Manchester City Library » Books

Manchester City Library $5 Bag Book Sale

Eileen — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 10:00:11 +0000

On January 28^th(Saturday), Manchester City Library will hold its first $5 Bag Book Sale for 2012 in the Winchell Room, from 10:00 AM to 1:30 PM. There are thousands of materials to choose from. Books for all ages and interests are available; also VHS video tapes, music CDs, DVDs, 33 1/3 Long Playing Records and other odds and ends. For this sale, we have a good supply of used Large Print Books, mostly fiction.

Please bring your own empty bags, and fill them with the many possible treasures that you may find in the Winchell Room, located on the lower floor of the library. As you leave the Winchell Room, you will pay $5 for each bag that has materials from the sale. If you have any questions, please contact Eileen A. Reddy at ereddy@manchesternh.gov or by phone at 624-6550 ext. 320 (Information Desk).

Bonfire of the Vanities

Yvonne — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 10:00:07 +0000

The Brown Bag Book Group will be discussing “The Bonfire of the Vanities” by Tom Wolfe . This well known novel is a drama about ambition, racism, social class, politics and greed in the 1980′s New York centering around four main characters. Join us on Tuesday, January 31st, 2012 from 12:15-1:30 PM in the Hunt Room of the Main Branch. For more information please contact the information desk at 624-655o X320 or X319.

A Year of Wonders

Yvonne — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 08:00:33 +0000

The Thursday evening book group will be discussing “Year of Wonders: A Novel of the Plague” by Geraldine Brooks. In the year 1666, as an isolated English village quarantines itself to prevent the spread of the plague, a housemaid named Anna Frith and her fellow villagers confront fear, death and superstition. This discussion will be held on January 12th, from 7-8:30 PM in the Winchell Room of the Main Branch. For more information contact Sarah Basbas at 624-6560.

So long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen …

Dawn — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 09:00:38 +0000

The literary world bid a sad farewell to many familiar names during the course of 2011. Among them: Dick King-Smith and Florence Parry Heide, known by thousands of children for their memorable characters such as Ace, the very important pig and Princess Hyacinth. The animals of Redwall said a final goodbye to creator Brian Jacques, whose beloved stories have been translated into twenty-eight languages. More recently, adult science fiction/fantasy fans lost Anne McCaffrey, whose Pern series started won her both the Hugo and Nebula award, and earned her the honor of being the first female science fiction author on the New York Times best seller list. And who can forget Mad-Libs? A subtle way to teach parts of speech, pulled out at many a party, geared toward all ages, and guaranteed to cause many laughs. Co-creator Leonard Stern, who passed away in June, was also a television screenwriter for such classic shows as Get Smart and The Honeymooners. Many a budding artist was taught to draw by Lee J. Ames, who wrote 26 books in all as part of his Draw 50 … series. One other notable that has had a huge impact on the literary world was Michael Hart. While he may not have been a household name, his invention certainly is – he invented the electronic book, or ebook. To all the writers we lost this year, on behalf of your many fans throughout the world, thank you for your wonderful stories. You will all be missed.

Veterans Day

Eileen — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 06:00:26 +0000

Veterans Day started, in the United States, 11 November 1919, as Armistice Day, on the one year anniversary of the end of the Great War (World War I). Remember the term on the 11^th hour of the 11^th day of the 11^th month? The last living American who served in World War I was Frank Buckles. He died 27 February 2011 at the age of 110 years.

In 1954, Congress changed the name of the holiday to Veterans Day, to celebrate all the veterans who served. Today there are over 21 million veterans who have served America in war and peace. We thank them all for their service to this nation and their fellow citizens.

Manchester City Library has many materials on a wide range of military matters, classic stories and new perspectives. Some examples are:

15 Minutes: General Curtis LeMay and the Countdown to Nuclear Annihilation by L. Douglas Keeney

Unbroken a World War II Airman’s Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand

Hog Pilots, Blue Water Grunts : The American Military in the Air, at Sea and on the Ground by Robert D. Kaplan

We Were Soldiers Once… and Young by LT General Harold G. Moore (ret.) and Joseph L. Galloway

The Coldest War : America and the Korean War by David Halbertstam

Citizen Soldiers : The U.S. Army from the Normandy Beaches to the Bulge to the Surrender of Germany by Stephen Ambrose

Black Hawk Down : a Story of Modern War by Mark Bowden

A Few Good Women : America’s Military Women from World War I to the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan by Evelyn Monaham

No True Glory : A Frontline Account of the Battle for Fallujah by Bing West

From Baghdad, with Love by LT Colonel Jay Kopelman with Melinda Roth

Eileen Reddy (U.S. Navy 1979-89)

There’s an App for That.

Yvonne — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 11:00:59 +0000

There’s no doubt about it! Technology is changing libraries and the way that people use and access information. If you are like me, you might feel that it is really hard to keep up with all the new technology. On the other hand, it is really neat to be able to scan the QR Code for a coupon and have it with you so you can use it and not leave it at home! So if you find that you can’t figure out how to operate your latest gizmo, and the owner’s manual just isn’t cutting it, then perhaps a visit to the library might be in order. Come on in and check out one or two of our latest books on computers, gadgets and software applications. We might just have the right books for you!

Here is a list of recent books that might help you:

“Droid Pocket Guide”WordPress for Dummies”

“WordPress for Dummies”

“Apps for Learning: 40 Best iPad, iPod Touch, iPhone Apps”

“Upgrading and Repairing pcs”

“iPad 2”

“Macbook Pro Portable Genius”

“Ipad All-in One for Dummies”

“iPhone 5: The Missing Manual”

“Starting an Etsy Business for Dummies”

“Using Microsoft Outlook 2010”

This is a list of some of our most recent purchases in this subject area. We have many, many more instructional books in our library collections to help you with your computing or technology needs. And if you are looking for a technology topic that we do not have please let us know and we will be glad to find materials to help you.

See you at the library!

~Yvonne~

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Yvonne — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 11:00:21 +0000

The Brown Bag Book Club will be discussing The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain – considered one of the greatest American novels. The story of Huck and Jim and their time on the Mississippi is still causing controversy with a recently ‘edited’ version. Join us on Tuesday, October 25th, from 12:15-1:30 in the Hunt Room. For more information, please contact information department at 624-6550 ext. 319.

Book Discussion: Ethan Frome

Yvonne — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 11:00:47 +0000

The Thursday evening book group will reading Edith Wharton’s Ethan Frome. This is a 1911 classic tale of love, tragedy and betrayal set in rural New England.
The book discussion will be on Thursday evening on October 13, 2011, from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM in the Hunt Room at the main branch. For more information, please contact Sarah Basbas at 624-6560.
See you at the library!

Local Author series: Rosamond van der Linde

admin — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 11:00:50 +0000

Author of A Piano in Every Room, extraordinary piano teacher Rosamond van der Linde writes vividly about founding the famous Sonatina School of Piano in her home in Vermont, together with her pianist husband–while they raised their five children with love and music. Ms. van der Linde will also play for us on the library’s Steinway piano. Join us on Thursday October 6, 2011 from 7:00 PM to 8:15 PM in the Main Branch auditorium.
For more information, contact Steve Viggiano at 603-624-6550 x 323 or sviggiano@manchesternh.gov.

Tales of Adventure

Yvonne — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 11:00:04 +0000

True love, smuggling, dueling pirates, desert islands, undiscovered lands, intrigue, buried treasure, and nature at its most brutal are the stuff of old-fashioned adventure books.

I read a good number of books, and many a time I drift back into the adventure stories of my childhood. Those rollicking tales of adventure I read mostly as a child (and have since re- read) are burned into my mind. I have revisited some of them as an adult and the experience can be exhilarating and very much like visiting with an old friend after a long separation. Not only do the heroes and villains come rushing back to life in my imagination, but the bedroom where I first read that tale of bravery, conflict, and intrigue returns into focus. Adventures in faraway places, especially when they are mixed with historical facts, just don’t seem that far-fetched when you are eight or nine. Anything is possible. Anything is imaginable! Hollywood has always loved these books because the plots put the characters in physical danger, and all the plot twists and turns keep you reading just one more page!

Many of these novels were intended for children but, like so many good books, were also adored by adults. Perhaps it’s time for a hefty dose of nostalgia or even to discover the ones you missed.

See you at the library!

~Yvonne~