Fiction

Have Book - And They Turned it Into a Movie: Amazing Read Challenge Week 3

Submitted by Mallorie Colvin on Mon, 06/17/2013 - 11:06am

amazing read graphicThis week on the Amazing Read we challenge you to read a book that has been (or will be) turned into a movie!  For bonus points (not that we're keeping track) you could also watch the movie.  I always like to compare the two and see what they decided to change and which one I like better.  Spoiler alert: the book is (almost) always better.  I watched Warm Bodies, a zombie rom-com, over the weekend and I'm looking forward to reading the book this week.  We’d love to hear what you’re reading, so consider sharing with us through your Summer Reading Program log, by commenting on this post, or on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.

In addition to the suggestions below, be sure to check out our Pinterest board: "Before They Were Movies."  Are we missing any of your favorites?

Have Book – Will Travel to a Place You Want to Visit: Amazing Read Challenge Week 2

Submitted by Mer L. on Mon, 06/10/2013 - 10:01am

amazing read graphicThis week on the Amazing Read challenge we have the chance to read about a place we want to visit.  You could, for example, pick up a travel guide for a place you plan to visit, grab a cookbook featuring regional dishes, read a fiction or non-fiction title with an interesting setting, or follow your favorite blogger who lives in a cool place (I’m partial to an interior design blogger who lives in London).   For me I like to learn as much about the journey as the destination, so below I’ve listed a few titles for readers of all ages that feature interesting settings but which also focus on journeys.  This week I’ll be reading

Family Curses: When Writers Beget Writers

Submitted by David Cherry on Fri, 06/07/2013 - 11:39am

I am the luckiest of fathers and have been since the beginning. If any newborn can be said to be calm, it would have been our daughter. Even factoring in a big honkin' dollop of paternal bias, she was pretty much perfect. She didn’t even cry much, and the crying she did seemed almost perfunctory, as if she only wanted to assure us she had a superior set of lungs. Her personality hasn’t changed much since those first moments of life. She has grown up to be a remarkably poised and intelligent young woman. It seems like all my wife and I had to do was remind her of the basics: 1). Treat everyone with respect and kindness, and if, for whatever reason that proves impossible, then at least be polite, 2). Don’t cheat or lie, 3). Boredom is for losers, 4). Be open to new experiences, and 5). Don’t put things up your nose.  That’s about it.

From Classic Page to Screen

Submitted by Kimberly C on Sat, 05/18/2013 - 11:40am

great gatsby

Books, particularly the classics, have always been a huge source of inspiration for screenwriters. Some of the most enduring novels have inspired many film and TV adaptations, each approaching the story in a different way. Sometimes the adaptations are spot-on, true to both the story and the emotion of the source material. Often, screenwriters and directors take liberties to update the story for modern audiences or translate page to screen.

Last week, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel, The Great Gatsby, hit theaters in a glitzy Baz Luhrmann production. Its success at the box office is further proof that some of the best movie plots are waiting in the pages of classic literature.

If you’re in the mood for classic literature on the screen, browse the HCPL catalog and request a movie or mini-series today!

The Perfect Reason to Take a Break

Submitted by Rachel A on Tue, 05/14/2013 - 9:13am

I don't know about you guys, but the constant up and down weather has me all thrown off. There was that weekend where the temperature was in the 50's, the epic raging thunderstorms, and the hail, oh how I wish I didn't have to experience hail twice in the past two weeks!

But there is a thin ray of sunshine hidden behind that big black thundercloud - we have a chance to plug in our earphones, brew a hot beverage, and just curl up to enjoy the sound of a melodic voice telling us a story. So fluff up those pillows, put your feet up, and use the weather as the perfect reason to just relax for a couple of hours.

Need some suggestions for the next time the storms hit? Check out some of my favorite comfort audiobooks:

The Jazz Age

Submitted by Elise S. on Thu, 05/02/2013 - 5:04pm

The Great GatsbyA new film of The Great Gatsby will be released on May 10 and I can’t wait to see it.  The anticipation has me wanting to familiarize myself with the novel and the earlier movie versions, with

Audios Walk the Red Carpet

Submitted by Rachel A on Thu, 04/18/2013 - 10:20am

The Golden Globes and Oscars may have all been handed out, but fear not! The crème de la crème of 2012's audiobooks will be honored May 30 at the Audie Awards. Sponsored by the Audio Publishers Association, the Audie Awards recognize audiobooks who have achieved distinction in the spoken word. Get ready to cheer for your favorite book or narrator from the list of the nominees below:

Audiobook of the Year

Adult Programs this March @ your library!

Submitted by Jorie Nissen on Thu, 02/28/2013 - 6:47pm

The Clear Lake City - County Freeman Branch Library invites you to join us for our March Programs*.  We look forward to TGIF Programs, various book clubs (mystery, great books, two science fiction/fantasy clubs, and YA Book Club for Adults, Freeman Needlecrafters, Girl Scout Express, Adult Crafts to Go, Clear Lake Area Writers (CLAW), SCORE Counseling, Classical Guitarist Peter Fletcher, and local author JoAnn Carr.

All programming is supported by the Friends of Freeman Library. For more information on any of our programs in March, please contact the library at (281) 488-1906 or visit us at the upstairs Information Desk. The Clear Lake City - County Freeman Branch Library is located on 16616 Diana Lane, just off of Bay Area Boulevard.
 

Best Reads of 2012 Selected by Book Hunters

Submitted by admin on Fri, 01/11/2013 - 10:10am

Are you looking for something good to read?  The HCPL Book Hunters have selected the best books they read in 2012.  Selections include adult fiction and adult nonfiction; children's literature; and teen literature. For personalized book recommendations, fill out a Book Hunters profile today.

PinterestSeveral titles were picked by multiple book hunters; these are featured below.  Visit us on Pinterest for the complete selection of titles.

Award Spotlight: School Library Journal's Best Adult Books for Teens

Submitted by Mer L. on Fri, 01/04/2013 - 12:40pm

Genetics Exhibit, San Jose Tech by Thomas HawkThe end of the year and beginning of the next bring numerous “best of” lists.  School Library Journal has several Best of 2012 lists, but I thought I might share with you what we have on our shelves that reviewers found to be the best adult books for teen readers.  Whether you already read mostly adult fiction or non-fiction, you read back and forth between teen and adult reads, or you’ve been thinking about branching out into the adult collection, you might consider checking out one of these.  What would be on your “best of” list?

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