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Yoga and Mindfulness Series Both to Begin November
As the holiday season starts to fill up with events and appointments, we want you to make time for yourself. We are happy to be able to offer two series this month to help you do just that.
Need a little more time to sort out your thoughts? Join mindfulness-based stress reduction coach Malka Yaacobi on Wednesday evenings from now until November 15th. Our
Mindfulness & Your Inner Strengths workshop series
is based on rigorous research about how to help people thrive in their lives. After completing this workshop, you will be able to reduce your stress, expand your perception, and improve your capacity to think outside the box. It is not necessary to be able to attend both sessions to participate.
For more information regarding our Yoga @ the Library series, please contact Julie at 617-623-5000 ext.
2955 or [email protected].
For more information about the Mindfulness series, please contact Lilly at 617-623-5000 ext. 2961 or
[email protected].
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Flipster Brings the Newsstand Straight to You
We are now offering access to
Flipster
, a digital magazine platform that allows users to read current and back issues of popular magazine titles, including The New Yorker, National Geographic, GQ (Gentlemen's Quarterly), O:The Oprah Magazine, Food Network Magazine, and more.
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Staff Spotlight: James
James is very important to all of us who work at the Library: he makes sure we get paid!
James is our Payroll Administrative Assistant and a member of the Library's administrative team. He started with us years ago as a part-time employee,
then worked as our Business Administrative Assistant for about two years before transitioning into his current role.
James is a shining example of a team player. He is always willing to help out in other departments. In fact, you might have seen him at Circulation, at the West Branch, in the Teen Room, in the Children's Room, or even assisting with our deliveries between our library locations.
If you are around the Library often, you might see James strumming one of the guitars from
our musical instrument collection. You might also be surprised to know that he played
a hockey-masked goon/henchman in a movie made over the summer by some friends.
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Adult Recommendations
This issue's recommendations come courtesy of Kevin and Mary at the Central Library.
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Despite being published four years ago, this is the perfect book for now. The Harvey Weinstein sexual assault allegations have rocked Hollywood. Congressman Darrel Issa recently mansplained a bill to a female colleague. In this book Solnit explores the various way men devalue and demean women in incisive prose.
Recommended by Kevin
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We know that in the end the house burns down, but who set all the little fires that caused the destruction--and why? Economic, racial and family custody tensions lead us to question all the very real characters holding secrets in this engrossing, empathetic novel.
Recommended by Mary
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The Ministry of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy
This beautiful, sprawling
novel begins on an almost fairy-tale note: "She lived in the graveyard like a tree." But as Roy takes us into this woman's past--and those of other characters--we witness violence and trauma that is all too real. Ultimately the people in this novel refuse to be victims and form an improbable community, demonstrating that compassion may be our best defense against hate.
Recommended by Kevin
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Never let you go as in I love you so much we'll never part or
as in I'm abusive and controlling and won't ever let you get away?
You'll have to read it to find out!
If you liked Girl on the Train, this suspenseful, twisted love story is for you!
Recommended by Mary
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YA (Young Adult) Recommendations
This issue's YA recommendations come from three guest reviewers (and library patrons) in their teens and Alison at the West Branch.
Easily picked as one of the greatest graphic novels of all time. Great story and character development. Art style is great too, with a mix of fantasy and cartoon. The story is mysterious and funny at the same time. It is really a good time for the audience.
Recommended by Iskander
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Golding presents literature as a method to question humanity and the necessity for social order, as demonstrated in the book. Golding's writing was well orchestrated in plot and presented the reader [with] questions relating to the reason of society. However, Lord of the Flies was intensely graphic and presented a very one-sided definition of savagery. Despite this, Golding successfully incorporated his views and experiences into a book that would stand the test of time.
Recommended by Brian
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Fergus joined the military to get a scholarship. He then found out that the military was testing him to see if he was worthy to get in. He loses his temper, which results in problems. His family history is revealed and may be holding him back.
Recommended by Nathan
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Another gem from Steve Sheinkin, best known for YA/teen nonfiction that examines historical events through a social justice lens. Undefeated tells the story of Jim Thorpe, who was part of the football powerhouse coached by legendary Pop Warner at the Carlisle Indian School in the early 1900s. This book is a fascinating history of both football and the tragic way native children were removed from their homes and sent to boarding schools by the American government.
Recommended by Alison
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Children's Recommendations
This issue's recommendations come courtesy of Annamarie at the Central Library and Alison at the West Branch Library.
This is a Ball by Beck and Matt Stanton
It's subtitled "Books that drive kids CRAZY!" and this book certainly does just that! The picture on the cover is obviously a cube, not a ball. The book continues with an elephant that the reader/book tries to convince the listener is a dog. The next page has a yellow car that the reader/book tries to pass off as blue..."blue like a tomato." This book really gets to kids; one boy at our storytime said it was an "awful" book. Children will fight to prove that you (the reader) and the book are just WRONG. Such an interactive and FUN book! A great holiday gift, too!
Recommended by Annamarie
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A reminder to appreciate the moment, this book follows a girl through her day ("this is my favorite hole, because it's the one I am digging"). Children will relate to the simply drawn girl and her environment.
Recommended by Alison
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Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson
If you love Raina Telgemeier's
Smile and all of the books in her series, then you have to read
Roller Girl. In this graphic novel, Astrid and her best friend, Nicole, have done everything together--that is until Astrid signs up for roller derby camp. She discovers that the sport is considerably more difficult than she imagined, but Astrid is determined to succeed. It's a story about friendships, both old and new, and the challenges of adolescence. Astrid learns to be honest with herself, her mother, and her friends through a series of stressful events.
Roller Girl
is this month's Book Group and Craft in the Children's Room at the Central Library. Join us on
November 30 at 3:30
to talk about the book and decorate a cool pair of socks.
Recommended by Annamarie
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In an amazing sequel to an amazing book, World War II comes alive. Ada has surgery on her foot and finds herself living with an unexpected group of people in the small English village she now calls home. Each of them is tested in ways they never thought possible, and Ada grows and triumphs. A must-read for those who like drama, history, or realistic fiction.
Recommended by Alison
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Even More e-Books and Audiobooks Now Available through Overdrive
Beginning this month,
Overdrive users will now be able to access not only e-books and audiobooks from all of the
Minuteman Library Network, but from the Old Colony and SAILS Library Networks as well. Simply visit the home page of
Overdrive, scroll to the bottom, and toggle between library networks to view additional titles!*
For more information on how to use Overdrive or access e-books, please visit any SPL location or consider scheduling a one-on-one technology course with one of our Technology Librarians.
One-on-one technology instruction can be scheduled by contacting Tim at 617-623-5000 ext. 2963 or
[email protected]
.
*To view additional titles, users should visit Overdrive through a web browser.
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