Books Into Movies or TV Series on The Point with Mindy Todd

Posted on by Phoebe Acheson

This morning on The Point with Mindy Todd we talked about books that have been turned into movies and television series. Joining us was the delightful Petra Mayer, editor for NPR books. Thanks to all of you who called in or emailed with your book suggestions! What a plethora of new books to read or to watch. The full list of titles mentioned is below.

Petra’s Picks

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, YA novel by Jenny Han, adapted by Netflix.

The Magicians, original books by Lev Grossman, adapted for SyFy

Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton series, of course – the TV show was based on volume one, The Duke and I, and if you don’t want to wait for season 2, you can read The Viscount Who Loved Me, which is all about Anthony Bridgerton (and his fear of bees).

For a fun twist on Sherlock Holmes, there’s Sherry Thomas’s Lady Sherlock series – the first one is A Study in Scarlet Women (Sherry Thomas, by the way, is an INCREDIBLE romance author – try the Heart of Blade books, they’re amazing), and the other series I mentioned was Laurie R. King’s Holmes & Russell – the first one of those is The Beekeeper’s Apprentice.

I also talked about Preacher, the mid-90s Vertigo comic series that was adapted for AMC but honestly, I wouldn’t recommend either the books or the show unless people understand they’re gonna be in for a LOT of violence, gore, weird sex, blasphemy and general disgustingness.

And then in terms of series that are in development that I’m excited about, there’s N.K. Jemisin’s Broken Earth trilogy, Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse books (try the Six of Crows duology, it’s a hoot!), Nnedi Okorafor’s Who Fears Death, Ursula K. LeGuin’s Earthsea books (hopefully they won’t screw it up this time around – the last adaptation was Not So Good) and Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time.

Finally, the series I’d love to see come to TV (I’ve heard rumors of a development deal but nothing concrete) is Seanan McGuire’s October Daye series, about a half-fae-half-human private investigator and sometime knight errant in San Francisco. The first one is Rosemary and Rue. (Also, and I didn’t get around to mentioning this one because I ran out of time, Jasper Fforde’s Thursday Next books, about an alternate Britain where the world of literature is real and people can cross back and forth into books. It’s SO fun. The first one is The Eyre Affair.)

Jill’s Picks

VideoHound’s Golden Movie Retriever edited by Michael J. Tyrkus
Masterpiece Theatre: A Celebration of 25 Years of Outstanding Television by Terrence O’Flaherty

The Jewel in the Crown by Paul Scott is book one in The Raj Quartet. The Granada Television version was spectacular.

The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes edited by Leslie S. Klinger

From Holmes to Sherlock by Mattias Boström

The Queen’s Gambit by Walter Tevis. New Yorker article by Sarah Miller: The Fatal Flaw of “The Queen’s Gambit”

Islandia by Austin Tappan Wright. New Yorker article by Charles Finch: The Forgotten Novel That Inspired Homesickness For An Imaginary Land

A Beautiful Blue Death by Charles Finch is the 1st Charles Lenox Mystery. A series which should be made into a television series.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers by Jack Finney. No time for his novel Time and Again, a novel I love, which has never been filmed, although it was made into a failed musical! There was a sequel as well, From Time to Time, but I never read it, because I thought the original novel did not need a sequel. (If you read the sequel and loved it, let me know!)

Listener Picks

Harry Potter series written by J. K. Rowling

Outlander series written by Diana Gabaldon

Walkabout by James Vance Marshall

News of the World by Paulette Jiles

Murdoch Mysteries , a television series, but based on the mysteries by Maureen Jennings

1984 by George Orwell

Animal Farm by George Orwell

The World According to Garp by John Irving

A Man called Ove by Fredrik Backman

Need to be educated on race issues? Let us help …

Posted on by Phoebe Acheson

We have a rich and deep collection of books having to do with race and racism, from picture books to heavy reference books. There have been many terrific lists posted by many terrific sources. Below you will find some of our favorite lists. If you find a book on any list that we do not own that you wish to read, please let us know, and we will be happy to add it to our collection.

Antiracist Booklist
From Eight Cousins Bookshop

A History of Race and Racism in America, in 24 Chapters
From the New York Times.

Race, Social Justice, and Civil Rights: Adults

Race, Social Justice, and Civil Rights: Teens

Race, Social Justice, and Civil Rights: Kids

From the Boston Public Library

Meditation: one way to increase well-being and combat stress

Posted on by Sue

If you have consumed any news or popular media at all in the past few years, you have probably heard that meditation is good for you-it reduces stress, and improves mental concentration and clarity. In fact, it’s highly recommended by many types of professionals, including doctors and psychologists. And in stressful or anxious times, it could be even more vital. However, knowing that and doing it can be two different things-it can be challenging to get started! Here are some great sources you can access online.

First, you can access many meditation eBooks and audiobooks through Overdrive, that you can read on your computer or tablet, or listen to on your tablet or phone. Download the Libby app for most devices, or go to clamsnet.overdrive.com to use your desktop or laptop. Call or email us if you need any assistance, or don’t have your card or pin #! If you don’t have a card at this time, you can get a free, temporary CLAMS eCard here. Be sure to look for the eBook or audiobook designation underneath the title to be sure you get the format you prefer! And, you can search the CLAMS catalog for ebooks as well, and then go to the Libby app or the Overdrive page to actually get them!

Here are some great ones available through Overdrive, found by doing a “Meditation” search on the page:

How to Meditate: a practical guide to making friends with your mind by Pema Chodron (CLAMS catalog link )

Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics by Dan Harris (CLAMS catalog)

Wherever You Go, There You Are: mindfulness meditation in everyday life by Jon Kabat-Zinn. (CLAMS catalog for audiobook)

Guided Meditations for Children: Eeny, Meeny, Miney, and Mo by Michelle Robertson-Jones Niall. (CLAMS catalog for audiobook)

Issues of Yoga Journal magazine, available through Overdrive! (CLAMS catalog entry)

Another library resource for eBooks, if you have any Falmouth-issued library card, is our Hoopla platform, which you can read about here.

Dr. Sang H. Kim, who has given workshops at the library on Mindful Movement and Meditation (and will be giving more here as soon as it is possible), has some sites to review techniques taught in his workshops: mbx12.org and onemindonebreath.com.

Also, if you have a smartphone or tablet, you can download some of these popular apps: Headspace, Calm, or 10% Happier. A staff member let us know that the 10% Happier website offers live stream free guided meditations at 3 PM Eastern time, but you can check out their site 24/7 for all sorts of helpful meditations: https://www.tenpercent.com/coronavirussanityguide.

This article in Women’s Health magazine describes some apps they like in detail here. Some are free, some have a subscription rate, and some offer both a free basic service and paid additional features.

We wish you some enjoyment and peace of mind-let us know how you like any of these suggestions, if you try them, or if you have any others to recommend!

Funeral and Memorial Readings

Posted on by Phoebe Acheson

Over the years we have often been asked for words or poems that might be read at a funeral. Recently we were asked again, and decided it might be useful to write a blog entry on this topic. We hope the list of books below might be helpful during the difficult time of planning a funeral or a memorial service.

The Book of Eulogies edited with commentary by Phyllis Theroux. This is a collection of memorial tributes, poetry, essays, and letters of condolence. It includes an index, so should you know a specific author that your loved one used to read, you can find all the names of the writers in the index. Perhaps unexpectedly, but helpfully, there is an entire section of tributes devoted to animals who have died.

Funeral and Memorial Service Readings, Poems and Tributes edited by Rachel R. Baum is sorted by the type of tribute you are planning. Thus there are sections, among others, for mothers, fathers, children, friends, soldiers, and pets.

Readings & Poems edited by Jane McMorland Hunter. Included in this volume are sections of readings and poems that would be appropriate for a funeral or a memorial service. The two sections are “a quiet door” and “love and go on” and include poems by Shakespeare, Christina Rossetti, and A. E. Housman among others. One of the loveliest things about this particular book are the illustrations. (One used to illustrate this blog.) In the introduction the author writes: “Death is one of the certainties of life, as is the fact that at some stage each of us will almost certainly have to deal with the loss of someone close. The pieces here deal first with death itself and then with solitude, but the dividing line is deliberately hazy; somehow we have to find a balance between shedding tears and moving on, remembering and being sad or forgetting and smiling.”

Bartlett’s Poems for Occasions edited by Geoffrey O’Brien with a foreword by Billy Collins. There are sections for “death and mortality” and “grief and mourning.”

The Art of Losing: poems of grief & healing edited by Kevin Young. This volume includes “150 devastatingly beautiful contemporary elegies that embrace the pain, heartbreak, and healing stages of mourning.”

The Everyman’s Library Pocket Poets series offers two possible volumes. One is Poems of Mourning selected and edited by Peter Washington and the other is Poems of the Sea selected and edited by J. D. McClatchy. Because we live by the sea Poems of the Sea feels appropriate for many an occasion, but for a person who loved the ocean you might just find the perfect poem to read aloud at a funeral or a memorial service.

Summer Reading Suggestions!

Posted on by Phoebe Acheson

Hello Summer! As teachers and school staff wind down the school year, children’s departments in public libraries across the country are gearing up for summer reading! Here in the FPL Children’s Room, we’ve got lots of great upcoming events for our summer reading program entitled, “Build a Better World.” Some programs that I’m particularly looking forward to are the Summer Reading Kick Off Party, Saturday Cinema at the Library, and the Stuffed Animal Sleepover. See the FPL EventKeeper calendar for more events and info!

As a supplement to school summer reading lists, I’ve created a list of FPL Summer 2017 Recommended Reads. This is my third year creating such a list and at the risk of tooting my own horn, I have to say I think this is the best one yet. Not only is the design better (highly recommend canva.com for any readers who are looking for a good, free design program), but this year I’ve added pictures of the recommended books’ covers to make finding them easier. I am also intentional in including a diverse array of quality titles that serve as windows and mirrors for all readers! There is something for everyone here so stop by the FPL Children’s Room to find the book that’s right for you!

Stephanie Seales, Children’s Room

Tag: BookLists