North York Central Library Blog

Going out with a Bang: Psychological Thrillers and Suspense

Librarians from North York Central Library's Browsery would like to help you to end your reading year with a bang.  If you enjoy cinematic pacing, twisted mysterious story lines, and unsettling questions then psychological thrillers and suspense novels are for you.

Thrillers are pretty fast-paced and usually plot-driven.  There is almost always some kind of significant physical threat to the main character.   In the subgenre of psychological thrillers, novels are also fast-paced but are bit more character-driven and the action or the threat is more mental than physical. In the closely related genre of psychological suspense, novels may have a less hurried pace but a similar tension and creepy unease builds steadily as characters deceive each other or even themselves.

Dark atmospheres and artistic explorations of dangerous states of mind draw you in before you know it. The sample of titles below explore the common themes of questioning identity, reality, and perception.

Intrigued?  A full list of title suggestions can be found in our new Readers Guide at the Browsery Desk. You could even read ahead and join the  North York Central Book Club when we discuss "Turn of mind" by Alice LaPlante in June 2012.

Turn of Mind by Alice LaPlante, 2011 [also in Large Print]

Dr. Jennifer White, formerly a brilliant hand surgeon, is suffering from early Alzheimer’s and honestly can’t remember if she killed her neighbour and best friend Amanda O’Toole, found bludgeoned to death with four fingers surgically removed. Told from Jennifer’s point of view, the novel sensitively explores her mental deterioration.

The Accident by Linwood Barclay, 2011 [also in Audiobook]

Glen’s wife Sheila and two others have been killed in a car accident. The police claim Sheila was responsible and Glen can’t believe it. He investigates only to uncover layers of corruption and lawlessness in their seemingly peaceful suburb. Threatened by neighbours he thought he knew, Glen must avenge his wife’s death and protect his young daughter.

Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson, 2011 [also in Large Print]

Christine Lucas wakes up every morning unable to recognize her husband, Ben, unable to remember her son, and appalled by how much she has aged. Dr. Nash calls her after Ben leaves for work to tell her where to find her journal. Certain facts she finds there don’t match the story Ben tells her. When she can’t trust her own memory, who can she trust?

Still Missing by Chevy Stevens, 2010 [also in Large Print]

Real estate agent Annie O’Sullivan thinks she is finally catching a break when a well-dressed, affible man shows up just as she is about to close her open house. A year later she is reliving the horrifying experience of being this man’s captive to a psychiatrist as the police investigate the man’s identity. The story alternates between her creepy confinement, her escape, and her attempts to readjust to normal life.

-- Have a Bang up New Year from the Browsery Desk Librarians.

Would you like to read a good Biography?

Have you ever heard of Martha Stewart, Steve Jobs, or Peter Pocklington? It doesn't matter if you are into cooking, entertaining, new technology, or sports, I'm sure these names are as familiar to you as they are to me and maybe, just like me, you'd like to know a bit about the "person." What were they really like?  What were their problems? How did they deal with them? What caused their success or failure?

 

                      

A biography can be just as engrossing as any good fiction story. Why not visit the Business Department on the 4th floor at the North York Central Library and give these a try?

What about Adam Smith, the father of modern economics? Or, have you ever heard of the Lady Landlords of Prince Edward Island, the true story of four women and the challenges they faced as women absentee landlords in a time of  great change, industrialization and reform?

 

                                                  
                                 
There are tales of adventure, bravery and heroism, murder and mayhem. Tales of invention and discovery, crime and corruption, glitter and success. There are tales of overcoming poverty, political and legal injustice. There are tales of women, men, rich, and poor. These are just a few of the interesting and intriguing books we have. They make a great read for the holiday season and beyond.

 

                              

 

                                               

 

INFOrMALL InterSPENTion

Shopping tips are welcomed no matter what time of the year it is. However, with the merry season here, shopping is on the rise, and you either love it or hate it.  For those of you who love it, saving a buck or two is probably your objective. After all, you don’t want to worry about going broke.  For those of you who hate it, well…I don’t blame you.  But, have no fear for your consumer information assistant is here! 

An important goal for anyone is making certain that s/he does not get ripped off when spending.  Quality is important of course, but, spending something like $30 on a pair of socks is ludicrous (designer socks I suppose).  Regardless, being aware of the resources available to help you budget is a good place to start.

The Science & Technology Department on the 5^th floor at the North York Central Library, provides specific periodicals and other materials intended to help a shopper compare the quality of goods and their costs. 

 

Take, the Consumer Reports Buying Guide for instance.  Want to buy a great gift for someone?  A laptop perhaps? Or how about an e-book reader?  Outside of providing info about which products are popular, where to find them, and where to find the best deals, this guide also offers information about how products are used, various types, shopping tips and more!

 

 

Or, for that special someone with sparkles in her eyes.....er, rather, sparkles around her neck!  Diamonds: The Antoinette Matlins Buying Guide, is sure to help you learn to shop for quality diamonds in necklaces, rings, earrings, and more.  Don’t fall for the scams.  Imposter diamonds and bargain prices are easier to spot than you think.

 

 

“Mom, dad, can we have a puppy?"  Which parent hasn’t heard that one before?  Well now, with our Dogs in Canada Annual magazine, become familiar with different dog breeds, including their temperament, activity levels and grooming needs, to help choose the perfect pet for your family.  From connecting with breeders in Ontario to learning how to bake dog treats, this magazine will have all the answers you’re looking for.

 

 

How about a nice wine to gift to those wonderful friends?  Rod Phillips’ 500 Best-Value Wines in the LCBO is a fabulous guide when looking to purchase a smooth wine for the holiday season.  Learn about all kinds of local and international wines, their flavours, popularity and cost.  The best part?  You can learn all of this information for FREE! (it’s a library thing)

 

 

As consumers you can always check out the Canadian Office of Consumer Affairs website to learn about the retail market, how to protect yourself from fraud, buying online and more. 

♪ Jingle bells, ♫  jingle bells ♫......ummmm.....why don’t I just stick to the shopping tips. 

A Wonderful Holiday Season to All!

Automatic Returns now at North York Central

North York Central now has a Automatic Returns Sorter (picture below).  This big blue machine will be up and running on Tuesday, Dec. 13th.  It will work quietly (we hope) behind the scenes to make returning library material more efficent (you will get a receipt at the time of return) and we hope a whole lot of fun for everyone.

Library Staff will be on hand to help in the atrium where new returns slots are located.   There are two "automatic ones" plus a "old fashioned" drop slot for those in a hurry (picture below).

Staff at the Customer Service Desk can also take your returns during open hours and the Outside Drop Box is still available 24/7. 

Come and try it out soon!

 

Inside - Automatic Returns Sorter (this one is at Cedarbrae Public Library but ours is almost the same!)

Returns  - The old way and the new!

Avoid the Holiday Dating Blues

The festive season is underway.  The time could not be better spent than to read some funny books on dating and what dates to avoid, if you can, and hopefully make the holiday season pass easier. 

 

If you think the dating scene could not get any worse after being dumped, picture a haunt from your past who publishes a book for all to read about your relationship with him: 

Just when Hilary Winston is finally getting her life together she finds out her ex-boyfriend wrote an unflattering novel about her, referring to her as the "fat-assed girlfriend." This sends her into a downward spiral that's sometimes hilarious, and other times heartbreaking, causing her to question that almost-five-year relationship - as well as every relationship she's had before and after it. Now Hilary reveals her dirty laundry in a laugh-out-loud, non-fiction book written for every woman who's ever been dumped. 

More from Hilary can be found on her website.

 

 

If the first title does not whet your appetite on the scary aspects of dating, Julie Klausner has been on the dating scene long enough to report her findings in her hilarious (2009) book, I don't care about your band:  What I learned from indie rockers, trust funders, pornographers, faux sensitive hipsters, felons, and other guys I've dated. 

Meridith Blake from The New Yorker says that this book, ". . . is a dating memoir that manages to avoid excessive self-deprecation, self-pity, or self-flagellation. It’s also a smart, highly literate, and wickedly funny take on pop culture."

Read more of this interview here.

 

 

We must not forget the gents who need to spruce up their dating techniques.  Who better than Barney Stinson and Matt Kuhn to provide some snappy one-liners to make the women swoon and fall into their laps (and burst out laughing)?  I have heard somewhere that if a guy can make a girl laugh that is the ultimate dating ice breaker.  There is even a You Tube video related to this title:

 

 

What to read a preview?  Click here.

Have fun, date some, and enjoy the holidays!

RIP Harrowsmith

I'm sure I'm not the only person who daydreams about owning some land in the country and living more self-sufficiently. One spring you're planting a few vegetables in the garden and the next thing you know you're dreaming about fruit trees and chickens and making your own cheese.

 

It's counterintuitive that at a time when interest is sustainable living is growing, the magazine that has been in the forefront of this movement in Canada, Harrowsmith Country Life, has ceased publication after nearly 35 years:

http://www.quillandquire.com/google/article.cfm?article_id=11922

The good news is that issues of Harrowsmith/Harrowsmith Country Life (the name was changed in 1994) going back to 1990 are available in the Science & Technology Department at the North York Central Library, and the Toronto Reference Library's collection goes back to the very first issue in 1976.

These magazines are a great resource for anyone interested in rural living, and there's lots to enjoy for city-dwellers as well. There are articles about restoring and renovating older homes, about energy efficiency and living off the grid, about growing organic fruits and vegetables, and about making preserves, spinning wool, building fences, digging a root cellar...I could go on. The point is that while Harrowsmith Country Life will be missed by real country squires and wannabes like me, the wealth of information published in its pages is still available at the Toronto Public Library.

 

 

Keep it Local : Discover Ontario Local History

 

Bird's-eye view, looking north from harbour to north of Bloor St...

I have to admit that ever since I began working in the Canadiana Department I have been fascinated by Ontario place names, the histories associated with the places and maps.

The place names  Athens, Baden, East Garafraxa , Lotus, Morningstar and Zavitz all sound exotic to me and yet are located in our province! How about Punkeydoodles Corners? I have always valued the effort that local authors have devoted to compiling and writing local history. Documenting the minutiae of a place and at times creating the only existing record of the past in a certain place, are invaluable in terms of our history.  

Local histories in Ontario have been published since the early 1800s. Since genealogy and local history are complimentary subjects, the Canadiana Department has always collected Ontario local histories to support our genealogy collection.  The reference collection of local histories for Ontario on the 6^th floor of NYCL includes:

• Architectural histories
• Biographical dictionaries by place
• Community Newspapers and indexes
• Directories for cities (provincial and national coverage)
• Federal Voters Lists on microfilm (1935-1979)
• Gazetteers & geographical dictionaries
• Histories of companies, institutions, villages, townships and counties
• Maps, fire insurance plans (focus on Toronto & York County) and county atlases
• Municipal documents for the former City of North York
• School histories and yearbooks for Toronto and some Ontario schools
• Scrapbooks
• Village, township and county histories,

Our books are all reference and can be easily located in our library catalogue by typing the name of the place and the word “history” and/or a related subject e.g.  "Toronto school history" in the search box of Toronto Public Library’s catalogue.

If you are interested in discovering local histories (usually published before 1925) that have been digitized you can have a look at the following sites:

Early Canadiana Online (fulltext available as a TPL database)

Internet Archive

Our Roots   

You can obtain an overview of the local histories published by consulting:

Barbara  Aitken’ s  “Local Histories of Ontario Municipalities 1997-2007 : A Bibliography”.

For other titles listing earlier Ontario local history publications please search our library catalogue.

Hope you will visit the 6^th floor of NYCL to discover our extensive collection of Ontario local histories!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Louis Riel...

Statue of Louis Riel as it sits at the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba in Winnipeg.

Louis Riel is one of Canada’s most controversial figures. Celebrated by some; scorned by others. Known infamouly as the leader of the Red River Rebellion, the founder of Manitoba and hanged for treason on November 16, 1885 by the Canadian government.

This December 8^th marks the 142^nd anniversary of the Declaration of the People of Rupert’s Land and the North West - a document written in part by Louis Riel on behalf of Red River settlement. The Declaration called for the creation of a provisional government in response to the Canadian government's preceived unfair dealings with the Hudson Bay Company.

Fort Garry painted by 15 year-old Lionel Macdonald, 1870.

Riel and the Métis who lived in Red River settlement believed that the Hudson Bay’s sale of Rupert’s Land (which contained the Red River Settlement) to the Canadian government without their consent “entitled the people of the Red River settlement to create their own provisional governments” (Canadian Facts and Dates, 263). The citizens of the Red River, largely of Métis origin, felt that they had been cheated by the Hudson Bay Company and the Canadian government and wanted a say in their future.

Prime Minister John A. MacDonald.


From Prime Minister John A. MacDonald’s perspective the rebellion was largely an annoyance - an obstacle in the way to Canada’s consolidation of the west. MacDonald was particularly eager to put down the rebellion as soon as possible since the United States was on aggressive annexation campaign of its own.

There is no shortage of differing historicals prespectives regarding Louis Riel, the Red River Rebellion and John A. MacDonald's and the Canadian government's response. If you’re interested in learning more about this topic have a look at some of the sources listed below.

Toronto's own Chester Brown has written and illustrated a best-selling, award winning, unique and fresh approach to Canadian history is this epic must read comic strip biography of Louis Riel.

Suggested Resources:
Louis Riel: A Comic Strip Biography. Chester Brown. 2003.
Louis Riel. Terry Barber. 2006.
Louis Riel and Gabriel Dumont. Joseph Boyden. 2010.
Louis Riel v. Canada: The Making of a Rebel. J.M. Bumsted. 2001.
The diaries of Louis Riel. Louis Riel. 1976.

Related Links
Rethinking Riel - CBC Digital Archives
Louis Riel - Historica
The Life and Time of Louis Riel - The Globe and Mail
Correcting the record on Louis Riel and separtist coalitions - The Globe and Mail
The Poetry of Louis Riel - WikiSource

Teen Mystery Writing Workshop with Toronto author Evan Munday

What do young girls and dead people solving mysteries have to do with the library? Well a fair amount if you read any paranormal themed book these days. Paranormal romances, mysteries, thrillers, comedies, and mash ups (think "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies") are still very popular at the library.

The library is very excited to actually have one of those paranormal authors coming to the library to give a workshop on mystery writing for teens. The workshop will be led by Evan Munday who has just published his fantastic novel debut "The Dead Kid Detective Agency" which in this librarians humble opinion is sort of like Daniel Pinkwater meets Encyclopedia Brown (and well frankly that is a recipe for success)!

Evan's unique approach to his workshop is that all the attendants have to help solve a mystery. So, not only are they learning how to write a mystery, but with a hands on approach that exhibits the theoretical while making it understandable and accessible.

The workshop takes place on Saturday December 17th 2011 at the North York Central library and runs from 11-12:30. Space is limited so sign up is required. 416-395-5672.