Wednesday, December 19, 2007

A Six-Pack of New Mysteries

The Chicago Way by Michael Harvey is the first one on the pile that hit my desk this morning. "A magnificent debut that should be read by all," says John Grisham on the dust jacket. (Well John, I'll just have to see about that.) Harvey is the co-writer and co-producer of the Cold Case Files television program, which may or may not be a good thing. Quoting the blurb, "... a fast-paced, stylish murder mystery featuring a tough-talking Irish cop turned private investigator who does for the city of Chicago what Elmore Leonard did for Detroit and Raymond Chandler did for Los Angeles." That alone makes it a must read for me.


Next on the pile is Mike Doogan's Capitol Offense: A Nik Kane Alaska Mystery. Kirkus Review says, "This series kickoff provides a righteously appealing hero and terrific local color." I like the Alaska setting and Doogan received praise for his last mystery so I'm willing to give this a try.


Twist Phelan provided the next book, False Fortune: A Pinnalle Peak Mystery. Sue Grafton and Michael Connelly both provide dust jacket quotes. Grafton says the book, "sizzles," and Connelly writes, "Twist Phelan knows of what she writes." If those two veterans like this one I probably will too.






A Killer's Kiss by William Lashner follows the New York Times Bestseller Marked Man by Lashner. This is the sixth outing for Lasher who is called the East Coast version of Michael Connelly by Library Journal. Tall praise indeed.



Next is At the Old Hotel: A Bartender Brian McNulty Mystery by Con Lehane. Ken Bruen writes, "A fierce novel in the Irish sense ... it may well prove to be the definitive Irish-American saga. A dark emerald, lit by old glory ... a true masterpiece of slow burn." Using a bartender as the progagonist is a good hook and the first few pages of the book hold promise.


The last of the six is Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. From the cover, "Gritty, sensual and charged with dark secrets involving love, murder and a majestic, mute heroine." (I'm thinking that's the elephant.) An interesting hook and one that got me.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Endings, Some Are Better Than Others

Eye of the Beholder by Jim Ellis. It has been a good story, evil doers brought to their just end, fair maiden saved from a fate worse than death, redemption for the noble hero, but for God's sake END IT! This book has 45 pages too many. I am at the point of skimming to just reach the end and I pray for no more twists, Ellis has strangled me with one too many twists. Makes me wish he had attended Michael Connelly's workshop Ending the Novel at Just the Right Time instead of Dostoevsky's workshop Let's Drag This Sucker Out Another Two Hundred Pages.

Ok, I got it out of my system. Ellis writes a good mystery and I will keep him on my list of must reads and I will prepare myself for slow endings.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

All I Can Say is WOW!

Nearly 400 people streamed into our library last Saturday night for the lighting of our very tall Christmas Tree. We expected a large turnout but when the people just kept coming and coming and coming, it went beyond our expectations.

This is a view toward the tree while the Indy Singers performed Christmas favorites. Larry Anabell brought the Singers to the Library for their second performance and as always they were terrific.

Here Julie Hildebrand (Adult Services Manager and Event Coordinator) discusses our ornament fund raiser with artist/book illustrator/library board member Tim Raglin. Tim agreed to write the family names on purchased ornaments for the evening.

A daughter discusses her "Library Bucks" with her father. Kids earned a Library Buck for each book they read between Thanksgiving and the night of the party. The bucks were used to purchase gifts for their parents or caregivers in the Friends Gift Shop.

Above, Scott Petersen (Friends' Treasurer) helps a young lady select a gift for her mother. By our count over a thousand Library Bucks were used to purchase gifts on the night of the Festival.

Bradley Blake (Library Staffer) led Christmas carols all evening. Bradley played keyboard and guitar and led popular favorites like Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer probably a dozen times.

On the third floor of the library in the Children's Department, Santa and Mrs. Claus visited with over 100 children to hear the wishes and dreams for Christmas morning.

Miss Lily, the Crown and the Dance written and being read by Trudy Bryant. Illustrator Jacqueline Haltom is showing her Beautiful Artwork to the kids and parents gathered in our Story Area.

Julie Hildebrand and Diane Hight, Friends' President are due our thanks for pulling off this wonderful event. Lots of volunteers made the evening a success. Dozens of people made themselves available to bake cookies, pick-up last minute items at the store, wrap presents, serve treats, hand out programs, and a myriad of other things that have to happen for an event of this scale to be a success.

To all of you who went the extra mile to bring joy to our children - thanks.

Thursday, December 6, 2007

Amelia Earhart in January


The Annual Meeting of the Friends of the Library is featuring Amelia Earhart as portrayed by Ann Birney. Ann's energetic portrayal of Atchison native Amelia Earhart has played to audiences all over Kansas. The heroic Earhart lost her life in an around the world flight in 1937.

The Friends' Annual Meeting will be held at the Library on Thursday, January 24, 2008, at 6:30 PM. Refreshments will be served following a brief business meeting.

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

A Magnificant Tree for Independence

Our library Friends group has hit another one out of the ball park. They bought a sixteen foot Christmas tree for our library and come December 8th all 1350 twinkling lights will glow. On the 8th we are hosting our Christmas Tree Lighting Festival for the whole community. Diane Hight, Friends' President and Julie Hildebrand, Adult Services Manager, have planned a wonderful event that has singing, food, presents, stories, authors, presents, the Indy Choir, presents, and food.

The presents that night are to be purchased by kids for their parents, caregivers, siblings, or chums, and the legal tender is the Library Buck which is earned by reading and reporting on books. The project is mostly underwritten by our Friends group but many of our fine merchants and professionals have contributed, and we thank them.
  • Bettte & Phil's Cards
  • Commerce Bank
  • Defever Drug Store
  • DJ'S Photography
  • Eggberts
  • First American Title
  • First Federal Savings
  • Health Alternative
  • Longhorn Realty
  • Main Street
  • Merle Norman
  • Messneger's Furniture
  • Middy's Creations
  • Nancy's Party Mania
  • Nannie LaRose
  • One Dollar Store
  • O'Reillys Auto Parts
  • Radio Shack/Computer Generation
  • Sonic Drive-In
  • Sound Designs
  • The Hair Gallery
  • Twigs
  • Woods Lumber
We thank our underwriters for their support.

Monday, December 3, 2007

Historic Photograph Source

This is one of thousands of historical photographs available at Shorpy: The 100-Year Old Photo Blog. Although the man is not identified by name, the caption gives Independence, Kansas as his home. Is there anyone who can identify this face from the past? Please let us know if you can put a name to the face. The caption is copied directly from Shorpy.


May 1939. Between Tulare and Fresno on U.S. 99. Farmer from Independence, Kansas, on the road at cotton chopping time. He and his family have been in California for six months. Photograph by Dorothea Lange.