August Trivia Contest Question #3

Alfred Hitchcock

August 13, 1899 ~ April 29, 1980

Today is Alfred Hitchcock's birthday. We have a number of items available for checkout from this notable horror and mystery figure, including his movies To Catch a Thief, North by Northwest, Dial "M" for Murder and Vertigo. We also have multiple Alfred Hitchcock story collections that can be found at call number SC ALF.

Trivia Question #3

What is the title of the theme song from the TV series Alfred Hitchcock Presents?

Our new trivia contest will run throughout the month of August, during which time I will post at least one trivia question each week. To participate, simply email your answer to tkeenan@cityofalliance.net. For each correct answer, your name will be placed in a drawing for a chance to win a prize. See my previous posts for questions 1 & 2.

Patron Recommendations

Our wonderful patrons recommend so many good books, I thought I would pass a few of them along.

Wyoming Curiosities: Quirky Characters, Roadside Oddities and Other Offbeat Stuff by Dina Mishev is the definitive collection of Wyoming's odd, wacky, and most offbeat people, places, and things, for Wyoming residents and anyone else who enjoys local humor and trivia with a twist. 917.8704 MIS






Dewey: The Small Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron is the heartwarming story of Dewey Readmore Books, the beloved library cat of Spencer, Iowa, as told by his owner and companion of nineteen years, Vicki Myron, the librarian who found him on a frigid January morning when he was abandoned as a kitten in the book drop slot. It is also the story of a remarkable small town, which burned down at the beginning of the Depression, only to rebuild itself, and which was almost shuttered during the farm crisis of the 1980s, before regrouping and rededicating itself to small town American values. Dewey's local charm and worldwide fame became a symbol of hope for this recovering town. Through Dewey's antics, we come to know and love many of the colorful and inspiring people of Spencer. We also have this book on PlayAway (What's a PlayAway? Click here to find out!) 636.8092 MYR & PA 636.8092 MYR


The Shack: Where Tragedy Confronts Eternity by William P. Young.
Mackenzie Allen Philips’ youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation, and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four years later in the midst of his Great Sadness, Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend. Against his better judgment he arrives at the shack on a wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change Mack's world forever. FIC YOU

Read Books Online

Whole books are now available for your reading enjoyment online. The website http://www.dailylit.com/ offers a number of classics as well as more contempory works for a total of 1,475 titles. Their selection includes Emeril at the Grill by Emeril Lagasse, Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, The Lost World by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad and many many more.

Not all of the books are free, but many are. If you're not keen on reading a book from a computer screen, you can always visit the site to sample the book and see if you like it, then come to library and check out the book version.

Bookworm

Fiction
Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo: In Ohio, the Amish and "English" lived together peacefully until sixteen years ago when brutal murders shattered the peace. Kate survived the terror but moved away. Now she has been asked to come back as chief of police. Her Amish roots and her career make her a perfect candidate. She's certain that she has come to terms with her past -- until the first body is discovered.

Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich: Lulu, having witnessed the murder of a culinary television star, decides to enter a cooking competition in order to try and uncover who the killer is, while Stephanie Plum helps Ranger investigate a series of break-ins and things start to heat up between them, despite Officer Joe Morelli's objections.

Roadside Crosses by Jeffrey Deaver: Body language expert Kathryn Dance and Deputy Michael O'Neil investigate attacks on and murders of individuals who have posted messages about the deaths of two high school students on a local blog and suspect the driver in the fatal accident may be leaving roadside crosses as warnings about who his next victim will be.

A Plague of Secrets by John Lescroart: Dylan Vogler, the manager of a coffee shop, is found dead cradling a knapsack full of marijuana. When defense lawyer, Dismas Hardy learns that Vogler is actually supplying dope to many of business and political elite, the tension and turmoil ratchet up into high-stakes suspense.

A Rogue of My Own by Johanna Lindsey: Lady Rebecca Marshall is pulled into the intrigues and dangers of Queen Victoria's court when she becomes a maid of honor, and is married off to the marquis Rupert St. John, who wrongly believes Rebecca trapped him into the marriage, but his growing feelings for his new bride test his pride and his vow to never be faithful to Rebecca.

Frozen Fire by Bill Evans: Eager to exploit a lucrative energy source, Dennis Cavendish has begun to tap the crystalline methane under the ocean floor. Ecoterrorists kill his science team and release gigatons of poisonous methane into the water and atmosphere killing many people. Victoria Clark, Dr. Sam Briscoe and the U. S. government must find a way to seal the break and to nullify the methane.

Gary Jennings' Apocolypse 2012 by Robert Gleason: In A.D. 1001, Coyotl rises to become counselor to the god-king Quetzalcoatl and entombs an End-Time Codex that describes the world's end in 2012; and when the codex is discovered one thousand years later, scientists realize that their own time mirrors the age of Quetzalcoatl.

Large Print Fiction
A Good Woman by Danielle Steel: When Annabelle Worthington loses her family due to the sinking of the Titanic; she becomes a medical volunteer at Ellis Island, marries badly, and eventually finds purpose by volunteering in a field hospital during World War I.

Sweet Home Carolina by Patricia Rice: Advertising executive Jaxie Parker enjoys life in the fast lane, until she is put in charge of her firm's annual pro bono project and must find a way to revitalize the coastal town of Rumton, South Carolina.

Santa Cruise by Mary Higgins Clark: With the intentions of relaxing after the holidays, amateur investigators Regan Reilly and Alvirah Meehan board the "Royal Mermaid" cruise ship with their husbands and get caught up in a mystery that involves a ghost, a storm, criminals, and an attempted murder.

Crossroads by Belva Plain: Gwen Wright, raised in an upper-class environment, and Jewel Fairbanks, a receptionist, find themselves at odds when Gwen begins to have eyes for Jewel's husband, Jeff, and Jewel envies Gwen's wealth; but the situation becomes explosive when Gwen's husband, Stan, who works for Jeff, uncovers questionable business dealings at work.

Lonestar Secrets by Colleen Coble: Shannon Astor returns to Bluebird Crossing years after the death of her parents and finishing vet school. She remembers hard times and remains skittish especially around ex-boyfriend, Jack MacGowen. But their love for two girls, the land and horses brings them to an uneasy alliance.

Hokus Pokus by Fern Michaels: The Sisterhood foiled former FBI director Mitch Riley's plot to frame their friends Judge Nellie Easter and lawyer Lizzie Fox, now they must remain in exile or risk capture.

Collateral Damage by Fern Michaels: The Sisterhood verges on falling apart when the ladies have to choose between two difficult assignments. The first job guarantees a huge paycheck; the second offers a presidential pardon - and a chance to finally emerge from hiding.

Based on the Book

The Last of the Mohicans is the most popular of James Fenimore Cooper’s five Leatherstocking Tales. With its death-defying chases and teeth-clenching suspense, this American classic established many archetypes of American frontier fiction.

An engrossing “Western” by America’s first great novelist, The Last of the Mohicans is a story of survival and treachery, love and deliverance.

We have this item in a number of formats, including VHS (VID COO), DVD (DVD COO), book (FIC COO & JF COO) and cassete (AB FIC COO)

August Trivia Contest Question #2

Our new trivia contest will run throughout the month of August, during which time I will post at least one trivia question each week. To participate, simply email your answer to tkeenan@cityofalliance.net. For each correct answer, your name will be placed in a drawing for a chance to win a prize.

Question #2

Who won the 1959 Box Butte County Fair Queen Contest?

(See my previous post for a list of contestants by clicking here)

Digital Microfilm is here!

With help from the Friends of the Library, we have recently aquired a new digital microfilm machine. Those of you familiar with the old, bulky and outdated machine will be delighted to know that new digital machine produces wonderful quality images.

The machine is easy to use and has a number of features that were not available with the old machine. You can create digital files and either save them to a flash drive or burn them to CD, which is perfect for sharing photos with family, friends and colleagues.

A few good uses of our microfilm include anniversary projects (headlines of the day, marriage licenses, announcements, photos etc.), heritage projects and other personal research projects.

I thought I would share a few of the images with you today to highlight the excellent quality, so I dug up a some images of the Box Butte County Fair. The photos below all appeared in the Times Herald during the fair in 1959.

The Fair Queen Contestants of 1959!

The Box butte County Fair 1959 "Dairy Queen"

A highlight from the Fair Parade in Hemingford 1959

Friends of the Library Book Sale!

The Friends of the the Library will host their booksale next week! Procedes help fund essential library programs such as Summer Reading and Storytime.

August 11th - 13th

Tuesday: 12-4 (members only)

& 4-6 (open to public)

Wednesday: 10-7

Thursday: 12-5

And if you're like me and don't have room for yet another book in the house, monetary donations are welcome and much appreciated.

Bookworm

Fiction

Thriller 2: Presents a collection of suspenseful short stories from twenty-three renowned authors, and features selections from Jeffrey Deaver, Lisa Jackson, Ridley Pearson, R. L. Stine, and others.

Heartless by Diana Palmer: Gracie Pendleton is reunited with her stepbrother, Jason, a wealthy rancher whom she had not seen since she was a child, and despite the mutual attraction and love they both feel, a secret in Gracie's past threatens to ruin their happiness.

The Dark Horse by Craig Johnson: Sheriff Walt Longmire investigates a strange case in which a prisoner is accused of killing her husband, Wade Barsad, and when Walt goes undercover; he learns that several people wanted Wade dead.

The Fate of Katherine Carr by Thomas H. Cook: After the disappearance of his son, writer George Gates lost his fascination for places where people had disappeared, until detective Arlo McBride asks Gates for help in investigating the disappearance of Katherine Carr, a woman who vanished twenty years earlier.

Gold of Kings by Davis Bunn: Art and antiquities dealer Storm Syrrell closes up shop and begins a dangerous investigation into the murder of her grandfather, Sean, whose hidden journal reveals he led a much more exciting life behind his public persona as a discreet art broker.

Sisters and Husbands by Connie Briscoe: Thirty-nine-year-old Beverly has finally met the man of her dreams and plans to marry him but sisters Evelyn and Charmaine are having marital problems causing Beverly to question if marriage is worth it after all.

Below Zero by C. J. Box: The possible reappearance of a girl named April, who was believed to have died in the massacre in "Winterkill", raises many questions and red flags in Joe Pickett's family life. Meanwhile a dying mobster named Stenko and a much younger girl are crossing the country to reconcile with his son.

Border Songs by Jim Lynch: Six foot eight and severely dyslexic, Brandon was pushed off the farm and into the Border Patrol in British Columbia. He discovers a large variety of birds, but also finds smugglers hauling pot and some potentially more dangerous illegals.

Burned by David Hagberg: Patty and David Monroe flew to Moscow to repair a business deal gone bad, but their Russian business partners shoot David and kidnap Patty in an attempt to ransom her

The Neighbor by Lisa Gardner: A mother disappears without a trace leaving her daughter as the only witness and the husband as the prime suspect. Detective Sergeant D. D. Warren senses something off about the wholesome normality of the couple. The husband seems more intent on destroying evidence than on searching for his wife.

Summer House by Nancy Thayer: Charlotte Wheelwright runs her organic gardening business on land donated by her spry grandmother Nona, and she tries to work on her people skills while the family, including her mother Helen, worries that she is maneuvering to inherit the homestead.

The Fixer Upper by Mary Kay Andrews: Lobbyist Dempsey Jo Killebrew, left unemployed after her firm is caught in a political scandal, decides to take her father up on his offer to help him rehab a Victorian home which he recently inherited, and through the obstacles she meets along the way and the relationships she forms with the townspeople, she begins to find true happiness.

Killer Summer by Ridley Pearson: The world's most elite wine connoisseurs are gathering to taste and bid on the world's best wine, especially three historical bottles. Sheriff Walt is responsible for all the security and soon discovers that he is unprepared for the well-planned heist.

Sinner by Ted Dekker: Gifted orators Darcy Lange and Billy Rediger, with the backing of the persuasive Marsuvees Black, convince the government to pass a law banning racial and religious speech and classifying it as hate speech which carries a harsh punishment, and Johnny Drake, a follower of Christ, refuses to allow the new legislation to stand.

Based on the Book

Julie & Julia, based on the life story of Julia Child, French chef extraordinare, releases this Friday. A copy of her memoir, My Life in France, has recently been added to our collection and is ready for checkout.

Julia Child singlehandedly created a new approach to American cuisine with her cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking and her television show The French Chef, but as she reveals in this bestselling memoir, she was not always a master chef.

Indeed, when she first arrived in France in 1948 with her husband, Paul, who was to work for the USIS, she spoke no French and knew nothing about the country itself. But as she dove into French culture, buying food at local markets and taking classes at the Cordon Bleu, her life changed forever with her newfound passion for cooking and teaching. Julia’s unforgettable story – struggles with the head of the Cordon Bleu, rejections from publishers to whom she sent her now-famous cookbook, a wonderful, nearly fifty-year long marriage that took them across the globe – unfolds with the spirit so key to her success as a chef and a writer, brilliantly capturing one of the most endearing American personalities of the last fifty years.

August Trivia Contest

Our new trivia contest will run throughout the month of August, during which time I will post at least one trivia question each week. To participate, simply email your answer to tkeenan@cityofalliance.net. For each correct answer, your name will be placed in a drawing for a chance to win a prize.

Question #1:

Today is the Anniversary of the last entry in Anne Frank's diary, dated August 1, 1944. In the entry, she asks for the meaning of a word. What is that word?

We have her diary available at the library, and it will be held behind the circulation desk until Saturday, July 8th, in case you need to come in and do a little bit of research :-) We also have the movie available for checkout.

Happy Birthday J.K. Rowling!

Today is the birthday of J.K. Rowling - author of the Harry Potter books - and boy am I glad she was put on this earth; otherwise, we wouldn't have the magical world of Harry Potter.

In honor of her birthday, I thought I would put together a few Harry Potter related links.

http://www.mugglenet.com/ - from what I understand, this is the place for Harry Potter Fans to congregate. They literally have everything you could dream of related to Harry Potter. Here's a few games from the site:

Magical Memory Game

Harry Potter Hangman

Quiditch Word Search

Dumbledore Jigsaw Puzzle

Click here to watch J.K. Rowling read "The Fountain of Fair Fortune" from her book The Tales of Beedle the Bard

Click here to visit J.K. Rowling's official site, where you can catch up on news, view a scrapbook and delve a little deeper into the author's mind.

We have all of Rowling's work available for check out, many of which are also available on audio for your listening pleasure. We also have a few of the movies, which were so generously donated.

The Final Adult Summer Reading Trivia Question!

First off, I would like to thank all of you who have participated in our Adult Summer Reading Trivia! I hope you have enjoyed answering the questions and will still check in with the blog when you can. Also, if you have any ideas, suggestions or recommendations on how we can make the blog even better, feel free to let me know. Your feedback and ideas are surely welcome.

Also, we have decided to continue on with our online trivia contests. So stay tuned for more trivia fun on various topics.

And finally . . . the last trivia question! (Be sure to email your answer to Ronda at rlarson@cityofalliance.net and bring your slips in to the circulation by 5:00 on Friday)

Question #12
Which Poet recited at President Kennedy's inaguration?

Patron Recommendations

Our wonderful patrons often recommend material that they have enjoyed, and I thought that I would share a few of those with you. If you would like to recommend a book, audio book, DVD or useful website, simply email me at luv2read15@yahoo.com, call 762-1387 or stop on by the circulation desk.


This great modern classic depicts life in China at a time before the vast political and social upheavals transformed an essentially agrarian country into a world power. Nobel Prize-winner Pearl S. Buck traces the whole cycle of life—its terrors, its passions, its ambitions, and its rewards. Call numbers FIC BUC & YA BUC



This popular travel series follows guide Rick Steves' on his european travels. A number of episodes are available for checkout. He has an extensive website as well, which compliments the show nicely, at http://www.ricksteves.com/
Call numbers DVD 914



Since it was first published, more than seven million people have been touched by the magic of The Christmas Box, a holiday classic that is as beloved in our time as A Christmas Carol was in Dickens's. When Richard Paul Evans wrote The Christmas Box, he intended it as a private expression of love for his two young daughters, Jenna and Allyson. Though he often told them that he loved them, he didn't feel that they could ever really understand the depth of his feelings until they had experienced the joy of rearing their own children, and by that time their relationship would have changed forever. In writing The Christmas Box, he hoped that at some time in the future they would read the book and know of their father's love. (The person who recommended this book also recommended that it be read with a box of tissues close at hand.) Call Number FIC EVA

An epic on an intimate scale, Memoirs of a Geisha takes the reader behind the rice-paper screens of the geisha house to a vanished floating world of beauty and cruelty, from a poor fishing village in 1929 to the decadence of 1940s Kyoto, through the chaos of World War II to the towers of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, where the gray-eyed geisha Sayuri unfolds the remarkable story of her life. Call Numbers FIC GOL & AB FIC GOL

Bookworm

FICTION
Delia's Crossing by V. C. Andrews: Delia Yebarra, having lost her mother and father in a truck accident, struggles to find a place to call home goes to live with her wealthy aunt, who treats her like a servant, and her cousins, Edward, who is nice, and Sophia, who is jealous of Delia's beauty.

Strangers by Anita Brookner: Paul Sturgis sets off for a holiday in Venice, where he meets Mrs. Vicky Gardner. Upon his return to England, a former girlfriend, Sarah, reenters Paul’s life. These two women reroute Paul’s introspections and spark a transformation within him.

Knock Out by Catherine Coulter: Sheriff Ethan Merriweather goes looking for a missing little girl and soon realizes that Autumn has brought him a huge problem -- a relentless madman who has the ability to control others simply by looking at them, the madman is after Autumn and her mom.

Brimstone by Robert B. Parker: Freelance gunslingers Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch, having found Allie French working in a brothel and relocated to Brimstone, find work as deputy sheriffs, but have trouble keeping peace in the town due to an unsolved string of murders and frequent disagreements between the local saloon owner and preacher.

Fugative by Phillip Margolin: Attorney Amanda Jaffe must find a way to keep her client alive long enough to defend him after she accepts a large retainer to represent Charlie Marsh, a petty crook who fled the U.S. twelve years earlier.

The Lovers by John Connolly: Charlie Parker, forced to give up his private investigator's license, takes a job in a bar and begins to examine his own past and the events surrounding his father's suicide.

Matters of the Heart by Danielle Steel: Photographer Hope Dunne accepts an assignment to photograph author Finn O'Neill, and shortly after meeting him, she falls in love and is whisked away to his estate where she begins to question things he has told her about his past and starts to think that he may not be the man she thought he was.

NON FICTION
Liberty and Tyranny by Mark R. Levin: Presents a series of essays that argue for politically conservative perspectives with regard to liberty and topics such as health care, global warming, immigration, and the economy.

Medical Myths That Can Kill You by Nancy L. Snyderman, M.D.: Dr. Nancy Snyderman offers clear, practical, scientifically proven advice to help people lead a happier, healthier life, while addressing common medical myths that can put people at risk.

The Brain edited by Kenneth Partridge: A series of articles that cover the structure, functions, and historic approaches to study; mapping the mind: advances in Brain-Imaging Technology; brain development from infancy to adulthood; how the brain processes languages; the brain and aging; and efforts to understand human consciousness.

The American History Cookbook by Mark H. Zanger: Traces the history of American cooking through commentary and recipes, featuring fifty chronologically arranged chapters on historical themes and topics, covering a period that ranges from 1200 through the 1970s, each with step-by-step instructions for three or more recipes.

Heydrich: The Face of Evil by Mario R. Dederichs: Reinhard Heydrich, a leading figure within the Nazi Party, he was responsible more than Himmler for the planning and execution of the Holocaust.

The Depression Cure by Dr. Stephen S. Ilardi, PhD.: In many respects, modern Americans should be among the happiest people in the history of the world. Ominously, the rate of depression has been on the rise for decades. What has changed?

Horse Soldiers by Doug Stanton: Recounts events during which, immediately after the attacks of September 11, 2001, a small group of U.S. Special Forces soldiers entered Afghanistan on horseback to capture the city of Mazar-i-Sharif and were ambushed in a battle in which they were outnumbered forty to one.

Based on the Book

The Time Traveler's Wife is the story of Clare, a beautiful art student, and Henry, an adventuresome librarian, who have known each other since Clare was six and Henry was thirty-six, and were married when Clare was twenty-three and Henry thirty-one. Impossible but true, because Henry finds himself periodically displaced in time, pulled to moments of emotional gravity from his life, past and future. His disappearances are spontaneous, his experiences unpredictable, alternately harrowing and amusing.

The novel depicts the effects of time travel on Henry and Clare's marriage and their passionate love for each other, as the story unfolds from both points of view. Clare and Henry attempt to live normal lives, pursuing familiar goals — steady jobs, good friends, children of their own. All of this is threatened by something they can neither prevent nor control, making their story intensely moving and entirely unforgettable.

The film releases August 15th, so be sure to stop in and check out the book before seeing the film!

Digital Sheet Music Online Library

For those of you who are musically inclined, a wonderful library of sheet music is available online.

Collections include an archive of popular American music, historical music, African American sheet music and more! Accessible through the UCLA digital library, their site links to many other wonderful collections.

I found this wonderful resource via the Nebraska Library Commission's Delicious bookmarks, which are worth taking a look at.

Adult Summer Reading Classic Lit Trivia

As part of our adult summer reading fun, I will be posting 2 trivia questions each week. To participate please email Ronda at rlarson@cityofalliance.net with the trivia question number as the subject and be sure to include your full name in the email so we know who you are. The person who correctly answers the most questions at the end of the program will win a prize! (Before participating, please sign up for the summer reading program at the circulation desk in the library.)

Question #11
What Nebraskan was recently chosen as the U.S. Poet Laureate?

Bookworm

Fiction
Summerhill Secrets by Beverly Lewis: Merry Hanson, living amongst the Amish in rural, Pennsylvania, relies on her Christian faith to guide her through such challenging situations as the childhood death of her twin sister, the disappearance of a friend's mother, boy troubles, a skating accident, and her Amish friend's newfound interest in the modern world.

Dear to Me by Wanda E. Brunstetter: Melinda Andrews loves two things deeply her Amish friend Gabe Swartz and the wild animals she helps to heal. When an Englishman tells Melinda she has a special gift with "critters," she dreams of becoming a vet.

Summer Lovin' by Carly Phillips: Zoe Costos is a security specialist with an eccentric family who runs a spa. The family is about to adopt Sam and then Ryan, who claims to be a relative shows up. Ryan is determined to protect Sam and find out the truth about his missing sister. Zoe is the perfect one to help him.

First Murder in Advent by Sharon Wildwind: Three stateside veterans of Vietnam take refuge at a convent and are caught in a curious battle with Catholic nuns on one side and a military think tank on the other. Will they manage to protect each other, find the killer, and save themselves from their guilty consciences?

Relentless by Dean Koontz: Cubby Greenwich is a novelist and is a lucky man. When his novel gets one bad review from a critic, he knows he should ignore it, but doesn't. After he meets the critic who doesn't take criticism, Cubby finds himself in a desperate struggle with a sociopath.

Trouble by Jesse Kellerman: Jonah Stem stumbles across a murder in progress and rushes to protect the young woman being stabbed, inadvertently killing her attacker in the process and placing himself in the midst of a media frenzy that teaches him heroism isn't all it's cracked up to be.

The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella: Lawyer Samantha Sweeting stumbles into a new way of life when a costly error at work has her fleeing to the countryside where she is mistakenly hired as a housekeeper--despite a complete lack of domestic skills--and finds love with the handsome gardener.

Scarlet Feather by Maeve Binchy: Cooking school colleagues Tom Feather and Cathy Scarlet open their catering company, Scarlet Feather, to rave reviews, and are determined to make a success of the business despite the disapproval and interference of certain family members and friends.

Medusa by Clive Cussler: An undersea lab disappears, a bathysphere is attacked by an underwater vehicle and left helpless and only Austin's heroic measures save them. Austin suspects a connection and puts the NUMA team on the case and doesn't know what he's gotten them into. They are not only trying to save their own lives, but millions of others.

The Bourne Deception by Eric Van Lustbader: Jason Bourne takes on a new identity after he survives an assassination attempt, which causes him to wonder what his life could become without any attachment to the name Bourne.

The Story Sisters by Alice Hoffman: Three sisters deal with tragedy after the oldest, Elv, who was sexually abused by a stranger as a child, succumbs to drug addiction and a mental breakdown, the middle sister, Meg, falls ill, and the youngest, Claire, tries to cope with her feelings of guilt over what happened to Elv.

Skeleton Justice by Dr. Michael Baden: Dr. Jake Rosen, deputy chief medical examiner, and Manny Manfreda, lawyer, take on the case of a bizarre serial killer who extracts a vial of blood from his victims. The attacks become more vicious and deadly as they look for a connection between the victims.

The German Woman by Paul Griner: Claus Murphy, an exiled American with German roots who makes propaganda films by day and spies for England at night, meets Kate, the English widow of a German surgeon; but as their relationship deepens, Claus must decide where his loyalties lie.

The Strain by Guillermo Del Toro: When a vampiric virus infecting New York begins to spread, Eph Goodweather--with help from Setrakian and a motley group of fighters--tries to find a way to stop the contagion, rescue the city, and save his wife and son.

Frank McCourt Passes On

August 19, 1931 ~ July 19, 2009

Frank McCourt was an Irish American writer who was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Irish immigrants. After a trying childhood, he spent a good portion of his life teaching creative writing. His first novel, Angela's Ashes, won McCourt the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Los Angeles Times Book Award, the ABBY Award and the Pulitzer Prize for Biography. Click here to read an interview with the author.

Below is a list of the books we have in our collection written by Mr. McCourt

Angela and the Baby Jesus

Angela's Ashes: a memoir

Teacher Man: a memoir

'Tis: a memoir

Classic Lit Trivia

As part of our adult summer reading fun, I will be posting 2 trivia questions each week. To participate please email Ronda at rlarson@cityofalliance.net with the trivia question number as the subject and be sure to include your full name in the email so we know who you are. The person who correctly answers the most questions at the end of the program will win a prize! (Before participating, please sign up for the summer reading program at the circulation desk in the library.)

Question #10
What was J. Edgar Hoover's occupation during college?

Based on the Book

So I went to Harry Potter last night (and yes, it was awesome) and during the previews they played the trailer for the Where the Wild Things Are movie. It looks to be a good and releases in October! Maurice Sendak is one of our favorite children's authors here at the library. If you have kids or grandkids or an inner child, stop by and read a few. They are imaginative and endearing. A few of the titles include In the Night Kitchen, Where the Wild Things Are and Outside Over There.

Adult Summer Reading Classic Lit Trivia

As part of our adult summer reading fun, I will be posting 2 trivia questions each week. To participate please email Ronda at rlarson@cityofalliance.net with the trivia question number as the subject and be sure to include your full name in the email so we know who you are. The person who correctly answers the most questions at the end of the program will win a prize! (Before participating, please sign up for the summer reading program at the circulation desk in the library.)

Question #9

What letter was worn by sinners of the flesh in Nathaniel Hawthorne's classic novel?

Nebraska Memories

Nebraska Memories is a digitalized collection of historical and cultural heritage media made available to the public through the internet. It is a collaboration of institutions across the state, and is intended to make the material freely available to researchers.With over 3,500 items in the database, a rich variety of material is available with additional files being added each month.

To learn more about Nebraska Memories, or to begin your research, visit the website at http://www.memories.ne.gov/

Nebraska Memories is sponsored by The Nebraska Library Commission.

New but not "New"

Here are some more books new to our catalog that didn't make it to the "New" cart:

Peony by Pearl S. Buck
This is the story of a culture within a culture. The conflict between the two cultures comes out as a love affair develops between two young people. Peony is classic Pearl Buck showing not only the conflict of the new and old ways but the difficulty in a society where there was no discrimination against the Jews. Pearl Buck won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1938.







The Complete Book of Cross Stitch Designs by Linda Schaffer
A classic of stitchwork, The Complete Book of Crochet Stitch Designs showcases 500 designs—from traditional favorites to originals found nowhere else. There are soft and lacy patterns; some that mimic knitting, weaving, or patchwork; and others that use large openwork and popcorn stitches. And every stitch design features a photo, reader-friendly instructions, and a diagram showing each stitch and its placement—so it’s easy to understand the entire design at a glance. The guide also includes a pictorial index, which displays the complete pattern, and directions for all basic crochet stitches. Both beginners and experienced crocheters alike will turn to this invaluable reference for years to come. (Please note that we own the "classic" edition, so the cover looks different.)




Guts by Gary Paulsen
In Guts, Gary tells the real stories behind the Brian books, the stories of the adventures that inspired him to write Brian Robeson's story: working as an emergency volunteer; the death that inspired the pilot's death in Hatchet; plane crashes he has seen and near-misses of his own. He describes how he made his own bows and arrows, and takes readers on his first hunting trips, showing the wonder and solace of nature along with his hilarious mishaps and mistakes. He shares special memories, such as the night he attracted every mosquito in the county, or how he met the moose with a sense of humor, and the moose who made it personal. There's a handy chapter on "Eating Eyeballs and Guts or Starving: The Fine Art of Wilderness Nutrition." Recipes included. Readers may wonder how Gary Paulsen survived to write all of his books -- well, it took guts.



Black Hills by Nora Roberts
A summer at his grandparents' South Dakota ranch is not eleven-year-old Cooper Sullivan's idea of a good time. But things are a bit more bearable now that he's discovered the neighbor girl, Lil Chance, and her homemade batting cage. Each year, with Coop's annual summer visit, their friendship deepens from innocent games to stolen kisses, but there is one shared experience that will forever haunt them: the terrifying discovery of a hiker's body.

As part of our adult summer reading fun, I will be posting 2 trivia questions each week. To participate please email Ronda at rlarson@cityofalliance.net with the trivia question number as the subject and be sure to include your full name in the email so we know who you are. The person who correctly answers the most questions at the end of the program will win a prize! (Before participating, please sign up for the summer reading program at the circulation desk in the library.)

Question #8
Which poet served as a nurse during the Civil War?

Fiction
Seducing an Angel by Mary Balogh: Young Stephen Huxtable, the Earl of Merton, becomes entangled in a romantic affair with Cassandra Belmont, a beautiful widow who has been accused of murdering her husband, but taking Cassandra as his wife would risk his reputation.

Marine One by James W. Huston: After the President of the United States is killed in a helicopter crash, Mike Nolan, a Marine Corps reserve helicopter pilot and civilian trial attorney, is hired to defend the European manufacturing company in a court, but his only hope to win is to discover what really caused the crash.

Nightwalkers by P. T. Deutermann: Cam Richter finds himself caught up in mischievous pranks around his land. Then the pranks turn hostile and he realizes he's a target of a killer who holds him responsible for something he didn't do. As he tries to find out why someone wants him dead, he begins to uncover the secrets of the plantation.

Winterkill by C.J. Box: In a violent Wyoming blizzard, game warden Joe Pickett finds an arrow-riddled corpse stuck to a tree. The investigation, run by federal agents with conflicting agendas and strong rivalries, leads to a group of survivalists called the Sovereign Citizens.

Razor Sharp by Fern Michaels: The Ladies of Pinewood are about to come to Lizzie's aid after she takes on a high-profile case involving some "ladies of the night" and some wealthy, arrogant customers. Even the higher courts will prove no match of seven fearless friends determined to ensure that real justice is served, Sisterhood style.

Knit Fast, Die Young by Mary Kruger: Ariadne Evans swore her sleuthing days were over after her very own knitting shop became a crime scene a few months back. But she hadn't anticipated that the Freeport Wool and Yarn Festival would become the site of another murder -- with hers truly as a prime suspect.

The Last Gunfighter Hell Town by William Johnstone: Buckskin, Nevada, was once a boom town then died a peaceful death. But when a fresh vein of silver is struck, Morgan lets himself get pinned with a tin badge at the worst possible time.

Non Fiction
In The Mind's Eye by Elizabeth Dodd: A collection of essays in which Elizabeth Dodd examines the natural and human history of various sites in the American Southwest, southern France, and the Pacific Northwest.

Becoming Attached by Robert Karen: The book offers fresh insight into some of the most fundamental issues of emotional life, a voyage of discovery in children’s emotional development and its pertinence to adult life, and personal discovery.

Walking Your Blues Away by Thom Hartmann: A new approach to using walking to heal emotional trauma and bring forth optimal mental functioning.

American Lion by Jon Meacham: Details the life of the seventh President of the United States, Andrew Jackson, and focuses on his political actions and choices that shaped the White House and inspired the later presidents--including Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, and others.

The Last Princess by Matthew Dennison: A comprehensive biography of Beatrice, the youngest daughter of England's Queen Victoria, that chronicles her life, devotion to her mother, marriage, and family.

Paul Newman: A Life by Shawn Levy: Looks at the life of Oscar-winning actor Paul Newman, discussing his youth in Cleveland, Ohio, his early acting struggles, his artistic battles, long-lasting marriage to Joanne Woodward, late-life decision to become a race car driver, and charitable work.

Eat This, Not That for Kids by David Zinczenko: Provides nutritional facts for thousands of foods from fast-food restaurants to vending machine choices that children usually enjoy; and suggests healthier alternatives.

Harrry Potter is almost here!

And boy am I excited! We have 2 copies of the book available for checkout, and you still have time to read (or reread) it before the movie comes out.)

Click here for an interview with Emma Watson on the movie.

New but not "New"

The following are books newly dded to our collection that did not make it onto the "New" cart:


The Essential 55: an award-winning educator's rules for discovering the successful student in every child by Ron Clark
The runaway bestseller that's a must-have for every parent and teacher.
How many authors would travel coast to coast on a bus to get their book into as many hands as possible? Not many. But that's just what Ron Clark, author of The Essential 55, did to keep his book and message in the public eye. And it worked. The book sat tenaciously on the New York Times bestseller list for 11 weeks. Ron Clark was featured on the Today show, and in the Chicago Tribune, Good Housekeeping, and the New York Daily News -- not to mention the calls we've received from teachers and parents who want to get their hands on Ron's guidelines for teaching children. Call number 371.102 CLA


The Book Borrower by Alice Mattison
In deceptively quiet, guileless prose, she has described the mind numbing routine of child-care and the fraught, complex relations of men and women. Only Margaret Atwood has written as knowingly about the frienship between women. Emotionally wrenching, beautifully realized work. Call number FIC MAT







The One-Life Solution by Dr. Henry Cloud
Do you feel that if you could get rid of some of the chaos in your work life, you could take your performance to a greater level? Do you stay late at the office many nights, or check your BlackBerry when you don't? Do you have difficulty dealing with cantankerous bosses or passive-aggressive coworkers? If you've answered yes, your performance is suffering and your work life has taken over your personal life. In The One-Life Solution, bestselling author Dr. Henry Cloud examines the workplace. Through engaging real-world examples, Dr. Cloud shows us how to construct and enforce better boundaries against the technological devices, bullying bosses, and distracting coworkers who invade our time and space. Call number 650.1 CLO


The Works of Edgar Allan Poe
This beautifully bound volume includes over 70 stories and 40 poems, including his famous works The Pit and the Pendulum, The Tell-Tale Heart & The Raven. Call number FIC POE





The Pictorial Encyclopedia of Japanese Culture: the sould and heritage of Japan
This book is visual rich as well as informative. It provides a comprehensive look at the Japanese culture. Call number 390.0952 PIC

Adult Summer Reading Classic Lit Trivia

As part of our adult summer reading fun, I will be posting 2 trivia questions each week. To participate please email Ronda at rlarson@cityofalliance.net with the trivia question number as the subject and be sure to include your full name in the email so we know who you are. The person who correctly answers the most questions at the end of the program will win a prize! (Before participating, please sign up for the summer reading program at the circulation desk in the library.)

Question #7

What was the original title of The Long Hot Summer?

Lots of New VHS!

Since DVD technology has taken over, we have been receiving more and more VHS donations, many which are finding their way into our collection. Nearly 30 new titles have been added to our catalog this week alone, including the following titles:

Armageddon

Batman Forever

Hot Shots

The Hunt for Red October

Romancing the Stone & Jewel of the Nile

Robin Hood: Men in Tights

The Pink Panther & Return of the Pink Panther

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

The Sixth Sense and many more!

Be sure to stop in and check out our ever growing movie collection. Movies are checked out for one week and 3 can be taken home at a time. Best of all - it's FREE!

Bookworm

Alexandria by Lindsey Davis: In the first century A.D. in Rome, Marcus Didius Falco works as a private "informer" often for the emperor. When he takes a vacation to Alexandria Egypt, he soon finds himself in the midst of a case involving the Head Librarian of the world-famous library found dead behind locked doors.

Shadows Still Remain by Peter De Jonce: New York Police Department detective Darlene O'Hara risks losing her job when she refuses to believe that the prime suspect in the murder of a college student is guilty and sets out to find the real killer.

The Branch and the Scaffold by Loren D. Estleman: A fictional account of the life of Judge Isaac Parker, telling how he earned the title of "Hanging Judge of the Border" for his severe judgments during his tenure as the sole law in the territory around Fort Smith, Arkansas.

Return of the Mountain Man by William W. Johnstone: The town of Bury, Idaho was raw and untamed and not for the faint-hearted, but Smoke Jensen was neither. Nor were the outlaws he was after -- the ones who had killed his wife and boy.

The Valentine Legacy by Catherine Coulter: Jessie Warfield and James Wyndham are an unlikely romantic duo in the riding set. James is being pressured to marry her and Jessie is being pressured to leave. She runs away but ends up at James' cousins and is transformed into a stylish and beautiful maiden.

The King James Conspiracy by Phillip DePoy: In 1605, at Cambridge University, one of the translators working on the new Bible is savagely murdered by unknown hands. Help comes from people who are not who they claim to be -- Brother Timon has a secret past and blood on his hands. He is an agent for the forces working to stop the translation itself.

Flinx Transcendent by Alan Dean Foster: Flinx races against time and various obstacles to save the Human Commonwealth from certain destruction, and must face the AAnn, come to terms with the truth about his father, locate an ancient sentient weapons platform, and outwit assassins.

The Increment by David Ignatius: Harry Pappas, chief of Persia House for the CIA, receives intel about the Iranian bomb program from an Iranian scientist, but when the scientist's life is in jeopardy, and the United States government is little help, Pappas is forced to betray America and enlist the aid of a British spy team known as "The Increment."

The Scarecrow by Michael Connelly: Forced out of the "Los Angeles Times" amid the latest budget cuts, newspaperman Jack McEvoy decides to go out with a bang, and uses his final days at the paper to write the definitive murder story of his career.

Whispers of the Dead by Simon Beckett: Forensic anthropologist David Hunter travels from London to a field laboratory in Knoxville, Tennessee, and after he is called to a crime scene in a remote mountain cabin, Hunter begins to search for a serial killer who is knowledgeable about forensics.

Wicked Prey by John Sanford: Lucas Davenport grows increasingly concerned about various potential threats as the Republican convention in St. Paul approaches, and Randy Whitcomb, a pimp and petty thief with a grudge regarding a stray bullet that left him in a wheelchair, plans a way to get revenge by targeting Davenport's fourteen-year-old adopted daughter.

An Honorable German by Charles McCain: Max Brekendorf, a young German
German naval officer, commands a U-Boat in the beginning of World War II, but as the war progresses, Max worries about his fiancée, Mareth, who faces danger while living in Berlin, and Max must make a choice between his own morality and his loyalty to the Reich.

Cemetary Dance by Douglas Preston: FBI special agent Aloysius Pendergast and Lieutenant Vincent D'Agosta think they have an open and shut murder case when they receive footage of the killer leaving the victim's apartment, but things are not so clear when they learn the suspect actually died two weeks before the crime.

Gone Tommorrow by Lee Child: Jack Reacher survives a suicide bombing that claimed the life of Susan Mark, and with the help of a female police officer, Reacher looks for answers about Susan Mark's life, and follows a trail that leads him to Washington, California, and Afghanistan.

Adult Summer Reading Classic Lit Trivia

As part of our adult summer reading fun, I will be posting 2 trivia questions each week. To participate please email Ronda at rlarson@cityofalliance.net with the trivia question number as the subject and be sure to include your full name in the email so we know who you are. The person who correctly answers the most questions at the end of the program will win a prize! (Before participating, please sign up for the summer reading program at the circulation desk in the library.)

Question #6
Which Nebraska author wanted to be a medical doctor?

Based on the Book

Anna is not sick, but she might as well be. By age thirteen, she has undergone countless surgeries, transfusions, and shots so that her older sister, Kate, can somehow fight the leukemia that has plagued her since childhood. The product of preimplantation genetic diagnosis, Anna was conceived as a bone marrow match for Kate -- a life and a role that she has never challenged...until now. Like most teenagers, Anna is beginning to question who she truly is. But unlike most teenagers, she has always been defined in terms of her sister -- and so Anna makes a decision that for most would be unthinkable, a decision that will tear her family apart and have perhaps fatal consequences for the sister she loves.

Here's the trailer of the movie and an interview with the actresses. Be sure to stop in and check out the book before seeing the movie!

Happy 4th of July!

Wishing you and your family a wonderful 4th of July from the staff here at the Alliance Public Library! The library will be closed Friday,

Saturday and Sunday.

Take a moment this weekend to reflect over the vision our founding fathers had for the United States of America by clicking here to read The Declaration of Independence.

The History of Independece Day

We have a wonderful DVD available for checkout titled Independence Day: The History of the 4th of July and it can be found in our DVD collection under the call number DVD 394.2634 IND

Hurry in and check it out! It would be a nice way to wind down your 4th of July celebration (after the barbecue and fireworks, of course.)

I tried to find a clip to share with you here, but was unsuccessful; however, if you click here, you'll be directed to a nice selection of Fourth of July related videos on the History Channel website.