February 2008

  • Dear Farmer John

    For Valentine’s Day I made dinner and invited friends over to watch the documentary The Real Dirt on Farmer John.  It’s the deeply personal story of John Peterson, a creative northern Illinois farmer who suffered from the near loss of his family farm and exclusion by his neighbors. The film narrates the history of the Peterson family and explains how John ended up running… Continue reading

  • Did the FBI go too far …

    … in 1954?  The FBI amassed a huge file over many years in their investigation of J. Robert Oppenheimer.  Much of the information they gathered – including illegal wiretapping of conversations between Oppenheimer and his lawyer – was used against him at his security clearance hearing. Twenty-seven years in the making, American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin… Continue reading

  • The Other Boleyn Girl

    I’m a sucker for Tudor tales, so you can bet I’m excited that Philippa Gregory’s wonderful novel, The Other Boleyn Girl, is coming to the big screen this coming weekend (opens on February 29). I’ve certainly read a lot about Anne Boleyn over the years, but Mary Boleyn? This piece of historical fiction was new… Continue reading

  • Modern Scotland: A unique view of a people

    Being of Scottish descent on my mother’s side of the family (the Crawford Clan), I eagerly await and devour each fictional window of modern Scotland from Alexander McCall-Smith. Although best known for his delightful tales (beginning with the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency) set in Botswana, he also brings today’s Scottish folks alive in two… Continue reading

  • An old master dies

    The dowager queen of suspense, prolific author Phyllis Whitney died earlier this month (February 8, 2008) from pneumonia. She was 104 years old. In 80 years she wrote more than 100 short stories and 70 novels in four genres – adult, children’s mystery, young adult and nonfiction guides to writing. She published her last book… Continue reading

  • Fields of Blood and Sacrifice – Christian Fleetwood and his brothers in the Black Regiments of the Civil War

    Uncommon Valor: a story of race, patriotism and glory in   the final battles of the Civil War, by Melvin Claxton.   Christian Fleetwood was a 23 year old free-born Black man living Baltimore when the recruiters of the 4th US Colored Infantry began assembling their forces.  He joined the ranks on August 17th 1863 and was… Continue reading

  • Using Your Databases

    Many of the databases that the Seattle Public Library subscribes to for you offers information found nowhere on the Web, and most can be accessed from any computer with Internet access. Here’s how: Go to the SPL homepage at  www.spl.org Click on the Databases and Websites link in the middle of the page under the… Continue reading

  • TV Terror: Feb. 17, 2009?

    I was part of the TV panic.  I heard the warnings that my TV would not work in 2009.  Patrons called and asked the same question.  Do we have to throw our televisions in the trash and buy a new one?  Don’t panic! The truth is that you will be able to use your analog TV in… Continue reading

  • Book Group Inspiration

    My book group recently had a discussion of the books that led to our best – and most memorable – discussions ever. It was nice not only to reflect on the many books we’ve read and discussed together, but also look at what makes a “good book club book.” About five or six titles stood… Continue reading

  • Healing the Mind

    Stroke. Brain Damage. Strong words we hear more of these days, with an aging population and engagement in a difficult war with injured soldiers returning to everyday life. Words that call up terrifying images of darkness and loss, for both the injured and their loved ones. Images of diving into the healthcare system like entering… Continue reading

  • His time has (finally) come?

    There’s something in the air this President’s Day. Call it Millard Fillmania. You’ve probably all seen the recent car commercial offering a soap-on-a-rope effigy of the forgotten statesman touted to be the first to take a bath in the White House. (This oft-repeated “fact” was actually a sly hoax perpetrated by H.L. Mencken, by the way). Then there’s John Blumenthal’s… Continue reading

  • Sissy Spacek does Scout

    To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee – Audiobook read by Sissy Spacek If you’re like me, you read this book in high school because you had to but don’t remember all the details.  Harper Lee’s great novel is considered a classic for good reason – it’s powerful and gripping and deals with timeless issues… Continue reading

  • Leaving Deadwood

    One thing I notice when watching some of the edgier television shows released on DVD for home viewing, is the excellent music selections that appear incidentally at the end or in the middle of a show, sort of audio riffs on some pragmatic theme. Whoever is choosing this music has a great ear for matching… Continue reading

  • Goats do roam…in Seattle

    Why is our book Home Cheese Making : Recipes for 75 Homemade Cheeses so popular?  Perhaps because it’s authored by home cheese making superstar Ricki Carroll.  In Seattle,local artisan cheese is readily available at farmer’s markets and grocery stores.  Washington Artisan Cheesemakers Festival takes place each year, even though we are far from Wisconsin.  It’s highly… Continue reading

  • The Romans are here: are you ready?

    Where would you stay if you were able to visit ancient Rome, say in 200 AD? What would you have for dinner? Where would you go for entertainment? What tips would help you survive on those mean, mean, streets? Ancient Rome on Five Denarii a Day by Philip Matyszak purports to be a travel guide… Continue reading

  • Localvore Love

    Barbara Kingsolver’s latest book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life is account of her family’s commitment to growing and raising their own food and to purchase only local food. Those who love Kingsolver’s writing will also enjoy learning more about her localvore lifestyle. Her family’s passion for the subject is wonderfully brought forth… Continue reading

  • America’s Genealogy Bank – an enticing new resource

    Genealogy is the Internet’s second most popular past-time.  At Seattle Public Library we love to work with Genealogists and we’re excited to present a great new electronic resource for our patrons. America’s Genealogy Bank is the perfect complement to our other fabulous genealogy services. From one very easy to use search screen you can review millions… Continue reading

  • Growing Up Small

    A Girl Named Zippy: Growing up Small in Mooreland, Indiana by Haven Kimmel. This witty memoir about growing up in a small town in the 1970s is quirky, endearing and laugh-out-loud funny.  Although populated with some peculiar characters, this autobiography is not a depressing account of dysfunction. There is something joyful and uplifting, though certainly… Continue reading