Major Motion Pictures this Month...Based on Books!

As winter (hopefully) starts winding down, this is an ideal time to escape to the movies. There are three potential blockbusters due out this month which are based on well-known books:

"Coraline," based on the book by Neil Gaiman, is a stop-action film from the director of "The Nightmare Before Christmas," Henry Selick. Coraline is a young girl who discovers an alternative world through a secret door in her new home. This world mirrors her real world, only everything seems better...or is it? Will Coraline be able to return to her real life or will she be forever trapped in an alternate reality that has turned from wonderful to dangerous?

"He's Just Not That Into You," with a star-studded cast including Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston and Scarlett Johansson is based on the best-selling book of the same title by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo. While the book was more of a guide, the movie applies the lessons in the book to real life (as least as real as can be seen on the big screen.) The movie centers on a group of 20 and 30 year olds living in Baltimore and navigating the murky waters of the dating pool.

Chick Lit comes to the big screen! "Confessions of a Shopaholic" by Sophie Kinsella features Isla Fisher taking on the role of Rebecca, a fun-loving young lady with a serious penchant for shopping. Will her past catch up with her as she tries to land her dream job working for her favorite magazine? Also stars the adorable Hugh Dancy, Joan Cusack and John Goodman.

Mrs. Lincoln by Catherine Clinton

While much is being made of Abraham Lincon's 200th birthday this month, and rightly so, I thought it would be interesting to examine the life of Mary Todd Lincoln, the much maligned and possibly misunderstood wife of President Lincoln. While there have been several biographies published about Mrs. Lincoln, some damning and some sympathetic, I chose the most recently published version to start with.

Mary Todd was born into a highly respected and politically connected family in Lexington, Kentucky. While both she and her future husband lost their mothers at a tender age, Mary's new stepmother went on to give birth to eight additonal children, when, added to Mary and her 5 siblings, made for a very large and disjointed family. When Mary, as a young woman, had the opportunity to escape the household to stay with her married sister in Springfield, Illinois, she jumped at the chance.

Mary took Springfield by storm. Highly educated and politically knowledgeable, her lively personality soon catapulted her to the top of Springfield society. Before long, she was introduced to another up and coming resident, Abraham Lincoln. The courtship of the Lincolns was long and tumultuous, even breaking apart for a brief while before ultimately ending in their marriage in 1842. As a young bride, Mary learned to pinch pennies, made her own clothes and supported her husband in every way - encouraging him to take more care with his appearance, making sure he did not skip meals, and even bringing him out of his well-known melancholy spells.

As Mary stands by her man, Lincoln vascillates between running his law practice and political activities, not winning very often, but becoming more and more well know with each foray. Despite being defeated in the 1858 Senate election, Lincoln, as we all know, was elected president 2 years later, and the family made the move to Washington D.C. Here, Mary, despite finally making it to the top, was shunned by Washington society and became a favorite target of journalists. Weathering this while helping her husband cope with the Civil War while several of her family members fought against the Union was exhausting for Mary; when the war ended and Lincoln was reelected, both of them were looking forward to the future. Mary's dreams of a long and enriched life with her husband were shattered when Lincoln was assassinated, an event that haunted Mary for the rest of her tragic life.

If you would like to gain further insight into this tragic figure, as well as learn more about President Lincoln via his wife's role in his successes, this is a great place to start. Catherine Clinton's interpretation is timely and well-researched, and provides a balanced look at a woman who balanced her own ambitions with her family's needs, suffered great losses, and never quite recovered from the deaths of her husband and children.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Is there anyone out there who does not know this story? A classic romance, full of wit, social satire, as well as memorable characters and dialogue, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen remains one of the most beloved novels of all time. The timelessness of this work is evident not only in the number of movies it has inspired (I'll take the Colin Firth Mr. Darcy any day,) but also additional novels involving many of the characters from the original story.

For those of you who love the story, here are some of the additional novels that might be of interest to you:

The Independence of Miss Mary Bennet by Colleen McCullough. Did you ever wonder what ever happened to Mary, the most serious of the Bennet sisters? Here is the rest of her story, beginning twenty years after the close of Pride and Prejudice. Colleen McCullough, author of The Thorn Birds, imagines a very different life for Mary than what many of us would expect.

Pemberley by the Sea by Abigail Reynolds. A modern-day Pride and Prejudice, which also happens to be marine biologist Cassie's favorite book; however, when a real-life Mr. Darcy walks into her life, she's not buying it. Can Calder convince her of his genuine feelings for her?

Lydia Bennet's Story by Jane Odiwe. Lydia's story picks up with her heading to Brighton with the Forsters prior to running off with George Wickham. Do she and Wickham live happily ever after, or does Lydia face the consequences of her impetuous and selfish actions? Will Lydia ever grow up?

Letters from Pemberley: The First Year by Jane Dawkins. Elizabeth is married and settled into her new home at Pemberley estate. Can she adjust to being the grande dame of her husband's familial home while maintaining her sense of self? Her letters to her sister Jane will tell the tale.

Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife and Darcy and Elizabeth by Linda Berdoll. What does life have in store for the Darcy's following their marriage? This is author Berdoll's take on Elizabeth and Darcy's marital bliss. These should be read in order, starting with Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife.

Pride and Prescience, or, A Truth Universally Acknowledged by Carrie Bebris. This mystery samples sorcery, murder and general mayhem as Elizabeth and Darcy turn super sleuths to solve a mystery at Netherfield. This is the first in a series of Austen-related mysteries, all by the same author.

Jane Austen in Boca by Paula Marantz Cohen. Pride and Prejudice repackaged. Rather than being set in a rural English village, the story takes place in Boca Raton, Florida. Instead of young marriageable sisters, the characters are elderly Jewish widows. Find out what other P&P similarities abound in this fun-loving book.

Pride, Prejudice and Jasmin Field by Melissa Nathan. When Jasmin, a well-known columnist for a women's magazine, is cast as Elizabeth Bennet in a charity event's staging of Pride and Prejudice, she has no idea that it will trigger an general implosion of her life. Lucky for her, hunky Hollywood hotshot, Harry Noble is playing Darcy. Romantic and funny.

Pemberley, or, Pride and Prejudice Continued and An Unequal Marriage, or, Pride and Prejudice Twenty Years Later by Emma Tennant. The first book, Pemberley, is set one year into the marriage of Elizabeth and Darcy. The follow-up, twenty years later, follows the trials and tribulations of the Darcy's and their children.

Presumption by Julia Barrett. This tale follows Fiztwilliam Darcy's younger sister Georgianna, as she must choose between two men - one in the military, the other an architect.

All of these books can be found at the New Lenox Library, and are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Austen-related materials. If you are interested in reading further, please stop by the Reference Desk and let us know how we can help.

Sick Puppy by Carl Hiaasen

As a basically naive person, the books of Carl Hiaasen completely opened up a whole new world for me - the wheeling and dealing of politicians, the under-the-table agreements of powerful entities, and the manipulation of facts for personal gain. Really, I had no idea. The fact that he makes it entertaining to boot is a testament to his storytelling abilities and bizarre sense of satirical humor.

In this particular book, our hero, Twilly Spree, pursues a litterbug he spots on the highway, with no idea that the man he is terrorizing is a well-connected but clueless lobbyist who will lead him into a complicated game involving the governor of Florida, the potential destruction of a secluded island paradise, and the love of a good woman and her dog. As Twilly continues to creatively teach the man, Palmer Stoat, a lesson (don't be a pig,) he finds himself becoming the target of a hitman himself. Where else can you find a book with impeccably groomed Barbie dolls, a prostitute who will only sleep with registered Republicans and a hermit ex-governor with nothing to lose?

Carl Hiaasen has a gift for creating memorable characters - and this book is no exception. His bad guys are typically super-sleazy, but with character quirks that gives them a vulnerability not usually associated with unscrupulous businessmen, crooked politicians, or unethical environmentalists. His good guys are equally outrageous, yet still totally lovable much of the time. Hiaasen's stories take place in his native Florida, where his love for the land shines through and he gets his point across by channeling his anger into his wit and humor. While his books are enjoyable to read, they are not for the sqeamish - many characters perish in rather unorthodox ways, there is usually a serious level of sexuality in his adult fiction novels, as well as plenty of salty language throughout the book - take a chance and give him a try! To learn more about this author, visit his website: http://www.carlhiaasen.com/index.shtml

If you like Carl Hiaasen's books, here are a few others that may appeal to you:

Hammerhead Ranch Motel by Tim Dorsey. Follow the hijinks of Serge Storms, a lover of all things Florida and a serial killer who has stopped taking his medication. He wants "his" money back and will stop at nothing to get it in this deranged but funny tale.

Out of Sight by Elmore Leonard. U.S. Marshal Karen Sisco is dressed to the nines when she stops at a Florida prison to serve a summons, never expecting that she will soon be in the middle of a prison break and locked in the trunk of her own car by inmate Jack Foley. Both escape unharmed, but are destined to meet up again...

Bahamarama by Bob Morris. Zack Chasteen is a former Miami Dolphins football player turned palm tree grower who has spent time in prison for a crime which he did not commit. He makes a beeline for the Bahamas, looking to meet up with his lady friend, as well as seek out revenge on the men who put him in prison.

Whale Season by N.M. Kelby. More Florida weirdness, featuring a poker-playing RV salesman, a strip club owner, and a serial killer who thinks he is Jesus Christ. Dark, demented, but also lots of fun!

Want to Get Away?

Is the crazy winter weather getting you down? Here are a few book titles to take you away from it all...at least for a couple of hours!

Nantucket Nights by Elin Hilderbrand. Three longtime friends have a ritual - champagne, skinny dipping and sharing secrets - over the Labor Day weekend on Nantucket Island. One night, one of the friends goes for a swim and doesn't return. As the two remaining friends search for her, they uncover all kinds of deceptions that call their own perceptions about themselves and each other into question.

Body Surfing by Anita Shreve. Sydney, once divorced and once widowed at age 29, is still in shock over her husband's death when she signs on as a summer tutor to the 18 year-old daughter of a wealthy family, to be spent at the family beach house. When the family's 2 grown sons show up one weekend, things start to change for Sydney, as well as the entire family.

Queen of Babble by Meg Cabot. Lizzie cannot wait to graduate from college so she can go visit her boyfriend, Andrew, in London for the summer. Trouble is, once she arrives, she discovers that Andrew is not quite the bloke she thought he was. Throwing caution to the wind, she heads out to discover Europe, but will she learn to keep her mouth shut in the process?

Nerd in Shining Armour by Vicki Lewis Thompson. When Genevieve is set to accompany her handsome boss on an overnight trip to Maui, she couldn't be more thrilled. Things start going downhill, however, when she learns that nerdy computer guy Jack will be joining them, then get downright bad when the boss parachutes out of the plane, leaving Genevieve and Jack to fend for themselves. Not only can Jack land a plane, he has lots of other useful skills, which Genevieve discovers in this fun and frolicking book.

Skinny Dip by Carl Hiaasen. Joey Perrone was supposed to be dead, at the hands of her hapless and crooked husband, but the fun is just beginning as she and her rescuer plan their revenge. Hiaasen delivers with another fun and riotous romp through the heat and humidity of South Florida.

Pemberley By the Sea by Abigail Reynolds. A modern-day Pride and Prejudice, which also happens to be marine biologist Cassie's favorite book; however, when a real-life Mr. Darcy walks into her life, she's not buying it. Can Calder convince her of his genuine feelings for her?

We have plenty of other titles to help you escape this winter! Come on in and let one of our friendly library staff assist you!

If I am Missing or Dead by Janine Latus

This was a strange little book. I picked it up after reading the description and learning that the title was derived from a letter that was written by the author's sister; the letter was found in Amy Latus's desk at work following her disappearance. Rather than a book solely devoted to her sister's story, however, the author also uses this opportunity to share her own experiences with domestic violence.

Amy and Janine grew up in a traditional family, 2 of 5 children. While their mother remained a strong support for the girls their entire lives, their father was more on the creepy side, using inappropriate touches and comments towards his female children, eventually completely alienating them from him. Janine moves out of the house prior to finishing high school, yet manages to graduate and go on to college. Amy, the baby of the family, remains at home with her increasingly unhappy parents.

As the girls grow up and move into serious relationships, they find themselves in a pattern of behavior that is all too common in abusive partnerships - when things are good they're great; but when they are bad, they are dangerously bad. Janine leaves one abusive relationship for a charming, handsome doctor, who she marries; Amy marries an alcoholic who she ends up supporting most of the length of their marriage. One of the reasons Amy's story is such a tragedy is that she left this bad marriage, started taking care of herself, attended graduate school and was enjoying her life - only to have the whole cycle start over again when she became involved with an ex-con named Ron Ball.

I expected this to be a book about Amy, but it was mostly about Janine and her own abusive relationship. I found it an interesting comparison, as Janine was able to leave her abusive relationship right around the time Amy was murdered. This book is difficult to read - the pain and humiliation endured by these two women will stay with the reader long after the book is finished. Amy's story will live on through this book and hopefully inspire others to break the cycle of abuse.

If you or someone you know is a victim of family violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at (800) 799-SAFE (7233). This is a 24 hour hotline accessible from all 50 states that can provide you with information on local programs and shelters.

Finding Your Chicago Ancestors by Grace DuMelle

Greetings friends! This is absolutely one of my favorite books on genealogy. It has helped me find the answers to many of the questions I have had regarding my family history. My Polish and German ancestors immigrated to the Chicago area after the Great Chicago Fire in 1871 and looking for any information about them can be challenging.

This book is particularly beneficial to the beginner who has the desire to discover who their ancestors were but may not understand how to go about obtaining the information they seek. In this book, you will find easy step by step directions on how to begin looking for answers to your genealogical questions. Where do I start? Who were my ancestors' parents? Where did they live? When did they marry? How many children did they have? When did they die and where are they buried? This book can steer you in the right direction to discover the answers to many of those questions.

You will learn how to use the federal census records to find where your ancestors lived and what they did for a living. Vital records provide information on marriages, births, and deaths. The author, Grace DuMelle tells you what resources are here in Chicago to help you get a copy of those important records. Church records, city directories, social security applications, divorce records, probate, and naturalization records are also discussed. Again, resources are listed in the book to help you obtain the records for your particular ancestor.

Grace DuMelle, the author, focuses clearly on resources available here in the Chicago area for your Chicago ancestors. Using nearby research facilities such as the National Archives and Records Administration, Family History Centers, Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) center, Cook County resources and genealogical libraries is also discussed in detail. Because we all can't easily get to a specific research facility, information is also listed regarding where to write for help in answering many of your questions.

I found this book a "must have," so I went out and bought it. It has provided me with many avenues to search for the answers to my genealogy questions. You don't have to visit your local bookstore because Finding Your Chicago Ancestors is available here at the New Lenox Public Library. The call number is 929.1 DUM. Happy hunting!