Know your library newsletter - April 2016

KNOW YOUR LIBRARY April 2016………….

Written for the Taos Public Library by Joanne Forman…………………

THE DISMAL SCIENCE?

     Economics is often called “the dismal science.” And, true enough, thinking about it, paying the bills (or trying to pay them), especially nowadays can be dismal enough. And is it a “science?”—with objective laws that can be proven, tabulated, repeated? Or, are our economics controlled by—the government? The corporate world? And/or…??That in itself is a controversial question. And, as usual, your Taos Public Library has books to help you understand and cope—120 of them. Whatever your interest or problem, you’ll find help here.

      Most of us find the ins and outs of economics—especially nowadays—incomprehensible. One couldn’t do better than THE COMPLETE IDIOT’S GUIDE TO ECONOMICS by Tom Gorman. 330.Gor.

     ABUNDANCE: THE FUTURE IS BETTER THAN YOU THINK, by Peter H. Domandis and Steven Kotler. 303.48Dia…will technology (and changes of mind?) “save” us? This is a very American idea. Read it and decide for yourself.

     AFFUENZA: The all-consuming epidemic, by John deGraaf et al. 306.2973.DeG. We Americans are told 24/7, especially by TV, that the Meaning of Life is in what you own, and How Much. Never does the media propose the notion that everything you own owns you, and that the less you need, the more free you are. Read, and decide for yourself.

     THE ASCENT OF MONEY: A FINANCIAL HISTORY OF THE WORLD by Niall Ferguson. 330.9Fer. We’re led to believe that the economic world is the way it is because of “natural” “forces,” not decisions made by human beings. Is it true? Check it out for yourself.

     A big part of most budgets is the car, it’s payments, maintenance, insurance—the whole thing. Three thousand pounds of metal and plastic to transport every single body over the age of 16? Try BREAKING GRIDLOCK: MOVING TOWARD TRANSPORTATION THAT WORKS by Jim Motavalli. 388.4M917b. (Full disclosure: this writer has never owned a car.)

     Definitely related is ECO-ECONOMY: BUILDING AN ECONOMY FOR THE EARTH by Lester R. Brown. 337.7Bro.

     A radical view is provided by the prominent linguist, philosopher, writer and gadfly Noam Chomsky: THE COMMON GOOD, 327.C548.c

     A very different point of view is provided by CRASH PROOF: how to profit from the coming economic collapse. Peter Schiff332.609Schi.

If you have strong nerves this might be the very book for you.

Whatever the future holds, whatever kind of economy evolves, and we humans will still need to eat; try THE AGRARIAN READER by Norman

Wirzla. 338.1. Whether you have a teeny garden patch or lots of acres, this thoughtful book covers every aspect of what the future may hold for food production.

NOTE: During this (interminable) election season, YOUR TAOS LIBRARY is on the ball: in the new books section to the right of the entrance, are books by and about ALL the presidential candidates.

ALSO NOTE: The Children’s Room has two copies of the delightful WOLF! WOLF! By Caroline Rackley, easy-to-do plays derived from Aesop’s fables. These are perfect for school, church or community group. You could even turn off the TV and stage them in your living room!

Love to hear from you: 751-1102

Next month: Health

June: Cuba

Community Assessment Survey Amazon Gift Card Winners!

Amazon Gift Card Drawing

The Taos Public Library will be closed 

March 25th, 2016 for Spring Day!  

Reminder...

Friday March 18th - tomorrow is the last day to submit your completed 

community assessment survey - for a chance to win 1 of 4 Amazon Gift Cards. 

Drawing will be held March 28th, 2016.
Come in to the library to fill out your survey in person or

 Click herehttps://townoftaos.seamlessdocs.com/f/hFBpML 
to fill it out online.
We hope to hear from you! Good luck!

KNOW YOUR LIBRARY

March 2016…written for the Taos Public Library by Joanne Forman

 Feminism

    (International Womens’ Day is March 8)

    

     My trusty Century dictionary defines the word feminism as “the doctrine advocating extension of

the activities of women in social and political life.”

     That seems self-evident nowadays, to be taken for granted. Reading A CENTURY OF STRUGGLE by Eleanor Flexner and Ellen Fitzpatrick will remind us that it took nearly that— EIGHTY YEARS before American women were “given” the right to vote.305.42Fbl9c.

      The very interesting and informative DVD MAKERS indicates that everything women have won (so far) has not been “given” but fought for. (The film opens with the first woman to run the Boston marathon—in 1959!)

    

     The indispensable text on the resurgence of the feminist movement in the 1960s and beyond is THE FEMININE MYSTIQUE by Bette Friedan.305.42Fri.

    

     While Friedan’s seminal book talks mostly about and is directed mostly to white middle-class women, COLONIZE THIS! YOUNG WOMEN OF COLOR ON TODAY’S FEMINISM will correct that. Edited by Daisy

Hernandez and Bushra Rehman. 305.42Col.

   

      Alas, just about every woman has been told by a smug male, “just lie back and enjoy it”, Susan Brownmiller tackles this worldwide problem in    AGAINST OUR WILL: MEN, WOMEN AND RAPE. 364.1532b885a.

    The world of Islamic women is explored in: WOMEN’S REBELLION AND ISLAMIC MEMORY by Fatima Mernissi. 305.48697M566u. As it increasingly dawns on Americans that the Muslim world exists, it is useful to learn about it!

     Exploring the world of motherhood and attitudes over the ages is OF WOMAN BORN by Adrienne Rich. 301.42R498w.

     For a psychological/psychoanalytic approach: SEXUAL CONTRADICTIONS by JANET SAYERS.

     Interestingly, books about the 19^th century history of feminism are only in the Childrens’ room. While this is of cardinal importance, perhaps we need adult expositions as well of: THE SENECA FALLS WOMEN’S RIGHTS CONVENTION by Sabrina Crew and Dale Anderson. J305.42c.

     Perhaps the most famous woman of all on this topic is Susan B. Anthony, who was ridiculed, feared, discounted—and even physically attacked. See MARCHING WITH SUSAN: SUSAN B. ANTHONY AND THE FIGHT FOR WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE. By Claire R. Murphy. Jf Mur.

     For a trenchant discussion of women in Central America and the Mexican state of Chiapas see FEMINISM AND THE LEGACY OF REVOLUTION by Karen Kampwurth. 305.42.

     As always, this is just a brief sampling of the 91 books available in our TAOS PUBLIC LIBRARY on this subject. Browse!!

Comments? Requests? jofo@kitcarson.net 

The Taos Public Library's Annual DVD & BluRay Drive has begun. 

We are accepting all DVD's and BluRay movies, television shows

and documentaries to be added to our collection. 

Show your library and your community some love.