Communications Manager, Kyla Merwin, recommends Living Untethered: Beyond the Human Predicament by Michael A. Singer. One of the great gifts bestowed on us as sentient beings – which we learn to access at some point (hopefully) in our lives – is personal agency: Will. Free will. Choice. We cannot control most of what happens around us—hot tempers and cold people, the length of the line in the grocery store or the width of the feet we were born with, the too-slow traffic or … [Read more...] about Book Review: Living Untethered
Library Blog
Unravel History’s Treasures
Diana Tellez-Muños recommends the Cabinet of Wonders in the new Wood River Museum of History and Culture The Wood River Museum of History and Culture has been welcoming visitors for a delightful month, and the Cabinet of Wonders exhibit has undeniably left its mark, inspiring a sense of awe and curiosity among all who have ventured inside. The Cabinet of Wonders invites visitors to discover history by opening the doors and drawers of a fanciful cabinet that holds a great … [Read more...] about Unravel History’s Treasures
Book Review: Paris: Secret Gardens, Hidden Places…
Director of Philanthropy, Carter Hedberg, recommends Paris: Secret Gardens, Hidden Places and Stories of the City of Light by Mary McAuliffe. Bonjour mes amis! I have been a Francophile since childhood. By the fifth grade, I had established a lasting relationship with my French pen pal; I studied a semester in Paris while in college; and have visited France as often as my budget and schedule allowed. I love Paris and I adore this enchanting new travel book, Paris: … [Read more...] about Book Review: Paris: Secret Gardens, Hidden Places…
Back-to-School Then and Now
By Brigid Miller, Museum Community Engagement Manager The end of August is always a bittersweet time, summer is coming to a close but the excitement of a new school year dawns. Today this “back-to-school season” is marked by sales, shopping, and commercials, but looking at Mrs. Fisher’s 1st grade class, I cannot help but wonder what the back-to-school season looked like for these students in 1957. Did the shops have discounts? Did parents take first day of school photos on the front porch? … [Read more...] about Back-to-School Then and Now
Book Review: Anna at the Art Museum
Children’s and Young Adult Library Director DeAnn Campbell recommends Anna at the Art Museum by Hazel Hutchins. The Wood River Museum of History and Culture is open across the street at 580 Fourth Street East, kitty-corner from the entrance to the Children's Library. If you haven’t been, plan to make a visit. Children are welcome and will find fun and engaging thins to explore. Before you make a visit, you may want to check out Anna at the Art Museum by Hazel Hutchins & … [Read more...] about Book Review: Anna at the Art Museum
Book Review: Demon Copperhead
Circulation Manager Pamela Parker recommends Demon Copperhead: A Tale Retold by Barbara Kingsolver Best known for the parallels to Charles Dicken’s 1850 semi-autobiographic novel, David Copperfield (1850), Barbara Kingsolver's latest novel, Demon Copperhead (2022), recounts a boy’s coming-of-age in Appalachia during the height of the opioid epidemic, which ran at its worst from 2007-2016. Kingsolver’s work takes us to Lee County, Virginia, where Demon “got … [Read more...] about Book Review: Demon Copperhead
