The Greatest Hits...and then some

25 of Barry's best songs are on this thrilling DVD. The preformance kept me on the edge of my seat, truly amazing. It's no wonder that this dvd is averaging more than five checkouts a year. It doesn't matter if you like the older stuff or the newer tunes, this has it all.

Feel free to check it out at the Barrett Memorial Library, you might need to put a hold on it. I'm sure that popularity of this will skyrocket, now that you all know about it.

I'm happy to let this cat out of the bag.

Strange Butt True!

Well, readers, children's literature sure has changed since my days as a boy in the one-room schoolhouse on the prairies of South Dakota... oh, wait - that was Laura Ingalls Wilder. Well, still, children's literature is a different breed of animal these days. Kids like their literature full of humor - crude, silly and visually engaging.

Which makes The Day My Butt Went Psycho! (Based on a True Story) the perfect example of this postmodernist approach. Written by best-selling author Andy Griffiths, this book is apparently the "epic tale of one brave boy and his crazy, runaway butt."

The book description really says it all:

Can Zack save the earth from butts gone berserk? Can he defeat the biggest, ugliest, meanest butt the world has ever seen? More important, will Zack and his butt ever find true happiness? It's an adventure you and your butt will never forget.

There is even a warning on the back of this book - Rated "G" for gross. Your 11-year-old son will be in book heaven.

An absolute must-see

Readers, you know of my love for my cat, Muffinopolis. But even for those who don't love cats (I know there are some of you out there!) I think you'll find this child-friendly video about big jungle cats an entertaining diversion.

The Kitty Kats is part of the itty bitty kiddy wildlife series and features "AWARD-WINNING CINEMATOGRAPHERS" (this is a direct quote from the back of the box. The cinematographers take their cameras into Africa and the American wild to capture baby lions, leopards, cheetahs, bobcats, tigers and cougar cubs.

Videos are an excellent choice for the kids' room as they are less fragile than DVDs - the Barrett Memorial Library has a splendid selection of child-friendly videos available.

Killer Slippers

There is nothing I like more than a nice hot cup of coffee by the fire on a stormy morning like this one, and no morning would be complete without a favorite pair of slippers, either. So when I happened upon this inspired crafting book in at the Barrett Memorial Library, I just had to share it with you, my loyal readers.

Killer Slippers and How to Make Them gives you detailed, step-by-step instruction on how to make a variety of creative slippers, including the frangipani slippers (affectionately named "frangi" and "pani"), slippers that look like potato sacks called "the Tubers," elephant slippers called "Babar" and "Celeste," swan slippers, housefly slippers, and of course, as the cover indicates, tugboat slippers.

(As regards the cover, however, I found the photographer's choice of a leg model very curious - the man they chose has surprisingly hairless ankles with some sort of rash and then VERY hairy knees.)

If you're feeling crafty and would like extra-cozy feet, get yourself to the library for some killer slippers!

A soupcon of pyschic thrills

While watching the lovely ladies of the Barrett Memorial Library as they reshelved the ubiquitous audiobooks that are so popular these days (drat traffic jams and long commutes!), I noticed this serendipitous grouping of audiobooks by the incredibly talented Jayne Ann Krentz:

Sitting right beside each other on the shelf are the titillating titles "Running Hot" and "All Night Long."

Running hot is apparently a title in the Arcane Society series and features "sexy romantic supsense with a generous soupcon of psychic thrills and sharp wit," according to the Chicago Tribune. "All Night Long" is apparently a stand-alone story, "an exciting novel of old ties and new entanglements, small-town secrets and scandal."

If you find yourself facing a long car trip or hours on the train and want a scintillating listen, Jayne Ann Krentz is running hot all night long.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

So the concept of recycling has been around almost as long as I've been. Yet, we still find naysayers who just won't do it. This is the only problem I have with the Barrett Memorial Library. Yes they recycle, but not nearly as extensively as they should.

If you are lucky enough to find this item on the shelves, as it is one of our library's most popular items, check it out. Kids love it, and I understand why. Although it appears to be just about garbage and recycling featuring Backpack Jack, it also is All About Trucks with Hard Hat Harry. Two great adventures on one disc.

Literally Doesn't Make Sense

"You know the Bible is antiwinking...The Bible's antiwinking bias (there are at least four warnings against winkers) is one of the least-studied scriptural motifs around."



This book is hysterical, from not wearing clothes made from mixed fibers, to not eating lard, this book shows how out of date the bible can be.



A.J. Jacobs is well, it is best said by proverbs 28:23 (TLB)

"In the end, people appreciate frankness more than flattery"



Read the book and "Be Fruitful and Multiply"

A Rabbi Small mystery!

You all know of my love for the Hebrew culture, so I was particularly pleased when I came across this thrilling murder mystery in the discard pile the other day:

One Fine Day The Rabbi Bought a Cross by Harry Kemelman

Believe it or not, this is the eighth- (EIGHTH! Where does the time go?) - title in the Rabbi Small mystery series, and if the book jacket is any indication this promises to be the best one yet! As you may recall, Rabbi Small is "America's favorite kosher sleuth" and in this fascinating tale, he and his wife Miriam take a vacation to Israel, where they uncover "a journey of intrigue and crime involving international arms smuggling and, in all probability, murder."

"Jerusalem abounds with suspicious characters: a liberal Jewish-American professor who has dealings with Arabs in the old city; a troubled young man who has become a baal tshuvah, the JEwish equivalent of a born-again fundamentalist.... There are also some not-so-suspicious, but merely troublesome, characters, like Barney Berkowitz, a well-heeled 70-year-old who wants to be bar mitzvahed at the Wailing Wall...

"In the end, Rabbi Small once again marshals his deductive genius and knowledge of Jewish law and lore to unravelt he fiendish plot that has resulted in the death of an innocent American. Here are suspense and surprises enough to satisfy even the most demanding mystery fan, along with that special dose of wit, wisdom and chutzpah that only Rabbi Small can supply."

Ah, readers. There is nothing I enjoy more than a good kosher mystery on a hot summer day. You will find this gem at the Barrett Memorial Library book sale, held on July 4 starting at 8 a.m. in Edgewater Park and the Library basement. First come, first serve!

The very best in a beaver-skin hat

While we all know that we shouldn't judge a book (or CD or DVD or magazine) by its cover, sometimes it is impossible not to appreciate the stunning art of a truly well-executed cover. Such is the case with the Very Best of Ivan Rebroff, Volume 2. Look at those majestic robes! The gorgeous brocade work! The classy pinky ring! The beaver-skin hat! Here is a Russian who has it all together.

From the liner notes:

"Volume 1 managed to squeeze in only 17 of his tracks - merely scratching the surface of his recordings! So here now is a nother selection of timeless tunes caressed by the richest, darkest, lowest, highest, most remarkable voice in the world of music."

He apparently has the lowest and highest voice in all of music. Ivan, you are my hero.

It's always an adventure!

This was quite an adventure. I was able to finish this book in roughly 22 minutes, being such an avid reader. I really enjoyed the catchy chapter titles, such as Phe-ew!, Squash, and Do-si-do.

The Bailey School Kids really have their work cut out for them, in this action packed thriller. Don't fret, they no one is seriously harmed in this book. Great quick read, my cat enjoyed to also (I often read aloud).

Check it out at your local library, these Bailey School Kids will probably be famous soon.

Beautiful music, beautiful ladies

While perusing the audio CD section of my favorite library today, I happened upon an album that combines two of my favorite things - ancient music and lovely young women.

The album is called "Mirabilis" by Mediaeval Baebes, who appear to be eight women who like to sing songs with toe-tapping titles like "Trovommi Amor," "Temtasyon," "and "Lhiannan Shee" and then dress up as some sort of beguiling goddess sprites. They seem to sing primarily in Middle English, and even though I mostly don't know what they're singing about, it makes me feel nice just hearing them.

Beavers

This jewel of a film was first brought to my attention last month when we featured an animal display. I will admit at first I was outraged by the title, what is this world coming to? Upon further investigation I realized it isn't an animated movie but rather a documentary, on beavers and dam building.

If you are a fan of dams, dam construction, natural dams, or beavers; you will be very entertained by this movie.

Check it out at Barrett Memorial Library.

Kitsch

This lovely little nugget was donated to the book sale; however you will not find it there, something so great needs to be in my personal collection at home. The book is filled with photos and eassys, including one by Clement Greenberg. The quotes on the back cover really do say it best.

"Profusely illustrated with more appaling pictures than you can shake a stick at." The New York Times

"The book is both fascinating and annoying, for one man's kitsch is another man's living room." New York

Furry Fanstastic

Today's Random Item of the Day: Furry Fantastic edited by Jean Rabe & Brian M. Thomsen

A few highlights:

"There has always been something magical about our furry friends...cats and dogs are not our only furry friends, not by a long shot.
Some people like mice.
Some like larger rodents, or perphaps wilder canines, or even those big and burly folks who do their stuff in the woods.
The furry botherhood is a big tent party.
The stories featured here represent that big tent in voice, ethnicity, sensibility, and sensuality.
Some are darker, some are lighter...and some are plainly just personality driven.
...and all are decidedly denizens of the fantastic.
(...and for all of you bird/fish/retile pet fans, sorry fur is fur and that doens't include scales or feathers-at least at the present time.)

This is such an interesting book, I was reading it to my cat last night, and it was only then that I noticed the eyes of the cat on the cover. If you look closely there is a magician in each eye. Truly an amazing book.

Another fantastic item available at the Barrett Memorial Library.

Color Me... Surprised

While rifling through the shelves of CDs at the Barrett Memorial Library this morning, I stumbled upon a true gem from the 1990s. To quote my librarian friend Laura, "It is in pristine condition."

The CD? Color Me Badd's Time And Chance.

Librarian friend Anne pointed out that it is unusual for a CD with so many suggestive lyrics to feature a Bible quote on the cover, but such is the genius of Color Me Badd - you just never know what to expect. In this case, the cover features a quote from Ecclesiastes:

"I returned and saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill, but happenth to them all." - Ecclesiastes 9:11

Well put, Color Me Badd. Well put.

Loyal readers, you know you have the time for this album. Don't leave it to chance.

Introducing...C. RANDOM NUGGETT!!

Allow me to introduce myself, my name is C. Random Nuggett, and the ladies at the Barrett Memorial Library in Williams Bay describe me as dashing, witty, and very intelligent. I have a soft spot for cats, chocolate, and the unusual and underappreciated items in my local library.

My intention for this blog is to share with you, my loyal readers, some of the more outstanding examples of my favorite items that pass through the Barrett Memorial Library. Most will be available for you from the SHARE library system serving southeastern Wisconsin, or through the Barrett Memorial Library Bi-Annual book sales (check for my booth - the next book sale will be July 4 in Edgewater Park and the Library basement.)