It’s Sir George Grove’s 188th birthday! This English music historian lends his name to one of the premier reference sources in music: The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Even better, we have online access to Grove Music Online, a compilation of several music dictionaries. Not only can you read about music from your …
Category Archives: What’s on Wednesday
The Olympics
For the next few days world attention will be turned to the business of the Olympic games. They are not only a series of sporting events, they are also political and historical in nature. To supplement your television viewing I recommend the following: Triumph: The Untold Story of Jesse Owens and Hitler’s Olympics by Jeremy …
The Pope
Pope Benedict I died on this date in 579. Today’s Pope Benedict XVI is not only a much studied Pope, he is a prolific author himself. Co-Workers for the Truth is a book of his daily meditations, God and the World is a more theological discussion of Catholicism. Between the collections of the college and …
Road Trip
On this date in 1903 the Ford Motor Company sold its first car. 105 years ago tomorrow some dad somewhere said “road trip!” and 30 minutes later the phrase “don’t make me stop this car” was uttered for the first time. We have some travel guides available electronically which might help you start planning your …
Fun Films
Disneyland Park opened 53 years ago today. You might be surprised to discover that we have many animated and children’s films in the Van Wylen collection, including favorites from the Disney Studios. If summer is getting a little long and boredom is setting in, check out our free rentals!
Political History
On July 9, 1850, Zachary Taylor died and Millard Fillmore became the 13th president of the United States. Beyond the books we have acquired on current politics, we continue to purchase material on the history of our country. New to our collection are two titles by Cokie Roberts: Founding Mothers and Ladies of Liberty. Both …
Food Controversial Food
Food is a hot topic this summer. Thomas Pawlick wrote The End of Food in 2006 and described the adulteration of the food supply. This month Paul Roberts uses the same title for a book about the food industry. In In Defense of Food Michael Pollan asks if what we are eating is really food …
Armchair History
George Armstrong Custer died 132 years ago on this date during the Battle of the Little Bighorn, called the Battle of the Greasy Grass by the Lakota and Northern Cheyenne. Two years ago, when gasoline was less than $2.00 per gallon, I stood on the battle site and marveled at how little was actually there. …
One Hundred Years and Counting
On June 19, 1865 Union soldiers landed at Galveston,Texas with the news that the war had ended and the slaves were now free. This date became Freedom Day, Emancipation Day, or just Juneteenth: a day now recognized by 26 states, including Michigan, as a holiday. Almost one hundred years later people who would come to …
Prize lists
There are many lists in the literary world: bestsellers, prize winners, someone’s favorite. A fairly new prize is The Sami Rohr Prize, established in 2006 by Mr. Rohr’s familty to honor this businessman and philanthropist’s love of Jewish literature. We happen to have the winner: The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit: My Family’s Exodus …