Going Bananas!

Bananas!? Growing in the Library!?

Staff Picks: Jasper Fforde

Spotted on the Staff Picks shelf recently:

One of Our Thursdays is Missing by Jasper Fforde: Book Six of the Thursday Next series

Reviewed by local book blogger The Gnomadic Librarian.
 

Only a fool would attempt to describe the plot of these books in order to entice readers to try them out. A fool I tell you!

Right, so, it goes a bit like this: the Thursday Next novels are set in an alternative Swindon c.1985. In this version of England, The Crimean War has been raging for 150 years, The tax on Cheese is so high it has spawned its own black market and books are so popular there is actually an enforcement agency devoted to solving literary crime. This is Spec Ops 27, one of 30 different divisions of the Special Operations Network (which include: SO 9: Anti-terrorism and SO 30: Neighbourly disputes among others). The first book begins with the introduction of our heroine Thursday Next. She’s a young SO:27 agent with a past and a special gift waiting to be discovered - she can literally ‘jump’ into books. When a madman called Archeron Hades begins kidnapping the nations favourite book characters, it’s up to Thursday to bring him to literary justice.

There are six Thursday Next novels by Jasper Fforde: The Eyre Affair, Lost in a Good Book, The Well of Lost Plots, Something Rotten, First Among Sequels and One of Our Thursdays is Missing. They feature: book-jumping heroes and villains, scatter-brained re-engineered Dodos, marauding Mrs Danvers clones, Baby-sitting Gorillas, clock-work butlers, grammar eating monsters, imaginary children, croquet ‘super-hoop’ finals, dessert induced apocalypses, time-travelling knight-errants, recalcitrant teenage geniuses, giant evil corporations hell bent on taking product placement to it’s limits, sabotaged ejecto-hats, gravo-tube journeys from England to Japan, a displaced historical figure having an affair with a displaced Hamlet, political machinations to depose ‘President for life’ George Formby, and love lost, found, lost and found mostly again, and even the odd vampire or two.

That’s about a tenth of the stuff that goes on in these books. They are a creative persons dream set of novels. Pop culture and literary references abound. After you’ve fallen in love with Jasper Ffordes massive creative brain, try his Nursery Crime series, Shades of Grey and his novels for young people The Last Dragon Slayer series as well.

Our Jasper Fforde novels can be found in the General Fiction area of the Fiction Zone on the First floor of the Central Library, and at our branches.

Staff Picks: Bob the Builder

Bob the Builder has probably the most catchy kids theme tune of all time. Except for perhaps, the Munch Bunch. Or Danger Mouse. Or Bananas in Pyjamas. Or Pokemon...Actually most kids shows come complete with catchy theme tunes don’t they?! Bob is a builder in a rural English village. Together with his colleague Wendy and his talking work vehicles, Bob helps solve everyones’ problems with his catch-phrase “Can we fix it?!” echoed panto style by the audience shouting back “Yes we can” long before a certain US President thought to ask the same question. Bob the Builder is now a classic children's show that generations of kids will reminisce over in the same way I do about Danger Mouse.

The Library has heaps of ‘Bob’ related items ranging from DVDs of the series, to picture books, board books and puzzles. Our Bob the Builder items can be found in the Children’s Zone on the First Floor of the Central Library and at our Branch libraries

Staff Picks: The Finn Brothers

781.66 FIN Sound & Vision Zone

Together Alone: The Story of the Finn Bothers by Jeff Apter

Often described as New Zealands answer to ‘Lennon and McCartney’, the Finn brothers presided over one of the most prolific and successful eras of New Zealand popular music. In the 1980s, both brothers played in ‘Split Enz’, the band responsible for hits such as Shark Attack, History Never Repeats and Message to My Girl. In the '90s, it was Neils band ‘Crowded House’ who ruled the airwaves with Four Seasons in One Day, Don’t Dream it’s Over and Fall at Your Feet. This book charts the rise, splits, solo efforts and reunions of the Finns and is a great account of some of New Zealands recent music history.

Our books on the New Zealand music scene and can be found primarily in the Sound & Vision collection on the Ground Floor of the Central Library. With your library card, you can access our Biography in Context database from home where you can read recent magazine and newspaper articles on the Finn bothers.

Staff Picks: Wearable art

Off the Wall : the World of Wearable Art photography by Martin de Ruyter, Neil Price, Rohit Chawla and Daniel Rose.

Be inspired by some of the beautiful, complex and controversial designs from New Zealands unique World of Wearable Arts festival. Held every year in Wellington, the festival has grown exponentially since its inception in Nelson in 1987 and has garnered world wide acclaim. However, this post must issue a warning - this book features a brassiere made from taxidermied Budgerigars!

Our books on the wearable art phenomenon can be found primarily in the ‘Arts & Crafts - Non Fiction’ zone on the First Floor at the Central Library and also at our branches. You can also visit the WOW: World of Wearable Art website for information about this years event.

How Green Are My Wellies?

Hi, I'm Helen and I work at the library in Events. I am really interested in green/eco/sustainability issues and I read most of what comes through the library to do with these topics. I know there are a lot of people interested in this sort of stuff, so I thought I would start reviewing what I read to share with you all.

This book, ‘How Green Are My Wellies?’ by Anna Shepard came out in 2008, so it isn't a new book, but it is a very good one. The author had a column in an English newspaper called 'The Eco-Worrier' for a long time and this book contains a lot of the adventures she had while researching her column. (Because this book is English, some of her advice doesn't work for a New Zealand setting, but most of it does.)

What sets it out from the manifold other ‘how to live greener’ books, is that Anna Shepard has a very engaging, funny voice in her writing. The book is not a finger-wagging ‘do this now’ kind of book. Her tone throughout is one of light-heartedness and adventure. The best ‘green’ books get people inspired by showing what an adventure green-living can be, how it isn’t about guilt and suffering but enrichment and engagement. This book achieves that with Shepards wonderful witty anecdotes and humour.

The book is divided up into months of the year, and she goes through the relevant seasonal ideas and hints. There are all kinds of interesting tips and asides and resources. Also funny throughout the book are her stories about her long-suffering, not-especially-green partner and her slightly dotty but very green mother. I also like the way she admits her failing and flailings and doesn’t pretend to be perfect – hence she calls herself ‘the eco worrier’ rather than ‘eco-warrior’.

By the time I finished the book, I had learned a lot, resolved to do better, laughed a lot and also, felt like I’d read a warm-hearted memoir, rather than just another green ‘how-to’ manual.

This is a stand-out specimen of the very full ‘green-living’ book market.

You can check the availability of this title HERE.

(Please let us know via the comments if you enjoy reading book reviews by library staff. If you do, we will endeavour to keep them coming!)

City Library Christmas Countdown - Day 23

The library is closed for a few days but you can still keep tabs on your items out and reserves.

Your user account "My Card" stores details on any items that you currently have issued to you, any items that you have requested, blocks on your card, and any lists that you have created or saved. In addition, you can check your personal information.

To log in to My Card:

• Click the My Card tab or click the Sign In icon on the Toolbar

You will be prompted to enter:

• the digits after the middle zeros from your library card
• the last 4 digits of your phone number, or your PIN (Personal Identification Number) if you have chosen one
• Click Sign In

You will see the Account Overview page listing the different functions that you can access.

When you are finished, sign out of your account (My Card).

For other help try our how to use the library catalogue page.

City Library Christmas Countdown - Day 22

Trace your family tree

The Genealogy (or Family History) section is part of the New Zealand and Pacific Islands Zone on the 2nd Floor.
We have books to borrow, microfiche, microfilm, magazines, local newspaper index, local photographs, and electronic resources, as well as scanning and printing facilities.

Family history research brochure

Are you new to family history research?
Check out this brochure for some hot tips on getting started and avoiding the pitfalls.
Top tips for the beginning genealogist.pdf

Genealogy magazines

Browse our collection of Genealogy magazines. They have very helpful tips for all genealogists.

Titles include:

• Genealogists Magazine (UK)
  
• New Zealand Family Tree
  
• Australian Family Tree Connections
  
• New Zealand Genealogist
  
• Family Tree Magazine (UK)
  
• Family History Monthly

Genealogy volunteers

We are fortunate to have experienced Genealogists from the Local Branch of the New Zealand Genealogy Society in the Central Library every week at the following times:

Friday	10:30am-1pm
Saturday	1pm-4pm
Sunday	1pm-4pm