George Maglaras's "Riverstories" on Dec. 3 at 7pm

   Come hear Captain George Maglaras, local historian, lifelong Dover resident, and owner of George’s Marina on Cochecho Street,  on Tuesday, December 3 at 7pm in the Dover Public Library’s Lecture Hall. The audience will enjoy lots of colorful waterfront history and some tall tales focus on Dover’s nearly fifty miles of river frontage along the Cochecho, Bellamy and Piscataqua Rivers.

     George's talk is sponsored by the “Faces of Dover” group, which is seeking interested citizens to join, will investigate the installation of historical markers along Dover’s riverbanks, at significant spots important in the city’s maritime history. The “Riverstories” idea was inspired by an elderly gentleman who recalled swimming in the Bellamy River by Sawyer’s Lower Mills:  all summer long, he and his friends would delight in coming out of the water with their skin temporarily dyed whichever color the woolen mill was releasing into the river that day!   Anecdotally, other stories have surfaced too:  the day in August 1930 when a nearly 40-foot whale beached itself in the shallow Cochecho down by the old power plant, and the mystery surrounding the “Turkish Bath”, near the Orchard Street parking lot, that appears on an old map. 

     The public will be invited to submit other “Riverstories”, known either by legend, by oral history passed down in families, or through personal memories. The “Faces of Dover” project will memorialize the best stories with storyboards along the banks of the three rivers in the city.

      George Maglaras’s presentation is free and open to the public. For more information on how to join or contribute to “Faces of Dover”, contact erfischer17@hotmail.com.

Weekly "GSF Booktalk" #2

Members of the Great Stone Face Committee have written "booktalks" to spark interest in reading all 20 titles on this year's list of nominees.  I am posting one of these booktalks each week for 20 weeks. 

Here is "GSF Booktalk" #2:

 

Chained
by Lynne Kelley

Deep in the jungle of modern-day India, a boy is struggling to survive.  10-yr-old Hastin has taken a job with a rural circus-trainer in order to earn money to pay for his little sister’s medical care. Little did he know, when he took the job, that his employment would turn out to be more like slavery---given barely enough food to eat, excuses instead of pay, and kept locked in with the elephants at night, Hastin begins to despair.  The only thing that makes life bearable is his developing friendship with the kindly old cook, Ne Min, and with the young elephant, Nandita, who he is helping to train.  However, the training methods at the circus are terribly cruel, and soon Hastin becomes convinced that neither he nor Nandita will survive if he can’t find a way for them to escape.  Will Hastin come up with a plan in time to save them both?  Read Chained to find out!
(Booktalk written by Sarah Hydorn-GSF Committee/ Amherst Town Library)

The Rosie Project

I know 2013 is not officially over yet, but I’m calling it: The Rosie Project is my pick for book of the year. It’s hard for me to explain how this story makes me feel. I can only compare it to that same emotion I get watching When Harry Met Sally, my favorite romantic comedy. They both have that overwhelmingly perfect blend of humorous banter and warm, fuzzy feelings that don’t make your brain want to melt out of your head.

The Rosie Project is about Don Tillman and his pursuit for the perfect wife. The best way to describe Tillman is to compare him to Sheldon Cooper. You know Sheldon Cooper. He’s that incredibly awkward, socially inept nerd from TV’s The Big Bang Theory. Well, Rosie’s Tillman almost gives him a run for his money. Tillman lives his life on a very precise schedule: planning his meals, exercise and even the time it takes to set up a lecture down to the exact minute. At the age of 39 he decides it’s time for him to settle down. But Tillman doesn’t do things like normal people. Instead of taking his chances with potentially disastrous blind dates, he creates a 16-page questionnaire designed to weed out any potential candidates. Tillman hopes that the “Wife Project” will lead him to his soul mate. Except it’s not that easy to find someone to fit all his criteria and instead of finding his perfect match he finds Rosie, his exact opposite. Yet he can’t seem to stay away from her and soon becomes entangled in her quest to find her biological father.

Unlike most books, I’m actually really excited to see this one made into a movie. Probably because Graeme Simsion first wrote The Rosie Project as a screenplay – and it truly does read like one. While I was reading it, I could almost picture this story, beautiful cinematic scene by beautiful cinematic scene. I can definitely see this being a Valentine’s Day classic. In fact, the promoters of the book must have felt the same way. One of the many gimmicks they used was recorded online and involves a man dressed in a lobster suit (you’ll understand the reference when you read the book) delivering The Rosie Project to loved ones instead of roses.  I’m telling you right now that given the choice I would absolutely prefer this gem of a book instead of a bouquet of flowers. And I REALLY like my flowers.

By Amy

Closed Monday for Veterans Day! Booksale Leftover FREE on Nov. 12!

The Library will be closed on Monday for the Veterans Day holiday. Be sure to visit us on Tuesday the 12th when all the leftover books from the Friends' Booksale will be offered, first-come, first-served, for FREE!

Weekly "GSF Booktalk"

The Great Stone Face (GSF) Book Award is sponsored by the Children's Librarians of New Hampshire and is given each year to an author whose book receives the most votes from 4th -6th graders throughout the state.  This year, members of the GSF Committee have written "booktalks" to spark interest in reading all 20 titles on the list of nominees.  I thought it would be fun to post one of their booktalks every week from now until the middle of March (when all 20 are posted)--just in time for voting during National Library Week in April!
Here is "GSF Booktalk" #1:

BUDDY
by M. H. Herlong

My name is Tyrone Elijah Roberts but everybody calls me “Li’l T”.   I’m twelve and I live in the Ninth Ward in New Orleans, Louisiana.   I’ve wanted a dog since the day I was born.   So one spring morning, we are on our way to church when “WHAM” we hit a dog.   We take the dog to the vet and his leg is broken so bad that they have to cut it off.   So that’s how I got my dog Buddy.  My Buddy.  Buddy needed a lot of care and encouragement like any dog with only three legs would need, but he turned into one real good dog.   I worked hard mowing lawns all summer to help pay for Buddy’s food and care, but then along came Hurricane Katrina.   We had to evacuate the city and there was no room in the car for Buddy.   I thought we would just be gone a couple days so we left Buddy on the second floor with food and water.  Well as you know, Katrina hit the ninth ward in New Orleans real bad.   Our house was surrounded by a lake of dark, polluted water.  I didn’t get to go back to check our house until weeks later.  When my Daddy and I got there, our house had a big black “X” on it which means that is was searched and somebody wrote “one dog” too.   Buddy wasn’t there.   Well, I sure hope you will read my story to find out all the rest!  
 (Booktalk written by Lorreen Keating- GSF Committee/North Hampton Public Library)

"Feasting with Recipes Then & Now" with Liz Barbour

      The Friends of the Dover Public Library are delighted to host a cooking performance by Liz Barbour, owner of The Creative Feast in Hollis, NH. On Tuesday evening November 19 at 7pm, Liz will present “Feasting with Recipes Then and Now: An Exploration of Recipes from 1910 to the Present” for pre-registered attendees.

     Explore the modern journey back to the local farm and your great-grandmother’s kitchen. The trend to eat locally-grown and raised seasonal fare has its roots deeply planted in our historic kitchens. Learn why we’ve moved our food preparation so far from home. As with most things, food trends change, and the historical effects of large scale farming and manufacturing on our recipes and food preparation is well worth investigating.

     Liz Barbour has been cooking professionally since 1992 and started her own business, Creative Feast, in 2004.  She shares her culinary experiences and knowledge with students, groups, and clients through cooking demonstration classes, in-home cooking parties, and boutique-style private catering. Her recipes are designed to demystify the cooking process while focusing on basic cooking techniques, knife skills, healthy ingredient combinations, and the use of herbs and spices to enhance flavors. Her passion for delicious food combinations and eye catching presentations are the basis for every customized menu she creates for her clients.

      Liz's cooking demonstrations and recipes have been featured on New Hampshire Chronicle, and she appears regularly on WMUR Channel 9’s “Cooks Corner”. Her recipes are featured in various publications including New Hampshire Magazine, the Nashua Telegraph, and The Hippo.

       Guests at the program will enjoy Liz’s cooking demonstration of some historic recipes and learn how to alter them for today’s shopping and palate. Two tasty recipes will be prepared, with samples and recipes provided to all.

     This program is free but, in order to plan correct food quantities, PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED, BEGINNING ON NOVEMBER 1. Those wishing to attend should call the Dover Public Library at 516-6050 to register for this entertaining and delicious program. 

Train

I know that Thanksgiving hasn't even gone by yet, and I am definitely not one of those people who have their holiday shopping done in October, but.... I can't help but recommend a wonderful book for kids in the age range of 4-7. The book is Train by Elisha Cooper. It is not your regular choo-choo train book because it is for a slightly older audience (though I think little kids would enjoy it as well). The story follows several different types of trains--commuter, bullet train, freight, overnighter--as they wend their way through cities, forests, and mountains. The illustrations are perfect, and the book has an amazing soothing quality that is ideal for bedtime reading. The Library has a copy so I recommend taking a look.