DECEMBER 26

Today is the day after Christmas and, in several countries, is celebrated as Boxing Day--more presents!

Today is also the start of Kwanzaa, a 7-day African-American holiday celebration. More information and activities can be found at Cnn and Billy Bear 4 Kids (more links here). The Elk Grove Library has a number of books about the holiday, as well.

It is also the Feast of St. Stephen, the setting for the famous carol, Good King Wenceslas.

PEAR HARBOR REMEMBERED

On this day we remember the attack on Pearl Harbor that precipitated America's entry into World War II.
Some links of interest:
National Geographic has a multimedia report
An oral record of an eyewitness account
The USS Arizona site has information on remembrance ceremonies
The Navy has photos
Library of Congress: American Memory site has links to many documents and photos in their collection

[More links and information can be found on the 2005 entry for this date]

Some recent books on this day at the Elk Grove Village Library include:
Pearl Harbor: A Novel of December 8th. Book One, The Pacific War Series (2007) by Newt Gingrich and William R. Forstchen (New Gingrich,N)
One Day in History--December 7, 1941 (2006) Rodney P. Carlisle, general editor (940.5426 ONE)
Pearl Harbor Child (New Dvd 940.5426 PEA)

WHERE DID THEY GET THAT TITLE?

Gary Dexter's book Why Not Catch 21?: The Stories Behind the Titles was recently excerpted in the British newspaper The Independent--"The stories behind some of literature's best-known novels". [via The Reader's Advisor Online Blog] Who knew?

2007 NATIONAL BOOK AWARDS

The 2007 National Book Award Winners were announced in November. These awards are given to American writers, chosen for excellence by panels of American writers [the finalists and the names of the panel members are also listed (along with links to author interviews) on the website].
The winners included:
FICTION
Denis Johnson for Tree of Smoke (NEW JOHNSON, D.)

NONFICTION
Tim Weiner for Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA (NEW 327.1273 WEI)

POETRY
Robert Hass for Time and Materials

YOUNG PEOPLE'S LITERATURE
Sherman Alexie for The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (NEW YA FIC ALEXIE, S.)