Plot a healthy heart this month... with a good book

Have you worn red this week? Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. The month of February is all about the heart and is dedicated to raising awareness about heart disease and increasing knowledge about prevention. It's still the beginning of a new year and educating yourself on the dangers of the disease is a fine way to get on track with better heart health this year.

Books to assist you on your journey to heart health pulled off the non-fiction stacks might include:

Change your brain, change your body: use your brain to get and keep the body you have always wanted: boost your brain to improve your weight, skin, heart, energy, and focus' by Daniel G. Amen,
Stop the inflammation now!: a step-by-step plan to prevent, treat, and reverse inflammation - the leading cause of heart disease and related conditions' by Richard M. Fleming,
The women's heart book: the complete guide to keeping your heart healthy' by Frederic J. Pashkow,
Strong women, strong hearts: proven strategies to prevent and reverse heart disease now' by Miriam Nelson,
Syndrome X: overcoming the silent killer that can give you a heart attack' by Gerald Reaven,
Born to run: a hidden tribe, superathletes, and the greatest race the world has never seen' by Christopher McDougall.

That's an interesting book on my January to read list to empower running in the cold and non-existent snow. Did it happen? Not really. Two friends recently invested in vibram shoes and though they look a little silly I've heard that they're really comfortable. I'm not at a stage where I could pull it off.

My philosophy is to pull a great romance (oh la la) off the shelves. You can add some chocolate!  It is National Celebration of Chocolate Month. Check out our current library display entitled Love Makes The World Go Round. There's a couple of classy Nora Roberts and Danielle Steel's in addition to novels such as 'Adele: Jane Eyre's hidden story' by Emma Tennant, 'Lost in translation' by Nicole Mones, 'Lulu in Marrakech' by Diane Johnson and 'A sight for sore eyes: a novel' by Ruth Rendell. You can hit your heart with a shot (or beat) of music and pull out 'Between a heart and a rock place: a memoir' by Pat Benatar off the new book shelves as well as a collection of romance and chick lit. Apologizes to the neighbor who has been listening to the same blaring song on repeat for the past week and then voila all of a sudden Pat Benatar.

For a dose of happy heart, check out a performance by Amelia Earhart at the library this Monday, February 7 at 7 p.m. The performance is in sponsorship with the SCCC/ATS Library who will be hosting Ms. Earhart at 12 p.m. Following the performance at the college, Ann Birney of Ride into History will give a workshop on historical performances and how to choose a historical figure to research, interpret, and create. It should be an entertaining flight back to 1937, just before Earhart's disappearance over the Pacific Ocean.

For a dose of conversation, drop by Library and Lunch on Tuesday, February 8 at 12 p.m. and a discussion of Emily Giffin's 'Heart of the matter', a fitting title for the month, a layered, absorbing read or the Book and Movie Series on Thursday, February 17 at 6 p.m. for John Le Carre's 'The Constant Gardener'.

For a dose of learning heart, sign up for Beginning Chess Instruction, a workshop by Emile Darga on Saturday, February 19 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and master the game of chess. All ages are welcome.

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!