Wednesday, April 29, 2009

The Killing Way

The Killing Way by Tony Hays is a new Arthurian detective mystery. Lord Arthur is expected to be nominated by the retiring Rigatomus as his successor when a young servant girl is found murdered, apparently by Merlin. Arthur believes that Merlin was framed, but if he is perceived to be protecting a guilty friend he will be prevented from claiming the throne. To find the truth he turns to Malgwyn ap Cuneglas, a warrior whose cunning mind attracted Arthur’s attention while battling the Saxons.

This is not the traditional King Arthur story. Even a reader who goes into the book expecting a lack of fairy tales and magic will find that things have been changed, particularly the familial relationships and history of some of the characters. That reader will also find a historically authentic feeling result. Historical mystery fans and those who like well researched reimaginings of Arthurian legend will hope that we see more of Malgwyn soon.

-- Kristen, Main Library

Monday, April 27, 2009

The Dayton Metro Library Means Business!

Join the Main Library on Thursday, April 30 from 8:00 - 9:00 a.m. as we open our doors early for a look at the various resources the library offers businesses, professionals, and nonprofit groups. We will have refreshments, a short behind-the-scenes tour, and demonstrations of our free premium databases and other resources for businesses. Please RSVP to David Slivken at 937-496-8504.

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Get Your Boov Groove On

If you ever find yourself wanting something really funny to read, as a pick me up, or simply because you are in the mood to laugh-out-loud, consider The True Meaning of Smekday. With parts that are reminiscent of both The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, it is hard to keep a straight face. The protagonist, Tip, an eleven year old girl, is on a road trip to Florida, with the company of a cat named Pig, and an alien named J. Lo. Did I mention that the year is 2013, and aliens have invaded? While everyone in the United States is being herded towards a reservation in Florida, much hilarity ensues involving learning to drive, scavenging for food, and dealing with the alien overlord. Though this book is part of the children’s collection, adults will find it just as entertaining. Also check out the Smekday website.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

The Work of J.G. Ballard

Author J.G. Ballard passed away on Sunday, April 19. You may be familiar with his novels Empire of the Sun and Crash, both of which also inspired film adaptations. You can find these (books and movies) at the library along with many of his other works, such as Super-Cannes, The Kindness of Women, and Concrete Island.

-- Kristen, Main Library

Monday, April 20, 2009

Author Appearance

The Dayton View branch library will be hosting a book signing and meet & greet with #1 Essence Bestselling Author Victoria Christopher Murray Friday, April 24 at 6:00 PM. Also appearing are Vanessa Miller & C. Kelly Robinson, writing as Xavier Knight. The library stocks many of Victoria Murray's titles, including these:

Friday, April 17, 2009

Go Green

Earth Day is in April and the Belmont branch library is celebrating with a Go Green Craft. We will be using recycled items to make crafts like book journals. Come learn ideas to help keep our Earth green at 6:30 this Monday, April 20.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Bargain Books

The Dayton Metro Library Booksale, hosted by the Friends of the Library, will be at Hara Arena again April 24-26. The hours will be Friday 4-8, Saturday 10-7, and Sunday (everything you can carry for $1 day) 1-3 or while supplies last. Come out for some great bargains and to help the Friends help the Library.

Monday, April 13, 2009

A Taste of Spring

A taste of spring: recipes to celebrate the season, is a wonderful little book for finding recipes that make the most of the seafood, vegetables, and fruits that are available in Spring. The first chapter offers recipes on seafood. Salmon is paired with asparagus, and soft-shell crabs with complementary herbs. Lamb is prepared with red wine, artichokes, and baby carrots. The vegetable chapter is arranged by vegetable, with a section on buying criteria as well as info on preparing the vegetable for cooking. Artichokes are used in various recipes with ingredients such as sausage and veal. There is, however, a salad option that uses a green sauce and goat cheese croutons. One of the asparagus recipes is a tart made with red onions. Fiddlehead ferns with mustard dressing are offered, and spring greens appear in a recipe for chicken soup with little dumplings. Wild mushrooms appear in a recipe including broiled polenta and leeks, while new potatoes are used in a potato salad as well as with dandelion greens. The fruit chapter includes apricots, sweet cherries, rhubarb, and cherries. There is an apricot tart and a recipe pairing them with amaretti. An old standby, cherry pie, appears with vanilla sauce. An upside down cake is made with rhubarb. The final recipe is “My kind of Strawberry Shortcake” with a biscuit shortcake and heavy cream. This book is a great way to celebrate Spring in your kitchen!

-- Mary Ellen, Main Library

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Gladiatrix

I received a reviewer’s copy of Gladiatrix by Russell Whitfield several months ago. The description given before I read it summarized the book as being about a Spartan priestess forced into slavery and a gladiatorial school for women, where she wins glory, earns enemies, and finds love with another gladiatrix. As a former student of Classical subjects, I was highly skeptical.

This is a much better book than I was expecting it to be, largely because the author seems to know what he is writing about. Yes, there are elements to the story that are not true to history, but the author’s note makes it clear that Whitfield knows what is historical and what is just speculation. He knows the rules well enough to break them. The classical view of sexuality was handled well.

The protagonist, Lysandra, would be too arrogant to be likable in a real person, but fictional characters can be judged on a different standard from real people because the reader does not have to interact with them. She is believable, which is more important. If she were universally beloved, her arrogance might be more grating, but since the other characters react to her arrogance as a flaw the reader can accept it.

Some of the sex scenes are rather graphic, as is some of the violence, so those with low tolerance for those elements might want to stay away, but it never veers completely into porn (or torture porn), when it easily could have. All in all, this is simply a good fun read. If you like the idea of a Roman adventure and aren’t turned off by sex (between all combinations of genders) and violence, place your request now and be one of the first library patrons to receive Gladiatrix after it is released.

-- Kristen, Main Library

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Viking Metal

Distinguished chiefly by its lyrical or conceptual content, viking metal originated in Scandinavia in the late 1980s. Musically, it may be more more accurate to describe much of viking metal as melodic death metal or power metal but, as its lineage indicates, viking metal has been greatly influenced by black metal as well. Whatever. It's heavy as all get out and it's about viking stuff - the loss of a treasured son in battle, prayers for Odin's blessing, conquest of foreign lands, etc. Although bands such as Bathory and Enslaved are often credited with inventing this sub genre, Amon Amarth might be considered today's leading practitioners and have a history longer than their recent success would suggest. The band, named for a volcano in Tolkien's Middle Earth, has been around since 1992, very near the infant cries of Viking Metal. Their latest release, Twilight of the Thunder God, has been met so well by fans that the band claims to have finally been able to quit their day jobs. The album taps guest musicians from the bands Entombed, Apocalyptica, and Children of Bodom. If you borrow this record from us, the set includes a special bonus - a DVD of Amon Amarth live at Summer Breeze 2007. It's a rousing performance complete with fortress walls and staged battles. Lead vocalist Johan Hegg frequently growls from the bow of a viking ship at center stage! If you like what you see, you're in luck. The band is touring the U.S. as we speak and will be as close as Louisville and Cleveland later this month.

-- Steve, Main Library

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Spring Gardening Series in Full Bloom

Join us for a series of programs to help you get your garden off to a good start this year. All programs are in the auditorium of the Main Library at 7:00 PM.


  • Tuesday, April 14 - Small Yard Landscaping
  • Tuesday, April 21 - Low Maintenance and Eco-Friendly Gardening
  • Tuesday, April 28 - Trees for the Miami Valley

Monday, April 6, 2009

Artful Eggs

If you are planning on decorating Easter eggs this year, Artful Eggs: Six Dozen Extraordinary Ways to Decorate an Egg by Terry Taylor is the book for you. As the title belies, this book has all the information you need to decorate eggs. The first chapter is about the basics. Included is information about types of eggs, tools and hints for displaying your eggs. Apparently any type of egg will do, real bird eggs as well as wood or even glass. A handy section on tools is included. On the topic of coloring eggs, the book tells how to use natural dyes as well as food coloring. The next chapter describes lots of different projects. These start with a description of how to use stencils made from nature (small flowers or leaves) and natural dyes. “Trim eggs” are made from decorative ribbon or rickrack and are an easy option. Included as well are “pearl eggs” these are beautifully made using just pre-strung craft pearls and hot glue. A description of how to use small silk flowers with foam eggs follows. There are many more projects, ranging from easy to fairly complicated, and they are all beautiful. The final chapter offers ideas for decorating with eggs. Included are ideas for an elaborate springtime buffet, complete with egg place cards. Other ideas show painted eggs being paired with ribbon and fresh flowers. And lastly they provide info on doing brightly colored eggs hung from budding fruit trees for an Easter gathering. Happy coloring!

-- Mary Ellen, Main Library

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Amberville

Amberville, by Tim Davys, is a highly original noir novel in which all of the characters happen to be stuffed animals. Eric Bear thought that he had settled into a secure life with his wife, Emma Rabbit, and a good job, when his mobster former employer Nicholas Dove comes to him with an offer he can't refuse unless he wants Emma to be ripped apart. Dove has received a tip that his name is on the Death List that determines which stuffed animals are picked up by the red vans, never to return. Eric's orders are to find the list and remove Dove's name, but does the list even exist? This is a surreal, sometimes philosophical book, but it is sometimes brutal in odd ways as well (example: an animal beaten up until he coughs up stuffing). In spite of some slightly uneven pacing, it's like no other suspense novel you've read before.

-- Kristen, Main Library

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Poets Night Continues

Meet with others to share and discuss the poems you write. Bring copies of a poem you would like to share or just come and listen. We meet the second Wednesday of each month on April 8, May 13 and June 10 from 7:00 -8:30 pm in the meeting room at the Main branch of the Dayton Metro Library at 215 E. 3rd St. If you can't bring copies of your poem, please come at 6:45 and copies can be made. For more information call 496-8627 or email jschwab@daytonmetrolibrary.org.

-- Joy, Main Library

Check out the recently announced National Book Critics Circle poetry winner Sleeping It Off in Rapid City.
 
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