Wiling The Winter Away

Click click click, clack, clack clack...

There is something very soothing about the sound of knitting needles busily working away and with winter slowly making an appearance now is the time to pull out those patterns and wool and curl up on the couch with a hot cuppa and craft those wintry evenings away.

Of course if knitting's not your thing there are a realm of other crafts that you can do from the toasty warmth of the sofa, from crocheting to sewing to stitching to colouring.  And here at Auckland Libraries we have plenty of books to help get you started.

So get into that wintry mood and get crafting.

Have Feet Will Travel

Travel books are my mojo. 

Particularly weird and quirky travel books about everyday people going off on not so ordinary adventures. The fill me with all sorts of warm-fuzzies and glowy feels and make me want to see the world and isn't that the way it should be. 

Of course the list of places that I want to visit is long and never ending but that's half the fun, as is picking which destination to go to first....

A Very Bookie Christmas

I love books.

Especially books about books.  Because who wouldn't.  And luckily for me and you there are plenty at Auckland Libraries to choose from.  Tales of bookstores and bookclubs and libraries and librarians and so much more and isn't that just the bestest thing.

It just makes you want to dance.

                   
And when you've stopped dancing you can collapse onto a comfy chair with a glass of wine and a large (make that a very large) slice of Christmas cake and start on that huge pile of books that you have surrounded yourself with.

I have a feeling I may be awhile...

Purr, Purr, Meow, Meow - It's The Cat Post You've Always Wanted

I am the mad cat lady.

Or I would be if I a) lived on my own or b) my lovely partner finally gave in and let me embrace all things catish.

Luckily for me and the world I haven't yet managed to persuade him to let me have free reign and adopt all the cats.  Because if he did we both know our house would soon be a feline paradise.... or hell and that we would quickly succumb to our feline masters and be their slaves for life. Until then I have to settle for reading all the cat books and dreaming of all things catish and Garfield related. Because Garfield is my life role model

Purr, purr, meow, meow.

Comics that taught me more than school did

I was never big on subjects like social studies or biology, I didn't know which was the 'good' Korea, or who David Attenborough was (I know now, don't worry). Let's face it, most school subjects have the ability to suck the joy out of someone's curiousity, and as a teenager I didn't care about what I didn't know.

And then, one day, I found a comic book about Jane Goodall, and two other women I had never heard of - Dian Fossey and Birute Galdikas - and their work with primates. I read it - and I learnt something. I knew Jane Goodall was a scientist who was obviously really important, somehow, but I never really bothered to find out why (gasp) - which is why I was surprised about how interesting the comic was. And so I dug deeper into our catalogue for something a little, well, deeper than your average superhero comic.

Sure, some/most of it is biased, some of it is fictional ('based off a true story') - comics (or graphic novels) are often more personal and about the author - but I know more about things than I did before, and that, to me, is a win. I'm learning about what civilians thought about the introduction of 'the veil' in Iran - not how the news or internet portray it, but by someone who actually was there in that time. Or what happened after the Hiroshima bombings, even ten years later. Or what particle physics really is. So, if you're looking to learn a bit more about what's going down in Israel (without the vague news reports), or who the heck is Dian Fossey and why was she so great, take a look. And keep looking. We have plenty of graphic novels and illustrated books on stuff that you could have probably learned if you had bothered to listen in Social Studies (not me), and a lot more they wouldn't teach you.

Persepolis - Marjane Satrapi
"Persepolis paints an unforgettable portrait of daily life in Iran and of the bewildering contradictions between home life and public life" - Marjane Satrapi shares with us the good and bad about the religon and law in Iran, and how they, with other things, affected her as a child growing into a young woman. An in-depth look into her personal life, Satrapi doesn't spare details as she looks back on how she got where she is now, and what she and others went through (and still do). Also a film, if that's more appealing!

Strange Fruit. Vol 1. Uncelebrated narratives from black history - Joel Christian Gill
"A collection of stories from African American history that exemplifies success in the face of great adversity." - This graphic novel is about multiple African Americans and their amazing stories that never made it into any history book. An insightful look into the life of the people who did what did what they had to to survive, and some recognition (finally) for their hardships.

How to understand Israel in 60 days or less - Sarah Glidden
"A charming memoir and a sensitive examination of a highly-charged issue, Sarah Glidden presents an account of her 'Birthright Israel' tour." - Glidden goes to Israel as a Jew who refuses to accept what is happening and has happened between the Jews and the Arabs. She finds out what the difference is between reading about her 'birthright' in books and articles, and experiencing it firsthand herself - as well as finding out the difficulty of coming to terms with her beliefs and identity.

Primates: the fearless science of Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Biruté Galdikas - Jim Ottaviani and Maris Wicks
"These three ground-breaking researchers were all students of the great Louis Leakey, and each made profound contributions to primatology--and to our own understanding of ourselves." - This nonfiction graphic novel shares the history of these significant women scientists and how they became such influences, giving you a quick read that is sure to be informing - but not boring!

Hark, a vagrant! - Kate Beaton
"Hark! A Vagrant takes readers on a romp through history and literature—with dignity for few and cookies for all—with comic strips about famous authors, their characters, and political and historical figures, all drawn in Kate Beaton’s pared-down, excitable style." - If you haven't heard of Beaon's insanely hilarious and popular webcomic, Hark! A Vagrant, you will have surely seen it somewhere before (and if not, you will soon!). A much lighter take on what were some pretty dark times, Beaton shines a light on the important people of history - and it's usually not as romantic as we think (although not all of the comics are 'educational', you'll still have a good laugh). Also, sexy Batman. Her newest collection of comics, Step Aside, Pops, is also in our collection - though you'll have to go on the waiting list for that one! 

The Book of Hat

‘This way I will NEVER have to get a job, learn how to cook more than two-minute noodles or do anything mildly productive. I never have to grow up and I can forever be a kid! Though my ‘forever’ is shorter than most, I don’t mind. What I do mind is that I am going to have to leave everyone I love behind.’

I am well aware that I need to shut up about John Green's The Fault in our Stars and you are probably fed up with me constantly writing about it and it was very much my intention to do just that - that was until I found The Book of Hat by Harriet Rowland. 

"Hat was 17 when she was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma, a rare form of cancer that starts in the bones. Living in Wellington, New Zealand, Hat has fought the disease for three years and found a friend in cancer sufferer Hazel from John Green's novel The Fault in Our Stars, duplicating her trip to the Anne Frank House. In 2013, Hat celebrated her 20th birthday and mixed with the stars of the new Hobbit movie - both things she never expected to do. Since her diagnosis, Hat has kept a blog called My Experience of Walking the Dog and the posts are collected in this book, edited with the author's blessing. Why the blog title? Her family says cancer is like a dog - fine if it stays in its own yard. Hat's dog got out. This is her unexpected story"

Harriet's story is uplifting and heartbreaking at the same time. The fact that any child or young person would ever have to suffer from a disease like Osteosarcoma is unjust and terrible but Harriet shows so much maturity, compassion and positivity through her blog posts that I couldn't help but admire her. Harriet wrote this blog for her friends and family and I could really feel that when I read her book. There is warmth in the pages and her love for those around her really shines through. There is so much to be learned from Harriet's life and the love and compassion she has for those around her.  

I always want the readers of the blog posts I write to listen to my recommendations but I don't think I've ever wanted you to read a book as much as this one. I will post a link to the library website but I would also like to encourage you to purchase this book as money from each copy sold goes to Canteen. 

The Book of Hat is the real The Fault in Our Stars and it's a beautiful legacy.


Harriet's Blog: http://www.myexperienceofwalkingthedog.blogspot.co.nz