New York Times Best of 2009

Nonfiction:

Age of Wonder: How the Romantic Generation Discovered the Beauty and Terror of Science, by
Richard Holmes
The Good Soldiers, by David Finkel

Lit: A Memior, by Mary Karr

Lords of Finance: The Bankers Who Broke the World, by Liaquat Ahamed

Raymond Carver: A Writer's Life, by Carol Sklenicka

Fiction:

Both Ways Is The Only Way I Want It, by Maile Meloy

Chronic City, by Jonathan Lethem

A Gate At The Stairs, by Lorrie Moore

Half Broke Horses, by Jeannette Walls

A Short History of Women, by Kate Walbert

New Movies on DVD!

Once you are through with the bustling and want to relax over the holidays, here is a list of the new movies on DVD at the library. If you do not find them on the shelf, add yourself to the reserve list either online or with the help of someone at the reference desk. Here they are:

Aliens in the Attic

Ally McBeal: Seasons 1 - 6

Anvil

Audition

The Big Bang Theory: Seasons 1 & 2

Battlestar Galactica: The Plan

Cheri

A Christmas Tale

Dexter: Season 3

District 9

The Exonerated

Four Christmases

The Goods

The Hangover

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs

Inglourious Basterds

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: It's a Very Sunny Christmas

Julie and Julia

Katyn

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency

Nothing Like the Holidays

Paper Heart

The Proposal

Public Enemies

Shorts

Sons of Anarchy: Season 1

Terminator Salvation

Star Trek

Taking Woodstock

Tourchwood

Year One

Holiday Displays of Books, Dvds, Cds

For a respite from the holiday festivities, check out some quieter entertainment from our two mini displays this month on the lower shelving by the New Book area. Christmas dvds and musical cds are featured in one display while the other features books about Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. In the lobby, "Have a Classic Christmas" displays classic fiction.

The library will be closed on December 24th and 25th, reopening on Saturday, the 26th at 9 am. We will also be open on Sunday, December 27th from 1-5 pm.

History of Hanukkah

Hanukkah (also known as Chanukah, Hanukah, Hannuka and the Festival of Lights) is an eight-day Jewish holiday that usually takes place between late November and late December. It commemorates the victory of the Maccabees, a Jewish rebel army, over the Syrians in 165 B.C.E., as well as the subsequent rededication of the holy Temple in Jerusalem. Jews around the world celebrate with eight nights of merriment. Traditions include lighting the menorah, exchanging gifts and enjoying treats cooked in oil.

Source: http://www.history.com/content/hanukkah

The Many Names of Santa

The jolly old elf is known as Santa Claus in the United States, but did you ever wonder what other countries call him?

Here are some examples:

- Afghanistan: Baba Chaghaloo
- Albania: Babadimri(Grandfather Winter),Babagjyshi i Krishtlindjeve(Grandfather Christmas)
- Armenia: Dzmer Papik (Grandfather Winter), Gaghant Baba
- Austria: Christkind (Christ Child)
- Belgium: Pere Noel
- Bosnia & Herzegovina: Deda Mraz (Ded Moroz,Grandfather Frost)
- Brazil: Papai Noel
- Bulgaria: Dyado Koleda
- Canada: Santa Claus; Pere Noel (Father Christmas)
- Chile: Viejo Pascuero (Old Man Christmas)
- China: Dun Che Lao Ren (Christmas Old Man)
- Croatia: Djed Mraz (Grandfather Frost) or Djed Bozicnjak (Grandfather Christmas)
- Czech Republic: Svaty Mikulas (Saint Nicholas), Jezisek (Child Jesus)
- Denmark: Julemanden
- Estonia: Jouluvana
- Faroe Islands: Jolamaourin
- Finland: Joulupukki
- France: Pere Noel (Father Christmas)
- Germany: Weihnachtsmann (Christmas Man), Christkind (Christ Child) in Southern Germany
- Hungary: Mikulas (Nicholas); Telapo(Old Man Winter); Jezuska or Kis Jezus (Child Jesus)
- Iceland: Jolasveinn (Yule Man)
- Republic of Ireland: Santa Claus, Santy or Daidi na Nollag (Father Christmas)
- Italy: Babbo Natale (Father Christmas); La Befana; Santa Lucia;Gesu Bambino(Child Jesus)
- Lithuania: Senis Saltis (Old Man Frost) or Kaledu Senelis (Christmas Grandfather)
- Netherlands & Flanders: Kerstman (Christmas Man)
- Macedonia: Dedo Mraz
- Norway: Julenissen
- Poland: Swiety Mikolaj/Mikolaj (Saint Nicholas); Gwiazdor in some regions
- Portugal: Pai Natal
- Romania: Moldova; Mos Craciun (Father Christmas); Mos Niculae (Father Nicholas)
- Russia: Ded Moroz (Grandfather Frost)
- Serbia: Deda Mraz (Grandfather Frost)
- South Africa: Vader Kersfees
- Spain: Reyes Magos (Biblical Magi);Papa Noel (Santa Claus)
- Sweden: Jultomten
- Switzerland: Christkind (Christ Child)/Babbo Natale/Pere Noel
- Turkey: Noel Baba (Father Christmas)
- Ukraine: Svyatyy Mykolay
- United Kingdom: Father Christmas, Santa Claus, Santa, Sion Corn (Chimney John in Welsh)
- United States: Santa Claus; Kris Kringle; Saint Nicholas or Saint Nick

Location Change for Polar Explorer Program

The Polar Explorer program with John Huston this Thursday, December 10 at 7:00 p.m. has been changed to a different location. The program will now be held in the parish hall at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 393 N. Main St., Glen Ellyn. It is on the corner of Main and Hillside across from Giesche Shoes. This is a larger room so anybody that wants to come is welcome to attend.

Holiday Havoc (of the criminal kind)

This year seems to be an especially good one for the Christmas mystery with several well-known authors publishing holiday-themed additions to their series. Katherine Hall Page's 18th Faith Fairchild mystery, "The Body in the Sleigh," finds caterer Faith and her family on Sanpere Island in Maine for the holidays, busily discovering corpses. Some wonderful recipes are included at the end of the book.

Another culinary mystery published this season is Joanne Fluke's "The Plum Pudding Murder," featuring Hannah Swenson, owner of The Cookie Jar in Lake Eden, Minnesota, who also contributes some scrumtious recipes in addition to cornering the killer. "Holiday Grind" is the latest in the Coffeehouse mystery series by Cleo Coyle with barista Clare Cosi and her NYPD detective boyfriend discovering the body of a man dressed as Santa Claus.

Kate Kingsbury's cozy Pennyfoot Hotel mysteries are all set in the Christmas season. "Decked with Folly" is the latest installment set in this Edwardian hotel on England's southeast coast.