Calling all history buffs!

The History channel, on November 15, premiered a five night special called WWII in HD. Many of the once black and white images were made into color, I would think to make the experience more real to the viewer. The beginning of the series starts off, of course, with the entrance of the United States into the war. Battle scenes are not, however, the only thing shown throughout the series. Life in both America and Europe are portrayed as well as narrative from characters are scattered throughout. The footage, at times graphic, is breathtaking. If you are interested in witnessing some pieces of this great war in our history, this is a documentary that should not be missed.

Make this your next Official Book Club Selection!

Official Book Club Selection by Kathy Griffin

Reviewed by Suzanne M., Director

When I checked out Official Book Club Selection by Kathy Griffin I assumed the book would be very much like her stand-up act, as in full of celebrity gossip and foul language. However, I was surprised to find an straightforward and revealing memoir. Griffin candidly discusses her upbringing and subsequent journey into the world of entertainment. Her no-holds-barred approach to comedy is applied to Official Book Club Selection--Griffin is not afraid to admit her mistakes, bad choices, and embarrassments. Readers will discover that there is more to Kathy Griffin then her irreverent stage persona--she is sensitive, thoughtful, and fiercely loyal. Griffin fans will love this book, but due to it's refreshing honesty, Official Book Club Selection may win her some new fans as well. Definitely a stand-out among the flood of celebrity memoirs being published right now.

Official Book Club Selection can be reserved through the Chester County Library System online catalog. To learn more about Kathy Griffin visit her website.

New Teen Read: Viola in Reel Life

Viola in Reel Life by Adriana Trigiani

Reviewed by Suzanne M., Director

Viola in Reel Life is the first teen novel by popular adult author Adriana Trigiani. In it, high school freshman Viola Chesterton is transplanted from Brooklyn, New York to an all-girl boarding school in the Midwest while her parents are filming a documentary in Afghanistan. An only child accustomed to a very small circle of friends, Viola is extremely uncomfortable living in a quad with four other girls. She resolves to get through this year as painless and as friendless as she can seeking solace in her video camera. However, life at The Prefect Academy for Young Women has other plans for Viola.

Due to the huge popularity of Trigiani's Big Stone Gap series, I had expected a little more from Viola in Reel Life. It was an adorable story, but very formulaic (girl faces adversity, girl is frustrated, girl has revelation, girl works hard, girl prevails). While a nice addition to the Young Adult collection, it is not a stand-out in this fast-growing genre. Girls in 6th - 10th grade will adore the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of Viola and her roommates, but lack of character development will make it difficult for Trigiani's adult fans to cross-over. Recommended to tween and teen girls looking for a sweet tale of friendship.

Reserve your copy of Viola in Reel Life through the Chester County Library System online catalog. To learn more about author Adriana Trigiani and her work, visit her website.

Library Hours for the Week of Thanksgiving

Monday 10:00 - 8:00

Tuesday 10:00 - 8:00

Wednesday 10:00 - 5:00

Thursday - Closed

Friday - Closed

Saturday 10:00 - 5:00

Don't forget our "Food for Films" Thanksgiving Food Drive. It ends this Saturday, November 21. Please donate non-perishable items. For every 2 items donated, receive 1 free DVD rental! Items collected will be given to the Spring City Food Pantry.

The library staff wishes everyone a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!

What are you reading?

Many readers have already discovered the wonderful world of online book logging. These sites allow you to keep track of the books you've read and books that you plan on reading. You can review and rate books and read what others have to say about the books you're interested in.

There are several different options for logging your books online:

aNobii

Goodreads

LibraryThing

Shelfari

These websites are free to use. You will need to create a user profile and provide a valid email address. These sites function as social networking sites so you can meet and chat with fellow book lovers if you choose. They also feature web 2.0 applications so you can link your online book log with other social networking sites you use such as Facebook.

Log on today and start building your virtual bookshelves!

Testing 1, 2, 3!

The Guinea Pig Diaries: My Life as an Experiment by A.J. Jacobs

Reviewed by Suzanne M., Director

My brother-in-law and I have a running joke as to who is the biggest know-it-all in the family (it's him, by the way). So a couple of Christmases ago, he gave me A.J. Jacobs' book The Know-It-All as a gag gift. In it, Jacobs decides to read the entire Encyclopedia Britannica from cover to cover. This "gag" gift turned out to be funny, smart, and bursting with interesting factoids, and I immediately became a fan of Jacobs. Jacobs followed-up with The Year of Living Biblically in which he spent a year following The Ten Commandments complete with growing a beard and wearing a robe and sandals.

The Guinea Pig Diaries is Jacobs' third book and chronicles some of his smaller experiments. In it Jacobs outsources his life to a team in India, practices Radical Honesty, crashes the Academy Awards, follows George Washington's 110 rules for life, and dedicates one month to following his wife's every whim. A funny, light-hearted memoir, The Guinea Pig Diaries is also insightful and educational.

The smallest of Jacobs' three books, this one took me the longest to read. The middle drags slightly, and I wondered how much was filler to meet a publication deadline. Nevertheless, the beginning and end make this a worthwhile read. If you are a fan of Jacobs' previous works, then you will enjoy this one as well.

The Guinea Pig Diaries: My Life as an Experiment can be reserved through the Chester County Library System. To learn more about New York Times bestselling author A.J. Jacobs visit his website.

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