Literary Links: Visiting Mars
Posted on Friday, January 13, 2017 by Ida
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New DVD List: Life Animated, Citizenfour & More
Posted on Wednesday, January 11, 2017 by Decimal Diver
Here is a new DVD list highlighting various titles recently added to the library’s collection.
“Life, Animated”
Website / Reviews / Trailer
This film played at the True/False Film Fest in 2016, and it tells the remarkable story of how a boy found a pathway to language and a framework for making sense of the world through Disney animated films. By evocatively interweaving classic Disney sequences with vérité scenes from Owen’s life, the film explores how identification and empathy with Disney characters create a context for him to understand his feelings and interpret reality. Continue reading “New DVD List: Life Animated, Citizenfour & More”
Activist Angela Davis Is Coming to Columbia
Posted on Monday, January 9, 2017 by Reading Addict
Scholar and activist Angela Davis is coming to mid-Missouri! She will be hosted by the University of Missouri at the Missouri Theater on Tuesday, January 24 as part of their Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration. The free tickets went fast — I think I got mine as soon as they were available! Whether you got a ticket and want to prepare for her visit, or you simply want to know more about her work for social justice, the library has you covered.
Angela Davis came of age during the civil rights battles of the ’60s. She knew all four victims of the Birmingham Baptist Church bombing. When she was an acting assistant professor at UCLA, Davis was targeted by the FBI and placed on their ‘Ten Most Wanted” list by J. Edgar Hoover. She was eventually captured, tried and found not guilty by an all white jury for her connection to the Soledad brothers and the Black Panther Party. Continue reading “Activist Angela Davis Is Coming to Columbia”
Reader Review: The Silent Sister
Posted on Friday, January 6, 2017 by patron reviewer
Editor’s note: This review was submitted by a library patron during the 2016 Adult Summer Reading program. We will continue to periodically share some of these reviews throughout the year.
“The Silent Sister” follows Riley, a girl in her early 20s, who just lost her father. She is left to deal with his estate with little help from her mentally ill and disabled veteran brother. While doing so, she uncovers a lot of family secrets and discovers things about herself she had never known before. I liked this book because it kept me entertained. I had figured out some of the ending early on, but there was still a twist within that ending, and I liked that. The characters were well-developed and each held a piece to the puzzle. Continue reading “Reader Review: The Silent Sister”
Nonfiction Roundup: January 2017
Posted on Wednesday, January 4, 2017 by Kirk
Here is a quick look at the most noteworthy nonfiction titles being released in January. Visit our catalog for a more extensive list.
TOP PICKS:
“The Lost City of the Monkey God” by Douglas Preston
Bestselling author Douglas Preston joins a team of scientists on an exciting and treacherous journey to the rain forests of Honduras in search of the ruins of a mysterious, ancient metropolis. Continue reading “Nonfiction Roundup: January 2017”
Mysteries to Keep You Cozy
Posted on Friday, December 30, 2016 by Anne
Hopefully during these busy last days of the year, you’ll be able to take a few moments for yourself. I can’t think of a better way to spend that time than with a good mystery and a cozy blanket, with cup of hot cocoa in hand. Here are a few cozy mysteries I highly recommend:
Agatha Christie is the first author who comes to mind when I think “cozy mystery.” Time after time, she flawlessly pulls together a masterful whodunit that you simply cannot put down. If you’ve never tried her books, “And Then There Were None” is a great introduction to the Queen of Mysteries. This stand-alone mystery is a gripping read that finds 10 strangers on an island off the coast of Britain in 1939. When they start dying off, the hunt is on to find which one of them is actually the murderer. Continue reading “Mysteries to Keep You Cozy”
Alternative Learning: Docs About Unusual Schools
Posted on Wednesday, December 28, 2016 by Decimal Diver
If you attended public school, you may have forgotten that there are many different kinds of schools out there educating students in a variety of different ways. Take a look at some of these unusual schools, and see how they touch the lives of their students.
“Boys of Baraka” (2005)
Twenty “at risk” 12-year-old boys from the tough streets of inner-city Baltimore leave home to attend Baraka, an experimental boarding school located in Kenya, East Africa. Here, these brave kids begin the daunting journey towards putting their lives on a fresh path. This documentary was directed by award-winning filmmakers Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady. Continue reading “Alternative Learning: Docs About Unusual Schools”
Happy Holidays: A Look at Different Winter Holidays
Posted on Wednesday, December 21, 2016 by Reading Addict
I lived for a very brief time in Italy. I guess that it should come as no surprise that Italians do Christmas very differently than we do here in the United States, but I was stunned. I loved seeing the presepi (nativity scenes) everywhere. They were so intricate and HUGE! They showed entire villages in miniature, including bakers with a pizza ovens and oxen with carts. Many were built on the side of the road or into cliffs. They were beautiful! And while the Italians have Babbo Natale (Santa Claus) who might bring a small gift, it was Befana (a kind, but ugly, witch who rides on a broomstick) that brought most of the presents on the Epiphany (also known as Three Kings’ Day, January 6). Continue reading “Happy Holidays: A Look at Different Winter Holidays”
The Gentleman Recommends: Nathan Hill
Posted on Monday, December 19, 2016 by Chris
It is understandable that the average American is pressed for time, what with all the vacation butlers take, and the various board meetings, galas and cocktail hours that beckon so vigorously. So, as you study the 12 recommendations this gentleman has made in 2016 searching for the one that is most worthy of your limited reading time, consider this a clue: The GENTLEMAN’S ULTIMATE RECOMMENDATION for 2016 is “The Nix” by Nathan Hill.
I’d like to write a few thousand considered and enthusiastic words about how great this novel is, but because I must prepare for a gala, I’m going to plagiarize myself from an article printed in last week’s Columbia Tribune and quote from the book. The quotes from the novel should be sufficient to persuade you that Nathan Hill has written a genius novel, and lazily plagiarizing myself should convince you that thoughts of the impending gala are thoroughly distracting me. Continue reading “The Gentleman Recommends: Nathan Hill”
Healthy Holidays: Start Your New Year Early
Posted on Friday, December 16, 2016 by Seth
I’ve never been very good about keeping New Year’s resolutions. Life gets in the way, and promises that I’ve made to myself can no longer be kept for a variety of reasons. So, this year I’ve made “End of the Year Intentions” (leaving out the word “resolution”), with the vague starting point of around mid-December. This way, I can hit January 1, 2017 running. Why not make this holiday season the healthiest and happiest ever? The library has some good resources to help you along that path.
In my extended family, we have at least one vegan, two vegetarians, two pesco-pollo vegetarians and many red meat eaters of various degrees. My saint-like parents, both in their early 70s and still incredibly vigorous, host a phalanx of in-laws, kids, grandchildren and others during Christmastime, and they cook as best they can to suit all their guests’ needs. This holiday, keep the cooking simple, healthy and easy, and follow some of the fantastic recipes in Isa Moskowitz’s “Superfun Times Vegan Holiday Cookbook.” I’ve suggested this delicious cookbook as a resource for the common family denominator and to support healthy eating habits. Continue reading “Healthy Holidays: Start Your New Year Early”