New Year's Resolutions: 2015 Edition

This Thanksgiving, your faithful MPL bloggers had a lot of fun coming up with a list of the pop culture properties that we are most thankful for. But as the holiday season progressed, and we began looking towards 2015, it got us thinking: what other books, films, shows, and music are out there waiting for us to discover?

So we've decided to make a few resolutions. That book we always meant to read?  The films we never got around to watching?  The song Ms. B has always meant to learn to play on the piano?  (More about that in a bit.) This year, we've decided, is the year we tackle such projects.

We now present our official list of New Year's Pop Culture Resolutions for 2015. Wish us luck!

(We'll be back, as the year progresses, to let you know how we do ...)

TRACY'S RESOLUTIONS: 

- Continue watching Classic Doctor Who

Doctor Who is one of the most popular shows in the world. Its very first episode broadcast over 50 years ago. After a brief hiatus in the 90s, the show returned to television in 2005, and became even stronger and more popular than it had ever been. I have only been watching the rebooted Doctor Who for a few years, but I am a genuine Whovian!

Although I am all caught up on the current show, I have much to catch up on with the classic Doctor Who. If you are not familiar with Doctor Who, it is a show about a time-traveling alien who uses an old English police phone box, known as the TARDIS, as his space ship. Oh, and he's really, really old -- but doesn't always look like it! He regenerates into a different body when his current one is too damaged. So there have been 12 Doctors (or 13, depending on how you count them), each played by a different actor.

Classic Doctor Who covers the adventures of the Doctor through his first eight incarnations. I have watched as many as possible of the first two Doctors, but I've been stuck on the Third Doctor for awhile now. I resolve to continue watching Classic Doctor Who episodes until I am caught up!

Request Doctor Who titles from the Catalog.



- Read a gothic novel

One of my favorite Jane Austen novels is Northanger Abbey. It is a story of Catherine, a young woman who is fascinated by the gothic novels that were so popular in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. This fascination gets her in a bit of a misunderstanding with her new friends.

Jane Austen was a reader of these gothic novels herself and, in Northanger Abbey, she parodies them. Now I want to be able to understand that type of novel better. Several novels were mentioned in Northanger Abbey (known as the "horrid novels"), most notably The Mysteries of Udolpho by Anne Radcliffe. The others are The Italian, also by Radcliffe, and The Castle of Wolfenbach by Eliza Parson.

 I resolve to read at least one, if not all, of these novels!

Request The Mysteries of Udolpho from the Catalog.

Request The Italian from the Catalog.



- Make more geek-related crafts

I love to make crafts for myself and as gifts for my friends and family. Unfortunately, I have not been making as many as I would like. My crafting ability lies mostly in counted cross-stitch, but I am also a decent crocheter. 

Last year I discovered the book Star Trek Cross-Stitch: Explore Strange New Worlds of Crafting. I've already made a few things from it, but I want to make more! And the internet is full of patterns for all kinds of geek-related shows, movies and books. What I really want to make is this Death Star pillow that you see above. It would look great sitting on my couch! So, I resolve to crochet the Death Star pillow in 2015!

Request Star Trek Cross-Stitch: Explore Strange New Worlds of Crafting from the Catalog.

Request Knits for Nerds: 30 Projects: Science Fiction, Comic Books, Fantasy from the Catalog.

Online craft sites to check out:

Geekcrafts and Pinterest are great places to look for geeky craft ideas too.

MS. B'S RESOLUTIONS:


- Read Victor Hugo's Les Miserables

I was a junior in high school when our English Lit class studied the much-beloved musical Les Miserables. Based on the book by Victor Hugo, the musical tells the story of Jean Valjean, a convict imprisoned for nearly twenty years after stealing a loaf of bread for his starving sister and her family. Pursued by the unrelenting police inspector Javert (after Valjean breaks the conditions of his parole), Valjean is soon swept into the events of France's June Rebellion of 1832 (more on that historical event here and here).

I've been a fan of the musical ever since 11th grade, but I've never read the original Victor Hugo novel. Coming in at between 1,200 to 1,400 pages (depending on the edition), and chock-full of historical and political detail, it always seemed like a daunting task -- perhaps too daunting.

But this year, that changes!  I resolve to read Victor Hugo's Les Miserables -- from cover to cover. 

Request Victor Hugo's Les Miserables from the Catalog



- See the '80s Classics

Though I am, technically, a child of the '80s, I was young enough that I missed out almost entirely on the pop culture of the era. And that means I've never watched a number of classic films that came out in that decade.

What films, specifically?  I've had a number of classics on my list for quite some time, including The Goonies, Gremlins, The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, Labyrinth, Footloose, Ghostbusters, Superman II, The Untouchables, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Fly, and Beverly Hills Cop.

A list that long seems just a little bit intimidating, though (especially since I've got twelve hundred pages of Les Miserables waiting for me). So I hereby resolve to watch at least five '80s films throughout 2015.

Request The Goonies from the Catalog

Request Pretty in Pink from the Catalog

Request Ghostbusters from the Catalog



- Watch Star Trek: Voyager

I've been a Trekkie since before I can remember. And, happily for me, there's been plenty of different flavors of Star Trek for me to enjoy. As a kid, I loved Star Trek: The Next Generation; while in grad school, I became a huge fan of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Over the past few years, director J.J. Abrams's rebooted Star Trek movies have earned a place among my all-time favorite films. I've even started watching the original '60s series.

But for all that, there's one particular Trek that I have no experience with -- and that is Star Trek: Voyager. I've been interested in watching Voyager for years, especially since it remains the only Trek show to have a woman (Captain Kathryn Janeway) in the command chair. But despite hearing about its intriguing premise and great characters, I've never quite gotten around to giving the show a try.

The time has come to remedy this, and so I resolve to watch all seven seasons of Star Trek: Voyager by the end of the year.

(There's still Star Trek: Enterprise to get through, but we'll worry about that in 2016.)

Request Season One of Star Trek: Voyager from the Catalog



- Play the music of Hans Zimmer

Maybe not in quite this fashion.

As I've mentioned, I'm a huge fan of film scores and soundtracks. I'm also a particular fan of the scores of Hans Zimmer, the composer behind such film soundtracks as Interstellar, Pirates of the Caribbean, the Dark Knight trilogy, and Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes. Considering that list more or less comprises my favorite films, it's been a delight to have Zimmer's fantastic and memorable music show up in these movies to help tell their stories.

It also just so happens that I've been playing the piano (to varying degrees of success) nearly all my life. While I haven't been playing much in recent years, I've decided that this is the time to change that.

So, inspired by the works of Hans Zimmer, I resolve to learn to play at least two Zimmer-penned songs on the piano by this time next year. And if I'm successful, I'll upload a video of my performance.

Fingers (and tentacles) crossed!

Request the Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest soundtrack from the Catalog

Request the Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows soundtrack from the Catalog

-- Post by Tracy and Ms. B

Sounds of the Season: Part III

Part Three of our "Sounds of the Season" music recommendations comes from Mark Hudson, Adult Services Librarian and today's guest poster:


I usually wait until December to start listening to holiday music, and the music I like tends to be fairly traditional -- old hymns and spirituals, jazz and rhythm and blues from the 1950s and 1960s. Even the newer music I listen to is strongly roots-based, as you can see from my list of favorites:



-- Oy Chanukah! (Klezmer Conservatory Band)

I'll start with Hanukkah, because it always comes before Christmas. Oy Chanukah!  includes lively klezmer versions of traditional Hanukkah songs, interspersed with reminiscences and explanations of Hanukkah traditions from immigrant elders and other sources. If you're looking for just one CD to celebrate Hanukkah, this is probably the one.

Request Oy Chanukah! from the Catalog



-- Woody Guthrie's Happy Joyous Hanukkah (Klezmatics)

In 1942, the renowned singer-songwriter and folk musician Woody Guthrie moved to Brooklyn. Through his mother-in-law, the influential Yiddish poet Aliza Greenblatt, he became involved with the Jewish community, and wrote songs about Hanukkah and other aspects of Jewish history and spiritual life. Woody's Hanukkah lyrics sat forgotten in archives for decades until they were rediscovered in 1998 by his daughter, Nora Guthrie, who asked the Klezmatics to write new music for them. Woody Guthrie's Happy Joyous Hanukkah deftly mixes klezmer with country, bluegrass, funk and jazz in a collection of songs that's almost certainly destined to become a perennial holiday classic.

Request Woody Guthrie's Happy Joyous Hanukkah from the Catalog



-- A Christmas Celtic Sojourn (Various Artists)

This album and its sequel, Comfort and Joy, have become two of my favorite Christmas music compilations. Musicians from all parts of the Celtic world perform an idiosyncratic mix of ancient and modern songs on traditional and modern instruments. Some of these songs are ethereal and contemplative, some are more raucous, but they're all beautiful and quite unusual -- definitely "off the beaten path," musically speaking. Even the few better-known melodies in the collection (e.g., "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear") are given unique interpretations and sound nothing like the more commonly-heard versions.

Request A Christmas Celtic Sojourn from the Catalog



-- Christmas in Bethlehem (Bach Choir of Bethlehem)

The Bach Choir of Bethlehem, PA was organized in 1898 and is the oldest Bach choir in the United States. This collection includes some well-known Christmas hymns, along with many others you may have not heard before!

Request Christmas in Bethlehem from the Catalog



-- Soul Christmas (Various Artists)

This absolutely must-have collection is a 1991 reissue, which includes eight of the eleven tracks on the original 1968 release, plus eleven newer songs from the vaults of Atlantic Records. The artist list comprises some of the most illustrious names in soul/R&B history: Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters, Carla Thomas, Booker T. & the M.G.'s, The Impressions, Otis Redding, Joe Tex, Solomon Burke, King Curtis and more.

Request Soul Christmas from the Catalog



-- Christmas Spirituals and Beautiful Star (Odetta)

Odetta, who Martin Luther King, Jr. once called "the queen of American folk music," recorded Christmas Spirituals at Carnegie Hall in 1960. In 1987, she re-recorded the same set of thirteen traditional and original spirituals in Burlington, Vermont, and the resulting CD was issued under the title Beautiful Star. The earlier recording is rougher, the later one more heavily produced. Both are magnificent.

Request Christmas Spirituals from the Catalog

Request Beautiful Star from the Catalog



-- Verve Presents: The Very Best of Christmas Jazz (Various Artists)

This is a collection of classic Christmas songs from the catalog of Verve Records. If you love jazz, this is the Christmas record for you! Artists presented include Ella Fitzgerald, Billy Eckstine, John Coltrane, Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Dinah Washington and Oscar Peterson. Fitzgerald's version of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" leads off the CD and is, without a doubt, my favorite version of that song ever recorded. Coltrane's version of "Greensleeves" is likewise not to be missed.

Request Verve Presents: The Very Best of Christmas Jazz from the Catalog

Sounds of the Season: Part II

When it comes to Christmas music, I am a traditionalist. I like the standards from the 40s and 50s and many of the stars who sang them. There have been some new songs along the way that haven't been bad, but not enough to make me stray from my old standbys.  As you will see with my list of holiday favorites, there may be a few "newer" singers and musicians, but they are still singing the oldies but goodies!

-- Johnny Mathis

Of all the Christmas albums I have listened to in my lifetime, there is none better than Merry Christmas by Johnny Mathis. Mathis, known for such hits as Chances Are and It's Not For Me To Say, has released several Christmas albums throughout his long career, but none could top that first album released in 1958. Merry Christmas combines traditional Christmas songs with more modern tunes. If you listen to the album on vinyl, as I did growing up, you'll hear the modern songs on the first side with the traditional songs on the second side.

This is one of the first albums I can every remember listening to and was well worn from the numerous times it was played.

Request Merry Christmas from the Catalog

Request Sending You A Little Christmas from the Catalog

Request The Christmas Album from the Catalog

-- Harry Connick, Jr.

I have been a fan of Harry Connick Jr. for a very long time and I own most of his albums. But my favorite album of his just might be When My Heart Finds Christmas, the first of three Christmas albums from Connick. While the other two are fine recordings, this one has a wonderful combination of traditional and original songs. 

My favorites are (It Must've Been Ol') Santa Claus, What Are You Doing New Year's Eve? and the title track, When My Heart Finds Christmas. 

Request When My Heart Finds Christmas from the Catalog.

Request Harry For The Holidays from the Catalog.

Request What A Night: A Christmas Album from the Catalog.

-- A Charlie Brown Christmas

If there is someone not aware of this very special 1965 Christmas special, they must be living under a rock. As a kid I couldn't wait for this to be on television. And now as an adult I still feel the same! Besides being a Peanuts fan, I've grown to love the music as much as the show. 

A Charlie Brown Christmas was the first of many collaborations between Vince Guaraldi and the producers of the Peanuts specials. They wanted a different sound than the usual cartoon music and boy, did they ever get that! The jazz trio created a very atmospheric and beautiful accompaniment to Charlie Brown's quest to find the true meaning of Christmas.

Request A Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack from the Catalog.

Request A Charlie Brown Christmas [DVD] from the Catalog.

-- Barenaked Ladies

This wonderful eclectic collection of Christmas and Hanukkah songs comes from one of my favorite bands. The band includes several very traditional songs, like Jingle Bells and God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman/We Three Kings (with Sarah McLachlan). There are also quite a few covers of more contemporary Christmas favorites like Do They Know It's Christmas? and Wonderful Christmastime. 

But for me the highlight are the original songs such as Elf's Lament (with Michael Buble), Hanukkah Blessings and Green Christmas. If you are looking for something just a little bit different, but still somewhat traditional, this is the album for you!

Request Barenaked for the Holidays from the Catalog.

--Post by Tracy

Sounds of the Season: Part I

I love Christmas music. I rarely make it until after Thanksgiving before I break out the Christmas albums, and I've been known to listen to Carol of the Bells or Star of Bethlehem during the middle of the summer.

But as much as I love The Little Drummer Boy and Merry Christmas, Darling -- there are quite a few Christmas albums I cherish that don't fit the conventional mold. Read on for my holiday music recommendations:


-- Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas: The 2000 soundtrack

Though I'm a big Jim Carrey fan, I confess that his live-action How the Grinch Stole Christmas is not my personal cup of tea. That doesn't stop me from loving the soundtrack, however, which features original Christmas-themed songs from the Barenaked Ladies, Ben Folds, Smash Mouth, Faith Hill, and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

The songs are mostly not featured in the film, yet still retain a very Grinch-y flavor; if Christmas is not your favorite time of year, you may be able to relate!  But there's plenty for Christmas-lovers here, too -- including an updated version of You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch, sung by Jim Carrey himself. (And, whatever your feelings on Jim Carrey, the truth remains: the guy can sing.)

Perfect for Scrooges and Tiny Tims alike, this album is the first one I reach for come Christmastime.

Request the Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas soundtrack from the Catalog

-- A Colbert Christmas

In 2008, Stephen Colbert (of The Colbert Report) did a Comedy Central Christmas special entitled A Colbert Christmas, complete with original Christmas songs and a plethora of musical guest stars that included Willie Nelson, John Legend, Feist, and Elvis Costello. The songs are both utterly hilarious -- the album won a Grammy for Best Comedy Album -- but also ridiculously catchy. The satire flies strong, with Colbert's "Another Christmas Song" poking gentle fun at Christmas commercialism and Feist's "Please Be Patient" using a Christmas carol standard as telemarketing muzak. (It's funnier than it sounds.)

My favorite tunes feature Colbert in duets with his guest stars. There's "Can I Interest You In Hannukah?" as performed with fellow comedy show host Jon Stewart. And then there's Colbert's duet with Elvis Costello, in the funny and surprisingly philosophical "There Are Much Worse Things to Believe In." If you're looking for some humor this holiday, give A Colbert Christmas a try.

Request A Colbert Christmas [DVD] from the Catalog

-- A Christmas Story: The Musical

Based on the holiday classic A Christmas Story, the adapted musical was first performed over 25 years after the film was first released. I've not seen the musical itself, but as a big fan of show tunes, I've checked out the soundtrack. And I'm pleased to report that, while not every song is instantly memorable, there are a whole host of selections that are: "Genius of Cleveland Street," "Up on Santa's Lap," and "When You're a Wimp," among others.

You don't have to be familiar with the original film to appreciate the tunes on the album -- particularly the opening number, "Counting Down to Christmas." If parents are frantic to get ready for the season in time, our protagonist, Ralphie, is equally frantic: he's running out of time to make his Christmas gift wishes known to his parents. After all, what's a boy who just wants an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Range Model Air Rifle BB gun (with a compass and a stock and this thing that tells time) to do??  It's Christmas from a kid's point of view, and, for the most part, the music captures that world beautifully.

Request the Christmas Story soundtrack from the Catalog



-- Mr. Hankey's Christmas Classics

I recently mentioned my affection for the rude, crude, classic animated series South Park. The show runners have done a number of holiday-themed episodes, but my favorite is their musical installment, Mr. Hankey's Christmas Classics. Styled like a (rather unconventional) variety show, the episode features ten holidays standards with a decided South Park twist, including O Tannenbaum, Carol of the Bells, O Holy Night, and a version of Dreidel Dreidel Dreidel sung in rounds. (The album version of the episode features an additional eight songs.)

This being South Park, most of the songs are warped to humorous effect, making for holiday music filled with the show's typical irreverent humor. For those familiar with South Park, however, it's all part of the fun, making this an ideal holiday treat for fans.

Request Christmas Time in South Park [DVD] from the Catalog



-- Straight No Chaser

A professional a cappella group, SNC first came to prominence with their holiday-themed music, performed with only vocal back-up. Though they have since released other albums, they remain best-known for their holiday offerings.

Rather than detract from the sound, the a cappella approach offers a wholly unique performance, with singers in the place of instruments creating the songs' back-up. With a handful of delightfully fun unique pieces, Straight No Chaser is an unconventional take on classic carols. Not to be missed!

Request Holiday Spirits from the Catalog

Request Christmas Cheers from the Catalog

Request Under the Influence from the Catalog

Click here to hear Straight No Chaser perform "The Christmas Can-Can"

-- Post by Ms. B 

Giving Thanks: 2014 Edition

As we approach Thanksgiving Day, your friendly neighborhood Library bloggers are here to tell you what they're most thankful for this year ...



TRACY'S PICKS: 

-- Orphan Black (BBC America)

Just what I needed -- another television show to obsess about. But once I got into it, there was no turning back for me with Orphan Black. This Canadian-produced show became a huge hit for BBC America in the spring of 2013. Actress Tatiana Maslany stars as Sarah, a street-wise single mother desperately attempting to get her act together so she can get her daughter back. She discovers that she is not as alone as she thought she was. After witnessing the suicide of Beth, a woman who looks exactly like her, Sarah finds that she is one of many clones who have been placed with a variety of families. And now, someone is trying to kill them off, one by one.

The show can be a little out there at times, but the heart of the show is about families and relationships. First off is Sarah's relationship with her daughter, Kira, and her foster brother, Felix. And then there are the other clones, each one more unique than the last. From hippy scientist Cosima to control freak Allison to trained assassin Helena, television has never really seen the likes of them before. The most amazing part of the show is the fact that Ms. Maslany plays every one of the clones. Sometimes it's easy to forget that they are not different actresses playing these parts. She is truly amazing.

So, for this wild and never-boring show, I am very thankful!

Click here to request Season One and Two of Orphan Black from the Catalog



-- The Guardians of the Galaxy Soundtrack

Guardians of the Galaxy was a lot of fun, but far from the best superhero film I've ever seen. However, I absolutely LOVED the soundtrack! These are the songs of my youth. I was pleasantly surprised throughout the entire movie with 70s hit after 70s hit blaring throughout the theater.

Listening to the soundtrack makes me so happy and takes me back to a much simpler time in my life, when all I had to worry about was whether I wanted to go out and play, watch TV or listen to 13Q on my brand-new clock radio. For the past several months, this has been my go-to music to cheer me up, help me to clean my house and to just pass the time.

My favorites are Come and Get Your Love by Redbone, Hooked on a Feeling by Blue Swede, Fooled Around and Fell in Love by Elvin Bishop and I Want You Back by the Jackson 5.

For these songs, and the whole soundtrack, I am truly thankful.

Click here to request Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 1 from the Catalog



-- Comic Books

This past year, I rediscovered my love of comic books. Not that I was ever a huge fan of the genre, but as a kid, and even into my teens, there were several comic books that I liked. Of course, I loved to read just about anything, so it's really no surprise that the stories were more important to me than the artwork. While I can't remember every comic book that I read, I know that I liked a wide variety of them. One of my favorites as a teen was The Fantastic Four.

Now I'm mostly reading comic books with characters I already know from television shows (Doctor Who, The X Files, Sleepy Hollow). I've also been reading graphic novels like Snowpiercer by Jacques Lob, The Books of Magic by Neil Gaiman and The Intergalactic Nemesis by Jason Neulander.

For rediscovering my love of comic books, I am thankful.

Click here to request The X-Files Season 10 from the Catalog



-- Honorable Mention: The Phryne Fisher Series by Kerry Greenwood

For finding a new mystery series to check out, I am thankful! Thanks, Ms. B!

Read Ms. B's review of this series here.




MS. B'S PICKS:

-- Interstellar (Directed by Christopher Nolan)

When I heard that Christopher Nolan -- one of my favorite filmmakers -- was doing a movie about space travel, I could not have been more excited. So when I say Interstellar exceeded my wildest expectations, that is no mean feat.

There's no need to spoil the plot; I've found that Nolan movies are at their most effective when the story beats and plot twists come as a surprise. What I can tell you is that, as a lifelong enthusiast for all things related to astronomy and space travel, watching Interstellar on an IMAX screen was the emotional equivalent of buying a first-class ticket on board the next space shuttle. This was the first film that made me feel just how overpoweringly vast, immensely lonely, and awesomely mind-bending space really is. The alien worlds were more alien, the cost to visit them more extreme. It makes for a story that feels like a true window into the possibilities of uncharted territory -- along with a great set of characters, a crackerjack plot, an emotional core that deeply resonates, and a fantastically sarcastic robot.

So, for a sci-fi film that gave my imagination a ride through the final frontier, I am truly thankful!

Click here to request the making-of book Interstellar -- Beyond Time and Space: Inside Christopher Nolan's Sci-Fi Epic by Mark Cotta Vaz from the Catalog

-- Eighteen Years of South Park

As often as not, I try to keep my affection for South Park under wraps. Convincing non-fans that this rude, crude, foul-mouthed, and all-around irreverent television show is anything more than its surface appearance can often prove something of a challenge.

But what started life as a rather simple animated television show (that is absolutely not intended for children) has grown into something more than a showcase for swear words and crude humor. Don't get me wrong; there's still plenty of that. But for years now, South Park has been used by its creators (Trey Parker and Matt Stone) to offer biting social commentary on a wide variety of issues --  politics, religion, freedom of speech, the environment, poverty, sexism, prejudice, and, at the core of it all, childhood.

South Park's continual ability to provide all that and more, while still telling good stories filled with irreverent humor, is an incredible feat. All the more stunning is their track record. As this year's eighteenth season continues, many of the episodes are on par with the best work Parker and Stone have ever done.

South Park can't last forever, but for now, it's going strong -- and, for that, I'm quite thankful!

Click here to request Season 17 of South Park from the Catalog



-- Loki: Agent of Asgard (by Al Ewing and Lee Garbett)

"You are your own worst enemy." The saying's a cliché for the best of reasons: it's so utterly true. For most of us, the person who holds us back from reaching our full potential is ourselves.

It's a concept that forms the backbone of the story being told in the pages of Marvel's new comic Loki: Agent of Asgard. If you've seen the Marvel movies, you already know that Loki is not only the kid brother of the heroic Thor -- he's also a jealous megalomaniac who is bent on conquest, revenge, and all your usual boilerplate bad-guy schemes.

... or at least, he used to be that guy. Now, after a rather complicated series of events, Loki finds himself on the path to redemption. He's got a fresh new outlook, and he's keen to do what he can to make up for his past ways. But there's a few problems along the way -- including an older version of Loki himself, traveling through time to lure this new and improved Loki back to his former ways.

It all makes for a unique, heartbreaking, and undeniably fun story that explores the struggle to keep the world from stuffing you into its own expectations of who you really are ... and what you have to do to find your own path to the truest version of yourself. It's a story that resonates with me more than any other comic I've ever read -- which, as a lifelong comics fan, is truly saying something.

With crackerjack writing and stunningly emotive artwork, it all makes me quite thankful for the Agent of Asgard.

Click here to request Loki: Agent of Asgard - Vol 1 from the Catalog



-- Honorable Mention: The Martian by Andy Weir

For introducing me to one of my new all-time favorite novels, I am thankful. Thanks, Tracy!

Read Tracy's review of The Martian here.

And, of course, Dancing Groot. Who isn't thankful for Dancing Groot?

-- Post by Tracy and Ms. B

Music for Free (Really!)

Want to download some free music and not break any laws doing it? Then check out the latest new service available from the library, Freegal (rhymes with legal). All you need is a valid library card from any library in Allegheny County.

Millions of songs are available for download including many from some of the most popular and current artists today. Genres range from Adult Contemporary to Big Band to Hip Hop to Polka. Whatever your musical tastes, there will most likely be a genre to cover it. And there's no software to install.

Download three free music tracks (MP3 format) from popular artists each week with no software to download and no digital rights management (DRM) restrictions. Log in with your library barcode number and PIN. 

You will always see how many downloads you have available each week. Once you are logged in you will see it in the upper right corner.

You can always add items to a wish list if you want so you always have songs to choose from when your available downloads free up. Just click on the "plus" sign beside the song you want to download or to add it to your wish list. 

Once an item is downloaded it will be on your computer and it is yours to keep. You don't need to return it and you can transfer it to any device that you want.

There are also lots of music videos available for download as well. The only difference is that videos count as two downloads instead of one.

Look for your titles in your downloads folder or where ever you've chosen to save them and enjoy your new, free music! And if you want to download music and videos directly to your mobile device or tablet simply look for the Freegal app in your devices app store.

--Post by Tracy

Keep the Faith

It's funny. Despite being a child of the 80s, I don't, as a rule, like 80s music. And yet I didn't just manage to make an exception for this particular group -- they actually happen to be my very favorite band.

If you're a Bon Jovi fan, you get where I'm coming from.

There's kind of a lot of fans

Bon Jovi is not a "Favorite Band" pick that often wins you a lot of respect in serious music circles. But, to be fair to my musical tastes, they don't always get the credit they deserve. They've long since transcended their roots as an 80s hair band, and it's a mark of their talents as songwriters and performers that they've stayed relevant for nearly three decades.

For those of us who are fans, their apparently timeless appeal is easy to understand. Their songs are admittedly simple, but they're also infused with a real energy, making for tunes that are flat-out catchy fun. Their music's also packed with undefeatable optimism. Their lyrics have a message, and it's generally one of hope (you can't be a cynic and a Bon Jovi fan at the same time; it's a mathematical impossibility). In my experience, no one leaves a Bon Jovi concert in a bad mood. (And I've been to quite a few concerts.)

Lead singer Jon Bon Jovi recently celebrated his birthday (March 2), so that's exactly the excuse I need to talk a bit Bon Jovi. Allow me to recommend to you my top five album picks:

-- Slippery When Wet

Despite being their third album, 1986's Slippery When Wet was the album that catapulted Bon Jovi to success. Small wonder: the album contains the three songs that Bon Jovi is arguably best known for: "Livin' on a Prayer," "You Give Love a Bad Name," and "Wanted Dead or Alive."

The last song, which compares the life of a rock star to the life of a cowboy, is an incredibly catchy earworm with an unforgettable hook -- but it also has some interesting commentary on the world of rock 'n' roll and celebrity culture. It's the band's biggest singalong concert performance (with Jon Bon Jovi often bringing the audience in to take over for a verse), as well as their undeniable signature piece.



-- Have a Nice Day

Released in 2005, this ninth offering from the band is, at least to me, something of a turning point in Bon Jovi's musical sound.

In addition to the catchy song from the title, there's "Novocaine," "Last Man Standing" (a futuristic sci-fi piece on the music industry -- really!), "Story of My Life," and "Welcome to Wherever You Are" (my favorite song on the album).

This album's also notable for the song "Who Says You Can't Go Home,"  which appears in two different versions -- once as a solo for Jon, and a second version sung as a duet with Jennifer Nettles (one half of the country-singing duo Sugarland). While the duet version only made it to the 5th slot on Billboard's US Top 40, it made Bon Jovi history by hitting Billboard's #1 spot on the Hot Country Songs list.



-- Lost Highway

After the runaway success of "Who Says You Can't Go Home," it probably seemed like a no-brainer for Bon Jovi to try their hand at a full album's worth of country-inspired sound. This follow-up to Have a Nice Day is clearly influenced by the genre of country music, giving a different flavor to the band's unique sound.

While I am, admittedly, not particularly a fan of much country music, I was pleasantly surprised to find this release quickly becoming another one of my favorites. Much to my surprise, the songs I like best -- "Whole Lot of Leavin'," "Any Other Day," "We Got It Going On" (done as a duet with country music duo Big & Rich) -- are the ones that are most clearly a mix of Bon Jovi's rock roots and a newer, country music influence. The title song, "Lost Highway," is a great driving tune.



-- Greatest Hits: The Ultimate Collection

I'm absolutely positive it's cheating to include this album -- a 2-disc compilation of, well, what it says on the tin. But it's hard to deny the draw of this 2010 release, which dips into such albums as Crush, New Jersey, and Keep the Faith to pull together all their best-loved songs into one complete set. In addition to the three biggest hits from Slippery When Wet, we also get such fantastic classics as "It's My Life," "Blaze of Glory," "Someday I'll Be Saturday Night," "Bad Medicine," and "Keep the Faith" (that last's a particular favorite of mine).

 There's also a handful of new tunes in the bonus tracks. (One of them, "The More Things Change," is one of my very favorite Bon Jovi songs.) You can't beat that for a single album!



-- The Circle

"The Circle," Bon Jovi's eleventh studio album, is a unique album for me. While it is, in many ways, a return to the band's rock roots, there's a freshness to much of the music that makes the album stand out.

Many of the songs are clearly influenced by current events (the album was released in 2009). Such songs as "Work for the Working Man" and "Brokenpromiseland" bring to mind the aftermath of the economic crisis; "Bullet" and "Happy Now" seem to reference the fears of the time.

But the best song of the album (and, to my mind, the best Bon Jovi song there is) is the wholly unusual "When We Were Beautiful." A surprisingly poignant piece, the song has the strong hook and typical structure one might expect from a Bon Jovi tune -- but the sound itself is unique. It's fitting for a song that looks both to the past and towards the future, making it a whole new kind of signature performance for the band.

Watch the band perform "When We Were Beautiful"

From the Catalog:

-- Music albums by (or featuring) Bon Jovi

-- Bon Jovi: The Crush Tour [DVD]

-- Lost Highway: The Concert [DVD]

-- Bon Jovi: Live at Madison Square Garden, July 15, 2008 [DVD]

-- Bon Jovi: When We Were Beautiful - Conversations with Phil Griffin - a book about the band



-- Post by Ms. B