tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73724168130580010372024-03-05T16:31:09.045-08:00Based On a True Storynon·fic·tion<br>
<i>noun</i><br>
:: writing that is based on facts, real events, and real peopleElizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04044147591177361108noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7372416813058001037.post-74908692987536974602017-08-04T14:11:00.002-07:002017-08-04T14:11:47.897-07:00A Flag Worth Dying ForBy Tim Marshall<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Y-dBeN-2CrzwYMxrwj_m_FrnxEtxoJYYOwcCv8YxiXJTRJH_V-ACeT2Sl7SFVyk58bFhyPlP2Pkk-rHHAf0E0vOOHA0nl7u4pnTAF45pMih8u9xMpWUfY2jjgSKLPcY_42gjgNcFpGVS/s1600/51977579.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="520" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Y-dBeN-2CrzwYMxrwj_m_FrnxEtxoJYYOwcCv8YxiXJTRJH_V-ACeT2Sl7SFVyk58bFhyPlP2Pkk-rHHAf0E0vOOHA0nl7u4pnTAF45pMih8u9xMpWUfY2jjgSKLPcY_42gjgNcFpGVS/s320/51977579.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
We all know how we feel when we see our flag flying. The Stars and Stripes evoke a strong emotion whether it be positive or negative. But that is not an unique story. Many other flags across history and the globe have had that same affect on people. This is their book.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Tim Marshall is a journalist and broadcaster and has traveled extensively around the world. His first hand knowledge expands the scope of this book. I very much enjoyed the chapter on the United States flag because 1) it is my country's flag and 2) because Marshall is British and writes it from an outsiders perspective. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
The chapters on the Middle East and the subtle and unique pieces of their flags also intrigued me. Take, for example, Saudi Arabia. They have the <i>shahada </i>(Islamic declaration of faith) written on their flag. Because of the <i>shahada</i> is considered holy there is a very strong rule to never fly their flag at half-mast and to never print it on clothes or items. FIFA one year had plans to print a soccer ball with all of the FIFA Cup teams represented and Saudi Arabia asked not to be included because having the <i>shahada </i>kicked around was completely improper. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
If you are like me and like to flesh out your knowledge of things we see every day (or if you need random knowledge for Trivia Night!) then this is the book for you. It is well written and easy to follow.</div>
Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04044147591177361108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7372416813058001037.post-2602271858105971442017-03-30T08:31:00.000-07:002017-03-30T08:36:14.797-07:00Night of the GrizzliesBy Jack Olsen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmiAhUIiM5IA36KA7JfaOYM53tiwWyRwdbiC6ay_8zS0KDDSmzeKHHX6yZZStihfFtLq_yXVkaQGwyo40EboMMyRmCIw9r-Vm5H7tTohLisdjendbwUSyYYlGsItb98FwudTgWo3h5jJQd/s1600/51itLNm0m-L._SY346_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmiAhUIiM5IA36KA7JfaOYM53tiwWyRwdbiC6ay_8zS0KDDSmzeKHHX6yZZStihfFtLq_yXVkaQGwyo40EboMMyRmCIw9r-Vm5H7tTohLisdjendbwUSyYYlGsItb98FwudTgWo3h5jJQd/s320/51itLNm0m-L._SY346_.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In the history of Glacier National Park there had never been a fatal bear attack, until the night of August 12th-13th, 1967 when two separate bear maulings happened 9 miles and 4 hours apart. Two unrelated incidents, two young women who didn't know each other, two different bears, the first two humans to die from a bear attack in Glacier.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
All on the same night. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
At the time, it was calculated the odds were greater than 1 in a million for a single bear attack but the odds of two separate attacks in a 4 hour time span were beyond measure. This book, while published a few years ago, caught my attention quickly. It is an enthralling read, detailing the whole summer before the attacks and what a lead up to these horrific events.<br />
<br />
As someone who has lived in the shadow of Yellowstone Park all of my life this book strikes home with how the relationship between man and grizzly has changed over the last 100 years. <i>Night of the Grizzlies</i> reads like a thriller but every so often while reading you remember this actually happened and you clutch the blanket closer around you and maybe double check the back door before you open it at night.<br />
<br />
<br />
NOTE: don't read this book if you are about to go hiking and spend the night on the ground in a national park. </div>
Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04044147591177361108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7372416813058001037.post-77392717188768569672016-03-15T14:40:00.000-07:002016-03-15T14:40:08.148-07:00You're Never Weird On the Internet (Almost)By Felicia Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvMKRgFovra3uhMKoM-05Nc37CN6SK9Rhi6YLGRoI5o-r5FjtW21CEAT8_XWjCefTfALR0E4k6HoVVusIkID8rwuehxGQ0ItC2sA3gUZQ3nV3qQpQntumelVxxHcV75vJN0W_b-To1ozy2/s1600/Shop-468x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvMKRgFovra3uhMKoM-05Nc37CN6SK9Rhi6YLGRoI5o-r5FjtW21CEAT8_XWjCefTfALR0E4k6HoVVusIkID8rwuehxGQ0ItC2sA3gUZQ3nV3qQpQntumelVxxHcV75vJN0W_b-To1ozy2/s1600/Shop-468x300.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Felicia Day has been one of my entrepreneur heroes for a long time. You might know her as Vi from Buffy the Vampire Slayer or from Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog but Felicia is also a gamer, social mediaist (Yes, I made that term up), geek, business owner, web series creator and now author. If you follow Felicia's work, you quickly realize that she is not one to fit into the mold. She is a free thinker, brilliant, funny and willing to stretch the boundaries to take creativity and her art to a higher level. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
You can imagine my delight last year when Day announced that she was writing a memoir. I pre-ordered it for myself and for the library. I actually listened to this book instead of reading it because Day recorded the audio herself. I would recommend listening to it as she is laugh-out-loud hilarious. The book is written in conversational writing that lends to the feeling of sitting at a dinner with Felicia and hearing her life story. (Falan also wrote a review on the audio book <a href="http://audiobooksatyourlibrary.blogspot.com/2015/12/youre-never-weird-on-internet-almost.html">here</a>. Check it out!)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Felicia grew up in a home that was anything but traditional. She went to college at 16 and graduated with dual majors in math and music. Her journey is full of witty stories. She highlights mistakes and successes, struggles and victories all with her sharp wit and ability to see the humor in life. Her stories of meeting celebrities for the first time had my sides aching from laughter. You follow her story through her inner dialog from the page. Felicia also talks very honestly about her struggles with fame, pressure and depression.You also get a glimpse into the world of female gamers and the intrigue and (sometimes) danger that comes with that.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
If you have been a fan of Felicia for many years like myself or this is the first time you have heard her name; I encourage you to read(listen) to this fun, honest and impactful book. You will not regret it.</div>
<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04044147591177361108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7372416813058001037.post-48841423913438211892014-12-09T15:51:00.000-08:002014-12-09T15:51:28.722-08:00Let's Just Say it Wasn't PrettyBy Diane Keaton<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I know sometimes we think that
being a movie star or being rich and famous is the top standard in life. If we
can achieve this then we would not have to worry about small, everyday things
like taking out the trash, shoveling snow, eating healthy or zits with bad
timing. But honestly, if we stopped to think about it, those things don’t just
go away because you live in a nice place in California. These people have real,
everyday, battles just like you and me. They have to learn how to be themselves
with more pressure than you and I do! (I think I have pressure to look nice
when I come to work and I work with people who are my friends! I can’t imagine all
the pressure from magazines and paparazzi, etc)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
This is what Diane Keaton writes
about in her new biography <i>Let’s Just Say
it Wasn’t Pretty</i>. It is a fun, witty journal of her drive to being content
with who she is and learning to stand out. What is real beauty? Is this fake, everyone-looks-the-same-Barbie-doll-version
we have going on now in society real beauty? What if you don’t fit into the
mold? Are you broken or are you a banner for individual style and expression?
Keaton tells a few amusing anecdotes about her experiences in this area.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I enjoyed this clever look at an
age-old question through the eyes of someone who seems to “have it all.” If you
are looking for a fun, quick read I would highly suggest this book.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04044147591177361108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7372416813058001037.post-48316170037628467872014-09-30T13:13:00.004-07:002014-09-30T13:15:03.076-07:00This Movie Will Require DinosaursBy C.W. Neill<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was walking by
the new nonfiction book display last week and this title caught my eye. I
picked up the book and was so glad I did. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Curt Neill is a
struggling screenwriter who created and writes for the blog <i>Untitled Screenplays </i>(<a href="http://untitledscreenplays.tumblr.com/">untitledscreenplays.tumblr.com</a>). He has a hilarious sense of
humor about his own splashes of and lacks of creativity. Each page is an
attempted screenplay that Neill has started. He never makes it to page two but
he cleverly makes fun of the technicalities of screenplays and movies in
general. I read this book from cover to
cover in one sitting but it would also be a wonderful book to read a few pages
on occasion for a good laugh. I enjoyed the individual snapshots of screenplays.
Some I wish he could have written more pages and fleshed it out to an actual
screenplay and others I just laughed at and thought “That was a bad start!”</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you are looking
for a light, enjoyable read I would highly suggest this book.</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04044147591177361108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7372416813058001037.post-45048455340558779992014-04-01T18:42:00.000-07:002014-04-01T18:45:06.631-07:00The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History By Robert M. Edsel<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Firstly, I am a huge history buff
and a history major so a fair amount of the books I review on this blog will be about fantastic tales, or people, from history. Though, I will do my best to never
recommend a dry, boring, this-is-taking-me-back-to-high-school history book. :)
With that being said…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
This book was published back in
2010 but the movie just came out in February so I bumped it to the top of my
reading list. (A list which is pages long, in case you were wondering. Honestly,
I don’t think I will ever reach the end.) <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
This book tells the remarkable
story of an Allied special force at the end of World War II tasked to find and
protect all of the fine art treasures stolen by the Nazi’s during their
conquest of Europe. Hitler had hidden art from thousands of years of European
and world culture and the Allies feared he was going to destroy it when he knew
Germany would be defeated. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Numerous art curators, scholars, historians,
architects and archivists, from over 13 different Allied countries, were tasked to spearhead this operation. The beginning of the book was rather slow but as
soon as the treasure hunt picks up I was swept into the story as the men and
women risked their lives to locate and restore thousands of years of art,
statues and treasures from certain elimination at Nazi hands. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">If you are looking for an exceptional story from a well-documented time
in history, this would be a great read.<br /></div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04044147591177361108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7372416813058001037.post-34773249845321500182014-03-21T10:19:00.000-07:002014-03-21T10:19:25.340-07:00If Only You People Could Follow Directions: A MemoirBy Jessica Hendry Nelson<h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">Are you a memoir junkie? Do you enjoy books in which the
writer overcomes high levels of adversity? Do you enjoy reading about flawed and
relatable people? If you answered yes to any of these questions than I would
strongly recommend Jessica Hendry Nelson’s debut “If Only You People Could
Follow Directions.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">Those aren’t the only things that make this such a great
read. Addiction memoirs are popular with publishers these days. For every great
addiction memoir like “Smashed” and “More, Now, Again” there are dozens that
fall flat. What makes Nelson’s memoir stand out is her unique and engaging
voice. She writes in a way that connects with the reader and makes it easy to
empathize with her situation. This is also a great book for those that may not typically
read non-fiction. Nelson’s writing style is such that it reads more like a
novel and I found that I had to remind myself I was reading a piece of
non-fiction.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Jessica,
her brother Eric, and her mother Susan are the central
figures of the book. Other people in her life drift in an out and impact
her in
different ways. The memoir follows Jessica as she grows up in a
dysfunctional
family with an alcoholic and oftentimes absent father. Addiction, mental
illness, codependency, and drifting apart as we grow up are themes
that are touched on frequently. Her mother holds the family
together but when Jessica goes off to college and her brother's choices
lead to prison, she
also starts to spiral into addiction. The book doesn't follow a typical
chronological progression but is more of a collection of essays based on
her experience and are neatly tied together. After reading the book it
is clear that
the title reflects on the feeling of powerlessness we sometimes have
when it
comes to stopping loved ones from making destructive choices. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!</span></span></div>
</h3>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7372416813058001037.post-60910803603794882362014-02-13T08:34:00.001-08:002014-02-13T08:34:32.151-08:00Samson By Shawn Hoffman<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I literally
could not put this book down! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This book
tells the story of Samson Abram, a Jewish man who was imprisoned in Auschwitz
during World War II, who is forced to box every Saturday night for Nazi brass entertainment.
If he wins, he receives extra food but if he loses then he is sent to the gas
chambers. But Samson is a fighter. He was a 1936 Olympic boxer who was robbed
of his medal because of his nationality. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">This book
tells of the cruelty of man in the horrors of the Holocaust while at the same
time portraying the courage of man in struggling for honor and dignity in these
circumstances. I was immediately drawn into Samson’s story as one act of
kindness throws him and his family into the eye of the SS and gets them all
shipped off to the concentration camp. I walked through the petrifying moments
when they arrive at the camp and the days which followed as the rumors are all
confirmed in their living nightmare. But then, as I read, hope began to grow
like a lone yellow flower Samson found growing in the changing room outside the
boxing ring. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough as I raced to keep up with
this phenomenal story of one man who would just not give up in the face of unimaginable
cruelty and brutality.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Everything
in this book actually happened to real people during the Nazi invasion of Poland
in the early 1940’s. As you read through it, there are side notes detailing the
actual facts this story is based on. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04044147591177361108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7372416813058001037.post-38602363195856565032014-01-27T19:21:00.003-08:002014-01-27T19:23:40.839-08:00Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard By Chip Heath & Dan Heath<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Have you ever thought?
“I would do that if I had any will power or could motivate myself.” I know I
have. I know that I will start out strong on a project or a goal and then my
motivation withers away as the days go by. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The Heath brothers tackle this
problem in their book <i>Switch: How to
Change Things When Things Are Hard. </i>In their research they discovered that
there are two parts in a human mind. There is the rational mind and the
emotional mind. The rational part is the leader but the emotional part is 3
times larger. How do you get the rational mind to guide to the emotional mind?
How do you get the emotional mind to use its fierce instincts to light a fire
under the rational mind? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Self-control is an exhaustible
source. Change is hard because people wear themselves out. When people attempt
to change things, they are fixing habits that have become automatic and
changing those behaviors will drain a person’s self-control. If you want to
change things, you’ve got to appeal to both the rational mind and the emotional
mind. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
This idea not only applies to an
individual but it applies to teams, organizations and businesses as well as
countries. The book tells a story about the St. Lucia Parrot which only exists
on the island of St. Lucia in the Caribbean. This is a beautifully stunning
bird with deep blue, lime green and red feathers. In 1977, there were only 100
of these birds still alive because of the desolation hunters and those who
wanted them as pets. One biologist said they would be extinct by the year 2000.
The country’s leaders had worked so hard trying to implement laws to punish
such actions but nothing had worked up to this point. People simply didn’t care
about the bird. Until a grad student, fresh out of a London university, had an
idea. What about using patriotism and pride to motivate people? They started a
campaign to make the public more familiar with the bird. They did puppet shows,
made t-shirts, convinced a band to record a song about the parrot, got
volunteers to go into the school dresses as the parrot and talk about the bird.
They even did a card campaign comparing the parrot to the bald eagle with the
slogan “Who has the better national bird?” By 2008, there were close to 700 St.
Lucia Parrots on the island and there hadn’t been a report of a bird shooting
for 15 years. By motivating the emotion side of the population with a rational
idea, they were able to have widespread change where there was no movement
before.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
This book was ingenious, full of real stories and gave
me many clever ideas to try in my own life to achieve change. If you want some
tools in your toolbox for the next time you want to attempt change this is a
perfect book for you. <o:p></o:p></div>
Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04044147591177361108noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7372416813058001037.post-50946332945353837122014-01-23T15:51:00.002-08:002014-01-24T10:42:43.753-08:00Our New Blog<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
One of the best parts of being a librarian is having books at your fingertips every day. People ask us what we like to read, what we would recommend, what is the best book we have ever read. We wanted to start this blog to talk about some of those books. Some of the most victorious or heart-wrenching stories you will ever read have actually happened. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Nonfiction is defined as "writing that is based on facts, real events and real people." As we read these books, we will share our thoughts and recommendations with you! </div>
Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04044147591177361108noreply@blogger.com1