BOOKS, MOVIES & MUSIC

Staff Recommends

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Recommendation for the Week of November 16, 2009

The Turnaround
by: Pelecanos, George
FIC PEL

In 1972 three teenagers went out for a night of fun, and six lives were forever changed by a single act of foolishness. Though each is haunted by that night, only one decides, 35 years later, to even the score. And once again, the acts of a single individual set in motion a series of events that will change the course of their lives. How will each respond this time around, and does history foretell the future? Are some people born evil? Is it possible to change the basic man? Whatever you did before doesn’t matter. What matters now is how you make the turnaround, says one of the characters. Pelecanos weaves a tale of evil and goodness, of excuses and redemption. It’s a gritty story filled with harsh reality, and in the end we come to believe that those left standing are the ones who accept responsibility for their lives and actions.

- recommended by Cheryl Holtsclaw, West Indianapolis Branch

Recommendation for the Week of November 9, 2009

Occasions to Savor: Our Meals, Menus and Remembrances
by: Long-Green, Edna Lee & the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority
641.5 OCC

Do you often look for ideas for new dishes to cook? This coffee-table size book, a product of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, one of the largest African-American women’s organizations in the world, might be just what you need. At the beginning of each chapter a sorority leader is featured with recollections of sorority events and foods, and sprinkled throughout the chapter, sidebars present additional information about sorority members. The contents are grouped in a typical fashion starting with appetizers and ending with desserts. Each recipe is printed in large letters which makes following the recipe easy. As might be expected from such a large organization, there is a wide variety of recipes, but most are not complicated. Although food photos are not extensive, the ones included are sharp and colorful. If you are looking for new recipes as we head toward the holidays, try Occasions to Savor.

- recommended by Rod Burkett, East Washington Branch

Recommendation for the Week of November 2, 2009

1434: The Year a Magnificent Chinese Fleet Sailed to Italy and Ignited the Renaissance
by: Menzies, Gavin
945.05 MEN

A delegation from the Chinese fleet arrives in Florence and meets the Pope. They leave behind a mass of knowledge, including maps, astronomy, mathematics, art, architecture, and printing, thus sparking the Renaissance. Does this sound possible? Menzies, whose previous book was 1421: The Year China Discovered America, claims that his assertions about the Renaissance are true, and sets about proving them by providing lots of historical documents, maps hundreds of years old, pictures, diagrams, and the personal papers of those involved. He has eighty pages of notes, acknowledgments of those quoted, academic support, index, and a website, http://www.gavinmenzies.net, to back up his claims. It seems that even Leonardo Da Vinci depended on the Chinese for his inspiration. I’m not sure that I buy into this whole premise but there seems to be lots of documentation to back it up. If you are interested in history in any way this book will draw you in. It is well written and only a few times gets a little too scientific.

- recommended by Lygia Bischoff, Pike Library

Recommendation for the Week of October 26, 2009

The Night Watch
by: Waters, Sarah
FIC WAT

This book is written backwards. The first section begins in 1947, proceeds in reverse to 1944 and then 1941. We gradually learn why the characters live the way they do after World War II. The structure is part of the novel’s fascination, but the heroic and tragic scenes set in London during the bombings and fires of the Blitz are equally compelling. Kay, the fearless ambulance driver, and innocent Duncan, a conscientious objector, are perhaps the most interesting figures. But Helen and Viv harbor their own secrets. The three previous novels by Waters are set in Victorian England: Fingersmith, Affinity and Tipping the Velvet. This work is a departure, set as it is during WWII, but the most satisfying. Simple kindnesses contrasted against terrible events make it a wonderful read. The love between women is beautifully depicted, yet this is far from the novel’s only strength. The Night Watch deserves a wide audience.

- recommended by Joanna Wos, Lawrence Branch

Recommendation for the Week of October 19, 2009

The Island at the Center of the World: The Epic Story of Dutch Manhattan and the Forgotten Colony That Shaped America.
by: Shorto, Russell
974.71 SHO

Did you know that not all of our thirteen original colonies were British? The Dutch, a world superpower in the 17th century, originally founded and settled New Amsterdam, now called New York. Shorto goes beyond the story of historical characters like Peter Steyvesant, and argues that much of what American society is today owes its origins to the Dutch culture, not the British. New Amsterdam was the first place, for example, in the New World where men and women of different races and religions lived in harmony. This book, named one of the New York Times 100 Notable Books of 2004, will transform the way you view our nation’s beginnings.

- recommended by Susan Wever, Irvington Branch

Recommendation for the Week of October 12, 2009

The Everything Ghost Hunting Book
by: Ellis, Melissa Martin
133.1 ELL

Are you interested in otherworldly phenomena? Do you like a good scare? From Ghost Whisperer to Ghost Hunters, supernatural specters are all over the television airwaves. Instead of just watching it on television, how about exploring the spooky happenings in your own house, backyard, or neighborhood? The Everything Ghost Hunting Book, just as its title implies, covers the history of ghost hunting, how to identify friendly or not-so-friendly ghosts, where to locate spectral sites, which equipment to use to record a ghostly visitation, and many, many more topics. Even if you’re skeptical about the existence of ghosts, this book will get you up to speed on the terminology and help you figure out what a residual haunting is. Additional information is provided with a list of the Most Haunted Sites in America and Famous Ghosts.

- recommended by Andrea Glenn, Southport Branch

Recommendation for the Week of October 5, 2009

Cooked: From the Streets to the Stove, From Cocaine to Foie Gras
by: Henderson, Jeff
B Henderson, Jeff HEN

Jeff Henderson has cooked for much of his life. Sometimes it was chicken, but sometimes it was cocaine. By the time Jeff graduated from high school with a 1.0 gpa and a 6th grade reading level, he had found his calling--dealing drugs. It wasn't long before he was the top cocaine dealer in San Diego making $35,000 a week.

Cooked: from the Streets to the Stove, from Cocaine to Foie Gras is a gritty, brutally honest account of his life on the streets as a drug dealer, his eventual arrest and his determination to become a cook and turn his life around.

Since leaving prison Henderson was the first African American chef to be named "Chef de Cuisine" at Caesars Palace. He also has hosted his own television program on Food Network, "The Chef Jeff Project."

Chef Jeff will be the featured speaker at our Family Fall Fest on November 7, 2009.

- recommended by Sharon Bernhardt, Nora Library

Recommendation for the Week of September 28, 2009

The Ghost Map: The Story of London’s Most Terrifying Epidemic, and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World
by: Johnson, Stephen
614.514 JOH

With another possible outbreak of H1N1 (Swine) flu on the horizon, it is a good time to read The Ghost Map. Stephen Johnson’s account of a major advancement in public health follows the fearless and relentless work of a Doctor John Snow during an 1854 cholera epidemic that killed thousands in London, England.

There were 2 million people living in London at the time. Most drew their water from public wells around the city. What London didn’t have at the time was a sewer system. When the city got too big for the night soil men, as they were called, to carry human waste to the countryside, it didn’t go much further than the basements of many impoverished families. Not surprisingly, nearby wells were frequently contaminated.

The scientific community of London blamed the cholera epidemic and other diseases on bad air or, less charitably, on the character of the poor victims, until Snow carefully plotted the cholera deaths on a map. His efforts at what we now call connecting the dots pinpointed the outbreak at one well and furthered the understanding of the microbiological origin of cholera and other contagious diseases.

- recommended by Randall Ayers, Glendale Branch

Recommendation for the Week of September 21, 2009

Away: A Novel
by: Bloom, Amy
FIC BLO

When tragedy tore apart Lillian Leyb’s family in Russia, Lillian fled to New York in 1923. Lillian’s journey begins as she struggles to find her Cousin Frieda’s apartment after leaving the registry lines in Ellis Island. For several months in New York Lillian makes her own luck and does whatever she can to survive. When Lillian decides to find her luck elsewhere her journey takes her across the United States to Seattle and north to Alaska surviving insurmountable odds. Amy Bloom has woven historical novel, love stories, adventure and survival into a stunning portrayal of life in the 1920’s that includes people who are Jewish, Chinese, African American, gay, Native American and everyone in between.

- recommended by Ellen Chapman, East 38th Street Branch

Recommendation for the Week of September 14, 2009

Shadow Divers: The True Adventure of Two Americans Who Risked Everything to Solve One of the Last Mysteries of World War II
by: Kurson, Robert
940.5451 KUR

Shadow Divers brings together unforgettable characters, a gripping narrative, and riveting history that are a match for any fiction book. Kurson immerses the reader in the often dangerous world of Atlantic Ocean deep-sea sport/wreck divers. The book revolves around the quest for the identity of a newly-discovered World War II German U-boat sunk off the coast of New Jersey. The boat’s crew, mission and story of its sinking are slowly revealed through the dogged efforts of divers John Chatterton and Richie Kohler. Exploring the wreck 230 feet beneath the waves exposes them to dangerous currents, nitrogen narcosis and the risk of being trapped by falling debris. The adventures below water are paralleled by the search through archives, libraries and government records on shore. Officially, this boat shouldn’t be here. Over a six year period Chatterton and Kohler, who start out hating each other, develop an unlikely bond in the pursuit of the truth behind this mystery. The intensely personal story movingly portrays the profound changes in the lives of these two elite divers, and a surprising turn of events allows the reader an unexpected look into the story of the submariners who called this cramped U-boat home.

- recommended by Matt Hannigan, Central Library

Recommendation for the Week of September 7, 2009

What to Expect the First Year
by: Murkoff, Heidi
649.122 MUR 2003

Why isn’t my child crawling? What kinds of toys are appropriate for my 8-month old? When should I switch her from a crib to a bed? Find answers to these questions and more in this book. By the same author who wrote What to Expect When You’re Expecting, this title takes readers month by month through the first year of a child’s life. It is arranged by month, and a checklist of things baby should be doing at a particular age is included at the beginning of each chapter, making it simple to reference. The question and answer format is easy to follow, and many of those first-timer worries are put to rest. The Ready Reference section at the back includes recipes for baby foods, common home remedies, common childhood infections, and height and weight charts. Makes a great baby shower gift!

- recommended by Jill Wetnight, Franklin Road Branch

Recommendation for the Week of August 31, 2009

Surviving Hell: A POW's Journey
by: Thorsness, Leo
959.70437 THO

Surviving Hell is former Washington State Senator Leo Thorsness’s graphic memoir as a POW. While serving without distinction in college, Mr. Thorsness enlists in the Air Force. Shot down in 1967 over North Vietnam, he spends six years in the infamous Hoa Lo prison, also known as the Hanoi Hilton. Interrogation begins immediately. Communication with other prisoners is via a tap code. Prison cells double as a latrine; there is no running water. There are, however, amusing moments when prisoners read aloud well-intended, but inappropriate, letters from home.

It would be three years before Mr. Thorsness sees his backseater who was shot down with him, and another three years before they would talk.

The book is a brief 127 pages, but is an exemplary tribute to resilience and fortitude, and is a far superior book than Viktor Frankl’s popular Man’s Search for Meaning, which I found bereft of emotion.

- recommended by Kathleen Rivenburg, Flanner House Library

Recommendation for the Week of August 24, 2009

Frank Lloyd Wright, America's Master Architect
by: Smith, Kathryn
720.91 Wright SMI

The quintessential American architect, Frank Lloyd Wright influenced modern building design in countless and immeasurable ways. Dozens upon dozens of books have been written about his achievements, and this volume is a great example that not only follows the major periods of his work, but also showcases his greatest masterworks. Explore his earliest residential designs in Illinois and Wisconsin and view the stunning photos next to the original drawings. As the book transitions into the middle years of his career, there are many fascinating drawings of Wright’s unbuilt designs. The latter part of his career is defined by his high profile projects such as the Guggenheim Museum. A bonus at the end of the book includes Wright’s own collection of Japanese art from which he derived much inspiration. Although it has been 100 years since the beginning of his prolific career, Frank Lloyd Wright’s influence continues into the 21st century. This book is highly recommended for boosting your own architectural appreciation.

- recommended by Andrea Glenn, Southport Branch

Recommendation for the Week of August 17, 2009

The Last Chinese Chef
by: Mones, Nicole
FIC MON

This literary gem features well crafted writing, nuanced characters, and dazzling descriptions of Chinese cuisine. Food writer Maggie McElroy’s trip to China has two purposes: to write about well known Chinese-American chef Sam Liang on the eve of a culinary competition and to investigate a startling and heartbreaking revelation about her late husband. Her pursuit brings both turmoil and riches to her life. Relationships, culture, family ties, and the complexity of Chinese cuisine are all beautifully interwoven and richly developed. Food enthusiasts and those who enjoy reading about other cultures will enjoy this book.

- recommended by Nicole James, College Avenue Library

Recommendation for the Week of August 10, 2009

Will Storr Vs. the Supernatural: One Man’s Search for the Truth about Ghosts
by: Storr, Will
130 STO

Follow the author throughout England and to the United States as he seeks to answer the age-old question: Do ghosts really exist?

The author attempts to give the reader an objective look into the subject of paranormal phenomena by following several people involved in the field. You will meet present-day psychics, ghost hunters, and exorcists. He details his experiences with these people and gives an honest and often amusing assessment of what he observes. Several left him skeptical. A few were quite frightening, leaving him shaken and questioning his beliefs.

Storr keeps his accounts of these encounters even-handed by citing possible natural explanations for what he observes, including intentional and unintentional human influences. He also interviews a psychologist who gives a very good scientific explanation for why some people believe they experience the paranormal.

Both believers and skeptics will find much of interest here. If nothing else, you’ll enjoy these modern-day ghost stories!

- recommended by Mark Kincaid, Decatur Branch

Recommendation for the Week of August 3, 2009

Where Did I Leave My Glasses? The What, When, and Why of Normal Memory Loss
by: Lear, Martha Weinman
155.6713 LEA

For anybody who has taken the wrong exit on their way home from work, can’t remember names, describes the star of the latest blockbuster as You know, that guy, Martha Lear has good news. No, not that good news. The good news where she says that it’s perfectly normal and there are a lot of us (baby boomers) in the same boat. She reminds us that it’s perfectly normal to ask, Where did I leave my keys? The time to worry is if we progress to the point of asking, What are keys? As long as we’re still joking about it, it’s probably not a problem, she says. And if we’re feeling outpaced by all the young whippersnappers around us, then we have a perfectly logical reason for taking longer to retrieve the name of that movie: We have a much bigger pile of stored information and memories to sift through than the young uns do. Written with wit and humor, this is a book sure to entertain as well as inform...and reassure.

- recommended by Cheryl Holtsclaw, West Indianapolis Branch

Recommendation for the Week of July 27, 2009

A Brief Lunacy
by: Thayer, Nancy
FIC THA

Life can change quickly, and quickly it does for Carl and Jessie Jensen. A normal routine for them is to enjoy their retirement by capturing the image in water color or oil paint of a particular pine tree near their home in coastal Maine. The pine tree is the tree, their daughter Sylvie’s tree. It was central to her youth before she developed a mental illness and ended up living in a group home. The quiet life that Carl and Jessie pursue is interrupted by the news that Sylvie is missing and then by an unexpected and unknown visitor, Jonah. The Jensens give Jonah dinner and allow him to spend the night. Their kindness then results in calamity as Jonah forces secrets of their lives to be slowly revealed. The story is told in the first person alternating from Jessie to Carl. The book may serve as a vehicle for a stimulating group discussion, and depending on one’s perspective, the conclusion could be shocking or understandable.

- recommended by Rod Burkett, East Washington Branch

Recommendation for the Week of July 20, 2009

Masters: Art Quilts
by: Sielman, Martha
746.46 SIE

These are not your granny’s quilts. Stunning, vibrant, opinionated, intricate, provactive, these works of quilt art will test the boundaries of your notions of what a proper quilt should be. Masters: Art Quilts celebrates a tradition that began in 1971 and features 40 of the most influential art quilt makers of our time. While certainly not inclusive of all art quilts and artists, this contains a wide variety of important quilt artists and their methods and techniques. With each entry, there are brief quotations that give insight into the work of the artist. These quilts have been made not only of three layers of cotton fabric, but also with silk, beads, used coffee filters, wood, corn leaves, gloves, doilies, matchsticks, and other unique items. It would difficult, if not impossible, to choose a single standout quilt. My personal favorites include a painted wholecloth quilt, quilts pieced using traditional and intuitive methods, quilts with intricate hand and machine stitching, and a deceiving quilt that appears to be a copy of Monet’s Water Lilies.

- recommended by Ruth Hans, Warren Branch

Recommendation for the Week of July 13, 2009

Picking Cotton: Our Memoir of Injustice and Redemption
by: Thompson-Cannino, Jennifer, and Ronald Cotton with Erin Torneo
362.883 THO

The authors recall the evening of July 1984 when, as a twenty-two-year-old college student, Jennifer was raped in her apartment. Twice, in a police line-up, she identified Ronald Cotton, also twenty-two, as her assailant. In 1985, Mr. Cotton was found guilty and began serving a life sentence, until he heard through the prison grapevine that fellow inmate Bobby Poole had confessed to the attack. Mr. Cotton wrote to his attorney requesting a previously unavailable DNA analysis, whereupon he was exonerated after being imprisoned eleven years.

Their story is not just about wrongful imprisonment. Indeed, false testimony by FBI agents landed Joseph Salvati 30 years in prison before his sentence was commuted. Rather, their story is about forgiveness and perseverance despite overwhelming odds. Something to think about the next time someone cuts you off in traffic.

- recommended by Kathleen Rivenburg, Flanner House Branch

Recommendation for the Week of July 6, 2009

Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret life of a Critic in Disguise
by: Reichl, Ruth
641.5092 REI

Food. Who’s not a foodie these days? From Food Network TV with its celebrity chefs like Rachel Ray (who’s parlayed her success into a day time talk show), to Paula Deen who once again made it okay to eat and like foods high in fat it is no wonder that the food industry is a big player in American pop culture.

Get the scoop on the unseemly side of the restaurant world by reading Garlic and Sapphires. Ruth Reichl, current editor in chief of Gourmet exposes the dirty little secrets of New York’s competitive restaurant culture by creating various disguises to do her job as food critic for the notorious New York Times food column. Explore the epitome of cultured dining through the eyes of the beautiful, blonde Chloe. Or, understand what it’s like to get the worst seat in the house through the experiences of a drab Midwestern housewife. Watch for Fox 2000 Studios to release Garlic and Sapphires in a screen adaptation in 2010.

- recommended by Rhonda Gordon-Oliver, Brightwood Branch

Recommendation for the Week of June 29, 2009

Flanagan's Smart Home: The 98 Essentials for Starting Out, Starting Over, Scaling Back
by: Flanagan, Barbara
640 FLA

How many household goods do you really need to create a home and live in comfort? Ninety-eight---no more, no less, according to author Barbara Flanagan. Your other possessions, though life-enhancing, are indeed extraneous, while these 98 home essentials represent "good, solid household tools used every day." This little book is actually very fun to read as Flanagan offers practical advice on exactly what to buy---from paring knives to mattresses. Chapters are divided into categories such as Sleeping, Bathing & Dressing, Cooking, etc. The author also includes short histories behind many common objects; frequently names exalted brands; gives eco-ratings (how "green" is a product); and helpfully lists cost estimates. Each chapter concludes with "The Smart List"....a handy summary of every item discussed in that section. In the end, you may not agree with Flanagan's list. But you just might develop a newfound respect for the everyday tools most of us take for granted.

- recommended by Angie Lewis, Wayne Branch

Recommendation for the Week of June 22, 2009

The Life All Around Me, by Ellen Foster
by: Gibbons, Kaye
FIC GIB

Kaye Gibbons is a wonderful storyteller. Her provocative character, Ellen Foster, has been described as a Southern Holden Caulfield. This is Gibbons’ second novel about Ellen’s life but is written to stand-alone for those who have not read her first book. Ellen is a bright and creative teenager who lives with her self-chosen foster mother. Encouraged by Laura and despite her life circumstances, Ellen at age 15, writes to the President of Harvard University requesting consideration for the fall semester. She can’t bear the thought of crossing the road from her current school to the high school, where no one’s aspirations are any greater than marrying and scraping by in life. Gibbons presents the reader with an interesting cast of characters, writes in a prose that captures the South and leaves the reader richer for knowing the likes of Ellen Foster.

- recommended by Jeanine Fox, Fountain Square

Recommendation for the Week of June 15, 2009

Lost on Planet China
by: Troost, J. Maarten
915.104 TRO

Troost states that in this book he dodged deadly drivers in Shanghai, ate yak in Tibet, deciphered restaurant menus (offering local favorites such as Cattle Penis with Garlic), and visited with Chairman Mao (still dead, very orange). This is not your common travel log with suggestions of what to see and do but an exposure to real Chinese people living real lives. Troost uses humor and wit to tell his story and in the process leads us on a rollicking adventure through cities big and small with the most unique experiences. I listened to this on audio and found that the Reader, Simon Vance, made the book come alive with his verbal nuances. He was able to read color and zest into the narrative which added greatly to the experience. Actually, listening to this on CD made the book far more enjoyable for me. If you like Bill Bryson you’ll like this.

- recommended by Lygia Bischoff, Pike Branch

Recommendation for the Week of June 8, 2009

Vanishing Act
by: Wolfe, Art
591.472 WOL

This is an oversized photographic record of various animals in their natural habitat and in their natural camouflage. If you are one of those who enjoy hidden pictures you will enjoy this book. These photographs demonstrate how camouflage protects these creatures from detection and possible destruction. Readers of almost any age will find the photos fascinating and the animals challenging to locate. At the bottom of each page is a number and name for the animal in camouflage, so look closely. There is a visual index in the back that shows a small copy of the picture, lists the page number, animal name, location photographed and some information about the animal and its habitat. For the photography enthusiast, there is also technical information regarding the camera, lens, kind of film, etc. for each shot. This makes a real conversation starter for adults and children, perfect for livening up a rainy day indoors. It should be in every doctors’ office.

- recommended by Susan Barhan, Southport Branch