Jill Martinson

Welcome to the theater! You’re just in time for the previews. I see that you’ve got your popcorn and drinks. I’ll show you to your seats.

New books celebrating the cinema are ready for circulation at Smiley Library. You’ll get to meet notable actors and directors, learn a bit about old Hollywood, and receive great DVD suggestions too. Hurry now, the lights are dimming and the curtain is just opening. Please sit back, relax and enjoy the show.

It’s hard to think of Alfred Hitchcock without picturing the infamous “shower scene” with Janet Leigh from the movie Psycho. If you’ve watched some of his classics, you’ll enjoy reading the history behind each masterpiece in “Alfred Hitchcock: The Complete Films.” This guide covers the early silent years to his final film in 1976. Brief background stories of his 53 movies along with accompanying stills give insight into one of the most prominent men in film. This would be a fun book to become acquainted with his prolific films, many of which may be brand new to you and some you may wish to add to your watch list.

Matthew McConaughey admirers will enjoy this next book. From his supporting role in Dazed and Confused to his Oscar-winning performance in Dallas Buyers Club, McConaughey has starred in numerous movies becoming a well-known celebrity. Now, with his first memoir “Greenlights” on the Los Angeles and New York Times bestseller lists, he’s proven to be just as popular as an author. Through a collection of candid personal stories, poems, and experiences drawn from a journal he has kept for the last 36 years, he shares insights explaining what it means to have “greenlights” in your life; affirmations you’re heading in the right direction. Full of stories from his childhood, world travels, career and family, he analyzes the moments that life gave him the go-ahead, and how to recognize and embrace that. An entertaining examination into a life as only Matthew could tell it.

Take a step back in years to old Hollywood with personalities like Rudolph Valentino, Olivia De Havilland, Clark Gable, and Mary Pickford. “This Was Hollywood: Forgotten Stars and Stories” by Carla Valderrama is the perfect overview of Hollywood during its Golden Age. Full of interesting history, trivia and a touch of scandal, even classic movie buffs will find a treasury of remarkable facts to learn here. Did you know Rita Hayworth was a “painfully shy” girl with long black hair dancing in a nightclub act with her father in Tijuana before becoming a Hollywood screen idol? Learn about the incredible talent of the Nicholas Brothers, dancing at the legendary Cotton Club. I’m sure you’ve heard of Rin Tin Tin, but how about Puzzums, “the most human cat in pictures?” This charming book has a wonderful “old school” vibe with abundant vintage photos and graphics.

Additional New Books Celebrating the Big Screen:

• “Apropos of Nothing” by Woody Allen
• “The Big Goodbye: Chinatown and the Last Years of Hollywood” by Sam Wasson
• “Chasing the Light: Writing, Directing, and Surviving Platoon, Midnight Express, Scarface, Salvador, and the Movie Game” by Oliver Stone
• “The Film Book: A Complete Guide to the World of Film” by Ronald Bergan
• “The Films of Martin Scorsese: Gangsters, Greed, and Guilt” by Eric San Juan Martin
• “Forbidden Hollywood: The Pre-Code Era (1930-1934): When Sin Ruled the Movies” by Mark A. Vieira
• “The Nolan Variations: The Movies, Mysteries, and Marvels of Christopher Nolan” by Tom Shone
• “Ripped from the Headlines!: The Shocking True Stories Behind the Movies’ Most Memorable Crimes” by Harold Schechter

Many films and works from the directors mentioned above are available for viewing from our extensive DVD collection. Familiar favorites like Psycho, Taxi Driver, Dallas Buyers Club, Batman Begins, Platoon, and Annie Hall as well as other classics, new releases, documentaries, musicals, adult and children’s titles are ready for you to check out, take home and enjoy.

In addition to our DVDs, you can stream classic, independent, foreign and educational films for free with a Smiley Library card through our Kanopy database. There are so many great films to watch here; I highly recommend taking a look.

For many years, the simple act of tending plants has brought a touch of joy into my life. Swirls of sweet peas climbing a trellis, fragrant rosemary plucked and ready to enrich a tomato sauce, a cheeky little gopher munching away in the carrot patch. Oh wait, that last example didn’t exactly incite a joyous feeling! Nevertheless, late winter is the perfect time to start planning your spring garden and I definitely hear mine beckoning. You can even mail order your plants, like I did with my olive trees, no thicker than a pencil when they arrived, now fruitful and towering as an impressive grove. Your efforts will result in a beautiful garden ready to emerge and befriend you for another season.

“Plant Partners: Science-Based Companion Planting Strategies for the Vegetable Garden” by Jessica Walliser is an informative book explaining how pairing certain vegetables in your garden will improve soil, yield a more productive crop, attract beneficial insects and strengthen resistance to disease. Her organic approach and suggestions are all backed by studies. Lure pests away from your harvest crops by trap cropping. If aphids are attacking your collards, try drawing them off by interplanting calendula. This will deter aphids from eating the collards and attract beneficial bugs to control the aphid population. Other suggestions include cover crops to improve soil and living mulches to discourage weeds. This interesting book offers creative ways to produce a thriving vegetable garden.

No matter where they live, all gardeners experience challenges along their growing pathways. In my own garden, I’ve had a late frost turn my lettuce bed into an icy tundra right out of the movie Frozen. Disappointing, yes, but I did let it go. It’s always interesting to see how fellow gardeners respond to their own challenges. Although based out of Novia Scotia, Niki Jabbour’s “Growing Under Cover: Techniques for a More Productive, Weather-Resistant, Pest-Free Vegetable Garden” has innovative solutions, even for us Californians. Here are some of her great takeaways. Make a cold frame for starting seeds using a recycled window sash. Plastic PVC pipe or metal tubes can be used to make small and large hoop frames, perfect for wind and pest protection. Shade cloth extends the spring season and more importantly for us, prevents sun scald on leaves and vegetables once the heat begins. While our weather may be quite different, it’s how we respond to it that makes each garden special. Many of these ideas, thoughts, and tips will give you the confidence to start your own special garden. Niki clearly has found a way to make growing under cover work for her. You can too.

There is nothing like using home-grown herbs to enhance your culinary creations. They smell great and taste so fresh. “Grow Your Own Herbs: the 40 Best Culinary Varieties for Home Gardens” by Susan Belsinger and Arthur O. Tucker is the perfect gardening book for anyone who loves to cook. The authors provide an overview of each herb, the type of conditions they grow in and a color photograph for identification. They include plant characteristics and flavors, harvesting and preserving ideas, and suggestions on how to use them in your cooking. There are appetizing recipes too, like herb pastes, herb vinegar and herb butter. Garlic, basil, cilantro and mint may be familiar names, but have you tried stevia, lovage, or saffron? Whether you grow them inside on a sunny windowsill or outside, they’ll add amazing flavor to all your dishes.

Enjoy these gardening books and a large selection of others, available through our Books to Go service. The details are on our website at www.akspl.org. Start gardening now; it’s time to get growing!

Technology has increasingly become a big part of our lives. This year certainly has seen a boost of virtual activity with online classes, Zoom meetings, webinars and remote gatherings. While many are postponing in-person get-togethers right now, social networking has become another way to keep connected. No need to be concerned if this is all new to you. Here are some books to help you be virtually innovative and socialize while social distancing.

This holiday season, some people are taking a different approach to their traditional parties. Creative family and friends have branched out with Zoom, an audio and video conferencing software app. “Zoom for Dummies” by Phil Simon introduces you to this popular app, providing detailed instruction on how to use it for business or pleasure. Basically, it allows you to stream live video and audio via computer, tablet or phone. His book shows how to set up an account and download the app to conduct meetings, chats and webinars. You’ll learn about Zoom rooms, screen sharing, and cyber security. So, get it set up and have a live Zoom meeting with your distant relatives right from your very own living room. You can open the Christmas gifts you sent one another. It’ll be worth seeing the look of surprise on Uncle Bob’s face as he opens the lovely sweater you knitted for him. It’s all right. You did a good job for your first knitted project; who wants sleeves the same length anyway?

When you’re ready to share all those great holiday photos, consider setting up an Instagram account. “Instagram for Dummies” by Jenn Herman, Corey Walker and Eric Butow is not just useful for businesses looking to promote their products, but a great resource for individuals and families as well. It’s super easy to set up the app on your phone or computer. You can even set your account to private so only your family and friends who have accounts can access it. Learn how to share cool photos, adding stories, stickers and captions to spice things up. You’ll get help finding people to follow and connect with and most importantly, you’ll finally learn how to use a hashtag.

If you don’t know Facebook from Twitter or Instagram from YouTube, this next book is for you. “A Social Media Survival Guide” by Melody Karle gives brief overviews on some of the most popular social media like Facebook, Snapchat, Pinterest, YouTube, Twitter, well you get the idea. She discusses what each is, the main reason people use it, some terminology and the very, very basics on how to use it. Take a look at this if you’re a newbie to social media and just want to be able to nod your head in understanding and amazement when people say “Golly, my tweet has gotten so many retweets!”

Although A.K. Smiley Public Library has temporarily suspended in-person services, these titles and more are still available for checkout with our popular “Books to Go” service. You request the books online, via email or phone. We check them out and make an appointment for you to pick them up outside of the library. All the details are on our Books to Go webpage or as always, feel free to give us a call at (909) 798-7565. We’d love to hear from you!

“I always loved running… it was something you could do by yourself, and under your own power. You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs.” – Jesse Owens

There is a wealth of reasons why people enjoy running. Some run as a form of exercise; others to challenge and push their limits. Running can offer camaraderie or spur competitiveness, and at its best, impart a sense of great freedom. The following books feature runners, both from different backgrounds and circumstances. Although their paths to running started for diverse reasons, each found great purpose in this simple act.

Noé grew up in Yakima, Washington. By the time he was 17, he worked alongside his mother, an immigrant from Mexico, in a fruit packing plant where she had toiled for decades. Working conditions for the tired agricultural workers were tough with long hours and he grew quite resentful of the heavy toll it took on his mother and father, an orchard laborer. His parents both encouraged him to take a less arduous path for his future. To get a break from his troubles, Noé would run around his desert home, over the rivers and hills, and neighborhoods, thinking of what it meant to be the son of immigrants.

When he earned a full scholarship to Whitman College, he thought perhaps a better future was in sight. However, he had a hard time fitting in, internalizing the Latino stereotypes he heard around him. It is in college where he learns of the Peace and Dignity Journeys, a marathon created to unite and heal indigenous nations. “Spirit Run: A 6,000-Mile Marathon through North America’s Stolen Land” by Noé Álvarez is a memoir of his four-month run from Canada to Guatemala, alongside Native Americans from different tribes. He describes the intense challenges of the run and the stories of his running mates, who were all confronting their own personal struggles. Noé shares how this experience helped him forge new relationships, with both the land and his heritage.

Meb Keflezighi is a name quite well known in the running world. He’s won numerous titles, won both the Boston and New York marathons and earned a silver medal in the 2004 Olympics. Born in Asmara, Eritrea, he fled war-torn Ethiopia as a ten year old, eventually ending up in San Diego. In his book “26 Marathons: What I Learned About Faith, Identity, Running, and Life” he covers these runs, ranging from 2002 to 2017, devoting a chapter to each. A recap of the races are provided in addition to valuable life lessons he took away from each one. Runners will definitely appreciate this book.

If you’re a long distance runner yourself and want some great tips, who better than Meb Keflezighi to be your personal trainer? In “Meb for Mortals: How to Run, Think, and Eat Like a Champion Marathoner,” you’ll get all the physical, mental and nutritional training you need, and just about anything else you can think of, from a world-class runner. There are great ideas here to incorporate into your own routine.

Rock. Pop. Classical. Jazz. Rap. Country. Over forty brand new music biographies, histories, studies and appreciations have been added to our collection and are ready for check out. Take a look at the following selections and enjoy the wide-ranging assortment of tuneful titles to take home.

One of the strongest voices in the 1950s and 1960s folk revival scene during the Civil Rights Movement was Odetta Holmes, or just Odetta as she was known. Born in Birmingham, Alabama in 1930, this influential singer songwriter brought to light the folk songs, plantation work songs, and chain gang songs that depicted racial inequality and struggle through her music and political activism. She was a major inspiration to many well-known artists including Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Harry Belafonte. “Odetta: A Life in Music and Protest” by Ian Zack examines her musical beginnings, introduction into the world of folk music while on tour in San Francisco, and rise from coffeehouse to Carnegie Hall. Her political involvement included marches alongside Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks. While the white folk musicians around her received the recognition which eluded her, she stood with integrity and conveyed a vital message to educate and advocate for social change through her powerful vocals and guitar. When you get a chance, listen to her music. You’ll be glad you did.

With fifteen Grammy wins to her credit, there is no doubt that Alicia Keys is an extremely talented musician with an amazing voice and pianistic prowess. In her honest biography “More Myself: A Journey” she invites you into her life: her childhood, family, and musical career. Born in 1981, in the Hell’s Kitchen area of Manhattan, she was determined to rise above the tough way of life, drugs, and prostitution she saw around her. Keys’ mother, whose guidance was steadfast, introduced her to music at an early age through jazz records by Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, and Ella Fitzgerald. Classical and jazz piano lessons starting in first grade and Professional Performing Arts School at twelve followed, allowing her creativity to flourish and instilling in her a lifelong love of music. She takes you through the evolution of her music, discusses celebrity friendships and life with husband Swizz Beatz. Social activism is an important part of her life and she fights injustice through song, as well as action, as exemplified in her charity work and nonprofit organizations. Join her on her journey as she learns the great importance of being true to herself.

With the variety of new music books we have on hand, I’m sure there will be something that will pique your interest. Here are just a few more popular titles we have available for your consideration:

Familiar Faces:

“Acid for the Children: A Memoir” by Flea; “Beethoven: the Relentless Revolutionary” by John Clubbe; “Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young: the Wild, Definitive Saga of Rock’s Greatest Supergroup” by David Browne; “Dave Brubeck: A Life in Time” by Philip Clark; “Face It” by Debbie Harry; “Janis: Her Life and Music” by Holly George-Warren; “Jay-Z: Made in America” by Michael Eric Dyson; “Me” by Elton John; “Me & Patsy Kickin’ Up Dust: My Friendship with Patsy Cline” by Loretta Lynn; “Summertime: George Gershwin’s Life in Music” by Richard Crawford; “Texas Flood: the Inside Story of Stevie Ray Vaughan” by Alan Paul and Andy Aledort.

Illustrated Offerings:

“Bruce Springsteen: the Stories Behind the Songs” by Brian Hiatt; “Carpenters: An Illustrated Discography” by Randy Schmidt; “Country Music” by Dayton Duncan, based on a documentary film by Ken Burns; “Women Who Rock: Bessie to Beyonce. Girl Groups to Riot Grrrl” edited by Evelyn McDonnell; “Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music” by Michael Lang.

Musical Musings:

“Decoding Dylan: Making Sense of the Songs that Changed Modern Culture” by James M. Curtis; “For the Love of Music: A Conductor’s Guide to the Art of Listening” by John Mauceri; “Music: A Subversive History” by Ted Gioia; “Songs of America: Patriotism, Protest, and the Music that Made a Nation” by Jon Meacham and Tim McGraw; “William S. Burroughs & the Cult of Rock ‘n’ Roll” by Casey Rae.

These titles may be checked out through our Books-to-Go program. Give us a call at 909 798-7565 or visit our website at www.akspl.org for more information.