Daniel Boone Regional Library

We recently added “Bully” to the DBRL collection. The film played at the True/False Film Festival in 2012, and currently has a rating of 86% from critics at Rotten Tomatoes. Here’s a synopsis from our catalog:

This is a character-driven documentary following five kids and families over the course of a school year. Offering insight into different facets of America’s bullying crisis, the stories include two families who have lost children to suicide and a mother awaiting the fate of her 14-year-old daughter, who has been incarcerated after bringing a gun on her school bus. Documentary provides an intimate and often shocking glimpse into homes, classrooms, cafeterias and principals’ offices.

Check out the film trailer or the official film site for more info. DBRL also has the companion book in paperback or on audiobook cd. 

If I were to pick the most famous, talked about, reinvented and loved fictional detective of all time, I’m sure anyone could guess who it would be: Sherlock Holmes. Good old Sherlock has been portrayed so many times over the years, from Basil Rathbone’s performance in the 1930s and 40s to today’s interpretation by the handsome, cold, calculating Benedict Cumberbatch. American producers have even thrown their own versions into the ring with television shows like “House M.D.” and the new series “Elementary.” Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the world can’t get enough of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s highly functioning sociopath turned consulting detective. And if you’re anything like me, you can’t either.

The library has in its collection fabulous books from the series The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Titan Books has gathered some amazing authors to recreate classic Doyle characters in new missions, most you may recognize. “Sherlock Holmes vs. Dracula,” “Sherlock Holmes and the Angel of the Opera” and “Sherlock Holmes and the Army of Dr. Moreau” are well-written and stimulating crossovers for all Holmes fans alike!

But maybe Sherlock isn’t exactly your cup of tea? Perhaps you prefer the other side of the coin, and Moriarty is your very reason for putting up with that Sherlock sod and his sidekick Dr. John Watson. In this case, I highly recommend getting to know thief Arsène Lupin, created by Maurice LeBlanc. In 1907 Maurice invented Lupin as a counterpart to Sherlock Holmes. In fact, LeBlanc went so far as to write a crossover where Sherlock meets Lupin for the first time, but because of copyright issues LeBlanc was forced to change the detective’s name to “Herlock Sholmes.” Herlock shows up in a few more of Lupin’s adventures to act as an antagonist. DBRL carries “Arsène Lupin, Gentleman-thief” and “The Crystal-Stopper” (electronic text only) for your reading pleasure.

If I were to pick the most famous, talked about, reinvented and loved fictional detective of all time, I’m sure anyone could guess who it would be: Sherlock Holmes. Good old Sherlock has been portrayed so many times over the years, from Basil Rathbone’s performance in the 1930s and 40s to today’s interpretation by the handsome, cold, calculating Benedict Cumberbatch. American producers have even thrown their own versions into the ring with television shows like “House M.D.” and the new series “Elementary.” Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the world can’t get enough of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s highly functioning sociopath turned consulting detective. And if you’re anything like me, you can’t either.

The library has in its collection fabulous books from the series The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Titan Books has gathered some amazing authors to recreate classic Doyle characters in new missions, most you may recognize. “Sherlock Holmes vs. Dracula,” “Sherlock Holmes and the Angel of the Opera” and “Sherlock Holmes and the Army of Dr. Moreau” are well-written and stimulating crossovers for all Holmes fans alike!

But maybe Sherlock isn’t exactly your cup of tea? Perhaps you prefer the other side of the coin, and Moriarty is your very reason for putting up with that Sherlock sod and his sidekick Dr. John Watson. In this case, I highly recommend getting to know thief Arsène Lupin, created by Maurice LeBlanc. In 1907 Maurice invented Lupin as a counterpart to Sherlock Holmes. In fact, LeBlanc went so far as to write a crossover where Sherlock meets Lupin for the first time, but because of copyright issues LeBlanc was forced to change the detective’s name to “Herlock Sholmes.” Herlock shows up in a few more of Lupin’s adventures to act as an antagonist. DBRL carries “Arsène Lupin, Gentleman-thief” and “The Crystal-Stopper” (electronic text only) for your reading pleasure.

Reviewer: Kelly T.

Why you liked this book: This book is amazing! Piper is a strong character because she is deaf and able to overcome all the problems that get thrown in her face. I love that there are all these references to American Sign Language which many people don’t seem to know about. I think that everyone needs to read this book!

Three words that describe this book: heartfelt, astounding, and beautiful.

You might pick this book up if… you liked “The Vinyl Princess” by Yvonne Prinz or “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist” by Rachel Cohen and David Levithan. If you are looking for another great read, you should also check out the rest of this year’s Gateway Award nominees.

We’ve compiled a list of previous documentaries available at DBRL from the directors who are presenting films at the upcoming True/False Film Fest. Check out their old films before you attend the fest for their new films!

Lucy Walker
True/False 2013 film: “Crash Reel”
Past films as director: “Waste Land,” “Countdown to Zero,” “Blindsight,” “Devil’s Playground”

Richard Rowley
True/False 2013 film: “Dirty Wars”
Past film as director: “The Fourth World War”

Lucien Castaing-Taylor
True/False 2013 films: “Leviathan,” ”Sweetgrass”
Past film as director: “Sweetgrass”

Greg Barker
True/False 2013 film: “Manhunt”
Past films as director: “Sergio,” “Ghosts of Rwanda,” “Commanding Heights”

Robert Stone
True/False 2013 film: “Pussy Riot — A Punk Prayer”
Past films as director: “Earth Days,” “Oswald’s Ghost,” “Civilian Conservation Corps”

Morgan Neville
True/False 2013 film: “Twenty Feet From Stardom”
Past films as director: “Troubadours,” “Respect Yourself,” “Muddy Waters,” “Shakespeare Was A Big George Jones Fan,” “Iggy and the Stooges”

Sebastian Junger
True/False 2013 film: “Which Way is the Front Line From Here?”
Past film as director: “Restrepo”

To see more about the films showing at True False 2013, check out the list of films on the True/False website or check out the the trailers for the festival on youtube. Be sure to check out our True/False Film Fest films at DBRL to see lists of past True False films.

On Wednesday, February 27, a rock and roll band called Menomena will be coming to Columbia to perform at Mojo’s. They are from Portland (the more Fred Armisen-y one), so, even if you aren’t a fan of their music, I encourage you to attend their show if only to display your CoMo pride by politely informing them at their merchandise booth before and/or after the show while you purchase many t-shirts and compact discs, that “Columbia is fancy, just look at what I’m wearing.” or “We too have trucks that drive around all full up of tacos and which exchange said tacos for money.” or “Heavens to Betsy man, our public library has a BLOG, do you hear me? A BLOG.” Your message will be clearer when scrawled on paper money that you then tuck courteously into their fashionable trousers.

Saying/writing these things will do more than make you a patron of the arts and ensure Menomena will be able to have breakfast the next day. (Growing rock bands need a good breakfast.) Obviously this discourse will make it clear that Columbia isn’t a town to be trifled with and that a critically acclaimed band can’t just waltz into town and play a sure-to-be outstanding show (seen ‘em be awesome twice, and I’m certain this will make thrice) without doing a neurotically thorough self-Googling to determine if any blog posts have been generated promoting their appearance and then becoming best friends with the author and giving him a free t-shirt and why not a cut of the merchandise revenue, maybe?

Menomena is touring as a five-piece because it takes upwards of ten hands to satisfy the mad ambition of these geniuses. But in the studio, it’s just Danny Seim and Justin Harris. (Prior to 2012 they were joined by Brent Knopf, but he left the band because only two people can comfortably fit on a tandem bicycle, and he wanted to focus on his other band, the also excellent “Ramona Falls.”) “How can it take five people on stage to do what only two do in the studio?” I ask furiously. People have attempted to explain to me that the duo uses modern recording “tricks” like computers, microphones and saxophones, and that this technological wizardry allows the band to simulate an entire roomful of people willing to play for absolutely no compensation or even the basic respect that one should afford their fellow humans.

You should check out their music, and then go to their show and buy a bunch of merchandise and remind them that you wouldn’t be there if it wasn’t for that strange dude nervously milling about who seems to want to say something to the band and could probably use a kind word and maybe a modest slice of the profits from the show ’cause seriously you’re just going to spend it on food and guitars and maybe something like an exotic pet (though certainly not a haircut! HA HA).

The Daniel Boone Regional Library has an action-packed spring line-up for area teens. Vote for your favorite young adult novel in the March Madness Teen Book Tournament. Showcase your artistry by designing a bookmark for our teen summer reading program. Have fun by creating your favorite Star Wars characters out of origami. Challenge your friends to a game of “Super Mario Bros” with the library’s new Wii U. To receive email reminders of these and other teen programs, sign up for our blog updates!

March Madness Teen Book Tournament

March Madness is approaching, but why should basketball fans have all the fun? At your library or online at teens.dbrl.org, you can help us name a Mid-Missouri teen book champion. Each Tuesday in March we will be narrowing our pool of the 16 most popular teen books to a single champion. Vote March 5-11 for the Elite 8; vote March 12-18 for the Final 4; vote March 19-25 for the final two contending titles; and vote March 26-April 1 for the book tournament champion. We’ll announce the winner on April 3! Don’t forget that by supporting your favorite book, you’ll also be entered to win prizes like a gift card to Barnes & Noble, or a free autographed copy of “Legend” by Marie Lu.

Design a Bookmark Contest

Help us get ready for Summer Reading by designing an original bookmark based on the teen theme, ”Beneath the Surface.” Winners’ artwork from each library branch will appear on bookmarks to be distributed late spring through summer. Please design two-dimensional artwork, using crayons, markers or any other illustration tool or medium. Photography is also acceptable, as long as it is your own! Download an entry form at teens.dbrl.org after March 1, or pick one up at your nearest library branch. Ages 12-18. Entry deadline is Saturday, March 30.

Callaway County Youth Poetry Contest

As part of National Poetry Month in April, we invite Callaway County teens to submit their original poems with a chance to win an award and have their work displayed at the Callaway County Public Library, Central Bank and at teens.dbrl.org. Get contest rules and entry forms after March 1 at the library, bookmobile or at teens.dbrl.org. Entries due April 6. An awards ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 25 at the library. Co-sponsored by the Auxvasse Creative Arts Program.

Star Wars Origami

If you’ve read the “Origami Yoda” series by Tom Angleberger or are just a Star Wars fan, join us to learn to fold origami Yoda, Darth Vader and other Star Wars figures.

Callaway County
Public Library
Sat., Apr. 27,
2 p.m. SoBoCo Public Library
Tues., Apr. 30, 3:30 p.m.

To register, please call
(573) 657-7378
after April 16. Columbia
Public Library
Tues., May 7,
5:30 p.m. Wii U Lauch Party/Teen Game Night

Test drive the library’s new Wii U game console. Become a ghost hunter in “Luigi’s Ghost Mansion,” defeat evil aliens in your own “Metroid” spaceship, or team up with your friends to conquer Bowser in the new “Super Mario Bros.” We’ll also have snacks and a selection of the library’s newest teen fiction, music and DVDs for you to check out.

Columbia Public Library
Wed., Apr. 3, 6 p.m.

To register, please call
(573) 443-3161
after Tuesday, March 19. SoBoCo Public Library
Fri., Apr. 19, 6:30 p.m.

To register, please call
(573) 657-7378
after Friday, April 5. Columbia Public Library
Wed., May 1, 6 p.m.

To register, please call
(573) 443-3161
after Tuesday, April 23

Google is an incredibly powerful search engine. Type in a keyword or phrase and Google returns results in a fraction of a second. “Sandwiches Columbia Missouri” will give you a list of possible places where you can grab a quick lunch. You can also use a minus (-) sign to tell Google what not to include in your search results, so if you are looking for a cake recipe that isn’t chocolate, type in “cake recipe -chocolate.” You will get everything from carrot cakes to cauliflower cakes!

Did you know that Google also has some built-in tools for everyday tasks you might want to accomplish online? Here are five of my favorites.

1. Calculate anything. Type an equation in the search box, and Google becomes a calculator. Try typing “15 x 5 =” (and make sure to use spaces in between the numbers and symbols) and see what happens.
2. Get a definition. Google also functions as a dictionary! Put “define:” in front of any word to find out its meaning.
3. Weather and time. Type the word “weather” and any location or zip code to quickly see whether you need that hat and gloves or if you should pack an umbrella. Similarly, the word “time” and any location will tell you exactly what time it is in that location. As I’m drafting this, it is 9:26 p.m. in Istanbul, just in case you were wondering.
4. Search a specific site. If you want search results from a specific website (like the Daniel Boone Regional Library, for instance) or a specific type of site (.gov or .edu), begin your search phrase with “site:dbrl.org” or “site:.gov,” followed by a space and your keyword(s).  Try “site:dbrl.org ebooks” to see pages on the library’s website related to this popular service.
5. Keep it local. Follow your place search with a zip code if you want your results to be relevant to your physical location. Coffee 65251 will tell you where to get your caffeine fix in Fulton.

Want to learn more tips and tricks? Check our online program calendar for upcoming computer classes, including Google Toolbox and Advanced Internet. Have a favorite trick of your own? Let us know in the comments.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013 • 6:30 p.m.
Columbia Public Library, Friends Room

“The Queen of Versailles” (100 min.) is a character-driven documentary about a billionaire family and their financial challenges in the wake of the economic crisis. The film begins with the family triumphantly constructing the biggest house in America, a 90,000 sq. ft. palace. Over the next two years, their sprawling empire, fueled by the real estate bubble and cheap money, falters due to the economic crisis. Major changes in lifestyle and character ensue within the cross-cultural household of family members and domestic staff. This documentary by director Lauren Greenfield was shown at the True/False Film Fest in 2012. Greenfield also directed the film “Thin“ in 2006. Check out the trailer for the film below.

February 21: “Hip-Hip: Beyond Beats and Rhymes” 7:00 pm at the Gaines/Oldham Black Culture Center, free. Panel discussion to follow. (via)

2012 Missouri Poetry Out Loud Champion Cameron Locke

Poetry Out Loud Competition
Wednesday, February 20, 10 a.m.
Columbia Public Library

Area high school students will be competing for a spot in the Missouri state championship at this recitation competition. Missouri’s winner progresses to the national Poetry Out Loud championship held in Washington, D.C. Come observe and encourage the students as they perform their poems. This program of the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation is coordinated locally by the City of Columbia Office of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the Missouri Arts Council. For more information, go to www.poetryoutloud.org.

Thanks to everyone who came to the “The Pruitt-Igoe Myth” showing at the Columbia Public Library. Here are some questions about the film that you can respond to in the comments section of this blog post:

1. Did you relate to the personal stories in the film?
2. What do you think about the architecture of the projects?
3. What lessons can city planners take away from this film?

As a reader and a writer, I find a thoughtfully crafted message, handwritten in a card, more moving than a bouquet of flowers. My spouse of many years knows better than to let Hallmark do his writing for him. Are you struggling for the right words to write or say to your Valentine this year? How about a little inspiration from the library’s poetry collection?

“Blushing: Expressions of Love in Poems & Letters“ collected by Paul B. Janeczko
Classic poets and writers, from Shakespeare to Maya Angelou, write about love from all of its angles, from all-consuming new love to remembering love after its flame has ceased to burn. Take a tip from Rumi, who wrote, “In your light I learn how to love. / In your beauty, how to make poems.”

“Here Is My Heart” compiled by William Jay Smith
The illustrations in this slim little volume lend it a picture-book quality, but this isn’t verse just for kids. Most of the poems in this collection are short enough to be copied onto a card or paper heart, and their moods vary, from playful (Jack Pretlutsky declaring, “I love you more than applesauce”) to serious (Kenneth Koch writing, “As the adjective is lost in the sentence, / So I am lost in your eyes, ears, nose, and throat — / You have enchanted me with a single kiss / Which can never be undone / Until the destruction of language”).

“Love Poetry Out Loud” edited by Robert Alden Rubin
A fantastic collection of words to woo by, including works by both famous and lesser-known poets. In “Resignation,” Nikki Giovanni describes the helpless wonder of being in love: “I love you / because the Earth turns round the sun / because the North wind blows north” and “because only my love for you / despite the charms of gravity / keeps me from falling off this Earth / into another dimension.” Swoon-worthy sentiments, no?

Find even more inspiration in our catalog list of romantic poetry. Happy Valentine’s Day!

As a reader and a writer, I find a thoughtfully crafted message, handwritten in a card, more moving than a bouquet of flowers. My spouse of many years knows better than to let Hallmark do his writing for him. Are you struggling for the right words to write or say to your Valentine this year? How about a little inspiration from the library’s poetry collection?

“Blushing: Expressions of Love in Poems & Letters“ collected by Paul B. Janeczko
Classic poets and writers, from Shakespeare to Maya Angelou, write about love from all of its angles, from all-consuming new love to remembering love after its flame has ceased to burn. Take a tip from Rumi, who wrote, “In your light I learn how to love. / In your beauty, how to make poems.”

“Here Is My Heart” compiled by William Jay Smith
The illustrations in this slim little volume lend it a picture-book quality, but this isn’t verse just for kids. Most of the poems in this collection are short enough to be copied onto a card or paper heart, and their moods vary, from playful (Jack Pretlutsky declaring, “I love you more than applesauce”) to serious (Kenneth Koch writing, “As the adjective is lost in the sentence, / So I am lost in your eyes, ears, nose, and throat — / You have enchanted me with a single kiss / Which can never be undone / Until the destruction of language”).

“Love Poetry Out Loud” edited by Robert Alden Rubin
A fantastic collection of words to woo by, including works by both famous and lesser-known poets. In “Resignation,” Nikki Giovanni describes the helpless wonder of being in love: “I love you / because the Earth turns round the sun / because the North wind blows north” and “because only my love for you / despite the charms of gravity / keeps me from falling off this Earth / into another dimension.” Swoon-worthy sentiments, no?

Find even more inspiration in our catalog list of romantic poetry. Happy Valentine’s Day!

March Madness Teen Book Tournament

VOTE NOW through February 24 for the Sweet 16!

Daniel Boone Regional Library has received over 50 ballots in our March Madness Teen Book Tournament! Through a series of votes, we are narrowing our list of the 32 most popular teen books to one grand champion. Voting for the Sweet 16 will end on Sunday, February 24. We’ll take a few days to tabulate the results and then announce those titles that will advance in our single elimination bracket on Tuesday, March 5.

Which titles will be among the Sweet 16?  “Mockingjay” by Suzanne Collins? “Rot & Ruin” by Jonathan Maberry? “The Fault in Our Stars” by John Green? Voice your opinion by voting today! Don’t forget that by supporting your favorite book, you’ll also be entered to win prizes like a gift card to Barnes & Noble, or a free autographed copy of “Legend” by Marie Lu.

Who can participate?

March Madness is open to all teens ages 12-18 who live in either Boone or Callaway County, Missouri.

How It Works:

• Round 1: VOTE NOW through February 24 for the Sweet 16.
• Round 2: Vote March 5-11 for the Elite 8.
• Round 3: Vote March 12-18 for the Final 4.
• Round 4: Vote March 19-25 for the final two contending titles.
• Round 5: Vote March 26-April 1 for the book tournament champion.
• April 3: The champion is announced!

We recently added “Searching for Sugar Man” to the DBRL collection. The film played at the True/False Film Festival in 2012, and currently has a rating of 96% from critics at Rotten Tomatoes. Here’s a synopsis from our catalog:

In the early 1970s, Sixto Rodriguez was a Detroit folksinger who had a short-lived recording career. Unknown to him, his musical story continued in South Africa where he became a pop music icon. Long rumored there to be dead, two fans, record store owner Stephen Segerman and journalist Craig Bartholomew-Strydom, decided to seek out the truth of his fate.

Check out the film trailer or the official film site for more info. DBRL also has the film soundtrack as well as the Rodriguez albums Cold Fact and Coming from Reality.

One late summer day, when I was 19 and home from college, I picked up the first volume of Carl Sandburg’s sweeping biography of Abraham Lincoln. Day became evening, and, dismissing dinner, I continued to read into the night.  Upon discovering it was 2 a.m., I quickly realized that I had finished the first volume, and I then commenced reading the second into the morning hours. I finished all six in a matter of days. Sandburg’s lyrical rendering of Lincoln’s early days, the unvarnished Illinois countryside and the simpler political milieu of the time made for compelling reading.

I, among millions across the globe, remain fascinated by the man. Given the inspiring nature of Lincoln’s character and the continued appeal of the Civil War years, a raft of biographies have been published about Lincoln, his early life and his presidency. Sandburg’s was not the first–and surely not the last–biography published, but it has stood the test of time. DBRL has plenty of great Lincoln biographies in its collection.

Clearly, the most famous recent biography about the Lincoln years is “Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln,” by Doris Kearns Goodwin. Kearn’s biography, published in 2005, was eventually adapted into the extremely popular 2012 movie, “Lincoln.”  Focusing on some of the key members in his presidential cabinet, men who initially held Lincoln in low regard, the book continues to find wide readership.

Lincoln famously said, “Understanding the spirit of our institutions to aim at the elevation of men, I am opposed to whatever tends to degrade them.” Mario Cuomo suggests that perhaps we should apply these kinds of ideals to our current political environment. In his book “Why Lincoln Matters:  Today More than Ever,” published in 2004, Cuomo discusses how Lincoln’s political philosophy could be very useful in today’s world, and also examines how destructive much of our political discourse currently is to both the body-politic and the American citizenry.

There are also numerous shorter biographies of Lincoln in the canon, including Thomas Keneally’s “Abraham Lincoln.” Although a little over 170 pages long, this readable book contains a fairly precise character sketch of the man, from birth until death. As Keneally so aptly puts it near the end, through his assassination Lincoln had “become the bloodied nation incarnate.”

I would also recommend an even shorter history of the man (again titled “Abraham Lincoln”), written in 2009 by James M. Mcpherson. Only 65 pages long, this biography is but a thumbnail sketch, and also is appropriate for school-age readers. Speaking of Lincoln’s impact, Mcpherson states, “With the Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln started the United States on the road to living up to its professed belief that all men are truly created equal.” In closing, Mcpherson writes: “More than any other American, Lincoln’s name has gone into history. He gave all Americans, indeed all people everywhere, reason to remember that he had lived.”

Finally,  Fred Kaplan in his book “Lincoln, the Biography of a Writer,” published in 2008,  fleshes out Lincoln’s remarkable facility for writing. “For Lincoln, words mattered immensely. His increasing skill in their use during his lifetime, and his high valuation of their power, mark him as the one president who was both a national leader and a genius with language . . .” Kaplan argues that without these great writing skills, as well as the strength of his oratorical skills (for the speeches he worked from were tightly woven works of writing, whose transcripts stand alone in their power), Lincoln’s efficacy as public figure and politician would have been greatly diminished. Indeed, without inspired orations such as the Emancipation Proclamation, the long struggle that was the Civil War may not have ended as quickly, or perhaps not even ended at all.

One late summer day, when I was 19 and home from college, I picked up the first volume of Carl Sandburg’s sweeping biography of Abraham Lincoln. Day became evening, and, dismissing dinner, I continued to read into the night.  Upon discovering it was 2 a.m., I quickly realized that I had finished the first volume, and I then commenced reading the second into the morning hours. I finished all six in a matter of days. Sandburg’s lyrical rendering of Lincoln’s early days, the unvarnished Illinois countryside and the simpler political milieu of the time made for compelling reading.

I, among millions across the globe, remain fascinated by the man. Given the inspiring nature of Lincoln’s character and the continued appeal of the Civil War years, a raft of biographies have been published about Lincoln, his early life and his presidency. Sandburg’s was not the first–and surely not the last–biography published, but it has stood the test of time. DBRL has plenty of great Lincoln biographies in its collection.

Clearly, the most famous recent biography about the Lincoln years is “Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln,” by Doris Kearns Goodwin. Kearn’s biography, published in 2005, was eventually adapted into the extremely popular 2012 movie, “Lincoln.”  Focusing on some of the key members in his presidential cabinet, men who initially held Lincoln in low regard, the book continues to find wide readership.

Lincoln famously said, “Understanding the spirit of our institutions to aim at the elevation of men, I am opposed to whatever tends to degrade them.” Mario Cuomo suggests that perhaps we should apply these kinds of ideals to our current political environment. In his book “Why Lincoln Matters:  Today More than Ever,” published in 2004, Cuomo discusses how Lincoln’s political philosophy could be very useful in today’s world, and also examines how destructive much of our political discourse currently is to both the body-politic and the American citizenry.

There are also numerous shorter biographies of Lincoln in the canon, including Thomas Keneally’s “Abraham Lincoln.” Although a little over 170 pages long, this readable book contains a fairly precise character sketch of the man, from birth until death. As Keneally so aptly puts it near the end, through his assassination Lincoln had “become the bloodied nation incarnate.”

I would also recommend an even shorter history of the man (again titled “Abraham Lincoln”), written in 2009 by James M. Mcpherson. Only 65 pages long, this biography is but a thumbnail sketch, and also is appropriate for school-age readers. Speaking of Lincoln’s impact, Mcpherson states, “With the Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln started the United States on the road to living up to its professed belief that all men are truly created equal.” In closing, Mcpherson writes: “More than any other American, Lincoln’s name has gone into history. He gave all Americans, indeed all people everywhere, reason to remember that he had lived.”

Finally,  Fred Kaplan in his book “Lincoln, the Biography of a Writer,” published in 2008,  fleshes out Lincoln’s remarkable facility for writing. “For Lincoln, words mattered immensely. His increasing skill in their use during his lifetime, and his high valuation of their power, mark him as the one president who was both a national leader and a genius with language . . .” Kaplan argues that without these great writing skills, as well as the strength of his oratorical skills (for the speeches he worked from were tightly woven works of writing, whose transcripts stand alone in their power), Lincoln’s efficacy as public figure and politician would have been greatly diminished. Indeed, without inspired orations such as the Emancipation Proclamation, the long struggle that was the Civil War may not have ended as quickly, or perhaps not even ended at all.

Lonely? Feeling a bit adventurous? Then try a blind date with a book!

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, starting Monday, February 11, visit the second floor of the Columbia Public Library to choose your mystery book. Books of various genres will be wrapped in paper, and each will be labeled with a personal ad of sorts that hints at the topic or genre (“Book seeks science geek with sense of humor,” for example). A duplicate bar code on the outside of the wrapper will allow these to be checked out without removing that wrapper. So, grab your date, check it out, take it home and unwrap it. See if you hit it off. Who knows, maybe there’s a future for the two of you?

We can’t guarantee that you’ll love the book you choose, but we do promise that none of these dates will reach across the table, pluck a hair from your head and floss his teeth with it. If you don’t like the book, simply bring it back—no awkward questions asked (unlike on actual blind dates).

We invite all who take home one of these mystery books to let us know how the date went. Disaster? Love at first sight? We want the juicy details to share with our readers. Rate your date here at DBRL Next!

(A tip of the hat to librarian Mollie Kay for inspiring this display and sharing resources for its creation!)

Lonely? Feeling a bit adventurous? Then try a blind date with a book!

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, starting Monday, February 11, visit the second floor of the Columbia Public Library to choose your mystery book. Books of various genres will be wrapped in paper, and each will be labeled with a personal ad of sorts that hints at the topic or genre (“Book seeks science geek with sense of humor,” for example). A duplicate bar code on the outside of the wrapper will allow these to be checked out without removing that wrapper. So, grab your date, check it out, take it home and unwrap it. See if you hit it off. Who knows, maybe there’s a future for the two of you?

We can’t guarantee that you’ll love the book you choose, but we do promise that none of these dates will reach across the table, pluck a hair from your head and floss his teeth with it. If you don’t like the book, simply bring it back—no awkward questions asked (unlike on actual blind dates).

We invite all who take home one of these mystery books to let us know how the date went. Disaster? Love at first sight? We want the juicy details to share with our readers. Rate your date here at DBRL Next!

(A tip of the hat to librarian Mollie Kay for inspiring this display and sharing resources for its creation!)