A Thousand Acres

A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley won the 1992 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. It was made into a film in 1997. This book is written as a contemporary parallel to Shakespeare's King Lear. The plot involves, Larry Cook, an aging farmer who hands his thousand acre farm over to his three daughters and drama ensues. This book is for the more mature reader who likes to think and brood over characters, plot, and themes.

P.S. Don't forget to feed the fish!

Sag Harbor by Colson Whitehead

The year is 1985. Benji Cooper is one of the only black students at an elite prep school in Manhattan. He spends his falls and winters going to roller-disco bar mitzvahs and playing too much Dungeons and Dragons, 

But every summer, Benji escapes to the Hamptons, to Sag Harbor, where a small community of African American professionals have built a world of their own. Because their parents come out only on weekends, he and his friends are left to their own devices for three glorious months. Read this story about being young and black and priveleged in the 1980s.

Whitehead is a 2002 recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship. You can visit his blog at http://www.colsonwhitehead.com/Home/Home.html.

Leslie

Say "hello" to Leslie, one of the library's most enthusiastic readers. Leslie shares her love of reading by donating her "gently read" books to the library. So the next time you check out a library book, look for the bookplate that identifies Leslie's donations. From all readers at SWAHS we say THANK YOU LESLIE!!!

New York The Big City

Check out the most recent addition to our Graphic Novels Collection, New York, The Big City by Will Eisner. In comic strip fashion, Eisner protrays a series of vignettes that examine nine elements of New York City: The Treasure of Avenue "C," Stoops, Subways, Garbage, Street Music, Sentinels, Windows, Walls, and finally, the Block. Although this book is written by a New York City native the elements he writes about could be found in other big cities. This book has been used as a springboard in high school writing classes.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

If you enjoy British humor and science fiction, you must read The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. The main character is Arthur Dent, who travels the galaxy with his brave pal, Ford Prefect, an alien from a small planet somewhere in the vicinity of Betelgeuse. The pair wreak havoc as they get into one hilarious mess after another. If you've had enough of the dark world of vampires and demons and wizards and would like to read something light hearted, check out this book. Other titles in our library collection by Douglas Adams are: Life, the Universe, and Everything and Mostly Harmless.

Douglas Adams was the creator of all the various manifestations of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy which started life as a BBC Radio 4 series. Since its first airing in March 1978 it has been transformed into a series of best-selling novels, a TV series, a record album, a computer game and several stage adaptations.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy's phenomenal success sent the book straight to Number One in the UK Bestseller List and in 1984 Douglas Adams became the youngest author to be awarded a Golden Pan. He won a further two (a rare feat), and was nominated - though not selected - for the first Best of Young British Novelists awards.

You can check out Adams' biography here: http://www.douglasadams.com/dna/bio.html

Persepolis

Graphic novels are not all Manga, and some are actually non-fiction. Take Persepolis, for example. Persepolis is Marjane Satrapi's memoir of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. In black-and-white comic strip images, Satrapi tells the story of her life in Tehran from ages six to fourteen, years that saw the overthrow of the Shah's regime, the triumph of the Islamic Revolution, and the devastating effects of war with Iraq.

In Persepolis, you can learn about daily life in Iran and of the bewildering contradictions between home life and public life and of the enormous toll repressive regimes exact on the individual spirit. It is a reminder of the human cost of war and political repression. But it is also the story of a little girl.

If you like Maus, by Art Spiegelman, you will most likely love Persepolis.

As always, I'd like to know what you think!

Vampire Academy

If you've read the entire Twilight Series and you're still thirsting for more vampire action, try reading the Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead, New York Times and USA Today's best selling fantasy author. You can check out her website at http://www.richellemead.com/.

In the Vampire Academy Series, Two races of vampires walk our world. One, the Moroi, are alive and wield elemental magical. The other, the Strigoi, are undead and evil--feeding on the innocent to survive. Rose Hathaway--a half-vampire with poor impulse control--is training to be a bodyguard for a Moroi princess. Learning to decapitate and stake is hard enough, but Rose's real danger may lie in an illicit romance with one of her instructors...

This series, whose titles are listed below, have recently arrived in the Library:

1. Vampire Academy

2. Frostbite

3. Shadow Kiss

4. Blood Promise

The fifth title in the series, Spirit Bound, will be released May 18, 2010. Happy Reading!

Erinn

Erinn is one of our most enthusiastic library patrons.  She posed for us recently with a book she enjoyed. One of Erinn's favorite authors is Ted Dekker. Why not check out this author and see if you agree with Erinn.

An Afghan in the Library

An Afghan recently visited the Library. I made the mistake of referring to him as an Afghani. He corrected me and told me that Afghani is the name of their money. The people of Afghan are referred to as Afghans. Thanks for the lesson Mr. Radulski!

Halloween 2009 in the Library

     Joe Torre played for the Braves, the Cardinals, and the Mets before managing all three teams. From 1996 to 2007, Torre managed the New York Yankees. As pictured here, he is currently the manager for the Los Angeles Dodgers. In this book co-written by Tom Verducci, Torre gives the behind the scenes tale of his time with the Yankees. When Joe Torre took over as manager of the New York Yankees in 1996, they had not won a World Series title in eighteen years. The notoriously brutal New York media, cited Torre's record as the player and manager who had been in the most Major League games without appearing in a World Series.

Twelve years later, Torre left the team as the most beloved and successful manager in the game. The Yankees had twelve straight playoff appearances, Six American League pennants, and Four World Series titles. Torre forged a united team and made the Yankees, arguably, the greatest team in sports. Now with the 2009 World Series Title under their belts, you don't want to miss this book about the Yankees!

suit of armor

Our suit of armor is dressed and ready to celebrate Thanksgiving! Mrs. Lynch and I are trying to come up with a name for this character who came to live in the library after Mrs. Hawkins retired. We welcome any suggestions!

Trever

Trever relaxes in the library's "chill spot" with a new novel by James Patterson. Trever is an avid reader and highly recommends Patterson's books. At his request, we have added several new titles to our collection.

Where Men Win Glory

This just in! In May 2002, Pat Tillman walked away from his $3.6 million NFL contract to enlist in the United States Army. He was deeply troubled by 9/11, and he felt a strong moral obligation to join the fight against al-Qaeda and the Taliban. Two years later, he died on a desolate hillside in southeastern Afghanistan. Where Men Win Glory is Tillman's story. Check it out at the SWAHS Library!

Phineas Gage

Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story about Brain Science tells the incredible story of a railroad worker who, in 1848, survived the piercing blast of a 13-pound iron rod as it entered below his cheekbone and exited the front of his skull.  Miraculously, he survived eleven years after the surgery and became a textbook case in brain science. Although he could walk, talk, work, and travel, Phineas was changed. He had a new personality. John Fleischman, the author, is a science writer for the American Society for Cell Biology. This book includes photographs and a glossary. Whether or not you intend to grow up to be a brain surgeon, you will find this true story a compelling read!

Crickets

Here's a mathmatical cricketism from Mrs. Hobensak:  Count the number of times a cricket chirps within 15 seconds and add 37, the result will be an approximation of the temperature outside. So the next time you lose your thermometer, catch a cricket and start timing! This is an actual SWAHS Library Cricket. No Crickets were harmed in the creation of this post!

I'm going to go out on a limb and talk about a book I  read as a college student. It was all the rage in the '70's! I know this will date me but I loved the book and I'd be thrilled if one of our SWAHS students would read it.

Even though the main character, Fiver, is a rabbit, this is no children's book. This book won the Carnegie Medal and was a nominee for the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Adult Literature.

Watership Down is a heroic fantasy novel about a group of rabbits who face the destruction of their warren. The novel describes their odyssey as they seek a place to establish a new home. The rabbits live in a warren in a field like normal rabbits but they are anthropomorphised, and possess their own language and culture.

Yes you could watch the movie...but I challenge you to check this book out of our library and spend some time with this maverick band of rabbits that give insight into the society of man. Be sure to let me know what you think!

Ishmael Beah

Meet Ishmael Beah who at age 13 became a drugged up AK-47 wielding soldier who committed unspeakable acts of violence. At age sixteen he was removed from fighting by UNICEF and rehabilitated. He moved to the United States and finished high school at the United Nations International School in New York. He graduated from Oberlin College in 2004. Ishmael is now 29 years old. This is a true story. In more than fifty conflicts going on worldwide, it is estimated that there are some 300,000 child soldiers. Ishmael Beah was one of them.

Enrich your life with non-fiction! You will find this book in our library. Don't miss it!

Jodi Picoult

There are far too many good authors for me to choose one, but Jodi Picoult is definitely a favorite. She was recommended to me by Mrs. Laidacker.  I first read My Sister's Keeper and then I was hooked. She intertwines well researched legal, medical, and controversial social issues into her suspenseful plots. Jodi Picoult (whose last name is pronounced Pee KOE) is the bestselling author of fifteen novels.
We have the following Picoult novels in our library:
Plain Truth
My Sister's Keeper
Nineteen Minutes
Handle With Care

My Sister's Keeper was made into a movie but the ending is different from the book. Has anyone seen it?

We have ordered The Pact. I'll let you know when it arrives!

You can visit her website at: http://www.jodipicoult.com/index.html

Computers

Equipped with 24 computers, the library is a great place to do internet research. Do you recognize these lovely researchers?

Mysteries of the Unknown

Have you checked out Mrs. Lynch's SPOOKY table laden with books that are sure to send a shiver up your spine? While most of the selections are fiction, included are books from the Mysteries of the Unkown series published by Time-Life. The complete list of titles in our library are:
Psychic Voyages
Ancient Wisdom and Secret Sects
Spirit Summonings
Dreams and Dreaming
Phantom Encounters
Mystic Places
Hauntings
Transformations
Cosmic Connections
Search for the Soul
Mysterious Creatures
Visions and Prophecies
Mind Over Matter
Witches and Witchcraft
Time-Life's series "Mysteries of the Unknown" is a fascinating and well accounted collection of strange phenomena and speculations. This is a great series, and provides information from many well known sources. Remember, however, that much of what you read is speculation and not scientific fact. Always read critically! If you are looking for a few goosebumps, however, the library might be able to help!

Chess

Christopher Paolini

Have you read these books by Christopher Paolini yet?

http://www.alagaesia.com/christopherpaolini.htm

Crickets

Every fall, crickets invade our library. Although their chirping adds to the library ambiance, we occasionally have to ask them to use their "library voices."

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

I read The Help this summer and loved it! Not only was it a compelling read, but it also gave great insight into the social dynamics of Mississippi in the 1960s. Although it is a work of fiction, it has great value as an inside look at the '60's civil rights movement in the United States.
Skeeter, the main character is a white girl who decides to write a book exposing the social oppression of black maids. She convinces several maids, "The Help," to give their stories. The book puts both Skeeter and her black counterparts at great risk. It is a risk they are willing to take but the consequences are costly.
This novel is available in the SWAHS Library. If you have read it or if you read it in the future, please let me know what you think!

http://www.kathrynstockett.com/