Personal

The latest Jack Reacher novel (Personal by Lee Child) lives up to the standard set by earlier volumes.  In this book Reacher is pulled into the search for an expert sniper who is suspected of having plans to assassinate one or more of the attendees at a G8 meeting.  The suspected sniper is someone Reacher had put into prison earlier in his career and circumstances reveal that the sniper has a grudge because of it…. So the whole thing is personal.

Fans of Child will want to read this book and I would recommend it to anyone who likes a good thriller.

Arroyo Book Club Pick for November…

The Arroyo Book Club book for November is Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout.    Publisher’s Weekly says

Thirteen linked tales from Strout present a heart-wrenching, penetrating portrait of ordinary coastal Mainers living lives of quiet grief intermingled with flashes of human connection. The opening Pharmacy focuses on terse, dry junior high-school teacher Olive Kitteridge and her gregarious pharmacist husband, Henry, both of whom have survived the loss of a psychologically damaged parent, and both of whom suffer painful attractions to co-workers. Their son, Christopher, takes center stage in A Little Burst, which describes his wedding in humorous, somewhat disturbing detail, and in Security, where Olive, in her 70s, visits Christopher and his family in New York. Strout's fiction showcases her ability to reveal through familiar details—the mother-of-the-groom's wedding dress, a grandmother's disapproving observations of how her grandchildren are raised—the seeds of tragedy. Themes of suicide, depression, bad communication, aging and love, run through these stories, none more vivid or touching than Incoming Tide, where Olive chats with former student Kevin Coulson as they watch waitress Patty Howe by the seashore, all three struggling with their own misgivings about life. Like this story, the collection is easy to read and impossible to forget. Its literary craft and emotional power will surprise readers unfamiliar with Strout.

 Stop by the library for a copy and join us for discussion on November 22 at 3:00.

Library Events in November…

(Mark your calendars accordingly)

The library has a number of interesting events planned in November.  I thought I’d take a minute and give you a run down so you could plan ahead.  Let’s start with the non-repeating events:

- - - - - - - - - -
11/1 @ 2:00
Day of the Dead Storytime
Bring the whole family to enjoy stories about the Day of the Dead and make a skeleton craft!

11/1 @ 3:00
The Delirians
Join us in a free celebration of Latino Heritage month with a musical performance by the Delirians, the young lions of a resurgent Southern California reggae & ska scene. Their untamed East LA sound hypnotically transports audiences from Kingston, Jamaica to the southland’s barrios and ghettos. The Delirians are raw energy, joy, and exuberance.

11/2 @ 2:00
Magic Show with Eli
Prepare to be amazed and astonished by the magician’s skills.

11/4 @ 4:00
Teen Sock Puppets
Create your own sock puppet companion in this craft program for teens.

11/19 @ 6:00
Utility Program
Come learn how to deal with utility companies about any problems you might have.  Bring your questions.

11/20 @ 4:30
Puppet Show
Join us for the Splashy Sea Saga of Sailor Sam perfromed by the Luce Puppet Company.

11/22 @ 3:00
Arroyo Book Club
Join us for a lively discussion of the book Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout.

- - - - - - - - - -

Each month the library also has a number of ongoing classes & events.  They are:

Little Ones’ Storytime - - - Wednesdays at 10:30
Little Ones’ 3 and under & their grownups are invited to join us for stories, music, & games.

STAR Volunteer Readers - - - Available on Wednesdays at 3:00 on Saturdays at 2:00
STAR readers present the fun of storytelling and reading to children one-on-one or in small groups. Kids earn a free book to keep after 3 visits.

Fun With Tablets - - - Thursdays at 4:00
People of all ages are invited to join us as we explore tablet computers by accomplishing an interesting task.  If you have a project in mind suggest it & we might give it a try.

Drop in Computer Lab - - - Fridays at 3:30
Bring your questions about computers, tablets, eReaders, or other electronic devices.  We will do our best to help you figure out answers.

- - - - - - - - - -

Finally, we have computer classes.  These are formal, free 1-hour sessions.  Note: if the class title is in Spanish then the class is conducted in Spanish.  This month we have:

• Como Utilizar la Internet on 11/6 at 6:30
• Computer Basics on 11/8 at 2:00
• Introduction to Library Web Tools and the Internet on 11/12 at 12:00
• Computadoras para Principiantes on 11/13 at 4:00
• Desktop Publishing Basics on 11/20 at 6:30
• Correo Electronico Para Principiantes  on 11/26 at 6:30

Please do not hesitate to call the library at 323-255-0537 if you have any questions or would like more information.  Remember that 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.

Trivia of the Week...

This week’s question is what is a Mohawk turn?

Events for the Week of October 27…

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

• Teen Sugar Skulls Program on Tuesday (10/28) at 4:00
• Little Ones’ Storytime on Wednesday (10/29) at 10:30
• STAR Reader on Wednesday at 3:00
• Telescope Night (weather permitting) also on Wednesday starting at 6:00
• Fun with Tablets program on Thursday (10/30) at 4:00
• Computadoras Para Principiantes also on Thursday at 6:30
• Drop in Computer Lab on Friday (10/31) at 3:30
• STAR Reader on Saturday (11/1) at 2:00
• Day of the Dead Storytime on Saturday at 2:00
• Perfromance by The Delirians also on Saturday 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 week’s question was who is Charley Pride?  Charley Pride is a country singer, guitarist, and band leader.  He “is to country music as Jackie Robinson is to baseball.”  Pride broke the color barrier in country music.

The question (and answer) were taken from p. 385 of Country Music: The Encyclopedia by Irwin Stambler & Grelin Landon.  St. Martin’s Press published the book in 1997.

Lock In

John Scalzi has a new book out.  Lock In is essentially a FBI hunts down the bad guys type thriller but Scalzi sets it in an interesting world.  In this world a certain percent of people (not a terribly big percent) suffer from a condition where they have no conscious control over their bodies --- they are locked in.  As a result of this many tools have been developed to allow them to interact with the world physically via robots and virtually in online spaces.  Our narrator, Chris Shane, suffers from Haden’s Syndrome (the condition in question) and is a brand new FBI agent who is assigned to investigate a Haden related murder that proves to be a conspiracy.

The book is easy to read and amusing.  It reminds me a bit of Scalzi’s book The Android’s Dream though it is not quite as good.  I would recommend it to people interested in a thriller who like humor with their action.

America’s Boy

America’s Boy by Wade Rouse is a straight up memoir of an ordinary childhood in the American South.  The virtue of the book, at least for me, was that it got me thinking that it would be fun to write about my own life.  The author uses a straightforward scaffolding for his story that looks to provide an easy foothold for trying something similar yourself.  His approach is to chapter by chapter call out the characters (i.e. other people) in his life. Anyway I am going to give it a try.

Recommended for those who like to read about the lives of ordinary people. 

History of Highland Park….

Today I give you a floorplan sketch of the 1^st Arroyo Seco Library (the Carnegie building) on its lot (http://dbase1.lapl.org/webpics/calindex/documents/10/520700.pdf).  Interesting.

Events for the Week of October 20…

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

• Odyssey Themed Movie showing on Tuesday (10/21) at 5:30
• Little Ones’ Storytime on Wednesday (10/22) at 10:30
• STAR Reader on Wednesday at 3:00
• Fun with Tablets program on Thursday (10/23) at 4:00
• Correo Electronico Para Principiantes also on Thursday at 6:30
• Drop in Computer Lab on Friday (10/24) at 3:30
• STAR Reader on Saturday (10/25) at 2:00
• The Arroyo Book Club meets to discuss The Odyssey on Saturday 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.

Trivia of the Week...

The question for the week is who is Charley Pride?

Drama Queens In the House

If you’re looking for a sweet little story about a teenage girl going through some growing then you need look no further then Drama Queens In the House by Julie Williams.  Jessie Jasper Lewis has just graduated from High School (at 15, she’s a bit of a brainiac).  Her family are theater nuts and have infected her though she appears to have little or no talent for theater-ish endeavors.  At the same time her parent’s marriage is breaking up and she must cope with realizing her father is gay & dealing with her mother’s reaction to that situation.  The book is a quick, easy read with charming characters and not a lot of drama (despite the title).  Recommended for teens looking for a slice of life book.

TOW (& Answer)...

The question was what is the canton?  The canton is the upper quarter of the flag next to the staff.  The remainder of the flag is called the field or ground.  On the US flag the canton would be the stars section.

The question (& answer) were taken from p. 194 of volume 7 of the World Book Encyclopedia.   The encyclopedia was published by Worldbook in 2014. 

Ghost at Work

If you like a light-hearted mystery then you’ll get a kick out of Ghost at Work by Carolyn Hart.  Bailey Ruth Raeburn our narrator and detective is dead.  She’s explored the afterlife and has come around to volunteering at the Department of Good Intentions.  She’s sent back to her hometown for her first case and told to help Kathleen, the pastor’s wife.  She arrives to find Kathleen standing over a body, in full panic mode so helps Kathleen dispose of the body.  Now this is not quite as bad as it seems in the long run because Kathleen actually was being framed. Bailey Ruth then proceeds to figure out who the murderer is and get that person caught. 

Now I’ll admit the whole time Bailey Ruth was investigating I was wondering why she didn’t just go back to heaven and find the victim and ask him who killed him… but that must not have been an option for some undisclosed reason.  I also found Bailey Ruth’s impetuousness and sort of mid 20^th century sexism a bit daunting.  However the overall story was amusing & I enjoyed Bailey Ruth’s exploration of technology that hadn’t been around during her life.  Recommended for mystery lovers who enjoy a bit of whimsy. 

Events for the Week of October 13…

Remember that the Library will be closed on Monday for Columbus Day.   Don’t miss any of the exciting events going on at the library during the rest of the week… 

• Teen Cupcake Decorating program on Tuesday (10/14) at 4:00
• Little Ones’ Storytime on Wednesday (10/15) at 10:30
• STAR Reader on Wednesday at 3:00
• Shrinky-Dink Odyssey Art program on Thursday (10/16) at 4:00
• Como Utilizar la Internet class also on Thursday at 6:30
• Drop in Computer Lab on Friday (10/17) at 3:30
• USC Thornton Gluck Kaleidoscope Trio performs on Saturday (10/18) at 10:30
• STAR Reader also on Saturday at 2:00
• Odyssey Lecture by Dr. Damian Stocking on Sunday (10/19) at 2:00

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….

I recently stumbled across Photogrammer (http://photogrammar.yale.edu/).  “Photogrammar is a web-based platform for organizing, searching, and visualizing the 170,000 photographs from 1935 to 1945 created by the United State’s Farm Security Administration and Office of War Information (FSA-OWI).”  In other words it allows you access to a large photo database and includes a number of tools for searching & browsing.

This site will provide you with hours of diversion.  Take a look at it.

Here’s Looking at Euclid

In Here’s Looking at Euclid Alex Bellos takes us on an informative tour of some concepts from mathematics.  His tone is interesting & conversational and he relates his information in a way that even the non “math nerd” will understand.  I found myself sharing some of the concepts covered with my co-workers (all of whom are a bit math phobic).

He takes a scattershot look at topics beginning with the concept of numbers and counting and moving on to include special irrationals (pi in particular), mathematical puzzles as recreation, infinite series, phi (or the golden ratio), probability (particularly as it relates to gambling), statistics in the world, and the concept of infinity.

An interesting book I would recommend to anyone.  The math expert will find the stories interesting too. 

Trivia of the Week...

This week’s question is what is the canton?

October’s Electronic Resource of the Month…

Treehouse is the October Electronic Resource of the Month.  Treehouse is an online interactive siter for learning topics related to web development, web design, and app development.  It has more that 1,000 videos and includes interactive exercises and quizzes.  The courses are aimed at beginners.  When you first access the site you will need to create an account using a valid library card and email address.  Once logged on you can select:

• Tracks – Over 190 courses organized into 10 catergories.  Tracks are designed in a step-by-step instruction format.  A track takes about 25 hours to complete.
• Library – The complete course catalog.  You can browse by topic, level of difficulty, or latest releases.
• Forum – Post a question or engage indiscussion with other participants.
• Workspaces – Practice code writing on the workspace platform.  Students are able to create up to 100 workspaces.  Each workspace has the capacity of 50 MB.

Treeshouse is available from the Research & Homework section of the library’s website (http://www.lapl.org/collections-resources/research-and-homework#T).  You will need to have your library card handy to access the resource.

TOW (& Answer)...

The question was in what two ways can marine plants be classified?  Marine plants can be classified as either plankton or benthos.  Plankton are plants that float freely on the water’s surface.  Benthic plants are rooted in the sea floor.

The question (& answer) were taken from p. 58 of volume 1 of The Encyclopedia of Biomes edited by Marlene Weigel.  The book was published in 2000 by UXL.

Events for the Week of October 6…

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

• Movie Showing (Odyssey Themed) on Tuesday (10/7) at 5:30
• Little Ones’ Storytime on Wednesday (10/8) at 10:30
• STAR Reader on Wednesday at 3:00
• Fun with Tablets program on Thursday (10/9) at 4:00
• Mayan Alphabet program also on Thursday at 5:00
• Aztec Dancing program on Thursday at 6:00
• Computer Basics class also on Thursday at 6:30
• Drop in Computer Lab on Friday (10/10) at 3:30
• STAR Reader on Saturday (10/11) at 2:00

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 bring you the souvenir paper produced by Highland Park News Herald & Journal for Highland Park’s Diamond Jubilee in 1963 (http://dbase1.lapl.org/webpics/calindex/documents/11/520698.pdf).  The paper calls itself a “Pictorial and Feature Panorama of the Historical Development of Highland Park… including sketches of the individuals and firms whose faith and plans have made its forward progress possible.”

All in all this is an 88-page extravaganza of information about the Highland Park of the past.  It includes such interesting things as a chart of rainfall by month for the entire 75 years prior to 1963, pictures of all 3 (to that time) Monte Vista Street schools, the first Highland Park subdivision map, lots of celebratory advertising from local businesses and organizations, and more.  Definitely worth browsing through.

Lies My Girlfriend Told Me

Alix’s girlfriend dies at the beginning of Lies My Girlfriend Told Me by Julie Anne Peters.  At first she is heartbroken but then she gradually learns that Swanee was essentially living a double life and she did not know her at all.  Then she meets the “other” girl Swanee was dating and finds herself interested & intrigued by her. 

At first I found the main character incredibly self-centered & a little bit stupid but by the end of the book she had grown up a bit, found herself involved with more stable people and had become more relatable.  This is a straightforward exploration of a young girl coming to terms with death and with being manipulated & lied to.  I would recommend it to those who like angsty coming of age novels.

Websites I Like….

Did you know the population of LA County exceeds the population of Michigan and that Michigan is itself the 9th most populous state?  That more then 66.5 million people traveled via LAX in 2013? That mining is the industry in LA County that made the most money in 2012?  Find all this and more in the 2014 L.A. Stats Report (http://laedc.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/2014-LA-Stats_Final.pdf) from the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation. The report and others like it are available on the LAEDC’s website (http://laedc.org/).

A Forest of Stars

Kevin J. Anderson continues his Saga of Seven Suns series with A Forest of Stars.  The book picks up where the last left off (see review of Hidden Empire) and remains an exciting story to read.  We have jumped ahead in time about 5 years and the war between the humans and the hydrogues is picking up steam and taking some surprising turns as humans begin to realize that it really isn’t all about them.  The author isn’t afraid to kill his characters (a good thing if you’re writing a war story) so we lose some of our narrative voices and we end, once again, with a cliff hanger.

The book suffers from some serious plausibility issues (just as the last one did) but the overall sweep of the story is exciting enough to allow you to overlook that.  Recommended for those who like SF & who have read the first book (this is not a series you can step into the middle of).