Friday, May 27, 2016

Know Your Library Newsletter - June 2016

KNOW YOUR LIBRARY! JUNE 2016       Written for the Taos Public Library byJoanneForman……………

      CUBA!
     Having noticed that the island of Cuba, 90 miles off the tip of Florida, has not sunk into the sea because the United States government doesn’t like the Cuban government, the recent re-opening of relationships cannot but benefit both nations. And, as always, your Taos Public Library is ready: there are 111 books on Cuba, so you’re bound to find what you need and/or are curious about.

     Whether you’ll get to go there in person, or merely by armchair, you’ll find entertaining BICYCLING CUBA. 917.291.

     And whether you find Fidel Castro antichrist or one of the great figures of the age, it can’t be denied that he’s had a colorful life. There are several biographies in our library; a good one to begin with is CASTRO’S CUBA, CUBA’S FIDEL by the journalist Lee Lockwood. 972.91LOC

     The United States has had a long and usually contentious relation-ship with Cuba, dating back to at least the late 18th century. This is detailed in CUBA:a new history, by Richard Gott. 972.91. Gott.
     Another exposition of this topic is CUBA AND THE UNITED STATES by Jane Franklin. 327.7291073F824c

     Of special interest to Taosenos may be THE GREENING OF THE REVOLUTION: CUBA’S EXPERIMENT WITH ORGANIC AGRI-CULTURE by Peter Rossett and Medea Benjamin. 635.987R829g.

     Prior to the 1959 revolution, Cuba had been, for many decades, a glittering and smarmy mob-controlled destination for gamblers and rich tourists. However, at least one had a more substantial love affair with the island, and made it his home for many years: the great American novel-list Ernest Hemingway: HEMINGWAY IN CUBA by Norberto Fuentes.B813.52.

     The “George Washington” of Cuba is the philosopher, writer and revolutionary JOSE MARTI. (If you fly into Havana, you will land at the Jose Marti airport.) When exiled, he lived in New York City, and was a cigar-maker in Tampa, Florida. (Cigar lovers know that the best are Cuban.) Marti was killed in an abortive uprising in the late 19th century, as part of the long struggle to free Cuba from Spain. He is the subject of the oddly named novel THE DIVINE HUSBAND by Fran-cisco Goldman. FIC G19d.
Comments? What topic would you like covered in this newsletter?
Telephone: 751-1102.
July: Who was Tom Paine? August: Hiroshima.

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Know Your Library Newsletter - May 2016

KNOW YOUR LIBRARY!.......
WRITTEN FOR THE TAOS PUBLIC LIBRARY  by Joanne Forman. May 2016      ______________________________________________________________________________
TO YOUR HEALTH!
      The coming of Spring creates a new impulse for being healthy, looking forward to the increased activities of the warm weather: walking, hiking, swimming—to name just some of the tamer things people indulge in. So it’s time to pay attention!
     As always, your Taos Public Library has plenty of books to send you on your way to a healthy and (we hope!) happy Spring and Summer. There are some 250 books in our library on this subject, so whatever your need, you’ll find it here.
     If you’ve become too much of a couch potato over the winter, you probably couldn’t do better than consult THE COMPLETE MANUAL OF FITNESS AND WELL BEING. Edited by Readers Digest. (613.7Com)
     When I surveyed our catalog, the first thing that caught my eye was ENDING BACK PAIN, by Jack Stern, MD. (617.564Ste.). We bipeds, many (most?) of us notice, pay a big price for our upright posture—and for many (again, most?) of us, it doesn’t get better as we grow older. Back pain, injuries, can be terribly debilitating, and we need all the help we can get! Reading a book may not solve your problem, but it’s a good place to start.
     Very many Taosenos suffer from various allergies and/or sinus conditions, and, especially in the Spring, it can make one really miserable. Help is at hand, with SINUS SURVIVAL: the holistic medical treatment for allergies, asthma, bronchitis, colds and sinusitis by Robert S. Ivker. (616l.2Ivk)
     The days when one just accepted the word of the (supposedly) godlike doctor are long gone, and your library has books addressing controversial issues. There are troubling questions for many parents about vaccinations, and there’s help: VACCINATION edited by Peggy O’Mara. (614.47 Vac.)
     Increasingly, as people live longer, the middle generation feels squeezed between the problems of taking care of kids—and of ageing parents. There’s help! TAKING CARE OF MOM AND DAD by Mike Rust will help start you on your way. (362.6
R971t.)
     THE DIRTY DOZEN: TOXIC CHEMICALS AND THE EARTH’S FUTURE by Bruce Elliott (363.738 Joh.) will give you plenty of information and insight about this controversial and often difficult topic.
     Along these lines, there’s also CRITICAL CONDITION: HOW HEALTH CARE IN AMERICA BECAME BIG BUSINESS AND BAD MEDICINE by Donald L. Barlett and James B. Steele. (362.109Bar.)
     If you’re bent out of shape by all this, you might want to consult ANGER KILLS (616.1 Wil.) As you well know, we all get angry at least sometimes—but it’s bad for the arteries.
     A very troubling medical problem nowadays is diabetes. Again, a book won’t solve the problem, but it can get one started. Knowledge is power: TYPE 2 DIABETES by Marcia Roper. (616.462Rop.)
     Everyone now knows the importance of diet, and your library will not fail you. COOKING THE WHOLE FOODS WAY by Christina Pirello will get you started. (641.563Pir)
     More general on health: NEW CHOICES IN NATURAL HEALING edited by Bill Gottlieb. (615.5)  This is a new book, so look for it in the new/current book section to the right as you enter the library.
    Full of helpful information on all aspects is THE COMPLETE HOME HEALTH ADVISOR by Rita Elkins. (616.024E43c.)

     Have a subject you’d like covered in future newsletters? Phone me at 751-1102.


     June newsletter: CUBA