Happy New Year Reflection Journal
New Year's resolutions require reflection. Too often resolutions are made with lots of enthusiasm but not enough follow through because it was not necessarily realistic. Our goals should be realistic and our aspirations can be attainable if we simply take the time to reflect on where we are before we determine where we want to go. A healthy reflection of the past year is vital to achievement of any resolution. Reflection leads to clarity and focus. You are more apt to achieve your resolutions if you give thoughtful reflection to where you presently are before creating new goals.
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See more Gifts Now »
Star Wars - The Mandalorian Poster Book
Set after the fall of the Empire and before the emergence of the First Order, The Mandalorian follows the travails of a lone gunfighter--and his unlikely charge--in the outer reaches of the galaxy far from the authority of the New Republic. Featuring sixteen double-sided pull-out posters, this collectible book is full of exciting artwork of the Mandalorian, the Child, and more!
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The Blue Zones Kitchen : 100 Recipes to Live to 100
Building on decades of research, longevity guru Dan Buettner has gathered 100 recipes inspired by the Blue Zones, home to the healthiest and happiest communities in the world. Each dish--for example, Sardinian Herbed Lentil Minestrone; Costa Rican Hearts of Palm Ceviche; Cornmeal Waffles from Loma Linda, California; and Okinawan Sweet Potatoes--uses ingredients and cooking methods proven to increase longevity, wellness, and mental health. Complemented by mouthwatering photography, the recipes also include lifestyle tips (including the best times to eat dinner and proper portion sizes), all gleaned from countries as far away as Japan and as near as Blue Zones project cities in Texas. Innovative, easy to follow, and delicious, these healthy living recipes make the Blue Zones lifestyle even more attainable, thereby improving your health, extending your life, and filling your kitchen with happiness.
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More food Choices »
The Guardians
In the small north Florida town of Seabrook, a young lawyer named Keith Russo was shot dead at his desk as he worked late one night. The killer left no clues behind. There were no witnesses, no real suspects, no one with a motive. The police soon settled on Quincy Miller, a young black man who was once a client of Russo’s. Quincy was framed, convicted, and sent to prison for life. For twenty-two years he languished in prison with no lawyer, no advocate on the outside. Then he wrote a letter to Guardian Ministries, a small innocence group founded by a lawyer/minister named Cullen Post. Guardian handles only a few innocence cases at a time, and Post is its only investigator. He travels the South fighting wrongful convictions and taking cases no one else will touch. With Quincy Miller, though, he gets far more than he bargained for. Powerful, ruthless people murdered Keith Russo, and they do not want Quincy exonerated. They killed one lawyer twenty-two years ago, and they will kill another one without a second thought.
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Criss Cross
A killer with all the skills of a master detective has made Alex Cross the subject of his deranged "investigation." In a Virginia penitentiary, Alex Cross and his partner, John Sampson, witness the execution of a killer they helped convict. Hours later, they are called to the scene of a copycat crime. A note signed "M" rests on the corpse. "You messed up big time, Dr. Cross." Was an innocent man just put to death? Alex soon realizes he may have much to answer for, as "M" lures the detective out of the capital to the sites of multiple homicides, all marked with distressingly familiar details -- details that conjure up decades-old cases. Details that conjure up Cross family secrets. Details that make clear that M is after a prize so dear that -- were the killer to attain it -- Alex's heart would no longer have reason to beat.
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The Official Downton Abbey Cookbook
Whether adapted from original recipes of the period, replicated as seen or alluded to on screen, or typical of the time, all the recipes reflect the influences found on the Downton Abbey tables. Food historian Annie Gray gives a rich and fascinating insight into the background of the dishes that were popular between 1912 and 1926, when Downton Abbey is set --a period of tremendous change and conflict, as well as culinary development. The recipes are grouped by occasion, which include breakfast; luncheons and suppers; afternoon tea and garden parties; picnics, shoots and race meets; festivities; upstairs dinner; downstairs dinner; downstairs supper and tea; and the still room.
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Late Checkout by Carol J. Perry
Field reporter Lee Barrett is not happy that her hours are being cut back at WICH-TV, although it is nice to spend more time volunteering with Aunt Ibby, a research librarian at Salem's main branch. But Lee's least favorite task is going up to the stacks, a spooky, seldom-frequented upper section of the library. On this day she has good reason to be afraid—she finds a dead man, surrounded by hundreds of scattered books and torn-out pages.
Her police detective beau, Pete Mondello, is soon on the scene, and the deceased is identified as a former minor league baseball player—and ex-con—named Wee Willie Wallace, who hasn't been seen in Salem for twenty years. With help from her friend River's Tarot reading, her clairvoyant cat O'Ryan, and Lee's own psychic gifts, she steps up to the plate to catch the killer who took the old ballplayer out of the game
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Find More Mysteries here »
Portrait of a Past-Life Skeptic : The True Story of a Police Detective's Reincarnation by Robert L. Snow
A veteran police detective, Robert Snow was devoted to evidence and hard facts--he had never given any thought to reincarnation. But during a hypnotic regression, he experiences a vivid awareness of being alive in three separate historical scenes. Remaining skeptical, Snow begins to investigate with the intention of disproving reincarnation. Instead, diligent research and corroboration from multiple sources reveal solid evidence that he lived a former life as Carroll Beckwith, a nineteenth-century American artist. Portrait of a Past Life Skeptic tells the fascinating story of Robert Snow's transformation from skeptic to believer.
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Find More Detective Stories here »
The Tree of Penance : Society Lost, Volume Three (a Post-Apocalyptic Dystopian Thriller) by Steven Bird
The Tree of Penance: Society Lost - Volume Three. From the author of the award-winning apocalyptic Sci-Fi novel, Erebus: An Apocalyptic Thriller, The New Homefront Series, and the Society Lost Series. The Three of Penance is the third installment of the post-apocalyptic and dystopian thrill ride of the Society Lost Series If you like SHTF, TEOTWAWKI, vigilante justice, prepper, dystopian, post-apocalyptic tales filled with action, adventure, tragedy, and triumph, join former sheriff Jessie Townsend as his journey takes him across a nation that is a mere shell of its former self after suffering numerous devastating blows from an orchestrated collapse and the attacks that followed. Along the way, Jessie encounters both friend and foe in a world that has become as lawless as the old-west frontier.
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Find more Dystopia here »
Duty : Memoirs of a Secretary at War by Robert M. Gates
From the former secretary of defense, a strikingly candid, vividly written account of his experience serving Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Before Robert M. Gates received a call from the White House in 2006, he thought he'd left Washington politics behind: after working for six presidents in both the CIA and the National Security Council, he was happy in his role as president of Texas A&M University. But when he was asked to help a nation mired in two wars and to aid the troops doing the fighting, he answered what he felt was the call of duty. Now, in this unsparing memoir, meticulously fair in its assessments, he takes us behind the scenes of his nearly five years as a secretary at war: the battles with Congress, the two presidents he served, the military itself, and the vast Pentagon bureaucracy; his efforts to help Bush turn the tide in Iraq; his role as a guiding, and often dissenting, voice for Obama; the ardent devotion to and love for American soldiers--his "heroes"--he developed on the job.
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Find another Memoir to read »
Heavier Than Heaven : A Biography of Kurt Cobain by Charles R. Cross
It has been twenty years since Kurt Cobain died by his own hand in April 1994; it was an act of will that typified his short, angry, inspired life. Veteran music journalist Charles R. Cross fuses his intimate knowledge of the Seattle music scene with his deep compassion for his subject in this extraordinary story of artistic brilliance and the pain that extinguished it. Based on more than four hundred interviews; four years of research; exclusive access to Cobain's unpublished diaries, lyrics, and family photos; and a wealth of documentation, Heavier Than Heaven traces Cobain's life from his early days in a double-wide trailer outside of Aberdeen, Washington, to his rise to fame, success, and the adulation of a generation. Charles Cross has written a preface for this new edition, in which he recounts some of the events regarding Kurt Cobain and this book in the past two decades since his death.
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More Biographies to read »
Our Town : A Play in Three Acts by Thornton Wilder
This beautiful new edition features an eyeopening Afterword written by Tappan Wilder that includes Thornton Wilder's unpublished notes and other illuminating photographs and documentary material.
Our Town was first produced and published in 1938 to wide acclaim. This Pulitzer Prize-winning drama of life in the small village of Grover's Corners, an allegorical representation of all life, has become a classic. It is Thornton Wilder's most renowned and most frequently performed play.
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More Plays to see »
High School Musical 3: Senior Year Joey Miyashima and Corbin Bleu
The first HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL movie to be released straight to the silver screen, HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 3 finds the cast of the beloved earlier installments, all students at East High, dealing with the ups and downs of senior year. While all the characters have their own dilemmas, the central issue, as in past films, is the relationship between sweethearts Troy (Zac Efron), the captain of East High's Wildcats basketball team, and the bookish Gabriella (Vanessa Hudgens), who face the possibility of imminent separation when Gabriella gets a chance to attend college early. With this third outing in the wildly popular Disney series, director Kenny Ortega takes full advantage of HSM3's big-screen leap, staging musical numbers that go far beyond the scope of the movie's predecessors (see the lavish "I Want It All" by resident East High diva Sharpay, played by Ashley Tisdale). While the series regulars are in fine form and a few new characters are introduced, the film really belongs to Efron, who gets the most screen time and is clearly on a trajectory for stardom beyond HSM. Rather than hold back their budding leading man, the creators and producers of HSM3 let Efron take the spotlight, much to the movie's advantage. Designed to welcome the few viewers who might be unfamiliar with HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL, SENIOR YEAR certainly offers plenty of valedictory excitement, and will leave fans giddy with delight.
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Find another Musical Now »
America According to Colbert : Satire as Public Pedagogy by S. McClennen
America According to Colbert: Satire as Public Pedagogy post 9/11 argues that, in contrast to the anti-intellectualism, the sensationalism, and the punditry that tend to govern most mass media today, Stephen Colbert's program offers his audience the opportunity to understand the context through which most news is reported and to be critical of it.
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More Satire statements to follow »
Haikyu!!, Vol. 1 by Haruichi Furudate
Ever since he saw the legendary player known as the "Little Giant" compete at the national volleyball finals, Shoyo Hinata has been aiming to be the best volleyball player ever He decides to join the team at the high school the Little Giant went to-and then surpass him. Who says you need to be tall to play volleyball when you can jump higher than anyone else? After losing his first and last volleyball match against Tobio Kageyama, "the King of the Court," Shoyo Hinata swears to become his rival after graduating middle school. But what happens when the guy he wants to defeat ends up being his teammate?
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More Haiku »
The Five Masks of Dr. Screem by R. L. Stine
Welcome to the Hall of Horrors, HorrorLand's Hall of Fame for the truly terrifying. It's Halloween and Monica Anderson is out Trick-or-Treating with her younger brother. They knock on the door of an old, creepy house and are met by a strange woman who pleads for their help. Every year she must battle for the control of five sacred masks with the evil Dr. Screem. These artifacts have the power to manipulate the world around them. Monica doesn't want to help at first but then Screem bursts in and steals the masks. This sets her and her brother off on a Halloween mission that will change their lives forever.
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Horror be more here »
The Troubleshooter's Guide to Do-It-Yourself Genealogy by W. Daniel Quillen
The essential companion guide from the author of our classic "Secrets of Tracing Your Ancestors," this book shows advanced do-it-yourselfers how to tackle common genealogy research problems Leading genealogy author W. Daniel Quillen picks up where he left off in "Secrets of Tracing Your Ancestors" in this newly revised fourth edition. He shows do-it yourself genealogists who have progressed past the beginning steps exactly how to find their ancestors with more advanced methods of researching those hard-to-find ancestors. Quillen shows readers how to overcome those difficult roadblocks that frequently crop up. Investigative techniques, research insights, and new websites are highlighted to assist with more advanced genealogical research. Areas covered include in-depth census research; mortality schedules; extensive section on military records; US region-by-region research assistance; global research tips; and when to engage the services of a professional genealogist and what you can expect if you do.
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More Do It Yourself books »
Webster's New World Portable Large Print Dictionary, Second Edition by The Editors of the Webster's New World D
This large print book carries the seal of approval of N.A.V.H. No more struggling with the fine print, thanks to Webster's New World Portable Large Print Dictionary, which has all the outstanding features of other Webster's New World dictionaries, including clear, precise definitions.
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More Dictionary Choices >
Ninth Grade Slays #2 : The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod by Heather Brewer
Freshman year stinks for Vlad Tod. Bullies still harass him. The photographer from the school newspaper is tailing him. And failing his studies could be deadly. A trip to Siberia gives ?study abroad? a whole new meaning as Vlad connects with other vampires and advances his mind-control abilities, but will he return home with the skills to recognize a vampire slayer when he sees one? In this thrilling sequel to Eighth Grade Bites, Vlad must confront the secrets of the past and battle forces that once again threaten his life.
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More Young Adult Fiction »
The Boxcar Children Bookshelf (Books #1-12) [With Activity Poster and Bookmark] by Gertrude Chandler Warner
A deluxe Boxcar bookcase that contains 12 titles--The Boxcar Children Mysteries #1 through #12. Also included are Boxcar activities, poster, and accordion bookmark with title checklist. The bookcase can expand to hold up to 32 books.
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More Children's Books »
Young Adult Literature : Exploration, Evaluation, and Appreciation by Katherine T. Bucher and Kaavonia M. Hinton
Pre- and in-service teachers get what they need to connect with adolescent students--and to help them connect with good literature--in this engaging, balanced look at the world of young adult literature. Here readers get foundational knowledge combined with a look at the pathways leading to the literature itself, to begin to open the door to exploring young adult literature. Brief enough to give readers the opportunity to read the books themselves, yet comprehensive enough to ensure that teachers truly understand adolescents, their literature, and how to connect the two, Young Adult Literature by Bucher and Hinton provides what's needed to ensure a rich educational experience for adolescents, while nourishing their love of reading.
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More Adult Literature »
Best Library Tools
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George Washington Masonic National Memorial – Pic of the Week
At an impressive 333 feet, the nine-story George Washington Masonic National Memorial (GW Memorial), built on a hill in Alexandria, Virginia, can be seen from almost anywhere in Alexandria. Ever since I moved to Alexandria in 2018, I have been meaning to visit the GW Memorial, in particular the observation deck, but somehow I never got…
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Beware the Ides of March! (And the roaring of mice, too)
This section of a British map depicts Carpathian-Rus’ as it appeared in the early 18th century, securely in the bosom of Hungary. Geography and Map Division. Hungary – [17–] – 1:875,000 – G. WilldeyThere aren’t many official maps of the Republic of Carpatho-Ukraine. In fact, we would not expect to find any at all, for…
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American Composers and Musicians from A to Z: O (Part 1—Ornstein, Leo)
Leo Ornstein (1895-2002) was a composer, pianist, and educator whose life spanned 11 decades and three different centuries. He embodied a tenacious work ethic and possessed an incredible musical talent. His life took him from Russia to Texas, championing other modernist composers on his concert programs and writing his own compositions. Ornstein’s childhood home was…
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Digital Strategy Year in Review
This is a guest post by Leah Weinryb-Grohsgal from the Digital Strategy Directorate. Leah outlines below some of the major milestones reached by the Directorate in 2019. Looking Back and Looking Forward Exciting changes are afoot for digital transformation at the Library of Congress! This post reviews some of the things we did last year…
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Ex Libris Announces the Completion of Innovative Acquisition
From Ex Libris: Ex Libris, a ProQuest company, has completed its acquisition of Innovative, a leading provider of integrated library systems for public, academic, and specialist libraries. Innovative is now a business unit within Ex Libris. “This is an important day for Ex Libris and Innovative,” said Bar Veinstein, president of Ex Libris. “We are…
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Latest News: Applications for 2020 Literacy Awards
Applications are being accepted for the 2020 Library of Congress Literacy Awards from Jan. 13 to March 6. Click here for more information.
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Ready for Research: Look Magazine Picture Research File
The following is a guest post by Eric Peich, Archivist, and Hanna Soltys, Reference Librarian, Prints & Photographs Division. We’re pleased to feature it as part of our new “Ready for Research” blog series, which highlights collections moving out of the backlog. The recent hiring of new staff is helping us organize and describe more…
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Welcome Jason Reynolds, 2020-2021 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature!
The following guest post is by Sasha Dowdy, program specialist in the Library’s Young Readers Center. Jason Reynolds, 2020-2021 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. Photo: James J. Reddington. You may have seen this exciting news from the Library: Young adult and middle grade author Jason Reynolds has been announced as the new National Ambassador…
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Update: Lomax transcription review challenge
Crossing the finish line. Unknown photographer, early 1900s. LC-F8- 44219, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress. At the start of this month we announced a “challenge” for the Lomax crowdsourcing campaign on the Library’s By the People platform. To refresh your memory, the campaign is focused on transcribing about 9000 pages of handwritten and…
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U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) Announces Digitization and Availability of Historical U.S. Government Manuals (1935-1994)
From the GPO: U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) has digitized historical editions of the U.S. Government Manual (the Manual), the Government’s official handbook of agency organization for all three branches of Government. Years 1935–1994 of the Manual are now freely accessible and available on govinfo. Listings include the legislative authority, programs, activities, and a brief…
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George Washington Masonic National Memorial – Pic of the Week
At an impressive 333 feet, the nine-story George Washington Masonic National Memorial (GW Memorial), built on a hill in Alexandria, Virginia, can be seen from almost anywhere in Alexandria. Ever since I moved to Alexandria in 2018, I have been meaning to visit the GW Memorial, in particular the observation deck, but somehow I never got…
-
Beware the Ides of March! (And the roaring of mice, too)
This section of a British map depicts Carpathian-Rus’ as it appeared in the early 18th century, securely in the bosom of Hungary. Geography and Map Division. Hungary – [17–] – 1:875,000 – G. WilldeyThere aren’t many official maps of the Republic of Carpatho-Ukraine. In fact, we would not expect to find any at all, for…
-
American Composers and Musicians from A to Z: O (Part 1—Ornstein, Leo)
Leo Ornstein (1895-2002) was a composer, pianist, and educator whose life spanned 11 decades and three different centuries. He embodied a tenacious work ethic and possessed an incredible musical talent. His life took him from Russia to Texas, championing other modernist composers on his concert programs and writing his own compositions. Ornstein’s childhood home was…
-
Digital Strategy Year in Review
This is a guest post by Leah Weinryb-Grohsgal from the Digital Strategy Directorate. Leah outlines below some of the major milestones reached by the Directorate in 2019. Looking Back and Looking Forward Exciting changes are afoot for digital transformation at the Library of Congress! This post reviews some of the things we did last year…
-
Ex Libris Announces the Completion of Innovative Acquisition
From Ex Libris: Ex Libris, a ProQuest company, has completed its acquisition of Innovative, a leading provider of integrated library systems for public, academic, and specialist libraries. Innovative is now a business unit within Ex Libris. “This is an important day for Ex Libris and Innovative,” said Bar Veinstein, president of Ex Libris. “We are…
-
Latest News: Applications for 2020 Literacy Awards
Applications are being accepted for the 2020 Library of Congress Literacy Awards from Jan. 13 to March 6. Click here for more information.
-
Ready for Research: Look Magazine Picture Research File
The following is a guest post by Eric Peich, Archivist, and Hanna Soltys, Reference Librarian, Prints & Photographs Division. We’re pleased to feature it as part of our new “Ready for Research” blog series, which highlights collections moving out of the backlog. The recent hiring of new staff is helping us organize and describe more…
-
Welcome Jason Reynolds, 2020-2021 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature!
The following guest post is by Sasha Dowdy, program specialist in the Library’s Young Readers Center. Jason Reynolds, 2020-2021 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. Photo: James J. Reddington. You may have seen this exciting news from the Library: Young adult and middle grade author Jason Reynolds has been announced as the new National Ambassador…
-
Update: Lomax transcription review challenge
Crossing the finish line. Unknown photographer, early 1900s. LC-F8- 44219, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress. At the start of this month we announced a “challenge” for the Lomax crowdsourcing campaign on the Library’s By the People platform. To refresh your memory, the campaign is focused on transcribing about 9000 pages of handwritten and…
-
U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) Announces Digitization and Availability of Historical U.S. Government Manuals (1935-1994)
From the GPO: U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) has digitized historical editions of the U.S. Government Manual (the Manual), the Government’s official handbook of agency organization for all three branches of Government. Years 1935–1994 of the Manual are now freely accessible and available on govinfo. Listings include the legislative authority, programs, activities, and a brief…