Tuesday, November 11, 2008

VETERAN'S DAY aka ARMISTICE DAY

90 years ago today, the actual fighting in World War I officially ceased at 11 a.m. To commemorate that historic event the Armistice Day holiday was created. In 1954 the holiday, renamed Veterans Day, became more of a generalized recognition of any veteran of a war, living or dead, and a recognition of those in our armed forces who continue to serve. Celebrated around the world, this day is also called Remembrance Day and Poppy Day. Selling artificial poppies to raise funds for less fortunate veterans is also often a world-wide part of this day.

Many European dignitaries attended the ceremonies today in France. In the U.S. ceremonies included major government officials. As part of the ceremonies the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum in New York was dedicated today by President Bush. Local VFW and other groups held ceremonies as well.

Several new books are available here at the library on some of the recent wars:
The Greatest Day in History: How, on the Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month, the First World War Finally Came to an End by Nicholas Best (NEW 940.439 BES) [In processing]
War Posters: Weapons of Mass Communication by James Aulich (NEW 741.674 AUL)
Uncle Sam Wants You: World War I and the Making of the Modern American Citizen by Christopher Capozzola (NEW 305.48896 CAP)
The World War I: The African Front: An Imperial War on the Dark Continent by Edward Paice (NEW 940.416 PAI)
The Real History of World War II: A New Look at the Past by Alan Axelrod (NEW 940.53 AXE)
Retribution: The Battle for Japan, 1944-45 by Max Hastings (NEW 940.5425 HAS)
The USS Flier: Death and Survival on a World War II Submarine by Michael Sturma (NEW 940.5451 STU)
Escape from the Deep: The Epic Story of a Legendary Submarine and Her Courageous Crew by Alex Kershaw (NEW 940.54 KER)
A Tale of Two Subs: An Untold Story of World War II, Two Sister Ships, and Extraordinary Heroism by Jonathan J. McCullough (NEW 940.5451 MCC)
Call of Duty: My Life Before, During and after the Band of Brothers by Lynn "Buck" Compton, with Marcus Brotherton (NEW 940.5421 COM)
Easy Company Soldier: The Legendary Battles of a Sergeant from World War II's "Band of Brothers" by Don Malarkey with Bob Welch (NEW 940.5412 MAL)
Danger's Hour: The Story of the USS Bunker Hill and the Kamikaze Pilot Who Crippled Her by by Maxwell Taylor Kennedy (NEW 940.5425 KEN)
At war with the Wind: The Epic Struggle with Japan's World War II Suicide Bombers by David Sears (NEW 940.544952 SEA)
Intrepid: The Epic Story of America's Most Legendary Warship by Bill White and Robert Gandt (NEW 359.9435 WHI)
Halsey's Typhoon: The True Story of a Fighting Admiral, an Epic Storm, and an Untold Rescue by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin (NEW 940.545973 DRU)
Moment of Truth in Iraq: How a New "Greatest Generation" of American Soldiers is Turning Defeat and Disaster into Victory and Hope by Michael Yon (NEW 956.70443 YON)

Thursday, November 06, 2008

MICHAEL CRICHTON, 1942-2008

Writer/director Michael Crichton died Tuesday as a result of cancer. Educated as a doctor, he brought that medical knowledge and scientific background to his work, from The Andromeda Strain to Jurassic Park to ER and more. He wrote books--fiction and non-fiction--and movie scripts, directed films, and created an iconic tv show. His creativity and insights will be missed.

Many of Crichton's books are available at the Elk Grove Village Public Library--in hard-bound, paperback, Large Print, and audio formats. Some of them are:
Jurassic Park
The Andromeda Strain
Prey
The Terminal Man
The Great Train Robbery
Next
State of Fear
Rising Sun

There are also films available that he wrote and/or directed:
Twister (DVD)
Jurassic Park (DVD)
Coma (VHS)
The Thirteenth Warrior (DVD)