Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month where we recognize and celebrate the heritage and cultures of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and their contributions and influences on the United States and its history.  For more information and online events, lectures, exhibits, collections, videos and images, please visit https://asianpacificheritage.gov/

In honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, the Falmouth Public Library has put together a reading list of 2020 and 2021 books for all ages that are available from the library.

Kids:

A Girl Like Me by Angela Johnson

Amy Wu and the Patchwork Dragon by Kat Zhang

Finish the Fight!: the Brave and Revolutionary Women who Fought for the Right to Vote written by the Staff of The New York Times

Grandpa Grumps by Katrina Moore

Stand Up, Yumi Chung! by Jessica Kim

Watercress by Andrea Wang

When you Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller

Who Is Kamala Harris? by Kirsten Anderson

Yasmin the Writer by Saadia Faruqi

Your Name is a Song by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow 

Teens:

Almost American Girl : an Illustrated Memoir by Robin Ha

Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen

Super Fake Love Song by David Yoon

Adults:

Crying in H Mart : a Memoir by Michelle Zauner

Eat a Peach : a Memoir by David Chang with Gabe Ulla

Facing the Mountain : a True Story of Japanese American Heroes in World War II by Daniel James Brown

Heart of Fire: an Immigrant Daughter’s Story by Mazie K. Hirono

How Much of These Hills is Gold by C Pam Zhang

Inheritors by Asako Serizawa

Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu

Last Tang Standing by Lauren Ho

Made in China : a Prisoner, an SOS Letter, and the Hidden Cost of America’s Cheap Goods by Amelia Pang

Minor feelings : an Asian American Reckoning by Cathy Park Hong

RomeAntically Challenged by Marina Adair

Sex and Vanity : a Novel by Kevin Kwan

Sigh, Gone : a Misfit’s Memoir of Great Books, Punk Rock, and the Fight to Fit in by Phuc Tran

Sparks Like Stars: a Novel by Nadia Hashimi

Speak, Okinawa : a Memoir by Elizabeth Miki

Things We Lost to the Water: a Novel by Eric Nguyen

This is One Way to Dance : Essays by Sejal Shah

Tower of Skulls : a History of the Asia-Pacific War, July 1937-May 1942 by Richard B. Frank

The Scientist and the Spy : a True Story of China, the FBI, and Industrial Espionage by Mara Hvistendahl

The Son of Good Fortune: a Novel by Lysley Tenorio

Women’s Liberation! : Feminist Writings that Inspired a Revolution & Still Can edited by Alix Kates Shulman and Honor Moore

 

The Book Bike Rides Again

The Falmouth Public Library Book Bike is hitting the road once again for its 2021 touring season!  Come check out the Book Bike on its first ride, Monday, May 17th from 10:30 to 11:00 am when it will be at the Choate Lane Apartments.  

All members of the community are invited to stop by. You can sign up for a library card, pick up free books and DVDs, and meet FPL staff.  We are looking forward to seeing you and spreading our love of the Library throughout town! 

Please note all visits are weather permitting:

Choate Apartments, Choate Ln: 10:30-11:00 am on May 17, July 12, September 13

Cape Cod Apartments, 62 Locust St: 10:30-11:00 am on June 21, August 16, September 27

Dillingham Place, 110 Dillingham Rd: 10:30-10:50 am on June 4, July 16, August 13, September 10

Harborview Apartments, 115 Scranton Ave: 10:30-11:00 am on June 7, August 2

Rose Morin Apartments, Rose Morin Ln: 11:00-11:20 am on June 4, July 16, August 13, September 10

Salt Sea Apartments, Salt Sea Ln: 10:30-11:00 am on May 24, July 19, September 20

Surf Drive Beach Storytime: 4:45-5:15 pm on July 8, July 15. July 22. July 29, August 5, August 12, August 19, August 26

For the most up to date information on the Book Bike and for additional visits, visit our Book Bike webpage by clicking here and by following @falmouthbookbike on instagram.

 

It’s Little Free Library Week

May 3rd-7th is Little Free Library Week!

Falmouth takes reading seriously and we are so very lucky to have many ways to get books, ranging from the expansive collections at our public libraries and their Friends group’s book sales to our wonderful local book store, Eight Cousins. Falmouth is also home to several Little Free Libraries.

Little Free Libraries are small, weatherproof boxes with books (and sometimes other items) free to take and are usually maintained by a dedicated volunteer or several working together. They are fun to stumble upon, but also fun to visit as a destination. You can find Little Free Libraries in Falmouth in several locations.

Little Free Libraries registered at littlefreelibrary.org

  • Gus Canty Community Center (inside lobby)
  • 15 Depot Avenue
  • 134 King Street
  • 24 Gilbert Lane
  • 120 Bay Shore Drive
  • 196 Ocean View Avenue
  • 65 Wild Harbor Road
  • 456 Locustfield Road (Look for the red, old-style newspaper box.)
  • 12 Mast Road

Others around town

  • Worcester Court
  • 526 Hatchville Road

Let us know about others. And happy reading!

CIRCE, a Zoom Book Talk with author Madeline Miller

Come join us on Wednesday, May 19th at 7 pm, for this wonderful Zoom event,  to go with this year’s Falmouth Reads Together-a discussion with the author herself!
 
We are excited to present Madeline Miller to discuss her New York Times bestselling book, CIRCE.  
 
“A bold and subversive retelling of the goddess’s story that manages to be both epic and intimate in its scope, recasting the most infamous female figure from the Odyssey as a hero in her own right.”―The New York Times
 
“Miller follows her impressive debut (The Song of Achilles) with a spirited novel about Circe’s evolution from insignificant nymph to formidable witch best known for turning Odysseus’s sailors into swine…. Weaving together Homer’s tale with other sources, Miller crafts a classic story of female empowerment. She paints an uncompromising portrait of a superheroine who learns to wield divine power while coming to understand what it means to be mortal.” — Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
 
Please register in advance, by clicking here.
 
 

A Call for ART …

The Greek Goddess, Circe has inspired artists for thousands of years. She appears on clay pots, on canvas, she is depicted in marble and metal. She has been etched, painted, sculpted and drawn. 

As you read Circe, by Madeline Miller, we invite you to explore your creative impressions.

Working with the Falmouth Art Center, the Library will be co-hosting an exhibit of artistic responses to Circe.  The exhibit can include two and three dimensional pieces.  Drop your work off at the Falmouth Art Center on Gifford Street between 10:00 and 4:00 on Thursday, May 6th.

For more information email Linda Collins  – lcollins@falmouthpubliclibrary.org

FALMOUTH READS TOGETHER

Design a Sunny Perennial Border

We are delighted to welcome garden designer and author Jana Milbocker back on Wednesday afternoon, April 14th at 2 pm, for a Zoom presentation! She recently gave a wonderful one showing some beautiful gardens of the Northeast.

How do you create a sunny perennial garden that will delight you with colorful blooms and flowers for cutting from spring through fall? Learn about plant layering, new and reliable perennials, companion plants and design techniques that will make your garden POP!

Jana combines horticulture, design, and travel tips to educate, inspire and delight both new and seasoned gardeners. She loves to visit gardens and historic sites in the U.S. and abroad, and share her trips through her books, photos and blog. She published The Garden Tourist: 120 Destination Gardens and Nurseries in the Northeast in 2018, and The Garden Tourist’s New England in 2020, both available at the library.

She has lectured at flower shows in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, New York and New Jersey, as well as a multitude of horticultural societies, garden clubs, and libraries in the Northeast. She is the owner of Enchanted Gardens, a landscape design firm in the Boston area. She is the past president of the Holliston Garden Club, and she is active in the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts, Massachusetts Horticultural Society, and GardenComm International.

This event is free and appropriate for adults and teens, and is sponsored by the Trustees of the Falmouth Public Library.  Registration is required before the event. Please register online by clicking here, or contact the reference department at 508-457-2555 x 7.

Joy of Learning, April 2021!

Come join us in April for our ever-popular Joy of Learning series!  The Falmouth Public Library has offered Joy of Learning classes for many years, in April and October. Due to the pandemic, these classes are held on Zoom.  Registration is required-please go to falmouthpublic.library.org/events to register for any or all classes! Description are below.

Joy of Learning classes are taught by educators and other experts on a volunteer basis and are free to the public.  They are designed for adults or for teens at a high school/college learning level. Come learn something new and have fun! This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Falmouth Public Library.

NOTE:  Downloading the Zoom application before the start of the class is required to participate.  If you need assistance with this, please contact the reference department at 508-457-2555 x 7. 

Discussion of Zora Neal Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God 
Mondays, April 5, 12, 26 and May 3, 2021, 10:00 AM -11:00 AM (doesn’t meet 4/19)

Hurston’s poetic language, female hero, and folk traditions combine to tell the powerful story of a woman who defied all that was expected of her.

Through shared inquiry, participants will explore the ideas, meaning, and themes presented in Their Eyes Were Watching God with a focus on the language and folklore, which Hurston uses to explore Janie’s search for her authentic self and for real love.

Joanne Holcomb, retired English teacher of 35 years and English/language arts department head for 14 years at Falmouth High School, will lead a 4-session discussion on Zoom. She has taught several literature classes for us at Joy of Learning!

You are encouraged to obtain your copy from the CLAMS library system-you can do that online, or contact the reference department if you would like assistance with that. Please read the first five chapters before the first session-a more detailed syllabus will be emailed to you before the class, as well as the Zoom link, after registration. As it is a literature discussion class, space is limited to 20 participants, so please register early to ensure that you can attend.

 You’ve Got Soul
Tuesdays, April 6, 13, 20 & 27, 2021, 7:00 PM -8:00 PM

A look at the Black American musical roots of American popular music, and the intersection of Black music genres and social conditions that led to the rise of Soul music in the late 1950s.

The rise of the record industry in the early 1900s reflected the racial and social segregation of American society, creating music categories: Pop, Hillbilly (later called Country) and Colored. While the names changed over the years, the genres and social attitudes remained the same.

As Black America began to actively question the human rights violations of a racist society, the music began to reflect the experiences and pride of a people and heritage of survival.

Why does Soul music sound so different in different parts of the country? What happened to soul music? Who are some legendary and contemporary soul artists?

Instructor Mwalim (Morgan James Peters) is a multi-award-winning storyteller/spoken word artist, playwright, oral historian, musician, filmmaker, and educator. Born in Bronx, NY and raised in both New York and Mashpee, MA, he is a trained violist, jazz pianist and composer. As an iconic part of the east coast underground art and music scenes for over 35 years, his stages have included theaters, schools, street corners, libraries, galleries, museums, festivals, powwows, jails, nightclubs, temples, community centers, and colleges throughout the country. His latest works include a novel, Land of the Black Squirrels and a forthcoming album projects by his multi- Grammy nominated soul-funk band The GroovaLottos, and a solo jazz album. He is a tenured Associate Professor of English & Communications and Black Studies at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.

Sensing in Aquatic Animals

Thursdays, April 8, 15, 22 & 29, 2 p.m. – 3 p.m.

This class will be offered by Jelle Atema, PhD, professor emeritus at Boston University, and guest scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Dominance, memory, courtship, navigation, homing, feeding behavior…what information do marine and freshwater animals need and how do they extract it? This series of four lectures addresses the sensory biology of aquatic animals based largely on four “model species”: lobsters, sharks, catfish, and larval reef fishes, one species per lecture. For example, can lobsters really remember the smell of another individual? Can sharks really sense a drop of blood a mile away? Why can catfish smell and taste under water? How can half-inch long fish larvae avoid being carried away in the big ocean? The lectures are based primarily on research in the “Atema Lab” in Woods Hole, as well as other labs and field studies in Australia and Cape Cod.

 

Falmouth-themed fun!

This crossword puzzle, designed by Josh from our Circulation Department, will exercise the part of your brain that loves to think about Falmouth! Scroll WAY down for the answers…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
1. Armpit, 2. Cannonball, 3. Great Hill, 4, Tony Andrews Farm, 6. Sippewissett, 7. Fifty
 
Across:
4. Tourists, 5. Cornwall, 8. Pacific Guano Company, 9. Cranberries
 

The New Normal New England Road Trip

Join us on Tuesday, March 23rd at 7:00 PM via Zoom for The New Normal New England Road Trip with Ted Reinstein. No mask or gas required. During a challenging time, this talk takes you along on a rollicking ride around New England — all in just one hour, and all from the comfort of your own home! Author of three books about New England and longtime CHRONICLE reporter, Ted will be your tour guide as you go from Maine to Rhode Island, Mt. Washington to Mt. Mansfield, and Berkshire foliage to Fenway Park.

But Ted’s 20-plus years of reporting and telling stories from all over New England means this is not your average bus tour. Prepare to meet colorful characters who’ve done the darndest things, learn odd facts about familiar places, and of course — this being a Ted talk — expect to visit at least a few fabulous classic diners. (Spoiler alert: Ted reveals where to find THE best clam chowdah in America — and it’s right here in New England!) Ted will take questions following the talk.

We look forward to Ted returning to Falmouth Public Library if only via Zoom. It is always a pleasure to host him!

This is a Zoom talk, please register by going to falmouthpubliclibrary.org/events or call us at 508-457-2555. This event is made possible thanks to the Trustees of the Falmouth Public Library.