Before I say anything else, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to those essential workers who are still showing up every day and keeping life going during this global crisis. I hope in the near future, when the rest of us are back at work, you will get a turn to rest and read.
For those of us hunkering down at home for the foreseeable future, here’s our chance to knock out the most formidable Read Harder Challenge of 2020: task number 16, a doorstopper (over 500 pages) published after 1950, written by a woman. If you are intimidated by lengthy books, ebooks can remove some of the anxiety because they don’t put any extra weight in your hands as a reminder of how large the task is. Continue reading “Read Harder 2020: Digital Doorstoppers”
I think I speak for a lot of us when I say that everything feels really weird right now. I have never lived through anything like this before. The CDC and many other helpful sources have offered great information on protecting your physical health during this pandemic, including hand washing and social distancing. The anxiety surrounding COVID-19 along with the isolation required to prevent its spread present a potent combination that can really take its toll on your mental health. While I am just a humble library associate and therefore cannot fix all of your problems, I have some suggestions that I will hopefully implement myself. Continue reading “Protecting Your Mental Health During a Pandemic”
As our communities join metaphorical hands and rally around the mutually beneficial and necessary acts of isolation, social distancing and hand washing, one realizes that without books many among us will go mad and begin to cast our cats in plays that are far too complex for the cats to even remotely begin to stage, even as they are far too simplistic (given the parts were expressly crafted for the limited range of a cat) to entertain humans for more than the length of a gif (even with the cats being super cute). Fortunately, you can always access books through the internet, until the internet goes down, which then of course leads to far darker scenarios than what is conjured when avid book readers are denied their fix. There is not enough toilet paper or hand sanitizer in anyone’s weird and selfish makeshift bunker to stave off the dire consequences of a society going through world wide web withdrawal. But the internet is not down! So books are unlimited! Stay home and read!
Given that with every keystroke my horrifically dry digits crack and bleed (washed to the point of madness, claims my butler through the door of the pantry I’ve benevolently isolated him in), I would like to briefly present a few of entertainment resources you can access for free (with your library card, which you can obtain through our website) through Daniel Boone Regional Library’s website. Continue reading “The Gentleman Recommends: Our Digital Branch”
Here is a new DVD list highlighting various titles recently added to the library’s collection.
“Knives Out”
Website / Reviews
A tribute to mystery mastermind Agatha Christie and a fun, modern-day murder mystery where everyone is a suspect. When a renowned crime novelist is found dead at his estate, the inquisitive and debonair Detective Benoit Blanc is mysteriously enlisted to investigate. From the novelist’s dysfunctional family to his devoted staff, Blanc sifts through a web of red herrings and self-serving lies to uncover the truth behind his untimely death. Continue reading “New DVD List: Knives Out, Fleabag & More”
Here’s a look at some of the exciting debuts novels hitting our shelves in March. Place your holds now! For a more complete list, please visit our catalog.
“Conjure Women” by Afia Atakora
Conjure Women is a sweeping story that brings the world of the South before and after the Civil War vividly to life. Spanning eras and generations, it tells of the lives of three unforgettable women: Miss May Belle, a wise healing woman; her precocious and observant daughter Rue, who is reluctant to follow in her mother’s footsteps as a midwife; and their master’s daughter Varina. The secrets and bonds among these women and their community come to a head at the beginning of a war and at the birth of an accursed child, who sets the townspeople alight with fear and a spreading superstition that threatens their newly won, tenuous freedom. Continue reading “Debut Author Spotlight: March 2020”
This year marks 100 years since the passage of the 19th Amendment, which opened up the right to vote to women throughout the country. Women spent many years working for suffrage, enduring the taunts and occasional threats from those who did not believe they should step foot in the voting booth. As we celebrate this anniversary, here are a few books that explore the people who made universal suffrage possible and the challenges they faced in bringing the vote to all people. Continue reading “Literary Links: Marking 100 Years of Votes for Women”
Study up on the directors featured at this year’s True/False Film Festival. The following past documentaries are available for check out as DVDs or online streaming though Kanopy. Continue reading “Previous Docs From True/False 2020 Directors”
Read on below to learn more about a few popular titles coming out in March! For a more extensive list of new nonfiction books coming out this month check out our catalog. Continue reading “Nonfiction Roundup: March 2020”
I like to think of Maya Angelou as a Missourian, although she spent only a small part of her life in the state. She was born in St. Louis in 1928 with the name Marguerite Anne Johnson. Upon the break-up of her parents’ marriage when she was three years old, she and her older brother Bailey were sent to live with their paternal grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas. Continue reading “Classics for Everyone: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”
