Calling all super sleuths and wannabe detectives –
Investigate the Tough Guys Do Read Series
SOUTHINGTON LIBRARY AND MUSEUM ANNOUNCES
THE KICK-OFF OF THE BIG READ IN SOUTHINGTON
Join the Southington Library and Museum’s Hard-Boiled Detective novel discussion series, Tough Guys Do Read. This Big Read Event is a three-part scholar-led mystery discussion series. We are inviting Tough Guys of Southington to pick up a great classic detective book and join in the discussion of one or all three classic detective novels.
Discussions will take place in the program room at 7:00 p.m.
September 10, Red Harvest
October 8 The Big Sleep
November 12 Farewell My Lovely.
The event will feature discussions lead by Mark Schenker, Dean of Academic Affairs Associate Dean, Yale College. Dr. Mark J. Schenker holds a Ph.D. from Columbia University in English and Comparative Literature; he came to Yale in 1990 as the residential college dean of Branford College. Since then he has served as director of the Yale Summer Session and as master of its residential program. When his schedule permits, he teaches an introductory course in the Department of English and, several times each academic year, he holds a Listening and Notetaking Workshop that is designed for first-year college students but is open to all Yale undergraduates.
The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The NEA presents The Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest. Support for The Big Read is provided by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Transportation for The Big Read is provided by Ford.
Southington is one of 269 communities nationwide participating in The Big Read from September 2009-June 2010. To date, the NEA has funded more than 800 Big Read programs in the nation’s towns and cities. From September 10 to June 21 our community will celebrate the Maltese Falcon with a full calendar of events including Sam Spade Soiree, Film Noir, Mystery at the Barnes and showing of the movie The Maltese Falcon.
BIG READ Film Noir Series
Free Showings at 6:30 p.m.
September 16 – Double Indemnity
October 14 – The Big Sleep
November 18 – Murder My Sweet
Southington Library Program Room
Double Indemnity (1944) is director Billy Wilder’s classic film noir masterpiece – This term describes a visual style and moods of a type of dramatic film, usually crime, that’s much more gritty and realistic than most films prior to this era and is given credit for the birth of film noir, literally “night film”. The material for Double Indemnity was derived from ‘hard-boiled’ James M. Cain’s 1943 melodramatic novella Three of a Kind that first appeared in 1935. The sensational film was unlike many other films of its time – its storyline of a deliberate and brutal crime inspired by adultery and the promise of insurance money was considered innately amoral, objectionable, and distasteful by the censorious Hays Office (a ‘blueprint for the perfect murder’).
The Big Sleep – Many fans of this classic film are drawn to it because of Bogie and Bacall, who do indeed make a deft acting duo. Here, Bogie plays Philip Marlowe, the tough talking, street savvy PI, who has his roots in the crime novels of writer Raymond Chandler. Bacall plays Vivian Sternwood, the adult daughter of a wealthy man. Vivian is just as tough and cagey as Marlowe. And she has a younger sister named Carmen, who seems to have fallen in with a bad crowd. It’s up to Marlowe to investigate, and to save the Sternwood family from financial ruin. ‘The Big Sleep’ is a story of blackmail, murder, multiple motives, lies, and all manner of general mayhem.
Farewell My Lovely – Dick Powell will forever be known as a 1930s crooner in archetypal musical comedies, but this career-changing role shows Powell at his best and remains perhaps the most faithful cinematic representation of Raymond Chandler’s hard-boiled hero, Philip Marlowe, ever put on screen. In this adaptation of Farewell, My Lovely, Powell’s cynical, smart-talking private eye is hired by a dim ex-con (pug-nosed Mike Mazurki) to find his girl Velma, and by the prissy stooge of a blackmail victim to babysit him during a handoff. Powell delivers screenwriter John Paxton’s snappy lines and droll asides with hard-boiled cynicism, like someone not quite as tough as he talks; but it’s Powell’s innate vulnerability that makes this reluctant saint of the city so compelling.er, multiple motives, lies, and all manner of general mayhem.
Film noir got its origins in 30’s detective stories was mostly shot at night or in dark interiors; there’s lots of use of shadows, dimly lit edges, light from Venetian blinds which simulates bars across characters who may be headed for the real thing, and backlit smoke.
Registration is suggested due to limited seating. For more information and to register check out our online calendar at www.southingtonlibrary.org , click on the Calendar, search for the program, or call 860-628-0947 x 5 the Reference/Information Desk.
BOOK DISCUSSION The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain a discussion October 23, 2009 2:00 P.M. tO 3:30 P.M. at the Barnes Museum
Join Library Director Susan Smayda for a lively discussion of Mark Twain’s classic novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Explore the many themes Mark Twain discusses, including civilization, honor, religion and slavery. The most important theme with in this novel is Huck’s struggle between society and his own conscience. Twain shows us what is going on inside of the young boy’s head many times within this novel. Although Huck battles with society for long periods of time; and on most occasions, his conscience seems to win the fight, helping Huck choose the right thing.
Also consider attending the “And Now…Mark Twain” presentation at the Southington Library, Thursday October 29 at 7:00 p.m. in the program room. A delightful look at the life and work of America’s foremost humorist. A one-person play full of wit and wisdom and the special brand of storytelling that made Twain a legend in his time performed by Richard Clark.
Registration is suggested due to limited seating. For more information and to register check out our online calendar at www.southingtonlibrary.org , click on the Calendar, search for the program, or call 860-628-0947 x 5 the Reference/Information Desk.
THANK YOU to the local Businesses that supported Reads that Refresh Program at Southington Library
. Reads that Refresh partners donated gift certificates to encourage adults to read; Accu-Vision , Ali’s Nursery and Garden Center, Anthony Jacks Wood Fired Grill, Aziago’s Restaurant, Bonterra’s Italian Bistro, China Gourmet, Grab – A- Chef Making Dinner Easy, Manor Inn, Randy’s Wooster Street Pizza, Southington Athletic Shop and Verona Pizza support the popular annual adult summer reading program. Recent lucky readers, Barbara Corley, Juli Jenny, Jennifer Larson, William Bastek and MaryJean Wormer stopped into the library to receive their gift certificates.
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Become a Southington Reader check out the latest best seller or a classic for a good read. Let’s Get Reading Southington!!!
Picturing America Grant brings 40 large, high-quality reproductions of great American art to Southington Library. The National Endowment for the Humanities Initiative, “Picturing America”, selected Southington Library to receive samples of Great American Art bringing art directly to libraries across the country.
The library is pleased to receive the reproductions of great American art from “Picturing America”, allowing us to enrich our patrons with immediate access to some of the nation’s most important art. Over the next twelve months the library will be highlighting selected pieces for display and programs. The summer display pieces are from the “Landscape Theme”. The June highlighted piece is “Falling Water” an architecture triumph designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. This piece was selected because the Reading Between the Lines discussion book was the historical fiction, Loving Frank, a fact based novel about Frank Lloyd Wright. The other featured pieces from the “Landscape” theme will be on display on the main level Gallery Wall during the summer including:
- View from Mount Holyoke, Northampton Mass After a Thunderstorm – The Ox Bow by Thomas Cole
- American Flamingo – James John Audubon
- Looking Down Yosemite Valley, California – Albert Bierstadt
- John Biglin in a Single Scull – Thomas Eakins
- Autumn Landscape – The River of Life – Louis Comfort Tiffany
- American Landscape – Charles Sheeler
- The Chrysler Building – William Van Alen
- House by the Railroad – Edward Hopper
- The Dove – Romare Bearden
- Cityscape I – Richard Diebenkorn
Picturing America is a free initiative from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) that helps teach American history and culture by bringing some of the country’s great art directly to classrooms and libraries.
What if there is Black Bears in Your Neighborhoods?
In recent years, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of Black Bear sightings in Connecticut….especially in our corner of the state. With the black bear population increasing, it is important for the public to learn more about these animals and how to co-exist with them.
Visit the library Reference area to view the DEP Wildlife Conservationist and Sessions Woods in Burlington Black Bear display highlighting the history, facts and myths about Black Bears. The display will be at the library through September 11, 2009. Handouts will also be available on, bear awareness, black bear fact sheets and black bear kid’s pages.
Artists of the Month at The Gallery The Gallery is located at the Southington Library, 255 Main Street, Southington, CT. The Gallery is open to the public during normal library business hours, Monday through Thursday 9 am to 9 pm and Friday 9 am to 5 pm. The library is closed Saturday during July and August.
