Bayou Bytes Blog

(ALA 2011) -Banned Books Week (BBW) is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment. Held during the last week of September, Banned Books Week highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted bannings of books across the United States. Intellectual freedom—the freedom to access information and express ideas, even if the information and ideas might be considered unorthodox or unpopular—provides the foundation for Banned Books Week. BBW stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints for all who wish to read and access them. The books featured during Banned Books Week have been targets of attempted bannings. Fortunately, while some books were banned or restricted, in a majority of cases the books were not banned, all thanks to the efforts of librarians, teachers, booksellers, and members ...

Below is a summary of our discussion on the August “Book of the Month:” Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen . Water for Elephants follows Jacob Jankowski, now in his nineties, remembering his time as a vet with a struggling circus during the Great Depression. Gruen’s extensive research shows in her ability to capture the circus atmosphere and lifestyle of that time period. Readers had an overall positive response to the novel, which most agreed was an interesting piece of historical fiction. While Gruen’s details and descriptions of the circus aspect of the story are admirable, the group all noted how wonderfully she handled an elderly character. Many agreed that such a realistic and positive depiction of an older character is unfortunately very rare in contemporary literature. You can find copies of the novel at your local branch or in our digital collection ! If you’ve already read Water for Elephants , feel free to share your thoughts on the novel in the comments. Agree or ...

A blast from the past to make someone smile today!

New to our collection this week:   The Family Fang by Kevin Wilson "Caleb and Camille Fang are performance artists who set up unsettling situations in public places. Their two children, Annie and Buster, have been trained from birth to participate in these events. As they mature the children realize that their lives are not exactly normal. Their attempts to break away from their parents are unsuccessful until their parents disappear. Is it a stunt or a tragic accident? Even Annie and Buster can’t say for sure." Review from Library Journal Check it out at your library! Photo from http://www.wilsonkevin.com/

Great news: the CPPL's Digital Collection now features select eBooks with no DRM! To take advantage of the new format, look for titles available in “Open EPUB” and “Open PDF” ebook formats. Check for the icons with the open green padlock , as seen in the image to the right. These open/DRM-free eBooks are worth checking out for the additional liberties they offer, most notably the ability to bypass Adobe Digital Editions when transferring the files to your device -- which also means you can save these check outs directly to most popular eReaders. For additional information on this, please click “Read More” .

Moss Bluff held a book discussion on The Accidental Tourist , an Anne Tyler classic. The novel follows Macon, a man strongly committed to his routines and habits. Macon’s life becomes upended, however, when he loses his young son – and his marriage. Readers’ opinions on the novels were sharply split: some hated it, others really liked it. Those who hated the book noted how flaky and shallow all the characters were, which made the book difficult to finish. Readers who liked the book, however, found that it was easier to get through if they knew people in their lives who were similar to the characters. They also agreed that humor was another of Tyler’s strong points. While her characters may have alienated some readers, they did help Tyler find new fans in others – who have already sought out more of her work. Have you read The Accidental Tourist ? Let us know your thoughts in the comments! Find it at your library !

Since its beginning in 1997, J. K. Rowling’s series following the adventures of boy wizard Harry Potter has garnered big fans in all age groups. In celebration of the release of the last cinematic installment of the series, this NPR article recommends three books for adults itching for a little more literary magic. Check them out below! The Magicians By: Lev Grossman Find it at your library! Ender’s Game By: Orson Scott Card Find it at your library! The Secret History By: Donna Tartt Find it at your library!