Welcome to Topsham Tales, the official blog of Topsham Public Library. Join the staff of Topsham for news, reviews and discussion.
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Friday, December 21, 2012
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
The New York Times Bestseller List for December 2, 9 and 15
December 2: Fiction and nonfiction.
December 9: Fiction and nonfiction.December 15: Fiction and nonfiction.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Book Sculptures
On Tuesday, December 4 at 6:30pm, we are holding a program called Book Crafting for Adults, where you make creative gifts out of old books. This got me thinking about the mysterious Edinburgh book sculptures. These were a series of book sculptures, made by an anonymous artist, that were left in various Edinburgh institutions celebrating "libraries, books, words and ideas". As it happens, they are going on tour--an article can be found about it here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/scotland-blog/2012/jul/31/scotland-poetry-book-sculptures
And since Scotland is a little far away, here is a slideshow of the sculptures:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturepicturegalleries/9577165/Wigtown-Book-Festival-2012-book-sculptures-in-pictures.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/scotland-blog/2012/jul/31/scotland-poetry-book-sculptures
And since Scotland is a little far away, here is a slideshow of the sculptures:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturepicturegalleries/9577165/Wigtown-Book-Festival-2012-book-sculptures-in-pictures.html
Book Crafting for Adults, Tuesday, December 4, 6:30pm; Make creative gifts from old books. Bring your friends! We need 6
participants to run. Registration required - Call the library (207) 725 1727, email emma@topshamlibrary.org or sign up at the circulation desk.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
The New York Times Bestseller Lists for October
October 14: Fiction and nonfiction.
October 21: Fiction and nonfiction.
October 28: Fiction and nonfiction.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Review by Linda
The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz
Brilliant! is the one word description I would give to
Anthony Horowitz’s House of Silk. The characters came to life through Mr.
Horowitz’s pen; and his descriptions of the life of the privileged, lavish and
indulgent, juxtaposed against the desperation of the poor and the orphaned
provided the perfect setting; all wrapped up in the dirt and fog of a raw
English winter. I was there with Sherlock Holmes and Watson in Victorian
London. But it wasn’t only the weather
that chilled me to the bone. The subject
was so shocking to Watson that he ordered the manuscript not to be published for
100 years. With two very different murders
to investigate the plot is deliciously complex. While some answers seemed
obvious, others took me by surprise.
This mystery was fulfilling on every level. The writing was beautiful,
the descriptions vivid, and the puzzle engaging right to the end. Written as a
reflection by Dr. Watson, some years after the death of Sherlock Holmes, the
characters were completely true to the originals. It’s no wonder that this was
the first Sherlock Holmes novel written by another author to receive the
authorization of the Arthur Conan Doyle Estate.
Saturday, October 6, 2012
What is your favorite banned book?
We're celebrating Banned Book Week all month! What is your favorite banned book? Did a banned book have an effect on you growing up? Tell us all about it! Use the comments box below to share you experience or complete a Banned Book bookmark when you visit the library. Here are some banned book lists to spark your memory:
ALA timeline 30-years-liberating-literature
ALA's frequently challenged of the 21st century
ALA's frequently challenged classics
Huffington Post's most surprising banned books
ALA timeline 30-years-liberating-literature
ALA's frequently challenged of the 21st century
ALA's frequently challenged classics
Huffington Post's most surprising banned books
Thursday, October 4, 2012
The Banned Book That Changed My Life by Emma
If I had to name any banned book that had an effect on me growing up, I would have to say One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey. A cult classic about a group of middle-aged men in a psychiatric hospital may seem like an odd book to choose, but it had a pivotal role in my development as a writer, reader, teacher and librarian.
I was a young teenager flicking through some old paperbacks at a yard sale when one with Jack Nicholson on the cover caught my eye. I knew he was a famous actor, and I was going through my somewhat pretentious movie phase, so I was torn between this book and one featuring short stories by Alfred Hitchcock. I only had enough money for one, but seeing my indecision, the man running the yard sale let me have the Kesey book for free.
I’d always been a reader, but One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest was unlike anything I had ever read before. It marked the transition between my reading as a child and an adult. The story is seen through the eyes of Chief Bromden, one of the great unreliable narrators in modern literature. Although he is observant and sees details that most wouldn’t, his shaky mental health means he relays things that cannot be true. Prior to this, I had always taken the words of the narrator as the absolute truth, so this book was the literary equivalent of realizing that grown-ups can lie. It made me see stories as not just something I could consume wholeheartedly, but something I could engage in and collaborate with, study, and analyze. One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest, a banned book, opened a world of stories to me that has shaped my life ever since.
I was a young teenager flicking through some old paperbacks at a yard sale when one with Jack Nicholson on the cover caught my eye. I knew he was a famous actor, and I was going through my somewhat pretentious movie phase, so I was torn between this book and one featuring short stories by Alfred Hitchcock. I only had enough money for one, but seeing my indecision, the man running the yard sale let me have the Kesey book for free.
I’d always been a reader, but One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest was unlike anything I had ever read before. It marked the transition between my reading as a child and an adult. The story is seen through the eyes of Chief Bromden, one of the great unreliable narrators in modern literature. Although he is observant and sees details that most wouldn’t, his shaky mental health means he relays things that cannot be true. Prior to this, I had always taken the words of the narrator as the absolute truth, so this book was the literary equivalent of realizing that grown-ups can lie. It made me see stories as not just something I could consume wholeheartedly, but something I could engage in and collaborate with, study, and analyze. One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest, a banned book, opened a world of stories to me that has shaped my life ever since.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
My Favorite Banned Books by Cyndi
When thinking about what to write for our banned book week blog, it occurred to me that many of my favorite books have come under the censorship spotlight. I was a young teenager when I read The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier for the first time. Cormier’s book was so remarkably different from anything I had read up to that point. The adult characters were far from perfect, the lead character was flawed and not always likable, life was portrayed as often unfair and the ending was not a happy one! To this day I still think about that book.
From the pages of The
Chocolate War and other books by Cormier, I explored the wild with Jack
London and Joseph Conrad, shivered my way through many Stephen King’s novels,
felt the sadness of Ernest Hemmingway’s characters and still try to wrap my
mind around the senselessness of the crime committed in Truman Capote’s story In Cold Blood.
For me, the definition of a great book is when I continue to
carry a piece of the story with me long after the last page has been read.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Some thoughts for Banned Book Week by Susan
Most folks who are concerned about removing books, DVD's and
CD's from library shelves are well intentioned.
They truly feel that the content-- the words, ideas, pictures, or
sounds--are detrimental to someone. They
don't want a child or a teen or someone they care about to run into something
that might cause embarrassment, confusion, shock, or offence.
A public library in the US is one of the most subversive
places anywhere. Libraries are intended to be bastions of democracy. They are intended to be a place for
self-education, self-enrichment and THE place where ALL ideas can be reviewed
without judgment. Any good public library should have something to offend
everyone!
We all have the ability to choose whether to read, view or
listen to something or not. Even young
children understand when a parent says, "This is not for us. Let's keep looking for another book." We all have the right to decide what we wish
to share with our children and what we want to explore ourselves. We DO NOT have the right to decide for the ENTIRE
community. Celebrate BANNED BOOKS!
Lynne's Banned Books
It's amazing how many books that I read growing up are on this list! Among my favorites would be "Of Mice and Men" by Steinbeck, "The Outsiders" by Hinton and as of recent, "The Hunger Games". I remember pulling "Of Mice and Men" off my grandmother's old bookshelf numerous times to read over and over again! "To Kill a Mockingbrd", The Diary of Anne Frank" and "A Wrinkle in Time" were also memorable choices of mine. Some of these books do bring up some serious subjects. There will always be subject matter that does not sit well with others, but it's fortunate that we are given the choice to read what we choose. Many a great book has opened up dialogues about subjects that would not neccesarily have occurred. So pick up a great book and start reading!
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Banned books that I have read-Julie
To Kill a Mockingbird
My all-time favorite book. One man standing up for another while a daughter watches with naive and trusting eyes.
Lord of the Flies
Loved it but scared me. I was their age when I read it and the pig head really scared me. It was frightening to see how savage we can become.
The Great Gatsby
Junior in high school when I first read this. I loved this book. It was about a glittery world with a much darker underside. I learned that there is more than what you can see to everything, from this book!
Where the Wild Things Are
I know, I couldn't believe this was banned either! I learned that I could be angry and still be loved . I learned that imagination could free you! It's good to have fun but there is a time and place for all things!
Lord of the Rings
I chose to read these books rather than Animal Farm (another banned book). Good triumphs over evil. Evil sees everything. Friends are needed. Different races can work together for a common good. Learn a new language!
Banned or challenged books can teach us many things but I think their most important lesson is the freedom to read whatever we want is an awesome thing! Tell us about some of your favorite banned or challenged books that you have read!
My all-time favorite book. One man standing up for another while a daughter watches with naive and trusting eyes.
Lord of the Flies
Loved it but scared me. I was their age when I read it and the pig head really scared me. It was frightening to see how savage we can become.
The Great Gatsby
Junior in high school when I first read this. I loved this book. It was about a glittery world with a much darker underside. I learned that there is more than what you can see to everything, from this book!
Where the Wild Things Are
I know, I couldn't believe this was banned either! I learned that I could be angry and still be loved . I learned that imagination could free you! It's good to have fun but there is a time and place for all things!
Lord of the Rings
I chose to read these books rather than Animal Farm (another banned book). Good triumphs over evil. Evil sees everything. Friends are needed. Different races can work together for a common good. Learn a new language!
Banned or challenged books can teach us many things but I think their most important lesson is the freedom to read whatever we want is an awesome thing! Tell us about some of your favorite banned or challenged books that you have read!
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Boo to the Ban! by Linda
It was the mid 1960’s and there was a new
controversial TV show on the air starring a youthful and handsome Ryan O’Neil.
As a young teen I was instantly enthralled. Even then I knew that the book was
always better so I bought the book Peyton Place by Grace Metalious. I
was quite proud of reading the book because it was an adult book and pretty
thick too. So I eagerly added it to my school reading list. I’ll never forget
being pulled aside by my teacher and told that I must take that book off my
list. I was very indignant. But my teacher told me I had to take it off my list
because this list would be going to high school with me, and it wouldn’t do for
those teachers to think I was “that kind of girl”. She stood over me and
watched while I reluctantly erased my entry. It was my first personal
experience with censorship. I didn’t like it then; and I still don’t!
Thursday, September 20, 2012
The New York Times Bestseller List September 9, 16 and 23
September 16: Fiction and nonfiction.
September 23: Fiction and nonfiction.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Thursday, August 30, 2012
A Review from Lynne!
One of the last books I read was “Gone Girl” by Gillian
Flynn. It was a combination of suspense and psychological thriller.
It’s the story of a seemingly happy couple and then one day the “missus”
is gone! The story switches back and forth between the two main
characters and you, the reader, are trying to figure out what happened to
her. The story had many twists and turns right up to the very
end! Each time I finished a chapter, I had to read the next.
There was a race to the finish to determine which person (the husband or the
wife) was the nuttiest! I would recommend the book for those of you who like to
be kept guessing!
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