The Weirdness

The Weirdness by Jeremy P. Bushnell is an amusing little book about a man who wakes up, hung-over, to find the devil on his sofa offering to make his book a best seller if he’ll just help find his missing Lucky Cat.  The plot only expands from there and encompasses elements as diverse as warlocks, hell hounds, exploding port-a-potties, the end of the world, and more.  A book I would recommend to fanciers of eccentric plot lines.  I’ll leave you with this passage from the book:

“I’ve prepares a PowerPoint presentation that will cover the basics of what I wish to discuss with you,” Lucifer begins, opening up the ThinkPad.

“Stop,” Billy says.  “PowerPoint?”

“It’s my preferred medium,” says Lucifer. 

History of Highland Park….

Today we have an 8-page article from Overland Monthly and Outwest Magazine that focuses, in some detail, on Charles Lummis.  The article is from the July 1928 edition of the magazine and includes some photographs.  Take a look at it here: http://dbase1.lapl.org/webpics/calindex/documents/11/520689.pdf.  

Arroyo Book Club Pick for August…

The Arroyo Book Club will be reading Wild by Cheryl Strayed for our August meeting.  Wild, an Oprah Club pick, is one woman’s memoir of a 1100 mile solo hike that helped restore her life when she had reached a very low point.  To quote from Library Journal:

Readers will appreciate her vivid descriptions of the natural wonders near the PCT, particularly Mount Hood, Crater Lake, and the Sierras-what John Muir proclaimed the "Range of Light."

Pick up your copy of the book at the library and plan to join us for discussion on August 23 at 3:00.

Events for the Week of July 28…

Don’t miss any of the exciting events going on at the library this week…

• A Kids’ Movie Screening (call for details) on Tuesday (7/29) at 1:00
• The Teen Summer Reading Wrap party also on Tuesday at 4:00
• Little Ones’ Storytime on Wednesday (7/30) at 10:30
• STAR Reader on Wednesday at 3:00
• The Kids’ Summer Reading Wrap party on Thursday (7/31) at 4:00
• Fun with Tablets program also on Thursday at 4:00
• STAR Reader also on Thursday at 5:00
• Drop in Computer Lab on Friday (8/1) 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.

Robogenesis

Daniel H. Wilson continues the story he began in Robopocalypse (see 3/4/14 entry) in the new book Robogenesis.  The story pretty much picks up exactly where the previous book left off & we find that the victory that we thought had been achieved in the last book was only a precursor to more strife.  It was as exciting and action filled as the first though I will admit that I liked the first a bit more then I like this one.  And not to fear there is clear indication that a third book should be coming.

I would definitely recommend this book to someone who liked the first book.  I would not recommend it to someone who had not read the first book.

Trivia of the Week...

This week’s question is what is a barramundi?

Websites I Like…

Well today I embarrassedly realized that I haven’t talked about a very obvious website I like and use a lot and that is the library’s website.  The LAPL website (www.lapl.org) is your one stop access to an incredible variety of resources and information. 

• You’ll find information about the library --> its hours, locations, processes & procedures, and the like. 
• You’ll find information about the glorious stuff the library owns (and is willing to check out to you) --> look at the catalog. 
• You’ll find information about your account status --> what items do you have checked out, when are they due, what money do you owe (if any), what books have you ordered & where are you on their lists, the ability to renew your items and more. 
• You’ll find the library’s eMedia collection --> a ton of items that you can check out with your library card and then download to your computer, ebook reader, or other mobile device. 
• You’ll find the library’s database collection --> all the information you need to do your schoolwork, to research your business & investing questions, to research your genealogy, to fix your car, to look into your health questions, and more, much, much more. 
• You’ll find the library’s calendar of events and be able to find what is going on at any particular branch. 
• You’ll have access to the library’s curated information --> looking for a book recommendation – try LAPL Reads, looking for research assistance – try the Research Guides.

Now I just barely scratched the surface here so, if you’re not already using the library’s website extensively I ask you why not and insist that you log on post haste and navigate over to take a look.

TOW (& Answer)...

This week’s question was what is Qawwali? To quote directly from our source:

"Qawwali is the Sufi music of India and Pakistan.  Essentially it is religious poetry set to music, sharing certain traits with the light classical music of the subcontinent.  But its sound, with its typically sweeping melodies and rhythmic hand-clapping, is quite distinctive and instantly recognizable." 

Find more about Qawwali, and other music forms, in World Music: The Rough Guide.  The book was published by Rough Guides in 1994 and the question (and answer) were found on p. 222. 

Neanderthal Man

In Neanderthal Man: In Search of Lost Genomes Svante Paabo details the process he and his team of fellow scientists followed to obtain a copy of Neanderthal DNA.  This book also discusses how that information can be used as we move forward in science.  Despite this somewhat dry sounding description the book is really quite interesting.  Paabo inserts an awful lot of himself into the descriptions, including his thoughts & feelings and a bit of his personal life.  This all serves to make the book somewhat different, though some of the stuff he includes is not exactly relevant.  Nevertheless the book offers a fascinating peak into how collaborative, technically supported science works.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the question of genes, DNA, evolution, and the like. 

Events for the Week of July 21…

Don’t miss any of the exciting events going on at the library this week…

• A Surprise Program for Teens on Tuesday (7/22) at 4:00
• Little Ones’ Storytime on Wednesday (7/23) at 10:30
• STAR Reader on Wednesday at 3:00
• Let’s Make Newsprint Animals on Thursday (7/24) at 4:00
• Fun with Tablets program also on Thursday at 4:00
• STAR Reader also on Thursday at 5:00
• Computer Basics Class on Thursday at 6:30
• Drop in Computer Lab on Friday (7/25) at 3:30
• Arroyo Book Club on Saturday (7/26) 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.

History of Highland Park…

Today I have an interesting booklet for your perusal…. It is titled: Social Resources of the Highland Park Coordinating Council and was put together in 1938 by the Works Progress Administration.  Overall it provides an awfully lot of detail about social and community organizations in Highland Park.  Peruse it to get a sense of what things were like all those years ago (as well as where everyone lived). 

Find the booklet here: http://dbase1.lapl.org/webpics/calindex/documents/11/520695.pdf. 

Trivia of the Week...

This week’s question is what is Qawwali?

The Mortal Instruments (series)

I have a love hate relationship with this series.  I just finished City of Lost Souls (book 5) so clearly I like it enough to pick up each new book at some point after it comes out but I really, really hate the characters.  For this last book I wound up rooting for the villain all the way through and was disappointed when the in-danger principal characters survived the story (sorry to give it away).   The characters are just too self-centered for my taste (& they keep getting rewarded for their self-centered decisions in a way that just does not happen in reality).  In reading this last book I wound up skimming or skipping past any of the character reflection parts & some of the character relation parts (particularly scenes involving the love relation between Clary & Jace --- I mean yuck) in favor of the action scenes that moved the plot forward.

So would I recommend the series to someone?  Probably I would recommend it to reader’s who’ve demonstrated a taste for saccharine & improbable teen lit (fans of Meyer or Cast).

TOW (& Answer)...

The question was who was Jimmy Carter’s Vice President?  The answer is Walter Mondale.  Raise your hand if you knew that because you remember from the day….

The question (and answer) were taken from p. 301 of The Presidency of the United States by Richard M. Pious.  The book was published by Oxford University Press in 2001. 

Events for the Week of July 14…

Don’t miss any of the exciting events going on at the library this week…

• A Kids’ Movie showing on Tuesday (7/15) at 1:00
• A Teen Gift Bag Decorating Program also on Tuesday at 4:00
• Little Ones’ Storytime on Wednesday (7/16) at 10:30
• Desktop Publishing Basics class also on Wednesday at 12:00
• STAR Reader on Wednesday at 3:00
• Bubblemania! on Thursday (7/17) at 4:00
• STAR Reader also on Thursday at 5:00

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.

Websites I Like…

At certain times of year (actually on certain days of the year) I’ll get someone who comes in and wants to know where they are supposed to vote.  Fortunately there is a polling place locator that is very handy to use in situations like this.  Find it at http://www.lavote.net/locator/.  Useful if you’re ever in the situation where you need to know where to go to vote or you want to help someone else in that situation.

Honor’s Knight

Rachel Bach continues the tale she started in Fortune’s Pawn (review here) with Honor’s Knight.  This book picks up the story exactly where the previous book leaves it and continues the adventures of Devi.  It is shoot ‘em up SF at its best though if you haven’t read the first title you will want to start there.

Recommended for straight up science fiction fans.

Resistant

Michael Palmer has a way with thrillers that I quite like and his latest, Resistant, is no exception.  Here we meet Dr. Lou Welcome who brings a friend to a conference in Atlanta only to have the friend suffer an accident while running and then come down with a drug resistant “doomsday” bacteria.  We learn, along with Dr. Welcome, that this bacteria is the deliberate work of a group of domestic terrorists know as the One Hundred Neighbors.  The race is on as the doctor and his allies strive to put a stop to both the terrorists and the epidemic they have unleashed.

This is an exciting book I would recommend to any lover of medical thrillers. 

July’s Electronic Resource of the Month…

July’s electronic resource of the month is Biblioboard. 

• Biblioboard features digital collections of eBooks, articles, images, photographs, maps, pamphlets, and documents as well as streaming audio and video content on a wide variety of topics from around the world. 
• Curated collections, called anthologies, bundled the content on specific themes. 
• Ebooks may be opened and read at the point of access or downloaded to be read later.
• All content is available on an unlimited multi-user basis with no checkouts or returns. 
• You can access Biblioboard from the web or from a variety of mobile devices.
• You will need your library card & pin number.

Biblioboard is available via the library’s eMedia (http://www.lapl.org/collections-resources/e-media) web page or from the Research & Homework section of the library’s website (http://www.lapl.org/collections-resources/research-and-homework#B).  Find a flyer with more information here (http://www.lapl.org/sites/default/files/articles-and-information/pdfs/14-07flyer.pdf).  

Trivia of the Week...

This week’s question is who was Jimmy Carter’s Vice President?

Events for the Week of July 7…

Don’t miss any of the exciting events going on at the library this week…

• Thor’s Reptile Family visit on Tuesday (7/8) at 4:00
• Little Ones’ Storytime on Wednesday (7/9) at 10:30
• STAR Reader on Wednesday at 3:00
• Dave Boatman teaches Cartoon Drawing on Thursday (7/10) at 4:00
• Tablet Fun also on Thursday at 4:00
• STAR Reader on Thursday at 5:00
• Drop in Computer Lab on Friday (7/11) at 3:30
• Movie showings on Saturday (7/12) at 12:30 & 2:45… (Ties into July’s Arroyo Book Club book)

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 week’s question is who is Ibzan?  Ibzan was the tenth judge of Israel named in the old testament book of Judges. 

The question (& answer) were taken from p. 161 of Who’s Who in the Bible.  The book was published in 1994 by Reader’s Digest.

History of Highland Park…

Today for your reading pleasure I bring you an 82-page document titled “The Highland Park and Mount Washington Historic Resources Survey” (http://dbase1.lapl.org/webpics/calindex/documents/11/520687.pdf).  The document includes a cultural and architectural composition of community, the methodology of their survey, the historic resources survey master list, recommendations & conclusions of the survey, and a research guide.  Take a look.

Arroyo Book Club Pick for July….

The Arroyo Book Club decided to take the excuse provided by the fact that July 23^rd is Batman Day and make our July book Batman: The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller.  The usual sources (aka the library’s catalog) describe this book as follows:

This is an excellent book with a reputation for contributing to the reinvigoration of the genre.  It includes fantastic artwork and tells an interesting tale. 

<<plot synopsis>> Gotham City is a hell on earth, street gangs roam but there are no heroes. Decay is ubiquitous. Where is a hero to save Gotham? It is 10 years since the last recorded sighting of the Batman. And things have got worse than ever. Bruce Wayne is close to being a broken man but something is keeping him sane: the need to see change and the belief that he can orchestrate some of that change. Batman is back.

In addition to reading the book we will have a Batman-a-thon on Saturday July 12.  It will start at 12:30 with the second film beginning at 2:45.  Plan to join us for either (or both movies).  Call the library for specifics as to which films will be shown.

SO… come by the library to get a copy of the book, stop in on July 12 for our Batman-a-thon, and join us for discussion on July 26 (at 3:00 as always).

The Humans

The Humans by Matt Haig is a very interesting book.  It is about an extraterrestrial being who arrives on Earth and replaces Andrew Martin, a mathematician whose insight the aliens are anxious to prevent others on Earth from sharing.  Our hapless ET then must navigate a human life & human relations while trying to accomplish his mission (& sharing his insights about humans with the reader).  As time goes by he finds himself quite changed by the experience.

This is an amusing book that delves into what is good (& what is bad) about human beings.  It raises some interesting questions and I would recommend it to anyone.