Sourland

Joyce Carol Oates is the type of writer I remember studying in high school.  The readings often ended suddenly and left an open interpretation to the end of the story.  Sourland contains those types of stories.  The dialogue and actions rise toward an apex and then like a balloon suddenly popped, deflate to nothing left for the reader.  Nonetheless, like other Oates work, Sourland is intense and the stories interlink through similar character actions and feelings.  As for the nature of the stories, I found it difficult to relate to the common theme of widows as dysfunctional, weak women.  In Oates' tellings these women are aimless without their mates, unable to be self-sufficient or decisive enough to ask for help.  These women without the presence of a strong male constant in their lives, revert to a childlike state of helplessness and confusion.  Carefully written like Oates' other work, each word seems chosen for the impact and effect it relates to the reader.  Be pulled into these sixteen short stories.

From the Ashes

On February 20, 2003, a fire in The Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island killed 100 people.  Sparks from a live band's pyrotechnics display ignited the highly flammable and toxic insulating foam that had been applied to the walls and ceiling of the club.  Within several minutes the entire building was consumed.  Gina Russo, a survivor of that night, writes an emotional, if occasionally repetitive memoir, From the ashes.  The summary of the events of the fire and the code violations that allowed for its rapid spread were descriptive and detailed, as were the medical procedures Russo endured, and the legal and criminal aspects of the tragedy.  In the more personal and emotional part of the story, Russo writes about her loss, hospitalization, rehabilitation, and depression that somehow was laced with optimism.  I think this segment of the retelling cast a slight doubt in the credibility of the author to accurately recall events.  The topic interested me as a historical disaster, however the copious spelling and grammatical errors throughout the text made me wonder if maybe I should look into moonlighting as a proofreader?  This is a self published book which has received a lot of promotion in the Northeast.  Too bad for the writing...this was a story worth telling...this could have been a good seller.

Sanitarium childhood

Gloria Paris spent most of her youth (from age 5 to 14) in sanitariums in upstate New York battling spinal tuberculosis.  In her book, A child of sanitariums:  A memoir of tuberculosis survival and lifelong disability, she recalls the treatment of her disease (full body casts, traction, fusing of bones) and the social and cultural implications of growing up in an institution instead of with her family.  She looks back on her hospital 'family' and details her adult pilgrimages to her childhood care facilities.  There is no lack of scientific fact in her writings regarding the disease or its impact on the country.  After Paris was discharged, she finished high school and college, earning a degree in microbiology.  Her first position was studying the microscopic tubercle bacilli at the hospital on Samson Air Force Base led her directly to the bacteria which had infected her body and caused bone deformity which would render her disabled.  Despite her disability, Paris leads a full life which includes raising awareness for disability rights and fundraising and advocating for minority groups.  Paris still resides in her hometown in upstate New York.
A few important points to take from this work:
*Tuberculosis is not only a disease of the past.
*Tuberculosis is treatable with a lengthy course of antibiotics.
*According to CDC statistics, there were over 12,000 cases of TB in the US.

Centers for Disease Control information on Tuberculosis

Teen Read Week...My favorite YA titles

One of the most interesting courses I took during library school (in fact, I took it twice, both at the undergrad & grad levels) was Library Services for Young Adults.  Not only is the material written in this category entertaining, but the stories are concise enough (usually) that they can be finished in a single sitting (if you read for a couple hours at a time, like I do).  The theme for this year's Teen Read Week is Books with Beat.  I've interpreted that loosely (to include heartbeat, pulse, fetal heartbeat, etc.) and compiled my short list of great YA fiction.
Newes from the Dead (Mary Hooper)- Based on a documented event in 1650's London, Anne Green is hanged, but comes back to life, beating the odds.
November Blues (Sharon Draper)- November, about to be a teenage mother, falls in love with her baby's heartbeat.
Twilight (Stephenie Meyer) - What vampire can resist a throbbing pulse?
Are you in the house alone? (Richard Peck) - an older novel, but one that is sure to have adrenaline beating through your veins
The house of the scorpion (Nancy Farmer) - I can't quite tie this one into 'beat' but I highly recommend this futuristic sci-fi novel...a bit longer than the novels recommended above.

Also see the PCL website Teens page for library events celebrating Teen Read Week.

By the full moon's light

In the spirit of Halloween (personally my favorite holiday) I watched The Wolfman last night.  I wonder if anyone else noticed these strange coincidences...
Isn't it odd that Anthony Hopkins is a reclusive widower and has his dead son's girlfriend as a house guest, now suddenly attracted to his surviving son?  Legends of the fall?
And the unfortunate stag tied on the moor as bait for the werewolf? It actually met a kinder fate than the goat which was to be T-rex's dinner in Jurassic Park.
How about the final werewolf fight sequence in the burning house where the wolves collide in mid-air attack? New Moon?
I think this would've been a good flick, if I hadn't been having flashes of deja vu through it all.  See it for yourself and give me your opinion...

Art History

History can be a dry subject, however the new volume How to read world history in art takes a different approach to those famous dates that are so easily forgotten.  Beginning in 1792 BC with the code of Hammurabi and spanning through the terrorist attacks of 9/11/2001, significant events in history are paired with illustrations of renown artworks commemorating or memorializing the events.  The text analyzes the artwork, while the artwork complements the text.  Insets give timeline chronicles of the events and take a look at the global context of the affairs.  This work has lovely illustrations, is easy to read, can be read in parts or as a whole, and gives the reader a greater sense of comprehension through association.  Written by Flavio Febbraro & Burkhard Schwetje and published by Abrams.

Chills close to home...

For true crime readers, don't miss Predator.  Author Steven Walker details the chilling crime spree of Timothy Krajcir, who was ultimately convicted for crimes committed since the 1970's by the introduction of DNA testing of evidence.  This page-turner hits close to home and certainly made me check the locks.  Krajcir actually lived in Laurys Station in the early 80's and was arrested at the Mountainville shopping center in South Allentown.  He was then held for a time at Lehigh County Prison (where he attempted to escape by scaling the prison wall), before being sentenced to 5 years in Pennsylvania's largest maximum security correctional facility, Graterford. 
Author Walker will be speaking at PCL about his research into these crimes and writing in the true crime genre - Monday, October 25th from 7 - 8PM.  To reserve a seat for this event, contact Erin at 610-398-1361, ext. 13.  PCL calendar entry:  http://catalog.parklandlibrary.org/Parkland/calendar.asp?cal=45&detail=1708&date=10/25/2010
Steven Walker's website http://www.steven-walker.com/
Steven Walker titles available at PCL:
Blood Trail (2005)
Predator (2010)

Have you ever wondered...

at what point pollution became a national concern?  Earth day has already surpassed its 40th anniversary, but when was the topic introduced?  When were checks put on manufacturing corporations to reduce their impact on the surrounding area?  The Polluters:  The making of our chemically altered environment by Benjamin Ross & Steven Amter explores the history of pollution in America.  Water pollution was an area of congressional concern since 1890 and smoke from copper smelting spurred President Theodore Roosevelt to pursue federal regulation of factory emissions in 1907.  The polluters traces the rise of American chemical plants and their toxic by-products invading the groundwater, air and human population.  The major chemical corporations, Dupont and Dow among them, gained political influence and amassed profits and this in turn shaped the regulations that governed them.  The polluters contains the reasons for and actions of regulation of pollutants that should be of interest to all Americans, especially those focused on environmental awareness and conservancy.
The toxic 100 list

Guillermo del Toro

The name just rolls off the tongue.  His stories will stay with you as well.  I just finished the second book in the Strain Trilogy (co-authored with Chuck Hogan), The Fall.  The Master and the vampire hunters (Setrakian, Eph, Fet, and Nora) are back, navigating the dark tunnels of the subway and fighting against what the government recognizes only as a virus.  This book was as action packed as the first and left the reader with an ending that will be surely be expanded upon in the third book (set for publication in 2011).  This is intense vampire fiction (no gore spared the reader) and even Bella couldn't charm this Master.  If you like your vampires to just take a nip, this isn't the vampire series for you.  However, if you like a mystery for the quest of vampiric origins, and don't mind if the good guys don't win every battle, check out The Strain and The Fall.

Films at PCL directed by Guillermo del Toro:

Hellboy

Hellboy II: The golden army

Pan's Labyrinth

Russian Ark

Intrigued by the period costumes on the case and Roger Ebert's comment "One of the most astonishing films ever made", I sat down to watch the subtitled Russian Ark this weekend.  My daughter gave up about 20 minutes into it (she said the subtitles moved too fast), but I hung on for the full 96 minutes.  It wasn't the subtitles that gave me trouble.  I really haven't seen a film I couldn't follow in quite a while, but this is one.  Maybe it is my inadequate education in Russian history or poor appreciation for artistic films, but this one has me stumped.  The next morning my daughter asked me how the movie ended...I just told her I watched the whole thing, but still don't know.  Any comments?...This item has been checked out over 100 times...Someone must have an opinion...please share.  Adam you're one for subtitled films - what's your thoughts? 

Sources for movie picks:
1001 movies you must see before you die
Leonard Maltin's 2011 movie guide
VideoHound's golden movie retriever