October 2015

  • October Takeover: Dracula Part Two

    ~ posted by Lindsay S. Picture it: Transylvania 1431; a child is born that will inexorably change the course of history. Okay, that might be a flagrant exaggeration, but not if you live in Hungary or are a superfan of vampires and vampire fiction, especially the latter. The child I’m referring to is, of course,… Continue reading

  • October Takeover: Dracula Part One

    ~ posted by Lindsay S. When people hear the word ‘vampire,’ often the first thing that comes to mind is Dracula. In fact, for some people ‘Dracula’ and ‘vampire’ mean the very same thing (at least they do if you’re Deadpool). But where did this obsession begin, and what’s it all about? Over the next… Continue reading

  • A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

    ~ posted by Ann G. Sadly, this post is NOT going to be about pretty pictures or images.  It is about data visualization—WAIT, DON’T STOP READING!  They can be fun!  Whenever you see an infographic (which is one small subset of the many types of data visualizations), like this one about what happens to your body… Continue reading

  • October Takeover: European Horror – Vampires, Black-Gloved Killers and the Devil

    ~posted by David H. If you’re looking for the birthplace of the horror film, then the place you should be looking is Europe. From German silent films to Hammer’s Technicolor horrors and on to the black-gloved killers of Italian giallo, Europe has been a prime breeding ground for horror. For viewers willing to try something… Continue reading

  • October Takeover: Harry Potter Nostalgia

    ~posted by Selby G. Nothing screams fall for me like Harry Potter. The music, characters, scenery, the entire vibe of the books and movies epitomize what I think Halloween, and Fall, should be like. For the last couple of years my husband and I have the tradition to watch the Harry Potter movies again when… Continue reading

  • October Takeover: Scary Music

    ~ posted by Daniel S. Only two holidays have an entire genre of music associated with them. For instance, can you even name a Thanksgiving song? Christmas, of course, hogs all the glory, but Halloween truly excels by its inclusiveness. All Hallows’ Eve music doesn’t have to name drop anyone or anything in particular in… Continue reading

  • October Takeover: ZomB Movies

    ~posted by Kara F.  The Battery was simple in its execution, a dark film with a surprising amount of heart. It was a much more realistic film than other zombie movies I’ve seen in the past and by far my favorite. The film is about two guys and their baseball bats just trying to survive a… Continue reading

  • October Takeover: DIY Ghost Tours: Guidebooks for your Local Ghosts

    ~posted by Blythe S. Have you ever wondered who is haunting your neighborhood? Ghost have purportedly taken up residence in a number of bars, theaters, restaurants, stores, parks and other places in Seattle–enough to create entire guidebooks on the subject. During October a number of worthy ghost tours are offered to guide you through dark,… Continue reading

  • You Know You Love Data…

    ~ posted by Ann G. Or, if you don’t now, we can help you become the best kind of data geek!  Even if all you do is read news articles, in print or online, you need discerning data skills, to know what to believe.  Data is also behind many of the cool apps we use… Continue reading

  • October Takeover: The Death of Poe

    “The boundaries which divide Life from Death are at best shadowy and vague. Who shall say where the one ends, and where the other begins?” ― Edgar Allan Poe, The Premature Burial One hundred and sixty six years ago today, Edgar Allan Poe mysteriously died at the age of 40. Though his life was tumultuous… Continue reading

  • October Takeover: Crafting for the Apocalypse

    ~posted by Carrie M. So, it’s finally happened: the world as we know it has ended. That’s right, it’s the apocalypse, and you have found yourself as one of the few lucky survivors. Congratulations! But does living in dystopian future without all the conveniences of the past really mean that you have to give up… Continue reading

  • October Takeover: Asian Horror – Black Cats, Buried Secrets and Ghosts With Long Hair

    ~posted by David H.  In 2002, the Hollywood film The Ring, starring Naomi Watts and directed by Gore Verbinski, opened to excellent box office, becoming a surprise hit. Though few were aware of it, The Ring was a remake of a Japanese film called Ringu (1998) that had been making a stir among horror fans. The success… Continue reading

  • October Takeover: Halloween History

    ~posted by Meranda T. Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays. My earliest movie memories have to do with Halloween. Such as Ray Bradbury’s Halloween Tree. Which is both a movie and a book. While I didn’t read the book until recently, the movie truly influenced me. It’s a fun Halloween movie that explores… Continue reading

  • October Takeover: Morbid Museums

    ~posted by Selby G.  Haunted Houses may be tradition at this time of year, but there are places that will make your skin crawl (and teach you a thing or two) all year long. Medical Museums are institutions to educate the public about medicine and health, although entertainment and a dose of gore help bring in… Continue reading

  • Spooky Stories LIVE, all October long!

    Turn down the lights. Get yourself a drink and gather round, while we take you on a little trip down a dark and twisted road. This month we have extra spooky story times for grown ups in store, at the library and coming soon to a pub near you as a part of our celebration of… Continue reading

  • October Takeover: Oh, the Trebuchets of Fall!

    ~posted by Jenny C.  I don’t know if you’ve noticed, dear readers, but generally speaking the Shelftalk blog is a pretty diverse place. On any given day, you might find a post about Banned Books, or Seattle History, or even Bananas. It’s a veritable cornucopia of themes, and that’s lovely, but some of our staff writers… Continue reading