« December 2007 | Main | February 2008 »

January 25, 2008

New Sports Books on Display at the Library

In my opinion, there's nothing like watching a live sporting event. The excitement, the anticipation, and the hope of something legendary occurring right before your eyes - very little can compare. Unless, of course, you're an athlete! Experiencing firsthand the thrill of the victory and the agony of defeat can define some of the most memorable experiences of an athlete's life.

Reading about your favorite sport or sporting event is a great way to recall your favorite sports moments. Why not stop by the Library to check out some of the great sports books we now have on display?

You'll find how-to handbooks, autobiographies, historical accounts, sports business, sports travel memoirs, and even sports fiction. We have books covering topics such as fishing, sailing, skiing, golf, tennis, racquetball, lacrosse, soccer, running, baseball, football, and basketball.

To give you a taste of some of our new sports books...

And we have many more!

My recommendations:

Ski Snowboard America
The 2008 guide to the best winter resort vacations in the US and Canada. Organized by location and resort, you'll find information on accommodations, ski lessons, child care and activities, lift ticket prices, nightlife, and other activities such as cooking classes, sleigh rides, spas, and opera houses.

Again to Carthage
The sequel to the novel Once A Runner, which is known around the Library and in the running community as "the runner's bible." Amid personal hardships, Quenton Cassidy decides to return to the world of competitive running and make one last bid at earning a spot on the Olympic team.

Rutgers Football: A Gridiron Tradition in Scarlet
A richly illustrated history chronicling the birthplace of college football. Read about the Leonard Leap (pictured on the cover), the team's shocking defeat of 2nd-ranked Louisville, and the rise of a team that became the story of the '06-'07 college football season.

Sailing Away From Winter
A humorous travel memoir of author Silver Donald Cameron's experiences voyaging with his wife and dog from Nova Scotia to the Bahamas on an old Norwegian-built ketch. The book recounts Cameron's experiences sailing the high seas in a journey most of us can only dream of...or read about.

By the way, one of my favorite sports memories is from 2001, when longtime rivals Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi played each other during the men's quarterfinals of the U.S. Open. Both men, considered "over-the-hill" in tennis years, played four thrilling tiebreaker sets, refusing to give up their serves for 3 hours and 33 minutes. Pete Sampras was victorious, as was everyone who got to witness one of the greatest battles in tennis history. It was a classic for the ages.

What's your favorite sports memory? And your favorite sports book?

Posted by EricaB at 12:27 PM | Comments (0)

January 23, 2008

Midwinter Drawing for Autographed Books!

Our annual Adult Summer Reading Program always generates a lot of interest, support, and, of course, reading. Our readers also look forward to the opportunity to win autographed books.

It may be winter, but we have a couple of autographed books that can be won through a drawing on the morning of January 29! January 29 happens to be the publication date for The Reserve, a new novel by Russell Banks, and the Library has a signed copy. Also available will be a signed advance uncorrected proof of Ann Hood’s upcoming memoir, Comfort: A Journey Through Grief.

Russell Banks, signing "The Reserve"

Ann Hood, signing an advance uncorrected proof of "Comfort: A Journey Through Grief"

To enter the drawing, let us know what you’ve been reading this winter by simply clicking below on "Comments", and telling us! (Be sure to include your email address (your email address will not be published on the website). ) We will contact the winners by email on the 29th.

Posted by BarbaraT at 06:49 PM | Comments (4)

Winter Reading

A winter three day weekend is the perfect opportunity to chip away at the “to be read” list so I got on the couch, my husband had a nice fire going and I read. I decided to start with a book that kept falling to the bottom of the pile and I ended up reading a truly incredible book. Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin is a story that chronicles the efforts of one man to build schools to educate the girls of Pakistan and Afghanistan in the most extreme circumstances imaginable. What Greg Mortenson is able to accomplish is truly inspirational; his faith in what he is doing is humbling. The book¹s subtitle is “One Man¹s Mission to Promote Peace…One School at a Time” and what a simple but powerful message this is. Greg Mortenson survived a Taliban kidnapping, treacherous road trips and unbelievable hardships to bring education to the poorest of people. He did this while respecting everyone¹s belief systems and forging unlikely friendships. If you are looking for a true armchair adventure with a real life American hero this is a book for you!

Another fun and fast read was the Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett. Imagine Queen Elizabeth stumbling into a bookmobile and starting a love affair with books! This may be a short book but it is long on charm. Anyone who loves books and anything British should put this on their list.

Some additions since my last blog to my "to be read" list:

The Homecoming by Bernhard Schlink
The Tenth Muse by Judith Jones

Happy reading!!

Posted by Claudia at 10:34 AM | Comments (0)

January 22, 2008

Are you Super Bowl-bound?

My predictions came true! The New York Giants and the New England Patriots are headed to Glendale, Arizona for the February 3rd match-up, and the sentiment around the Library is that we couldn't be more excited!

By the way, thank you to everyone who asked about the wedding. The food was great, the music was nice, and the bride was beautiful... but the most entertaining part of the evening actually occurred moments after the Giants made their game-winning field goal. A guest who had brought a portable television with him to the party yelled "We're going to the Super Bowl!" and the entire room erupted into a crazy applause, with people high five-ing each other and jumping up and down as though everyone forgot they were dressed in fancy clothes...and that they were adults. It's understandable; the Giants haven't won a Super Bowl Championship since 1991. But the poor bride and groom didn't get that kind of reception when they were announced as husband and wife!

Well, the Giants (YEAH!) and the Patriots are certainly headed to the Super Bowl, but yesterday, I heard a newscaster on ESPN radio report that the cost of a ticket to the big game would be $5000. That's three zeros! So, the wedding guest with the portable TV exhibited a bit of wishful thinking when he said "We're going to the Super Bowl!" Perhaps he is; sadly, I'm not.

In any case, whether you are going to be in the stands on Super Sunday or will be watching from the comfort of your own home, you'll want to check out some of the Library's books on Arizona. It's a beautiful state (with "dry heat," as my father always says), and will be made all the prettier by the influx of thousands of rabid football fans within the next two weeks.

Ah, football...

For all of our SUPER BOWL-bound fans:

Fodor's Arizona & the Grand Canyon 2008
Hidden Arizona: Where Vacations Meet Adventures
National Geographic Traveler Arizona 2nd Edition
Guide to Arizona's Wilderness Areas
The Insiders' Guide To Phoenix and the Valley of the Sun

For all of our ARMCHAIR-bound fans:

Canyon Solitude
Down the Great Unknown
The Southwest's Contrary Land
Grand Canyon: Solving Earth's Grandest Puzzle

A fellow co-worker (who wished to remain anonymous) told me her prediction is that "the team in red, white, and blue will win." I'll be a bit firmer and pick the Giants over the Patriots. It would be great to see a perfect season end with the big win, but how can I root against Big Blue? GO GIANTS!!!

What's your pick?

Posted by EricaB at 06:05 PM | Comments (0)

January 15, 2008

What on earth was I thinking?!

Last month, my good friend asked me to go with him to the wedding of his college buddy on Sunday, January 20th. I thought, well, of course I'll go. A beautiful ceremony... friends... dinner... dancing... an excuse to buy a new dress... why wouldn't I want to go? So I accepted the invitation without thinking twice.

How quickly feelings can change! Last weekend, I attended ALA-Midwinter in Philadelphia, and like a true football fan, I still managed to fit in some NFL playoff viewing amidst all of the exhibits, meetings, and events. To my surprise, and to T.O.'s, the Giants beat the Cowboys and the Chargers survived to see another day. WHAT?!

What this all means is that on Sunday, it's the New York Giants versus the Green Bay Packers for the NFC Championships, the San Diego Chargers versus the New England Patriots for the AFC Championships, and me, dressed up for a party while absolutely dreading the fact that I will miss all of the football action leading up to Super Bowl XLII.

Seriously. What on earth was I thinking?!

I suppose I can find solace in the fact that it's not Super Sunday (February 3rd - I've learned my lesson and marked my calendar), but if you are in a similar situation to mine and are searching for some solace of your own, look no further than the Library. We have books on all four remaining teams that will no doubt hold you over until the big game airs in a few weeks.

For all of our NEW YORK GIANTS fans:

I Dream in Blue: Life, Death, and the New York Giants by Roger Director
Giants & Heroes: A Daughter's Memories of Y.A. Tittle by Dianne Tittle De Laet
The GM: The Inside Story of a Dream Job and the Nightmares That Go With It by Tom Callahan
Inside the Helmet: My Life as a Sunday Afternoon Warrior by Michael Strahan
Tiki by Tiki Barber with Gil Reavill

For all of our NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS fans:

The Blueprint by Christopher Price
The Education of a Coach by David Halberstam
Never Give Up: My Stroke, My Recovery, and My Return to the NFL by Tedy Bruschi

For all of our GREEN BAY PACKERS fans:

Run to Daylight! by Vince Lombardi
Lombardi edited by John Wiebusch
The Packer Way by Ron Wolf

For all of our SAN DIEGO CHARGERS fans:

Sharing the Wealth: My Story by Alex Spanos

My picks for Sunday: Patriots over the Chargers and Giants over the Packers. Here's hoping for a New York vs. New England Super Bowl! What are your picks?

Posted by EricaB at 03:14 PM | Comments (10)

January 14, 2008

It's official...we rock!

Some of us have made the trip to Philadelphia for ALA (American Library Association) Midwinter Meeting. It's a chance to talk to publishers, authors, vendors, and other librarians...also, with each other...such a novelty given the busy day-to-day at the Library! It all comes down to making sure we are providing the best library experience that we can for our patrons...whether it's in the building or online. It's been a great conference, and Alison and I are still here, awaiting the start of a Gala Author Tea. (More stories tomorrow.)

Hard Rock Cafe had these terrific signs to welcome the 10,000 librarians attending the conference, and, I've gotta' say, I thought it was pretty cool. Probably the best thing about conferences such as these is that we get to boast about out library and our patrons. Hard Rock is right when it comes to Darien. We rock!

Posted by BarbaraT at 12:38 PM | Comments (1)

January 13, 2008

So Many Books, So Little Time!!

I admit it – I have an addiction to books and I don’t want any help. I’m sure there are people out there like me who can’t walk into a library or bookstore without picking something up. My bookcases are full, my bedside table is overflowing and yet I can’t stop bringing books home. My other problem is I am rarely reading one book at a time. I am currently reading People of the Book, Charlie Wilson’s War and Organizing from the Inside Out. (I am reading this to help manage the books I own!)

One of the occupational benefits of working in a library is that you get many wonderful recommendations of what to read next. Also if you are a fanatic like I am you have your favorite Websites or blogs to peruse for more reading suggestions! I love to look at the Booksense website to see their monthly picks and the millionsblog is good reading in and of itself!

So after all that, my current “to be read” list looks like this:

An Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett
Trail of Crumbs: Hunger, Love and the Search for Home by Kim Sunee
The Senator’s Wife by Sue Miller
Every Last Cuckoo by Kate Maloy
Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson
The Post-Birthday World by Lionel Shriver
Now You See Him by Eli Gottlieb

What’s on your “to be read” list. Let me know and I will probably end up adding it to mine!!

Posted by Claudia at 11:51 AM | Comments (5)

January 09, 2008

Have you heard a good book lately?

Driving to Vermont for a weekend of skiing can be a wonderful thing. Or not. If thoughts of being in a confined space with cranky kids for over four hours fill you with dread, consider picking up an audio book before you go. Here are a few suggestions that are sure to keep everyone happy. With any luck, you will reach your destination and still want to stay in the car until the end of the chapter.

Merle’s Door: Lessons from a Freethinking Dog by Ted Kerasote is a guaranteed winner. It’s a humorous, personal account of how a man and his dog learn about the world from each other. Bonus points if you listen to this with a yellow lab in the car.

For sheer listening pleasure, nothing beats Garrison Keillor’s latest book about the denizens of Lake Wobegon. Pontoon is a story about life, love, death, hope, and a hysterical scene involving a bowling ball and a parasail.

Finally, consider using the time to listen to books that are on school reading lists. The Life of Pi, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Call of the Wild are some of the many classics available as audio books. Pop any one of these in the cd player and you’ll be at the slopes before you know it.

Posted by Sally at 05:51 PM | Comments (1)

January 04, 2008

New Year, New Books!

    

Welcome to the new year and the new year of books!! Some of our favorite authors have new books coming out in January - be the first to get some of these exciting reads.

Geraldine Brooks has awed us with her incredible novels including The Year of Wonders and the Pulitzer Prize Winner March. Her latest novel People of the Book follows a rare Hebrew manuscript over five centuries of history. This saga begins in Australia in 1996 and travels all the way back to 1480 Seville. This is sure to be a thrilling well-written page turner!

Michael Pollan is back examining America's eating habits and food manufacturing. From the author of the hugely popular The Omnivore's Dilemma comes a new book In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto. The author's motto is 'to eat simply is to eat healthy.' Those who have made an "eat right" New Year's resolution might want to check this out.

For those Stephanie Plum fans who can't wait for Janet Evanovich's summer release of the 14th adventure comes Plum Lucky. A between the numbers mystery, Stephanie is up to her usual exploits with the same lovable sidekicks including Grandma Mazur and Lulu. This book will be released on January 8.

And last but certainly not least John Grisham has a new book titled The Appeal that is coming out on January 29. This is Grisham's first legal thriller in three years and has all the classic ingredients including dirty politics, bribery, and deceit!!

Enjoy, keep reading, and let me know what books are keeping you up these long winter nights!!

Posted by Claudia at 11:25 AM | Comments (1)