December 2010

  • Outcasts & Underdogs

    I love coming-of-age stories. I love them in fiction and in film. But I recently realized that what I love most are coming-of-age stories about outcasts and underdogs. Adolescence (when many, but not all, come-of-age) is pretty awkward for just about everyone, but for some it is a Greek tragedy. Perhaps I identify with these… Continue reading

  • Books for the college-obsessed parent

    Last summer I texted my son to tell him I was bringing home a copy of  Colleges That Changes Lives. His reply, via text: “Shouldn’t all colleges change lives?” I should end this post right here, because that says it all. Nope. I can’t leave it alone, no matter how hard I try to not… Continue reading

  • Spooky Pioneer Tales

    As a little girl, I was constantly reading books like Little House on the Prairie and fantasized about being a homesteader. When I grew up, I began reading more realistic local history, and discovered that living in the middle of nowhere can be brutally hard on a person. Here are some books from one of my favorite… Continue reading

  • Made you look!

     Will Ferrell & Manny Pacquiao Sing “Imagine.” Hard to resist clicking on that video link, isn’t it? Some books are like that, too. Winking from the library shelf or display, a title captures your attention and you can’t help but reach for it out of wild curiosity. Here are some that put my workday on… Continue reading

  • A book to make you smile

    Lately, I’ve kept a copy of Learning to Love You More by Harrell Fletcher and Miranda July at the information desk to take a quick peek at when I’m feeling blue. Like Truc, I’m a shelf browser and, yes, I originally picked it for the cover. But one curious flip through its pages and I… Continue reading

  • Top 5 things to search for in the Seattle Times Historical Archives

    We are very excited to announce our newest database, the Seattle Times Historical Archives. Thanks to a generous gift from the Seattle Public Library Foundation, library cardholders can now search the entire Seattle Times, from 1900 to 1984, from home. (You can also search more recent issues via a separate database.) As Jennifer mentioned yesterday,… Continue reading

  • Seattle Times at the Seattle Public Library

    If you live in Seattle, you’re probably familiar with The Seattle Times newspaper. You may scan the paper each morning to keep abreast of breaking news and recycle it the next day, its value gone with the printing of the next issue. However, headlines from 20, 50 or 100 years ago can provide a fascinating… Continue reading

  • Reading the Top 10 Books of the Year lists

    I cannot resist a Top 10 Book List, which can be sort of a time suck because just about every publication, website and book blogger has a “Best of 2010” list going right about now. I like to see how many I’ve read (often less than half; okay, sometimes just one or two) and see… Continue reading

  • Books for Giving 2010 — Teen Books, Part 2

    Wondering what to get the teen(s) on your list this year? This post is the second in a two-part series of recently published books for teens recommended by three youth services librarians at The Seattle Public Library. Hayden’s picks (continued): Smile by Raina Telgemeier One night, 6th-grader Raina and her friends decide to race to… Continue reading

  • Books for Giving 2010 — Teen Books, Part 1

    Need a last-minute gift for a teenager on your holiday shopping list? Try one of the books recommended by Abby, Hayden and Jennifer, three Teen and Children’s Librarians at The Seattle Public Library, who have selected 10 of their favorite books of 2010 for teen readers of all ages and tastes. This post is the… Continue reading

  • Writing and reading with your kids

    These days, I don’t think anyone disputes that reading and writing are critical skills for children to develop in order to succeed in school. But while many parents read daily to their small children, once kids learn to read on their own, reading and writing often become independent pursuits. Recently I’ve become aware of a… Continue reading

  • An unlikely ballerina

    Do you have your Nutcracker tickets yet?  Have you ever wondered how a professional dancer develops the speed and agility to portray the moving magical toys that amaze Nutcracker audiences? The book Olga Preobrazhenskaya: a portrait (by Elvira Roné; tr. Fernau Hall) describes both the hard work and rewards in the life of a young… Continue reading

  • Good Shouters

    I was raised listening to two bands: the Rolling Stones and The Beatles. Now that I’m older, I can fully appreciate Mick Jagger’s swagger and his singing, but as a child, I much preferred McCartney and Lennon. Why? Easy. Because they were shouters. Since then, I’ve gravitated toward the shouting musicians. Punk is fun, and… Continue reading

  • Gingerbread is in the air …

    It’s getting cold out there, and the month of December brings out the wonderful aroma of baked goods everywhere. As I am planning a gingerbread-themed birthday party for my daughter, I started to wonder about the origin of the gingerbread man. The gingerbread man may have made his first appearance at the court of Queen… Continue reading

  • #1 New York Times best sellers 1942-2010

    The end of the year always puts me in a nostalgic mood. I am reminiscing about some of the #1 best sellers of the NY Times since the list began in 1942. The Robe, a religious novel,  topped the charts in 1942. Then we have the best sellers that were considered risqué for their time:  Forever… Continue reading

  • Perfect(ly) Ending Movies

    For me, a “perfect ending” to a movie isn’t a wrap up, a happy ending or even a satisfying dénouement. Instead, a movie has a perfect ending when it stops just exactly where it should. Sometimes this is even in the middle of a scene. There’s something magical about ending on an unexpected note, leaving… Continue reading

  • Lose your job, not your mind

    Laid off. Terminated. Made redundant. Let go. Separated. You may feel like burying your face into the nearest cat and sobbing uncontrollably while consuming an entire pint of cookie dough ice cream. (No? Just me?) Trust me, all that gets you is a wet cat and a midnight stomachache. Fear not, you’re not the only… Continue reading

  • Destination: Bangor, Maine?

    Have you ever noticed how many popular songs mention cities or states?  You could potentially plot a trip by following the geography of pop songs!  Listen to this.  Let’s start where the bluest skies you’ve ever seen are…in Seattle! Then we’ll skip Oregon altogether and open up San Francisco’s Golden Gate and retrieve my heart. … Continue reading