Fight the Stigma: Books That Raise Awareness About Mental Health
Mental health includes our emotional, psychological and social well-being. We all experience various forms of mental health, and it’s only when you add terms such as “illness”, “problem” or “disorder” to the end of that phrase, that your awareness is shifted from well-being to something that needs to be fixed (or is beyond fixing).
Testimony Serves Up Intrigue in Former Yugoslavia
Every once in a great while a reader has an experience in reading that spills over into real life. For me, it happened on a Viking cruise along the shores of Croatia when I was riveted to the pages of Scott Turow’s new novel Testimony, set in the aftermath of the war in the former Yugoslavia (which includes current countries like Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro, etc.).
Good Kings Bad Kings
Set in a contemporary institution for youths with disabilities, Good Kings Bad Kings (DB 77648 / BR 20410) is a novel that reveals the humanity of people the rest of society … Continued
Here to Help: Books for Life’s Big and Small Moments
Seeing diverse experiences represented in books helps children to explore their own identities and develop empathy for others.
Best of BARD: April 2017
I’m not going to lie, Best of fans, I’m a little disheartened. You see, I’m of the belief that the Top Five is a bastion of what is hot and … Continued
Drop-Dead Easy… I Hope
Here’s the thing when you can knit (or crochet or sew) — you can probably feel pretty good when it comes to a baby shower gift, because even the most stoic mom-to-be will go starry-eyed over something that you made for their little one. The ability to use your long-honed skills in order to present a handmade sweater, little socks or quilt is pretty cool; even better is when you get a photo a few months later of the tiny person looking cozy in your creation.
Spine to Spoon: The Aleppo Cookbook by Marlene Matar
Marlene Matar’s The Aleppo Cookbook: Celebrating the Legendary Cuisine of Syria, is a delicious dedication to a city and its food. If I could, I would eat only olives, beans and bread for the rest of my life, and I just might be able to with this book in hand. Matar presents us with a plethora of dishes, from a simple lentil stew to more complex creations like stuffed lamb dumplings. Still, each recipe is easy to follow and most include adaptations for the more adventurous cook.
Buy It Right
How do you feel you’re getting a good deal? Is it from the brand you’re purchasing? Is it from how much you paid for what you bought? Or it is … Continued
Coming Soon to Pittsburgh: Theremania!!!
The Theremin was one of the very first electronic instruments. It is the only musical instrument that is played without being physically touched. Stop by the CLP – Main International Poetry Room on Thursday, May 18th, 12 – 1 pm for a free lunchtime lecture and performance by world-class thereminist Pamelia Stickney as part of a day long Theremania!!! celebration.
Accidental Discovery: Lynda Barry
Every library lover has at least one story about a magical moment of serendipity when they stumbled across a book or author, previously unknown to them, who turns out to be a new favorite. We all know that libraries are are great for that type of exploring — you can check out a fat stack of titles and revel in anticipation about what you might find. That’s how I came across Lynda Barry, a prolific comic author and artist who was undiscovered by me until I saw a recommendation for her book, One Hundred Demons, on the library’s website last year.