Friday, February 22, 2013

First Poetry Postcards of the Ice Age Trail

Large Print

First Prophet by Kay Hooper. FBI psychics solve crime with psychic powers and predict what's on TV tonight.

Postcards from Cedar Key by Terri DuLong.  A chocolatier knits the wool from her pet alpacas.  Chocolatier reads mom's dead papers.  Chocolatier meets English guy. 

The Lawgiver by Herman Wouk.  Something about Moses.  The description on the back cover is confusing.

NonFiction

Ice Age Trail Companion Guide 2011 by Ice Age Trail Alliance.  Guide to the 1,000 mile trail that winds around Wisconsin.  We also bought a map binder that will go into reference. 

Library's Least Popular YouTube Video

The least popular YouTube video the library has done with only 16 views.  We have both of Kraushaar's poetry collections.  I think poetry is often best when read aloud.  But, a reader's interpretation, or misinterpretation, can vary so greatly from the author's intent. So, I asked Mark to share a reading with both of us reading the same poems.




Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Lansdale Novella, Football, Spying On Hippies, Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs

Fiction

Dead Aim by Joe R. Lansdale.  Lansdale is a Facebook posting maniac.  He recently commentd that Amazon sold out on this new novella featuring a young Hap and Leonard.  Hap and Leonard agree to guard a woman going through a divorce.  Things go badly because everything Hap and Leonard do goes badly.  Except screwing up and having bad luck.  Hap and Leonard are great at screwing up and having bad luck.

Alex Cross, Run by James Patterson Literary Industries Amalgamated.  Huh, look a that.  Patterson is listed as the sole author.

NonFiction

Subversive: the FBI's war on student radicals and Reagan's rise to power by Seth Rosenfeld.  250,000 of FBI documents showing "surveillance, illegal breakins, infiltration, planted news stories, poison-pen letters, and secret detention lists" aimed at groups in Berkeley, CA.

How the SEC Became Goliath: the making of college football's most dominant conference by Ray Glier.  Short version: the SEC spends tons of dough on recruiting and coaching and facilities and other conferences are jealous.  I'll withhold commentary seeing as how the Big 10 lets anyone with a pulse join.  The Big 10 just hasn't been the same since the University of Chicago dropped out.

Gods of Mischief: my undercover vendetta to take down the Vagos outlaw motorcycle gang by George Row.  Guy in California desert town goes undercover for three years.  Guy then goes into witness protection.

Underwater Dogs by Seth Casteel.  Underwater photos of dogs jumping into water after tennis balls.  No greyhounds.

Monday, February 18, 2013

New Items by Old Authors

You've Heard of Them

A Week in Winter by Maeve Binchy.  A painting for the cover.  Binchy died in July of 2012.  No information in the book is she wrote all of this, part of this, or if her name is now a corporate moniker.  I took three tries to type moniker without a keystroke error.  Monkier is a good word though.

Touch and Go by Lisa Gardner.  Gardener is not dead.  She has a well done author photo.  The photo looks to edited with everything around her lit face blacked out.  An appropriately dramatic presentation for a thriler novel.

Guilt by Jonathan Kellerman.  Kellerman has a beard in his author photo.  His photo follows the same style as Gardner's with Kellerman wearing black and having a dark grey, mottled background behind him.  Maybe this is the new style.

Deadly Stakes by J.A. Jance.  One of those AZ desert based novels rather than a Northwest US based novels.  Jance lives by Tucson.  Forgotten Weapons posted a match video from north of Tucson.

Hit Me by Lawrence Block.  Block's photo looks new also.  His is bright and cheery though.  I suppose that fits with this bright and cheery series of a paid killer.  I'm not sure if I read the novel preceding this one or not.  The Baker and Taylor slip of paper in this book says the whole shipment was processed with pride by Judith Trail.

You've Never Heard of Him

Bark River Chronicles: stories from a Wisconsin watershed by Milton J. Bates.  the Bark River begins northwest of Milwaukee and empties into Lake Koshkonong by Fort Atkinson.  Milton details his many canoeing trips along the river.  Amy Lutzke at Dwight Foster PL in Fort is listed in the acknowledgments.  Milton writes "this is not a guidebook."

Large Print

Vintage Ladybug Farm by Donna Ball.  What the heck does that mean?

The Road to Cardinal Valley by Earlene Fowler.  It means I am a robot.

Invisible Murder by Lene Kaaberbol and Agnette Friis.  A Danish robot.

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Photo Update

Renovation Update

This morning the concrete floor for the lower level's new toilet was cut for plumbing.  I was not in the building this morning so I did not hear the noise or breath the dust.

Tomorrow I haul off the old shelving.  I had to cancel this task last Friday because of the snow storm.

Photos

The layout had to change to allow access to the water meter (located by the dark vertical pipe in the center left of the photo).

New Lower Level toilet room


The pipes in the upper right of this photo have to be rerouted up and over the new room's ceiling.

New Lower Level toilet room

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Nothing New, Musical Interlude

Nothing New

We did get Joe R. Lansdale's most recent book in today's mail but it is not yet ready for your hands.

No Renovation News

The contractor starts tearing up concrete tomorrow.  I will take photos.

Musical Interlude

Welshman Sweet Baboo pretends to be a cat.  I do not know if his real name is Linus.



Friday, February 08, 2013

More Photos

Photos

That kid looks familiar.  Did he do work here before?


That kid looks familiar

Temporary Layout


Temporary layout

New Toilet Location in Lower Level


Demo begins for new toilet in lower level

Wednesday, February 06, 2013

Another Renovation Update

Update

Today's first moving day went extremely well.  Almost everything is done.  We'll still be closed Thursday to get everything squared away and cleaned up.  We re-open on Friday and will continue with normal operating hours.

Photos


Renovation Moving day Feb 6, 2013

Renovation Moving day Feb 6, 2013

Renovation Moving day Feb 6, 2013

Renovation Moving day Feb 6, 2013


Relevant Musical Interlude

We will be recycling a lot of substandard metal shelving.  (The thin gauge metal is not that heavy.)


Monday, February 04, 2013

Quarterly Danille Steel Release

Fiction

Until the End of the World by Danielle Steel.  Lawyer lives Manhattan to be a minister in Wyoming.

Musical Interlude(s)

Tales From Turnpike House was released by Saint Etienne in 2006.  I really enjoyed this when first listening a few years ago.  A concept album - not that it matters - about residents in a London apartment building.  The album contains lighter tunes like this one:




, dancey tunes like this:




, and a louder one like this:



Thursday, January 31, 2013

Renovation Update

Renovation Update

Lower level demolition for the new restroom begins Feb 7th.



Monday, January 28, 2013

Library Closed Feb 6 and 7 for Start of Renovation

Library Closed

Feb 6 and 7 we are closed.  The renovation begins with moving out lots of books, CDs, DVDs, magazines, chairs, so on, so forth.  To do this we have to close on February 6 and 7.

The front door will be blocked to the public during all of Phase One of the renovation project.  Phase One will last about 6 weeks.  East side door and back door will still be open for you, the public.


Volunteering

Yes, you can help move us in the move on Feb 6 and 7.  Call me at 648-2166 (excluding Dunedin and that guy in St. Paul) to volunteer.

Other News

I have no other news of note

Musical Interlude

I just ran across the Jim White CD with this song. I have this from when I paid more attention to alternative and traditional country music.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Further Commentary

DVD

The Simpsons: the fourteenth season starring voices [not in your head].  I stopped watching a few years ago.  I don't even watch reruns all the way through.

Fiction

Suspect by Robert Crais.  New characters.  PTSD patrolman and PTSD Army dog are partnered.  Robert Crais's author photo does not include one of those ugly Hawaiian shirts.

Private Berlin by Patterson Literary Production, Amalgamated.  Some novel about something that happens to someone in some place.

NonFiction

Naked Statistics: stripping the dead from the data by Charles Wheelan.  No photos.  A handful of charts.  Author photo includes some dog chewing on a stick.  The dog is intently looking off camera at whoever is trying to get him to stay still as the shutter opens.

I just looked this guy up to find more dog photos.  No dog photos.  Wheelan teaches at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire.  I got married in New Hampshire.  Or, maybe Vermont.  I'm not sure which is which.  Residents of Vermont and New Hampshire like to pretend there is a difference between the two but they're wrong.

AC/DC: high voltage rock'n'roll: the ultimate history by Phil Sutcliffe.




Morrisey on Tour.  I was thinking of attending one of his shows but don't know it I will or not.  I need to decide soon.  I thought about driving to Clear Lake, IA for that show but need to decide quick since it is February 5th.




Or, maybe not.

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Multiple Choice Question

Multiple choice question. 


Why is the Library Director happy?


Multiple Choice Questions

A. Wearing a sweater negates ironing his shirt.
B. His hair is sticking up less than normal.
C. The City Council accepted the general contracting bid by Advanced Building Corporation for the library's interior renovation.
D. His sweater makes him look like Count Dracula vacationing on the Dalmatian Coast.

Answer: All of the above.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

More. Less.

It's All the Same

NonFiction

Hell-Bent: obsession, pain, and the search for something like transcendence in competitive yoga by Benjamin Lorr.




Read My Lips: a complete guide to the vagina and vulva by Debby Herbenick and Vanessa Schick.  I looked for an author interview and the only things I found were Herbenick talking about other stuff besides the book.




Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker by Jennifer Chiaverini.  Fictionalized bio.  Why doesn't someone write a bio of me?  I'm mostly fictional.

Third Bullet by Stephen Hunter.




AudioBook on CD

Shadow Woman by Linda Howard.8 CDs at 10 hours.



Two For Texas by James Lee Burke.  5 CDs at 5.5 hours.



DVD

Hit and Run starring Kristen Bell, Dax Shepard, Tom Arnold.  Max Allan Collins says:

HIT AND RUN is a great crime comedy melodrama that stars Veronica Mars herself, Kristen Bell (wasted on Showtime’s unpleasant HOUSE OF LIES) opposite her significant other, Dax Shepard, who also wrote and co-directed. Shepard, besides being the lucky bastard who gets to live with Kristen Bell (I say this as the lucky bastard who gets to live with the former Barbie Mull), is mostly known for playing villains in film comedies like EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH as well as holding down one of the leads on the TV series, PARENTHOOD. This is the kind of movie I used to see all the time in the ‘70s – quirky, walking the line between comedy and drama, with sharp, natural dialogue, lots of interesting characters, plus plenty of action (it’s a car chase movie). I’m also reminded of Don Westlake’s ‘60s and ‘70s comedy novels. You want to know how good this movie is? Tom Arnold is hilarious in it. So, in a much different way, are Bradley Cooper and Beau Bridges. It is in times in wonderfully poor taste, but in a much smarter way than most bad taste movies – including gags involving prison rape and racial stereotyping. It’s also a tender love story. I haven’t checked Rotten Tomatoes, but I bet at least half the critics hate this. Don’t listen to them.

"Where does all this large print come from?"

"No one knows.  No one."

Threat Vector by Tom Clancy.  International intrigue and violence.

Dream Eyes by Jayne Ann Krentz.  Same as the regular print but with larger letters.

Incognito by Gregory Murphy.  I just bent over the corner of my calendar and now it will not lie flat.

Collateral Damage by Stuart Woods.  I've been reading Sunset and Sawdust by Joe R. Lansdale.  I stayed up too late reading the book.

Kinsey and Me by Sue Grafton.  The Lansdale book is from about eight years ago and dedicated to his daughter.

Shadow Woman by Linda Howard.  His daughter has her own career and work but helps her dad out.  Lansdale found some copies of his novels and was posting them for sale on Facebook.  I bought a couple for Christmas presents and his daughter handles those orders.

Nano by Robin Cook.  The books have not arrived yet.  But, Lansdale's daughter sent an email yesterday asking if the books were delivered and she seems to be on it.  I have this image of Lansdale finding some dusty box full of Devil Red in his garage and thinking, "Where did these come from?"

Facebook by Speaking Of.  Lansdale posts a lot on Facebook.  His topics are writing related but when does he actually write?  Let alone kung the fu?

Monday, January 14, 2013

Computers, Combat, Ken, Crazies, Kennedy

Computers

Windows 8 for the Older and Wiser by Adrian Arnold and Richard Millett.  Computers.

Windows 8 Bible: the comprehensive tutorial resource by Jim Boyce and Rob Tidrow.  Are.

Quickbooks 2013 by Thomas Barich.   Stupid.

Combat

The Generals: American military command from World War II to today by Thomas E. Ricks.  Changes in command and responsibility over the past 70 years.  From common firings in WWII to command whitewashing of Vietnam to command of today.  Command.

Pacific Time on Target: memoirs of a Marine artillery officer, 1943-1945 by Christopher S. Donner.  This is what happens when the Library Director reads catalogs from Kent State University Press.

Viper Pilot: a memoir of air combat by Dan Hampton.  A review said that flying descriptions were gripping.  I just noticed that the author is a Texas A&M graduate.  I congratulate Hampton on exceeding his Aggie peers and learning how to read.  (giggle). 
- What's the best selling underarm deodorant in College Station?  Raid.
- There was an Aggie who wore the same pair of socks every day.  His mother finally told him to put on a new pair of socks on every day.  A few days later, he couldn't put his shoes on.
- My cousin Andrew said his dorm was infested with roaches.  He told me he sprayed bug killer into his clock radio and took the cover off to find a dozen or so roaches in there.  That grossed out the middle-school-aged me.

Ken

Because I Said So!: the truth behind the myths, tales & warnings every generation passes down to its kids by Ken Jennings.  Don't chew you ice, it's bad for your teeth.  If you touch that baby bird, it's mommy will abandon it.  Never run the microwave empty.

Crazies
Brooklyn Zoo: the education of a psychotherapist by Darcy Lockman.  I read a promo, thenI  read a review, then ordered it.  Psychologist in training at a understaffed and overfilled public institution.

Kennedy

The Patriarch: the remarkable life and turbulent times of Joseph P. Kennedy by David Nasaw. BookTV coverage.

The Rest

Prescription for Herbal Healing, 2nd Edition by Phyllis A. Balch, CNC.  You know what the library does not have?  An acronym dictionary.  I much prefer that over using the stupid internet.

Tap dancing to Work: Warren Buffett on practically everything, 1966-2012 by Warren Buffett.

Friday, January 11, 2013

Why Yes, I Do Agree That Robin Zander Is A Vocal Genius

Zander

Downed


Fiction

Collateral Damage by Stuart Woods.  New Mexico lawyer Stone Barrington rights wrongs and circ's mightily.

The Last Runaway by Tracy Chevalier.  The cover reminds me of Rikki Tikki Tavi.

Kinsey and Me by Sue Grafton.  Short stories of a private detective with a VW.

1356 by Bernard Cornwell.  Cornwell continues creating corpses of killed continental creeps.  [Dead French.]

Dream Eyes by Jayne Ann Krentz.  Jayne Ann Krentz and Amanda Quick should use different author photos.

Wednesday, January 09, 2013

Picture Books for Adults and Lots of Exercises

Picture Books

Bottoms Up: a toast to Wisconsin's historic bars and breweries by Jim Draeger and Mark Speltz with photographs by Mark Fay.  Beer and brandy.



I heard this story by a guy who toured the winery that distills either Christian Brothers or E&J brandy.  The guy telling me the story told a winery worker he was from Wisconsin.  The winery worker pointed to the three loading bays serving the brandy warehouse and said, "Those are three bays serve the United States.  Everything from that one (as he pointed to one of the three) ships only to Wisconsin."

Prom by Mary Ellen Mark.  I read review.  The review said this photography book of prom photos was interesting.  It is.

Star War the Old Republic Encyclopedia: the definitive guide to the epic conflict by Ian Ryan. My house is filled with so many Star Wars LEGO sets.

Home Herbal: cook, brew and blend your own herbs edited by Susannah Steel.  "Strawberry and macadamie smoothie...acts as a male reproductive tonic."

The Holmes Inspection: the essential guide for every homeowner, buyer and seller by Mike Holmes.   "Everything about this little basement bathroom is wrong."

DVD

Jillian Michael's Killer Buns and Thighs with Jillian Michaels.  Jillian Michaels can kill you with her thighs I guess.

Jillian Michaels Ripped in 30 with Jillian Michaels.  If you take 30 minutes to rip something you should just use a knife.

Jilliam Michaels Killer Abs by Jillian Michaels.  Jillian Michaels's abs are on death row in Louisiana.

Ultimate Kettlebell for Beginners by Paul Katami.



Killer Joe starring Matthew McConaughey, Gina Gershon.  Texas police detective is also a hired killer.  He takes partial payment for a murder in the form of his client's sister.


Large Print Avalanche is Imminent

Large Print

The Child's Child by Barbara Vine.  AKA grandchild.

Goldberg Variations by Susan Issaacs.  Glenn Gould content unknown.

After the Rain by Karen White.  Your shoes may get muddy.

A Wish and a Prayer by Beverly Jenkins.  AKA No planning.

Don't Say A Word by Beverly Barton. A Word.

The Rancher by Diana Palmer.  And the farmer can be friends.

The Middlesteins by Jami Attenberg. Vacation in Lebanon, KS.

Fox Tracks by Rita Mae Brown. From all the running.

The Dog Stars by Peter Heller.  Lassie?  Pete the Pup?  Hooch?

The People of Forever Are Not Afraid by Shani Boianjiu.  Of smarmy blog entries.

Do You Enjoy Books? How About Music?

Books You May Enjoy

Bughouse Affair by Marcia Muller and Bill Pronzini.  Quick name some husband-wife writing teams.  Muller- Pronzini!  Max Allan Collins-Barbara Collins!  Those are the only two I can think of.

Husband List by Janet Evanovich and Dorien Kelly.  Looks like a romance.  Set in 1894.  I hear Halen Van was popular that year.

Blood Money by James Grippando.  Florida attorney takes murder case with massive media exposure.  The accused (Casey Anthony stand-in )is assaulted upon acquittal and the same attorney is asked to look into things.

Music on CD You May Enjoy

Master Works for Strings by Douglas Lilburn. String musicians play string music.  I enjoy another CD of Lilburn's work.  I don't recall how I ran across the CD but here is a piece from there with photos of Middle-earth.


Monday, January 07, 2013

Music and Video

Melodic Noise Is Digitized and Distributed in Physical Form

Come Home to Mama by Martha Wainwright.  Note to listeners: do not become pals with Martha Wainwright and anger her.  Link to review.  (Embedded song by Wainwright includes standard Wainwright vocabulary, so do not play where a singer singing profanity is frowned upon.  I have headphones on.)



Warrior by Kei$ha. Approved by Megan Abbott.  I think Abbott likes the aggressive persona. That is a guess because I do not actually know Abbott.

Yes, the actual spelling is Ke$sha.  But AllMusic.com has some impressive comments: Taste never enters into Ke$ha's equation: she's gleefully vulgar embracing the magic in a dude's pants, copping a rapper's growl, tossing out profanity, encouraging the shock and awe of any listener with a lick of sense. Ke$ha may play dumb but she isn't stupid: she knows a good hook, whether it's in the rhythm, chorus, lyric, or melody, she knows how far to take it to the edge, knows how to be tacky without being gross.  Here is a profane song singing duet with Iggy.



Good Kid, M.A.AD. City: a short film by Kendrick Lamar.  I have no idea what this is, I ordered off a catalog listing of bestsellers.  Here, lets check the YouTube...seems to be rapping.  Continuing the cursing theme is a rapper singing a rap song.



The Aftermath: ascension by Coheed and Cambria.  Heavy metal by heavy metal singers singing heavy metal songs.  The other CD the library owns, Year of the Black Rainbow, has checked out very well.  Find one of their songs by yourself.

DVD

Lawless starring Shia LeBouf, Guy Pearce, Jessica Chastain.  How do Australians pronounce "Guy"?  Bootleggers get in gunfights and talk tough.


Katy Perry: part of me by Katy Perry and [many support musicians and staff].

Company starring Stephen Colbert and [lesser lights].  Stage production of Stephen Sondheim musical.



Liberal Arts starring [actors I won't bother listing].  Plot?  Watch the trailer.