The Librarian Suggests

The Librarian Suggests three favorite short story collections. What are you reading? 

The Librarian Suggests

Is poetry dying? It sure does seem like it, but it's not! Is poetry still relevant, absolutely! And it's our jobs as librarians to keep it alive. Find a short poem and carry it with you, read it to yourself everyday for the rest of the month and hold on to it, hold on to the words, memorize it, and feel the emotion. I will leave you with this poem by one of our favorites, Mary Oliver. 

"There are moments that cry out to be fulfilled.

Like telling someone you love them. 

Or giving your money away, all of it.

Your heart is beating, isn't it?

You're not in chains, are you?

There is nothing more pathetic than caution,

when headlong might save a life, 

even, possibly, your own." 

The Librarian Suggests

What I'm Reading: 

Sex and Rage - I still don't know how I feel after reading Sex and Rage and that was practically a month ago. Jacaranda is basically Edie Sedgwick on the west coast. She's a beach bum, part-time painter, sun-kissed and beautiful, she hangs with people who resemble Daisy and Tom Buchanan from the Great Gatsby. It's about nothing and it's all over the place, wild like the Jacaranda flower itself. We find our heroine at twenty-eight years old, she's jobless and has no sense of purpose, she's wild and free but is easily "thrown away" by her friends. She moves to New York in hope to write a book and enter a new phase in her life. Semi autobiographical of Eve Babitz's life, Sex and Rage is not really about sex or rage. Maybe you'll like it more than I did.

Help! I'm A Prisoner in the Library - A few weeks ago as I was weeding the Children's Fiction and I came across this title, it instantly intrigued me. Written in 1979 and based on a library somewhere in Indiana, this book was so much fun. Two girls who accidentally get locked in a library one evening must figure out how to get out. Told similarly to The Mixed Up Files of Mrs.Basil E. Frankweiler, the two sisters explore the library and eventually meet the librarian who help them find their father. Needless to say, I will not be getting rid of this treasure of a book. 

No Matter the Wreckage - Do people even read poetry anymore? I'm all over the place from Sylvia Plath to Mary Oliver, Anne Sexton and Langsten Hughes. I've been trying to make the effort to read more modern work and when I stumbled across Sarah Kay a few years ago, I instantly fell in love. B is her most famous piece, No Matter the Wreckage is filled with wonderful poems. 

The Prince and the Dressmaker - Keeping his secret of wearing dresses and taking Paris by storm as Lady Crystalia, (only the hottest fashion icon in the capital of fashion), Prince Sebastian's parents are looking for a bride. Forget the women his parents are trying to set him up with, Sebastian would rather twirl in his one of a kind gowns and Frances, his dressmaker. A beautifully crafted story that acknowledges gender fluidity and explores love, this is sure to be a graphic novel you will come back to again and again. And if you enjoy this author and these illustrations as much as Jade and I do, then follow Jen Wang. 

Sula -  One of the best books I've read this year. Sula is a novel that traces the lives of two black women from their childhood in a small Ohio town, through their own paths of womanhood and their final confrontation and reconciliation. This book is all the feels. Make sure to pass it on to your best friend. Nel and Sula are soulmates. Nel conforms to the society she lives in while Sula is more rebellious, seeks city life and is fiercely independent. Despite being published in 1963, this book is very relevant with the discussion of female friendship today. #girlgang   

What I'm Watching: 

Two words, Queer Eye. 

What I'm Listening Too: 

 I've recently started Forever 35, The Last Movie and Super Soul Conversations with Oprah.

The Librarian Suggests

What I'm Reading: 

The Vegetarian by Han Kang: This South Korean novella reads as if you're in a twisted dream. It's bizarre and all over the place. Yeong-hye is a South Korean women who is struggling mentally and emotionally. After having a bizarre dream herself, she makes the decision to become a vegetarian. Her husband and family do not agree with her decision and decide to have an intervention which leads to a more devastating outcome. Told from the perspecitve of Yeong-hye's husband, brother-in-law and sister, this translated novella leaves you with a lot of feelings. Feminism, independence, relationships and how that plays in culture, there's a lot packed into this short story.

Sita's Ramayana by Samhita Arni: In an effort to read more by Asian Authors and a strong desire to learn about Indian culture (because I've always had a fascination in Indian history), this graphic novel is based on Indian mythology and legends. Samhita Arni presents the beloved stories of Ramayana which was originally written in Sanskrit by Valmiki around 300 B.C. Filled with beautiful and stunning illustrations, if you love learning about Ravana and other Hindu gods, you will love this graphic novel.

The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov: I don't even know where to begin with this book. It's my first Russian novel, which shame on me, I know! But what an excellent first choice! Combining two very different but interwoven stories, one is set in ancient Jerusalem and the other in contemporary Moscow during Stalin's regime. With vivid scenes describing the murder of Judas and the meeting between Pilate and Yeshua the other story focuses on Satan portraying himself as a professor with his vodka drinking black cat and his comical band of assassins. This book is chilling, satirical and a classic. I can't recommend this book enough!   

What I'm Watching: I recently watched Minority Report for the hundredth time and I still love it just as much from when I saw it in theaters in middle school. A fan of both Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise, Minority report is a neo-noir science fiction movie, which I just learned is based on a short story with the same name by Philip K. Dick. I never really considered myself  a sci-fi nerd but I have to say, my dad's love of science fiction was definitely  passed down to me. Based on three psychics that are referred to as "precogs," this is definitely one of Tom Cruise's better movies. 


What I'm Listening Too:

For the past few weeks I have been listening religiously to a somewhat new podcast called Cults. Under the Parcast network, I have been learning about all sorts of cults and their leaders. You may think how can this girl listen to so many true crime and cult like shows? It's not necessarily about the actual crime, I'm more fascinated by the psychology and what makes people become so mentally warped to actively carry out murdering someone and convincing others to participate in a mass suicide. It just goes to show our powerful our psychology is! If you love learning about Cult Leaders, then you should listen to this show. 

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The Librarian Suggests

Sarah's Bookshelf: 

Like last year, one of my resolutions (I prefer intentions to resolutions) was to read more. This year, I'm expanding upon that and trying to read more diversely, not just across genres but cultures and authors as well. So let's see how well I do throughout the year. 

Orchids on Your Budget by Majorie Hillis: Majorie Hillis, the name is somewhat new to me. I discovered her first book, Live Alone and Like It randomly last year. I read it in two evenings and immediately needed to know more about her. An alum of Miss Dana's School for Young Ladies, she went on to pursue a career as an editor at Vogue and became somewhat of a guru to single ladies at the turn of the century. Needless to say even though she passed in 1971, she has become sort of a life coach to me. In the same writing style and the follow up to Live Alone and Like It, Orchids On Your Budget is another how to/guide to living within your budget. Live chicly but cheaply!

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline: I don't even know where to begin with this book other than it is a masterpiece. Maybe I feel this way because I grew up with a brother who lived during the eighties and I was heavily influenced by his lifestyle. I'm also addicted to every teen movie (I'm a sucker for John Hughes movies) made in the 80s. Hello Christina Applegate in Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter is Dead or Robyn Lively in Teen Witch, don't even get me started on Back to the Future, The Gooniesor Indiana Jones. Books, movies, music and video games, you name it I know more than most kids born in '87 should know about that decade. I am very excited for the movie, but the book - it is pure magic!

3 Strange Tales by Ryunosuke Akutagawa: Considered the father of Japanese Short Stories, Ryunosuke was a prolific and very accomplished writer. Plagued with mental illness, he unfortunately took his own life at just 35 years old. Although his life was cut short, he had written over a hundred short stories before the time of his death making him an important writer in Japanese Literature! A beautiful writer, Three Strange Tales combines elements of religion, history, mysticism and Japanese mythology into this collection. These twisted tales feature a martyr, a thief, a murderer and a witch. If you like Japanese Horror films, this is a great introduction if you are new to reading Japanese Literature.

What I've Been Watching:

Before I started watching Grace and Frankie, it would have been smart to watch 9 to 5, or so my mom says. Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin are quite the pair in the Netflix original show. Their chemistry is everything. I hope to not only have a friendship like Grace and Frankie, I hope to be Frankie Bergstein. While Lily Tomlin consistently makes me laugh until my stomach hurts, when Jane Fonda is in point she is fire and slightly resembles my own mother. What have you been watching? 

What I've Been Listening Too: 

The Bright Sessions - Just as much as I want to live in the world Ernest Cline created with Ready Player One, I am so consumed by the story line in The Bright Sessions Podcast. A fictional show involving therapy sessions for people with special abilities, like empaths, telepaths, time-travelers, mind controllers and more. It took me a couple years but now I can't get enough of Dr. Bright or her patients. I will most likely feel how I felt when I caught up in real time with Game of Thrones, having to wait when I catch up to the latest season, I won't be able to handle it!  

The Librarian Suggests: The Best Of

What I Read This Year (and Loved):

Shakespeare and Co, Paris by Krista Halverson - If you love reading books about books, then make sure to add this (very famous) independent bookstore on your travel bucket list. A bookstore opened by an American in the 1920s acts as both a sanctuary for book lovers and a hotel for writers on their way. 

Dear Fahrenheit 451 by Annie Spence - A librarian who writes love letters and break-up notes to the books in her life. Anyone who loves books will appreciate and laugh at loud at what she has to say to some of her favorite and not so favorite books. . 

The Lottery by Shirley Jackson - Given that this story is only ten pages and was written in the forties (and written by a woman), it certainly gives a lasting impression. Think Leave It To Beaver meets The Hunger Games meets The Stoning of Soraya M. It's horrifying, you'll be screaming at the book by the end. 

The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis - For her research, the author spent several months interviewing women and young girls in refugee camps in Pakistan and used the interviews as the basis of this story. With her father wrongfully accused and taken away, a young Afghani girl cuts her hair, dresses as a boy and works in the market by day and looks for her father by night. A beautiful story that shows us the lives of young women in the Middle East.

Here We Are Now by Oliver Jeffers - There are many reasons why Oliver Jeffers is one of my favorite children's authors/illustrators. He's Irish (I don't know why that's important, but it is), every one of his stories is unique, the illustrations are stunning and his books really make you think. "From land and sky, to people and times, these notes can be your guide and start you on your journey. You'll figure lots of things out for yourself. Just remember to leave notes for everyone else..." This book is not just meant for children, it's an excellent reminder (and leaves an important message) for adults as well. 

What I Watched This Year (and Loved):
It may be no surprise that The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel was my favorite show this year. Not in a feminist sort of way but I think it was a show that was really needed. At least we know Amy Sherman-Palladino hasn't lost her magical touch at making great television. And obviously, the second season of Stranger Things!!!

What I Listened Too This Year (and Loved):
A little late to this podcast, but I've been binging Leandra Medine Cohen's podcast, Monocycle over the last week and I love it so much. It feels like your in the middle of a great conversation with a friend. They are short, ten minute episodes on literally any subject you can think of. There were so many wonderful podcasts I listened to this year, both fictional and gabfest/cultural discussion types of shows but I don't know, Leandra just knows how to grab people and make you think about our daily lives, our habits and behaviors. 

The Librarian Suggests

If you're wondering what to read to the little ones Christmas Eve, these classics have been a hit in my story times over the last few weeks. Mr. Willowby's Christmas is a must and A Christmas Stocking Story is a forgotten love of mine. What is your favorite holiday story?! 

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The Librarian Suggests

What's on my bookshelf:
Jade may have mentioned and discussed her thoughts on My Best Friend's Exorcism earlier in the year but now that I just read it, I can't recommend it enough. Like, wow - what a fantastic story! A combination of your favorite 80's teen flick and The Exorcist, this book was exciting and keeps you on the edge of your seat. I read it in almost one sitting because I just couldn't put it down. With big crimped hair, (a little bit of) a Heathers vibe and an exorcism scene that will make you laugh, this is hands down my favorite adult fiction book of the year. Like I said Jade recommended it at the beginning of the year, I don't know what took me so long to get to it but I can't say how much I loved this book. I just checked out Horrorstor from the library and I can't wait to get to it this weekend. I also read five other books last month including The Witch of Blackbird Pond, The Buddha Walks into a Bar, Go Ask Alice, Nice is Just a Place in France and Literally Me by Julie Houts.

All excellent reads by the way. If you're desperate (like me) for learning how to control your anxiety and need help calming down, Buddha Walks into a Bar is very helpful but entertaining at the same time. It's a modern approach to understanding and starting your own meditation practice. I highly suggest anything written by Lodro Rinzler, I have a few other books by him and I love his writing style and the calming affect his books have. Go Ask Alice ended up being the required reading for our podcast but I enjoyed rereading it for the second time. I first read this book as a fifth or sixth grader. Then it was slightly terrifying, I remembered so many of the details. Second time around, I had a lot of problems with it. If you want to know exactly how I felt, you can listen to Jade, Gina (another librarian) and I talk about it at The Librarian Suggests. The book by The Betches, Nice is Just a Place in France is very clearly a satirical book (with maybe a few tips and tricks for taking on global domination). I've seen a lot of criticism around it, many girls are reading it and taking it way too seriously. If you're in for a quick read, it's just the right book for you. And without spending an entire paragraph on Julie Houts debut book - Literally Me, all I have to say is buy it. It will be worth it. It's a book you'll pick up again and again. 

What's on my Netflix Queue:
Lovely, Actually. When it hits December, it's nothing but Christmas movies for me, whether it's watching Home Alone for the thousandth time or Love, Actually (because who doesn't love this movie). And obviously, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, because Amy Sherman-Palladino can do no wrong. 

What I've Been Listening Too: 
My Christmas Playlist and catching up with episodes of The Librarian Is In. Jade got me hooked to Deadly Manners. A short show by the producers of The Darkest Night, it's an excellent but modern take on Agatha Christie meets Clue. 

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The Librarian Suggests

Since I've been listening to Hamilton nonstop all week, these are a few of my favorite soundtracks :)

The Librarian Suggests

What I'm Reading: 

Compensating a little for not really reading last month, I read six very different books. I started with a short story by J.D. Salinger, The Girl I Knew. A little difficult to find (because it doesn't appear in any of his short story collections), I had to really put my degree to use to find a copy.  First published in 1948 as the feature story in Good Housekeeping, this story was both haunting and beautiful. A young American boy traveling to Europe for work befriends his neighbor's daughter, a romance quickly blossoms but just as fast has it started, the two are torn apart by marriage and World War II. If you've never heard of this story, I bet you have heard of this quote, "She wasn't doing a thing that I could see, except standing there, leaning on the balcony railing, holding the universe together." Such a profound and powerful statement, Salinger definitely ranks as a top three author, I find most all of his work exhilarating. I also read The Bad-ass Librarians of Timbuktu, Live Alone and Like It, The Ocean at the End of the Lane and The Big Life. For the adventurer and historian (to learn about the complicated past and present of the Middle East), you are in for a treat and a wild ride in The Librarians of Timbuktu. For further reading, The Storied Life is also an excellent choice. The goddess and Queen Bee herself, Majorie Hillis wrote a hilarious etiquette/how-to, if.../guide to life for the single woman in Live Alone and Like It. I could not stop laughing while also seriously taking notes on how to live my life to the fullest and how to embrace myself. There are basically no words for The Ocean at the End of the Lane. I mean everyone knows Neil Gaiman is a master at storytelling, you can just tell that this guy loves books. A beautiful story about childhood, magic and how a duck pond can be an ocean. And lastly, The Big Life. Ann Shoket is the epitome of life goals. The ultimate badass babe, she teaches you how to embrace who you are and to shoot for the stars.  

What I'm Watching: 

Lady Gaga: Five Foot Two - an absolute must for any Gaga Fan. 

And I have been since the beginning. 

Jerry Before Seinfeld - Reminiscing over my favorite evening hanging out at the comic strip. 

Note to Self: go to more comedy shows! 

Broad City + The Mindy Project: Both shows are back for a new season! 

What I'm Listening Too:  

A lot of Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks - Particularly Rooms on Fire! 

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The Librarian Suggests

What I'm Reading:

August was definitely my slowest reading month, I hardly spent any time at home so I didn't get much time to read and chill. Excited to get my hands on The Mist by Stephen King, I plowed through this in one sitting. It's less than 150 pages, so it's a quick one. A novella that first debuted in the 80s short story collection, Skeleton Crew has been adapted to the screen a few times. A movie back in 2007 (which is a cheesy guilty pleasure) and a television show that just wrapped up it's first season on Spike TV. I grew up watching more movies that were adapted from King's books than actually read. Since he's known for his horror and I grew up with an older brother, I wasn't allowed to read them. But I heard enough from my brother, so you can imagine the nightmares I had as a child. For the most part, I loved The Mist but with all short stories a little disappointment was met just because I wanted more - more depth, more description and of course, wanting my questions answered. What have you read by Stephen King? Are you a fan or not? We actually just reviewed this short story on our podcast over at The Librarians Suggest, so make sure to check it out!! I actually just finished a bio on Ludwig Bemelmans that was wonderful, it's part bio and full of his artwork and sketches. Of course, I indulged in spending an entire evening earlier this week reading, Mad About Madeline. Also, I'm halfway through The Vagina Monologues, and I'm loving every bit of it. What have you been reading?

What I'm Watching: 

Last weekend after I finished Stranger Things for a second time, one of the suggested shows intrigued me. Have you heard of  The Returned. It first aired on A&E in 2015, it's an adaption from the French show Les Revenants (which is currently playing on Sundance) and unfortunately it was canceled after one season which is a shame because it's one of the best shows I've watched in years. Mystery, suspense and supernatural elements - I basically threw a fit after I binged it last Saturday. So many questions unanswered.

What I'm Listening Too:

 The latest PVRIS album is out and I cannot stop listening to it. "Separate" is definitely my favorite song from the album, it also maybe my favorite song of theirs, period! Wednesday was by far the most important day of the week,  only because I've been waiting a year for this specific date. The Black Tapes Season Three finally appeared in my recent downloads.

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Studying Bemelmans

If you would have asked me seven years what I expected as far as a career, I would have never guessed I would have ended up in libraries. But leave it to an unemployed history major in the heart of New York at an exhibit featuring the last hundred years in children's literature for me to have that epiphany moment. The home to Patience and Fortitude and being in the right place at the right time, I fell in love with children's literature, art/illustration and early twentieth century New York, circa Bemelmans, de Wolf and Fleur Cowles, when publishing ruled the world. The initial entrance into the grand library was like a welcome home, and from that point until now I'm in a constant state of amazement because libraries are a wonderful thing. I can't speak for other librarians but I never tire of research, in fact it invigorates me. My fascination and love for picture books has never waned from childhood. I'm so grateful my parents stayed up just to read me stories whether it was my mom reading Eloise for the hundredth time or my six foot dad squeezing in the middle of my sister and I reading Harry Potter under the covers with us. You could call it a love affair, my books and I. It's been a thirty year relationship and I hope that passion never dies. To artists and storytellers like Ludwig Bemelmans, Hilary Knight, Emily Arnold McCully, Arnold Lobel and Barbara Cooney, this post; well almost the entirety of this blog is dedicated to you!   

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The Librarian Suggests

Three back to school flicks that will get you in the mood for fall, cooler weather, blankets and hot tea, blazers and loafers and especially going shopping for school supplies even though you haven't been a student in forever. What's your favorite back to school movie or television show?  

The Librarian Suggests

Last month was like a reading epiphany for me, Material Girl, Mystical World by Ruby Warrington was kind of life changing and Still Writing by Dani Shapiro was certainly needed. I've been toying with the idea of writing a book lately, I mean I've been writing since the second grade and my computer from college has archives of stories wanting to be bound. Still Writing is a story about love and pain, it's a writer's obsession with the written word, more importantly it's about life. It's filled with memorable quotes you need to keep on hand, always. The amount of research and patience... I basically want to scream from the rooftops, this book is life!!! And I know as a librarian it is not ok to dogear pages but I couldn't help it, there were so many ideas, quotes, and other writers mentioned that I need to remember. Also, you have to read the novella, The Machine Stops by E.M. Forster. He's famous for A Passage to India and A Room With A View (which I have not read) but a few weeks ago a fellow bibliophile I follow on social media was reading this and I had to know more. It actually predicts the future and by the future, I mean now! A story about humanity living underground and being completely dependent on a machine (just think of the modern day computer while reading this and you'll agree with me by the end, hopefully). So to answer the question, should we stop the machine? I would have to agree with Kuno... Also you should listen to the review Jade and I did on The Babysitter by R.L. Stine (@thelibrarianssuggest). And after reading the picture book Quest for Z by Greg Pizzoli and the latest in The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency, I need to read (and watch) the new film, The Lost City of Z and The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage.

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Things I'm Into This Week

 When I came across this librarian blog, I seriously fell out of my chair from laughing so hard while on my lunch break one afternoon. Every single librarian frustration this guy writes about applies to librarian life like you can't believe. He's spoken at library conferences and I'm dying to get him to come out to sunny California. Do yourself a favor, check him out! 

I recently was suggested this book last week after talking about my love for Manhattan. Have you heard of Vanishing New York? "The go-to hub for those who lament New York's loss of character." "Jeremiah Moss does an excellent job of cataloging all that’s constantly being sacrificed to the god of rising rents." These are just a few of my favorite reviews of his blog. His writing features mom and pop owned businesses closing left and right and how Manhattan is becoming a city for the 1%. 

I've been following Lost in Cheeseland for a few years and luckily for me, I got my copy of Lindsay's book right before I left for Paris earlier this year. She now has a podcast all about The New Paris. If you're a Parisian lover like me, you will love this show, the book and the award winning blog. 

For anyone wanting to learn the process on how to become a writer, this is one of the best books out there. Written by Dani Shapiro, author of Hourglass and Slow Motion, this book is filled with quotes you won't want to forget and excellent pick book about books. Whether you're an aspiring author or just looking for a piece of nonfiction, I can't recommend this book enough!

Another newsletter I was just recently introduced too, is The Skimm. Have you heard of it?!  I can't go a day without reading what's going on the world either in one of the newsletters or their app. I especially love their calendar on their app. Whether its concerts, environmental town hall meetings or politics, these girls have you covered! Oh and have your heard about their book recommendations? If I ever decided to leave the library world, I'd go into Children's Book Publishing or work for the book recs department at The Skimm.

What are you into this week? What reading, watching or listening too?