Nonfiction

"Allo, Poppets and how goes the holiday turmoil? Tired of "Silent Night" and/or "Rudolph" over loudspeakers yet? Trust me on this--if you aren't now, you will be. I can, thankfully, look forward to some fun events coming up, as in a lovely tea at our 4-yr. university here, Schreiner Univ., several private "do's", three, movies and a partridge in a pear tree. Oh, and one biggie for me, personally, will be getting my right arm out of its black sling since being operated on Nov. 1, and I've been a good girl and done my exercises 2 to 3 times a day and when the "wing" is free on Dec. 13, I will continue them for another month, I'm sure--but I can drive a car again--a fact that makes both Himself and myself positively jovial!

Truthfully, in case any of you are considering this Rotator Cuff (or is it "cup"?) surgery, it is not--repeat, not--painful and you go home from the day surgery with some helpful pills to ease the discomfort for, maybe, three days. Now, sleeping is tricky, in that you can lie flat on your back, or roll to the unaffected side--period--lower your voice--end of sentence! I think I'll burn the sling and do an Indian shuffle around it! Basta! Enough!

This is my last column for the year 2011, and I gotta tell you, that this Fall and Winter gave me the sensation of space travel cause it went by so fast--did any of you get the same feeling that, right after the Summer ended and Fall began, it was like "Does anyone here remember what happened to the last 4 months?" Odd. The stores are gorgeous, the handbags and jewelry are calling to me--I never feel that way about Spanx and Vacuum cleaners. I am hoping that Santa thinks I've been a "good girl"--which always draws Himself's wry observation that I didn't necessarily had that particular designation but "I'll give you an 'M' for trying. "I've always wondered how I could have been better and I'm concerned that the "M" stands for "Maybe."

Keep looking for that perfect present and here are a few to consider checking out from the library. This first offering is by Glenn Beck, well-known radio host, "Being George Washington; The Indispensable Man, as You've Never Seen Him" and I gotta tell ya, this book is riveting, fascinating history, not only telling stories about Washington's hardships, devotion to an ideal, persistence, physical hardships, spies, double-agents, betrayals--and you will honestly feel the chills of that awful winter at Valley Forge, the bullets through the coat, horses shot out from under him, lack of respect (only at first) from European generals trained in the traditional war colleges of Europe "and the unmistakable hand of Divine Providence that guided it all."

As Beck intended, so much of what happened to him, his troops, his dealings with "the money people" and his battles to keep people encouraged and seeing his vision--and a lot of it is so familiar today. Quotes from the people of that day, from Benedict Arnold to the venerable Benjamin Arnold are given exactly--by that I mean what is written down is exactly and precisely what they men said--fascinating, I tell you. The Germans who came to help and couldn't give orders or hold a conversation in "our language" and refused to learn! The contempt in which Washington was held in that he wasn't a "schooled soldier" from a military school--and, yet to everyone's surprise, most noticeably the "furriners" who came to help us--when the time came to say a final farewell, the usually stoic Germans openly wept, in exchanging toasts of victory in battle and regret at leaving our commander who, according to historians, always treated our allies with respect and courtesy, while being aware of their early attitudes towards him.

The last part of the book dwells on Washington's character and vision and how we have lived up to them or not in today's world and, ultimately, what we can do to make our country stronger by remembering and adhering to what we were founded upon. Really, as far as I'm concerned, this is on the top list of Non-Fiction books for 2011--hurry and get it before 2012 bursts in on us! Great stuff and it will "stay with you" a long time.
 
Anybody remember the name John Brown or Harper's Ferry, Do ye ken "Civil War"? Right--it's the holiday season and your little pea brain is stretched to the breaking point, so I will remind you of all of the above by telling you about "Midnight Rising; John Brown and the Raid That Sparked the Civil War", by Tony Horwitz and, boy, does he do a bang-up job of an historical, years-ago incident and put you right in the middle of history being made. Several facts you need to know. In the early part of the 1800's, slavery was already an issue, although a quiet, festering one, in this nation--rather like a strain on a marriage that could sever it but nobody wanted to bring it up and talk about it. Well, one man, John Brown, "a descendant of Puritans saw the destruction of slavery as a fulfillment of America's founding fathers' principles."

An excuse, reason, justification that many martyrs/saints/ and idealists feel they have a mission to bring about, even if it means war, costing lives and devastating some of the good things people hold dear, in the long run because of "it needs to be done"--whatever "it" is and depending on who's saying it--right? Well, John Brown, in 1859, at a secret hideout in Maryland, "convened a secret guerilla that included his teenage daughter" (now, that one surprised me, particularly in that day and age of women staying in the background) and "led 18 men into Harper's Ferry, seizing its massive Federal armory, freeing slaves, and vowing to liberate every bondsman in the South--a counterattack by U.S. Marines, commanded by Robert E. Lee, led to Brown's wounding and capture."

But, dear readers, and here's the real Important point--that bloody uprising sealed the split between the North and the South that had been heading that way and "papered over (no one wanted to really deal with the elephant in the room" for several years. John Brown became a hero in the South and there were brave -–and strongly worded--calls for secession from the Union. Eventually, Lincoln was elected president "and began to fulfill John Brown's dream with his Emancipation Proclamation."
There's wonderful, descriptive passages talking about his daughter, Annie, and in her later years--because for a long time she wouldn't talk about the summer she was 16--"she began to talk and write freely about the 10 weeks she had spent as housekeeper and watchdog for Brown's band--and while she never witnessed her beloved father's death, when she died after a serious fall, "the coroner's certificate revealed a curious detail--67 years after Brown's hanging, his loyal and loving daughter had died of a broken neck." Harper's Ferry changed hands a dozen times, over the next 65 years, and at one point was a refugee camp for blacks, the Black Methodist Church founded a college there and named its first building Lincoln Hall. A truly fascinating book--and it's all been well researched and pages and pages of footnotes, to demonstrate its being  a true telling. Go to the library and check this one out--and you can thank me later.

On a more, perhaps, lighter note---and on a delightful subject which many have been through--there's "The Puppy Diaries; Raising a Dog Named Scout", by Jill Abramson, who is the executive editor of the august New York Times and an unabashed dog lover. However, as any one who's ever raised a puppy soon learns, you, yourself, need training so you can train your dog to be an acceptable part of the family--and this involves learning about tiny treats and praise rather than yelling and physical punishment--and all of that is better learned with a good trainer or tapes.  Jill and her husband, Henry, took into their home a lovable nine-week-old Golden Retriever named Scout and along with Scout came bloodied hands and arms from rough puppy play, a dog who barked and whined and begged for food during their mealtime, and jumping up on them and others.

Then, at one bad point, and unbeknown to each other, they both phone Dianne Abbot, a dog professional, for help. Diane was a firm believe in the clicker-treat approach and so she gave them, at home, a few lessons and they were introduced to the Positive Reinforcement method of dog training while they also learned that Cesar Millan is the Leader of the Pack guru. Shawn Stewart, one of the top trainers of dogs, including Homeland Security types, says there is no one method that fits any and all dogs--and this is a very sound conclusion--"the right method depends on individual considerations about the dog, the owner, and the environment." In my personal case, with my many breeds and personalities over 65 years (this obviously goes back to my childhood!) I would seem to lean toward the Leader of the Pack school of thought, but several of my friends did it differently with their dogs and also were successful, so there you gave it.Anyway, she introduced her readers to Scout, put pictures and stories of the puppy in her first year on the Internet and enjoyed a huge reader response. Many lessons were learned, some funny and some poignant. Scout was their entertainment, a source of their disagreements on how Scout was responding--and a lot of their stories were comparing Scout's progress with how their previous dog, Buddy, had either done well or poorly at. I've been there, as have many of you, and sometimes the new dog comes off lacking in contrast with dog who's died. Interesting, sometimes unfair, but a subject of conversation, particularly when the new dog is doing something puzzling or irritating--right?

I, again, praise the book about Scout and the insights she gained, including from Temple Grandin, the auristic author and behavior analyst, who helped explain the nature of animals.  She said E.B. Whiye "dispensed the wisest comment about raising a puppy I have ever come across--he said, a really companionable and indispensable dog is an accident of nature. You can't get it by breeding for it, and you can't buy it with money. It just happens along."--and I realized that, with Scout, if was the passage of time, and the inevitable passage of time, and the inevitable calming process that occurred as Scout aged." Ah, would that people who are unpleasant would undergo the same process--maybe they should ponder the message of Christmas!

There are really wonderful books that have been brought into our library, here in Liberal, both Fiction and Non-Fiction and I hope that, during this past year and in reading this column, you've found some books you'd like to read. All our staff and our Director wish all of our readers a delightful holiday--a truly Merry Christmas--and a successful and personally fulfilling Happy New Year. You are our present, each time you come in the library you are welcome, and if we could wrap a big red ribbon around each of you, we'd do it. See you next year--Bye!

Christmas Programs

Greetings from amidst the Christmastime bustle! Things have been moving right along here with decorating the library, the Redskin Singers coming to perform, and the Fancy Nancy Spendiferous Brunch & Soiree'. Two more events are approaching. One is the library's annual Gingerbread House decorating. New and exciting items are being added to the great assortment of goodies participants can use to create their own unique house. Everything is provided. Youngsters ages 4 to 11 are invited to take part. The event will take place on Saturday, December 17, starting at 9:30 a.m. This is a reservation activity, so give the library a call to reserve a spot for your child. Don't miss out on a good time! The second event is Poppa D. Clown's Magical Christmas. This is a free program that will take place in the Children's Library on Wednesday, December 21, at 2 p.m. The program will be approximately 45 minutes in length. Plan to come and join in the fun!

A number of new Christmas titles have been added to our collection in the last few weeks. Here is a sampling. Olivier Dunrea, best known for the Gossie & Friends series, brings us A Christmas Tree for Pyn. In spite of Pyn's father's objections, she manages to get him to help her find the perfect Christmas tree, and in the process forges a closer relationship with him. This is a heartwarming story indeed.

The Christmas story is beautifully told in Lauren Thompson's One Starry Night. All sorts of animals watch over their young as Mary & Joseph watch over their baby boy, Jesus.

Jennifer Holm provides another episode of her famous Babymouse series with A Very Babymouse Christmas. This series is for chapter book readers.

Home for Christmas is another of Jan Brett's books with her beautifully decorated signature borders. In this tale, Rollo the troll gets bored doing chores and runs off to spend some time on the tundra with various animals who live there. Finally he decides that he wants to be home for Christmas, even if it means he will have to behave better than he has in the past.

For those who are fans of non-fiction, check out Franklin and Winston: A Christmas that Changed the World by Douglas Wood. Shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941, these two great world leaders met at the White House at Christmastime to decide how best to face the threats which were occurring worldwide. This was the beginning of an alliance between the United States and Great Britain. The book shows the human side of these gentlemen as they got to know each other better during that Christmas season.

A fiction story based on a true event is The Lighthouse Christmas by Toni Buzzeo, a story of a family facing hardship in their newly assigned, isolated lighthouse post but how a special flight service, the Flying Santa Service, saves Christmas for the family. Here's a bit for information about that service. "In 1929, the first year of the Great Depression, aviation pioneer Captain William Wincapaw began the tradition of "The Flying Santa." Also known as the "Santa of the Lighthouses," Wincapaw oversaw flying operations for the Curtiss Flying Service at Rockland, Maine. He had a great deal of admiration for lighthouse keepers and their families, who served in isolated and inhospitable locations. On the morning of December 25, 1929, Wincapaw loaded his aircraft with a dozen packages of Christmas gifts and delivered them to a number of local lighthouses. By 1933, the Flying Santa program was so well received that Wincapaw expanded it to include ninety-one lighthouses throughout Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. Wincapaw began to dress as Santa and he enlisted his son, Bill, Jr., to help pilot some of the flights." Since this title was checked out and exact facts could not be obtained from the back of the book, this information was taken from the Coast Guard Compass, which is the official blog of the U. S. Coast Guard.

Christmas Eve at the Mellops' by Tomi Ungerer is the story of the four Mellop brothers who each had the idea to provide their family with a Christmas tree. Now the family must decide what to do with four trees.

Our collection features many of the old Christmas standards, such as Clement C. Moore's The Night Before Christmas and 'Twas the Day Before Christmas, which is the story of the poem The Night Before Christmas. In addition, there are a lot of books following the Night Before Christmas format--The Redneck Night Before Christmas, The Librarian's Night Before Christmas, and The Barnyard Night Before Christmas. A quick perusal of our card catalog will bring up a wealth of Christmas titles to be enjoyed. Stop by and check them out, as well as our Christmas activities. See you at Memorial Library!

Fiction

So, Poppets, we are now into the 1st big holiday season and it's time to locate the turkey roaster and the platter, the gravy boat, polish the silver, set the table--whoops! I forgot!--by the time you are reading this, the turkey's all eaten, most of the ham, and only 2 pieces of pie left--the kind you don't really like! Well that gets you off to a good start on your calorie intake, when you don't care for what's available and so you don't eat it--right? Right a the moment, my right arm is in a sling due to Rotator Cuff surgery and I cross each day off until we get to Dec. 15 and then I'm hoping I can get rid of the sling entirely instead of just the times each day that my arm is out of the sling 'cause I have to do exercises.

The exercises will continue at a very good therapy place here where I went when I had my left knee replaced earlier this year, and the crew there is very nice and helpful but relentless--"pushy" comes to mind--and even though I say "Absolutely not!" when they ask if I'm ready to do another exercise or add to an existing one--I do what they say 'cause if I don't, a knee or a shoulder remains "locked" and painful and I want to move about freely.

Rufus Cooper lies beside me when I'm doing the circles and, later, the pulleys and we "talk" about how the day's gone (Rufus Cooper is our dear dog and he feels, I think, that Jim and I are slowly getting the hang of what he considers the best dog-schedule of eating, walking, napping should be but there are times he thinks we're just dumb!) So, if any of you are "putting up" with pain or just inconvenience, there's a place in Heaven for all of us who "put up with it" (whatever "it" is) and think how much more sympathetic and patient and sunny-natured we'll be! Yeah, right. Anyway, we all have a lot to be thankful for in our friends, family, jobs, and in books to read--did that segue pretty well, I thought.

There's a bunch of excellent authors coming out with titles in time for the holidays and to take on trips, so, let's look at a few. (As an aside that is pretty important--this column will be a notch shorter 'cause one can only type for so long, in a sling--but we'll hit the highlights.) The cover of the first Fiction book, "The Infernals", by the excellent author, John Connolly, has a cover that looks like Hell--no, really--with red flames, the devil's head and what look like chalk-white beckoning arms or, perhaps, flames. One reviewer said Connolly mixes science with the supernatural to produce a creepy/comical jaunt for young adults and fans alike"--and since most of you are not Young Adult readers, this leaves the rest of us.

This is about a boy, his dog, and their struggle" to escape the wrath of demons. Samuel Johnson's eyesight is bad. How bad is it? He asked a postal letter box to go out with him. Got it? However, Samuel has also foiled the invasion of Earth by "the forces of Evil" and earned the enmity of a demon and he wants to get its claws into Samuel--"and when Samuel and his faithful dachshund, Boswell, are pulled through a portal into the dark realm--which is the home of the Infernals--he gets his chance." But the Infernals have not counted on the bravery and cleverness of the boy and his meddlesome dog or a different demon--the hapless Nurd--"or the presence of two clueless policemen---to say nothing of the unlucky, eternally optimistic driver of an ice-cream truck." Now, there's a combination. As if all these weren't enough to keep track of, there's an unexpected band of little men "and if you thought demons are frightening, just wait until you meet Mr. Merryweather's Elves." Emotions are well-expressed, humor is a given in this story, Bad and Good do exist, and choices must be made. A book to "fly away on" and chuckle at--while, perhaps, shuddering slightly.

This is a Large Print book, "One Dog Night", By David Rosenfelt, and there is such a pretty dog's head on the cover, and I think it's the lawyer in the story, Andy Carpenter, who's dog it is, named Tara. Actually, my first English Setter was named Tara--such class and what beautiful eyes she had. To continue, the defense lawyer, Andy, is not in the market for a new client but for 6 year as Noah Galloway "has lived with a terrible secret", knowing his life could be shattered at any time. So, since both men have, at one time or another, had Tara in their homes and hearts, "Andy has little choice but to take on a cold case turned white hot." It's written in first person, which is not one of my favorite styles, but it can--and, in this case does--move the action along and the plot--always important to a story--is solid and, while using "Legalese' is easily understandable to the reader. Come and get it and while I didn't find a lot of Tara's thoughts in it, she's certainly a part of the story.

Okay, let's peek inside the pages of "The Night Strangers" by Chris Bohjallan. Now, here's a lead descriptive sentence that would make anyone feel a slight shifting of the ground but a greater curiosity as to the mystery involved--"In a dusty corner of a basement in a rambling Victorian house in northern New Hampshire, a door has long been sealed shut with thirty-nine 6-inch-long carriage bolts." See what I mean? The home's new owners are Chip and Emily Linton and their twin ten-year old girls. Chip was an airline pilot who had to ditch his plane after both engines quit and 39 people died, "a coincidence not lost on Chip when he discovers the number of bolts in that basement door."

Emily finds herself wondering about the women in the village and their interest and focus on her daughter and wonders if the women are mentally disturbed and what about her husband "whose grip on sanity has become desperately tenuous?" One of the big differences in this situation and "real" ones is that some of these people are dead. What are the real voices and what are visions that Emily is experiencing? What's out-of-body, what still relates back to the plane crash and the people who died? This one I've got to read and I'd suggest you do, too, on a dark Winter night with only one light on--you will find it entertaining but upsetting, at the same time.

Dear readers, please accept my wishes for a good Winter season ahead, sunshine even in cold weather, and if you have ice, for Heaven's sakes step carefully--we've all known of friends who've slipped and broken a bone here and there. Do get out and exercise when you can, re-vive your memories of hot choc. and Ginger cookies and remember those far less fortunate then you are--and pray for Congress to manage to really work together or go home! Take care and put fresh water out for the animals every morning and give them shelter overnight. Bye!

Make a stop at library this holiday season

Vacances heureuses mes amis. C'est un beau temps pour visiter la bibliotheque!

The Fancy Nancy Splendiferous Brunch and Soiree will be held on Saturday, December 3 at 9:15 a.m. for gals and lads ages four to eight. Reservations (are required and) can be made over the telephone or by stopping by the library as spaces are limited. Gals and lads are invited to come bedecked in their most festive holiday attire for a marvelous holly jolly time.

This will be the third year for this wildly popular event. Last year's attendees arrived sporting frills, tiaras, and feather boas. The event features exceptional Fancy Nancy stories, extraordinary crafts, and exquisite refreshments. From years past, everyone has a glamorous time. The bedazzled program looks magnifique!

The library is excited to once again welcome the Redskin Singers for their annual holiday appearance on Thursday, December at 7 p.m. in the library. This year, we welcome one of our staffers as part of the singing entourage. Light refreshments will be served.

Library and Lunch will be held on Tuesday, December 13 at noon for Debbie Macomber's Call Me Mrs. Miracle. Emily Merkle works in a toy department at Finley's a family owned department store in the Big Apple and her boss is none other than the owner's son. The family needs a miracle to keep the business afloat. Holly Larson on the other hand needs a miracle for her eight-year-old nephew Gabe, whose father won't be home for Christmas. Maybe Mrs. Miracle (Emily Merkle) will play a role in bringing the two together.

A current New York Times bestseller will be the first Library and Lunch pick for the New Year. Plenty of time to stop by and pick it up. The book discussion of The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes will be held on Tuesday, January 9 at noon. The English author had been short-listed for the Man Booker Prize three times in the past and became the winner this year for this particular book. It is narrated by Tony Webster who recalls how he and a circle of friends met Adrian Finn at school and vowed to be friends for life. He reflects on the paths he and his friends have taken.

The library invites young adults to Teen Gaming/Teen Reader's Advisory meetings on Thursday nights which will run every two weeks at 4 p.m. Upcoming dates include December 1, December 15, and December 29.

Book and Movie will take a brief hiatus during the month of December. The group will be back in full force the third Thursday in January for Didier van Cauwelaert's Hors de moi/Out of My Head translated from the French by Mark Polizzotti. There is a 2011 thriller film based on this 2003 French novel directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and starring Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, January Jones, Aidan Queen, Bruno Ganz, and Frank Langella. Dr. Martin Harris awakens after a car accident in Berlin to discover that his wife suddenly doesn't recognize him and another man has assumed his identity. With the help of a young woman he sets out to prove who he is.

As always, for the latest library programming take a peek at the library website or grab a newsletter from the circulation desk. Stay tuned and connected through our social media pages. If you have any questions or suggestions about books or programs don't hesitate to ask. Hope to see you at the library this holiday season!

Kansas EZ Library

For those of you who download audiobooks and ebooks through the State Library's Audiobook, Music and More program, a change is about to take place. The name of the program is changing to Kansas EZ Library, and there will be a new provider too. The company Overdrive, who currently provides the service platform for these services, will no longer be doing so after December 5, 2011. The State Library was unable to negotiate favorable terms with Overdrive which resulted in the need to find new vendors who could provide access to audiobooks and ebooks.

Some of the reasons why the State Library chose not to renew its contract with Overdrive were: substantial subscription charges to individual libraries in the consortium; a 700% increase from 2010 to 2013 for the platform fee; and a removal of the language that acknowledged consortium ownership of the material. Removal of this language also eliminated the opportunity to transfer the materials (materials purchased by Kansas libraries) to a different vendor. These changes, especially the substantial increase in the platform fee, were ones Kansas libraries could not afford to accept.

The State Library has found two new vendors who will provide downloadable services to Kansas libraries. But before the change can be made, the State Library is required to obtain permission from each of the 163 publishers of purchased audio and e-book content so that the content can be moved to the new providers. As of today, the State Library has received 88 publisher permission forms and has permission to move the content of 3804 audio and 875
ebooks to the new providers.

The econtent vendors are not new companies, but providing downloadable products is a new venture for them. One Click Digital (Recorded Books) will provide audiobooks, and 3M Cloud Library will be used for ebooks. At this time the target dates for the changes are sometime in November for the audiobooks and sometime in January 2012 for the ebooks. Unfortunately, this schedule will result in a gap between the time the contract with Overdrive ends on December 5, and the date that all econtent will be available to Kansas residents. In order minimize this disruption in service, the State Library will be providing a list of free downloadable audiobook and ebook services at www.kslib.info/digitalbooks. This link will also be available from our website at www.lmlibrary.org. Here are a few examples of sites that provide access to free ebooks and audiobooks:
For ebooks:

• Project Gutenberg--Download books in the public domain (out of copyright). Browse by popularity, genre, and subject. Can transfer to or directly use on a portable device.
• ManyBooks--Searches free ebooks from around the web. Converts the free books to more formats than they would previously have been available.
• Inkmesh--Book search that includes a browse by subject alongside promotional free ebooks from companies including Baen (science fiction).
• AddAll Books--Free ebook browsing includes eHarlequins.
• Google eBooks--Download free or pay for books here.

For Audiobooks:

• Spoken Alexandria--Great narration of books and other works in the public domain.
• LibriVox--Volunteer narration

If you are not currently using Kansas' econtent service Kansas EZ Library and would like to, just stop by the library and sign up for a Kansas Library Card. If you have any questions, please contact the library at 626-0180.

Kansas Reads to Preschoolers

Hope all our readers remembered to turn their clocks back and got an extra hour of sleep. Or maybe you put that hour to use in another way. Some people are more sensitive than others to changes such as this, but everyone is sure to notice the difference around suppertime tonight when darkness descends.

If you missed our Geek Day Carnival on the 29th, you missed out on a good time. In spite of chilly temps and a brisk south wind, it was a great event. The kids enjoyed the games, Poppa D clown, the popcorn, and, of course, the balloons. Parents, grandparents, and other adults enjoyed visiting with library staff, getting geek info, and writing on our geek board. Musical entertainment was provided by Watson's Warriors, and it really added to the festivities. There were lots of great volunteers who helped out wherever needed. A big 'thank you' to each and every one of you!

And now it's time to move on to November activities. November 13 through 19 is Kansas Reads to Preschoolers week, a statewide effort to read to as many preschoolers as possible. The intent is to raise awareness of the importance of early literacy in the lives of young children. This is the seventh year for this event, which has seen a great selection of titles, personal appearances by some of the authors, and wonderful companion activities. This year is no exception, as the chosen book is Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr. This rollicking alphabet book is sure to please preschoolers everywhere. A bit about its author - Bill Martin, Jr. (1916-2004) has been called "America's favorite children's book author." Born and raised in Hiawatha, he experienced difficulty reading until he attended Kansas State Teacher's College at Emporia (now Emporia State University). There he memorized poems an instructor read aloud, then related the words to what was on the page. After graduation, Martin taught English and journalism at Newton and St. John, Kansas. Martin continued as an educator, became a school principal in Illinois, and earned a doctorate in early childhood education. He then moved to New York to join publisher Holt, Rinehart and Winston as editor-in-chief of the school division and developer of innovative reading programs. In 1972 Martin became a full-time writer, eventually publishing over 300 books. (taken from Kansas Center for the Book website, Martin biography).

During Kansas Reads to Preschoolers week, the library provides both in-library and outside of the library programs. The special in-library story time for Kansas Reads to Preschoolers will take place at 9:15 a.m. on Thursday, November 17. For those outside programs, preschools and larger daycares throughout Liberal are visited by library staff members who present the featured story. The smaller in-home daycares are the ones that are sometimes most difficult to connect with. This is where our readers can help out.

If you operate a home daycare, please phone the library so that a visit to your facility can be arranged during that week. If you know someone who operates a home daycare, please encourage them to give the library a call at 626-0180, ext 4. It's great that Liberal joins in reaching out to so many little ones and in making a good showing for the state-wide tally, making a statement of the importance of early literacy.

The November 17 story time session will be the final one in this series. The next set of storytimes will begin December 8. Be sure to check the library's website or pick up a monthly events newsletter at our circulation desk to get all the latest on activities in the library. The month of December will be bringing some fun events for youngsters.

Recently we received a generous donation from the Seward County Conservation District earmarked for books on soil. We are acquiring those titles. Those now on the shelf include: Growing and Eating Green -- Careers in Farming, Producing, and Marketing Food by Ruth Owen; Different Kinds of Soil by Molly Aloian; How is Soil Made? by Heather L. Montgomery; Soil Erosion and How to Prevent It by Natalie Hyde; and Micro Life in Soil also by Natalie Hyde.

Growing and Eating Green is part of a series called Green-Collar Careers. As is typical of many information books for youngsters these days, this book contains, in addition to the main text, additional little boxes of information. Chapter 1 is entitled The Future is Green and includes push pin 'attached' information on various careers. In addition, terms such as organic and fair trade are defined in other boxes. Other boxed items include information about caged hens and about mad cow disease and vCJD. The back of the book provides both a glossary and a page of websites for further information.

The other four titles listed above are part of a series entitled Everybody Digs Soil. The publisher describes this series by stating, "Soil is second only to oceans as the most important living area on planet Earth. This amazing series goes under ground to show children how soil is as important as the atmosphere in sustaining life on Earth and keeping global warming under control. Kid-friendly examples and fun activities help young readers understand complex processes." So, if your child 'digs' soil, come on in and check out these great titles! See you at Memorial Library!

Library Policies

Just for a refresher, here's are the policies of the Liberal Memorial Library.

Liberal Memorial Library's collection includes more than 77,000 items: books, audio books, videos, DVDs, magazines, music CDs, reference materials, puppets, and audio files through the Kansas Library Card.

Library cards are free to all residents of Kansas. A form of state identification must be presented to show that a patron is a Kansas resident along with a piece of mail. Out-of-state patrons are required to pay an annual fee of $25 per family.

All library patrons over the age of 18 MUST present a government-issued form of identification and a utility bill.


Library cards are sent through the United States Postal Service to library patrons and should arrive within one week of application.

A patron cannot check out items until they receive their card in the mail.

Children are entitled to the same check out privileges as adults. They must have a parent or guardian present to get a library card. This parent or guardian will be held responsible for the safe return of all library property and any fines or fees that are accrued.

The staff asks that parents or guardians monitor the appropriateness of library materials that their children borrow. The library staff is not responsible for making that judgment as individual families have different ways of deciding what is suitable for their children.
All materials in the library may be checked out for two weeks, except for DVDs and video cassettes which may be checked out for one week.

All library patrons must have their own library card to check out materials.

In an effort to circulate as many materials as possible a patron is limited to no more than 15 items: which may include four DVDs, six VHS, six audio CDs (including audio CD books and music CDs), six audio cassettes, six magazines, one equipment, and four interlibrary loan items.

Overdue items are $.10 per day except for DVDs which are $1 per day.

Materials may be renewed in person, by telephone, or online.

Most materials may be renewed twice unless another patron has reserved the item.

DVDs, video cassettes, pre-literacy kits, and items that have placed in the New York Times Bestsellers cannot be renewed.

A request for renewal of interlibrary loan materials must be made three days before the due date or they may not be subject to renewal.

*******

UPCOMING EVENTS:
Roger Adams will be speaking on Kansas Cuisine at the Library on Monday, November 7 at 6 p.m.
Library and Lunch will feature French Lessons by Ellen Sussman on Tuesday, Nov. 8 at noon.
Book and Movie will present The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly on Thursday, November 17 at 6 p.m.

We have basic computer classes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. We have English computer classes every Tuesday at 10 a.m. We have Spanish computer classes every Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.
And in December, the Library will present the Redskin singers on Thursday, December 8 at 7 p.m.
See you at the Library! And remember, libraries are more than just books!

Anti-bullying Awareness Month

October greetings from the Children's Library! The month is moving along swiftly. If you have been in the library recently, you have probably seen staff members in Geek tee shirts. Or if you've attended an around-town activity lately, the library may have been there with their geek booth. If you haven't been in recently or seen our booth around town, you might be a little unclear about all this geeking. Do not be dismayed, your chance to say, "Oh, I see!" is coming. On Saturday, October 29, Memorial Library is hosting an official geek day in our parking lot and on our lawn from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The community is invited to come on out, enjoy some carnival-type games, have a snack, maybe win a prize in our giveaway, and find out what geek is all about. Because our entire staff is helping with this event, the library will not be open that day. Just drop off your due materials in the book drop and we'll get them checked in.

Storytimes have resumed on Thursday mornings. If you know someone who would like to take part, just have them give us a call, check our website, or stop by the library for the schedule. New little ones, and accompanying adults, are always welcome. This session lasts through November 17.

October is Anti-bullying Awareness Month. Bullying seems to have become more prevalent in our society. There are certainly more opportunities to bully in this day and age with cyber bullying offering another avenue. The library has a number of resources for both children and teens, as well as for parents. These titles include Bullying and Me by Ouisie Shapiro and Smart Kid's Guide to Online Bullying by David Jakubiak , both from the children's non-fiction collection. For teens, Dealing with Bullying by Alexa Gordon Murphy and Odd Girl Speaks Out - girls write about bullies, cliques, popularity, and jealousy, by Rachel Simmons. From Barbara Coloroso, The Bully, the Bullied, and the Bystander - from Preschool to High School: How parents and teachers can help break the cycle of violence. In addition, if you search our card catalog, you will find a number of fiction stories about children overcoming bullies.

The Children's Television Network has joined the anti-bullying campaign as well. Here's what the site has to say about their recent offerings on the topic. "Big Bird, Elmo, Abby and the rest of the Sesame Street gang address the important issue of bullying in a special episode, 'The Good Birds Club,'which aired on PBS on October 17. Bullying has been identified as a major concern by schools across the U.S. with 56% of students having personally witnessed some type of bullying in school. Sesame Street's anti-bullying episode hopes to educate young viewers about bullying and encourage preventative actions to combat aggressive behavior. The episode is part of a larger Sesame Street anti-bullying campaign including:

• Two new additional episodes addressing other bullying-related social-emotional issues.
• A robust parenting topics page at www.sesamestreet.org/bullying providing caregivers with videos, anti-bullying tips and "view and do" activities for children designed to promote healthy friendships as well as respect and understanding of each other's differences.
• A special 5-part video series Happy To Be Me: An Anti-Bullying Discussion with experts in the fields of child psychology, advocacy, education and health, delivering important messages for parents and children.
• The full street story of 'The Good Birds Club' will be available online for parents to watch with their children.

The new episodes will introduce young children to the ongoing issue of bullying and teach them the pro-social skills necessary to prevent and address this critical problem."

If this is a topic you are further interested in, Families Together is hosting a conference on November 12 in Wichita which is open to the public. Here is what they say about that conference, "Students who are bullied show more physical symptoms, such as headaches or stomach aches, and mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety, than other students. Families Together is proud to welcome Su Ellen Fried, co-author of Banishing Bullying Behavior and nationally renowned Anti-Bullying Advocate, and Dr. Charles Smith, author of Raising Courageous Kids to the 2011 FINDING SOLUTIONS conference. Dr. Smith and Ms. Fried will tackle this serious issue on what our children maybe facing everyday."To sign up, contact Families Together at 316-945-7747 or go to http://www.familiestogetherinc.org/ then click on dropdown "our events" and select 'statewide conferences'.

Join us for Geek Day on October 29 and we'll see you at Memorial Library!

Nonfiction

Does anyone, besides me that is, find the presidential campaign rhetoric to be both nasty, uncooperative in nature, combative and, at times, not so much concerned with issues as their own voice giving back satisfying answers of "You're right--you're so smart--they need to elect you and let you run things." Really?

Then, we have the poor (sometimes literally, sometimes just caught up in the feelings of "poor me") of spirit/outlook people marching to complain of their and the country's current condition. For the second, my first, instinctive answer is what my grandmother used to tell me when I got whiny and unpleasant and "snarky" (a term used by Brits)--to wit: "Go to your room and get ahold of yourself and come back when you can be pleasant and stop whining."--and while no one's denying that jobs and supporting people who are dependent on you is of primary importance, it's also obvious that many temporary or regular jobs are available in different fields and different locations than where many complainants are living. It might involve you leaving and going somewhere else, I grant you, but it's been done by many--including several whom I know.

For the first, it seems to all of us that Congress--and the President--don't seem to want to make compromises in order to arrive at solutions--all the while "holding fast to their principles and promises to the people." How high-minded--how principled--how "holier-than-thou"--how ridiculous. The problem of Social Security alone has gone beyond the original premise of how long we would live and still be working vs.the reality we have today. We'll have to review the reality and adjust our expectations.

Ah well, let's move to the world of books and see how their facts might enlighten us about the human condition and the world we live in. Joyce Meyer is one of the world's leading practical Bible teachers, has written several books, and her radio and television programs have gone around the world and she and husband, Dave, are parents of four grown children, so we're talking about an author who has real world credits, and her latest book, "Living Beyond Your Feelings; Controlling Emotions--So They Don't Control You", has gotten good reviews. Yes, she does bring in Biblical words and teachings to help you understand the way the brain stores and processes memories and thoughts "and then--emotion by emotion--she explains how we can manage our reactions to those feelings."

Ms. Meyer blends the wisdom of the Bible with the latest psychological answers and discusses a few of the following list: Four personality types and their influence; Impact of stress on physical and emotional health; Power of memory; Influence of words on emotions; Anger and Resentment; Sadness, Loss and Grief; Fear; Guilt and Regret; Power of Replacing Re-actions with Pro-actions; Benefits of Happiness. She has a lot of common-sense resolutions to help humans lead happier, calmer lives and certainly gets inspiration from the Bible. "We must work with God to find the balance between being who we are and not excusing rude or unloving or isolationist behavior by saying, "That's just the way I am". "God is in the business of changing us into His image and that means He helps us control our weaknesses and He uses our strengths."

She deals with repressed anger and handling loss, and everything I've read sounds like loving common sense--no preaching or "I'm the expert on what you should do because God speaks directly to me!:--and I genuinely found some calm, "human" awareness and concern for all of our all-too-human natures. Really, you should go and get this book and read and apply--I don't need any help but the rest of you do (I'm kidding--I'm kidding! Put down the stones!)

Oh, I have one more wonderful quote from her book, which is profound and true--"Why are So Many Christians Unhappy? I think some people have a perception that Christianity is stern, severe, and joyless. That's because many who call themselves Christians have sour attitudes and sad faces, critical of others, and quick to judge"--and are always talking about how hard they've worked in their church (now I just might mention that I've been a layreader in the church for 42 years and have my own white robe and little silver cross and I've got the answers to most every problem--just ask me!) It really is a hit-it-on-the-head kind of book for those who feel they're Christians and those who wonder about what exactly makes a Christian.

The shocking assassination of Abraham Lincoln is an event we all become familiar with in grade school and know about--right? Well, actually, there's a lot that leads up to and takes place after this famous event and it's well told in "Killing Lincoln; The Shocking Assassination That Changed America Forever", by Bill O'Reilly, the well-known anchor of his own TV show "and, perhaps the most talked about political commentator in America" and Martin Dugard, New York Times bestselling author of several books of history.

I'm sure you know the basics of President Abraham Lincoln's "generous terms for Robert E. Lee's surrender and he and his men allowed to go back and reintegrate into American society", but one man, John Wilkes Booth (and others), were decidedly not pleased. Booth was "a charismatic ladies' man and impenitent racist--and after the murder of the President at Ford's Theater, a furious manhunt ensues" and Booth's capture becomes the sole concern and topic in the country. A "smart but shifty New York detective, Lafayette Baker" puts the threads together and, while federal forces track Booth's accomplices, he's on the trail of Booth himself and it ends up, predictably, in a shootout.

There were, naturally, some court-ordered executions, "including that of the first woman ever executed by the U.S. Government, Mary Surratt (I had a roommate and good friend who had that same last name, and we went to school together in Virginia--I wonder if there's a dim connection?) There are vivid word pictures for the mind to contemplate, in this book, and I found I could hardly put it down due not only to the subject matter but it is written so it flows easily and illuminates so many things--Booth's attack and the minutes after it, the funeral cortege with Lincoln's body and that of his son in his casket going down the streets of Washington, and--to my surprise--I learned that over the next 150 years, "his casket will be opened 6 times and moved from one crypt to another 17 times--his body was so thoroughly embalmed that he was effectively mummified."

During the funeral time, Booth was hiding out in a Maryland swamp. Are there pictures in here? Yes, indeed.This is a haunting book that will tell you a lot more than you learned in school about Lincoln and his family, General Grant, Mary Todd Lincoln and certainly John Wilkes Booth. Believe me when I say you will not be able to put this book down until you're finished--and then, you'll go back and check points again. A true story that rivals any fiction and one that I'll get for my library.

I agree with Ann Patchett, an excellent author of dog books, when she says about the next book--"Fascinating and big-hearted---this book is for anyone who has ever had a dog or loved a dog.."--and the book, by Susan Orlean is "Rin Tin Tin; The Life and Legend". Susan spent 10 years researching his book. It's the story of a dog who was born in 1918 and never died. During the decades that followed after World War I, on the battlefield in France, a young American soldier, Lee Duncan "discovered a newborn German Shepherd pup in the ruins of a bombed-out dog kennel. Having been raised an orphan himself, Duncan was so impressed with the pup's survival that "something in Rin Tin Tin he felt compelled to share with the world."

So, he brought him home to California "where the dog's athleticism and acting ability drew the attention of Warner Bros." Rinty starred in many shows that actually saved that company from bankruptcy--Rin Tin Tin became the No.1 box office star. This German Shepherd and his many descendants "rose and fell with the times", from silent films to talkies from black and white to color and a very popular children's television show. Everyone so loved the idea of this dog-hero that a few dedicated people, including Daphne Hereford, the owner of the current Rin Tin Tin , have made sure that his story stays alive.

At the core of this story, of course, is the enduring bond between humans--most of us, that is--and their animals; the love and companionship each gives the other. Dogs were used in the last four or five wars, different breeds, but always the German Shepherd has been foremost; the breed is loyal to a fault with its owner, endures what must be endured, does not complain (like humans do) and only asks to serve and be near that human they love, rain or shine, and, at the end of their life, get a kind and loving hand on their head and a whispered, "You were loved--you will be missed."

I don't, by any means, seek to not attribute the same noble characteristics to all dogs, breed type or like my beloved Rufus Cooper who is, according to the august American Kennel Club, a "mixed breed", but I, having been brought up with Shepherds on my aunt's place, will always and forever have a special corner of my "dog heart" for the proud, striking, loving German Shepherd and this book is one that anyone who loves Shepherd's will enjoy. (Dennis, call the library and get this book and read it with half-mine Manny at your feet and read some of the parts of Rinty's story to him--he'll understand--as you and I do.) Okay, that's the story of this wonderful, one-of-a-kind dog who was a "star" and a part of our national psyche--and a wealthy one, I'd wager, with many bones and the original Rinty left a legacy of hard work and love. Read the book--and as a small p.s., the Germans refer to the breed as " Alsatians".

If you get a minute, browse through the book, by Goldie Hawn, "10 Mindful Minutes"; Giving Our Children--and Ourselves--the Social and Emotional Skills to Reduce Stress and Anxiety for Healthier, Happier Lives". She's known, of course, for her movies but has also established a foundation, Mind UP, is now used by schools and educators around the world. Interesting concept and a relatively small book that will yield large results when applied.

Okay, it's time to get Himself's lunch and watch the noon news to see what insults and ultimatums are floating around since yesterday and if the outraged marchers are still trying to break into public offices and bldgs. Such as the recent Air and Space Museum--they're accomplishing one amusing thing--tourists are taking pictures of them! I don't know that they're giving the protesters any money, however, but some mother somewhere may recognize her son or daughter and know where their child is who hasn't called in 3 months!

Keep brushing your teeth, put some money aside, each week, for Christmas, plan on giving your post person a small gift, and smile at strangers--you were one, once. Thanks to all of you who have read my col. for years-literally--and never once circulated a petition to hang me! I'm forever grateful! Take advantage of your public library and be aware of how kind and pleasant the staff are, who, after all, are there for you. Bye!

Drop by the library this month!

Many geek-y activities are planned for the months of October and November.
Computer classes in English continue to meet every Tuesday morning at 10 a.m. and computer classes in Spanish meet every Wednesday morning at 9:30 a.m.  Reservations are needed so call or stop by the circulation desk to reserve your spot.

There will be a Teen Advisory Committee/Halloween Soiree on Thursday, October 27 at 4 p.m. and a Teen Advisory Committee meeting on Thursday, November 10 at 4 p.m.  In the works is a holiday performance in the weeks to come.

The library's official Geek Day will be on Saturday, October 29 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the front lawn of the library.  The theme will be carnival based.  We will also be at the United Way Halloween party in the Southgate Mall on Sunday, October 30.  We will win the best booth contest in our debut! It's our goal.
The Library and Lunch book discussion will be held on Tuesday, November 8 at 12 p.m. The book "French Lessons" by Ellen Sussman will be discussed.  This is Sussman's second book.  She's also the editor of two anthologies.

"French Lessons" follows a single day in Paris as it changes the lives of three Americans as they each set off to explore the city with a French tutor, learning about language, love and loss, as their lives intersect in surprising ways.  They're in the city for various reasons. Josie is a young high school teacher hoping to heal a broken heart, Riley is an ex-pat housewife struggling to feel connected to her husband and her new country, and Jeremy is the reserved husband of an actress, accompanying her on a film shoot yet finding himself distant from her world.  They find unexpected passion and unpredictable adventures!

Book and Movie will meet on Thursday, November 17 at 6 p.m. for "The Lincoln Lawyer" by Michael Connelly. In a Connelly thriller, charismatic Los Angeles criminal defense attorney Michael "Mick" Haller operates out of the back of his sedan. Having spent most of his career defending petty, garden-variety criminals, Mick unexpectedly lands the case of a lifetime; defending a rich Beverly Hills playboy, who is accused of attempted murder.  What initially appears to be a straightforward case with a big money pay-off swiftly develops into a deadly match between two masters of manipulation and a crisis of conscience for Haller.

This Monday is Columbus Day. The library will be open.  Columbus Day was originally October 12 but since 1971, the second Monday in October commemorates the landing of Christopher Columbus in the New World.  Columbus' explorations were financed by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain but Columbus was a native of Genoa and over the years Italian Americans have begun to honor his achievement.
Drop by this Columbus Day and pick up a history book!  Selections from the non-fiction collection include "1493: uncovering the new world Columbus created" by Charles C. Mann, "Atlantic: great sea battles, heroic discoveries, titanic storms, and a vast ocean of a million stories" by Simon Winchester,"Fraternalism and leadership: the second fifty years of the Knights of Columbus in Kansas" by Roy Bird, and "Rivers of gold: the rise of the Spanish Empire, from Columbus to Magellan" by Hugh Thomas.

As always, for the latest library programming take a peek at the library website or grab a newsletter from the circulation desk. Stay tuned and connected through our social media pages. If you have any questions or suggestions about books or programs don't hesitate to ask. Hope to see you at the library!

Fiction

Has anyone "out there" seen the movie, "Moneyball", with Brad Pitt and Phillip Seymour Hoffman? It's the true story of a Gen. Mgr. of a major-league Baseball team, the Oakland Raiders, two years ago with their mgr., Buddy Beane, decided to try something radically different to win the National League pennant as the best team in Baseball. So, he talks to a "nerd", well played by, I think, an actor named Jason or Jonah Hall, who has this theory of ignoring the usual rules in building a winning team and go strictly by mathematical percentages of the individual players--regardless of injuries, runs batted in, how much he drinks, or age--just the math, dude. So, he decides to go with "Peter", the nerd, and back his statistics and pick his team that way and the first time--year--he tries this is just after the A's have lost to the Yankees by one game and 3 of their players are going to become part of the Yankees team. Great story and Mr. Pitt is believable as the G.M. and, as I said, this is a true story and Pitt is featured on the cover of the new Sports Illus. with the headline, ""The New Moneyball" and go see it--trust me on this. The date is Sept. 26 of the magazine, and the lines underneath the title page says, "Intellectual firepower is mandatory, but no guarantee of success now that the game's financial giants have cracked the code." Still, a fascinating story and the article goes onto tell about the Boston Red Sox blazing success also.

Okay, enough about movies and back to books. As I've often said, while I certainly enjoy many Non-Fiction titles, the Fiction ones sort of win the race, perhaps for the same reason that I like movies--escape from my immediate environs or schedule or "gotta-dos", so opening a box of Fiction titles to review is like opening a box for Christmas! Yes, I know I have suggested to my director many of the titles we get in, in Adult fiction, but I certainly can't remember even half of them, so they all seem new. It's always been a source of secret amusement to me that the initials of my daughter, when born, was BLY for Bonnie Luise Yoxall and that always reminded me of the newspaperwoman, Nellie Bly. Well, it was amusing to me.

So, now, there's a novel with the intrepid Nellie Bly as a traveler and detective as well as newspaper investigative writer for Joseph Putlizer's New York newspaper, in 1899, and she's taken on a challenge from the writer, Jules Verne, " who challenges her to beat the 80 days it took his fictional hero to race around the world" in the book, "The Illusion of Murder", by Carol McCleary. The thing that stands out to me, as a traveler, is she traveled with only one small--quite small--valise with a single change of clothes! A single change of clothes to last 72 days? Please! Even with diamonds to "dress outfits up", it's ridiculous. I couldn't go to Wichita for two days without several changes of clothes--and shoes--two jackets--a large and small purse--my 18 vitamins each day--and 4 books!


To continue--Her official account of "Around the World in 72 Days" omits one important fact--"a mysterious death in Port Said, where Nellie witnesses a heinous crime that makes her a target for a killer and drags her into a web of intrigue with the fate of the nations at stake." On the ships that take her around the world "are the most famous magicians in the world--but a murderer also stalks the decks." She's a spunky lady who, against the advice of older, wiser heads takes on the challenge, and I love where, after stealing a key to be able to search a cabin on the ship, asks herself, "Why in God's name would I put myself in harm's way again? The real question is why I have these moments of remorse only after I have done something completely insane?" Everyone in the country gets caught up in it and a man from Topeka, Ks. tells her she could be elected Governor if she wanted to run! She was very popular and a spunky, get-it-done kind of gal. You'll enjoy this, I know.

The following title has rec'd rave notices, i.e. "Light from a Distant Star and it stands as an incredibly moving and powerful novel from one of America's finest writers"--the author is Mary Morris and has been nominated for a Pen/Faulkner and--and--National Book Award and several other honors, and I, personally, was curious to learn more about "Light From a Distant Star."

A gangly, awkward, full of questions but keenly observant Nellie Peck "is on the cusp of adolescence and the person she most admires is her father, Benjamin, a man of great integrity."Â His hardware business is failing, her mother has had to go back to work, her older half-sister is determined to search for her birth father,and Nellie has to spend long, hot days with her younger brother, Henry, "whom she is determined to toughen up--herself as well."

To add to the mix, three strangers are around to bring laughter, worry, fright and the need to make decisions that not only affect nellie but also her family. "Brooding Max Devaney is an ex-con who works in her surly grandfather's junkyard, reckless Bucky Saltonstall has just arrived from New York to live with his elderly grandparents, and pretty Dolly Bedelia is a young stripper who rents the Peck's family small, rear apartment." (There's gonna be trouble in River City, friends--I guarantee it!) And guess who constantly eavesdrops on Dolly? Miss Nelly--and you can readily understand a young girl's curiosity and with the small apt. having thin walls--yep!


Violence comes forth "and the prime suspect is obvious to everyone--and only Nellie knows the truth--and she is silenced by fear and, for her family, the threat of scandal'. Facing a courtroom, she not only doubts what she knows but is sure that nobody will listen to her. She asks, of her dad, as he's dropping her off for school and she's telling him who she thinks is guilty and he's not believing her--doesn't want to--she says, as he's urging her to get out of the car and go into school--"But, Dad, wait!.Wait! You always say you'll help, all I have to do is ask, so what if Max didn't do it, and it really was (I leave this name out, intentionally, so as not to give out secrets!) and I'm the only one who knows it, what should I do?" And her father replies, "You shouldn't ruin a good man's life, damn it, Nellie, that's what you shouldn't do", he said so bitterly that she was stung, shocked into silence. But which man did he mean?" An excellent story, characters well drawn, and you will stay up past your bedtime reading it.

Harry Dolan hooked me for a loyal reader in his first book, "Bad Things Happen", and you know how I know that? I don't want to finish the book! No, seriously--I undoubtedly will but that means a book that I have enjoyed is over--gone--so, you can imagine my delight at finding he's written "Very Bad Men". The editor of a mystery magazine, Gray Streets, is David Loogan, from the previous book, and he's now living in Ann Arbor, married with his wife's daughter. There's also, at the same period of time, a man, Anthony Lark, has drawn up a list of names, "and to his eyes, the names glow red on the page--they move." Anthony Lark is hunting them--and he intends to keep going until they are all dead--deceased--erased. You see, 17 years previously, they all were involved in a crime that got a lot of press and notoriety--the robbery of the Great Lakes Bank.

The names are Terry Dawtrey, Sutton Bell, and Henry Kormoran; one day, when he comes to work on the magazine, Loogan finds an envelope under his door--"begins with a deadly manuscript inside entitled "I Killed Henry Kormoran". It's inevitable that David and Elizabeth are drawn into Lark's world as it becomes necessary to uncover Lark's motives and David befriends a tabloid reporter with her own theory as to what happened--and will happen in the future. Her possible theory involves, as it so often can, very powerful people who have a vested interest in there not being a solution which may entrap them. So, does David Loogan believe the possible dangers that Lucy Navarro "puts on the table" to consider? David believes her when she turns up missing. I have not read Mr. Dolan's new book---I'm saving it---and will be anticipating reading it a.s.a.p. You, dear Poppets, on the other hand can go check it out soon or get on a waiting list.

Let me re-review a book that I so genuinely liked and the author lives here, in Kerrville, Tx. and Leslie Williams is not only a funny, warm person to know and have "a cuppa" with but she's written a really intriguing book, "The Judas Conspiracy" and her characters bring this well-researched story to life. The name, "Judas", immediately alerts the reader to the possible intrigue and mystery involved, all of us knowing of the Dan Brown books and others, all touched with mystery and speculation. Okay, let's look at the first sentence on the back cover, concerning the plot--"The discovery of a complete manuscript of the Gospel of Judas in a New Haven basement threatens to uncover a secret religious sect that has been growing underground for two millennia--a brotherhood active, dangerous, and determined to remain a secret."


There is a detective involved, Isabella O"Leary, who teams with scholar Paul St. Clair and the wonderful Washington Cathedral is almost a character in its own right, with a second murder being committed there. One of the murders the two are investigating is a top international specialist in the Sethian Gnostic Brotherhood, and, as Isabella says, "I think we're up against something big and dangerous--they wanted that manuscript and they got it, Dr. Barnes silenced and they got it. The Sethian Brotherhood is used to getting what they want. Whatever their theology is, they've convinced themselves that the end justifies the means." From what can be gathered of human nature and bad purposes, that would apply to a significant percentage of people, unfortunately, but what distresses me, personally, is when it involves people's trust and belief in religious organizations who are slyly discrediting God and His teachings.

To go on, "apparently, the Sethians had been a well-known Gnostic sect before the birth of Christ and incorporating the new Christian religion into their beliefs, they Sethians believed that Jesus was the reincarnation of Seth." Then, Sethians Gnosticism seemed to die out but "pockets of believers" kept it alive and a main goal seemed to be to do whatever was necessary to, in a word, bring down Christianity as its thought of now. How far would they go? Actual killing of those who stood in their way? Slander? The dangers mounts and spread out from targets of scholars in U.S. and England to "a much larger plans of destruction." I like a story to move smoothly, be believable, have main characters you want to see evolving (and keep me reading)and Ms. Williams does it well. Do the Sethians bring about a catastrophic event? Do Paul ST. Clair and Isabella remain together? I want people to read the book and find out for themselves.You'll thank me!

The title, "Bad Intentions", by Karin Fossum is a new one to me, in the mystery field, continuing the Insp. Konrad Sejer series, and this time the detective must face down his memories and fears as he investigates the deaths of two "troubled young men." So, my first foray into the novel is the one I do in every book I review--I start flipping through to read enough "bits" of the story to try to understand, first, the plot and second, how easily does it move and are both plot and people believable? This detective investigates the deaths of two troubled young men. The first victim, Joe Moreno, drowns in Dead Water Lake, and Insp. Sejer hesitates to call it a suicide. The second young victim is a Vietnamese immigrant--"and the beat goes on." Sejer beings to feel "his age weigh on him" and wonders if he has the drive and stamina "to pursue the elusive explanations for human evil"?

So, it's now the next morning, Poppets, and I continued last night working in and around my two evening TV shows, to read "bits and pieces" of this book and when I began absentmindedly scratching a mosquito bite and wondering where the pretzels were and yawning--it was evening, after all--it occurred to me that I wasn't being "held" by the story, its characters, or waiting with bated breath for the ending. So, if you wish to read it, fine--go check it out--but there are other murder mysteries that are written better; i.e. anything by Ariana Franklin, "Mistress of the Art of Death'. Gracious me but she's good! Her newest, that I'm enthralled with, is "A Murderous Procession".

Okay, dear readers, I'm wishing you all a pleasant Fall, a good week ahead, and keep walking, only one dessert a week not a day, look ahead and make your holidays as easy as you can and eliminate stressful people and events from your life--who needs them? Bye!

Drop by the library this fall

Autumn is slowly yet surly approaching.  The library has lots of activities planned over the next few months.
Our newest book display in the adult and young adult area is "Crafting". A scarf for cold weather, grab a knitting book! A quilt to adorn a sofa, grab a quilting book!  See if there’s a book on the display just calling your name.

The young adults are busy hanging out at the library every two weeks (this past week being a Teen Advisory Committee meet day) and the next being Teen Gaming on Thursday, September 29 at 4 p.m. The current project is for a prospective spring performance featuring a musical play.  The plans are in the works.  There may also be something in the works for the holiday season.  The group is slowly growing with an exuberant mix of young adults.

Lidia Hook-Gray will be at the library for a book signing on Tuesday, September 20 at 6 p.m. Her book entitled "Liberal and Seward County" was published on August 22.

The Library and Lunch book discussion will be held on Tuesday, October 11 at 12 p.m. The book "The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet" by Jamie Ford will be discussed.  The novel is a debut for Ford whose plot revolves around Henry Lee, a Chinese-American in Seattle who's lost his wife and he finds out that the belongings of Japanese immigrants interned during the WWII have been found in a hotel basement.  The story shuffles between the present 1986 and the 1940s chronicling the losses of old age and the bewilderment of youth.

Book and Movie Series will meet on Thursday, October 20 at 6 p.m. for "Doubt" by John Patrick Shanley. Winner of the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Shanley also directed the film version of the play starring Meryl Streep, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, and Viola Davis. Shanley is the writer behind the classic 1987 romantic comedy titled "Moonstruck".

What’s new in the library? As of this upcoming Wednesday, the Kobo eReader will be available for check-out to library patrons.  E-readers are portable electronic devices designed for one to read digital books and periodicals. The Kobo uses an electronic ink screen so the screen tries to depict ordinary ink on paper.

There are over seventy different varieties of e-readers out on the market.  Stop by and see if a Kobo might be one for you.  E-readers are perfect for someone who travels.  There is less space taken up by books.
There are many classics downloaded on the library device for perusal including The "Velveteen Rabbit" by Margery Williams which I read for the first time on the Kobo.  Pages may be more colorful in paper format or in another version of device.  See for yourself.

As a still quite devoted physical book aficionado whether in everyday life or whilst traveling (paperbacks for discovering new authors like Ian McEwan prior to his "Atonement" fame on a long flight years ago) one might see the advantage of eventually reading Tolstoy's War and Peace in an e-reader format.

As always, for the latest library programming take a peek at the library website or grab a newsletter from the circulation desk. Stay tuned and connected through our social media pages. If you have any questions or suggestions about books or programs don't hesitate to ask. Hope to see you at the library this fall

Nonfiction

Greetings, oh faithful readers--and how goes the early Fall for thee? Today, as I start to write this, it is Sunday night, around 8 p.m., and for some reason, "known only to God" as my family was wont to say, the wind is really up and rustling leaves and papers on Himself's desk here in the den. No rain, however, which I understand Liberal has gotten, off and on. We are mainly "off", here in South Texas, and we are on Stage 4 water rationing--now, pay attention and I'll tell you what that piece of news entails for the general population; it's a major drought--not just "dry" or "we can't leave the sprinklers on all day, can we?"--your sprinkler system, as a homeowner, is turned off--off, as in nada, none, not any day--and you can handwater (you're standing there, on your lawn, literally holding the hose in your little pink paw and trying to keep what grass and bushes you have alive and that's only allowed two days a week, depending on your house number, from 6.am. to 9a.m. and 6p.m. to 9 p.m.)


Thank goodness those of us who installed underground drip systems are allowed to set them to water two or three days (for three hours) a week but not any soaker hoses or sprinklers. If you can spare a Mason jar or two of water, your next "toad strangler", we implore you to send it on--one man said he saw a fire hydrant trying to bribe a dog! Ah, well, nor would I like to stand on a river bank and watch my house breaking up going downstream or get caught in a fire that spreads to include my house and 124 others, like in Oklahoma.

This Sunday that you're reading this is, obviously, the anniversary of 9-11 and of course you know where you were when you either heard the news or saw those ghastly pictures on the telly. I can vividly remember that horrible, end-of-the-world picture of that black, rolling cloud coming down Wall Street--it personified, to me, what is meant by Armageddon. However, we're a resilient populace and, while being appalled, taken aback, angry, and never-the-same-again, we survived and will continue to do so. 9/11 was a truthful moment and as it was non-fiction, so is my column (Patti, you've got to admit I turned a national disaster into a great segue! Call me and assure me you think so, too~!)

Okay, Poppets, let's look at a "cliffhanger" of a book--literally. "The Ledge; An Adventure Story of Friendship and Survival on Mount Rainier", by Jim Davidson, one of the two climbers who are also best friends (the other was Mike Price) "as they stood triumphantly on top of Washington's Mount Rainier, celebrating what they hoped would be the first of many milestones in their lives. Then, the cave-in. They plunged deep inside a glacier crevasse-the pitch-black, ice-walled hell that every climber's nightmares are made of." Davidson was fully aware of the risks of what could happen but was "hopelessly in love with the challenge." Besides, as we all secretly believe--"It'll never happen to me!" Oh, really?

He fell and was "trapped on a narrow, unstable, frozen ledge, deep below daylight and high above a yawning chasm." The crumbling ice and snow around him were enemies to deal with---"My eyes travel up the frozen walls. I figure it is 80 feet up to the sunlight. The walls above me climb up at about 80 degrees, then they go dead vertical, and then, higher up, they overhang. It is as if I am looking out from the belly of a beast, its jagged white teeth interlocking above me." Davidson desperately tried to save his injured companion and, finally, with very little equipment and no partner to help him on, even morally and verbally, he'll either have to resign himself to a cold, lonely death or--climb up to the top with his strength waning every hour.

This book is a tribute to friendship and the laws of Nature that never change for any man and, finally, to say it is an adventure story is like saying 9/11 was about how well built the towers were. In one poignant moment, stuck in that shaft of ice and cold and exhaustion, he "talks" to his father as he's attempting to go up toward the top--

"I grab the biner that, when released will thrust me out onto the sharp end of a big lead fall over a manky screw (that was not a misspelling-it's the name of a screw, apparently). sJust one simple unclip and I will force myself to play this terrible hand right now, all in, to free climb up in one great go for broke effort. One way or the other, it will be over in the next minute. Perhaps that is what I want the most: for it all to just be over. I hook my index finger on the biner's gate, ready to open it. Now. And then I hear a loud voice in my head. It's Dad. "Stop! Ya can't do it. Ya gotta keep doin what you were doin'" I argue and say it will just take a minute--"All I've got to do is climb this one section and it's over." Dad doesn't buy it. "Ya may not be strong enough and if ya fall, the screw's not gonna hold. You're gonna go all the way down. I know ya want to climb out fast but the risk is too big. Ya can't do it. The aid climbing's working. Stick with it."

I love that "dialogue" he had with his dad in a dangerous deathly cold environment, getting weaker and colder--I believed he did hear his dad's voice. In any case, this is an excellent story and you need to read it if you like honest characters and a real "icy" cliffhanger (or crevasse chiller!)\

I was rather amused by this next title--"How to Love an American Man; a True Story", by Kristine Gasbarre, in that I pictured a whole series by this author only set with a man in different countries. Actually, the premise is rather interesting. "Kristine made a New York career out of dating driven, inaccessible men, and when she realizes that her love life will never result in happiness if she continues on the same path," she decides to go to Italy and stay with her adoring grandfather. Then she receives the news that he has died. Scratch Italy. So, she returns to her hometown--small hometown--to help care for her grandmother--"refined, private matriarch suffering from early dementia along with the loss of her husband" and in return for the lost love stories and life lessons from her grandmother's 60-year marriage, they both find that she is Krissie's coach through her fear of loving.


Grandmother talks about if someone really listens to you and sees and hears what's important to you and you do the same for them--you are an individual and allow them to be one not try to make the other one into something they're not comfortable with. Consider Grandmother's wonderful Walnut muffins that she was putting in a container for Krissie to take to her mother and father--the muffins that were without nuts she put on the bottom of the container because that's what Krissie's father liked ("your father hates nuts in anything--always has") and the muffins on top with nuts because Krissie's mother loved nuts in anything--always had! Each understood how the other one reacted to personal choices and made allowances, was the point Grandmother's muffin tale made.

And at the end, after telling her beloved doctor, Chris, goodbye as he leaves to do six months medical work in Paris and they've discussed how much they care for each other, she is talking to her grandmother who is happy for her but says, "Kristine, all your life, the only one you can always count on, one hundred per cent of the time is you--you're a woman who'd had goals, who always knows her self and what she wants and that's the most important thing for a woman to be in this life." Theirs was a delightful relationship and each gave to the other and got much back in return. You'll love this charming "old-fashioned" story, in a modern time, and the truths it contains.

Okay, that's one for the men and one for the women, now, here's one for all my readers of any age, income, education or position in this world. "Unlikely Friendships; 47 Remarkable Stories from the Animal Kingdom", by Jennifer Holland, is a treasure of a book and each "pairing" of best friends has its own history to it, and let me give you a few examples of the "unlikely friendships" that you'll find in here;

• a fish poking its nose out of the water to nuzzle a dog,
• a Cockatoo and a cat,
• a Cheetah and an Anatolian Shepherd,
• a Pit Bull, a Siamese Cat and the chicks,
• the Papillon (Spaniel) and the Squirrel,

and the Owl and the Spaniel--and the owlet had been abandoned almost at birth, so Sharon, who runs that conservation center, took him inside and sat down on the sofa with "Bramble" in her lap. Sophi, then 3 years old, "jumped up on the sofa to investigate the new arrival and licked him gently on his beak, and from that day on, it became a daily ritual--Bramble would "beak" Sophie in return for Sophie's kisses."

Sometimes a friendship is about need, as in the case of the blind Lab and her affectionate "seeing eye" cat This is about the true power of friendship and, to some degree, the many forms of "love" that seem to exist in the animal kingdom.

The author, along with her husband, lives with two dogs and dozens of snakes and geckos. She is a senior editor for "National Geographic" magazine and the snakes on her property? They keep completely to themselves. And, for a last word about these wonderful friendships, I love the one that brings together a Lion, a Tiger, and the Bear at the Noah's Ark Rehab Center in Locust Grove, Ga. and they all met as young ones of three months old. The ones in charge (human, that is) enlarged the grounds as the animals "enlarged" and added a double-decker "clubhouse" for them to play in. There isn't one--not one of these stories you won't delight in reading and the pictures are "worth the admission price all by themselves". Come and check it out and thank me later.

So, our heat is slowly lifting--our highs this week are around where they should be--mid-nineties instead of low 100's--and what is a hoot is how much cooler people say they feel the minute the first week in Sept.arrives--even if the temp hasn't moved much. Ah, the power of the mind! Remember to keep walking or swimming or golfing or playing tennis--however you like to exercise, keep on. Read a good book, enjoy laughter with friends and keep in touch with family members and remind yourself, every so often, to appreciate small things and forgive the occasional rudeness--Life's too short. Thanks for reading this col. and we will be "together" again, soon, okay? Bye!

Geek the Library

When you think of the Liberal Memorial Library the first thing that comes to mind is books. These days it may even be DVDs or computers. But the library is much more than all those things. It's a place of workshops and activities for all ages. The library has computer training workshops every Tuesday and Wednesday in English and Spanish. The library has its monthly "Lunch and Library" and "Movie and Library" series. There is also storytime for children as well as gaming activities for teens and young adults.

The library has also had its share of guest speakers to enlighten the Liberal community. Western authors Phyllis Miranda and Linda Broday came to town to promote their new book as well as give some background on their writing process.


Children's literature expert and Kansas State professor Joe Sutliff Sanders visited the library and gave his perspective on the escape of Margret and H.A Rey, the creators of Curious George, from Nazi-occupied France during World War II.

The library is always working on activities and workshops that the community finds interesting and valuable.
Over the next few months, the library will be participating in numerous events such as the Duck Race Festival, the Mexican Independence Day Festival and the Halloween at the Southgate Mall.
At these events, the library will be out trying to unleash the community's inner geek.

But just what is geek? Geek simply means passion. Do you geek books? Video games? Football? What is your passion?

The library is participating in Geek the Library, a community-based public awareness campaign. The campaign highlights what people are passionate about and how libraries can support them, in an effort to heighten awareness about the critical funding issues public libraries face.

The public awareness campaign illustrates the fact that everyone is passionate about something--everyone 'geeks' something--and that the library supports them all.

So get ready to get your geek on!

Return on investment. You may hear those three words when you're talking about the stock market or real estate investments, but how often do you hear them when you're talking about the library? Probably not as often, if ever, as you should.

In these tough economic times, everyone is always wondering if they are getting the best bang for their buck. Am I getting the most with my money? I can tell you that the library is one place where you are getting your money's worth.

Recent studies have shown that for every one dollar that goes to the library, you get five dollars back on your return. Where else do you think you can get that kind of return on your investment?

Just think, instead of borrowing a book or checking out a DVD, you would have to buy it. Instead of borrowing a computer and surfing the internet, you have to buy a computer and get an internet connection.
For more information on how much you're getting back on your library dollar, check out http://www.tscpl.org/about/library-value-calculator/ It's easy to forget the library is here until you need it. (When a certain bookstore left town.) The library is a community resource and an investment. The more you put into it, the more you can get out of it.

Liberal has been great in supporting the library and understands it's a valuable commodity. Still, it never hurts to give a reminder of its value.