November Trivia Contest

Today is Mark Twain's Birthday. He would be 174 years old. Of course, we have numerous books by Mark Twain available for checkout.

Question #4

Samuel Clemens, who wrote under the pen name of Mark Twain, had another name under which he wrote. What was his other pen name?

To participate, simply email your answer and name to tkeenan@cityofalliance.net and for each correct answer, your name will be entered into a drawing for a prize.

This is the last trivia contest of the month. You can still answer the other questions. Simply email your answers to me by midnight tonight. I will be on vacation through the rest of the week, so the winner will be announced next Monday. Good luck!

(Even though I will be gone, I have a number of posts lined up, so be sure to check back throughout the week!)

November Trivia Contest

Happy Thanksgiving from the Alliance Public Library Staff!

The Library will be closed Thursday and Friday.

Question #4

In what year did Thanksgiving become a national holiday?

To participate, simply email your answer and name to tkeenan@cityofalliance.net and for each correct answer, your name will be entered into a drawing for a prize.

Thanksgiving Time is Here!

The Alliance Public Library Thanksgiving Hours are as follows:

Wednesday: 8am to 6pm

Thursday & Friday: Closed

Saturday: 10am to 5pm

Sunday: 1pm to 4pm

Bookworm

Fiction

Jumper Cable by Piers Anthony: Arachnid Jumper assumes human form and relies on the help of a troupe of beautiful damsels in order to save the magical land of Xanath.

The Gates by John Connolly: Samuel Johnson and his dachshund Boswell decide to begin their trick-or-treating three days before Halloween, but when he arrives upon the Abernathy's house, Samuel discovers they have conjured up Satan and Samuel must use science, faith, and love to defeat the evil and save the world.

Tragic Magic by Laura Childs: Carmela, owner of a scrapbook shop, and her best friend, have a big project. Melody Mayfeldt is converting an old mansion into a haunted house for those who flock in for a creepy fix. She needs Carmela's crafty touch to make it come to life in time for the upcoming horror convention.

The Ghost King by R.A. Salvatore: Young Thuro turns to the mountain warrior Culain for help when he is chosen to travel to the land of the Mist and retrieve the Sword of Power that can defeat the armies of the ruthless Witch Queen.

Pursuit of Honor by Vince Flynn: Six days after a series of explosions devastated Washington, D.C., killing 185 people. It was an act of violence that called for extreme measures on the part of operative Mitch Rapp and his team member, Mike Nash.

The House of Reckoning by John Saul: Sarah Crane, coping with the untimely death of her mother, ends up in foster care after her alcoholic father is jailed for killing a man in a bar fight and injuring her in a car accident, and is befriended by a schizophrenic boy and an art teacher who help Sarah hone her psychic abilities.

Blood Game by Iris Johansen: When a senator's daughter is found murdered and her body drained of blood, Eve enters the world of a psychotic serial murderer -- and he might know something about her missing daughter, Bonnie.

Nonfiction

In the Words of Our Enemies by Jed Babbin: Years before September 11, our enemy warned us--and we weren't listening. We are being warned today--by enemies like Iran, North Korea, and radicals and terrorists across the globe--but we are still not listening.

Say You're One of Them by Uwem Akpan: A collection of short stories by Uwem Akpan that celebrate the resilience and wisdom of children in third world countries.

True Compass by Edward M. Kennedy: Edward M. Kennedy tells his personal story, discussing his legendary family, political career, cancer diagnosis, faith, and more.

American Rebel: The Life of Clint Eastwood by Marc Eliot: Filled with remarkable insights into Eastwood's personal life and public work, American Rebel is highly entertaining and the most complete biography of one of Hollywood's truly respected and beloved stars–an actor who, despite being the Man with No Name, has left his indelible mark on the world of motion pictures.

The Love Revolution by Joyce Meyer: Joyce Meyer examines what would happen if everyone decided to refuse to live only for themselves, and instead, used their actions to display love.

Crude Oil: the Violent Twilight of Oil by Peter Maass: Provides an account of the often negative consequences of the world's addiction to oil for oil-producing countries, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Kuwait, Iraq, Ecuador, Afghanistan, and others.

Understanding and Preventing Suicide by Kristine Bertini: Discusses how suicidal tendencies and thought patterns develop, and how biology, environment, and culture predispose some people to see only one way out of their problems, with anecdotes that illustrate what to look for, explanations of treatment, and provides various support resources.

Based on the Book

When I went to see Where The Wild Things Are, I became overly excited when I saw a preview for Wes Anderson's new stop-motion animation film The Fantastic Mr. Fox, especaillay when I discovered it is based on a Roald Dahl book. I am a huge fan of stop-motion and Roald Dahl, and when I found the two have been melded into what looks to be a beautiful and meticulously made film, I nearly wet myself. Wes Anderson is the creator of the movies The Royal Tannenbaums (wonderful film) and A Life Aquatic. Dahl is one of my favorite juvenile authors, and I have never read a book by him that I did not like. We have the book here at the library, so be sure to stop by and check it out if you or your children plan on seeing the movie.

Here are a few videos I found concerning the film, including the theatrical trailer:

What Should I Read Next?

So you loved the Twiligt series, you've read them all, and you are excited to go see the movie this weekend. But what books do you read next? If you are looking for something similar to New Moon, here are a few, all of which are available for checkout. Click on the link to read a summary of the book at barnesandnoble.com:

If you want to read more books on vampires:

Blood and Gold (The Vampire Chronicles) by Anne Rice

Betrayed: a House of Night Novel by P.C. Cast and Kristen Cast

Blood Noir by Laurel Hamilton

Dance of the Gods by Nora Roberts

From Dead to Worse (Sookie Stackhouse Series/True Blood HBO Series inspiration) by Charlaine Harris

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

If you would like some good old fashioned romance, vampires or no vampires:

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Wuthering Heights by EmilyBronte (Bella's favorite book)

Sons and Lovers by D.H. Lawrence

Mansfield Park by Jane Austen

Alexander's Bridge by Willa Cather (good book!)

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Far from the Maddening Crowd by Thomas Hardy

November Trivia Contest

Happy Birthday Margaret Atwood! Margaret Atwood is one of Canada's leading poets and novelists, winning many prizes for her numerous literary works. She is best known for her novels, which include Alias Grace, Cat's Eye and The Robber Bride. I am a big fan of her collections of short essays and stories, such as The Tent, which is available for checkout, along with her other works, at FIC ATW. Her novel Oryx & Crake is also on my to read list. If you have never read her work, I strongly encourage you to stop in and give her a try.

Question #3

Which book written by Margaret Atwood won the Booker Prize of Fiction?

To participate, simply email your answer and name to tkeenan@cityofalliance.net and for each
correct answer, your name will be entered into a drawing for a prize.

Fiction
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larson: Hacker Lisbeth Salander assists Mikael Blomkvist, a journalist, with the investigation of Harriet Vanger's disappearance decades earlier, and the two uncover a dark world of secrets about a Swedish family as well as a surprising connection between themselves.

An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon: Jamie Fraser and his wife Claire know that the Americans will win the Revolutionary War, but neither knows the cost of victory, or whether they will survive the dangers of war.

To Dream Anew by Tracie Peterson: A family moves in near the Diamond V ranch intend on forcing Dianne and Cole Selby off their land in order to establish a new empire in Montana.

A Change in Altitude by Anita Shreve: British newlyweds Margaret and Patrick decide to spend a year living in Kenya, where photojournalist Margaret begins to realize how little she knows about her husband, but when the couple is invited on a climbing expedition to Mount Kenya, tragedy strikes and scars their marriage forever.

And Another Thing by Eoin Colfer: Arthur Dent, having survived a number of grueling ordeals, returns to Earth only to encounter a variety of unemployed gods, an irritating computer, a love struck green alien, and an enormous hunk of cheese.

Frost Bitten by Kelley Armstrong: Elena Michaels, the world's only female werewolf, investigates a series of brutal slayings in the Alaskan wilderness with her mate, Clayton Danvers, and when they stumble across a creature that resembles the legendary Wendigo, they each find themselves facing ghosts from their pasts.

The Phoenix Transformed by Mercedes Lackey: Harrier, a Knight-Mage, and Tiercel, a High Mage, continue to fight alongside desert tribe leader Shaiara against the evil power of Ahairan that was conjured by Bisochim, a Wildmage with whom the heroes join forces.

A Separate Country by Robert Hicks: After the Civil War, John Bell Hood, a general from the Confederate army who was responsible for the deaths of thousands, tries to begin life anew with his wife, Anna Marie, but an outbreak of yellow fever could destroy everything he has worked for.

Little Bird of Heaven by Joyce Carol Oates: In two related narratives Krista Diehl and Aaron Kruller describe their emotions and opinions about the murder of Aaron's mother, Zoe, each blaming the other person's father for the killing and eventually coming to terms with their obsession over the case and one another..

Rough Country by John Sandford: Virgil Flowers, an investigator with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, is pulled from a fishing tournament to take the case of a murder at a nearby resort for women only, and his queries reveal a second murder the year before, and the very real possibility of a third about to happen.

Blood's a Rover by James Ellroy: The unsolved heist of an armored car in Los Angeles in 1964 has far-reaching repercussions that ripple out to involve J. Edgar Hoover, Howard Hughes, the FBI, and the Mob.

13 ½ by Nevada Barr: Polly Deschamps, a literature professor with two daughters and her own home in New Orleans, meets architect Marshall Marchand, a bachelor who she soon marries before realizing that he may be connected to the "Butcher Boy" multiple homicide of 1971.

The Perfect Christmas by Debbie Macomber: Cassie's Christmas wish is for a husband and children and decides to hire a professional matchmaker to help her dreams come true, but Simon Dodson demands Cassie complete three tasks before he introduces her to her perfect mate.

Traitor's Gate by Kate Elliott: The Guardians who have not yet been corrupted by their malevolent peer’s place their hope in the eagle reeves and Captain Anji's militia, and when Joss is chosen to command the surviving reeves against the horde, a new and unforeseen threat emerges.

Based on the Book

Well, I guess it's a no brainer that I will be featuring New Moon on based on the book today, since the much anticipated Twilight sequel is hitting theatres this Friday. As I was cataloging the new magazines this morning, I found an article that chronicles the success of the Twilight Series and the making of the movies. It was interesting to discover that the first Twilight movie had a $37 million budget, which is relatively small. I think it was before the whole "Twilight Mania" had settled in, though, and I have a feeling that the budget for the sequel was quite a bit larger. So, stop on in and check out the book before hitting the theatre this weekend. If you've already read it, check the book out again to brush up on all the little details :-)

Click here to read Time Magazine's article It's Twilight in America

Here's a Time 10 Questions interview with Stehpanie Meyers



And here's the trailer:

The wonders of LibraryThing!

LibraryThing is a wonderful online resource that allows users to catalog and create a virtual library of your own collections. It also includes features such as "to read" and "currently reading" collections, which is a great way to keep track of the books you have read/want to read . You can recommend books, review books and connect with other readers through the LibraryThing online community.

Up to this point, I had been using the service http://www.bookmovement.com/ to keep track of the books I have read and want to read over the past year; however, the site is more bookclub oriented and doesn't quite have the organizational features that http://www.bookthing.com/ provides, so I am switching over. The service is free - all you have to do is sign up for an account, so give it go and let me know what you think.

My profile can be found here - though it is so new that I only have a few books cataloged. If you create an account and would like to share your library with others, simply email me the link and I will post it for all to enjoy.

Happy Cataloging!

"The mystic cords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every beating heart . . . should swell into a mighty chord of reverence, gratitude and rededication on this solemn occasion."

~ Abraham Lincoln

The staff at the Alliance Public Library would like to take this opportunity to thank all veterens who have served in the past, are serving in the present and will serve in the future for their couragous sacrifices.

Thank you.

Based on the Book

Although I am a firm believer in Christmas time starting after Thanksgiving, I am going to go ahead and post a Christmas novel this week, since the new movie is playing at our theatre. So if you haven't guessed yet, the book of the week is A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.

I've never read the book, but my father did try to read it to me when I was quite little, around five or six. It didn't work out so well due to my miniature attention span at that age, and I have yet to squeeze it in to my holiday schedule. We have a large number of Christmas Carol versions in our library, from children's cassettes and videos to juvenile adaptations. Of course we have the original, by Charles Dickens, in both audio and book form.

The new movie looks wonderfully well done. I have a firm rule, much to the dismay of our 9 year old, about no Christmas movies before Thanksgiving, but I may just have to break the rule this year. Here is the trailer:

Bookworm

Fiction

Evidence by Jonathan Kellerman: Two Bel Air lovers murdered in the most intimate of circumstances propel psychologist Alex Delaware and detective Milo Sturgis on a twisted path towards the depraved evil found among the super rich.

Intervention by Terri Blackstock: Barbara Covington, having staged an intervention as her last attempt to help her drug-addicted eighteen-year-old daughter, finds her life going from bad to worse when the interventionist is found dead and her daughter goes missing.

Blindman's Bluff by Faye Kellerman: Los Angeles homicide detective Peter Decker, investigating the murders of a billionaire developer and his family members, suspects the killings are an inside job, and finds the case becoming personal when his wife becomes involved and her life is put in danger.

The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larson: Mikael Blomkvist is publishing the story of his career, exposing the extensive sex trafficking operation between Sweden and Eastern Europe, but when two investigative journalists are killed the night before the story runs and Lisbeth Salander is implicated, Mikael vows to clear the girl's name and find the true killer.

Capital Offense by William Bernhardt: Attorney Ben Kincaid is approached with an odd request, defend Dennis Thomas for a murder he has not committed yet, but when Thomas's intended victim is shot down just hours after Thomas sees him, Ben is reluctant to believe his client is innocent, until he uncovers a shocking secret about the victim that changes everything.

Breaking the Rules by Barbara Taylor Bradford: A young woman flees after a terrifying encounter in search of a new life. She adopts the name M and starts a career that will lead her to being a star model. She meets an actor, Larry and they marry and they become the most desired couple on the international scene. But the psychopath vows to shatter M's world and she will do anything to protect her family.

Hot House Orchid by Stuart Woods: CIA agent Holly Barker, placed on vacation after failing a second time to catch terrorist and ex-CIA agent Teddy Fay, returns to Florida, where she once served as police chief, to find that James Bruno, her former commanding officer is now in her old job, and that a serial killer and rapist is at work in the area.

Nonfiction

Out of Captivity by Marc Gonsalves: An account of the civilian hostage crisis in which three contractors crashed in the Colombian jungle, were taken prisoner by the FARC, a terrorist organization, and held for over five years before ultimately achieving freedom.

The Blood of Lambs by Kamal Saleem: The true inside story of the making and mind-set of a Muslim terrorist. Though his ties with terrorism were severed more than twenty years ago, it was not until 9/11, when radical Muslims rained terror on American shores, that Kamal Saleem stepped out of the shadows and revealed his true identity.

Sustenance and Hope for Caregiver of Elderly Parents by Gloria G. Barsamian: The book offers a wealth of insights from experienced caregivers, extraordinary personal stories, and most importantly, reassurance and support.

National Geographic's The World and All That's In It: This book offers a sampling of the many and varied subjects addresses over the years, from our planet and the peoples who inhabit it, to the history of the world and our own nation.

A Brother's Journey by Richard B. Pelzer: The author describes his childhood filled with nightly beatings and unspeakable abuse by his mother and how he found the courage to survive.

Rebounding Rules by Rick Pitino: College basketball coach Rick Pitino discusses his return to coaching after experiencing deep personal and professional losses, and how he overcame adversity to become the only coach in history to lead three different schools to the Final Four.

The Big Sky Reader: A collection of writing from Montana's "Big Sky Journal," featuring stories of ranches and rodeos, saloons, rivers, fires, and other aspects of life in the American West.

November Trivia Contest

One of the most prominent symbols of the Cold War, the Berlin Wall was erected on August 13, 1961. One of the most guarded and treacherous borders in the world, those who tried to pass through were, more often than not, killed. Twenty years ago today, the Berlin Wall was opened, and those on opposite sides were once again free to visit with their family and friends.

A few books found in our collection about the Berlin wall are Writings on the Wall by Terry Tillman (943.1 TIL), The Berlin Wall VHS by A&E Television (VID 943.087 BER) and the fiction story Brandenburg Gate, set in the weeks before the fall of the wall, by Henry Porter (FIC POR).

Question #2
How many streets did the Berlin Wall cross?

To participate, simply email your answer and name to tkeenan@cityofalliance.net and for each

correct answer, your name will be entered into a drawing for a prize.

November Trivia Contest

The tomb of King Tut, AKA Tutankhamen, was discovered by an English archeologist on November 4, 1922. We have a number materials concerning ancient Egypt available for checkout including What Life Was Like on the Banks of the Nile: Egypt 3050 - 3030 BC (932 WHA), Tutankhaman and the Golden Age of the Pharoahs (932 HAW) and Egypt: Land of the Pharoahs (932 EGY).

Question #1

What is believed to be King Tut's cause of death?

To participate in this month's trivia contest, simply email your answer and your name to tkeenan@cityofalliance.net. For each correct answer, your name will be entered into a drawing to win a prize. The winner will be drawn at the end of the month.

Bookworm

Fiction

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown: A deadly race through a real-world labyrinth of codes, secrets, and unseen truths...all under the watchful eye of Brown's most terrifying villain. Set within the hidden chambers, tunnels, and temples of Washington, D.C., Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon follows an invitation into a long-lost world to save his mentor.

Black Friday by Alex Kava: College students who think they are just pulling some pranks are used to carry bombs into a busy mall. Maggie O’Dell is sent to investigate and discovers her brother was one of the students. Patrick is deciding whether to help Maggie or not. More shopping center bomb threats are on the horizon and Maggie has 24 hours to solve the mystery.

Wish You Well by David Baldacci: In 1940, tragedy forces Lou, her little brother Oz, and their invalid mother to leave New York and move the mountains of southwestern Virginia to live with their great-grandmother, Louisa Mae Cardinal, but a climatic courtroom battle could determine the fates of the entire family and all those who have been touched by them.

The Villa by Nora Roberts: Sophia Giambelli, a public relations executive for the family business, finds herself torn between personal attraction and professional rivalry when her mother announces a merger between Villa Giambelli and the MacMillan family's winery, forcing Sophia into close contact with Tyler MacMillan.

Plum Pudding Murder by Joanne Fluke: Hannah's bakery is busy with the Christmas season and Christmas wedding orders. Then one of the town's business men is found dead in his office and there are many who have a grudge against him.

The Last Oracle by James Rollins: Sigma Force leader Commander Gray Pierce uncovers a Russian project to bioengineer autistic children in hopes of creating a savant who can help them dominate the world and, in order to stop it, he must find the link between the dangerous plot and the Oracle of Delphi.

Between the Plums by Janet Evanovich: Collects three novels from Janet Evanovich, following Stephanie Plum, a New Jersey bounty hunter, as she hunts down an elusive toymaker known as Sandor Clausen, a relationship expert wanted for murder, and some stolen race horses.

Nonfiction
Resurrection: The Miracle Season that saved Notre Dame by Jim Dent: Dent interviewed Parseghian as well as many of the surviving players and researched the newspaper and national press coverage the team received during its Phoenix-like resurrection.

Why our Health Matters by Andrew Weil, M.D.: A landmark book that shows us exactly how we have let health and medicine become a crisis in our society and what we can all do to resolve it.

Roots of Human Behvior by Viktor Reinhardt: A photographic documentation of behavior patterns that humans share with other mammals, sorted according to their motivations in three categories: socially positive, socially negative, and non-social.

Mother-in-Law and Daughter-in-Law by Deborah M. Merrill: An intriguing exploration of one of the most potentially abrasive and conflict-riddled family relationships - mothers-in-law and daughters-in law - explaining what makes them friend or foe, and how the friendly among them achieve a positive relationship.

The Loren Eisely Reader: A collection of 15 essays and one poem intended to introduce the writing of Nebraska naturalist and philosopher to a new generation of readers. The essays deal with life's journey through discovery and with nature's surprises.

Girls of Tender Age by Mary-Ann Tirone Smith: Mary-Ann Tirone Smith chronicles her French-Italian family's struggle to survive in a housing project in Hartford, Connecticut, in the years following World War II.

Sabotage: America's Enemies Within the CIA by Rowan Scarborough: Using first-rate sources in all levels of national security--from field officers to high-ranking analysts to former intelligence heads--veteran journalist Scarborough reveals how CIA bureaucrats are undermining President Bush and the War on Terror through disinformation, incompetence, and outright sabotage.

October Trivia Contest Winner!

October's trivia winner is Jennifer Cole!

She has won a gift certificate to the 1910 Coffee House and Ahab's Wife or, The Star-Gazer by Sena Jeter Naslund. The prize can be picked up at the circulation desk :-)

This month's answers were:
1. Who is R.L. Stine's favorite actor? Jim Carrey
2. What percentage of the world's flowering plants live only in the Rainforest? 80%
3. What percentage of rainforest plants have been tested for medicinal use? 1%
4. Who was the first Alliance Public Library Librarian? Marie Basse
5. What was her monthly salary? $25
6. According to superstition, what does it mean when you see a spider on Halloween? It means that the spirit of a loved one is looking over you.

Thank you everyone for participating! I'll have the first November question posted in a few days.