CSL Library Blog / Blogue de la bibliothèque

Eminem: Still the best!

noreply@blogger.com (Staff / Personnel) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 16:01:00 +0000

Love him or hate him, Eminem aka Marshall Mathers, is arguably one of the most successful, and with that, most controversial rap artists in history. Not only is he one of the first white rappers to be accepted into the hip-hop community, his career is continually subjected to intense media scrutiny. Multi-million record sales and multiple Grammy wins aside, he has enjoyed widely-covered confrontations with pop stars, on-going lawsuit battles with his ex-wife and mother, and has been called everything from being gratuitously offensive and violent to being branded as a serial homophobe and a misogynist.

Needless to say, these are not the reasons why I love his music. I came to know Eminem’s music about eight years ago, when the soundtrack to the movie 8 mile first came out, and may I just say, that for someone like myself, whose rap knowledge was almost non-existent, I was completely struck by the level of intensity of the music, with its raw edginess, sung in an unapologetic, “in-your-face” defiance – never had I heard such a profound visceral quality in any popular form. And unlike some the other rap artists I’ve heard, nothing compares to Eminem’s enormously distinctive style: there is melody, form and structure. His rapping style is very unique: with his signature nasal quality, his rhyming patterns, speech rhythms and word alliterations - even when emphasizing syllables and word accents, are characteristically “Eminem” – stylistically distinctive and very musical.

Aside from the clever cover art -- his portrait constructed mosaic-like from all kinds of prescription pills – Relapse: Refill remains somewhat of an autobiographical saga: part truth, part fiction, peppered with personal revelations. As long-time friend and producer Dr. Dre states, “It’s hard core, it’s dark comedy, it’s what Eminem has always been…” On this 2-disc set, many tracks chronicle his near-destruction by prescription and non-prescription drugs. Some begin with spoken-dialogue vignettes or scenes that melodramatic, comedic, violent, or horror-filled in nature, which sets the stage for the song that follows. That said, some tracks are definitely not for the faint-hearted.

Finally, in the words of another great legend, whose duet with Eminem in “Stan” was by far, one of the most memorable opening numbers in the history of the Grammy Awards ceremonies, Elton John sums it up brilliantly:

“Eminem is a true poet of this time, someone we’ll be talking about for decades to come. He tells stories in such a powerful and distinctive way. As a lyricist, he’s one of the best ever. Eminem does for his audience what Dylan did for his: He writes how he feels. His anger, vulnerability and humor come out. That’s why we look forward to listening to Eminem’s lyrics and finding out where the hell he’s headed next.”

Downloadable Audiobooks -- New at the Library

noreply@blogger.com (Staff / Personnel) — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 18:53:00 +0000

Members of the library can now download audiobooks and listen to them with their computers or portable music players-without leaving home.

More than 150 popular and award-winning audiobook titles of the most popular genres are now available for download. More titles will be added later this year. The collection will be shared by members of the libraries of Côte Saint-Luc, Dollard-des-Ormeaux and Pointe Claire, and is available 24 hours a day and seven days a week. Côte Saint-Luc is the first of the cities to launch the service. Pointe Claire is expected to launch on April 23 and Dollard-des-Ormeaux will launch later this year.

Library members need the free Overdrive Media Console software for their Windows or Macintosh computer. Once that is installed, members can visit www.elcslpl.org to browse or search the downloadable audiobook collection, select one, and proceed to checkout-just as one would at an online store. Members then download a small file, which the Overdrive Media Console software uses to download the audiobook files. Members can play and organize the audiobooks from inside the software.

The audiobooks are in the MP3 or WMA file formats. All files can be played on a computer and most can be transferred to and played on portable audio players, such as the iPod or Zune. Some audiobooks can also be copied to a CD data disc. The MP3 and WMA files are protected with digital rights management (DRM), which allows users to listen to the file for a limited time. Once the files expire, they won't work if you try to listen to them.

Library members can check out up to three downloadable audiobooks at a time and choose a 1-week or 2-week loan period.

The library has approximately 4,500 audiobooks on CD cassette. Downloadable audiobooks are the next step in the evolution of audiobooks.

Côte Saint-Luc Reads -- The Disappeared

noreply@blogger.com (Staff / Personnel) — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 20:05:00 +0000

I am so excited about this! The Disappeared is this years CSL Reads pick! It was not an easy feat choosing a book to follow Lawrence Hill’s The Book of Negroes, the CSL Reads book for 2009! Many a book was read, discussed and eliminated by staff members in the CSL Reads committee. Finally, we came across this book! It has all the elements that we were searching for in a CSL Reads book! Happy were we when the author Kim Echlin accepted our invitation to come speak to us about her book. She’ll be here at the library to Launch CSL Reads 2010 on the evening of Thursday April 29. Tickets are on sale at the Circulation desk. Get yours today before we run out!

When I was reading this book, I could not put it down. I actually read it in one sitting! Luckily it is not too big a book! It is so sad in places, I even cried. The story is set in the 1970s, first in Montreal, then in Cambodia, in the time of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge. It is an amazing love story, written in the first person by Anne, a Montrealer, who falls desperately in love with Serey from Cambodia, who is studying in Montreal. Anne’s love for Serey shines through the pages, and you want them to be together, but you know that Serey’s urge to return to his devastated homeland makes it impossible. There’s a real sense of despair. At certain points, I wanted to reach into the book and tell Anne to wake up and move on as he was a lost cause!

I don't want to tell you anything more about the story - you have to read it for yourself. But I do have to say that Echlin's descriptions of the genocide and aftermath in Cambodia are heart-wrenching. I found myself feeling thankful for being born in Canada as I read this novel. I knew about the atrocities that took place in Cambodia on a superficial level, but The Disappeared made me familiar on a much deeper level. This novel will shake you up. It is well worth reading.

Book of the Month - Cutting for Stone

noreply@blogger.com (Staff / Personnel) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:21:00 +0000

A book that has left such a deep and long-lasting impression on me is this month’s Book of the Month, Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese. Unfortunately for me, powerhouse novels such as this, is a rarity, so when I do stumble across one, I am completely blown away by its masterful storytelling.

Briefly, this monumental tale begins with Sister Mary Joseph Praise, a beautiful South Asian nun, who gives birth to conjoined twins in a mission hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Their mother dies and the father, a British surgeon named Thomas Stone disappears. Thus sets the stage for this epic saga, chronicling the lives of twin brothers, Marion and Shiva Stone.

Separated at birth, the twins grow up in Ethiopia, during the tumultuous reign of Emperor Haile Selasisse, and it is here that Verghese introduces the reader to the ancient and exotic world of Ethiopia with all its flavors, colors, scents and sounds. These vivid descriptions of Ethiopian history and culture are wonderfully balanced with the rich and intriguing descriptions of the main characters in the novel: Indian expatriate doctors raising their adopted twin sons, born to an Indian nun and American surgeon, with the help of an Eritrean caretaker and her own daughter – a girl, whose impact on the boys’ lives is very profound and irreversible.

Major themes like the nature of love and loss, separation and displacement; Christianity and the ministry of healing are masterfully handled, and never overshadow the fact that this is, at its core, the absolutely unforgettable story of two brothers, Shiva and Marion.

Monday Murder Mystery

noreply@blogger.com (Staff / Personnel) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 21:15:00 +0000

Here are a couple of who done its to tickle your fancy....

M G776c

Crawlspace: / by Sarah Graves.
Six years after the alleged death of murderer Randy Dodd, true-crime writer Jake Tiptree and her assistant journey to the city of Eastport to investigate suspicions that Dodd faked his death, an effort that is challenged by sinister threats and the abduction of Jake's son.

M M278ma

The Man from Beijing / by Henning Mankell
From the internationally acclaimed author of the Kurt Wallander mysteries comes an extraordinary stand-alone novel - both a mystery and a sweeping drama - that traces the legacy of the nineteenth-century slave trade between China and America.

M S7883c

City of Dragons / by Kelli Stanley.
Discovering a murdered body during San Francisco's 1940 Chinese New Year celebration, private investigator Miranda Corbie ignores a precinct edict to cover up the case and pursues leads in Chinatown tenements, a Little Osaka tailor shop and a high-class bordello.

M R328f

The Fourth Assassin / by Matt Beynon Rees.
Arriving to visit his son in a heavily Palestinian area of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, Omar Yussef discovers the beheaded body of one of the boy's roommates and when his son is arrested as a suspect, Omar must prove his innocence.

M H427c
Cemetery Road / Gar Anthony
When Errol 'Handy' White returns to his native Los Angeles to attend the funeral of his old friend R. J. Burrow, who has been brutally murdered, a terrible secret threatens to reveal itself.

M B6273mp
Murder in the Palais Royal /by Cara Black.
Accused of shooting her partner, Aimée Leduc must also contend with the fact that someone is impersonating her, a taxman is investigating her firm, and two murders may have a connection to the youth Aimée sent to prison.

Nathalie Cooke dishes about Great Canadian Food

noreply@blogger.com (Staff / Personnel) — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:44:00 +0000

Great Canadian food may sound like a paradox to some. I must confess mea culpa. The dish that first came to my mind was poutine - not necessarily haute cuisine but a pretty good guilty pleasure once every blue moon.

If there is anyone who might know about great Canadian food, it would surely be Professor Nathalie Cooke from McGill University. Cooke (whose last name is so perfect for someone who researched and discusses the culture and history of cuisine) will be at our library this Thursday February 11th at 6:30 p.m. to unravel the rich culture, history and practices of Canadian cuisine in her lecture Great Canadian Food and Food Stories.

Cooke recently penned the book What’s to Eat? Entrées in Canadian Food History which takes an introspective approach to Canada’s food history and culture explaining how present day practices such as the slow food movement and buying locally are invariably linked to the past. As Cooke explains, the book primarily centres itself with: “what Canadians eat, did eat and what our meals tell us about ourselves”. She is also the Editor in Chief of Cuizine: The (e) journal of Canadian Food Cultures.

In her lecture, Cooke will share her zest for iconically Canadian cuisine and explain its origins taking her audience on a gastronomic, cultural and historical journey throughout the country.

Tickets are three dollars for this event and can be purchased either at the Main Circulation Desk or at the door the night of the lecture.

Look forward to seeing you there!

Book of the month - Mistress of Nothing

noreply@blogger.com (Staff / Personnel) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 14:38:00 +0000

Imagine immersing yourself in nineteenth century England, where you are the lady’s maid of an aristocratic figure in society. Life in England is only difficult because the Lady you are serving is someone who is struggling with a debilitating illness---tuberculosis. The only relief your Lady gets from the sickness is when she is in a relatively hot climate, for living in damp and chilly England is not a solution. This is where we are introduced to Sally and her Lady, Lucie Duff Gordon.

Gordon plans to spend a year or two in Egypt, to see if this will bring some kind of temporary cure for her condition. The story of their travel down to the country of pyramids and tombs is told through Sally’s voice and is seen through her eyes. Even though Sally is Gordon’s maid, we get a sense of an old friendship between the two women as they share the sights and sounds of Alexandria, Luxor and the Nile.

They hire Omar as a personal guide for their Egyptian tour, while they learn the Arabic language, undo their suffocating Victorian stays and clothe themselves in the free flowing fabrics of the exotic Middle East.

The novel takes us to a wonderful foreign place of sand storms and Arabian culture, political unrest and conflicts within Sally herself. As a single woman in her late twenties/early thirties, Sally is not only considered a lady’s maid, but an “Old Maid”. She has devoted herself to serve Lady Duff Gordon till the end, which indicates that she has accepted her fate of living in celibacy. Her frame of mind slowly starts to change once they set foot in Egypt. When Sally finds she has feelings for Omar, she betrays Lady Duff Gordon in ways that are unthinkable to the dying woman and she must face the harsh consequences of her actions.

I loved the vocabulary in the book and trying to figure out if Sally’s ties to Omar and her Lady will ever be reconciled. I did not want to put the book down because I always wanted to know where they would go next and how the story would unfold, especially when there is a severe break in communication between the two women. The novel begs you to ask if keeping secrets from those close to you will only damage the relationship or save it. If you love Victorian Literature then this is the book for you. I thought this novel was enjoyable and a fast read!

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

noreply@blogger.com (Staff / Personnel) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 21:41:00 +0000

It’s not often that a book totally consumes my life but for the last couple of days I haven’t been able to put “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” down. It started out slow and I have to admit that I wanted to skip a little further ahead but once I got into the story my life jumped into hold mode while I eagerly consumed this fast pace thriller. Every time I tried to put it down to do something else I found my thoughts wondering back to Mikael and Lisbeth and their frantic quest to figure out what happened to Harriet Vanger decades ago when she went missing from her family’s home.

The story takes place in Sweden. Henrik Vanger is getting up in age and is determined to discover what happened to his niece all those many years ago when she went missing from a family gathering on the family’s island. He hires the recently disgraced journalist Mikael Blomkvist to investigate the cold case with hopes that he will finally find the answer to Harriet’s disappearance. Lisbeth, a tattooed, multi-pierced, punk, super hacker becomes his sidekick helping him gather the information as they go digging up dirty family secrets looking for clues.

It was a great read and I encourage anyone who enjoys a good suspense novel to pick it up. When you’re done, check out the sequel The Girl who Played with Fire It too is promising to be a great story.

Hot New Books -- Jan 11, 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Staff / Personnel) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 17:52:00 +0000

Here is a sample of some new books the library has added to its collection. Enjoy!

M E81aL
Alone / by Loren D. Estleman.
Struggling to keep his beloved run-down movie palace from being condemned, film archivist Valentino attends a gala party held in memory of Greta Garbo and learns about a letter revealing the icon's scandalous affair, a situation that is complicated by a blackmailer's untimely murder.

“Hollywood Goofiness, Odeon Restoration, Movie History, Film Preservation, Garbo, Murder, Detection, Romance, and Humor!”

F M333yft
Your Face Tomorrow : poison, shadow and farewell. Volume 3 / Javier Marías.
In the sequel to Your face tomorrow : dance and dream, MI6 recruit Jaime Deza returns to Madrid to spy on and protect his own family, a mission that involves psychologically grueling losses.

F H6785de
Deeper Than the Dead / by Tami Hoag.
A California town is rocked to its core when four children stumble upon a murder victim, drawing Special Agent Tony Mendez into a search for a psychopathic serial killer called the 'See-No-Evil' killer.

F C5272r
Remarkable Creatures / by Tracy Chevalier.
Tracy Chevalier's sixth novel, Remarkable Creatures, traces the dramatized life of pioneer fossil collector Mary Anning of Lyme Regis in seaside 19th century England.

F J614g
A Good Fall : stories / by Ha Jin.
An anthology by the National Book Award-winning author of The Bridegroom contains intricately detailed pieces illuminating the experiences of Chinese immigrants in America.

F D3535n
Not my Daughter / by Barbara Delinsky.
Devastated by her teenage daughter's pregnancy, single mother and high school principal Susan Tate is targeted by unfair criticism when the pregnancies of additional teens are rumored to be part of a pact.

"Emotionally intelligent … exploring the battlefields of contemporary life."

F P243i
Iron River / by T. Jefferson Parker.
Charlie Hood runs the California-Mexico border with the ATF, searching for the iron river--the massive and illegal flow of firearms that fuels the cartel wars south of the border -- and soon finds a disturbing personal connection.

F O11fa
A Fair Maiden / by Joyce Carol Oates.
Approached by an elegant and seemingly harmless older gentleman while babysitting, 16-year-old Katya Spivak is entranced and agrees to pose for his newest painting. As the relationship progresses she realizes that he may have a hidden agenda.

M H221L
The Lock Artist / by Steve Hamilton.
After miraculously surviving an act of violence as a child, the mute Michael grows up with the ability to open any lock or safe, a talent he sells to any buyer in the crime world. However, a botched heist forces him to go home where he must face the secret that has kept him so quiet.

"A smart, inventive thriller, packed with safe-cracking trade secrets.”

F T981no
Noah's Compass / by Anne Tyler.
Preparing to retire early from an unfulfilling teaching, Liam Pennywell struggles to remember missing memories of the night before he awoke in the hospital with a head injury, an effort that leads to unexpected discoveries.

M J33tr
Trial by Fire / by J.A. Jance.
Taking a media relations position with the Yavapai County Police Department, former television journalist Ali Reynolds investigates a fire and the identity of an injured amnesiac woman, a case that unleashes a family drama and a remorseless killer.

Book of the Month - Day After Night

noreply@blogger.com (Staff / Personnel) — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 16:49:00 +0000

Anita Diamant’s Day After Night is based on the real life drama that took place in October 1945 in the British run, Atlit interment camp for Holocaust survivors. It follows the day to day lives of several of the women in the camp, narrating how they came to be in the camp and what their hopes and dreams are for the future. Several of their stories are tragic as they recount the horrors they witnessed and the loved ones they lost but their stories are uplifting as well for they never lose hope. Hope for their future, hope for freedom and continued survival.

It’s the first time in a long time that I’ve been moved to tears over a work of fiction but this was a very special book. Simon and Schuster very graciously sent the library a copy to read (we are very delighted that they did !). Day after Night is not the normal genre of book I would normally pick up on my own to read but I’m happy that I did. The bonds of friendship that were created and shared between the four main characters made for a fascinating read.

Reserve your copy today at your local library.

Hot New Books -- December 21, 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Staff / Personnel) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 22:09:00 +0000

Here is a sample of some recently acquired books the library has added to its collection...

F R8965L
Lady Vernon and Her Daughter /by Jane Rubino and Caitlen Rubino-Bradway.
An interpretation of Austen's novella 'Lady Susan' finds a widow losing her family home through entail to her deceased husband's brother and dealing with her daughter's romantic prospects, which are complicated by a need for financial security.

M R397mo
The Monster in the Box /by Ruth Rendell.
In Edgar-winner Rendell's 22nd Inspector Wexford novel, the British police detective confronts a man from his past, Eric Targo, who he suspects is guilty of multiple murders.

F C7755d
The Disciple / by Stephen Coonts.When it is discovered that Iran is weeks away from having operational nuclear weapons and that Ahmadinejad is plotting a brutal holy war, CIA agents Tommy Carmellini and Jake Grafton receive vital information from a group of Iranian dissidents and begin a world-saving race against time.F H313mMama Dearest / by E. Lynn Harris.Yancey Harrington Braxton's plans to star in a reality television series are threatened by Madison B., an up-and-coming star and Yancey's long-lost daughter, as well as her own mother, Ava Middlebrooks, who is desperate for a comeback.

F K825br
Breathless / by Dean Koontz.
Isolating himself in the Colorado Rockies, craftsman Grady Adams encounters a pair of beautiful furred animals that challenge everything he and a local veterinarian understand about the natural world, a discovery for which they are targeted by government forces.

F M1613na
Nanny Returns /by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus.
In this sequel to the Nanny diaries, Nan returns to New York after 10 years abroad and is approached by a drunken 16-year-old Grayer X, who describes his parents' brutal divorce and prompts her re-entry into child care for the elite.

F T412d
A Dead Hand / by Paul Theroux.When Jerry Delfont, a travel writer with writer's block, receives a letter from an American philanthropist, Mrs Merrill Unger, with news of a scandal involving an Indian friend of her son's, he is sufficiently intrigued to pursue the story.

F B4341de
Devil’s Dream / Madison Smartt Bell
A captivating portrait of Confederate general Nathan Bedford Forrest. Set between 1845 and 1865 Forrest marries Mary Ann Montgomery, becomes a guilt-stricken slave trader and, during the Civil War, is targeted for destruction by General Sherman.

F D9237t
Too Much Money / Dominick Dunne
Readers mourned Dunne's passing in August 2009, but Dunne grants us one more good read in this glittering high-society satire.

361.7632 M887s
Stones into Schools: promoting peace with books, not bombs, in Afghanistan and Pakistan / Greg Mortenson.From the author of Three Cups of Tea, the continuing story of this determined humanitarian's efforts to promote peace through education.

614.4 S618
The Fatal Strain: on the trail of the coming avian flu pandemic / Alan Sipress.With the current focus on the H1N1, people may have forgotten about the avian flu scare of a few years ago. The deadly avian, or H5N1, flu centered in Asia and garnered similar headlines in 2004, announcing fears of a pandemic. Sipress comes bearing the unhappy news that the avian flu threat grows more dire every day.

394.1289 S272
Save the Deli: in search of perfect pastrami, crusty rye and the heart of Jewish delicatessen / David Sax.Journalist and life-long deli obsessive, David Sax writes about the state of the Jewish delicatessen--a cuisine that once sat at the very center of Jewish life which now has become endangered by assimilation, homogenization, and health food trends.

307.76 O97
Green Metropolis / David Owen
While the conventional wisdom condemns it as an environmental nightmare, the author argues that Manhattan is by far the greenest place in America, a model of sustainability.

616.85882 I73
The Horse Boy: a father's quest to heal his son / Rupert Isaacson.
After noticing that their autistic son improved immeasurably when taken horse back riding, the parents of an autistic boy trek to the Mongolian steppes to consult shamans in a last-ditch effort to alter his unraveling behavior. Isaacson hit on the self-described crazy idea of taking Rowan to the original horse people, the Mongolians, and find shamans who could help heal their son.

The Price Of A Bargain

noreply@blogger.com (Staff / Personnel) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 21:06:00 +0000

What does one gain in purchasing goods at a steal of a deal of a price? More importantly, what is the process whereby this trinket or bauble or television or computer arrives into your hands? At what cost? Those who are even just a wee bit curious about the manufacture of goods, logistics of shipping and transit to the shop, your purchase driven home in your automobile and, ultimately, most probably tossed into the rubbish, will benefit from a thorough read of this bright book.

Gordon Laird, who has published in newspapers, appeared on television, spoken on radio and written for magazines, takes us on astounding and astonishing journeys that bring us through ten years of research and interviews. We travel into a Las Vegas convention, Chinese factory cities, Los Angeles shipping yards, up to Alberta’s oil sands and many other places in between. We see what havoc our huge footprint has on the Earth and how ridiculously perilously dangerous it would be if China and India did decide to consume resources at the rate of the average North American.

It is an intriguing book, a bit hefty for bedtime reading, though again, one of those sorts that once you start, you may be tempted to keep on keeping on. In so doing, all the way through to the end of the adventure where Laird weighs in on what the real price of goods are, minus the sundry subsidies that make things so very cheap for us. For those of us hankering for more, there are plenty of sources cited for further reading on the very many subjects touched upon in this jolly good read.

Sacred Hearts

noreply@blogger.com (Staff / Personnel) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 20:44:00 +0000

This is a story about women’s lives and the consequences of being too poor, alone, and not having the means to marry in the 16th century. It is also a story about strength, courage, faith and love. Dunant weaves a detailed historical account of life during that era. The smells and sights transported me right into their world and I would suggest this book to lovers of historical fiction.

Sacred Hearts is set in a convent. The year is 1570, in the Italian city of Ferrara. The convent is filled with women who are married to Christ. Serafina is 16 years old when her family pays the church a hefty dowry for her to enter their protected walls. Needless to say she’s not very happy about the turn of events in her life and she is determined to escape.

Serafina is given over to Suora Zuana, a scholarly nun who is educated in the healing arts, with the hopes that the young woman will find a way to come to terms with what her life has become. Sacred Hearts not only tells Serafina’s story but Zuana’s, and a cast of characters who came from different backgrounds and lifestyles before entering the convent. It examines the role of faith, passion and character in the lives of women some of who were not willing to be locked away for the rest of their lives.

Books Really Do Furnish A Room

noreply@blogger.com (Staff / Personnel) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 16:20:00 +0000

Hooray for a book about books! A hefty and aesthetically pleasing coffee table tome at that. And one with plenty of photography from all around the world, through all and sundry gloriously large and some quite cozy living arrangements. Room by room, we sally forth into houses, lofts and flats, so too learning about the varied sorts of libraries – be they formal or informal, designs with books in mind and place and making the most of the space.

I read through the text in one sitting, stopping only to gaze at the admirable arrangements and assortments of collections of architects, artists, authors, designers like Karl Lagerfeld and Christian Louboutin, as well as varied individuals and couples. The photos are lovely indications of the very many ways we could possibly store vast volumes of knowledge, entertainment and diversion. Though we might not yet own hundreds upon thousands of custom bound, antique volumes as seen in some of the ancestral homes, it is still great fun to think of how we may arrange, design and re-arrange our own personal empire of edification and education.

It is a wondrous world to look into the lives of others and see how they have incorporated reading material into their lives, using elements of design to create a style distinct to the area; be it a room in an old farm house, a kitchen in Barbados or the bathroom of a book publisher. Weighing in at over two pounds, it does work very well indeed as a tome on a table, perhaps browsed through by family, friends and fellow bibliophiles who can pontificate for long periods on the ideas such lovely words and images do inspire.

First Annual Toy Swap @ the Library

noreply@blogger.com (Staff / Personnel) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 20:02:00 +0000

For quite some time now the staff at your library has been busy plotting away, trying to come up with new "schemes" for reaching deep into the heart of the community in order to get people more involved in the library, and with each other again. This year alone, we have walked a marathon (which raised over $1000 toward research into Juvenile diabetes), started a volunteer-run weekly film club (Bright Lights Film club most Tuesday at 2:00), and hosted the first annual Toy Swap event (this past Sunday December 6th).

We weren’t sure how the idea would be received, but for the first time ever, we invited Cote Saint-Luc residents to collect, and bring in any clean, gently used children and baby toys to be swaped for others. The concept was basic; no cost, no registration, no hassle, just bring in toys that are no longer need and trade them for others that someone else from the neighbourhood no longer needs.

Now one thing I have always loved about people living around The Luc is their great enthusiasm; always ready to answer a call-to-action or help start something new. Thanks to everyone who helped and participated, the first Toy Swap event went fantastically - a real hit! Over a dozen local families supported this historic library event by participating; moms, dads, and even children brought in toys, books, and games to donate to the swap.

I should mention that what makes this story extra-nice is the fact that the left over items that were not traded at the swap did not go to waste; they will be donated to Sun Youth Organization. Hopefully these items will now be used toward their annual Holiday Basket Program, and will go to deserving children living on the island, who may not otherwise receive any gifts this year. I would like to thank Melanie, one of the fabulous library volunteers, for all her help and hard work during the swap. Since the day was so well-appreciated by those who participated, anyone who missed out can look forward to another Library Swap in the New Year. The Library, make it a part of your life!

Give it up : my year of learning to live better with less

noreply@blogger.com (Staff / Personnel) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 16:37:00 +0000

Give It Up!

Though catalogued in the non-fiction section under “simplicity” and “self-denial,” I beg to differ. This would have better fit into personal memoirs because it is less about general and sundry tips for improvement, for which I had hoped, and more about how the author journeyed through her quest and changed her habits, or not. It is broken up into twelve months of the year, each representing a chapter, with an Introduction to kick off the concept of abstention.

“We must be the change we wish in the world.” – Mahatma Gandhi. That is the famous inspirational quote at the genesis of the intentional adventure in loss. Alcohol, shopping, elevators, newspapers, cell phones, dining out, television, taxis, coffee, cursing, chocolate and multi-tasking are her chosen monthly subjects. Each month she goes without one of these things, detailing to us, the dear library reader, who sometimes nods periodically in agreement, chuckles from time to time and certainly ponders what such a quest would look like in our own lives.

The book is small in size and length, with a mere 196 pages and short chapters, this makes for a good read in the lead up to the New Year, a cause for pause and evaluation of all things in one’s own life. She comes to some conclusions that certain things cannot be extracted completely from existence, like a mobile telephone, and does sometimes find that one thing, like the lack of use of elevators, leads to a greater overall awareness for the need to exert oneself physically. These are but two of the notable moments that may resonate in your own life as you consider her experiences against your own and decide if, perhaps, such an adventure of your own might be worth constructing.

Memoirs of An Imperfect Angel

noreply@blogger.com (Staff / Personnel) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:14:00 +0000

This past November in our Perfect & Pitch musical journey, we celebrated Woman in Song. We highlighted some of the greatest female vocal talents of all time. One of the women spotlighted was Whitney Houston who’s first album in seven years I look to you – CD 784.5 H843i celebrates her comeback with great determination and has become a true force to be reckoned with. She wasn’t the only one who has triumphed over personal setbacks to make an amazing recovery.

Mariah Carey whose personal life and breakdown of 2001 were splashed on covers of magazines across the world has journeyed back and the results have been outstanding. Her latest album Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel released October 20, 2009 is a testament to it.

Her remake of Foreigner’s I want to know what love is is breathtakingly poignant. The tracks Standing O and Angel’s cry are also songs for the heart and soul. Obsessed will get your feet moving and dancing, just pick one of the many dance versions she’s got going. This is the second album she’s released since her comeback and if you haven’t listened to either of them, the first being The emancipation of Mimi then I encourage you to do both.

Book of the Month -- Shanghai Girls

noreply@blogger.com (Staff / Personnel) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:19:00 +0000

After having thoroughly enjoyed Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See, I was looking forward to reading her new book Shanghai Girls.

As I expected, the author offered me a sumptuous feast: skillful plotting, richly drawn characters, emotional themes and atmosphere. I became immersed into the lives of sisters May and Pearl and their extended family. I went on the journey with them from cosmopolitan, booming, fun-filled, dangerous Shanghai into their flight to the United States. It told me of their struggles and insurmountable setbacks, their nightmarish detention at Angel Island before getting into the United States, their marriages and the situations they had to face, accept and surmount.

At its heart, Shanghai girls is the story of the strong relationship of sisters, of unbreakable family bonds of love, support and strength sisters can draw from one another, but also of the ways they can tear each other apart.

An enjoyable, and satisfying read.

808 & Heartbreak

noreply@blogger.com (Staff / Personnel) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:15:00 +0000

OK. So I’m sure that this isn’t news to most people reading this (particularly anyone who owns and/or has watched the boob-tube anytime this century), however speaking as one of the last people in the country still, living on the fringe - without a television at home, recently listening to Kanye West’s ‘808 & Heartbreak’ for the first time, I was pleasantly surprised – I thought it was his best album yet! I listened to it from beginning to end, despite some fears of imminent disappointment looming the entire time, or at the very least boredom (I’m not the biggest fan of some of his earlier “work”…and I think that’s enough said). BUT. Being a person who can admit when I stand corrected; I stand corrected. It was great! I found his beats and arrangements different, interesting, and even calming. I listened to it a second, and then a third time right away - every track! This album is soulful and shows real evidence of growth and maturity from the one and only
``K-weezy``…

If somehow you haven’t already, I suggest making some time to have a listen some time soon!! My personal favorite tracks on the album:

‘STREET LIGHTS’, WELCOME TO HEARTBREAK’ the title-track, & ‘AMAZING’

Hot New Books -- November 23, 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Staff / Personnel) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:40:00 +0000

Here are a couple of Hot New books the Library has recently acquired.

F S2644c
The Cry of the Sloth : the mostly tragic story of Andrew Whittaker being his collected, final and absolutely complete writings / by Sam Savage.From letters and diary entries to grocery lists, this novel comprises a collection of everything Andrew Whittaker commits to paper over the course of four critical months. This tragicomic portrait of a literary life chronicles an aspiring novelist who is -- quite literally -- authoring his own downfall.

M P3175iI,
Alex Cross / by James Patterson.
Determined to capture the psychopath responsible for murdering his niece, Alex Cross discovers that the young woman was among a dangerous group of people and was not the only one to have disappeared, a case that draws Alex into the heart of an underworld fantasy club.

F R845hu
The Humbling / by Philip Roth.Presents the story of Simon Axler -- an actor in his sixties who has lost his wife, his audience, and confidence in his talent -- whose risky and aberrant desire points toward a dark and shocking end.

F M6211de
Deadly Deals / by Fern Michaels.After years of trying to concieve, Rachel and Thomas Dawson felt their dreams had finally come true the day they brought home their newly adopted twins. Until the birth mother reappears, first demanding more money, then the twins themselves.

332.6 S836
Shell Shocked : how Canadians can invest after the collapse / John Stephenson.Written by Bay Street veteran John Stephenson, Shell Shocked pinpoints the links that have brought the world to the brink of economic collapse, and describes how Canadians stand to prosper after the crisis.

540 S399s
Science, Sense and Nonsense : 61 nourishing, healthy, bunk-free commentaries on chemistry that affects us all / Joe Schwarcz.Celebrates chemistry's great achievements, lambastes its charlatans, and explores its essential connections to our wellbeing. And does so in authoritative, highly readable, good humoured style.

796.342 A262
Open : an autobiography / Andre Agassi.From Andre Agassi, one of the most beloved athletes in history and one of the most gifted men ever to step onto a tennis court, a beautiful, haunting autobiography.

973.932 O12p
The Audacity to Win : the inside story and lessons of Barack Obama's historic victory / David Plouffe.David Plouffe led the effort that put Barack Obama in the White House, and this is the story of that groundbreaking achievement, taking readers inside the remarkable campaign that led to the election of the first African American president.

92 C282
Last words / George Carlin with Tony Hendra.One of America's preeminent comedic voices, tells his story, blending his signature acer-bic humor with never-before-told stories from his own life.

614.57 H521S
Soap and Water & Common Sense : the definitive guide to viruses, bacteria, parasites and disease / Bonnie Henry.From viruses to bacteria to parasites and fungi, Dr. Henry profiles the threats and dispels some of the common myths and misinformation about good and bad bugs to bestow upon readers the most important measures needed to keep themselves and their families healthy.

M C4564r
The Ragged End of Nowhere / Roy Chaney.Winner of the second Tony Hillerman Prize, Chaney's promising debut thriller is set in Las Vegas where Ronnie Hagan reaturns and his welcomed with a bullet to the head. His brother Bodo, a CIA agent, tries to learn the truth about his sibling's execution.

Lost Symbol - Dan Brown

noreply@blogger.com (Staff / Personnel) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:54:00 +0000

Robert Langdon, Dan Brown’s famous Harvard symbologist, is back! This time he’s summoned to give an evening lecture in the U.S. Capitol Building but within moments of his arrival, strange events unfold around him. He discovers that his mentor Peter Solomon has been kidnapped and a disturbing object is discovered. Langdon’s area of expertise comes into play and he identifies the object as an ancient invitation. If he wants to rescue his friend and save the day he’ll have to accept the invitation and follow it wherever it may go.

Dan Brown’s highly anticipated novel is finally out. Did I like it? Freemasonry, Washington DC, codes, secrets and symbols. It is definitely a far cry from his previous controversial subjects but certainly entertaining. The big bad in this novel is Mal'akh, a tattooed eunuch bodybuilder. He’s been labeled as being the worst foe Langdon has faced yet. I don’t know. Personally, I thought that the Camerlengo Carlo Ventresca from Angels and Demons was worse.

Lost Symbol has the typical twists and turns of a modern day thriller. It is well researched but I’ve come to expect that from Dan Brown. He always leaves no stone unturned and manages to weave secret societies into every day life. So what’s my issue with this book… well I have none. However, many have said that it was too predictable but I suppose that all thrillers are predictable in their own way. Other said it was too formulaic, they wanted to be led on a chase and be duped at every twist and turn. I think Robert Langdon leads us on a very merry chase but don’t take my word for it, read the book and let me know.

Book of the month - Year of the Flood

noreply@blogger.com (Staff / Personnel) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:51:00 +0000

Picture it: the world as we know it no longer exists. It is now an empty place, destroyed by a pandemic that Atwood has dubbed the Waterless Flood. It is a world where gene spliced animals now roam free: animals like liobams (a lion and lamb hybrid) and Mo'Hairs (multi-coloured sheep used for growing hair replacements) and rakunks (raccoon and skunk hybrids).

In this devastation, two people have survived the Waterless Flood. Toby is holed up inside a health spa that catered to the rich. And Ren is locked inside a high end sex club. As they both fight the land and the animals in order to survive, they both reflect on their past life and how they got where they are now. Through a series of flashbacks, we're shown Ren and Toby's stories. We learn about the Gods Gardeners, a religious sect that preached love for everything, every plant and every animal. A religious sect that at once, separated themselves from regular life and was shunned by society at large.

My very condensed summary doesn’t come close to covering the entirety of the plot of The Year of the Flood. It is a novel of epic proportions, moving back and forth between past, present and future. There is no way I could convey to you everything that is in this novel. The Year of the Flood touches on so many subjects including a pandemic, religion, the environment, love, government, war…. At first glance there seems to be too much in The Year of the Flood, that Atwood has filled it too full. But it’s not too full; Atwood manages to pull it off and creates an incredible novel that speaks to the heart, to the mind and to the spirit.

Though the future she presents is grim, there is a dark humour present. Her characters are also incredibly realized and well developed. I cared about these people from the first page. It is almost impossible not to. I found this book terrifying, hilarious, and thought-provoking with scences so plausible they'll send chills down your spine. This book is definitely not for the faint of heart or those looking for a feel good read!

Perfect Fifths - Megan McCafferty

noreply@blogger.com (Staff / Personnel) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:48:00 +0000

I just finished reading Megan McCafferty's Perfect Fifths, the final book in her series starring the ever-abrasive and thoroughly relatable Jessica Darling.

Oh my.

I’ll begin at the beginning and try not to give too much away.
I first came across Jessica Darling in the introductory novel Sloppy Firsts in 2002. While the cover (which, I know, I know, we should not judge our books by) made me want to put the book right back where I'd found it, I really liked the title. And am I ever glad I opened the book.

The series starts with Jessica at 16, a self-appointed observer at a small, clique-y high school in New Jersey who tries to relegate her acid commentary to her journals (though rarely succeeds). While she’s not exactly queen bee, she’s not unpopular, either. While she knows the other kids at school (since she’s been in school with them for years), she’s feeling displaced because her closest friend just moved across the country. Into this teen angst walks Marcus Flutie (sigh), the clever and sweet bad boy to end all bad boys. And the rest needs to be read for yourself.

It’s true that, having now read all five books, this is somewhat of a love story, and while that element is actually pretty awesome, the books are mostly great because of McCafferty’s character development: Jessica is witty and clever and we get to know all her witty clever bits because we’re inside her brain. Marcus is the boy that all of our mothers warned us about and none of us listened to the warnings `cause he’s just too goldanged cool. And even though these descriptors sound clichéd, McCafferty provides a bunch of nice unexpected twists to keep her characters from becoming too caricaturish (like the queen bee mean girl who becomes a radical feminist pseudo-lesbian in one of the later books).

This is chicklit for the disaffected and slightly cynical – for the well-read, somewhat abashed romantic “highbrownnosers” I know are out there.

Book of the month - Galore

noreply@blogger.com (Staff / Personnel) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 20:41:00 +0000

Reading Galore by Michael Crummey took me to another place and time---literally! The novel is written like an old folktale, just as the stories of the people living in this book are like long-ago legends or myths being weaved from one generation to the next. There are many characters to focus on, so I really appreciated the family tree diagram at the beginning of the book! I felt like I got to know each character intimately, although others had a stronger presence such as Mary Tryphena, Judah, and Devine’s widow (who everyone believes is a witch).

It is one of those novels that play out like a weird dream, yet you want to know what happens to all the personalities and you are reminded of the way the book begins when you reach the end. It was quite fascinating how the lives of the Seller and Devine families intertwine and cope with each other, not to mention trying to survive on the Rock known as Newfoundland. The hardships of everyday (sickness, food shortage, cold and brutal weather) really gets you thinking about how we should never take our bare necessities for granted. The book gets you laughing when the mummers come around during the holidays and Horse Chops tries to figure out the love lives of everyone in the village. Truly, there are strange love affairs and forbidden loves, which keep the story entertaining.

Whether the book is believable is not the point. It’s a book that makes you want to believe. There is definitely a sense of some kind of subtle magic working here, and I don’t mean the kind with spells. When you read this, you smile to yourself and wonder if you really could imagine someone being cut out of a whale’s belly, or if ghosts really walk around the village waiting to be forgiven. If you love novels that take you back in time and shower you with poetic descriptions of the harsh realities from land and sea, then this book will make a believer out of you. I’d love to know if you agree with me!

Book of the Month -- The Heart Specialist

noreply@blogger.com (Staff / Personnel) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:12:00 +0000

I just recently finished reading The Heart Specialist . I really enjoyed it. I think a lot of different types of readers will too. This book offers something for nearly everyone. Students of Canadian history, particularly Canadian medical history, will enjoy the topics covered in the novel (the Spanish flu, McGill University’s Medical School and Medical Museum, Heart anomalies and congenital heart disease, etc). Montrealers will love the atmosphere of turn-of-the-twentieth-century Montreal. Yet others will be drawn to the depiction of a pioneering woman's struggle. Mystery lovers will revel in the slowly unveiled secrets. And romantics will discover at least a little of the stuff of dreams.

I read a review of this book in the Gazette sometime in the spring. The reviewer (sorry, I can’t recall who) wrote that The Heart Specialist is a page turner and that she was sorry to see the book end. Well, with a review like that, I was intrigued. And then, when I finally had the book in hand, I noticed on the back cover that Lawrence Hill, author of The Book of Negroes (which I loved!), also praised it. In his words: “The writing is striking, the emotion immediate, the medical detail fascinating, and the story compelling from the first page to the last.” Now, my curiosity was truly peaked!

Let me tell you, the book didn’t disappoint. I loved that the author, Claire Holden Rothman, used the professional life of Dr. Maude Abbot as the starting point for her character, Agnes White. (Every aspect of Agnes’ life, other than professional, is purely a product of the author’s imagination.) I was perplexed by Agnes’ father’s decision to simply abandon his young family. I was inspired and awed by Agnes’ determination to achieve the impossible dream of becoming a medical doctor. I was angered by McGill University’s refusal to admit her into their medical school, despite fulfilling their demands. I was elated when Agnes’ medical career soared and her findings became world renowned. I was saddened when Agnes’s sister’s marriage fell apart and her mental health weakened. As you can see, it was quite a roller coaster ride.

Read it and let me know what you think.