New Self-Help Books at the Library

The Ten Things to Do When Your Life Falls Apart: An Emotional and Spiritual Handbook
by Kingma, Daphne Rose
Kingma writes for readers whose lives are being wrenched apart by sudden job loss, the death of a loved one, financial ruin, or a dire medical diagnosis. When any of these things happens, either separately or simultaneously, Kingma offers a list of ten ways whereby readers can eventually learn that their difficulties have meaning and purpose. A particularly helpful lesson urges letting go of coping strategies that no longer work. For those lost in the turbulence of life, Kingma offers a genuine hand through. (LJ)


Happy: Simple Steps to Get the Most Out of Life
by Smith, Ian K., M.D.

Smith's fat-smash diet has helped millions loss weight. But he soon realized that it's not the momentary thrill of getting something you want but the long-term sense of being someone you want that really delivers the goods.






The Undervalued Self: Restore Your Love/Power Balance, Transform the Inner Voice that Holds You Back, and Find Your True Self-Worth
by Aron, Elaine N.

Psychotherapist and "social psychologist" Aron (The Highly Sensitive Person) presents a "rich, complex and deeply layered" approach to building self-esteem, suitable for studious readers ready to work for understanding and change. … dedicated rereading will give readers a sophisticated understanding of low self-esteem, and concrete steps to improve it.

New History Books at the Library!

America and The Pill: A History of Promise, Peril, and Liberation
by May, Elaine Tyler
To mark the fiftieth anniversary of FDA approval of an oral contraceptive for women (the pill) historian May, whose professional focus has been on marriage, divorce, and the family in America, offers a notably uncontentious précis of the pill's half-century in American life. (Booklist)



Russia Against Napoleon: The True Story of the Campaigns of War and Peace
by Lieven, Dominic
For this groundbreaking contribution to the study of Napoléon's demise, historian Lieven researched once-forbidden Russian archives to tell the story from Emperor Alexander I's point of view, and from the perspectives of his officers and soldiers. On the ever-popular topic of the Napoleonic Wars, Lieven's distinctive achievement is a must-have. (Booklist)

Hoboes: Bindlestiffs, Fruit Tramps, and the Harvesting of the West
by Wyman, Mark
Wyman details how the railroads were the means by which workers as well as crops were moved from place to place and how such "hoboes and tramps" came to occupy the lowest rung of the social order. With broader historic sweep than recent sugar-beet industry and migrant-labor studies, Wyman's book is highly recommended for both academics and the general public as a scholarly yet accessible history of a rather neglected topic of the American West. (LJ)

New Titles at Central Library Job Center

Looking for a new job? Looking for a way to re-market yourself? Times are tough, perhaps these titles can help:

Career Comeback: Repackage Yourself to Get the Job You Want by Lisa Johnson Mandell

"...offers the ultimate makeover to-do list: From 'botoxing' your resume by deleting dates and early jobs, tech-savvy tricks for starting and improving your website or blog and online networking, to updating your wardrobe, Mandell shares the secrets that will get mid-career job seekers noticed and on the payroll." (amazon.com)

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Recession-Proof Careers by Jeff Cohen

"Keeping your job is job one. In these uncertain economic times, secure employment is more important than ever. [This book] presents all of the information needed to make an informed decision about choosing a career that ensures your continued employability." (amazon.com)

Over 40 & You're Hired!: Secrets to Landing a Great Job by Robin Ryan

"Recent U.S. Labor Department reports have shown that those with the longest period of unemployment—an average of eight months—are age 45 and older. Ryan’s tips are specifically geared to the more experienced over-40 audience, and her advice is relevant regardless of whether you’ve been laid off, want to change careers or are looking for a promotion." (BookPage Reviews)

The 10 Laws of Career Reinvention: Essential Survival Skills for Any Economy by Pamela Mitchell

"Mitchell (founder, Reinvention Inst.) lays out the ten 'laws' of career reinvention, from creating a vision and forming a network of resources to speaking the language of your new career. " (Library Journal)

Unlock the Hidden Job Market: 6 Steps to a Successful Job Search When Times Are Tough by Duncan Mathison

"...focuses on high-level careers, reflecting the authors' experience with executive placement and leadership communications." (Library Journal)

Fired to Hired: Bouncing Back from Job Loss to Get to Work Right Now by Tory Johnson

"Tory Johnson's New York Times bestseller, Will Work from Home, was comprehensive and inspiring. Now, the Women For Hire CEO and Good Morning America workplace contributor returns with advice and real-life stories for finding the right job after being let go." (amazon.com)

April is Poetry Month! Got one in your pocket?

April, poetry and libraries go together, and the Glendale Central Library is celebrating National Library Week (April 11-17) along with National Poetry Month.

This year’s Poetry Month theme is “Put a poem in your pocket,” creating the image of making a favorite poem as familiar and personal as the things we keep in our pockets – things that form part of our everyday lives. The Central Library’s display case develops the dual themes of favorite poem collections and pockets full of poetry.

In addition, library users are encouraged to submit copies of their favorite poems, many of which will be displayed in the display’s fanciful poetry pockets. Drop one in the basket next to the display in the Central Library. -- John, Reference Librarian

For further information, call the Central Library reference desk at 818-548-2027.

Glendale History: March Madness, 1909 Style

(click on the photograph to view a larger version in a new window)

With men's and women's NCAA Tournaments beginning this week, it seems apropos to share this picture of the 1909 Glendale High School girls basketball team. (Unfortunately, no information on how far they advanced in their bracket is provided on the back of the photo.)

This photograph is one of the thousands available to library patrons and researchers at the Special Collections Room in the Glendale Central Library.

The Special Collections Room also contains news clippings, books, maps, and other materials that cover the history of Glendale, neighboring cities, and California in general. The collection is particularly useful for local history and genealogy research projects. Special Collections also houses the Cat Collection, one of the largest collections of feline-related materials in the world.

The Special Collections Room is currently open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m and 1 to 3 p.m. and by appointment. Please call (818) 548-2037 for additional information.

New History Books at the Library!

Here are some new books hitting the shelves soon at GPL:


Holy Warriors: A Modern History of the Crusades
by Phillips, Jonathan

A fresh, no-nonsense take on the causes, human cost and continued relevance of the medieval Crusades. A straightforward, pertinent study replete with passionate personages both Christian and Muslim. (Kirkus)







Rebel Land: Unraveling the Riddle of History in a Turkish Town
by de Bellaigue, Christopher

A brave investigation into the buried history of Armenian massacre and Kurdish violence in a small Turkish village. Conversant in Turkish and charmed by the cosmopolitan nature of the people, foreign correspondent de Bellaigue was posted to Istanbul for some years before he began to question the official Turkish story that the forced deportation and massacre of Armenians during World War I had been provoked by their rebelliousness and collusion with Russia. (Kirkus)



Strange Days Indeed: The 1970s: The Golden Days of Paranoia
by Wheen, Francis

The meat of Wheen's lucid discussion is what can be considered a golden age of the paranoid style of politics, as the historian Richard Hofstadter put it, and of widespread paranoia in general. Literate, authentic to period detail and often entertaining . . . (Kirkus)

New Books at the Library!

Here are some of the books that are coming soon to GPL:

Ideas That Matter: The Concepts That Shape the 21st Century
by Grayling, A. C.

Grayling, a well-known British philosopher, has attempted a task worthy of Voltaire and Pierre Bayle. He has given us a philosophical dictionary of important ideas. All readers interested in the issues discussed (and who isn't?) will gain much from this book. (LJ)






See What I'm Saying: The Extraordinary Powers of Our Five Senses
by Rosenblum, Lawrence D.

An eye-opening look at the mechanics of sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch. Rosenblum's enthusiasm is contagious and his prose accessible, and he is mostly successful in explaining massive amounts of information about sensory abilities we take for granted. (Kirkus)






The Genius in All of Us: Why Everything You've Been Told About Genetics, Talent, and IQ Is Wrong
by Shenk, David

Journalist Shenk, who has a flair for explaining scientific subjects in everyday language, challenges the simple notion that genes determine whether or not a person is gifted. [H]ighly readable. Upbeat and entertaining. (Kirkus)

Reader's Notes for February

The 2009 finalists for the Los Angeles Times Book Prizes have been announced. Winners will be awarded before the Los Angeles Time Festivals of Books on April 23, 2010. In addition to ten book categories, author, editor, and publisher Dave Eggers will be given a new Innovator’s Award, and novelist, short story author Evan S. Connell will receive Robert Kirsch Lifetime Achievement award. The finalists are:

Biography
Kirstin Downey, The Woman Behind the New Deal: The Life of Frances Perkins, FDR’s Secretary of Labor and His Moral Conscience
Linda Gordon, Dorothea Lange: A Life Beyond Limits
Michael Scammell, Koestler: The Literary and Political Odyssey of a Twentieth Century Skeptic
Melvin Urofsky, Louis D. Brandeis: A Life
Kenneth Whyte, The Uncrowned King: The Sensational Rise of William Randolph Hearst

Current Interest
Dave Cullen, Columbine
Dave Eggers, Zeitoun
Tracy Kidder, The Strength in What Remains
Nicholas D. Kristof & Sheryl WuDunn, Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide
T.R. Reid, The Healing of America: The Global Quest for Better, Cheaper, and Fairer Healthcare

Fiction
Jill Ciment, Heroic Measures
Jane Gardam, The Man in the Wooden Hat
Michelle Huneven, Blame
Kate Walbert, A Short History of Women
Rafael Yglesias, A Happy Marriage

Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction
Petina Gappah, An Elegy for Easterly
Paul Harding, Tinkers
Philipp Meyer, American Rust
Daniyal Mueenuddin, In Other Rooms, Other Wonders
Wells Tower, Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned

Graphic Novel
Gilbert Hernandez, Luba (A Love and Rockets Book)
Taiyo Matsumoto, GoGo Monster
David Mazzucchelli, Asterios Polyp
Bryan Lee O’Malley, Scott Pilgrim, Vol. 5: Scott Pilgrim vs. the Universe
Joe Sacco, Footnotes in Gaza

History
Richard Holmes, Age of Wonder: How the Romantic Generation Discovered the Beauty and Terror of Science
Martha A. Sandweiss, Passing Strange: A Gilded Age Tale of Love and Deception Across the Color Line
Kevin Starr, Golden Dreams: California in an Age of Abundance 1950 – 1963
Amy Louise Wood, Lynching and Spectacle: Witnessing Racial Violence in America, 1890-1940
Gordon S. Wood, Empire of Liberty: A History of the Early Republic 1789 – 1815

Mystery / Thriller
Megan Abbott, Bury Me Deep
David Ellis, The Hidden Man
Attica Locke, Black Water Rising
Val McDermid, A Darker Domain
Stuart Neville, The Ghosts of Belfast

Poetry
Gabrielle Calvocoressi, Apocalyptic Swing
Amy Gerstler, Dearest Creature
Tom Healy, What the Right Hand Knows
Brenda Hillman, Practical Water
Lyrae Van Clief-Stefanon, Open Interval

Science & Technology
Marcia Bartusiak, The Day We Found the Universe
Graham Farmelo, The Strangest Man: The Hidden Life of Paul Dirac, Mystic of the Atom
Bill Streever, Cold: Adventures in the Worlds’ Frozen Places
Richard Wrangham, Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human
Carol Kaesuk Yoon, Naming Nature: The Clash Between Instinct and Science

Young Adult Literature
James Cross Giblin, The Rise and Fall of Senator Joe McCarthy
Frances Hardinge, The Lost Conspiracy
Deborah Heiligman, Charles and Emma: The Darwin’s Leap of Faith
Elizabeth Partridge, Marching for Freedom: Walk Together Children and Don’t You Grow Weary
Shaun Tan, Tales from Outer Suburbia

Authors Lost in February

Poet and children's writer, Lucille Clifton, 73

Horse racing mystery novelist Dick Francis, 89

"Mystery writing powerhouse Dick Francis first came to the public eye as a victim in one of the most unusual sports mishaps of the century. The incident happened just after Francis, then a jockey, and his horse headed towards the finish post, after having just cleared the last jump at the Grand National. The Grand National is a British steeplechase race considered by many to be the world's most prestigious horse racing event, and Francis was riding Devon Loch, the Queen Mother's horse. Suddenly and inexplicably, the horse that had seemed destined to win collapsed, and would not complete the race. Francis never figured out what startled his horse that day, but that singular occurrence turned into a triumph than the seasoned jockey could never have imagined the morning of the race. The accident actually marked the beginning of his writing career." "Dick Francis." Authors and Artists for Young Adults. Vol. 21. Gale Research, 1997. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center through Glendale Public Library Online Resources.

New Craft Books at the Glendale Public Library!

Looking for inspiration for a new craft project, or a little help in designing your own clothes?

Here's a sample of new craft books for design-it-yourself types that have recently been added to the Glendale Public Library's collection! Click on the title or the book cover to place a hold, or go to the GPL Catalog to search for more titles.

Make!: Over 40 Fantastic Projects With 16 Exclusive Designs
by Cath Kidston

"Inspired by retro vintage prints found at garage and yard sales, and reinvented in cool modern colors, Cath Kidston’s instantly recognizable designs have garnered fans all over the world. Now you can create your own projects using Cath’s original motifs. Make! includes over 40 projects, all with complete step by step instructions, and for the first time, pattern templates for many of her best loved motifs." (Publisher's description)


One-Yard Wonders: Look How Much You Can Make With Just One Yard of Fabric!
by Rebecca Yaker and Patricia Hoskins

"For both novice and accomplished sewers, this spiral-bound guide offers directions that are precisely, clearly, and buoyantly written as the authors share 101 sewing projects requiring only a yard of fabric, including apparel, toys, accessories (human and pet), dresser organizers, and stuffed animals. For each "recipe," the authors, in well-ordered fashion, list necessary materials and then take the reader-crafter through clearly numbered, carefully explained directions to create a successful final product. For each project, too, a pattern schematic is matched on the opposite page with a full-color photograph of the finished project. This is a fundamental crafts book appropriate for most crafts collections." (Booklist Reviews, December 2009)


Sew What! Bags: You Can Customize to Fit Your Needs, 18 Pattern-free Projects
by Lexie Barnes

"By now, thanks to increased eco-awareness, most of us have purchased a few canvas totes—and maybe even remember to use them at the grocery store. With Sew What! Bags: 18 Pattern-Free Projects You Can Customize to Fit Your Needs, crafting veterans and amateurs alike can go a step further by designing and making their own totes, plus 17 other bag-esque projects. Author Lexie Barnes puts her experience as a handbags and accessories designer to work in this great guide, which includes detailed instructions, inspiring photos and plenty of you-can-do-it encouragement. Spot-on tips for hemming, choosing fabric and breaking out of the pattern mold help ensure this book is a crafter’s delight".(BookPage Reviews, August 2009)


Design-It-Yourself Clothes: Patternmaking Simplified
by Cal Patch

"A former Urban Outfitters designer provides five key projects (with four variations each)--including a perfect-fitting dress, T-shirt, button-down shirt, A-line skirt, and pants--and explains how to take measurements, draft the patterns, choose fabrics, and add darts, waistbands, pockets, and ruffles." (Baker & Taylor)

The 2010 Census is Coming!

The United States Census Bureau will be sending out 2010 Census questionnaires to every household in the country. Much of the Federal funding the City of Glendale (and every other city, for that matter) receives is based on population figures derived from the census, so it is incredibly important that everyone fill out and return the questionnaire.

Check out the Census Bureau's fact sheet for Glendale, for instance, to see the valuable types of demographic information the Census provides.

In an effort to increase local participation, Glendale will be holding a Census Outreach Project throughout the city on March 20th. Volunteers are wanted to help inform the community about the Census and answer questions.

More information regarding the Census Outreach Project (including volunteer information), the Census in general, and other Census job and volunteer opportunities is located on the City's 2010 Census page.

January - Authors Lost

January 2010 has been a significant month in literature with the deaths of several prominent authors. Here are some quotes from characters in their work.

Iconic, reclusive novelist J. D. Salinger, author of Catcher in the Rye, 91 (January 28)

"What really knocks me out is a book that, when you're all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it. That doesn't happen much, though."

A People’s History of the United States historian, activist Howard Zinn, 87 (January 27)

"One percent of the nation owns a third of the wealth. The rest of the wealth is distributed in such a way as to turn those in the 99 percent against one another: small property owners against the propertyless, black against white, native-born against foreign-born, intellectuals and professionals against the uneducated and the unskilled. These groups have resented one another and warred against one another with such vehemence and violence as to obscure their common position as sharers of leftovers in a very wealthy country."

Novelist of manners, literary critic Louis Auchincloss, 92 (January 26)

"We'll get you dressed up in the finest dark suits and white stiff collars — no color except for a gorgeous Charvet tie ... "

Spenser mystery writer Robert B. Parker, 77 (January 18)

"I sat at the end of Hayden's street with the motor idling and the heater on until nine o'clock, when I ran low on gas and had to shut off the motor. By ten fifteen I was cold. The hamburgers were long gone, though the memory lingered on the back of my throat, and I was almost through the bourbon. During that time Hayden had not come to me and confessed. He had not had a visit from Joe Broz or Phil, or the Ghost of Christmas Future. The Ceremony of Moloch had not shown up and sung 'The Sweetheart of Sigma Chi' under his window. At eleven o'clock the lights in his living room went out and I went home--stiff, sore, tired, crabby, dyspeptic, cold, and about five-eighths drunk."

Love Story novelist Erich Segal, 72 (January 17)

"Love means never having to say you're sorry."

Filmmaker, story writer Eric Rohmer, 89 (January 11)

"... thoughts rather than actions."

Feminist Mary Daly, 81 (January 3)

"Women of the world unite! Stand up and fight! Say our own names! Go up in flames!"

LACMA Launches Online Reading Room

This is a special announcement from the library at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).

LACMA recently announced the launch of its Reading Room (www.lacma.org/readingroom), an online space devoted to the presentation of the museum’s publications. In an effort to make books available that are otherwise difficult to access, the initial group focuses on out-of-print offerings and features ten catalogs highlighting the development of the Los Angeles art scene including:

Six Painters and the Object. Lawrence Alloway. New York: Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, 1963.

Six More. Lawrence Alloway. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1963.

New York School: The First Generation, Paintings of the 1940s and 1950s. Maurice Tuchman. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1965.

Edward Kienholz. Maurice Tuchman. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1966.

Robert Irwin Kenneth Price. Maurice Tuchman. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1966.

Late Fifties at the Ferus. James Monte. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1968.

Billy Al Bengston. James Monte. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1968.

A Report on the Art and Technology Program of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1967–1971. Maurice Tuchman. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1971.

Art in Los Angeles: Seventeen Artists in the Sixties. Maurice Tuchman. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1981.

The Museum as Site: Sixteen Projects. Stephanie Barron. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1981.


The museum intends to launch another group of catalogs this spring.

Brand Library owns all but two of these catalogs and several must be used in the library. Take a look at the online versions and stop by Brand Library if you want to see the actual catalogs!

Here are some of the latest biographies to come to Glendale/Pasadena libraries!


Harvard Psychedelic Club, by Don Lattin. Lattin brings together four of the most memorable figures from the 1960s (Timothy Leary, Ram Dass, Andrew Weil, and Huston Smith, all Harvard professors at the same time). Some laugh-aloud passages make this an entertaining read, but the underlying exploration of the sociocultural reasons for the extravaganza that was the 1960s merits attention, especially from those interested in the period. (quoted from Booklist and PW reviews)



Racing Odysseus, by Roger Martin. Informed that a deadly cancer will soon end his career as a college president, Martin defies the medical prognosis and then embarks upon an unlikely sabbatical adventure: enrolling in a small liberal-arts college as a 61-year-old freshman. Alternately amusing and poignant, Martin's personal epic offers a much-needed perspective on cultural dilemmas both ancient and modern. (from BL)



Living Oprah, by Robyn Okrant. Could you live each day for an entire year following every piece of advice Oprah Winfrey shared with you on her television show, magazine, and web site? That is exactly what Okrant, a yoga instructor and performer with an MFA from the Art Institute of Chicago, did throughout 2008. Her project and subsequent blog and now book were designed to take a firsthand look at the impact of celebrity advice-in this case, Oprah's Live Your Best Lifer advice-on the average woman. Her informal social experiment, dubbed "Living Oprah," was a yearlong journey of dieting, exercising, remodeling her apartment, analyzing her marriage, finding her passion, and experiencing Oprah's "favorite things." (from Library Journal)

New Books in the Library: Health and Diet

A sampling of new diet and health books that have recently been added to the Glendale Public Library (just in time to follow through on that New Year's resolution!). Click on the title or the book cover to go to the library's catalog to place a hold, or go to the GPL Catalog to search for more titles.


Cook This, Not That!: Kitchen Survival Guide, The No-Diet Weight Loss Solution by David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding From the author of Eat This, Not That: Restaurant Survival Guide, the follow-up Cook This provides tips and recipes for healthier cooking habits at home.







The Mayo Clinic Diet: Eat Well, Enjoy Life, Lose Weight by Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research “Just in time for New Year's resolutions, experts from the Mayo Clinic present a well-rounded plan for dieting right. Editor-in-chief Donald Hensrud, chair of the Mayo Clinic's Preventive and Occupational Medicine division, packs this straightforward guide with useful tips, concise lists, charts, and color photos. Eschewing fads and quick fixes, the diet sticks to an involved, long-term, but indisputable plan for those willing to make significant lifestyle changes.” (Publishers Weekly, Dec. 2009 #1)



Prime-Time Health: A Scientifically Proven Plan for Feeling Young and Living Longer by William and Martha Sears “Baby- and child-care experts, the Searses present a healthy aging book for their patients' parents and grandparents, featuring an eight-week self-care nutrition and exercise plan to achieve and maintain optimum health. Now a 12-year survivor of colon cancer, Bill Sears restored himself after surgery and treatment by researching, developing and implementing the LEAN (Lifestyle, Exercise, Attitude, and Nutrition) regimen around which this book is centered.” (Publishers Weekly, Dec. 2009 #3)



The Full Plate Diet: Slim Down, Look Great, Be Healthy by Stuart Seale, Teresa Sherard, and Diana Fleming The authors present a diet plan that focuses on adding fruits, vegetables, and whole grains as staples to your diet.

City Of Glendale Evacuation Information

The City of Glendale this morning announced mandatory evacuations in response to the heavy rains and the threat of mudslides in the area. The City of Glendale homepage has information on the areas being evacuated. The City has opened the Glendale Civic Auditorium to receive evacuees and household pets.

Updated information will be posted on the City's homepage and on GTV6 as it becomes available.

The City's Emergency Information Center phone number is (818) 548-3301.

Glendale History: Albert Einstein at the 1932 Rose Parade

The City of Glendale has a long, rich history of participation in the Tournament of Roses Parade, dating back to 1911. The photograph above, taken after the 1932 Parade, features Albert Einstein greeting Glendale float designer Georgia Chobe and rider Esther Muhlman Garate.

Katherine Yamada's January 5, 2002, article in the Glendale News-Press provides additional information about Georgia Chobe and her contributions to Glendale's successful Rose Parade legacy.

As for this year's parade, while the Glendale entry in the 2010 Tournament of Roses did not win an award (snapping a 4-year winning streak), the City can take pride in knowing the 33-foot float, featuring a soaring bald eagle, was selected by Tournament of Roses officials for the Parade's patriotic finale. See the Glendale News-Press article for a full recap of the parade and photographs of Glendale's beautiful entry.

The photograph above is one of the thousands available to library patrons and researchers at the Special Collections Room in the Glendale Central Library.

The Special Collections Room is currently open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m and 1 to 3 p.m. and by appointment. Please call (818) 548-2037 for additional information.

[LAST] This Week in Reading Dec 27 - Jan. 2

Happy Holidays, readers! TWIR bids a fond adieu.

It's done now. This is the last appearance of This Week in Reading, our blog blurb for authors' birthdays. After two years it's pretty much complete. If we still have errors or omissions, (and we expect we might,) please leave a comment on the blog and let us know what we need to fix.

If you want to know which authors were born on your birthday, or someone else's, it will be still available through the Books and Reading page. Just drop down the menu to the desired week.

We'll try to get more varied content up on Book Talk. Thanks for following and keep reading.

Authors born this week -

Nobel Prize in Literature
Novelist, storywriter, poet Rudyard Kipling (1907)

Novelists and story writers
Theodor Fontane, Mariano Azuela, Horacio Quiroga, E. M. Forster, Louis Bromfield, Robert Ruark, Paul Bowles, William Gaddis, Elyne Mitchell, J. D. Salinger, Wilfred Sheed, Manuel Puig, Michael Nesmith, Douglas Coupland, Chandle Burr, Nicholas Sparks, Wendy Coakley-Thompson

Poets and Playwrights
Poets: Danil Kharms, Arthur Hugh Clough, Robert Nathan, Charles Olson, Patti Smith, Joshua Clover Playwrights: Carl Zuckmayer, Christopher Durang, Paul Rudnick

Thinkers, Believers, Scientists, Historians, Biographers
Thinkers: Mortimer Adler Scientists: William Masters, Jack Hanna, Bjarne Stroussstrup Biographers: Oscar Levant, John Denver, Stanley Tookie Williams

Humorists, Essayists, Editors and Critics, Journalists, Officials, Media and Others
Humorists: Stephen Leacock, Don Novello, Paula Poundstone, Sarah Vowell Essayists: James Frazer, Gilbert Murray, Simon Wisenthal, Ermest Tidyman, Ian Buruma Editors and Critics: Ellen Datlow Journalists: Sebastian Hafner, Brian Redhead, Lawrence Schiller, Cokie Roberts Officials: Woodrow Wilson Media and Others: Cliff Arquette, Joe Bologna, Diane von Furstenberg, Barbara Olson, Tracey Ullman, Sean Hannity, Gerina Dunwich

Mystery / Crime / Suspense Writers
Crime: Edward Bunker

Fantasy / Science Fiction Writers
Fantasy: Susan Shwartz, Lewis Shiner Science Fiction: Isaac Asimov, Bob Shaw, Connie Willis

Visual Artists
Graphic Novelists: Steve Rude, Christopher Ware, Ariel Schrag Manga: Noake Urasawa Cartoonists and Cartoon Writers: Stan Lee, B Kliban, Lynda Barry, Julie Doucet

Events to read about this week:

New Year’s Day with its Rose Parade and Rose Bowl, the birth of J. Edgar Hoover, Benazir Bhutto, first paying audience for a movie, the Pledge of Allegiance, the Endangered Species Act, Thomas a Becket's murder in a cathedral, the first freeway, Henri Matisse.

Obituaries
Film Critic Robin Wood (78); Novelist Loren Singer (86); New York Review of Books illustrator David Levine (83).

This Week’s Questions:

Can you tell us what you would like to see and read about in our Glendale Public Library Book Talk blog? Please leave a comment so we can make this blog more useful and interesting to you.

Would you send in a few lines about a book you've recently read from the Glendale Public Library and think other readers would like? (All submissions will be assessed for appropriateness and edited for size and readability as well as content restrictions but will be considered by blog editors. Please include the name of your branch library. Only a first name and last name initial will be used to identify the submitter.)

Answer to Last Week’s Questions:

"If I would have realized that the stories in my head would be as intriguing to others as they were to me, I would probably have started writing sooner. Believe in your own taste." - Twilight series creator Stephenie Meyer

"There was never a question in my mind. Ever since I could hold a pencil, I wrote poems, skits, plays. We put a velvet curtain up in the garage and the garage was our stage and people sat in the driveway." - Romantic suspense mystery writer Mary Higgins Clark