Scent of Magic

Scent of Magic by Maria V. Snyder is book two of her latest series.  Snyder’s books actually need to be read in order so if you haven’t read the first title Touch of Power you’ll want to pick it up.  Snyder’s books are always quite good.  She sets up a complex fantasy world and peoples it with multifaceted, authentic people.   This particular series focuses on a realm where some people are gifted with magic.  There has recently been a catastrophic plague and the survivors are suffering from the ambitions of multiple power hungry rulers.  The heroine has the gift of healing and is working to defeat the “evil” ruler. 

I would recommend any of Snyder’s series to reader’s interested in fantasy. 

Healthy Food Demonstration & Sampling

Save the Date

 

Join us on Saturday, June 15 at 2:00 for a presentation from the Network for a Healthy California (http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/nut/network/index.htm) and:

• Learn ways to make your (& your family’s) eating habits healthier. 
• Get your own FREE healthy recipe book. 
• Watch a food prep demonstration & sample the delicious results. 
• Bring any questions you have along with you. 

Check out their Champions of Change website (http://www.cachampionsforchange.cdph.ca.gov/en/index.php).

The Arroyo Book Club pick for June…

The Arroyo Book Club will be reading the book In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson for our June meeting.  This book is set in Berlin during Hitler’s rise to power.  It follows the lives of William E. Dodd, the United States’ Ambassador to Germany, and his family as they move from enjoying an exciting life in early 30’s Germany to the gradual realization that things are not as they seem.   Larson is noted for his ability to write exciting narrative non-fiction and this book is no exception. 

Stop by the library for a copy of the book and plan to join us for discussion on Saturday, June 22 at 3:00. 

Trivia of the Week....

This week's question is - - - who is Method Man?

Events for the Week of May 27…

The library will be closed on Monday, May 27 for Memorial Day.  Things going on at the library during the rest of the week include:

• Baby & Toddler Storytime on Wednesday (5/29) at 10:30
• LACMA Art Class for Teens also on Wednesday at 4:00
• LACMA Art Class for Kids & Families on Thursday (5/30) at 4:00
• Desktop Publishing Class also on Thursday at 6:30

You can always check the Branch Page (http://www.lapl.org/branches/arroyo-seco) on the LAPL website for upcoming events or check out the Master Calendar (http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/calendar) where you can search for something specific across multiple branches.

TOW (& Answer)...

The question was what is instrumentality.  To quote from the source:

“Instrumentality - government agency issuing marketable securities backed the full faith and credit guarantee of the government.  The term is normally used in connection with notes, certificates and bonds issued by U.S. government agencies, such as the Export-Import Bank, the Government National Mortgage Association, or the Small Business Administration, but can refer more generally to any government agency.”

The question (& answer) were taken from p. 236 of Dictionary of Banking Terms by Thomas P. Fitch. Published by Barron’s in 1997. 

Naked in Death

I have never read Nora Roberts (or her alter ego J. D. Robb) as I’m not really a romance fan, but I recently heard someone speak of the Robb books emphasizing their SF aspects so I thought I’d pick up the first in the series and give it a try.  The book Naked in Death is a mystery that is set in New York City in 2058.  There is a romance component (of course) which I found annoying so I would just skip the pages that focused on the love subplot.  There was enough non-romance plot in the book that I didn’t have to skip too many pages.  The book was interesting enough for me to finish it.  I would recommend it to fans of romance who are open to something a bit different but I don’t think I would recommend it to SF fans.

The Doorbell Rang

I enjoyed Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe detective series when I was a teenager so I picked up a title, The Doorbell Rang, to revisit recently.  This particular volume pits Wolfe (& Archie) against the FBI on behalf of their client.  They manage to accomplish the extremely difficult task of getting a leash on the (Hoover era) FBI as well as solving a murder.  This book is a bit misogynistic of course (as far as I can tell Stout is always anti-woman) however, if that is something you can overlook, the book is quite satisfying.

Websites I Use...

WolframAlpha (http://www.wolframalpha.com/) is a fun website to just play around with.  They bill themselves as a computational knowledge engine which means I guess that they’re kind of like an encyclopedia on steroids.  If you type in parabola, for example, you get a nice basic disquisition about a generic parabola.  If you type in y=x^2 +4 you get information about that specific parabola (including its graph, derivative, and global minimum).  If you type in two equations it’ll give you information about the system (including the graphs & solutions).  All in all it’s just plain fun to fool around with.  

If you haven't used it before & want to see what it's about your best bet is to just click on the examples link and browse around for a bit in your preferred subject areas of interest.

Trivia of the Week...

This week's trivia question is:

What is instrumentality (hint: think banking)?

Red Planet Blues

Robert J. Sawyer attempts a noir mystery set on Mars in his latest title, Red Planet Blues.  In this book, our detective is living on a Mars that is at the end of a “rush” --- a fossil rush in this case.  He works a number of cases that keep coming back to the same principal mystery involving the location of the original fossil source.  We meet a number of classic noir tropes in the course of the book & reach a satisfying conclusion in the end.  I would recommend this book to a lover of Science Fiction and/or a lover of an old fashioned gumshoe detective mystery.

I must say though, that this is not Sawyer’s best book.  Sawyer has long been one of my favorite SF writers.  I make a point of getting his books in my hands as soon as they are published.  So I would strongly recommend finding one of his earlier works and giving him a try… if you’re not already a fan.  If you’re looking for specific suggestions, I’ve always liked Calculating God or The Terminal Experiment or Factoring Humanity. 

Events for the Week of May 20…

Things going on at the library during this the week include:

• Teen Volunteer Orientation on Tuesday (5/21) at 4:00
• Baby & Toddler Storytime on Wednesday (5/22) at 10:30
• LACMA Art Class for Teens also on Wednesday at 4:00
• LACMA Art Class for Kids & Families on Thursday (5/23) at 4:00
• Drop in Computer Lab on Friday (5/24) at 3:30
• Arroyo Book Club meeting on Saturday (5/25) at 3:00

You can always check the Branch Page (http://www.lapl.org/branches/arroyo-seco) on the LAPL website for upcoming events or check out the Master Calendar (http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/calendar) where you can search for something specific across multiple branches.

TOW (& Answer)...

The question was what is Congressional immunity?  To answer: “The Constitution shields members of Congress from lawsuits of criminal charges that relate to their legislative duties.”  This protection was planned to keep Congress independent from the legislative branch.  

The question (& answer) were found on p. 215 of Congress A to Z edited by David R. Tarr and Ann O’Connor and published by the Congressional Quarterly in 1999.

History of Highland Park (or in this case Eagle Rock)….

Check out this article from the HP News-Herald published on 9/10/1961 (http://dbase1.lapl.org/webpics/calindex/documents/11/520879.pdf).  In it a pioneer farmer reflects on her life in Eagle Rock in the late 1800’s.  It is a nice little reminiscence of the time and discusses ordinary life, school life, and the arrival of the Railroad.  A picture is included.

Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls

I’ve long been a fan of David Sedaris.  I find his writing amusing, at times even laugh out loud funny.  So naturally I picked up his latest title Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls.  This is a collection of pieces some biographical others not.  While I didn’t love every entry in this volume I did love some.  If you already like Sedaris give this one a try.  If you are unfamiliar with him you might want to start with one of his earlier titles.

Trivia of the Week...

This week's question is: 

What is Congressional immunity?

Events for the Week of May 13…

Things going on at the library during this the week include:

• Teen Volunteer Orientation (ages 15-18) on Monday (5/13) at 4:00
• Baby & Toddler Storytime on Wednesday (5/15) at 10:30
• LACMA Art Class for Teens also on Wednesday at 4:00
• LACMA Art Class for Kids & Families on Thursday (5/16) at 4:00
• Drop in Computer Lab on Friday (5/17) at 3:30
• Computer Basics Class on Saturday (5/18) at 2:00
• Viva Poetry! Lummis Library Poetry Series also on Saturday at 3:00 (see http://arroyoseco5.blogspot.com/2013/05/viva-poety-lummis-day-library-poetry.html for more details)

You can always check the Branch Page (http://www.lapl.org/branches/arroyo-seco) on the LAPL website for upcoming events or check out the Master Calendar (http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/calendar) where you can search for something specific across multiple branches.

TOW (& Answer)...

The question was: what was the first literary work in the Spanish Language that was published in the United States?

The first literary work in Spanish published in the United States was José Agustín Caballero’s Sermón fúnebre en elogio del excelentísimo señor Don Christóbal Colón in 1803.  

The question (& answer) were found on p. 153 of Hispanic Firsts by Nicolas Kanellos.  The book was published in 1997 by Visible Ink Press. 

The Last Ape Standing

The Last Ape Standing by Chip Walter explores the history of our presence on Earth particularly in relation to our now extinct hominid cousins.  The book is written for the layperson and is easy to understand.  It is quite interesting.  It focuses on traits that enabled us to survive & eventually thrive.  It concludes with a brief look at our potential future (or lack of one) as time marches forward.

An interesting read that I would recommend to amateurs interested in the subject matter.

Demographics Now…

The Demographics Now database is very cool and a little bit scary.  Let me quote from their self description:

Search for an individual, a friend, a relative or create a market research list from over 206 million people. Search for an individual company or create a mailing list of multiple companies from over 23 million businesses households! Access a demographic report on any geography - or compare multiple geographies - for information including income, housing, race, age, education, retail spending, consumer expenditures, businesses and more.

So it’s easy to see why this is cool.  You have an absolute ton of demographics along almost every conceivable characteristic and across any population pool available for the asking.  Want to know how much hamburger is eaten in the 90042 zip code? No problem.  This, of course, is also the reason why the database is scary.  Want to generate a list of individuals who match your criteria for a planned burglary?  You could do that too.

Access the database by going to the Library’s Research & Homework page (http://www.lapl.org/collections-resources/research-and-homework#D)

Learn more about the database via this flyer (http://www.lapl.org/sites/default/files/articles-and-information/pdfs/13-05flyer.pdf). 

The Innocent

If you’re looking for a plain old thriller with well defined good & bad guys and a plot where it’s remarkably easy to pick out the hidden bad guy well before the big reveal then look no further then The Innocent by David Baldacci.  This is a quick, entertaining read that doesn’t pretend to be anything more.  I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone looking for a little diversion.

Viva Poety (Lummis Day Library Poetry Series)….

Each year, in conjunction with Lummis Day (see their website here: http://lummisday.org/2013/), there is a poetry event in several local libraries.  This year’s event is a poetry reading.  But the poetry to read is not what you’ve written.  Rather we invite you to pick out your favorite poem & read it.  These readings will be recorded for a short movie to be shown at Lummis Day events and in educational settings.  Everyone is invited to participate & is requested to RSVP the event organizer at lapoetryfestival@earthlink.net.  She is interested in what poem you will be reading and, if you’re still in school, what grade you are in.

We are one of the libraries hosting one of these poetry events.  Ours will be on May 18 at 3:00.  Eagle Rock Library (5027 Caspar Avenue) will also be hosting an event. Theirs will take place on May 25, also at 3:00.

Please join us for an enjoyable afternoon of poetry.   Those who simply want to listen to the poetry are more then welcome to attend as well.

Trivia of the Week...

This week's question is:  What was the first literary work in the Spanish Language that was published in the United States?

Events for the Week of May 6…

Things going on at the library during this the week include:

• Baby & Toddler Storytime on Wednesday (5/8) at 10:30
• Library Web Tools & the Internet Class also on Wednesday at 12:00
• LACMA Art Class for Teens on Wednesday at 4:00
• LACMA Art Class for Kids & Families on Thursday (5/9) at 4:00
• Drop in Computer Lab on Friday (5/10) at 3:30

You can always check the Branch Page (http://www.lapl.org/branches/arroyo-seco) on the LAPL website for upcoming events or check out the Master Calendar (http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/calendar) where you can search for something specific across multiple branches.

TOW (& Answer)...

This week's question was what is the significance of Griswold vs. Connecticut?

To answer... Griswold vs. Connecticut is a 1965 Supreme Court case that ruled that states could not ban the distribution of birth control materials to married couples.  The question (& answer) were found on page 153 of American Women’s History by Doris Weatherford.  The book was published in 1994 by Prentice Hall. 

A Red Sun Also Rises

Mark Hodder’s book A Red Sun Also Rises is a light read.  In it a Victorian age man & woman find themselves transported from their mission on a remote pacific island to another world. Here they struggle to survive & figure out the puzzle presented by the society they find themselves in.  This book is a sort of bizarre twist on steampunk tropes.

The book is not deep or meaningful but it is entertaining.  I’d recommend it to people who like “lite” science fiction. 

Websites I Use…

Have you ever been stuck with a file in one format when you desperately need it in another?  This happens at the library because people will come in with their document in a wps format (for example) only to find the library computers don’t recognize works files.  In this case I will sometimes turn to the website http://www.zamzar.com.  This handy file conversion site is simple and straightforward to use.  You upload the file, specify the format you wish to convert it to, and supply an email address.  You are then emailed a link to your converted file that you can use to download the finished conversion.  The whole process is generally quite quick.

Trivia of the Week...

This week's trivia question: What is the significance of Griswold vs. Connecticut?

The Arroyo Book Club pick for May…

In May the Arroyo Book Club will be participating in the Big Read program.  This means that we will read a fiction book again (without a non-fiction filler) but on the plus side you’ll get to keep the copy of the book you get (while supplies last).  Anyway…. The book we will be reading is TheThief and the Dogs by Naguib Mahfouz.

This short book tells a tale of post-revolutionary Egypt combining “a vivid psychological portrait of an anguished man with the suspense and rapid pace of a detective story.” 

Naguid Mahfouz is an Egyptian writer who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1988.  Find out more about him & the book we’ll be reading at the Big Read’s website (http://www.neabigread.org/books/thethiefandthedogs/).