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May 2013
Volume 10, Number 5
Memorial Day Holiday
Quincy Historic Photographs Now Online
'Old Master' or Disaster: Revisiting John La Farge
Film Feature: Zero Dark Thirty
ESL Movie Morning: E.T. The Extraterrestrial
A Film to Decrease Worldsuck: The Nerdfighters Documentary
Explore Your Past: Paddy on the Net
Meet the Author: William Martin
Chinese Heroes of the American Civil War
Downsizing Your Stuff
Film Feature: Lincoln
Crime by the Book: Hallie Ephron
Film Feature: Skyfall
America's Romance With the English Garden
Wednesday Matinees at North Quincy
May Book Discussions
May Exhibit: Calligraphy of Chen Peibin
May Events for Children
Memorial Day Holiday
The library will be closed on Monday, May 27, in observation of Memorial Day.
Quincy Historic Photographs Now Online
For the last few months, we have been very busy creating a new digital collection of photographs from our Warren S. Parker collection of glass lantern slides. Check them out at Quincy Historic Photographs.
The pictures are black and white images of Quincy taken by Mr. Parker, the city Building Inspector, between the 1890s and about 1930. They depict various neighborhoods, historic houses, public buildings and stores. Parker was also fascinated by fire apparatus and, of course, the granite industry. The pictures can be searched by subject or generally browsed throughout. Select "Exhibits" to peruse two of the lectures that Parker created to accompany his slides and presented at local public forums in the 1920s and ‘30s. The first lecture is centered on the Mount Wollaston Farm and the Germantown neighborhood, and the second on the Furnace Land neighborhood, also known as West Quincy. Further lectures and more pictures will be added as we continue the project.
To see other online collections related to Quincy history, please visit our Online Collections page.
'Old Master' or Disaster: Revisiting John La Farge
American artist John La Farge’s story unfurls like a clichéd soap opera that soared to admirable triumphs that lead to shocking falls from grace. It’s all there: fame, scandal, wealth, artistic triumph, lawsuits and arrests, family estrangement, bankruptcy—and finally drug addiction followed by death in an insane asylum.
So was John La Farge our “sole ‘Old Master,’” as his biographer of choice proclaimed in 1911? Or was he a bit of a disaster, as some early critics opined? And what will his ultimate legacy be? Find out at this free illustrated lecture by James L. Yarnall on Sunday, April 28 at 3:00 p.m. in the community meeting room at the Main Library. The lecture will be followed by a guided tour of the La Farge stained glass windows located in the library's historic H.H. Richardson building, the former Crane Memorial Library.
James L. Yarnall is a Professor at Salve Regina University, where he has taught the history of art and architecture since 2000. Since 2003, he has also been Editor of Publications for the Newport Historical Society, including its journal, Newport History. For the past three decades, Dr. Yarnall has been a leading authority on the nineteenth-century American artist John La Farge. Between 1982 and 2003, he worked closely with the La Farge family as director of the catalogue raisonné of La Farge’s work in all media. In early 2012, Ashgate Press published his most recent book entitled John La Farge, A Biographical and Critical Study, the first biography of the artist in a hundred years. The cover of the book features “The Old Philosopher”, one of the windows La Farge created for the Crane Memorial Library in Quincy (see image at right).
Film Feature: Zero Dark Thirty
Watch the action thriller "Zero Dark Thirty" on Thursday, May 2 at 6:30 p.m. at the Main Library.
For a decade, an elite team of intelligence and military operatives working in secret across the globe devoted themselves to a single goal: to find and eliminate Osama bin Laden. The filmmaking duo behind The Hurt Locker takes on the hunt for -- and the killing of -- the world's most dangerous man in this action thriller that tracks SEAL Team Six, the special-ops team who eventually brought down the terrorist leader.
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow; Starring Chris Pratt, Jessica Chastain, Joel Edgerton; 157 minutes; 2012; Rated R for strong violence including brutal disturbing images, and for language. Sponsored by the Friends of the Thomas Crane Public Library.
ESL Movie Morning: E.T. The Extraterrestrial
Are you interested in improving your English skills? Join us for ESL Movie Morning on Friday, May 3 at 9:30 a.m. This month's movie is about a being from outer space who is accidentally stranded on Earth. In his search for refuge, E.T. wanders into a backyard where he is discovered by ten-year-old Elliott. The 1982 sci-fi drama won three Academy Awards and is rated PG.
This is a great opportunity to practice listening skills, increase vocabulary and learn common American-English expressions. Please feel free to bring a snack to share. Popcorn is provided. Meet people from all over the world and have a good time.
No registration is necessary. This event is intended for people with intermediate level English skills or higher.
A Film to Decrease Worldsuck: The Nerdfighters Documentary
Find out what and who a Nerdfighter is, where Nerdfighters came from, and what they do on Saturday, May 4 at 2:00 p.m. at the Main Library. A Film to Decrease Worldsuck aims to shed light on what this amazing group of young people is doing to help the world.
The Nerdfighters formed around two video bloggers, the Vlogbrothers, and the group has taken on a life of its own. Now these thousands of young people strive to "decrease worldsuck," "increase awesome," and do their part to help raise money for charities and raise awareness of important social issues. The Vlogbrothers are brothers Hank and John Green. John Green is the bestselling author of young adult novels, including Looking for Alaska, Paper Towns, and The Fault in Our Stars.
The 42-minute film was produced, directed, and edited by Hannah Lindgren as her senior honors thesis and is comprised of convention footage as well as crowd-sourced interviews and video from dozens of Nerdfighters. This screening is one of ten that will happen in cities all over the world.
We will be collecting tissues & sugar-free lemon drops for This Star Won’t Go Out, a non-profit foundation serving families with children diagnosed with life-threatening cancer. Please bring one of these items if you can—and help decrease worldsuck! Presented in partnership with Boston Nerdfighters.
Explore Your Past: Paddy on the Net
Information about our Irish ancestors is exploding on the Internet. Find out about all that has happened with Irish resources in cyberspace at a free presentation by genealogist Michael Brophy on Monday, May 6 at 7:00 p.m. at the Main Library. Brophy will explore and analyze the best websites for Irish research and assess finding aids for further Irish research. He will also present recent landmark additions of vital records and census information. This lecture is suitable for beginner to intermediate level genealogists.
Michael Brophy is a full time, professional genealogical researcher, heir search specialist, and lecturer in the Boston area. He has served as Program Director and Publicity Director for the Massachusetts Genealogical Council. He was the first Treasurer of the New England of Association of Professional Genealogists. Recently, he was featured on the Irish TV series Dead Money, a genealogy TV show about heir searchers. Sponsored by the Friends of the Thomas Crane Public Library.
Meet the Author: William Martin
What if President Abraham Lincoln recorded his innermost thoughts as he moved toward the realization that he must free the slaves? And what if that diary slipped from his fingers in 1862? A recently discovered letter written by Lincoln suggests that the diary exists and is waiting to be found.
In the latest book by William Martin, treasure hunters Peter Fallon and Evangeline Carrington must race to uncover a document that could shake the foundation of Lincoln's legacy. The Lincoln Letter is a breathless chase across the Washington of today as well as a political thriller set in our besieged Civil War capital.
Meet William Martin on Tuesday, May 7 at 7:00 p.m. and find out more about this story of old animosities that still smolder, old philosophies that still contend, and a portrait of our greatest president as he passes from lawyer to leader in the struggle for a new birth of freedom. Copies of The Lincoln Letter will be available for sale at the event.
William Martin is the award-winning New York Times bestselling author of ten novels, a PBS documentary, book reviews, magazine articles, and a cult-classic horror movie, too. His first Peter Fallon novel, Back Bay, established him as "a master storyteller." He has been following the lives of the great and anonymous in American history ever since and has taken readers from the Pilgrims to 9/ 11. He was the 2005 recipient of the prestigious New England Book Award, given to an author "whose body of work stands as a significant contribution to the culture of the region." He lives near Boston with his wife and has three grown children.
Chinese Heroes of the American Civil War
You probably know that many African-Americans participated in the military during the American Civil War, but did you know that Chinese-Americans also served?
Military experts and scholars estimate that at least 50 Chinese men were soldiers and sailors in the Union forces. Some were even in the Confederate forces. For example, there was one man from Gloucester, Mass. who was in the 23rd Massachusetts Infantry and participated in several battles. Another one from Connecticut was in the Battle of Gettysburg.
Find out more at a free lecture presented by Dr. Henry Huie Jung on Thursday, May 9 at 7:00 p.m. at the Main Library. Henry has worked as an educator and social worker. He has written extensively about the Chinese in America. He has also worked closely with Asian immigrants and refugees on resettlement issues in the Greater Boston area. He lives with his wife in Somerville (for over 30 years).
Downsizing Your Stuff
We all have STUFF! Why do we acquire and save more possessions than we need? What happens when our stuff starts to own us? Why can’t we just throw things away? Find out at this free and entertaining presentation on Tuesday, May 14 at 7:00 p.m. at the Main Library. The program will be preceded at 6:30 p.m. by the spring general meeting of the Friends of the Library. All are welcome to attend this event.
With his upbeat and unique approach, Dave Downs explores the many reasons that our drawers, closets and garages get filled with STUFF. Downs offers helpful hints for managing this difficult problem along with colorful stories that engage and inform. You may recognize a part of yourself in these stories. You will leave knowing that if we are thoughtful about what we acquire, what we keep and what we discard, we will start to reverse the tendency to bury ourselves in “treasures!”.
Recipient of the "Best Exhibitor Award" at The New England History Festival, Dave Downs is a retired school teacher with a master's degree in Creative Arts in Education. Sponsored by the Friends of the Thomas Crane Public Library.
Film Feature: Lincoln
Watch the Oscar-winning movie "Lincoln" on Thursday, May 16 at 6:30 p.m. As the Civil War continues to rage, America's 16th president struggles with continuing carnage on the battlefield and as he fights with many inside his own cabinet on the decision to emancipate the slaves. This inspiring and revealing drama chronicles Lincoln's time in office between 1861 and 1865 as he dealt with personal demons and politics during the Civil War.
Directed by Stephen Spielberg; Starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, Hal Holbrook, Tommy Lee Jones and others; 150 minutes; 2012; Rated PG-13 for an intense scene of war violence, some images of carnage and brief strong language. Sponsored by the Friends of the Thomas Crane Public Library.
Crime by the Book: Hallie Ephron
A writer of novels called “unputdownable”, “unsettling”, “Hitchcockian”, and “deliciously creepy”, Hallie Ephron has delivered her latest gripping page-turner, There Was an Old Woman. Just published on April 2, the book has received wide acclaim and has already made it onto the Boston Globe bestseller list.
Join Hallie on Wednesday, May 22 at 7:00 p.m. to find out more about the facts behind the fiction in this compelling story about a young woman who becomes entangled in a terrifying web of deception and madness involving an elderly neighbor. Copies of There Was an Old Woman will be available for sale at the event.
Hallie Ephron made a splash writing suspense with Never Tell a Lie in 2009. It was nominated for multiple awards, including the Mary Higgins Clark Award, and was adapted for film as "And Baby Will Fall" for the Lifetime Movie Network. Hallie’s new book is garnering rave reviews. New York Times bestselling author Tess Gerritsen calls it “an absolute must read. I devoured this in one ravenous gulp.”
Hallie’s parents were screenwriters Henry and Phoebe Ephron who wrote such classics as “Desk Set” and “Carousel.” She grew up in Beverly Hills in a house filled with books, the third of four sisters (Nora, Delia, Hallie, and Amy) all competing to be heard. It was a good training ground for a writer. Now Hallie lives near Boston, happily married for longer than she can remember, and has two beautiful and talented daughters.
Film Feature: Skyfall
Daniel Craig is back as James Bond 007. Bond's loyalty to M is tested as her past returns to haunt her. 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost. Watch the latest in the 007 series on Thursday, May 23 at 7:00 p.m.
Directed by Sam Mendes; Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Javier Bardem; 143 minutes; 2012; Rated PG-13 for intense violent sequences throughout, some sexuality, language and smoking. Sponsored by the Friends of the Thomas Crane Public Library.
America's Romance With the English Garden
Hear the story of how Americans came to love the English garden, especially the lawn, and how seed and nursery catalogs fed this romance, at a free illustrated presentation by author Thomas Mickey on Tuesday, May 28 at 7:00 p.m. at the Main Library.
The 1890s saw a revolution in advertising. Cheap paper, faster printing, rural delivery, railroad shipping, and the new technology of chromolithography combined to pave the way for the first modern catalogs. The most prominent of these, reaching American households by the thousands, were seed and nursery catalogs with beautiful pictures of middle-class homes surrounded by sprawling lawns, lush plants, and the latest garden accessories--in other words, the quintessential English-style garden.
Thomas Mickey's new book, America's Romance with the English Garden, is the story of tastemakers and homemakers, of savvy businessmen and a growing American middle class eager to buy their products. It's also the story of the beginnings of the garden industry, which seduced the masses with its images and fixed the English garden in the minds of striving Americans. Seed and nursery catalogs delievered aspirational images to front doorsteps from Maine to California, and the English garden became the look of America.
Thomas Mickey is Professor Emeritus of Communication Studies at Bridgewater State University. He is a graduate of Boston University, the University of Iowa, and Harvard University's Landscape Institute, and has been a garden columnist for the Brockton Enterprise and the Patriot Ledger. Copies of the book will be available for sale.
Wednesday Matinees @North Quincy
Drop in for an afternoon movie at the North Quincy Branch, every Wednesday starting at 2:00 p.m.
May 1: Argo (R)
May 8: Anna Karenina (R)
May 15: Zero Dark Thirty (R)
May 22: Lincoln (PG-13)
May 29: Skyfall (PG-13)
May Book Discussions
All our book discussions are open to all readers and no advance registration is required. New participants are always welcome. To see a list of upcoming book club meeting dates and book titles, check out our Book Clubs page. Copies of current titles are available for pickup at the Main Library checkout desk.
WORLD LITERATURE BOOK CLUB
This discussion group meets one Friday per month at 10:00 a.m. and focuses on world literature. On Friday, May 10, we will discuss Please Look After Mom by Kyung Suk Shin (South Korea). For more information, call Julie at 617-376-1332.
BOOKED FOR LUNCH @Main Library
Read any good books lately? Looking for something new to read? Bring a brown bag lunch--or grab a sandwich or salad at the library café--and join other readers for an informal conversation about books on the first Friday of each month. The next meeting will be on Friday, May 3 from 12 noon to 1:00 p.m. in the Main Library atrium. The group meets near the café--just look for the brown Booked for Lunch sign on the table. Drop in anytime and check out this friendly group!
The Calligraphy of Chen Peibin
The calligraphy of Chinese artist Chen Peibin will be on display from May 1 to 31 in the Coletti Reading Room of the Main Library.
Chen Peibin was born in the city of Liuzhou, Guangxi province in 1949. He began to practice writing calligraphy with his father at the age of seven. Over the past five decades, Mr. Chen has concentrated on the study of Chinese calligraphy, and has pioneered three innovations: “human body calligraphy”, “one-stroke calligraphy” and the “carapace-bone impression”. He has developed a unique personal style that integrates the Chinese poetic and artistic imagination with a new visual feeling.
In 1987 and 1996, Mr. Chen contributed to the construction of the Guilin Sino-Japan Calligraphy Inscription & Forest of Style Hall, which collects more than 400 steles with calligraphy inscriptions. His own work has been published in a variety of books, including “The Top Hundred Calligraphists of China”, “ The 66 Famous Calligraphists” and “Almanac of Character”. Mr. Chen is now the Curator of the Guilin Sino-Japan Friendship Calligraphy Inscription Academy, the principal of Guilin Sino-Japan Friendship School, a member of the China Guangxi Political Consultative Conference (the 8th Standing Committee),and Chairman of the China Photography Exchange Association.
May Events for Children
DROP-IN WEEK DAY STORYTIMES
Join us for storytimes for babies, toddlers, preschoolers and help your child discover the joy of reading! For complete information, please visit our storytimes page.
STORYTIME WITH CHERYL
Join storyteller Cheryl Dunford for stories, songs, rhymes and more for children ages 2-5 accompanied by an adult on Saturday, May 4 at 10:00 a.m. at the Main Library. No registration required. this program will be presented in English with interpretation in Chinese. All are welcome to attend! Sponsored by the Friends of the Thomas Crane Public Library.
SATURDAY FUN FOR LITTLE ONES
Bring your little ones to explore instruments, jam, sing & dance along with musician Sarah Gardner for a lively interactive program for children ages 0-4 accompanied by an adult on Saturday, May 11 at 10:00 a.m. No registration is required. Sponsored by the Friends of the Thomas Crane Public Library.
MAD SCIENCE: Rockets
This Mad Science of Greater Boston workshop introduces children ages 4-8 to the dynamics of rocket flight. The class will learn about the basic parts that make up a rocket in a discussion that lays the foundation for the exploration of the three parts of a rocket flight. To both illustrate and entertain, the children will have a fun balloon-rocket race. We‘ll learn about basic pre-launch safety procedures, and then the children will get to witness the grand finale—the launch of a model rocket!
The workshop will be held on Saturday, May 18 at 10:00 a.m. at the Main Library. Registration is required. Beginning Monday, May 6, register online, in person or by calling 617-376-2411. Due to space limitations, this program is limited to Quincy residents. Sponsored by the Friends of the Thomas Crane Public Library.
ORIGAMI WORKSHOP
Join origami artist Andrew Anselmo for a hands on origami workshop for children ages 8 and older on Saturday, May 25 at 10:00 a.m. at the Main Library. Learn how to read origami diagrams and make origami models that move.
Registration is required. Beginning Monday, May 6th, register online, in person or by calling 617-376-2411. Due to space limitations, this program is limited to Quincy residents. Sponsored by the Friends of the Thomas Crane Public Library.
BOOK CLUBS FOR KIDS
Do you like to read? Would you like to talk to others about books? Then you will like our book discussion groups.
The Phoenix Book Club meets on the second Tuesday of each month and is a thematic book discussion group for kids in grades 5-8. Each month we will talk about a variety of books that relate to our theme. The Club will meet on Tuesday, May 14 at 7:00 p.m. at the Main Library. This month’s theme is the Bottom Shelf. The poor bottom shelves of our fiction collection. Dark, deep, dusty. The books that end up on the bottom shelves simply because of where they fall in alphabetical order just don't get noticed as much as the ones up above. Take a look on a bottom shelf in the chapter book section and find a neglected treasure. Avoid the Lemony Snickets and Wimpy Kids and go for a book you've never noticed before because it's been hiding down by your feet.
The Night Owls Book Club for children in grades 3-4 will meet on Monday, May 13 at 7:00 p.m. at the Main Library.This month we will be discussing biographies. Stop by the Children's Room to pick up a biography of your choice to read before the meeting.