Category: Uncategorized

Daily Print & Digital Suggested Reads: Monday, March 13, 2017

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, here are our suggested daily recommended titles in print or media and digital formats.

Our digital suggestion for today is the e-book:

The Long Walk by Stephen King:

In this #1 national bestseller, “master storyteller” (Houston Chronicle) Stephen King, writing as Richard Bachman, tells the tale of the contestants of a grueling walking competition where there can only be one winner—the one that survives.
In the near future, when America has become a police state, one hundred boys are selected to enter an annual contest where the winner will be awarded whatever he wants for the rest of his life. Among them is sixteen-year-old Ray Garraty, and he knows the rules—keep a steady walking pace of four miles per hour without stopping. Three warnings and you’re out—permanently.

A “psychologically dark tale with commentary on society, teenage life, and cultural entertainment, The Long Walk is still poignant decades after its original publication” (Publishers Weekly). This edition features an introduction by Stephen King on “The Importance of Being Bachman.”

Here’s a link to the checkout page in the Digital Catalog:

https://stls.overdrive.com/media/2504935

And the physical item for today is the print book:

Police at the Station and They Don’t Look Friendly by Adrian McKinty:

Belfast 1988: A man is found dead, killed with a bolt from a crossbow in front of his house. This is no hunting accident. But uncovering who is responsible for the murder will take Detective Sean Duffy down his most dangerous road yet, a road that leads to a lonely clearing on a high bog where three masked gunmen will force Duffy to dig his own grave.

Hunted by forces unknown, threatened by Internal Affairs, and with his relationship on the rocks, Duffy will need all his wits to get out of this investigation in one piece.

Here’s a link to the request page in StarCat:

https://goo.gl/d75mKk

Or by calling the library at: 607-936-3713 x 502.

Have a great day!
Linda, SSCL

Online Catalog Links:

StarCat: The catalog of physical materials, i.e. print books, DVDs, audiobooks on CD etc. http://starcat.stls.org/

The Digital Catalog: The catalog of e-books, downloadable audiobooks and a handful of streaming videos: https://stls.overdrive.com/

Freegal Music Service: This music service is free to library card holders and offers the option to download, and keep, three free songs per week and to stream three hours of commercial free music each day: http://stlsny.freegalmusic.com/

Zinio: Digital magazines on demand and for free! Back issues are available and you can even choose to be notified by email when the new issue of your favorite magazine is available: https://www.rbdigital.com/stlschemungcony

About Library Mobile Apps:

You can access digital library content on PCs, Macs and mobile devices. For mobile devices simply download the OverDrive, Freegal or Zinio app from your app store to get started. If you have questions call the library at: 607-936-3713 and one of our Digital Literacy Specialists will be happy to assist you.

Weekly Recommended Listens: March 2017, Week 1: Sixties Rock: Blues Rock

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, here’s our recommended music posting of the week!

In March, we’re continuing our 2017 look at Sixties Rock and our new monthly theme is Blues Rock.

As usual we’ll be offering suggestions of music you can listen to both by streaming, through the library’s digital Freegal Music Service,* and by checking out albums available in the library’s compact disc collection.

And our three artists/groups for this week are three of the most influential blues rock artist and groups of the Sixties: John Mayall, Fleetwood Mac and Cream. And indeed, you heard me right (or you read me right!) I did type Fleetwood Mac! The original Fleetwood Mac really did play blues rock and there is a connection between Fleetwood Mac, Cream and the great British Blues player & band leader John Mayall – namely, the fact that members of both Fleetwood Mac and Cream played with John Mayall’s sixties era band – The Bluesbreakers!

As a reminder our weekly music postings have the following sections:

I. Brief Artist Bios

II. Freegal Music Recommendations Of The Week (streaming music)

III. CD Music Recommendations Of The Week

IV. Videos Of The Artists Of The Week

V. Wild Card Print Book Recommendation Of The Week (a print book that focuses on a musician, musicians, songwriters or other musical genres, styles etc. from any musical era)

VI. References (for those who’d like to know a bit more about the artists of the week).

And on to our BLUES ROCK posting for this week!

I. Brief Artist Bios:

1) John Mayall: John Mayall is, indeed, as the biography on his website states “a pioneer of blues music” and “The Godfather of British Blues.” He was born on November 29, 1933 in a village near Manchester, England, became a huge blues fan in his teens, began playing professionally in the 1950s fronting his own bands and playing keyboards and harmonica. And he first gained the attention of blues fans around the world with the second, third and fourth albums he cut in the 1960s with his band The Bluesbreakers: 1. John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton, 2. A Hard Road which features Eric Clapton’s replacement on guitar – future Fleetwood Mac co-founder Peter Green, and 3. Crusade which featured guitarist Mick Taylor – the same Mick Taylor who replaced Brian Jones in the Rolling Stones in 1969!

It is also worthy of note, that the bassist on four of Mayall’s first five albums, sans the aptly titled The Blues Alone album which was a solo album, was future Fleetwood Mac bassist and co-founder John McVie!

Mayall moved to the United States in late 1960s and continues to perform and record today. He released a new album in January of this year titled Talk About That which features former Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh. Kudos to Mayall for continuing to play the blues well into his eighties!

2) Fleetwood Mac: The original Fleetwood Mac played some really great blues! The original quartet included guitarists and vocalists Peter Green and Jeremy Spencer and the “name” members of the band – Mick Fleetwood on drums and John McVie on bass. The quartet became a quintet with the edition of guitarist Danny Kirwan in 1968. Peter Green, who was the driving force behind the original group, left the band in 1970 and Christine Perfect-McVie officially joined the group in 1971 by which time the band was transitioning from a blues rock group to a pop rock group.

Fleetwood Mac’s first four albums, Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, Mr. Wonderful, English Rose and Then Play On,  are certainly well grounded in the blues. And of course, Fleetwood Mac continue to play and record to this day.

3) Cream: You can hear both the blues and jazz in Cream’s music, although, it is definitely rock music too! And as Cream is very well known, I’m only going to offer a super cliff notes version of a brief bio for them! The group consisted of former Graham Bond Organization members Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker on bass and drums, respectively, and guitarist Eric Clapton. The group released four  albums before disbanding, Fresh Cream, Disraeli Gears, Wheels Of Fire & Goodbye.

Sadly, Jack Bruce died in 2014. Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker continue to perform and record.

Freegal Notes:

To access Freegal Music from a desktop or laptop simply click on the following link:
http://stlsny.freegalmusic.com/

The Freegal Music Catalog homepage will display — it looks like this:

The Freegal Music app can be found in your app store and it looks like this:

II. Freegal Music Recommendations Of The Week:

1. John Mayall’s Wake Up Call

The Freegal Catalog doesn’t have all of John Mayall’s albums or even any of his 1960s era albums, but never fear – the man plays great blues even when he is not accompanied by famous guitarists. So I’m going to recommend you listen to one of his more “recent” albums found in the Freegal catalog – 1993’s Wake Up Call. This album is great and I especially love the songs Mail Order Mystics, Nature’s Disappearing and Walk Up Call. Guest artists on the album include Mavis Staples on thetitle track, legendary blues guitarist Buddy Guy on the tune I Could Cry and former Bluesbreaker and Rolling Stone Mick Taylor on the song Not At Home.

Here’s a link to stream the Wake Up Call album:
https://goo.gl/0rfI6O

While researching which John Mayall albums are available in the Freegal Music Catalog, I came across a cool album of blues piano pioneers selected by John Mayall!

If you haven’t heard his music before, John Mayall’s primary instruments are piano, organ/electric keyboard and harmonica and this album contains some of his favorite blues piano players. The album is titled: Picking the Blues – Compiled By John Mayall – Boogie Woogie Pioneers
Here’s a link to stream it: https://goo.gl/NZi7Lq

2. Fleetwood Mac’s Live In Boston Vol. 1 & 2 & Peter Green’s Supernatural Anthology:

The Freegal Music Catalog doesn’t feature any of Fleetwood Mac’s studio albums. However, it does feature two live albums, titled Live In Boston, volumes 1 & 2, featuring the 1960s version of the band and a cool collection of Peter Green’s music titled Supernatural Anthology, which features some of Green’s work with Fleetwood Mac and work he did later as a solo artists with a much later back-up band called “Splinter Group.”

And if you’re a blues guitar fan and only going to listen to one of these albums – I’d recommend the Supernatural Anthology; because, although Green’s voice shows his age a bit – you get a better idea of the depth of his guitar playing than on the live Fleetwood Mac tracks available in the Freegal catalog, and, you thus get a better idea of why he was good enough to replace Eric Clapton in John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers.

Here’s a link to stream Peter Green’s Supernatural Anthology:
https://goo.gl/t22Rjh

Fleetwood Mac’s Live In Boston Remastered Vol. 1 and Live In Boston Remastered Vol. 2.

Live In Boston Remastered Vol. 1 includes the songs Black Magic Woman (written by Green but a much, much bigger hit for Santana), Jumping At Shadows, Like It This Way, Got To Move and two long jamming songs: The Green Manalishi and Rattesnake Shake and more – here’s a link to stream the album:https://goo.gl/ut1956

Live In Boston Remastered Vol. 2 features a number of lesser known Fleetwood Mac songs, with the exception of the title track from their 1969 album Then Play On. Here’s a link to stream the album: https://goo.gl/LFkZxg

2. Cream: Clapton’s Live & Rare, Ginger Baker’s Horses & Trees & Jack Bruce’s A Question of Time and The Jack Bruce Collection:

Unfortunately, The Freegal Music catalog doesn’t feature any albums by Cream. However, we do have all four of the 1960s era Cream albums available on CD at the library – to request them click on the following link to StarCat: enterprise.stls.org

And since Freegal doesn’t have any of Cream’s music I’ll recommend some music by the individual band members instead.

Live & Rare by Eric Clapton: Yhis collection  features some of the songs Clapton did with the Yardbirds prior to his work with John Mayall and Cream.The Yardbirds songs on this collection are more of the rave-up basic-classic-rock variety than blues but they do offer insight into the evolution of Clapton’s music. The songs include: The hit For Your Love, Got To Hurry, Boom Boom, Good Morning Little Schoolgirl and more.

Here’s the link to stream the Live & Rare album:
https://goo.gl/GPMv6J

Horses & Trees by Ginger Baker: Horses & Trees is an excellent Ginger Baker album from 2009. This LP was produced by Bill Laswell and showcases Baker’s excellent drum playing – he really is what is known as a musician’s musician – the man is a brilliant drummer!

AllMusic gave this album an outstanding review, which for the sake of brevity I won’t post here – however, here’s the link to the review should you wish to peruse it: https://goo.gl/veNI1u

And here’s a link to stream the Horses & Trees album itself:
https://goo.gl/X1I4gz

A Question of Time (1989) by Jack Bruce: This is a great album full of intense songs including: No Surrender, Hey Now Princess, Let Me Be and Grease The Wheels. Bruce was at the top of his recording form with this album!

Here’s the link to the stream the A Question ff Time album: https://goo.gl/V27ojj

The Jack Bruce Collector’s Edition (1995) by Jack Bruce: This album offers songs from throughout Bruce’s solo career including Waiting on a Word, Theme of an Imaginary Western, Sitting on Top of the World, The Wind Cries Mary and more — the man really was an outstanding musical talent both in his bass playing and his vocals.

Here’s a link to stream the Jack Bruce Collector’s Edition: https://goo.gl/uXmm7w

Freegal Wild Card Pick Of The Week:


The First Recordings Years 50 by Patsy Cline:

Patsy Cline had a great voice and was one of the most popular country singers in the late fifties and early sixties. And no doubt she would be even better known today if not for her tragic death in a plane crash at age thirty. Her music is classified as country but I’ve never liked musical classifications as they tend to turn people off! So I’d just say Patsy Cline was an exceptionally expressive singer and her music is worthy of a listen!

The Freegal Music Catalog features a terrific intro collection of Cline’s songs including the favorites: A Church, A Courtroom and Then Goodbye, Walking After Midnight, Three Cigarettes in The Ashtray and more – check it out!

Here’s a link to stream the Patsy Cline album: https://goo.gl/AF3T0Q

III. Compact Discs Recommendations:

1. John Mayall: Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton, A Hard Road & Crusade:

I’m going to recommend John Mayall’s second, third and fourth albums recording with his Bluesbreakers and which feature, in addition to the keyboard Playing and vocals provided by the band-leader himself, Eric Clapton, Peter Green and Mick Taylor on guitars. All three of these albums are fantastic – and you can click on links for AllMusic reviews for each album under the References – John Mayall section.

Here’s a link to request the CD of Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton: https://goo.gl/u2lvcT

Here’s a link to request the CD album of A Hard Road with guitarist Peter Green: https://goo.gl/VzrEcy

And here’s a link to request the album Crusade featuring Mick Taylor on guitar: https://goo.gl/AmLBpb

Fleetwood Mac: Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac:

The library also owns the early Fleetwood Mac albums English Rose & Then Play On; however, if you want to get a feel for the Blues Rock band Fleetwood Mac was in the 1960s this, their first album, is the best place to start. This album features the songs: Looking For Somebody, No Place To Go, My Heart Beat Like a Hammer, Shake Your Moneymaker, The Wold Keep on Turning and more.

Here’s a link to request the CD version of the album:https://goo.gl/x5wnkQ

Cream: Disraeli Gears: 

The library owns all four of Cream’s original sixties releases: Fresh Cream, Disraeli Gears, Wheels of Fire and Goodbye. The CD I’m recommending is their second album — all four albums are great but Disraeli Gears is what I would call short and straight to the point music — by which I mean you hear great songs by the band which run less than five minutes. In contrast, the second album of the two-disc Wheels of Fire set contains songs recorded live including the 15 minute songs Toad and Spoonful and most of those songs really are long jam sessions. So if you’re not familiar with Cream’s music start with this album and then branch out to listen to the others.

Disraeli Gears features the songs: Strange Brew, Sunshine of Your Love, Dance The Night Away, Tales of Brave Ulysses, Take It Back, Outside Woman Blues and more. This album is currently processed and should be listed in StarCat to request shortly. I will update this posting to include the request link as soon as it is ready to circulate. Or, you can email your request to me at: reimerl@stls.org And in the meantime — you might check out Wheels of Fire which is available to circulate — the set features two discs a live album and a studio album and the popular Cream song White Room as well as a fund version of Born Under A Bad Sign.

Wild Card CD Pick Of The Week:


Black Star by David Bowie:

This is Bowie’s last album and it won all five Grammys it was nominated for this year! It includes the songs: Blackstar, ‘Tis a Pity She Was a Whore, Lazarus, Sue (Or In a Season of Crime), Girl Loves Me, Dollar Days and I Can’t Give Everything Away.

Here’s a link to the request page in StarCat:
https://goo.gl/yhnLAk

IV. Videos Of The Artists Of The Week:

John Mayall:

John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers: Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton: This is the whole album available to stream via YouTube so it is more audio than video; but then the music really is the point! And we do get to see a photo of the album cover that features John McVie with what can only be described as a “get-away-from-me-with-that-camera” expression on his face!

Here’s a link to stream the album:
https://goo.gl/RGkf1g

So May Roads: This 2008 clip features guitarist Gary Moore:

Here’s the link:

https://goo.gl/0tzXT3

Fleetwood Mac:

Need Your Love So Bad

https://goo.gl/h8a1aA

Oh Well

https://goo.gl/9LdX4g

Cream:

Sunshine Of Your Love – From the 1968 Farewell Concert at the Royal Albert Hall:

https://goo.gl/bw9kY0

Cream “White Room/Crossroads/Badge” From the 2005 Reunion Concert at the Royal Albert Hall:

https://goo.gl/rHcWW

V. Wild Card Print Book Recommendation Of The Week:

Lin-Manuel Mirandaby Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeremy McCarter:

Winner of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and Eleven Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s groundbreaking musical Hamilton is as revolutionary as its subject, the poor kid from the Caribbean who fought the British, defended the Constitution, and helped to found the United States. Fusing hip-hop, pop, R&B, and the best traditions of theater, this once-in-a-generation show broadens the sound of Broadway, reveals the storytelling power of rap, and claims our country’s origins for a diverse new generation.

HAMILTON: THE REVOLUTION gives readers an unprecedented view of both revolutions, from the only two writers able to provide it. Miranda, along with Jeremy McCarter, a cultural critic and theater artist who was involved in the project from its earliest stages–“since before this was even a show,” according to Miranda–traces its development from an improbable perfor­mance at the White House to its landmark opening night on Broadway six years later. In addition, Miranda has written more than 200 funny, revealing footnotes for his award-winning libretto, the full text of which is published here. Description – from the publisher.

VI. General References & Artist Specific References:

General References:
David Bowie posthumously sweeps with 5 Grammy wins
https://goo.gl/VDyhno

Patsy Cline Bio:
https://goo.gl/DAQCnw

Santelli, Robert. Sixties Rock: A Listener’s Guide. Contemporary Books. Chicago. 1985.
Whitburn, Joel. The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits. Billboard Books. New York. 2009.

Artist/Group References:

Cream:
Eric Clapton – Bio
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/eric-clapton-mn0000187478/biography

Eric Clapton – Official Website
http://www.ericclapton.com

Ginger Baker Bio
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/ginger-baker-mn0000655273

Ginger Baker – Official Website: http://www.gingerbaker.com/

Jack Bruce – Bio:
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/jack-bruce-mn0000152312

Jack Bruce, Cream’s Adventurous Bassist, Dies at 71
https://goo.gl/Dbk54y

The Official Jack Bruce Website:
http://www.jackbruce.com/

John Mayall:
John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton review from AllMusic
https://goo.gl/4uxGOW

John Mayall’s Crusade album review from AllMusic
https://goo.gl/INpkdC

John Mayall’s A Hard Road album review from AllMusic
https://goo.gl/Bdb1ic

John Mayall’s Bio from his official site:

https://goo.gl/GI7Koo

John Mayall Bio from AllMusic:

https://goo.gl/hIeUGd

Fleetwood Mac:

Fleetwood Mac – official site:
https://www.fleetwoodmac.com/#!

Fleetwood Mac Discography
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/fleetwood-mac-mn0000182900/discography

Fleetwood Mac Bio:
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/fleetwood-mac-mn0000182900/biography

Mick Fleetwood Bio:
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/mick-fleetwood-mn0000404915

Jeremy Spencer – Official Website
http://jeremyspencer.com/

John McVie Bio:
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/john-mcvie-mn0000108120/biography

Peter Green Bio:
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/peter-green-mn0000842611

Peter Green Splinter Group
https://goo.gl/7uhGsv

And those are the blues rock recommendations for this bitterly cold weekend (at least for those of us who live in the Northeast!)

Have a great day!
Linda, SSCL

P.S. If you have any questions about how to download or stream free music through the Freegal Music service to a desktop or laptop computer or how to download and use the Freegal Music app let us know! Drop by the library or give us a call at: 607-936-3713

*You must have a library card at a Southern Tier Library System member library to enjoy the Freegal Music Service. Your card can be from any library in the system, and the system includes all public libraries in Steuben, Chemung, Yates, Schuyler and Allegheny Counties and including our own Southeast Steuben Count Library in Corning, New York. Library cards are free and at our library you can obtain one by visiting the Circulation Desk and presenting staff with a form of ID that features both your name and your current address.

Daily Print & Digital Suggested Reads: Friday, March 10, 2017

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, here are our suggested daily recommended titles in print or media and digital formats.

Our digital suggestion for today is the e-book:

leopard

Leopard at the Door by Jennifer McVeigh:

Set in Kenya in the 1950s against the fading backdrop of the British Empire, a story of self-discovery, betrayal, and an impossible love.

After six years in England, Rachel has returned to Kenya and the farm where she spent her childhood, but the beloved home she’d longed for is much changed. Her father’s new companion—a strange, intolerant woman—has taken over the household. The political climate in the country grows more unsettled by the day and is approaching the boiling point. And looming over them all is the threat of the Mau Mau, a secret society intent on uniting the native Kenyans and overthrowing the whites.

As Rachel struggles to find her place in her home and her country, she initiates a covert relationship, one that will demand from her a gross act of betrayal. One man knows her secret, and he has made it clear how she can buy his silence. But she knows something of her own, something she has never told anyone. And her knowledge brings her power.

Here’s a link to the checkout page in the Digital Catalog:

https://stls.overdrive.com/media/2678608

And our physical format suggestion for today is the print book:

bacteria-to-bach

From Bacteria to Bach and Back: The Evolution of Minds by Daniel C. Dennett:

One of America’s foremost philosophers offers a major new account of the origins of the conscious mind.

How did we come to have minds?

For centuries, this question has intrigued psychologists, physicists, poets, and philosophers, who have wondered how the human mind developed its unrivaled ability to create, imagine, and explain. Disciples of Darwin have long aspired to explain how consciousness, language, and culture could have appeared through natural selection, blazing promising trails that tend, however, to end in confusion and controversy. Even though our understanding of the inner workings of proteins, neurons, and DNA is deeper than ever before, the matter of how our minds came to be has largely remained a mystery.

That is now changing, says Daniel C. Dennett. In From Bacteria to Bach and Back, his most comprehensive exploration of evolutionary thinking yet, he builds on ideas from computer science and biology to show how a comprehending mind could in fact have arisen from a mindless process of natural selection. Part philosophical whodunit, part bold scientific conjecture, this landmark work enlarges themes that have sustained Dennett’s legendary career at the forefront of philosophical thought.

In his inimitable style―laced with wit and arresting thought experiments―Dennett explains that a crucial shift occurred when humans developed the ability to share memes, or ways of doing things not based in genetic instinct. Language, itself composed of memes, turbocharged this interplay. Competition among memes―a form of natural selection―produced thinking tools so well-designed that they gave us the power to design our own memes. The result, a mind that not only perceives and controls but can create and comprehend, was thus largely shaped by the process of cultural evolution.

An agenda-setting book for a new generation of philosophers, scientists, and thinkers, From Bacteria to Bach and Back will delight and entertain anyone eager to make sense of how the mind works and how it came about.
4 color, 18 black-and-white illustrations

You can request the title by clicking on the following link to StarCat:

https://goo.gl/pTXZle

Or by calling the library at: 607-936-3713 x 502.

Have a great day!
Linda, SSCL

Cliff Notes Sixties Rock: Suggested Listens 3 9 17

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, it has been a very, very busy week in Library Land and I am swamped!

So our regular weekly recommended music posting, this month spotlighting blues rock of the Sixties, is going to get bumped to Saturday.

And in the meantime, here are three suggested albums of the Sixties that you can access through Freegal* – enjoy!

Linda, SSCL

Suggestion 1: Kind of a Drag (Expanded Edition) by The Buckinghams
Given its source, Kind of a Drag was one of the most extraordinary albums of the 1960s. One expected great, diverse LPs out of the likes of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, among others; by contrast, even the better albums by top garage-punk outfits such as the 13th Floor Elevators generally had a one-note feel to them, or were conspicuously strong in one direction. So when a Chicago-based garage band (or were they a garage band?) like the Buckinghams, with one serious hit (the title track) to their name, put out a long-player that embraced soul, blues, garage punk, and English pop-rock with just about equal aplomb, it must have caught purchasers, radio programmers, and music writers alike off guard. Kind of a Drag isn’t the kind of searing punk document that their Windy City rivals the Shadows of Knight presented with their two LPs — the latter group’s work stood next to the Buckinghams roughly where the Who’s albums did next to those of the Beatles. The Buckinghams’ lean, guitar-driven garage punk versions of “Sweets for My Sweet” (a cover of the Searchers’ version, not the Drifters’) and the Hollies’ “I’ve Been Wrong” are juxtaposed with a horn-ornamented version of the Beatles’ “I Call Your Name” — on which the lead guitar is playing what sound almost like mandolin riffs; and all are sandwiched between the horn-driven “I’ll Go Crazy” and the raw, bluesy “I’m a Man” (patterned after the Yardbirds’ rendition, with some twists that are all the Buckinghams’ own). They still come off somewhat as light-weights, as on their cover of “Lawdy Miss Clawdy,” but that’s a minor lapse. The Sundazed CD reissue restores “I’m a Man,” which was pulled off of the original LP, and it also has about the best sound that this release has ever offered. AllMusic Review by Bruce Eder

Here’s a link to stream the album through Freegal: https://goo.gl/wu1EuG


Suggestion 2: Do you Believe In Magic by The Lovin’ Spoonful
By the time of its release, the Lovin’ Spoonful’s debut album was already a significant record because of the inclusion of its title track, John Sebastian’s timeless anthem to love and music, which had been one of the major hits of the summer of 1965. The album elaborated upon Sebastian’s gentle, winning songwriting style with the humorous “Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind,” which was released as a single in the spring of 1966 and became another Spoonful hit, and the wistful “Younger Girl,” which became a chart hit for the Critters. The album also revealed the group’s jug band roots in its arrangements of traditional songs like “Fishin’ Blues” and “Wild About My Lovin'” and revealed that lead guitarist Zal Yanovsky and drummer Joe Butler, while not quite in Sebastian’s league, were good singers as well. The Spoonful would be remembered as a vehicle for Sebastian’s songwriting, but Do You Believe in Magic was a well-rounded collection that demonstrated their effectiveness as a group. AllMusic Review by William Ruhlmann

Here’s a link to stream the album: https://goo.gl/sZJTpP

Suggestion 3: Lovely To See You: Live by The Moody Blues
This Moody Blues album was recorded live in 2005 and features some of their classic sixties songs including: Nights In White Satin and Tuesday Afternoon as well as, some of their more “recent” material including In Your Wildest Dreams and The Otherside of Life. This is fun live album perfect to listen to while kicking back and relaxing!

Here’s a link to stream the album: https://goo.gl/6tHgq0

References:

The Buckingham’s Kind Of A Drag
http://www.allmusic.com/album/kind-of-a-drag-mw0000044664

The Lovin’ Spoonful’s Do you Believe In Magic
http://www.allmusic.com/album/do-you-believe-in-magic-mw0000225145

The Moody Blues – Lovely To See You
http://www.allmusic.com/album/lovely-to-see-you-mw0000259713

* You must have a library card to stream music through The Freegal Music service. The service is free for all library card holders though-out the entire Southern Tier Library System – this includes all public libraries in Steuben, Chemung, Yates, Schuyler and Allegheny Counties.

Daily Print & Digital Suggested Reads: Thursday, March 9, 2017

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, here are our suggested daily recommended titles in print or media and digital formats.

Our digital suggestion for today is the downloadable audiobook:

elysium

Elysium Or, The World After by Jennifer Marie Brissett:

Received the 2014 Philip K. Dick Award Special Citation

A Finalist for the 2015 Locus Award for Best First Novel

A computer program etched into the atmosphere has a story to tell, the story of two people, of a city lost to chaos, of survival and love. The program’s data, however, has been corrupted. As the novel’s characters struggle to survive apocalypse, they are sustained and challenged by the demands of love in a shattered world both haunted and dangerous.

Here’s a link to the checkout page in the Digital Catalog:

https://stls.overdrive.com/media/2497590

And our physical format suggestion for today is the print book:

1864: The Forgotten War That Shaped Modern Europe by Tom Buk-Swienty:

1864

The Battle of Dybbol, 1864. Prussian troops lay siege to an outpost in the far south of Denmark. The conflict is over control of the Duchy of Schleswig, recently annexed by Denmark to the alarm of its largely German-speaking inhabitants. Danish troops make a valiant attempt to hold out but are overrun by the might of the Prussian onslaught.

Of little strategic importance, the struggle for Schleswig foreshadowed the same forces that, fifty years later, would tear Europe apart. Prussia’s victory would not only rejuvenate its nascent militarism, but help it claim leadership of the new German Empire.

Told in rich detail through first-hand accounts, Tom Buk-Swienty’s magisterial account of the Schleswig conflict tells the story of this pivotal war. 1864 shows how a minor regional conflict foreshadowed the course of diplomacy that led to the First World War and brutally presaged the industrialised future of warfare. But most of all, in its human detail, from touching letters between husbands and wives to heartbreaking individual stories of loss, 1864 is a gripping, epic human drama that shows the effect all wars have on the soldiers, on families and on the individual men and women who must live its realities.

You can request the title by clicking on the following link to StarCat:

https://goo.gl/9pQLWW

Or by calling the library at: 607-936-3713 x 502.

Have a great day!
Linda, SSCL

Online Catalog Links:

StarCat: The catalog of physical materials, i.e. print books, DVDs, audiobooks on CD etc. http://starcat.stls.org/

The Digital Catalog: The catalog of e-books, downloadable audiobooks and a handful of streaming videos: https://stls.overdrive.com/

Freegal Music Service: This music service is free to library card holders and offers the option to download, and keep, three free songs per week and to stream three hours of commercial free music each day: http://stlsny.freegalmusic.com/

Zinio: Digital magazines on demand and for free! Back issues are available and you can even choose to be notified by email when the new issue of your favorite magazine is available: https://www.rbdigital.com/stlschemungcony

About Library Mobile Apps:

You can access digital library content on PCs, Macs and mobile devices. For mobile devices simply download the OverDrive, Freegal or Zinio app from your app store to get started. If you have questions call the library at: 607-936-3713 and one of our Digital Literacy Specialists will be happy to assist you.

Daily Print & Digital Suggested Reads: Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, here are our suggested daily recommended titles in print or media and digital formats.

Our digital suggestion for today is the e-book:

we

We by Yevgeny Zamyatin:

The exhilarating dystopian novel that inspired George Orwell’s 1984 and foreshadowed the worst excesses of Soviet Russia

Yevgeny Zamyatin’s We is a powerfully inventive vision that has influenced writers from George Orwell to Ayn Rand. In a glass-enclosed city of absolute straight lines, ruled over by the all-powerful ‘Benefactor’, the citizens of the totalitarian society of OneState live out lives devoid of passion and creativity – until D-503, a mathematician who dreams in numbers, makes a discovery: he has an individual soul. Set in the twenty-sixth century AD, We is the classic dystopian novel and was the forerunner of works such as George Orwell’s 1984 and Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. It was suppressed for many years in Russia and remains a resounding cry for individual freedom, yet is also a powerful, exciting and vivid work of science fiction. Clarence Brown’s brilliant translation is based on the corrected text of the novel, first published in Russia in 1988 after more than sixty years’ suppression.

And here’s a link to the checkout page in the Digital Catalog:

https://stls.overdrive.com/media/254423

And the physical item for today is the print book:

light-after-dark

Light After Dark by Marie Force:

Mallory Vaughn is at a crossroads in her life. A year after learning that Big Mac McCarthy is her father, she’s spending more and more time on Gansett Island, surrounded by the large and boisterous McCarthy family. When she’s laid off from her longtime job, Mallory goes to visit her family on Gansett and tries to figure out the next chapter. An unexpected job offer will have her packing up her home in Providence to move to the island for at least the summer, if not longer. She decides to make this the “Summer of Mallory,” full of new adventures, new people and new opportunities. Will a new love also be part of the Summer of Mallory? Anything is possible on Gansett Island, especially true love.

Take the ferry back to Gansett to catch up with the McCarthy family and their friends. Be on hand as Laura and Owen welcome their twins and the family comes back together for another summer of love and adventure on Gansett Island.

Book 16 in the Gansett Island Series

The Gansett Island Series
Gansett Island Boxed Set, Books 1-3
Gansett Island Boxed Set, Books 4-6
Gansett Island Boxed Set, Books 7-9
Book 1: Maid for Love
Book 2: Fool for Love
Book 3: Ready for Love
Book 4: Falling for Love
Book 5: Hoping for Love
Book 6: Season for Love
Book 7: Longing for Love
Book 8: Waiting for Love
Book 9: Time for Love
Book 10: Meant for Love
Book 10.5: Chance for Love, A Gansett Island Novella
Book 11: Gansett After Dark
Book 12: Kisses After Dark
Book 13: Love After Dark
Book 14: Celebration After Dark
Book 15: Desire After Dark

Book 16: Light After Dark

Additional books in the series will be added to our collection shortly.

Here’s a link to the StarCat request page for the book:

https://goo.gl/l0JgfJ

You can also request the book by calling the library at:

607-936-3713 x 502.

Have a great day!
Linda, SSCL

Online Catalog Links:

StarCat: The catalog of physical materials, i.e. print books, DVDs, audiobooks on CD etc. http://starcat.stls.org/

The Digital Catalog: The catalog of e-books, downloadable audiobooks and a handful of streaming videos: https://stls.overdrive.com/

Freegal Music Service: This music service is free to library card holders and offers the option to download, and keep, three free songs per week and to stream three hours of commercial free music each day: http://stlsny.freegalmusic.com/

Zinio: Digital magazines on demand and for free! Back issues are available and you can even choose to be notified by email when the new issue of your favorite magazine is available: https://www.rbdigital.com/stlschemungcony

About Library Mobile Apps:

You can access digital library content on PCs, Macs and mobile devices. For mobile devices simply download the OverDrive, Freegal or Zinio app from your app store to get started. If you have questions call the library at: 607-936-3713 and one of our Digital Literacy Specialists will be happy to assist you.

Daily Print & Digital Suggested Reads: Tuesday, March 7, 2017

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, here are our suggested daily recommended titles in print or media and digital formats.

Our digital suggestion for today is the streaming video:

eyes-on-the-prize

Eyes on the Prize, Episode 1 Awakenings 1954-1956:

From PBS – A look at the events in post-World War II America that led to the civil rights protests and marches. The program depicts Southern race discrimination that prevailed at the beginning of the civil rights movement’s activities.

Note: This is the first video in a six part series – all six episodes of this critically acclaimed PBS series can be streamed through OverDrive!

Here’s a link to the checkout page in the Digital Catalog:

https://stls.overdrive.com/media/2952756

And the physical item for today is a print book:

into-the-firestorm

Into the Firestorm by Kat Martin:

“I love her books!” —Linda Lael Miller

“Martin is superb.” —RT Book Reviews

At Brodie Operations Security Service, Inc., following your instincts is company policy . .

M. Cassidy—Luke Brodie had heard the name before, some novice bounty hunter working Seattle, catching tricky skips with more success than a newcomer should expect. But the dark curls, sparkly top, and impressive cleavage were not what Brodie had pictured.

Emma Cassidy is tough and smart and sexy as hell. She’s also popping up a step ahead of him every time he’s close to the capture he wants most . . . and there’s no room for learning on the trail of this monster.

Emma has idolized Luke Brodie, the bounty hunter who can bring anyone in. The big man in the soft shoes, with a face like a fallen angel and a reputation for breaking hearts. Watching him in action is intoxicating. But her fight with Rudy Vance is fiercely personal. If he gets too close, Brodie will find out just how ferocious she can be . . .

Here’s a link to the request page in StarCat:

https://goo.gl/x7RGbr

Or by calling the library at: 607-936-3713 x 502.

Have a great day!
Linda, SSCL

Online Catalog Links:

StarCat: The catalog of physical materials, i.e. print books, DVDs, audiobooks on CD etc. http://starcat.stls.org/

The Digital Catalog: The catalog of e-books, downloadable audiobooks and a handful of streaming videos: https://stls.overdrive.com/

Freegal Music Service: This music service is free to library card holders and offers the option to download, and keep, three free songs per week and to stream three hours of commercial free music each day: http://stlsny.freegalmusic.com/

Zinio: Digital magazines on demand and for free! Back issues are available and you can even choose to be notified by email when the new issue of your favorite magazine is available: https://www.rbdigital.com/stlschemungcony

About Library Mobile Apps:

You can access digital library content on PCs, Macs and mobile devices. For mobile devices simply download the OverDrive, Freegal or Zinio app from your app store to get started. If you have questions call the library at: 607-936-3713 and one of our Digital Literacy Specialists will be happy to assist you.

Weekly Recommended Listens: February 2017: Week 4: Sixties Rock: Twangy Guitars Concluded

Linda Reimer

Here’s our weekly recommended music posting! We’re continuing our 2017 look at Sixties Rock by finishing out our February spotlight on Twangy Guitar players and early sixties instrumental rock.

And this week I’ve got a couple of what I’d describe as “digging deeper for music gems” artists and various artist albums. The bands and artists spotlighted this week are less well-known than the twangy guitar players whose music we’ve listened to in the previous three weeks of this month. And some of the suggested albums are various artist collections. So the music is fun but I’m going to eliminate the Brief Artist Bios section for this week. If you want to know more about the band/artists discussed you can check out a number of cool rock encyclopedia books at the library or click on one of the links in the References section.

So here are our five music sections for this week:

I. Freegal Music Recommendations Of The Week

II. CD Music Recommendations Of The Week

III. Videos Of This Weeks’ Artists/Groups

IV. Wild Card Print Book Recommendation Of The Week (a print book that focuses on a musician, musicians, songwriters or other musical genres, styles etc. from any musical era)

V. References (for those who’d like to know a bit more about the artists of the week).

And here are our recommendations of the week!

I. Freegal Music Recommendations Of The Week:

1. Surfin’ With The Astronauts by The Astronauts:

astronauts

This album contains the Astronauts only hit, the instrumental Baja, and a number of other fun party songs including: Surfer’s Stomp, Susie-Q, Pipeline and Surfin’ USA. And for this listener’s proverbial money – this guitar-centric group has a slightly more mellow sound than some of the other rock instrumentalists of the era.

So if you’re looking for a mellow listen for the weekend – this is the album for you!

Here’s a link to the album:

https://goo.gl/Xbr5Dk

2. Raunchy! Vol. 2: Rockin’ Into the Sixties

by various artists:

raunchy

Just a quick FYI note, the title of this album is actually misspelled within the Freegal Music Catalog! They left out the “n” in the word raunchy. So if you search for this album by copying and pasting the title, instead of clicking on the link below, you’ll have to take out the “n” and type the title in as “Rauchy! Vol. 2: Rockin’ Into the Sixties! (We’ve asked Freegal to fix the typo but that may take a while…)

Now on to the album! This is an album  full of fun songs! It includes songs by some super well-known players including Duane Eddy, Sandy Nelson, The Ventures and the Shadows, and a number of artists that are less well known in the U.S., but that recorded some really cool songs nevertheless, including: Rock organic-centric tunes like Gonzon by James Booker, which also features a neat flute solo, Big Guitar by the Owen Bradley Quintet, the Jazzy Topsy II by Cozy Cole, Guitar Boogie Shuffle by The Virtues, Bongo Rock by Preston Epps, Rockin’ Crickets  by Hot Toddys, The Enchanted Sea by The Islanders and Teensville by Chet Atkins.

This is a really great collection of early sixties rock instrumentals with a few pop instrumental hits of the era thrown in too. The album contains more than 40 songs and I liked it so much upon listening to it – that I bought a copy of it! Highly recommend – in fact, I’d say if you only listen to one album I’ve suggested this week – let this be the one!

Here’s the link to stream the album:
https://goo.gl/Wrofqt

3. Space Hunters In The Wild West by Spacemen:

space-hunters

In looking for information on this group online – I found only one reference that indicated they are a modern group from Sweden! But they play classic American guitar-centric instrumental tunes as if they just stepped out of 1962!

As the title of the album would lead one to suspect, most of the songs on this album have a western theme. Here are a selection of song titles: Western Express, Brave Buffalos, Smiling Poney, Lonesome Cowboy and Country Woman.

The guitar playing on this album is bright, shiny and upbeat -fast-paced songs do indeed predominate – check it out!

Here’s the link:
https://goo.gl/qenTCT

Freegal Notes:
To access Freegal Music from a desktop or laptop simply click on the following link:
http://stlsny.freegalmusic.com/

The Freegal Music Catalog homepage will display —

it looks like this:

freegal-home-page

The Freegal Music app can be found in your app store and it looks like this:

freegal-music-app

Freegal Wild Card Pick Of The Week:

Cold Spring Harbor

by Billy Joel: 

cold-spring-harbor

This is Billy Joel’s first album from 1971!

And Joel is pretty popular, so I’m not going to say much about this album — except to note that if you’d like to listen to Billy Joel’s seventies albums in sequence and hear how his music has evolved over the years you can – they are all in the Freegal Music Catalog ready for you to stream!

And here are the songs on Cold Spring Harbor:

1. She’s Got a Way
2. You Can Make Me Free
3. Everybody Loves You Now
4. Why Judy Why
5. Falling of the Rain
6. Turn Around
7. You Look so Good to Me
8. Tomorrow Is Today
9. Nocturne
10. Got to Begin Again

Here’s the link to stream the album:

https://goo.gl/WtGYcA

III. Compact Discs Recommendations:
As with the Freegal music recommendations for this week – the CD recommendation is a various artists collection of early sixties rock instrumentals with a few pop instrumentals thrown in for good measure.

Complete Pop Instrumental Hits of the Sixties, Vol. 1: 1960

pop-inst-cd-frontback

This three disc set is part of a series and includes more than 80 songs including songs by: The Bill Black Combo, Bill Haley, Chet Atkins, Nat King Cole, The Ernie Fields Orchestra,The Champs, The Fireballs, Duane Eddy and many more!

Here’s a link to the request page:
https://goo.gl/4lJ4zP

Wild Card CD Picks Of The Week:

Since I’ve only suggested one CD, for those who like CDs, I’m going to suggest two wild cards picks for this week: Scorched by Mark Anthony Turnage, who plays both Jazz and Classical music, and, a great folk music, various artist collection titled Live at the Caffé Lena.

1. Scorched by Mark Anthony Turnage:

mark-anthony

Here is the entire stellular review of this LP from the AllMusic site, written by Rick Anderson:

Commissioned by the Society of Friends and Patrons of the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra and recorded at its premiere performance in September of 2002, Scorched is an extended suite of large-scale reconceptions of guitarist John Scofield’s jazz compositions, scored for big band, symphony orchestra, and guitar trio. English composer Mark-Anthony Turnage has been working in the borderland between jazz and classical music since his early days at the feet of Gunther Schuller, and his orchestral elaborations on Scofield’s original themes are surprisingly insightful and exciting. Scofield himself leads the trio, which also includes the legendary drummer Peter Erskine and electric bassist John Patitucci. Turnage avoids the standard classical-jazz crossover error of trying to make an ensemble this large actually swing; instead, he creates interest with dense but agile harmonic movement and crisp rhythmic change-ups; when Scofield and his crew take over periodically in a more standard jazz idiom, the effect is one of bracing contrast. The big-band-and-orchestra generally alternates with the trio rather than plays alongside it, but there are some thrilling moments of interplay, such as at the end of “Fat Lip 2” and the brilliant “Make Me 2.” Scofield’s solo playing on the contemplative “Cadenza” is another particular treat. Very highly recommended.

Here’s a link to the request page:

https://goo.gl/aurrDH

2. Live at Caffe Lena: Music From America’s Legendary Coffee House 1967-2013 by various artists:

lena-cd-frontlena-cd-back

The Caffe Lena is located in Saratoga Springs, New York and was on the New York City area folk musicians tour circuit in the early 1960s. In fact, one of the first places Bob Dylan played, after he relocated from Minnesota to New York City in 1960, was the Caffe Lena. Folk artists both well-known, emerging and just great solid players and songwriters you never hear on the radio have played there over the years including the previously mentioned Dylan, Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie, David Bromberg and many, many others.

I was fortunate enough to see Bill Staines there a number of years ago when the “Lena” of Caffe Lena, founder and manager Lena Spencer was still alive, she was quite nice and it was great fun – it felt almost like sitting in my living room with friends listening to another friend play folk music!

Here’s a description of the album: Live At Caffé Lena: Unreleased performances by Dave Van Ronk, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Kate McGarrigle, Rick Danko, Anais Mitchell, Sleepy John Estes, Arlo Guthrie, Sarah Lee Guthrie, and more.

Nestled in the quaint upstate town of Saratoga Springs, New York is Caffè Lena, the oldest continuously operating folk music coffeehouse in the US. Opened by Lena Spencer in 1960, this tiny room has played host to influential artists across diverse genres of music; traditional folk, blues, singer-songwriters, jazz and bluegrass. Luckily, many performances were caught on tape through the years, offering the listener a thrilling seat inside this hallowed venue. ‘Live At Caffè Lena’, a 3-CD box set, the result of years of investigative research, contains 47 tracks, all released for the very first time, alongside previously unpublished photographs. Images include selections from the archive of esteemed photographer Joe Alper, who captured many iconic, intimate portraits from the folk era of the 1960s.

‘Live At Caffè Lena’ documents an important folk universe that was and is still happening in upstate New York, a story heretofore largely untold. The release of this collection comes at an auspicious time in light of renewed interest in the New York folk scene of the 60s as depicted in the forthcoming Coen Brothers film, ‘Inside Llewyn Davis.’ The film is loosely based on Dave Van Ronk’s 2005 memoir ‘The Mayor of Macdougal Street.’ Van Ronk, a Caffè Lena regular, served as a mentor to many artists, some who would go on to eclipse his fame. His 1974 recording of “Gaslight Rag “featured on the box set references the Gaslight Café, a famed Greenwich Village venue that along with Caffè Lena was a catalyst for the folk music revival.

Caffè Lena embodied the spirit of the folk boom, the era and its artistry, building a reputation as a hotbed of creativity and connection. It was also a safe haven and nurturing space for artists, its atmosphere cultivated personally by Lena Spencer herself. She would graciously house wayward artists, sometimes for months at a time. But she was not merely a host. She championed artists, from Bob Dylan as early as 1961 all the way through the 80s until her passing. Her passion for identifying and promoting talent is evident throughout this 3-CD set. That Caffè Lena is still open for business tonight is a testament to her legacy.

‘Live At Caffè Lena’ is an important visual and audio document – 40+ years of our collective music history unearthed from dozens of “lost” tapes – night after night, show after show, through the decades – captured on tape in a tiny room in Saratoga Springs, New York.

Here’s a link to the request page:
https://goo.gl/QfifTD

IV: Videos Of This Weeks’ Artists/Groups:

The Astronauts live in 2012 playing Baja

And a link to a “video” which features a photo of the group in their heyday accompanied by the original recording of Baja:

Santo and Johnny – Sleepwalk 

Dave “The Baby” Cortez – The Happy Organ 

V. Wild Card Print Book Recommendation Of The Week:

women-in-rock-front-cover women-in-rock-back-cover

The Rolling Stone Book of Women in Rock: Trouble Girls

by Barbara O’Dair:

Granted this book was published in 1997, so you won’t find women who’ve gome up in teh rock world in the last twenty years discussed within its pages; however, it is a great read if you want to know about women in rock from the days of Rockabilly to the 1990s — for those eras this book offers a solid look at women in rock.

And here’s the official description of the book:

An impressive collection of 56 essays by 44 female writers about the role of women in popular music. Divided into six sections, the book opens with “The Pioneers of Rock & Roll: Blues, Jazz, Gospel, Rhythm & Blues, and Country” and features such artists as Billie Holiday, Mahalia Jackson, and Patsy Cline. Subsequent chapters cover solo artists and girl groups of the ’50s and ’60s; the ladies of rock in the ’60s and ’70s; and the pop singers and punksters of the ’70s. Sarah McLachlan, Bjork, Madonna, Salt-n-Pepa, k.d. lang, Janet Jackson, and Selena are just a few of the “Divas and B-Girls” spotlighted in another chapter. The volume wraps up with “Oh You Pretty Things!: Toward the Millennium” and includes the Go-Go’s, Ani DiFranco, performance artist Laurie Anderson, and Riot Grrls like Bikini Kill. O’Dair and her troupe of well-credentialed writers have produced a comprehensive, well-written, and visually appealing volume that has an excellent index, bibliography, and discographies with each chapter.

A must-have for libraries wanting vibrant, accessible material that will appeal to adolescent readers, especially women. Review by John Lawson, Fairfax County Public Library, VA

Here’s a link to the request page:
https://goo.gl/Kl3Atl

VI. References :

General References: 

Santelli, Robert. Sixties Rock: A Listener’s Guide. Contemporary Books. Chicago. 1985.

Whitburn, Joel. The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits. Billboard Books. New York. 2009.

Artist/Group References:

The Astronauts: Biography by Richie Unterberger

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-astronauts-mn0000753852/biography

Caffe Lena “Good Folk Since 1960” – Official Website:

Home

Billy Joel: Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/billy-joel-mn0000085915

Mark-Anthony Turnage: Biography by Allen Schrott
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/mark-anthony-turnage-mn0000817980/biography

Santo & Johnny: Biography by Jason Ankeny
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/santo-johnny-mn0000299277/biography

Have a great day!
Linda, SSCL

P.S. If you have any questions about how to download or stream free music through the Freegal Music service to a desktop or laptop computer or how to download and use the Freegal Music app let us know! Drop by the library or give us a call at: 607-936-3713

*You must have a library card at a Southern Tier Library System member library to enjoy the Freegal Music Service. Your card can be from any library in the system, and the system includes all public libraries in Steuben, Chemung, Yates, Schuyler and Allegheny Counties and including our own Southeast Steuben Count Library in Corning, New York. Library cards are free and at our library you can obtain one by visiting the Circulation Desk and presenting staff with a form of ID that features both your name and your current address.

Daily Print & Digital Suggested Reads: Friday, March 3, 2017

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, here are our suggested daily recommended titles in print or media and digital formats.

Our digital suggestion for today is the e-book:

bones-of-you

The Bones of You by Debbie Howells:

“An intriguing dark psychological thriller—truly brilliant!” —Lisa Jackson

I have a gardener’s inherent belief in the natural order of things. Soft petalled flowers that go to seed. The resolute passage of the seasons. Swallows that fly thousands of miles to follow the eternal summer.

Children who don’t die before their parents.

When Kate receives a phone call with news that Rosie Anderson is missing, she’s stunned and disturbed. Rosie is eighteen, the same age as Kate’s daughter, and a beautiful, quiet, and kind young woman. Though the locals are optimistic—girls like Rosie don’t get into real trouble—Kate’s sense of foreboding is confirmed when Rosie is found fatally beaten and stabbed.
Who would kill the perfect daughter, from the perfect family? Yet the more Kate entwines herself with the Andersons—graceful mother Jo, renowned journalist father Neal, watchful younger sister Delphine—the more she is convinced that not everything is as it seems. Anonymous notes arrive, urging Kate to unravel the tangled threads of Rosie’s life and death, though she has no idea where they will lead.

Weaving flashbacks from Rosie’s perspective into a tautly plotted narrative, The Bones of You is a gripping, haunting novel of sacrifices and lies, desperation and love.

“Unusual and haunting.” —Library Journal

“Suspenseful and poignant.” —Publishers Weekly “

“A compelling debut.” —Woman and Home

“A star in the making.” —The Daily Mail

Here’s a link to the checkout page in the Digital Catalog:

https://stls.overdrive.com/media/2765248

And our physical format suggestion for today is the print book:

perfect-little-world

Perfect Little World by Kevin Wilson:

Kevin Wilson’s anticipated follow-up to The Family Fang, Perfect Little World is a warm-hearted and emotional story about a young woman charting her own course.

“[A] moving novel about love, parenting, and the families we create for ourselves.” —Library Journal

When Isabelle Poole meets Dr. Preston Grind, she’s fresh out of high school, pregnant with her art teacher’s baby, and totally on her own. Izzy knows she can be a good mother but without any money or relatives to help, she’s left searching.

Dr. Grind, an awkwardly charming child psychologist, has spent his life studying family, even after tragedy struck his own. Now, with the help of an eccentric billionaire, he has the chance to create a “perfect little world”—to study what would happen when ten children are raised collectively, without knowing who their biological parents are. He calls it The Infinite Family Project and he wants Izzy and her son to join.

This attempt at a utopian ideal starts off promising, but soon the gentle equilibrium among the families disintegrates: unspoken resentments between the couples begin to fester; the project’s funding becomes tenuous; and Izzy’s growing feelings for Dr. Grind make her question her participation in this strange experiment in the first place.

Written with the same compassion and charm that won over legions of readers with The Family Fang, Kevin Wilson shows us with grace and humor that the best families are the ones we make for ourselves.

You can request the title by clicking on the following link to StarCat:

https://goo.gl/Psk4Rh

Or by calling the library at: 607-936-3713 x 502.

Have a great day!
Linda, SSCL

Online Catalog Links:

StarCat: The catalog of physical materials, i.e. print books, DVDs, audiobooks on CD etc. http://starcat.stls.org/

The Digital Catalog: The catalog of e-books, downloadable audiobooks and a handful of streaming videos: https://stls.overdrive.com/

Freegal Music Service: This music service is free to library card holders and offers the option to download, and keep, three free songs per week and to stream three hours of commercial free music each day: http://stlsny.freegalmusic.com/

Zinio: Digital magazines on demand and for free! Back issues are available and you can even choose to be notified by email when the new issue of your favorite magazine is available: https://www.rbdigital.com/stlschemungcony

About Library Mobile Apps:

You can access digital library content on PCs, Macs and mobile devices. For mobile devices simply download the OverDrive, Freegal or Zinio app from your app store to get started. If you have questions call the library at: 607-936-3713 and one of our Digital Literacy Specialists will be happy to assist you.

Daily Print & Digital Suggested Reads: Thursday, March 2, 2017

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, here are our suggested daily recommended titles in print or media and digital formats.

Our digital suggestion for today is the e-book:

poets-dog

The Poet’s Dog by Patricia MacLachlan:

From Newbery Medal winner Patricia MacLachlan comes a poignant story about two children, a poet, and a dog and how they help one another survive loss and recapture love. “Just what I needed,” raves Brightly.com. “It’s a heart-warming story of loss and love that filled me with hope for a better future and renewed my belief in good.”

Teddy is a gifted dog. Raised in a cabin by a poet named Sylvan, he grew up listening to sonnets read aloud and the comforting clicking of a keyboard. Although Teddy understands words, Sylvan always told him there are only two kinds of people in the world who can hear Teddy speak: poets and children.

Then one day Teddy learns that Sylvan was right. When Teddy finds Nickel and Flora trapped in a snowstorm, he tells them that he will bring them home—and they understand him. The children are afraid of the howling wind, but not of Teddy’s words. They follow him to a cabin in the woods, where the dog used to live with Sylvan . . . only now his owner is gone.

As they hole up in the cabin for shelter, Teddy is flooded with memories of Sylvan. What will Teddy do when his new friends go home? Can they help one another find what they have lost?

Here’s a link to the checkout page in the Digital Catalog:

https://stls.overdrive.com/media/2559859

And our physical format suggestion for today is the print book:

simon-tolkien

No Man’s Land by Simon Tolkien:

Inspired by the real-life experiences of his grandfather, J. R. R. Tolkien, during World War I, Simon Tolkien delivers a perfectly rendered novel rife with class tension, period detail, and stirring action, ranging from the sharply divided society of northern England to the trenches of the Somme.

Adam Raine is a boy cursed by misfortune. His impoverished childhood in turn-of-the-century London comes to a sudden and tragic end when his mother is killed in a workers’ protest march. His father, Daniel, is barely able to cope with the loss. But a job offer in the coal mining town of Scarsdale presents one last chance, so father and son head north. The relocation is hard on Adam: the local boys prove difficult to befriend, and he never quite fits in. Meanwhile tensions between the miners and their employer, Sir John Scarsdale, escalate, and finally explode with terrible consequences.

In the aftermath, Adam’s fate shifts once again, and he finds himself drawn into the opulent Scarsdale family home where he makes an enemy of Sir John’s son, Brice, who subjects Adam to a succession of petty cruelties for daring to step above his station. However, Adam finds consolation in the company of Miriam, the local parson’s beautiful daughter with whom he falls in love. When they become engaged and Adam wins a scholarship to Oxford, he starts to feel that his life is finally coming together—until the outbreak of war threatens to tear everything apart.

From the slums of London to the riches of an Edwardian country house; from the hot, dark seams of a Yorkshire coal mine to the exposed terrors of the trenches in France; Adam’s journey from boy to man is set against the backdrop of a society violently entering the modern world.

You can request the title by clicking on the following link to StarCat:

https://goo.gl/vEi4DV

Or by calling the library at: 607-936-3713 x 502.

Have a great day!
Linda, SSCL

Online Catalog Links:

StarCat: The catalog of physical materials, i.e. print books, DVDs, audiobooks on CD etc. http://starcat.stls.org/

The Digital Catalog: The catalog of e-books, downloadable audiobooks and a handful of streaming videos: https://stls.overdrive.com/

Freegal Music Service: This music service is free to library card holders and offers the option to download, and keep, three free songs per week and to stream three hours of commercial free music each day: http://stlsny.freegalmusic.com/

Zinio: Digital magazines on demand and for free! Back issues are available and you can even choose to be notified by email when the new issue of your favorite magazine is available: https://www.rbdigital.com/stlschemungcony

About Library Mobile Apps:

You can access digital library content on PCs, Macs and mobile devices. For mobile devices simply download the OverDrive, Freegal or Zinio app from your app store to get started. If you have questions call the library at: 607-936-3713 and one of our Digital Literacy Specialists will be happy to assist you.