Book sale

The semi-annual Friends of the Red Wing Public Library's used book sale will be this Saturday from 9:00 am until 1:00 pm. It's a great opportunity to pick up great books at rock bottom prices, and all for a good cause. Come by and see!

The Band Name Book

Ever wonder where some of those really weird band names (such as Fluffy Bunny Smackdown or Flaming Lips or Disgruntled Sherpa Project or Death Cab for Cutie, etc.) come from? Wonder no longer - come check out The Band Name Book and learn about the origins of thousands of band names from over 30 countries! Fascinating trivia and lots of great cover art too.

Dance the day away!

Join our children's librarians Pat and Laura this Saturday at 9:00 am for a Dance Party! There will be stories, songs, rhymes and a take home craft! The party is intended for preschool through 1st graders, but older brothers and sisters are welcome. It's free and no registration is required. Come boogie and bop at the library!

The Master of Suspense

Newly arrived at the library is Alfred Hitchcock, the Masterpiece Collection, a 15 DVD set containing 14 of his greatest films and a bonus disk. The films include Vertigo, Psycho, The Birds and Rear Window. Hitchcock directed more than 50 films during his 6 decade career, and is regarded as one of Hollywood's greatest and most innovative directors.

Soon to be a movie?

First time author Josh Bazell has written a book that has major motion picture written all over it. Beat the Reaper is the story of a medical resident at a Manhattan hospital whose past as a Mafia hit man catches up to him on one very bad day at work. Violent, profane and wildly funny with relentless action, it's loved by reviewers and readers. Come check it out at the library!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

And while you're thinking about the Irish, why not stop by and check out a book from a best -selling Irish author such as Cecelia Ahern, Maeve Binchy, Roddy Doyle, Tana French, Marian Keyes or Colm Toibin (just to name a few!)

March Madness

College basketball fans rejoice - the NCAA men's and women's Division 1 basketball tournaments are almost here! The men's brackets were announced yesterday and the women's brackets will be revealed tonight. For those who like to read about college basketball as well as watch it, it may be a good time to re-visit one of the best books ever written about the tournament: Last Dance: Behind the Scenes at the Final Four by John Feinstein. Or check out any of our other books or movies on basketball.

Watching the writer at work

Brandon Sanderson is the award winning author of Elantris and the Mistborn Trilogy. He has been chosen to complete Memory of Light, the 12th book of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. His latest fantasy epic, Warbreaker, is being given to the public in unusual ways. Not only is the author freely releasing the complete text of the book online simultaneously with its print publication, but he is posting rough drafts on his website, giving readers a glimpse into the creative process. He, his books and his website are very interesting - check them out!.

When is enough really enough?

John Bogle, founder of the Vanguard Group of mutual funds and a giant figure in the world of finance (in 1999, Fortune Magazine named him one of the four "Investment Giants" of the 20th century) has written a compelling new book, Enough: True Measures of Money, Business and Life. Arthur Levitt, former commissioner of the SEC, wrote "Enough gives new meaning to the words 'commitment,' 'accountability,' and 'stewardship.' Bogle writes with clarity and passion, and his standards make him a role model for all of us. Enough is must-reading for millions of U.S. investors disenchanted by today's culture of greed, accounting distortions, corporate malfeasance, and oversight failure."

Looking for a good book?

Try Between the Covers: The Book Babes' Guide to a Woman's Reading Pleasures. "With wit and wisdom, the bibliophile’s Ebert & Roeper recommend more than 600 books based on what women care about most. Between the Covers is organized around their wide-ranging curiosity—about themselves, friends and family, the larger world—and their concerns, from health to sex to managing their finances. With such sections as “Babes We Love” (Role Models Real and Imagined), “The Babe Inside” (Focusing on Body and Soul), and “Love, Sex & Second Chances,” this unique collection of fiction and nonfiction reflects how women really read."

New book by James Patterson (sort of)

Best selling author James Patterson will release a different kind of novel this month - one that is collaboratively written with 28 co-authors. Patterson is writing the first and last chapters; the other 28 will be written by aspiring writers chosen through a contest held by Random House and Borders Australia. The title is Airborne, and it's being released online, one chapter at a time beginning March 20. You can follow the book's progress via Facebook, Twitter or RSS.

The New York Times bestsellers list goes graphic...

...novels, that is. Recognizing that wide appeal of graphic novels, the Times is introducing 3 new lists of the best selling graphic novels in the country: hardcover, softcover and manga. Once you've looked over the lists, come to the library and check out our selection!

New mystery authors

Looking for new mysteries to read, but want to make sure the book is worth reading? Try the following books, all 2008 Agathat Award nominees for best first novel (the Agatha Award is given to traditional mysteries, loosely defined as those that "contain no explicit sex; contain no excessive gore or gratuitous violence; usually feature an amateur detective; and take place in a confined setting and contain characters who know one another.")

Through a Glass, Deadly by Sarah Atwell
The Diva Runs Out of Thyme by Krista Davis
Pushing Up Daisies by Rosemary Harris
Death of a Cozy Writer by G. M. Malliet

Red Wing Community Garden

Spring is almost here, and many a Minnesotan's mind turns to thoughts of gardening. The library is a great place to get a jump on your spring plans, whether you need information on gardening, landscape design or building outdoor structures. Another great gardening resource is the new Red Wing Community Garden, where you can grow your own garden in a quiet, organic deer free area and have the opportunity to learn from Master Gardeners.

Join our children's librarians Pat and Laura this Saturday at 9:00 am for a Superhero Party! There will be stories, songs, rhymes and a take home craft! The party is intended for preschool through 1st graders, but older brothers and sisters are welcome. It's free and no registration is required. Dress up as your favorite superhero, or invent a new one!

Happy Birthday Theodor Geisel!

Today would have been the 104th birthday of Theodor Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss. Random House has a very interesting website devoted to Dr. Seuss, where you can learn more about him and his works. or you can just check out dome of his books here at the library!