Nancy McGee

This article is usually about the new books at Smiley Library, however, since Halloween is creeping closer, let’s have a look at some goosebump-related items in the library that may have a little dust on them. Yes, there are plenty of scary movies and books to choose from, but we also have books about the people that were involved with writing, directing, and starring in these creative works. Come in and learn more about the people lurking behind the scenes….

“Psycho” fans may be interested in “The Twelve Lives of Alfred Hitchcock: An Anatomy of the Master of Suspense,” by Edward White, one of several selections about Alfred Hitchcock and his movies.

Stephen King has authored many hair-raising books, including “The Shining.” To learn more about the inner workings of King’s creativity, check out “Bare Bones: Conversations on Terror.” “The Shining” is also an unforgettable movie, and you can read up on the producer/director in “Stanley Kubrick: A Biography,” by Vincent LoBrutto. Can’t think of that movie without Jack Nicholson’s creepy performance? Look for “Five Easy Decades: How Jack Nicholson Became the Biggest Movie Star in Modern Times,” by Dennis McDougal, downstairs in the biography section.

An actor remembered for his spine-tingling role as Hannibal Lecter is featured in “Anthony Hopkins: The Unauthorized Biography,” by Michael Feeney Callan. A graphic novel of the famed Dracula actor is also on our shelves “Lugosi: The Rise and Fall of Hollywood’s Dracula,” by Koren Shadmi. Another legendary performer with a lengthy resume of horror movies and a sinister voice is explored in “Vincent Price: The Art of Fear,” by Denis Meikle.  A biography of the host with the deadpan voice from television’s “Twilight Zone” is “Serling: The Rise and Twilight of Television’s Last Angry Man,” by Gordon F. Sander.

Finally, here’s a selection about a female film pioneer who was pushed into obscurity by others who took credit, but the movie creature she created still gives me the shivers. “The Lady from the Black Lagoon: Hollywood Monsters and the Lost Legacy of Milicent Patrick.”

There are many other selections to choose from in our beautiful 124-year-old building. Pay us a visit, but beware of those past lives rumored to still linger in the stacks!

A.K. Smiley Public Library has a variety of new non-fiction books waiting to be read. Here are some interesting and random selections for your consideration.

“Tales of Al: The Water Rescue Dog: The Making of a Super Athlete” is written by long-distance swimming legend and author Lynne Cox. Her love of dogs, swimming, and vivid descriptions enhance the story of her experiences learning about Italy’s water rescue dogs at Scuola Italiana Cani Salvataggio. Dogs at this school learn how to save drowning people in Italy, Germany, and Switzerland, often fearlessly jumping out of helicopters to do so. Traveling to Italy to learn firsthand, she follows the training of a young Newfoundland dog named Al and the successful program that has saved many lives in Europe.

Award winning director James Burrows (with Eddie Friedfeld) has authored “Directed by James Burrows: Five Decades of Stories from the Legendary Director of Taxi, Cheers, Frasier, Friends, Will & Grace, and More.” James traces his life back to his childhood growing up as the son of a famous playwright. He takes the reader through his early career and behind the scenes of the many sitcoms he has been involved with, including his relationships with the actors and colleagues he has worked with. Aspiring directors will appreciate his insight into some of the technical aspects of his job. Producers, writers, friends, and University of Redlands graduates Glen and Les Charles wrote the book’s forward.

Anyone who enjoys National Geographic films, likes adventure and conservation stories, or who has an interest in filmmaking, will likely find “On Assignment: Memoir of a National Geographic Filmmaker” by James R. Larison intriguing. James photographed, wrote, and produced several environmental films for the National Geographic Society, many times with the assistance of his wife, Elaine. They lived an adventurous life in the wilderness and undersea, eventually including their sons in their travels and assignments. In spite of intense planning and training, risks and danger were always a factor, including surviving a plane crash, a shark attack, and an icefall.

Geology, wilderness, wildlife, seasonal weather, and vivid memories may come to mind when thinking about the Sierra Nevada mountain range. There are plenty of opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts to explore the mountains and surrounding regions. Our new book section can expand your knowledge and appreciation for the geology of these areas.

A passionate fan of the Sierras is science fiction author Kim Stanley Robinson. He shares history, science, and his adventures in “The High Sierra: A Love Story.” Having made multiple treks into the heart of these mountains, and being a capable storyteller, his knowledge and enthusiasm for the Range of Light shines through in vivid detail. Color photographs enhance the reader’s experience for areas in the high country that few of us will ever see.

The drive up Highway 395 along the Sierra range is noteworthy for the evidence of volcanic activity in the region. Ancient cinder cones, old lava flows, craters, earthquake faults, and Mammoth Mountain are just a few of the geologic wonders of the area. Volcanologist and science journalist Robin George Andrews goes back in history, underground, above ground, and undersea in “Super Volcanoes: What They Reveal about Earth and the Worlds Beyond.” Andrews brings the reader up close and personal to all things volcano, including Hawaii’s Kilauea eruptions, the supervolcano Yellowstone region, the ocean floor, Krakatoa, and the volcanism on Mars, Venus, and the Moon. This is truly an educational adventure through time and space by a very capable guide.

Since we are already in rocky territory, if you will pardon the pun, our new book section can also take you from the enormity of mountains and volcanoes down to the basic and infinitesimal building blocks of geology. “Rocks & Minerals” by Chris and Helen Pellant educates the reader on basic rock and mineral composition, formation, hardness, origin, texture, classification, and more. Detailed color photographs assist with accurate identification of over 500 rocks and minerals. There are also suggestions for equipment and tips for collecting and organizing a collection.

A.K. Smiley Public Library rocks!

New books are added to the collections of A.K. Smiley Public Library every day. Here’s a random sampling of a few of the new non-fiction books with a glimpse into what is between the book covers.

Exotic butterflies, Belize, wildlife sanctuary, nature, Mayan civilization, ecotourism, living in a rainforest, human connections, a butterfly farm, and the effects of a hurricane and a pandemic. All of these subjects are contained in journalist Diana Marcum’s memoir, “The Fallen Stones: Chasing Butterflies, Discovering Mayan Secrets, and Looking for Hope along the Way.” The author’s vivid descriptions and sense of humor make this a memorable narrative.

Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, motivation, inventiveness, determination, discrimination, success, and a Pepsi executive are all topics covered in “Flamin’ Hot: The Incredible True Story of One Man’s Rise from Janitor to Top Executive.” Richard P. Montañez’s personal journey is quite an inspiring story.

Archaeology, 3 million years, six continents, explorers, ancient cities, secret codes, treasures, tombs, looters, history, and curses. National Geographic’s “Lost Cities, Ancient Tombs: 100 Discoveries that Changed the World” explores these subjects and more in a little over 500 pages with color photographs. This book will undoubtedly evoke curiosity to learn more about some of these histories of the human journey.

Attention armchair adventurers, history buffs, and geography enthusiasts—the New Book Section at A.K. Smiley Public Library is calling out to you! Here are just a few selections from our bookshelves.

Brian Castner’s “Stampede: Gold Fever and Disaster in the Klondike” brings the Klondike gold rush of 1897-1898 into detailed focus. More than 100,000 people headed north in search of gold and wealth during an intense economic depression. Very few of them succeeded in their quest and many of them tragically perished due to being completely unprepared for the harsh realities they encountered. Individual experiences and tragedies are intimately chronicled, along with photographs, through the author’s meticulous research of memoirs, oral histories, and other historical sources. Stories of familiar names like Jack London, Skookum Jim, and the nefarious Soapy Smith are included, along with many others.

Another optimistic adventure in 1897 that also turned ill-fated is detailed in Julian Sancton’s “Madhouse at the End of the Earth: The Belgica’s Journey into the Dark Antarctic Night.” This narrative of Belgium’s first polar expedition details the journey south that eventually became a story of survival as the ship became engulfed in ice for an entire year. The author shares the relationships of the scientists and sailors as they endured the long polar night, illness, isolation, and madness. The inclusion of photographs brings more vividness to the saga. A young Roald Amundsen and Dr. Frederick Cook, unknown to history at that time, were part of the crew.

Jack London and Dr. Frederick Cook also appear in Patrick Dean’s “A Window to Heaven: The Daring First Ascent of Denali, America’s Wildest Peak.” In 1913 Episcopal priest Hudson Stuck, wilderness guide Harry Karstens, Alaskan native Walter Harper, and divinity student Robert Tatum all kept journals of their trek on the first successful ascent of Denali. While this narrative chronicles their arduous journey, it also delves into the life of Englishman Hudson Stuck and his experiences before the historic climb. He advocated for ending child labor in Texas, was an Archdeacon of the Yukon and Arctic where he established hospitals, libraries, schools and missions, and was an advocate for the environment and indigenous Alaskans.

Here are a few more selections for your consideration: “Every Day the River Changes: Four Weeks Down the Magdalena,” by Jordan Salama; “To the Greatest Heights: Facing Danger, Finding Humility, and Climbing a Mountain of Truth,” by Vanessa O’Brien; “In Search of a Kingdom: Francis Drake, Elizabeth I, and the Perilous Birth of the British Empire,” by Laurence Bergreen; and “Tunnel 29: The True Story of an Extraordinary Escape Beneath the Berlin Wall,” by Helena Merriman.

Just in case you decide to pursue your own adventure, you might want to first read the tenth anniversary edition of “The Natural Navigator: The Rediscovered Art of Letting Nature Be Your Guide: Find Your Way with Trees, Looming Clouds, Hidden Spiderwebs, and More Clues,” by Tristan Gooley.