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By Karen, April 25, 2013

Horst Portraits: 60 Years of Style

Selected and with an essay by Terence Pepper

Horst P. Horst was considered to be one of the “great classic photographers of the twentieth century.” During his 60 year career, he photographed actors, models, designers and socialites for French, American and British Vogue.

Horst Portraits: 60 Years of Style features unseen and unpublished works from the Horst archives as well his published iconic works. His compositions were masterpieces. His subjects cool, elegant, sleek and strong.

This gorgeous book would be of interest to anyone who loves fashion or cinema history.

- Karen

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By Karen, February 28, 2013

Barkitecture
By Fred Albert

Barkitecture features doghouses you never dreamed were possible.   This book takes whimsy to the next level. From the shell mosaic doghouse to the dog biscuit log cabin; each page features yet another clever creation.

You’ll have to check it out to believe it!

- Karen

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By Karen, February 21, 2013

1,000 Artists’ Books: Exploring the Book as Art

By Sandra Salamony

This is a very exciting find,  the title says it all 1,000 Artists’ Books: Exploring the Book as Art  this book is an absolute dream for anyone interested in book making or altered books.

1,000 Artists’ Books is broken down into four sections Codex Books “books with pages joined to make a spine,” Accordion and Foldable Books “books with multiple-folded pages,” Single Sheet Books “books made with single-sheet pages” and Sculptural Books “books made from objects and objects made into books.”

The book features large color photographs, an Image Directory with detailed information about how each piece was made and a Directory of Artists with artist contact information and website listings.

Check it out from the library, and then buy a copy for your home collection, 1,000 Artists’ Books: Exploring the Book as Art is just that good.

-Karen

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By Amanda, February 9, 2013

Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child
By Bob Spitz and Kimberly Farr

For someone whose first introduction to Julia Child was Bill Cosby teaching his fictional son Theo to carve a turkey for Thanksgiving dinner, I’ve become somewhat obsessed. And I mean that in a good way. I mean, the woman was 6’3″ tall, didn’t get married until she was 34, and could debone a duck with a flick of a wrist. What’s not to love?

Sometimes big biographies like this one can be scary because they are long and there is always a chance you’ll get stuck in the boring middle part. Well the good news here is that there is no boring middle part. Even though it got a little sad towards the end, I still wasn’t ready for the Julia fun to be over. I was simply amazed at what Julia was able to accomplish in the later part of her life. For someone who basically wasted the first 30 years, she certainly made something of herself.

Also, I was so impressed with her scientific method for breaking down and improving recipes. I can’t even imagine the stamina and dedication (not to mention cost) that took. It made me go upstairs and actually check out Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Now…I’m not gonna pull a Julie and Julia and cook every recipe, but it would be nice to find one or two good ones to add to my repertoire. Guaranteed NOT to be that winner: deboned duck (not gonna touch it) or anything with aspic (umm…boiled hooves? no thanks. I’m not even the biggest fan of Jello).

Bonne lecture!
(Happy reading and then hopefully eating…)

Amanda

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By Karen, February 7, 2013

Valentine’s Day is next week and there is nothing that inspires romance like beautifully written love letters.

Love Letters of Great Men
Edited by Ursula Doyle

Who doesn’t remember the scene from the Sex and the City movie where Carrie reads aloud to Big from a book called Love Letters of Great Men.  As fans of the movie discovered, the book did not actually exist. Ursula Doyle complied all of the letters referenced in the film in this one slim volume.

Love letters of Great Women
Edited by Ursula Doyle

“As a companion to Love Letters of Great Men, this anthology gives the other side of the story: the secret hopes and lives of some of the greatest women in history, from writers and artists to politicians and queens.”

Love Letters, Lost
By Babbette Hines

“Love Letters, Lost is a collection of amorous letters whose fates were, alas, scattered to the wind. Salvaged from flea markets, garage sales, swap meets, and Internet auctions by Babbette Hines, they are here paired with vintage photographs of love-struck couples holding hands, laughing, smiling, dancing, and otherwise mugging for the camera.”

The 50 Greatest Love Letters of All Time
Selected by David H. Lowenherz

“If a picture speaks a thousand words, a love letter speaks a thousand more . . . Even in this age of e-mail, faxes, and instant messaging, nothing has ever replaced the power of a love letter. Internationally renowned collector David Lowenherz sifted through hundreds and hundreds of historical and contemporary epistles and selected the most ardent, witty, whimsical, sexy, clever, and touching letters for this inspiring collection.”

Love Letters: an Anthology
Chosen by Antonia Fraser

“Here are 135 wonderful love letters – dashed off, through the centuries, by a glorious variety of lovers, passionately expressing their ardor, ecstasy, jealousy, pique, despair, adoration, utter enslavement and amazed joy.”

A Love No Less: More Than Two Centuries of African American Love Letters
Edited by Pamela Newkirk

“A delightful tribute to African American love, this treasury of fifty letters written by well-known figures and ordinary folk alike resonates with the joy and tenderness of romance, and offers glimpses into the social, literary, and political lives of black Americans throughout the last two centuries.”

-Karen

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By Bryan, February 4, 2013

Popmatic crew shares our Oscar picks and a whole lot of recommendations of things for you to watch, read, and listen to while you wait for the DVDs of the winners to come in. Crystal was so disappointed with this year’s nominees that she called in sick. We give you the skinny on a whole lot of programming the library is doing for African American History Month. We cover so many things in this episode, I’m going to stop typing now.

African American History Month:

full list of African American History Month programs

DVD pick - Pariah directed by former Nashvillian Dee Rees

Oscars:

Master of Disguise by Antoni J. Mendez (basis for Argo)

Amanda’s picks

Continue reading 'Popmatic Podcast February 2013: Oscars'»

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By Laurie, February 3, 2013

Chanel Bonfire
by Wendy Lawless

It has not been that long ago that some children grew up in some households with unstable, un-medicated mothers. Historically, this situation has provided the fertile soil that cultivated many a memorable upbringing, rich fodder for family reunions and subsequent stage adaptations.

Today thanks to modern pharmaceuticals known as serotonin reuptake inhibitors (Paxil, Zoloft, Lexapro…) and the modern belief in better living through chemistry, everyone is medicated. We may someday miss the madness in millennial memoirs.

Wendy Lawless chronicles her mother’s un-medicated mental instability in Chanel Bonfire.  The memoir leads readers through the 1970′s around the mine/mind fields left by the author’s mother. Wendy and her younger sister are dragged cross country, across the Atlantic and back again as their mother ping pongs from husband to husband (some hers, some belonging to others).

Take one beautiful, mentally unstable mother, add alcohol, money and the opportunities beauty brings and you have the makings of a romantic memoir. Take away a  grasp on reality, the money and the willing men and you have a roller coaster ride of Hollywood/Hazelden proportions.

If you grew up with the “dark bedroom, curtains drawn” type of mom, buckle your seatbelts, take a few deep breaths and hang on for dear life. You are about to take a drive down the gravel road of memory lane.  If you grew up with a “sunny porch, ice tea in hand” kind of mom, be brave take a peek through the curtains and thank your lucky stars.

laurie

“Mothers are all slightly insane.” – J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye