Historic Walking Tour of Hyannis!

The Trustees of the HPL are pleased to present " From Iyannough to Siobhan- Hyannis History Walks by the Sea" to benefit the Hyannis Public Library. The three-mile tour will meet at 8:45 and leave at 9 AM from the Hyannis Public Library at 401 Main Street every Friday morning from July 2nd to October 1st.

Spend two hours learning the history of our  area while enjoying this three-mile walk with Tour Leaders and Hyannis natives Irene Aylmer and Mary Ellen Slavin. Aylmer is a retired Barnstable High School history teacher who has been nominated for the Mercy Otis Warren Award and received The Harvard Book Award for Excellence in teaching. She is a member of the Greater Hyannis Civic Association and a Trustee of the Hyannis Public Library. Slavin is a retired member of The Associated Press and a member of the Barnstable Comedy Club.

The Walk with a suggested donation of $ 7.00 is a benefit for the Hyannis Public Library. Reservations are not required. Groups of twenty or more are asked to call the Library to make arrangements.

Happy Birthday Ora Hinckley!

Ora Hinckley was born on this date in 1857. She was a school teacher who became the first full time librarian of the Hyannis Public Library from 1909 - 1943.

Why the Greeks Matter

Don’t ever be afraid of accepting a gift from a Greek (“Beware of Greeks bearing gifts .…”). You have already accepted their civilization because they are responsible for your vocabulary.

Are you breathing air (it is a Greek word), talking on the telephone (Greek), do you have any new idea (Greek again). The Greeks really did have a word for it.

In Italy I was once asked why I studied Italian. Was it because Italian was such a rich language? “There are 800,000 words in Italian,” I replied. “And 1,200,000 words in English, “ I added, “and over 2,000,000 words in Greek.” The Greeks really did have a word for it.

In the fields of medicine (Hippocrates), mathematics (Euclid, Archimedes), the study of history (Herodotus, Thucydides), physics, architecture as well as drama, art and above all, philosophy (Socrates, Plato, Aristotle) --- were some of humanity’s greatest achievements.

A noted American writer of classical Greece, Edith Hamilton, once wrote:

“ To rejoice in life, to find the world beautiful and delightful to live in
was a mark of the Greek spirit which distinguished it from all that
had gone before.
It is a vital distinction. “

Athena Gargilis is one of the smartest and kindest people we know.

A great listen!

I love the downloadable books!
My little MP3 player and I travel everywhere together. I can always have at least three books with me anywhere I go. There are so many really good books to enjoy. For more information click here!
I recently listened to A Voyage Long and Strange by Tony Horowitz.
It is a wonderful book that aims to study the beginnings of America from the period
of Christopher Columbus up to the time of the Pilgrims. The author travels around
the country (and beyond) in search of the truth about this period in American history,as well as uncovering modern day interpretations of history and the regional celebrations that grew out of those beliefs.It is a enjoyable mix of history, sociology and a long road trip that is an entertaining and fascinating ride through history.

Abraham Lincoln

February 2009 marks the bicentennial of the birth of Abraham Lincoln. There have been many, many new wonderful books coming out this year about him. One such book is Abraham Lincoln: a life by Michael Burlingame. It is an immensely thorough work, that covers everything you could possibly want to know about the 16th president of the United States.
James L. Swanson of Publisher's weekly raves "This book supplants [Carl] Sandburg and supersedes all other biographies. Future Lincoln books cannot be written without it, and from no other book can a general reader learn so much about Abraham Lincoln. It is the essential title for the bicentennial."

Check it out today!

Happy Valentines day!.

Here are some great books in honor of Valentine's Day!

Adults

Flirting with danger by Suzanne Enoch.

Heartbreaker by Julie Garwood

Lovers & players by Jackie Collins

Pride and Predjudice by Jane Austen

Sailors' valentines by John Fondas.

Sweet liar by Jude Deveraux.

Till we have faces: a myth retold by C.S. Lewis drawings by Fritz Eichenberg


For the kids!

Clifford's first Valentine's Day by Norman Bridwell.

Hearts, cupids, and red roses : the story of the Valentine symbols by Edna Barth; illustrated by Ursula Arndt and Nancy Elizabeth Wallace

Junie B. Jones and the mushy gushy valentime by Barbara Park illustrated by Edna Barth Brukus

The Valentine Express written and illustrated by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace.

Valentine's day on-line

http://www.history.com/minisites/valentine/

http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/Exhibitions/Valentin/English/index.php3

http://www.emotionscards.com/museum/museum.html

Martin Luther King Jr. Day!

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is this month, and the library
has many books and videos available for you to learn about this great man!
Here are just a few!


Hansen, Drew W.
The dream: Martin Luther King, Jr., and the speech that inspired a nation.
New York : Ecco, c2003.



King, Martin Luther, Jr.,
The autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr.
New York, NY : Time Warner AudioBooks, 1998.
6 sound cassettes



King, Martin Luther, Jr.
Why we can't wait.
New York, Harper & Row [1968, c1967]



And in the Childrens Department!



Haskins, James, 1941-
I have a dream : the life and words of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Brookfield, Conn. : Millbrook Press, c1992



King, Martin Luther, Jr., 1929-1968.
I have a dream
New York : Scholastic, 1997.
( This book is illustrated by 15 Coretta Scott King Award winners.)



Marzollo, Jean.
Happy birthday, Martin Luther King
New York : Scholastic Inc., 1993.



Rappaport, Doreen.
Martin's Big words : the life of Martin Luther King, Jr.
New York : Hyperion Books for Children, 2001.

Great new book!

Loot: The Battle over the Stolen Treasures of the Ancient World by Wendy Waxman is a book that the staff has been very excited about in recent weeks. Several of us were reading it at the same time!
It is about the controversy surrounding the ownership of ancient artifacts. There are many well known artifacts from many nations such as Egypt, Greece and Turkey which were taken out of those countries and are currently residing in famous western museums in the United States, England, France and Germany.
This book discusses the history surrounding the pieces, how they were removed from their places of origin, and why they have not been returned. The author analyzes the issues surrounding the controversy in great detail, and interviews scholars and curators on both sides of the issue. It is a fascinating subject, and an excellent book!

Picturing America!

The Hyannis Public Library is proud to present Picturing America an education initiative that helps teach American history and culture through the arts. The library now has on display 40 reproductions of art by American painters, sculptors, fiber artists, photographers, and architects. Graciously presented by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), and is distributed in collaboration with the American Library Association.

Childe Hassam, Allies Day, May 1917, 1917
Childe Hassam (American 1859-1935), Allies Day, May 1917, 1917. Oil on canvas, 36 1/2 x 30 1/4 in. (92.7 x 76.8 cm.) Gift of Ethelyn McKinney in memory of her brother, Glenn Ford McKinney. Image courtesy of the Board of trustees, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D. C.