Getting Graphic

Graphic Novels aren't just for kids. These lovely books are adult oriented and quite a good read. To find where they are located within Samuels Public Library just look past the Adult DVD section. The graphic novels are snugly at home in between the audio books and the large print books. So take a load off your eyes and stare at some well drawn, yet well written novels made to show you a story beyond your imagination.

Fables by Bill Willingham - When a savage creature known only as the Adversary conquered the fabled lands of legends and fairy tales, all of the infamous inhabitants of folklore were forced into exile. Disguised among the normal citizens of modern-day New York, these magical characters created their own secret society-within an exclusive luxury apartment building on Manhattan's Upper West Side-called Fabletown. But when Snow White's party-girl sister, Rose Red, is apparently murdered, it is up to Bigby, Fabletown's sheriff, and a reformed and pardoned Big Bad Wolf, to determine if the culprit is Bluebeard, Rose's ex-lover and notorious wife killer, or Jack, her current live-in boyfriend and former beanstalk-climber.

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, the omnibus edition by Alan Moore - At last, the original two LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN epics are collected in a single volume!In this amazingly imaginative tale, Allan Quatermain, Mina Murray, Captain Nemo, Dr. Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde, and Hawley Griffin, the Invisible Man unite to defeat a deadly menace to London and all Britons!Then, one month later, the skies over England are filled with flaming rockets as Mars launches the first salvo of an invasion. Only our stalwart adventurers can save mother England and the Earth itself.

The sandman. Vol. 1, Preludes & nocturnes by Neil Gaiman - New York Timesbest-selling author Neil Gaiman's transcendent series SANDMAN is often hailed as the definitive Vertigo title and one of the finest achievements in graphic storytelling. Gaiman created an unforgettable tale of the forces that exist beyond life and death by weaving ancient mythology, folklore and fairy tales with his own distinct narrative vision. In PRELUDES & NOCTURNES, an occultist attempting to capture Death to bargain for eternal life traps her younger brother Dream instead. After his 70 year imprisonment and eventual escape, Dream, also known as Morpheus, goes on a quest for his lost objects of power. On his arduous journey Morpheus encounters Lucifer, John Constantine, and an all-powerful madman. 

Sin City The hard goodbye by Frank Miller - The first volume of the crime-comic megahit that introduced the now-infamous character Marv and spawned a blockbuster film returns in a newly redesigned edition, with a brand-new cover by Frank Miller - some of his first comics art in years! It's a lousy room in a lousy part of a lousy town. But Marv doesn't care. There's an angel in the room. She says her name is Goldie. A few hours later, Goldie's dead without a mark on her perfect body, and the cops are coming before anyone but Marv could know she's been killed. Somebody paid good money for this frame . . . With a new look generating more excitement than ever before, this third edition is the perfect way to attract a whole new generation of readers to Frank Miller's masterpiece!

V for vendetta by Alan Moore - A powerful story about loss of freedom and individuality, V FOR VENDETTA takes place in a totalitarian England following a devastating war that changed the face of the planet. In a world without political freedom, personal freedom and precious little faith in anything comes a mysterious man in a white porcelain mask who fights political oppressors through terrorism and seemingly absurd acts. It's a gripping tale of the blurred lines between ideological good and evil.

The walking dead. a continuing story of survival horror by Robert Kirkman - The world we knew is gone. The world of commerce and frivolous necessity has been replaced by a world of survival and responsibility. An epidemic of apocalyptic proportions has swept the globe, causing the dead to rise and feed on the living. In a matter of months society has crumbled: no government, no grocery stores, no mail delivery, no cable TV. In a world ruled by the dead, the survivors are forced to finally start living.

Makeup Madness

Spring is here! And we all know that the changing weather brings not only allergies, but cracked, dry skin and a whole slew of beauty problems. Lucky for us, we have some books at the library that not only show you how to take care of your beloved skin, but also show you how to accessorize. In the books below you will find many tips and tricks on how to decorate your face. Enjoy! 

Makeup makeovers : expert secrets for stunning transformations by Robert Jones -Forget extreme makeovers! Robert Jones, makeup artist extraordinaire, outlines step-by-step how even the ugliest duckling can become a swan-with makeup alone! In hundreds of awe-inspiring before-and-after photos, Robert makes it easy for any woman to achieve true beauty.

Unlike most makeup books that focus on celebrities or the already-glamorous,Makeup Makeoversshows every woman how to be her most beautiful. No matter what your age, skin tone, or profile, Robert can show you simple techniques that camouflage flaws and highlight each woman's unique beauty.

Jemma Kidd make-up secrets by Jemma Kidd - This must-have follow-up to the bestselling Jemma KiddMake-up Masterclasswill show you how to create the perfect look Jemma Kidd's philosophy is that makeup should be used cleverly and sparingly to bring out a woman's natural beauty, enhancing her best features and disguising any perceived imperfections. In JemmaKidd Make-Up Secrets,she shows you how. In Part 1: Making Makeup Work for You, Jemma demystifies the new wonder products in the market, and shows how to use and apply them. She demonstrates how to achieve a flawless complexion and bring out the best in every face shape, and how to make up eyes and lips depending on your face and eye shape, age, coloring, and overall style. In Part 2: The Problem Solver, Jemma addresses all the main beauty concerns of every woman - how to take care of your skin, how to look younger, how to keep your makeup up-to-date, and how to cope with environmental onslaughts like the damaging effects of the sun and cold weather.

Also included are ten great eye and lip combinations, a tutorial on how to achieve iconic looks - from Kate Moss to Audrey Hepburn, plus a fail-safe, five-minute makeup regime for whenever you're pressed for time and much more. 

Face forward by Kevyn Aucoin - The ultimate beauty book -- both gorgeous and practical. "Face Forward" showcases Kevyn Aucoin's incredible transformations of famous and ordinary people alike, and reveals through its step-by-step instructions how makeup can give anyone a variety of different "faces".

Beauty : the new basics by Rona Berg - The book tackles all three major categories-The Face, Hair, The Body. The emphasis is on simplicity and a healthy, natural approach, and the range cuts across all ethnicities and ages. There are five minute skin regimes, facials, makeup tricks and health tips. How to reduce stress in the bath and pamper yourself with an easy home spa. The long and short of hair care-including what to do on bad hair days. Remedies for beauty emergencies (eyes puffy from fatigue? do what the models do and use a dab of Preparation H). Plus make-overs, recipes, historical lore, stories, time-lines, and an extensive glossary and list of resources. It's a knock-out.

The 5-minute face : the quick and easy makeup guide for every woman by Carmindy - Carmindy, makeup artist on TLC's popular show What Not to Wear, believes that the secret to a great look is to focus on the positive: learn how to enhance your best natural features with sheer washes of color rather than hide under layers of artificial–looking makeup. In The 5–Minute Face, Carmindy shares her beauty philosophy, offering a practical, easy, and always–successful makeup routine that works for all ages and skin types. The steps for achieving the five–minute face–from smoothing on foundation, to slicking on lip color–are simple. But as Carmindy demonstrates, many women don't know which product is right for their skin tones, or are clueless on how to apply makeup for optimal results. Throughout every chapter, she provides valuable advice on perfecting the makeup technique that is right for your face, including product tips and accompanying "toolbox" sections that describe which tools to use with each type of makeup.

Staff Selections: Tamara Houde

Hello readers! This year we will be featuring library staff at the beginning of each month to recognize all the hard work they do here. For the month of April our staff selection falls on Tamara Houde.

Tamara Houde is a children’s reference assistant at Samuels Public Library.

To me, the library has always been a center of activity. It may have been a rainy afternoon or the week a big project was due.  Maybe it was just before the next paycheck when finances were tight or a long stretch of boredom in the middle of summer doldrums.  It might have been the day before a winter storm was due to arrive or it could have been the middle of a crazy week. Whatever was going on, the library was there to present free entertainment, to offer books to beat the blues, to distribute information, and to provide a warm and welcoming place to study, relax, or just get away for a while.  I hope that I can help our patrons of all ages have the same wonderful experiences when they visit Samuels Library.

Favorite sub-genre

I don't have one particular favorite, it all depends on my mood. I usually enjoy mystery-sci-fi (In Death series, etc.), along with amateur detective and cozies.

Books I'm looking forward to reading

For starters,  Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman; Rising Steam by Terry Pratchett; The Monuments Men by Robert Edsel; This Is Where I Leave you by Jonathan Tropper; The Man He Became by James Tobin; Song of the Quarkbeast by Jasper Fforde

Favorite poem

Actually I have a few that are very near and dear to me. "The Gods of the Copybook Headings" by Rudyard Kipling; "The Spider and the Fly: A Fable" by Mary Howitt; and "Warning" by Jenny Joseph

Favorite short story

Probably "Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry and Thurber's "Secret Life of Walter Mitty" and "The Catbird Seat"

Favorite play

 It's a toss-up between "A Christmas Carol", "Annie", and "The Importance of Being Earnest".

Favorite magazine

 National Geographic and Smithsonian

Favorite main characters

Thursday Next, Lt. Eve Dallas, Elizabeth Bennett, Miss Jane Marple, Harry Dresden, Rincewind the Wizard, Commander Sam Vimes, Esme "Granny" Weatherwax - I like characters who are not perfect but not overly flawed, with a quick wit and inner strength.

The question I would ask my favorite author

When things get bumpy and the writing isn't flowing as easily as you might like, how do you avoid grinding to a halt? (and for Richard Preston- "How do you choose your subject matter and does the research keep you awake at night with the heebie-jeebies?")

How much description?

I like for the author to paint me a picture with their words. I enjoy depth, a description of the colors, the smells, the textures, but I do not enjoy details that feel like product placement. Feel free to describe a movie scene or an item, but you don't need to tell me that they placed their Coke on their iPad while they adjusted their Uggs and opened their Doritos.

How do you get your news?

I get my news from my local public radio station (including BBC News) and online as well as the local newspaper

What technology do you utilize to get/read new books?

I use my library and local bookstores to get my books and my library card to check out the downloadable e-books and e-audiobooks.

Do you prefer books to e-books? Why?

I like the feel of a book in my hands, but there are times that I find e-books very convenient like when I'm traveling or reading with the lights out.

What type of plots do you enjoy?

I prefer plots that move along with enough twists and turns to keep me engaged, but not a plot so convoluted that it becomes tiresome.

How do you choose new books to read?

I choose new books in different ways. If I hear a good review on NPR or via Goodreads or word of mouth, I add the book to my list.  I'm just likely to browse our new releases and see what catches my eye or sometimes I'm just in the mood for a book on a specific topic.

What is your favorite aspect of reading books?

My favorite aspect of reading books is being able to use my imagination along with the authors descriptions to explore a new world. 

Like books from NPR like Tamara? Then click the link below to see the latest reviews from NPR! 

NPR Book Reviews