Book on the Side: Week 2

Hope you are enjoying the book! Here are some discussion questions for you to consider as you read. Don't miss the link to the interview with the author that follows!

Agnes begins to break the mold when she buys new clothes and gets her hair bobbed. Makeover shows are popular on television today, and people often say that “this has changed my life.” Do you believe them? Are appearances really that powerful?

Clothing is mentioned a great deal in the novel. In what ways are the characters in Dreamers of the Day defined and/or influenced by their clothes? How do Agnes, Mumma, Gertrude Bell, and T. E. Lawrence use their fashion choices as indicators of their attitudes? Is your clothing a tool or a disguise or just something to cover your nakedness?

What does Rosie embody for Agnes? Is her attachment to her little dog “pathetic,” as she suggests? How does Rosie's existence color the novel and influence its chain of events?

Interview with Mary Doria Russell about Dreamers of the Day

Happy Birthday, P.G. Wodehouse!

Boyhood, like measles, is one of those complaints which a man

should catch young and have done with, for

when it comes in middle life it is apt to be serious.
--P. G. Wodehouse

Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse (15 October 1881 – 14 February 1975) is the author of several series of comic novels. I've been reading his Jeeves & Wooster series since my teenage years--great light comedy for when you need a break! Now you can also watch episodes from this series on DVD, starring the inimitable Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie.

Teen Reads-But Not Just for Teens!

For fans of dystopian fiction, or adventure stories and who don't mind reading Young Adult fiction, put your name on the waiting list for "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins. While it is not for the faint of heart, it is still a story to be savored, with characters who draw you inside and make you want to see the book to its conclusion. If you click on the book jacket after bringing up the title, you can click on reviews to get a feel for what this book offers to readers of all ages. The second book in the trilogy "Catching Fire" is already out and has a long waiting list of eager fans. If you like this book, you might want to try the Scott Westerfeld series "Uglies", "Pretties", and "Specials", which is also hugely popular with library customers, young and old alike.

30th Anniversary of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Wow! Have I been living under a rock? Today is the 30th anniversary of Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and, in England, Eoin Colfer's continuation of Adams' series And Another Thing was just published (our library system does have it on order!). To hear Eoin Colfer talk about his sequel, check here. Read about the enduring appeal of the series here. & finally, I recommend the audiobook version, read by Stephen Fry.

1939: Film's Finest Year?

I just read an article in Entertainment Weekly celebrating 1939 as 'film's finest year'. Here are a list of the films they list to lend credence to this claim. Have you seen them all? Do you agree with EW? Check them out and see!

Stagecoach

Young Mr. Lincoln

Destry Rides Again

The Wizard of Oz

Gunga Din

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

Dark Victory

Ninotchka

Gone with the Wind

World Cup 2010

For soccer fans out there, World Cup qualifying continues apace with many games today. So far, 4 new teams have qualified (Cote d'Ivoire, Denmark, Germany & Serbia). Keep checking the FIFA site for more World Cup updates! If you're interested in reading about soccer while you're waiting the 243 days left before the World Cup, check out our library catalog.

Book on the Side: Week 1

Have you had an opportunity to start reading Dreamers of the Day? Here is an article about the Semiramis Hotel, where our heroine planned to stay. Want to know more about Thomas Edward Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia? Find out more about Gertrude Bell and read a few excerpts from her letters.