When I opened my New York Times Books Update today, I noticed there were several memoirs listed. Even in one of my favorite magazines I browsed through the other day, there were a rather large number of memoirs. What is it with us and memoirs?
It's not that we're nosey people. Maybe curious is a nicer word to use. But, nevertheless, we do seem to enjoy reading about other people's lives.
Those books listed from the New York Times didn't really appeal to me, however. Maybe they will appeal to you.
A Pocket History of Sex in the Twentieth Century by Jane Vandenburgh is a memoir about her father's suicide, her mother's madness, and her own struggles with love and survival.
My Booky Wook by Russell Brand is his memoir about a child's garden of vices, as well as a relentless ride with a comic mind clearly at the wheel.
Madame Prosecutor by Carla Del Ponte is a memoir of a prosecutor who pursued the perpetrators of atrocities in the war-fractured Balkans. And...
The Sisters Antipodes by Jane Alison is a memoir about what happened to the daughters of two couples who switched
spouses.
It's all great reading, I'm sure (well, maybe I'm not), but I decided to look up memoirs in our PINES catalog, as well as autobiographies, which to me often means memoirs. And I found the following.
God Is My Co-pilot by Robert Lee Scott (GB Scott)
A Family in Skye 1908-1916 by Isobel Macdonald (GB Macdonald)
The Woman Said Yes: Encounters with Life and Death: Memoirs by Jessamyn West (B West)
The Story of My Life by Clarence Darrow (B Darrow)
Rebel Prince Memoirs by Louis Ferdinand (B Ferdinand)
Memoirs of the Life of the Right Honorable Sir James MacKintosh
(G 16.4 MI, II), and...
Memories by Robert Barr (G 16.3 B).
Now, if these don't appeal to you, why not try writing your own memoir? On our shelf I found Writing Your Life Story: Using Life Stories to Develop Writing Skills by Bernard Selling (808.066 S).
After all, what's one more memoir out there. There is sure to be someone who will want to read all about you and it will probably be me.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Caldecott, Newbery And Other Children's Books Awards
There's just something about those Caldecott, Newbery, and King Awards books. They have a special look, a special read, a
special feel.
In January the American Library Association announced the winners of the Caldecott and Newbery and King medals, along with other awards for the best children's and young adult literature, at its Midwinter Meeting in Denver.
Here are some of the winners:
special feel.
In January the American Library Association announced the winners of the Caldecott and Newbery and King medals, along with other awards for the best children's and young adult literature, at its Midwinter Meeting in Denver.
Here are some of the winners:
- The John Newbery Medal went to The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature.
- The Newbery Honors Books were The Underneath by Kathi Appelt and illustrated by David Small; The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba's Struggle for Freedom by Margarita Engle; Savvy by Ingrid Law; and After Tupac and D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson.
- The Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children went to The House in the Night by Susan Marie Swanson, illustrated by Beth Krommes.
- The Caldecott Honors Books were A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever by Maria Frazee; How I Learned Geography by Uri Shulevitz; and A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams by Jen Bryant and illustrated by Melissa Sweet.
The Coretta Scott King Awards were:
- For author: We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson.
- King Author Honor books: The Blacker the Berry by Joyce Carol Thomas, illustrated by Floyd Cooper; Keeping the Night by Hope Anita Smith, illustrated by E. B. Lewis; and Becoming Billie Holiday by Carol B. Weatherford, illustrated by Floyd Cooper.
- For illustrator: The Blacker the Berry
- King Illustrator Honor Books: We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball; Before John Was a Jazz Giant by Carol B. Weatherford, illustrated by Sean Qualls; and The Moon Over Star by Dianna Hutts Aston, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney.
- The Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Award went to Shadra Strickland, illustrator of Bird, written by Zetta Elliott.
The Caldecott, Newbery, and King Awards are granted to books of outstanding quality, not only for the content of the story but for the illustrations. If you have a chance, stop by the library and see how many of these special awards books you can locate. Then check them out and plan on an evening of wonderful reading, whether you read them to your children or by yourself. They are some of the most outstanding books available to lovers of books.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Have You Checked Out The Testing And Education Reference Center?
Our webmaster reminded me today that our library has a great resource you might be able to use with your job searches.
If you'll look at our Website home page, you'll see on the lefthand side, across from the Bookworm Blog, Testing and Education Reference Center. This is one of the most comprehensive and heavily traveled education resources on the Internet. Peterson's, a Nelnet company, is one of the leading education services and finance companies in the United States and is focused on providing services to students, families, and schools nationwide.
The Testing and Education Reference Center can be accessed here at the library by simply clicking on the words. But it can also be accessed from your home by typing in the numbers of your PINES library card into the password request. It will not work with another library's card, however, so be sure it's the numbers on your Moultrie Library PINES card.
The Reference Center is a start-to-finish resource with all the information and support materials you need to make informed, confident decisions to shape the rest of your life. It has over 100 practice tests and courses, and information on over 4,000 accredited schools.
High school tests include: GED prep (including GED Spanish), High School Placement Test (HSPT), and Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT). College Prep tests include: CLEP prep, ACT, SAT, and PSAT. Career tests include: NCLEX (nursing), ASVAB prep (military), PRAXIS (teaching), and Civil Service and licensure exams (including postal, firefighter, and police officer exams). Graduate School tests include: GRE prep, MCAT, and LSAT. International tests include TOEFL prep and U.S. Citizenship. And there is a quick access to all online books.
On this site there are also resumes for college application, career colleges search, and professional development programs
search.
If you're preparing for job searches and need to practice certain tests, this is the resource for you to use.
Take a little time and look the site over. And if you have a question, we'll see if we can help you.
Just look for the Testing and Education Reference Center to the left of the MCCL Bookworm Blog. We're glad to help.
If you'll look at our Website home page, you'll see on the lefthand side, across from the Bookworm Blog, Testing and Education Reference Center. This is one of the most comprehensive and heavily traveled education resources on the Internet. Peterson's, a Nelnet company, is one of the leading education services and finance companies in the United States and is focused on providing services to students, families, and schools nationwide.
The Testing and Education Reference Center can be accessed here at the library by simply clicking on the words. But it can also be accessed from your home by typing in the numbers of your PINES library card into the password request. It will not work with another library's card, however, so be sure it's the numbers on your Moultrie Library PINES card.
The Reference Center is a start-to-finish resource with all the information and support materials you need to make informed, confident decisions to shape the rest of your life. It has over 100 practice tests and courses, and information on over 4,000 accredited schools.
High school tests include: GED prep (including GED Spanish), High School Placement Test (HSPT), and Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT). College Prep tests include: CLEP prep, ACT, SAT, and PSAT. Career tests include: NCLEX (nursing), ASVAB prep (military), PRAXIS (teaching), and Civil Service and licensure exams (including postal, firefighter, and police officer exams). Graduate School tests include: GRE prep, MCAT, and LSAT. International tests include TOEFL prep and U.S. Citizenship. And there is a quick access to all online books.
On this site there are also resumes for college application, career colleges search, and professional development programs
search.
If you're preparing for job searches and need to practice certain tests, this is the resource for you to use.
Take a little time and look the site over. And if you have a question, we'll see if we can help you.
Just look for the Testing and Education Reference Center to the left of the MCCL Bookworm Blog. We're glad to help.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
The Calico Show, National Craft Month And Crafts At The Library
I did something this weekend I haven't done for years...went to the Calico Craft Show out at Spence Field. It seemed an appropriate thing to do since March is National Craft Month. The event tied in with our crafts display here at the library, so it was nice to see what others out there in the world are doing with their crafts.
My friend and I did the Sunday event, getting there about 11 a.m. There were two big buildings full of crafts and an outside section.
We saw everything from cute yard fountains to jewelry to clothes to baked goods to all manner of wooden items, painted or not. And people were buying. My friend, who is making a Georgia basket as a gift, picked up several things...like Georgia-made pecan brittle and Georgia-made hot pepper sauce. We found our favorite candle maker, too. Naturally, I had to buy a candle and the matching body lotion.
But I have to admit the most beautiful and interesting items we saw were the decorated gourds! I never knew gourds had so many names, that there are so many kinds, and that they could be made into so many interesting things. The artist didn't throw away any part of the gourd. Even the smallest pieces were made into jewelry, carved on and/or painted. Some of them were so outstanding you could hardly believe what you were looking at were gourds.
Which brings me to this...we're in our last week of displays here at the library for National Craft Month. This week we'll be displaying stained glass work by Aileen McNair and gourds of all types from Elois Matthews.
We've had an exciting time displaying crafts by our library staff and community friends. The prayer shawls displayed this past week were outstanding. In fact, when I went to my book club meeting last night, one of our members was knitting another one.
That's why crafts are such a delight. They not only keep you occupied and happy, but you can make a craft to give or sell.
Be sure you stop by the library to see our final display. And look through all our books on crafts. You might find something you'd really like to do...model airplanes, dough flowers, pottery, scrapbooking.... Pick out a few books and sit in the comfortable reading area and see what you can find. And if you need help, that's what we're here for.
My friend and I did the Sunday event, getting there about 11 a.m. There were two big buildings full of crafts and an outside section.
We saw everything from cute yard fountains to jewelry to clothes to baked goods to all manner of wooden items, painted or not. And people were buying. My friend, who is making a Georgia basket as a gift, picked up several things...like Georgia-made pecan brittle and Georgia-made hot pepper sauce. We found our favorite candle maker, too. Naturally, I had to buy a candle and the matching body lotion.
But I have to admit the most beautiful and interesting items we saw were the decorated gourds! I never knew gourds had so many names, that there are so many kinds, and that they could be made into so many interesting things. The artist didn't throw away any part of the gourd. Even the smallest pieces were made into jewelry, carved on and/or painted. Some of them were so outstanding you could hardly believe what you were looking at were gourds.
Which brings me to this...we're in our last week of displays here at the library for National Craft Month. This week we'll be displaying stained glass work by Aileen McNair and gourds of all types from Elois Matthews.
We've had an exciting time displaying crafts by our library staff and community friends. The prayer shawls displayed this past week were outstanding. In fact, when I went to my book club meeting last night, one of our members was knitting another one.
That's why crafts are such a delight. They not only keep you occupied and happy, but you can make a craft to give or sell.
Be sure you stop by the library to see our final display. And look through all our books on crafts. You might find something you'd really like to do...model airplanes, dough flowers, pottery, scrapbooking.... Pick out a few books and sit in the comfortable reading area and see what you can find. And if you need help, that's what we're here for.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Something I've Been Waiting For...Spring!
The weatherman on television this morning told me tomorrow will be the first day of Spring! But, you know what? I've decided today is my beginning of Spring! It's been coming at me for a few weeks now, and I've finally decided I've waited long enough. Today is my first day of Spring despite what the calendar or weatherman
says.
Days like today - sunshine, tall green trees, and bright blue sky - pull me up out of the winter mopes, make me feel energized, and give me hope for a better time to come despite what everyone says about the economy.
Our dogwood trees look like they are covered with cotton, and Moultrie has millions of dogwood trees. Everything is blooming - trees, bushes, ground flowers. I've seen more squirrels and birds around my yard lately than I have in months. Everything is alive and growing and proud to hold its head up.
I've pulled out several Southern Living magazines to check on what to plant in my flower pots. I've looked in several Coastal Living magazines to see how I might re-decorate my front porch. I've even gone so far as to check out a party cookbook to find Springtime recipes for those once-a-month get-togethers we're having in our neighborhood.
And my choice of clothes has even changed. I actually pulled out my white slacks to wear to work and all my Summer tee-shirts, and dusted off my sandals, and washed my candy-red floppy
hat.
I also realized just now that I've been gearing up for Spring with my reading. My latest read is Split Images by Elmore Leonard. The protagonist, a good cop, has taken a vacation in Palm Beach and finds himself still working on a case. The way Leonard described what the guy was seeing and feeling while stretched out on a beach made me feel I was right there with him. That makes me know it won't be long before I'll be heading for a Springtime beach.
But right now at home, I'll be glad just to sit on my front porch in my blue capri pants, blue and white tee-shirt, lime green sandals, and red-framed sunglasses, with a tall glass of lemonade and some munchies, and my book, let the sun warm me up and put some color in my faded winter skin, and enjoy waving at all those people who drive by and wonder who that was waving at them.
Ah! My Spring has arrived!
says.
Days like today - sunshine, tall green trees, and bright blue sky - pull me up out of the winter mopes, make me feel energized, and give me hope for a better time to come despite what everyone says about the economy.
Our dogwood trees look like they are covered with cotton, and Moultrie has millions of dogwood trees. Everything is blooming - trees, bushes, ground flowers. I've seen more squirrels and birds around my yard lately than I have in months. Everything is alive and growing and proud to hold its head up.
I've pulled out several Southern Living magazines to check on what to plant in my flower pots. I've looked in several Coastal Living magazines to see how I might re-decorate my front porch. I've even gone so far as to check out a party cookbook to find Springtime recipes for those once-a-month get-togethers we're having in our neighborhood.
And my choice of clothes has even changed. I actually pulled out my white slacks to wear to work and all my Summer tee-shirts, and dusted off my sandals, and washed my candy-red floppy
hat.
I also realized just now that I've been gearing up for Spring with my reading. My latest read is Split Images by Elmore Leonard. The protagonist, a good cop, has taken a vacation in Palm Beach and finds himself still working on a case. The way Leonard described what the guy was seeing and feeling while stretched out on a beach made me feel I was right there with him. That makes me know it won't be long before I'll be heading for a Springtime beach.
But right now at home, I'll be glad just to sit on my front porch in my blue capri pants, blue and white tee-shirt, lime green sandals, and red-framed sunglasses, with a tall glass of lemonade and some munchies, and my book, let the sun warm me up and put some color in my faded winter skin, and enjoy waving at all those people who drive by and wonder who that was waving at them.
Ah! My Spring has arrived!
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
One Bookworm's Observations
Well, I'm back to exciting times! After a couple of weeks away from the library, I'm back to see what's been going on in my absence and what's going on right now.
There've been articles in the newspaper lately about our library. One was about the Free Genealogy Study Group that meets the third Tuesday of the month in the auditorium. Last night at 6:30 they met with Patti Suggs, manager of the Doerun Municipal Library, our branch, who presented the program "WeRelate.org" to a group of ten people. And I've been told a Colquitt County judge will present the April program. So, if you're interested in genealogy and want to learn more about your ancestors, this is the group to join.
Another article told about the variety of handcrafts being displayed this month, which, in case you didn't know, is National Craft Month. Displays have included glass etching, crocheted and knitted pieces, and quilts, with the highlight last week being a quilting demonstration by Vera Stinson, director Melody Jenkins' mother. Displays for this week are crocheted and knitted prayer shawls by Connie Fritz and her church's prayer shawl ministry, a cross-stitch picture of a family tree (for genealogy, that is), as well as ceramics by various library staff members. Crafts will be displayed during the entire month of March.
The article in the March 17th newspaper was titled "Economy drives many residents to Moultrie library." I thought the word "drives" was a little funny, since many people walk to the library and some even come in their wheelchairs. But it's true... people are looking to the library for help in these tough times. They come to use the computers to job search and check their emails. Or to save money by checking out videos, audio books, and the latest bestseller. By using their library cards, they can save between $10 to $30 each visit. They also bring their children to the storytimes and help them check out books. And, I have to tell you, our library certainly knows about funds being cut, since state funding for books was cut in last year's budget.
But looking at the brighter side of things, our library also stays busy with the AARP Taxaide helpers. The first few weeks they saw between 60 to 70 people each Tuesday. Now the number has finally scaled down to about thirty. They'll still be here until the second Tuesday in April for all you late filers. Just on Tuesday, however, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.
We've had lots of children in the library, too. Miss Norma's storytimes have had the new Reading Garden filled with children. Today there were three classes of sixty little ones listening to her stories and seeing the Library Mouse in action. This is the last month of Pre-K storytimes, but exciting children's events are planned for upcoming months.
I also found out the Doerun Library is getting a pile of new books...cookbooks like "The Williams-Sonoma Cookbook," "FoodMadeFast," and cookbooks by Betty Crocker on "Living with Diabetes" and "Living with Cancer." Many home decorators will be pleased to see the new Tauton Home Idea Books for your home, inside and out. Plus, there are new Christian fictions, mysteries, and loads of children's books.
When I checked to see what some staff members are reading, I found Carolyn, Monique and Cray reading books by Karen Kingsbury, as well as those by Lauraine Snelling and Wanda E. Brunstetter. And we have in a new Jonathan Kellerman, "True Detectives," and a new Ann Perry, "Execution Dock." Also, the reference section has a new book, "Names to Grown On, Choosing a Name Your Baby Will Love" by Suelain Moy.
Even if you don't have a library card, you'll find our sale books for 25 cents to a dollar. Can't beat that, can you? And there's a nice bunch of old readies, kinds I just love.
So...I think I've wormed my way through quite a few things for today. But keep reading. There will be more good news to come tomorrow.
There've been articles in the newspaper lately about our library. One was about the Free Genealogy Study Group that meets the third Tuesday of the month in the auditorium. Last night at 6:30 they met with Patti Suggs, manager of the Doerun Municipal Library, our branch, who presented the program "WeRelate.org" to a group of ten people. And I've been told a Colquitt County judge will present the April program. So, if you're interested in genealogy and want to learn more about your ancestors, this is the group to join.
Another article told about the variety of handcrafts being displayed this month, which, in case you didn't know, is National Craft Month. Displays have included glass etching, crocheted and knitted pieces, and quilts, with the highlight last week being a quilting demonstration by Vera Stinson, director Melody Jenkins' mother. Displays for this week are crocheted and knitted prayer shawls by Connie Fritz and her church's prayer shawl ministry, a cross-stitch picture of a family tree (for genealogy, that is), as well as ceramics by various library staff members. Crafts will be displayed during the entire month of March.
The article in the March 17th newspaper was titled "Economy drives many residents to Moultrie library." I thought the word "drives" was a little funny, since many people walk to the library and some even come in their wheelchairs. But it's true... people are looking to the library for help in these tough times. They come to use the computers to job search and check their emails. Or to save money by checking out videos, audio books, and the latest bestseller. By using their library cards, they can save between $10 to $30 each visit. They also bring their children to the storytimes and help them check out books. And, I have to tell you, our library certainly knows about funds being cut, since state funding for books was cut in last year's budget.
But looking at the brighter side of things, our library also stays busy with the AARP Taxaide helpers. The first few weeks they saw between 60 to 70 people each Tuesday. Now the number has finally scaled down to about thirty. They'll still be here until the second Tuesday in April for all you late filers. Just on Tuesday, however, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.
We've had lots of children in the library, too. Miss Norma's storytimes have had the new Reading Garden filled with children. Today there were three classes of sixty little ones listening to her stories and seeing the Library Mouse in action. This is the last month of Pre-K storytimes, but exciting children's events are planned for upcoming months.
I also found out the Doerun Library is getting a pile of new books...cookbooks like "The Williams-Sonoma Cookbook," "FoodMadeFast," and cookbooks by Betty Crocker on "Living with Diabetes" and "Living with Cancer." Many home decorators will be pleased to see the new Tauton Home Idea Books for your home, inside and out. Plus, there are new Christian fictions, mysteries, and loads of children's books.
When I checked to see what some staff members are reading, I found Carolyn, Monique and Cray reading books by Karen Kingsbury, as well as those by Lauraine Snelling and Wanda E. Brunstetter. And we have in a new Jonathan Kellerman, "True Detectives," and a new Ann Perry, "Execution Dock." Also, the reference section has a new book, "Names to Grown On, Choosing a Name Your Baby Will Love" by Suelain Moy.
Even if you don't have a library card, you'll find our sale books for 25 cents to a dollar. Can't beat that, can you? And there's a nice bunch of old readies, kinds I just love.
So...I think I've wormed my way through quite a few things for today. But keep reading. There will be more good news to come tomorrow.
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