Legal thriller full of plot twists

“Fugitive”

By Phillip Margolin

(Playaway MP3 audiobook)

Margolin’s latest thriller revolves around Charlie Marsh, a small-time thief and con man.

In 1997, Charlie is serving a prison sentence when he saves the warden’s life during a prison riot and becomes a national hero. He takes advantage of the situation by writing a largely fictional book about his life. The book becomes a bestseller, allowing Charlie to live the high life.

Sally Pope, wife of a prominent congressman, and Charlie have an affair. Sally’s husband, Arnold discovers evidence of the affair and confronts them at a book signing that Sally hosts for Charlie.

Arnold is shot and killed and Sally faces a murder charge, although no one saw the shooter. Charlie is charged as an accomplice.

Amanda Jaffe watches in the courtroom as her father, Frank, successfully defends Sally and gains her acquittal. Charlie flees to Batanga, Africa to avoid his own murder trial.

For twelve years, Charlie works for the Batangan dictator Jean Claude Baptiste. When the dictator discovers that Charlie has been sleeping with one of his wives, he has his wife tortured and killed.

Charlie decides that facing death row in the United States is preferable to the fate he will meet at the hands of the sadistic dictator.

Charlie calls upon Martha Brice, editor-in-chief of “World News” for help in making his escape. She provides the money and makes the plans for Charlie’s harrowing exit from Africa.

He leaves Africa entrusted with a package of diamonds for safekeeping. The diamonds are intended to fund a resistance movement against the African dictator at a future date.

So Brice hires Amanda Jaffe to defend Charlie in his murder trial. Amanda enlists her father to assist an investigation into the events surrounding the congressman’s murder twelve years ago.

Charlie and Amanda quickly discover that the African dictator has sent one of his enforcers to get the diamonds back and to deal with Charlie. Amanda faces two challenges—to clear her client and to protect him from persons that want him dead.

Margolin’s legal thriller, with its non-stop action and gripping plot twists, add suspense until you reach the surprising and shocking conclusion. Narrator Jonathan Davis engages you with his strong delivery, providing unique voices for the intriguing characters while keeping the drama high. Phillip Margolin has written yet another winner featuring Amanda Jaffe.

“Shatter”

By Michael Robotham

(Playaway MP3 audiobook)

Robotham’s protagonist is clinical psychologist Joe O’Loughlin, who teaches psychology at the University of Bath. He and his beautiful wife, Julianne, have been married for twenty years and have two young daughters, but he suffers from the onset of Parkinson’s disease.

Joe’s life changes unexpectedly when he is called by the police to go to the Clifton Suspension Bridge to talk down a woman who is about to jump.

He arrives at the bridge to find a woman standing in the rain sobbing into a cell phone. She is naked except for her shoes. Still on the phone, she turns to Joe and says, “You don’t understand,” and steps off the bridge.

The police rule it suicide and close the case. Joe isn’t so sure.

The sixteen-year-old daughter of Christine Wheeler, the dead woman, appears at Joe’s home a few days later. Darcy Wheeler flatly states that her mother would never commit suicide — certainly not by jumping, since she was terrified of heights.

Darcy begs Joe to find out what really caused her mother to jump. Joe’s doubts about the police’s suicide theory intensify.

Another dead woman is discovered hanging from a tree, also naked with a cell phone nearby. Joe learns that she was Christine Wheeler’s business partner. He calls upon his friend Vincent Ruiz, a retired chief inspector, to help him figure out who is manipulating these women into killing themselves, apparently from the other end of their cell phones — and why.

Joe is able to prevent a third murder victim, but then the killer strikes very close to home.

Australian author Michael Robotham’s novel “Shatter” is a compelling suspense-filled psychological thriller. Chapters written from the villain’s perspective reveal a very dark and twisted personality.

British actor Sean Barrett’s fine narration lends depth to the characters and the chilling plot twists.

Phyllis is the technical services librarian at Joplin Public Library.

Movies speak to audiences in similar ways

For this column I will look at two movies that couldn’t be any more different from each other — on paper, anyway. But they both possess whatever magic lies within really good movies to make them “speak” to an audience — to show us something about ourselves and the world around us.

“Unfaithfully Yours”

(not rated)

Whenever I’m asked to recommend a movie to a library patron (and it happens fairly often) I always tell them, “Oh, you should get ‘Unfaithfully Yours.’” It’s the perfect movie to recommend to a stranger for three reasons:

1. It’s really good.

2. It’s tasteful (but not boringly so).

3. Most people have never heard of it, let alone seen it.

The movie tells the tale of one Sir Alfred De Carter, a famous orchestra conductor who, despite his prestige and high standing, is a man at heart and as such is given over to petty jealousy and fantasies of revenge when he suspects his wife of having a wandering eye.

As he conducts his symphony through several disparate pieces of classical music, his mind wanders as he envisions impossibly complex ways to both prove his wife’s unfaithfulness and to exact his own ultra-suave brand of revenge. But things go hilariously awry when De Carter actually gets a chance to set his plots into motion.

“Unfaithfully Yours” stars a younger Rex Harrison, 16 years before his famous turn as Professor Henry Higgins in “My Fair Lady,” and benefits tremendously from the highly skilled actor’s wonderful performance. Capturing a pompousness and coldness about De Carter while still remaining sympathetic is no small feat, and Harrison handles it admirably.

Once things start to go seriously downhill for the man, it’s hard not to feel sorry for him, even as you laugh at him and chastise him for ever fantasizing revenge in the first place.

Perhaps not the most obvious draw for the movie, but the most important and the most lasting, is that it was directed and scripted by that manic genius of 1940s cinema, Preston Sturges. A rather late-period entry into the director’s filmography (his earlier, more well-known efforts such as “Lady Eve” and “Sullivan’s Travels” having come at the very beginning of the ’40s), the film still bristles with Sturges’ trademark energy and the unusually structured script is distinctly his own.

A small masterpiece from one of the giants of “golden age” of comedy, as well as a powerful treatise on male hubris and machismo, “Unfaithfully Yours” is a hilarious movie that comes highly recommended.

“Tarnation”

(not rated)

It’s hard to describe the power of Jonathan Caouette’s powerful documentary “Tarnation.”

I was going to finish that sentence with “other than to say that … ” but I couldn’t come up with anything, so I’ll let that first sentence stand all on its own. It’s hard to describe the power of this movie.

“Tarnation” was the end result of a lifetime spent obsessively documenting, archiving and manipulating the life of its director. Culled from more than 20 years worth (hundreds of hours) of old video footage, and made for the sum total budget of $218.32 at the home of the director on his computer, the movie works in spite of its obvious limitations. (Good portions of the movie consist of text scrolling across the screen in front of still photographs.)

The film details the troubled childhood of Caouette, from coping with an absent father to dealing with his mentally disturbed mother who goes through a series of bizarre and disturbing electroshock treatments, rendering her a shell of her former self. Throughout, vintage video footage reveals Caouette to be a highly intelligent, artistic youth left to drift and come to terms with his life in the best way he knows how — in front of a camera.

At times funny, at times deeply disturbing, and at times downright horrifying, “Tarnation” is a film unique unto itself. A highly moving portrait of a tortured soul and his attempts to come to terms with his birthright and the world around him, the film rises above the sum of its limited parts to create a whole both affecting and powerfully memorable.

Mark is the assistant circulation supervisor at Joplin Public Library.

Bonjour! Hello! Hola! Hallo!

Are you either learning a language or interested in doing so? Ja?! Well, friends, we have what you need: audio books, dictionaries, language books, videos & software! Whether you would like to brush up on your English grammar, learn French for travelers, or immerse yourself in Romanian, we're sure to have something to pique your interest! Chinese, Dutch, English, Japanese, Korean, German, French, Hindi, Italian, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Slang, Sign Language & MORE...Perhaps you could peruse our language section the next time you're in for a visit! Bis später! Au revoir!

Burroughs’ essays rough yet rewarding

‘You Better Not Cry’

By Augusten Burroughs

Halfway through “You Better Not Cry,” Augusten Burroughs’ latest collection of essays, I still wasn’t sure what to think of it. Or even if I’d finish it.

I’d been hoping for something along the lines of David Sedaris’ “Holidays on Ice,” which was consistently funny and twisted, often at the expense of others, but unfailingly affectionate.

At first, I didn’t find that in “You Better Not Cry.”

The book struck me as uneven, hilarious and disturbing, but cold — much like Burroughs’ own life, I guess. Anyone who has read his books is familiar with his dysfunctional background: an alcoholic father, a mentally ill mother, years of unhealthy relationships and drinking binges.

I didn’t crack a smile until the second piece, “Claus and Effect,” an ode to a child’s greed at Christmas. Even if the essay’s characterization is an exaggeration, Burroughs still must have been a monster. He presents his parents with a list of “acceptable” gifts, among them a gold-plated watch, a bag of coins, gold nuggets and a leather wallet.

“And as far as I was concerned, my parents would give me whatever I wanted,” he writes. “It was my payment for enduring the other 364 days of the year with them. Between my nasty drunk father and my suicidal, mental-patient mother, I felt I was owed certain reimbursements. They had aged me; I would drain them dry.”

Holy cow. Young Augusten makes today’s kids — with their desire for Wii’s, cell phones, and iPods — look like Marxists. Still, I had to laugh at his over-the-top requests. Seriously, what kind of a child asks for gold nuggets?

Less amusing was the essay about Burroughs’ one-night stand with a geriatric Frenchman in Santa regalia. The sleaze factor was just too much for me. It also seemed somewhat unbelievable, right down to its semi-redemptive ending.

But as “You Better Not Cry” progressed, my appreciation for it grew. The writing improved, reminding me of why I like Burroughs so much. The intent no longer seemed to horrify or amuse; rather, it was to touch a deeper emotion in the reader.

In “Why Do You Reward Me Thus?” Burroughs recounts an incident from his boozing days. One minute he’s drinking in a bar; the next he’s waking up in the street, snuggled up against two homeless guys for warmth.

While he has preconceived notions about “bums,” he finds camaraderie among them. One is an elegant woman who professes to be a singer. He asks her for a song, and when she opens her mouth, a Puccini aria emerges.

“As she sang, the windows of the brownstone across the street shimmered in reply. Her voice had weakened the molecular bond of glass. It filled the space between the flakes of falling snow and packed the air with beauty. It was, at once, Christmas in Manhattan.”

This piece marked a turning point in the collection’s overall tone. Burroughs begins to let some vulnerability peek through, enough so that the reader can detect the yearning and loneliness he feels around the holidays.

I realized that “You Better Not Cry” depicts his journey toward a “normal” Christmas, whatever that might be. He has some drunken and depressing ones — my heart broke a little for him when I read “The Best and Only Everything,” about his first Christmas with an HIV-infected lover — but he continues to inch his way toward a functional life.

In the final essay, “Silent Night,” Burrough’s life is calm, for him. He has been sober for a decade and has a long-time partner, with whom he has two dogs, a station wagon, and a house. After years of ignoring the holiday, he tries to have the perfect Christmas.

It’s within reach, but then catastrophe strikes in the form of a household flood. His reaction to the situation is very telling, and the reader realizes that, although Burroughs’ life has been a series of mistakes and disasters, he has learned something along the way.

Perhaps he says it best himself. Looking at the Christmas tree standing in their wrecked home, Burroughs holds his partner’s hand and whispers, “I’m very lucky.”

I felt lucky to have gone on the journey with him in “You Better Not Cry.” I’m glad I stuck with it, and with him.

Lisa is the administrative assistant at the Joplin Public Library.

Storytime Resumes

It’s hard to believe (at least for me), but storytime resumes next week. We will kick off the sixteen week session with WINTER themed stories, songs, and rhymes!

Here's a complete schedule that is good until May 1st:

Family Storytime (children up to 5 years)--Monday at 6:00 p.m. and Saturday at 10:30 a.m.
Baby Bookworms (only children up to 23 months)--Tuesday at 9:30 and 10:30
Tales for 2s & 3s--Wednesday and Thursday at 9:30 a.m.
Fun for 4s & 5s--Wednesday and Thursday at 10:30 a.m.

There is also a bonus Spanish/English Story Hour on the third Friday of each month, with the first one kicking off on Friday, January 15th at 10:30 a.m. Children 2-5 years and their parents are welcome. Do not worry about understanding the stories, songs and rhymes, because Miss Shawnte does an excellent job presenting everything in the dual languages of English and Spanish.

For more information call 417-623-2184.

"Test your L.Q. (Library Quotient)" - Question #1

Here's the first question:

What was the name of the man who donated the money for the
construction of the original Joplin library?

------------------------

This is but the first question in a series of four. There will be a new one every two weeks, and the contest will last until the end of February.

You must submit your answer at the official drop-off location at the
Circulation desk inside the library.

Those who submit four correct answers will be entered into a drawing for a $20 gift card to Caldone's fine Italian restaurant!

Have fun and happy answer-hunting!

'Tumblebooks' make reading an adventure

How would you like to see a book come to life right before your eyes, or better yet, your child’s eyes? A new resource at the library does just that.

Tumblebook Library is an online collection of animated talking picture books called “Tumblebooks.” The books in the Tumblebook Library are existing titles that have animation, sound, music and narration added. The collection includes storybooks, fairy tales, nonfiction books and books for learning.

You can open a Tumblebook (click on the View Online graphic above the book) and join Jason in “50 Below Zero” as he finds his sleepwalking father on the refrigerator, in the bathtub, and numerous other places. You’ll see Jason peer over the covers when a noise wakes him, see his father bound across the room and watch Jason pull his frozen father home.

Most of the storybooks are set to automatically turn the pages, but you can change the setting to manual and turn the pages yourself. Other books, such as the pop-up book “Doors,” are set on manual so that you move through the book at your own pace. The reader opens each door with the click of the mouse and looks for all kinds of things on a boat, at the doctor’s office, in a horse’s stall, on a spaceship and many other places.

Each book has a synopsis of the story; author, illustrator and publisher information; reading time; reading level; book reviews; and accelerated reading info.

You have the option to add the books to “My Favorites” or “My Playlist.” “My Favorites” is just a list of books that you choose. “My Playlist” is a collection of books you choose that will play one after another when you click on the play button. You can add to and delete from the list as you wish.

Some of the Tumblebooks have games and puzzles associated with them, with a link on the right of the book information. There is also a “Puzzles and Games” tab that you can click on to choose the game or puzzle you want to play.

The “Language Learning” tab lets you choose books to be read in five different languages: French, Spanish, Italian, Chinese and Russian. There is only one title each in Chinese and Russian and two titles in Italian, but there are many to choose from in French and Spanish. The information on the books is in English (or Spanish or French if you changed the language on the home page), but when you view the book, the words and narration are in the language you chose.

Not all of the books in the Tumblebook Library show the words. The “Audiobooks” tab gives you access to a collection of books that are read to you. The read times are longer and you have the option to add bookmarks, so you can stop the book, then go back and pick up where you left off.

The “TumbleReadables” tab takes you to a collection of books without the animation. The book is narrated and each sentence read is highlighted. You have the option to control the size of the text. You can choose from “Early Readers,” “Read-Along Classics” or “Chapter Books” (no titles in this category yet).

In the “Large Print Classics,” you read the book (no narration) and you control the text size from 12 to 34 font size. As with the audiobooks, you can bookmark any book to stop and go back to the same place.

Please check out this great resource at the Joplin Public Library or from your home by going to the library Web site (http://www.joplinpubliclibrary.org). If you are in the library, go to the Kids page on the Web site and click on the Tumblebook link.

From home on the Web site, mouse over “Reference” then “Online Resources” and choose “Literature/Reading” from the drop-down menu.

You will need a username and password to access Tumblebooks from home. Contact the Children’s Department (417-623-2184) or the Reference Desk (417-624-5465) for that information.

Patty is the reference librarian at Joplin Public Library.

Medical surprise makes for compelling story

“What I Thought I Knew”

By Alice Eve Cohen

It is the spring of 1999, and 44-year-old Alice Eve Cohen is deliriously happy. She is raising Julia, her 8-year-old adopted daughter, she is dating a wonderful man and has a thriving career as a playwright and theater artist.

And then one day in early April, she awakens with an upset stomach.

The nausea never abates, and over the course of the next several months Alice gains a host of new symptoms, which her gynecologist diagnoses as early menopause, her gastroenterologist as anemia and reflux, and her general practitioner as a tumor. It is only later, during a CAT scan, that it is accidentally discovered that she is 26 weeks pregnant.

And so begins Alice’s difficult journey in trying to figure out how to proceed. Especially since she has not receive any prenatal care, has been taking prescription medication and synthetic hormones that are know to cause birth defects, is a high-risk pregnancy, and has to deal with an insurance company that offers little coverage or help.

Cohen offers her perspective on the medical system, motherhood and what it means to be a family in today’s society, while providing an honest, entertaining and captivating narrative. She pulls no punches and candidly opens herself to readers, despite how she may appear or be judged.

This is a fast-paced memoir that will preoccupy readers’ thoughts long after the last page has been read.

“When You Reach Me”

By Rebecca Stead

New York City sixth-grader Miranda has a lot on her mind during the fall of 1978.

She would like to know why her best friend, Sal, suddenly stops speaking to her after a stranger punches him in the stomach; who stole the “emergency only” apartment key that she and her mother had hidden outside their apartment; and who is leaving her notes that seem to predict the future.

Using her powers of observation, Miranda seeks to answer these questions and more as her familiar world is abruptly upended.

Stead has written a fantastical mystery that will captivate readers from the opening chapter. Miranda is endearing, perceptive and better yet, a typical sixth-grade student who is struggling with family, friendships and her personal identity. She, along with a diverse cast of characters, steals the show.

Jeana is the children’s librarian at Joplin Public Library.

“An Uncommon History of Common Things”

By Bethanne Patrick and John Thompson

I’m a bit of a trivia nut, to understate things enormously, so I was happy to see “An Uncommon History of Common Things” by Bethanne Patrick and John Thompson, published by National Geographic. The book is divided into nine chapters, covering Food & Drink, Seasons & Holidays, Ceremony & Customs, Symbols & Markings, Hearth & Home, Garments & Accessories, Medications & Potions, Toys & Games, and Tools & Innovations.

In addition to the main entries, there are blue boxes with Uncommonly Known stories to further inform and entertain and tan boxes with Parallel History information to put things into context. The second Uncommonly Known box, in the Food & Drink section, states that the bread slicer was invented in Iowa in 1917, but the first commercial use was in Chillicothe, Mo.!

In the section on lunch boxes, I learned that the first lunch box made for children was the Aladdin brand with Hopalong Cassidy decoration in the late 1940’s. No big surprise there, but (being a boomer baby) I didn’t realize that “concerned parents” in Florida rang the death knell for the metal lunch box and ushered in the age of plastics in the lunch box world.

Ceremony & Customs has an interesting piece about naming conventions. I remember hearing long ago that in Jewish custom, babies are named after deceased relatives but not living ones. According to the book, however, that is Ashkenazic custom, while Sephardic custom is exactly opposite. In Navajo culture, “a name is so powerful it is never used in everyday conversation.” In India, it is usual to have a “family” name used at home and a different formal name for use in the outside world.

Symbols & Markings gives a history of the peace symbol that I found interesting. It was created by a Londoner named Gerald Holtom for a march against nuclear armaments. It is a combination of the semaphores for “n” (nuclear) and “d” (disarmament). It made its first appearance in public on April 4, 1958 and the first appearance in the U.S. was evidently a photo of the march in Life magazine on April 14th.

What about the superstition about walking under a ladder? Evidently, that one goes back to ancient Egypt. Wood was scarce in Egypt and a ladder was a good luck sign. Triangles represented the sacred trinity of the gods, so walking under a ladder leaning against something was breaking the sacred space and earning the gods’ anger. In Christian times, a leaning ladder brought to mind the ladder used to mount a cross for crucifixion, and so became a symbol of evil and death. Those going to be hanged were forced to walk under the ladder, while the executioner went around it.

In Garments & Accessories, I learned a lot about loafers. One, why they’re called that. I always assumed that it referred to be lazy, since there are no laces to tie. Wrong! It comes from a shoe worn by Norwegian farmer shoes worn in the loafing (meaning gathering) areas for cattle. The Norwegian origin also explains the name of the loafers sold by Bass. “Weejun” is a diminutive form of Norwegian. Ah HA! I always thought (again, wrong assumption on my part) that Weejun was some sort of American Indian reference, like wampum (wampum being covered in the book, too, by the way).

The ubiquitous hook-and-loop fastener was patented in 1955. Brand-named Velcro, the French inventor got the idea from burrs in his dog’s fur. Whyever is it called Velcro? I have wondered, and now I know. The name comes from the French words velours (velvet) and crochet (hook). Ah, the velvet hook! Perfect description of the material, I think.

While there is a lot of information familiar to me in this book, there is obviously a lot that wasn’t. It’s very attractively laid out, with lots of photos, and makes for some interesting browsing. Come check it out, or any of the other books on curiosities, trivia and the like that we have at the Joplin Public Library.

Linda is the circulation supervisor/collection development librarian at Joplin Public Library.

Test Your Library Knowledge in 2010!

Test your library knowledge in 2010 and be entered to win a great prize!

Every two weeks during the months of January and February, a different "L.Q." (library quotient) question will be posted on the library's blog and Facebook page. These questions will be related to the history of the Joplin Public Library. Answers must be submitted in person to a designated box at the Circulation Desk inside the library.

Those people who submit four correct answers will be entered into a drawing to win a $20.00 gift card to Caldone's, the newest Italian restaurant in town, located at 218 S Main!

Check back in January for the first question!

Intense action propels 'Memory Collector'

“The Memory Collector”

By Meg Gardiner (compact disc audiobook)

A couple of passengers restrain Ian Kanan, passenger on a flight from London, when he tries to open an exit door. Kanan has no memory of where he is or why he is in the United States.

Dr. Jo Beckett a forensic psychologist is called in to investigate when brain scans reveal that Kanan has no short-term memory. He escapes before she discovers that his exposure to a top-secret nanotech chemical product known as “Slick” has caused a rare form of amnesia. Kanan only remembers things up until the time of his exposure to this mysterious biological contaminant. He will never be able to form new memories or ever hold a memory for more than five minutes.

Kanan is desperately looking for Slick. Kidnappers have his family and Slick is the ransom, only Kanan cannot remember where he put it. The reminder scrawled on his arm — “Saturday they die” — terrifies him. Jo and her friend, Lt. Amy Tang of the San Francisco Police Department, and Jo’s boyfriend, Gabe, race against time to find Kanan and the toxic chemical in order to save the city of San Francisco from this horrifying, brain-devouring substance.

Meg Gardiner’s second novel featuring Dr. Jo Beckett is a suspenseful and fast-paced thriller. Susan Ericksen effectively utilizes foreign dialects to portray realistic characters, while her excellent narration sustains the intense action.

“Gone Tomorrow”

By Lee Child (compact disc audiobook)

Jack Reacher, a former military police major, is riding on a subway car in New York when he notices that the only woman fits all of the criteria of a suicide bomber. However, what would be the point of her carrying out a suicide bombing? It is 2 o’clock in the morning and there are only four or five passengers on the subway train.

In order to try to calm the woman, Reacher approaches her and explains that he a police officer. She pulls out a gun and kills herself. Reacher’s decision sets off a course with deadly consequences. The New York Police Department, the FBI, and other government agencies question Reacher’s motivation for confronting Susan Marks. Susan was no suicide bomber but apparently she was carrying a secret, and a number of people believe that she gave Reacher something that contained the secret before she died. Reacher enlists the aid of her brother to discover Susan’s motivation for taking her life and to exact vengeance from the bad guys.

Reacher tells the heart-stopping story in first person. The terrific action sequences move at breakneck pace and the plotting and characters are first rate. Dick Hill’s skillful narration adds depth to the portrayal of the characters and the tension. Jack Reacher will not disappoint his millions of fans.

“Road Dogs”

By Elmore Leonard (“Playaway” audiobook)

Jack Foley, the charming, sexy bank robber who made his first appearance in “Out of Sight,” claims to have robbed over 170 banks. Foley gets out of jail early thanks to Cundo Rey, who also appeared in “La Brava,” an earlier Leonard novel.

Rey, an extremely wealthy Cuban criminal and Foley’s prison buddy (road dog), pays $50,000 for a lawyer to spring Foley. Rey gives Foley a credit card and access to his multi-million dollar homes in California. Dawn Navarro, a beautiful psychic con and Rey’s common-law wife, has been waiting on Rey’s release for eight years. In the meantime, Little Jimmy, Rey’s partner, has been taking care of Rey’s business.

Foley makes himself at home in one of Rey’s houses. He has decided to go straight — no more bank robberies in his future. Soon, he and Dawn connect and begin a torrid affair, while thinking of ways to relieve Rey of some of his money. Rey’s release comes a few days early and he arrives home unexpectedly. Adding to the tension is FBI agent Lou Adams who dogs Foley’s every step. Agent Adams is determined to catch Foley in one last bank heist and intends to write a book about him.

The plot is weak but Leonard skillfully employs quirky and sleazy engaging characters and rich and colorful dialogue in “Road Dogs.” Peter Francis James narrates this enjoyable, fast-paced caper novel.

~Phyllis- Technical Services Librarian

‘Libyrinth’ a well-written book about another world’s library

Libyrinth by Pearl North

True confession: Since I earned my degree to become a librarian, the mere mention of libraries in a book, no matter how brief, makes me giddy with excitement — as if the author mentioned the library just for me.

So, when I saw Libyrinth and read the jacket, I had to read it. I mean, there’s a whole civilization built around a library, librarians and the people who want to destroy the library! Giddiness ensued.

Libyrinth is set in a non-Earth world where the two major learned societies are in conflict. The Libyrarians believe in the importance of the written word and that they must preserve all books while the Singers believe that words are sacred, but once written down are dead and that they must burn all books in order to release the words written in them.

Because the Libyrinth relies on others in order to exist and the Singers are a formidable foe, the Libyrarians have struck a deal with the Singers: Each year, the Libyrarians allow the singers to burn a select number of books in exchange for the Singers’ promise that they won’t destroy the entire Libyrinth.

This arrangement, though painful for the Libyrarians, worked out well until Haly, a Libyrinth clerk who can hear written words as if they are spoken to her, discovers the Singers’ plot to find The Book of the Night — the book that contains all the secrets of the Ancients.

Fearing that the Singers will destroy the book, Haly, her friend Clauda and Selene, the Libyrarian Haly serves, flee the Libyrinth to find the book first. When Haly is captured by the Singers, she and her friends embark on an adventure to save the book and the Libyrinth.

For the most part, the giddiness I felt after reading the book jacket was sustained. Through alternating points of view, Haly and Clauda are well developed and quite likable. Their difficult decisions are realistic and they are both clever and resourceful.

North does a good job of making readers understand the viewpoint of the Singers and resists the temptation of making them a mindless and evil society of book burners. North even sprinkles a budding romance in the mix for good measure.

The book was not without distraction, however. The action scenes are great and begin early on, but the pace gets slowed down by world building and in-depth explanations of the world’s various religions and philosophies.

Most distracting for me is that North fails to explain how a non-Earth world can have books like Charlotte’s Web and The Diary of Anne Frank in it. Are the Ancients people from Earth who brought a vast number of books with them?

According to the “About the Author” page, North plans Libyrinth to be the first in a trilogy, so maybe some of these distractions will be dealt with in the second installment. All-in-all, though, it’s a solid read for patient fantasy lovers and nerdy librarians.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies vs. Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters

Q: On what factors do we judge this year’s new adaptations of classic Jane Austen? Could it be as simple as personal preference for zombies versus sea monsters? Or perhaps personal preference of Pride and Prejudice versus Sense and Sensibility? Think on that a spell while I tell you two reasons why I loved them both:

Reason #1 for embracing Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (additions by Seth Grahame-Smith) and Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters (additions by Ben H. Winters): Using the awesome drawing power of zombies and sea monsters (who can possibly resist the exuberant charm of Frankenstein’s or Loch Ness’s monsters? Not me!) brings a whole new audience for these classics. People are reading Austen for the first time; people, like me, who may never have read these Victorian fiction gems without the lure of aforementioned ghouls and sea slimeys. New Austen converts? Can I get a “Heck yes!”?

Reason #2 for devouring these books anew like you’ve never read them before: Um, they now have zombies and sea monsters: hello! Sure, you’ve seen all the movie versions and read your grandmother’s battered old copies dozens of times, but you’ve never seen Elizabeth sword-fight the undead while worrying about whether or not she secretly loves Darcy. The protagonist and supporting female cast are respected warriors in this new version of Pride and Prejudice. I can’t imagine Ms. Jane Austen herself being anything but pleased to see our 21^st century reimagining turn her main characters into feminist icons.

A: If you have to choose just one of these new classics to read, choose not based on your love of reanimated flesh versus murderous cephalopods, as both are sensationally represented. Choose not even based on the characters or storylines of your favorite Jane Austen, as, let’s face it, both novels are reminiscent of the other. Choose Pride and Prejudice and Zombies because of the aforementioned feminist manifesta excitement, the promise of unique transformation-into-zombie folklore (in this mythology, it takes months to turn once you’re bitten), and the superior marriage of authors the writing displays.

Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters boasts a vast array of surly sea-beasts, to be sure, but the writing isn’t as seamless in this one. The sea-beast plotline can easily be told from the original storyline (and as I said above, I’ve never read the originals of either novel, so I shouldn’t be able to tell…) and the sea monsters seem like an almost trivial afterthought to both the modern writer and the characters in the story. Perhaps Mr. Winters wasn’t confident enough to really dig into the story and find its new purpose with the addition of the Loch Ness monster family, or maybe Pride and Prejudice and Zombies was just too good by comparison. In either case, read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies first to whet your appetite for what might be an exciting new trend in reimagining classic novels.

Social events influence movies during filming

This review will focus on three movies that, while completely unrelated, share a certain unifying characteristic: They were all filmed in locations with actual social events occurring in and around the film production.

The resulting products are filled with a refreshing spontaneity and sense of being “alive” that was achieved both because of, and in spite of, the remarkable situations surrounding their production.

“Black Orpheus” (not rated)

This is the classic Greek story of Orpheus and Eurydice, as retold in a modern context and set in Brazil, during the time of the annual Carnaval. The story is simple and fairly straight-forward (although I won’t spoil the ending), but the movie positively shines with music and raw energy.

I tried to think of another movie that featured such a persistent beat and so many ecstatically dancing extras, but I simply couldn’t do it.

Sumptuously photographed in color, the movie lavishes attention on the Brazilian locales in which it is set. Everything in the movie seems beautiful, even the ramshackle homes the characters share with their chickens and goats.

They go to work, earn a little money, play music and dance into the night. In the world of “Black Orpheus,” such a life is paradise.

An utterly unique movie experience, masterfully directed (or perhaps “reined-in” would be a better term) by legendary French director Marcel Camus, Black Orpheus was the winner of the 1960 Oscar for best foreign language film.

“Medium Cool” (rated R)

Of the three movies featured in this column, perhaps “Medium Cool” had the most at risk during its production.

Unlike the guarantee of frenzied madness during Carnaval or a rock concert, “Medium Cool” was based partially on an assumption that something dramatic was going to occur during the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Luckily for the production, something dramatic happened there — in a big way.

The first “fiction” film directed by legendary cinematographer Haskell Wexler (look him up online for a list of movies he has shot — it’s mighty impressive), “Medium Cool” frames a dramatic, fictional narrative around real (and uncontrollable) events. The results are not completely successful, but the conceit is compelling and fascinating to watch.

“Medium Cool” is a time capsule, no doubt about it. The music and styles are painfully outdated, but this trait could also be the movie’s greatest strength.

It’s must-see viewing for those interested in the ’60s, fans of documentary movies, those interested in politics or those just looking for a movie pretty “far-out” of the ordinary.

“Gimme Shelter” (rated R)

If that great social phenomenon known as “The ’60s” unofficially began in Haight-Ashbury during 1967’s “Summer of Love,” and reached its zenith two years later at Woodstock, it unofficially came crashing down at the infamous free Rolling Stones concert at Altamont Speedway on Dec. 6, 1969.

Where “Gimme Shelter” differs from the other two movies in this column is that it was always intended as a documentary, with no addition of a fictitious storyline. But, like “Medium Cool,” it “benefits” from a real situation that spins utterly, violently out of control.

The movie takes for granted that audiences were already aware of the happenings at Altamont, and skillfully weaves a tapestry of foreboding from the outset. Footage of the Stones listening to radio coverage of the tragedy is interspersed between raucous footage of the earlier shows in the Stones’ 1969 tour, of which the film was originally supposed to be a straight-forward document.

By the time we get to Altamont, the suspense is at a fever pitch, and the stage is set for one of the great rock and roll tragedies. The Stones hired local Hell’s Angels as security, and as the day wore on, the Angels’ tempers grew short, and things began to get ugly.

As the day wore into night, the atmosphere got more dangerous until, partway through the Stones’ set, a concertgoer pulled a gun on Mick Jagger and was promptly knifed to death (on film) by a Hell’s Angel.

The film remains harrowing today, not just for capturing the death of a young man, but for capturing the death of an era.

~Mark- Assistant Circulation Supervisor

We're Hiring!

Want to join the JPL team? Check out our latest ad in the Globe (below) and apply at the library!

Children’s Assistant. 20 hours per week. Must enjoy working with children, posses excellent customer service skills, be able to plan and present programs with enthusiasm and creativity. Two year college preferred. Flexible schedule required. Accepting applications until November 11th. Apply in person: 300 S. Main, Joplin.

Fiction titles with historical bent make fascinating reads

"The Help"

By Kathryn Stockett

Adult fiction?

In 1962, 22-year-old Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan returns home to Jackson, Miss., after graduating from Ole Miss only to find that her mother refuses to be sated because she lacks a boyfriend and, more importantly, an engagement ring. On top of that, she no longer fits in with her childhood friends Hilly and Elizabeth, despite her best efforts to participate in their weekly bridge game and edit the Junior League newsletter.

Ordinarily she would solicit comfort and wisdom from her childhood maid, Constantine, but she disappeared while Skeeter was in her final semester at Ole Miss and no one will tell her what transpired.

Despite Skeeter’s desire to satisfy everyone, she must admit that her life is flawed. After receiving some advice from an editor in New York City, she endeavors to write a book about the lives of African-American maids in Jackson.

In researching the book, she secretly collaborates with two maids: Aibileen, a strong-willed maid who is raising her 17th white child and is doing her best to hold it together since her son died in a tragic workplace accident, and Minny, a sassy, to-die-for cook, who cannot hold a job because she is always running off at the mouth to her white employers.

The three seemingly different women have no idea how their courageous partnership will alter their lives and their community.

Kathryn Stockett is an extraordinary storyteller whose debut novel begs to be opened. Through the voices of Skeeter, Aibileen and Minny, readers will find themselves transported to the segregated South during the beginning stages of the civil rights movement and will be turning pages long into the night. Stockett’s theme may be familiar, but thanks to her commendable job of bringing history and characters to life, this book is a standout.

"Sarah’s Key"

By Tatiana de Rosnay

Adult fiction

In 1942, when the French police come to arrest 10-year-old Sarah Starzynski’s family, she locks her 4-year-old brother Michael in a secret cupboard thinking that he will be safe.

Little does she know that the French police are collaborating with the Nazis and that she, her parents and thousands of Jewish families are going to be detained in the Vélodrome d’Hiver for days without food, water or medical attention. Later, they will be transported to concentration camps outside Paris.

Sixty years later, 45-year-old American journalist Julia Jarmond is assigned a magazine article about the commemoration of the anniversary. Though she has lived in France for nearly 25 years, has a French husband and an 11-year-old daughter, she is unfamiliar with the event.

She is appalled at her own ignorance and immediately begins researching the event. In her research, she makes a discovery that causes her to reevaluate her marriage and her life.

In this fictionalized account of an event that is virtually unknown to Americans, author Tatiana De Rosnay does an extraordinary job captivating the reader. Her use of alternating chapters, told from Julia’s and Sarah’s viewpoints, is brilliant and makes this a hard book to stop reading.

~Jeana- Children's Librarian

Database lets you become a Global Road Warrior

The Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay began on Oct. 22 in Olympia, Greece, with a lighting ceremony. After a journey across Greece and the Atlantic Ocean, the torch landed in Victoria, British Columbia, and on Friday began its 45,000-kilometer (27,962-mile) journey across Canada.

If I was lucky enough to be able to accompany the torch, I might need some travel information on both Greece and Canada. Global Road Warrior can answer just about any question I might have on Greece, Canada or 173 other countries and territories around the world.

To prepare for my imaginary trip, I accessed this database from home with my library card and computer. I went to www.joplinpubliclibrary.org, moused over the “Reference” tab at the top and chose “Business.” From there I scrolled down to “Global Road Warrior” and clicked the picture of the house right by it.

I entered in my library card number at the bottom of the page. On the next page, I chose Greece from the drop-down menu on “Select a Country.”

On the left side of the screen is a list of categories containing all kinds of information on the demographics, government, culture and society of Greece.

Since I need to pack, I determined what clothes were needed by clicking on “Climate.” I saw for October we could expect 50- to 70-degree temperatures with 65 percent humidity. Under “Money and Banking,” I found that the currency in Greece is the euro; I also found images of the bank notes and the coinage.

The “Travel Essentials” category addressed visa and passport (I’d need a passport and a short-stay visa, plus a return ticket), immunizations needed (yellow fever), tipping (not expected but rounded up is appreciated) and emergency numbers.

Because I’d travel cross country with the torch, I checked out the “Transportation” category on how I’d move about the country. The “Communications” and “Technical/Internet” categories gave me information on telephone and Internet access. I also looked under the “Electrical” link to find out what adapter I may need for a hair dryer.

Under the “Businesswoman” category I found that I should travel with a companion, or face some form of verbal harassment — plenty of the more than 10,000,000 men and women in Greece consider a lone female traveler fair game.

I would probably need to communicate in Greek sometime during our travels, so the “Essential Terms” category is, well, essential. We can find “good morning” (kalimera), “please” (parakalo), “thank you” (efcharisto), hotel (xenodhokheion) and many other words and phrases that would be useful.

Once I’ve said “chérete” (goodbye) to Greece and made my way with the torch to Canada, I would need to consult a map. The relay starts in Victoria and ends in Vancouver, which is only 69 kilometers away. So I need a map to figure out how to stretch that journey to 45,000 kilometers.

Global Road Warrior has several maps for each country, including political, population, physical and outline maps. Use the “Zoomify” feature to enlarge and navigate around the maps. You can also download and print the maps as PDF files.

I checked out the “Points of Interest” category because I would tour much of the country with the torch. Places include cultural and historic sites, museums, architectural wonders, parks, zoos and natural sites. The Photo Gallery gave a preview of some of the sites I would visit.

Since I’d spend 106 days traveling with the torch, I checked out the “Society and Culture” category to see what we may be eating and how Canadians feel about punctuality, religions, holidays and festivals — I could watch hockey and lacrosse.

I also looked at “Superstitions and Folklore” because I don’t want to commit a faux pas (French is one of the official languages of Canada). For instance, you wouldn’t want to shoo a black cat away at a wedding — that’s considered good luck.

On the same note of not offending our hosts, I looked at “Stereotypes,” both what foreigners think and what Canadians accept about themselves and their county. For example, even though the world may think lumberjacks and outdoorsmen comprise the population, the reality is that modern Canada is a high-tech service economy.

There is much more to explore in the Global Road Warrior database on both these countries and many others. Even though I probably won’t get to travel with the Olympic torch, I might go to some exotic locale or need country information for a homework assignment.

~Patty - Reference Librarian

Songs & Rhymes for Baby Bookworms

I'm posting the lyrics to the songs & rhymes that I am using during for the November sessions. I encourage everyone to practice these favorites at home so that you and your child will be familiar when we do them in Baby Bookworms. Plus, they are just great songs and rhymes to do anytime!

If you and your little one are not already attending Baby Bookworms call (417) 623-2184 for more information.

Opening Song: Wake Up Toes

Wake up toes, wake up toes, wake up toes

and wiggle, wiggle, wiggle,

wake up toes, wake up toes,

wake and wiggle in the morning.

Wake up feet…

Wake up legs...

Wake up arms...

Wake up hands...

Wake up head...

Wake up me…

Song: Hello Song

Let’s hello to

Let’s hello today!

Hello, hello, hello, hello!

Let’s hello today!

(suggested actions: wave, bounce, stomp, rock, sway)

Song: Clap, Clap, Clap Your Hands

(tune of Row, Row, Row Your Boat)

Clap, clap, clap your hands.

Clap them now with me.

Clap your hands, let me see,

Clap them now with me.

Touch, touch, touch your shoulders…

Roll, roll, roll your hands…

Tap, tap, tap your knees…

Shake, shake, shake your feet…

Nod, nod, nod your head…

Wave, wave, wave good-bye…

Bounce: Bumpin’ Up and Down

Bumping up and down in my little red wagon,
Bumping up and down in my little red wagon,
Bumping up and down in my little red wagon,
Won’t you be my darlin’?

One wheel’s off and the axel’s broken,
One wheel’s off and the axel’s broken,
One wheel’s off and the axel’s broken,
Won’t you be my darlin’?

Who’s gonna fix it with the hammer,

Who’s gonna fix it with the hammer,

Who’s gonna fix it with the hammer,

Won’t you be my darlin’?

(repeat using different tools)

Rhyme: Open Shut Them
Open, shut them.
Open, shut them.
Give your hands a clap, clap, clap.
Open shut them,
Open, shut them,
Lay them in your lap, lap, lap.

Creep them, creep them,
Creep them, creep them,
Right up to your chin, chin, chin.
Creep them, creep them,
Creep them, creep them,
But do not let them in!

Song: If You’re Happy and You Know It

If you’re happy and you know it,

Clap your hands.

If you’re happy and you know it,

Clap your hands.

If you’re happy and you know it,

Then your face will surely show it,

If you’re happy and you know it,

Clap your hands.

Tap your feet…

Blow a kiss…

Shout hoorah…

Circle Song: Shoofly

Shoofly, don’t bother me,
Shoofly, don’t bother me,
Shoofly, don’t bother me,
‘Cause I belong to somebody.

Shoofly, don’t bother me,
Shoofly, don’t bother me,
Shoofly, don’t bother me,
‘Cause I belong to somebody.

I feel, I feel, I feel like a morning star.

I feel, I feel, I feel like a morning star.

I feel, I feel, I feel like a morning star.

I feel, I feel, I feel like a morning star.

Song: Ten Little Tootsies

One little, two little, three little tootsies,

Four little, five little, six little tootsies,

Seven little, eight little, nine little tootsies,

Ten little tootsie toes.

Ten little, nine little, eight little tootsies,

Seven little, six little, five little tootsies,

Four little, three little, two little tootsies,

One little tootsie toe.

Bounce: Bounce One, Two, Three

(tune of Row, Row, Row Your Boat)

Bounce, bounce, bounce my baby,

Bounce him/her one, two, three.

The more we bounce, the more we count,

So what will our count be.

One, two, three and four,

Five, six and seven.

The more we bounce, the more we count,

Eight, nine, ten, eleven.

Rhyme: Hickory, Dickory, Dock

Hickory dickory dock,
The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck one,
The mouse ran down!
Hickory dickory dock.

Hickory dickory dock,
The mouse ran up the clock,
The clock struck two,
The mouse said, “Boo!”
Hickory dickory dock.

Hickory dickory dock,
The mouse ran up the clock,
The clock struck three,
The mouse said, “Whee!”
Hickory dickory dock!

Hickory dickory dock,
The mouse ran up the clock,
The clock struck four,
The mouse said, “No, more!”
Hickory dickory dock!

Song: Are You Sleeping

Are you sleeping,

Are you sleeping,

Brother John?

Brother John?

Morning Bells are ringing,

Morning Bells are ringing,

Ding, ding, dong,

Ding, ding, dong.

Frère Jacques

Frère Jacques,

Frère Jacques,

Dormez-vous?

Dormez-vous?

Sonnez les matines,

Sonnez les matines,

Din, dan, don,

Din, dan, don.

Lulluby: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

Twinkle, twinkle little star,

How I wonder what you are.

Up above the world so high,

Like a diamond in the sky.

Twinkle, twinkle little star,

How I wonder what you are.

Song: The Wheels on the Bus

The wheels on the bus go round and round,

Round and round, round and round.

The wheels on the bus go round and round,

all through the town.

The doors on the bus go open and shut.

The driver on the bus says, “Move on back!”

The wipers on the bus go swish, swish, swish.

The riders on the bus go bumpety-bump.

The babies on the bus cry, “Wah!Wah!Wah!”

The mommas on the bus go, “Shh!Shh!Shh!”

Ending Song: Clap Up and Down

(tune of The Farmer in the Dell)

It’s time to put away,

It’s time to put away,

It’s time to put our toys away,

It’s time to put away.

We raise our hands up high,

we raise our hands up high,

we give our hands a clap, clap, clap,

and then we wave goodbye.

We move our hands down low,

we move our hands down low,

we give our hands a clap, clap, clap,

and then back up we go.

We raise our hands up high,

we raise our hands up high,

we give our hands a clap, clap, clap,

and then we wave goodbye.