The Short List

Here is a random handful of newly-arrived non-fiction books: “Harvesting Profits On Wall Street” by Ron Muhlenkamp provides the answers to what works and why, when it comes to investing in stocks and bonds. “Eliminate Chaos” by Laura Leist details a system for organizing each room in the house. “I’ll Fly Away” compiled by Wally Lamb is the second accomplished collection of writings from women in prison in Connecticut. “India After Gandhi” by Ramachandra Guha tells the story of the pain and struggle of the world’s largest and least likely democracy. “Amerigo” by Felipe Fernandez-Armesto is a biography of Amerigo Vespucci-the man who gave his name to America. “Jubilee City” by Joe Andoe is a memoir by the internationally exhibited painter who was once a delinquent bad boy in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

This fall will see publication of some highly anticipated books, a few of which are already here on our shelves. There are also newly arrived books which don’t attract a lot of attention but nevertheless merit a read: “Flawed” by Jo Bannister-the 7th book in the Brodie Farrell series; with her emphasis on relationships, these read more like novels than criminal investigations. “Red Sea” by Emily Benedek-this is her fiction debut with 3 heroes, an FBI agent, a reporter and an Israeli secret service agent, who are trying to stop a terrorist attack in New York. “Now And Forever” by Ray Bradbury-a long-awaited book from one of America’s most distinguished authors; it is 2 novellas which have been decades in the works. “Trespass” by Valerie Martin-the Orange Prize winning author of “Property“ now tells a tale of an American family confronted with their only son’s relationship with a Croatian immigrant to whom they take an instant dislike. “The Last Chinese Chef” by Nicole Mones-this is the story of Maggie who travels to China to meet the her husband’s illegitimate child and to write an article about Chinese cuisine. She meets a young Chinese-American chef who helps her let go of her grief. Do not read this book when you’re hungry! “Under Enemy Colors” by S. Thomas Russell-a debut that will quickly join the ranks in the popular “men at sea” genre. This newcomer will be a boon to the faithful fans of the Horatio Hornblower and Aubrey/Maturin books.

Free People Read Freely. Celebrating the Freedom to Read has been observed during the last week of September each year since 1982. This annual ALA event reminds Americans not to take this precious democratic freedom for granted.

Throughout the country, most children are starting a new academic year. Teachers are sending out their lists of required readings, and parents are beginning to gather books. In some cases, classics like “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” “The Catcher in the Rye,” and “To Kill a Mocking Bird,” may not be included in curriculum or available in the school library due to challenges made by parents or administrators.

Since 1990, the American Library Association’s (ALA) Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) has recorded more than 7,800 book challenges, including 546 in 2006. A challenge is a formal, written complaint requesting a book be removed from library shelves or school curriculum. About three out of four of all challenges are to material in schools or school libraries, and one in four are to material in public libraries. OIF estimates that less than one-quarter of challenges are reported and recorded.

It is thanks to the commitment of librarians, teachers, parents, and students that most challenges are unsuccessful and reading materials like “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” “Slaughterhouse Five,” the Harry Potter series, and Phyllis Reynolds Naylor’s Alice series remain available.

The most challenged and/or restricted reading materials have been books for children. However, challenges are not simply an expression of a point of view; on the contrary, they are an attempt to remove materials from public use, thereby restricting the access of others. Even if the motivation to ban or challenge a book is well intentioned, the outcome is detrimental. Censorship denies our freedom as individuals to choose and think for ourselves. For children, decisions about what books to read should be made by the people who know them best—their parents!

Since its inception in 1982, Banned Books Week has reminded us that while not every book is intended for every reader, each of us has the right to decide for ourselves what to read, listen to or view. The Essex Library and thousands of libraries and bookstores across the country will celebrate the freedom to read by participating in special events, exhibits, and read-outs that showcase books that have been banned or threatened.

American libraries are the cornerstones of our democracy. Libraries are for everyone, everywhere. Because libraries provide free access to a world of information, they bring opportunity to all people. Now, more than ever, celebrate the freedom to read @ your library! Elect to read an old favorite or a new banned book this week.

Readers Theater for children in grades 3-5 will be held at the Library again this fall due to its popularity. Three sessions will be held on Wednesdays–October 10, 17 and 24 from 3:30-5p.m. The group will read a story, do an activity surrounding the story and then perform it in front of their parents and friends at the end of each session. Please register at the Library or by phone: 767-1560 or e-mail: jmccann@essexlib.org

Calling all artists 17 and under! The Friends of the Essex Library is sponsoring an art contest to draw a scene for our 2008 Essex Library Calendar. Choose one month in any of the four seasons for the setting of at least one person or character reading a book. The character can be in any position or setting. Use your imagination and be creative! Send in your entry soon so you can be a part of our calendar. Artwork must be no larger than 11″ wide by 81/2″ tall–please submit landscape(as opposed to portrait) designs only. Include your name and phone number on the back of your entry and bring it in to the Library by October 14, 2007 so we can have the calendars available for the holiday season.

We will pick 12 winning submissions to be featured–one for each month–in the new Calendar. The Calendar will be printed and given to our winning artists and all participants. It will be available for purchase at the Library while supplies last.

Ken Burns‘ new 7-part PBS series, “The War” begins airing this Sunday at 9p.m. on both WEDH and WNET. The series is about World War II from the point of view of soldiers and civilians from four cities and towns in the U.S.–Waterbury, Conn., Mobile, Ala., Sacramento, Calif., and Luverne, Minn. Directed and produced by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, the series has a tie-in volume that is stunningly illustrated with hundreds of photos: The War: An Intimate History, 1941-1945 by Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns.

We have once again subscribed to the Morningstar mutual fund service. We also have a subscription to Value Line in the Library. The two provide investment analysis information and while Morningstar is a bit heavier on the analysis, Value Line is more targeted to return and fund performance data.

Counting all their variations, there are nearly 14,000 mutual funds on the market today. Morningstar deems 1,600 worthy of your attention. They’ve selected these funds to give you a wide variety of choices necessary for building and maintaining a well-diversified portfolio. To further help you narrow the field, Morningstar Mutual Funds includes up to 150 Fund Analyst Picks spread over a wide variety of investment categories. These are our expert analysts’ favorites for long-term growth.

Adventure Lovers Take Note! Do you enjoy stories of physical and spiritual adventure, danger, and survival? Do you like a lively discussion with other similar book enthusiasts? The Essex Library invites you to join our new Third Monday Book Discussion Group: Great Reads, Great Deeds. The first meeting will be held on October 15 to discuss Into the Wild, by John Krakauer. (Read the book before you see the soon-to-be released movie!) Krakauer probes the mystery of Chris Mccandless, a gifted young man who walks away from his life, hitchhikes to Alaska, and four months later turns up dead. In the process, Krakauer weaves in parallels from his own life as an adventurer and writer.

The group will meet thereafter on the third Monday evening of alternate months at 7:00 PM and will be moderated by Claire Matthews and Bob Nussbaum, two avid readers and enthusiasts of the genre. Please bring your recommendations for well-written and compelling adventure books. We are looking for books with a high adrenaline factor, an impact on our history or culture, ventures into the unknown, tales of endurance and survival.

Please register by dropping in at the Essex Library, located at 33 West Ave, or by calling 767-1560. We hope you’ll join us!

On Tuesday, October 2, at 6:30 p.m. the Essex Library will present our new service for high school students–Prepme. Prepme is a new SAT database available to our patrons to use at home to help prepare for the SATs. It focuses on the individual student and identifies his strengths and weaknesses, then creates a customized schedule for preparing to take the test. Rick Bolton of Prepme.com will be here to demonstrate how Prepme works and a question and answer period will follow.

On Wednesday, October 10, at 7p.m. the Library will have Joanne Carter of Educational Solutions in Essex along with David Weiner,PhD–formerly Dean of Students and Professor of Psychology at Trinity College in Hartford here to discuss the college process…finding the right college, taking the SAT, filling out applications and writing the dreaded essays.

Please call the Library-767-1560 or email- jmccann@essexlib.org to register.

The following books have been ordered for the Library and should be arriving shortly: Heartsick by Chelsea Cain ~ “In this riveting debut thriller, Chelsea Cain introduces an unforgettable female serial killer and a homicide detective more human than heroic.”; An Arsonist’s Guide To Writers’ Homes In New England by Brock Clarke ~ This “is the delightfully dark story of Sam Pulsifer, the accidental arsonist and murderer narrator who leads readers through a multilayered, flame-filled adventure about literature, lies, love and life.”; Terror Dream by Susan Faludi ~ “In this most original examination of America’s post-9/11 culture, Susan Faludi shines a light on the country’s psychological response to the attacks on that terrible day.”; Engleby by Sebastian Faulks ~ “Bestselling British author Sebastian Faulks reinvents the unreliable narrator with his singular, haunting creation—Mike Engleby.”; Tree Of Smoke by Denis Johnson ~ “This is the story of Skip Sands—spy in training, engaged in psychological operations against the Vietcong—and the disasters that befall him thanks to his famous uncle, a war hero known in intelligence circles simply as the Colonel.”; Bridge Of Sighs by Richard Russo ~ “Russo’s portraits of smalltown life may be read not only as fine novels but as invaluable guides to the economic decline of the American Northeast.”; Musicophilia by Oliver Sacks ~ Sacks “examines the powers of music through the individual experiences of patients, musicians, and everyday people.” and Braindead Megaphone by George Saunders ~ “Emblazoned with his trademark wit and singular vision, Saunders’s endeavor into the art of the essay is testament to his exceptional range and ability as a writer and thinker.” In the meantime, you may place a hold on any of these items by visiting our online catalog.