Goshen Connecticut Public Library Spotlight

New Books, Videos & Recommendations

Ada’s Violin: The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay

November 21st, 2024 by Goshen Public Library No comments »

By Susan Hood

Year of Publication: 2016

A summary from Goodreads:

From award-winning author Susan Hood and illustrator Sally Wern Comport comes the extraordinary true tale of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay, an orchestra made up of children playing instruments built from recycled trash.

Ada Ríos grew up in Cateura, a small town in Paraguay built on a landfill. She dreamed of playing the violin, but with little money for anything but the bare essentials, it was never an option…until a music teacher named Favio Chávez arrived. He wanted to give the children of Cateura something special, so he made them instruments out of materials found in the trash. It was a crazy idea, but one that would leave Ada—and her town—forever changed. Now, the Recycled Orchestra plays venues around the world, spreading their message of hope and innovation.

Goshen Public Library call number: J920 HOOD (BOOK-J)

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Posted in Recommendations

Tags: Nonfiction

Drawn Testimony: My Four Decades as a Courtroom Sketch Artist

November 20th, 2024 by Goshen Public Library No comments »

By Jane Rosenberg

Year of Publication: 2024

A summary from Goodreads:

A penetrating, compulsively readable memoir about the four-decade career of America’s top courtroom sketch artist, for fans of Lab Girl and Working Stiff
Jane Rosenberg is America’s pre-eminent courtroom sketch artist. For over forty years, she’s been at the heart of the story, covering almost every major trial that has passed through the New York justice system. From mob bosses to fallen titans of finance, terrorists and sex abusers, corrupt cops and warring entertainment icons, she has drawn them all.

In Drawn Testimony , Rosenberg brings us into the high-stakes, dramatic world of her craft, where art, psychology and courtroom drama collide. Over the course of her legendary career, Jane has had a front row seat to some of the most iconic and notorious moments in our nation’s recent history, sketching everything from Tom Brady’s deflate-gate case, to John Lennon’s murder trial to cases against Ghislaine Maxwell, John Gotti, Harvey Weinstein and most recently, the indictment against former President Donald Trump. Readers will learn how she has honed her unique powers of perception, but also what her portraits reveal, not only about her subjects, but about the human condition in general.

Fearless, fascinating and gorgeously written, Drawn Testimony captures the unique career of an artist whose body of work depicts history as it’s happening.

Goshen Public Library call number: 92 ROSENBERG (BOOK)

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Posted in New Books

Tags: Nonfiction

The Banned Books Club

November 19th, 2024 by Goshen Public Library No comments »

By Brenda Novak

Year of Publication: 2024

A summary from Goodreads:

She left her hometown following a scandal—but family loyalty is dragging her back…

Despite their strained relationship, when Gia Rossi’s sister, Margot, begs her to come home to Wakefield, Iowa, to help with their ailing mother, Gia knows she has no choice. After her rebellious and at-times-tumultuous teen years, Gia left town with little reason to look back. But she knows Margot’s borne the brunt of their mother’s care and now it’s Gia’s turn to help, even if it means opening old wounds.

As expected, Gia’s homecoming is far from welcome. There’s the Banned Books Club she started after the PTA overzealously slashed the high school reading list, which is right where she left it. But there is also Mr. Hart, her former favorite teacher. The one who was fired after Gia publicly and painfully accused him of sexual misconduct. The one who prompted Gia to leave behind a very conflicted town the minute she turned eighteen. The one person she hoped never to see again.

When Margot leaves town without explanation, Gia sees the cracks in her sister’s “perfect” life for the first time and plans to offer support. But as the town, including members of the book club, takes sides between Gia and Mr. Hart, everything gets harder. Fortunately, she learns that there are people she can depend on. And by standing up for the truth, she finds love and a future in the town she thought had rejected her.

Goshen Public Library call number: F NOVAK (BOOK)

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Posted in New Books

Tags: Fiction

Argo

November 18th, 2024 by Goshen Public Library No comments »

Year of Release: 2013

A summary from Amazon:

Oscar® winner Ben Affleck (Good Will Hunting, The Town) directs and stars in this real-life political intelligence dramedy based on a true story. Produced by George Clooney and Grant Heslov’s Smokehouse Pictures (Ides of March), this hostage rescue picture follows CIA “exfiltration” operative and master of disguise Tony Mendez (Affleck), who sets out to rescue a handful of American diplomats hiding out in 1979 Tehran. Pretending to be a film location scouting crew, Mendez and a motley crew of Hollywood artists, escape artists and con-artists smuggle the six embassy workers to safety in a daring rescue. With a supporting cast that includes Oscar® winner Alan Arkin, Golden Globe winner John Goodman and Emmy® winner Bryan Cranston, Affleck’s political satire represents an “escape” into a real-world caper.

Goshen Public Library call number: DVD-A (VISUAL MATERIAL)

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Posted in Recommendations

Tags: DVD

Bloom (The Overthrow #1)

November 16th, 2024 by Goshen Public Library No comments »

By Kenneth Oppel

Year of Publication: 2020

A summary from Goodreads:

The invasion begins–but not as you’d expect. It begins with rain. Rain that carries seeds. Seeds that sprout–overnight, everywhere. These new plants take over crop fields, twine up houses, and burrow below streets. They bloom–and release toxic pollens. They bloom–and form Venus flytrap-like pods that swallow animals and people. They bloom–everywhere, unstoppable.

Or are they? Three kids on a remote island seem immune to the toxic plants. Anaya, Petra, Seth. They each have strange allergies–and yet not to these plants. What’s their secret? Can they somehow be the key to beating back this invasion? They’d better figure it out fast, because it’s starting to rain again….