Outside of a Dog, #37

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

(We apologize for missing last week's Outside of a Dog.)

From 48 Hours to To Catch a Predator and Dominick Dunne’s Power, Privilege, and Justice, true crime is all the rage today. Law and Order takes its cues from real life murder mysteries, and so does Criminal Minds. Want to read about murder and mayhem? Try some of these tried and true books!

Too Late to Say Goodbye: a true story of murder and betrayal– Ann Rule
Ann Rule is the most famous of the famous true crime authors – known best for her book A Stranger Beside Me (Rule worked with serial killer Ted Bundy at a suicide prevention hotline). Too Late is the story of Bart Corbin, a successful Georgia dentist who killed his wife, and fourteen years earlier, his girlfriend.
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Justice: Crimes, Trials, and Punishments – Dominick Dunne
Dunne has written for Vanity Fair since 1982, when his daughter was murdered, sending him on a path to write several novels and true crime books about the lives, loves, and deaths of the rich and famous elite. Justice contains several essays, including pieces of Claus von Bulow, the Menendez brothers, and Dunne’s daughter, Dominique.
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Darker than Night: The True Story of a Brutal Double Homicide and an 18-Year Long Quest for Justice – Tom Henderson
Henderson is still relatively new to the true crime field, with only two other books published so far. Darker than Night is the story of two Detroit deer hunters who went missing in 1985, and their murders, solved 18 years later, only when a terrified witness finally spoke up.
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Cracking More Cases: The Forensic Science of Solving Crimes : the Michael Skakel-Martha Moxley Case, the Jonbenet Ramsey Case and Many More! – Henry C. Lee
Renowned forensic criminologist Lee, who worked on the O.J. Simpson murder case in 1995, has written several titles about mistakes made by criminals and theories about murders and their perpetrators. Here, he talks about the scientific skills one needs in order to view crimes separate from their victims.
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Outside of a Dog, #36

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

Long known as the holiday celebrated with wild parades and traditions in New Orleans, Mardi Gras (literally, “fat Tuesday”) was a celebration of the days leading up to the observance of Lent, when some people give up their favorites vices like candy and caffeine. Mardi Gras is the last day to eat these goodies, so make sure you pick up a pączki (poonch-key) before the day is done! Pick up one of these books, movies, or CDs while you’re relaxing.

Cajun Dance Hall (CD)

Featuring music mainly in French and it’s variant, French Creole, this CD will have you dancing along to well-known Cajun artists like Eddie LeJeune and David Doucet.

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Creole Flavors: recipes for marinades, rubs, sauces, and spices – Kevin Graham

If you like a little crawfish or want to try your hand at gumbo, this is the book for you! Kevin Graham, a longtime New Orleans restaurant chef, promises to test your tastebuds – and your cooking savvy in this collection of tasty traditions.

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New Orleans 2008

While Hurricane Katrina rocked the Crescent City in 2005, New Orleans is still a vibrant, city of cultural and spiritual wonders. Visit the French Quarter to glimpse Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau’s crypt, or the Garden District, where galleries and musicians still thrive. The Fodor’s edition explains the extent of hurricane damage and what’s been done to repair and revitalize the districts.

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Cendrillon: A Cajun Cinderella – Sheila Hébert-Collins

The Cinderella story may have its roots in the ancient Roman tale of Rhodopis, but there are versions all over the world, and all over the United States. Cendrillon has French words and phrases included in the story, and they’re defined on every page, so you can learn as you go!

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Interview with the Vampire (VHS)

Anne Rice’s book started off a series of vampire legends and movies, but this was the first. Starring Tom Cruise at the height of his popularity, and Brad Pitt and Kirsten Dunst as they were getting started, the movie showcases the lush backgrounds of New Orleans for hundreds of years. [Rated R.]

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You'll freak for this book!

Today’s Book: Candyfreak: A journey through the chocolate underbelly of America, by Steve Almond


The plot: A nonfiction winner of the Alex Award (given to 10 adult books with special appeal to young adults), Almond’s odyssey of rediscovering the candies he loved as a child is funny and touching all at once. It’s a road-trip adventure to see how candies are made, and gives great detail on the machines and hand-done confections. Almond also goes into the politics and price of getting older candies made and sold.

Why You’ll Love It: Described by many reviewers as tantalizing, Candyfreak will make your mouth water for old classics like the Twin Bing, the Peanut Chew, the Goo Goo Cluster, and the Idaho Spud (which doesn’t contain potatoes, by the way.)

Who Will/Should Read It: Food lovers, candy lovers, chocoholics, and anyone who likes humor and a road trip rolled together in caramel and nuts!

Author Profile: Carl Hiaasen

A Florida journalist whose novels tend to mirror his concerns about the world and his home state, Hiaasen has been writing since the early 1980s. His first novel, Powder Burn (written with Bill Montalbano), thrusts the reader headlong into drug cartel and murder scandals, and the rest of his solo books, mostly thrillers, do the same. A little known fact – Hiaasen also wrote the book that became the movie Striptease with Demi Moore and Burt Reynolds.

Tourist Season
Hiaasen’s first solo novel features a man who goes swimming and returns in a suitcase, missing his legs and with a few nasty surprises, too. Private Eye Brian Keyes discovers that the dead man was the president of the Miami Chamber of Commerce – and that he was likely killed by a group of anti-tourist terrorists!
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Naked Came the Manatee
A book written by 13 different Miami-based authors starting with Dave Barry and ending with Carl Hiaasen, Naked Came the Manatee was printed as a serial novel in the Miami Herald’s Tropic magazine. Played like the literary game “Exquisite Corpse” or “Telephone,” the story twists, turns, murders, and beheads a wild cast of characters, not least of all is a manatee named “Booger.”
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Hoot
Hiaasen’s first young adult novel, Hoot tells the tale of Roy Eberhardt, a new kid at a middle school in Coconut Grove, Florida. He discovers, oddly enough, through being bullied, that there are endangered owls whose home will soon be built over by a pancake house. With help from tough girl Beatrice, Roy tries to save the owls. Like most of Hiaasen’s novels, there is a heavy focus on environmentalism.

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Skinny Dip
A satirical crime novel involving a pollution scam, an attempted murder, and a former swimming champ wife, Skinny Dip once again features recurring character Mick Stranahan, an ex-cop who first appeared in Hiaasen’s Skin Tight.
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Thanks to CB for this author suggestion!

Outside of a Dog, #35

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

"Say, hey, good-lookin’, whatcha got cookin’… How about cookin’ somethin’ up with me?" - Hank Williams

While cookbooks are a mainstay of libraries everywhere, if you’re more of a taster than a chef, try these food-related nonfiction finds and novels.

Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly – Anthony Bourdain
We’ve reviewed this book before, in August of 2008, and we revisit it again for this list. Bourdain’s wit and wisdom about food and the restaurant business are interesting and funny. Also available is a collection of short works by Bourdain, released in 2006, called “The Nasty Bits.”
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Heat: An Amateur's Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany - Bill Buford
New Yorker editor Buford gave up his desk-jockey life to learn the ins and outs of cooking under famous Babbo chef Mario Batali. Included in the book are adventures with knives, some biographical details about Batali, and lots of humor.
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Also available as an e-book and e-audiobook.

Waiter Rant: Thanks for the Tip—Confessions of a Cynical Waiter – The Waiter
While Kitchen Confidential specializes in ‘back-of-the-house’ (a.k.a. the kitchen) tales, Waiter Rant is all about the ‘front-of-the-house;’ telling of diners both rude and sweet, and adventures with managers and other waiters that stemmed from “The Waiter”’s Waiter Rant blog.
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Also available as an e-book and e-audiobook.


Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder (Hannah Swensen #1) – Joanne Fluke
The first of the foodie murder mysteries by Fluke (#12 – Cream Puff Murder comes out later this month) finds heroine and cookie-baker extraordinaire Hannah Swensen trying to solve the murder of a delivery man – after he’s found dead in a pile of her famous chocolate chip cookies! Each book contains thematic recipes, too!
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Dying for Chocolate (Goldy Bear #1) – Diane Mott Davidson
Goldy Bear is an inventive caterer with a shaky past – her ex-husband stalks and threatens her, and her bills are piling up! She takes a job at the ritzy Aspen Meadow Country Club to both get away and get on top of her mounting problems. But when one of the men at the club courts her, then ends up dead, Goldy’s new life may be in danger!
The Goldy books also include recipes – Dying for Chocolate features “Scout’s Brownies,” so good shivers will run down your spine!
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Bone in the Throat – Anthony Bourdain
Bourdain goes fiction in this first novel involving gangsters and restaurateurs in New York’s seedy Little Italy district. Also available is his second novel, which strays away from foodie interests, “Gone Bamboo.”
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Outside of a Dog, #34

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

We can’t forget to mention works that don’t fit any of the other categories. Of course, I’m talking about manga! What is manga? It’s literally translated Japanese for “whimsical pictures,” and they’ve been around since nearly World War II. Listed here are some more modern favorites – most read in the traditional style: back to front and right to left, instead of front to back, left to right.

Full Metal Alchemist
Edward and Alphonse Elric are two brothers who lost parts of their body when trying to use alchemy to bring their dead mother back to life (which failed). The story has the backdrop of a civil war, which the main characters of the story were involved in. It comes out that the war was generated by homunculi (humans infused with the Philosopher’s Stone) who each represent one of the seven deadly sins. The Elrics are searching for the philosopher's stone to regain their bodies back to normal. The manga (which as a different plot line than the anime series) has deep-running emotions/themes, the essence of what makes one human, humor, action, government conspiracies, and a look at two boys trying to find their way back to an age of innocence when they know they can never un-know what they have witnessed.
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Death Note
Light Yagami is a young man who is upset by the crime and corruption he sees in his city. When he happens upon the Death Note – a notebook that has the names of people fated to die written in it – he decides to become “The God of the New World,” passing judgment on the criminals he sees. Unfortunately for Light, there are rules as to how the Death Note is to be used by himself and other shinigami (“death gods”), and he will have to deal with them, especially one who goes by the name of “L” throughout this suspenseful series.
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Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story
Former assassin Himura Kenshin decides to work for peace after the Bakumatsu War. He wanders the Meiji-era (1868 – 1912) countryside of Japan, offering protection and aid to those who need it, as a way to make up for all of the killing he did during the war.
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Absolute Boyfriend
Absolute Boyfriend is a short (6 manga) series about an independent high school student named Riiko who helps an odd-looking cosplayer (person who dresses up as anime character in real-life) retrieve his lost cell phone. From there, she "accidentally" fills out an online form from his company on what makes the perfect boyfriend....and they deliver him (a robot) straight to her door! What ensues is a crazy series of adventures as Riiko tries to keep the truth about "Night" (her robo-boyfriend) from the cute-guy-next-door who secretly has loved her for years. Night is perfect in every way, and what every girl dreams of, but will Riiko ultimately chose him over a real flesh-and-blood guy? From a jealous best friend to a malfunction that turns Night the size of a mouse, this manga had me laughing out loud so much. I've never read one so funny. The ending is bittersweet and the entire series is a delight.
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If you’re not sure any of these great adventures is for you, try an issue of Shonen Jump or Shojo Beat magazines, which feature many stories in each issue. Shonen Jump specializes in action or “boy” comics, and Shojo Beat is more about romance or “girl” stories.
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Thanks to PW, NB, and BW for your help with this column!

Outside of a Dog, #33

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

DC may be home to the originals – Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman, but Marvel comics, founded by Martin Goodman in 1939, boasts more than a few famous names, many of them created by the now-familiar Stan Lee. Here are some of the best:

Ultimate X-Men, Volume 1: The Tomorrow People – Mark Miller

Rebooting one of the most popular and long-lasting franchises, “The Tomorrow People” begins retelling the story of the Sentinel Project, used to hunt down and kidnap or kill hidden mutants.

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Ultimate Spider-Man, Volume 7: Irresponsible – Brian Michael Bendis

When a foreign-exchange student, Gedlhoff, shows up with the strange ability to blow things up just by looking at them, Spider-Man really has his work cut out for him. But, as always, his real life and his superhero life don’t always cooperate, because, as Peter Parker, he’s dealing with losing Mary Jane as a friend and a girlfriend!

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Best of the Fantastic Four – Mark D. Beazley

Collecting many adventures of the cosmic-ray-altered supergroup, this graphic novel tells the first story of the Fantastic Four (which debuted in 1961). It also continues on to stories as late in the continuity as 2004.

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Runaways, Volume 1: Pride and Joy – Brian K.Vaughan

A comic made with teenagers in mind, this series takes on a whole new meaning of ‘fighting with your parents!’ The kids in this story find out that their mothers and fathers are all evil supervillains – and they, too, have superpowers! Will they be able to work together to stop their parents?

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And the Award Goes To...

New York Times bestsellers and Pulitzer Prizewinners aren't the only books in the literary world to get awards. Just announced yesterday - the Youth Media Awards, put together by the American Library Association.

The big three are:

Newbery Medal - for the "most distinguished contribution to American literature for children."
The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman.
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The Caldecott Medal - for the artist of the "most distinguished American picture book for children."
The House in the Night, illustrated by Beth Krommes, written by Susan Marie Swanson.
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The Printz Award - for a book that "exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature."
Jellicoe Road, by Melina Marchetta.
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The full lists of all the awards and honor books can be found here, at the American Library Association's Association for Library Service to Children Blog.

Outside of a Dog, #32

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

Last week, we featured graphic novels NOT about superheroes. This week, let’s see what the world of the caped and masked, brought to you by one of the great comics titans, DC, has to offer:

Wonder Woman: Love and Murder – Jodi Picoult

Picoult, probably best-known for her controversial and popular novels like Nineteen Minutes and My Sister’s Keeper, now takes on the legend of the Amazon princess. When Diana Prince, Special Agent of the Department of Metahuman Affairs, is assigned to capture Wonder Woman, her alter ego, she’s set on an adventure of both human and epic proportions.

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Watchmen – Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons

The excitement surrounding Watchmen is at fever pitch right now, as the movie was originally set to release in March 2009. The book, published in 1986 and 1987, follows superheroes at a time when they’ve become outlawed. Watchmen is a masterpiece of art and story, sometimes showing flashbacks, sometimes using a story-within-a-story, and it has won not only praise from Time magazine and The Comics Journal, but a Hugo Award, as well.

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Green Arrow: Quiver – Kevin Smith

Kevin Smith, director of cult favorite movies like Clerks and Dogma, is a big DC Comics fan. He was offered the chance to write for Green Arrow, a superhero archer whose trick arrows can do anything from stick to a villain like glue, or trap them in a web. The best part? Green Arrow was killed off in 1995 fighting eco-terrorists. Smith reboots the original character, Oliver Queen, and the series, to great success in Quiver.

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Batman: Dark Detective – Steve Englehart

Could we mention caped crusaders without mentioning Batman? While The Dark Knight Returns, by comic legend Frank Miller, is the best-known and best-regarded of the superhero’s impressive history, the Dark Detective series delves into a storyline where the Joker is running for Mayor of Gotham City.

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Tax Time!

Unsure about what forms to file? First time filing? Just plain confused about the whole process? Here's help!

AARP - The American Association of Retired Persons - will help seniors prepare their taxes at many Warren locations. From February 2nd to April 7th, there will be AARP staff at the Warren Conference Center (in the City Hall building, ground floor, next to the Civic Center Library).
Mondays and Wednesdays, 9 am - 12 pm
Call (586) 574-4552 for details.

If you're not a senior and you still need help, try Intuit's Tax Freedom program online at http://www.taxfreedom.com. They'll do your taxes for you if you meet their criteria.

Finally, if you're a paper filer, you can get basic forms at all of the Warren libraries. If you need something more than just a 1040, your reference librarian can print out any forms you need for the cost of a copy - 10 cents per page.
[Please note: Michigan tax forms will be sent to the libraries at the end of January and are not yet available for pickup.]

On Sale This Week!

Did you know the library has an ongoing book sale? At the Civic Center branch, it is located on stacks 31 and 32, near the Reference Desk. The sale offers a selection of paperbacks and hard covers, fiction and nonfiction. Mostly adult titles - lots of James Patterson and Patricia Cornwell - but there are some children’s books and even the occasional encyclopedia set for sale. The sale is coordinated by our very active and indispensable Friends of the Warren Public Library. The cost of the items is as follows:

Hard covers $2
Trade Paperbacks $1
Fiction Paperbacks $1
Harlequin and Silhouette paperbacks 25 cents
Children’s soft cover books 25 cents
Children’s hard covers 50 cents

The next time you’re visiting the library be sure and stop back and see what is available. And don’t forget! Every month, the Friends have an even bigger sale at the Old Village Fire Hall – check with your library for dates and times.

Outside of a Dog, #31

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

Are comics just for kids?

Graphic novels - usually defined as collections of storylines in regular comics (like Batman: The Dark Knight Returns or The Astonishing X-Men: Gifted), or standalone novels in graphic format (like American-Born Chinese or Maus) – are taking the literary world by storm. Once the province of kids and collectors, the offerings available in the graphic novel format now are, well, astonishing! Here are a few of our favorite “no flying, no tights” graphic novels:

Maus I: A Survivor’s Tale:: My Father Bleeds History and Maus II: A Survivor’s Tale:: And Here My Troubles Began – Art Spiegelman

The Maus novels, by legendary writer and artist Art Spiegelman are based on the author’s father’s recollections of being a Polish Jew during the Holocaust. While the story is told using mice, pigs, cats, dogs, and other animals, it never feels like a child’s storybook. Maus has won the Eisner Award for great achievement in comics, as well as a Pulitzer Prize Special Award.

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Persepolis – Marjane Satrapi

Satrapi grew up in Iran during the Iranian Revolution of 1979, and here, in startling black-and-white drawings, relives that childhood, as a rebellious girl with radical parents who struggle under the new regime. There’s a second novel, too, Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return, which details the author’s schooling in Vienna, and return to Iran. The first graphic novel was also made into a movie in 2008, though it cannot be placed on hold through the library at this time.

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Bone – Jeff Smith

Bone is a serialized collection of comics put together irregularly from 1991 to 2004, currently published in 9 graphic novel collections. The story follows the Bone Family as they are run out of the city of Boneville, and is something of a high fantasy novel, though with humor interjected at key points. Almost every edition of Bone has won an Eisner Award, and a Harvey Award.

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Next week, we'll visit with some great superhero graphic novels from one of the comics giants: DC.

Coming Soon to a Library Near You!

January and February are big months for new books from your favorite authors. Here are just a few you can expect to see on our shelves soon - ask your librarian to put them on hold for you!

The Associate - John Grisham (1/29)
Run For Your Life - James Patterson (2/2)
Fool - Christopher Moore (2/10)
Promises in Death - J.D. Robb (2/24)
Bones - Jonathan Kellerman (2/24)
Night and Day - Robert B. Parker (2/24)
One Day at a Time - Danielle Steel (2/24)


And if you happen to be on a waiting list, why not try one of these recently released novels?

Mounting Fears - Stuart Woods
Plum Spooky - Janet Evanovich
Cross Country - James Patterson
The Tales of Beedle the Bard - J.K. Rowling
Scarpetta - Patricia Cornwell
The Pagan Stone - Nora Roberts
Black Ops - W.E.B. Griffin
Change of Heart - Jodi Picoult

Author Profile: Christopher Moore

An author of absurdist fiction – often writing about things that could never really happen (right?) in the real world, Christopher Moore is probably best-known for his books “Lamb” and “Bloodsucking Fiends.” What’s best about these novels (and many of his others), are the absolute comedy that starts with the subtitles. If you enjoy a particularly silly laugh, or you’d just like to know how a stupid angel tries to make a child’s Christmas wish come true, give these books a try:

Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story

Jody never wanted to be a vampire. Unfortunately, she didn’t have much choice, because she sort of woke up dead. Adjusting to the change from 9-to-5 office drone to, well, bloodsucking fiend, is a lot harder than she’d ever imagined. Lucky for her, she meets Tommy, a night-shift worker (and champion turkey bowler). He agrees to help her during the day, and eventually falls for her at night in this comedic tale.

Moore followed up this novel with 2007’s “You Suck: A Love Story.”

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Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal

The chronicle of Christ’s life has been told and retold many times, but never quite like this. Levi (who is called Biff) is called upon by the angel Raziel to tell his side of the story, and he starts from the very beginning, when he sees Joshua-bar-Joseph (Jesus as a child) reanimate a dead lizard. What follows is the telling of Joshua growing up in one of the most comedic ways possible, with occasional reflections from the modern world as Biff tries to convince Raziel to let him stick around for a while.

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The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror

Raziel is back, this time, doing his best to grant a child’s Christmas wish – to have Santa Claus back. Unfortunately, the Santa Claus in question is the town drunk, who was killed by a shovel to the head. When Raziel intends to revive Santa, he accidentally raises a cemetery of dead people, who are surprisingly as amusing and lively as the living.

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Also available in audiobook

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A Dirty Job

Poor Charlie Asher – in the same day, he loses his wife and gains a daughter. Oh, and becomes the new Grim Reaper (called Death Merchants). People all around him start dropping dead, and his only clue is an instruction manual accidentally opened by Lily, the goth girl and Death wannabe who works in Charlie’s secondhand shop. Add in Moore’s wacky humor, his favorite setting, San Francisco, and find out how a beta male like Charlie learns to take charge of his life – and, kind of by accident, other’s lives and deaths, too.

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Also available in audiobook, ebook and eaudiobook.

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Thanks to AD for this author suggestion!

Little Brother is watching!

Today’s Book: Little Brother, by Cory Doctorow


The plot: Marcus, a.k.a. w1n5t0n (pronounced “Winston,” not “double-you-one-en-five-tee-zero-en”), is a 17-year-old high school student in San Francisco, California. He’s also a hacker who has learned how to fool the video cameras, gait recognition software and RFID (called ‘arphids’) technology to skip classes. Usually, he’s going out with his friends Vanessa, Darryl, and Jolu to play their favorite ARG (Alternate Reality Game), Harajuku Fun Madness.
The group just happens to be on the streets one day when a group of terrorists blow up the Bay Bridge. They all get taken captive by the Department of Homeland Security, and held for several days. When they return, the world as they know it has changed – and not for the better. Marcus and his friends find new ways to retain their privacy with new technology and hacked versions of old technology, and some everyday paranoia and ingenuity. Can they get their city and their lives back?

Why You’ll Love It: Doctorow’s vision of a modern-day 1984 is thrilling and exciting, and in parts, a little bit sad. There’s a some romance, and espionage, of course, and while the book was originally intended for the Young Adult crowd, adults who enjoy a good technology thriller or suspense tale will enjoy it, too. It’s a frightening vision of a post-9/11 world that will entice you and make you think.
Also a draw are the explanations of the technology that Marcus uses; if you don’t understand Linux or Cryptography, there are short descriptions and histories included in the flow of the text.

Who Will/Should Read It: Young Adults, especially boys (the book is written from Marcus’ point of view), wannabe techno-wizards, aspiring activists, and anyone who wants a good modern thrill.

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Little Brother is also available as an electronic audiobook, and as a variety of online files (including .lit, .pdf, and .mobi) from Doctorow’s website.

Outside of a Dog, #30

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

So...the Lions have not been the most winning football team this past season, setting a new record for the NFL. Still, in preparation for the Super Bowl on February 1^st, here are some entertaining football reads you might enjoy.

The 100-Yard War: Inside the 100-year-old Michigan-Ohio State Football Rivalry by Greg Emmanuel

ESPN coined it the number one sports rivalry of the century. This title showcases the two great football teams with history, behind-the-scenes stories, and information about the players as well as the fans.

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Football Made Simple: A Spectator’s Guide by Dave Ominsky and P.J. Harari

Do you believe over 60% of Americans watch football? Do all these people really understand what’s going on? This simple guide is filled with illustrations and explanations and contains everything for necessary for fans and non-fans alike to better understand and enjoy the game.

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The Way We Played the Game: A True Story of One Team and the Dawning of American Football by John Armstrong

Back in 1903, football was a very different game than what is played professionally today. This is the true story of a high school football team, its young quarterback and an enlightened coach pushing them toward modern-day football. A uniquely American story that will delight readers of history and fans of football.

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What's a Playaway?

THIS is a Playaway.

It's a portable digital audiobook - no need for a cassette or CD player, or even a computer. Just plug in headphones and listen away! You can even walk around the house, the neighborhood, take it while traveling; a Playaway is always ready to go!

The Warren Public Libraries have lots of Playaways to offer you, including:

The Purpose-Driven Life by Rick Warren (Playaway 248.4 W)
Spanish: The Complete Language Course by Henry N. Raymond (Playaway 468 S)
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare (Playaway 822.33 S)
For One More Day by Mitch Albom (Playaway Fic Albom)
The Story of My Life by Helen Keller (Playaway Bio Keller)

And we have a great selection for kids and teens, too!

The Watsons Go to Birmingham--1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis (Playaway JFic Curtis)
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis (Playaway JFic Lewis)
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer (Playaway YA Fic Colfer)
Eldest by Christopher Paolini (Playaway YA Fic Paolini)

Each Playaway checks out for three weeks, and comes with a AAA battery and a lanyard to keep the Playaway easily accessible. You can use your own headphones, or purchase a pair of earbuds at the front desk for $1.00. If we don't have the one you want, we can also borrow them from other libraries in the Cooperative - just ask your reference librarian!

Auld Lang Syne

Outside of a Dog, #28

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

Cold winter evenings are the perfect time to play some games. Can’t remember how to play? Here are suggested titles to refresh your memory.

Great Solitaire Games by Sheila Anne Barry
More versions of solitaire than you could possibly explore in one winter fill this slim book. Some of the games are quick and very simple, others much more complex and will challenge your powers of concentration.
795.43B WCV SBL TPL CHE

Winner’s Guide to Texas Hold’em Poker: The Smart Player’s Guide to Winning at Hold’Em by Ken Warren
Warren reveals his inside and top secret strategies in this, the definitive and essential guide to playing and winning at Texas Hold’Em, today’s most popular version of poker.
795.412W WCV EPL UPL

Teach Yourself Visually Bridge by David Galt
Bridge can be a very challenging card game, but you can quickly grasp the basics with this guide that SHOWS how it’s played. Covering everything from evaluating a hand and bidding it, through playing the cards, then scoring the results, this book guides you step by step with clear and colorful illustrations.
795.415G WCV SHL TPL

How to Play Better Dominoes by Miguel Lugo
28 tiles and four players, that’s all you need for a game of dominoes. Challenge your brain and test your logic with this old fashioned but still enduring game. This book offers insights and techniques to honing your skills at this deceptively easy game.
795.32L WCV SBL TPL

Hoyle’s Rules of Games Edited by Albert H. Morehead & Geoffrey Mott-Smith
A definitive book when it comes to the rules of the game – whether it's bridge, backgammon, blackjack, or blind tiger. Also included is a chapter on computer games.
795.4H WCV SBL

Whichever holiday you celebrate...

Outside of a Dog, #27

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

As often as books are touted as the perfect Christmas gift, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention a subscription to a favorite magazine as a less costly alternative. The Civic Center Library and other Warren branches have literally dozens upon dozens of magazines to peruse for ideas. The following are all craft-related magazines that you may never have considered for that crafty relative or friend in your life.

Jewelry Artist and Lapidary Journal

WCV WAM TPL MCL

Gems, minerals, beads, stones, sterling silver, gold, crystals, pearls, and most anything else you can imagine related to the field of making costume as well as high quality jewelry are touched on each issue.

Simple Scrapbooks

WCV WAM

Hey, who doesn’t scrapbook anymore or know someone totally addicted to the process? Unlike several other magazines in the genre, this publication is pretty much geared to the beginner. It’s loaded with simple and creative projects and ideas. Even the ads are fun.

Vogue Knitting International

WCV SHL WAM

This so-called bible of the knitting world has set the standard for knitting magazines for years. Its longevity is probably due to the fact that it skillfully blends knit patterns for the beginner as well as the spectacularly skilled knitter. Published 4 times a year, there is enough packed in each issue to keep knitters inspired and busy in between issues.

Threads
WCV SBL SCS MCL TPL SHL ROG WAM
Sewing Today
WCV WAM
Does anybody still sew? Sure they do! - and these two publications prove the point.

Threads is a high quality magazine that addresses all sorts of sewing and sewing related topics. The current issue has articles on buttons, resizing a pant pattern, and how to preserve garments.

Sewing Today is published by the folks that produce Butterick and McCall’s patterns. It’s an entertaining and instructional magazine aimed at inspiring the average sewer to not only tackle traditional clothing items but other fun projects. The holiday issue included clever ideas for pet projects, aprons, doll clothes, and for those ready to sew up a more ambitious project – winter coats.

Author Profile: Robert A. Heinlein

TANSTAAFL!
(There Ain’t No Such Thing As A Free Lunch)

Heinlein, a four-time-Hugo Award winner, is respected as the father of hard science fiction – the kind of sci-fi that has accountability for the concepts that it uses to tell a story. Along with Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke, he’s probably best known for revitalizing the genre. Here’s a selection of some of his most famous books for any reader interested in classic sci-fi, or in reading an author whose tales of liberty and self-reliance in the face of government control and interference have become famous, even after his death.

The Moon is a Harsh Mistress
Originally serialized in Worlds of If magazine in 1965, the book version of “The Moon is a Harsh Mistress” is separated into three ‘books’ – The Dinkum Thinkum, A Rabble in Arms, and TANSTAAFL! In 2075, when the story takes place, the moon has been colonized for use as a penal colony. The problem, of course, is once someone has spent a long time there, their bodies are unable to live anywhere else. The story becomes more interesting, though, when the computer that’s responsible for all of the systems on the Lunar Colonies because self-aware and intelligent. What follows is a revolution on two worlds, leading to Heinlein’s second Hugo Award.
Fic Heinlein ROG
SF Hein SBL
SF Heinlein TPL UPL
Audiocassette available at SBL

Starship Troopers
Most people will know the title from the movie of the same name, made in the late 90’s. While the movie version was controversial at the time it was made, so was the book, with readers suggesting the promotion of militarism rather than social and political ideas, which were found in most, if not all, of Heinlein’s novels.
YA Heinlein LWM
Y PBK H SCS SBL
SF Heinlein TPL RSV

Have Space Suit –Will Travel
The last of 12 YA/Juvenile novels that Heinlein wrote, Have Spacesuit follows a teenager named Kip, who wins a spacesuit in an advertising jingle contest. On one last trip out in the suit (intending to sell it for money to finance college), he gets drawn into an intense adventure that ends up with him pleading the case of the human race to an intergalactic tribunal.
J Hein SBL
Y H SCS TPL

If you’re looking to see if you like Heinlein before getting involved in any of his three well-known series (Lazarus Long, The World as Myth, and Future History) try one of his short-story collections, like “The Man Who Sold the Moon” or “The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag."

The Man Who Sold the Moon
SF Heinlein RSV

The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag
SF Heinlein RSV

Thanks to NB and PW for this author suggestion!

Our Friend MeL

MeL, short for "Michigan Electronic Library" is a service provided to libraries and residents in Michigan from the state government. What does MeL do for you? Provides access to databases (like Learn-a-Test, Opposing Viewpoints, InfoTrac, and LegalTrac), and allows you to order books, videos and CDs from libraries all across Michigan – for free!

If you’ve ever wanted to read a book that no library in the cooperative owns, or there’s a CD that your favorite artist sings on that you can’t find anywhere, why not try MeLCat? It’s easy to search, and will tell you just how many libraries own whatever you’re looking for.

How does it work?
1. Point your browser of choice to www.mel.org
2. Click on “MeLCat”
3. Type in your search words. I tried “Frank Sinatra.”
4. I chose “Classic Duets,” because it’s not owned by any SLC libraries.

5. Click on “Get this for me!”
6. Sign in – choose your home library, then type in your name and library card number.

Your item should show up in about a week, depending on where in the state it’s coming from.

Remember, this service is free for you to use from your home computer, any time, day or night. If you don’t have access to a computer, you can always ask a reference librarian to help you.

Due to shipping times and costs, we ask that you check the SLC (Suburban Library Cooperative) holdings first, to make sure that we can’t order your item from within the county.

Get Bitten by this book!

Today’s Book: Bitten, by Kelley Armstrong

The plot: Elena Michaels is the only known female werewolf. After being bitten (which is what turned her into a werewolf in the first place), she spent her time with The Pack, an organized family of mostly hereditary werewolves, run much in the way of a real wolf pack. At the beginning of the book, she’s been gone from the Pack for a year, trying to live among humans, most notably Philip, her live-in boyfriend. When the Pack Alpha calls her back from Toronto to New York to help with an uprising of ‘mutts’ (werewolves, usually bitten, who aren’t affiliated with The Pack), she goes because she feels she owes them. That’s, of course, when the story gets really interesting, since she left her werewolf ‘brothers’ and more than a few matters unsettled.

Bitten is the first of Armstrong’s “Women of the Otherworld” series, though they can be read out of order, due to the large cast of characters. The series involves werewolves, like Elena and The Pack, as well as witches, demons, and vampires.

Why You’ll Love It: The series began as a short story influenced by an X-Files episode about werewolves, and now enjoys status as one of the brightest and best urban fantasies. Bitten is a new take on an old favorite in werewolf books, and once you’ve met headstrong Elena, you’ll want to keep reading about her in the books that follow – Stolen and Broken, and you may even branch out into the other Otherworld books, short stories, and novellas, some available online at the author's web site.

Who Will/Should Read It: Fans of the Urban Fantasy genre, or anyone who enjoys a good otherwordly murder mystery. There’s a little gore and some sex scenes, though they’re mostly tame as compared to other authors in the genre.

FIC Armstrong CHE FRA MTC

PBK Fantasy Armstrong K ROG