Immigrant Fiction

Our first book group meeting of the new year will take place on Wednesday, January 9th at 1:30 p.m. The theme is Crossing Borders: Immigrant Fiction. You’re invited to choose an appealing book from the collection we’ve set aside at the Reference Desk. Read it and come to the meeting to share it with the rest of the group and discuss the common themes. We’ll have a list of all the titles available so you can note the most interesting ones and leave with more recommended titles.

In a nation of immigrants, we have many stories of what it was to come here, to start over, to assimilate and to remain true to where we have come from. These stories are both very particular to cultures and families and also universal. The group on January 9th will compare stories written by and about immigrants from all over the world. What is unique and what is common. How are the experiences of our own families reflected in these books?

Here are a few of the fascinating books we have available for you to choose from:

Giants in the Earth by O.E. Rolvaag was originally written in Norwegian but is nevertheless a truly American novel of the experience of peasant immigrants settling the Dakota prairie. This book is an old classic.

How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents by Julia Alvarez is a beautifully written story about a loving family coming from the very proper upper reaches of Caribbean society into the more free-wheeling streets of the Bronx. Mami and Papi’s expectations of their daughters come into conflict with the temptations of America. Alvarez writes with humor and sensitivity.

The Vision of Emma Blau by Ursula Hegi explores the cultural conflicts and animosity experienced by German-American families through both World Wars. The story follows some of the minor characters from the brilliant Stones From the River. Hegi shines in relating life through a child’s perspective and in her evocative writing.

Lucy by Jamaica Kincaid follows a teenage girl immigrating to America from the West Indies as a au pair. Lucy is angry about almost everything in her life but her honesty leads to grace and wisdom.

The Interpreter of Maladies is a set of short stories penned by Indian-American writer Jhumpa Lahiri (author of The Namesake, which has been made into a movie available, from our library, on DVD). Indian tradition meets American complexity.

Melania Mazzucco’s Vita alternates a fictional story of two Italian children coming through Ellis Island and learning to survive in a brutal New York City with the nonfictional account of her attempts to trace her own Italian ancestors. Mazzucco pulls no punches in describing the squalor, poverty and bigotry experienced by immigrants. Yet her story contains love and inspiration as well.

These are just a few of the books we’ve put aside for the book discussion group. Or perhaps you have another favorite novel of the immigrant experience. New members are welcome throughout the year. Join us.

Are you a locavore?

Evidently, announcing the Word of the Year is a big PR move for dictionaries. The New Oxford American Dictionary has released its list, with locavore in the number one spot. A locavore is someone who eats only locally grown or raised food.

If you are a locavore, or if you’re just interested in supporting local agriculture and reducing your carbon footprint, local author and culinary instructor Marilou Suszko will be here at the Library April 23 to tell us about the marvelous food to be had near to home. Or if you can’t wait that long, her new book, Farms and Food of Ohio, is here in our collection. (Should you want to get your food very local, you could put yourself on the hold list for one of our bestlenders, Keeping Chickens: the essential guide to enjoying and getting the best from chickens).

Earlier, Cleveland-based Webster’s New World Dictionary (no relation to Merriam-Webster’s) had announced its 2007 Word of the Year: grass station. This is the (maybe) fuel station of the future where you’ll fill up your car with ethanol.

The granddaddy of annual word lists, the American Dialect Society, won’t vote for its 2007 word until early January. You’re invited to make your own nomination. A spirit of whimsy is recommended.

Words of the Year

Merriam-Webster has announced its Top Ten Words of the Year, determined by an online poll.

The number 1 word of 2007 is W00t. That is W, zero, zero, t. An interjection expressing joy, the word developed on online games and is an example of l33t, or “elite speech” which combines letters and numbers. It is also an acronym for :”We own the other team!”.

The other words on the top ten list for the year include:

* facebook (as a verb)

* conundrum

* quixotic

* blamestorm

* sardoodledom

* apathetic

* Pecksniffian

* hypocrite

* charlatan

Ok, so you know the old middle school assignment: Use each word in an original sentence demonstrating correct usage of the word.  Example: I am engaged in a quixotic quest to find my husband the perfect Christmas gift.  Lots of props for creativity. See if you can do better than I did.

p.s. Notice how many of these words have to do with a lack of integrity? Last year’s word was truthiness and the 2005 Word of the Year was integrity. Hmm.

Today’s surprise @ the library

I just found a surprising title on our New Non-fiction display. Keeping Chickens: the essential guide to enjoying and getting the best from chickens.  We’ve had this book since June, but I hadn’t noticed it before, no doubt because the book hasn’t been in much of that time.  It has already been checked out 10 times. In Avon Lake.  Who’s raising chickens in Avon Lake? 10 card holders, apparently.  It must be a growth industry in our suburb.

I’m always learning new things about our patrons. Maybe I need to select more books for the 630s, i.e. agriculture? If you want to read this book, come and grab it now or get yourself on the hold list. This one is a hot title.

Book Groups at the Library in 2008

Just in time for 2008, we have all new book discussion groups, including an exciting new one for older teens.  Our two longest-running groups will have a new format and we’ve got a newer one just for you Jane Austen fans.  Joining one of these groups is a great way to share great books with your neighbors and even meet new neighbors.  Our members frequently comment that they enjoy the opportunity to read and talk about something they wouldn’t otherwise pick up.  Membership is always open – come for one month’s discussion or for every month in the series.

Both our Second Wednesday group (1:30 p.m.) and Third Monday group (7:30 p.m.) will now work with a different theme each month.  Each member will choose one book on the designated theme (we’ll have a dozen or so good ones available at the Reference Desk) to read and talk about at the meeting.  We’ll look for common themes and share what we loved or hated about each book.  You’ll leave each meeting with a list of the best titles as recommended by the other members of the group.

Here’s the Winter/ Spring schedule for these two groups:

Wednesdays 1:30 p.m Theme Discussions 

January 9: Crossing Borders: Immigrant Fiction

February 13: I Shall Survive!:  Memoirs of Childhood

March 12: Novice Novelists: Award-winning First Time Novelists

April 9: To Be Young Again: Teen Fiction for Adult Readers

May 14: Wisdom and Aging: Memoirs of Elders

Mondays 7:30 p.m. Theme Discussions

January 21: Novice Novelists:  Award-winning First Time Novelists

February 18: To Be Young Again: Teen Fiction for Adult Readers

March 17: It’s Not Easy Reading Green: Irish Storytellers

April 21: Reading Through Time: Time Traveler Fiction

May 19: Musical Notation: Novels About Music

Books for the January sessions are available now at the Reference Desk, so come by to choose one that appeals to you.

Meanwhile, the Jane Austen group will continue meeting on Second Wednesday evenings.  This group always welcomes new Austen-philes!  They’ll meet at 7 p.m. each month.  On January 9, they’ll discuss Emma, on February 13, Pride and Prejudice. On March 12, they’ll meet early at 6 p.m. to watch Keira Knightly as Lizzie Bennett in the 2005 blockbuster of P & P.  And they’ll wrap up the Spring Austen season with Mansfield Park on April 9.

 And for those older teens mentioned above, we’re starting a new discussion group with some exciting books.  This group is for mature teens, 16 and older.  We’re hoping to put the fun and excitement back into reading good books – no vocabulary lists, essays or heavy analysis.  Just reading, talking and eating!  We’ll start off on Thursday, January 24 with Slaughterhouse 5 by Kurt Vonnegut, read A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess for February 14 (Valentine’s Day?!?) and read A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines for March 13.  We’ll let the teens pick the book for April. The ones we’re starting with are all challenging (and challenged, in fact banned) books.  They’re all filled with fascinating ideas to get us talking and arguing about the most important issues of life.  And we promise: no tests!  Just good food.

Join us!

Movies in December

We’re showing some great films at the Avon Lake Public Library this month.  We have state-of-the-art projectors and sound systems, so this is an opportunity to see these movies as they were intended – on a big screen, with refreshments, and with your neighbors.

Sunday, Dec. 9 at 1:30 p.m. Family Feature: Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas, the first full-length stop-motion animated movie.

Monday, Dec. 10 at 1:30 p.m. Matinee: 84 Charing Cross Road with Anthony Hopkins and Anne Bancroft

Wednesday, Dec. 12 at 6 p.m.: Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility with Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet and Hugh Grant.

Each of these movies is a treat, so treat yourself.  See you in the front row!

Elf School

Dear Santa,

     On Saturday, December 1, 2007 the Avon Lake Public Library graduated over 40 eager elves from our Elf School. Your surprise visit added to the ceremony. Thanks for handing out the diplomas to our young (ages 5-8)graduates. Your words of encouragement were appreciated!

     Decorating their tunics was their first challenge. Each elf participated in: reindeer food prep, toy making, cup stacking dexterity drills, dancing, ear wiggling, and cookie making. They performed exceedingly well at all the tasks. The elder, knowledgeable elves that you sent down from the North Pole were excellent, enthusiastic teachers.

Happy Holidays, Avon Lake Public Library