Supporting Your Local Library

Most public libraries in the U.S. aren't nearly this huge.
Many are under-funded and in danger of being forgotten.

Those of you who aren't aware of the greatness that is Maureen Johnson's twitter account probably missed the great conversations she had with her followers yesterday. Basically, Maureen asked her followers (specifically the ones who are librarians) to give some advice on how the average person can support their local library.

I found each of the suggestions quite helpful and I wanted to share them with others who might need some new ideas on how to help a library near you. Let's do our best to show our support for libraries everywhere!

Here are the tweets that started off the conversation:

Maureen Johnson (MJ): I LOVE it when people take my book from the library. Money should never be a barrier to reading. There is a net gain when libraries are used.

MJ: I have a question for librarians: what are the best ways the AVERAGE PERSON can support the library? #longlivethelibrary

And the awesome responses:

Marie R.: @maureenjohnson 1)USE the library! 2) tell local politicians how important you think your library is 3) USE THE LIBRARY SOME MORE.

Jake Rideout: @maureenjohnson Aside from money? Check out books you want to keep on shelves. Attend events to keep programs going. Donate books to sales.

Sara Roberts: @maureenjohnson Use the library! Numbers matter. Check out books, movies, etc. Come to programs.

Jennifer Anne: @maureenjohnson But be nice to your librarian. Often staff, Salary, and benefits are cut before cuts are made to things public

MJ: All librarians saying USE the library. Good numbers matter to keeping the doors open! GO IN! CHECK OUT BOOKS! #longlivethelibrary

ClaraCharlotte: @maureenjohnson I personally financed the new wing of the Hamburg library by consistently paying late-fees ;) #longlivethelibrary

MRHS Library: @maureenjohnson Don't go around proliferating the stereotype of dust-ladened shelves and grey-bun shshhhing...today's library is keeping up!

Angie Manfredi: and talk about the library not only to politicians but to everyone - be "did you know/isn't this cool" for your library.

Lisa Bunker: One thing we need is a Dumbledore's Army of citizenry who understand what a #library offers in TODAY's world. Not the nostalgia.

I love hearing ideas on how to support libraries. I am a firm believer in the immense benefit they have on our communities and our society as a whole. Personally, books and school libraries are what helped me survive my elementary through high school years (ESPECIALLY my middle school years *cringe*). I want to do whatever I can to extend the wonderful benefits of a good library to whomever I can.

Maureen Johnson: author, adventurer, and all-around
awesome person.

And if you're not already following her on Twitter, Maureen Johnson show's she's not just a great novel writer -- she's also a lot of fun and very entertaining. Her handle is @maureenjohnson. Go check her out immediately . . . and don't forget to visit your library when you're done.

#longlivethelibrary

Once Upon a Time by Max Lüthi

The fairy tale takes its heroes from the remotest branches of society: the prince and the young swine herd, the despised youngest son or the clumsy boy; and the girl who watches the hearth or tends the geese and the princess. The fairy tale is also fond of other extremes and contrasts: dreadful punishments and splendid rewards, giants and dwarfs, mangy skull and golden hair, good and evil, handsome and ugly, black and white. Thus the fairy tale portrays a clearly and neatly fashioned world.

I went up to Texas Tech to visit my brother this weekend and one of the first places we stopped was the library (of course). Texas Tech has a rather large library, which was quite exciting for me. I immediately grabbed about six books off the shelves, but this was the one I begged my brother to check out for me. He did and I managed to finish it before the end of the weekend.

Once Upon a Time: On the Nature of Fairy Tales was quite an interesting read. Published in the early seventies, it is a lovely text concerning what constitutes a fairy tale and why they are so important to us now.

Each chapter takes aside one or more fairy tales with similar thematic content and analyzes what sets it apart from other stories, such as local legend and saints' stories. This book covered everything from Sleeping Beauty to Repunzel, including plenty of stories I hadn't heard of before and even uncovering alternate versions that surfaces before the Grimm brothers or others like them.

I found every bit of this book fascinating. I will definitely be adding my brother's collection of Grimm fairy tales to my list of books to read and can hardly wait to get my hands on it. Fairy tales are timeless and classic. I would suggest this book to anyone who would like to see a little bit more into the creation of a fairy tale and the lessons we can learn through these stories.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

But what, one may ask, does a child learn from being told such fairy tales? Should one really fill their minds with stories about witches? Yes, indeed, one must. The witches, devils, and villains of fairy tales are for children symbols of evil, and the child experiences through them the danger of evil but also learns that evil can be conquered or perhaps even transformed.

Nerds by David Anderegg, Ph.D.

One of the things that makes kids kids is their lack of self-consciousness, and one of the things that most distinguishes nerdy kids from non nerdy kids is exactly this quality, as we shall see later on.


Nerds: Who They Are and Why We Need More of Them was written by David Anderegg, Ph.D., a child psychologist who was upset by the marginalization of "nerdy" kids and chose to do a study on what constitutes a nerd and why there is such a stigmatism associated with that particular stereotype.

This book was incredibly interesting. I love doing research on the topic of nerd stereotypes and especially enjoy the fact that researching nerd stereotypes is a quintessentially nerdy thing to do. Anderegg covers everything from the treatment of those considered nerds in elementary school vs. nerds in high school to  the tendency of the overzealous to incorrectly diagnose nerds with Aspergers without knowing what it actually means.

I didn't agree with everything Aderegg had to say, but most of it was both insightful and made you really take a step back and think about the way we condition our children through media and careless comments that we honestly ought to know better than to do. I know I was convicted about the way I use "nerd" as an insult at times, even though I mean it as a joke. I don't personally consider it an insult, but by using it as such, I perpetuate the negative connotation associated with the word and that's really not okay.

Overall, this was a wonderful book and I will very likely be reading it again in the next few years. I really enjoyed it and everything Anderegg had to say on the matter. I would suggest this to nearly everyone, but particularly parents of all types. Whether your kid is naturally popular or starting to operate under the label of nerd, you probably need to hear what this book has to say.

Lastly, no matter who you are--don't forget to own your nerdiness! Don't let anyone tell you who to be. You are amazing just the way you are. Nerds are awesome and we need more of them!

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

As we have seen, the nerd/geek stereotype is not immediately comprehensible to our kids, and they need a fair amount of indoctrination to get it at all. But when they begin to be indoctrinated, they get messages that are awfully confusing. 

Conversations on Writing Fiction by Alexander Neubauer

"I think we can begin from the assumption that storytelling is vital to human health. It gives us workable metaphors for our lives." -Clarence Major


In Conversations On Writing Fiction, Alexander Neubauer gives us thirteen interviews he conducted with thirteen fiction writers that also happen to teach fiction writing. The result is an anthology of teachers who know what they're doing, spilling their tactics on how to encourage those who are trying to do something or achieve more with their writing. Each of these teachers comes from a different background, touts a different writing/teaching style, and comes at the writing of fiction from a completely different angle.

I had a little trouble getting through this book, but not because the material was particular disinteresting or difficult. For the most part, I really enjoyed it. I simply tend to have trouble following through with collections of separate works. For some reason, they always take me much longer than other types of books.

Even still, I feel like this book had a lot to offer on the front of improving my writing. I always enjoy learning from a new perspective, particularly when it comes to a subject I love as much as writing. The different perspectives were extremely helpful and gives the reader the opportunity to see each part of the idea of fiction in a new light.

I would suggest this book to anyone who wants to be a writer/teach writing, particularly anyone who might be thinking about taking classes or workshops in that area of study. It covers different methods of teaching that would be beneficial for particular students and is a good place to start when considering what one must do to improve their own work.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥


"Writing is like working out; you have to build up to your capacity and then go beyond that. And you have to keep doing that, again and again." -John Irving

J.K. Rowling: The Wizard Behind Harry Potter by Marc Shapiro

"I was sitting on the train, just staring out the window at some cows. It was not the most inspiring subject. When all of a sudden the idea for Harry just appeared in my mind's eye. I can't tell you why or what triggered it. But I saw the idea of Harry and the wizard school very plainly. I suddenly had this basic idea of a boy who didn't know what he was," [Joanne] said in a School Library Journal conversation.


J.K. Rowling: The Wizard Behind Harry Potter is an unauthorized biography of the woman who created the series that capture the minds of a generation. In 2000, Shapiro gathered together the information garnered from interviews with the press and similar sources, and this was the result of his effort.

This short and sweet biography covers all the basics. From Joanna's early childhood to the point at which this book was published, we get to see a detailed synopsis of what her life was like and what inspired her to write about the Boy Who Lived.

This biography was a little over one hundred pages, a book one could read in a single sitting, and is filled to the brim with the basic information one might want to know about J.K. Rowling. The lives of authors and how they reached success in their lives always enthralls me and I enjoyed reading through the journey.

My only real complaints with this book are these:
1. There is an error on page seven. Shapiro states that the banks in Rowling's tale are run by owls. They are, in fact, run by goblins. Owls are used as messengers, not bank tellers.
2. Shapiro seems to over-romanticize Rowling's life and the stories within it. His use of language leaves you feeling like he is trying to play her up instead of simply giving the truth. He might want to tone it down a bit if he wants people to take his work more seriously.

By now, there is a more complete biography, I believe. This book was written just after Rowling had produced the fourth book in the Harry Potter series and the first movie was simply an idea. Perhaps he has fixed these errors since then. I suppose you can be the judge of that.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥


Every day she would put Jessica in her baby carrier and walk her around town until the child fell asleep. She would then head for one of a number of local cafés, where for the price of a cup of espresso and a glass of water, she could sit and write for a couple of hours while her daughter slept. Years later, Joanne would marvel at how much she had gotten done in those short periods of time.

This Year You Will Write Your Novel by Walter Mosley

Poets know that poems are songs, but few of us realize that novels are too.


This Year You Write Your Novel by Walter Mosley bears a tittle that is pretty self-explanatory. At the time of publication, the author had written twenty-seven books and decided it was about time he put out a guide to writing a novel in one year. So that is exactly what he did.

This book is very much like How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy (which is to be expected, seeing as they have somewhat similar premises), only it was about general fiction and was actually shorter than Card's book.

Still, I found This Year You Write Your Novel to be largely informational and quite helpful. Mosley gives clear advice on things like creating character development as well as setting up routines that will help the writer develop his craft as best he can. His narrative is quick and to the point. He doesn't beat around the bush, but rather fleshes out exactly what it is every novel needs and every author ought to pay attention to.

I am very happy to have read this book and will definitely be trying out many of his tactics for keeping focused and determined in the near future. I would recommend it to anyone who is even thinking of writing a novel, whether their dream is to be a published author or it's just an idea. Some NaNoWriMo writers may want to skim this for a few good tips when November rolls around as well. *wink*

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥


In order to be a writer, you have to set up a daily routine. Put aside an amount of time (not less than an hour and a half) to sit with your computer or notebook.

How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy by Orson Scott Card

The second thing you should learn from my example is that ideas come from everywhere, provided that you're thinking about everything that happens to you as a potential story.

I picked up How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy because I thought it would be a good book for writing advice and give me a little more insight into what it takes to write that genre. I'm mostly interested in fantasy, though I do like a good sci-fi novel, and I know my writing often sways in that direction as much as YA fiction.

This book covered all of it's bases. Card is very thorough in his teaching, going over everything from the difference between science fiction and fantasy to the technicalities of creating an entire world and the boundaries that must be decided and set for each one. There is an overwhelming amount of information concerning the audience an author in either of these genres would be catering to and how to navigate through the publishing of a book that isn't in one of the most common categories of writing.

Not only does this cover a great deal of information concerning science fiction and fantasy, but there was also a great deal of advice that could easily translate over to any other type of writing. Card coaches the reader concerning what drives your plot and how to make sure you're staying consistent with the story throughout the writing of it. He teaches how to be a better writer in general and even gives advice from one author to another on how to make sure you're keeping your life balanced in the meantime.

I really enjoyed this book and eagerly devoured its contents. It will definitely be one I'll want to leaf through quite often for tips and suggestions. Card really knows what he's talking about and is able to share it in a way that is relatable and in no way overbearing.

Any author/aspiring author who even has the slightest inclination toward science fiction and fantasy should consider reading this book. It was very informative and incredibly useful. I learned so much more than I could have expected.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

The novelty and freshness you'll bring to the field won't come from the new ideas you think up. Truly new ideas are rare, and usually turn out to be variations on old themes anyway. No, your freshness will come from the way you think, from the person you are, it will inevitably show up in your writing, provided you don't mask it with heavy-handed formulas or clichés.

American Nerd by Benjamin Nugent

As of this morning, Wikipedia states that "nerd, as a stereotypical or archetypal designation, refers to somebody who pursues intellectual interests at the expense of skills that are useful in a social setting such as communication, fashion, or physical fitness." That sounds about right, but it's wrong.


I didn't expect to love this book as much as I actually did.

Being a nerd myself (both self-proclaimed and generally well-recognized as such), I burst out laughing when I saw the title. American Nerd: The Story of My People, it's a great title and one that had me hooked from the get-go.

From the moment I started reading this book, I haven't been able to stop talking about it. Every one of my friends has already heard a comprehensive synopsis, so this will likely be one of the most easily written book reviews I've ever typed up.

American Nerd is a quintessentially nerdy book in and of itself. It is, in essence, a comprehensive study of the American nerd, covering everything from the psychology behind typically nerdy people, the history of the "nerd", and even the racism inherently involved in the classification of nerds (most tend to be Jewish or Asian and described as being "hyperwhite" in personality).

This is definitely one of those books that makes you feel like you are basically soaking your brain in information, amassing knowledge like a sponge dipped in a glass of water. This is a feeling I have come to love and thus my experience in reading this book was even better because of it.

Nugent, a nerd himself, litters the narrative with real-life examples of those generally considered nerds -- from childhood friends to Renaissance CosPlayers, including the life experiences that lead them to making the choices they did and becoming the sorts of people that attend anime conventions and conduct meetings of sci-fi enthusiasts.

All in all, this was an extremely informative book that had me enthralled from beginning to end. This was so much more than I had expected and Nugent's take on different aspects of nerd culture were both eye-opening and intriguing. I would definitely recommend it.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥


Jack Jenkins and Zack Malitz found in their debate community a way to rebel against what they considered an overly regimented high-school existence. Their nerdy activity was a way out of a cage of false certainties.
Then there are other nerds for whom order is not a cage, but a bright, clean Radisson in the snake-infested wilderness that is their daily life. For them, being a nerd is not a flight from an overly ordered existence; it's a flight from a life of fear and confusion into order.

Those Amazing Ringlings and their Circus by Gene Plowden

"Sure, it's a gamble," John admitted, "but so's everything else. You'll never get ahead if you don't take a chance. Help yourself or you'll never get helped. We're smart and we can do it."


I picked up Those Amazing Ringlings and their Circus because I was interested in learning more about circus life after reading about the tattooed men and women often displayed in circuses via Vintage Tattoos by Carol Clerk.

Those Amazing Ringlings and their Circus is an extensive biography of the Ringling brothers, how their circus started, and a retelling of it's fight to keep going until the very end. It was incredibly informative and I found it quite interesting.

The Ringling brothers started off with a dream that they could create a circus to rival those big names like Barnum & Bailey. To those around them, it seemed like a goal too far away to ever be accomplished, but those people were wrong. The Ringling brothers, as you probably are well aware, are still considered somewhat of a household name, though their circus went out of business decades ago. The Ringling brothers themselves had a hand in many different enterprises during their lifetimes. John, in particular, opened a museum, created portions of the national railroad, and helped discover oil in Texas.

Overall, it's quite an interesting journey of how one family affected our nation and also, how greed makes a person become something of a villain. John Ringling may be admired for his drive and business prowess, but he was a sad, bitter old man who died with few friends still at his side. It's rather sad, in all honesty.

This book is not for everyone. It's pretty straightforward in being presented as a comprehensive history of events surrounding the rise and fall of the Ringling Circus. It took me a while to get through, though the writing is easy to read and the history intriguing. I would suggest it to anyone who really has an interest in circus history and doesn't mind a longer read.


Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥


Since the early days, circus life had had no appeal for [John]; he was a front man all the way, who liked luxury and high living. Perhaps it was more than mere coincidence that he did not show up for business conferences until the fag end of the day. By that time most men had done a day's work and were tired, thinking of getting home to wives and childen.

Book by Book by Michael Dirda

At any age, but especially in childhood, books can transform lives . . . And what children behold, they become.


Yet again I've stumbled upon a book from the library that I literally have to buy as soon as I have the funds to do so. Barring Bulfinch's Mythology: The Age of Fable (which I am still currently in the process of reading), this is the book I have written out the most notes for in my book journal. It spans quite a few pages.

I'm a big fan of books that tout the importance of reading. I clearly love to read and I want to be a published author in the near future. Therefore, it follows that I very much enjoy examining this fascination I have for books and the way they really can change lives. Stop What You're Doing And Read This! was just that sort of book and I knew Book by Book would be quite similar.

It was even better.

Michael Dirda is a masterful critic and wordsmith in his own right. He begins by explaining his own passion for books and learning, how it was fostered at an early age and has continued to grow every day of his life. He explains that this book is, in essence, a collection of advice and life lessons gleaned from the pages of books and their authors, mostly concerning reading but also expanding to general advice for life in and of itself.

Everything about Book by Book was wonderful. Dirda has a poetic touch to his words and has become the type of teacher he touts as the best -- they type whose passion for what they teach inspires that passion in others. I may already have such a passion, yet even still, my passion seemed to feed off of his, giving me even more excitement for the topic at hand.

I would suggest this book for anyone who loves to read or is just curious as to why reading is so important. I assuredly benefited from the information I found in this small volume and I hope you will do the same. I'm sure it won't be long before I'm poring through this book a second time.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 


But it is impossible to read serious novels, poetry, essays, and biographies without also growing convinced that they gradually enlarge our minds, refine our spirits, make us more sensitive and understanding. In this way, the humanities encourage the development of our own humanity.

Mobsters and Gangsters by LIFE

The Golden Age of the Gangster coincided precisely with Prohibition, then faded as the syndicate--the American Mafia and attendant or affiliated organizations--said emphatically: You're in or you're out. If you were out, you were butting in, and therefore you didn't exist, at least not for long.

This "book" came in a magazine-like form that I happened to notice a few months ago in Tom Thumb. I picked it up, leafed through it, and decided I had to get it. When the cashier gave me a skeptical look and questioned me as to why I was buying a magazine about mobsters and gangsters, my best friend was quick to inform her that it was research for a book I was writing. (This was true, but I've sense put that story on hold.)

It was about time for me to read Mobsters and Gangsters and I'm glad I did. This book (or magazine, depending on your perspective) is packed with biographies on America's most notorious gangsters and mobsters -- Legs Diamond, Al Capone, Bonnie and Clyde, Ma Barker, and many others. Filled with fascinating details about the lifestyles and peculiarities of the gangsters that have made their way into legend.

This is an easy, quick read and insanely informational. The narrative was very personable and filled with detail. I learned a great deal about the gangs and mobs of old and how they transformed from loose memberships to full-blown syndicates in a little over a century. I would suggest this to anyone who is interested in the topic and wants to know a bit more. I was highly satisfied by the end, and I'm definitely eager to learn more.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Mobsters and gangsters go about their work--and play--with a certain sense of style. They celebrate themselves via their homes, their cars, their pinkie rings, their silk suits and, yes, their graves.

Vintage Tattoos by Carol Clerk

The tattooed lady and the illustrated man, long immortalized in songs and films, were staple 'freak' attractions at the circus and fairground sideshows that began touring their native lands in the 1800s.


Vintage Tattoos by Carol Clerk is a comprehensive history of tattooing in America. Filled to the brim with pictures and an abundance of information on the subject, it was quite an interesting read and much more informative than Tattoo (which I read last month).


Tattooing first started being showcased in the seventeenth century in the form of full-bodied tattoos on persons who were displayed in circuses. Both men and women participated in the practice by covering themselves in tattooed illustrations of all varieties. In other words, it was "Go big or go home."

As time passed, tattoos moved from beyond the realm of circus "freaks" to military men, sailors, and other hardcore types. These were often on a much lesser scale and were not done for the mere sake of illustration. These tattoos often held a meaning for the bearer or a reminder of something they ought to cherish.

In this way, the art of tattooing slowly became more and more accepted, morphing and changing into everything that it is today. This book explains exactly how these changes came to pass and the artists who became catalysts in that process.

Being somewhat of a tattoo enthusiast, I was eager to read this book and I was not disappointed. The pages of the text are filled to the brim with information and pictorial examples of the evolution of tattooing. I learned so much more than I expected, not having expected that much information to be crammed within its pages. I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in the art of tattooing and its history.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥


". . . and I'd see a tattoo and it was hot stuff, and so tattoos meant adventure and travel and excitement, and that was my attraction to tattooing."

Tattoo by Dale Rio & Eva Bianchini

The urge to assert oneself goes hand in hand with a desire to challenge social norms and values, and to advocate different ways of experiencing feeling, and displaying one's body.


I picked up Tattoo from one of my library shelves because I'm a huge fan of tattooing. Art has always been fascinating to me and I have wanted a tattoo since I was a kid.  The idea of expressing oneself through permanent body art has a distinct appeal to me.

Tattoo is a collaboration by Dale Rio and Eva Bianchini about, you guessed it, tattoos. It is essentially a history of the art form, revealing the origins of the tattoo and what it meant to each culture it came in contact with.

The book goes on to explain and give examples of each of the most popular tattoo styles (such as blackwork and new school tattooing), how it's done, and finishes off with some helpful reminders for those considering getting a tattoo.

All in all, it was a light and easy read filled with pictures of some pretty fantastic tattoo work. I would definitely suggest this to anyone who is intending to acquire a tattoo, or to anyone who is simply curious about the art and how it originated and became to successful industry it is today.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥


It is significant to note that most early examples of tattooing are on women, which shows a distinct mind-shift through history, as until recently tattooing had become associated with men. In short, tattooing may once have been the sole preserve of females. The women of today who are being tattooed with as much confidence as men are simply reclaiming their heritage.

Dear Bully: 70 Authors Tell Their Stories

Here's the answer: learning to fit in, learning to get along, ignoring it, and being the better person don't work.
Asking victims to save themselves doesn't work. People need to intervene.


Funny story: Somehow I managed to buy the unedited proof of this book. I don't know how I, or the salesperson, didn't notice the big red square on the side that said "Unedited Proof: Not for Sale." It wasn't until I was partway through the book that I noticed it. I'm not sure how different it was from the one that ended up getting printed, but I only found one typo. That was the only "problem" I saw with the book in its entirety.

Back to the book review: In case you couldn't tell by the title, Dear Bully is an anthology of experiences. It's a collection of the stories of 70 authors who were, in some shape or form, bullied. The purpose is to bring awareness to the situation that is still perpetuated in the lives of many teenagers and children. The purpose is to reveal just how dangerous, and damaging, bullying can be.

This book really touched me. Seeing the perspective of the kids who dealt with such incredible amounts of torment on a daily basis was eye-opening.

Speaking as a girl who was at the bottom of the food chain in school for a few years, I know what it's like first-hand to be rejected. I know what it's like to have someone's words or actions impact you for years after the initial event. I was never downright bullied, but I got pretty close. At the same time, I treated a few others badly. I didn't bully, but I sure didn't treat them the way they ought to have been treated. I may never know what impact I had on their lives.

The point of this book was to talk about bullying from the perspective of those who were bullied, those who were too scared to speak up, those who did speak up and changed someone's life. People don't realize the impact of the things they do. People don't realize that one word, one rejection, can change someone's life.

I adored this book. Every story was heartfelt. Every experience brought new light to what bullying is and how we can stop it. It's definitely a recommended read for all ages. Parents should be reading this so they can teach their children to be better. Teachers should read it so they can keep an eye out for this sort of behavior. Teenagers should read this so they can discover how the way they're treating that other person is affecting them; and so those who are bullied can discover how to fight back.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥


Schools, parents, and educational endeavors  should encourage people not just to empathize but to discover and celebrate the weirdness in others and in ourselves. We need not just to think but to live outside the box. Weirdness is good. It keeps things interesting.