same couple for 50 years. Due to the fact that they'd passed on before we bought the house, we never got the chance to meet them. This hasn't stopped us from trying to figure them out though and they've proved to be interesting characters. They had an apparent love of cable television, cigarettes, and heavy drapery. We realized when we started this project that they had actually placed a TV in the fireplace and ran some cabling up through the cinder box at the base of the firebox. My husband easily dismantled that ingenious fire hazard but we needed a bit of outside assistance in figuring out how to regrout the firebox, install a safe gas line, and put the whole thing together. Hello TSCPL! We got several great books on fireplaces and plumbing. My dad scored us a new gas line switch and helped talk my husband through the installation. I bought the new log set online (and man, was that one heavy box!) and was responsible for all the grout work. I'm not afraid to say that I really kick ass with a grout gun. :) The best part of this project was putting everything together and turning it on for the first time (and not having anything explode!) We love it, especially on cold winter nights!"

Continue reading "Project Library: Fireplace Revitalization" »

Posted on January 04, 2008 by Karen at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In her book The Planets, Dava Sobel begins her book by introducing the reader to her own relationship with the planets. After a personal glimpse into the author’s fascination, the reader is more open to the creative writing that follows. Sobel’s essays are well-researched, but her presentation of the astronomical facts is blended with history, biography, mythology, physics, science fiction, astrology, music and literature. Our solar system is centered on the sun, and so are these essays. Beginning with  the sun, and proceeding from Mercury to Pluto (with an essay on Earth’s moon added in just before Mars), Sobel shares the known and unknown about each heavenly body. Anecdotes about the scientists and amateurs involved in the discovery of each planet help us imagine how the ideas of humans about the solar system have changed over time, and also help us remember that these ideas will continue to change as we are able to learn more. Each essay is given a unique narrative perspective. For example, the essay “Sci-Fi” is written in the first-person from the perspective of a Martian meteorite and “Night Air” is written in the form of an imagined letter from the daughter of the man who discovered Uranus. As fits a collection celebrating the planets, Sobel’s story concludes at a party where scientists have gathered after theCassini spacescraft successfully entered Saturn's orbit in 2004.

This delightful book of essays also provides a sound overview of the planets in our solar system. I admit that I don’t read much non-fiction. So when I discover an author who can make something millions of miles away both intriguing and relevant, I am probably more amazed by the experience than someone who regularly espouses the joys of reading narrative non-fiction. My willingness to give this book a try may have been influenced by fact that I was trapped on a long Christmas-time car-trip with my dad and my husband, and this was the only audiobook in the car. That said, Sobel’s other books have interesting titles and I plan to check them out: Longitude: the true story of a lone genius who solved the greatest scientific problem of his time and Galileo's daughter: a historical memoir of science, faith, and love.
Reviewed by Lissa Staley.

Posted on January 02, 2008 by Lissa at 09:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

New on DVD for January 1^st

Shoot 'Em Up
A mysterious loner teams up with an unlikely ally to protect a newborn baby from a determined criminal who hunts them throughout the bowels of the city. With Monica Bellucci, Paul Giamatti, Clive Owen. (2007, 87 minutes, rated R)

War
After his partner is brutally murdered by the infamous assassin Rogue, FBI agent Jack Crawford vows to find the elusive killer and personally avenge his partner's death. With Jet Li, Jason Statham. (2007, 103 minutes, rated R)

September Dawn
In the unspoiled land of Utah in 1857, a massacre of 120 men, women, and children took place. Who ordered it, why, and what this had to do with a large religious group is cloaked in mystery. Based on historical events. With Jon Voight. (2007, 111 minutes, rated R)

Resident Evil – Extinction
Alice, Carlos, and L.J. are back, along with some new survivors, to find and eliminate the deadly virus that is turning humans into the undead. Alice now has some new genetically altered abilities, which will come in handy if anyone wants to survive! With Ashanti, Oded Fehr, Milla Jovovich, Ali Larter. (2007, 94 minutes, rated R)

Continue reading "New This Week @ your library, January 2nd 2008" »

Posted on January 01, 2008 by Daniel at 12:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In Love is a Mix Tape: life and loss, one song at a time, Rob Sheffield, a contributing editor at Rolling Stone, reflects on music and love, his marriage and on being a widow. How to tell if you might like this book...Did you ever (publicly or secretly) love pop music? How clearly do you remember the day that Kurt Cobain died? Have you ever made or received a mix tape? Do you sometimes miss the 90's? When the singers ask "What is love?" Rob Sheffield knows the answer. Love is a mix tape.

Posted on December 28, 2007 by Lissa at 07:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

New Fiction Books

Diary of a Bad Year by J.M. Coetzee
Touchstone by Laurie R. King
Shadow Music by Julie Garwood
Dragon Harper by Anne McCaffrey
Death Song by Michael McGarrity

New on DVD for December 26^th

The Brothers Solomon
Two brothers with no social or romance skills try to find a woman to have a baby with, before their dying father passes. With Will Arnett, Lee Majors, Chi Mcbride, Will Forte. (2007, 93 minutes, rated R)

Eastern Promises
A ruthless member of a Russian organized crime family has his existence compromised when he meets an innocent midwife who accidentally uncovers evidence against the family. With Viggo Mortensen, Naomi Watts. (2007, 101 minutes, rated R)

Rush Hour 3
Jackie Chan and Chris