The Short List

For those of you who don’t already have your summer reading lists in place there are plenty of new books due out in the next few months which will merit your interest whether you like novels, mystery, thriller, non-fiction or biography. We will be looking forward to the releases of books by: Michael Ondaatje, Joyce Carol Oates, Marianne Wiggins, Pete Hamill, Holly Peterson, Peter Lovesey, Janet Evanovich, Linda Greenlaw, John Burdett, Martin Cruz Smith, Tina Brown and Gunter Grass. Many of these books have appeared (or still do) on our New Release Alerts page on our website so you may place a hold on them now before word gets out and a long hold list builds up.

Parents, are you already thinking about after-school programs for your children for next fall?? Think no further… The Essex Library will be holding its First Annual Program Fair in the new Program Room on Wednesday, July 11^th from 6-8pm. Representatives from local businesses and programs will have tables set up with their program information. Programs that will share their information are dancing schools, karate schools, tutors, horseback riding, gymnastics, sports, scouts, theatre, etc… If you, or someone you know, has a children’s or teen’s program they wish to promote please contact me at 767-1560 or jmccann@essexlib.org.

If you’re curious about what celebrities read and what books influenced them, there area couple of places you can go to find out. The first is Oprah’s Books website which provides drop-down menus of celebrities’ lists of what they’re reading and what books changed their lives. The second is from the Gardiner Public Library in Gardiner, Maine where each year for the past 19 years they have collected information on the favorite reads of celebrities. The project is called “Who Reads What?” Results are posted in annual lists with enjoyable annotations. http://www.gpl.lib.me.us/wrw.htm

http://www.oprah.com/obc/omag/obc_omag_main.jhtml

Jerry Reed, professional photographer and digital photography educator will conduct a two part learning experience for digital photographers on Saturday, June 9th at the Essex Library. The workshop, entitled Camera to Print: a New Workflow for Digital Photographers, will be comprised of classroom instruction in the morning followed by a practical hands-on session in the field after lunch.

The classroom component will focus on the features of the digital camera with special emphasis on effectively composing, focusing and exposing images. This session will begin at 10am and run until approximately 12:30pm.

During the afternoon session, participants will gain hands-on experience in the field. They will need to bring their own cameras, camera manuals and any other photographic equipment that they require. Jerry Reed will guide and instruct them in implementing the principles learned in the morning session. This session will end at approximately 3:30pm.

The fee for the two-part workshop is $50. Registration is necessary. Please call the Library at 767-1560 or e-mail the Library at: staff@essexlib.org to register.

The Independent Mystery Booksellers Association has just released the 10 top-selling hardcover mysteries for the month of April:

1. What the Dead Know by Laura Lippman
2. Hunter’s Moon by Randy Wayne White
3. The Naming of the Dead by Ian Rankin
4. The Woods by Harlan Coben
5. Spanish Dagger by Susan Wittig Albert
6. The Good Husband of Zebra Drive by Alexander McCall Smith
7. Simple Genius by David Baldacci
7. The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz
9. Withering Heights by Dorothy Cannell
10. Murder with Reservations by Elaine Viets

Do the boys in your life know: how to skip stones, fold a paper hat, the rules to Texas Hold ‘em Poker, how to build a tree house or find true north among dozens of other things? If not, here’s a book they won’t want to put down once they begin reading! “The Dangerous Book For Boys“, written by brothers Conn and Hal Iggulden, is a runaway best seller in Britain and is now available here.

Lloyd Alexander died at his home in a Philadelphia suburb on Thursday, May 17th; he was 83. The 5-volume series Chronicles Of Prydain was perhaps his most famous work. The last volume in the series, The High King won the Newberry Medal in 1969. The first two books in the series were made into the Disney film, The Black Cauldron. His last book, The Golden Dream Of Carlos Chuchio, is set to be published in August, 2007.

Friday, May 25^th 7-9pm

Young Adults in grades 7-10 are invited to a DDR Party in the Program Room of the Essex Library. There will be pizza and lots of dancing going on. Please call or email the library to register so that we’ll have plenty of pizza and drinks for everyone.

For more information, please call Judie McCann at the Library at 767-1560 or email her at: jmccann@essexlibrary.lioninc.org

If you’ve been caught up in the whirlwind of “The Secret” by Rhonda Byrne then you’re probably all set. If however, Byrne’s book was a little too New-Agey for you, then perhaps the following books might provide guidance for a new and improved, happier life–or at least one that is more spiritually rewarding.

Napoleon Hill’s “Think And Grow Rich”

“Excuse Me, Your Life Is Waiting” by Lynn Grabhorn

“Start Where You Are” by Pema Chodron

“Autobiography Of A Yogi” by Paramhansa Yogananda

“Sacred Choices” by Christel Nani

The James Beard Foundation recently gave out their 2007 awards: Cookbook of the Year went to “The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook” by Matt Lee and Ted Lee; for Writing on Food– “The Omnivore’s Dilemma“ by Michael Pollan; for Entertaining– “The Big Book of Outdoor Cooking and Entertaining” by Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison; for General cookbooks– “Tasty: Get Great Food on the Table Every Day“ by Roy Finamore; and for cookbooks with a Healthy Focus– “Whole Grains Every Day, Every Way“ by Lorna Sass.