Social, literary, biblio-therapeutic, or competitive, book clubs have long been an adjunct to the Westport Library. From 1908 on, the Library has always been a place to expect some conversation about reading. In the 1970s, there was a Great Books discussion group and also a Seniors Book Club, which met in the YMCA in the winter and under a tree by the water at Longshore in the summer. (That was a pleasant assignment in many ways.) Now, the Library sponsors two groups, The Usual Suspects and Pageturners, which meet at the Library each month. In addition, the Library supports 52...
1-Exile, identity and disappointment infuse these tales of families straddling two cultures and uncomfortable in both. Lahiri’s writing is seamless, her characters strike no false notes, her understanding of immigrant experience gives unusual emotional depth as the generations sort out their lives. Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri 2-The world’s largest defense contractor stars in this terrifying thriller. Events are set in motion to change the world. Whole Truth by David Baldacci 3-A condemned inmate offers an organ transplant. Picoult builds her dramatic story around current issues of transplants, capital punishment, justice and redemption and glues it all together with family...
Although English is Australia's official language, Australians use a lot of slang, sometimes called "Strine", short for "Aw-strine"! To give it "a burl" is to give it a try, and if you like your mysteries set in more unusual locations, here’s one for you, mate. Part-Aborigine Emily Tempest returns to her tribal home in the beautiful wilds of Central Australia after being educated and traveling abroad in Adrian Hyland’s debut novel, Moonlight Downs, which won the Ned Kelly Award, Australia's highest crime fiction prize. Emily is no sooner settled in when her best friend’s father, a highly respected community leader,...
If you attended our author series when Elinor Lipman spoke about her book My Latest Grievance (2006), you will recall she told us that one of her previous novels, Then She Found Me was slated for film with Helen Hunt directing and starring. It's the story of a young woman whose birth mother pops up in the middle of her already complicated life. Authors often mention the possibility of their books becoming films, but usually with an implicit or explicit “I’ll believe it when I see it.” Well, it has happened! Helen Hunt has been ubiquitous in the media talking...
In 1919 there were 3500 libraries in the United States. Half of them were funded by Andrew Carnegie. Books were always important to Carnegie from the time of his childhood in Scotland to his eventual fame as a wealthy American industrialist and philanthropist. One important feature of Carnegie libraries was the “self-serve stacks.” Library users were allowed to browse, instead of requesting that certain books be retrieved. We’ve come a long way! The Westport Library was not established as a Carnegie Library. We are not sure why Mr Carnegie’s largesse was not accepted. But, of course, Morris Ketchum Jesup funded...