This documentary explores the pressure, anxiety and stress that students, teachers and parents go through to achive that "A." Difficult questions have been put forth as how to raise well-adjusted children when schools have become "test-obsessed." Below are some useful websites and books owned by the Library.

www.wholechildeducation.org

www.challengesuccess.org

www.educationconservancy.org

Image courtesy of Flickr user SummerSound

We haven't had our first official snowfall yet (thank goodness!), but the holidays are upon us! Trying to sort fact from fiction when it comes to tech buying this holiday season? No worries. We've put together a list of the top tech buying guides to help take the angst out of your gift giving this holiday season. Whether you or your loved one has an e-reader, laptop, gps, or digital camera on your list, these guides will give you up-to-date information on what's available and how it compares to its competitors. Just click on the links below and explore. Happy Holidays!

• Engadget
• Gizmodo
• New York Times
• PC Magazine
• Tech Crunch
• Wall Street Journal
• Wired

Photo courtesy of flickr user Okinawa Soba.

On Tuesday, November 30th at 7 p.m. Mark Schenker of Yale University will present:

"As Webster Is My Witness": Language, Lies and Laughter in Mark Twain

More information is available here.

In the meantime, enjoy these absorbing works by or about the late Samuel Langhorne Clemens, more commonly referred to as Mark Twain.

Happy Thanksgiving!

hol·i·day 
n.
a day on which one is exempt from work; specifically: a day marked by a general suspension of work in commemoration of an event

So much of the Thanksgiving holiday is about tradition: a steaming hot turkey with stuffing, pumpkin pie, football, and family. Add behind-the-scenes elements like checklists, juggling multiple cooking projects, schedules, travel, varied tastes, and family dynamics to the mix and it can also be a recipe for chaos. We're here to help!

We've put together a display of our best books on holiday cooking and planning, football, and yes, how to keep family harmony, on the 2nd floor. Some of the top titles are also on a list you can access by clicking below. Come by to browse, review a recipe or two, gather new ideas, and take some time to make a family celebration that everyone will remember for the right reasons!

Photo by Flickr user Deiru.

Native Americans were living in North and South America for thousands of years before Christopher Columbus reached the so-called "New World." At this time, Connecticut was inhabited primarily by the Mahican, Mohegan, and Pequot tribes.

In support of Native American Heritage Month, EBSCO is providing complimentary access to their Native American Archives for the month of November. Whether tracing your heritage or learning about Native American history, original records shed new light on the people and events of the past. Over 1.5 million images are available for the first time on the Internet.

In addition, the library has a broad collection of books on Native American crafts, food, religion, history, and titles written by contemporary Native American authors. Check out the list for these fascinating reads.

Mark Twain called a classic "a book which people praise and don't read," but that certainly isn't the case with many contemporary classics. They are well-written, in modern English and are approachable for today's high school students.  Great Books for High School Kids: A Teacher's Guide to Books That Can Change Teens' Lives provides a wonderful introduction to what makes a book a classic, and while subjective by any measure, the list of over 400 fiction, non-fiction and poetry titles is a wonderful place to start.

In the meantime, check out some of our favorite contemporary classics, featured on the list below. New copies of each book are located in the Classics Room, and many of them are also available in large print and audiobook, as well as part of our Books in a Bag program for reading groups.

One of the most amazing survival stories in recent history is now on the big screen: Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Aron Ralston has been adapted as "127 Hours" starring James Franco, opening across the country in just a few weeks.

In case you missed the international headlines back in 2003, Ralston was on a solo canyoneering expedition in Utah when he was trapped by a boulder. After several days spent trying to free himself and under extreme conditions, Ralston made a life-or-death, unfathomable decision that ultimately saved his life. The 2004 memoir is an excellent account of the physical challenges (hypothermia, dehydration, and severe pain) and internal terror he endured. Nobody knew where he was, so outside rescue was out of the question. He used a small video camera to record his final wishes and thoughts, and his entire focus was on survival, one moment to the next. It's an unforgettable, almost spiritual account of how he managed to live, against all odds.

"127 Hours" has been earning high praise, and will probably revive interest in Ralston's book. It's definitely worth reading before you see the film, especially since some of us may close our eyes during the more...intense...scenes. An inspiring read we can't wait to see as a movie!

Decision Points, the long-anticipated memoir by President George Bush, is due to hit the shelves tomorrow. With the encouragement of more than a dozen distinguished historians during the last year of his administration, Bush recognized his obligation to record his life and presidency from his own unique point of view. The result is a reflection on twelve key decision points-- moments of introspection, candor and the facts as he sees them. While early reviews have been mixed (The Washington Post and The New York Times), you can be sure this will be the most talked about book of the season.

Presidential memoirs and autobiographies are a favorite here at Darien Library, check out the list below for some of the most popular titles.

November is Avation History Month.Explore the first flight of man from an airplane at Kitty Hawk  to the  hot-air balloon along with the science of aviation and flight.