Spotlight on Mystery

Check out the new fiction titles we have recently ordered within the Mystery Fiction genre.
With books this new, sometimes the records are not yet in the catalog, or the status is "In Processing." If you are not able to place a hold through the online catalog, please call the Reference Desk at 610-655-6355. We would be happy to hear from you and place the hold. Titles that are designated "New" may only be picked up at the Main branch on 5th and Franklin, the 3 branches, or the city bookmobile.
Click on the title to view the Amazon record.
For more titles or to investigate the different mystery subgenres, take a look at Novelist, "your guide to fiction."

Bleeding Hearts by Susan Wittig Albert
Blondes Have More Felons by Alesia Holliday
Blood Orange Brewing by Laura Childs
Cherry Cheesecake Murder by Joanne Fluke
Consigned to Death by Jane Cleland
Dark Tort: A Novel of Suspense by Diane Mott Davidson
Dead Days of Summer: A Death on Demand Mystery by Carolyn Hart
Dead Man Running by Rhett MacPherson
Debts of Honor: An Imogen Quy Mystery by Jill Paton Walsh
Hardscrabble Road: A Gregor Demarkian Novel by Jane Haddam
Hare Today, Dead Tomorrow by Cynthia Baxter
High Priestess by David Skibbins
Hitched: A Regan Reilly Mystery by Carol Higgins Clark
Hollywood Stuff: A Jane Wheel Mystery by Shron Fiffer
Lost Gardens: An English Garden Mystery by Anthony Eglin
Mammoth Murder by Bill Crider
Mourning Dove by Aimee Thurlo
Moving Is Murder by Sara Rosett
Murder at the Racetrack: Original Tales of Murder and Mahem… by Otto Penzler
Murder in Exile by Vincent H. O’Neil
Murder in Montmartre by Cara Black
Nicotine Kiss: An Amos Walker Novel by Loren D. Estleman
North by Northanger, or the Shades of Pemberley: A Mr and Mrs Darcy Mystery by Carrie Bebris
Orkney Scrolls: An Archaeological Mystery by Lyn Hamilton
Our Lady of Pain by Marion Chesney
Path of the Dead by Caroline Benton
Penumbra by Carolyn Haines
Tomb of the Golden Bird by Elizabeth Peters
Tooth of Time: A Maxie and Stretch Mystery by Sue Henry
Undercurrent by Wayne Barcomb

Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh!

A St. Patrick's Day blessing upon you! Although I cannot improve upon the Google web subject list, I did find this site using the search "Gaelic translation." You can learn various common phrases, such as "A pint of Guinness, please".

The Living Legend of St. Patrick by Alannah Hopkin
The Steadfast Man: A Biography of St. Patrick by Paul Gallico
The Wisdom of St. Patrick by Greg Tobin
Patrick, the Pilgrim Apostle of Ireland by Maire de Paor
St. Patrick of Ireland: A Biography by Philip Freeman

The Wearing of the Green: The History of St. Patrick's Day by Mike Cronin



And for your corned beef and cabbage, we have several books on Irish Cookery.
I love corned beef and cabbage. Mouthwatering image courtesy of Epicurious.


As an aside, I am 100% Eastern European and my mom loves rutabagas, so I just assumed they were an ethnic staple. I was quite surprised to discover that they are Swedish.

National Rutabaga Month

Forget corned beef and cabbage, celebrate gastronomically with the rutabaga. According to the Advanced Rutabaga Studies Institute, March is National Rutabaga month! (Note: not verified in Chase's Calendar of Events). This website made for some interesting and enjoyable reading about this under-appreciated tuber.

Basic Internet Classes at RPL

Tuesday March 28, 2006
6:30 - 8:00
Reading Public Library Main Branch

Whether you are applying for jobs online, filling out various forms, emailing friends, or researching for a class, the Internet has become the primary mode of communication and transmission of information for many people.
The Basic Internet workshop will get you started on the Net, providing you with the basic skills to perform these and other fundamental tasks.

• Mouse skills
• Keyboarding skills
• Basic Terminology
• Simple searches
• Email skills
• Printing
• Troubleshooting

To reserve a seat in this class stop by the Reference Desk or call
610-655-6355

Of course, if you are reading this blog, you most likely already have the skills that we will be covering in this class. But you could pass the world along to anyone you know who needs a little help and encouragement in this particular area.

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2005
Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
U.S. Department of State

March 8, 2006

"These reports describe the performance of 196 countries in putting into practice their international commitments on human rights. These basic rights, reflected in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, have been embraced by people of every culture and color, every background and belief, and constitute what President Bush calls the 'non-negotiable demands of human dignity.'"

The Introduction continues by making six broad observations and illustrating these observations by using examples of conditions in various countries.

These observations are:

1. Countries in which power is concentrated in the hands of unaccountable rulers tend to be the world’s most systematic human rights violators. These states range from closed, totalitarian systems that subject their citizens to a wholesale deprivation of their basic rights to authoritarian systems in which the exercise of basic rights is severely restricted.

2. Human rights and democracy are closely linked, and both are essential to long-term stability and security. Free and democratic nations that respect the rights of their citizens help to lay the foundation for lasting peace. In contrast, states that severely and systematically violate the human rights of their own people are likely to pose threats to neighboring countries and the international community.

3. Some of the most serious violations of human rights are committed by governments within the context of internal and/or cross-border armed conflicts.

4. Where civil society and independent media are under siege, fundamental freedoms of expression, association, and assembly are undermined. A robust civil society and independent media help create conditions under which human rights can flourish by raising awareness among publics about their rights, exposing abuses, pressing for reform, and holding governments accountable

5. Democratic elections by themselves do not ensure that human rights will be respected, but they can put a country on the path to reform and lay the groundwork for institutionalizing human rights protections. Democratic elections are, however, milestones on a long journey of democratization. They are essential to establishing accountable governments and governmental institutions that abide by the rule of law and are responsive to the needs of citizens.

6. Progress on democratic reform and human rights is neither linear nor guaranteed. Some states still have weak institutions of democratic government and continue to struggle; others have yet to fully commit to the democratic process. Steps forward can be marred with irregularities. There can be serious setbacks. Democratically elected governments do not always govern democratically once in power.

"The growing worldwide demand for human rights and democracy reflected in these reports is not the result of the impersonal workings of some dialectic or of the orchestrations of foreign governments. Rather, this call derives from the powerful human desire to live in dignity and liberty and from the personal bravery and tenacity of men and women in every age and in every society who serve and sacrifice for the cause of freedom."

China responded by pointing out that the United States did not include itself in the report and published its own report, The Human Rights Record of the United States in 2005.

Oscar Round Up

There were some upsets this Sunday at the Academy Awards. I had to look up Crash on the Internet Movie Database to see what it was all about.

Call the Reference Desk at 610-655-6355 to place hold:
Walk the Line
Constant Gardner
Crash
Memoirs of a Geisha
March of the Penguins
Chronicles of Narnia
King Kong
Hustle & Flow
Soundtrack from Brokeback Mountain


Have not yet been released on DVD:
Brokeback Mountain
Syriana
Tsotsi
A Note of Triumph: The Golden Age of Norman Corwin

So here they are:

BEST PICTURE
Crash
ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Philip Seymour Hoffman - Capote
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Reese Witherspoon - Walk the Line
DIRECTING
Ang Lee - Brokeback Mountain
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
George Clooney - Syriana
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Rachel Weisz - The Constant Gardener
ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
SCREENPLAY (Adapted)
Brokeback Mountain
SCREENPLAY (Original)
Crash
ART DIRECTION
Memoirs of a Geisha
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Memoirs of a Geisha
COSTUME DESIGN
Memoirs of a Geisha
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
March of the Penguins
DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT
A Note of Triumph: The Golden Age of Norman Corwin
FILM EDITING
Crash
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Tsotsi
MAKEUP
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe
MUSIC (SCORE)
Gustavo Santaolalla - Brokeback Mountain
MUSIC (SONG)
"It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" - Hustle & Flow
SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)
The Moon and the Son: An Imagined Conversation
SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION)
Six Shooter
SOUND EDITING
King Kong
SOUND MIXING
King Kong
VISUAL EFFECTS
King Kong

New Nonfiction

Here is a selection of new nonfiction titles that were recently ordered.
Clicking on the title will link you to the Amazon record.
To place a hold on the title click on the "catalog" link, or call 610-655-6355 to have a reference librarian place the hold.

360 Degree Leader: Developing Your Influence from Anywhere in the Organization by John C. Maxwell - catalog
Debunking myths and shedding light on the challenges, Maxwell offers specific principles for leading down, leading up, and leading across--360-degree leadership. By applying Maxwell's principles, readers will expand their influence and ultimately be a more valuable team member.

At Canaan's Edge: America in the King Years, 1965-68 by Taylor Branch - catalog
The final volume of Branch's magisterial history of the Civil Rights movement is a powerful rendering of Martin Luther King Jr.'s final years. The Pulitzer Prize-winning author argues that King has earned a place next to Abraham Lincoln in American history. Parting the Waters and Pillar of Fire are the first two titles in the series.

Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters by Dick Winters - catalog
Winters' memoir, based on his wartime diary, includes the untold stories of his comrades--the Band of Brothers who suffered 150 percent casualties while liberating Europe.

Big Oyster: History on the Half Shell by Mark Kurlansky - catalog
From the bestselling author of "Salt" and "Cod" comes the fascinating history of the oyster's influence on four centuries of cultural, economic, and culinary trends--with recipes throughout.

Colony: The Harrowing True Story of the Exiles of Molokai by John Tayman - catalog
In the bestselling tradition of "In the Heart of the Sea" comes the untold history of America's only leper colony--which exists even today--and the extraordinary people forced to create a community under horrific circumstances.

Dave Barry's Money Secrets: Like: Why Is There a Giant Eyeball on the Dollar? by Dave Barry - catalog
Bringing readers everything they need to know--and more--about the stock market, big business, and the art of making and losing money, and how the furniture in the CEO's office affects your portfolio, Barry presents his first nonfiction book in five years.

Five-Star Living on a Two-Star Budget by Margaret Feinberg and Natalie Gillespie - catalog
Readers will find ways to obtain five-star travel, entertainment, dining, and educational experiences while staying within a two-star budget. They'll discover three basic rules for saving money on flights, eating out, big-ticket items, and family activities.

Hershey: Milton S. Hershey's Extraordinary Life of Wealth, Empire, and Utopian Dreams by Michael D’Antonio - catalog
D'Antonio pens the first full biography of one of the most successful and unusual business titans of the 20th century--Milton Hershey--and a startling history of how his commanding fortune shaped a unique utopian legacy.

Inspiration: Your Ultimate Calling by Wayne W. Dyer - catalog
Each chapter in this book is filled with specifics for living an inspired life. From a very personal viewpoint, the bestselling author of "The Power of Intention" offers a blueprint through the world of spirit to inspiration.

Manhunt: The 12 Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson - catalog
Combining historical research with page-turning narration, this is the first book devoted to the 12 dramatic days between the murder of President Abraham Lincoln and the capture of his killer.

Number: A Completely Different Way to Think about the Rest of Your Life by Lee Eisenberg - catalog
Backed by imaginative reporting and insights, Eisenberg urges people to assume control and responsibility for their standard of living, and take greater aim on their long-term aspirations. Not an investment guide, this is a revealing look at common financial and emotional conflicts and how to control them.

P. Allen Smith's Colors for the Garden: Creating Compelling Color Themes by P. Allen Smith - catalog
In this landmark guide to transforming garden settings into living works of art, bestselling author and celebrity home garden designer P. Allen Smith draws on his talents as both master gardener and artist to offer simple ways to create gardens that burst with color.

Podcasting Pocket Guide by Jack Herrington et al. - catalog
With more than 3,000 feeds in the iPodder directory and at least ten more being added every day, podcasting is undeniably hot. "Podcasting Pocket Guide" is a nontechnical guide for the non-geek who wants in on this revolutionary new online medium--for those interested in enjoying the best podcasts or producing them.

Stitch 'n Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker by Debbie Stoller - catalog
Written in the author's cheeky chick style, this heavily illustrated book--featuring four-color photographs and instructional illustrations throughout--is chock-full of instruction, inspiration, and to-die-for designs, from a fishnet skullcap to a lacy evening wrap.

Very New Orleans: A Celebration of History, Culture, and Cajun Country Charm by Diana Hollingsworth Gessler - catalog
In vibrant watercolors and detailed sketches, artist Diana Gessler captures the unique charm that makes New Orleans alluring: Mardi Gras, the Cabildo, Jackson Square, the Court of the Two Sisters, St. Louis Cemetery, the Jazz Festival, the River Road Plantations, the Cajun country, sumptuous Creole cuisine, and Audubon's Aquarium of the Americas.

Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook by Weight Watchers - catalog
Readers will find variety on every page of this thoroughly revised edition, whether they're looking for a quick and easy weeknight dinner or something special to spice up a weekend brunch. From Roasted Broccoli with Cumin-Chipotle Butter to Chocolate Fondue--with choices ranging from classic comfort foods to zesty international dishes, boredom is never on the menu.

Poet John Yamrus

Reading Public Library presents...

Poet

John Yamrus

reading from his latest volume of poetry

One Step at a Time

John Yamrus is the author of 2 novels and 13 volumes of poetry, and has more than 700 poems, articles, and essays published around the world.

Come and meet the author, revel in an evening of poetry, and enjoy a discussion of the writing process.

The author will have copies of "One Step at a Time" available for sale and signing at the event.

When: Thursday, March 16, 2006

6:15 - 7:00

(open-ended discussion to follow)

Where: City Espresso

124 S. 5th St.

The program is free, but pre-registration is requested.

To sign up, call 610-655-6555 or visit the Reference Desk at the Reading Public Library, 100 South Fifth Street, Reading.

Refreshments will be available for purchase from City Espresso.