The Man in the Picture, by Susan Hill, is a contemporary ghost story with the feel of a Victorian or Gothic mystery. The story begins at Cambridge, and centers on an old painting of a Venetian carnival scene, hanging on the wall of a retired professor. An incident in the painting’s provenance has eerie repercussions in the narrator’s life. At 145 pages and a quick pace, the book can be enjoyed in an afternoon. Sarah

Dewey: the small-town library cat who touched the world, by Vicki Myron. This is a book that will appeal to different readers for different reasons. If you are an animal lover there are plenty of stories about the antics of Dewey, the cat who lived in the Spencer Public Library in northwest Iowa for 19 years, and his relationships with people from all over the world. However, it is also the story of a small farming community that was impacted by the farm crisis of the 1980's, as well as a look at the important role of the library in that community. Sue

Only the Ball was White [DVD] This documentary about the Negro Baseball Leagues was originally broadcast on PBS in 1980. It contains interviews with such baseball greats as Roy Campanella, Buck Leonard and Satchel Paige. Historical footage of games from the 1930s and 1940s, as well as the interviews, gives a good impression of what it was like for the players and the fans. The point is well made that many of the players could have succeeded or been stars in the Major Leagues if they had been given the opportunity. This is a good introduction to the Negro Baseball Leagues. Susan

An Early American Quilt [Music CD] by Hesperus Early Music Ensemble. Imagine the music of Colonial Williamsburg; folk tunes, marches and country dances are performed on early American instruments such as guitar, hammered dulcimer, fiddle and harpsichord. I enjoyed this lively collection of songs that were popular in British Colonial America, 1607-1776. The musicians of Hesperus Early Music Ensemble have put together another wonderful recording. This CD can be found with our other CD's in the New Age/Folk/Misc. section. Nancy

The Center Cannot Hold: My Journey Through Madness, by Elyn Saks. Elyn Saks, an endowed professor at the prestigious University of Southern California Gould School of Law, is a diagnosed schizophrenic. Her memoir takes us on a journey through challenges of childhood, early adulthood, and adulthood, and her gradual transition from a mental patient to a mental health advocate. Elyn’s story, told with precision and passion, breaks apart the stereotypes of schizophrenia and allows us to see the disease as the complex physio-psychological dynamic that it is. Lori

Miss Pettigrew lives for a day (DVD) is an entertaining glimpse into English society just before World War II. Frances McDormand (Fargo) plays the lead role of an unemployed governess who stumbles into working for a day and is caught up in the social whirlwind of ambitious American night club singer and actress, Delysia Lafosse, played by Amy Adams (Enchanted). Over the next 24 hours, each woman is transformed and finds her horizon expanded as decisions are made that will allow them to truly live. Veteran British actor, Ciarán Hinds and Lee Pace (Pushing Daises) both do an admirable job as the respective love interests. Beautiful sets, quick paced dialogue, and fine acting make this a delightful movie. As a fun follow-up, check out the unabridged sound recording of the original book written in 1938 by Winifred Watson and narrated by actress Frances McDormand. Paulette

Nothing to be Afraid Of, by Julian Barnes. A personal and wide ranging discussion of death and our emotional and intellectual responses to it. At times very funny and at others wistful, the author is always clever and informative. Although he is an academic of the highest order, the author is still able to write in straight forward terms about a subject we cannot avoid. Garrison Keillor called it a "deep seismic tremor of a book that keeps rumbling and grumbling in the mind for weeks thereafter.'' Robert