New This Week
April 20, 2009
Column: At the Library
From: Cranbrook Public Library
By Mike Selby
In 1925, Percy Fawcett and his son Jack embarked on of the most publicized expeditions of all time: to find Eldorado; an ancient Amazonian city made entirely of gold. Upon arriving in South America, Fawcett and his son were never heard from again. In 2008, New York Crime writer David Grann became so fascinated by this story he decided to retrace Fawcett’s exact steps (even though Grann is blind without his glasses, and has no sense of direction). THE LOST CITY OF Z is the result of Grann’s journey, as well as the fascinating details he discovered about Fawcett’s last days.
Anyone who dreads taking a bath should enjoy Robert Munsch’s DOWN THE DRAIN. This brightly illustrated book is a hilarious look at children’s creative excuses, and the exasperated parents who simply want to clean their kids.
Preschool Story Time this Wednesday at 11:00 am, 1:15 pm, & 6:30 pm, and Toddler Story this Friday at 10:30 am will be all about Bubbles!
Now is the time to spring clean and donate those unneeded books, videos, CDs and DVDs to the Friends of the Library for their book sales. Items in good condition are appreciated. Any encyclopedia sets, Readers Digest Condensed Books and textbooks must be published within the last ten years. Please bring items to the circulation desk of the library. For further info please call Marilyn at 250-489-6254.
Do not miss this month’s display of Elmer Higgins’s photography and woodwork. Elmer’s hand-crafted grandfather clock is simply breathtaking!
Children’s author Richard Van Camp will be visiting the Library on Tuesday, April 28th, at 10 am. Please contact Deanne at 426-4063 for more information.
On Friday, April 24th, at 7 pm, the Library will be celebrating the works of Shakespeare. Everyone is invited to come and enjoy his works being read, discussed, and acted out. Please contact Mike at 426-4063 for more information.
ADULT NEWLY AQUIRED SHELF:
K.I.S.S. Guide to Raising a Puppy " Liz Palika (636.707)
You Can Build Trimwork (694.6)
New Rules of Retirement " Warren MacKenzie & Ken Hawkins (332.024)
Lonely Planet Florida (917.59)
The Complete Guide to Auto Body Repair " Dennis W. Parks (629.26)
Scrapbook Asian Style " Kristy Harris (745.593)
!001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (791.4375)
The Garden That You Are " Katherine Gordon (635.0922)
The Lost City of Z " David Grann (918.11)
Camping British Columbia " Jayne Seagrave (796.5409)
Australia on a Budget (919.4)
Till Sex Do Us Part " Trina E. Read (646.78)
The Thyroid Sourcebook " M. Sara Rosenthal (616.44)
Why Him? Why Her? " Helen Fisher (155.264)
John Lennon : The Life " Philip Norman (bio)
The Inheritance " Tamera Alexander (fic)
Lavender Morning " Jude Deveraux (mys)
NightWalker " Heather Graham (mys)
Wormwood " Susan Wittig Albert (mys)
Long Lost " Harlan Coben (mys)
Cursed " Carol Higgins Clark (mys)
Just Take My Heart " Mary Higgins Clark (mys)
Red Bones " Ann Cleeves (mys)
The Mystery of Grace " Charles de Lint (sci-fic)
The Duchess (DVD)
jPod Season One (DVD)
Elizabeth & the Golden Age (DVD)
YOUNG ADULT & CHILDREN’S NEWLY AQUIRED SHELF:
Chicken Soup for the Teenager Soul 2 (ya 158.128)
Technical Virgin : How Far is Too Far " Hayley DiMarco (ya 241.66)
Idol Girls " Hayley DiMarco (248.883)
Sexy Girls " Hayley DiMarco (248.883)
Mean Girls " Hayley DiMarco (248.883)
Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side "Beth Fantaskey (ya fic)
Torched " April Henry (ya fic)
City of Glass " Cassandra Clare (ya fic)
Down the Drain " Robert Munsch (j pic)
Ballyhoo Bay " Judy Sierra (j pic)
Hooray for Fish! " Lucy Cousins (j kit)
MIKE’S BOOKNOTES:
Of all the things Shakespeare wrote, one of the most fascinating was his own Will. Shakespeare was only 52 years old when he died; a premature death even by medieval standards. What caused his death remains unknown. A priest wrote in his diary that Shakespeare had drunk too much at his daughter’s wedding, but this wasn’t recorded until 50 years after the fact; hardly an expert medical opinion. Although it should be pointed out that Shakespeare outlived all of his fellow playwrights.
Shakespeare left the majority of his estate to his daughter Susanna; a trust fund for his other daughter Judith, as well as provisions to be made for either daughter’s future children; A percentage of his estate went to the poor; his sword went to his son’s best friend (it would have gone to his son, but he had died as a child); he also left monetary gifts for many of his fellow actors.
For Anne"his wife of 34 years"Shakespeare leaves only one thing: his “second” best bed. Ouch. It is not what one would expect from the man responsible for the greatest love poetry ever written. It is at best insulting, and at worst...well, proof of a very unhappy marriage.
Or so everyone thought until the early years of the 20th century. C.S. Lewis"Oxford don and author of the Narnia series"presented a different theory of Shakespeare’s Will in one his lectures. Lewis felt Shakespeare didn’t have to leave his wife anything, since English law at the time guaranteed her one third of his entire estate. He also felt the second best bed gift was a tender and loving gesture. From his own experience, Lewis knew the best bed was a gaudy and uncomfortable thing, reserved for guests. The second best bed was the most comfortable; surely a reminder of their romance and love.
What do you think?
