Murder Season

Murder Season
by Robert Ellis

Summer is the murder season. This year it comes early with a high profile bang. Two men are found shot to death in Club 3 AM, a hot spot that caters to Hollywood's A-list. One victim is the owner, Johnny Bosco and the other one is Jacob Gant. Gant was tried and acquitted in a court of law for the brutal murder of his next-door neighbor, Lily Hight. He was also tried in the court of public opinion, which found him guilty. Gant enlisted Bosco's help to find out who really killed Lily. LAPD detective, Lena Gamble is assigned to investigate this volatile crime. She learns that the detectives who investigated Lily Hight's death immediately zeroed in on Gant as the killer and did not look at any other suspects. Lena is puzzled by some of the evidence and quietly re-opens Lily Hight's case. As she follows the evidence trail Lena encounters a wall of resistance from the original detectives and from the District Attorney's office. This fast paced novel kept me engrossed to the end. [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the works of Michael Connelly, Stephen J. Cannell and Dianne Emley.] -- recommended by Donna G. - Virtual Services Department

[Also available in downloadable audio format.]

[ official Robert Ellis web site ]
 
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The Colossal Collection of Action Poses

The Colossal Collection of Action Poses
by Buddy Scalera [741.51 Sca]

The Colossal Collection of Action Poses is just the latest in a series of reference volumes that are great resources for anyone trying to create their own action-based comic book. In this volumes and each of both Comic Artists Photo Reference: People and Poses and Comic Artists Photo Reference: Women and Girls, Scalera has taken over 1000 photographs of both male and female models standing in a variety of action poses -- holding various weapons, making kicks, swinging a cape, dressing, crouching, walking, applying make-up, etc. Additionally, there are sections for both sexes, with the models holding a variety of facial expressions -- anger, fright, sadness, happyness, pain, confusion, etc. For artists wanting a base to build an action sequence on, these images could prove invaluable. The photographer uses a number of different models with a variety of body types, thus providing a wide variety of source material for the artist. The only drawback I found in the The Colossal Collection of Action Poses was that the models were all young and fit -- no older folks or overweight body types. Otherwise, an excellent resource for artistic types. [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the other volumes in Scalera's series.] -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library [subscribe to Scott's booklist newsletter - It's All Geek to Me! - or any of the libraries' other newsletters by e-mail!]


[ official Buddy Scalera web site -- warning...some images may trigger filtering software blocks ]
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Tower Heist

Tower Heist
[DVD Tower]

A group of hard-working hotel employees become thieves when one of their tenants - the one in charge of their pensions - gets indicted for fraud. They decide the money is hidden in his apartment and decide to steal it, but first they need training from a real live criminal. When you put a cast together including Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy, Matthew Broderick and Casey Affleck you know it'll be funny. This one didn't disappoint. [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Tropic Thunder another comedy starring Ben Stiller, or RED a comedy about a group of misfits teaming together to accomplish a mission.] -- recommended by Carrie K. - Bennett Martin Public Library

[ Internet Movie Database entry for this film ] | [ official Tower Heist web site ] 
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New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month.

Born Standing Up

Born Standing Up
by Steve Martin [Compact Disc 791.432 Mar]

Based on friends' recommendations, I listened to the book-on-cd version of Steve Martin's recent autobiography, narrated by Martin himself. This book is a look back by Martin at his life during the period in which he was performing stand-up comedy, which he hasn't done now for over 20 years. It was fascinating to see the intense work that went into creating his routines, and the evolution of those routines over the years. My earliest memories of Martin are from just before he became the "wild and crazy guy" with the bunny ears or arrow through his head. He seemed like such a natural humorist that it is interesting to hear him describe how much practice and development went into creating that kind of performance persona. In reference to the audiobook -- Martin is a fine narrator, although in the early portions of the book he seems rather emotionless and speaks in almost a monotone. The further into the book he goes, though, the more animated and energetic his narration becomes. Also, a benefit you get from the audio version rather than the print version is that between chapters you get short bits of Martin playing his own original banjo music -- one of his passions. I found it particularly interesting that Martin felt as if he was writing a "biography" rather than an "autobiography" -- he says he felt as if he were writing about another person, since he hasn't been that "stand up guy" for over two decades. [Martin's sense of humor also comes across well in his novels and other printed books, including Cruel Shoes. The libraries have a couple of his comedy albums from the time period he discusses, as well as a Saturday Night Live compilation, The Best of Steve Martin.] -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library [subscribe to Scott's monthly booklist newsletter - It's All Geek to Me! - or any of our other custom email newsletters!]

[Also available in traditional print format.]

[ official Steve Martin web site ]

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Musical e-Motivation: Using Computer Technology to Motivate Students

Musical e-Motivation: Using computer technology to motivate students
-- an article in the Nov/Dec 2010 issue of Clavier Companion
article by Jeremiah Johnson [Periodical Clavier]

This was the winning article from the 2010 Clavier Companion Collegiate Writing Contest. The article is condensed from my longer Master of Music: Piano Pedagogy thesis project at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln. The article summarizes five different ways to use technology to motivate students in music: optimizing a challenge, absorbing the learner's attention, communicating clearly obtainable goals, promoting the autonomy of learners, and providing positive feedback. While the article pertains to music education, the ideals set forth certainly apply across a variety of disciplines. Ultimately, the article addresses technology's place in music education and disputes the claim that technology is a "distraction" to learning. -- recommended by Jeremiah J. - Bennett Martin Public Library


[ official Clavier Companion web site ]

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The Silent Spirit

The Silent Spirit
by Margaret Coel

The Silent Spirit is the 14th volume in Coel's long-running Wind River Mystery series, featuring Catholic priest Father John O'Malley and Native American attorney Vicky Holden. This particular volume interested me because it involves a lot of historical information about earlier Hollywood and film production. The book is told with plenty of flashbacks, as the death of a reformed young trouble-making Indian on the reservation today is tied into events back in the early 1920s, when a number of Indians from the Wind River reservation went to Hollywood to appear as extras in a now-legendary western film. One of those Indians disappeared, never returning to the reservation -- inspiring his young descendant to start an investigation over 70 years later...an investigation that may, or may not, have contributed to his own death. This is a well-designed mystery, with an intriguing plot. I didn't really feel like I got to know either of the series main leads all that well in this volume...but this rich historical background more than made up for that. I definitely recommend this book! [I also recommend the rest of the Wind River Mystery series, if you like these characters, though this is the only one with the "Hollywood" connection!] -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library [subscribe to Scott's It's All Geek to Me! monthly booklist newsletter column, or any of the library's other Books, Movies & More newsletters!]

[Also available in book-on-cd format.]

[ official Silent Spirit page on the official Margaret Coel web site ]

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New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month.

Real Steel

Real Steel

[DVD Real]

Hugh Jackman and Evangeline Lily star in this action-packed movie. Jackman plays Charlie Kenton, a former boxer who owes a lot of people money. The world of entertainment now revolves around robot fighting as it offers more action than humans. Charlie has his own robot and competes in those competitions. After his girlfriend dies, Charlie is forced to take his kid Max along on the rode with him. He's not a very good father, but the kid likes robots so they bond over that. Not as good as I was hoping it would be, but it redeems itself with moments of comedy and a lot of great action sequences. [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the Transformers movies, they're all about robots fighting.]
[Also available: the original story by Richard Matheson that this movie was based upon.]

[ Internet Movie Database entry for this film ] | [ official Real Steel web site ]

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The Money Book for the Young Fabulous and Broke

The Money Book for the Young Fabulous and Broke
by Suze Orman [332.024 Orm]

I received this as a graduation gift from college and find myself continually referring back to it. This is a great resource for the age 20-30+ crowd who has graduated high school or college and really lacks financial know-how. While it can be read from cover to cover, it works also as a go-to-guide for various financial situations, like buying a house, buying a car, saving, retiring, investing, dealing with debt and credit. Be advised this book was written before the economic crisis of 2008, so some of the information-- particularly the chapter on investing should be taken cautiously-- she has since changed her stance on some of this advice. However, the entire book provides a lot of steadfast financial advise that provides timely information, presented in a way that speaks to the young and young at heart. Suze Orman's The Money Book for the Young attempts to prove that you don't have to be filthy rich to live fabulously. -- recommended by Jeremiah J. - Bennett Martin Public Library

[Also available in book-on-cd format.]

[ official The Money Book web site ] | [ official Suze Orman web site ]

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The Hunger Games: Official Illustrated Movie Companion

The Hunger Games: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion
by Kate Egan [YA PB Egan]

A collection of pictures and behind-the-scenes stories from the cast and crew of The Hunger Games. Read about the casting process, the stunt work, and the special effects that went into making the film. A must-read for all die hard Hunger Games fans. [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try "The Hunger Games" trilogy that inspired the movie by Suzanne Collins, or any of the other behind-the-scenes books about the series: The World of The Hunger Games by Kate Egan, The Hunger Games Tribute Guide by Emily Seife or The Hunger Games Companion by Lois Gresh.] -- recommended by Carrie K. - Bennett Martin Public Library


[ official Hunger Games movie web site ] | [ official Suzanne Collins web site ]

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SciFi Convention in Lincoln This Weekend!

Lincoln area science fiction and fantasy fans -- there's a regional sci-fi convention being held here in Lincoln this weekend, April 13-15, 2012!

ConStellationNE III is the third straight year for this small con, being held at the Guesthouse Inn & Suites at 5250 Cornhusker Highway. Their author guest of honor is Elizabeth Bear, winner of the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer (2005), winner of the Theodore Sturgeon Award (2008), and two-time Hugo Award winner (2008, 2009); with artist guest of honor W.J. Hodgson (a painter and free-lance artist).

You can find out more information about ConStellationNE III at the convention's official website. They've also recently put out an online schedule of events, which you can check out at this link, to see if their programming might be of interest to you!

New Customer Review - My Fair Godmother

My Fair Godmother
by Janette Rallison [j Rallison]

My Fair Godmother by Janette Rallison is a funny teen fantasy romance with morals to boot. Through the guise of the three wishes that Savannah is granted by her godmother, Rallison imparts blunt truths about love. Savannah's first thought is to ask for Hunter fall back in love with her, but she is smart enough to know that winning Hunter back only with magic won't make her truly happy. Rallison never holds back any punches with her morals, but she also wraps them up so creatively in the disastrous outcomes of Savannah's wishes that the lessons feel like logical outcomes in a riveting story. Of course, it also helps that Rallison laces her love story with humor and fantasy. Some of the humor lies in Savannah's attitude. Some of the humor lies in the scrapes that Savannah finds herself in. As for the fantasy, you already know there's a godmother. There's also a leprechaun, a wizard and an apprentice with potions and poisons to sell, a Cyclops that Tristan needs to fight, and a mysterious black knight. For the most part, Rallison stays faithful to the original fairy tales into which she dumps Savannah. Even when she departs from them for literary purposes, they never left me with the bad taste some other fractured tales have. I love fantasy, in big doses. Whether it comes in the form of humor, romance, or another genre, I'm going to try it. Yet while my love of fantasy might mean I'll pick it off the shelves more often, an author still needs to be smart for me to seek out more of their books. Janette Rallison is, in so many ways. She might even be my new author find. -- review submitted by Allison H.-F. - a customer of the Bennett Martin Public Library [See Allison's issue of the Customer Snapshot newsletter!]

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New Customer Reviews appear regularly in the pages of the BookGuide web site. You can visit the Customer Reviews page to see them all and/or submit your own, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually as we receive them.

New Booktalk Booklist - What I've Been Reading by Shannon K.

If you missed Shannon K's recent Bethany Branch booktalk, presented on February 17, 2012, never fear -- her booklist is now available on the library BookGuide readers advisory pages!

Check it out at: What I've Been Reading (2012), for some excellent books -- both non-fiction and novels -- ranging from bestsellers to quirky little titles.

Seriously...I'm Kidding (on CD)

Seriously...I'm Kidding
by Ellen DeGeneres [Compact Disc Biography DeGeneres]

I've always enjoyed Ellen's wry, scatter-brained sense of humor -- I've been a fan of her stand-up routine since she first showed up on Johnny Carson's The Tonight Show, way back in the late 1980s. I haven't really followed her afternoon talk show, or the sitcom on which she "came out" publicly, but I've certainly followed the major ups and downs of her life in the entertainment news -- It's been hard to avoid! I've been enjoying listening to celebrity biographies on compact disc for the past year, and when I stumbled across hers, I was hoping it would be another great one. In the end though, I found Seriously...I'm Kidding to be an extremely light-weight volume, both in content and in tone of presentation. Ellen, who narrates her book herself for this compact disc adaptation, injects very little "life" into the words. Much of the content of this CD set feels like an extended stream-of-conciousness rambling. When she does focus in a little more directly on her topics, she still doesn't go into much depth. Admittedly, I found myself chuckling at various asides that she makes, but for the most part, I kept waiting for some literary "substance" to show up and it never did. If all you want is some light, breezy observations on life -- you'll like this. If you're looking for a celebrity autobiography that actually has something concrete to share about the life of the celebrity, look elsewhere... [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Ellen's previous stand-up comedy books My Point, and I Do Have One (1995) and The Funny Thing Is (2003).] -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library [subscribe to Scott's monthly booklist newsletter - It's All Geek to Me! or any of other other email newsletters]

[Also available in downloadable audio and print formats.]

[ official Ellen's talk show web site ]

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New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month.

The Debt

The Debt

[DVD Debt]

Mossad agents, a Nazi war criminal, and the plot to bring him to justice. This espionage thriller will keep you thoroughly focused as we learn the past is never truly gone. -- recommended by Jodene G. - Walt Branch Library


[ Internet Movie Database entry for this film ] | [ official The Debt web site ]

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New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month.