Book Review: Sacramento : Indomitable City

"Sacramento: Indomitable City" by Steven Avella. Arcadia Publishing, Charleston, S.C., 2003.

Whether you're new to Sacramento or a long-time resident, a look at Steven Avella's effort is worth your time. This history of the city, from its Native American roots to its current-day challenge with affordable housing, is presented in a highly readable form; it's also laced with a number of great photos.

A large portion of Avella's research interests dwell in the early history of the Catholic Church in the American Midwest and California. In this regard, his treatment of the development of institutions of worship in the city is particularly strong. An additional strength rests in his discussion of the city's early growth in the context of disasters, both natural and manmade. Fire, flood, and famine are all integral features of the city's heritage and Avella's ability to deliver the essence of this history without burdening the reader with needless verbage is refreshing and effective.

Avella is a professor of history at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and is currently working on a biography of Sacramento Bee newspaper editor C.K. McClatchy (1883-1936).

Book Review: "The Suspect"

"The Suspect" by John T. Lescroart. New York, Dutton 2007.
The entire story takes place between the time Stuart returns home from Lake Tahoe to discover his wife has drowned in their hot tub, and the grand jury hearing at which he is accused of her murder. With exquisite detail, Lescroart draws a bead on first one character then another, as the attorneys battle it out before the judge.

This is the One Book title that will be discussed in October as part of the Sacramento Public Library's sesquicentennial celebration. I thought I'd get a head start on this year's book because I fell in love after the fact with a previous One Book title, "Epitaph for a Peach." I really regretted missing the author talks, and wanted to be ready for this year's events.

PERFIL MUSICAL: LA OREJA DE VAN GOGH

HACE 10 ANOS QUE LA OREJA DE VAN GOGH ,ORIUNDO DEL PAIS VASCO, EXPLOTO SOBRE LA ESCENA MUSICAL EN ESPANA Y LATINOAMERICA. SUS INTEGRANTES CONSISTEN DE PABLO BANEGAS, XAVI SAN MARTIN, ALVARO FUENTES, HARITZ GARDE Y SU GUAPA CANTANTE AMAIA MONTERO. DURANTE ESTOS 10 ANOS ESTE CONJUNTO HA VIAJADO POR TODOS RUMBOS DEL MUNDO INCLUYENDO UNA PEQUENA GIRA POR JAPON Y COREA DEL SUR. EN DICIEMBRE DE 2006, SU CUARTO CD TITULADO " GUAPA " ESTRENO EN ESPANA ANTE UN INMENSO Y FIEL PUBLICO. EN ESPANA CUENTAN CON 32 DISCOS PLATINOS Y EN ESTADO UNIDOS CON 26 DISCOS PLATINOS. ESTARAN DE GIRA POR LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS CONTANDO CON 13 CONCIERTOS , SUS LOCALIDADES TODAVIA NO DIVULGADOS A LOS MEDIOS ESTADOUNIDENSES.
UNA DE LAS COMPOSICIONES ES TITULADA " CUANTOS CUENTOS CUENTO, " LA CANCION TIENE UN SON RANCHERA, MARIACHI Y ACORDEON. EL CD ESTARA PRONTO EN NUESTRAS ESTANTERIAS JUNTO CON UN DVD DEL MISMO TITULO.
DISFRUTEN EL TALENTO AUSPICIOSO DE ESTE GRUPO , MUCHOS DES SUS AFANDOS NO SON HISPANOHABLANTES, SIN EMBARGO GOCEN DE SU SONIDO DIVERTIDO.

COLECCION FOTOGRAFICA DE SACRAMENTO

EL LIBRO ILUSTARDO DE GRAN FORMATO TITULADO " HISTORIC PHOTOS OF SACRAMENTO " FUE PRESENTADO EL 8 DE JULIO 2007 EN EL SUCURSAL DE CARMICHAEL. ESTE LIBRO CONTIENE MAS DE DOCIENTAS FOTOGRAFIAS CUBRIEINDO LOS ENTORNOS DE LA CIUDAD A PARTIR DE 1860 HASTA LA DECADA DE LOS ANOS '60. CUYAS FOTOS PROVENIERON DEL SACRAMENTO ARCHIVES MUSEUM AND COLLECTION CENTER, MIENTAS LAS NARRATIVAS FUERON ESCRITAS POR MIEMBROS DEL PERSONAL DE LA SALA SACRAMENTO.

LA CHARLA FUE MODERADA POR EL BIBLIOTECARIO JAMES SCOTT, HACIENDO HINCAPIE EN UNA COMPARACION DE FOTOS PROVENIENTES DEL LIBRO A LAS DE HOY. LA VIDA COTIDIANA CAPTADA EN UN CONTEXTO HISTORICO Y DEMOGRAFICO; CAMBIOS DE POBLACION ,TENDENCIAS DE TRANSPORTACION Y OTROS ASPECTOS FUERON EXAMINADOS A FONDO DURANTE ESTE PROGRAMA DE UNA HORA Y MEDIA DE DURACION. IMAGINENSE ESTO!...MIRANDO HACIA EL ESTE DESDE LA ESQUINA DE LA CALLE 9 Y LA CALLE "K," QUE PODRA UNO CONCLUIR HACIENDO UNA COMPARACION DE UNA FOTO TOMADA EN EL 1942 Y OTRA TOMADA LA SEMANA PASADA? LOS 38 PARTICIPANTES DE CUYO PROGRAMA FUERON ANIMADOS A COMPARTIR SUS PROPIAS PERSPECTIVAS SOBRE EL FENOMENO DEL TRASTORNO HISTORICO. EL BIBLIOTECARIO TAMBIEN HABLO ACERCA DEL VALOR DE LAS FOTOGRAFIAS COMO UNA MANERA DE APRECIAR Y EVALUAR LA HISTORIA INSTANTEAMENTE. EN CAMBIO, LA PALABRA ESCRITA SUELE PRESENTARSE COMO UN OBSTACULO SIENDO DEMASIADA ACADEMICA Y VAGA. EN OTRAS PALABRAS LAS FOTOGRAFIAS CONSTAN SER UNA VENTANILLA HACIA EL PASADO FACILITANDONOS A LLEGAR A NUESTRAS PROPIAS CONCLUSIONES.
LA CHARLA FUE MODERADA POR EL BIBLIOTECARIO JAMES SCOTT, HACIENDO HINCAPIE EN UNA COMPARACION DE FOTOS PROVENIENTES DEL LIBRO A LAS DE HOY. LA VIDA COTIDIANA CAPTADA EN UN CONTEXTO HISTORICO Y DEMOGRAFICO; CAMBIOS DE POBLACION ,TENDENCIAS DE TRANSPORTACION Y OTROS ASPECTOS.

JAMES SCOTT AND SU COLEGA TOM TOLLEY PRESENTARAN LA MISMA RESENTACION EL 8 DE AGOSTO, 2007 A LAS 18:00 hrs EN LA SALA SACRAMENTO UBICADA EN EL 2ndo PISO DEL CENTRAL LIBRARY. COPIAS DE ESTE LIBROS ESTARAN A LA VENTA A $39.95 CON UN 40% DE LA RECAUDACION DESTINADO A LA FUNDACION AMIGOS DE LA BIBLIOTECA.

Historic Photos of Sacramento: History's Course? You Be The Judge

On July 8, 2007, the coffee table-style book Historic Photos of Sacramento, was presented at the Carmichael Library. The book contains over two-hundred photographs, covering the the city from the 1860s to the 1960s. The photos came from the Sacramento Archives Museum and Collection Center, while the chapter narratives were written by staff in the Central Library's Sacramento Room.

The talk, moderated by Central Librarian James Scott, focused on a comparison of photos from the book with those taken from the current day. Daily life in the context of history, demographics, population shifts, transportation trends and natural history were all touched upon during the one-and-a-half-hour program. From a single point, looking eastward from the corner of of 9th and "K," what can one conclude from the comparison of a photo taken in 1942 to a photo taken last week? The 38 program attendees were encouraged to provide their own perspective on the element of change as presented by the photos.
Scott also discussed the value of photos as a way of judging history with ones own two eyes. As opposed to the written word, which can often be unclear or overly academic, photos provide a 'what you see is what you get' perspective. In other words, photos are a window to the past that we all have the power to look through, study, and make our own conclusions about.

Scott and co-author/colleague Tom Tolley will be giving the same presentation on August 8, 2007, from 6:oo pm to 7:30 pm, at the Central Library's Sacramento Room at 828 "I" Street. Call 264-2920 for reserve a seat or go to http://www.saclibrary.org/. Books will be on sale for $39.95, with 40% of proceeds going to the Central Library's Friends affiliate.

LA COLECCION EN ESPANOL Y EL PORVENIR

EN LOS ULTIMOS ANOS LA BIBLIOTECA DE SACRAMENTO HA INTENDADO A ESTABLECER ENLACES MAS PROFUNDOS CON LA COMUNIDAD HISPANA. ACTUALMENTE LA CIUDAD DE SACRAMENTO Y SUS ANEXOS SUMA CON UNA POBLACION LATINA ALREDEDOR DEL 23%! UNA CIFRA VERDADERAMENTE ALTA Y ESPELUZNANTE PARA LA COMISION DIRECTIVA DE NUESTRA AGENCIA. ENTONCES LA MESA DIRECTIVA HA DECIDIDO DESDE HACE MUCHO TIEMPO DEDICAR MAS TIEMPO Y RECURSOS PRESUPUESTARIOS A LA COLECCION EN ESPANOL. DE HECHO QUE EL AUTOR DE ESTE ARTICULO SE DEDICA A LA COMPRA DE TITULOS EN CASTELLANO PARA ADULTOS ( EL COMITE DE ADQUISICION PARA LA COLECCION EN ESPANOL ESTA COMPUESTO POR DOS SELECCIONADORES ) , Y LES DIRE QUE ME ENTUSIASMO MUCHISIMO CUANDO ME DEDICO HORA TRAS HORA SELECCIONANDO TITULOS COMO EL SIGUIENTE:

"HOMBRES QUE AMAN DEMASIADO " POR ROBERTO PETTINATO ES UN RELATO PICARESCO SOBRE LA COMPLEJIDAD Y DIZQUE CONFUSION QUE ALGUNOS HOMBRES EXHIBEN EN SUS RELACIONES MAS INTIMAS. EL LIBRO SE ENCONTRARA EN NUESTRAS ESTANTERIAS MUY PRONTO! LES SUGIERO QUE MANTENGAN UN OJO ABIERTO ESPERNADO ESTE RELATO HUMORISTICO Y ... ME ATREVO A DECIRLO, SI!... AVENTURERO!

ESTE TITULO ES SOLAMENTE UN EJEMPLO LIGERO DE NUESTRA CRECIENTE COLECCION, PERO MI LABOR SERA MAS FACIL ( Y DIRE MAS EXITOSO ) SI USTEDES ENVIARANME SUS SUGERENCIAS, LAS CUALES APRECIARE PROFUNDAMENTE. A FINALES DE NOVIEMBRE IRE A LA FERIA DEL LIBRO DE GUADALAJARA PARA ESCOGER Y COMPARAR TODAVIA MAS TITULOS, SI SE ATREVEN A SUGERIR QUIZA RETORNARE CON ALGUNOS DE MENCIONADOS? BUENA HAZANA, NO?

Pearl Harbor: Living To Tell the Tale at Central

On July 18, 2007, in Central Library's Sacramento Room, Pearl Harbor veterans Bon Addobati and Sam Clower spoke about their experiences on that fateful day in December 1941.

At 7:55 AM on the 7th Adobatti was stationed as a sailor on the Hospital ship Solace and Clower commanded a detail that was guarding an important watershed in the Kolekole Pass. Accounts of Addobati spending two days pulling dead and wounded out of the harbor, and Clower watching the annihilation of Schofield Barracks, were given in vivid detail for the attending group of 42 persons.

After providing their accounts, each veteran was gracious enough to stay and answer a number of different questions. Both men are residents of Sacramento and are leaders of the area's chapter of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association. If you missed this engagement, they're sure to be back at Central for another talk in 2008. Check http://www.saclibrary.org/ for news on all upcoming events.

FESTIVAL DE CINE CARMEN MIRANDA

NACIDA EN PORTUGAL PERO CRIADA EN RIO DE JANEIRO, MARIA DO CARMO MIRANDA DA CUNHA ERA CONOCIDA COMO " LA BOMBA BRASILLEIRA" DE HOLLYWOOD Y UNA DE LAS ATRACCIONES MAS DESTACADAS DE LA DECADA DE LOS '40. CONOCIDA "LADY IN THE TUUTI-FRUTTI HAT " EMPEZO SU CARRERA INICIALMENTE COMO DISENADORA DE SOMBREROS PARA MUJERES , Y EVENTUALMENTE INTRODUJO LA CULTURA MUSICAL DE BRASIL AL MUNDO CON SUS ACTUACIONES EXTRAVAGANTES AL LADO DE PERSONAJES COMO ALICE FAYE,XAVIER CUGAT, CESAR ROMERO, GROUCHO MARX Y ELIZABETH TAYLOR.

LA BIBLIOTECA INVITA A SU PUBLICO A DISFRUTAR EL IMPACTO CULTURAL Y LEGADO CINEMATOGRAFICO DE ESTA ESTRELLA LUSA-BRASILEIRA IMITADA PERO JAMAS SUPERADA! EL PROGRAMA SERA PRESENTADO POR FRED DOBB, Ph.D. DIRECTOR DE FEDERICO FILMS; Y CATEDRATICO DE LA FACULTAD DE LA UNIVERSIDAD ESTATAL DE SAN FRANCISCO.

EL PROGRAMA ESTRENA EL 22 DE AGOSTO DESDE LAS 18:00 a 19:30 hrs EN EL SACRAMENTO ROOM EN EL 2ndo PISO DE LA BIBLIOTECA CENTRAL! CENTAL LIBRARY, 828 "I" STREET, SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA 95814.

PARA HACER RESERVACIONES POR FAVOR LLAMEN AL (916) 264-2920 o VISITEN NUESTRO SITIO DE WEB: http://www.saclibrary.org/.

Carmen Miranda Film Festival

Born in Portugal and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Maria do Carmo Miranda da Cunha reigned as Hollywood's "Brazilian Bombshell" and number one box office attraction during the 1940s. The "Lady in the Tutti-Fruitti Hat" actually started as a hat maker and eventually brought Brazilian music and dance to the world with her extravagant musical performances alongside Alice Faye, Xavier Cugat, Cesar Romero, Groucho Marx, and Elizabeth Taylor. Join us to explore the cultural impact and film legacy of this often imitated, but never surpassed star. The program will be presented by Fred Dobb, Ph.D. director, Federico Films; and faculty member at San Francisco State University.

The program will be on August 22, from 6:00 to 7:30 in the Central Library's Sacramento Room at 828 "I" Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. To reserve a seat, please telephone (916) 264-2920 or visit http://www.saclibrary.org/.

NUESTRA BIENVENIDA A VOSOTROS!

BIENVENIDOS AL BLOG DE LA BIBLIOTECA CENTRAL UBICADA EN EL CENTRO DE LA CIUDAD DE SACRAMENTO! EN ANOS PREVIOS, INTENTAMOS A LANZAR OTRO BLOG PERO SIN EXITO, AHORA NUESTRO EQUIPO SE HA REUNIDO A VUELTA CON UN NUEVO AFAN... UN NUEVO ALIENTO! DE AHORA EN ADELANTE VERAN EL OTRO ROSTRO DE LA BIBLIOTECA PUBLICA DE SACRAMENTO....BASTA DE CARAS SERIAS Y BUROCRATICAS! ESTAMOS AQUI PARA SERVIRLES...SU FIEL SERVIDOR!

AL MOMENTO PEDIMOS A NUETROS LECTORES QUE EJERCESEN SU VOLUNTAD ,Y PARTICIPAR EN UNA BREVE ENCUESTA UBICADA AL FONDO DE ESTA PAGINA!

COMO SE NOMBRARA NUESTRO BLOG?

Book Review: The Hobgoblin of the Good, Bad and Ugly: Jack London's John Barleycorn

Jack London's John Barleycorn: or Alcoholic Memoirs (R.Bentley: Cambridge, MA, 1978).

The Bay Area's iconic working-class scribe, Jack London, proved all too human in his autobiographical John Barleycorn. London was a life-long slave to alcoholism, an afflication whose roots go back to his early years as a "Oyster Pirate" in the San Francisco Bay, where his trips to saloon after saloon and close affiliation with any number of free-drinking immigrants sold the young writer on the "fruit of the vine." The significance of the saloon for London is paramount; cool in the summer, warm in the winter, and a temple whose altar London was more than ready to kneel at. Although it's seldom that he ever comes close to calling it a problem, London's ruminations are enough for us to understand the subtle concern he carries for his well-being. In this regard, the reader gains a unique window into London's troubled, traveled soul.

It bears mention that London, on more than one occassion, and under the spell of booze, seriously considered suicide; perhaps the most notable was his swim in the Carquinez Strait when a final decision to live only came after drifting by Crocket. How different American Literature would have been had London opted to do himself in. Overall, the complexity and paradox of the Socialist-Spendthrift, Racist-Humanist is revealed in a lucid prose that only the short-lived London could deliver...

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

WELCOME to the new Central Library blog!

Please use the poll below to vote on your choice of a name for this blog.
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