Posted on Wednesday, October 7, 2020 by Decimal Diver
Delia Remington is a Mid-Missouri author who writes books focused on the horror genre. Her latest project is “Dark Conjurings,” an anthology of horror and fantasy stories that she edited and published that includes six tales from various authors, including one story by Remington herself. The book was a Gold Medalist from the 2020 eLit Awards for Anthology ebooks, a Silver Medalist in Fiction: Horror for the 2020 Ben Franklin Awards sponsored by the Independent Book Publishers Association, and a Silver Medalist in Fiction: Anthology for the 2020 Midwest Book Awards sponsored by the Midwest Independent Publishers Association. I recently emailed some interview questions to her, and she was kind enough to take time out of her schedule to write back some answers. Continue reading “Author Interview: Delia Remington”
Below I will be sharing some of the new nonfiction titles that will be released in October. All the titles are available to put on hold from our catalog and will also be made available on the library’s Overdrive account on the day of publication. For a more extensive list of new nonfiction books coming out this month check our online catalog.
Top Picks
“Golem Girl: A Memoir” by Riva Lehrer (Oct 6)
What do we sacrifice in the pursuit of normalcy? And what becomes possible when we embrace monstrosity? Can we envision a world that sees impossible creatures? In 1958, amongst the children born with spina bifida is Riva Lehrer. At the time, most such children are not expected to survive. Her parents and doctors are determined to “fix” her, sending the message over and over again that she is broken. That she will never have a job, a romantic relationship, or an independent life. Enduring countless medical interventions, Riva tries her best to be a good girl and a good patient in the quest to be cured. Everything changes when, as an adult, Riva is invited to join a group of artists, writers, and performers who are building Disability Culture. Their work is daring, edgy, funny, and dark — it rejects tropes that define disabled people as pathetic, frightening, or worthless. They insist that disability is an opportunity for creativity and resistance. Emboldened, Riva asks if she can paint their portraits — inventing an intimate and collaborative process that will transform the way she sees herself, others, and the world. Each portrait story begins to transform the myths she’s been told her whole life about her body, her sexuality, and other measures of normal. Written with the vivid, cinematic prose of a visual artist, and the love and playfulness that defines all of Riva’s work, “Golem Girl” is an extraordinary story of tenacity and creativity. With the author’s magnificent portraits featured throughout, this memoir invites us to stretch ourselves toward a world where bodies flow between all possible forms of what it is to be human. Continue reading “Nonfiction Roundup: October 2020”
If you’re curious about your voting options for this election, go here.
Have you heard about the upcoming election? The one on Tuesday, November 3?
I hope you’re already aware of it, because it’s kind of dominating the news right now. Also, the last day you can register to vote is October 7 — one week from today! If you want to vote absentee or by mail, your last day to request a ballot application is October 21.
Credit: Galloway, Vernon Harry S. Truman Library & Museum
Let’s review those dates:
October 7 – Last day to register to vote.
October 21 – Last day to request an absentee or mail-ballot application.
This is the first blog post in a series that will focus on resources the library and community have to help out parents with distance learning and homeschooling. The first resource I’ll be sharing are books from the library on various topics related to parents as teachers and learning for children of all ages.
Books
“The Call of the Wild and Free: Reclaiming Wonder in Your Child’s Education” by Ainsley Arment
Inspired by the spirit of Henry David Thoreau — ”All good things are wild and free” — mother of five Ainsley Arment founded Wild + Free. This growing online community of mothers and families want their children to receive a quality education at home by challenging their intellectual abilities and nurturing their sense of curiosity, joy and awe — the essence of a positive childhood. The homeschool approach of past generations is gone — including the stigma of socially awkward kids, conservative clothes and a classroom setting replicated in the home. The Wild + Free movement is focused on a love of nature, reading great books, pursuing interests and hobbies, making the entire world a classroom, and prolonging the wonder of childhood, an appealing philosophy that is unpacked in the pages of this book. “The Call of the Wild and Free” offers advice, information, and positive encouragement for parents considering homeschooling, those currently in the trenches looking for inspiration, as well as parents, educators and caregivers who want supplementary resources to enhance their kids’ traditional educations. Continue reading “Homeschooling and Distance Learning Resources: Books”
Posted on Friday, September 25, 2020 by Abbey Rimel
Inside the Metropol, a Life is Lived. Inside your Library, a World Awaits.
This series of blog posts explores the rooms of the Hotel Metropol, setting of this year’s One Read title, and recommends books and films related to each scene. For a true admirer of the written word, one book is never the end of the story.
Music in the Air
Throughout the Metropol, you will find all manner of music, from the band in the Piazza to the jazz ensemble in the Shalyapin. Below are some samplings.
A gift from Richard Vanderwhile
At the end of a very distressing day, the count returns to his quarters in the belfry and sheds “the tears of the luckiest man in all of Russia.” He finds a portable phonograph, compliments of his new American friend, Richard Vanderwhile. Among the records included, he finds and plays Vladimir Horowitz’ performance of Tchaikovsky’s first piano concerto.
Posted on Monday, September 21, 2020 by Abbey Rimel
Inside the Metropol, a Life is Lived. Inside your Library, a World Awaits.
This series of blog posts explores the rooms of the Hotel Metropol, setting of this year’s One Read title, and recommends books and films related to each scene. For a true admirer of the written word, one book is never the end of the story.
At the Shalyapin with Audrius
When a German patron at the bar asks the Count to name other Russian contributions to Western culture besides vodka, he has the perfect response … Chekhov and Tolstoy, “the alpha and omega of narrative.”
Posted on Friday, September 18, 2020 by Abbey Rimel
Inside the Metropol, a Life is Lived. Inside your Library, a World Awaits.
This series of blog posts explores the rooms of the Hotel Metropol, setting of this year’s One Read title, and recommends books and films related to each scene. For a true admirer of the written word, one book is never the end of the story.
At the Piazza with Nina
In which the Count enjoys lunch and an engaging conversation with a certain young lady who has a penchant for the color yellow. They discuss mustaches, princesses and duels “with pistols at thirty-two paces.” (Just as an aside, his excellent marksmanship, knowledge of duels and more specifically, the location of dueling pistols hidden somewhere within the walls of the Hotel Metropol, will later serve the Count well.)Continue reading “The One Read List: A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles, Part Two”
With travel restricted, sometimes the best way to explore is through the pages of a book! There are a lot of exciting places that you can explore without leaving the comfort of your home. Around the world, there are a seemingly endless number of locations valued for their beautiful landscapes, cultural traditions and rich history. Some of these places are recognized for their natural and cultural value, and are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. UNESCO stands for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. This organization is a world-wide group that is devoted to promoting [cultural diversity, safeguarding natural resources, and protecting culturally meaningful sites around the globe.
Posted on Tuesday, September 15, 2020 by Decimal Diver
Here is a new DVD list highlighting various titles recently added to the library’s collection.
“The Outsider” Miniseries Website / Reviews
Based on the Stephen King best-selling novel, this miniseries begins by following a seemingly straightforward investigation into the gruesome murder of a young boy. But when an insidious supernatural force edges its way into the case, it leads a seasoned cop and an unorthodox investigator to question everything they believe in.
“Game Shelf” by 427 is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
How many puzzles does it take to make it through quarantine?For my family, apparently 10 1,000 piece puzzles, four 3-D puzzles and counting. One puzzle was so difficult we may jokingly frame it (gasp!) with the caption being “The worst puzzle of Quarantine 2020.” And let’s not forget about the many board and card games we played to increase our pastime possibilities.
I have never been much of a game player, but even I succumbed during the boredom of quarantine. It made me wonder about the pastimes of people before modern technology made games so affordable and easy to obtain. Archaeologists continue to unearth many types of games; recently a 1,700 year-old Roman game was found in a burial ground. It is thought to be an ancient version of backgammon. I decided to do my own dig through the library’s collection and I found many books on the history and rules of games past and present. Continue reading “Literary Links: How Many Puzzles Does It Take to Make It Through Quarantine?”
