Friday, July 22, 2016

Town of Taos Holiday - Taos Public Library Closing at Noon 7/22/16

Friday, July 8, 2016

Know Your Library Newsletter - July 2016

KNOW YOUR LIBRARY

July 2016. written for the Taos Public Library by Joanne Forman

WE ARE ALL THEIR CHILDREN!

THE STORY OF IMMIGRATION IN THE UNITED STATES

Even Native Americans, “Indians” (Columbus was lost)—are thought to have entered north America and what is now the United States via a land bridge from Siberia to Alaska. Whether that is so or not, what is true is that every other American is either an immigrant or the descendant of immigrants. What could be a more apropos topic for July, when we celebrate the independence of our nation from a powerful empire.

Yet, one of the constant threads of American history is the fear of, the despising of, the looking down upon, those whose ancestors arrived five minutes after ours. What’s going on here?

As always (we keep saying it because it’s true!) your Taos Public Library has some 161 books on immigrants and immigration to help you understand this background, this history. Check things out for yourself!

THOMAS PAINE AND THE FIGHT FOR LIBERTY by Samuel Crompton (jBPai) is in the childrens’ room, but even teens and grownups will enjoy this short succinct biography. After the United States came into being, Paine went back to England and wrote THE RIGHTS OF MAN, which got him into very hot water with the government of the day. Common men to have rights? What a radical idea!!

He went on to France to their Revolution in 1789, wrote “THE AGE OF REASON”—and was almost guillotined. Rescued, he returned to the USA and died in New York City.

The words of Paine are collected in a book with a thorough and interesting introduction by the major (and nowadays too much neglected) American novelist John Dos Passos in THE ESSENTIAL TOM PAINE. (320.51Pai.) this includes not only the major works, but many occasional pieces; Paine was nothing if not prolific.

The above two books are quite short; a longer biography is

THOMAS PAINE AND THE PROMISE OF AMERICA by Harvey J. Kaye. This is thorough not only on Paine’s life and work, but his continued influence on American life, thought, and politics. It may not be immediately evident, but it’s there!

Next month: HIROSHIMA. Joanne Forman, author and composer of PIKADON, a radio docudrama, will give a talk—with some of her music, performed by singer/harpist Julie Hawley and flutist Tina Hahn, at noon on Saturday August 6 in the Taos Public Library meeting room. Free, of course.

Joanne Forman also writes a newsletter for the Talpa Community Library!

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 18^th 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 19^th 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.