EVPL Communities

The Gossip Girl Wears Prada

librarianinheels@evpl — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 23:50:00 GMT

Imagine graduating from a top-notch liberal arts college, and finding out that your life's ambition to be a teacher is "disappointing" to your parents. Imagine that in their extreme disappointment, they cut you off financially. Imagine still that you find your dream job, move to New York City to begin your dream life - and then find that teaching is not all its cracked up to be....financially or otherwise. Schooled by Anisha Lakhani is a tongue-in-cheek look at what happens to an idealistic young woman when she encounters the reality of her life's choice. This is Lakhani's first novel, and I am betting it's a bit of a roman a clef, since, according to her website, she taught English until 2006 at the Dalton School on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Part Gossip Girl for grown ups, part The Devil Wears Prada, Schooled is a fun book that won't disappoint. Maybe Anna, the main character in Schooled, is the real Gossip Girl? She certainly could be. XOXO...

Books For Lunch @ Red Bank

Guatemama@evpl — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:16:00 GMT

Join us at Red Bank Branch Library for Books for Lunch our December book discussion where will will discuss Here If You Need Me by Kate Braestrup.

Wednesday Dec. 10, 2008 from noon until 1:00 PM.

Experience another point of view, another way of seeing life. Bring your lunch and eat with us while we talk about the books we have read.

Christmas -- Make a Present!

UndergroundLibrarian@evpl — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 20:35:00 GMT

What better for a kid than to make a present for a relative or teacher? And what beloved grandparent, aunt, or parent is not thrilled with something made by the hands of their little darling? Kids get a great feeling of satisfaction from having created their own gift. The libraries have lots of books to get you started, and there are possibliities for kids of all ages.

For example, we have a book at Oaklyn in our Christmas section called Christmas Crafts: Things to Make the 24 Days Before Christmas by Carolyn Meyer. It includes directions for bread-dough ornaments, apple-and-clove pomander balls, potato-print wrapping paper, and lots of other things.

The Christmas section is not the only place to find good craft ideas. Try the general children's craft area for other brainstorms. EcoArt!: Earth-Friendly Art & Craft Experiences for 3- to 9-Year-Olds by Laurie Carlson includes bird feeders, potpourri sachets, flower vases made from glass bottles decorated with decoupage or yarn, wreaths of pine cones or seed mosaics or popcorn, and on and on and on.

Older kids will find lots of ideas in Earth-Friendly Crafts for Kids :50 Awesome Things to Make with Recycled Stuff by Heather Smith. School Library Journal suggests it for grades 5 - 9. It's complete with photos of kids that age making simple things like "Super Stylin' Desk Set" on page 50 (made from assorted tin cans, spray paint and yarn) to involved projects like "Wrinkled Wax Batiks" on page 122 (involving boiling water and hot wax - and the directions to get an adult's help! ). On page 89 are diections to turn a pizza box into a "cool vanity case or collector's box." Hmmm, do I still have that pizza box from last night?

Celebrate with us!

myzticrhythmz@evpl — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:48:00 GMT

On December 9, 1968, Meadow Park Branch Library opened. In June of 1984 its name was changed to North Park Branch. And in April of 2005 the new North Park Branch was dedicated at its present location, 960 Koehler Dr, next to Central High School.

On Tuesday, December 9, North Park Library will celebrate 40 years of serving Evansville's North Side. From 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm join us for refreshments, and a concert of Jazz and Dixie Land music with Evansville's own DixieLanders.

Hope to see you there!

Recently added bestsellers available for download

Meditatinglibrarian@evpl — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 13:56:00 GMT

We've recently added the following bestseller titles to our OverDrive collection:

WMA audiobook format - Brass Verdict, Christmas Grace, The Fire, Here's the Story, Mother Angelica's private & pithy lessons, Shadow Factory, Tried by War, Wallflower Christmas, Bones, Against Medical Advice, Cross Country, Dark Summer, Divine Justice, Gate House, Longest Trip Home, Rough Weather, Salvation in Death, Testimony (Shreve), American Lion, Buyology, Call Me Ted, Ender in Exile, Every Now and Then, Gold Coast, Good Woman, John Lennon, A Mercy, Swallowing Darkness, Ten Roads to Riches, Too Fat to Fish

Juvie WMA audiobook format- The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey, Paper Towns, Inkdeath, Nation, Runaway Dolls

eBooks (PDF and MobiPocket formats) - Wicked, Who, Shadow Factory, Lion Among Men, The Fire, Christmas Grace, Bones, Longest Trip Home, Time of My Life, American Lion, Buyology, Cold Pursuit, Destiny Kills, Gears of War: Aspho Fields, Gold Coast, Graveyard Book, Nation, Rigged, Suite 606, Swallowing Darkness, Ultimate Weapon, World According to Bertie

There were no new MP3-format audiobooks available to purchase. This continues to be frustrating, especially now that OverDrive has released their OverDrive Media Console for Macs (see ProfessorKnows-It-All's blog post). Nora Rawlinson, who was a Library Journal editor editor-in-chief of Publishers Weekly for 12 years, recently posted about this issue in her EarlyWord blog:

Unfortunately, there are fewer titles available from OverDrive in Mac's MP3 format than there are in the Microsoft format (Windows Media Audio, or WMA), which is often difficult to explain to library customers.

In order to make titles available in MP3, publishers must be willing to offer titles without Digital Rights Management software (the software that puts limits on how the audio can be used). This is because Apple software can only read titles encrypted with Apple's DRM, available exclusively on titles downloaded through iTunes and Audible. Thus, OverDrive cannot encrypt DRM on titles in MP3 format the way they can titles in the Windows format.

Many publishers have been reluctant to give up DRM for fear of piracy (true, publishers don't seem overly worried that CD's can be ripped and downloaded, but that takes a bit more effort). Random House recently made their titles DRM-free, so they could be sold to iPod users through more vendors than Audible and iTunes. However, they specifically excluded libraries from this arrangement, because, they said in their press release, without DRM, there's no way to limit "borrowing privileges."

Until Apple makes its DRM software available to other vendors, or until all publishers make their titles available DRM free to libraries, you will have to continue to try to explain why iPod users can only download a limited number of titles.

'Tis the Season to Curl Up With a Good Book

Shh_ImReading@evpl — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 23:01:00 GMT

Most years I try to pick out and read at least one Christmas novel during the holidays. I thought I would share some of the titles I've enjoyed in years past.

Some of the novels I've read are fairly traditional. I've never been a fan of Charles Dickens, but A Christmas Carol really is worth your time. The Christmas Train by David Baldacci is one of my favorites. The Handmaid and the Carpenter by Elizabeth Berg is a story about Mary and Joseph.

There are two that I thought were well-written and enjoyable, but don't have the happy endings some people expect from a Christmas novel. One is a collection of short stories by Maeve Binchy called This Year it Will Be Different and the other is a small book by Stewart O'Nan called Last Night at the Lobster.

When I can find them, I really enjoy off-the-wall Christmas stories. The Stupidest Angel by Christopher Moore is certainly off-the-wall. I have one word for you: ZOMBIES. Hogfather by Terry Pratchett is another great one, especially for fantasy readers. You might also try The Shepherd, the Angel and Walter the Christmas Miracle Dog by Dave Barry. It's short and funny.

Some of these titles are available in large print and audio! Also, the edition of A Christmas Carol that I've linked to is the annotated one. There are smaller copies without notes available as well if you prefer.

I'm always looking for Christmas reading suggestions, so be sure to sign in share what you've enjoyed in the comments below!

Super Saturday December 6

TeenLibrarian@evpl — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 19:28:00 GMT

This Saturday, December 6 - Otaku Anonymous at 1:30pm and Gaming Unplugged (x2) at 3:30pm.

This is our last meeting for the semester. I hope all of you have a happy holiday season and an excellent break.

Saturday, November 15 was the first annual National Gaming Day @ your Library. Thanks to all who celebrated with us.

Give it up to for EVPL for being crowned the National Super Smash Bros. Brawl Tournament Champions in a 32-library contest. After a long day of battling riddled with communication and connection problems, EVPL emerged victorious. I want to thank all of you who competed in the preliminary Brawl tournament and to those who went on to represent EVPL in the national event. A special thanks goes out to Shonic and Brett for their endurance and competitive play. Ann Arbor District Library organized and managed the tournament. You can read a wrap up of the events here http://gtsystem.org/partnerland.

"THUS, the stage was set for the first-ever (albeit compromised) gtsystem National Brawl Championship Match, featuring the Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library of Indiana, the Ann Arbor District Library of Michigan, Jerome Public Library of Idaho, and the East Flagstaff Community Library of Arizona. It was an intense set of matches, but when the dust cleared, the combined skill of the EVPL crew had emerged victorious, defeating AADL and becoming the first-ever gtsystem Brawl Champion, while FPL finished third, and JPL took fourth." - The Saga of the First Annual National Gaming Day.

Overall, we had a good time. We saw many new faces and played several games (even Uno). See you Saturday for another guest Otaku Council member presentation and more gaming.

Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture will be cancelled due to Meet Your Legislators program.

Job Corps in the Teen Zone

TeenLibrarian@evpl — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 18:09:00 GMT

Nyra Sayers from Earl C. Clements Job Corps Academy will be in the Teen Zone at Central Library Wednesday, December 3 from 2:30 - 3:30.

Interested in exploring opportunites with Job Corps? Want to take a tour of the facility? Want to get your High School Diploma or GED and job training?

Outreach and Admissions Liason, Nyra Sayers will be available to provide information, answer questions, and start the application process on the first Wednesday of every month in the Teen Zone.

For more information, please contact Charles Sutton at 428-8271 or by email.

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Your free annual credit report

googler@evpl — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:37:00 GMT

We often talk to people at the library who are confused about how to get their free annual credit reports. The source of the confusion is almost certainly the ubiquitous commercials for a site called freecreditreport.com. That site is owned by one of the standard credit bureaus, Experian, which has been in trouble with the Federal Trade Commission for its deceptive advertising. Many consumers attempting to receive their free credit report from Experian found themselves enrolled in their credit monitoring service, which is not free.

To get your free credit report, and nothing else, from Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion, use annualcreditreport.com. This is the only online source authorized to provide it. You can also order your credit reports by calling 877-322-8228. Many consumer advocates advise getting one credit report at a time, every four months, to monitor your credit on a regular basis, instead of getting all three at once.

The FTC wants to hear from you if you paid for what you thought was your free annual credit report.

For more consumer information, visit consumer.gov.

"Big Brown Books" Now Available on Your Home Computer

Bufkinite@evpl — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 16:42:00 GMT

How many of you were given an assignment in a high school or college literature course to find "critical reviews" of some obscure author, and despaired of finding anything meaningful before you found - or were directed to by a librarian - the gold mine of the "Big Brown Books"? Actually different series, entitled Contemporary Literary Criticism, Nineteenth Century Literary Criticism, and Twentieth Century Literary Criticism, these books compile information from a number of literary journals and poetry magazines, and arrange them by author. Each title now runs to well over 100 volumes, and Central Library has a complete run of all three titles.

But now comes Literature Criticism Online, and all volumes are available online through EVPL's databases page. So, not only can you browse them from the public computers at any of the EVPL branches, you can browse them from home, 24/7!

Logging in to Literature Criticism Online presents you with options for a basic or advanced search. Below is a screenshot of the Basic Search window, and you can see there are tabs for an advanced search, as well as for browsing by author, or by work. You can limit your search to one of the titles, e.g. Contemporary Literary Criticism, or choose to search all held titles with one search. The drop-down menu beside the search box allows you to search by keyword, full text, named author, or named work.

Search results present you with a list of links to pdf versions of the original print materials, so that what you find online is visually identical to what you would find in the original printed books. There are cases where copyright restrictions end up presenting the message "Text Not Viewable Online," but they are very few and far between.

So check out Literature Criticism Online, look up your favorite author or work, and find out what the critics had to say!

Lincoln Shot: A President's LIfe Remembered

UndergroundLibrarian@evpl — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 20:43:00 GMT

This is a BIG book -- 18 inches tall and at least a foot wide, but there are only 40 pages. The cover looks like it's old and worn out, but it's really brand new. Inside, the pages look like old yellowed newspaper articles. We first read about Lincoln's assassination and then about John Wilkes Booth, the assassin. There are "newspaper articles" on the group of assassins who plotted to kill LIncoln, and what happened to them.

After that there is much information on Lincoln's entire life, and the progress of the Civil War. Page 35 has a sobering progression of photographs, showing how much Lincoln aged from 1860 to 1865. The last page contains the poem by Walt Whitman, O Captain! My Captain!, mourning Lincoln's death.

Lincoln Shot: A President's LIfe Remembered is an excellent source for finding out about Abraham Lincoln in a concise manner. And along the way, you will find historic drawings and photos, along with a few ads appropriate to the 1860's for such things as splint bottom hickory chairs and men's tall black hats,

Think Things Are Tough? Try Being in Gettysburg During the Civil War.

UndergroundLibrarian@evpl — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 19:26:00 GMT

LIzzie is very excited when her cousin Rosanna, a year older than her, moves to Gettysburg to live with Rosanna's sister. Lizzie's father and her twin brother have enlisted in the Union army, even though her twin, Luke, is only old enough to be a drummer. The two girls become best friends, and then Virginia-born Rosanna goes back to Richmond and her parents. It's almost impossible for the girls to keep in touch, since only smuggled messages can travel between the two sides during the Civil War. But news of Rosanna 's marriage to a man who joined the Confederate army does reach Gettysburg. When Rosanna learns that her husband has been injured in battle, she travels to the Confederate army to nurse him. Both girls get swept up in the affairs of the times, as Lizzie must quit school to manage her father's butcher shop, and Rosanna learns to treat all sorts of battle - related ailments of the men of the Confederate army.

In Two Girls of Gettysburg, Lisa Klein has included much that is historically accurate, including details of the Battle of Gettysburg and Lincoln's trip to deliver his now-famous speech. But what she also does very well is make the reader feel right there in the thick of things, experiencing the hopes and fears of any kid growing up at that time, along with the life-and-death situation of being in the midle of a battleground where people know and love participants on both sides.

If you love the American Girls...

mrsweasley@evpl — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 18:28:00 GMT

...You'll love An American Girl Christmas at McCollough Branch this Thursday, December 4, at 3:30 pm.

Mothers and daughters (and Grandmothers!) are invited to share the stories of American Girls Addy, Samantha, Kit and Molly. We'll also be enjoying some historical holiday treats!

What does it mean to be poor?

mrsweasley@evpl — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 17:50:00 GMT

People are talking about tough times economically, and many fear it will get worse. For an idea of what it really means to be poor, try reading Ruth White's Little Audrey. White writes in the forward that the story of four little girls and their parents living in a West Virginia coal mining camp in 1948 is essentially true. It is her family's story, told from the perspective of her older sister Audrey, who was 11 at the time.

The descriptions of a family coping with poverty remind me of the classic A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, but this book is much shorter and could easily be read by a third-grader. There are people who enter their lives for only a short time, but leave a profound mark. Virgil is Audrey's friend who is teased by the other boys, but wisely uses his wits to survive. Miss Stairus is the teacher who wins everyone's heart, even the tough guys'. And then there is precious Betty Gail....

Who has made a difference in your life? Have you lived through a difficult time and come out stronger? You'll appreciate Little Audrey by Ruth White.

"The War Within : a Secret White House History, 2006-2008" by Bob Woodward

MediaPhile@evpl — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 23:38:00 GMT

We will soon have a new President making decisions about the war in Iraq. So is this book ancient history? Unfortunately, the answer is no.

I had read all three of Bob Woodward's previous books about the Bush White House, starting with Bush at War in 2002, followed by Plan of Attack in 2004, then State of Denial in 2006. So when the fourth and final volume in the Bush series was published earlier this year, I got on the hold list. The War Within is primarily about the downward slope toward civil war in Iraq and the contentious decision to implement the Surge in the spring of 2007.

A lopsided majority of Americans now think that it was a mistake to go to war in Iraq. But there is still speculation about whether we can get out without duplicating our tragic experiences with Vietnam.

Here Woodward pieces together the deliberations of various top level players in Defense, the military, the State Department, the White House, the Iragi government, and various Iraqi factions concerning the 2007 decision to send additional troops to secure vital regions in Iraq. Most would agree that the Surge has worked; the question becomes once again whether or not our withdrawal will just see Iraq fall back into chaos.

Woodward doesn't give us a failsafe plan for the future -- but at least he acquaints us with how complicated the withdrawal of troops might become. And he gives flesh to some of those who will be involved with the pullout, including current (and possibly future) Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.

"Air Guitar Nation" cranks the make-believe volume up to 11

professor.knowsitall@evpl — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 17:58:00 GMT

How many times has this happened to you...you're listening to music and an epic guitar solo comes on. What do you do?!? You bust out the air guitar, showing onlookers the musical virtuoso you are.

Apparently, air guitar is bigger than I realized. Since 1996, Oulu, Finland has been the home of the Air Guitar World Championships. Essentially the Olympics of air guitar, contestants from all around the world compete to bring this coveted trophy back to their home country. Competitions consist of two rounds: in the first, contestants perform a song of their choosing. The second round is a song picked by the judges, not revealed until the competition, that contestants have to improv. Contestants are judged based on their "airness" and pure rock-ness.

Sadly, the US did not participate on this world stage until 2003. It was then that Americans realized what a travesty this was and the US Air Guitar Championships were founded. After a series of regional competitions, the best performers go to Finland to represent the US.

Air Guitar Nation is a documentary (more along the lines of This is Spinal Tap than a traditional documentary) about the founding of the US Air Guitar Championships, the first competitions in the US, and the journey to the 2003 World Championships (including an air guitar training camp!) in Finland. You'll meet many of the zany US performers, including C. Diddy and Björn Türoque, whose fierce rivalry becomes a central focus of the film.

Air Guitar Nation is extremely entertaining, hilarious, and very well made. How does the US fare in their first outing in the World Championships? Watch the movie and find out for yourself!

Movie Trailer

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More Information

EVPL Catalog: Check availability of Air Guitar Nation at EVPL libraries.
Amazon.com: Buy the movie using this link, and the Public Library Friends will receive a portion of your purchase!
AirGuitarNation.com: Official website of the movie.
AirGuitarUSA.com: Official website of the US Air Guitar Championships.
AirGuitarWorldChampionships.com: Official website of the Air Guitar World Championships.

"Zen and Now: on the Trail of Robert Pirsig and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" by Mark Richardson

MediaPhile@evpl — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 03:23:00 GMT

No, you aren't seeing double. The cover of this biographical travelogue features an out-of-focus motorcyle.

I was in grad school in 1974 when "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" was published. I never read it or its British precursor, "Zen in the Art of Archery" -- I wasn't a big fan of either Zen OR motorcycle maintenance. Starting small, sales of the book grew by word of mouth, eventually totalling in the millions, with translation into 27 languages. It became a sort of cult classic with philosophers as well as the counter-culture.

Fast forward 30+ years, and a motorcyle enthusiast and sports writer named Mark Richardson has reproduced Robert Pirsig's 17-day motorcycle trip from Minneapolis to San Francisco. Pirsig, travelling with his young son Chris and a married couple, had roughed it -- camping every evening. Richardson, armed with GPS and a laptop, did the trip alone and stayed in cheap motels.

Richardson cleverly intersperses his narrative of his own trip with biographical information about Pirsig. Pirsig, who claimed an IQ of 170, had degrees and both science and philosophy. He taught at several colleges, but constantly rankled adminstrators with his refusal to follow the institutional rules. He was eventually diagnosed as a schizophrenic and endured a series of shock treatments, which he later claimed destroyed a large chunk of his personality.

Pirsig returned to his wife and two sons and took a job as a writer of technical manuals. He had earlier flown small planes, but now become a motorcyclist. He found he loved not only the open road, but also the connectedness that resulted from maintaining his own bike. Hence his cross-country trip and the book of philosophical ruminations that resulted. Publication brought financial independence, including an ocean-going yacht, but not peace. Both sons had their own problems, as did his marriage. And his second book, "Lila," was a relative flop.

I was intrigued enough by this book to attempt to read "Zen and the Art of Motocycle Maintenance," but I must admit that I only made it through about the first 75 pages. I guess I find Pirsig's story more interesting than his thoughts.

Stolen children??!!

UndergroundLibrarian@evpl — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 01:20:00 GMT

Fourteen-year-old Amy had just completed a babysitting course, but as Peg Kehret wrote in the first paragraph of Stolen Children, "it did not cover what to do if two thugs with a gun showed up. She had to figure that out by herself."

As you can tell from the title, Amy and her 3-year-old charge Kendra were kidnapped. They were taken to a remote one-room cabin with no electricity or plumbing and very little food. Amy did her best to keep Kendra distracted from their plight while trying to figure out how to sneak clues onto the daily videotapes the kidnappers took to send to Kendra's parents.

The kidnappers were new at this endeavor and what little plans they had made fell through before they even began. Amy knew that they had only intended to kidnap Kendra and had no use for Amy. Since she was old enough to recognize them, Amy was sure they planned to kill her before they returned Kendra, even if the ransom was paid. And even though it was obvious that the kidnappers were none too bright, there was still the threat of that gun, and a knife, too.

This story plot is a lot like another book I read a long time ago, Prisoners at the Kitchen Table by Barbara Holland. That title is no longer in print, or in the public library system. Has anybody else out there read it?

One way this one is different is that it tells the story from the point of view of various people. Most of it is through Amy's eyes, but parts of it are through her best friend Jorja who works on figuring out Amy's hints on the videos and what they might mean. We also see things from the point of view of other minor characters who might be able to help the girls get rescued.

It was hard to stop reading this book until I got all 165 pages finished. I HAD to know what was going to happen to Amy and Kendra!

Having trouble figuring out Microsoft Word 2007?

HoodooVoodoo@evpl — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 21:10:00 GMT

As some of you may have been noticing, the Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library is in the middle of their own "big switch" when it comes to the public computers. We are in the process of switching out the old Gateway Profile 5 computers to new Dell Optiplex 755 computers. These computers are step up from the old ones, but one constant area where I am getting questions concerns Microsoft Word.

The new Dell computers have Microsoft Word 2007 instead of Word 2003 and the display is noticeably different. All your favorite tools and buttons are still there, but Microsoft has moved them around and made them more user friendly or as I like to say "They made it so easy, that it's hard". To help ease the confusion I found a few easy to follow reference guides and tutorials. These tools are very simple to follow and should answer any questions you may have about the differences between Word 2003 and Word 2007. Check them out!

Word 2003 to Word 2007 Command Reference Guide

Word 2007 Training Tutorials

Word 2007 Help

Office 2007 Training Courses

Plunkett Research Online Just Got Better

Bufkinite@evpl — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 21:10:00 GMT

One of EVPL's many databases, Plunkett Research Online, is a great tool for researching current trends in 32 distinct industry sectors, including everything from Alternative Energy to Wireless Technology. For each industry sector examined, you'll find a market overview and an analysis of major trends for each company, an industry-specific glossary written in language that is easy-to-understand, a statistics section containing extensive data on many facets of the industry, and in-depth profiles of leading companies in each industry.

Now, Plunkett has added current job information to its company profiles. In the sample page image below, you can see the result of a search for 3M Company. Just below the company name is the heading, "Latest 3M Company Jobs." The first three positions are directly linked, while more positions and job details are just a button click away. In today's very tight job market, this kind of resource is very likely to come in handy.

A Life in Movies

lit.fic.reader@evpl — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 19:52:00 GMT

Although it appears less frequently than the companion "A Life in Books" feature (see Books Blog), Newsweek's "A Life in Movies" is an enjoyable glimpse into the cinematic likes and dislikes of well-known American and international film directors. The format is very similar to that used for the books: it asks directors to name and comment on "My Five Most Important Movies"; "A Classic Film You Haven't Seen"; "A Film You Recently Revisited With Disappointment" and "A Film You Hope Parents Will Show Kids". Featured filmmakers have included the Mexican writer/director/producer Guillermo Del Toro ("Pan's Labyrinth"); British director Danny Boyle ("Millions", "Trainspotting"); and the American documentary filmmaker Errol Morris ("Gates Of Heaven", "Standard Operating Procedure", The Thin Blue Line").

"Run Fatboy, Run" limps to the finish line

professor.knowsitall@evpl — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 17:31:00 GMT

I've always been a fan of Simon Pegg's work. In his previous efforts (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, & Spaced), Pegg & co-star Nick Frost teamed up with absolutely hilarious results!

Run Fatboy, Run is Pegg's latest film...and unfortunately it doesn't live up to its predecessors.

Pegg portrays Dennis, who gets cold feet on his wedding day and leaves his pregnant fiancée, Libby, at the altar.

Five years later... Of course, Dennis has become an out-of-shape loser with a crummy job. Dennis & Libby share custody of their child, and he now realizes the mistake in not going through with the wedding. However, Libby is now dating Whit, who is everything Dennis is not: successful, wealthy, dedicated, etc. After discovering Whit is an athlete and will be running in an upcoming marathon, Dennis decides to run in it as well, proving to Libby that he he has changed and can actually finish something he starts.

Cue the cheesy training montages. Dennis' friend Gordon and his landlord Mr. Goshdashtidar (a stereotypical foreigner) whip him into shape, transforming him from a fat boy into...well...less of a fat boy.

Does Dennis finish the marathon? Is it enough to win back Libby? How ridiculous is this plot?

I understand that most movies require suspension of disbelief (an out-of-shape guy can train for a marathon in less than a month?), but that's not the problem I have with this film. In an attempt to be a family-friendly romantic comedy, the humor has been degraded to the level of a bad Adam Sandler flick; nothing but predictable, juvenile humor. Gone is the gut-busting humor, witty dialog, and endearing characters the viewer actually cares about, all of which were present in Pegg's previous efforts.

If you've never seen Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, or Spaced, you'll probably enjoy Run Fatboy, Run more than I did. Otherwise, you'll be extremely disappointed.

More Information

EVPL Catalog: Check availability of Run Fatboy, Run at EVPL libraries.
Amazon.com: Buy the movie using this link, and the Public Library Friends will receive a portion of your purchase!
RottenTomatoes.com: View other opinions and read why it's at 48% on the Tomatometer.
Internet Movie Database: Discover info about the movie at IMDB.

What do writers read?

lit.fic.reader@evpl — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 23:28:00 GMT

It's always intriguing to find out what famous and newly acclaimed authors recommend from their current or past reading. Parade, the Sunday magazine that is distributed by many newspapers (including the Evansville Courier & Press), publishes an occasional column, "Parade Picks", that features the recommendations of popular authors. Recently, Nicholas Sparks commented on five novels that have moved him most. Newsweek publishes a similar column in most of its issues, "A Life in Books", asking esteemed writers to list and comment on "My Five Most Important Books", "A Book You Always Return To" , "A Book You Hope Parents Read to Their Children", and "A Classic You've Revisited With Disappointment" (interesting to see how the passage of time can affect one's attitude towards a fondly-remembered book).

"Hoosiers in Hollywood" by David L. Smith

MediaPhile@evpl — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 01:08:00 GMT

David Smith, professor emeritus of telecommunications at Ball State University, wrote this coffee-table tome about Hoosiers who found fame in Hollywood. Here are some you may or may not know about:

Alice Terry (born on a farm near Vincennes, she was a silent film star)
Clifton Webb (born in Indianapolis, he made his opera debut in Tosca at the Boston Opera House at age 17)
Red Skelton (grew up in a poor section of Vincennes called "Oklahoma," in the north end of town)
William Marshall (born in Gary, he starred in the movie Blacula)
Steve McQueen (born in Beech Grove as "an unwanted child who was virtually abandoned by his teen mother")
James Dean (born in Marion and given the first name of his attending physician)
Fred Williamson (born in Gary, he graduated from Northwestern in architecture, was drafted by the NFL, and played in Super Bowl 1 - he later directed or starred in 40 films)
Greg Kinnear (born in Logansport and lived there until he was nine)
Marilyn Miller (born in Evansville in 1898, she became the "Queen of Musical Comedy")
Louise Dresser (born in Evansville in 1878, Dresser lived here until her teens and went on to star in both Vaudeville and silent films)
Carole Lombard (born in Fort Wayne, her family moved to San Francisco when she was six)
Marjorie Main (born near the small town of Acton in 1890, her most famous role was "Ma Kettle")
Anne Baxter (born in Michigan City, she was the granddaughter of Frank Lloyd Wright)
Betsy Palmer (lived in Hammond and East Chicago, then attended secretarial school, followed by the IU extension in Gary before becoming a theatre major at DePaul U in Chicago)
Florence Henderson (the youngest of 10 children born to a poor farming family in Dale)
Shelley Long (born and raised in Fort Wayne; both parents were school teachers)
Vivica Fox (born in Indianapolis, she graduated from Arlington High School and later found fame as an actress and singer)
Richard, Barbara, Constance, Joan Bennett (Richard, who grew up in Bennett's Switch, near Logansport, became an actor and producer and father to three actresses)
Jackson Five (born and raised in Gary)
Elmo Lincoln (born in Rochester and the first Tarzan -- in the 1918 Tarzan of the Apes)
Buck Jones (born in Vincennes, he grew up in Indianapolis and later became a leading movie cowboy)
Roberta Wise (born and raised in Connorsville, he later directed Citizen Kane and many other movies)
Sydney Pollack (born in Lafayette, he moved to South Bend while in elementary school)

Many many more Hoosiers are covered in this heavily illustrated compendium.

"Hancock" worth watching

MediaPhile@evpl — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 23:44:00 GMT

How can a movie gross $625,000,000 worldwide and yet get a 38% rating at Rotten Tomatoes? One could say that there's no accounting for taste, but in this case I agree with the general public.

I was lucky enough to get my hands on a copy of this DVD before its official release date on Tuesday. What I remembered hearing about this action thriller was that the first half was okay, the last half a let-down.

Well, I beg to differ. I didn't think it really got interesting until the twist that came at midpoint. I was as usual only half-watching while working away on my laptop. I sensed an attraction betwen Hancock (Will Smith) and Mary (Charlize Theron) but was surprised at what developed. Suffice it to say that there is something lurking under that beautiful surface.

Which brings me to the point that I could barely recognize Charlize. I have always considered her to be flawless, but evidently she and her plastic surgeon didn't think so. There is some buzz about this on the Net.

But getting back to the movie, this is another one that I wish I had seen on the big screen. In fact, I should have shelled out the money and seen it on IMAX. The special effects were pretty amazing. Oh, well....

"Hancock" is inventive, quirky and funny...and Will Smith does his usual superb job...so count me with thumbs up on this one. I even watched it twice!