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madame librarian's Blog

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo


The Swedish film version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Stieg Larsson’s phenomenon of a debut thriller, is set to open in U.S. theaters on March 19. Yes, it’s a subtitled flick.
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Feb 11, 2010

Murder Will Out

If you are a fan of Dorothy L. Sayers and/or good British mystery television productions, you've probably watched the Lord Peter Wimsey series based on Ms. Sayer's books featuring English actor Ian Carmichael. The programs were broadcast during the 1970s on the BBC and later on PBS Mystery and are now available on DVD! Mr. Carmichael died this last week at age 89. The Guardian and BBC News both feature obituaries, and Kim Malo shares her memories of Carmichael in the blog Hey, There’s a Dead Guy in the Living Room.
Feb 10, 2010

Happy Birthday, Hershey's Chocolate Company!

If you’re a chocolate lover, February 9 is no ordinary day — it’s the day that Hershey’s Chocolate Company was founded in 1894. Hershey’s was started by Milton S. Hershey, the son of a Mennonite family who had little formal education but went on to become one of the richest men in America. By 1905, Hershey had built a state-of-the art factory to mass-produce chocolate bars, wafers and other delicious delectables. By 1907, his company had cracked the code and created what would become their best-selling product: the Hershey’s kiss. Coincidentally (or not!), Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, so celebrate by getting your sweetie some Hershey’s kisses and checking out a book about this American original.
(© 2010 BookLetters LLC)
Feb 08, 2010

The Best of Times

Charles Dickens' birthday is February 7th (he'd be 198!), so this is the perfect month to read or reread a favorite novel by this beloved author. Whether you're picking up a well-thumbed copy of A Tale of Two Cities at the library or investing in a beautiful book like the new Penguin Classics clothbound edition of Great Expectations, you'll find yourself captivated by Dickens' intricate plots and eccentric casts of characters. If you're interested in the man himself, check out Michael Slater's new biography, titled simply Charles Dickens. (© 2010 BookLetters, LLC )
Feb 07, 2010

Murder Will Out - February 2010

Looking (literally) for a good DVD mystery series? These are a few of my favorites:

Alfred Hitchcock presents. Season one [videodisc] by Universal

Da Vinci's inquest. Season 1, Vol. 1 [videodisc] by Program Partners ; a Haddock Entertainment Barna-Alper production

Keen Eddie.

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Feb 05, 2010

Father Dowling Creator Dead at 80

Prominent Catholic author, professor, and cultural commentator Ralph McInerny died last Thursday, January 29 at the age of 80. McInerny was the creator of the popular Father Dowling mystery series, which became a television series starring Tom Bosley and Tracie Nelson in the 80s. A prolific writer, McInerny also wrote the University of Notre Dame Mysteries, the Andrew Broom mysteries, and several books under the name Monica Quill.
Feb 03, 2010

Great Michigan Read: Stealing Buddha's Dinner

The Great Michigan Read program selection is Stealing Buddha’s Dinner by Bich Minh Nguyen and this month the University of Michigan Library is hosting the Michigan Humanities Council’s traveling exhibit, Their Journey: Vietnamese in Michigan, which is on display February 1-24, 2010 (University of Michigan Hatcher Graduate Library, Ann Arbor) as well as a live webcast conversation on February 10 with Professor Peter Ho Davies and
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Feb 01, 2010

A Personal View of the Bible

On Sunday, February 21 at 2:00PM in the University of Michigan's Hatcher Graduate Library (Room 100/Gallery) Curator Kathryn Beam will share her personal memories of how the exhibit History of the Bible from Ancient Papyri to King James came to be and what the process has meant to her in Sharing a Personal View of the Bible Exhibit.

Sponsored by the University of Michigan Special Collections Library.
Feb 01, 2010

A History of the Bible Exhibit

The University of Michigan-Ann Arbor is currently hosting an exhibit: A History of the Bible from Ancient Papyri to King James at the Hatcher Graduate Library/Audubon Room/First Floor. The exhibit contains ancient Egyptian manuscripts on papyrus, Medieval manuscripts, and printed books. Follow a path of documents that lead to the creation of the 1611 King James Version of the Bible.

Audubon Room Hours are Mon-Fri 8:30am-7:00PM, Sat 10:00AM-6:00PM, Sun 1:00-7:00PM
Shorter spring break hours begin February 27; see Hatcher Library/Audubon Room for more information.
Jan 30, 2010

Howard Zinn, Historian, Civil Rights Activist, Educator, Dead at 87

Howard Zinn (1922 – 2010) an American historian and Professor of Political Science at Boston University from 1964 to 1988, died on Wednesday, January 27, 2010. He was the author of more than 20 books. Zinn was active in and wrote extensively about the African-American Civil Rights Movement 1955-1968, civil rights and civil liberties and peace movements. In his best-selling A People's History of the United States, "he concentrated on what he saw as the genocidal depredations of Christopher Columbus, the blood lust of Theodore Roosevelt and the racial failings of Abraham Lincoln.
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Jan 30, 2010

National Book Critics Awards 2009

The National Book Awards were announced on Saturday evening, January 24 in New York City. The American Book Publisher’s Council, The Book Manufacturers’ Institute, and The American Booksellers’ Association jointly sponsor the Awards, bringing together the American literary community to honor the year’s best work in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and young adult fiction. This year's winners are:


Fiction: Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann
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Jan 27, 2010

Profile of Older Americans: 2009

The Administration on Aging (AoA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently published A Profile of Older Americans: 2009. The annual Profile of Older Americans was originally developed and researched by Donald G. Fowles, AoA. Saadia Greenberg, AoA, developed the 2009 edition Just a few highlights from this report:
  • The older population (65+) numbered 38.9 million in 2008, an increase of 4.5 million or 13.0% since 1998
  • The number of Americans aged 45-64 – who will reach 65 over the next two decades – increased by 31% during this decade
  • Over one in every eight, or 12.8%, of the population is an older American
  • Persons reaching age 65 have an average life expectancy of an additional 18.6 years (19.8 years for females and 17.1 years for males)
Jan 26, 2010

Murder Will Out - January 2010

Looking for something new to read? Check out these recently released Mysteries:

The Crossing Places: A Ruth Galloway Mystery by Elly Griffiths

Smasher by Keith Raffel

Devil's Trill by Gerald Elias

In the Blood by Fay Sampson

Bad Things Happen by Harry Dolan

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Jan 25, 2010

"Love means never having to say you're sorry." Erich Segal

Author Erich Segal died last week (January 17) at the age of 72. He was teaching Greek and Roman literature at Yale University, when his collaboration with the Beatles in 1968 on their movie Yellow Submarine and the production of a screenplay he wrote about the doomed romance of a Radcliffe scholarship girl and a Harvard old-money boy entitled Love Story brought Segal fame. Released in 1970, "Love Story" was a huge box-office hit. "Love Story", when released in paperback, had the largest print order in publishing history at the time, with 4,325,000 copies. Reaction to the book was strong and surprisingly controversial.
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Jan 24, 2010

Mystery Writers of America Announces 2010 Nominees

Mystery Writers of America announced the Nominees for the 2010 Edgar Allan Poe Awards, honoring the best in mystery fiction, nonfiction, and television published or produced in 2009. Best Novel Nominees are:
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Jan 20, 2010