The Short List

We have put a suggestion box on the Homepage of the Library’s website because we’re sure that you have things on your mind you’d like to share with us. We’d love to hear from you about materials you’d like the Library to have in the collection, programs and services you’d like us to offer, ideas for fundraising…you name it, we’d like to hear from you. Just click on the box on the website and send us an email with your thoughts.

If the scenes of pushing and shoving at Christmas sales are any indication, the holidays can bring out the worst behavior in everyone. Perhaps these books might prove helpful to at least start instructing the children about behaving courteously. These etiquette books for children and teenagers cover the gamut from table manners, phone etiquette and dealing with social situations confidently.

November saw the passing of two authors: William Diehl, wrote “Sharkey’s Machine” in 1978 which made him famous when it was made into a movie starring Burt Reynolds three years later. Among other novels, Diehl went on to write three books in the Martin Vail mystery/thriller series– “Primal Fear” , “Show Of Evil” and “Reign In Hell”. You may recall that the movie version of Primal Fear starrred Richard Gere as attorney Martin Vail and introduced Edward Norten in his first film role.

Author Bebe Moore Campbell, 56, died in Los Angeles yesterday (Monday). Campbell wrote both fiction and non-fiction and has been praised as one of the top three most important African-American novelists in the 20th century. In addition to working as a commentator for National Public Radio, she also contributed to numerous publications including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times. Her bestselling books include “Brothers And Sisters” and “Your Blues Ain’t Like Mine”.

If you are one of the many of our patrons who enjoyed the bestselling book, “Marley & Me” by John Grogan, then you may also enjoy some of these other dog stories. There’s much to be learned from our relationships with animals-about them and about ourselves. Sample some of these humorous and touching stories about dogs: “The Philosopher’s Dog” by Raimond Gaita; “The Dogs Of Bedlam Farm”, “A Dog Year”, and “A Good Dog” all by Jon Katz;“The Other End Of The Leash” by Patricia McConnell; “Ella In Europe” by Michael Konik; and “Bones Would Rain From The Sky” by Suzanne Clothier.

Some of the most famous and well-read books about animals and their human companions are by James Herriot. He wrote a series of classics about his adventures as a veterinarian in Yorkshire, England beginning with “All Creatures Great and Small”. This series went way beyond dogs as a country veterinarian’s practice would do. Here are a few more books that demonstrate dogs don’t hold the monopoly on being “man’s best friend”. “In The Company Of Crows And Ravens” by John Marzluff; “Sleeping With Cats” by Marge Piercy; and “The Good Good Pig” by Sy Montgomery.

On Thursday, December 7 at 7pm the Essex Library will host “Chardonnays Around The World”. This year, Chris Bongo and That’s The Spirit Shoppe will provide the wines and Olive Oyl’s will be bringing gourmet treats. Come celebrate the holiday season with us in our new program room. Tickets are $15/person or $25/couple. This has been a sold-out event in the past so please call 767-1560 or stop in at the Library to register or for more information.

Books really do have the power to change our lives. As an example, The National Book Foundation attempts to illustrate how “the experience of reading can inform-and even transform-the act of writing” in all their outreach programs. On their website is a page called “The Book That Changed My Life” which contains descriptions by recent winners of The National Book Award about the books that changed their writing lives. It’s fascinating to see which books have inspired these successful writers.

We also have a cadre of books in the same vein: “The Book That Changed My Life”;and a second with the same title “The Book That Changed My Life”; “How Reading Changed My life”; and “Every Book Its Reader : the power of the printed word to stir the world”.

Any of these sources can provide sufficient material with life-changing possibilities.

The American Girls book series was one of the first to feature a girl heroine and has been wildly popular since its inception. Not being retail slaggards, the creators have also honed in on the marketing advantages of having millions of adoring young fans. Entire stores have sprung up to feed the enthusiasm. All that aside, the books are good reads with the additional virtue of a history lesson in each story. On Sunday, November 26th, “Molly, An American Girl On The Homefront” will be aired on the Disney Channel at 8pm. The Molly movie is based on the entire series of Molly books with a few changes but it remains a story about life on the homefront during World War II.

The National Book Award for Young People’s Literature was revealed last Wednesday. M.T. Anderson’s “The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing” beat out four other terrific finalists. These award winners are selected by a panel of their writer/peers who read more than 500 books to reach their decision. The other nominees were: “Keturah and Lord Death” by Martine Leavitt; “Sold” by Patricia McCormick; “The Rules of Survival” by Nancy Werlin; and “American Born Chinese” by Gene Luen Yang.

The 2006 National Book Awards were given out Wednesday, November 15th at a ceremony in New York City. These awards, begun in 1950, recognize books of exceptional merit written by Americans. The Echo Maker by Richard Powers won for Fiction. The other nominees in Fiction were: Only Revolutions by Mark Z. Danielewski; A Disorder Peculiar To The Country by Ken Kalfus; Eat The Document by Dana Spiotta and The Zero by Jess Walter.

The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan won for Non-Fiction. Other nominees for Non-Fiction were: At Canaan’s Edge by Taylor Branch; Imperial Life In The Emerald City by Rajiv Chandrasekaran; Oracle Bones by Peter Hessler and The Looming Tower by Lawrence Wright.

It’s Children’s Book Week as you know so I asked the Staff to tell me what their two all-time favorite children’s books were. Generally, the selections came with brief annecdotes about what made them favorites. The reasons varied but, more often than not, the particular book had created warm memories when read to their children or it was fondly remembered as a consistent “tearjerker.” I have noted, where appropriate, which books may require tissues. Interestingly, Charlotte’s Web made the list for three of us, so if you haven’t already shared that delight with your kids, it’s high time. Whichever you choose to read with your family, it might become one of their all-time favorites too. Here is the list in alphabetical order by librarian:

Anita: Couldn’t choose just 2. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett; anything by Beatrix Potter; The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me by Roald Dahl; The Silver Pencil by Alice Dalgliesh; and The Story of Holly and Ivy (tissue worthy) by Rumer Godden.

Ann: Also felt unbound by the limit of 2. Charlotte’s Web by E.B.White; If I Ran The Circus by Dr. Seuss and Love You Forever (tissue worthy) by Robert Munsch.

Bridget: James and The Giant Peach by Roald Dahl and Anne Of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery.

Cathy: Little Women (tissue worthy) by Louisa May Alcott and Black Beauty by Anna Sewell.

Diane: Another Charlotte’s Web fan and The Boy of Steel by Ray Negron.

Jenny: Another Charlotte’s Web booster and Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain.

Sue: The Giving Tree (tissue worthy) by Shel Silverstein and Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss (ask Sue if she can still recite this by heart!)