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| New This Week for September 13, 2007 |
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This Week Heavy on books and authors this week, including Agatha Christie, Samuel Johnson, books via email, burnt books and bestsellers, and the retirement of a terrific comic strip; plus cleaning up coastlines, the difference between bison and buffalo, and being 100. Bon appetit from librarians Maria, Jennifer, Charlotte, and Wendy. Tip of the Week Tip: We wanted to recognize Agatha Christie’s birthday (September 15, 1890) this week. If you’ve ever wanted to try your hand at her craft, here are some resources for mystery writers. |
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Arts and Humanities
Agatha Christie
U.S. website for this British mystery writer. Features background about how Christie wrote and the influence of travel and archeology, descriptions of her famous fictional detectives (such as Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot), and material about Christie's works on stage, screen, and radio. Contains a blog and calendar of Christie events. Includes a list of suggested reading orders by character, "to avoid spoilers." Contains some commercial content.
URL: http://www.agathachristie.com/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24416
Agatha Christie and Archaeology
Companion to an exhibit, "Agatha Christie and Archaeology: Mystery in Mesopotamia," which "presented a fascinating look at the secret life of one of the world's most popular writers. Agatha Christie (1890-1976) originally became interested in archaeology on a visit to the site of Ur (in modern Iraq) in 1928. It was at Ur that she met her future husband, the archaeologist Max Mallowan." Includes annotated photos and images of archaeological items. From the British Museum.
URL: http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/online_tours/middle_east/agatha_c...
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24418
Carlyle, Panizzi, and the Public Library Ideal
This essay describes how "19th century Scottish essayist, Thomas Carlyle, founded the London Library as a model for an egalitarian institution serving the common man. Carlyle disagreed vehemently with the British Museum's Librarian, Antonio Panizzi, about the role of the library in society and the need for a quiet reading room." Includes a short bibliography. From Library Student Journal, a peer-reviewed student publication.
URL: http://www.librarystudentjournal.org/index.php/lsj/article/view/41/50
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24446
DailyLit
"DailyLit sends books in installments via e-mail. DailyLit currently offers over 400 classic public domain titles that can be subscribed to and read in their entirety for free." Includes some in French, Italian, and Spanish. Search, or browse by title, author, or category. The entry for each work includes a preview of the first installment and the number of installments (such as 675 for "War and Peace" and 149 for "Pride and Prejudice").
URL: http://www.dailylit.com/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24443
Delicious Death: Agatha Christie Works List
This website features images of thousands of covers of English and non-English language versions of Agatha Christie mystery books and plays (and works written under the name of Mary Westmacott). Also includes a Christie chronology, and a brief plot description, character list, and list of movie and TV productions for each work. In English and Japanese. From an enthusiast.
URL: http://www.deliciousdeath.com/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24417
Fighting the Fires of Hate: America and the Nazi Book Burnings
Companion to a traveling exhibit about book burning activities in Nazi Germany. Topics include the immediate American response, how "books figured prominently" in U.S. patriotic slogans during World War II, and later symbols of book burning. Features written and audio material about 58 authors whose works were burned. Authors include Theodore Dreiser, Sigmund Freud, Ernest Hemingway, Helen Keller, Jack London, Karl Marx, and Upton Sinclair. From the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
URL: http://www.ushmm.org/museum/exhibit/online/bookburning/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24452
Business
Social Security History: Upton Sinclair
"Upton Sinclair was a famous novelist and social crusader from California, who pioneered the kind of journalism known as 'muckraking.' His best-known novel was 'The Jungle' which was an expose of the appalling and unsanitary conditions in the meat-packing industry." He ran for Governor of California in 1934 based on his EPIC (End Poverty in California) plan. Includes the text of the EPIC plan. From the Social Security Administration (SSA).
URL: http://www.ssa.gov/history/sinclair.html
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24450
Law
CRS Annotated Constitution
"The content of the CRS Annotated Constitution was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) at the Library of Congress. ... The initial online annotations were published in 1992, and supplements were released in 1994, 1996, 1998, and 2000. This edition is a hypertext interpretation of the CRS text. It links to Supreme Court opinions, the U.S. Code, and the Code of Federal Regulations." Provided by the Legal Information Institute, Cornell University Law School.
URL: http://www.law.cornell.edu/anncon/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24420
People
Agnes de Mille Dances
Brief illustrated biography of this dancer and choreographer and details about some of her featured dances. Includes photos, summary, description of cast, and composer for dances such as "Rodeo" and "Fall River Legend." Also includes images of dances for musicals such as "Oklahoma!" and "Brigadoon," and a complete danceography with a list of theater, film, ballet, and television choreography.
URL: http://www.agnesdemilledances.com/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24447
Dr. Johnson's House
Information about the London, England, house that was "a home and workplace for Samuel Johnson from 1748-1759, and it was here that he compiled the first comprehensive English Dictionary." Provides history, dictionary definition of the month and personality of the month related to Johnson, brief FAQ, visitor information, and links to related websites. From Dr. Johnson's House Trust.
URL: http://www.drjohnsonshouse.org/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24432
Italian Tenor Pavarotti Dies at Age 71
Article about opera tenor Luciano Pavarotti, who died in September 2007. In addition to this article, which includes highlights from Pavarotti's life and career, the site include audio of a remembrance and of a 2001 chat with the Italian opera singer, blog entry, and related links. From Minnesota Public Radio.
URL: http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2007/09/06/pavarottiobit/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24467
Madeleine L'Engle: 1918-2007
Official website of writer Madeleine L'Engle, best known for her 1962 Newbery Award-winning novel, "A Wrinkle in Time." Features a brief biography, the text of her Newbery Award acceptance speech, a bibliography of her numerous publications (some with cover art and introductions), photos, and links to articles and interviews with the author.
URL: http://www.madeleinelengle.com/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24468
The Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum
Website for this museum in Lichfield, England, home of poet and writer Samuel Johnson for the first 27 years of his life. Provides essays on Johnson's life and works (including his dictionary of the English language), images, visitor information, the latest museum newsletter, and links to related information about Johnson, whose 300th birthday will be marked on September 18, 2009.
URL: http://www.samueljohnsonbirthplace.org.uk/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24431
Samuel Johnson Tercentenary 2009
"This site contains information about the celebrations to mark the 300th anniversary of the birth of Samuel Johnson, which falls on 18 September 2009." Features include a biography of Johnson (1709-1784) who "was (amongst other things) a poet, biographer, lexicographer, essayist, editor and reviewer"; listing of events in the U.S. and U.K.; and links to related websites. From the Samuel Johnson Tercentenary Committee, which consists of representatives from Johnson-related organizations.
URL: http://www.johnson2009.org/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24430
Time 100: Margaret Sanger
Profile of Margaret Sanger, whose "crusade to legalize birth control spurred the movement for women's liberation." Written by Gloria Steinem, the article discusses Sanger's life and 50-year career and lessons that can be learned from her experiences. From Time magazine.
URL: http://www.time.com/time/time100/leaders/profile/sanger.html
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24422
Ready Reference & Quick Facts
Centenarians in the United States
"This report focuses on the characteristics of those people identified as centenarians in the 1990 Census of Population and Housing for the United States." Some of the data topics include population by sex, age, race, and Hispanic origin, number of projected centenarians (2000-2050), educational attainment, marital status, poverty status, and disability status and living arrangements. From the U.S. Census Bureau. Opens directly into a PDF file.
URL: http://www.census.gov/prod/99pubs/p23-199.pdf
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24424
Recreation
Talk Like a Pirate Day: Official UK HQ
"Ye'll be wantin' to explore the 'About' page for the history of the glorious day [September 19], and when ye're ready to be soundin' like a real pirate, here be 'How To Talk Like A Pirate.' To find out what be happenin' this Pirate Day, be lookin' on our new events page." The talk like a pirate page includes vocabulary and tips such as starting sentences with "Arr, me hearty."
URL: http://www.yarr.org.uk/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24448
Regional: California
California Air Resources Board: Climate Change
"This page provides information regarding [California Air Resources Board] ARB's climate change program pursuant to Assembly Bill 32." Includes background about AB 32 (the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006), fact sheets, event listings, news, and details about specific program areas such as emissions inventory and mandatory reporting, low carbon fuel, forestry climate protocols, landfill methane capture, and climate change early action measures. From the California Air Resources Board.
URL: http://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/cc.htm
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24462
Comics: Farley by Phil Frank
Collection of cartoons and related material for this comic strip that was inspired by San Francisco events and that appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle until its creator, Phil Frank, retired in September 2007. Includes an archive with comics back to 2002, a biography of Frank, a list of books by Frank, and a 2005 article about three decades of Frank cartooning.
URL: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/09/09/BAFARLEY.D...
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24466
Regions of the World
Ocean Conservancy's International Coast Cleanup
Details about the this annual, mid-September volunteer cleanup event for coastal regions. "Since 1986 thousands of volunteers from around the globe have cleared over 100 million pounds of trash from 170,000 miles of shorelines, rivers, lakes, and wetlands." Find cleanup locations, tips for marine debris prevention, photos from past cleanups, and related material. From the nonprofit Ocean Conservancy.
URL: http://www.oceanconservancy.org/site/PageServer?pagename=press_icc
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24426
On This Day: 17 September 1982: Refugees Massacred in Beirut Camps
Background about the 1982 event known as the Sabra and Shatila massacres, where "[m]ore than 1,000 people [were] feared to have been killed during a 24-hour rampage by Lebanese militia in West Beirut. ... The massacre was apparently revenge for the assassination four days [previously] of the Christian President-elect, Bashir Gemayel." Provides a timeline with related events concerning Israel, Lebanon, and the Middle East. From the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).
URL: http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/september/17/newsid_2...
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24425
Science
About North American Bison
Images and descriptions of differing characteristics of plains bison and woods bison. Includes information about the prevalence and range of North American bison, and links to material about the difference between bison and buffalo and what is a European bison. From the Bison Specialist Group North America, established under the direction of the IUCN (World Conservation Union) Species Survival Commission.
URL: http://www.notitia.com/bison/AboutBison.htm
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24476
Animal Cognition and Learning
This companion to a university course provides background for classes about analysis of cognition and behavior in animals. Includes historical background (with material about the work of Charles Darwin, Ivan Pavlov and others), and material about intelligence, perception, conditioning and complex behavior (such as tool use and language use in animals). Also includes links to related sites. From a psychology professor at Tufts University.
URL: http://www.pigeon.psy.tufts.edu/psych26/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24472
Fact or Fiction?: An Opera Singer's Piercing Voice Can Shatter Glass
This article explores the physics that "suggests that a voice should be able to break glass," looking at the structure of glass, sound volume, and singers who have tried to break a glass. Includes a link to a related article about why an opera singer can be heard over a much louder orchestra. From the website for Scientific American magazine.
URL: http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=fact-or-fiction-opera-singer-can-s...
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24469
NOAA Marine Debris Program
Website for this federal government program concerned with marine debris, which is "typically defined as any man-made object discarded, disposed of, or abandoned that enters the coastal or marine environment." Features articles, fact sheets, news, photos, outreach materials, and glossary. Includes a link to the website for the program's Gulf of Mexico Marine Debris project, showing marine debris deposited on the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina. From the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
URL: http://marinedebris.noaa.gov/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24427
Society & Social Science
Censored: Wielding the Red Pen
"This exhibition [about censorship] hopes not so much to judge censors and censorship but instead to provoke questions." Some of the topics and case studies covered in the exhibit include reference and religious works, Margaret Sanger and birth control, John Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath," the objectivity of science, Internet censorship, and censored films and television. From the Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia.
URL: http://www2.lib.virginia.edu/exhibits/censored/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24421
Indian Country Diaries
Website for "a two-part series of documentaries that, for the first time, explore[d] the challenges facing Native Americans in the 21st Century, in both urban and reservation settings." Stories on the site cover issues such as identity and assimilation, tribal sovereignty, education, culture of specific tribes, tribal casinos, and health concerns. Also provides history (such as the Trail of Tears and the urban relocation program), classroom materials, and related resources. From Native American Public Telecommunications.
URL: http://www.pbs.org/indiancountry/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24428
Living to 100 and Beyond: Search for Predictors of Exceptional Human Longevity
This 2005 research paper "explores possible predictors of exceptional human longevity such as familial factors, early-life living conditions, month-of-birth, and birth order." Includes data tables and a bibliography. From the Center on Aging at the University of Chicago; sponsored by the Committee on Life Insurance Research of the Society of Actuaries.
URL: http://www.soa.org/research/life/research-living-to-100-and-beyond-sea...
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24423
Mexican Independence Day: 16 de Septiembre: El Grito de Independencia
Brief background about the origins of the celebration of Mexican Independence Day on September 16. Also includes a description of how the holiday is celebrated today, such as the ceremony in Mexico City on the evening of September 15, in which a government official leads a crowd in giving "the grito or cry of Independence." From a company that produces and distributes educational video programs about Mexico and Mexican culture.
URL: http://www.inside-mexico.com/featureindep.htm
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24419
National USA Week
Official website for National Unmarried and Single Americans (USA) Week, which is commemorated in mid-September. Includes a brief history, material about singles celebrations in other nations, and facts about unmarried, never married, widowed, and divorced adults in the U.S. From Unmarried America, "an information service for unmarried workers, consumers, taxpayers, and voters."
URL: http://www.unmarriedamerica.org/usaweek/intro.htm
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24451
SITE Institute: The Search for International Terrorist Entities
This organization documents and tracks terror-related violence and "extremist websites, public records, and international media reports" to establish "links among terrorist entities and their supporters." Site features links to news, background on terrorist groups, material about courts cases, and audio and video clips. Some material available for a fee.
URL: http://www.siteinstitute.org/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/23625
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Thanks for reading LII New This Week!
Jennifer English, Liaison to Califa Library Group
Wendy Hyman, Senior Editor
Maria Brandt, Associate Editor
Charlotte Bagby, Senior Weeder
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| Funding and Support Primary financial support for LII (Librarians' Internet Index) from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian. LII is also supported by the IPL Consortium, and hosted by The iSchool at Drexel, College of Information Science and Technology. Other sources include California Digital Library. |