Winter 2012-Adult Book Discussions

Titles have been selected for the Lake Forest Library’s winter Adult Book Discussion programs. Here is the schedule for January - March:

Elise Barack leads our evening discussions, beginning at 7:15pm --

Thursday, 1/5/12 The Irresistible Henry House by Lisa Grunwalk 

Thursday, 2/2/12 Salvation City by Sigrid Nunez

Thursday, 3/8/12 How to Read the Air by Dinsaw Mengestu


Judy Levin hosts our afternoon series, beginning at 12:30 pm -- 

Thursday, 1/19/12 The Tiger’s Wife by Tea Obreht

Thursday, 2/16/12 The Paris Wife by Paula McLain and A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway *

Thursday, 3/22/12 The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson


*In February we will compare and contrast these two books.

For more information call the Adult Reference Desk at 847-810-4609. These programs are sponsored by the Friends of Lake Forest Library

Planets and Black Holes, Oh My!

With NASA's recent discovery of extrasolar planet Kepler 22B in the habitable zone of a sun-like star, and with U. C. Berkeley astronomers reporting their recent discovery of the two biggest-ever black holes "that are threatening to consume anything, even light, within a region five times the size of our solar system," we thought readers might be interested in these astronomy titles from our collection.

Black Holes Explained (DVD) -  Filippenko, Alexei V. (The Teaching Company, 2009) : "...12 lavishly illustrated lectures by veteran Great Courses Professor Alex Filippenko, a distinguished astronomer and award-winning teacher at the University of California, Berkeley." (from The Teaching Company)

The Crowded Universe: The Search for Living Planets (Book) - Boss, Alan (Basic Books, 2009): "This is the story of the discovery of extrasolar planets--planets outside our solar system. Not just a dry tabulation of the more than 300 such planetary systems already discovered, the book reads like an adventure yarn, reminiscent of archaeologists looking for fabled lost cities. " (from Choice)

First Contact: Scientific Breakthroughs in the Hunt for Life beyond Earth (Book) - Kaufman, Marc (Simon & Schuster, 2011): "In this century, predicts Kaufman, scientists will find evidence of life somewhere in the universe. It's an arresting idea, and Kaufman delivers an entertaining look at the science supporting it." (from Publishers Weekly)

Monster Black Holes (DVD) - (National Geographic, 2009): "Travel to the edge of space and beyond to discover natures ultimate abyss - black holes. Explore where they are found, how they begin, and how it may be possible to harness and use the power they produce." (from National Geographic)

The Hidden Reality: Parallel Universes and the Deep Laws of the Cosmos (Book) - Greene, Brian (Knopf, 2011): "That our cosmos is but one of many has inspired a recent spate of theoretical physicists - authors Lisa Randall, Michio Kaku, Leonard Susskind - to advance their particular idea of the multiverse in general-interest works. Here their peer, Greene, comprehensively covers major variations of the multiverse concept." (from Gilbert Taylor, Booklist)

More titles like these are listed in our catalog at this link:  Planets and Black Holes, Oh My!

New Short Story Collections

A short story is more than just an abbreviated novel, even though it is defined as “a relatively brief fictional narrative in prose”.*  It’s more than a sketch or a tale. A short story has a beginning, a middle and an end; and it often reveals its main character through actions. Another definition describes a short story as a narrative work that can be read in one sitting. Typical short stories range in length from 500 to 12,000 words.

The oldest short story collection from 4000 B.C. comes to us from the ancient Egyptians. Anton Chekov, Edgar Allen Poe and James Joyce are major authors of the genre. The American short story developed its current form at the beginning of the 20thcentury in the hands of O. Henry (William Sidney Porter). Collections of short stories by a single author are found in our Fiction section under the author’s last name. Anthologies, or compilations of works by numerous writers, are in Literature (the 800s).

Book reviewers, literary critics and librarians tend to like short stories more than members of the general reading public do. But this fall a number of new short story collections have received starred reviews. They are worth a look. With a busy holiday season fast approaching you might find that shorter works fit into your hectic schedule. Click on the link below to check for specific titles and availability.
http://lakeforest.bibliocommons.com/list/show/80948099_lflstaff/96199120

*(from A Handbook to Literature by William Harmon and C. Hugh Holman)

The CSO - Upcoming Programs and Our Collection

If you're going to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in November or December, you can use the link below to find recordings of some of the concert pieces.

CSO Upcoming Concerts (Nov/Dec 2011) - This list links to CD recordings of works to be performed. The list is in order by concert date, and the annotation for each item identifies the program dates and the specific program piece.

Another library source for finding some of the program works is Freegal.  We recommend that you use the advanced search feature and search by composer and title to find them.  Lake Forest Library cardholders can download three free music tracks per week from it.
 
You may want to read Maestro Muti's recent autobiography, Riccardo Muti : An Autobiography : First the Music, Then the Words.  The Chicago Tribune's John von Rhein says that this book is about "Muti's approach to musical interpretation, within an absorbing account of his formal training and the development of his career, from early music lessons in Naples and Milan, on to his formal arrival at the helm of the CSO last year."

The CSO has declared December as "Mahler Month," so the library has created this list of titles about Mahler and his works:  Gustav Mahler. 

Happy listening and reading.

Halloween Mysteries

These are a few of the Halloween mysteries from our collection.  Click on the titles to check availability and read more about them:

Blackwork by Monica Ferris

A Catered Halloween - A Mystery with Recipes by Isis Crawford

Hallowed Bones by Carolyn Haines

Halloween Murder - A Lindy Haggerty Mystery by Shelley Freydont

A Hole in Juan by Gillian Roberts

Wicked Witch Murder - A Lucy Stone Mystery by Leslie Meier

Science Fiction Trends

Orson Scott Card is a science fiction author known to many of us for his classic novel, The Ender’s Game, updated in 1991. Recently Card was interviewed about science fiction trends by The Browser, an on-line magazine. He notes that new science fiction has left behind the “gosh-wow” works of the 1920s and 1930s and that many writers have migrated to fantasy fiction.  “They (have) devised magic systems that work like science and (have) created fully-realized worlds. Perhaps the most substantial example of this is George RR Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series, a work in progress that is already excellent, beginning with A Game of Thrones." In other words, there has been a resurgence of epic fantasy. On the other hand, given the cancellation of the space shuttle program, it is probably not surprising that Library Journal noted earlier this year that the number of new, traditional science fiction titles is declining.

So if you haven’t looked at science fiction/fantasy for awhile you may want to give it another try. Contemporary classics include Lois McMaster Bujold’s Chalion series beginning with The Curse of Chalion, and Patrick Rothfuss’s The Kingkiller Chronicles featuring the recently released The Wise Man’s Fear.  Also visit NPR's list of the top 100 science fiction/fantasy books. http://www.npr.org/2011/08/11/139085843/your-picks-top-100-science-fiction-fantasy-books

Other new science fiction/fantasy titles released this fall include:

The Children of the Sky by Vernor Vinge

The Diviner by Melanie Rawn

Miserere: An Autumn Tale by Teresa Frohock

Snuff by Terry Pratchett

Spellbound by Blake Charlton

Check them out.

Movies Based on Books

Many upcoming movies are based on popular book titles.  The movies and corresponding books are listed below.  While anticipating the movie releases, you can check out some of the books from our collection.

Three Musketeers to be released on October 21, 2011
Three Musketeers Dumas, Alexandre (1941)  Fiction Dumas

Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn-Part I to be released on November 18, 2011
Breaking Dawn  Meyer, Stephenie (2008)  Fiction Meyer

Hugo to be released on November 23, 2011
The Invention of Hugo Cabret  Selznick, Brian (2007)  J Caldecott Selznick

The Descendants to be released on November 23, 2011
The Descendants  Hemmings, Kaui Hart (2007)  Fiction Hemmings

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy to be released on December 9, 2011
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy  Le Carre, John (1974)  Fiction Le Carre

Sherlock Holmes 2: A Game of Shadows to be released on December 16, 2011
Complete Sherlock Holmes Doyle, Arthur Conan (1930)  Mystery Doyle

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo to be released on December 21, 2011
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo  Larsson, Stieg (2008)  Fiction Larsson

The Adventures of Tintin to be release on December 21
The Adventures of Tintin  Herge (1993)  J 741.59493 HER

War Horse to be released on December 25, 2011
War Horse  Morpurgo, Michael (2007)  J Fiction Morpurgo

Going to the Opera?

The Lyric Opera of Chicago's 2011-1012 season has begun, and you can learn more about the operas from the library's collection of recordings, scores, librettos, and DVDs.  You will find all of this season's operas and their resources listed with links to our catalog at this site:  Lyric Opera Library Resources.  Or select an opera below to go directly to a list of sources in our catalog.

Aida           Ariadne auf Naxos           Boris Godunov
         
Lucia di Lammermoor          The Magic Flute
         
Rinaldo          Show Boat            The Tales of Hoffmann


The Lyric Season Companion 2011/12 is also available in the library's collection.  It includes stories and histories of the operas, information on the composers and librettists, and notes about the Lyric's production of each opera.

All commentaries for the 2011-12 season will be available free-streaming online at the opera’s website: http://www.lyricopera.org/. (At the website select Education, then Education Resources.)



 




 

American Civil War Fiction

One of the most famous books written about the Civil War is “The Red Badge of Courage” by Stephen Crane. It was written in 1895 only thirty years after the Civil War. It’s about a young Union soldier who struggles to find the courage to fight in the midst of battle.

Two other books written about the Civil War have won a Pulitzer Prize. Margaret Mitchell’s “Gone with the Wind” won the 1937 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. “The Killer Angels” by Michael Shaara won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction In 1975.

Other notable novels about the Civil War are:

“North and South” by John Jakes

“Cold Mountain” by Charles Frazier

“Oldest Confederate Widow Tells All” by Allan Gurganus

“March” by Geraldine Brooks

“The Widow of the South” by Robert Hicks

“The March” by E. L. Doctorow

Sept. 11 Remembered: Selected Titles from Our Collection

The 9/11 Commission Report.  National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States (2004)   973.931 NAT

The 9/11 Encyclopedia.  Atkins, Stephen E. (2008)   REF 973.931 ATK v. 1

The 9/11 Report - A Graphic Adaptation.  Jacobson, Sid (2006)   973.931 JAC

102 Minutes - The Unforgettable Story of the Fight to Survive inside the Twin Towers.  Dwyer, Jim (2011)   973.931 DWY

After the Fall: New Yorkers Remember September 2001 and the Years that Followed.  Clark, Mary Marshall, ed. (2011)  973.93101 AFT 

American Ground, Unbuilding the World Trade Center.  Langewiesche, William (2002)   974.71 LAN

Among the Heroes - United Flight 93 and the Passengers and Crew Who Fought Back.  Longman, Jere (2002)   973.931 LON

A Decade of Hope - Stories of Grief and Endurance from 9/11 Families and Friends.  Smith, Dennis (2011)   973.93 SMI

Let's Roll! - Ordinary People, Extraordinary Courage.  Beamer, Lisa (2002)   BIOG BEAMER BEA

Love You, Mean It - A True Story of Love, Loss, and Friendship.  Carrington, Patricia (2006)   920.073 LOV

On Native Soil (2006) DVD 973.931 ON

Report from Ground Zero.  Smith, Dennis (2002)   973.931 SMI

Touching History - The Untold Story of the Drama That Unfolded in the Skies over America on 9/11.  Spencer, Lynn (2008) 973.931 SPE

WTC - The First 24 Hours, 9.11.2001.  (2002)   DVD 973.931 WTC

Watching the World Change - The Stories behind the Images of 9/11.  Friend, David (2006)   973.931 FRI

What We Saw.  CBS News (2011)   973.931 WHA

Writing in the Dust - After September 11.  Williams, Rowan (2002)   242.4 WIL

Adult Book Discussions Resume

The Lake Forest Library is pleased to announce that our monthly Adult Book Discussion programs resume in September. Here is the fall schedule with a list of titles:

Elise Barack leads our evening group, beginning at 7:15pm --

Thursday, 9/8 An Atlas of Impossible Longing by Anuradha Roy

Thursday, 10/6 American Music by Jane Mendelsohn
Thursday, 11/10 The Paperbark Shoe by Goldie Goldbloom

Judy Levin hosts our afternoon discussions, beginning at 12:30 pm --
Thursday, 9/15 Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill
Thursday, 10/20 A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
Thursday, 11/17 Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

For more information call the Adult Reference Desk at 847-810-4609. These programs are sponsored by the Friends of Lake Forest Library.

More Summer Reads - On the Shelf Now

The extended forecast calls for 90 degree days.  Why not relax with a good book in the comfort of your air conditioning or in the shade of your  beach umbrella?  The library has great books waiting for you. Here are a few suggestions that are on the shelf now:

Fall of Giants by Ken Follett (also available on CD and digital player)
Father of the Rain by Lily King

The Girl who Fell from the Sky by Heidi Durow (also available on CD and digital player)

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls (also available on CD)

The Glass Room by Simon Mawer

My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares
The Piano Teacher by Janice Lee (also available in Large Type and on digital player)

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane  by Katharine Howe
Spies of the Balkans by Alan Furst
Zeitoun by Dave Eggers (also available on CD and digital player)


Also check out our NovelList website, available at home through our web page, lakeforestlibrary.org.  You can find great recommendations and book reviews. Or stop by the Adult Reference Desk for a personalized suggestion.


Chillin'

Yes, it's hot.  Once we've taken the proper precautions, we can turn to some cool tales (and our imagination) to help us cope with the heat.  Here are some "chilling" titles from our collection and a link to a list of more like them:

Cold: Adventures in the World's Frozen Places by Bill Streever (2009) - Streever is an Anchorage based biologist who spends a year exploring very cold places around the world.  He records his experiences month-by-month beginning in July, when he takes a dip in arctic waters 300 miles north of the Arctic Circle.

Death of a Dreamer by M. C. Beaton (2006) - Scottish Highlands constable Hamish Macbeth is surprised that a new woman in town stays through a bitter winter and is more surprised when he learns that she is under the delusion that she's engaged to a local artist.

In the Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Fleming (2002) - The new Episcopal priest in an upstate New York town is facing her first Northern winter when a baby is left on the church's doorstep.  The priest reports the case to the police chief, and it soon leads to a murder investigation.

Swimming to Antarctica: Tales of a Long-Distance Swimmer by Lynne Cox (2004) - Cox tells how she prepared for and endured her many long-distance swims and of her cold water swims across the Bering Strait and in the waters of Antarctica.

More books like the ones above are listed at this link:  Chillin'

PLAYAWAY® AT THE LIBRARY

Some people take in words better by hearing rather than seeing them. For those listeners, audio books on CD are the key to keeping up with reading, whether riding in the car or working around the house. Many library users have jumped into audio downloadable technology, but for others, that process is daunting.

Now, another option is available; a pre-loaded MP3 player called Playaway®. Weighing in at just 2 ounces and smaller than a pack of cards, you can use it to listen to a wide variety of books while walking, running, or sitting, without the need for any other device. The Lake Forest Library has 400+ titles in Children’s, Young Adult, and Adult categories to choose from, and new ones are coming in all the time. Give it a try this summer!

Summer Reads - On the Shelf Now

Looking for a book to take on vacation? Need to pick it up today? These former bestsellers are on the shelf now!

The Big Short by Michael Lewis (330.973 LEW) Also available in audio and large type.

Father of the Rain by Lily King (Fiction King).

Innocent by Scott Turow (Fiction Turow) Also available in audio and large type.

The Last Child by John Hart (Fiction Hart) Also available in audio.

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender (Fiction Bender).

Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier (Fiction Chevalier) Also available in audio.

War by Sebastian Junger (958.104 JUN) Also available in audio.

So, why not try a slightly older title with staying power?  Call the Adult Reference Desk to reserve a copy.

Fireworks

If you're looking forward to a great multisensory 4th of July, you may want to check out some of the fireworks from our collection:

In his book, Fireworks: A History and Celebration, the great participatory journalist George Plimpton delved into fireworks around the world, including famous aficionados and displays of the time.  The book is now more than 25 years old, but covers the subject with fascinating detail, many photographs and illustrations, and a glossary of fireworks terms for true enthusiasts.

Two novels in which fireworks figure prominently are Book of Fires by Jane Borodale (2010) and Fireworks Over Toccoa by Jeffrey Stepakoff (2010).  Borodale's story is set in England in the 1750s where a poor pregnant 17-year-old girl flees her rural home for London and becomes apprenticed to a recently widowed fireworks maker.  Fireworks Over Toccoa is a story of forbidden love set in Georgia in the summer of 1945.  A recently married young woman whose husband has gone off to World War II falls in love with a handsome Italian immigrant in town to set up the the 4th of July fireworks display.  It is a passionate, nostalgic read that should appeal to Bridges of Madison County fans and Nicholas Sparks readers.

The DVD Fireworks, part of the History Channel's Modern Marvels series, shows fireworks manufacturing in different world locations, goes to Spain to show the use of holograms with pyrotechnics, and looks at Disney World's remote-controlled, missile-launched displays.  George Plimpton and the Grucci family, who in 1979 became the first American family to win the Gold Medal at the Monte Carlo International Fireworks Competition, serve as hosts.

And finally, some rousing music to accompany fireworks:  Music for Wind Band (John Philip Sousa), Stars & Stripes (Canadian Brass), Ultimate Russian Classics (The 1812 Overture), and The Very Best of Handel (Music for the Royal Fireworks selections).

Happy 4th of July!

Maestros

Gramophone magazine's June issue identifies ten young conductors "on the verge of greatness."  Among them are some conductors whose recordings we have in our collection.  They are:  Edward Gardner, age 36, English National Opera; Jakub Hrusa, age 29, Prague Philharmonia; Andris Nelsons, age 32, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra; Yannick Nezet-Seguin, age 36, Philadelphia Orchestra (Director Designate); and  Vasily Petrenko, age 34, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic.  If you're wondering why Gustavo Dudamel (age 30, Los Angeles Philharmonic) isn't included in Gramophone's list, it's because Gramophone identified him in 2006 as one of "Tomorrow's Classical Superstars," and he is now already considered to be a superstar.  Here is a list from the Library's collection of recordings by these young maestros:  Promising Young Maestros: Recordings.

If you're interested in the lives and development of great conductors, you might want to look at the biographies on this list:  Conducting and Conductors.  Included on the list are a couple novels and a feature film with conductors as characters. 

And here's a little matching quiz about some great conductors - most from the past - with facts taken from Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians, which can be found in the Library's reference collection.

1. Leonard Bernstein     a. started CSO Chorus in 1957
2. Sarah Caldwell         b. assistant conductor to Gustav Mahler
3. Margaret Hillis          c. Chicago Symphony Orchestra, 1969-1991
4. Herbert Von Karajan  d. 1st woman to conduct at the Met
5. Riccardo Muti           e."Young People's Concerts" in 1958
6. Sir Georg Solti          f. Berlin Philharmonic from 1954-1989 
7. Bruno Walter            g. born in Naples in 1941

Answers: 1(e), 2(d), 3(a), 4(f), 5(g), 6(c), 7(b)

Civil War Navies and the H. L. Hunley

As we look back 150 years to the beginning of the Civil War, the Library features titles relating to Civil War topics being presented in the local area.  Later this month the Lake County Discovery Museum hosts historian Steve Quick's lecture, The H. L. Hunley and the Confederate Navy.  (Click here for event details.) 

On Feb. 17, 1864, the Confederate submarine the H. L. Hunley became the first submarine to sink a warship when it attacked the USS Housatonic in Charleston Harbor, creating an explosion that sank the Housatonic and killed five of its crew members, but that also resulted in the Hunley and its crew of eight sinking, too.(1)  Though the search for the Hunley began in 1864, it was not until May 3, 1995 that it was found by a group of divers hired by best-selling author Clive Cussler. 

More details of the Hunley's history and crew, of Cussler's search for it, and of its eventual excavation in 2000 are at the Department of the Navy link referenced below and in some titles on this list from the Library's collection:  The Civil War at Sea.  This list includes books about the H. L. Hunley for children and adults as well as adult non-fiction and fiction books about the broader subject of Civil War naval operations.

References:
1.  Department of the Navy -- Naval History & Heritage Command, Underwater Archaeology Branch,  H. L. Hunley, Confederate Submarine. http://www.history.navy.mil/branches/org12-3.htm (retrieved 5/31/2011).

Adult Summer Reading Program Begins

The Adult Summer Reading Program begins June 1st. Come to the Reference Desk to register. It’s easy and there are great prizes. Read, or listen to, four books and you will receive a Lake Forest Library pen. Just turn in your completed reading record to the Reference Desk.

Your name will be entered into the grand prize drawing. The drawing will take place the first week in August and prizes must be claimed by September 1st. Prizes include local restaurant gift certificates, a Lake Forest Chamber of Commerce gift certificate, an Apple gift certificate, Williams and Sonoma gift certificates, and Lake Forest Bookstore gift cards.

You must be a Lake Forest resident 19 years or older to participate. One entry per resident cardholder. The Summer Reading program finishes July 31st.

For information about our Children’s Summer Reading Program click here http://www.lakeforestlibrary.org/sumreadclub11.html

For our Teen program click http://www.lakeforestlibrary.org/teenbkdissc11.html

We look forward to seeing you this summer.

            

          Motherhood,
          Rugby,

          and Apple Pie?

Rugby seems to be an emerging sport here in Lake Forest as several local matches have been in the news lately.  Lake Forest College's club defeated the Lake County Gladiators from Gurnee 14-0 at the college field in April.  Also in April, the Lake Forest Harriers, a new high-school-aged club, defeated the New Trier rugby club 54-8, and the Deerpath Braves  defeated Cicero 41-17 at the Middle School Rugby Festival held at Deer Path Middle School.  You can learn more about these clubs and their schedules by following the links from their names above.
 

Rugby was reputedly invented in 1823 at the Rugby School near Rugby, England and is the only major sport named after the place of its invention rather than an element of the sport itself. (1)  Two versions of the sport developed:  Rugby Union, played by amateurs and pros; and Rugby League, played by pros.  Both versions are played by two teams who kick, pass, or carry the ball toward the opposing team's goal until they can touch it over the goal line or kick it over the goal to score.  Matches move fast with nearly continuous physical play including tackling.  At the end of two 40-minute halves, the team with the most points wins. (2)

If rugby is new to you, you might enjoy learning about it and some of its interesting terms:  scrum, fend, hooker, ruck, and maul.  Follow this link to a list of titles about or relating to rugby:  Rugby Selections in the Lake Forest Library.


References:
1. "Rugby." World of Sports Science. Ed. K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 2007. 583-585. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 17 May 2011.
2. Haden, Andy, and Neville N. Kesha. "Rugby football." World Book Advanced. World Book, 2011. Web.  17 May 2011.

Book Discussion with Judy Levin

Please join Judy Levin on Thursday May 19 at 12:30 pm for a discussion of Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson.

Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand, Simonson’s debut novel, is the story of a retired English widower who copes with the many changes occuring in his quiet village with humor and a sense of absurdity. Finding himself lonely as he approaches 70, he quietly begins to court Mrs. Ali, a local Pakistani shopkeeper who is also alone. The major, an old-fashioned gentleman at heart, and the gracious Jasmina Ali share a love of literature that pulls them closer, even as their relationship is complicated by cultural differences, interfering friends and family, and inexorable social changes. Critics note Simonson’s “dense prose” and “delightful” plot. You won’t want to miss this one.

Simonson was born in England and currently lives in Washington, D.C.  For more information visit the author's website at http://www.helensimonson.com/about_helen_simonson.php  .

New DVD Service

Do you live on the west side of town? Or do you shop at Sunset Foods? Or maybe you commute to Chicago on the Milwaukee train line? Lake Forest Library has a new DVD service geared towards you and your lifestyle.  Located in the City of Lake Forest Milwaukee West train station at 911 S. Telegraph Road, DVD2GO is an automated, self-service DVD dispenser. The dispenser holds up to 1,500 items and features the most popular titles currently being requested by our patrons. These materials are available to all Lake Forest residents with a valid library card.

Try out our new DVD service today.  http://dvd2go.lakeforestlibrary.org/login.php 

 Things to Remember: 

 - Items in this collection can be reserved 12 hours ahead of pick-up.
 -You can check out up to 3 DVDs on a Lake Forest Library card.
 -You must use the same library card to check out & check in a DVD.
 -DVDs from the DVD2Go dispenser must be returned to the machine.
 -Overdue fines are $1.00/day.
 -The DVD2Go is available whenever the train station is open: 5:30am-8:00pm Monday-Friday, and 5:30 am-6:00pm Saturday, Sunday and holidays.

Ebooks for Your Mobile Devices

Did you know that you can download ebooks using your Lake Forest Library card to a wide variety of mobile devices including the Barnes and Noble’s Nook, and Apple’s iPad and iPhone? You just need to install a small piece of software to start. There is no charge for the ebooks.

Download directions are available on the MyMediaMall link  http://www.mymediamall.net/1F14DB0E-8BFA-4011-832C-F0DEBE38DFCE/10/342/en/Default.htm of the Lake Forest Library Gateway page. Or go to the Library Information page, click on "User Links" for step-by-step instructions for Apple devices  http://www.lakeforestlibrary.org/Apple%20iPad.pdf and for the Nook http://www.lakeforestlibrary.org/The%20Nook%20and%20MyMediaMall.pdf. Printed directions are also available at the Reference Desk.

 

Library ebooks check out in a similar way to print materials. You can check out up to 5 titles per card at a time. Ebooks can be checked out for 1-3 weeks. You can return the ebooks when you are finished or they will expire automatically at the end of the borrowing period. Ebooks do not renew but you can check them out up to three times.

There are a limited number of copies of each title. If the one you want is checked out you can reserve it. You will receive an email when it is available.  And remember, there are different formats so make sure you select the one that is compatible with your device.

Elise Barack Leads Book Discussion April 7

Please join Elise Barack for a discussion of The Girl Who Fell from the Sky by Heidi Durrow Thursday, April 7 at 7:15 pm in the Lake Forest Library’s programming room.

Inspired by an actual event, Durrow’s debut novel is an exploration of race, identity, and racism. It tells the story of Rachel, the daughter of a white Danish mother and a black American G.I. In the early 1980s she becomes the sole survivor of a family tragedy after her mother throws herself, Rachel, and two other children off the rooftop of their Chicago home.

Afterwards Rachel is sent to live with her paternal grandmother in a black neighborhood in Portland, Oregon where her light skin and blue eyes make her the subject of constant scrutiny. Rachel relies on her inner strength and intelligence as she faces these new challenges and grows into her own. The Girl Who Fell from the Sky is the winner of the 2008 Bellwether Prize for best fiction manuscript addressing issues of social justice. Critics have called Durrow’s writing “compact” and “taut,” and have recommended her provocative book with its controversial conclusion to readers interested in contemporary social issues.

Spring Break Reading Suggestions

Need a book to take along on your vacation?  Staying home, sleeping late, and catching up on your reading?  Add one (or more) of these titles to your reading list and enjoy some of the newest titles in fiction, mystery, memoirs and history.

 Binchy, Maeve  Minding Frankie (FICTION BINCHY)

 Bradley, Alan B. A Red Herring with Mustard (MYSTERY BRADLEY)

Carroll, James Jerusalem, Jerusalem: How the Ancient City Ignited the Modern World

(956.9442 CAR)

Coben, Harlan, Live Wire (MYSTERY COBEN)

DeWaal, Edmund The Hare with Amber Eyes: A Family's Century of Art and Loss
 (BIOG EPHRUSSI DEW)

Frazier, Ian Travels in Siberia (914.7 FRA)

McCall Smith, Alexander, The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party
(MYSTERY MCCALL SMITH)

McLain, Paula The Paris Wife
(FICTION MCLAIN)

Oates, Joyce Carol A Widow's Story: A Memoir
(BIOG OATES OAT)

Picoult, Jodi, Sing You Home
(FICTION PICOULT)

Winspear, Jacqueline A Lesson in Secrets (MYSTERY WINSPEAR)

Book Lust

Have you ever listened to Nancy Pearl on NPR’s "Morning Edition"? Pearl is a former librarian and bookseller, and an energetic reading advocate known for her broadcasts from KUOW in Seattle. Librarians cannot get enough of her recommendations. Her wonderful bibliographies are great places to look for suggested books for you and your children. These titles offer personal, eclectic, maybe even idiosyncratic compilations of good reading material in a variety of categories. Check them out the next time you’re at the library:

Book Lust -- Adult titles are organized into 175 thematic entries.

More Book Lust -- A companion to the 2003 Book Lust.

Book Lust to Go -- Pearl’s most recent book. Nonfiction and fiction reading recommendations for travelers, including armchair explorers.

Book Crush -- Contains lists of recommended titles for children and teenagers divided into three age groups. The entries are subdivided into more than 118 categories, including animals, folktales, autobiographies, and comic books.

For more information visit Nancy Pearl's website. 

(Photo available thanks to a-birdie photo stream)

Book Discussion with Elise Barack, March 3

Join us for a discussion of J.D. Salinger’s Nine Stories this Thursday, March 3, 2011 at 7:15 pm in the downstairs programming room. The author once said that he was most comfortable with the short story form and the writing in Nine Stories is considered the peak of his achievements. In particular three stories —"A Perfect Day for Bananafish," "Uncle Wiggily in Connecticut," and "For Esmé—with Love and Squalor"— are typical of Salinger’s writing style and demonstrate several recurring themes. First published in 1953, this collection of previously published stories met with critical and popular success.

Originally from New York City, Salinger fought in World War II and never graduated from college.  His last published work, a short story, appeared in The New Yorker in 1965.  He lived out the balance of his life in seclusion in New Hampshire and died last year at the age of 91. He is best known for his one novel, The Catcher in the Rye, a common staple of high school curriculums.