Adam is finally getting to cross off a book that has been on his to-read list for a long time. Today, he tells us a bit about Sometimes a Great Notion by Ken Kesey. 

Adam Pellman is reading Sometimes a Great Notion by Ken Kesey

I've only just started reading this novel, so it's too early for me to give my impressions on it. It's a book that I've been meaning to read for many years, so I'm pleased that I'm finally able to get to it. This novel was author Ken Kesey's follow-up to One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, a novel that I really enjoyed, and that is the basis for one of my all-time favorite films.

Sometimes a Great Notion tells the story of the Stampers, a family of loggers who live near a small lumber town along the Oregon coast, and who have become involved in a local strike. It's one of those big, sprawling novels that has earned a reputation as one of the important works of late-20th century American fiction. I hope it's worth the wait.

Friday Reads: The Divine Milieu

Today's Friday Reads feature may interest those who enjoy pondering the big questions of Life, the Universe, and Everything. Dr. Stanley tells us about The Divine Milieu by Teilhard de Chardin. 

David Stanley with The Divine Milieu by Teilhard de Chardin

I had a brief idea of what this book would be about because it was recommended to me by a friend who held the author in high esteem. I wish I would have begun reading it sooner because my friend died before we could discuss it. This makes the work more interesting to me because the copy he gave me is full of his notes and I am left to wonder what they meant to him. The Divine Milieu gives us a different lens through which to understand not only Christianity but also Catholicism. If we are to accept de Chardin’s views of the world, humanity, spirituality, and God there is an intertwining of all of them. Basically, all of creation and all that we do here is part of a trial. What we accomplish in the end does not matter, what does matter is why we do what we do. We are here to prove to God our worthiness, not what we can accomplish. It’s not a quick read but it does give you much to ponder in those late nights when you can’t fall asleep!

September-October DVD Spotlight: Horror Movies

It's only September, and while it may still feel like summer outside, it's already Halloween in the heart of every scary movie fan.  So we're taking two full months to spotlight some of the many horror films in our DVD collection.  If you're in the mood for chills and thrills, Reeves Memorial Library has got you covered.  We've got horror movies about all manner of things that go bump in the night, from vampires and zombies to mutant animals and murderous aliens.  And let's not forget the scariest monster of all, humankind.

Featured titles include:

Audition (1999)

This cringe-inducing Japanese film, surely one of the most disturbing movies ever made, is both an extremely unsettling piece of revenge horror and a surprisingly affecting examination of loneliness.

The Exorcist (1973)

This horror classic, about a possessed teenage girl, is considered by many to be the scariest movie ever made.

Get Out (2017)
Jordan Peele's acclaimed hit, about a young African-American man's nightmarish weekend visit to his white girlfriend's parents' house, is the perfect combination of slowly-escalating unease, disturbing horror, and brilliant social commentary.

Nosferatu (1922)

This silent, expressionistic adaptation of the Dracula story features some of the most haunting imagery in all of cinema.

Shaun of the Dead (2004)

With equal parts horror and humor, this wildly entertaining film tells the story of a slacker who tries to win back his ex-girlfriend amid the chaos of a zombie apocalypse.

The Thing (1982)
Tension and paranoia abound in John Carpenter's gory horror classic, about an Antarctic research station that comes under attack by a shapeshifting alien.

Stop by the library and check one out today ... if you dare.