Talk to the Frackville Library

          We're adding another session to our Wii Gaming for Adults. For those of you age 55 and up who are interested in joining our group, but are busy with work or other activities during the day, we will now be having a program on Wednesday evenings beginning on April 7, 2010. The program will be held between 6 and 8PM every Wednesday and will feature Wii Sports and a variety of other games such as pool, darts, and croquet. Believe me, our players really have a great time! Come and give it a try. Call the library for information at 874-3382 or use our contact page at www.frackvillelibrary.com.

     The Bell Ringers by Henry Porter. All I can say is, 'Gosh, this was a good book!' It really is one of the best contemporary novels I've read lately. Porter, a columnist for The Observer, has taken the present day UK (he assures us in the Afterword that the laws and surveillance systems he describes actually do exist right now) and turned it into a frightening place, where ordinary citizens can be targeted as lawbreakers by computer errors. David Eyam, a former security chief in the government, is killed in a bomb blast in Columbia after leaving his lofty position under a cloud of suspicion. His university friend and sometimes love, Kate Lockhart, comes to his funeral to mourn, but soon finds herself in the middle of a complicated and dangerous plan to bring down the current Prime Minister and try to preserve the rights of individuals. This book is filled with the kind of fascinating and appealing characters you would expect in a good British spy novel, but unlike some of the genre, this book moves quickly. Sites around London and the English countryside are the gorgeous background for Porter's truly exciting tale. If you are a fan of John LeCarre, Len Deighton, or the BBC TV show Spooks(MI5 here in the US), you really have to read this!    

The Adult Reader's Group at the library will be discussing Still Alice by Lisa Genova on Thursday, April 15, 2010 at 7 PM. Written by a psychologist, this novel tells the story of Alice Howland, a busy career woman who is suddenly beset with confusion, memory lapses, and other symptoms which eventually lead to her diagnosis with early onset Alzheimer's disease. This book examines not only the changes taking place within Alice, but also the effects on her family and friends. Our reading group always welcomes new members. Call 874-3382 for information or use our contact page at www.frackvillelibrary.com.

     The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova.  Kostova broke on the scene in 2005 with her huge bestseller, The Historian. Her new book, The Swan Thieves, is another example of her complex, well-researched style. Written from the viewpoint of several characters, it holds your interest while providing a bit of mystery to keep you wondering.  Andrew Marlow, a psychiatrist and part-time painter, is asked to take on the case of a famous artist, Robert Oliver, after he tries to damage a painting at the National Gallery of Art. We hear not only from Marlow, but also from Oliver's wife, his lover, and even the long dead Impressionist painters with whom he appears to be obsessed. The story takes us from Washington, D.C., to North Carolina, Maine, New York City, Acapulco, and finally to Paris. Anyone with an interest in painting, whether  as an artist or as a viewer of art, will find this novel fascinating.  Look for it at your library.

     The Board of Trustees has agreed to offer the library's program room as a rental space. The room,  which is dedicated to the Frackville Women's Club, one of the forces behind the library's creation in 1939, is furnished with tables and chairs, a flat-screen TV, DVD player, and music system. Charges for use of the room include a $25 rental fee, plus additional fees for use of AV equipment and hot beverages if desired. Call the library for more details at 874-3382 or use our contact page at www.frackvillelibrary.com.

      We've probably all heard by now that the Census for 2010 has begun. Some people have already received forms and surveys, while the rest of us can expect them later this month. If you have received a form and you have questions about how to fill it out, we've got help for you here at the library. Between now and April 19, a census worker will be available at the library most weekdays between 11-2 to help you with your questions. Call ahead to confirm or use our contact page at www.frackvillelibrary.com.  

   The Three Weissmanns of Westport by Cathleen Schine. Once again, I'm forced to mention Jane Austen! In this new novel, the author has taken the plot line from Austen's Sense and Sensibility and tweaked it a bit to come up with a nicely paced modern story of two sisters and their mother. Unlike Austen's version, the mother of Schine's story is faced not by widowhood, but by divorce. Her daughters, Annie and Miranda, are very much like Elinor and Marianne in that they look at the world from two entirely different perspectives. But their love and concern for their mother is mutual, and by seeing her through her ordeal, they discover a lot about themselves. This book will appeal both to those who have never heard of Jane Austen, and to seasoned Janeites who will enjoy seeing Schine's take on their favorite author.