Resolve to Read

Amazing how small ideas grow, isn't it?  A little play on words on our front sign and we now have a Resolve to Read tree in the library.  Help us add to it.  Right now it's empty!  Starting today staff will be hanging Best of....lists for 2011 as well as award winning books for you to stop by and pluck from the tree.  Resolve to Read at least one book from the list and then come in and tell us about it. Or, take a moment to note your thoughts here on our blog to share with others!  Everyone loves ideas for the next great read.  Share your reads!

In the New Year.....Resolve to Read!

There is still time to add "read more" to your annual New Year's resolution list.  The staff of the Falmouth Memorial Library is here to help you Resolve to Read!  Let us know how we can help.  That's what we are here for.  Ask for read-a-likes for your favorite author, genre or subject.  We are working behind the scenes on creating more lists for you to choose from, so let us know what you like to read.

Meanwhile, check back for lists, websites and other suggestions to help you as you Resolve to Read in 2012!

And Now for Something a Little Different...

Looking for a book group that is a little different?  The Falmouth Memorial Library's Paranormal Book Group is for every book lover who stalks the library looking for the next paranormal book to read.  We will read and talk about a lot of YA (young adult) and some adult novels with vampires, zombies, weres, evil pixies and other supernatural creatures that roam the paranormal world. 

This new book group will be led by Jeannie Madden. The first meeting will be Saturday, December 3rd @ 10am and plans to meet every first Saturday of the month.

Looking for the why?  Because Jeannie knows she is not alone in enjoying a good zombie novel  Be at our first meeting to discuss Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Mayberry; or be prepared to talk about your favorite zombie book. 

For additional information, please contact Jeannie @ 781-2351.

Book Groups at the Falmouth Memorial Library

Book groups are a great way to connect with new people and discuss books.  The Falmouth Memorial Library currently sponsors two book groups. 

The Great Books book group meets approximately twice a month on Mondays 10am to noon.  There is a specific reading list and we do request you contact the group leader to get up to speed on the group's reading list.  New members are encouraged.  This book group reads selections from the Great Books Foundation.  Founded in 1947, the Great Books Foundation follows a  text-based Socratic method of learning. Further information may be found here about the Great Books Foundation.  Contact Andi , the library's reference librarian @781-2351 for more information.  The next meeting of this group is Monday, November 28th @ 10am

The Falmouth Memorial Library Book Group meets  on the 2nd Wednesday of each month @ 1pm.  The selections for this group are chosen by the current members and for the past few years has had a geographic theme.  This group is also looking for new members!  The current reading list is located here and was chosen to look at different aspects of the State of California by reading nonfiction and fiction books about California, as well as several well known Californian authors.  Please follow this book group's blog here. Their next meeting is Wednesday, December 14th @ 1pm.

Ariana Franklin 1933-2011

If you've been following along since the last posting here; just an update.  I chose the Art of Death series by Ariana Franklin.  This is not an Agatha Christie read a like.  So why did I chose it?  Well, to be honest, I was in the mood for a little change. This is a "page-turner"with some detailed violence and much less detailed romance.  The unlikely heroine is a female medical examiner, Adelia Aguilar.  Adelia relocates under interesting circumstances to medieval Cambridge during the reign of Henry II.  While certainly not a British "cozy", the violence is not gratitious and Adelia is a complicated character.   The Franklin series is only four mysteries in length and  begins with "The Mistress of the Art of Death". 

Ariana Franklin is the pseudonym for Diana Norman who also wrote historical fiction and historical romances under her own name.

What are You Reading?

Today I was met at work by a fellow librarian.  She had a grocery bag full of books.  For me.  To Read.  She's discovered I am a fan of British mysteries.  I fell in love with Agatha Christie when I was in sixth grade and decided I was going to be a writer (ok, and a teacher and an archaeologist). 

What's my point?  Well, even we librarians need help.  Yes, librarians get in reading ruts.  It doesn't matter what form the story is in book, e-books or audio. Who can read it all?  Are you in a rut?  Drop by and chat with us. The staff at the Falmouth Memorial Library enjoy talking about, and sharing what we're reading.  Doesn't matter if it's fiction, non-fiction, ask us to help you redirect your reading.  We can show you some of the tools we use.

So, what was in the bag of books...  "Aftermath" by Peter Robinson,  "Where Memories Lie" by Deborah Crombie, "Blackout" by John Lawton and "Grave Goods" by Ariana Franklin.  It appears these are all from series, but none the titles in my bag are firsts, but they give me a start.  Are these "readalikes" for Agatha Christie?  No and not all the authors are actually British.  Stay tuned and I'll let you know what I've picked to read and why.

Happy Reading!

Andi JD

It's Good to Be Back

The library reopened for business on Monday, October 24th. We're still waiting for some paint and tiles, but other than that we are back!  Thank you once again to everyone who volunteered their time, best wishes and donuts to the staff.  We thank you all!

LIbrary Update

The library is closed through Friday and we are hoping to reopen on Saturday, October 22nd.  But please check back for updates. 

Library Is Closed

The Falmouth Memorial Library is closed today due to water damage.  Please check back for additional information.

If You Love to Read Books...

then you need to stop by the Falmouth Memorial Library this weekend!  We are having our annual Fall Book Sale this Saturday, October 15, 9:30 am to 5 pm & Sunday, October 16, 1 to 5 pm.  Everything from biographies to cookbooks to bestsellers.

But wait, there's more!  The Friends of the Falmouth Memorial Library hold a Sneak Preview event on Friday, October 14, 4-6pm.  This special event is a fundraiser for the Friends.  Current dues paying Friends get in for free, but others pay a nominal fee of $5.00 to get the first chance at some great titles!

And Sunday, don't forget, is a great money saving event.  Bring your own bags 1 to 5 pm and pay only $3.00 per bag you fill!

We are still looking for volunteers to help us box up any leftovers on Sunday, October 16, 5 pm to approx 6:30 pm.  Please contact the library @ 781-2351.

I Can't Believe You're Reading That!

As a librarian, I am consistently asked what I have been reading lately.  I have been asked this nearly everywhere I go: the doctor’s office, dinner with friends, even while having a massage.  When I am asked this question I often pause to take stock of who I am talking to so I can gauge what their reaction may be.  Then I caution the inquisitor that I prefer young adult literature and that I don’t typically read “main stream” fiction.  Lately that has not been so much of a problem as the type of fiction I like to read has gained much popularity.  See, I am a big reader of books featuring zombies, weres, evil pixies and vampires to name a few.  I like to term the characters in my favorite books as the “reluctant monster”.

More often than not the monsters are the bad guys, but occasionally a great story comes along with a very sympathetic lead character that just so happens to turn into a being with four paws or one that likes to indulge in a little human blood, or brains, from time to time.  I mean really, is that so bad?  To me, what makes a good zombie story is not the gore; I am really not that into gory descriptions.  What makes a good story is the reactions of the characters to the flesh-eating monsters.  Think about it.  What will you do when the zombie apocalypse strikes?  Will you run and scream and hide, or will you do those things and then fight back to survive.

For some examples of very good zombie stories, try reading Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry and The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan.  For a zombie story with heart, one where you are actually rooting for the zombie, try reading Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion. 

As for the evil pixies and weres who just want to be like you and me, try Need by Carrie Jones and Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater.  These stories feature strong female characters and very sympathetic beings who happen to enjoy a little blood or turn into a dog.

If you are ever looking for other title ideas, please stop me.  I would love to talk to you about what you have read and am happy to provide suggestions.

Jeannie P. Madden

Phillip Levine is the New United States Poet Laureate

The Library of Congress appointed Philip Levine as its 18th Poet Laureate.  Levine will begin his duties in the fall.  He succeeds W. S. Merwin.

Wesley McNair is Maine's poet laureate. 

Just what does a poet laureate do?  The Librarian of Congress appoints the United States Poet Laureate after consulting former appointees.  The Library actually assigns very few specific duties to the poet laureate, giving the appointee freedom to work on their own projects.  The appointee is expected to help foster a greater appreciation of both the reading and writing of poetry. Some past projects include Ted Kooser's weekly newspaper column and Charles Simic taught a master class for poets at the Library of Congress.

Although April is National Poetry Month, take time to celebrate the art of poetry every month.  Your library has several books to help you create your own poetry.  Or come in and check out a published poets writing, just browse through the stacks in the 811s.  One of my favorite books is "Committed to memory; 100 best poems to memorize" (808.81 Com).  Take the challenge and commit a poem to memory today.

Today is Book Lover's Day Celebrate @ Your Library!

Today is Book Lover's Day.  What better way to celebrate than to head to your library, check out some books and read! 

And did you know that books can also serve as art?  Beyond the lovely covers and illustrations, older books heading for recycling can be repurposed.  Yes, this librarian does practice the book arts! 

We have a beautiful new book " The Repurposed Library" by Lisa Occhipinti (call # 745.54 Occ, but currently on our new book display when it's not checked out).  The author demonstrates 33 (thirty-three) craft/art projects to give old books a new life. 

Not crafty yourself?  Well, check out our Beauty and the Books silent auction in March 2012.  There will be at least one repurposed book available for bidding.

Another Author to add to Maine Crime Writers blog

Sarah Graves has been added to the Maine Crime Writers blog.  I enjoy her Jacobia Tiptree series immensely.  The series takes place in Eastport, Maine, the easternmost town in the United States.  Sarah's publisher, Random House, "houses" her official website.  Check out the Eastport map on their website to follow where all the bodies are buried in Sarah's books!

Maine Crime Writers Blog

The Maine Crime Writers blog is up and running.  If you love mysteries of any sort, especially those written by Maine authors, check out this blog.  The writers included are Gerry Boyle, Vicki Doudera,Paul Doiron, Kaitlyn Dunnett, Kate Flora, James Hayman, Barbara Ross, Julia Spencer-Fleming and Lea Wait.

After checking out their blog and getting to know the authors a little better, stop by your library and check out one of their books, we have at least one by every author on the shelf or on order!

Join Our Newest Book Group--For Audio Book Lovers!

Join your library's latest book group, "Read @ Your Own Pace".  This group will "read" a wide variety of titles, as long as they are available to listen to!  Our first meeting is Thursday, June 30th @ 6:30 pm. We will be discussing audiobooks in general and deciding whether to listen from a selected list or go wild and talk about whatever we're each listening to at the moment!


Questions?  Contact Andi @ 781-2351 or library@falmouth.lib.me.us.

Author Lilian Jackson Braun dies at age 97

If you are a lover of cozy mysteries, you've probably run across Lilian Jackson Braun's  Cat Who..series.  The series features two Siamese cats and their owner, James (Qwill) Qwilleran.  Qwill is a newspaperman whose cats help him solve mysteries.  The series starts with "The Cat Who Could Read Backwards". The three main characters develop over the series and their growth and development, as cats and a person, are important to the stories.  As with other cozy mysteries, there is little blatant violence and the series is actually described as being heartwarming.  The stories have a leisurely pace with the solution to the mystery nicely concluded at the end of each book. 

For further information on this wonderful author check out Novelist via the MARVEL databases available at MARVEL databases.

Novel Destinations---This Summer @ Your Library!

Please stay tuned.  Your library staff is going to be taking you places this summer!  Like to travel?  Like to walk?  Like to read?  Tried listening to audiobooks?  We'll help you answer these and many other questions starting this June.

The children of Falmouth have had the joy of a summer reading program to themselves for years.  Now it's time for the adults to join in on all the fun.  Watch out for wayward gold stars.  Dig out your passport.  We'll help you go places you only imagined!

Do E-Readers Intrigue You?

Your library received a grant and has purchased several e-readers.  The library staff will be learning to "play" with them this coming Monday, April 25th during our Staff Development Day.  The library will be closed, but the staff will be working behind the stacks learning how to use the devices so we can lend them out to our patrons!  The break-out for the new e-readers will be at the next 2nd Saturday Book Chat Cafe on Saturday, May 14th. 

At the Book Chat Cafe, library patrons will be able to do a little hands on training with library staff.  We will have a limited number of the e-readers available, so sign up is suggested.  Just let the Circulation Staff know you'd like to attend the E-Reader Book Chat Cafe and we'll keep a list.

Andi JD

The Falmouth Memorial Library Book Group needs a name....

The Falmouth Memorial Library Book group meets on the second Wednesday of every month at 1pm.  This month we will be reading and discussing Maine poets.  We'd love to have you join us.  But we'd also like to have a catchy name to call ourselves.  Any ideas?  Please contact me at library@falmouth.lib.me.us.

Andi JD

Busy, Busy, Busy

We've had some input on our blog...thank you!  Appears that several of our readers would like to see some lists of must reads, staff reads and other lists beyond the bestseller list.  We'd like to hear from other readers, we're starting on the lists with a What We're Reading Now" list.  This list will let you know what some of the staff are reading and why they'd recommend these books to others.

We just had Falmouth poet, Eleanor Steele do a reading at our Friends Group, LunchBox Friends monthly event.  If you didn't make it, you missed out on a fine time.  The group even created a group poem with Eleanor's help.  Thank you Eleanor!

And finally for today, there is a monthly group that meets on the 2nd Saturday @ 10am here at your library.  It's called the Book Chat Cafe.  A small group of avid readers meets and discusses whatever each person is reading.  We'd like to see that group grow.  Keep checking back, we will be posting a list of books recommended by this group each month, starting with the April 8th meeting.  Baked goodies could be provided, along with coffee, if there is a request....

Ever Read a Cookbook?

Have you ever sat down and read through, not just the couple of recipes you like, but the WHOLE cookbook?  I never have, well until now.

"The City Cook; Big City, Small Kitchen, Limitless Ingredients, No Time" by Kate McDonough is my first attempt! I'm not a great cook (understatement of the year), but decided, like Kate McDonough, that it might just be time to work on that.  Part 1 of her book details how and why she got started cooking.  It also includes lists of "must haves" for kitchen equipment as well as a well stocked pantry.   Part II of the book includes her recipes, as well as tips for working in a small kitchen.

And there is more than just the book;  McDonough, like many nonfiction authors these days, maintains a website The City Cook.  The focus is on cooking in an urban, small kitchen

If you enjoyed reading "Julie and Julia" by Julie Powell, check out "The City Cook".  Although McDonough doesn't share any inner life angst, this is a good choice for going beyond reading about someone else's cooking struggles and getting your own hands working in your kitchen!   Who knows, maybe next I'll tackle "The Joy of Cooking".

AJD

Love a Good Mystery?

Do you love a good mystery? Want to find out more about your favorite mystery author or find out when the next mystery in a series is coming out? (Yes, the next book in the Maisie Dobbs series is due to be released this month).

Check out the Stop You're Killing Me! website Stop You're Killing Me

But don't stop there.  Your library also has some great information available through the Marvel database Novelist Plus.  You may access this database from home in your jammies and all you need is your library card number! 

Want a quick tutorial?  Stop by your Falmouth Memorial Library and have one of the staff show you how to access all sorts of information from the Marvel databases, including Novelist Plus. 

Once upon a time....

Once upon a time…

One of our recent posts talked about entering your favorite fairy tale. Did you think fairy tales were just for kids? Think again.

One of the new trends in adult fiction is fairy tales, with a twist. These aren’t your childhood happily-ever-after stories. These tales delve into the darker elements of life and love, but you’ll still recognize the bones of the fairy tale within. Whether you’re a fan of the classic story lines or like something a little more modern - you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll have a hard time putting these down. Here are some of our adult fairy tale holdings:

Second Nature by Alice Hoffman (Beauty and the Beast)

The True Story of Hansel and Gretel by Louise Murphy (Hansel and Gretel)

Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister by Gregory Maguire (Cinderella)

And in the tradition of a fairy tale:

Onion Girl by Charles de Lint

Or if you like a mystery using fairy tale characters, try:

The Nursery Crime series by Jasper Fforde

Do you have a favorite tale? Share it with us!  Joyce D.

"The Distant Hours" and Fairy Tales

Ever wished you could enter your favorite fairy tale?  That’s exactly what Edie Burchill does in this gothic novel when she explores Milderhurst Castle, the location of her mother’s evacuation during World War II as well as the site of her beloved childhood tale.  Read Kate Morton’s The Distant Hours.  Available in fiction.  Susan C.

Book Chat Cafe--Second Saturday--Starts February 12th!

Please join us for our new monthly programming! Every second Saturday of the month, we will be presenting several programs geared toward adults---young and not so young! 

@ 9:30am, please join us for a new kind of book club,,,no lists to follow,,,no predetermined questions to answer.  Just come, sip some tea or coffee, nibble on a scone or muffin and tell the others in this reading circle what you're reading!  We'll have informal booktalks about what participants are currently reading and why! 

Staff from the library will be sharing some great resources to find that next great read, and we'll even wander into the world of e-books.  

" A Short History of Portland"

Allan Levinsky, author of "A Short History of Portland" will be discussing his book at the Falmouth Memorial Library, on Friday, February 4th @ 1pm.  The FML Book Group is hosting this event for the library.  The public is more than welcome and refreshments will be served.  Please join us!

Staff Picks

Have you ever lived in a house you really loved or a house with a history?  If you have you will enjoy The House at Bunganuc Landing by Susan Drinker Moran.  And if you think you know Maine but don’t know Bunganuc Landing it’s on the west side of Maquoit Bay in Brunswick.  The changes in the fortune of the house and Bunganuc Landing mirror the changes in life as her husband’s serious illness progresses.  Available on interlibrary loan.--Susan C.

Have You Checked Out the YA Section?

Busy lives means little time for settling in to read the great American novel. But just because you don’t have a lot of time on your hands doesn’t mean you can’t read some fabulous fiction. If you’re looking for a story with a fast-moving pace, thought-provoking concepts, and characters you’ll absolutely love (or love to hate) you need to look in the young adult section.

More and more young adult fiction is appealing to adults, and publishers know it. New titles like Harry Potter and Twilight paved the way – and taught adults where the YA section is in their library. Now you can find all sorts of fascinating reads that appeal to young and old alike. A few titles that have been popular among adults lately include the Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins, a dystopian story about a young girl who finds herself thrown into an arena where teens are forced to fight one another to the death – think Survivor meets Lord of the Flies. Continuing on the dystopian theme, you might enjoy Uglies by Scott Westerfeld, again the first in a series about a new world where everyone undergoes surgery to be pretty so that no one is different. (And the good news is, both of these series are complete, so there’s no waiting around for a year before you can find out what happens next.)

If dystopian isn’t your thing, how about something from our world? Try Anna Godbersen’s The Luxe series about a group of teenage girls breaking the rules of society in the late 1800s. Or, if you want a single title that’s a little more modern, try last year’s Printz Award winner Going Bovine by Libba Bray, or from the year before Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta. The Printz Award is the American Library Association’s award for best Young Adult book of the year. They just announced this year’s winner and honor books; you can find the list by going to www.ala.org/yalsa and clicking on booklists. While you’re there, check out some of the other cool lists of Young Adult books they’ve put together.

There are some amazing stories waiting for you in the Young Adult section. Because even though we may be adults, we’re all still young of mind.  Joyce D.

Another Storm???

It is certainly winter in Maine.  The library will be closing today, Tuesday, January 18th, at 3pm.   Weather permitting, we'll be reopening Wednesday January 19th @ 9:30am. 

Thank you!

Today, Wednesday January 12th-The Library is Closed

I'm sitting in a big comfy chair catching up on my reading.  The wind and snow are whirling around outside my window.  But, I did manage to grab a couple of DVD's from the library to watch today.  "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" is one of those movies.  I'd give you a synopsis, but someone else in the family has already taken off with it!  Our library has many new movies, both hot off the press and new to us, but in black and white.  Hang a right by the Circulation Desk, wander by the Reference office and in the corner there is a display of our new movies.  Check them out, we've marked them with a blue New sticker.

I, however, am personally catching up on my Agatha Christie mysteries.  My one goal for 2011 is to read everything dear Agatha wrote (clarify...published mystery).  I read them all when I was much younger, and am wandering through the English countryside again searching for those clues I didn't catch the first time around!

We here at the library hope you are all home safe and warm.  And perhaps, catching up on your reading?

Beach Reads

Jeannie, our Circulation Manager, has quite the sense of humor.  Check out her display of Beach Reads in January.

Some of her suggestions:

"Life's a Beach" by Claire Cook.  A light-hearted look at women moving forward in different stages of their lives. A "hen-lit" read with a great cover to brighten those winter doldrums.

"Beach Week" by Susan Coll  Another humorous life in transition story.  This time how the stories of several families dealing with their high school aged daughters away for seven unsupervised days at the beach.

"The Teeth of the Tiger" by Tom Clancy.  Not a light read, but the cover is blue like the ocean in summer...