Friday Finds for January 24, 2014

This is a weekly blog post featuring what the Dorris Van Doren staff members are reading, watching, playing, making, or listening to. Share your finds with us here in the comments or on twitter (@elpasolibrary) and we'll retweet you!

R E A D I N G

Leslie: A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain

Life in England's Dark Ages and Camelot are the backdrop of the story. The main character's humorous exploits while introducing modern ideas make it a fun read.

Also currently reading Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki and Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool.

Aracelli: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hard Luck by Jeff Kinney
Gregg Heffley is growing up, but his misadventures make for a very funny book. I was laughing out loud reading the latest book in the Wimpy Kid series.

If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch
Carey and her younger sister have been abandoned in the woods by their drug-addicted mother. They have had no contact with the real world in six years. When they are “discovered” and forced to live with their father, Carey finds it difficult to adjust. This YA book reads like an adult book; it is heartbreaking, yet uplifting.

Lisa: The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppet by Tom Angleberger 

I'm in the middle of this fourth book, and still loving the Origami Yoda series. 

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

I'm still in the first pages of Artemis Fowl, and I'm having a hard time getting into it. I really hope it gets better, because I've been blindly recommending this series for years based on rave reviews from both teens' and adults' that come into the library.   

W A T C H I N G

Andrea: Dracula (NBC television series)

Tonight is the season finale of NBC’s latest show “Dracula”. So far the show has taken a different approach to Bram Stoker’s classic novel. While it is still set in Victorian London, the revamped series has breathed new life into Dracula (also known as Alexander Grayson in this series). I have really enjoyed this show and hope others have as well. If you have not seen this show, the past episodes are available online and can be found at www.nbc.com/dracula/. The finale tonight looks to be very explosive; I look forward to seeing how it all comes together.

Lisa: The Hangover Part III

It of course wasn't as funny and creative as the first one, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be either. I felt like they tried really hard to break the Hangover formula and use offensive humor that just fell flat. They also focused more on side characters Alan and Chow. When the movie ends, don't hit stop right away; stick around a bit for another scene.

L I S T E N I N G

Leslie: Gods of Guilt (Playaway) by Michael Connelly

M A K I N G

Don't forget, we have several books on knitting and also subscribe to Creative Knitting magazine, which can be checked out!

Leslie: Knitting a scarf for her husband

Friday Finds for January 17, 2014

This is a weekly blog post featuring what the Dorris Van Doren staff members are reading, watching, playing, making, or listening to. Share your finds with us here in the comments or on twitter (@elpasolibrary) and we'll retweet you!

This week, our staff is into zombie books, reminiscing about obscure animated movies, and playing some addictive games (during their personal time of course).  

READING

Lluvia: World War Z by Max Brooks (Playaway*)
It is a thinking man’s zombie book. It is politically and culturally relevant to an almost believable level. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
*Playaways are little devices that have audiobooks already loaded onto them. You simply plug in headphones or an adapter to listen. View the collection here>>

Angie: Dark Wolf by Christine Feehan

I just finished reading “Dark Wolf” book number 25 in Christine Feehan's Carpathian Series. I really enjoyed the book. The series does have to be read in order.

Lisa: Zom-B Angels
This is book 4. I don't want to give any spoilers, so I'll just say this is where we find out the origin of zombies in this series (!). I don't like committing to series fiction, but this one has me hooked and looking forward to reading Zom-B Baby. They're really quick reads.

WATCHING

Joe: Pinchcliffe Grand Prix
I was watching TV the other day and something I saw reminded me of one of my favorite animated movies. It's called "Pinchcliffe Grand Prix". It's a stop-action film from Norway by Ivo Carpino that came out in 1975. Nearly everyone I've ever told about the film has never heard of it. It's worth looking for, although it's not available at the library or on Netflix.

Lisa: We're The Millers
I didn't expect this movie to be so funny. It's worth watching if you're not offended by cursing, drug material, and crude humor. There are highly improbable and ridiculous situations, but the humor helps you overlook them.

PLAYING

Angie: 

Animal Crossing: New Leaf (System: Nintendo 2DS / 3DS, Genre: Simulation) - Like
Hometown Story (System: Nintendo 3DS, Genre: Role Playing) - Hooked on it

Bravely Default Demo (System: Nintendo 3DS, Genre: RPG) - Will be buying the game. It’s really good.

Lisa: 

Candy Crush (iOS)
I know I'm late to the party, but I finally downloaded this game and it really is addictive and strangely satisfying to match colorful, little candies. Don't worry, I won't be sending you a Facebook game request. I believe I'm on the 11th stage of addiction; sometimes I see candy when I close my eyes. See Buzzfeed's The 12 Stages of Candy Crush Addiction.

50 Years After JFK

Today marks the fiftieth anniversary of John F. Kennedy's assassination, and thousands of published books later, there are still many theories with no consensus. This year alone saw 150 books published on Kennedy.

The following is a list of books that the El Paso Public Library owns that were published within 2012 and 2013. The list is a combination of new adult and children's non-fiction and fiction novels. Visit this link to request the books or visit your nearest branch to request and check out other books and movies about JFK.

Where Were You? America Remembers JFK

This book accompanies the NBC documentary that will air today at 7 pm our time. 46 people were asked to remember the day that John F. Kennedy was assassinated and speculate on what might have been since then. Interviewees consist of former heads of state, politicians, authors, journalists, performers, musicians, and more. You can also visit NBC's commemorative and interactive site: http://nvcdn.nbcnews.com/_util/jfk50/

End of Days: The Assassination of John F. Kennedy

A minute-by-minute account of the day President John F. Kennedy was shot, told by James Swanson, author of the New York Times bestseller Manhunt, which brought the Lincoln assassination to life. In End of Days, he reveals Lee Harvey Oswald's bizarre history of violence and follows John and Jacqueline Kennedy's wildly successful swing through Texas and their fateful Dallas motorcade ride. Swanson combines extensive research with his storytelling abilities.

The President Has Been Shot! 

James Swanson was busy this year. Right before End of Days was published, this book was released for youth, grades 7 and up. The book includes archival photographs, explicit diagrams of the assassination scene, source notes, and a bibliography that includes conspiracy-focused literature.

Hit List

Authors, Richard Belzer and David Wayne set out to uncover the truth about the many witness deaths tied to the JFK assassination. For decades, government pundits have dismissed these "coincidental" deaths. Some of the deaths seemed purely coincidental; heart attacks, hunting accidents. Others clearly seemed noteworthy; witnesses who did seem to know something and did seem to die mysteriously. The findings were absolutely staggering: some cases were clearly linked to a "clean-up operation" after the murder of President Kennedy, while others were the result of 'other forces'.

The Third Bullet

Bestselling author Stephen Hunter, continues his fictional thriller series starring Bob Lee Swagger, a legendary Marine sniper hero. In this title, Swagger probes the lingering mystery of John F. Kennedy's assassination and exposes the mastermind behind the third bullet. Why did the third bullet explode? The Warren Commission had no idea, but Bob Lee Swagger knows. 

Are you unfamiliar with this series, but think the name sounds familiar? Maybe it's because you saw the 2007 film, Shooter starring Mark Wahlberg!

Parkland

This book was originally published in 2007 under the name of Four Days in November. The book was re-released this year with a new title and cover to match the new motion picture starring Zac Efron, Marcia Gay harden, and other stars. In the book, Vincent Bugliosi analyzes JFK's assassination and its surrounding conspiracy theories drawing on forensic evidence, key witness testimonies, and other sources to explain what really happened and why conspiracy theories have become so popularized.

You can request both book and DVD at any El Paso Public Library branch.

Top Down

Famed journalist and news anchor, Jim Lehrer was actually a reporter in Dallas on November 22, 1963. He draws from his own experience to create a fictional account of a Secret Service agent who made the fateful decision to remove the security bubble from John F. Kennedy's parade car. The character struggles with suicidal feelings of guilt until a young reporter endeavors to determine the day's outcome if the bubbletop had been in place.

Who Really Killed Kennedy? 
In decades of meticulous research, investigative journalist Jerome Corsi has sorted through mountains of evidence. Dissecting the Warren Commission's conclusion, he carefully separates the unlikely from the real, and speculation from facts. Having personally known or met many of the key players in the assassination drama, including a former top Soviet bloc intelligence official, Corsi reveals shocking information for the first time.

The Kennedy Half-Century
Celebrated political scientist and analyst, Larry J. Sabato explores the fascinating and powerful influence JFK has had over five decades on the media, the general public, and especially on each of his 9 presidential successors. Sabato reexamines JFK's assassination using heretofore unseen information to which he has had unique access, then documents the extraordinary effect the assassination has had on Americans of every modern generation.

JFK
This illustrated tribute was written for the kinder through third grade set. The author introduces children to JFK's early life and career, and offers insight into his cultural significance to everyday Americans.

They Killed Our President
The former governor of Minnesota teams up with a successful author and some of the most respected and influential assassination researchers to provide all the conspiracy angles of this notable event in American history.

Killing Kennedy
The host of The O'Reilly Factor recounts the murder of JFK and how gunshots on a Dallas afternoon not only killed a beloved president but also sent the nation into the cataclysmic division of the Vietnam War and its culture-changing aftermath.

A couple of weeks ago, National Geographic aired a movie adaptation of the book starring Rob Lowe. The movie will re-air tonight at 7 pm. Visit the movie's site here. Be sure to also visit their interactive documentary: http://kennedyandoswald.com/#!/premiere-screen
The online documentary follows both Kennedy and Oswald side-by-side, combining soundbites, archival photos, video, and other primary sources.

Kennedy's Last Days
This is O'Reilly's adaptation of Killing Kennedy written for grades 5 and up. The book also includes O'Reilly's memories of the day his high school class learned of the events of November 22, 1963. 

Celebrate "Bless Me, Ultima" as a Community

Rudolfo Anaya's novel Bless Me, Ultima has recently been adapted into a film. The Plaza Theater will host the movie's worldwide premiere on September 17, and it will then be released in area theaters on September 21. In anticipation of the movie, the El Paso Public Library has partnered with CommUNITY en ACCION to create a community-wide reading event to promote literacy and celebrate this classic novel.

Read the Book
Extra copies of the novel have been purchased for the library system and Sun Metro. A limited number will be available on various bus routes (read the press release here). Bless Me, Ultima will be available in English and Spanish at all library locations, but if they are all checked out, you can request a copy here.

Attend a Program
The Dorris Van Doren Library will have a special presentation entitled The Medicinal Herbs of Bless Me, Ultima this Saturday, September 15 at 2 pm.  Jose O. Rivera, Pharm.D. and Armando Enrique Gonzalez-Stuart, Ph.D (Alt. Med.) will discuss the healing properties of local plants and herbs.

eReader Raffle!
Win a free eReader by entering our essay raffle each week! We have already had 3 winners, but there are still 3 more chances to win. Just read the book, answer a short essay question, and you'll be entered into the raffle. Enter online by clicking the links below or pick up and submit your entry at any library location. Entries are due on Saturdays and winners are drawn on Wednesdays.

Question 4 deadline is September 15, 2012:
English
Espanol
Question 5 deadline is September 22, 2012:
English
Espanol
Question 6 deadline is September 29, 2012:
English
Espanol

Read Essays by Local Authors
The El Paso Times is also participating by running guest essays in the Sunday issue:

• Ultima the Healer by Denise Chavez (8/19) 
• Like Characters in Bless Me, Ultima, El Paso isn't Easily Defined by Cecilia Weddell (8/26) 
• Bless Me, Ultima Also Helped Guide Us to This Place by Bobby Byrd (9/2)
• Bless Me, Ultima is Story of Faith vs. Evil, Never of Satanism by Felipe de Ortego y Gasca (9/9)
• How 'Ultima' Changed Course of This Writer's Life by Daniel Chacon (9/16)

Watch and Listen to local celebrities read from the book here.

Watch the Movie Trailer:

Visit the official site.