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INSIDE!
Book Review 2
VOLUME 1, ISSUE 5
F R E E
C H E C K I T
4
O U T
March 2012
NEW AND OF INTEREST
Raylan: A Novel
Raylan Givens is gonna shoot somebody. Page 4
There But For The
How much can we ever really know each other—or ourselves? Page 5
Battle Fatigue
When your mind is the battlefield Page 8
All About Emily A flawless read Page 9
7 15
Travel to the rain forest from the comfort of your armchair!
By Mary Jo McConahay Chicago Review Press, $16.95, 261 pages Some people find the way to pursue their of the Maya never falters. She seeks out peodreams. They know at a young age that they ple who others caution her not to talk to. She want to travel and learn about different culis fearless. This is armchair travel at its best. tures, ancient civilizations, perhaps. Author One can feel the oppressive humidity of the Mary Jo McConahay is one such person. In rain forest, almost hear the wild inhabitants her travel memoir Maya Roads she takes and smell the earth. readers deep into the history of an ancient As someone with my own fascination for people, the Maya, vividly depicting this hidNative American history and cultures, this den jungle civilization and the descendants book was enjoyable. McConahay’s writing is who still live there today in the muggy moist descriptive and telling as she portrays an oft vegetation of Central America’s rain forest. misunderstood people whose history is rich Through various chapters outlining numerwith mystery, great beauty and terrifying ous visits over several years, we begin to unviolence. The Maya were and are strong peoderstand her interest in the history of these ple. McConahay’s Maya Roads is an excellent people. Conditions are less than ideal and journalistic chronicle of their strengths, the journey is difficult much of the time, but their flaws and their perseverance. her determination to make known the story Reviewed by Laura Friedkin
Seriously... I’m Kidding All about the ellipsis... Page 11
Vertical Vegetables & Fruits For all of us that need to learn to grow up Page 12
61 Reviews INSIDE!
Book Reviews
Mystery
SNAP IT for additional book summaries. The Leopard By Jo Nesbo, Don Bartlett (translator) Knopf, $26.95, 517 pages Check this out! After the events of The Snowman, Inspector Harry Hole has lost himself in the underbelly of Hong Kong. He’s not going to be allowed to wallow alone for long, as two women have been found dead in Oslo. Each had exactly 24 mouth wounds and drowned in her own blood. While the news of the murder victims isn’t enough to shake Hole out of his funk, his new Crime Squad colleague Kaja is able to draw him back to Norway with the news that his father is dying. When a female MP is murdered, Hole is drawn into the case. He finds a connection between the three victims and the hunt for a new serial killer is on. The Leopard is the eighth Harry Hole novel and the sixth translated into English. It showcases the same intelligence and suspense as the previous books, making it a must-read for crime and mystery fans. Harry Hole is a believable and nuanced character battling a variety of demons, both internal (alcoholism) and external (serial killers). Readers new to Jo Nesbo should start with The Redbreast, which is the first Harry Hole novel translated into English. While each novel stands alone, there are elements that build on each other throughout the series. Reviewed by Kelly Garrett The Cat Sitter’s Pajamas: A Dixie Hemingway Mystery By Blaize Clement Minotaur, $24.99, 260 pages Check this out! Life in Siesta Key is usually full of beautiful sunrises and sunsets. But for Dixie Hemingway, her days are consumed with mystery and murder. While it might seem that her pet-sitting job would keep her away from Florida’s criminal element, she always manages to be in the center of the most current investigation. In The Cat Sitter’s Pajamas, the newest addition to the Dixie Hemingway mystery series, this fearless heroine finds herself in the middle of the fashion world. Cupcake Trillin is back after his premier in Cat Sitter Among the Pi-
geons. Other favorite characters have starring roles, including Michael, Paco and the hunky lawyer Ethan Crane. The lovable and fast greyhound Billy Elliot and talkative feline Ella Fitzgerald also make appearances. Clement’s humor abounds in this tale. Fans will enjoy being introduced to Lucy and Elvis, Dixie’s most recent cat clients. Cat enthusiasts will laugh at descriptions of Elvis’ bizarre hobby, which involves hoarding tiny pieces of paper. Readers will be sad to know that Blaize Clement passed away after losing her fight with cancer in July 2011. However, she passed on her torch to her son John who will continue the series. Thanks for giving us Dixie, Blaize! Reviewed by Kathryn Franklin Death and the Maiden By Gerald Elias Minotaur, $25.99, 287 pages Check this out! For professional classical musicians, performing in a quartet is to get in bed with the devil himself. Group infighting, personality clashes and artistic differences on an epic scale are just part of the job. But the New Magini String Quartet seems to be getting more than their fair share of ill luck. Not only are they being sued by their former second violinist, but now, on the eve of one of their greatest performances, their egotistical first violinist has gone missing. Now it’s up to Daniel Jacobus, former renowned violinist turned blind, crotchety old man and sometimes detective, to try to find the missing musician before it’s too late. Death and the Maiden is a finely tuned piece of work that’s enhanced by its somewhat unusual background environment. Let’s face it – the classical music scene isn’t everyone’s bag, yet Elias manages to make it come alive without ever making the reader feel lost or pointedly uncultured. My only complaints are that Jacobus’ character – while delightfully abrasive – sometimes comes over as just a tad too acerbic, and the events surrounding the final performance have at least one foot firmly over the line of believability. But I urge readers to form their own opinions of this otherwise excellent story. Reviewed by Heather Ortiz
Tulsa Book Review • March 2012 • 2
BEST SELLERS COMING SOON to the Tulsa City-County Library Reserve your copies now. Scan this code for more info and titles. Creole Belle: A Dave Robicheaux Novel By James Lee Burke Publication Date: July 17, 2012 A Creole girl named Tee Jolie Melton visits Dave Robicheaux in a recovery unit in New Orleans, leaving him an iPod with the country blues song “Creole Belle” on it. Dave begins obsessing about the song and the girl in this story, which also involves an oil-well blowout threatening the bayou environment. XO: A Kathryn Dance Novel By Jeffery Deaver Publication Date: June 12, 2012 Top country pop artist Kayleigh Towne feels endangered when a fan sends threatening notes and accidents begin to happen to those close to her. Special Agent Kathryn Dance investigates. Wicked Business: A Lizzy and Diesel Novel By Janet Evanovich Publication Date: June 19, 2012 Lizzy and Diesel return in an all new adventure in this best-selling series that began with Wicked Appetite. Mission to Paris By Alan Furst Publication Date: June 12, 2012 Hollywood star Frederic Stahl is at the center of this gripping novel of espionage and deception in prewar 1938 Paris by 2011 Peggy V. Helmerich Award winner. Afraid to Die By Lisa Jackson Publication Date: April 1, 2012 Detectives Selena Alvarez and her partner Regan Pescoli are involved in the case of a killer who already knows too much about Selena and plans to show her that she has every reason to be afraid.
What Doesn’t Kill You By Iris Johansen Publication Date: April 17, 2012 Threats to kidnap her son attempt to force CIA agent Catherine Ling to steal a new drug. Coming Home By Karen Kingsbury Publication Date: July 8, 2012 As the Baxters make plans to come together for a summer lakeside reunion, the unthinkable happens in this stand-alone novel in the saga of the Baxter family. Tuesday’s Child By Fern Michaels Publication Date: July 1, 2012 From one of the most beloved authors of our time comes a gripping new novel filled with heart and hope, as a young woman wrongly found guilty of murder receives the gift of a second chance. I, Michael Bennett By James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge Publication Date: July 9, 2012 A South American crime lord has brought New York the worst lawlessness and violence the city has ever seen. Police shot in the street. Judges murdered in the courtroom. Mayhem is unleashed – and the mayor demands that Detective Michael Bennett find a way to stop it. Blood Line By James Rollins Publication Date: June 26, 2012 To uncover the dark truth hidden within our genetic code and shrouded by a centuries-old conspiracy, Commander Gray Pierce and Tucker Wayne must team up to save an unborn child, a child whose very existence raises a pair of ageless questions: Could you live forever? Would you live forever?
Tulsa
Book Review Tulsa City-County Library 400 Civic Center Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103 Ph. (918) 549-7323
IN THIS ISSUE Mystery ..................................2 Fiction.....................................4
EDITOR IN CHIEF Ross Rojek ross@1776productions.com
Picture Books..........................6
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Jackie Hill Tulsa City-County Library jhill@tulsalibrary.org
Kids’ Books..............................7
GRAPHIC DESIGN/LAYOUT
Tween Reads...........................7
Lisa Rodgers lisa.rodgers@1776productions.com
COPY EDITORS Lori Freeze Diane Jinson Lori Miller Robyn Oxborrow Holly Scudero Kim Winterheimer
EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Shanyn Day Christopher Hayden Erin McDonough Lisa Rodgers Justin Salazar-Stewart Elizabeth Tropp
WEBSITE TulsaBookReview.com DISTRIBUTED BY Urban Tulsa Weekly The Tulsa Book Review is published monthly by 1776 Productions, LLC. The opinions expressed in these pages are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Tulsa Book Review or 1776 Productions advertisers. All images are copyrighted by their respective copyright holders. All words ©2012, 1776 Productions, LLC.
Teen Scene...............................8 Fantasy....................................9 Science Fiction.........................9
FROM THE PUBLISHER Recently Central Connecticut State University released the results of its annual Most Literate Cities Report. We are happy to share Tulsa ranked 21st, up from 24th the previous year. We at the Tulsa City-County Library like to think we had something to do with this rise, as library measures are included. As a matter of fact, in terms of the library measure section of the report Tulsa ranked 10th in the United States overall. We also appreciate being thought of as a great library system for children. Last month, Livability.com ranked the Hardesty Regional Library the No. 3 best library for children in the nation. While this is just one of many of the Tulsa City-County Library branches, much of what makes Hardesty such a great library for children can be found every day in each and every one of our libraries. Add virtual access to live tutors every afternoon and evening to the mix through our free service TulsaLibrary.org/HomeworkHelp and you definitely have a great all-around library for kids of any age. Tulsa City-County Library is one of the best library systems in the nation with one of the hardest working group of great employees. I hope that you will take advantage of all the wonderful resources and opportunities that we have to offer our community. And, remember: Libraries change lives. Warm regards,
History & Current Events......10 Nature & Science...................11 Popular Culture.....................11 Home, Garden & DIY.............12 Biography & Memoir.............14
Gary Shaffer Tulsa City-County Library CEO
Coming Up! Tulsa City-County Library will celebrate El día de los niños/El día de los libros – The Day of the Child/The Day of the Book in April with numerous events for children of all ages. Activities include a poetry festival, storytelling, crafts and interactive performances. Check the April Event Guide for more details. Mark your calendars for April 12-14 for the Friends of the Helmerich Library’s Annual Book Sale at the Helmerich Library.
Book Reviews
Leonard’s, and he does not disappoint with the motley crew of crooks and players presented here. While fans of the TV show Justified will recognize more than a few moments from the show (especially season 2), Leonard’s patented touch gives even familiar scenarios a few glow. The ingredients might have been tweaked a bit, but the meal is still satisfying. Reviewed by Glenn Dallas
Fiction SNAP IT for additional book summaries. Contents May Have Shifted: A Novel By Pam Houston Norton, $25.95, 320 pages Check this out! As the protagonist of Contents May Have Shifted, Pam is trying to stay open to all sorts of possibilities as she travels. And, boy, does she travel! Houston’s novel takes us around the world where her protagonist seems most happy while in constant motion. Houston’s prose is light and fun as the reader zips into these brief interludes in Pam’s life. The chapters are compact (10. Gulfport, Mississippi, is three paragraphs; 54. Creede, Colorado is one.) and traipse along in a nonlinear fashion. Contents May Have Shifted leads through Pam’s global exploration, which introduces readers to the beauty, pleasure and human insight Pam finds along the way. During her travels, we encounter her friends and the strangers who provide a rich tapestry. Pam ends one romantic relationship and begins another, but, most importantly, she continues her relationship with the world and learns important lessons about herself. Houston’s great skill is setting us down in these microscenes — from Tunisia to Sedona, Arizona, to Creede, Colorado, and beyond—and then picking us up again for more. Contents May Have Shifted allows readers to take in snippets of the world and not worry about paying airline baggage fees. Reviewed by Elizabeth Humphrey Morgue Drawer Four By Jutta Profijt, Erik J. Macki (translator) AmazonCrossing, $14.95, 242 pages Check this out! Crime shows love to depict forensics lab guys doing all the detecting, but that’s simply not true. This novel draws much attention to this conceit. Dr. Martin Gansewein is a competent coroner – but he’s not well-versed in detection or dealing with ghosts. All bets are off when Pascha the car thief, current occupant of the morgue, starts bugging Martin to investigate his
death. Pascha knows someone killed him and made it look like an accident, and he’s not going to shut up about it. Good-natured Martin is forced to go out of his comfort zone to find out, bumbling his way through the inquiries. To make matters worse, several people wanted Pascha dead: his drug dealer, his boss, even his ex-wife. While initially entertaining, Pascha is a polarizing narrator. There might be readers who will put down this book because they can’t stand him. He’s not very likable and he’s occasionally sexist. A thoroughly crooked character, Pascha is mostly unrepentant for all the things he’s done in his life. Still, his gradual appreciation of Martin’s better qualities makes up for some of his obnoxious observations. While it may not appeal to all tastes, Morgue Drawer Four is a highly original mystery with a lot of punch and urban grit to it. I daresay it’s more realistic than some crime shows, even with a talkative ghost. Reviewed by Rachel Anne Calabia Raylan: A Novel By Elmore Leonard William Morrow, $26.99, 272 pages Check this out! Harlan County is up in arms over the arrival of a coal company representative hell-bent on blowing the top off the mountain. Enter Deputy Marshal Raylan Givens, whose easygoing nature hides a lightningfast draw and a laser-keen eye for troublemakers. He’ll be plenty busy too, dealing with a shooting at the coal company, an organ thief on the loose and a series of all-girl bank robberies tied to a missing coed with a penchant for gambling. A little episodic, but nonetheless enjoyable, Raylan deftly expands the world introduced in Leonard’s earlier works Riding the Rap, Pronto and the short story Fire in the Hole. But backstory be damned, he jumps right into the action in Raylan, dropping small references to previous events without derailing the breakneck forward rush of the multiple stories unfolding. Eccentric characters are a strong suit of
The Face Thief By Eli Gottlieb William Morrow, $24.99, 256 pages Check this out! This fascinating psychological thriller probes deeply into the blinding power of greed, flattery and sexual attraction. Margot, a beautiful enchantress, is a soulless predator who enhances her skills to manipulate others by enrolling in a workshop led by Lawrence Billings. A successful psychologist, Billings has developed and shrewdly marketed courses and books on face reading, a half art, half science that allows those who master it an edge in relationships and particularly in negotiations. A superb student, Margot surpasses her mentor and threatens to destroy his marriage through her aggressive, seemingly compulsive, seductive behavior. She perfectly has read his weaknesses, particularly his vanity. Using another identity, she also has scammed John Potash, a generally cautious and proudly conservative investor, out of his life’s savings. Both men would seem to wish Margot dead, and the reader is left to wonder who or what led to a fall that seriously injures her. Probing the mysteries that involve Margot is policeman Dan France, whose insights into her dangerous nature don’t keep him from wishing to get close enough to save her from herself. Gottlieb’s stunning structural dynamics, stylistic virtuosity and shrewd reading of contemporary culture make for a compelling, thought-provoking tale. Reviewed by Phil Jason Death Comes to Pemberley By P.D. James Knopf, $25.95, 291 pages Check this out! I feel like I have only recently discovered the surprising proliferation of what is essentially a higher class fan fiction: Jane Austen sequels, in which writers try to imitate Austen’s classic style with fresh stories featuring favorite characters from her novels. Now renowned novelist P.D. James presents her own story set six years after the conclusion of Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. It is the night before Pember-
Tulsa Book Review • March 2012 • 4
ley’s annual autumn ball and the festivities have already begun for Elizabeth and Darcy, but their dinner party is brought to an abrupt end by the unexpected arrival of Lydia Wickham, hysterically screaming about a murder in the woods. Lydia’s husband is the prime suspect, and the lengthy trial that follows is a demanding drain on everyone involved. Despite their history together, Darcy cannot believe that Wickham is guilty of murder, but can evidence be found to prove his innocence? Death Comes to Pemberley is a fantastic offering in this niche genre. James does an outstanding job staying true to Austen’s original style, which tends to be hit-or-miss for many authors. The characters are well-written and realistic, and even the long, flowing descriptions of the grounds of Pemberley come across as authentic. On top of that, the story itself – an engaging murder mystery – is a pleasure to take in, and will keep readers guessing up until the dramatic conclusion. Reviewed by Holly Scudero Losing Clementine: A Novel By Ashley Ream William Morrow, $14.99, 320 pages Check this out! Imagine you have 30 days left to live. What would you do? Most of us would simply live a life of wild abandon, impulsively seeking pleasure. Clementine decides to kill herself in one month’s time. She does seek pleasure in life’s little things, but, more importantly, she hopes to make her death as easy as possible for her loved ones. Clementine is a talented professional artist, popular, attractive and hilariously funny, yet she cannot escape the “fanged black monster” of depression. Clementine says, “Having me around is like keeping a chimpanzee for a pet. It’s only a matter of time before the maulings begin and someone has to shoot it.” As the days count down, she eats her favorite foods, sells her possessions and searches for her long lost father. These daily tasks of living help Clementine to accept her depression, the deaths of her mother and sister, her father’s abandonment and the dissolution of her marriage. In dying, Clementine learns more about herself than in all her years of living. Ashley Ream gives us an exceptional novel with a clear, strong voice, teasing out all of the absurdities of life and all that makes it so wonderful and terrible. Reviewed by Kerry Ellen Lindgren
Book Reviews
Paper Angels: A Novel By Billy Coffey FaithWords, $18.99, 248 pages Check this out! Andy awakens into a world of darkness; a body cast encases him. The details are hazy, but something has happened. In a smalltown hospital, social worker Elizabeth arrives and announces she is here to help with the inside pains, which Andy thinks is a lot of malarkey and suggests she leave. She doesn’t, of course, and she asks about the box on his nightstand. His box of secrets! He vows not to tell her anything, but Elizabeth is good and probes gently. Reluctantly, Andy starts with inconsequential stories, and it slips out that Andy’s angel, “Old Man,” who he met at age 10 when his mother died, had directed him to keep this box of “lessons.” Becoming acquainted with the Old Man, we move deeper into Andy’s psyche as he sorts things out. Paper Angels explores how a small-town man who knows everyone, yet is best friends with no one, encounters an accident serious enough to awaken his inner boy and open to him a world that he had long ago shut down. Masterfully written, author Billy Coffey weaves readers through life’s hesitations, pains, angers, disappointments and aha moments, as he artfully reveals Andy’s reawakening journey. Reviewed by Susan Roberts Pharmacology: A Novel By Christopher Herz AmazonEncore, $14.95, 224 pages Check this out! After high school, Sarah Striker sets off for San Francisco, both to seek her own unique future and to find a good source of income to send home to her parents, to help pay for cancer treatments for her beloved father. When her café job — and the lucrative money she makes locating drugs for her bosses — dries up, she gives into the temptation of a high-paying corporate job with the pharmaceutical industry, pushing medication for the new “fad” of ADD. To ease her conscience, she publishes accounts of what she learns in her underground ‘zine, hoping to educate the masses and make a difference. But for how long can she live this double life
Fiction
while still remaining true to herself? With Pharmacology, Christopher Herz presents a fascinating glimpse into an alternate reality that is a conspiracy theorist’s dream. This gripping novel, written in an eye-catching style that many have already compared to Chuck Palahniuk, will suck readers in and keep them hooked until the very end. The story is unique, the depictions of ‘90s-era San Francisco are gritty and real, and the main character is a fascinating, multifaceted study of human morality. Herz definitely has a promising future as a novelist. Reviewed by Holly Scudero The Year Everything Changed By Georgia Bockoven William Morrow, $14.99, 416 pages Check this out! Jessie Reed has built – and lost – his fortune several times during his eventful life, but to him his greatest achievement has been his daughters: Elizabeth, a middleaged mom with an empty nest; Ginger, who is sweet, beautiful and in love with a married man; Rachel, a successful career woman blindsided by her husband’s affair; and Christina, a burgeoning film student, full of dreams and anger. Each woman is unaware that the others exist, and each carries her own reasons for cursing Jessie’s name. Now, Jessie is dying and he’s determined to let them know why he faded from their lives. Will the pull of family be enough to melt long-bruised hearts? Or will the fierce pang of abandonment deny reconciliation between their estranged family? Bockoven’s ability to construct five disparate and seemingly incompatible puzzle pieces out of her main characters and then to connect them all together into a touching and startling picture makes this book a great read. Unlike a majority of literary characters, Jessie, Elizabeth, Ginger, Rachel and Christina actually grow and change as their stories unfold, displaying a maturity at the conclusion of the book that makes the ending rich and touching. Reviewed by Heather Ortiz There But For The By Ali Smith Pantheon, $25.00, 236 pages Check this out! The fifth novel from Orange and Booker Prize short-listed author Ali Smith expands upon the plot device of the unin-
vited stranger, which dates back at least as far as Molière’s Tartuffe (1664) and which she herself first used in 2006’s The Accidental. In There But For The, little-known dinner party guest Miles Garth excuses himself from the table between courses and locks himself in his somewhat odious hosts’ spare bedroom, where he remains a silent presence — a cipher of sorts — for many months. Reluctant to damage the believed to be 18th century door, said hosts call the media in place of a psychologist (turning both themselves and the unwitting Miles into overnight celebrities), and feed their vegetarian houseguest wafer-thin ham, shoved underneath the precious door. We never really learn the reason for Miles’ behavior, but we do get to know him through four other characters — social worker Anna Hardie; Mark, mourning an ex-lover and plagued by his dead mother, who speaks to him in rhyme; elderly May Young, suffering from dementia; and precocious 9-year-old Brooke Bayoude, who is as delighted by linguistic punnery as the author — whose stories all begin with one of the key words of the book’s title. There’s minimal action here, which will no doubt frustrate some readers, and much is left unsaid through precise linguistic control, careful use of ellipses and myriad other devices, but the reader prepared to meet the author halfway is rewarded with a clever critique of contemporary culture and personal idiosyncrasies, and a thoughtful musing on the impermanence of our existence. Reviewed by Megan Roberts The Greenhouse By Audur Ava Olafsdottir, Brian Fitzgibbon (translator) AmazingCrossing, $14.95, 262 pages Check this out! The Greenhouse begins as Lobbi’s 77-yearold father and his autistic twin brother follow him into the greenhouse on the last night Lobbi is home. They prepare supper, something Lobbi’s mother would normally have done, and the next day Lobbi leaves home, with cuttings from his mother’s rare and beloved eightpetaled rose, the Rosa candida, and a picture of his daughter, the result of half a night spent with Anna, who’s a friend of a
Tulsa Book Review • March 2012 • 5
friend. While he witnessed the child’s birth, Anna has never encouraged him to take part in their lives. And lost after his mother’s death, Lobbi has given up his academic career and taken a gardening job at a remote monastery. After an emergency appendectomy, meeting an old friend and giving an art student a ride, he arrives at the monastery and contemplates mortality with a filmobsessed priest. When Anna and his daughter arrive unexpectedly, Lobbi discovers not only that he can cook, but that the relationships with both his daughter and Anna are budding, like the monastery rose garden, into something he never imagined. This is a perfect jewel of a book – spare, lovely and mesmerizing. Three thumbs up! Reviewed by Axie Barclay After the Apocalypse: Stories By Maureen F. McHugh Small Beer Press, $16.00, 193 pages Check this out! After the Apocalypse is a themed collection of nine stories, three of which are original. From the title, you’ll guess the theme, but in each of the stories there’s a slightly different effect. There are nuclear explosions, a plague and global warming evaporating the water. We even get a few zombies. But equally important are the stories about personal devastation. People are vulnerable to emotional and intellectual damage. So when you put it altogether, this is a collection about survival. Societies can emerge from disasters in a poor state. They need time to heal. Those who remain to live in the midst of this destruction can find themselves suffering a sense of dislocation. It’s as if they no longer fit into the landscape. Some, therefore, retreat into themselves. Others abandon their relationships and strike out on their own. It’s all about self-confidence or the lack of it. Without exception, the stories are beautifully written. McHugh has a crisp, uncluttered prose style that says what it means with absolute precision. It’s a joy to read. Although not every story hits the mark of perfection, this is a collection to savor. Read or miss out on something special! Reviewed by David Marshall
Book Reviews
Picture Books SNAP IT for additional book summaries.
Do You Have a Dog? By Eileen Spinelli, Geraldo Valério (illustrator) Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, $16.00, 26 pages Check this out! Dogs are the most popular pets in the United States. In fact, more than 46 million households in the country have dogs. And kids love dogs – not just their own dogs – but dogs in general. Kids also are fascinated by famous people. So what could be more interesting to kids than the dogs of famous people? Eileen Spinelli has found the stories of the dogs of 11 famous people from explorers to scientists, from a singer to an empress, and more. She has written clever little rhymes about each of these people and their dogs, although there is little information about the dogs or their owners beyond the fact that the people had dogs. She then incorporated the rhymes into a sweet book that celebrates the joys of having dogs – all kinds of dogs. “A dog who races for the mail? Or one who chases his own tail? A yappy dog who barks at crows? A happy dog who licks your nose?” Spinelli clearly loves dogs and it shows in her prose. All this is complemented with cute, colorful illustrations created by Geraldo Valério. Reviewed by Rosi Hollinbeck E-mergency! By Tom Lichtenheld and Ezra Fields-Meyer Chronicle Books, $16.99, 40 pages Check this out! Letter E is out of commission. She tumbles down the stairs breaking her leg and is removed from the alphabet to recuperate. How will we form words without the most frequently used letter of the alphabet? Who will replace E? Natural leader A assembles a meeting of the alphabet. It’s decided that O will replace E. D and C go to Washington to alert the government. Several letters go on “The O Show” to discuss the situation. Filling in for E isn’t as hard as O expected but boy are the words funny to read and weird to pronounce: olomontary, poachos, ico croam. Even though E is taken out of service, the doctors are puzzled why she’s not getting better. Turns
out one person is still using E. Guess who? E-mergency! is cleverly executed with witty cartoon pencil drawings taking center stage. The animated, brightly colored letters are lifelike with arms and legs, and full of expression. Fast-paced with many elements, this book will appeal to young readers as a read aloud while older readers will enjoy the pictures: identifying misspelled words, taking note of the wordplay throughout. The inclusion of Question Mark and Exclamation Mark complete this lively letter story. Reviewed by Africa Hands The Hungry Ghost of Rue Orleans By Mary Quattlebaum, Patricia Castelao (illustrator) Random House Books for Young Readers, $15.99, 32 pages Check this out! A father and daughter move into an old New Orleans house, intent on renovating it into a restaurant. Unfortunately, they don’t realize they’ve disturbed the peaceful afterlife of a ghost named Fred, the previous owner of the house. Will the restaurant thrive against Fred’s wishes, or will he manage to thwart the efforts to forever change his treasured, dusty, squeaky, leaky abode? The Hungry Ghost of Rue Orleans is picture perfect, marrying a delightful story about what home means to us with gorgeous, almost Disneyesque imagery. (A sumptuous twopage spread showing Fred’s reaction at seeing an oven wheeled into his former living room is a personal favorite of mine.) But the warmth and old-world flavor of the illustrations dominate every scene, adding depth and meaning to each. The characters of Marie, Pierre and Fred lack the selfishness and maliciousness that so often color the actions of children’s book characters, avoiding the pitfalls of cookiecutter storytelling and instead letting their actions and passions speak for them. From start to finish, The Hungry Ghost of Rue Orleans is a treat. Cute but not cloying, accessible but not pandering, it’s everything a children’s book should be. Reviewed by Glenn Dallas
Every-Day Dress-Up By Selina Alko Knopf Books for Young Readers, $16.99, 32 pages Check this out! Pssst ... little girls adore fantasy play, adorning themselves in ruffles and layers of make-believe, but if you are looking for something beyond the usual pretty-inpink-princess bit then you and your little one are in for a true treasure trove of inspiring “pretend” adventures with this new addition. Imagine introducing the apple of your eye to such stirring, reallife game changers as Amelia Earhart, Ella Fitzgerald, Eleanor Roosevelt, Frida Kahlo, Maria Tallchief and others. Don’t recognize some of these names? That’s okay, by the time you dive into this gem (and the brief biographies in the back) you will be singing praises for this ingenious introduction to and reunion with 11 amazing women. From a scientist to prima ballerina to the first Hispanic justice on the U.S. Supreme Court, the possibilities are endless and isn’t that what we want to teach our youth? In addition to the encouragement, your daughter will love the day-of-the-week sequence as she can be a different “character” Monday through Sunday! With brief and snappy wording, colorful and fun illustrations (both created
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by Alko, make that 12 remarkable women included in this story) this is one imaginative play that is worth diving into again and again, and trust that your dearest will want to. Reviewed by Sky Sanchez-Fischer Extra Yarn By Mac Barnett, Jon Klassen (illustrator) Balzer + Bray, $16.99, 40 pages Check this out! How exciting for Annabelle, who lives in a black-and-white cold little town, to find a box filled with yarn of every color. This isn’t an ordinary box of yarn. It’s a box of neverending yarn. Even after knitting a sweater for herself and her dog, her classmates, Mr. Norman, Mr. Crabtree (a hat for him), and Mom and Dad, Annabelle has yarn to spare. So she does what any knitter would do. She makes a sweater for everyone in town and animals, too, and all sorts of things that don’t even wear sweaters. Annabelle has an international following, including an archduke. The archduke offers Annabelle a hefty sum for her precious box, eventually stealing it when she rebuffs his offers. Boy is he in for a surprise when he settles in to do his knitting. Witness a town transform from cold and bleak to warm and inviting as Annabelle shares her knit creations. Ample white See YARN, cont’d on page 7
Book Reviews
Kids’ Books
Tween Reads
SNAP IT for additional book summaries. Diary of a Wimpy Kid 6: Cabin Fever By Jeff Kinney Amulet Books, $13.95, 224 pages Check this out! Greg Huffley and his best friend Rowley seem to have few dull moments in their lives, and fortunately for the rest of us, Greg writes another of his very funny journals to keep us apprised of their adventures as he views the world around him with a bright and cynical eye. Greg examines the problems with Santa Claus and tells the story of his mother’s slightly terrifying doll called “Santa’s Scout.” Things at school aren’t going too well either. Whenever someone is hurt on a piece of playground equipment, the piece is removed. Soon the playground is as bleak as a prison exercise yard, and the students are bored beyond belief. Greg is always looking for ways to make money. His ideas seldom work as he imagines they will and usually get him in trouble. At the end of the book is a blizzard of biblical proportions that will have readers laughing out loud. Jeff Kinney’s Wimpy Kid franchise never disappoints, and this is no exception. If you know anyone in middle school or if you’ve ever been to middle school, this book is for you. Reviewed by Rosi Hollinbeck Ivy + Bean: No News Is Good News By Annie Barrows, Sophie Blackall (illustrator) Chronicle Books, $14.99, 128 pages Check this out! Ivy and Bean have a problem. All their friends get low-fat Belldeloon cheese in a special just-for-you serving size, encased in the coolest and most useful red wax, but Ivy and Bean never get any. It’s too expensive. But everyone else has it and has sooooo much fun with the wax. It’s awful to be left out. Bean asks her dad for money, but he won’t give it to her. He tells the girls they need to get their money the old-fashioned way — they need to earn it. Ivy and Bean come up with several ideas, but Dad puts the kibosh on all of them, with good reason: the girls have created a few disasters. When Dad tells them about earning money by putting
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out a neighborhood newspaper when he was young, they decide it’s the perfect solution to their problem. What could possibly go wrong? Well, with Ivy and Bean, nothing is as simple as it seems. Young girls, 6 to 8 years old, will love this kooky pair in their latest adventure. This is the eighth book in a long series of charming stories with cute, engaging illustrations throughout. There are enough books to keep emerging, independent readers happy for a long time. Reviewed by Rosi Hollinbeck See YARN, cont’d from page 6 space draws attention to the illustrations of softly colored sweaters with knit detailing. Entertaining with a quick resolution, this book is just plain well done. It’s sure to be as popular as illustrator Klassen’s, I Want My Hat Back. Readers will even recognize some of the characters. Reviewed by Africa Hands
An Elephant in the Garden By Michael Morpurgo Feiwel & Friends, $16.99, 208 pages Check this out! A woman who works in a nursing home takes her son Karl to work with her, and finds him with Lizzie, one of the residents. They strike up a friendship and Lizzie tells Karl and his mother the story of when she was a teen in Germany near the end of World War II. Lizzie’s father is off fighting. Her mother, a zookeeper, has brought a young elephant, Marlene, home to stay in their garden. When the allies begin to bomb Dresden, Lizzie, her mother and her younger brother Karli, along with Marlene, run from the city and walk to a relative’s farm. The relatives have left, but while the family stays there, Peter, a navigator from a Royal Air Force plane crash, takes refuge in the barn. Lizzie and Peter fall in love. Everyone realizes they must travel west to hide from German soldiers and avoid cruel Russians coming from
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Tulsa Book Review • March 2012 • 7
the east. They travel at night, forage for food and hide Peter’s identity. The elephant makes much of their journey possible. This is a quiet book, almost entirely narrative, yet it captures your interest. Michael Morpurgo has written a story that will likely become a classic in children’s literature. Reviewed by Rosi Hollinbeck Dragons of Silk By Laurence Yep HarperCollins, $16.99, 352 pages Check this out! Lawrence Yep traces several generations of strong women, all of whom work with silk. The Weaving Maid, a symbol of silk and sacrifice, is a point of reference for each. In legend, the Weaving Maid wove silk robes for heaven. She neglected her duties for love of the Cowboy, so Heaven separated them by the Milky Way, letting them reunite only under special circumstances. In 1835, Lily, Swallow and their mother run the family business raising silkworms. Father, an opium addict, returns home whenever he runs out of money, always promising he’s reformed. His latest return results in tragedy, exacting a cruel sacrifice from Swallow. She becomes a legend herself to later generations of the family. In 1881, Lily’s granddaughter, Little Swallow, is working in the local silk factory until an uprising changes her life. In 1932, her granddaughter, Lillian, is faced with a choice between music and silk during the Depression in America. In 1962, Lillian makes sure her own daughter, Rosie, will not have to sacrifice her dreams. And in 2011, Rosie, a successful designer, meets someone who draws all the threads of the family story together in an unexpected way. An engrossing read all the way. Reviewed by Elizabeth Varadan
Book Reviews
Teen Scene SNAP IT for additional book summaries. Battle Fatigue By Mark Kurlansky Walker Children’s, $17.99, 256 pages Check this out! Battle Fatigue is the story of a young man planning to move to Canada to escape the draft and the Vietnam War, reflecting back on his childhood and teenage years in a small town full of World War II veterans. In addition to his attempts to understand his father’s war and eventually his war, it includes familiar scenes: baseball, girls, schoolyard fights. But they all are intertwined with one overriding theme: war. Battle Fatigue creates a powerful feeling of inevitability. With each page, with each event in Joel’s life – no matter how minor – you feel him moving closer and closer to war like a moth drawn to a flame. It feels as if, despite his weak attempts to change his destiny, he will never be able to escape. It is this mood that makes Battle Fatigue so memorable. Battle Fatigue is an especially timely book, given the involvement of the United States in many military actions in recent years. But, because of more than 40 years of separation from today’s wars, it allows a safe way for individual readers or an entire class to explore feelings about military service and duty. Reviewed by Jodi Webb Divergent By Veronica Roth Katherine Tegen Books, $9.99, 490 pages Check this out! Beatrice has been raised as a member of the Abnegation faction in a future Chicago. Now that she’s 16, she has the responsibility to choose to stay in the faction with her family for the rest of her life or switch to one of the other four factions, options that might better suit her personality. She doesn’t feel very self-sacrificing, so she’s thinking about leaving Abnegation. But if she does choose differently, she won’t see her family again, because “faction comes before blood.”
On the choosing day, Beatrice makes the hard decision to become a Dauntless: a tattooed, pierced group of fearless people who dare to do all kinds of crazy things. She renames herself Tris and is thrown right in to the initiation process, which turns out to be much more dangerous and fraught with long-term consequences than she could ever have imagined growing up Abnegation. Tris — and the reader — worry about the dangerous secret she must keep and about what seem to be growing conflicts between the supposedly peaceful factions in her society. Divergent is a thrilling dystopian novel that will grab you and hold you on the edge of your seat until the very last page. Reviewed by Cathy Carmode Lim Tempest: A Novel By Julie Cross Thomas Dunne, $17.99, 339 pages Check this out! Julie Cross debuts with her young adult novel Tempest, the first in a trilogy. The protagonist of this story is 19-year-old Jackson Meyer, who is a typical teenager living in 2009, with one exception, that he can time travel. Jackson, however, is no ordinary time traveler. He can only jump to the past, never the present, and his jumps to the past do not alter things in the present. The plot thickens when people unknown to Jackson take him and his girlfriend Holly by surprise, leaving Holly with a fatal gun wound. Jackson jumps back in time to the year 2007, where he inadvertently gets stuck in the past with no way of getting back to 2009. As Jackson tries to figure out how to get back to the present, he attempts to learn more about his abilities in 2007 so he can and try to save Holly and return to 2009. The “enemies of time” responsible for shooting Holly come looking for Jackson in 2007 and are relentless in their pursuit to recruit him or alternatively terminate him. During this journey, Jackson learns some secrets about his father. There is some history about Jackson and the loss of his twin sister, giving the novel some great emotional moments. It’s not all romance. Rather, it is mystery, action, time travel, romance and See TEMPEST, cont’d on page 10
Tulsa Book Review • March 2012 • 8
THURSDAY, MARCH 29 • 7 P.M.
Hardesty Regional Library • Connor’s Cove 8316 E. 93rd St. • 918.549.7550 Crutcher’s and Hartinger’s writings reflect intellectual freedom and censorship and an unflinching honesty regarding issues facing teens today. A book signing will follow. Books will be available for purchasing.
TulsaLibrary.org
918.549.READ
MARCH 2012
A FREE MONTHLY GUIDE TO YOUR COMMUNITY LIBRARY, ITS PROGRAMS AND SERVICES
GENEALOGY WORKSHOP WITH MICHAEL HAIT • PAGE 2
adult/teen events BIXBY LIBRARY A-Book-A-Month Discussion Wednesday, March 21 • 2-3 p.m. Read “Red Garden” by Alice Hoffman and then join us for a lively discussion. For adults.
BROKEN ARROW LIBRARY E-book Lab Wednesday, March 14 • 1:30-3 p.m. You have an e-reader ... now what? Get answers to your questions about using the library’s e-books. For adults. Read or Die Manga/Anime Club Saturday, March 17 • 12:30-2 p.m. For ages 13-18.
BROKEN ARROW LIBRARY/SOUTH De-exasperating E-Books Saturday, March 10 • 10:30 a.m. Want to turn your Kindle into kindling? Haven’t quite got the knack with your NOOK yet? Drop by with your device and learn the basics of downloading library material. Preregistration is encouraged. Call 918-549-7662 to register. For adults.
KEEPING CHICKENS PAGE 4
DR. SEUSS ON THE LOOSE PAGE 5
ABeeCs of Beekeeping Saturday, March 17 • 10:30-11:30 a.m. Alan Larson of the Northeast Oklahoma Beekeepers Association will discuss the different jobs of bees and how a beekeeper works a beehive. He will bring an actual beehive (without bees) and tools. For all ages. Sponsored by the Tulsa Library Trust.
Indigenous Food Sustainability: Part 2 Saturday, March 31 • 2-3:30 p.m. Ben Yahola, a Mvskoke language specialist and food sovereignty advocate, will share indigenous food sovereignty efforts on local, national and international levels. Learn how you can support and promote food sustainability through gardening and edible wild plants. For all ages. Sponsored by the College of the Muscogee Nation.
TEEN TECH MONTH Databases and Desserts Tuesday, March 20 • 2-2:45 p.m. Sick of not finding the right sources for your school projects? Join us for a look at our resources and then enjoy a sweet treat. For ages 13-18. Preregistration is required. Call 918-549-7662 to register. Our Cosmic Universe: Uranus – God of the Sky Monday, March 26 • 6:30-8 p.m. Join the Broken Arrow Sidewalk Astronomers to explore this icy, gas giant and his Shakespearian moons. After the program we will do some sky gazing (weather permitting). You may bring a telescope. For all ages. Across the Spectrum Brown Baggers Tuesday, March 27 • 12:15-1:15 p.m. If you are interested in reading adventurous fiction and nonfiction authors outside of the cultural and artistic mainstream, then this is the discussion for you. You may bring your lunch. For adults.
Celebrate the American Indian Festival of Words. Look for this symbol.
CENTRAL LIBRARY Circle of Honor Ceremony Saturday, March 3 • 10:30 a.m.-noon The Tulsa City-County Library will induct attorney Kirke Kickingbird into the Circle of Honor. Induction into the Circle of Honor is a celebration of the honoree’s actions in the face of adversity, and commitment to the preservation of American Indian culture and legacy for future generations. Also, a traditional dance exhibition and songs will be performed by the Native Nations Youth Council and Tulsa Indian Club Inc. For all ages. Sponsored by the Tulsa Library Trust, American Indian Resource Center, Maxine and Jack Zarrow Family Foundation, Cherokee Builders Inc., Bank of Oklahoma, Dr. Frank and Mary Shaw, College of the Muscogee Nation, Pawnee Nation, Friends of the Helmerich Library and Tulsa City-County Library Green Team.
FANCY NANCY AND OTHER STORYBOOKS • PAGE 6 Books Sandwiched In Mondays • 12:10-12:50 p.m. Location: Aaronson Auditorium* Sponsored by the Friends of the Tulsa City-County Libraries. March 5 • “Greater Journey: Americans in Paris” by David McCullough March 12 • “Last Muster: Images of the Revolutionary War Generation” by Maureen Taylor March 19 • “In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror and an American Family in Hitler’s Berlin” by Erik Larson March 26 • “Washington: A Life” by Ron Chernow Central Library Book Discussion Group Thursday, March 8 • 2-3 p.m. Location: Plaza Room Read “Empire of the Summer Moon: Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe in American History” by S.C. Gwynne, and then join us for a lively discussion. For adults. Job Lab Mondays, March 12, 26 • 2-4 p.m. Location: Computer Training Room Update your résumé, search for jobs online or explore a new career in this special computer lab just for job seekers. You will have access to Microsoft Office software and the Internet. USB flash drives and CDs are available for purchasing, or you can bring your own to save your work. Standard printing charges apply. Library staff and resources will be in the lab to provide assistance. For adults.
* Hearing loop available in Aaronson Auditorium. Switch hearing aid to T-coil.
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Meet Author Lisa See Tuesday, March 13 • 7-8:30 p.m. Location: second floor Meet the author of the beloved bestselling “Snow Flower and the Secret Fan,” “Peony in Love,” “Shanghai Girls” and “Dreams of Joy.” A book signing will follow. Books will be available for purchasing. For adults. Co-sponsored by Book Smart Tulsa. Registration Deadline for April Literacy Tutor Training Workshop Tuesday, March 20 Tulsa City-County Library’s Ruth G. Hardman Adult Literacy Service needs volunteer tutors to help adults improve their reading and writing skills. Tutors must be 18 years of age or older and have graduated from high school. Each trained volunteer is matched with an adult student to provide one-onone tutoring once or twice a week. Volunteers are asked to make a oneyear commitment to tutor. We will offer a four-part tutor training workshop on April 3, 5, 10 and 12 from 5:45-8:45 p.m. at Central Library in the Lecture Room. Tutors must complete all sessions of this workshop. Preregistration is required. The registration deadline is Tuesday, March 20. To register call 918-549-7400 or click on www.tulsalibrary.org/literacy. Novel Talk Presents Going Home: Untangling the Personal, Communal and Spiritual Dimensions of Home Monday, March 26 • 7-8:30 p.m. Location: Aaronson Auditorium* Home is a solace, an ache, a point of origin and a place to which we return. Never a neutral word, home inspires longing and hope, fear and despair, promise and regret. Using Louise Erdrich’s novel “Love Medicine,” a distinguished panel of experts will explore the many dimensions of home and its role as both a physical and spiritual place. For adults. Mediation, Arbitration and Litigation ... What’s the Difference? Wednesday, March 28 • noon-1 p.m. Location: Lecture Room Want to resolve a legal dispute without the delay and cost of a lawsuit? Mediation or arbitration may be more efficient. There are several ways to settle a legal dispute. Join Tim Houchin
COLLINSVILLE LIBRARY SUKIKYO! Anime/Manga Club Wednesdays, March 14, 28 • 4-5:30 p.m. Meet other fans of Japanese art and culture. For teens. Refreshments provided by the Friends of the Collinsville Library. TEEN TECH MONTH utime@yourlibrary Wednesday, March 28 • 2:30-4 p.m. Bring all your cool devices (smartphone, tablet, e-reader, laptop) and use the library’s website to make them even better! For sixth grade and up. Refreshments provided by the Friends of the Collinsville Library.
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How to Locate Historical American Indian Documents Tuesday, March 13 • 10 a.m.-noon Location: Lecture Room Learn how to use government resources to locate tribal histories. For adults.
from Resolution Center Mediation and Arbitration to learn about alternative dispute resolution and methods to resolve arguments outside of the court system. For adults. Sponsored by the Tulsa County Bar Association.
Visit TulsaLibrary.org/j o b h
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HARDESTY REGIONAL LIBRARY Business Plan Basics With SCORE Thursday, March 1 • 6:30-8:30 p.m. Whether you are starting a new business or expanding an existing company, a thorough business plan is important. Volunteers from SCORE: Counselors to America’s Small Business will take you through the steps to develop your own business plan. For adults. Preregistration is required. Call 918-549-7550 to register. Hardesty Book Discussion Group Wednesday, March 7 • 10:30 a.m. Read “Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter” by Tom Franklin and then join us for a lively discussion. For adults.
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Literacy Tutor Training Saturdays, March 10, 17 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Location: Oak Room PLEASE NOTE: Feb. 27 is the registration deadline. • Tulsa City-County Library’s Ruth G. Hardman Adult Literacy Service needs volunteer tutors to help adults improve their reading and writing skills. Tutors must be 18 years of age or older and have graduated from high school. Each trained volunteer is matched with an adult student to provide one-onone tutoring once or twice a week. Volunteers are asked to make a one-year commitment to tutor. Tutors must complete both sessions of this workshop. Preregistration is required. The registration deadline is Monday, Feb. 27. To register call 918-549-7400 or click on www.tulsalibrary.org/literacy. TEEN TECH MONTH 20x20: What Do You Geek? Saturday, March 10 • 2-4 p.m. Everyone has something they “geek” – that one thing that their friends are tired of hearing about. Tell us what you geek. Prepare a 6-minute talk backed with a slide show – 20 slides, 20 seconds each – and wow us with your geekitude! See http:// bit.ly/GeekOut20 for details. We also need an audience, so come out and meet the geeks! For ages 12-18. Slides must be submitted by March 3. Do You Want the State to Determine Your Heirs? Wednesday, March 14 • noon-1 p.m. Location: Pecan Room Join attorney Rita Foster as she discusses wills, revocable trusts, powers of attorney and other estate planning documents. Learn how to avoid probate. For adults. Seating is limited. To reserve a seat call 918-549-7363. Sponsored by the Tulsa Library Trust. Genealogy Workshop With Michael Hait Saturday, March 17 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. • Join certified genealogist, author and lecturer Michael Hait as he discusses reasonably exhaustive searches, using the genealogical proof standard to research a slave community, researching in the Old Line State with an overview of Maryland genealogy and researching online at the Maryland state archives website. Hait has more than 10 years of research experience on families from Connecticut to South Carolina to Tennessee. His specialties include Maryland and Delaware genealogy, Civil War research and AfricanAmerican genealogy. Plus, he has
conducted extensive research on slave families in Maryland and the U.S. Colored Troops during the Civil War. For more information about this workshop, contact the Genealogy Center at 918-549-7691. For adults. TEEN TECH MONTH Zombapalooza Tuesday, March 27 • 4-6 p.m. Test your knowledge with the zombie survival kit challenge, and then learn from zombie expert Christopher Akers how to prepare for the zombie apocalypse. Finally, turn the tables and zombify yourself with movie makeup. For ages 12-18. Preregistration is required. Register at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ Zombapalooza or call 918-549-7556. Meet Award-Winning Authors Chris Crutcher and Brent Hartinger Thursday, March 29 • 7 p.m. Location: Connor’s Cove Crutcher’s and Hartinger’s writings reflect intellectual freedom and censorship plus an unflinching honesty regarding issues facing teens today. A book signing will follow. Books will be available for purchasing. For teens and adults. Seating is limited. Sponsored by the Tulsa Library Trust. Green Gardening and Composting Saturday, March 31 • 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Location: Pecan Room Join us for an introduction to composting and other earth-friendly gardening techniques. Bring your extra packets of seeds to swap. One lucky attendee will win a compost bin donated by the M.E.T. For all ages. Sponsored by the Tulsa Library Trust.
HELMERICH LIBRARY E-Book Lab Thursday, March 8 • 6:30-7:30 p.m. You have an e-reader ... now what? Drop by with your NOOK, Kindle or other compatible device to learn the basics of downloading library material. Seating is limited. Call 918-549-7631 to register. For teens and adults. TEEN TECH MONTH Wii Olympics Tournament Thursday, March 15 • 5:30-6:30 p.m. Compete at “Wii Sports” for a chance to win prizes. Sponsored by the Friends of the Helmerich Library. The Past and Future of the Pawnee Nation and Pawnee Scouts Tuesday, March 20 • 2-3 p.m. Learn about the Pawnee Nation and Pawnee Scouts’ long and proud history, which dates back more than 700 years. See memorabilia honoring the Pawnee
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Nation and the Bravo/Pawnee Company of the 486th Civil Affairs BN of the U.S. Army. For all ages.
JUDY Z. KISHNER LIBRARY
Books People Are Talking About Wednesday, March 21 12:15-1:15 p.m. • We will discuss historical fiction describing important and often littleknown aspects of the American Indian experience, including Angie Debo’s “And Still the Waters Run,” “The Deaths of Sybil Bolton” by Dennis McAuliffe and “The Heartsong of Charging Elk” by James Welch. Light refreshments will be provided by the Friends of the Helmerich Library. For adults.
TEEN TECH MONTH Stop Motion Animation Series: Wednesdays • 3-4:30 p.m. (except March 28) Create a stop motion animated short film. For ages 10-18. March 7 • Puppet Making Learn the techniques of making clay figures and wire puppets for animation. March 14 • Photography Photograph the frames to create the scenes of the film. March 21 • Animate It! Use computer software to animate the pictures and add sound and titles. March 28 • 6-7 p.m. • Red Carpet Premiere • Come to the premiere of the Kishner Library Animation Studios stop motion animated film. We will play Wii afterward.
“Hunger Games” Movie Release Party Thursday, March 22 • 5:30-7 p.m. You’ve been selected to represent your district in the 2012 Hunger Games! Show off with a bow and arrow, learn survival skills, compete in our cornucopia challenge, show your knowledge at Hunger Games Jeopardy and get your craft on! Come dressed as your favorite tribute to join our costume contest. For teens. Sponsored by the Friends of the Helmerich Library.
HERMAN AND KATE KAISER LIBRARY Preparing for State Mandated Testing Thursday, March 22 • 6-7:30 p.m. Students often experience anxiety during state mandated testing. Learn how to help your child prepare for tests, plus learn about accomodations if your child has been identified as having a disability and is served on an IEP or 504 Accommodation Plan. For more information, call 918-2981600. Sponsored by the Learning Disabilities Association of Oklahoma in partnership with the Ruth G. Hardman Adult Literacy Service.
JENKS LIBRARY Jenks Book Discussion Group Thursday, March 15 • 1:30-2:30 p.m. Read the selected book and then join us for a lively discussion. Call 918-549-7570 for title. For adults. TEEN TECH MONTH Get Creative @ J-TAG Tuesday, March 20 • 4-5 p.m. We will create our own J-TAG logo using digital cameras, photo editors, artwork and computer software. The Jenks Teen Advisory Group (J-TAG) helps plan teen programming at the library. Make an impact at your library by joining! For grades 6-12.
MARTIN REGIONAL LIBRARY “Charlas” Spanish Conversation Club Saturdays, March 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 noon-1 p.m. • Practice your Spanish in a low-stress setting. This club is for people who have completed AT LEAST one course, preferably more, and are not yet comfortable with spontaneous Spanish conversation. For ages 16 and older. Sponsored by the Tulsa Library Trust and the Hispanic Resource Center. Job Lab Mondays, March 5, 12, 19, 26 9-11 a.m. • Update your résumé, search for jobs online or explore a new career in this special computer lab just for job seekers. USB flash drives are available for purchasing, or you can bring your own to save your work. Standard printing charges apply. Library staff and resources will be in the lab to provide assistance. Class size is limited. For adults. TEEN TECH MONTH Free Play Tuesdays, March 6, 13, 20, 27 3:45-5 p.m. • Play online games with your friends and enjoy free time on the computers. For tweens and teens. TEEN TECH MONTH Photography: The Fundamentals of Composition Tuesday, March 6 • 6-8 p.m. Join us to learn a few things that will improve your pictures by 100 percent! For teens and adults. Preregistration is required. Class size is limited. Call 918-549-7590 to register.
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Teen Time Wednesdays, March 7, 14, 28 4-5 p.m. • Join us for Wii and board games, plus other fun activities and snacks. For teens and tweens. Manga Ai! Saturday, March 17 • 2-3 p.m. Munch on Pocky and meet up with other manga fans to discuss your favorite books and movies, characters and plot twists. For sixth grade and up. Wii for All Wednesday, March 21 • 2-3:30 p.m. Play “Mario Kart,” “Wii Sports” and other Wii favorites. For all ages. César Chávez Commemorative Series: “Panic Nation” Thursday, March 22 • 6:30-8:30 p.m. This distinctive motion picture examines state-sponsored immigration laws with an open, direct approach. It also features columnist Ruben Navarrette Jr., who will speak at the Martin Regional Library on March 29. After the showing, meet the film’s producer/director, George Adams. For teens and adults. Sponsored by the Tulsa Library Trust and the Hispanic Resource Center. César Chávez Commemorative Series: Meet Ruben Navarrette Jr. Thursday, March 29 • 7-8:30 p.m. Nominated for this year’s Pulitzer Prize, columnist Ruben Navarrette Jr. draws on his knowledge of policy and politics and his life experiences to provide meaningful and hardhitting commentary. His is a fresh and increasingly important voice in the national political debate offering new thinking on many of the major issues of the day, especially on thorny questions involving ethnicity and national origin. For all ages. Seating is limited. Sponsored by Williams, the Tulsa Library Trust and Hispanic Resource Center, with assistance from the Greater Tulsa Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
MAXWELL PARK LIBRARY Cherokee Flute-Making Workshop Saturday, March 17 OR 24 • 1-3 p.m. Choogie Kingfisher will present the history of the Cherokee river-cane flute and show participants how to make one of their own. All supplies are provided. Preregistration is required. Enrollment is limited to 20. Call 918-549-7610 to register. For ages 13 and older.
NATHAN HALE LIBRARY TEEN TECH MONTH Get Your Game on @ the Library Monday, March 12 • 4-6 p.m. Join us for Rock Band, Xbox Kinect and Wii games. For ages 12-19.
OWASSO LIBRARY Mad About Mysteries Monday, March 12 • 6:30-7:45 p.m. Read P.D. James’ “Death in Holy Orders” and then join us for a lively discussion. For adults. Books With Barbara Wednesday, March 14 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. • Read “The Lake of Dreams” by Kim Edwards and then join us for a lively discussion. For adults.
RUDISILL REGIONAL LIBRARY Kuruoshii Manga Club Thursday, March 8 • 6-7:30 p.m. If you are a fan of anime and manga, then join us. For ages 12-18. Woman Up: HIV/AIDS and PregNOT Friday, March 16 • 9 a.m.-3 p.m. The African-American Resource Center’s “Woman Up” and Youth Services of Tulsa’s “PregNOT” present a daylong seminar aimed at HIV/ AIDS and pregnancy prevention for girls ages 11-17 and adult women. The workshop features videos, presentations and interactive activities to promote risk reduction, goal setting and abstinence. Free HIV/ AIDS testing will be available. Parental permission is required. Preregistration is required. Class size is limited. Call 918-549-7645 to register. Sponsored by the African-American Resource Center, Tulsa Library Trust, Tulsa CityCounty Library Staff Association, Oklahoma State University, Tulsa City-County Health Department and Youth Services of Tulsa. Business Plan Basics Saturday, March 17 • 10 a.m.-noon Whether you are starting a new business or expanding an existing company, a thorough business plan is important. Volunteers from SCORE: Counselors to America’s Small Business, Tulsa Chapter 194, will take you through the steps to develop your own business plan. Preregistration is required. Call 918549-7645 to register. For adults.
TULSA CITY-COUNTY LIBRARY EVENT GUIDE
MARCH 2012
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Job Lab Tuesday, March 27 • 1-3 p.m. Update your résumé, search for jobs online or explore a new career in this special computer lab just for job seekers. You will have access to Microsoft Office software and the Internet. USB flash drives and CDs are available for purchasing, or you can bring your own to save your work. Standard printing charges apply. Library staff and resources will be in the lab to provide assistance. For adults. Preregistration is required. Class size is limited. Call 918-549-7645 to register.
SCHUSTERMANBENSON LIBRARY Percy Jackson vs. Harry Potter? March 1-31 • Which character do you think would win in a battle? Tweens and teens can vote for their favorite characters to win the battle, such as Edward vs. Jacob, Pirates vs. Ninjas. With each vote, you will be entered for a prize drawing. Stop by the teen area to cast your vote. For ages 10-19. Mystery Readers Roundtable Thursday, March 1 • 2-3 p.m. Come and tell us what mysteries you’ve been reading. We’ll have snacks! For adults. Altered Books Collage Wednesday, March 21 • 2-4 p.m. Enjoy turning old books into something new. Rip, tear, paint, poke – it does not matter, just be creative! Materials will be provided. You can take your work home. For ages 10-18.
SKIATOOK LIBRARY Native American Athletes: Their Contributions to Sports History Monday, March 12 • 6-7 p.m. Join James W. McIntosh as he presents a slide show, photographs and sports memorabilia to highlight the accomplishments of Oklahoma’s amateur, college and professional American Indian athletes. For all ages. Teen Time Tuesday, March 27 • 3:30-5 p.m. Join us for Wii and board games, plus crafts. For tweens and teens.
SUBURBAN ACRES LIBRARY Forgiveness Is a Process Saturday, March 10 • 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Join Java Collins, a professional
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with a master’s degree in human relations, as she explores forgiveness. Recommended books will be available. For adults. Seating is limited. Sista’ Chat Book Club Saturday, March 17 • noon-2 p.m. Read “My Soul to Take” by Tananarive Due, and then join us for a lively discussion. For adults and teens. Seating is limited.
ZARROW REGIONAL LIBRARY TEEN TECH MONTH Geek Out on Angry Birds Thursday, March 1 • 6-7 p.m. Geek out as we build working catapults and make angry birds to launch! For teens and tweens. TEEN TECH MONTH Geek Out on Minecraft Thursday, March 8 • 6-8 p.m. Geek out and build your own world on the computer game “Minecraft.” Attendees will have a chance to win a prize. For teens and tweens. TEEN TECH MONTH Geek Out on “Star Wars” Thursday, March 15 • 6-8 p.m. Geek out with fun “Star Wars” activities. Drink Yoda soda, eat lightsaber pretzels, make “Star Wars” crafts and play Force Unleashed 2. For teens and tweens. Keeping Chickens Saturday, March 17 • 10 a.m.-noon Raising chickens is a great way to stay healthy and become more self-sufficient. Experienced chicken owners will tell you how to keep chickens in your own backyard. For all ages. Seating is limited. “Hunger Games” Movie Release Party Wednesday, March 21 • 2-3:30 p.m. Get ready for “The Hunger Games” movie by practicing your archery, making mockingjay pins, decorating cookies and more! Attendees will be eligible to win free movie tickets. For teens and tweens. Teen Thursday Thursday, March 22 • 6-7 p.m. Join us for Wii games and origami. For teens and tweens. TEEN TECH MONTH Gaming Tournament Night Thursday, March 29 • 6-8 p.m. Compete to see who’s the champion of “James Bond 007” and “Mario Kart.” Winners will receive a prize. For teens and tweens.
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computer classes HARDESTY REGIONAL LIBRARY FOR ADULTS. CLASS SIZES ARE LIMITED TO 18 ON A FIRSTCOME, FIRST-SERVED BASIS.
Publisher 101 Saturday, March 3 • 9:30-11:30 a.m. Learn how to create fun and colorful signs and flyers. Prerequisite: Intermediate MS Word class. MS Word 1 Tuesday, March 6 • 6-8 p.m. Learn how to create various kinds of documents; use the toolbar; set margins; apply spell check; and preview, save and print documents. Intro to Computers for Seniors Wednesdays, March 7, 14, 21, 28 9:30-11:30 a.m. • This class is designed especially for seniors who have little or no previous experience using computers. It covers the basics of the computer, Internet and computer terms while also discussing the importance of motivation and a positive attitude. Beginners will have the opportunity to ask questions and receive individual attention. For ages 55+. MS Excel 1 Saturday, March 10 • 9:30-11:30 a.m. Learn how to create formulas, use automatic fill and change basic formatting. MS Word 2 Tuesday, March 13 • 6-8 p.m. Learn how to create and format tables, use bulleted and numbered lists, and apply and format columns in a document. Internet Basics Thursday, March 15 • 10-11 a.m. This class is designed for those with little or no experience in using the Internet. You will navigate the World Wide Web and explore various search engines. You also will learn to preview, print and save information. MS Excel 2 Saturday, March 17 • 9:30-11:30 a.m. Learn how to create and edit formulas, and apply functions and advanced formatting to your spreadsheets and workbooks.
MS Word 3 Tuesday, March 20 • 6-8 p.m. Learn how to create and use borders and shading, headers and footers, page numbering and drawing tools. MS Word 4 Tuesday, March 27 • 6-8 p.m. Explore mail merge, use tables to perform calculations and create on-screen forms.
MARTIN REGIONAL LIBRARY
CLASSES ARE LIMITED TO 12 ON A FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVED BASIS. MS Word 1 Tuesday, March 6 • 1:30-3:30 p.m. Learn how to create various kinds of documents; use the toolbar; set margins; apply spell check; and preview, save and print documents. Learning Flickr! Tuesday, March 13 • 1:30-3:30 p.m. Have you been wanting to start a Flickr account but just aren’t sure where to start? We’ll help you in this easy-to-follow class. For adults. Internet @ the Library Tuesday, March 20 • 1:30-3:30 p.m. Learn how to navigate the World Wide Web and use the library’s online catalog and resources. MS Word 2 Tuesday, March 27 • 1:30-3:30 p.m. Learn how to create and format tables, use bulleted and numbered lists, and apply and format columns in a document.
OWASSO LIBRARY
FOR ADULTS. PREREGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. CLASS SIZES ARE LIMITED. CALL 918-549-7624 TO REGISTER. Really Basic Computer Class Thursday, March 8 • 1:30-3 p.m. This class is designed for new computer users who have little or no previous experience using computers, Windows, a mouse or the Internet, and little or no knowledge of basic computer terms. Internet @ the Library Thursday, March 15 • 1:30-3 p.m. Learn how to navigate the World Wide Web and use the library’s online catalog and resources. MS Word 1 Thursday, March 29 • 1:30-3 p.m. Learn how to create various kinds of documents; use the toolbar; set margins; apply spell check; and preview, save and print documents.
Really Basic Computer Class Friday, March 2 • 9:30-11 a.m. This class is designed for new computer users who have little or no previous experience using computers, Windows, a mouse or the Internet, and little or no knowledge of basic computer terms. MS Word 1 Friday, March 9 • 9:30-11 a.m. Learn how to create various kinds of documents; use the toolbar; set margins; apply spell check; and preview, save and print documents. Internet @ the Library Friday, March 16 • 9:30-11 a.m. Learn how to navigate the World Wide Web and use the library’s online catalog and resources. Email 101 Friday, March 23 • 9:30-11 a.m. Learn how to set up a free account and how to use it to send and receive email.
children’s events BIXBY LIBRARY My First Storytime Mondays, March 5, 12, 19, 26 10:30-10:45 a.m. • For newborns to 2-year-olds and their caregivers. Preschool Storytime Mondays, March 5, 12, 19, 26 11-11:30 a.m. • For ages 2-5. An adult must accompany 2-year-olds.
BROKEN ARROW LIBRARY Toddler Time Thursdays, March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 Mondays, March 5, 12, 19, 26 10:30 a.m. • Join Miss Kadry for stories, songs and activities. For ages 2-3 and their caregivers. My First Storytime Thursdays, March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 Mondays, March 5, 12, 19, 26 11 a.m. • For newborns to 2-yearolds and their caregivers.
Dr. Seuss Is on the Loose! Thursday, March 1 • 6:30-7:15 p.m. The Cat in the Hat, Thing One and Thing Two will be in the house, along with special guest readers, games, crafts and more! For ages 12 and younger. Seating is limited. Preschool Storytime Tuesdays, March 6, 13, 20, 27 Wednesdays, March 7, 21, 28 10:30-11 a.m. • For ages 3-5. Junie B. Jones Book Club Thursday, March 15 • 4:30-5:15 p.m. Join us for crafts, games and activities featuring “Junie B. Jones Smells Something Fishy.” For ages 6-9. Participants should read the book prior to the program.
BROKEN ARROW LIBRARY/SOUTH Bilingual Storytime Thursdays, March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 10:30-10:50 a.m. • Join Fidelia and listen to stories in English and Spanish, sing songs and make crafts. For ages 5 and younger. My First Storytime Mondays, March 5, 12, 19, 26 10:30-10:50 a.m. • For newborns to 15-month-olds and their caregivers. Fidelia’s Storytime Tuesdays, March 6, 13, 20, 27 10:30-10:50 a.m. • Join Fidelia and listen to stories, sing songs and make crafts. For ages 3-5. Toddler Time Wednesdays, March 7, 14, 21, 28 10:30-10:50 a.m. • Join us for stories, songs and action rhymes. For 1-year-olds to 36-montholds and their caregivers. Go Places With Books: Russia Saturday, March 10 • 1-1:45 p.m. Join us for a bilingual storytime featuring stories, songs and a craft from Russia. For all ages. Build a Bird Feeder Thursday, March 22 • 3:30-4:30 p.m. Celebrate spring break with Fidelia and build a bird feeder. For ages 5-10. Preregistration is required. Class size is limited. Call 918-549-7662 to register.
PAWS for Reading Thursday, March 22 • 6:30-7:30 p.m. Registered therapy dogs are excellent listeners. Kids ages 7-12 are invited to read their favorite books to a furry, four-pawed friend. Each reader will receive a free book provided by the Tulsa Library Trust.
and use your library card to access Homework Help Now!
FOR ALL AGES. PREREGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. CLASS SIZES ARE LIMITED. CALL 918-549-7645 TO REGISTER.
Stay and Play Thursdays, March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 Mondays, March 5, 12, 19, 26 11:30 a.m. • For babies and toddlers, playing is learning! After our regularly scheduled storytime, join us for games, toys and activities that foster critical early literacy skills. For newborns to 3-year-olds and their caregivers.
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RUDISILL REGIONAL LIBRARY
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BROOKSIDE LIBRARY Preschool Storytime Wednesdays, March 7, 14, 21, 28 10:15-10:45 a.m. • For ages 2-5. An adult must accompany 2-year-olds. My First Storytime Wednesdays, March 7, 14, 21, 28 11-11:20 a.m. • For newborns to 24-month-olds and their caregivers. PAWS for Reading Thursday, March 8 • 3:30-4:30 p.m. Registered therapy dogs are excellent listeners. Kids ages 7-12 are invited to read their favorite books to a furry, four-pawed friend. Each reader will receive a free book provided by the Tulsa Library Trust. Music Together With Christie Thursday, March 15 • 10:30-11 a.m. In this research-based music program, children participate at their own levels in many ways, including singing, moving, playing instruments and chanting, allowing for participants to explore their own musical natures in a relaxed, playful environment. For newborns to 5-year-olds and their caregivers. Book Buddies Wednesday, March 28 • 3:30-4:30 p.m. Join Miss Dana for an afterschool craft. For ages 5-12.
CENTRAL LIBRARY Kids Dig Books: Let’s Grow! Thursday, March 1 • 10-11 a.m. Location: Gilcrease Museum, 1400 Gilcrease Museum Road Join us as we listen to stories about how plants, animals and people grow and change through different seasons and in different environments. Afterward, create a work of art that relates to the stories you just heard. Space is limited. Reservations are required. For reservations, email sarah-wright@utulsa.edu or call 918-596-2774. For ages 3-6 and their caregivers. Presented by Central Library’s Children’s Department. Storytime Mondays, March 5, 12, 19, 26 10:30-11:15 a.m. • Enjoy stories and activities. For newborns to 5-year-olds and their caregivers.
CHARLES PAGES LIBRARY PAWS for Reading Monday, March 5 • 6:30-7:30 p.m. Registered therapy dogs are excellent listeners. Kids ages 6-12 are invited to read their favorite books to a furry, four-pawed friend. Each reader will receive a free book provided by the Tulsa Library Trust. Preschool Storytime Tuesdays, March 6, 13, 20, 27 10:30-11:15 a.m. • For newborns to 5-year-olds and their caregivers.
COLLINSVILLE LIBRARY Stories From the Rocking Chair Tuesdays, March 6, 13, 20, 27 10:30-11 a.m. • For newborns to 4-year-olds and their caregivers.
GLENPOOL LIBRARY My First Storytime Wednesdays, March 7, 14, 21, 28 10:30-10:45 a.m. • For newborns to 2-year-olds and their caregivers. Preschool Storytime Wednesdays, March 7, 14, 21, 28 11-11:30 a.m. • For ages 2-5.
HARDESTY REGIONAL LIBRARY Celebrate Dr. Seuss’ Birthday Friday, March 2 • 10:30-11 a.m. Join us for stories and other activities from the creator of “The Cat in the Hat.” For ages 2 and older.
TULSA CITY-COUNTY LIBRARY EVENT GUIDE
MARCH 2012
c h i l d r e n ’ s (Hardesty Regional Library continued)
Toddler Time Mondays, March 5, 12, 19, 26 10-10:20 a.m. Tuesdays, March 6, 13, 20, 27 11-11:20 a.m. Join Ms. Josie for stories, songs and finger plays. For ages 2-3 and their caregivers. Mr. Paul’s Preschool Storytime Mondays, March 5, 12, 19, 26 11-11:30 a.m. • For ages 3-5. Marvelous Monday Stories Mondays, March 5, 12, 19, 26 6:30-7 p.m. • Join Ms. Karen for stories and other fun activities. For all ages.
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My First Storytime Tuesdays, March 6, 13, 20, 27 Wednesdays, March 7, 14, 21, 28 10-10:20 a.m. • For newborns to 2-year-olds and their caregivers.
“Star Wars the Clone Wars” Monday, March 19 • 2-3:30 p.m. Join us for a screening of this animated film. Rated PG. For ages 5 and older.
Preschool Storytime With Ms. Kristie Wednesdays, March 7, 14, 21, 28 11-11:30 a.m. • Join us for stories, music and activities. For ages 3-5.
Astronauts, Aliens and Airplanes Tuesday, March 20 • 2-3 p.m. Location: Connor’s Cove How do you get to space? What’s it like up there? Is anyone else out there? And, yes, airplanes do have something to do with all of this. Join John Lowerison, volunteer from the Tulsa Air and Space Museum, for this fascinating program! For ages 5 and older.
Performance: Rockin’ Irish Festival Monday, March 12 • 5:30-6:30 p.m. Location: Connor’s Cove String instrument players from the Tulsa Honors Orchestra will perform. For ages 5 and older.
tulsa city-county library locations 1 Bixby Library 20 E. Breckenridge, 74008 • 918-549-7514 M-Th, 12-8; Fri., 12-6; Sat., 10-5 2 Broken Arrow Library 300 W. Broadway, 74012 • 918-549-7500 M-Th, 10-8; Fri., 10-6; Sat., 10-5 3 Broken Arrow Library/South 3600 S. Chestnut, 74011 • 918-549-7662 M-Th, 10-8; Fri.-Sat., 10-5 4 Brookside Library 1207 E. 45th Place, 74105 • 918-549-7507 M-Th, 10-8; Fri., 10-6; Sat., 10-5 5 Central Library and American Indian Resource Center 400 Civic Center, 74103 • 918-549-7323 M-Th, 9-9; Fri.-Sat., 9-5; Sun., 1-5, Sept.-May 6 Charles Page Library 551 E. Fourth St., Sand Springs, 74063 918-549-7521 • M-Th, 10-8; Fri.-Sat., 10-5 7 Collinsville Library 1223 Main, 74021 • 918-549-7528 M-Th, 12-8; Fri., 12-5; Sat., 10-5 8 Genealogy Center 2901 S. Harvard, 74114 • 918-549-7691 M-W, 10-5; Th, 1-8; Fri.-Sat., 10-5 9 Glenpool Library 730 E. 141st St., 74033 • 918-549-7535 M-Th, 12-8; Fri., 12-5; Sat., 10-5 10 Hardesty Regional Library and Connor’s Cove 8316 E. 93rd St., 74133 • 918-549-7550 M-Th, 9-9; Fri., 9-6; Sat., 9-5; Sun., 1-5 11 Helmerich Library 5131 E. 91st St., 74137 • 918-549-7631 M-Th, 10-8; Fri.-Sat., 10-5 12 Herman and Kate Kaiser Library 5202 S. Hudson Ave., Suite B, 74135 918-549-7542 • M-Th, 10-8; Fri., 10-6; Sat., 10-5 13 Jenks Library 523 W. B St., 74037 • 918-549-7570 M-T, 12-8; W-Th, 10-6; Fri., 12-5; Sat., 10-5
14 Judy Z. Kishner Library 10150 N. Cincinnati Ave. E., Sperry 74073 • 918-549-7577 M-Th, 12-7; Fri., 12-5; Sat., 10-5 15 Kendall-Whittier Library 21 S. Lewis, 74104 • 918-549-7584 M-Th, 10-8; Fri.-Sat., 10-5 16 Martin Regional Library and Hispanic Resource Center 2601 S. Garnett Road, 74129 • 918-549-7590 M-Th, 9-9; Fri., 9-6; Sat., 9-5; Sun., 1-5 17 Maxwell Park Library 1313 N. Canton, 74115 • 918-549-7610 M-F, 10-6; Sat., 10-5 18 Nathan Hale Library 6038 E. 23rd St., 74114 • 918-549-7617 M, 12-8; T-Th, 10-6; Fri.-Sat., 10-5 19 Owasso Library 103 W. Broadway, 74055 • 918-549-7624 M-Th, 10-8; Fri., 10-6; Sat., 10-5 20 Pratt Library 3219 S. 113th W. Ave., Sand Springs, 74063 • 918-549-7638 M-Th, 10-8; Fri.-Sat., 10-5 21 Rudisill Regional Library and African-American Resource Center 1520 N. Hartford, 74106 • 918-549-7645 M-Th, 9-9; Fri.-Sat., 9-5; Sun., 1-5 22 Schusterman-Benson Library 3333 E. 32nd Place, 74135 • 918-549-7670 M-Th, 10-8; Fri.-Sat., 10-5 23 Skiatook Library 316 E. Rogers, 74070 • 918-549-7676 M, 12-8; T-Th, 10-6; Fri.-Sat., 11-5 24 Suburban Acres Library 4606 N. Garrison, 74126 • 918-549-7655 M-Th, 10-6; Fri.-Sat., 11-5 25 Zarrow Regional Library 2224 W. 51st St., 74107 918-549-7683 M-Th, 9-9; Fri.-Sat., 9-5; Sun., 1-5
T u l s a L i b r a r y . o r g
“Star Wars” Celebration Wednesday, March 21 • 6:30-8 p.m. Join us for out-of-this-galaxy games, crafts and food. Don’t forget to dress in your Jedi best for a costume contest. For ages 5 and older. Sponsored by the Tulsa City-County Library Staff Association. TheatreWorks USA Presents Fancy Nancy and Other Storybooks Thursday, March 22 1-2 p.m. • 6-7 p.m. Nancy just doesn’t understand why she’s the only one who appreciates the value of frilly accessories and a prodigious vocabulary. It’s time to teach her family how to be fancy! For ages 9 and younger. Seating is limited. Sponsored by the Tulsa Library Trust.
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HELMERICH LIBRARY Family Storytime Thursdays, March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 10:15-10:35 a.m. • We will share picture books, music, finger plays and chants. For all ages. Pirate Bookaneers: Spring Fling Wednesday, March 21 • 2:15-3 p.m. Ahoy me hearties, don your pirate attire if you dare. We may walk the plank, make a treasure map, explore books and shanties, try our hand at knot tying, construct spyglasses and more! For ages 9-11. Preregistration is required. Call 918549-7631 to register. Sponsored by the Friends of the Helmerich Library.
HERMAN AND KATE KAISER LIBRARY Stay & Play Storytime Thursdays, March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 10:30-11:30 a.m. • For babies and toddlers, playing is learning! Enjoy storytime and then stay after for games, toys and activities that foster critical early literacy skills. For newborns to 2-yearolds and their caregivers. Preschool Storytime Wednesdays, March 7, 14, 21, 28 10:30-10:55 a.m. • For ages 3-5. PAWS for Reading Tuesdays, March 13, 27 3:30-5:30 p.m. • Registered therapy dogs are excellent listeners. Kids ages 5-12 are invited to read their favorite books to a furry, four-pawed friend. Each reader will receive a free book provided by the Tulsa Library Trust. Class size is limited. Pajama Storytime Tuesday, March 20 • 7-7:30 p.m. It’s a pajama jammy jam with Ms. Kristen and Mr. David! We will boogie our way to sleep with bedtime stories, songs and rhymes. For ages 3-8. HKK Airlines: Peru Saturday, March 31 • 11-11:45 a.m. Buckle your seatbelts for a trip to Peru! Join us for nonstop stories, games and activities! For ages 4-12.
JENKS LIBRARY Preschool Storytime Wednesdays, March 7, 14, 21, 28 10:30-11 a.m. • For ages 3-5.
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PAWS for Reading Tuesday, March 13 • 4-5 p.m. Registered therapy dogs are excellent listeners. Kids ages 5-12 are invited to read their favorite books to a furry, four-pawed friend. Each reader will receive a free book provided by the Tulsa Library Trust. Call 918-5497570 to preregister. Walk-ins may participate if space is available.
JUDY Z. KISHNER LIBRARY Seusstastic Celebrity Storytellers Thursdays, March 1, 8, 22, 29 3-4 p.m. • Join local celebrity readers as they share their favorite Dr. Seuss books in honor of Read Across America. For ages 5-12.
en español programas infantiles BIBLIOTECA BROKEN ARROW SUR Cuentos con Fidelia Jueves,1, 8, 15, 22, 29 de marzo 10:30-10:50 a.m. • Los invitamos a disfrutar cuentos en inglés y español. Para niños 0 a 5 años.
BIBLIOTECA REGIONAL MARTIN
A Seusstastic Celebration! Thursday, March 15 • 3-4 p.m. Come one, come all and join the fun! Come by car, come by train, or you could even run. You should not, would not want to miss a celebration quite like this! Would you, could you come and play? Help us celebrate Dr. Seuss’ big day! For ages 5-12.
Cuentos Bilingües Miércoles, 7, 14, 21, 28 de marzo 6:30-7 p.m. Jueves, 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 de marzo 11-11:30 a.m. Disfruta cuentos, canciones, y actividades en inglés y español. Para niños 0 a 5 años.
KENDALL-WHITTIER LIBRARY
clases de informática
Bilingual Storytime Thursday, March 1 • 9-9:45 a.m. Location: Health Department, 315 S. Utica Enjoy favorite stories in English and Spanish. For ages 12 and younger. Bilingual Storytime Tuesdays, March 6, 13, 20, 27 10-10:45 a.m. • Enjoy favorite stories in English and Spanish. For ages 3-5. PAWS for Reading Saturday, March 17 • 11 a.m.-noon Registered therapy dogs are excellent listeners. Kids ages 5-12 are invited to read their favorite books to a furry, four-pawed friend. Each reader will receive a free book provided by the Tulsa Library Trust.
MARTIN REGIONAL LIBRARY Bilingual Family Storytime Thursdays, March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 11-11:30 a.m. Wednesdays, March 7, 14, 21, 28 6:30-7 p.m. Enjoy stories, songs, and activities in English and Spanish. For ages 5 and younger.
BIBLIOTECA REGIONAL MARTIN Computación e Internet para Principiantes Miércoles, 7 de marzo 9:30-11:30 a.m. • Esta clase es para las personas con poca o ninguna experiencia usando computadoras y el Internet. Los familiarizará con el uso y la terminología de la computación. Para todas las edades. Correo Electrónico I Miércoles, 7 de marzo 6:15-8:30 p.m. • Les enseñaremos cómo crear una cuenta de correo electrónico, cómo usarla para enviar y recibir correo. Además conozca cómo usar el internet para aprender y/o mejorar su inglés. Para todas las edades. Microsoft Word I Miércoles, 14 de marzo 9:30-11:30 a.m. • En esta clase te enseñaremos a usar el programa de Microsoft Word para formatear texto, escribir cartas y documentos. Para todas las edades.
Patrocinado por el Centro Hispano y el Fideicomiso de las Bibliotecas de Tulsa. Informes al 918-549-7597.
TulsaLibrary.org/hrc Computadoras y su uso en la vida cotidiana Miércoles, 14 de marzo 6:15-8:30 p.m. • En esta clase aprenderemos los múltiples usos que podemos obtener de una computadora en casa, la biblioteca, la escuela, etc. Uso del ratón, teclado, cómo navegar el internet...esto y mucho más. Para todas las edades. Correo Electrónico I Miércoles, 21 de marzo 9:30-11:30 a.m. • Les enseñaremos cómo crear una cuenta de correo electrónico y cómo usarla para enviar y recibir correo. Para todas las edades. Usos del Microsoft Word Miércoles, 21 de marzo 6:15-8:30 p.m. • En esta clase aprenderemos el uso de Microsoft Word y su aplicación en redactar cartas, currículos vitae, tarjetas de cumpleaños, bodas y volantes para promocionar eventos. Para todas las edades. Skype: Llamadas gratis de computadora a computadora Miércoles, 28 de marzo 9:30-11:30 a.m. • Comunícate con tu familia, y amigos, desde tu propia computadora, GRATIS.En esta clase aprenderemos lo práctico que es el uso de tu computadora para hacer llamadas GRATIS de computadora a computadora. Para todas las edades. Skype: Llamadas gratis de computadora a computadora Miércoles, 28 de marzo 6:15-8:30 p.m. • Comunícate con familia y amigos, desde tu propia computadora, GRATIS. En esta clase aprenderemos lo práctico que es el uso de tu computadora para hacer llamadas GRATIS de computadora a computadora. Para todas las edades.
TULSA CITY-COUNTY LIBRARY EVENT GUIDE
MARCH 2012
c h i l d r e n ’ s (Martin Regional Library continued)
Book Buddies Thursdays, March 1, 8, 15, 29 4-4:50 p.m. • Play games, read stories and make a craft. For first through third grade. My First Storytime Tuesdays, March 6, 13, 20, 27 10:30-10:50 a.m. • For newborns to 2-year-olds and their caregivers Preschool Storytime With Ms. Michelle Tuesdays, March 6, 13, 20, 27 11-11:30 a.m. • For ages 3-5. PAWS for Reading Saturday, March 10 • 2-3 p.m. Registered therapy dogs are excellent listeners. Kids ages 5-12 are invited to read their favorite books to a furry, four-pawed friend. Each reader will receive a free book provided by the Tulsa Library Trust. Origami for Beginners Tuesday, March 20 • 2-3 p.m. Learn origami basics. For ages 8-12. Preregistration is required. Call 918-549-7595 to sign up. Wii for All Wednesday, March 21 • 2-3:30 p.m. Play “Mario Kart,” “Wii Sports” and other Wii favorites. For ages 5 and older. Children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult. Puppets With Tulsa Children’s Museum Thursday, March 22 • 2-3 p.m. Using items that can be found around the house, children will create a fun, interactive puppet to act out their favorite stories. All supplies are provided. For ages 5 and older. Win It in a Minute Friday, March 23 • 2-3 p.m. Can you catch a penny off your elbow or balance dice on a stick? Try to do these and other silly challenges in under a minute! For ages 7-12. Fun Fun Music! Monday, March 26 • 11-11:45 a.m. Hop, jump, and sing Japanese and English songs with members of the Konnichiwas. For ages 3-6.
NATHAN HALE LIBRARY My First Storytime Thursdays, March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 10:15-10:35 a.m. • For newborns to 2-year-olds and their caregivers. Preschool Storytime Thursdays, March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 11-11:30 a.m. • For ages 2-5. An adult must accompany 2-year-olds.
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PAWS for Reading Saturday, March 31 • 1-2 p.m. Registered therapy dogs are excellent listeners. Kids ages 5-12 are invited to read their favorite books to a furry, four-pawed friend. Each reader will receive a free book provided by the Tulsa Library Trust. Preregistration is required. Call 918-549-7617 to register.
OWASSO LIBRARY PAWS for Reading Thursday, March 1 • 4:30-5:30 p.m. Registered therapy dogs are excellent listeners. Kids ages 5-12 are invited to read their favorite books to a furry, four-pawed friend. Each reader will receive a free book provided by the Tulsa Library Trust. Preregistration is required. Seating is limited. Call 918-549-7624 to register. My First Storytime Tuesdays, March 6, 13, 20, 27 Wednesdays, March 7, 14, 21, 28 9:30-9:45 a.m. • For newborns to 2-year-olds and their caregivers. Preschool Storytime Tuesdays, March 6, 13, 20, 27 Wednesdays, March 7, 14, 21, 28 10-10:30 a.m. • For ages 3-5. Stay & Play Tuesdays, March 6, 13, 20, 27 Wednesdays, March 7, 14, 21, 28 10:30-11 a.m. • For babies and toddlers, playing is learning! After our regularly scheduled storytime, join us for games, toys and activities that foster critical early literacy skills. For ages 1-5 and their caregivers. Homeschool Storytime Wednesdays, March 7, 14, 21, 28 1:30-2:30 p.m. • Homeschooled students are invited to join us for a story and craft. For ages 5-12. May the Force Be With You: A Father-Son “Star Wars” Celebration Thursday, March 8 • 6:30-7:30 p.m. “Star Wars” fans, come to a library not so far away to enjoy galactic pizza and Wii games, and make light sabers. Feel free to dress up as your favorite “Star Wars” character. For ages 5-12. Preregistration is required. Seating is limited. Call 918-549-7624 to register. Sponsored by the Library Staff Association. Owasso Mother-Daughter Book Club Thursday, March 15 • 6-7 p.m. Girls ages 9-12 and their mothers are invited to read together the featured book for the month and then join us for a lively discussion. Preregistration is required. Call 918-549-7624 to register.
T u l s a L i b r a r y . o r g
TO SEARCH FOR EVENTS, SCAN THIS CODE USING YOUR MOBILE DEVICE AND QR SCANNER APP.
RUDISILL REGIONAL LIBRARY
ZARROW REGIONAL LIBRARY
Preschool Storytime Tuesdays, March 6, 13, 27 Wednesdays, March 7, 14, 28 10-10:30 a.m. • For ages 2-5. An adult must accompany 2-year-olds.
Preschool Storytime Wednesdays, March 7, 14, 21, 28 10:30-11 a.m. • For ages 5 and younger.
SCHUSTERMANBENSON LIBRARY Music and Me Monday, March 5 10-10:30 a.m. • 10:45-11:15 a.m. This fun, high-energy music program features instruments, scarves, movement and more. For newborns to 5-year-olds and their caregivers. Preschool Storytime Tuesdays, March 6, 13, 20, 27 10:30-11 a.m. • For ages 3-5. My First Storytime Wednesdays, March 7, 14, 21, 28 10-10:20 a.m. • 10:30-10:50 a.m. For newborns to 2-year-olds and their caregivers. PAWS for Reading Monday, March 12 • 3:30-4:30 p.m. Registered therapy dogs are excellent listeners. Kids ages 5-12 are invited to read their favorite books to a furry, four-pawed friend. Each reader will receive a free book provided by the Tulsa Library Trust. Books and More Monday, March 26 • 3:30-4:15 p.m. Have fun with books, ideas and activities. For ages 5-12.
Stay & Play Wednesdays, March 7, 14, 21, 28 11-11:30 a.m. • For babies and toddlers, playing is learning! After our regularly scheduled storytime, join us for games, toys and activities that foster critical early literacy skills. For ages 5 and younger. Library Lego League Saturday, March 10 • 2-3 p.m. Join us for Lego building fun! Legos will be provided, but you also may bring your own. For ages 6-12. Family Fun Night Tuesday, March 13 • 6:30-7:30 p.m. Enjoy fun activities including stories, crafts and games. For ages 12 and younger and their families. PAWS for Reading Saturday, March 24 • 2-3 p.m. Registered therapy dogs are excellent listeners. Kids ages 5-12 are invited to read their favorite books to a furry, four-pawed friend. Each reader will receive a free book provided by the Tulsa Library Trust. DIY @ the Library Tuesday, March 27 • 5:30-6:30 p.m. Make creative projects, do fun crafts and explore your artistic side. For ages 8-13.
SKIATOOK LIBRARY Preschool Storytime Thursdays, March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 11 a.m.-noon • Join us for books, rhymes, songs and a craft. For ages 6 and younger. A Fancy Nancy Tea Party Monday, March 5 • 6:30-7:30 p.m. Come and join us for an exquisite tea party that is perfect for all. For kids and their parents.
Free and Open to the Public If you are hearing-impaired and need a qualified interpreter, please call the library 48 hours in advance of the program. The Tulsa Book Review and Tulsa City-County Library Event Guide are printed on partially recycled paper.
The Tulsa City-County Library Event Guide is produced by the Public Relations Office of the Tulsa City-County Library. For questions or concerns, call 918-549-7389.
Book Reviews
Fantasy SNAP IT for additional book summaries. Broken Blade By Kelly McCullough Ace, $7.99, 288 pages Check this out! Aral Kingslayer and his familiar, shadowy Triss belonged to a holy order of assassins, meting out justice for their goddess by killing tyrants, dictators and mass murderers. But now their goddess is dead, their order disbanded and the members persecuted. Aral survives by taking odd, and mostly illegal, jobs for those who can pay. Then he takes a job that seems too good to be true, which, of course, it is. Broken Blade is a fantasy-meets-ninja combination reminiscent of Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn or Brent Weeks’ Night Angel trilogy. The magic system here isn’t as convoluted as Sanderson’s tend to be, nor are its intricacies explained in-depth, but that’s not a complaint. McCullough grounds us enough in the magic system that we aren’t confused by the protagonist’s decisions regarding his magic use. We know enough of the system to know that it works and has its own internally consistent rules – we just don’t know what they all are yet. I felt there was only one minor hiccup toward the end: once the romantic subplot was fleshed out, the romantic interest’s dialogue suddenly turned bubbly and flirtatious, where before she was serious and straightto-the-point. Other than that, Broken Blade is a fun read with a lot of shadowy ninja action, fireballs and blade throwing. Reviewed by Lisa Rodgers Pathfinder Tales: Death’s Heretic By James L. Sutter Paizo Publishing, $9.99, 400 pages Check this out! Salim Ghadafar is bound to the service of Pharasma, goddess of death and birth, better known as the Lady of Graves. His past is mysterious and his skills are uniquely suited to solving whatever problems the goddess sets him to. His newest assignment is in the desert nation called Thuvia; there, a merchant successfully obtained a rare potion that
grants long-lasting youth only to be brutally murdered. Now his soul is being held for ransom, and it’s up to Salim – and the merchant’s willful daughter – to uncover the truth. This latest offering in the Pathfinder Tales series brings a whole new dimension of the popular role-playing-game universe to life. But readers don’t need to be acquainted with the game (or its world) at all in order to enjoy this novel; if you didn’t know it was set in the world of the game, this book would read like any other well-written fantasy. Salim is a fascinating character who readers will eagerly follow even as they wonder what lies in his personal history to have put him in this position of servitude in the first place. Rest assured that his past is revealed later in the story, and it’s worth the wait! The world is richly imagined and full of vibrant life, and the story itself highly engaging. Reviewed by Holly Scudero Scholar: A Novel in the Imager Portfolio By L.E. Modesitt Jr. Tor, $27.99, 508 pages Check this out! Quaeryt is uneasy being a friend of the ruling Lord of Telaryn who has unchecked power and a quick temper. Quaeryt has something to hide: he is an imager. He has the power to imagine and create objects by thought alone. Imagers are feared, hated and coveted. They die both often and young. None know he holds this power. He desires to distance himself from the intrigues of the capital, so he arranges to be sent on a mission to an occupied territory, to see if the troops stationed there could be reduced. This would free them for a border area that is heating up. A simple sea voyage, some fact finding, and he remains in the good graces of the powerful, or so he thinks. Piracy, shipwreck and poisoning, these are just the start of his adventures. Quaeryt faces hard choices and decisions that make you wonder just what you would do in his place. While this is book four in the series, there is no problem starting with this one, as it is set hundreds of years before the previous three books and contains an all new cast of characters. Don’t miss it! Reviewed by Beth Revers
Touch of Power By Maria V. Snyder Mira, $14.95, 394 pages Check this out! Avry has the ability to heal people and take their injuries and illnesses upon herself. Instead of healers like Avry being valued, they are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated many throughout the kingdoms, and instead are hunted and killed. When Avry is captured and awaiting execution she is abducted by a man who wants to use her skills to heal someone Avry has been raised to despise. Fans of Snyder’s previous fantasy series are in for a treat. This book is simply amazing, and once you start you will not be able to put it down until you finish. Snyder weaves a world that pulls you in and immerses you in the intrigues of who Avry can trust and who is really responsible for the spread of the plague. The cast of characters from Avry, to Kerrick the mysterious kidnapper, to the supporting characters like Poppa Bear Belen and the enthusiastic Flea will endear themselves to you. This book will make you laugh, bring tears to your eyes and make you want to yell in frustration with some of the characters. If this book is any indication, readers are in for another fantastic series from Snyder. Reviewed by Debbie Suzuki
Science Fiction SNAP IT for additional book summaries.
Firebird By Jack McDevitt Ace, $24.95, 384 pages Check this out! Firebird is McDevitt’s sixth novel featuring Alex Benedict and Chase Kolpath — curiously, even though the novels are first-person narratives from Chase’s point of view, she never gets her name on the jacket. Anyway, this is another excellent science fiction mystery for our antiques dealer and his assistant to solve. The setup comes in the Prologue. A spaceship sets off on what should be a routine hop and fails to arrive. This is an exceedingly rare event and no one has an explanation for the phenomenon. It’s usually explained away as either a mechanical failure or pilot error. Some years later, Alex is offered the right to sell possessions belonging to a physicist interested in fringe science. Inevitably, this prompts an investigation to discover, first, what happened to the physicist and, second, whether this can explain why the ships went missing. On the way, we’re also invited to consider whether AIs should have rights equivalent to those accorded humans. When you put these themes together and add a little sleight of hand, you have a topclass mystery and an interesting debate on whether machines can be more than bits of metal and circuitry. Firebird is a real pageturner and strongly recommended. Reviewed by David Marshall
Tulsa Book Review • March 2012 • 17
All About Emily By Connie Willis, J.K. Potter (illustrator) Subterranean Press, $20.00, 96 pages Check this out! There’s nothing an aging starlet hates more than sharing the spotlight, but when Claire Havilland agrees to a televised meet and greet with a renowned scientist’s winsome niece, she gets even more than she bargained for. As Claire struggles to navigate a clear path between her own desires (and fears) and young Emily’s quest for a path of her own, it’s clear that Claire’s actions won’t just change her life or Emily’s ... they just might change the world. All About Emily is a story I could have blissfully enjoyed for another 100 pages, but it doesn’t need them. The crisp narration, the engaging characters and the unobtrusive couching of moral quandaries against the backdrop of self-interest, jealousy and suspicion of the alien among us is heartbreakingly effective. Willis loads the story with style, emotion and weight, all without laboring the text or distracting from the drama that unfolds. It’s economic storytelling at its finest. For sci-fi lovers and Golden Age film fans alike, All About Emily melds the genres seamlessly, creating a masterful narrative bridge between the past and the future. With the charm of her collection Miracles and the emotional heft of Passage, Connie Willis has done it again. Reviewed by Glenn Dallas
Book Reviews
History & Current Events
Circle of Honor Ceremony Honoring Kirke Kickingbird ALSO FEATURING PERFORMANCES BY: Native Nations Youth Council, Traditional Singers Tulsa Indian Club Inc., Traditional Dance Exhibition
SATURDAY, MARCH 3 • 10:30 A.M.
Central Library, second floor • Fourth Street and Denver Avenue
Beyond Words: 200 Years of Illustrated Diaries By Susan Snyder Heyday Books, $45.00, 152 pages Check this out! Before the age of blogging, tweeting, texting and even photography, keeping an illustrated diary was one of the best ways to record life’s important events. When diarists add drawings, doodles and decorations to their words, their observations are greatly enhanced. Images often capture and convey ideas that mere words cannot. In her beautiful book Beyond Words, Susan Snyder has selected pages from 50 illustrated diaries spanning 200 years. These works of art offer readers a glimpse into the private lives of unknown and famous Americans such as Mark Twain, John Muir, Beat poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti, anonymous whalers and 12-year-old girls. The 150 full-color illustrations include botanical sketches, landscapes, seascapes, maps, drawings of daily life, depictions of clothing worn during the time period and even step-by-step instructions on how to perform magic tricks! When possible, a photograph of the diarist is included along with background information. Snyder’s introduction is well-written, reflective, and speaks to the historical and social value of these fascinating diaries. Each entry is visually striking and unique. Voices from the past come alive and inspire readers to put pen to paper and capture the experiences of their own lives. Reviewed by Kathryn Franklin Happy Days!: A Humorous Narrative in Drawings of the Progress of American Arms, 1917-1919 By Alban B. Butler Jr. Osprey, $14.95, 110 pages Check this out! The American Expeditionary Force was the first group of Americans to reach Europe after the United States entered World War I. They consisted of the current standing army and a collection of new conscripts that had just completed training. They quickly were molded into new units and shipped over to Europe where they went through trench
warfare training and were handed their first assignments. At first they were sent to a quiet sector to get their feet wet, sometimes literally, then got their first taste of action and distinguished themselves. The eyes of the world were upon them and they knew it. During this time the AEF put out a paper, and in that paper Alban B. Butler Jr., a graduate of Yale, provided cartoons. These cartoons showed what everyday life was like for the average soldier, from sitting in trenches, to night bombings, to being on leave in Paris. These cartoons are eye-opening in that they show both the action side of being a soldier and the more mundane, from standing in mud, to trying to cross barbed wire. His cartoons are often hilarious and informative. Reviewed by Kevin Winter Pinkerton’s War: The Civil War’s Greatest Spy and the Birth of the U.S. Secret Service By Jay Bonansinga Lyons Press, $24.95, 288 pages Check this out! Many books on the Civil War touch on Allan Pinkerton’s involvement in safeguarding President-elect Lincoln through Baltimore, and even more focus on his agency’s roll in union busting. This book, however, is different. This is Allan Pinkerton, the man, the abolitionist, one of many heroes and, ultimately, an unsung, almost forgotten patriot of the Civil War. Scottish-born Pinkerton knew a bit about civil wars. Having a price on his head for his liberal machinations, he made his way to America in 1842 and never looked back. He loved his adopted country and stood behind the Union, putting his life and his trusted agents on the line daily during the dark 1860s. He created what later became the Secret Service, went behind enemy lines for information, and served as a trusted ally
© Joseph Mills Photography | josephmills.com
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Tulsa City-County Library will induct attorney Kirke Kickingbird into the Circle of Honor. Induction into the Circle of Honor is a celebration of the honoree’s actions in the face of adversity, and commitment to the preservation of American Indian culture and legacy for future generations. Archie Mason will be the master of ceremonies. Sponsored by the Tulsa Library Trust, American Indian Resource Center, Maxine and Jack Zarrow Family Foundation, Cherokee Builders Inc., Bank of Oklahoma, Dr. Frank and Mary Shaw, College of the Muscogee Nation, Pawnee Nation, Friends of the Helmerich Library and Tulsa City-County Library Green Team.
to General McClellan and Lincoln. Bonansinga paints a portrait that many of us have never seen before of a man that many discount because of his agency’s later support of the robber barons. Our error has been our loss, but the pages of time have been corrected or maybe better filled in by Pinkerton’s War. Reviewed by Gwen Stackler The Complete Roman Army By Adrian Goldsworthy Thames & Hudson, $26.95, 224 pages Check this out! Hollywood epics did their best. The Roman army became a spectacle of glamour and machismo. But whichever movie version lingers does not compare with reality. Organized as a volunteer militia with landowners temporarily leaving their fields to meet the challenge of war, over centuries the Roman army changed size, shape and composition, and became a professional army marching across a large tract of Europe, on into Asia and Africa. Drawing on meticulously researched sources, Goldsworthy has created an epic reconstruction where text and illustrations complement each other to flawless effect. The cover, a compelling group of uniformed men from a stone relief found in Rome, invites immediate interest. The pages describe military formations, the training and discipline, and the burgeoning of power, never losing sight of several indi-
Tulsa Book Review • March 2012 • 18
vidual officers whose personalities and eccentricities have survived for more than 2,000 years. Daily life, as well as the military factors, are closely described. The book would be overwhelming if it were not so fascinating. The history is drawn from literary, archeological, military and personal writings, as well as epigraphic and artistic fragments, the surviving elements of one source juxtaposed to another into remarkable coherence. Reviewed by Jane Manaster
See TEMPEST, cont’d from page 8 emotional turmoil all rolled up into one story. As Jackson attempts to piece things together, we get to take the journey with him. Julie Cross displays her talent by allowing the reader such visuals that they are drawn into every facet of the story. Even the cover art is striking (created by the same artist who made the cover for Hush). Julie Cross has made available at no charge a short prequel (which I loved) entitled “Tomorrow Is Today,” setting the stage for Tempest. The movie rights already have been obtained, and I can’t wait to see Tempest go from book to screen! Reviewed by Jennifer Ochs
Book Reviews
Nature & Science
Popular Culture
SNAP IT for additional book summaries.
Drive and Curiosity: What Fuels the Passion for Science By Istvan Hargittai Prometheus Books, $26.00, 338 Pages Check this out! With humor and clever twists that invite the reader to discover his world, Hargittai reveals a careful examination of the drive and curiosity that underlie all that we do. He achieves this by examining the motivation behind some of the most outstanding ideas that have come forth from science in
the 20th century. In his book, Hargittai talks about drive and curiosity as two separate things. He cites various thinkers to treat each concept with distinct separation. It is only after he develops the chapters that we see drive and curiosity as a united concept. He goes on to explain how drive and curiosity led to many wonderful scientific discoveries, including the double helix of the DNA strand. Among these thinkers particular attention is focused on Dan Shechtman, the 2011 Nobel laureate and discoverer of quasiencrystals; James D. Watson, the Nobel laureate and co-discoverer of the double helix structure of DNA; Linus Pauling, the Nobel laureate remembered most for his work on the structure of proteins; Edward Teller, accomplished breakthroughs in understanding nuclear fusion; and George Gamow, who devised the Big Bang Theory. Here is a read that will cause you to reflect on what makes a scientist a scientist and discover unique things. It will grab your intellect and won’t let you go until you feel inspired about what science does in the modern world. Reviewed by D. Wayne Dworsky Powering the Future: How We Will (Eventually) Solve the Energy Crisis and Fuel the Civilization of Tomorrow By Robert B. Laughlin Basic Books, $26.99, 223 Pages Check this out! While politicians dazzle you with a promise of endless supplies of fossil fuel energy, Robert Laughlin lays out a sober outline of powering the future. The clock began winding down since the discovery of giant caches of crude oil, natural gas and coal. Now that the end of such caches nears, Laughlin hopes to prepare the political arena for the wake-up call. This, he eloquently explains, is how we will rescue ourselves from the disaster that will follow from the last drops of oil, the final
Seriously ... I’m Kidding By Ellen Degeneres Grand Central Publishing, $26.99, 241 pages Check this out! There’s no comedian quite like Ellen DeGeneres. While her mix of pop-culture references and personal anecdotes resembles the free-flowing style of stream of consciousness, her comedic timing and way with words are undeniable, revealing masterful comedic crafting. And she ably translates all of her considerable talents into written form with her third book, Seriously ... I’m Kidding. Much of the book delves into her personal experiences, whether she’s discussing her life after coming out, her successful talk show, her time as a CoverGirl spokeswoman, her life with Portia or her time on American Idol. Every bit of it is not only hilarious, but
engagingly honest and thoughtful. The woman behind the comic appears quite a bit within these pages. There also are plenty of purely comedic diversions as well, like a guided meditation exercise, a gift-giving guide, her discovery of the secret of life or the chapter specifically for listeners of the audiobook version. Between goofy musings and insightful glimpses into her life, she remains joyously silly and overwhelmingly appreciative of the good things she has. It’s a treat whenever Ellen is published, and Seriously ... I’m Kidding is a welcome addition to my bookshelf. Reviewed by Glenn Dallas POP CULTURE, cont’d on page 13
César Chávez
Commemorative Series “Latinos in America: The Best of Times, The Worst of Times” Presented by Ruben Navarrette Jr. THURSDAY, MARCH 29 • 7 P.M. MARTIN REGIONAL LIBRARY 2601 S. GARNETT ROAD • 918.549.7590
Photo by Barry Myers
100+: How the Coming Age of Longevity Will Change Everything, From Careers and Relationships to Family and Faith By Sonia Arrison Basic Books, $25.99, 272 pages Check this out! In this very reader-friendly book, the author tackles the issue of increasing human longevity in the coming years and its future impact. Of especial interest to baby boomers is new technology that enables organ regeneration: stem-cell therapy and genetic manipulation, along with the novel pharmaceuticals, promise healthier prognoses for the advancing years. Skillfully drawing from myths, the Bible, history and literature, Arrison summarizes the cultural views of death and the persistent search for the fountain of youth. By tracing the history of science advances, health education, increased food availability and economic stability, parallel gains in lifespan are graphically shown to correspond to the improvement. As a futurist, it may be predicted that increasing longevity will result in differing perspectives relating to legal issues, marriage and family, religious beliefs, employment prospects and the social milieu. The picture provided for the practicability of increasing longevity and the social consequences of enabling a functioning older population is provocative. While the author optimistically focuses on the positive attributes of longer life, one needs to realistically view the increasing demand for assisted-living facilities and nursing homes currently needed for senescent bodies and aged minds; the quality of life remains a moot point. Still, this is a compelling book, the contents of which will churn the thinking of the mature reader. Reviewed by Aron Row
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Nominated for this year’s Pulitzer Prize, columnist Navarrette draws on his knowledge of policy and politics and his life experiences to provide meaningful and hard-hitting commentary. His is a fresh and increasingly important voice in the national political debate offering new thinking on many of the major issues of the day, especially on thorny questions involving ethnicity and national origin.
Sponsored by Williams, the Tulsa Library Trust and the Hispanic Resource Center. Special thanks to the Greater Tulsa Hispanic Chamber of Commerce for providing lodging for Navarrette.
See ENERGY, cont’d on page 15 Tulsa Book Review • March 2012 • 19
Book Reviews
Home, Garden & DIY SNAP IT for additional book summaries.
Home Cooking With Jean-Georges: My Favorite Simple Recipes By Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Genevieve Ko Clarkson Potter, $40.00, 256 pages Check this out! When former Alsatian “country boy” Jean-Georges Vongerichten celebrated his 50th birthday, he decided to return to his home-cooking roots by taking two days off a week “pour le weekend” for the first time ever. Combining his rustic country approach with his Asian-influenced years in Shanghai, he offers innovative yet simple recipes to prepare with his family. It’s definitely a family affair. His older daughter, Louise, is the resident bartender with a winning recipe for brandied cherry Manhattan, son Cedric (the chef at Perry Street) fires up the grill, and his wife Marja and younger daughter Chloe help with crowd pleasers like mac n’ cheese and brunch classics like buttermilk pancakes. These recipes are devised by a calm and assured master chef who clearly has tested and retested his dishes to perfection. Although he’s traveled the world in search of bold new flavor combinations, the dishes that seem the most tempting are the ones he learned from his chere maman (dear mom) and grand-mere (grandmother) in his childhood kitchen. Such French classics include braised endive with ham and gruyere, tarte tatin and an inspired recipe handed down from four generations for a creamy onion tart. The cookbook also includes stunning photographs of his scrumptious creations and an inside look at the Vongerichten family at home in their New York countryside retreat. Formidable! Reviewed by Nicki Richesin Hungry Girl Supermarket Survival By Lisa Lillien St. Martin’s Griffin, $12.99, 256 pages Check this out! I don’t know about you but sometimes I find the grocery store a bit intimidating ... especially when I am trying to eat healthy. Thankfully, Lisa Lillien has created her amazing guide Hungry Girl Supermarket Survival. For those unfamiliar with the Hungry Girl series, it provides guides that allow women to make smart choices but not
sacrifice food quality. Hungry Girl Supermarket Survival is an easyto-understand guide to the supermarket and breaks down aisle by aisle what foods are healthy choices. Lillien does a remarkable job detailing information about different types of products so that all hungry girls can make good decisions! This is not a standard nutrition guide that breaks down favorite foods. This guide educates women on how to read and understand different food labels and interpret the terms to identify what food is the healthiest choice. Lillien’s writing style is really fun and she definitely makes sure her readers understand each and every term. I am a big fan of the Hungry Girl series, and this book is a wonderful addition. I can’t wait to take my next shopping trip because thanks to this book I will be well prepared! Reviewed by Nicole Will Light & Healthy 2012: The Year’s Best Recipes Lightened Up By America’s Test Kitchen editors America’s Test Kitchen, $35.00, 306 pages Check this out! The scientific geniuses at America’s Test Kitchen have once again blown the socks off the cooking community with their collective creativity and persistence. Dedicated epicures who want to keep their waistlines from expanding exponentially will be delighted and relieved to get their hands on the 2012 edition of the test kitchen’s Light & Healthy recipe collection. The test kitchen has a simple policy for including their lightened versions of famously familiar foods: if it’s a dish that can’t be lightened up and still taste like absolute perfection, they drop it and don’t include it. There are no half-baked efforts in this compendium. The proud owner of this delicious book will find a wide variety of recipes, divided by sections ranging from Appetizers & Snacks to Pizza & Pasta, Perfect Vegetables to the Slow-Cooker. Recipes include a Rhode Is-
land Red Clam Chowder or Turkey & Wild Rice Soup. Many recipes include variations on a theme, such as a glazed salmon with four very different options. And for the icing on the lightened-up cake, the book ends with a dessert section of satisfying, succulent treats that will leave the consumer content and happy with minimal extra padding around the middle. Reviewed by Andrea Huehnerhoff Sunday Roasts By Betty Rosbottom Chronicle Books, $24.95, 180 pages Check this out! Sunday Roasts is very appropriately titled, with recipes predominantly for weekend feasts covering the entire spectrum of meats, poultry, fish and seafood. Betty Rosbottom also gives recipes of impressive sides, relishes, chutneys, salsas and flavored butters in this excellent cookbook. Four pages of introduction briefly outline techniques, equipment, art and tips for roasting. Each recipe begins with good, short headnotes about the recipes, preparation and ingredients, and provides a quick glance of serving size, cost, preparation time and start-to-finish time. Market notes, leftover tips, suggested sides and cooking tips are very useful. Photo illustrations are excellent. However, the layout sacrifices convenience for aesthetics as many recipes continue to the next page. Apart from that, the recipes are easyto-follow and most ingredients are readily available, though a specialty food store is a must for some. Some recipes are relatively simple (three or four ingredients) but most involve 15 or more, and for some you must cook one of the preparations given at the end of the book. “Roast Directory” table is great, providing lists for quick or slow roasts, showstoppers, low budget or for holiday. The index is excellent. Reviewed by George Erdosh The Craft of Stone Brewing Co.: Liquid Lore, Epic Recipes, and Unabashed Arrogance By Greg Koch, Steve Wagner, Randy Clemens Ten Speed Press, $25.00, 201 pages Check this out! Since 1996, Stone Brewing Co. has presented a confident face to the world, naming their most well-known brew Arrogant Bastard Ale. This book continues the self-assured approach while discussing the brewery’s history, “our way” approach and roster of beers, amongst other things. The book includes two classes of recipes: the first are food recipes optimized to serve with beer, and may or may not include beer
Tulsa Book Review • March 2012 • 20
amongst the list of ingredients. The recipes run the list from finger foods, like Arrogant Bastard Ale Onion Rings or Spud Buds, to delicious-sounding soups, salads and sides (the Brussels sprout recipe is amazing), to main courses. Tempeh Shepherd’s Pie is a vegetarian take on ultimate comfort food, perfect for pairing with Stone Smoked Porter. The second class are home-brewing recipes, perfect for those who brew their own beer; they turn this book into something special. The advice sections of the book are exceptionally strong. The beer-food pairing section is insightful, giving examples of what and what not to do. The cellaring tips explain how to properly age your beer without turning your bottles into a skunky mess. This would make a great gift for a home brewer or beer snob in your life. The writing is easy-to-read, and it’s like a knowledgeable friend is guiding you through the world of beer. Reviewed by Kelly Garrett Aran Knits: 23 Contemporary Designs Using Classic Cable Patterns By Martin Storey St. Martin’s Griffin, $24.99, 136 pages Check this out! One of the best things about knitting is that there are literally endless possibilities. Different yarns, new patterns and constantly evolving techniques mean that knitters of every stripe can always find a new project, whether to hone their skills or challenge their abilities. In that spirit comes Aran Knits, a beautifully photographed book featuring new patterns that utilize different types of cable stitches. The patterns, which encompass primarily scarves, hats and sweaters for both women and men, are clearly written, and the photographs illustrate them from all angles. It is assumed that readers already have a working knowledge of cable knitting. Experienced knitters will appreciate how the book jumps right into the patterns, with no lengthy introduction and no space wasted on techniques (although there is a small section of tips at the end). The patterns are gorgeous, and the beautiful photographs make it possible to really imagine just how soft and comfortable the resulting garments would be to cuddle up in. The only thing knitters could wish for in this book is more patterns; with designs this lovely, 23 patterns simply isn’t enough! Reviewed by Holly Scudero Vertical Vegetables & Fruits By Rhonda Massingham Hart Storey Publishing, $16.95, 167 pages Check this out! Vertical Vegetables & Fruit is an approachable book that covers all the necessities of small-space growing without waxing complex and confusing. Techniques that
Book Reviews
Home, Garden & DIY
“even the most harried of home growers” can apply to their limited space will teach the reader how to maximize the minimal. Narrow plots, odd-shaped spaces, cramped windows and limited funds will all find a satisfactory solution here. You don’t need a back forty to be able to grow your own personal salad bar or year-round produce! Plants in bags? Self-watering pots? Window farming? The unconventional methods (jeans as potters?) to the conventional (trellising and tuteuring) are covered in efficient form. While this is not an overview on all plant varieties, the author does cover seven major annual vines (beans, tomatoes, sweet potatoes) and their primary varieties, and five perennial fruits (kiwi, grape, raspberries) as well as a chapter on espalier and several popular fruit trees. In a world where eating organic, local and inexpensive are all in the forefront of our minds, this book satisfies on every level, and is a gem to both the frugal and the epicurean soul. Reviewed by Andrea Huehnerhoff
Memo From the Story Dept.: Secrets of Structure and Character By Christopher Vogler and David McKenna Michael Wiese productions, $26.95, 255 pages Check this out! Ever wish you could eavesdrop on creative and successful people talking about movies or books and learn more to improve your own storytelling? If so, reach for Memo From the Story Dept. This book expands on Vogler’s The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers and pulls out more tools (structure, character and theme) and new information from the storytelling tool kit. Memo From the Story Dept. is a workbook, storybook and conversation that will enhance any storyteller’s craft. The book concludes with a five-year plan for those aspiring to write professionally.
PRESENTS ...
LISA LUTZ
Sunday, March 11 • 7 p.m. Harwelden Mansion 2210 S. Main St.
LISA SEE
Tuesday, March 13 • 7 p.m. Central Library, second floor Fourth and Denver
BEN RYDER HOWE Monday, March 19 7 p.m. Harwelden Mansion 2210 S. Main St.
For more information, visit booksmarttulsa.com or call 918-697-9042.
REE DRUMMOND
Thursday, March 29 •6 p.m. Cain’s Ballroom, 423 N. Main St.
There are 27 chapters that review some old territory, such as the Hero’s Journey and Twelve-stage Structural Model, and new territory, such as McKenna’s Six Environmental Facts, which is based on a method of analyzing plays. Although it would seem that being in the middle of someone else’s conversation would be difficult, Vogler and McKenna have done an admirable job of signposting their ideas. If McKenna has written one chapter, it may be followed by Note From Vogler. The book is highly accessible and draws on many examples that will resonate with the contemporary reader. Reviewed by Elizabeth Humphrey Photographing Flowers: Exploring Macro Worlds With Harold Davis By Harold Davis Focal Press, $29.95, 207 pages Check this out! Award-winning professional photographer Harold Davis uses his camera to capture flowers because he says: “They bring grace to the world and the realism, clarity and bravery with which flowers confront the mystery of their brief lives.” It is clear that floral photography is a passion which he combines with his other love, gardening. In this book Harold offers his knowledge and experience in the art of floral photography, presenting the reader with not only the results of his beautiful creations, but he explains how each photograph was captured, as well as the setup, the equipment and even the camera settings used for each brilliant creation. The author takes you beyond the point of capture and discusses processing, both in a lab environment and digital post processing. For any photographer, whether amateur or pro, who is interested in the world of floral photography, this book will not only tutor but also will inspire. Reviewed by Doreen Erhardt POP CULTURE, cont’d from page 11 The World of Downton Abbey By Jessica Fellowes St. Martin’s Press, $29.99, 304 pages Check this out! Julian Fellowes writes in his introduction to The World of Downton Abbey that he was excited to have a larger canvas on which to paint the world that he first created in his cherished film Gosford Park. In his awardwinning television drama series Downton Abbey, he would have more time to expand upon his characters and follow their lives in glorious detail. His niece Jessica Fellowes
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has created a gorgeous coffee-table book as a companion to the series with a behind-thescenes look at the world of Downton Abbey. Devoted fans will happily pour over this collection of photographs of actors in costume on the set, and historical records and ephemera. Her enlightening book is divided into chapters detailing family life, society, change, life in service, style, house and estate, romance, war, and behind the scenes for die-hard enthusiasts. Fellowes does an excellent job of providing a backdrop for the second season of the series with descriptions of etiquette and standard rules of courtship and the way the staff would have lived at Downton Abbey. It’s interesting to note that in many ways life in England in 1912 had characteristic similarities to our modern way of life. With the advent of automobiles, they had modern transportation for weekend getaways, telephones for improved communication, cinema and music halls for entertainment, and the tube to commute to and from work. Perhaps most perplexing for American audiences is the landed gentry’s attitudes, in particular, Lord Grantham’s feelings toward Downton Abbey itself. He sees himself as the custodian for a way of life, and it’s this serious responsibility and burden that lies at the heart of the story itself. When WWI finally ends, the way of life at Downton Abbey will be irrevocably changed as will the lives of most of the many middle- and lower-class families who sacrificed their men to war. Although its residents discover little common ground within a society deeply entrenched in a class system, they still desperately search for ways to survive within a more modern world. Reviewed by Nicki Richesin
Book Reviews
Biography & Memoir SNAP IT for additional book summaries.
And Nothing but the Truthiness: The Rise (and Further Rise) of Stephen Colbert By Lisa Rogak Thomas Dunne Books, $25.99, 293 pages Check this out! He’s an icon at this point. A fake media pundit turned actual newsmaker, he’s got an ice-cream flavor, a holiday special, a SuperPAC and his nightly TV platform. He very nearly had a European bridge and a space-station module named in his honor. He is Stephen Colbert, and there’s a lot more to his story than you might expect. Examining his family life, his faith, his career before his breakout work on “The Daily Show” and beyond, And Nothing but the Truthiness is a well-crafted and intriguing look into the man behind the curtain. Despite having no firsthand contact with her subject, Rogak assembles an impressive litany of sources, detailing a life of the humble, private and hilarious man. The line between the character of Stephen Colbert and the person is of particular interest, and provides a major narrative thrust. Loaded with quotes and accounts from throughout Colbert’s life, And Nothing but the Truthiness offered more than a few surprising insights. Any member of the Colbert Nation will no doubt find something new within its pages. Reviewed by Glenn Dallas Dangerous Ambition: Rebecca West and Dorothy Thompson: New Women in Search of Love and Power By Susan Hertog Ballantine Books, $30.00, 493 pages Check this out! Dangerous Ambition is an exhaustive biography and account of the lives of Rebecca West and Dorothy Thompson, two friends whose lives often paralleled each other. I did not know much about West and Thompson when I started reading this book, but was amazed at the significant role these women played in history as well as the literary figures who were amongst their circle of friends. I found it interesting that Thompson had a good friend named Rose Wilder Lane, as I grew up reading many novels
written by her mother, Laura Ingalls Wilder. Thompson was the first woman to head a European news bureau, and had worked as a columnist and journalist with a significant following, making her extremely influential. Her counterpart, Rebecca West, was a notable English literary critic, journalist, novelist and historian. Both women exhibited tremendous ambition, achieving legacy status in the male-dominated fields in which they strived to excel. Their ambitious desires often drove them to seek similarly ambitious men – Thompson and her relationship with author Sinclair Lewis, and West and her love affair with H.G. Wells, both of which resulted in the birth of troubled sons. To achieve all that these women had achieved during this time period involved great sacrifice and cost, as they both had turbulent and toilsome personal lives. Hertog presents an impeccable and welldeveloped timeline of events outlining the lives of these women, the effect they have had on the intellectual women of today, and the price each of them paid to attain their mark in history as the ambitious and successful women of their day. Dangerous Ambition proves to be a very insightful read. Reviewed by Jennifer Ochs Falling for Me: How I Hung Curtains, Learned to Cook, Traveled to Seville, and Fell in Love By Anna David Harper, $14.99, 320 pages Check this out! Julie and Julia, meet Anna and Helen. Frustrated by her disappointing love life, writer Anna David stumbles across a copy of Helen Gurley Brown’s classic ’60s book Sex and the Single Girl and decides to follow Helen’s advice (David always refers to the Cosmopolitan Magazine editor by her first name) to improve her chances of finding and keeping a suitable man.
So begins a year of tackling Helen’s guidance. David works on ways to make herself a more fascinating single girl, with skills and style. She takes to heart Helen’s counsel to learn to cook, to decorate her apartment and to dress with flair appropriate for her age, often enlisting friends and professionals to help her achieve these goals. At the same time, she decides to be more open in where she looks for men, signing up for Match. com and trying a speed-dating service, for instance. It’s all fairly fun for the reader, and the tips for making oneself a better person can often be helpful for anyone — single gal or married with four kids: smile, be adventurous, take care of yourself (health and appearance), etc. Overall, David manages to entertain, inform a bit and offer a little guidance of her own. Reviewed by Cathy Carmode Lim Into the Silence: The Great War, Mallory, and the Conquest of Everest By Wade Davis Knopf, $35.00, 655 pages Check this out! More than merely chronicling George Mallory’s legendary assault on the summit of Mount Everest with Sandy Irvine, Davis recreates a forgotten era of emptiness, that emotional vacuum following the Great War that wiped out an entire generation of men and left its shellshocked survivors searching for answers that only the highest mountain in the world might provide. “They had seen so much death that life mattered less than the moments of being alive.” With rich prose that bears reading again and again, Davis weaves the colorful threads of lives through the utterly senseless chaos of slaughter, past the stoic numbness of the aftermath, and into the heart of uncharted Himalayan mountains and the mysterious culture of Tibet. Having missed the actual discovery of both poles and lost a generation of its finest to trench warfare, Britain pressed to score the cap of the world and map it. Known as Chomolungma – Mother Goddess of the World – by the locals, the 13th Dalai Lama warned the explorers of the demon spirits living within the mountain, which to date has claimed the lives of more than 300 climbers since Mallory disappeared from its upper Northeast Ridge. Reviewed by Casey Corthron James Joyce: A Life By Edna O’Brien Penguin Lives, $14.00, 180 pages Check this out! If you’ve read O’Brien and Joyce, you’re in for a treat. A perfect pairing of author/ biographer and author/subject, these little
Tulsa Book Review • March 2012 • 22
Penguin Life books are good introductions to famous authors and, of course, the biographer. Here we breeze through Joyce’s tragic, solitary and unhappy family life with mental illness and his absorption into being an artist and drunkard (to unwind). The early days are explained by O’Brien well, especially the Joyce who fled “sow” Ireland and indoctrinated Catholicism, but they could never be taken out of him. We learn of his tremendous learning, which he piled into his books: his sense of self as a labyrinth (hence his most famous character Dedalus, named after the sorcerer and maker of wings for Icarus). We learn how Joyce himself fell into the web of words with language as the hero and making many artistic mistakes the last third of his life –dying, blind and mostly drunk, as he finished his last book, Finnegan’s Wake, a critical failure, which hardly anybody today can read. Do writers like Joyce have to be monsters to create? O’Brien says yes. One of the most influential writers of the 20th century, Joyce was callous, wanting no interruptions, no responsibility and cut off from the human traits he so glisteningly depicted in his novels, with just the inner drone of language in his head. Reviewed by Phil Semler Patti LuPone: A Memoir By Patti LuPone Three Rivers Press, $15.00, 336 pages Check this out! The career path of musical theater star Patti LuPone is far from being a straight, ascending line. It’s a jagged path with ups, downs and plateaus. She has won her Tony awards and been slaughtered by the critics. In her memoir, she gives us not only the details of a unique performer’s personal story, but also a rich and captivating panorama of the acting profession during the last third of the 20th century and the first decade of the 21st. LuPone reviews her Long Island upbringing, her training at Julliard, apprentice years in the touring repertory group known as The Acting Company (spearheaded by John Houseman), and on to her mixed bag of successes and failures on and off Broadway and around the Western world. Though most readers will savor her revelations about working with David Mamet, her grand early success in Evita and her bittersweet experiences in later Andrew Lloyd Webber productions (Les Mis, Sunset Boulevard), many will revel in the chapters called “A Working Actor,” where she examines the hard business of finding the next piece of work.
Book Reviews
LuPone is in fine voice throughout. In turn witty, chatty, ecstatic and forlorn, she’s always a pro. Reviewed by Phil Jason So Far to Run: The Memoir of Liberian Refugee Louise Géesedeh Barton By Louise Géesedeh Barton Bascom Hill Publishing Group, $13.95, 244 pages Check this out! Rarely is a memoir written in such singularly powerful fashion as this one. With simple, vivid descriptions, the author plunges the reader headfirst into a world of conflict and terror, sweeping the reader along with her as she lives the life of a hunted refugee in a land wracked by war and chaos. Writing passionately but without passing judgment on even the most hurtful of her tormentors, her voice is powerfully genuine and begs to be listened to. This is not a story for the faint of heart – the horrors she encountered are written with-
Biography & Memoir
out unnecessary gruesome detail, but few words are truly needed to convey the awfulness of the inhumanities man commits to his fellow creature. Threading throughout the story and rising triumphantly above all is the miraculous tale of her spiritual rescue; she writes in moving words of the emancipation she experiences even while in bonded servitude, and relates with profound joy the miracles she witnessed moving in her own life. Her memoir tells a tale that is little known in the world today but affected vast thousands upon thousands, and it must and should be read by still millions and millions more. Reviewed by Andrea Huehnerhoff The Sum of My Parts: A Survivor’s Story of Dissociative Identity Disorder By Olga R. Trujillo New Harbinger Pubns Inc, $18.95, 248 pages Check this out! Imagine being afraid of your family without understanding why. Imagine not being able to sleep at night for fear someone will hurt you. Imagine waking up with injuries, but not remembering being hurt. In this shocking memoir, Olga Trujillo describes the abuse she suffered at the hands of her
Tuesday, March 13 • 7 p.m.
Central Library, Second Floor Fourth Street and Denver Avenue • 918.549.7323 Meet the author of the beloved best-selling “Snow Flower and the Secret Fan,” “Peony in Love,” “Shanghai Girls” and “Dreams of Joy.” Books will be available for purchasing. A book signing will follow See’s presentation. Sponsored by Book Smart Tulsa and the Central Readers ’ Library department.
family and how she coped by dissociating, creating separate parts of herself to contain her feelings and memories of abuse. Trujillo discusses how she discovered that she has dissociative identity disorder and how it affects her daily life today. Because of Trujillo’s violent childhood, the first half of the memoir is difficult to read. I often put it down and did something else in order to keep from being overwhelmed. In fact, Trujillo recommends that sensitive readers skim or even skip the first seven chapters. Despite the intense emotions her story creates, Trujillo draws the reader into her life, painting a picture of a little girl learning to cope, changing her own brain in order to live, learn and grow. This riveting memoir shows how and why dissociation works to protect people, but also how it hinders people from living a full life of love, intimacy and understanding. Reviewed by Kerry Lindgren Nowhere Near Normal: A Memoir of OCD By Traci Foust Gallery, $24.00, 384 pages Check this out! Be prepared to jump in the Way-Back Time Machine as you hunker down to read Traci (with an “i”) Foust’s Nowhere Near Normal, because regardless of remembering living through the ‘70s and ‘80s, you will love how Foust has tapped into product references that will undoubtedly have you reaching for your smartphone so you can Google items she recalls in her biography. I found myself looking on eBay for the Speak ‘n Spell I, too, fondly remembered from my childhood, just so I could remember what it looked like. But Nowhere Near Normal isn’t necessarily a biography reminiscing about things from way back when, although Foust has a knack for pulling amazingly detailed memories about her childhood. It’s more about her journey with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). The story begins when she was 8 years old and ends as this 20-year-old embarks on a new journey, which left me screaming for a sequel! As a mother of two young adult children who have had to manage varying degrees of OCD, it was refreshing to not feel so alone, even though Traci’s
Tulsa Book Review • March 2012 • 23
story was from her viewpoint. I found her book inspirational “from the outside looking in,” and also found myself connecting with her mother and family members, who had the daunting task of living with a child who has OCD. I especially related to how she wrote about hiding so much of the obsessions from those around her, and how her mother hid her therapy from Traci’s father – for that would mean that they weren’t parenting correctly. Thank you, Traci, for giving us this peek into your childhood and how you manage to live with OCD. Refreshingly entertaining and informative! Reviewed by Heidi Komlofske
See ENERGY, cont’d from page 11 puff of gas and the end of the endless bricks of coal. Already in the making are the many sources of renewable energy, including: solar, wind, biodiesel, manure gas and nuclear power. In addition, Laughlin sees how we can stave off energy starvation by investing in alternate fuel sources before the real crisis begins. These are in addition to the already huge investment many countries have made in nuclear energy plants. Laughlin feels that all sources of energy must be exploited in order for sovereignties to exist. Even though many of these ambitious programs are only in the formulary stages, he claims that we are heading in the right direction thanks to government-driven incentives and the feasibility of profit among private enterprises. He seems to think that nuclear plants have the most promise. At the same time concerns of disposal of spent nuclear waste pile up, Laughlin sees how we can recycle it. Building scrubbing plants that will utilize the heat cast off by spent power modules can be used for steam-powered plants to generate electricity. Laughlin paints a picture of the golden age of energy. He reflects assuredly on the promise of a new age. This is an invigorating and inspiring read that will propel your thoughts to our future. Reviewed by D. Wayne Dworsky
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NOVEL TALK PRESENTS
Going Home: Untangling the Personal, Communal and Spiritual Dimensions of Home
Monday, March 26 7 p.m.
Central Library, Aaronson Auditorium Fourth Street and Denver Avenue 918.549.7323
Home is a solace, an ache, a point of origin and a place to which we return. Never a neutral word, home inspires longing and hope, fear and despair, promise and regret. Using Louise Erdrich’s novel “Love Medicine,” a distinguished panel of experts will explore the many dimensions of home and its role as both a physical and spiritual place.
Panelists
LEANNE HOWE, novelist and professor in American Indian studies, English and theater at the University of Illinois PHILLIP MORGAN, poet and contributor to the Chickasaw Press, part of the Chickasaw Nation Division of History and Culture JACKI THOMPSON RAND, associate professor of history and American Indian and native studies at the University of Iowa
Moderator About the Novel
HUGH FOLEY, professor of fine arts at Rogers State University “Love Medicine” draws together 14 stories told by seven members of the Kashpaw and Lamartine families of the Turtle Mountain Chippewa community. With lyrical language, universal themes, and a deeply felt connection to the place and characters about which she writes, Erdrich presents a poignant depiction of American Indians living in the 20th century.
Photo Credit: Dana R. Middleton