Each month, our staff member shares her experiences inside of and outside of the library. Her views highlight the literary and entertaining venues offered by your library.

December

December is a time of dreidels and candy canes, twinkling lights and menorahs. Anne Perry, Debbie Macoob, and the Higgins women have stories based on holiday themes.

Barnes and Noble gift cards have become a popular holiday item. They don't have an expiration date since I recently used one I received 2 years ago. In addition to the best-sellers, if you like the old movies, there are numerous biographies. Mae West (that's really old), Elizabeth Taylor, the Hepburns, (Audrey and Katherine), Jimmy Stewart. Martin and Lewis, and Paul Newman bring us a lifetime of memories. Hershey and Walt Disney are also subjects but not as entertaining. Denzel Washington has compiled stories of mentors who influenced today's celebrities.

December 7 is solemnly observed as a remembrance of Pearl Harbor. I was a little girl at home in a dark room with the chicken-pox listening on the radio that President Roosevelt had declared war on Japan. There is a book, THE MEDAL OF HONOR- PORTRAITS OF VALOR ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY by Peter Collier and Nick Del Calzo which captures the stories of these heroes.

When I think of the word "embargo”; I think of the Boston Tea Party. The word has, however, entered literary jargon. There is a "gentleman's agreement" that certain books are not sold before publication release. (We have to abide by that in the library.) There are some rogue distributors and it has caused dissension in literary circles.

Anyone can access publication dates, but there are those who do not honor that. For example: many best selling authors will release their latest books in February and the author of THE KITE RUNNER, Khaled Hosseini, has announced his latest, A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS, will be released next May.

My author of the month is Brad Meltzer; he has a diverse background. A graduate of Columbia Law, he has dabbled in many venues. He is a respected writer of comic books (THE LEAGUE OF JUSTICE is one). He was involved with producing the TV show on the Kennedy brothers, and has authored several novels.

Meltzer's latest, THE BOOK OF FATE, is now on best seller lists. It is a suspense novel based around the Presidency with secrets going back to Jeffersonian times. He used as consultants Presidents Clinton and Busch. A man of many talents!

Make a New Year's resolution is let me know your comments on books, audios, and videos. Many people agree with me that Silva's THE MESSENGER is the "page-turner" of the year. jdcirishangel@aol.com or drop off a note at the library.

Until next year, AULD LANG SYNE!