August 2011

  • Marvelous mustaches, beautiful beards!

    “Did you know that four of the 2011 winners of the World Beard Championships are from Washington state?” my friend proudly asked this as I entered the room the other day. I hadn’t, actually.    Now that I think about it, though, Washington state (well, the Pacific Northwest) does seem to have a very diverse culture… Continue reading

  • Summer reading: Suggestions from readers at the Beacon Hill branch

    Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese An excellent surprise, a novel based on real characters, places, and events. It unfolds into a love story not apparent in the beginning of the book. Rich and lovely! ~ Rachael The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd Summer 1964: Fourteen-year-old Lily runs away from her hometown… Continue reading

  • Paperback Readers

    Although not nearly as famous as Paul McCartney’s “scrambled eggs” dream that resulted in the iconic “Yesterday,” the birth of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” is equally interesting. Being the 1960s, George Harrison was really into the I Ching at the time (see also: Pattie Boyd and LSD). He vowed to write a song by… Continue reading

  • Personalized teen book lists!

    Going on a road trip? Looking for an audiobook that both you and your teen can enjoy? Our teen services librarians are standing by to help. Use our Next 5 Books service to request suggestions for audiobooks that everyone in the family will enjoy. And of course, we’re also happy to suggest beach reads for… Continue reading

  • Summer Reading: Suggestions from Central Library readers

    Learning to Swim by Sara J. Henry Wow! Grabbed me from the first page and held me until the last; can’t believe this was her debut novel. Excellent mystery – looking forward to more from this author. ~ Julie Poor Miss Finch by Wilkie Collins Suspenseful Victorian drama involving a strong-willed blind girl and a… Continue reading

  • Bicycling Everywhere (in the Central Library)

    There have been a lot of blogs about biking, I know, I know. But I hope this one is a little different. It’s about how books on a topic can turn up anywhere. Let’s start at the top of the Central Library and work our way down. Way up on the 9th floor (History, Travel… Continue reading