Outside of a Dog, #85

"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." - Groucho Marx

Spring and fall traditionally find a lot of new books hitting the bookstore as well as library shelves. Some pretty big names are offering up a wide variety of titles to entice readers. It may be too early to find these titles in the library database but check back because they are sure to be “on order” very soon. (As soon as a book is cataloged as "on-order," you can place a hold on it.)

Oprah: A Biography by Kitty Kelley
Kitty Kelley has written biographies about Nancy Reagan, the Royal family, Elizabeth Taylor, Jackie O, and the Bushes. Here she turns her attention to one of the most influential media personalities of our time. Coming in at 544 pages it is sure to fascinate Oprah’s many fans.
On order at CHE MTC


This Time Together: Laughter and Reflections by Carol Burnett
One of our most enduring and talented performers gives us a selection of essays and stories about her life, career, and personal philosophy through an entertaining look back.
On order at SCS SHL

Family Ties by Danielle Steel
After dozens upon dozens of fiction best sellers Steel still manages to command a devoted audience. In this story, a young woman unexpectedly becomes a mother to her sister’s three small children. Now all grown up, each child has chosen a different career path but through it all the family ties established years ago have remained in place.
On order at RSV

61 Hours: A Reacher Novel by Lee Child
A bus accident puts Reacher in a South Dakota burg, where a single but reluctant witness is the only hope that the police have in prosecuting a vicious crime ring. One cop decides that Reacher is the only one that can be trusted and together they hatch a plot to bring the criminals to justice.
On order at SHL EPL RSV CHE

Every Last One by Anna Quindlen
This is a novel about a suburban family and the unintended but devastating consequences of what at the moment seemed like small and insignificant events but instead turned out to be profoundly life changing.
On order at SBL RSV CHE

Additional new titles to anticipate include:
The 9th Judgment by James Patterson (Women's Murder Club)
Deliver Us from Evil by David Baldacci
Storm Prey by John Sandford (The Prey Series)
Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich (Stephanie Plum)
The Search by Nora Roberts

Outside of a Dog, #84

"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." - Groucho Marx

Who doesn’t enjoy a good musical? The popularity of the television series Glee attests to the fact that although the old fashioned musical may have faded in popularity there is definitely still an audience out there that enjoys singing and dancing in almost any context.

The library has a collection of musicals on DVD, all available for a 21 day checkout.

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music

This enduring musical recently celebrated its 40^th anniversary. It won five Academy Awards including the coveted Best Picture of the Year. The DVD includes a wide variety of special features and background information that will interest almost any fan of the movie.

DVD 782.81 Sound WCV WAM WMB

South Pacific

Another big hit by Rodgers and Hammerstein, South Pacific has had many successful adaptations from the Pulitzer Prize winning book by James Michener over the years. This DVD features Glenn Close and Harry Connick, Jr. in the starring roles. Enjoy the fun and adventure of this timeless story that has enchanted audiences for many years.

DVD 782.81 South WCV

DVD South WAM

Flashdance

It may not qualify as a traditional or old fashioned musical but Flashdance certainly inspired a generation to dance. Its highly improbable plot is carried along by an electrifying mix of music, drama, and dance that dazzles viewers as well as touches their hearts.

DVD 782.81 Flashdance WCV FRA SCS RSV

Chicago

Another movie that reignited moviegoers’ passion for the musical is this delight from 2002. Starring actors and actresses one doesn’t immediately think of as singers turns this story of 1920s murderesses into a big-budget-multi-award-winning fantasy.

DVD 782.91 Chicago WCV

Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History: The 1950’s The Golden Era of the Musical

DVD 781.82 H WCV

Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History: Musicals that Rocked’n’Rolled

DVD 781.82 WCV

Both these documentary musicals are entertaining as well as educational to watch. The 1950’s includes movies such as An American in Paris, Singin’ In the Rain, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Oklahoma, and Carousel.

Musicals that Rocked ‘n’ Rolled includes Jesus Christ Superstar, Grease, Saturday Night Fever, Blues Brothers, The Rose, Hair, Tommy, and many others concluding with High School Musical.

And if you're enamored with Glee and its fantastic cast, we also have the soundtracks available on CD.

Outside of a Dog, #83

"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." - Groucho Marx

On this day (March 9) in 1796, Napoleon Bonaparte, then just a young general, married Josephine de Beauharnais, a wealthy Frenchwoman from a Creole family. She became the Empress-Consort when Napoleon was named Emperor in 1804. In honor of the scandalous military man, we bring you books about France and it's history:

One hundred days: Napoleon's road to Waterloo - Alan Schon
Escaping from his exile on the Italian island of Elba, Napoleon made quick moves and sudden plans to meet the Duke of Wellington at Waterloo. Though history shows he failed here, this book explains the timeline of the exiled Emperor.
Bio Napoleon WAM

Josephine: a life of the Empress - Carolly Erickson
Napoleon married Josephine because of her connections. He had great ambition, and she had a sordid past. He renamed her (her given name was Rose) and wrote her love letters, many of which still exist today. Unfortunately, her past caught up with her, and the Emperor, too.
Bio Josephine WDB

The Passion - Jeanette Winterson
"You play, you win, you play, you lose. You play."
Set during Napoleon's era, The Passion tells the tale of Henri, a young chef who marches with the army and cooks chicken for the emperor-to-be. Henri falls in love with a girl named Villanelle, and in the lyrical style that only an author like Winterson has mastered, learns the meaning of both love and passion.
Fic (Storage) MTC

Chocolat - Joanne Harris
This charming novel set in the French countryside sets up a mother and daughter who travel "when the wind blows" from place to place. Vianne starts a sinful chocolate shop in the middle of a small town that has both problems and prejudices, not to mention a very strong Catholic presence, and learns many things about herself, her life, and her daughter.
You can also check out the sequel to Chocolat, written from three different points of view and set 4 years after, called The Girl With No Shadow.
Fiction Harris HPW EPL

A moveable feast - Ernest Hemingway
In the 1920s, Ernest Hemingway lived in Paris with his first wife, Hadley. Here is his slim biography/novella about living on little money and much fascination. This book was published posthumously in 1964.
BKD 818.52 H WMB

Outside of a Dog, #82

"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." - Groucho Marx

Even though the Olympics have concluded you can still enjoy sports via some interesting sports biographies…..here is a sampling of several titles available at our branch as well as other libraries in the library cooperative.

A Champion’s Mind: Lessons from a Life in Tennis by Pete Sampras

Sampras is arguably the greatest tennis player ever, a man whose dedication to the sport made it possible for him to achieve a record-setting fourteen Grand Slam titles. Here he shares his own story of his success and well as a behind the scenes look at the sport of tennis.

Bio Sampras WCV SHL SCS CHE SBL

A Golfer’s Life by Arnold Palmer

The name Arnold Palmer is synonymous with golf. The winner of sixty-one tournaments on the PGA Tour and still active on the Senior PGA tour, Palmer pens a biography with insight, compassion, humor, and candor as he looks back on his highly distinguished career in golf.

Bio Palmer WCV WAM SHL RSV HPW MTC

Quiet Strength: The Principles, Practices, and Priorities of a Winning Life by Tony Dungy

Named Coach of the Year in 2007, Tony Dungy made history as the first African American coach to win a Super Bowl title. In this entertaining memoir Tony gives football fans a look at the personal as well as professional obstacles he overcame to achieve success in the world of professional football.

Bio Dungy WCV WDB UPL SHL MPL

Bode: Go Fast, Be Good, Have Fun by Bode Miller

Published in 2005 this book gives readers a look back at the life and career of brash American skier Bode Miller. Bode’s approach to life and his skiing career may not be conventional but it is none the less an entertaining and inspiring story for fans of skiing.

Bio Bode WCV MCL SHL

Cinderella Man: James J. Braddock, Max Baer, and the Greatest Upset in Boxing History by Jeremy Schaas

During the Great Depression years, boxer James J. Braddock was a champion many times over form Hell's Kitchen, in New York. In 1929, Braddock fractured his right hand (his dominant fighting hand) and his amazing, winning record fell to pieces. He gave up on boxing briefly to work as a longshoreman, gradually strengthening his left hand in the process. In 1935, Braddock, a 10-to-1 underdog, earned the heavyweight boxing title versus Max Baer, and the more colloquial title "Cinderella Man." This inspirational book (and the movie patterned after it) is a great tale of sports fame.

796.83 S WMB

Bio Braddock WCV

Cinderella Man

Starring: Russell Crowe, Renee Zellweger, Paul Giamatti, Craig Bierko

Starring: Russell Crowe, Renee Zellweger, Paul Giamatti, Craig Bierko, Bruce McGill, Paddy Considine

Directed by: Ron Howard

VC Biog Braddock WCV

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