Smyth Library July Newsletter

The Smythie
The monthly e-newsletter of the Smyth Public Library
July, 2015
Volume 9, No.4
SUMMER MUSIC SERIES
July 8th- Nicole Murphy
Murphy has come a long way in a short time. Though she played in her father’s Vermont-based
band as a teenager before getting married and moving to New Hampshire, Knox Murphy had for
years traveled back to the Green Mountain State to play with her father before family and work
obligations took priority. Once she picked up the guitar again, however, all the passion of her
youth came flooding back. Performing in public, soon she was strumming and singing with other
like-minded individuals at Henderson’s Pickin’ Parlor in Candia. While playing a local circuit with a
three-piece band, Knox Murphy was noticed by Sandy Moore, known on the local music scene as
New Hampshire’s ‘Mom of Country.’ Now that she’s released a CD that’s received local radio
airplay, Knox Murphy said, her next goal is to open for some well-known local artists.
www.nicolemurphysings4u.com
July 15th- Twangtown Paramours
The Twangtown Paramours bring to their audiences a blend of thought-provoking lyrics combined
with angelic vocals and well-accomplished musicianship. Mike T. Lewis and MaryBeth Zamer
have collaborated to form a band that is more country than folk with a mixture of pedal steel guitar
and dobro and a decidedly Texas Blues influence.
www.twangtownparamours.com
July 22nd- Peter Fletcher
Peter Fletcher began guitar study at the age of seven under classical guitar instructor, John
Sutherland. In 1980 classical guitarist Jose Tomas, Andres Segovia’s teaching assistant in Spain,
held a week long master class in Atlanta, GA. Peter Fletcher was the youngest student to perform
in the class, playing music by Bach and Carcassi. In December, 1983, he made his formal debut
at the age of fifteen under the auspices of The Brasstown Concert Association in North Carolina.
Wrote the critic of The Cherokee Scout, “He has technical facility but what one remembers about
his playing is the nuances, the poetical phrasing, dynamic and tonal changes, his harmonics, his
cadences.”
Peter Fletcher believes in carrying on the Segovia tradition of expanding the comparatively small
classical guitar repertoire. He plans to do this by transcribing from other instruments (mainly the
piano) and also by commissioning new music. Interests outside of music include reading and
cross-country running.
www.peterfletcher.com
July 29th- Heather Creek Music
New Hampshire Blues Challenge winner “Poor Howard” Stith has been performing 12-string
barrel house blues for over forty years. He has performed across the U.S., Europe, and Japan.
His expertise on the 12-string guitar, his knowledge of early blues, and his warm sense of humor,
have won him fans wherever he travels. “A Walk Through the Delta” is both educational and
entertaining, mixing music and folk humor, and showing how this distinctly American music has
gained international popularity.
www.poorhowardstith.com
August 5th- Paul Carroll
Paul grew up in Dublin during the ballad boom of the sixties where the pubs were packed with
folk singers and ballad groups. It is there that he found a love for the music and songs that were
to be part of his life. Paul emigrated to Australia in the early 70’s but he never strayed very far
from the music, singing in the folk clubs of Sydney, Perth and Melbourne. During his time in
Melbourne he was a founding member of the Celtic band, Poteen, who were Australia’s premiere
Celtic band, sharing the stage with icons like Eric Bogle, The Dubliners, The Furey’s and Boys of
the Lough.
Paul has made his home in New Hampshire, USA, for nearly 25 years. His latest CD, called “The
Road You Take”, has just been released.
pjcarroll.com
Candia Homeowners Private Water Well Focus Group
Thursday July 30, 6:30 pm
The Community Health Institute is looking for 12 Candia volunteers to help test a
new tool developed to tell homeowners about the presence of arsenic in their
private well water. No prior experience is necessary, and each participant will
receive a $25 gift card for their time. The information collected will help improve
the tool prior to its release to the general public. Sign up at Smyth Library front
desk. Only 9 spots left so call if interested.
New on our shelves…
New Fiction...
The truth according to us: a novel In the unlikely event Barrows, Annie Blume, Judy Piranha Cussler, Clive Blueprints: a novel Delinsky, Barbara The friendship of criminals: a novel Glinski, Robert. The rumor: a novel Hilderbrand, Elin A summer affair: a novel Hilderbrand, Elin The invasion of the Tearling: a novel Johansen, Erika Finders keepers: a novel King, Stephen The red notebook Laurain, Antoine The girl of his dreams: a Commissario Guido Brunetti mystery Leon, Donna The saffron trail Ley, Rosanna. Crazy mountain kiss: a Sean Stranahan mystery McCafferty, Keith. The President's shadow Meltzer, Brad God help the child Morrison, Toni Maximum Ride forever Patterson, James Full tilt Mofina, Rick Scarlett: the sequel to Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the wind Ripley, Alexandra. The fateful lightning: a novel of the Civil War Shaara, Jeff I Saw a Man: a novel Sheers, Owen, Country: a novel Steel, Danielle The boy who stole from the dead Stelmach, Orest, Seveneves: a novel Stephenson, Neal Madeleine's war: a novel Watson, Peter New Non-Fiction...
The spy's son: the true story of the highest-­‐ranking CIA officer ever convicted of espionage and the son he trained to spy for Russia Denson, Bryan. The Queen's agent: Sir Francis Walsingham and the rise of espionage in Elizabethan England Cooper, J. P. D. And the good news is...: lessons from the bright side Perino, Dana. ISIS: the state of terror Stern, Jessica, On the burning edge: a fateful fire and the men who fought it Dickman, Kyle, The brothers Bulger: how they terrorized and corrupted Boston for a quarter century Carr, Howie The 30-­‐day love detox: cleanse yourself of bad boys, cheaters, and men who won't commit-­‐-­‐
and find a real relationship Walsh, Wendy The click moment: seizing opportunity in an unpredictable world Johansson, Frans. One soldier's story: a memoir Dole, Robert J. The great detective: the amazing rise and immortal life of Sherlock Holmes Dundas, Zach. No better friend: one man, one dog, and their extraordinary story of courage and survival in WWII Weintraub, Robert. Into the fire: a first-­‐hand account of the most extraordinary battle in the Afghan War Meyer, Dakota New Hampshire: first in the nation New Books on CD…
Killing Jesus: a history CD (5) O'Reilly, Bill Mornings on horseback CD (8) McCullough, David G., A cruel and shocking act CD (19): [the secret history of the Kennedy assassination] Shenon, Philip. Beach town: a novel CD (12) Andrews, Mary Kay Blueprints: a novel CD (10) Delinsky, Barbara Finders keepers: a novel King, Stephen In plain sight CD (7) Michaels, Fern Country CD (8) Steel, Danielle New Video…
Red army DVD 813 [PG] The little rascals DVD 814 [PG] A walk to remember DVD 815 [PG] Videodisc: Free birds DVD 816 [PG] Larry Crowne DVD 817 [PG] Kingsman DVD 818 [R] — The secret service Jupiter ascending DVD 819 [PG13] McFarland, USA DVD 820 [PG] When asked what book he’d like to have with him on a desert
island, G. K. Chesterton replied, ‘Thomas’s Guide to Practical
Shipbuilding.’
Events
at the Library… Knitting & Crochet Circle
Help with the cap, blanket, and scarf charity project, work on your own items, or just
come to learn. Call Lisa 587-0603 for more info.
Third Thursday of the month, 7pm
Writers’ group
Last Friday of every month, 6:30pm
The Smyth Public Library hosts a gathering of writers once or twice a month where we
work together on timed writing exercises using prompts and other sources of inspiration.
The writing periods will be followed by sharing some of the work with each other.
The goal of the group is to loosen up and get the pen moving on paper. We don’t seek to
have a finished work by the end of the session and you don’t need to arrive with a
finished piece of writing to share. The writer’s group is a place to meet with other writers
and to flex your writing muscles.
Please come ready with a writing medium of your choice: paper and pen/pencil,
computer, tablet, etc.
LOVE TO SHARE A GOOD
BOOK?
How about sharing your thoughts on a book at the
friendly monthly book discussion group?
Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
July 23rd, 7:30
*Extra titles of this book are available at the front desk
Ongoing Book Sale!
You can browse at your leisure now and bring home a favorite to
keep or to give away to a friend. Just look for the bright signs
just inside our main doors on the left. Pay at the front desk. Only
$1 for hardcover and $.50 for paperbacks. Proceeds go to the
Friends of Smyth Library. Come find a treasure or two or more
for your very own.
Tip from the front desk
“..When was the last time you lost yourself in a book? The experience of becoming fully immersed in plot and character, ‘hearing’ the words as you read, then carrying those words with you for a while-­‐called ‘deep reading’ by many literacy experts-­‐offers benefits beyond the fun factor. For a 2009 study published in Psychological Science, 28 men and women read fiction while researchers used functional MRIs to track their brain activity. As participants reached different points in a plot, their brains reacted just as they would have had the events in the story been actually happening in their real lives…you don’t only understand the story, you experience it.” Sarah J. Robbins, “remember reading?” June 2014 Real Simple excerpt Reading benefits: 1. Reading is a refuge. 2. Reduces stress. 3. Positive impact on how you relate to people. 4. Kids who read conventional books for pleasure excel academically. Reading strategies advised: 1. Choose books that you are drawn to. 2. Fill your shelves with books. 3. Don’t wait for bedtime. 4. Make it fun-­‐audio/ebooks too! ! WARNING ! Books contain words. When words are consumed in sentences and stories, your child’s brain will grow and develop. Reading may result in a larger VOCABULARY, expanding IMAGINATION or good GRADES. Keep in reach of children. (amazon kindle advertisement from June 2014 All You magazine) There are so many wonderful books to read! Come to Smyth Public Library and “turn this summer into a reading season that lasts a lifetime”! Heidi Deacon, director
Monthly Lego Night!
EVERY third Friday 6:30-7:30
Did you Know???
Charles Dickens’s house had a secret door in
the form of a fake bookcase. The fake books
included titles such as ‘The Life of a Cat’ in 9
volumes.
Library Assets
…
ART WANTED!!! Our art gallery is always available for the works of
local artists. Just see Heidi at the front desk to
display your works Making Your Life Easy:
By going to our website, you can search our entire catalogue for
books, CD’s, DVD’s and movies. Once found, you can check to see
if what you want is in. If so, just to our website and reserve the
book. The next time you come in, it will be waiting for you at the
front desk. WITH OUR NEW WEBSITE YOU CAN DO IT WITH
YOUR MOBILE DEVICE!
PLUS!! Check out our smythpl.org website
updates and Smyth Library’s new Public Catalog
featuring: - A crawl of new items.
- “What’s Hot” now covers several choices.
-“Most Popular” titles (a combination of checkouts and reserves
are used to determine this list).
- “More Search Options” includes Medium that lets members
search by DVD or Large Print, etc.
More Research Options:
Full text articles from thousands of magazines, journals and national
newspapers, plus NoveList. Call or e-mail us and provide your name
and your library card number, and we’ll give you the password.
We’re on Facebook!
Like the Smyth Public Library
Look at our page on Facebook for
events and updates about our library!
PASSES….PASSES….PA
SSES
Discover New Hampshire with our NEW free library passes!
Here is just a sampling of the adventures you and your family
can enjoy:
American Independence Museum, Aviation Museum, Children’s
Museum, Libby Museum, Currier Museum, Fuller Gardens,
McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center, The Fells Historic Hay
Estate & Gardens, Museum of NH History, NH Farm Museum,
Seacoast Science Center, See Science Center, Squam Lakes
Natural Science Center, Wright Museum. See the museum
tab on our website for details.
Downloadable Books!!!!
Ipods and Kindle work
Order right from our new website!
Thanks to the generosity of the Friends of the Smyth
Library
Kids’ Stuff
… Always hit the “Children” tab on our site for
details and to see the newest events and
activities for children
Summer Thursday Family Activities
July 2 –August 13 10:00 -11:30
Preschool children –stories, games, crafts, music, puppets,
School age children – activities crafts
Tweens – age appropriate activities/games/crafts
July 2 Kid Heroes–Light Houses
July 9 Tall Tales–Balloons
July 16 Super Heroes–Costumes
July 23 Animal Heroes–Rescue Dogs (Featuring Simon!)
July 30 Mythology–Athena Soap Carving
Aug 6 Enviro Heroes–Scavenger Hunt
Why Summer Reading?
Studies show that kids who read regularly during the summer break keep up or
move ahead academically. Summer Reading is about having fun and staying
bright during the summer vacation.
How Does It Work?
The Smyth Library Summer Reading Program is a 6 week non-competitive event
open to independent readers and read-to-me readers. The reader pledges
his/her own goal that challenges their reading levels with a minimum of 20
minutes a day five days each week. At the end of each week children show their
signed pledge cards to desk librarian.
We encourage books be from the Smyth Public Library collection or interlibrary
loan program.
Complete 5 of 6 weeks, turn in the completed Pledge Sheet by August 12th and
enjoy free ice cream and FRONT ROW seating at the Norman Ng Magic Show.
(Norman will choose his helpers from this area).
Final Celebration: Ice Cream Party
Wednesday, August 26th at 7:00
Exciting Children’s programs: •
*CALDECOTT CHALLENGE – read
through the award winning titles on your own
or with a friend •
*1000 BOOKS before Kindergartenmemory registers will be made available for
parents Pajama Story Night
2nd Friday of the Month, 6:30 pm
Join us monthly for a night of storytelling and
treats! New Math Clubs Have Returned! Math and Mischief at the Library: Join Bedtime Math’s Crazy 8s, where you will build stuff, run and jump, make
music, make a mess…it’s a totally new kind of math club. Bouncy dice explosion;
Glow in the dark Geometry; Toilet paper Olympics. Hands-on games that get
children fired up about math. Over-the-top fun with friends each week. Make
math the cool thing to do after school. Be ahead of the curve and come along
for the ride. Math will never be the same.
FUTURE ENGINEERS AND BUILDERS!!
Every second Friday of each month from 6:30 to 7:30 we break out our snap
circuits! Build exciting projects including computer interfaced experiments and
solar cell applications. This event is for ages 8-14 and signups are required.
Check our Facebook page for some cool snap circuit projects
NEW!!
Simon Says Read to me, please!
Why is reading to a dog educational and fun? Because Simon is soft, furry and
warm and he loves the attention you give him when you practice your reading
out-loud skills! Sign up for a fifteen minute time slot between 3:00 & 4:00.
Reading is In the Children’s Library Room and is one-on-one with Ms. Gwen and
Simon present. Parents and others must wait outside for their reader. The last
two minutes can be for meeting and spending time with Simon. Sign-ups start
Thursday, February 12th at the front desk. Simon and Gwen Paprocki are
certified through Therapy Dogs International.
Hush, Hush Saga
By Becca Fitzpatrick
Book Review by Jayda Ragas
If you’re looking for action, romance, cute boys, and fallen angels, then this saga
is for you. Nora Grey’s father has passed away, but aside from that, life is normal. Until
the seating arrangement in biology is switched. Now, instead of sitting next to her best
friend, Vee, she sits next to the dark, mysterious, and quiet Patch. The fact that he has
many secrets, the very sight of him screams danger, and he supposedly failed biology
three times should warn Nora, but she can’t seem to stay away from him. Despite
denying any attraction toward Patch, she begins feeling things for him, even though, after
meeting him, her life isn’t so uneventful anymore. Her gut tells her that something isn’t
right with Patch, but what? Read to find out, and enjoy a wonderful romance mixed with
danger and suspense.
This fantasy saga is directed toward teenagers, and is recommended for mature
readers. There is brief language throughout the four novels and some implied sexual
content, but nothing extremely inappropriate. It begins with a budding romance, and
ends with shocking events that you won’t want to miss, so get to reading this saga!
New books for children…
Off Road Trucks The legend of the teddy bear The time shop My bike Happy Birthday, America! Underwater adventures DVD Look! Murphy, Frank Bangs, John Kendrick, Barton, Byron Chall, Marsha Wilson. Mack, Jeff, New books for young adults…
The finisher: a novel Baldacci, David Curse of the blue tattoo: being an account of the Misadventures of Jacky Faber, midshipman and fine lady Meyer, L. A Uprooted Novik, Naomi One came home Timberlake, Amy The basics of bead stringing: a complete illustrated approach for beginner and advanced designers Kanan, Debbie. New books for juniors…
Book Scavenger Chambliss Bertman, Jennifer, Nobody's princess Friesner, Esther M. Nobody's prize Friesner, Esther M. Untold tales of Spider-­‐Man: a collection of all-­‐new adventures set in the earliest days of the wonderous web-­‐slinger's career! Oblivion: book five Horowitz, Anthony Any small goodness: a novel of the barrio Johnston, Tony Inside out & back again Lai, Thanhha Clementine Pennypacker, Sara The crazy man Porter, Pamela Paige, Counting by 7s Sloan, Holly Goldberg TriviaTim
e!
Every month we will ask the trivia question. If you know the answer, drop it
off at the front desk or e-mail it using our website. We will randomly
select the winner from the correct answers and
the
WINNER
will win ONE FREE WEEK of OVERDUE
FINE
AMNESTY
ON
ONE
BOOK
Last month’s question and answer:
Q. You’ve got a fifty-fifty shot at this one: Which
slipper, left or right, did Cinderella leave behind?
Parenthetically, the slipper was originally a fur one
until a translation changed it to glass in the
1600’s.
A. Left
Ray Cresswell (from memory, not Wickipedia!)
This
Month’s
Trivia
Question:
Who is the only author to have published a
book in all ten Dewey library categories?
From the New and Recent
Shelves~
We (being I) are always looking for contributors to this
reviews section. The editor has a limited range of taste,
so any reviews would be more than welcomed. Just email them in reply to this, or to [email protected]
Fiction with some
current events …
Orest Stelmach’s The Boy Who Stole From the Dead has some good and some bad.
At times, particularly at the beginning, I was loving it. Other times, I had to shake
my head and think back a few chapters to get back into the flow. This is the second
in the Nadia Tesla series.
Con: It stands alone okay, but just okay. There were frequent references to what
happened in the preceding book and comments about what particular characters had
done. I'm thinking that if I had read the first book, this would have been a great
book.
Pro: The story is told in two parts. One is Nadia's role. She is the guardian of Bobby,
who is a Ukrainian hockey prodigy. We learn that in the first book, Nadia smuggled
him out of Chernobyl. The second part is about Lauren, a sports reporter who has
fathomed that Bobby is not who he is represented to be and wants to get the story.
Nadia's tale takes us from New York to London and the Ukraine. Lauren’s takes us to
Alaska, Russia and back to New York.
Con: Lauren's story died about two thirds through and was only picked up again in
the epilogue where book number three is set up like a ball on a tee. The last portion
of the book seemed disorganized.
Pro: The reader gets a real education into modern Russian and Ukrainian history,
culture and relations. To me, this was the best part of the book. I love a
mystery/thriller that educates.
Despite the cons, all-in-all this was a thoroughly enjoyable book. I don't think I'll
back track and read the first since I know how it ends, but I will look forward to the
next installment because Nadia, Johnny and Bobby are well worth following.
You might like it more
than I did…
Most reviewers of Peter Watson’s Madeleine’s War have loved it. It is billed as a
"blend of romance and drama based on actual events in Britain and France leading
up to D-Day in 1944". That led me to believe it is a historical novel. It is not. There is
some history thrown in, but not a lot at all. As far as the blend goes, it is far heavier
on the romance than the drama. There was a lot of repetition and then the author
repeated himself. No thought was considered once.
The characters were predictable - the lively wonderful young woman with past and I
stilted once wounded teacher/soldier who falls in love with her. I kept waiting for the
book to pick up. I thought it would when our intrepid heroin got to France.
Unfortunately, the book didn't follow her there. We were left instead with the staid
cogitations of the soldier left at home. If you're doing a D-day book, London is not
the place where all the action is.
To me, the worst part of the book was the dialogue. It was stilted and unrealistic. If
people really spoke like they did, you'd find them the most boring people you ever
were forced to spend time with.
My suggestion is that if you enjoy the first 50 pages of this book, carry on because
you will love it. If you don't, put it down and leave it down. It does not change its
tone, tempo or flavor. I kept waiting for it to improve - or become more appealing to
me, but it didn't. The French underground was never entered and the drama never
appeared.
Fiction for the beach
…
Rick Mofina is consistently terrific. In FULL TILT, he again uses his fine main
character Kate Page. She was the star of his last novel, but this book stands alone
just fine. Kate is a reporter whose sister was lost in an auto crash when they were
seven and four years old. Against all odds, Kate believes and hopes she is somehow
still alive. A single mother herself, Kate is a well-fleshed out character and carries
this mystery/thriller above the norm. There is a serial killer in upstate New York and
there is some indication that her long lost sister may be involved and the hunt
begins.
What differentiates Mofina's novels from others is that he has this national
investigative reporter hot on the trail. But she does not perform superhuman feats.
He also has the police and other authorities on the chase. Although at times they
clash, their efforts complement each other, which makes the hunt all the more
believable.
This is a page-turner with all the twists and turns one would hope for in this genre.
The characters are believable and Kate, in particular, is very engaging. Although she
is emotionally wrapped up in the case, the book never gets overly sappy or maudlin.
As she begins to see herself fall into those emotions, she bucks herself back into
reporter mode.
If you have not yet enjoyed Rick Mofina's work, now is the time and this is a
perfectly good one with which to start.
Ever want to be one of those know-it-all reviewers?
Got a book to recommend?
Want to write a blurb?
Have a child with a favorite book who would like to contribute to the Smythie?
We welcome contributors (less for us to write!), especially children and teens to review and
recommend favorite books. Just drop Heidi Deacon an e-mail at [email protected] or
“reply” to this and we’ll include it here. It need not be a new book – it can be a golden oldie, a
classic, a trashy beach book or whatever you have enjoyed.
I hope you have enjoyed this edition. Comments, suggestions and, of course, reviews are always welcomed. Rick Mitchell The Smythie is now over 560 subscribers strong!!
But… We may not be for everyone.
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list, just reply and tell us to remove your name.