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December 28, 2007
Best How-To Books of 2007
The end of the year always bring a host of "best of.." lists, and this year is no exception. Here are a few of the best how-to books of 2007 to help make 2008 a success.
The Writer Within You by Charles Jacobs is a step-by-step guide to writing and publishing in your retirement years. It covers not only the creative process but publishing and marketing as well as negotiating a contract.
Desserts by the Yard got high praise from reviewers. "Yard actually delivers what every cookbook promises: news for the professional and foolproof secrets for the avid amateur. "
1001 ideas for Kitchen Organization by Joe Provey is full of helpful details with color illustrations showing a variety of options for storage to maximize a kitchen's potential.
How to Live in Small Spaces: Design, Furnishing, Decoration, Detail for the Smaller Home is Terrance Conran's latest book based on the dictum "think laterally and creatively."
And for those living in small spaces Colin Lewis' Bonsai Survival Manual is a tree by tree guide to buying, maintaining and problem solving your miniaturized horticultural masterpieces.
Forced To Be Family: A Guide for Living with Sinsiter Sisters, Drama Mamas, and Infurating In-Laws has been called "a groundbreaking work about woman-on-woman aggression within families."
And last but not least is Dov Seidman's how exploring "why HOW we do anything means everything....in business (and in life)"
Posted by MaryF at 10:23 AM | Comments (0)
December 21, 2007
Book. Movie. Book. Movie.
Sometimes the movie is better than the book. Hal Ashby’s film Being There based on Jerzy Kosinski’s novel (and Kosinski even wrote the screenplay) and Robert Altman’s film M*A*S*H based on a Richard Hooker novel (with Ring Lardner Jr. writing the screenplay) are two that easily come to mind. But usually that’s not the case.
There’s a rash of movies out now based on excellent books. Charlie Wilson’s War was a particular favorite of Darien readers so there’ll be interesting reviews of the movie across the Library’s public service desks next week. Atonement and The Kite Runner were favorites of book groups so those films should be popular with Darien audiences as well.
Other books that are on the screen right now include No Country for Old Men and The Golden Compass. That film by the way pushed the book to the number one slot on the New York Times children’s best seller list. With Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig call it star power for books!
Let us know which you prefer- the movies or the books.
Posted by MaryF at 01:17 PM | Comments (1)
December 20, 2007
Public Libraries vs BookCrossing
Michelle Slatalla's Cyberfamilias column in today's New York Times
Love That Book? Then Set It Free - describes her experiences using bookcrossing.com.
If you want a scavenger hunt, have a party.
Libraries are places where books are beloved, recommended, and provided free of charge.
Readers rarely use the word "serendipity" when describing the library experience.
And librarians never would.
Posted by MaryF at 11:05 AM | Comments (0)
December 14, 2007
The play's the thing.
One of my favorite G. B. Shaw plays is Arms and the Man - aka The Chocolate Soldier. I missed the last revival performance and reading a play is as unsatisfying as reading poetry. These are genres that need performance and spoken words.
Enter L. A. Theatre Works.
The Library has a collection of L. A. Theatre Works performances on CD. The company brings together the world’s greatest actors to perform classic and contemporary plays, recorded in state-of-the-art sound quality. All of the performances are a joy to listen to while you're traveling, while you're exercising or just relaxing.
So if you missed seeing a performance of your favorite play this year, check out the Library's Books on CD collection. It's listening in a front row seat!
Posted by MaryF at 02:03 PM | Comments (0)
December 10, 2007
Locavore? locavorious? locavorely?
According to the editors at the New Oxford American Dictionary, the word of the year is "locavore."
This is a noun meaning someone who eats locally grown food. I am clearly not in that category as last night's dinner was tuna from Mexico and asparagus from Peru. And the coffee beans I think came from Sumatra. Can asparagus grow in New York or Connecticut?
But not being a locavore doesn't stop me from being fascinated by countries and cuisines that are more locavorious than the New York metropolitan area. Two of my favorite television chefs/food writers have books out that talk about exotic meals from around the world.
Anthony Bourdain's latest provides a behind-the-scenes account of his global culinary adventures, from New Jersey to New Zealand, offering commentary on food in every corner of the globe.
And Tom Parker-Bowles The Year of Eating Dangerously documents his year-long odyssey in search of the world's most unusual and risky foods. Locavorely, he consumed poison blowfish, a variety of insects, and other taboo cuisines.
We'll all just have to wait for In Defense of Food : An Eater's Manifesto by Michael Pollan, the most trusted locavore in food writing today. In addition to discussing the importance of eating and enjoying traditional vegetables and fruits, he'll tell us the reasons why people have become so confused about their dietary choices.
In the meantime, if you want asparagus in December, I'd recommend stalks from Peru. They were wonderful.
Posted by MaryF at 01:14 PM | Comments (0)
December 03, 2007
Great Books For Golf Fans
Golf is a die-hard kind of sport, isn't it?
My father will always do what is humanly possible to get through an 18-hole round. While the rest of us beeline for the air-conditioner on 100-degree, 99% humidity days, Dad will be in his element on the golf course, and absolutely nothing can tear him away. If it were at all possible, he would play in the middle of January during a snow storm.
If you, like my dad, are feeling a bit of despair at this time of year when the clubs must hibernate for the winter, look no further than the Library to brighten your spirits and get you through these next few months with some great books of true golf stories and anecdotes. Some recommendations:
Chasing Tiger by Curt Sampson
Sampson, a best-selling author and former touring professional, has the inside track to stories never told before about Tiger Woods and the current state of the golf game with regard to players, sportswriters, media coverage, and corporate America.
A Golfer's Education by Darren Kilfara
Kilfara's memoir tells of his experience as a Harvard grad who enrolled in the University of St. Andrews to write a thesis about the history of golf. With a seemingly foolproof plan to gain access to one of the most revered golf courses in the world, he quickly learns that in Scotland, there is no such thing as a simple golf match.
First Off The Tee by Don Van Natta, Jr.
Through accounts of Kennedy, Clinton, Eisenhower, and Bush Sr. and Jr., and others' experiences on the course, Van Natta suggests answers to why golf is so widely popular among our nation's presidents, as well as what the sport reveals about each of their characters and political relationships. And you thought golf was just a game.
Club Life by John Steinbreder
Steinbreder, an award-winning journalist and senior writer for GolfWeek, presents a tongue-in-cheek account of his real-life experiences upon gaining entrance to some of the most exclusive golf clubs across the country.
More great golf books:
The Game I Love by Sam Snead
"And Then Jack Said to Arnie..." by Don Wade
Talking On Tour by Don Wade
The Wisdom of Harvey Penick by Harvey Penick
Blue Fairways by Charles Slack
Open by John Feinstein
Two Years in St. Andrews by George Pepper
Endurance by David Magee
The Greatest Game Ever Played by Mark Frost
The Wicked Game by Howard Sounes
Posted by EricaB at 09:20 AM | Comments (1)