Library Notes 9-30-12


Edward Hirst

Rowan Public Library has recently added a number of new documentaries on DVD that will appeal to a variety of tastes. You are sure to find one, (or two), that can be enjoyed by the whole family.

In the movie Cave of Forgotten Dreams director Werner Herzog is given rare access to film inside the Chauvet Cave located in the south of France, home to the most ancient visual art known to have been created by man. The Chauvet cave paintings were made over 30,000 years ago, depicting predatory animals such as bears and lions, as well as bison, rhinos, mammoths and perhaps most striking of all, a wall of beautifully rendered horses.

Victims and perpetrators of Sierra Leone's brutal civil war from 1991 - 2002 come together for the first time in a program of tradition-based truth-telling and forgiveness ceremonies. They revive the ancient practice of Fambul Tok (family talk) in the film by the same name that charts the beginning stages of a process to help the people and communities of Sierra Leone move past these painful memories with forgiveness.

The Hammer was inspired by the life of deaf UFC fighter, Matt Hamill, and tells the story of what it takes to be a champion, on and off the mat. Raised among those with the ability to hear, Matt later finds himself no less an outsider amidst the Deaf Community. But through sheer determination, he uses his 'perceived' disability as an asset, and becomes not only the first deaf wrestler to win a National Collegiate Championship, but an inspirational force to both hearing and deaf alike.

In 2009, U.S. Marines launched a major helicopter assault on a Taliban stronghold in southern Afghanistan. Embedded in Echo Company during the assault, photojournalist and filmmaker Danfung Dennis captures the action in the movie Hell and Back Again. When Sergeant Harris returns home to North Carolina after a life-threatening injury in battle, the film evolves from war reporting to the story of one man's personal struggles to overcome the difficulties of transitioning back to civilian life with the help of his wife Ashley.

By 2006, as many as 5,000 electric cars were destroyed by the major car companies that built them. In Revenge of the Electric Car the viewer is taken behind the closed doors of Nissan, GM, the Silicon Valley start-up Tesla Motors and an independent car converter to find the story of the global resurgence of electric cars, following the race to be the first and the best, and to win the hearts and minds of the public around the world.

Fans of car racing, especially the elite Formula One, will enjoy the excellent documentary Senna, a profile of Brazilian driver Ayrton Senna. Senna would go on to become one of Formula One's best and most accomplished competitors ever--and his steely nerves and willingness to take risks on the track paid off in Grand Prix after Grand Prix. Though Senna's racing career would be far too short, his legacy lives on, and Senna is a gripping reminder of how blazing a talent can be--even behind the wheel of a car.

Library Notes


Rebecca Hyde
‘How-to” manuals are plentiful. But if you’re a novice or an armchair explorer, then a book describing “how it all came about” may offer both information and motivation. The following books are for people who have dreamed of learning to sing, playing a musical instrument, or creating a garden.

It’s interesting that Renée Fleming (“The Inner Voice”) set about her education as a singer by devouring the autobiographies of predecessors. She wanted practical advice: how did they learn and who taught them; how did they survive auditions and disappointments? She calls her own story the autobiography of a voice: of the story of finding her voice, of working to shape it, and how it, in turn, shaped her. She still studies, and historic recordings are essential in preparing for a new role. Clearly styles have changed among sopranos. Fleming constantly battles with herself over her performance as an actress: simple or layered, histrionic or direct?

In “Piano Lessons,” NPR’s Noah Adams describes his fifty-second year, when he decided to learn to play. From January (“Why does a fifty-one-year-old man decide he has to have a piano?”) to December (“My wife falls in love with a piano player in a tuxedo, and the night is still young,” Adams immerses himself in concert-going, piano-shopping, interviews with pianists, and in choosing his method of study. Along the way he admits the piano listening as been great but his learning curve has collapsed. Piano camp is his salvation, when Adams must play before an audience. Success is exhilarating. As a surprise Christmas present to his wife, he puts on evening dress, lights the candles, and plays.

From the Ground Up” is Amy Stewart’s chronicle of realizing her dream of creating a garden. Almost everything is a first for her: first time dealing with oxalis, with scale and aphids, and tourists sunbathing on the front porch (the house is near the beach in Santa Cruz). She buys composts and then makes it, and provides us with her recipes for worm juice and compost tea. Tomatoes are her greatest challenge, but luckily the biggest chore in August is dealing with all the extra vegetables. The final Chapter deals with leaving a garden you’ve created.

April Everett


Library Notes

08/30/12



If you’ve been to the library recently, you may have noticed flyers, posters, or bulletin boards featuring “Hunger Games” and the numbers 4-1-1. Rowan County is participating in a community read program this fall, which focuses on Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games. The 411 (4 Districts, 1 Book, 1 Community) is more than just a community read—it’s a community experience. The libraries, parks departments, community colleges, and many local businesses of Cabarrus, Rowan, Stanly and Union counties have partnered to make this Fall one you won’t soon forget! Read it. Do it. Survive it.

EVENTS @ YOUR LIBRARY

Dystopian Film Series

Dystopian films, like The Hunger Games, are typically set in the future in a society where the government is corrupt or ineffectual. Join us at Headquarters (Salisbury) for a dystopian film series:

• Tues., Sept. 4th, 6:30 pm – Wall-E (G)

• Tues., Oct. 2nd, 6:30 pm – In Time (PG-13)

• Tues., Oct. 9th, 6:30 pm – I am Legend (PG-13)

Admission is free, and popcorn and lemonade will be served at each showing.

Contests

Show off your creative side by participating in one or all of our Hunger Games contests:

• Writing (adults and teens)

• Short Film (teens only)

• Bookmark Design (teens only)

• Costume Design (teens only)

Pick up entry forms at the library or online at 411communityread.wordpress.com. The deadline for these contests is Fri., Sept. 14th. Winners will be announced at the final event on Oct. 13th at the Cabarrus Arena.

Speakers

Join us for a special lecture, “Language of Film: How we are Manipulated by Media,” by John Santa on Tues., Sept. 18th, 6-7:30 pm at Headquarters (Salisbury). This project is made possible by a grant from the North Carolina Humanities Council, a statewide nonprofit and affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Teen Programs

Teens (grades 6-12) are invited to a special evening of Hunger Games crafts, book discussions, games, and more!

• Tues., Sept. 11th, 5:30 pm, South Rowan Regional (China Grove)

• Mon., Sept. 24th, 5:30 pm, East Branch (Rockwell)

• Tues., Sept. 25th, 5:30 pm, Headquarters (Salisbury)

Book Discussions

The Hunger Games is full of great topics for discussion including freedom, corruption, and survival. A variety of programs have been planned focusing on different topics and/or different audiences:

• Mon., Sept. 17th, 6:30 pm – Headquarters (Salisbury), Regular book discussion

• Tues., Sept. 18th, 6:30 pm – South Rowan Regional (China Grove), Regular book discussion

• Tues., Sept. 25th, 6:30 pm – South Rowan Regional (China Grove), Catching Fire book discussion

• Thurs., Oct. 4th, 12:30 pm – Headquarters (Salisbury), Brownbag lunch discussion (bring your lunch; beverages and dessert will be provided)

And much more!

The programs highlighted above are just the events being held at the library. Additionally, there are survival training days, archery demonstrations, corn mazes, and much more! For a complete list of programs, pick up a brochure at the library or visit 411communityread.wordpress.com.