Jo's January Picks

If you're in the mood for a little western fun then Linda Lael Miller is a “must read” author. Her contemporary western fiction includes some of the best romance series that can be found. Known as “The First Lady of the West,” she is a New York Times bestselling author.  

 

If you haven’t read any of Linda Lael Miller's books I am recommending her Montana Creed series about four brothers who find the women who can lasso their hearts. The first book in the series is Logan followed by Dylan, Tyler and Lincoln. Each story is a fun read and will have you turning the pages and staying up late to finish them. If you like this series you should also read her newest series titled Parable, Montana. The first book in the series is titled Big Sky Country followed by Big Sky Mountain and Big Sky River.   

Checkout Linda Lael Miller and enjoy an evening of western fun!

The Force is Strong With this Library

Join us at the Library this Thursday (1/24) at 6:30 for a celebration of all things Star Wars! Dress up as your favorite character and mingle with other droids, stromtroopers, Jedi knights, and bounty hunters.

While I have your attention, Star Wars fans, I want to ask a question. What are your thoughts on watching the now expanded canon in this order: 4, 5, 2, 3, 6? The reasoning goes like this. Episode 1 adds next to nothing to the larger storyline. Watching the movies in episode order also spoils one of the greatest cinematic surprises of all time - Luke's paternity. With the alternate order listed above, the saga becomes a more Luke Skywalker focused piece with a nice Anakin flashback midway through before the final episode (Return of the Jedi) ties the father/son redemption themes together. What do you think?

Hail to the Chief

Five living US presidents.

In just a few days, Barack Obama will be inaugurated for a second term as President of the United States. All politics aside, the peaceful and orderly investing of power (or in this case, the re-investing of power) that happens every four years is a big deal and worthy of celebration by conservatives, liberals and anything in between. Why not celebrate with a good movie or book?








The American President

The West Wing

My Fellow Americans

Where They Stand: the American presidents in the eyes of voters and historians by Robert W. Merry

The president's photographer: 50 years inside the Oval Office by John B. Bredar

The president's house: a first daughter shares the history and secrets of the world's most famous home by Margaret Truman

A White House garden cookbook: healthy ideas from the first family to your family by Cara Silverstein



-Matthew

Downton Abbey

It’s almost here, Anglophiles! Season 3 of Downton Abbey begins on Sunday January 6!

If you want to enhance your Downton experience or find a fix for those days when the suspense around Matthew and Lady Mary's romance just isn't enough, you might enjoy some of these titles.

Edwardian Cooking: 80 recipes inspired by Downton Abbey's elegant meals. Feast like it's 1913.

Manor House - Reality television as done by PBS. One family gets to be the aristocrats. Everyone else is a servant. If you enjoyed this, you might also enjoy others in this series like Colonial House, Frontier House and 1940s House.

Gosford Park - Surely you’ve seen this dazzling murder mystery, written by Julian Fellowes and starring Maggie Smith?

Lady Chatterley’s Lover by DH Lawrence - Censored by the US government and not (legally) available here in all its naughty glory until 1959 (Wikipedia has a great run down on the legal fight to overturn the government's censorship of the text, including the tantalizing threat of one US senator to read the steamy portions of the book aloud on the Senate floor),  DH Lawrence's tale of class conflict and smoldering sexuality in the post-World War One Britain is a classic.

Uninvited Guests by Sadie Jones This recent novel from acclaimed British writer Sadie Jones mixes dry wit and dark humour.

Lady Almina and the real Downton Abbey: the lost legacy of Highclere Castle by the Countess of Carnarvon Take a look at the history of the majestic house used for the fictional Downton Abbey.

Fall of Giants by Ken Follett - Grand in size and scope, this 1000+ page novel chronicles the upheaval wrought by the First World War across Europe and the Americas.

The Time Machine by HG Wells I put this book on the list in a nod to the Dowager Countess. After electric lighting and a telephone are installed at Downton, the Dowager exasperatingly says   "Sometimes I feel as if I were living in an HG Wells novel."

The American Heiress by Daisy Godwin A wealthy American named Cora marries into the British aristocracy near the turn of the 20th century. Sound familiar?

-Matthew

Father Goose

Once upon a time…Father Goose visited the Plainfield Library…and he's back again, inviting you to participate in the magical fun as our beloved nursery rhymes and fairy tales get a Mother Goose-approved make-over from musician/magician, Paul Odenwelder. Children of all ages are invited to join us on Thursday, January 17th at 10:00 - 10:45 a.m. for this fun adventure that is sure to end happily ever after. Register online or call 838-3801.

Mother Goose is well-known for fairy tales and nursery rhymes, but our Father Goose, Paul Odenwelder, tells the stories his own special way. He offers lots of kid participation, great music and some magic thrown in just for fun. The Father Goose Show brings these classic stories
to life in a way that beats TV and computers for attention and encourages reading. Both Children and adults are charmed and amused.

Resolve to Read in 2013

Have the holidays exhausted you? Are you ready for 2013? Have you made any resolutions for the new year?

It's time for our annual Winter Reading Club! This year's theme is Resolve to Read in 2013! The program will run from Monday, January 14 through Thursday, February 28.

 

Register online from the library's homepage. Login to enter each book you read between January 14 - February 28 into your Winter Reading log. After logging your first book you'll be entered to win the grand prize in your age group!

Adults 18+ will be entered to win a $100 Visa gift card.

Teens grades 6 - 12 will be entered to win 4 gift cards: a $25 Hot Topic gift card, a $25 Hot Box Pizza gift card, $25 Cold Stone gift card, and a $25 Barnes & Noble gift card.

Children birth - grade 5 will be entered to win a family membership to the Indianapolis Children's Museum.


So, have you made any resolutions for 2013? Is there something you hope to accomplish, gain, lose, or do this year? Share your resolutions with us in the comments area!


To help get your year off to a great start, we will have a multitude of programs. Check these out! Click the link for more information or to register.

 Adult Programs 

• Yoga for Beginners, Saturday 1/5 @10am. Register to reserve your spot!
• Learn to Knit, Tuesday, 1/8 @7pm. Register to reserve your spot!
• Conquering Stress, Thursday, 1/31 @7pm. No registration required.
• Yoga for Weight Loss, Saturday, 2/2 @10am. Register to reserve your spot!
• Planning for a Sound Retirement, Thursday, 2/28 @7pm. Register to reserve your spot!

Teens are invited to write a review about the books they read-- stop by area T to write one!