10 Books We’re Looking Forward to in September

/ Louise / Leave a comment

As the weather starts to cool and the leaves start to turn, what’s better than curling up with a good book and a cup of tea? Fortunately, there are a lot of great books coming out soon that are perfect companions for the crisp days ahead.

 

Every month, librarians from around the country pick the top ten new books they’d most like to share with readers. The results are published on LibraryReads.org. One of the goals of LibraryReads is to highlight the important role public libraries play in building buzz for new books and new authors. Click through to read more about what new and upcoming books librarians consider buzzworthy this month. The top ten titles for September are:

  1. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: And Other Lessons from the Crematory by Caitlin Doughty
  2. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
  3. The Secret Place by Tana French
  4. Rooms by Lauren Oliver
  5. The Children Act by Ian McEwan
  6. The Distance by Helen Giltrow
  7. Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix
  8. The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters
  9. The Witch with No Name by Kim Harrison
  10. Season of Storms by Susanna Kearsley

Cozy Mysteries for September 2014

/ Linda / Leave a comment

cozy mystHere are the newest cozy mysteries for your enjoyment.

Death, Taxes, and Silver Spurs (A Tara Holloway Novel) by Diane Kelly

Book Fair and Foul (An Ashton Corners Book Club Mystery) by Erika Chase

Murder in the Mystery Suite (A Book Retreat Mystery) by Ellery Adams

If Catfish Had Nine Lives (A Country Cooking School Mystery) by Paige Shelton

Murder with a Twist (A Mack’s Bar Mystery) by Allyson K. Abbott

Taken In (Southern Sewing Circle) by Elizabeth Lynn Casey

Well Read, Then Dead (Read ‘Em and Eat Mystery) by Terrie Farley Moran

Death by Devil’s Breath (A Chili Cook-Off Mystery) by Kylie Logan

Death Is Like A Box of Chocolates (A Chocolate Covered Mystery) by Kathy Aarons

Fat Cat At Large (A Fat Cat Mystery) by Janet Cantrell

Murder of a Needled Knitter (A Scumble River Mystery) by Denise Swanson

To Fudge or Not To Fudge (A Candy-Coated Mystery) by Nancy Coco

Nightmares Can Be Murder (A Dream Club Mystery) by Mary Kennedy

Groomed For Murder (A Pet Boutique Mystery) by Annie Knox

To Die Fur (A Whiskey, Tango & Foxtrot Mystery) by Dixie Lyle

 

Susan Reads: Room 1219

/ Susan O. / Leave a comment

One of the fun things about reading non-fiction is you learn things about subjects you never knew anything about. Such is what happened when I picked up Room 1219: The Life of Fatty Arbuckle, the Mysterious Death of Virginia Rappe, and the Scandal That Changed Hollywood by Greg Merritt.

I am not a silent-movie fan; my tolerance for old films extends to occasional forays into Marx Brothers comedies, so I knew nothing about Fatty (Roscoe) Arbuckle but his name, and a vague notion he’d committed a crime. I discovered a story that could have easily been ripped from today’s headlines, perhaps with far more scandal but as much unfounded public shredding of a popular figure as happens today.

Roscoe Arbuckle was one of the biggest names and biggest money-makers in the silent films of the early industry (1913-1921). He earned the equivalent of millions when the average worker made a thousand dollars a year. His persona was of a sweet, bumbling round man and his movies full of slapstick gags and stunts that made people laugh, and his box-office receipts were consistently high. His enduring and close relationship with Buster Keaton didn’t hurt. He was charitable with his time and money, showing up unannounced for appearances, in parades with his custom-built cars (in an era where a car cost $800, Arbuckle’s cost $34,000), and was fond of children (he had none of his own). He was cinematic royalty.

Until 1921. Arbuckle, estranged for several years from his wife, was on vacation in San Francisco with several lackeys. An impromptu party erupted, including Prohibition-illegal alcohol and several second-rate actresses, friends of friends. At some point during the party, Virginia Rappe (pronounced Rappay), disappeared into Arbuckle’s bedroom and was struck ill, so ill she died in agony several days later. Autopsy results showed a ruptured urinary bladder.

Wild rumors erupted about what Arbuckle did, most of which revolved around bizarre sexual tactics involving icicles and Coke 208338_413443485386136_805008784_nbottles, none of which were physically possible based on the autopsy, and spoken lines worthy of the worst film noire. What was known for fact was that Rappe had a long history of bladder infections and gonorrhea, in a time before antibiotics had been discovered. Arbuckle was arrested for murder. The country erupted in scandal, and Arbuckle, right or wrong, was immediately deemed guilty of extreme perversion and his movies banned in every theater in the country.

It took three trials to finally win an acquittal, but the damage was done. A star was destroyed, and Arbuckle was banned from films for several years. He never regained his royalty status. Out of the ashes rose an effort to censor movies, lest they corrupt the morals of the country. While a huge backlash rose in the industry against it, eventually we did wind up with the current rating system (G, PG, R, etc) to warn viewers what they might expect, a direct result of his scandal.

Roscoe Arbuckle was tried and found guilty in the court of uninformed and vindictive public opinion and died a heartbroken, and most likely innocent, man. A hundred years later, are we any smarter and more forgiving?

What’s Happening at Cheshire Library in September

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Summer may be over, but lots of great programming continues at Cheshire Library! Here are some of the special programs we’ve got lined up this month:

SAT Preparation Seminar

Tuesday Sep 2, 2014, 6:30 PM  –  8:00 PM

Prominent language arts tutor, Ellis Ratner will address all aspects of the Reading and Writing Sections, including sentence completion, reading comprehension, grammar and essay writing.  Attendees will also receive, free of charge, and SAT Preparation Primer. Register on our website.

 

Reckless: True Story of the Legendary Korean War Pony

Thursday Sep 4, 2014, 7:00 PM  –  8:00 PM

Janet Barrett, author of They Called Her Reckless — A True Story of War, Love And One Extraordinary Horse, will appear to discuss the story of Reckless, a small Korean pony who became a real-life hero during the Korean War.  She saved many lives, raised spirits and won the love and respect of all who knew her.  Reckless hauled ammo, brought back dead and wounded Marines, boosted the troops’ morale, was awarded two Purple Hearts and finally brought back to the U.S., where she lived out her years at Camp Pendleton, California. Register on our website.

 

Zumba for Kids

Saturday Sep 6, 2014, 1:00 PM  –  2:00 PM

Join Tracy Brody in a great Zumba program designed just for kids!
Zumba is an easy-to-follow, Latin-inspired dance-fitness program. Classes specifically for kids are formatted in a way to make getting fit fun. Kids can just let loose and be themselves! Register on our website.

 

Cheshire Cats Classics Club – The Good Soldier by Ford Maddox Ford

Monday Sep 8, 2014, 7:00 PM  –  8:00 PM

The Cheshire Cats Classics Club will resume after a summer break on Monday September 8 at 7 p.m. at the Cheshire Public Library. The book club will read The Good Soldier by Ford Maddox Ford in honor of the 100th anniversary of the beginning of World War I.  Register on our website. Copies of this book may be borrowed at the library.

 

Our Health in the Balance: Toxic Lawn Pesticides

Tuesday Sep 9, 2014, 7:00 PM  –  8:00 PM

Concerned about your health, your children’s health, your pet’s health, and the health of the environment?  Find out more when presenter Dr. Jerry Silbert, a physician trained in Pathology, Laboratory Medicine, and Environmental Health,  speaks about toxic lawn pesticides and chemical trespass.  Register on our website.

 

Builder’s Brigade

Wednesdays, Sep 10 and 24 2014,  4:00 PM  –  5:00 PM

Kids have the opportunity to use their best creativity to design buildings, creatures, and more using Lego and Mega blocks. They can work alone, or in a team with peers. A different theme is picked for each session and kids can build on that theme or build a creation of their own. At the end of each session, kids can put their creations on display at the library for all to see until the next club is scheduled! NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED.

 

Silly Song Sing-a-long

Screen Shot 2014-08-18 at 4.54.37 PMSaturday Sep 13, 2014, 10:30 AM  –  11:30 AM

Silly Song Sing-a-long is a mix of popular children’s songs, musical games, dance movements, and rhythms. Children and adults will be encouraged to participate and act silly along with Edward Leonard and his guitars, drums, and maracas.  Register on our website.

 

Fab Film Saturdays: ERNEST AND CELESTINE

Saturday Sep 20, 2014, 2:00 PM  –  4:00 PM

Ernest & Celestine (2012).  Academy Award Nominee (Best Animated Feature) and featuring the voices of Forest Whitaker, Mackenzie Foy, and more! This is the gorgeously animated story of an unlikely friendship between a bear, Ernest, and a mouse named Celestine. NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED. Bring your own snacks!
Running Time 1 hour, 20 minutes.  Rated PG.

 

Occult and Demonology in the Civil War

Monday, Sep 22, 2014,  7:00 PM

Join Matthew Bartlett, local author and Gettysburg historian, as he discusses demonology and the occult in the Civil War. Register on our website.

 

Halloween Science Workshop – 2 Sessions

Saturday Sep 27, 2014, 1:15 PM and 2:30 PM

Explore a Halloween skeleton, the science of darkness, the inner workings of Halloween toys and gadgets, and live spiders and other scary creepy-crawlies in a fun hands-on workshop conducted by local naturalist and amateur scientist, Eric Nelson. Register on our website.

 

Small Business Lending
Monday Sep. 29, 2014,  7:00pm

Sheldon L. Pollock, Banking Consultant and former Bank CEO, will explain the points that a business owner should consider when applying for a small business loan. Register on our website.

At the Library: Get a Job

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Need to perk up a tired, out-of-date resume? Want to learn how to successfully navigate an interview? Like some suggestions on where to begin your job search? jobnow

We can help! JobNow is the name of a wonderful online service available via the Cheshire Public Library’s website.

You can find all kinds of job search assistance on this site from resume resources to interview tips and career assessments. You can also conduct a job search from the JobNow homepage. Search by job title, keyword or even company name. Refine your search by city, state, or zip code.

And the best part? JobNow coaches are available seven days a week 3:00PM – 11:00PM EST for live interview coaching. interview

Take a look at some of these great JobNow features:

  • Resume Templates
  • Hints, tips & explanations of how to write the perfect resume
  • Free resume writing tutorial
  • Resume Lab: Submit your resume & receive constructive comments from a resume expert
  • Helpful tips for interview success
  • Common Interview Questions & Sample Responses
  • Questions to Ask the Interviewer
  • Online Resources: Carefully-selected resources to help you prepare for your interview

There is even a section describing the don’ts of interviewing (like don’t wear cologne or perfume, don’t be negative, and please, don’t arrive late!)

And for those who want to change careers or who aren’t certain what type of work suits them, JobNow offers career self-assessment tools and career aptitude tests that can help you discover the type of work activities and occupations that you would like and find exciting. I tried some of the assessment tools and discovered that I should be working in a literary or technology career, which makes library work a perfect fit. I’d say those tests are pretty darn accurate.

So before you jump into the job market, take a look at JobNow. It can give you that edge you need to succeed.