Win A Sony Reader!

Do you absolutely LOVE reading e-books, but have nothing to read them on (except your computer)??? Would you like to WIN an E-READER???

Hurstville LMG are holding the Win A Sony Reader competition. To enter, all you need to do is answer this question:

If I won the e-reader you would find me at "____ reading _____".
(*The book must be from the Hurstville Library e-catalogue*)

The most imaginative response will win!

To enter, or for more information, please see:
http://lmg.hurstville.nsw.gov.au/win-a-sony-reader.html

But you'd better hurry!! Applications MUST be in by 5pm on Wednesday the 18th May, 2011!!

Long Weekend Entertainment

The long weekend is fast approaching, and if you find that you have no idea what you are going to do with it; well then, this is the blog for you!
It is now a well known fact that the Hurstville LMG will be (unfortunately) closed for this Easter's long weekend, and the staff will be given a chance to catch up with their reading/movies/music that they have been putting aside for this weekend.

You might be wondering just what it is that the Hurstville LMG staff read/listen to/watch in their free time, so I am about to tell you.
I went around and asked the staff what they would be reading/watching/listening to this long weekend, and I came away with a list about five pages long... and that was only HALF of the staff here! So I've shortened the list to some of the top suggestions (although if you want to hear more, just let me know!)

For those parents out thee looking for some good picture books for their children to read this long weekend, some great suggestions would be: It's a Book and The Big Elephant in the Room by Lane Smith; The Legend of the Golden Snail by Graeme Base and the Old Tom book series by Leigh Hobbs.

For the juniors starving for a new adventure, I've been told to recommend: Worldshaker by Richard Harland (also really good for teens!) and the Worst Band in the Universe by Graeme Base.

Teenagers who find themselves with free moments between hanging out with friends this weekend should take a good look at: Maus: a survivor's tale by Art Spiegelman (a moving graphic novel about the holocaust); The Abused Werewolf Rescue Group and The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jinks and Where the Mild Things Are: a very meek parody by Maurice Send-Up.

For those out there looking for a new author to sink their teeth into, take a good look at: James Patterson; Joyce Carol Oates; Lisa Kleypas; Michael Connelly and J.D Robb - for some wonderful books.

If all you want is a good novel to get you through the weekend, the staff at Hurstville LMG have recommended: Daughters-in-law by Joanna Trollope; Kill Your Friends by John Niven; The Road by Cormac McCarthy and The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood.

The non-fiction lovers out there simply must read: The Ghost at the Wedding: a true story by Shirley Walker (to get you in the ANZAC spirit!); It's Not About the Bike: my journey back to life by Lance Armstrong; The Wolf at the Table: a memoir by Augusten Burroughs and one of the many Lonely Planet Guidebooks (taking you on a trip around the world, without ever leaving your chair!)

By way of magazines, among the most popular with the LMG staff are: Donna Hay; Australian Personal Computer (APC) and Practical Parenting.

And if all you REALLY want for this long weekend is a good movie to sit back and enjoy, take a good look at: The Sixth Sense; The Wedding Singer; The Karate Kid; Toy Story 3; The Social Network; A Fish Called Wanda; Long Way Round; the Story of India; The Darling Buds of May; Pride and Prejudice (the BBC version) and Dirty Dancing.

If, when you were reading this blog, you came across something that you really wanted to read/watch/listen to, and then began to worry because the LMG staff have said that they would have it out this weekend - don't fret! After many painstaking hours of bribery and blackmail (not seriously!); I managed to convince my fellow staff memebers to hold off borrowing their weekend entertainment until 8:59pm on Thursday (one minute before closing time) to give you a chance to get down here and grab a copy. But you'd better hurry!

Meet Bella Vendramini author of Naked in Public

Australian actress and writer Bella Vendramini will be discussing the latest edition to her autobiographical tales with Naked in Public a follow-up to her first book Biting the Big Apple. Biting the Big Apple told of her move from Sydney to LA to become an actress and Naked in Public continues her travels around Europe and her life in New York. Traveling to over thirty cities in just over a year, Bella keeps her sense of humour intact through thick and thin - we laugh, cry and cringe right along with her.

Meet Bella Friday May 6 at 10:30 am at Penshurst Branch Library 630 Forest Rd Penshurst. Books will be available for purchase and signing.

For free bookings call 9330 6422.

The Summoning!

Have you ever wondered why that 'loner' kid at school is always so weird? Well, be careful, because they could be a supernatural! All Chloe Saunders ever wanted was a normal life - but that all changed when she saw her first ghost!

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong is the first book in the Darkest Powers trilogy, and it tells the story of Chloe and her friends' struggle to remain 'normal' in a world of supernaturals.

Gold!

No, I don't know where you can find or the alchemist's secret for making it (and even if I did I wouldn't tell you!). But Gold!: the fever that forever changed Australia will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about the Australian gold rushes of the late 1800s. David Hill writes in a similar style to Peter Fitzsimons, using historical documents such as diaries, journals, official reports and newspaper reports to create a great story. And what a story it is too! How the discovery of gold brought about the end of convict transportation and started the colonies on a path to nationhood.

DVDs Coming Soon

• Genova - starring Colin Firth, Hope Davis, Willa Holland and Catherine Keener. An award winning dramatic film about a widower (Colin Firth) who relocates his family to Genova, Italy after the death of his wife.


• $9.99 - an animated film based on the short stories of Etgar Keret. This story is about people who live in a Sydney apartment block, trying to find meaning in their lives. The voices of Geoffrey Rush, Anthony LaPaglia, Samuel Johnson, Barry Otto, Joel Edgerton, Claudia Karvan, Ben Mendelsohn and Leeanna Walsman.


• Blessed - starring Frances O'Connor, Miranda Otto, Deborra-Lee Furness, Victoria Haralabidou, William McInnes, Sophie Lowe. This award winning film is based on the play "Who's Afraid of the Working Class" by Andrew Bovell. It is a gritty moving Australian drama and is basically a study on parent-child relationships. Firstly told by the children's point of view then from the parent's point of view.


• Bitter & Twisted - starring Noni Hazlehurst, Steve Rodgers, Leeanna Walsman, Rhys Muldoon, Gary Sweet and Matthew Newton. This Australian movie is about a family on a downward spiral after the death of their eldest son three years earlier and how the past shapes who they are today.

Post your suggestions here for DVD titles you would like to us to consider purchasing.

Adele - Rolling in the Deep

Definitely one of the coolest film clips I've seen in a while. And what a voice! And now Adele has record-breaker to add to her resume. Her album '21' has topped the UK charts for the tenth week in a row, smashing a record previously held by Madonna, now the longest time ever for a UK album by a female solo artist. You go, girl-frand!

Classic Christie's mysteries now in large print

Agatha Christie's famous Hercule Poirot mysteries have been reissued in large print. Come in and check them out!