READ @ MPL

The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic and Madness at the Fair that Changed America by Erik Larson

The factual account of serial killer H.H. Holmes, who murdered between 27 and 200 people in Chicago during the 1893 World's Fair, is engagingly documented in this fascinating true story. As much a story of the building of the World's Fair as it is a crime drama, this well written book brings the reader back to a time that wasn't as innocent as it appears.

Check catalog availability

Submitted by Dan @ Central

A 2007 Centers for Disease Control report found that 1 in 150 children in America today have an autism spectrum disorder. The Autism Society of America estimates that 1.5 million Americans and their families are now affected. As such, more and more books on the subject are being written each day. Here are a few standouts from our shelves:

Not Even Wrong: Adventures In Autism by Paul Collins, 2004

Author Paul Collins’ son, Morgan, was diagnosed with autism at the age of two. In Not Even Wrong, Collins intersperses a historical look at autism with his family’s personal experience. An informative and engaging read that serves as a good introduction to the subject. Check catalog for availability

Born On A Blue Day: Inside The Extraordinary Mind Of An Autistic Savant by Daniel Tammet, 2007

Author Tammet has savant-like powers on the order of Rain Man. Especially when it comes to his to aptitude for memorizing numbers and language. He sets a record by remembering and reciting the mathematical constant Pi to 22514 places. He later learns Icelandic (considered by many to be one of the world's most difficult languages) in one week. At the same time he often struggles with what for most of us are considered simple social interactions. In this memoir, Tammet shares the workings of his mind and details his path to a successful self-sufficient life. Check catalog for availability

Look Me In The Eye: My Life With Asperger’s by John Elder Robison, 2007

John Elder Robinson was rather recently diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism. It helped him put his life in perspective and spurred by his brother and acclaimed author, Augusten Burroughs, to write this book. With an innate facility for mechanical and electrical design, Robinson worked as a special effects guru for the rock group KISS, a toy designer for Milton Bradley and now owns and operates a repair shop for high-end automobiles. But along the way he struggled through an odd upbringing and living with an undiagnosed disease. Check catalog for availability

The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time by Mark Haddon, 2003

A comical and touching fictional account of a 15-year-old autistic named Christopher John Francis Boone and his attempt to solve a crime. One of those books that you’ll want to read in a single sitting – especially as Christopher ventures out into the city alone (aside from his pet rat that is) and suspense builds along the way. Author Haddon takes from his past experience working with autistic youth and creates a likeable and memorable character in Christopher. Check catalog for availability

- Submitted by Tom @ MPL Central

A Man on the Moon by Andrew Chaikin
If you have an interest in how we got to the moon, this book is for you. These fascinating personal accounts of every aspect of the space program will make you feel as if you were right there for that "one small step"...

Check catalog for availability

- Submitted by Alison @ MPL Central

Stealing the General: The Great Locomotive Chase and the First Medal of Honor by Russell S. Bonds
This story is exciting enough to have inspired two motion pictures, Buster Keaton’s classic 1927 silent film “The General,” and the 1956 Walt Disney movie “The Great Locomotive Chase,” starring Fess Parker. A small group of Union soldiers, under the leadership of spy James J. Andrews, stole a Confederate locomotive in Georgia with the intention of wrecking the Western and Atlantic Railroad from Atlanta to Chattanooga. The General’s conductor, William A. Fuller, chased after his stolen train – and caught it. Author Russell Bonds pursues the truth behind this legendary story and the myths it has inspired.

Check catalog for availability

- Submitted by Richard @ Central

Handsome wastrel and dandy Sebastian Horsley has written an improbably hilarious memoir of alcoholism, drug addiction, and recovery. Rich, well-connected and always impeccably dressed, Horsley willfully degrades himself in every imaginable way. And yet he is so witty and likeable you gladly go along for the ride. Not for the squeamish (he undergoes an actual crucifiction in the Philippines at one point), but fans of Oscar Wilde will be delighted. Check catalog for availability.

- Submitted by Mary @ Forest Home

Post Office by Charles Bukowski

The first novel by "Beat" poet Bukowski is an excellent introduction to the writings of this acclaimed and original poet/novelist. Though decidedly harsh in terms of language and subject matter, Bukowski opens a window into his life as a mail sorter/carrier in a way only a writer of exceptional talent and vision can. Published in 1971, this novel is a true contemporary classic. Check catalog for availability.

For a good starting point in sampling the poetry of Bukowski try:

The People Look Like Flowers at Last: New Poems by Charles Bukowski

This posthumously published collection of poetry is the 5th from Bukowski since his death in 1994. Using poetry to explain his philosophy on life, this fine collection will enlighten the reader to the inner workings of Bukowski's mind through his alter-ego character Chinaski. Poems on topics such as gambling, women, and booze are the norm from this outstanding poet. Check catalog for availability.

- Submitted by Dan @ Central

I recently read a couple of excellent non-fiction titles by Trevor Corson. In each he explores a modern day activity and deftly blends in extremely well-researched historical and scientific context. The results make for both entertaining and informative reading.

The Zen of Fish (2007)
Corson follows a class as they progress through an intensive twelve week course at the California Sushi Academy. He puts special focus on student Kate, who gets off to a shaky start but determinedly finds her way. Throughout, Corson gives one plenty to think about, especially in terms of sushi etiquette and fish species conservation. Highly recommended for sushi aficionados. Check catalog for availability.

The Secret Life of Lobsters (2005)
In this earlier work, Corson documents not only the lives of lobsters but also a lobster fishing community in Maine and several lobster-studying scientists. Lobsters definitely have odd social customs and especially unique sex lives. And the men and women who spend their lives harvesting and researching lobsters are an interesting bunch as well. All in all, a gripping read. Check catalog for availability.

- Submitted by Tom @ MPL Central

Even if you haven't seen Juno yet, chances are you've heard of it: Juno MacGuff is a cool, confident teenager who takes a nine-month detour into adulthood when she's faced with an unplanned pregnancy and sets out to find the perfect parents for her baby. Chances are you've also heard of Diablo Cody, who won the Best Original Screenplay Oscar for this debut script.

Diablo also penned a memoir, Candy Girl, in which she recounts her decision to work as a stripper despite her profile as an intelligent woman with a supportive boyfriend and positive family life, describing the lessons she learned in gentlemen's clubs and elsewhere. Check catalog for availability.

- Submitted by Jacki @ Central

Vegetables, herbs & fruit : an illustrated encyclopedia by Matthew Biggs, Jekka McVicar and Bob Flowerdew (2006)

This is an excellent reference source for growing vegetables, herbs and fruit. Each entry contains most of the following information: history, varieties, cultivation, companion planting, recipes, medicinal uses, pest and diseases, warnings, and other uses. This encyclopedia is well organized and illustrated, and thorough. Check catalog for availability

Reader's Digest organic gardening for the 21st century : A complete guide to growing vetables, fruits, herbs and flowers by John Fedor ; consultant, Bob Sherman of HDRA ; photography by Steven Wooster (2001)

This book defines organic gardening and its importance. It follows with a discussion about soils and compost, and what they are. Next the book explains the importance of planning your garden and what you will plant when. Lastly, the reader will find instructions on tending their gardens and a directory of vegetables, fruits and herbs. Check catalog for availability

Midwest top 10 garden guide by Blodgett and the editors of Sunset Books (2004)

This beautiful book helps readers choose from a wide variety of plants, shrubs, trees and more that are suitable for Midwest gardens and landscapes. Readers will easily find favorites listed, when and where to plant, and how to care for their new green friends. Check catalog for availability

The plant finder : the right plants for every garden by senior consultants, Tony Rodd and Geoff Bryant ; [editors, Loretta Barnard ... [et al.]] (2007)

This book isn't kidding when it states that it contains "the right plants for every garden." Gardeners will find approximately 1,000 pages of illustrations and information for almost anything that can be planted into the ground. It would be difficult to locate a resource that is more comprehensive than this one. Check catalog for availability

You grow girl : the groundbreaking guide to gardening by by Gayla Trail ; illustrations by Leela Corman (2005)

From the author's website, "You Grow Girl™...speaks to a new kind of gardener, seeking to redefine the modern world relationship to plants. This contemporary, laid-back approach to gardening places equal importance on environmentalism, style, affordability, art, and humour." Gayla's book is written in the same fun, humorous style and full of useful information for any gardening girl... or boy. Check catalog for availability

Author's website and blog

- Submitted by Paula @ MPL Central

Walter Mosley says Coates is “the James Joyce of the hip hop generation”. This lyrical writer fills a void in the African American literary pantheon with a gorgeously written, poetry-laced exploration of the father-son connection. His description of the daisy age of hip-hop (1988) when black children begged for Technic turntables, an MPC sampler, and some Chuck D will connect with many readers.

Dad was a Vietnam vet who often rolled with the Black Panthers. An old-school disciplinarian (he was willing to dispense beatings to keep his kids on the right path), Paul Coates provided a bulwark against the 80’s crack wars looming near his bookish, dreamy kid in a disintegrating section of Baltimore. He also manages to navigate his sons from urban blight toward and through Howard University - as a single father. Ta-Nehisi grows up to become a staff writer for the Village Voice and Time, conjuring the struggle of the streets and a compelling familial love story into this beautiful debut that crackles with eloquence and lingers in the ear. Check catalog for availability.

- Submitted by Jane @ Martin Luther King Library

Pigeons: The Fascinating Saga of the World’s Most Revered and Reviled Bird by Andrew Blechman, 2006
True to its subtitle, an entertaining book on all things pigeons. Blechman immerses himself in the varied worlds of today’s pigeons (everyday street pigeons, racing pigeons, show pigeons, illegally-captured target pigeons, etc.) and also explores their place in history. Both humorous and informative, this title should appeal to birders and non-birders alike.
Check catalog for availability.

The Grail Bird: The Rediscovery of the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker by Tim Gallagher, 2005
Tim Gallagher’s firsthand account of the 2004 rediscovery of Ivory-Billed Woodpeckers (thought to be extinct for 60 years) in Arkansas. Since its publication, the key piece of Arkansas evidence – a few seconds of digital video footage of what looks to be an ivorybill - has been the source of much debate in the birding community. Despite said debate, this book is a great read, written in a compelling fashion with Tim and his likable search partner Bobby Harrison as the central figures.
Check catalog for availability.

Ivorybill Hunters: The Search for Proof in a Flooded Wilderness by Geoff Hill, 2007
Geoff Hill’s firsthand account of his research team’s seemingly successful 2005/2006 search for Ivory-Billed Woodpeckers in the swamp forests of Florida’s panhandle. The Florida findings have kind of flown under the radar – but the overall evidence accumulated there is perhaps stronger than that of the Arkansas findings and the book is just as good too.
Check catalog for availability.

The Sibley Guide to Birds by David Allen Sibley, 2000
An extremely thorough field guide to all of North America’s birds. Sibley’s multiple, superbly-detailed watercolor paintings for each species are nothing short of stellar. Highly recommended to anyone with even a slight interest in birding.
Check catalog for availability.

- Submitted by Tom @ MPL Central

As graphic novels continue to gain respect in the literary world, there is a corresponding renaissance of interest in cartoonists of the past.

Jackie Ormes could draw like an angel.

Ormes was an African American cartoonist who drew panels for black newspapers during the 40’s and 50’s, when black men and women were returning from war to face continuing discrimination at home. Segregation continued to make life hard, and what little progress there was seemed to leave black women behind. This climate became the grist of compelling artistic material for Ormes, the first black female cartoonist to achieve national renown.

Way ahead of her time, this trail blazer raised the consciousness of fellow African Americans decades before anyone knew of Dr. King. Ormes drew stylish black female characters who advocated for civil rights and laughed at the House Un-American Activities Committee. Concerned about environmental justice when Al Gore was still a twinkle in his father’s eyes, Ormes created the cartoon Torchy in Heartbeats, depicting a handsome black doctor who saves a black community from environmental poisoning masterminded by a filthy, bigoted industrialist.

Born to a well-to-do family in Pittsburgh, Ormes was a member of Chicago’s black elite (she rubbed elbows with Eartha Kitt and Duke Ellington). A savvy businesswoman, Ormes also made a foray into early black doll production, replacing stereotyped Mammy dolls with elegant black dolls wearing designer wardrobes and sexy frocks.

Illustrated with more than 150 cartoons and photos, this book will appeal to fellow artists, feminists, African American history-lovers, anyone starting a business, and doll historians alike. Check catalog for availability.

- submitted by Jane @ Martin Luther King Library

This summer, get caught up in someone else's life. As good as these memoirs are to read they're even better to listen to:

Barbara Walters reads her own, because, as she told Publisher's Weekly, "The book is my voice, and I wanted the audio version to be my voice."

Augusten Burroughs wanted to shake things up; his audiobook contains sound effects and original music by Patti Smith, Sea Wolf, Ingrid Michaelson and Tegan Quin.

David Sedaris's includes four live recordings, "Memento Mori," "In the Waiting Room," "Town and Country" and "Solutions to Sunday's Puzzle."

Julie Andrews also reads her own work and sprinkled through the narration are a few prized archival snippets of her most memorable early Broadway tunes, and Ian Fraser's gentle piano interludes.

So, start reading; or listening...

Audition: A Memoir by Barbara Walters

Fascinating! In a riveting and candid memoir, the acclaimed television journalist chronicles the people, events, and forces that have shaped her life and career, from childhood to the present day, discussing her relationships with men, family, friends, coworkers, and rivals; her struggle to make it in a man's world; and the interviews she has conducted during her forty-year-career. Check catalog for availability.

A Wolf at the Table: A Memoir of My Father by Augusten Burroughs

The author of the best-selling Running with Scissors traces the story of his relationship with his father, in a psychologically charged tale that evaluates such themes as the line between love and hate and a child's longing for unconditional love.Check catalog for availability.

When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris

David Sedaris is a regular contributor to The New Yorker and Public Radio International's "This American Life." In this collection of essays Sedaris chronicles the quirks of everyday life in France and America, from an attempt to make coffee with water from a flower vase to a drug purchase in a North Carolina mobile home. Check catalog for availability.

Home: A Memoir of My Early Years by Julie Andrews

A personal account of the iconic actress's pre-fame life traces the time between her birth in 1935 and her discovery by Walt Disney during her 1962 Broadway performance in Camelot, a period marked by her relationships with a vaudevillian mother and teacher father, the World War II London Blitz, and her work as a Royal Command Performance child soloist. Check catalog for availability.

Submitted by Jacki @ MPL Central

I recently read two great books by Wisconsin native Michael Perry:

Population 485: Meeting Your Neighbors One Siren At A Time

Life in a small Wisconsin town is descibed in this well written and emotional memoir. The author, a volunteer firefighter, uses his on the job experiences as a backdrop for exposing his own life and feelings. This page turner is a gem of a memoir. Check catalog for availabilty.

Truck: A Love Story

Truck isn't quite a sequel to Population 485, but it does refer to some of the same characters. The author's life in a small western Wisconsin town unfolds around him while passionately restoring a 1951 International Harvester pickup truck. Told with an eye for humor and detail, this memoir will warm you on a cold day. Check catalog for availability.

- Submitted by Dan @ Central

Hailing from Norway and known only by his first name, Jason has quickly become one of my favorite graphic novelists. He employs a keen minimalistic style with a playfully sinister air of noir. Words are used sparingly in his anthropomorphic world, but deadpan humor and not-so-subtle social commentary abound.

I highly recommend all of his work – but Hey Wait… is perhaps his finest moment to date and the best starting point. Check catalog for availability.

- Submitted by Tom @ MPL Central

If you love movies but are tired of the same boring film lists that seem to endlessly repeat themselves, take a look at two very different books that celebrate cinema from slightly twisted perspectives -

The Film Club by David Gilmour (2008)
Movies have always mattered to Canadian film critic and novelist David Gilmour, so when his unhappy teenage son, Jesse, wants to drop out of high school they strike a deal. David will allow it on two conditions: Jesse must avoid drugs and must agree to watch three dad-selected movies per week with David. The resulting memoir offers insights into a sometimes stormy father-son relationship and chronicles David's viewing suggestions (everything from The Bicycle Thief to Showgirls). Check catalog for availability.

10 Bad Dates With De Niro edited by Richard T. Kelly (2008)
Kelly has put together a collection of favorite movies submitted by directors, fans, screenwriters, obsessives, playwrights and more arranged into some rather provocative categories:

- "Ten Films to Avoid on Medication (or Within Reach of a Cutlery Drawer)"
- "Ten Best Screen Drunks"
- "Playing God? Somebody Has To! – Ten Mad Movie Scientists"
- "Manicure Madness – Ten Shining Examples of Notable Nail Varnish"

There’s a list for every taste… take a look at "Are You Gonna Swallow That?" for proof. Check catalog for availability.

- Submitted by Christine @ MPL Central

Home-Made: Contemporary Russian Folk Artifacts by Vladimir Arkhipov (2006)
I randomly happened across this odd little gem of a book when it first appeared at the library in 2006. It continues to fascinate me to this day. The text from the back cover sums it up better than I can:

"This book contains highlights from Russian artist Vladimir Arkhipov's collection of unique artifacts. Objects made by ordinary Russians inspired by a lack of immediate access to manufactured goods during the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The archive includes hundreds of objects created with often idiosyncratic functional qualities made for both inside and outside the home, such as a tiny bathplug carefully fashioned from a boot heel; a back massager made from an old wooden abacus; a road sign used as a street cleaner's shovel; and a doormat made from beer bottle tops.

Featuring over 220 individual aftifacts of Soviet culture, each accompanied by a photograph of the creator, their story of how the object came about, its function and the materials used to create it."

Check catalog for availability.

- Submitted by Tom @ MPL Central

The Disappearance by Genevieve Jurgensen (Translated by Adriana Hunter)

This is an almost unbearably sad, yet stunningly beautiful, memoir written by a mother a dozen years after her two daughters, ages four and seven, were killed in an automobile accident. The callous reaction of the driver responsible for the tragedy inspired the author to co-found France’s League Against Road Violence, and her efforts to change laws and driving habits helped drastically cut traffic fatalities in France. In spite of the achingly poignant subject matter, this is a book that is hard to put down. Check catalog for availability.

- Submitted by Anna @ Central

The Echo From Dealey Plaza: The True Story of the First African American on the White House Secret Service Detail and His Quest for Justice After the Assassination of JFK by Abraham Bolden Check catalog for availability.

This reads like an Oliver Stone screenplay and it’s begging to be adapted into a blockbuster movie by an enterprising Milwaukee Public Library reader. Here’s why:

It’s April 28, 1961. A young black Chicago Secret Service agent meets President John F. Kennedy at a post no other agent wants--the entrance to a McCormick Place basement bathroom. After a brief conversation, Kennedy asks Bolden to join the detail as the first black man to serve on the White House security team. (“Would you like to be the first Negro agent on the Secret Service detail, Mr. Bolden?”)

Bolden stands post directly outside the President’s office and shakes hands with Hubert Humphrey, Evelyn Lincoln, Pierre Salinger, and Bobby Kennedy. (Barry Goldwater is introduced but refuses to shake Bolden’s hand.) He recounts minding the adorable Caroline for an idyllic summer hour while President Kennedy takes a leisurely swim at Hyannisport.

It’s the sixties, so it’s no surprise that Camelot turns tragic and elegiac. Bolden soon becomes aware that his fellow Secret Service agents are racists who take an irresponsible approach to security, often surreptitiously slamming down liquor or taking drugs on the sly while on duty. Bolden tells the chief of the White House detail that if there is an attempt to assassinate the president, it will be successful because the agents will be in no condition to react.
Weeks later Kennedy visits Dallas.

This isn’t your average Warren-out-of–Commission/there’s-more-than-one-assassin-on-the-grassy-knoll tome. What ensues post-assassination is so sinister, I won’t be the only baby boomer who reads this and needs to sleep with a nightlight in a post-apocalyptic, empty world.

Submitted by Jane @ Martin Luther King Library

The Ghost Mountain Boys : Their Epic March and the Terrifying Battle for New Guinea - The Forgotten War of the South Pacific by James Campbell
The winner of the 2007 RR Donnelley Literary Award by the Wisconsin Library Association for the highest literary achievement by a Wisconsin author, Ghost Mountain Boys relates the heroic exploits of the storied 32nd "Red Arrow" Division's battles on the mud slicked mountains and mosquito infested swamps of New Guinea during WWII. Primarily comprised of soldiers from Wisconsin and Michigan, the 32nd Division overcame hellacious terrain and a determined Japanese army to obtain victory despite ongoing supply problems and a sometimes overeager General MacArthur. Meticulously researched and beautifully written, this long overdue story highlights another piece of Wisconsin's proud military tradition. Check catalog for availability.

- Submitted by Dan @Central

Uncommon Places: The Complete Works
Stephen Shore made several road trips across America during the 1970’s, stopping off along the way to photograph ordinary, everyday subjects such as random cityscapes, small town storefronts, rural homes and motel interiors. The resulting photos are nothing short of striking (especially due to their supersaturated color) and provide a quintessential snapshot of the American landscape. Check catalog for availability.

Shore’s work from this period is currently on display at Marquette University’s Haggerty Museum of Art. The exhibition runs through September 28th and admission is free.

- Submitted by Tom @ MPL Central

The new book from the author of The Sex Lives of Cannibals takes us along on his often hilarious tour of China. We travel from Beijing (bad air!) to Shanghai (more bad air!) to the Gobi Desert and Tibet, with a stop in Hong Kong along the way. The author's keen eye for detail and extraordinary wit make this journey as fun as it is informative! While snacking on Yak and singing the Eagles in a karaoke bar, Troost guides the reader through a China that is a modern industrial giant, with teeming cities and towering skyscrapers, but we also see a China where Mao is ever present and an underlying feeling of menace treads under the urine soaked streets. To get an insiders look at the home of the 2008 Olympic Games, this fun book comes highly recommended.

Check catalog for availability.

- Submitted by Dan @ Central

Notes On A Life by Eleanor Coppola

Check the catalog for availability.

If you’d surmise that the matriarch of this family would be flamboyant, commanding, and larger-than-life, then you’d be wrong. Eleanor’s writing style is quiet and reserved; she has the centered Zen energy of an observant monk. Ranging episodically over several decades, Coppola offers an honest portrait of middle age and marriage— she’s just turned 50 as her book begins in 1986. She has Wife Problems (a ubiquitous affliction compounded by the fact that she’s married to a genius)--- for decades she has put her husband and their family first and her own aspirations second. She ponders the choices she’s made:

"I have an ongoing internal war, a conflict between wanting to be a good wife and mother and also to draw, paint, design, write and shoot videos. I focus on the family and imagine there will be time for my interests, but there rarely is."

She’s an artist and a documentary filmmaker in her own right, but feels like an invisible shape-shifter. She overhears Tom Waits’ speaking on a movie set and acknowledges his wisdom ruefully. He says: “Family and career don’t like each other … one is always trying to eat the other. You’re always trying to find balance. But one is really useless without the other. What you really want is a sink and a faucet. That’s the ideal.”

There are some interesting Brando stories (“I felt as if I were standing in a special beam of light”), a fascination with numerology, some anecdotal references to Francis’ temper tantrums, a biography of the ancient psychic oak tree on The Niebaum- Coppola estate, and a bizarre account of a trip on Ellen Barkin’s preposterous yacht.

Coppola’s revelation of the enormous personal costs of being married and raising a family might be an emotional life raft for all wives and mothers, famous or otherwise.

Submitted by Jane @ King

"It's Alive! It's Alive!" When Dr. Frankenstein shrieked those memorable words in the famous creation scene of the 1931 film version of Frankenstein, a new pop culture icon was born! Or was it? In Susan Tyler Hitchcock's engaging history of all things Frankensteinian, we learn that the big green monster was actually a popular figure on the stage in England in the mid 1820's! Created in 1816 by Mary Shelley for her groundbreaking novel, the Frankenstein monster (Frankenstein was the creator, not the monster!) has had an astounding impact on popular culture worldwide ever since. From cartoons, movies, science and literature, Shelley's creation refuses to die and in fact, continues to add to it's legend. Hitchcock literally brings Shelley's creation to life in this engaging and fun history of one of the oldest and most famous of monsters of all time.
Check catalog for availability.

- Submitted by Dan @ Central

Hurry Down Sunshine by Michael Greenberg
This memoir begins with a bang: "On July 5, 1996, my daughter was struck mad." It chronicles the summer when 15-year-old Sally experienced her first full-blown manic episode--an event that in a "single stroke" changed her identity and, by extension, that of her entire family. Check the catalog for availability.

The Irregulars: Roald Dahl and the British Spy Ring in Wartime Washington by Jennet Conant
After blinding headaches cut short his distinguished career as a Royal Air Force fighter pilot, Dahl became part of an elite group of British spies working against the United States' neutrality at the onset of World War II. Check the catalog for availability.

Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
The debut thriller is a total page-turner and the first in a trilogy. Readers who enjoy Charlie Huston and Michael Connelly will want to pick this up. Check the catalog for availability.

Isaac's Storm: A man, a time, and the deadliest hurricane in history (1999) by Erik Larson
This non-fiction historically accurate suspense book reads like a novel and takes place in the city of Galveston in 1900. Although indigenous weathermen from Cuba predicted a terrible storm, America’s Weather Bureau disagreed. The children of Galveston frolicked in the water flooding the city streets as others flocked to the beaches to see the beautiful waves. Little did they know, their city was about to be devastated by the most horrific hurricane to ever hit the shores of America. Check catalog for availability.

Erik Larson is also the author of the well known The Devil in the White City: Murder, magic, and madness at the fair that changed America.

Galveston and the 1900 Storm (2000) by Patricia Bellis Bixel and Elizabeth Hayes Turner
This is a non-fiction illustrated account of the 1900 Galveston hurricane and an excellent companion to Erik Larson's book. Check the catalog for availability.

- Submitted by Paula @ Central

Guadalcanal Diary by Richard Tregaskis
When US Marines landed on the island of Guadalcanal during the first American offensive of WWII, International News Service correspondent Richard Tregaskis landed with them. Besides the news dispatches he sent back home, he kept a wonderfully written diary describing the fierce jungle battles and hardships he and the Marines endured while fighting the Japanese in August and September of 1942. Written in a matter of fact style and told in the present tense, Tregaskis manages to humanize brutal combat while injecting humor and sophistication along the way. Widely considered a classic war narrative, Guadalcanal Diary will educate as much as entertain the reader. This book was also made into a Hollywood "flag waver" movie in 1943. Check catalog for availability.

- Submitted by Dan @ Central

Born in Boston in 1809, Poe published his first book of poems in 1827 and his first collection of short stories twelve years later in 1839. Over the next ten years until his death in 1849, Poe was an especially prolific writer despite heavy drinking, poverty and illness. It was during these ten years that he wrote Murders in the Rue Morgue (1841) which is widely considered to be the first detective story and his most famous poem, The Raven. (1845) This beautiful collection of works from a true literary genius showcases the author's talent through short horror stories like The Masque of the Red Death(1842), The Tell-Tale Heart(1843), The Fall of the House of Usher (1839), and The Cask of Amontillado(1846).
Besides The Raven, Poe wrote many stunning poems filled with stark imagery and desolate thoughts, but also with a remarkable command of language and prose that is simply astonishing.

Some other notable poems are Ulalume(1847), Annabel Lee(1849), The Haunted Palace(1839), The Conqueror Worm(1843), and The Bells(1849).

With the seasons changing and Halloween approaching, now is a fantastic time to visit the dreary, bleak, and horrific works of this magnificent writer. Check catalog for availability.

- Submitted by Dan @ Central

Waiter Rant: Thanks for the Tip - Confessions of a Cynical Waiter by The Waiter
What started (and continues) as a blog at waiterrant.net is now also a book. The Waiter has many tales to tell about his customers and coworkers. My favorite chapters involved Valentine’s Day and NYEve—two dates, in fact entire weekends, that people should consider eating at home. Why, you ask? Read Waiter Rant. Check the catalog for availability.

Service Included: Four-star Secrets of an Eavesdropping Waiter by Phoebe Damrosch
While Phoebe was deciding what to do with her life, she worked as a waiter. Before long she was a captain at the New York City four-star restaurant Per Se, the creation of master chef Thomas Keller. This is the story of her experiences there: her obsession with food, her love affair with a sommelier, and her observations of the highly competitive world of fine dining. Check the catalog for availability.

Heat: An Amateur's Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-quoting Butcher in Tuscany by Bill Buford
Buford is a writer for The New Yorker currently and this is his account of working for free in the kitchen of Babbo, a New York restaurant owned by Chef Mario Batali. Buford's premise is that he considered himself to be a capable home cook and wondered if he had the skill to work in a busy restaurant kitchen. Check the catalog for availability.

Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain
This book is pretty much about Bourdain and not so much about cooking. As such, cursing, vulgarity and sexual references abound. Anthony Bourdain is the executive chef at Brasserie Les Halles in New York, and he is the host of the series No Reservations on the Travel Channel. Check the catalog for availability.

Girl Cook: A Novel by Hannah McCouch
Layla Mitchner is a twenty-eight-year-old Cordon Bleu graduate trying to find a space in the fast-paced, high-pressure world of Manhattan’s top restaurant kitchens. She knows she’s got the talent to be a great chef, but there she is slaving for a misogynistic boss who’d sooner promote the dishwasher than give a woman the chance to prove her sous-chef mettle. Check the catalog for availability.

My Last Supper: 50 Great Chefs and Their Final Meals by Melanie Dunea
The coffee table book for foodies! 50 famous chefs describe what they would have as their final meal, who they would be with and where. Recipes are included at the end, but the absolutely gorgeous portraits of each chef steal the show. Even if you aren’t familiar with these people or their restaurants, you’ll enjoy perusing this immensely. Check the catalog for availability.

A World Lit Only By Fire: The Medieval Mind and the Renaissance: Portrait of an Age by William Manchester (1992)
This exciting history truly flows like a novel and is an interesting read. Manchester recounts the fascinating transformation of Europe from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. Check catalog for availability.

I'd rate this one entertaining and illuminating.

- Submitted by Paula @ MPL Central

In many ways, the title of this biography of singer/songwriter Warren Zevon encapsulates his life in a single descriptive sentence. Written by his estranged wife through personal recollections, interviews from a vast assortment of colleagues and friends, and from his own journal entries, Zevon's story is more of an oral history than a traditional biography. Zevon was an "Excitable Boy" in real life, as well as in song. This bio offers a "warts and all" look at a talented, but flawed artist who self medicated himself with alcohol, groupies and nastiness. All the grisly details are here, but the overall picture paints Zevon as a brilliant artist who was his own worst enemy. The legacy of Zevon's work has yet to be determined, but he lived quite a life building it. Zevon died of lung cancer in 2003 at age 56. Check catalog for availability.

- Submitted by Dan @ Central

Handmade Nation: The Rise of DIY, Art, Craft and Design (2008) by Faythe Levine and Cortney Heimerl
As the DIY craft movement has gained prominence and spread across the USA in recent years, Faythe Levine has been Milwaukee's key player. Locally, she initiated and runs the twice-annual Art vs. Craft Fair and co-owns Paper Boat Boutique. Nationally, she has been documenting the output and efforts of the indie craft community at large.

With Handmade Nation (which parallels a documentary film of the same name that will be released next year), Levine and Heimerl shine a light on things with a handful of insightful essays, a bevy of great photos and profiles on 24 individual knitters, stitchers, printers and fabricators. Check catalog for availability.

- submitted by Tom @ MPL Central

Persepolis is the story of Satrapi's childhood and coming of age. Marji grows up within a large and loving family in Tehran during the Islamic Revolution. The contradictions between private life and public life in a country plagued by political upheaval are detailed as well as her high school years in Vienna when she must face adolescence far from her family.

It couldn't have been easy growing up amidst so much repression, especially considering how progressive her family was. First published as a two volume graphic novel, it is now available in one combined volume and as a film. Read the novel for full impact or watch the film in Satrapi's native French language with English subtitles. Check catalog for availability.

When Germany invaded Poland, bombers devastated Warsaw—and the city's zoo along with it. With most of their animals dead, zookeepers Jan and Antonina Zabinski began smuggling Jews into empty cages. Another dozen "guests" hid inside the Zabinskis' villa, emerging after dark for dinner, socializing, and, during rare moments of calm, piano concerts. Jan, active in the Polish resistance, kept ammunition buried in the elephant enclosure and stashed explosives in the animal hospital. Meanwhile, Antonina kept her unusual household afloat, caring for both its human and its animal inhabitants—otters, a badger, hyena pups, and lynxes.

World War II from the Polish perspective was not something familar to me and I learned a lot about the uprising and Ghetto experience in Warsaw. I also didn't realize that the Nazi's (especially Hermann Goering) not only wanted to create and maintain a pure human race, they wanted a pure and Aryan animal race as well. Soldiers 'borrowed' animals from various zoos and interbred them to try to recreate extinct species such as forest tarpans and aurochsen.

Ackerman is also a poet and naturalist which comes across very nicely and makes this a lyrical and compassionate read not to be missed. Check catalog for availability.

Thoreau at Walden (2008) by John Porcellino
John Porcellino is best known for his long-running, journalistic zine entitled King-Cat Comics. Over the years, his drawing and writing style has tranformed from crude angst to a thoughtful zen-like calm. Here he takes on Thoreau's Walden and deftly distills it into graphic novel form, elegantly capturing its essence with simple line drawings and an economy of text. Check catalog for availability.

- submitted by Tom @ MPL Central

The "Dark Ages" often conjure images of Attila the Hun or a crazed Saxon on a horse pillaging a medieval village and burning everything in their wake. Though these events certainly took place, the term "Dark Ages" generally refers to a time in European history between the fall of the Roman empire and the reign of Charlemagne, roughly 400 AD to 900 AD. The term refers to the lack of written records during this period in history, thus what happened remains "dark." We do know that the building projects initiated by the Romans ceased to be maintained and that a central hub of rule seemed to have vanished. The basis of Wells' book is to show that many creative and important advancements on society occured during these times. Since few written records exist to explain everyday life, Wells, an renowned archaelogist, uses artifacts from archaelogical digs to piece together a picture of society during those centuries. For instance, Wells devotes a short chapter describing what the funeral of a Frankish king named Childeric (approx 436-482 ) would have been like during the Dark Ages. His entire description is conjecture based solely on archaelogical artifacts found in his grave. Written for a general audience, Wells condenses years of research and theory into a concise examination of the subject. A fascinating and easy read. Recommended for general readers interested in history.

Check catalog for availability.

- Submitted by Dan @ Central

A candid, and quite funny memoir about growing up as a plump Jewish kid under the care of his grandparents because his mother leaves him for Italy and her fourth husband. Rothschild shares his struggle to fit into the WASPy world of Upper East Side Manhattan and his eccentric and dysfunctional family. Check catalog for availability.

Can You Ever Forgive Me? Memoirs of a Literary Forger by Lee Israel
This breezy memoir will make all librarians twitch and shout in myoclonic horror. It details the felonious caper of writer Lee Israel who forged more than 400 letters imputed to notables like Noel Coward and the B-Is-For-Boozers literary troika of Edna Ferber, Dorothy Parker, and Louise Brooks.
A modest New York literary success, Israel rented a small but comfortable studio west of Zabar's while enjoying intravenous martinis and an affair with a bartender named Elaine. Israel was imprudent with money and Dionysian to the quick. Eventually flirting with welfare and desperate to stay in "restaurants and taxis," Israel found a letter written to her by Katharine Hepburn, a thank-you note for an Esquire profile. Israel sold the letter for $250.
Then inspiration struck.
One day at the library, she slid three letters written by Fanny Brice into her Keds and walked out. Fetching only $40 apiece after the dealer explained that the content wasn't great, Israel added another wrinkle to her scheme. She added a postscript to another purloined Brice letter about a new grandchild: "He has my old nose. Do I leave him an extra something for repairs?"
From there, it was a quick descent into total invention. Israel stole stationery from old notebooks in libraries and traced signatures atop the screen of her ancient Sears Roebuck television.
While the ending might strike some as a splendid artichoke of abbreviation, remember Orson Welles said that if you’re looking for a happy ending, it depends on where you stop your story. Check catalog for availability.

Submitted by Jane H. @ King

When Ray Davies and his younger brother Dave belted out the classic riff and melody of "You Really Got Me" with their seminal British band The Kinks in 1964, some say "Hard Rock" was born. Regardless if you believe that statement or not, the genius and influence of songwriting great Ray Davies is indisputable. The induction of The Kinks into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 only validated their rightful place among rock's elite bands.

Ray Davies: Not Like Everybody Else isn't a typical biography in the traditional sense, but rather, it examines the career of Davies and The Kinks single by single and album by album. The author academically analyzes Davies' songwriting and themes in an engaging and thoughtful way that adds much insight into the works of a true rock n roll demigod. Though this scholarly book will most likely appeal to fans of The Kinks (which I happen to be), fans of rock n roll history will gain some great insight into the 40 plus year career of a truly special and gifted songwriter.

- Submitted by Dan @ Central

Competive birding is the sport version of bird watching - to track how many bird species can be sighted within in a specified geography in a specified timeframe. And it's an obsession for a select few - especially when it comes to capturing the "Big Year" record for North America. Here are two highly engaging books on the subject -

The Big Year: A tale of man, nature and fowl obsession (2004) by Mark Obmascik
Thanks in part to El Nino, 1998 was a banner year for birding, with many rare species being blown off their normal migration routes and into North America. Obmascik chronicles the efforts of three men (each quite a "character" in his own right) criss-crossing their way across the continent in a chase for the new record. A well-written, fast-paced and humorous read. Check catalog for availability.

Kingbird Highway: The biggest year in the life of an extreme birder (2006) by Kenn Kaufman
Noted ornithologist Kenn Kaufmann recounts his 1973 attempt at a "Big Year", humbly hitchhiking his way across the continent on a minuscule budget. Along the way, he comes-of-age, both as a birder and a man. An inspiring read on multiple levels.
Check catalog for availability.

Ravens in the Storm: A Personal History of the 1960s Antiwar Movement by Carl Oglesby

Carl Oglesby went from working for a Defense contractor to president of the left-of-center Students for a Democratic Society. But while his politics changed very little during the late 1960’s, SDS became a more radical left-wing organization and self-destructed over the issue of a violent response to the Vietnam War, perhaps with a lot of help from the Nixon administration. Oglesby sued the government under the Freedom of Information Act to get his personal files released.
Check catalog for availability.

- Submitted by Richard @ Central

Ulysses: Departures, Journeys & Returns. The Artwork of Andrew Schoultz. (2007)

Andrew Schoultz (b. 1975) was born and raised in Milwaukee. A graduate of Pius XI High School with an affinity for skateboarding and graffiti he moved to San Francisco in 1997. Upon arrival he immersed himself in the Mission District's street mural scene and quickly made his mark. He later received a Fine Arts degree from SF's Academy of Art University and his work has since moved from the streets to galleries and museums worldwide.

This book highlights a ten year span of his prolific output - from his early loosely Dr. Seuss-ian sprawlings to his current obsessively-detailed epic battlescapes. While recurring images, symbols and themes have shifted and evolved along the way, Schoultz consistently delivers an eyeful and then some. Check catalog for availabilty.

- submitted by Tom @ MPL Central

Do Cats Hear With Their Feet?: Where Cats Come From, What We Know About Them, And What They Think About Us by Jake Page, 2008

This fascinating book explores not only the evolutionary path of the domestic house cat (felis catus), but also the historical significance of cats and the continued mysteries surrounding our feline friends. Page, the author of many books about the natural sciences, includes a detailed explanation of the evolution of the cat family as well as an account of recent findings that cats were domesticated before Ancient Egypt. Additionally, theories as to why cats may have come into contact with human settlements and the reason why cats have never been completely domesticated are explained. Page details the various mythologies surrounding cats from different cultures and random facts about cats. The colloquial tone makes this book easy for cat lovers to devour.

Check catalog for availability.

- Submitted by Melissa @ Central

Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron, with Bret Witter, 2008.

Dewey Readmore Books, or Dewey as he was known by all who loved him, was the library cat at the Spencer Public Library in the small town of Spencer, Iowa. He was found in the book return of the library one bitterly cold January morning. His paws were frostbitten and he was so dirty that the library staff was not even sure what color he was. Dewey was cleaned and cared for and instantly loved the library as much as the library loved him. But Dewey was so much more than a mascot for the library. People came from around the globe to visit Dewey. He was featured nationally in news reports and magazine articles. He also appeared in two documentaries (one of which was filmed for a Japanese audience). You do not have to be a cat lover to thoroughly enjoy this heartwarming tale of a small Midwestern town and their beloved Dewey.

Check catalog for availability.

- Submitted by Beth @ Central

I can has cheezburger? : a LOLcat collekshun Professor Happycat & icanhascheezburger.com by Eric Nakagawa, 2008

The website icanhascheezburger.com began in 2007 as the brainchild of Eric Nakagawa, a.k.a. “Cheezburger”. Nakagawa posted an image macro of a crazed looking grey cat with the caption, “I can has cheezburger?”, spawning an extremely popular blog and a new dialect based on internet slang (lolspeak). The blog also spun off into the LOLcat Bible Translation project, which translates the bible into lolspeak, and LOLCODE, a computer programming language. This book is a collection of the most popular and humorous LOLcats from the blog. This is definitely a book for animal lovers and pop culture junkies alike.

Check catalog for availability.

- Submitted by Melissa @ Central

Daughter of Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher, former wife of Paul Simon; you may already know quite a bit about this icon’s story. But this is an entertaining read, in particular the chapter about her family tree. It’s fascinating to see her lineage and the personalities involved. Her stories are amusing. She ingeniously relates the joys and complications of being Debbie Reynolds’s daughter.

The chapter about Carrie merging her own identity with that of Princess Leia was also hilarious. Actors understand that a line separates them from their characters, but Carrie doesn’t always seem to. This "mystification" makes for funnier stories! Check catalog for availability.

The history of haemorrhagic fevers caused by viruses like ebola and Marburg are described in this truly scary book. Originating in the jungles of Zaire (now The Democratic Republic of the Congo) and Sudan in the 1970's, ebola has become one of the most dreaded and deadly diseases known to man. According tp the World Health Organization, between 1976 and 2005 there have been 1871 confirmed cases of ebola with 1296 of those resulting in death because there is no known cure.
Preston painstakingly describes the effects this shocking disease has on the body and outlines how The Center For Disease Control (CDC) finally identified the horrible virus that was terrorizing entire villages in Africa.
Even more terrifying is a chapter that describes how an outbreak of a strain of the ebola virus hit a monkey storage facility in Reston, Virginia and the steps a secret military team took to contain the outbreak and prevent the disease from reaching nearby Washington D.C.
Well documented, well written and truly terrifying, this shocking true story is the scariest I've ever read.

Check catalog availability

This book was the inspiration for the 1995 Dustin Hoffman film titled Outbreak.

Submitted by Dan @ Central

Bowling Across America: 50 States in Rented Shoes (2008) by Mike Walsh

27-year-old Mike Walsh, still reeling from the recent death of his father, quits his unfulfilling advertising job in Chicago, borrows his mom's car and hits the road on a modest quest to bowl in all 50 states. Along the way, he gets a smattering of press, a sponsorship from Miller High Life and a sampling of modern day bowling culture. Walsh serves up a hefty dose of self-depreciating humor in this romping travelogue and the randomness of his adventure makes for enjoyable light reading. Check catalog for availability.

- submitted by Tom @ MPL Central

I find a quirky charm in these early poems by acclaimed drunkard and poet Charles Bukowski. Written between bottles of beer and bouts with prostitutes, these poems are as exquisite as they are brutal; as introspective as bold; as soft as uncompromising. They tell of loneliness, heartbreak, drunkenness and barbarity. They also speak of kindness, acceptance and love, but most of all, they speak of humanity and the pressures that ebb into and flow out of each of us in a way only a master poet and astute observer of the human condition is capable of creating.

Check catalog availability

Submitted by Dan @ Central

Many of the best people you know emerged from the dysfunctional loam of childhood’s primordial slime and made the world an ashram, their work a dharma. Lynda Barry is beloved because she mines unresolved emotional energies clamoring like small children in order to chronicle childhood’s freckled cruelties, bugs, and monsters---always with psychological depth and humanity.

In What It Is, Barry constructs a compelling story that explains how easy it is for the people and systems around us to obstruct-- or even destroy-- our creativity.
The Footville, Wisconsin native posits the provocative question in which a cheeky genie offers to release you from your own container of pork and beans: “If a genie offered to free you from a dull, canned life, what would you say?”

Part philosophical discussion on image making and why we do it, part jumper cable to revive your creative process, this book is the essence of the writing course Barry gives around the country. It’s all about memory, creativity, a magic cephalopod, and Lynda Barry’s life-- all pasted on a yellow legal pad. Her collages are elaborate, tender, beautiful semiotic studies.

First published in the 80’s by her pal Matt Groening (Barry calls him “Funklord of USA”), she is also infamous for her disastrous romantic relationship with public radio personality Ira Glass. She is definitely the nervous astral goober driving the bus in What It Is: “I’m worried about…the war, things I said 15 years ago, my double chin, unanswered mail, what an ass I am, and I’ve had ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ playing in my head for days.” Check catalog for availability.

Submitted by Jane H. @ King Library

The Wild Parrots Of Telegraph Hill : A Love Story ... With Wings by Mark Bittner (2004)

After reading about Mark Bittner in the news and on the internet, I couldn't wait for his book and film to be released. I was excited to learn about a population of wild parrots in San Francisco and interested in learning more. In both the book and the film you learn about Mark, the entire flock, and the individual parrots within the flock. If you're a bird lover this is a wonderful heartwarming story that lives on in the flock that still thrives today in California. Check catalog for availability.

The Parrot Who Owns Me : The Story Of A Relationship by Joanna Burger (2001)

Burger writes a thoroughly entertaining book about the highs and lows of adopting an adult parrot. In perfect detail, she describes her parrot Tiko's behavior and personality. Tiko’s transition into a new home was terribly difficult for both himself and his new owners. His new life begins withdrawn, depressed, and sometimes aggressive. With time he becomes happy, content and loving. Although the story was sometimes sad, I enjoyed reading about Tiko’s intelligence and transition, as well as Burger's patience and diligence to make the best life possible for Tiko. Check catalog for availability.

Elsewhere In The Land Of Parrots by Jim Paul (2003)

I can't help picking up a book that has a parrot on the cover. I am always curious to see if the author actually knows anything about parrots and how they fit them into the story. This story is well written in that aspect and the characters and storyline are just as interesting as the parrots. It all begins a bit slow, but picks up after the characters and plot have been developed. Don't be fooled by the cover (unless you simply love parrots), Paul writes an interesting book about the relationship of a couple while they are on a South American adventure. Check catalog for availability.

The Final Solution : A Story Of Detection by Michael Chabon (2004)

In 1944 a mute German boy and his parrot wander through the English countryside into the life of a retired detective. The unusual pair bring with them a dangerous mystery with a remarkable resolution. Check catalog for availability.

- Submitted by Paula @ MPL Central

The bloody battle for Iwo Jima during WWII will always be remembered for the iconic photo of six Marines raising the flag atop Mt. Suribachi. The Pulitzer Prize winning photo captures one moment in a battle that lasted over a month and would eventually claim over 23,000 casualties with over 6,000 Marines and Sailors killed in action. All of this carnage came on an island measuring 8 square miles! The men who raised the flag in the famous photo were members of Combat Team 28 of the 5th Marine Division. The history of Combat Team 28 on Iwo Jima is told through official records, and more interestingly, through the personal recollections of Major General Fred Haynes, who was a captain during the battle. His observations, along with others from Marines who were there, tell the real story here. They tell a tale of determination, brotherhood and sacrifice.

Check catalog for availability.

- Submitted by Dan @ Central

Girls Like Us: Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon - and the Journey of a Generation by Sheila Weller

As a big fan of the music of Carole King, Joni Mitchell and Carly Simon, I was really looking forward to reading this book, and I wasn’t disappointed. The lives, loves and dreams of all three iconic singer-songwriters are detailed in this well-researched chronicle by an award-winning magazine journalist and New York Times bestselling author. Emotions and angst from life events and love lost provide material for their heart-felt songs. The talented and ground-breaking artists’ lives are intertwined as their careers take off during the early days of the women’s movement. This captivating page-turner which is listed on Library Journal’s Best Books of 2008 serves as a rock soundtrack of the 60s and 70s and a social history of a wild and momentous era. Library Journal article.

Check catalog for availability.

- Submitted by Kristin @ Central

You may not recognize the name John Grogan, but he’s the author of Marley and Me. His new book is not Marley and Me, although it is humorous and well written. If you grew up Catholic this will certainly be a nostalgic ‘trip.’ Despite growing up in a strongly religious household, Grogan managed to pull off a number of pranks and was involved in several incidents that his parents would not have approved of.

He also tells of his romantic "firsts" and talks about forging a family lifestyle with his wife Jenny and their three children. The book focuses on the differences between his parents and himself. It shows the journey he took from following his family's beliefs and traditions to creating his own. It showcases his compassion and love for his parents despite their struggle with his faith. Check catalog for availability.

I didn't grow up a fan of Madonna. Aware of her, yes, few people weren’t, but my pop star devotion was directed elsewhere. Not having obsessively read about her, actually not really knowing anything about her and then reading this book probably makes my take on it different than that of a devoted fan.

Out of seven siblings, Christopher, younger by three years seems to have had the closest relationship with her. He talks about the various roles--backup dancer, personal assistant, dresser, interior designer, art and tour director, and general supporter--he has had in her life.

She hurts him in many ways; stiffs him for money, invites him to live with her or work for her and then changes her mind, and allows the friends of her latest husband to take pot shots at him. The portrait of Madonna that emerges is not flattering.

But to me, more unflattering is the portrait that Christopher paints of himself. That of a desperate hanger oner. He always says he has no choice but to acquiesce to her every whim, but that’s not true. Not if he’s willing to give up the access to celebrity and ease that comes with the roles she offers him.

Christopher gives a full portrayal of the best and worst of Madonna, but his account is bitter, making it hard to know what is really true. At her worst, she is publicity crazy . . . and at her best she is a shrewd business woman.

Christopher has much to say about her husbands; Sean Penn was angry and uncontrolled, and that Guy Ritchie is homophobic and unpleasant. Warren Beatty emerges as the best of her beaus, giving more evidence of maturity and having some greater sense of the absurdity of Madonna's fame and how she chose to take it on.

All in all, I enjoyed seeing a world typically hidden, as well as the various bits of celebrity dish shared, and surprisingly, it is quite well written. A sign that the attention to detail that has made Madonna a success is perhaps a trait held by more than just one member of the Ciccone family. Check catalog for availability.

Suburban World: The Norling Photos by Brad Zellar (2008)

This past summer, I somewhat randomly happened upon a great photography exhibit at The Minnesota History Center featuring the work of Minnesota native Irwin Norling. For forty hours a week, Norling was employed as an engineer at Honeywell. The rest of his waking hours he was an "amateur" photographer. His subject matter was the town he lived in, Bloomington, and ran the gamut from accident scenes to civic events to local citizens. His style was to capture things "exactly as they are" without any artistic flourishes.

In 2002, while exploring the vaults of the Bloomington Historical Society, journalist Brad Zellar uncovered over 10,000 of Norling's photos. This book culls the best of the bunch and the overall result is a thorough and unsentimental documentation of Bloomington's existence as a typical Midwestern small town, eventually giving way to the surburban sprawl of the Twin Cities. Highly recommended. Check catalog for availability.

- submitted by Tom @ MPL Central

This tale of adventure and travel was as engrossing as it was educational. Working as a reporter in Africa, the author became obsessed with the exploits of storied explorer Henry Morton Stanley. Stanley, famous for uttering the classic quote, “Dr. Livingstone, I presume,” when he located the missing explorer along the shores of Lake Tanganyika in 1871, was also the first explorer to chart the Congo River and it’s territories. The second largest river in Africa, the Congo River runs through Central/Western Africa for almost 3000 miles, most of which is surrounded by jungle and wilderness.

Obsessed with recreating the route Stanley took over one hundred years ago, the author started his adventure on the eastern border of the Democratic Republic of Congo and started heading west across Africa. Assisted by missionary groups, United Nations employees and a pygmy leader, Butcher followed the tracks of Stanley on foot, by motorbike and by dugout canoe. Making his way through inhospitable jungle and terrain ruled by murderous “mai-mai” or Congolese militia, Butcher travels down the Blood River and discovers the “broken heart” of Africa in the process.

Over 1500 lives are lost daily in the Congo from disease, starvation and genocide and Butcher bravely describes the poverty, injustice, corruption, brutality and kindness with an eye for detail and an unwavering voice. This was truly a fascinating read. Check catalog for availability.

- Submitted by Dan @ Central

Letters From the Earth by Mark Twain

Written in 1909 and published posthumously in 1962 after the death of Twain's daughter Clara, who objected to the publication of this collection because she thought it misrepresented her father's views on religion; Letters from the Earth is a striking departure from the humorist writings of Twain's earlier and more famous works. Here, we experience a bitter, sardonic man who is plainly disillusioned with life after the death of both his wife and one of his daughters. "Letters" is a collection of 11 letters from Satan to archangels Gabriel and Michael commenting on the shortcomings of mankind. Well written and cynical, this collection opens a new chapter into the works of who some critics call America's greatest writer. In addition to the "Letters", this collection also features some other essays and short andecdotes. Of particular interest is one essay titledThe Damned Human Race where Twain argues that an anaconda snake is more intelligent and useful than an English nobleman!

Check catalog availability

Submitted by Dan @ Central

Finnish Summer Houses by Jari & Sirkkaliisa Jetsonen (c2008)

Finland's climate and landscape share much in common with our own Wisconsin. And just like here, when winter finally gives way to warmer weather, many Finns retreat to their "up north" summer properties. This book showcases 20 such properties, each created by a different Finnish architect for his/her own personal use. Despite spanning 100 years of design and construction, the cottages depicted are all more alike than different, especially in their sensititivety to their idyllic wooded surroundings. Achingly beautiful, each turn of the page had me yearning for spring and a retreat of my own. Check catalog for availability.

- submitted by Tom @ MPL Central

Both of these books were lovingly written by the brother/sister tandem of Frank Jr and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey about growing up with their 10 other siblings and their unique parents in Montclair, New Jersey during the early 20th century. Their father, Frank Gilbreth Sr., was a time study and efficiency expert who thought he could run his family like he ran a factory. Their mother Lillian, who would later become one of the first PhD holding female engineers, was a happy participant in her husband's time study experiments upon their family until it involved disciplining their twelve kids! The results will bring some solid belly-laughs and maybe a tender tear or two.

Cheaper by the Dozen was published in 1948 and has been adapted to film in 1950. Cheaper by the Dozen starring Clifton Webb and Myrna Loy.

The 2003 and 2005 movies, Cheaper by the Dozen and Cheaper by the Dozen 2 starring Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt have no resemblance to the book besides the fact that their family has 12 children.

Belles on Their Toes was published in 1950 and continues the story of the Gilbreth family. Mother Lillian, forced to lead the family after the death of her husband Frank Sr., bravely takes over the time study business he started. We follow the Gilbreth clan confronting crises after crises with smiles and wit that will warm your heart. From an outbreak of chicken pox to unwanted boyfriends, the Gilbreth's tackle the hardest of times with family strength that is enlightening and endearing.
Belles on their Toes availability.

Submitted by Dan @ Central

Feasting on Asphalt: The River Run by Alton Brown (c2008)

In 2007, Alton Brown (of Food Network fame) embarked on a motorcycle journey that ran the entire length of the Mississippi River. Beginning at the Gulf of Mexico and ending in Minnesota, this combination travel diary/photo journal/cookbook wonderfully documents his stops along the way. Especially those that involved eating. Recipes are presented for the best of the authentic regional roadside fare that he encountered, including one for koolickles (aka Kool-Aid pickles). Both fun to read and to look at, this is definitely a refreshing change of pace from the typical cookbook format. Check catalog for availability.

- submitted by Tom @ MPL Central

In late November, during the frigid winter of 1950, on the hills surrounding the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea, a company of U.S. Marines were given the job of protecting a hill that overlooked a road of vital importance during the Korean War. The week-long battle that ensued added another illustrious chapter to the heralded battle history of the Marine Corps. Surrounded and heavily outnumbered by hordes of Chinese troops, the 234 men of Fox Company gallantly refused to give up the ground they were ordered to hold. Besides battling a determined enemy, the Marines fought below zero temperatures, hunger, lack of medical supplies and communication problems. Three members of Fox Company were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for their actions during this stirring battle in an often forgotten war. The first-hand accounts of combat from survivors that were interviewed by the authors lend a personal feeling to this brutal story. Maps and photos add to the authenticity of this tale of dedication, friendship and determination.
Check catalog availability

Submitted by Dan@Central

The Wild Trees: A Story of Passion and Daring by Richard Preston (c2007)

The coast redwood, existing only in coastal forests in northern California and southern Oregon, is the world’s tallest tree species. In 1963, the National Geographic Society launched an expedition to locate the tallest living specimen and christened the Libbey Tree (aka the Tall Tree), standing at 367.8 feet, as such. With the Libbey Tree serving as its focal point, Redwood National Park was established in 1968.

Since that time (and even prior to it) very little actual research was conducted in the redwood forests. But in the late 1980’s, a small group of college science students managed to climb to the top of a redwood and discovered a complex and previously unknown ecosystem of living things thriving in its canopy. Meanwhile, a separate small group of oddball amateur naturalists began exploring the forests as well and discovered a number of specimens that were taller than even the Libbey Tree. Eventually these two groups would come together and become the leading authorities on redwoods.

Preston’s account of these individuals and their findings makes for a compelling and fascinating read. And for me at least, it’s refreshing to know that there are still pockets of unexplored earth out there to be found. Check catalog for availability.

- submitted by Tom @ MPL Central

In the Land of Invisible Women: A Female Doctor’s Journey in the Saudi Kingdom by Quanta A. Ahmed (c2008)

Prompted by the loss of her U.S. visa, Ahmed, a British-born Pakastani and self-described moderate Muslim, impulsively accepts a position as a doctor at a Hospital in Riyadh, an extremely conservative city in Saudi Arabia. Since the Saudi kingdom is ruled by a strict interpretation of Sharia, or Islamic law, women are not allowed to drive and must wear an abbaya, which is a large black square of fabric that covers the entire body. Despite these and other restrictions on daily life, Ahmed is surprised and pleased to find that her female friends and colleagues are able to live fulfilling lives.

She also encounters a very distinct social order that weighs ancient tribal allegiances along with interpretations of what it means to be Muslim and finds that in gender relations and other aspects of Saudi life, the medieval constantly battles with the modern. In addition, this book shows how the western world’s view of the Muslim world as a monolithic “other” ignores the fact that as a non-Saudi, Ahmed is seen as an outsider.

Check catalog for availability.

- Submitted by Melissa @ Central

Wesley the Owl is the story of a barn owl who, at four days old, is adopted by a biologist from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) due to nerve damage in one wing that would prevent him from being able to survive in the wild. Thus begins an amazing relationship between the biologist and the owl. Because the owl is adopted before it has opened its eyes, the scientists at Caltech inform the biologist (Stacey) that the owl will imprint on her, regarding her as its mother and taking its cues to behavior largely from her. While some of his wild instincts are a natural part of him, things which would normally seem second nature, need to be taught to Wesley, or guided, by Stacey, including flying and eating mice. This is a fun and delightful read that had me smiling or laughing on almost every page. Check catalog for availability.

Submitted by Mary S. at Central

The Soloist, directed by Joe Wright; starring Jamie Foxx, Robert Downey Jr., and Catherine Keener is based on the book by Steve Lopez. It is a biographical drama about real-life musical prodigy Nathaniel Anthony Ayers, who dropped out of Julliard after developing schizophrenia and became a homeless musician on the streets of Los Angeles. Journalist Steve Lopez discovers the former classical music prodigy, playing his violin on the streets. As Lopez endeavors to help the homeless man find his way back, a unique friendship is formed, one that transforms both their lives. Check catalog for availability.

Submitted by Jacki @ MPL Central

“The James Beard Foundation is dedicated to celebrating, preserving and nurturing America’s culinary heritage and diversity in order to elevate the appreciation of our culinary excellence.” The James Beard Foundation Awards for the best cookbooks published in 2008 were announced recently. For a complete list of winners see the James Beard Foundation website.

The following cookbook winners are all available from Milwaukee Public Library’s extensive cookbook collection:

Cookbook of the Year

Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient, with Recipes by Jennifer McLagan. Check catalog for availability.

Baking and Dessert

Bakewise: The Hows and Whys of Successful Baking by Shirley O. Corriher. Check catalog for availability.

Beverage

Winewise: Your Complete Guide to Understanding, Selecting and Enjoying Wine by Steven Kolpan, Brian H. Smith, Michael A. Weiss, The Culinary Institute of America. Check catalog for availability.

American Cooking

Screen Doors and Sweet Tea: Recipes and Tales from a Southern Cook by Martha Hall Foose. Check catalog for availability.

Cooking from a Professional Point of View

Alinea by Grant Achatz. Check catalog for availability.

General Cooking

How to Cook Everything (Completely Revised Tenth Anniversary Edition) by Mark Bittman. Check catalog for availability.

Reference and Scholarship

The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America’s Most Imaginative Chefs by Karen Page, Andrew Dornenburg. Check catalog for availability.

Healthy Focus

The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life by Ellie Krieger. Check catalog for availability.

Writing and Literature

In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan. Check catalog for availability.

- Submitted by Rebecca @ MPL Central

American Elf: The Collected Sketchbook Diaries of James Kochalka

Graphic novelist, children's book author and minor rock star James Kochalka certainly wears his heart on his sleeve - a sleeve that has been on constant display since 1998 in the form of his online daily comic strip, American Elf. Strung together in book format (volume 3 just hit our shelves), the strip takes on epic proportions, giving us more than just a glimpse, and an unflinching one at that, into Kochalka's life as artist, husband, father and fun-loving goofball. At times crude, at times touching, and endlessly entertaining. Check catalog for availability.

- submitted by Tom @ MPL Central

Life in rural Wisconsin, or anywhere else for that matter, has rarely been chronicled as thoughtfully and honestly as by Michael Perry. After writing about his experiences as a volunteer firefighter and resident of New Auburn, Wisconsin in Population 485: Meeting Your Neighbors One Siren at a Time and Truck: A Love Story, this time out Perry writes about building a chicken coop. Or does he? This book is a deeply enriching memoir of love, devotion, responsibility, dedication, friendship and loss. Perry’s voice as a writer is reminiscent of two long time neighbors sharing a glass of lemonade across a picnic table while discussing the trials of life and family over the past year. He unabashedly shares his love for his wife, both his daughters and the rest of his friends and family. He’s also fond of a few pigs and chickens! But this is a memoir of love and about one man’s ability to both realize it and share it. We, as readers, are the better for it.

Check catalog for availability.

- Submitted by Dan

Evan Wright was a Rolling Stone reporter embedded with twenty-three Marines in a platoon of the First Reconnaissance Battalion who were sent ahead of most of the U.S. forces to draw the fire of Saddam Hussein’s army and tie down some of his forces at the start of the invasion. Meanwhile the bulk of the U.S. Army, with their massive fire-power, took a different route toward Bagdad. The lightly armored Marines in “First Recon” (some of their patched-together humvees lacked doors or a roof) raced through dangerous cities and along deserted roads where it was often impossible to separate the civilians from the enemy combatants. Their gung-ho enthusiasm for the war is tempered by the death and destruction they inadvertently bring down upon the innocent, and their quirky – and sometime incompetent – commanders test their commitment to military discipline. Even at the beginning of the war with Iraq, there were signs of the future troubles that poor planning and poor equipment would inflict upon our men and women serving in Iraq. An HBO miniseries based on this book is also available.

Check catalog availability

Submitted by Richard

With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa by E.B. Sledge
The bloody island battles of Peleliu and Okinawa in the Pacific during WWII are described through the eyes of a young Marine from Alabama in this classic war narrative. Studs Terkel was so enamored of this moving memoir that he interviewed the author for his book The Good War. As strongly as the fear and brutality of war are described, so is the compassion and friendship for his fellow Marines. Check catalog for availability.

Submitted by Dan @ Central

Amy Dickinson, “Ask Amy” syndicated advice columnist (she took over after Ann Landers) and an NPR contributor, has written this memoir of her life as a single mom. Surprisingly, she has written a book that is not overly obsessed with her. Instead, each chapter reads like a short story that involves the various people in her life and how they contributed to, or have shaped, her life. Initially, her life is split between Washington, D.C. and Freeville, NY (summers), and later Chicago when she becomes “Ask Amy.” Her daughter grows up through the pages, but never once did I feel that I was being fed a “poor me, I’m a single mother” tale. Instead, “the mighty queens of Freeville” (Queens is actually the name of the diner where the whole family gathers for breakfast on Wednesday mornings), which are her aunts, sisters, mother and the town she grew up in form the village that she turns to for advice and guidance. I think Amy writes honestly and in straight-forward fashion. This was a very satisfying and enjoyable read. Check catalog for availability.

Sumitted by Mary S. @ MPL Central

Freedarko presents... The Macrophenomenal Pro Basketball Almanac

The Freedarko folks take such a stylistic and delightfully odd approach to covering the modern-day NBA, that their hard-to-put-into-words "almanac" is as refreshing as a cold pop on a hot day. Within are unique and engaging features on select superstars (e.g. LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Yao Ming) and maligned talents (e.g. Ron Artest, Rasheed Wallace, Stephon Marbury), each peppered with atypical, yet telling charts, diagrams and statistics. All presented in a stunningly eye-catching fashion resulting in a compelling sports book that is equally a fantastic example of topnotch graphic design and visual illustration. Bizarre, fascinating and, yes, macrophenomenal.

Check catalog for availability.

- submitted by Tom @ MPL Central

The topic of presidential assassination is as somber and serious a topic as I can imagine, unless it is being examined by This American Life contributor and essayist Sarah Vowell.
In this book of essays, Vowell explores the sites, history and minutiae that surround the assassinations of Presidents Lincoln, Garfield and McKinley in such an engaging and witty way that these black marks on American history seem almost docile.
Vowell travels from museums to plaques to theaters that somehow bring to life the events, places and people involved in each of these three assassinations with such a matter of fact intensity that I couldn’t wait to read her next wry observation. Vowell acts as a literary tour guide through the landscape of presidential assassination with an almost irreverent attitude that is as refreshing as it is interesting. I recommend this book to history buffs, students and anyone looking for a well written social study with enough humor to make learning fun.

Check catalog for availability.

- submitted by Dan

The Media Relations Department of Hizbollah Wishes You a Happy Birthday, Neil MacFarquhar’s new book of reportage on the Middle East, is not to be missed.The viewpoint is somewhat unexpected; MacFarquhar is an Arabic speaking American who grew up in Libya and spent over 13 years as a Middle East correspondent. Currently, he is the The New York Times’ United Nations bureau chief. He writes about the activists and intellectuals trying to liberalize their societies and Islam. Caught between religious zealots and regimes of repression often backed by the United States, reform is their goal. Check catalog for availability.
Posted by Jacki @ MPL Central

Deborah Butterfield. by Robert Gordon ; introduction by Jane Smiley ; essay by John Yau ; poems by Vicki Hearne.

I first discovered the work of Deborah Butterfield in a Chicago gallery many years ago. Since then I have seen her pieces at museums and galleries throughout the United States. I never fail to find something new and interesting when looking at her sculptures. Her amazing use of a wide variety of materials include: mud, sticks, wood, steel, bronze, various kinds of found objects, and more. Her main subject is that of the horse. All of the pieces I have seen are life size. This book has numerous photographs of her works and one photograph of her studio that I find fascinating. The text gives biographical information as well as information about the process Butterfield goes through to create her sculptures. Check catalog for availability.

- Submitted by Paula @ MPL Central

The Best in Tent Camping - Wisconsin: A guide for car campers who hate RVs, concrete slabs, and loud portable stereos by Kevin Revolinski and Johnny Molloy (c2007)

With the recent downturn in the economy, interest in camping has surged as an affordable vacation and recreation option. Wisconsin abounds with great camping spots and the authors of this guide have diligently scoured the state to offer up the 50 best. Each are ranked in terms of Beauty, Privacy, Spaciousness, Quiet, Security and Cleanliness. Detailed layout maps are provided for each location and specific tent sites are described and recommended.

True to its subtitle, I have used this guide on numerous occasions and have yet to be disappointed. Check catalog for availability.

The library also owns additional volumes from this series covering various other states.

- submitted by Tom @ MPL Central

The Spanish-American War, fought in 1898, is often remembered for the sinking of the USS Maine and for Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders charge up San Juan Hill. These famous events have been widely popularized by historians and pop culture and those details have been gratefully excluded from this book. The focus, instead, is on the daily lives of soldiers, marines and sailors as they fought the war and the minutiae of their experiences. Instead of policy and politics the reader gets first hand accounts of the conditions, food, training and daily existence of the U.S. combatants. McCaffrey makes the war come alive through the eyes of the men who fought it.

Check catalog availability

Submitted by Dan @ Central

A new movie, Julie and Julia, starring Meryl Streep as Julia Child, Stanley Tucci and Amy Adams is coming out in August. Foodies and film fans alike will enjoy the memoirs and cookbooks the movie is based on.

Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child (c1961)
As a young wife, clueless about cooking, Julia Child went to France in 1948 with her husband, Paul. Her first meal there – a simple sautéed sole – changed her life. She began learning French, then took cooking classes and eventually wrote the classic Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Its publication in the United States launched the culinary revolution that is still inspiring and challenging cooks today. First published in 1961, this groundbreaking two volume work (written with Simone Beck and Louisette Bertholle) contains many basic recipes French cooks knew by heart, but were astonishing to American home cooks of the time. From a simple garlic soup to her exhaustively tested and retested recipe for an authentic loaf of French bread, Julia set out to liberate cooks from what she saw as the tyranny of “home economists” and the marketing of bland packaged mixes and TV dinners. Check catalog for availability.

My Life in France by Julia Child (c2006)
This memoir compiled from Julia’s writings (and published posthumously) displays her sense of humor, keen observations from her many experiences and her passion for the good things in life - all of which makes for a tasty read. Check catalog for availability.

Check catalog for all titles by Julia Child.

Julie and Julia: 365 days, 524 recipes, 1 tiny apartment: How one girl risked her marriage, her job, and her sanity to master the art of living. by Julie Powell (c2005)
Inspired by Julia, and realizing she was unhappy with her life as she turned thirty, Julie Powell took it upon herself to prepare all of the Mastering the Art of French Cooking recipes in one year. Powell blogged as she went along and while her tales of cooking disasters and triumphs became popular, her real purpose, to rediscover her joy in life and the pleasures of a meal shared with friends and family, was achieved. Check catalog for availability.

Incidentally, the movie Julie and Julia is written and directed by Nora Ephron, no slouch in the kitchen herself!

- submitted by Christine @ MPL Central

Half Past Autumn : A Retrospective. by Gordon Parks ; essay by Philip Brookman.

Years ago I had the fortunate opportunity to hear Gordon Parks speak about his life and art work. This book captures some of the things he said in that presentation and numerous illustrations of his breathtaking photographs. The composition of his works create a view and feeling into a life or situation that only a true master can convey. I especially find his color photography to be superior. The vivid colors combined with his fantastic artistic abilities take the viewer to a whole new level of experience. I highly recommend this book to art lovers, historians, journalists, and anyone with the slightest interest in photography. Check catalog for availability.

- Submitted by Paula @ MPL Central

Big Fish by Richard Ellis (c2009)
Richard Ellis has written numerous landmark books and articles on the subject of marine life. His masterfully rendered paintings of sharks and whales have been displayed in museums and galleries around the globe. So perhaps it should come as no surprise that his newest work, Big Fish, though catalogued as nature/science would look right at home on the art shelves as well. On display throughout are mesmerizing depictions of the world's largest fish species (including lesser-known oddities such as the Goblin Shark, Greenland Shark and Oarfish) coupled with an illuminating bit of text for each. Check catalog for availability.

- submitted by Tom @ MPL Central

The Lady and the Unicorn by Tracy Chevalier.

Chevalier submerges readers into medieval Europe with this riveting story. The characters come to life revealing every aspect of average medieval life. Chevalier gives a perspective from medieval merchants struggling for a living rather than that of the royalty which much of medieval historical fiction is based. Awkward tensions build between characters and a sense of urgency builds as the weavers rush to complete the unicorn tapestries on time for their patrons. Check catalog for availability.

For more information about Tracy Chevalier and the history of the unicorn tapestries visit the author's website.

A Walk Through the Cloisters text by Bonnie Young .

For more information about the unicorn tapestries see this book. Check catalog for availability.

The Cloisters : Medieval Art and Architecture by Peter Barnet and Nancy Wu.

For more information about the Cloisters in general see this book. Check catalog for availability.

- Submitted by Paula @ MPL Central

Do you still rave about that one mind-blowing concert you were at back in 1984? Or 1976? Or 1993? I still regularly boast to anyone who will listen about a Blue Oyster Cult concert I experienced many, many years ago. It was a life changing event for me. It wasn’t just the music that etched itself into my mind. BOC was great that night, but it was the EVENT! It was my first trip to Alpine Valley in the early 80’s and that about sums it up! After that show, I knew I really, really liked live rock n roll.
In The Show I’ll Never Forget, Editor Sean Manning compiled essays from 50 acclaimed writers about their most memorable concert experiences. Some of the cool gigs covered range from a 1965 Rolling Stones show to a 1985 Rush concert; from a 1970 Nina Simone concert to a 1997 Prince gig.
This book is more a compilation of recollections and experiences than concert reviews and that is what makes these essays so much fun. My favorite essay was about a 1981 Kinks concert and a problem with a jacket and a few security guards!
So throw on your favorite old threadbare concert shirt, turn down the house lights and read these fun essays by the light of your beat up old "encore lighter."
Check catalog availability

Submitted by Dan @Central

Bat-Manga!: The Secret History of Batman in Japan (c2008) by Chip Kidd and Jimo Kuwata

In early 1966, the American TV show Batman (starring Adam West) hit the Japanese airwaves and manga prodigy Jimo Kuwata was commissioned to produce an original Japanese version of Bob Kane's Batman comic strip. The strip lasted for only a little over one year, never reaching a wide audience or being offered in a translated version, and essentially disappeared into oblivion. In 2001, Batman enthusiast and heralded book designer Chip Kidd heard rumors of the strip's existence and diligently sought to track it down. Beautifully presented here are the fruits of his efforts - a translated-into-English assemblage of many of Kuwata's strips. The panels are kept in their original right-to-left format and Kuwata's minimally stark style is a delight. Interspersed are images of period Japanese Batman toys, collectibles and advertisements. It all makes for a densely packed bat-extravaganza. Check catalog for availability.

- submitted by Tom @ MPL Central

From his self-published debut, Clumsy, to his latest work, Funny Misshapen Body, Chicago based Jeffrey Brown has been documenting his life in graphic novel form. Brown is not at all shy about revealing his sensitive side, putting forth extremely intimate details of his inadequacies, personal relationships, successes and failures. This same intimacy can make things borderline awkward to read at times - making one wonder if he should really be spilling his guts so completely. That said, his work is also full of warmth and humor and his quick and scruffy drawing style fits well with the narrative. Highly recommended, especially to those in their 20's and 30's. Check catalog for availability.

- submitted by Tom @ MPL Central

Ted Kennedy passed away Tuesday at the age of 77, of the brain cancer he battled through the past year. If you want to read more about his life and accomplishments, try one of these titles:

Last Lion: The Rise and Fall of Ted Kennedy Check catalog for availability.

Ted Kennedy: The Dream That Never Died by Edward Klein Check catalog for availability.

Ted Kennedy: Scenes from an Epic Life Check catalog for availability.

Until this year, Senator Kennedy had not written a memoir. But, next month his autobiography, True Compass, will be published. Get your name on the reserve list today: Check catalog for availability.

Submitted by Jacki @ MPL Central

The Complete Illustrated Guide to the Kings & Queens of Britain by Charles Phillips, 2006

This non-fiction book is a fantastic resource for the history of the British monarchy. I found the information about each king and queen to be a wonderful companion and especially useful when reading historical fiction pertaining to England. I also enjoyed the images offered by this book. Check the catalog for availability.

- Submitted by Paula @ MPL Central

American Heritage College Dictionary (4th Edition) - Houghton Mifflin

Aside from the phone book, the American Heritage College Dictionary is probably the most used print resource in our Ready Reference department. The definitions are clear and concise with excellent word origin and usage notes given where needed. Also included are an abundance of biographical and geographical entries as well as a plethora of abbreviations and acronyms.

I'm not suggesting that you read it from cover to cover, but like an umbrella on a cloudy day, it's nice to know that the American Heritage College Dictionary is there if you need it. Check catalog for availability.

- submitted by Tom @ MPL Central

For some reason I always feel a small sense of joy when I come across an intact quonset hut or A-frame standing humbly along the roadside. I guess something about these simple structures triggers a pleasant ping of nostalgia. So it was with great delight that I came across the following fun-to-read-and-look-at titles from Princeton Architectural Press:

Quonset Hut: Metal living for a modern age by Julie Decker & Chris Chiel (c2005)
During the 1940's and 50's, Quonset huts peaked in popularity in post-war America. Their ease of assembly and affordability led to frequent use as storage buildings and, in some cases, living space. Check catalog for availability.

A-Frame by Chad Randl (c2004)

During the 1950's and 60's, A-frames gained popularity as 2nd homes for many an American. Their ease of construction and low cost made them an ideal dwelling to inhabit one's vacation property, be it lakefront or secluded in the woods. Check catalog for availability.

Perhaps future generations will look at modern shipping crate / container architecture in the same way:

Container Architecture by Jure Kotnik (c2008)
Check catalog for availability.

- submitted by Tom @ MPL Central

If you find The World Without Us thought provoking, then check out this book. Forbes reporter Christopher Steiner explores how higher oil prices could affect every aspect of American life, using sushi, UPS and Wal-Mart as examples. Each chapter, in $2 per gallon price hike increments, looks at how our economy, transportation, trade, food, housing, cities, suburbs, environment and military could change.

Check catalog availability

Submitted by Van Lingle Mungo @ MPL

Black Sabbatical: Poems by Brett Eugene Ralph (c2009)

I tasted yesterday's rain,
the carcasses of moths,
broken glances, tears,
the smoke of not-so-distant fires -
all the desperate gestures
we collect and call the seasons.

Brett Eugene Ralph was raised Southern working class, playing football under the bright lights and getting into trouble while fronting punk and hardcore bands. Later on he ventured off to pratice Tibetan Buddhism, before returning home to Kentucky. A couple of weeks ago, I went down to Chicago and saw Ralph give a reading from his debut poetry anthology, Black Sabbatical. With a booming voice and commanding presence, he burned his poems into my head. Afterwards, sitting down and reading these same poems to myself, the still hot embers re-ignited and charred their way in even further.

Far off
The way a train sounds
The way a dog barks at night
At nobody
The way phones ring over & over when you
Almost want to answer
When it's not your phone
But you can hear it

This is a man that has seen things and, with his poetry, knows how to focus a powerful lens on their essence. Check catalog for availability.

- submitted by Tom @ MPL Central

(note: excerpts taken from the poems Firm Against the Pattern & Flowering Judas.)

Essex County Trilogy by Jeff Lemire (c2007 & 2008)
Canadian graphic novelist Jeff Lemire has received numerous awards and accolades for his Essex County series, and with good reason as this trilogy has an equal appeal to both teens and adults. The main story line moves back and forth between several generations of the rural Canadian farming and hockey playing Lebeuf family. The characters are immediately likeable and the overall mood is sentimental without ever being cloying. Themes of coming-of-age, growing old, isolation and family obligation abound. Both well-written and well-drawn... if you've never read a graphic novel before, this might be a fine place to start. Check catalog for availability.

- submitted by Tom @ MPL Central

The often overlooked history of the U.S. Coast Guard in WWII is finally given its just rewards in this well researched study of both domestic and overseas actions that the USCG participated in during the war. From fighting Japanese submarines at Pearl Harbor to landing Marines at Guadalcanal; from protecting freighters carrying essential supplies to England from the Nazi wolf packs in the frigid North Atlantic to safeguarding the shipyards in Wisconsin from saboteurs, the USCG played an active and important role in the U.S. winning the war. I found a chapter of personal recollections about duty in the Pacific to be very interesting. Quotations and memories from then active duty Coast Guard, Navy, Army and Marine personnel tell the real story of how important the Coast Guard was to every branch of the military. The chapter on D-Day and the role the Coast Guard played in the invasion of Europe was also engrossing because I had previously assumed that was a Navy operation. Meticulously researched and filled with eye-popping photos, this book will be of interest to military and history buffs.

Check catalog availability.
Submitted by Dan@Central

The Joy of Sox by Linda Kopp. There has been much ado with sock knitting in recent months, thanks in part to the magic loop method (knitting two pair of socks on one long circular needle). Although those who have been bitten by sock knitting will tell you it has nothing to do with the magic loop method, but simply the fun in being able to create something so practical, warm and sized to your foot. I thought this book stood out from some of the others because of the nice tutorial section in the beginning that discusses the anatomy of the sock, sizing, and the three main methods of knitting socks (using double pointed needles, two circular needles and one circular needle). Then, once you get past the tutorial (optional, of course) you will find patterns that range from anklets, toe thongs, mosaic, self striping, lacy and over the knee. In all, the book is fun to look at and if you're a serious knitter like me, you'll be chomping at the bit to knit some socks! Check catalog for availability.

Check the catalog for availability.

How To Get Married In Green : Have An Eco-friendly Wedding Without Compromising On Style by Suzan St. Maur.

Check the catalog for availability.

The Bride's Survival Guide : 150 Mistakes You Should Avoid For The Perfect Wedding by Sharon Naylor.

Check the catalog for availability.

Submitted by Paula @ Central

Chickenhawk by Robert Mason (c1983)

Chickenhawk is Robert Mason's firsthand account of his time spent as a U.S. Army helicopter pilot, serving in the Vietnam War from August of 1965 to August of 1966. During that time, Mason flew over 1000 combat missions and found himself "in the thick of it" on many occasions. He depicts the day-to-day life of a soldier, riveting edge-of-your-seat helicopter action and the grim horrors of war all with an even keel and an easygoing sense of humor. Mason's writing style is simple, straightforward and entirely engaging. And while I'm certainly not a war buff, I found this to be one of the best books I've ever read. Highly recommended. Check catalog for availability.

- submitted by Tom @ MPL Central

Animals and Objects In and Out of Water: Posters by Jay Ryan 2005-2008 (c2009)

Chicago-based artist Jay Ryan began screen printing in earnest back in 1995 and what started as a fledgling basement operation has since blossomed into an internationally acclaimed career via his print shop, The Bird Machine. His bread and butter are gig posters for musical acts (such as Andrew Bird, who wrote the foreword for this book), but he has also served clients as varied as The BBC, Patagonia and Michael Chabon. Animals and Objects... captures 120 of Jay's favorite prints from 2005 through 2008 and as far as books go, this is about as visually pleasing as they come. Check catalog for availability.

- submitted by Tom @ MPL Central

At the age of twenty, Patti Smith fled her New Jersey hometown and took the bus into New York City, hoping to find friends to stay with. One of the first people she sees is a sleeping boy, "pale and slim with masses of dark curls, lying bare-chested with strands of beads around his neck." A chance re-encounter weeks later with "Bob" Mapplethorpe leads to the passionate partnership - artistic, creative, spiritual and sexual - that spans the tumultuous 60's and 70's as they make art, poetry and music together. Smith's memoir, "Just Kids", promised to Mapplethorpe before his death in 1989, bursts with insight and vigor. Her well written story is filled with funny and poignant vignettes of two visionaries struggling to get by on sporadic minimum wage jobs and 'a little help from their friends' while remaining true to each other and their art.

Check catalog availability.

Submitted by Christine @ Central

Chick Ink : 40 Stories Of Tattoos -- And The Women Who Wear Them. Edited by Karen L. Hudson.

No longer are tattoos just for rebels and soldiers. More and more men and women are getting them and society is slowly starting to accept this art form. Perhaps? I found the stories in Chick Ink unique and fascinating. Each chapter focuses on a different woman who speaks about her reasons for permanently adorning her skin with images and words. At the end of the book I had one lingering question. How was the author able to limit the book to only 40 stories?

Submitted by Paula @ Central

Life as a Manager
-As a manager one must be aware of personal limitations and must be able to set realistic goals for themselves and their employees. Managers are expected to "walk on water" when it comes to knowing their jobs, the jobs of their employees and their individual needs. Managers are required to wear various hats and must hold down the front lines when needed.
-Office friendships and socializing outside of the office is rare between managers and employees. Many employees (speaking honestly from experience) are hesitant to form any type of friendship with managers. For some managers it can be pretty lonely at the top.

Check your Baggage at the Door
-Personal situations always seem to sneak their way into the workforce, and no matter how much we try to forget about the argument we had the night before with our spouse or children it can sometimes show in our job performance. Managers must be focused regardless of what may be happening outside of work.
-Managers are human with human emotions just like everyone else. We all have certain things that rub us the wrong way, and the key to keeping our personal feelings to a minimum is by knowing exactly what those things are. Managers must understand that personalities are different and that some may collide and some may crash and burn.

Guiding your Career
-Becoming a manager is at times the final career goal for some individuals. All of their hard work, diligence, and patience have paid off. But for some the road to management does not stop once they land the corner office. Achieving management status is just the beginning. By keeping ones skills sharp, staying up-to-date and setting goals, a manager can easily find their way on a road to upward success.

Submitted by: Sha'Nese