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Hitchcock-ian Reads

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It's the birthday of Alfred Hitchcock. To honor the Master of Suspense, our crackerjack team of book experts came up with a list of books that would do him proud: psychological suspense novels that give readers the same creepy, think-y thrill as watching his movies... and feature twists that no one saw coming.

Short Stories

dahl

Roald Dahl’s Collected Stories has dark twists and turns, with endings you can’t predict unless you get totally obsessed and read them all in a row. (I may have done that.) —Jenny Rosenoff, Mulberry Street

 

 

 

 


 

castle

Before someone beats me to it, I recommend Shirley Jackson’s stories. Whether we’re talking about her legendary short story, “The Lottery,” or her morbid yet strangely charming, We Have Always Lived in the Castle, Jackson is a master at stringing the reader along, and throwing in a twist that’s sure to please as much as it shocks. —Andrew Fairweather, Seward Park

 

 

 

 

Graphic Novels

another

I’ll go with Another by Yukito Ayatsuji, art by Hiro Kiyohara. New student Koichi Sakakibara has just transferred to a new school, with classmates who appear on edge and afraid all the time. He befriends one of them, the withdrawn Mei Misaki, but she is unable to be seen by any of the other kids in the class. As the story unfolds, Koichi learns that his class has a curse bestowed upon it, and when students start to die gruesome deaths, the plot twists come out in abundance! —Joe Pascullo, Grand Central

 

 

 

Fiction

traitor's purse

Margery Allingham’s books have been re-released in paperback, and some are highly suspenseful. So I’ll go with Traitor’s Purse, an Albert Campion novel that combines Hitchcockian themes of amnesia and the very thin line between leadership and obsession. —Barbara Cohen-Stratyner, Exhibitions

 

 

 

 

sherlock

The Last Sherlock Holmes Story by Michael Dibdin pits the world’s greatest detective against its most famous serial killer, Jack the Ripper. Holmes and the steadfast Watson pursue the Ripper through London’s gas-lit, foggy streets as the murders pile up. It is a different take on the post-Reichenbach Holmes and a sinister tale that leaves you shaking with its final reveal. —Joshua Soule, Spuyten Duyvil

 

 

 

 

crow girl

Crow Girl comes to mind, if you like your Hitchcockian fever dream in a Nordic noir setting. It’s a Swedish police procedural featuring three strong female characters. Jeanette Kihlberg, investigating the murders of refugee children, teams up with mysterious psychologist Sophia Zetterlund. Her specialty is multiple personalities, and her victimized patient, Victoria Bergman, is at the center of the drama. Expect a religious cult backstory with WWII roots and a Vertigo-esque vibe that keeps you guessing. For Stieg Larsson fans who want to go deeper and darker, it’s grim stuff packed into 750+ suspenseful pages (yes, there’s an ebook available). —Jeremy Megraw, Billy Rose Theatre Division

 

 

lake house

In the atmospheric The Lake House by Kate Morton, a young female detective, on vacation in Cornwall, stumbles upon an isolated, abandoned lake house covered in overgrown vines and moss, seemingly stuck in time for over 70 years. As she explores, she begins to discover its secrets and tragedies as a home to a family torn apart by a child gone missing on a beautiful midsummer’s eve. Meanwhile, hours away, in London, the daughter of the family, now in her ’80s and a best-selling author, is still haunted by the disappearance of her baby brother. Hitchcock would have milked the story’s isolated setting, the oppressive heat of summer, and the dark underbelly of familial love. —Anne Rouyer, Mulberry Street

 

 

salem

Stephen King may be known mostly for gore and ghouls, but in Salem’s Lot, he creates one of the most overpowering atmospheres of tension and slow-burning dread I’ve ever come across. A small town in Maine, a series of children disappearing, a mysterious visitor from Europe, a notorious house where a suicide took place long ago... all are key ingredients in this sizzling powder-keg of a novel. —Isaiah Pittman, Inwood






 

talented

The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith. I simply could not believe the nonchalant deviousness of Tom Ripley. The 1999 film starring Matt Damon, Jude Law, and Gwyneth Paltrow perfectly captured the tense, creepy feelings and paranoia in the book. —Maura Muller, Volunteer Office

 

 

 

 

Mysteries

arrowood

Arrowood by Laura McHugh. Gothic old house: check. Suspenseful mystery: check. Summer in Iowa has never been so creepy. —Jenny Baum, Jefferson Market

 

 

 

 

 

 

likeness

Vertigo meets Read Window in The Likeness by Tana French, a sharply drawn Irish police procedural in which the striking resemblance of Detective Cassie Matthews to a murder victim leads the police to report that the victim has survived, and to enlist Matthews to go undercover as the murdered girl. —David Nochimson, Pelham Parkway-Van Nest

 

 

 

 

vertigo

The most Hitchcock-ian group of books is formed by those the Master himself adapted as films. The French source of Vertigo—by Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac, writing jointly as “Boileau-Narcejac”—was originally published as D’entre les morts in French and The Living and the Dead in English. NYPL has it in both languages. The story is roughly the same as in the film: A detective becomes obsessed with the mysterious beauty he has been hired to follow. Traumatized by her suicide, which he was powerless to prevent, he later falls deeply in love with her presumed double. The original story was set in Paris during and after World War II. —Kathie Coblentz, Rare Materials

 

 

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Have trouble reading standard print? Many of these titles are available in formats for patrons with print disabilities.

Staff picks are chosen by NYPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We'd love to hear your ideas too, so leave a comment and tell us what you’d recommend. And check out our Staff Picks browse tool for more recommendations!


MyLibraryNYC Best of 2015-16 Gr. PreK-5

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MyLibraryNYC is a partnership between the NYC Department of Education and the city's three public library systems, providing enhanced borrowing privileges, Teacher Sets, and support from outreach librarians to over 500 schools in all five boroughs.  

We're looking back on our favorite resources from our work with educators, students, and fellow librarians during the last school year in anticipation of the 2016-17 school year.  We hope these lists inspire you as you prepare for September!

Books

El Deafo

El Deafo by Cece Bell

Check out the Teacher Set: Great Books for 5th Grade, Biographies and Memoirs in Graphic Novel Form , El Deafo Book Club Set

 

 

 

 

 

When the Beat Was Born

When the Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip Hop by Laban Carrick Hill

Check out the Teacher Set: Great Books for 4th Grade, Hip Hop History, Coretta Scott King Award Winners

 

 

George

George by Alex Gino

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lost in NYC

Lost in NYC: A Subway Adventure by Nadja Spiegelman & Sergio García Sánchez

Check out the Teacher Set: Great Books for 2nd Grade

 

 

 

Teacher Sets

Teacher Sets are only available to educators at participating  MyLibraryNYC schools.  If you are not a MyLibraryNYC educator, you can access many of the same titles at your local library.  You may also be eligible for special borrowing privileges with an Educator Card.  Questions?  Email us at help@mylibrarynyc.org

Teacher Set orders will open on Monday, August 22 with delivery resuming on Tuesday, September 6.

Mo Willems Assorted Read Aloud Bookpack

 

Mo Willems Read Aloud

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A fun assorted set of read alouds and audio all by favorite author Mo Willems!

Dr. Seuss Assorted Set with DVD  

 

Dr. Seuss Assorted

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No one can entertain early learners like Dr. Seuss! Use this assorted set for storytime, browsing and sharing to get children reading and listening. Also included is a DVD of favorite Seuss stories.

Yucky Critters

Yucky Critters
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Yucky critters get their due in this cute set from the Disgusting Critters series. Fun illustrations and nonfiction text tell the story of the spider, worm, slug and rat. Just because they aren't warm and fuzzy doesn't mean we can't learn something from them. Use for supplemental classroom reading or to add a fun selection to storytime.

Check out the infographic below for our top circulating Teacher Sets

Top Teacher Sets PreK-5

Check them out: 

Databases

Amazing Animals of the World

AmazingAnimals

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BookFlixFreedomFlix, ScienceFlix, and TrueFlix  

(What we refer to as "The Flixes."  Special shout out to ScienceFlix for allowing users to change the reading level of articles!)

ScienceFlix

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TumbleBooks  

(check out the Videos tab for short National Geographic videos; good for research or for fun)

TumbleBook Library

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please share your favorite resources of 2015-16 in the comments!  

MyLibraryNYC Best of 2015-16 Gr. 6-12

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MyLibraryNYC is a partnership between the NYC Department of Education and the city's three public library systems, providing enhanced borrowing privileges, Teacher Sets, and support from outreach librarians to over 500 schools in all five boroughs.  

We're looking back on our favorite resources from our work with educators, students, and fellow librarians during the last school year in anticipation of the 2016-17 school year.  We hope these lists inspire you as you prepare for September!

Books

When I Was the Greatest

When I Was the Greatest by Jason Reynolds

Check out the Teacher Set: Great Books for 7th & 8th Grade, Coretta Scott King Award Winners with Playaway Audiobook

 

 

 

Ms. Marvel

Ms. Marvel: No Normal by G. Willow Wilson

Check out the Teacher Set: Reluctant Readers Assorted Fiction, Great Graphic Novels for Teens

 

 

 

 

 

Most Dangerous

Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War by Steve Sheinkin

Check out the Teacher Set: American Democracy - Foundations and Struggles, Most Dangerous Book Club Set, YALSA Nonfiction Award Winners (Set III)

 

 

 

 

March

March: Book One by John Lewis and Andrew Ayden

Check out the Teacher Set: National African American History Month, Civil Rights, March: Book One Book Club Set

 

 

 

Teacher Sets

Teacher Sets are only available to educators at participating  MyLibraryNYC schools.  If you are not a MyLibraryNYC educator, you can access many of the same titles at your local library.  You may also be eligible for special borrowing privileges with an Educator Card.  Questions?  Email us at help@mylibrarynyc.org

Teacher Set orders will open on Monday, August 22nd with delivery resuming on Tuesday, September 6th.

Sibert Nonfiction Award Winners with Playaway Audiobook

Sibert Award Winners

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Introduce your class to award winning nonfiction. This set is a browsing collection of Winners, and Honor Books from 2013 and 2014 for the Robert J. Sibert Informational Book Medal.  Titles include the best in narrative nonfiction, informational texts, and biographies from a given year.

Great Graphic Novels for Teens

Great Graphic Novels

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Great Graphic Novels for Teens is a list of recommended graphic novels and illustrated nonfiction for those ages 12-18, prepared yearly by YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association, a division of the ALA). Graphic novels and comics are a great tool to reach struggling readers, hi-lo readers, or readers having trouble engaging. 

Hip Hop History 

Hip Hop History

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Engage young readers with this set on the history (and future) of Hip-Hop music. This set has personal accounts, general overviews, graphic novel and picture book accounts, and books that look at different musical sounds to be used to find influences in today's music. This set can be used for music appreciation, research reports, biography studies, African American history and to engage reluctant readers.

Check out the infographic below for our top circulating Teacher Sets

Top Teacher Sets 6-12

Check them out:

Databases

Freegal Music

Freegal Music

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Opposing Viewpoints

Opposing Viewpoints

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Biography in Context

Biography in Context

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mango Languages

Mango Languages

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please share your favorite resources of 2015-16 in the comments!  

NYPLarcade: Fall 2016

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INSIDE (Playdead, 2016)

What?

NYPLarcade is an opportunity to play and discuss independent, experimental, and thought-provoking games at the Library. Think of it as a book club, but for video games.

Who?

These events should interest teens, students, artists, designers, librarians, and anyone who loves games.

We also offer professional development (PD) credit to educators who attend and (if you teach at a MyLibraryNYC school) we can often schedule a date to bring the games you see to your school library or classroom as part of an outreach visit.

When?

Our fall series takes place on the last Wednesday of every month from August to November. Play begins at 6 p.m. and is followed by a discussion starting around 7 p.m.

Where?

All events listed below will take place at Jefferson Market Library in Greenwich Village, located at 425 Avenue of the Americas between 9th and 10th Street. We meet in the first floor Willa Cather Community Room and admission is free and open to the public.

Please download official NYPLarcade flyers here. You can also follow us on Twitter (@nyplarcade) or join our mailing list for updates on upcoming events.

DateGameDeveloperYear
August 31, 2016INSIDEPlaydead2016
September 28, 20161979 Revolution: Black FridayiNK Stories /
N-Fusion Interactive
2016
October 26, 2016No Man's SkyHello Games2016
November 30, 2016TBATBA2016

Please feel free to contact Thomas Knowlton at thomasknowlton@nypl.org or @thomasknowlton if you any questions.

President Obama's Summer 2016 Reading List

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Fiction

The Girl on the Train
Seveneves
 a novel

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
A psychological suspense set in London which smacks of Hitchcock.

Seveneves by Neal Stephenson
Compelling work of science fiction about Earth’s doomed fate.

The Underground Railroad: A Novel by Colson Whitehead
Follow Cora, an enslaved woman, from brutalization to escape, into possibly inconceivable evil in this historical fiction penned by Colson Whitehead, The 2002 Pulitzer Prize Finalist in Fiction (John Henry Days, Doubleday).

Non-Fiction

 A Surfing Life
H is for hawk  by Helen Macdonald

Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life by William Finnegan
Professional surfer William Finnegan’s self-portrait of obsession is The 2016 Pulitzer Prize Winnerin autobiography.

H Is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald
Training a dangerous bird-of-prey named Mabel is the coping mechanism Helen Macdonald uses while grieving the death of her father. She explores her struggle and fixation in this real-life account.

Titles from Summer 2015:

13 Literary Sports Books (and One Movie) That Go for the Gold

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Megafans and sportsballs haters alike get swept up during the Olympics, that hotbed of triumph and joy and injury and loss in a controlled context. Perhaps that’s why we laypeople can relate so deeply to the stories and the excitement. Much has been said about NBC’s Olympic programming decisions and, specifically, NBC’s perception that their viewers, mostly female, are more interested in the journey than the result. Regardless of how you feel about that interpretation, we hope you’ll enjoy some of these novels and literary memoirs that examine sports in our everyday lives and the more philosophical and meditative aspects of exertion and competition. Some are love letters for the already-converted, some would warm even coldest of sports-hating hearts, and all will add layers of complexity and nuance to some of your favorite Olympic events.

Swimming

Swimming Studies

Swimming Studies by Leanne Shapton
Shapton’s training for the Olympic trials as a teenager taught her the discipline and focus that has made her into an award-winning writer and illustrator today. The act of swimming itself is meditative and often solitary, and Shapton brings that world to her readers.

Joy of Swimming

Aquamarine by Carol Anshew​
​​​Originally published almost 25 years ago, Anshew’s concise gem of a novel imagines three different responses (and lives) for an Olympic swimmer whose heart is broken by her biggest rival -- who then beats her for the gold medal.

The Joy of Swimming by Lisa Congdon
Lisa Congdon is one of my favorite illustrators, and in her latest book she combines her love for swimming with her stunning colors and impeccable hand lettering.

Gymnastics

You Will Know Me

You Will Know Me by Megan Abbott
Abbott brings her skill for crafting page-turning plots and compelling characters to the world of competitive gymnastics.

 

 

 

    Tennis

    Love Love

    Love Love by Sung Woo
    A former tennis player and his sister are both struggling, and they look at how their histories have brought them to where they are and what it might be like to start from scratch. I love how the tennis metaphor of the title has so many layers.

    Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace (or String Theory for his nonfiction writing and his stellar Roger Federer essay)
    The sections on tennis, which DFW calls “chess on the run,” were my favorite in Infinite Jest -- they propelled me to get through the entire massive novel. And his nonfiction is equally stunning. His Roger Federer essay, “Both Flesh and Not,” is a perfect balance of entertaining and thought-provoking, and it highlights both how the game changes over time and how individual mastery can shape that evolution.

    Running

    Long Distance Runner

    What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami
    Running brought Japanese master Murakami through a dark time early in his life and provided him with tools to cope and to become a better writer.

    The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner by Alan Sillitoe
    John Williams’ Stoner meets Billy Elliot in this 20th century British classic.

     

    Soccer (Football)

    Soccer in Sun and Shadow

    The Damned UTD or Red or Dead by David Peace
    In the most mesmerizing prose, Peace tells the stories of down-on-their-luck managers or down-on-their-luck teams in need of a savior in the drama-filled world of English club soccer.

    Soccer in Sun and Shadow by Eduardo Galeano
    Galeano’s style is truly unique, and in this book he shines his kaleidoscopic lens on soccer. He creates a patchwork of anecdotes on the history, politics, players, rivalries, and fans, and few have written about the game as lyrically as Galeano does.

    The Loneliness of the Goalkeeper” episode of the Radiolab podcast
    Originally broadcast on BBC Radio and introduced to a wider audience by Radiolab, this is a short piece on the physical, mental, emotional, and even existential challenges and triumphs of goalkeeping, where one is both a crucial member of the team, and one who is guided by entirely different rules and skills.

    Rowing

    Safe Harbor

    Safe Harbor by Radclyffe
    While not about rowing per se, this romance novel set in Provincetown has a character who used to be an Olympic-caliber rower who was sidelined by an injury. Now, she rows every morning, and the descriptions of her captured the peace, the meditativeness, and the exertion and control necessary for rowing. They were some of my favorite paragraphs in the book.

     

     

    Boxing

    Creed, directed by Ryan Coogler and co-written by Coogler and Aaron Covington
    I don’t even like boxing and haven’t seen any Rocky movies, and I thought this film was phenomenal—its fight sequences, its characters and the acting (Michael B. Jordan especially), and the relationships that expanded and contracted throughout.

    12 YA Series We Hope Are Made Into Movies

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    This year, many books from successful YA series will be coming to the big screen, such as Divergent’s Allegiant and The 5th Wave of the eponymous series. The Divergent series is one of my all-time favorites because it has a strong female protagonist that overcomes every obstacle in her way. The 5th Wave is a fantasy series about a young girl named Cassie who does everything to save her younger brother from a camp created by aliens. My favorite thing about the series is Cassie’s resilience. Below are books that, like The 5th Wave and Allegiant, I think will make great films because they are full of plot twists, action scenes, characters you will love, and characters you will love to hate.

    Blue Bloods by Melissa De La Cruz is such a beautifully written series. It is a mixture of Gossip Girl and Vampires. Schuyler Van Alen is just finding out that she is a blue blood. She is part of a secret society of Vampires living in New York City. Schuyler befriends the most popular guy in her school, Jack Force, and together they are determined to find out why a student has been murdered.

    Red Queenby Victoria Aveyard would be a very exciting book to see on film. Red Queen is the story of Mare Barrow a seventeen-year-old with a magic power that is uncommon for her kind. Mare is a Red Blood who is a servant to the Silver Bloods. To hide her power, the king hides her in plain sight as a Silver Blood princess. From the palace, Mare secretly helps the Red Rebellion.

    Thirstby Christopher Pike is one of my favorite series of all time! The series is as exciting as a Jason Bourne movie with a female protagonist. The series is about Alisa, a five-thousand-year-old vampire on the run from her creator, Yaksha. Alisa befriends Ray to find her maker but she falls in love with him — and now she must protect not only herself.

    Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow is tells the tale of Dru Anderson, a girl who has a secret power her grandmother calls “the touch” which helps Dru know when danger is near. When Dru’s father turns up as a zombie, she knows that she is being hunted, and her friends will not let face that is coming alone.As Dru trains and learns to protect herself, she learns who she really is.

    An Ember in the Ashesby Sabaa Tahir is a story told in dual perspectives, that of Laia, who is a slave, and Elias, who is a soldier. As their story lines intertwine, they learn that their choices can change everything for the Martial Empire.

    The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh tells the story of Shahrzad, a young beautiful woman who volunteers to marry Khalid the Caliph of Khorasan. Every morning the Caliph’s wife is executed. But Shahrzad has a plan to stay alive and kill the Caliph. As she discovers who the Caliph really is, she begins to fall in love with him, but she must now learn the reason for the morning executions. The Wrath and the Dawn is a retelling of A Thousand and One Nights.

    Just One Dayby Gayle Forman is the story of Allyson Healey who meets Willem on her last day of a three-week European tour. Willem is her complete opposite: a free spirit compared to her more planned and ordered life view. He invites her to Paris and when she uncharacteristically accepts and takes a risk, she finds romance and feels liberated in a 24 hour experience that leads Allyson on a path to self discovery.

    Truthwitchby Susan Dennard Truthwitch is the story of Safi and Iseult. Safi is a truthwitch; she can tell when someone is telling the truth or a lie when she hears them speak. Truthwitches are very rare and valuable in the witchlands. Iseult is a threadwitch who can see the ties between those around them. The two best friends on the run from a bloodwitch and an emperor hell-bent on capturing Safi.

    The Shadow Queen by C. J. Redwine is the story of Princess Lorelai who has fled from the palace and is hiding with her younger brother after the Evil Queen killed her father. Lorelai is a smart and strong fighter. She plans to gain the favor of the people and fight back against the Evil Queen who killed her father and stole the kingdom. At the same time, Prince Kol from the country of Elrd travels to beg the Evil Queen to save his kingdom, and the queen agrees in exchange for Lorelai’s heart.The Shadow Queen is a Snow White inspired retelling.

    Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell tells the story of Eleanor, a girl who does not fit in at school, and Park, who is a comic book lover. Eleanor and Park fall in love in this wonderful story.

    An Abundance of Katherinesby John Green tells the story of Colin Singleton. A young man who has been dumped by 19 Katherines, Colin goes on a road trip with his best friend in search of answers as to why he keeps getting dumped. Colin comes up with a mathematical theorem that can help him to predict the future of his romantic relationships.

    Ms. Marvelby G. Willow Wilson is the story of Kamala Khan a girl from Jersey City who discover the excitement and danger of her new found powers. In recent news, Captain Marvel, who is Ms. Marvel’s predecessor, will be the first female Marvel character with her own film. Captain Marvel was created by Gene Colan and Stan Lee.

    New York Times Read Alikes: August 21, 2016

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    Cozy small towns, private investigators, girls on trains... this week's list has a bit of everything, including a new J Patt thriller debuting in the No. 1 spot.

    bullseye

    #1 Recommendations for readers who enjoyed Bullseye by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge, more thriller series set in New York City:

    The John Corey novels by Nelson DeMille, starting with Plum Island

    The Stone Barrington novels by Stuart Woods, starting with New York Dead

    The NYPL Red series by James Patterson and Marshall Karp, starting with NYPL Red

     

     

     

    sweet tomorrows

    #2 Recommendations for readers who enjoyed Sweet Tomorrows by Debbie Macomber, more cozy small-town stories:

    A Home by the Sea by Christina Skye

    Second Chance Summer by Jill Shalvis

    All You Need Is Love by Marie Force

     

     

     

    girl on the train

    #3 Recommendations for readers who enjoyed The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins, more stories told from multiple perspectives:

    And Then There Was Oneby Patricia Gussin

    Murder on the Orient Expressby Agatha Christie

    Fates & Furiesby Lauren Groff

     

     

     

    truly madly

    #4 Recommendations for readers who enjoyed Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty, more tales of marriage and friendship:

    The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas

    Another Night, Another Day by Sarah Rayner

    The Woman Upstairs by Claire Messud

     

     

     

    smooth operator

    #5 Recommendations for readers who enjoyed Smooth Operator by Stuart Woods and Parnell Hall, more mysteries about private investigators:

    A Time of Torment by John Connolly

    Rise the Dark by Michael Koryta

    The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith

     

     

     

    Check out last week's readalikes here.

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    Have trouble reading standard print? Many of these titles are available in formats for patrons with print disabilities.

    Staff picks are chosen by NYPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We'd love to hear your ideas too, so leave a comment and tell us what you’d recommend. And check out our Staff Picks browse tool for more recommendations!


    President Obama's 2016 Summer Playlist

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    President Obama released his official Summer 2016 Playlist via his Twitter feed @POTUS this past Thursday. The thirty-nine track listing features a mix of classic jazz standards, popular music genres from blues, R&B, soul, funk, hip hop, and rap to American folk, Latin, and Indie rock.

    Click on any artist's name from the playlist below to read biographical information from All Music Guide.

    To request your copy of the music CDs from the NYPL catalog, click on the song title or visit your Library branch.

    The President's Summer Playlist: Daytime

    Listen on Spotify

    The President's Summer Playlist: Daytime

    The gifted
    The Gifted
    Coming home
    Coming Home
    Sometimes I sit and think, and sometimes I just sit
    Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit
    Little voice
    Little Voice


     
     The Eephus
    The Eephus
    The blueprint 3
    The Blueprint 3
    Finding forever
    Finding Forever
     
    Lift your spirit
    Lift Your Spirit
     
    Distant relatives
    Distant Relatives
    Sign "O" the times
    Sign "o" The Times
    Young, gifted and Black
    Young, Gifted And Black
    The Beach Boys
    The Beach Boys
     
    The bright lights EP
    The Bright Lights EP
    Gravel & wine
    Gravel & Wine
    Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus
    Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus

    The President's Summer Playlist: Nighttime

    The President's Summer Playlist: Nighttime

    Esperanza
    Esperanza
    What is hip?
    What Is Hip?
    The heart speaks in whispers
    The Heart Speaks in Whispers
    8 mile
    8 Mile
    All day music
    All Day Music

     
    Do you know about Freegal Music? It's one of NYPL free databases with access to about 11 million songs, including Sony Music’s catalog of legendary artists, and over 15,000 music videos. Download the mobile app and start building your music library today.

    Podcast #125: Colson Whitehead on The Underground Railroad and Poker

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    This week, we’re bringing you a rebroadcast of a conversation with MacArthur Award-winning author Colson Whitehead. The author, a former fellow at NYPL’s Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers, came to the Library in 2015 to discuss his book The Noble Hustle: Poker, Beef Jerky & Death, which chronicles his experience as an amateur card player trying his hand at the World Series of Poker and which originated as an article series for Grantland. In this conversation with Jessica Strand, MacArthur Fellow Whitehead discusses what he learned about the human condition in Las Vegas—and discusses the early stages of writing one of the most exciting books of the year, The Underground Railroad.

    Colson Whitehead at Books at Noon

    Asked about what he was currently working on, Colson Whitehead described work-in-progress. He did not mention it by name, but with hindsight, it does bear a striking resemblance to his recently released novel, The Underground Railroad:

    "I'm back to novel writing. This is a historical novel, I guess. It takes place in nineteenth century America. A lot more research, sort of annoying. Some books take a lot of research. Some don't. Zone One which is about post-apocalyptic New York didn't require a lot of research. Just walk around Whole Foods at rush hour and you're there. So this is actual reading books like old days. I'm thinking about the mid-nineteenth century. It's nice to be working on a novel again... I have twenty-four pages. Tomorrow it will be twenty-five. Friday twenty-six."

    To prepare for the World Series, the author hired both a poker coach and a physical trainer:

    "I'm hunched over, as you can see. I have bad posture, and you burn a lot of calories at the World Series. You're sweating a lot. Anxiety is wringing the weight out of your body, so it seemed a physical trainer could teach me how to sit properly, how to breathe calmly and keep my stuff together at the poker table... So I had my poker training, my physical training, and then the existential training kind of crept in as I realized I was unprepared for the World Series of Poker and had to figure out how to do it."

    Before competing in the tournament, Whitehead needed to decide the country he would represent. With characteristic wit (read Apex Hides the Hurt if you want a laugh), he decided on one foreign to most cartographers:

    "It was the World Series of Poker, but I wasn't sure which country I would represent. I'm American, but I don't always feel American. But I always feel like I'm a resident of the Republic of Anhedonia, so that was my sort of joke, anhedonia meaning the inability to feel pleasure, which I definitely I guess identify with. And so, instead of playing for America, I'd be playing for the Republic of Anhedonia, which meant figuring out what my flag would look like and getting some gear. So I got a sweatshirt made with the Republic of Anhedonia just so people would know that no, I'm not part of the Swedish team; I'm not part of the Japanese team."

    While the book does, of course, situate itself in the world of poker, Whitehead says that he doesn't think of The Noble Hustle as about poker:

    "For me the book is not so much about poker. I always thought of it more as a humor book. So I was really just trying to cram in as many jokes per page as I could while explaining poker, while explaining my experiences hopefully in a fun, entertaining way. I did want it to appeal to people who don't like poker, who hate poker, who have family members who like gambled the house away but could still pick up a book about poker."

    Whitehead began his writing career as a critic for the Village Voice, a relatively solitary endeavor. The experience of researching poker, he said, was enjoyable because it allowed for a form of proto-socialization that appealed to a more antisocial impulse:

    "I don't like talking to people or leaving the house, so if you're a critic, you can just be in your house. They send you records, send you books. You don't actually have to communicate with other people, which is what I liked about working on this book when I was researching tournament play. It really is like being at home. You're surrounded by nine other people at the table. You don't really talk to each other if you don't want to, and it's sort of like Disney World for shut-ins. I'm 'being social' and leaving the house, but I can actually pretend nobody's there."

    You can subscribe to the New York Public Library Podcast to hear more conversations with wonderful artists, writers, and intellectuals. Join the conversation today!

    The Northeasterners Inc. Records

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    Northeasterners
    Three members of the Northeasterners, Inc., Edith Scott, Louise Swain, and Helene Corbin on Seventh Avenue in Harlem, 1927

    The Northeasterners was founded as a social organization for African-American women in 1930 by Agatha Scott Davis (d. 2002), the wife of Brigadier General Benjamin O. Davis, Jr.  

    Agatha Davis was inspired to form this club after visiting African-American debutantes in different northeastern cities. She felt their similar interests would be met in a club.  Davis would serve one term in office from 1929 to 1931.

    Membership is by invitation only. Resumes for entree may  include educational background, professional careers of themselves and/or spouses, and membership in other African-American  social organizations such as the Jack and Jill Club of America  (established in 1938).  Men who join the organization are known as Lords.

    First Meeting  in New York City

    At the first meeting held on June 1930 in New York City, the members elected to call themselves the Gay Northeasterners to reflect the bright, happy, merry demeanor of the group.  In 1979 the word gay was dropped to reflect the current name.

    The  first chapters were established in New York City (serving also as the headquarters), Philadelphia and Washington. Chapters  would also open up in Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C. and the state of New Jersey.

    The Northeasterners hold an annual convention in different conclaves throughout the northeast and midwest. This organization  also has a history of  supporting charitable causes  and gives an annual scholarship to Howard University.

    Preserving the History of the Organization

    Former president Dr. Thomy D. Joyner thought that it was important to preserve the legacy of the Northeasterners and to have their archives preserved at an African-American scholarly institution. The Schomburg Center for Research for Research in Black Culture  was selected by consensus. Vivian D. Hewitt acts as the liaison to the Schomburg Center and historian for the Northeasterners.

    This blog post was inspired by the Northeasterners, Inc. records.

    The New York Public Library's Mission Statement

    #CamerasAndDancers Visits the Library for the Performing Arts

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    A large group of photographers and dancers recently descended upon The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts early one morning for a one-of-a-kind photography event: #CamerasAndDancers. Dancers from the Parsons Dance Company and the Paul Taylor Dance Company joined Jacob Jonas the Company, social influencer and photograper Dave Krugman, and a group of photographers and Instagrammers to put their own unique spin on the spaces in and around LPA.

    With the social media initiative #CamerasAndDancers, Jacob Jonas seeks to encourage collaboration and exploration through the mediums of dance and photography, to help shine a new light on the world of dance. Before the photoshoot, Jacob Jonas, Dave Krugman, and Curator of the Jerome Robbins Dance Division Linda Murray chatted about the project, and gave a behind-the-scenes look at the archival photoshoot:

    Below are a few highlights from the #CamerasAndDancers photoshoot, which utilized the spaces and natural light inside and around the Library.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Thank you to all of the photographers and dancers involved for bringing so much creativity to the spaces of the Library for the Performing Arts!

    For more photographs from the day and from other #CamerasAndDancers photoshoots, browse the #CamerasAndDancers hashtag on Instagram.

    Photographer Instagrams: Dave KrugmanOmar Z Robles,  Phil Yoon,  Jeremy CohenJose Tutiven,  Ashley McKinneyBrad Romano

    Dancer Instagrams: Laura HalzackFrancisco GracianoMichael ApuzzoIan SpringSarah BravermanOmar Roman de JesusJill Wilson

    Laborers Local 79 Recruitment Begins August 19

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    Laborers Local 79 will conduct a limited recruitment from August 19, 2016 through September 2, 2016 for 200 skilled construction craft laborer apprentices. The recruitment for Local 79 will be offered online from 9 AM to 11 AM every business day during the recruitment period. The recruitment will be offered for 10 business days or until 2,000 applicants are reached, whichever comes first. Applicants who do not have Internet access may visit their local library or call 311 and ask for the nearest New York State Department of Labor Career Center.

    Requirements: at least 18 years old at the start of the program; high school diploma or a high school equivalency diploma (such as TASC or GED); physically capable of performing the work of a skilled construction craft laborer; pass a pre-hire drug screening, at the applicant‘s expense, after acceptance into the program; provide military transfer card or discharge form DD-214, if applicable, after selection and prior to indenture.

    Application Instructions  local 79

    • Go to mttf.org
    • Follow the links for Local Union #79.
    • You will see directions on how to apply.
    • Fill out the required fields. Do not add any information outside of the fields.
    • Applicants may only apply once during the 10-day recruitment.

    Please understand that more applicants will apply than Local Union 79 can fit in the  pool of candidates. You may not get through this time. However, Union 79 hopes work is plentiful and  can have another recruitment within a few months.

    For further information, applicants should contact their nearest New York State Department of Labor office or Local Union 79 at (212) 465-7900.

    Ep. 42 "A Deeper Story" | Library Stories

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    Behind every great book lies a deeper story. This week, NYPL Board Member Gordon Davis tells the story of his parents, Allison Davis and Elizabeth Stubbs Davis, and how they came to research and write "Deep South," a seminal anthropological study of racism in the American south in the 1930's. His parents, along with two white anthropologists, effectively went under cover in order to do their field work, putting themselves in considerable peril for the better part of two years. What resulted is a text that has been read by everyone from Martin Luther King to Whitney Young, and has ripple effects across generations.

    Library Stories is a video series from The New York Public Library that shows what the Library means to our users, staff, donors, and communities through moving personal interviews.

    Like, share, and watch more Library Stories on Facebook or YouTube.

    Gordon Davis

    Fierce Fictional Female Journalists

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    Lois Lane via Flickr


    “It’s not wrong if it’s the truth.”
                                                                    —Lois Lane

    According to the DC Comics calendar, today marks the birthday of the one and only Lois Lane. First appearing in 1938’s Action Comics”#1, Lane came to embody power traits throughout the century, garnering as much acclaim as Superman. During a time when women had limited opportunities and even less representations in media, Lane broke the mold by developing into a character who was fierce, honest, and independent—able to seek truth and justice and defend herself without Superman’s help.

    Lane helped pave the way for representations of ambitious, fearless female journalists in comics, books, and film: they have been given more in-depth storylines and have come to be seen as more than romantic accessories to the hero of the story. Somewhere in the past decade, however, Hollywood began to paint fictional female journalists in an increasingly negative light, and it still has a long way to go when it comes to representing women of color.

    So, to celebrate Lane's birthday, we're taking a look back at other fierce female fictional journalists who seek their own respective truths, and we look forward to a future where they are represented in a broader spectrum of diversity.

    1. April O’Neil — Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

    TMNT cover

    Making her first appearance in the Mirage Comics series in 1984 as a computer programmer, April is later protrayed as a news reporter in the animated series from Archie Comics. Friend, mentor, and confidante, O'Neil is smart, determined, and compassionate—an integral member of the gang. 

     

     

     


     

    2.  Mary Tyler Moore — The Mary Tyler Moore Show

    Mary Tyler Moore show cover

    In the 70s, Mary Tyler Moore won audiences over as Mary Richards, a single, thirty-something woman working as a news producer in Minneapolis. Noted as "TV's first truly female-dominated sitcom," the show broke the mold of a male-dominated work force with a focus on a woman in the office, not the home. 

     

     

     

     

     

    3. Hildy Johnson — His Girl Friday

    His Girl Friday movie cover

    An adaptation of The Front Page, follows the relationship between an editor (Walter Burns) and star reporter (Hildy Johnson). Set to marry and lead a life as wife and mother, Johnson is enticed back in to reporting, covering the upcoming execution and escape of convicted murderer Earl Williams. With a story in her grasp, she becomes consumed with writing, leaving her potential life of domesticity behind her.

     

     

     

     

    4. Vera Hastings — The Room and The Chair

    Author Lorraine Adams, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, tells a story of U.S. involvement in the Middle East, specifically Washington after 9/11. The novel begins with an ominous nighttime plane crash—an accident quietly handled— and Hastings, a novice reporter, is sent by her editor to find the true reasons behind the crash.
     

    5. Murphy Brown — Murphy Brown

    Murphy Brown cover

    An investigative journalist and news anchor for fictional news magazine FYI, Murphy Brown is a talented and hot-tempered media personality. The show depicts the world of a single mother and working woman, attempting to balance both her career and raising a child.

     

     

     

     

     

    6. Andrea Sachs — The Devil Wears Prada

    Devil Wears Prada cover

    Technically an aspiring journalist, Sachs is fresh out of Northwestern University looking to make it in New York City. Her career begins as a junior personal assistant to the editor-in-chief  (Miranda Priestly) of the prestigious Runway fashion magazine with the hopes of finding a job as a writer or reporter later on. The novel follows her year of understanding—and ultimately falling for—the fashion industry, Priestly's ridicule, and self-discovery. 

     

     

     


     

    7. Rory Gilmore — Gilmore Girls

    Another honorary member on the list, Rory Gilmore is a spunky wanna-be journalist, a feminist thinker, voracious reader, and ambitious in a way rarely seen in female representations at the time in media. Almost always seen carrying a book, Gilmore is an exemplary student who attends the elite Chilton School (and later Yale University as a Journalism major) with dreams of becoming the next Christiane Amanpour. 
     

    8. Carrie Bradshaw — Sex and the City

    Carrie Bradshaw

    One of the most famous portrayals of a female journalist in media, Carrie Bradshaw is a newspaper columnist—and later a freelance writer for Vogue—who writes a weekly column called "Sex and the City" for The New York Star, chronicling her turbulent love life. Though the controversial character certainly has flaws, Bradshaw is talented, self-sufficient,  and successful in her own right.

     

     

     


     


    Women in Translation Month: Yiddish

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    August is Women in Translation Month. Celebrate Yiddish women writers in English translation with poetry, fiction, memoirs, prayers, and cookbooks from the Library’s collection.

    Irena Klepfisz
    Translator, poet and author Irena Klepfisz. Image ID: 1661039

    Women writers in Yiddish constitute a significant group, both creatively and demographically. An informal survey uncovered roughly 900 women writers in Yiddish primarily in book form, without even attempting to document those who wrote for the press.

    Some of these writers have gained more prominence in recent years, thanks in part to new translation efforts. This is certainly a welcome development, considering that only 2% of Yiddish literature, primarily that by male authors, has been translated. This statistic comes from the Yiddish Book Center, which has also recently highlighted some of the female translators active in their translation initiatives.

    Below are Yiddish books by women translated into English in book form, arranged by genre. Translations also appear in journals such as Bridges, In Geveb, Pakn Treger, and on the Yiddish Book Center’s website.

    Yiddish Books by Women in English Translation

    Poetry

    Hayah Rahel Andres

    • For whom do I sing my songs Far ṿemen zing ikh mayne lider. an araynfir un opshatsung fun Shalom Shṭern; iberzetsungen oyf English fun Yudl Ḳohen; [redaḳṭirṭ fun Dzshaneṭ Ḳohen].

    Celia Dropkin

    • The Acrobat: Selected Poems, translated from the Yiddish by Faith Jones, Jennifer Kronovet, and Samuel Solomon; foreword by Edward Hirsch.

    Fell-Sara Yellin

    Rukhl Fishman

    • I Want to Fall Like This= Azoy ṿil ikh faln: selected poems, translated from the Yiddish by Seymour Levitan; with an introduction by David G. Roskies.

    Troim Katz Handler

    Irena Klepfisz

    Rokhl Korn

    • Generations: Selected Poems, edited by Seymour Mayne; In praise of Rachel Korn by Elie Wiesel; translated from the Yiddish by Rivka Augenfeld et. al.

    Anna Margolin

    Kadya Molodowsky

    Kady Molodowskya, Anna Margolin, Malka Heifetz Tussman

    Sarah Moskovitz

    Chava Rosenfarb

    Gitl Schaechter-Viswanath

    • Plutsemdiḳer regn: lider, iberzetsungen fun Yeḥiel-Abo Sandler un Sholem Berger; haḳdomeh fun Sheve Tsuḳer

    Songs to a moonstruck Lady: women in Yiddish poetry [collection]- selected and translated by Barnett Zumoff ; with an introductory essay by Emanuel S. Goldsmith

    Sylvia Siegel-Schildt

    Dora Teitelboim

    Malka Heifetz Tussman

    Rosa Newman Walinska

    R. Zychlinska

    • God Hid His Face. Translated from the Yiddish by Barnett Zumoff, Aaron Kramer, Marek Kanter, and others; with an introductory essay by Emanuel S. Goldsmith.

    Fiction

    Bella Goldworth

    Esther Singer Kreytman

    • Diamonds[Brilyantn]. translated from the Yiddish and with an introduction by Heather Valencia.
    • Dance of the Demons [Sheydim-tants]. Translated from Yiddish by Maurice Carr; introduction by Ilan Stavans; afterword by Anita Norich; biographical essays by Maurice Carr and Hazel Karr (2009)
    • Deborah [Sheydim-tants]. With a new introduction by Clive Sinclair; translated by Maurice Carr (1983)

    Blume Lempel

    Lili Berger, Rochel Brokhes, Sheindl Franzus-Garfinkle, Shira Gorshman, Chayele Grober, Sarah Hamer-Jaclyn, Rachel Korn, Blume Lempel, Ida Maze, Rikudah Potash, Chava Rosenfarb, Dora Schulner, Mirl Erdberg Shatan

    Dvora Baron, Celia Dropkin, Rochel Faygenberg, Rachel Korn, Esther Singer Kreitman, Blume Lempel, Helen Londynski, Kadya Molodowsky, Fradel Schtok, Yente Serdatzky

    Lili Berger, Rochel Brokhes, Shira Gorshman, Hamer-Sarah Jacklyn, Rachel Korn, Esther Singer Kreitman, Malke Lee, Blume Lempel, Ida Maze, Kadya Molodowsky, Rikudah Potash, Miriam Raskin, Chava Rosenfarb, Dora Schulner, Yente Serdatzky, Chava Slucka-Kestin

    Bryna Bercovitch, Rochel Brokhes, Frankel-Paula Zaltzman, Hamer-Sarah Jacklyn, Malke Lee, Rikudah Potash, Chava Rosenfarb, Anne Viderman

    Kadya Molodowsky

    Adele Mondry

    Chava Rosenfarb

    Memoirs

    Hayah Rahel Andres

    Hinde Bergner

    Bertha Ferderber-Salz

    Glueckel of Hameln

    Puah Rakovska

    Religious writings

    Women such as Sore bas Tovim, Seril Rappaport, Sore of Krasny, and Rokhl Ester bas Avikhayl, as well as men, wrote and published tkhines—described in the YIVO Encyclopedia as “private devotions and paraliturgical prayers usually in Yiddish, primarily for women.”

    Ṭiḳṭiner, Rivḳah bat Meʼir. Meneket Rivkah: A Manual of Wisdom and Piety for Jewish Women; edited with an introduction and commentary by Frauke von Rohden; translation by Samuel Spinner; translation of introduction and commentary by Maruce Tszorf.

    A Book of Jewish Women's Prayers: Translations from the Yiddish; Selected and with Commentary by Norman Tarnor.

    The Merit of Our Mothers: A Bilingual Anthology of Jewish Women's Prayers = Bizkhus imohes compiled and introduced by Tracy Guren Klirs; translated by Tracy Guren Klirs, Ida Cohen Selavan, and Gella Schweid Fishman; annotated by Faedra Lazar Weiss and Barbara Selya.

    Seyder tkhines: The Forgotten Book of Common Prayer for Jewish Women, translated and edited with commentary by Devra Kay.

    Teḥinah = Techinas: A Voice From the Heart: "As Only a Woman Can Pray" selected and translated by Rivka Zakutinsky.

    Cookbooks

    Vilna Vegetarian CookbookH. Braun

    Malky Eisenberger

    Fania Lewando

    Stories from the Line: Waiting for Free Shakespeare

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    “Part of the fun for me is just waiting in line, to be honest.” –Bernard Connaughton, Regular Line Waiter at Free Shakespeare in the Park

    NYPL Oral History Volunteers at Delcorte Theater

    Armed with recorders, cameras, and bottled water, volunteer interviewers from the NYPL Community Oral History Project went on tour this month to the Delacorte Theater in Central Park to talk to people in line for The Public Theater’s annual Free Shakespeare in the Park. As regulars will tell you, waiting in line at the Delacorte is a truly unique city experience.

    Ciara Murphy, Strategy and Planning Manager at The Public Theater says, “Over the last 50 years, over 5 million people from all over the world have watched stories unfold on the Delacorte stage in Central Park as part of Shakespeare in the Park.  With the aid of the New York Public Library, we are delighted to now include our audience members’ stories in the ongoing legacy of Shakespeare in the Park.”

    This year’s performance of Troilus and Cressida brought line waiters from around the world and longtime New Yorkers. Alina Kutyeva, a theater academy student from St. Petersburg, Russia and Laura Tutty, a steward at London’s Globe Theater, were two examples of line newcomers.

    Kari Olson remembers her first time waiting in line for Romeo and Juliet with her then 13-year-old daughter several years: “We brought sleeping bags and it was like we were camping out in the wilderness for 7 hours. There’s a feeling of mystery in being at the park so early sitting in the dark. Sitting outside with all these other people for so many hours [is] magical.”

    Becca Allgire, Tim Allgire, and Niki DeGiorgio in line at Delacorte Theater

    Then, there were Free Shakespeare regulars like Bernard Connaughton who remembers seeing Denzel Washington in Richard III and Jo Marcus who has been following Free Shakespeare since the 1970s. Jay Diehl has developed a now annual line waiting routine “twice a summer, every summer” he begins waiting in line at 7:00am.

    Volunteer oral history interviewers received two free tickets to Troilus and Cressida and will remember their summer 2016 Shakespeare experience as being deeply connected to the line. Interviewer Ian Gould says, “Conducting these interviews was a fascinating experience. Being able to listen to not only an amazing variety of stories but also to the incredible diversity in the way stories are told - the words people choose, the pauses, the attempt to find the exact turn of phrase to communicate a feeling - was enthralling.”

    Listen to the 32 interviews collected at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park:
    oralhistory.nypl.org/neighborhoods/shakespeare-in-the-park

    Books for Boys Who Think Books are Boring

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    Bed Stuy
    Malcolm X Boulevard and Dekalb Avenue. Image ID: 5211679

     

    Walter Dean Myers delivered a wake up call to the publishing industry, librarians, booksellers, parents, and readers in his 2014 opinion piece asking “Where are the People of Color in Children’s Books?” Then came this infographic showing the discrepancy between minority representation in children’s books compared to the minority percentage of the U.S. population from 1994 to 2012.   

    We have a long way to go, but there is some good news, author Jason Reynolds has penned four new books in the past year and a half,  following his critically (and reader) acclaimed novel: When I Was the Greatest. Reynolds won the Coretta Scott King / John Steptoe Award for New Talent for When I Was the Greatest.  His other novels, Boy in the Black Suit, All American Boys, and As Brave as You, are all Coretta Scott King Honor Books.  

    Discussing his approach to writing novels, Reynolds has said, “Here's what I know: I know there are a lot—A LOT—of young people who hate reading. I know that many of these book haters are boys. I know that many of these book-hating boys, don't actually hate books, they hate boredom.”

    Indeed, Reynolds books are not boring. He writes character-driven novels with young African American protagonists mostly set in Brooklyn, but not exclusively. His fiction is realistic, dealing with social issues and personal struggles. His characters are authentic, well-developed, and believable. He often writes in multiple perspectives, allowing readers to experience the story from various points of view.

    Tiffany James, a Librarian here at the Library, shared her thoughts about the significance of Reynold’s work:  

    When I Was the Greatest was the first book I read by talented author Jason Reynolds. I was immediately hooked! He really knows how to tell a story and is as real as it gets. I was absorbed into the story of these kids from Brooklyn who were flawed but genuine. I also love that he cares about diversity and wants to engage reluctant readers. He refuses to write boring books, and instead, he writes things that are relevant, timely, and engaging all at the same time. Keep them coming, Mr. Reynolds!”


    BOOKS BY REYNOLDS

    Ghost

    Ghost(August, 2016)

    Middle Grade

    Four kids with very different backgrounds come together to complete on an elite middle school track team.

     

     

     

    As Brave as You

    As Brave as You (May, 2016)

    Middle Grade

    Two brothers leave Brooklyn for the first time to spend the summer with their grandfather in rural Virginia.


     

     

    All American Boys

    All American Boys (Co-written by Brendan Kiely) (Sept. 2015)

    12 and up

    Two teens, one black and one white, grapple with the repercussions of a brutal police beating.


     

     

     

    The Boy in the Black Suit

    The Boy in the Black Suit(January 2015)

    12 and up

    17-year-old Matt just lost his mother to cancer. He takes a job in a funeral parlor and finds a path through his grief with the help of a girl named Lovely.


     

     

    When I Was the Greatest

    When I Was the Greatest (January 2014)

    12 and up

    A story about three boys growing up in Bed-Stuy and one night that drastically changes the course of their lives.


     

     

     Our Story. Our Way

    My Name is Jason. Mine Too: Our Story. Our Way(Co-written by Jason Griffin)  (April, 2009)

    Young Adult

    Two men in their early 20s named Jason—one who is a poet, the other an artist, and one who is black, the other white—form an art collective of two. This novel is a hybrid of poetry collection and novel in verse and autobiography.

     

     

    REYNOLDS RECOMMENDS

    When a fresh voice comes on the literary scene it is interesting  to learn about their influences and who they enjoy reading. Here’s what Reynolds has to say:

    Q: Who do you like to read?

    A: Matt de la Pena, Brendan Kiely, John Corey Whaley, Laurie Halse Anderson, Walter Dean Myers, Sharon Draper, Jaqueline Woodson, John Green, Jesmyn Ward, Zadie Smith, Taiye Selasi, Kiese Laymon...

    But I will say this, when you're ready, when you're REALLY ready, read James Baldwin, and James Baldwin, and James Baldwin.


    Follow Reynolds @jasonreynold83 on both Twitter and Instagram.

    ***

    Have trouble reading standard print? Many of these titles are available in formats for patrons with print disabilities.

    Staff picks are chosen by NYPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We'd love to hear your ideas too, so leave a comment and tell us what you’d recommend. And check out our Staff Picks browse tool for more recommendations!

    Updates to NYPL's Website

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    We are preparing to make updates to our website, particularly to our home page and other key pages, that are designed to make it easier for our online users to find what they are looking for while also helping them to discover our collections, programs, services, and locations.

    The changes are part of ongoing efforts at The New York Public Library to improve the experience of our online offerings for our website visitors.

    As we make these changes, we want to hear from you. To preview the changes, go to our current home page and click "Preview" in the banner at the top.

    Updated homepage design
    Updated home page

     

    Along with a new home page design, we are previewing upcoming small changes to the wording of the website's top navigation, which we made based on user and staff research and feedback. We are also introducing a series of new landing pages for each of our navigation areas, which aim to help us better highlight our array of services for all ages.

    Catalog menu
    Catalog menu

    Another important change is that the "Classic Catalog" has been renamed "Research Catalog." The functionality hasn't changed, but the new name makes it clear that this tool displays more relevant details for research purposes. Circulating and research collections can be accessed through either catalog, but researchers may find the Research Catalog more suited to their needs.

    Improving our website is an ongoing process, and we thank you for taking the time to help us with the improvements. To preview the changes, go to our current home page and click "Preview" in the banner at the top. Then take our survey and let us know what you think.

    Hot Garbage, Summer in the City: The Librarian Is In Podcast, Ep. 19

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    Welcome to The Librarian Is In, the New York Public Library's podcast about books, culture, and what to read next.

    Subscribe on iTunes!

    Humidity can't exist in outer space! Beat the heat by blasting off into orbit with Frank and Gwen's brand-new segment. Plus: Do audiobooks "count" as reading?

    space
    Let's boldly go where no podcast has gone before.

    What We're Reading Now

    A Little Life by Hanya Yanigahara

    The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer

    Good Will Hunting

    Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies by Lindsay Ribar

    Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

    The Oxford Handbook of the Victorian Novel, edited by Lisa Rodensky

    fainting couch
    A fainting couch, as painted by Manet. Please send one of these c/o NYPL.

    Hot Topix

    Harry Potter and the Cursed Childand our blog post, 16 Harry Potter Readalikes... Because The Cursed Child Isn't Enough

    New York Magazine story that posits audiobooks aren't "cheating"

    Yes, Please! by Amy Poehler -- print and audio

    The Harry Potter audiobooks narrated by Jim Dale

    Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer -- print and audio

    Magic and Loss: The Internet as Art by Virginia Heffernan

    An explanation of Socrates' idea that writing down ideas diminishes them

    Lord of the Flies: book vs movie

    Guest Star  Book Recommendations!

    The Firefly TV series
     
    Want to ask for your own book recommendation? Email us at NYPLRecommends@nypl.org or leave us a comment on iTunes!

    Anything but Books

    Frank: Dog Day Afternoon with Al Pacino

    dog day afternoon

    Gwen: The Overdue podcast, especially the episodes on The Phantom Tollbooth and The Handmaid's Tale

    The Appointment Television podcast

    A Wrinkle in Time, and the other books that Chelsea Clinton mentioned at the DNC

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