Denio's blog

After listening to Joan Baez sing a wonderful rendition of the classic "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda", my interest in the Dardanelles Campaign in the Turkish theater during WWI was sparked.

I checked out two new books on this subject and I suggest reading them both as I did. They are Dardanelles Disaster: Winston Churchill's Greatest Failure by Dan Van der Vat and Gallipoli: the End of the Myth by Robin Prior.

Also watch the library's DVD Gallipoli which is highly acclaimed and one of Mel Gibson's first movies.

-Susan

The Dardanelles disaster : Winston Churchill's greatest failure / Dan van der Vat.
940.426 VAN.

Gallipoli : the end of the myth / Robin Prior.
940.426 PRI New Book.

When Australian reporter, Sarah Turnbull, was in her twenties she decided to take a year long leave of absence from her job and travel around Europe. While in Romania she had a chance encounter with a French attorney named Frederic. They had only one dinner together in a group of other people, but hit it off, and Frederic invited Sarah to visit him for a week or two in Paris. She hadn’t planned on going to Paris – but, her logic was that she was out for adventure; she liked him, so why not pursue it and see where it took her.

When Australian reporter, Sarah Turnbull, was in her twenties she decided to take a year long leave of absence from her job and travel around Europe. While in Romania she had a chance encounter with a French attorney named Frederic. They had only one dinner together in a group of other people, but hit it off, and Frederic invited Sarah to visit him for a week or two in Paris. She hadn’t planned on going to Paris – but, her logic was that she was out for adventure; she liked him, so why not pursue it and see where it took her.

Many of the back issues of our popular magazines are available for a three-week checkout period. Popular subjects include business, cooking, crafts, entertainment, health, home decorating, home improvement, sports, travel and weddings. Several times a year, we purchase special interest magazines that are also available for checkout. These subjects range from cars to crafts to photography, sports, tattoos and cinematography.

Stop by the newstand on the Plaza to see the current issues of our magazines, though not all of our current issues are displayed there. Business magazines are displayed in the business area of the Nonfiction Department and Spanish language magazines are displayed in the Spanish area of the Fiction Department.

Military history buffs will be fascinated by Tears in the Darkness: The Story of the Bataan Death March and its Aftermath by Michael and Elizabeth Norman (940.547252 NOR New Book). It offers many new insights into this infamous World War II event. A must read.

-S.S.

Outside Magazine sent Jon Krakauer to climb Mt. Everest in May, 1996, so he could gather information to write an article on how commericialized the climbing of the mountain had become. They got more than they bargained for. The weather on Mt. Everest that May was one of the worst ever, resulting in five climbers being killed and one marred for life.

Krakauer writes an astonishing first-hand account of those events He is critical of himself as well as the others who were climbing. Such a sobering occurrence in which several seasoned climbers were killed left Krakauer trying to put the puzzle pieces together to help explain why this tragedy happened. He comes up with several theories that are disturbing and give one pause for thoughtful consideration.

Elizabeth Gilbert had nothing to lose. She had both a failed marriage and relationship behind her. She was desperate to leave the U.S. and search for what was out there for her for the rest of her life.

Fortunately, her publisher agreed to give her an advance on the book she would write, so, off she went to Italy, India and Indonesia for a 15 month adventure. Afterwards she wrote "Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia".

In Italy, she ate. In India, she prayed. In Indonesia, she fell in love.

The story is inspirational on several levels. She saves the best for last. The more your read, the better it gets. There is a satisfying ending.

When I picked up Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Sally Swift’s book The Splendid Table’s How to Eat Supper, I didn’t realize that it was a cookbook based on a Public Radio show. All I cared about was the gorgeous spoonful of a bright golden yellow potato, onion and almond concoction (“Almond-Turmeric Potatoes” p. 289) pictured on the cover. I am a huge fan of Public Radio, though, so when I finally settled into a comfy chair at home and made this discovery, I was pleasantly surprised. I’ve never heard a food show on the radio before (WBHM doesn’t carry it) but it makes me happy to know one is out there.