Newsletter 2671 Issue 2671201052511812

News

Brooklyn PL Receives $3 Mill Gift for Information Commons
In the face of devastating cuts, the Brooklyn Public Library miraculously has received a $3.25 million donation from the Leon Levy Foundation to create an Information Commons at the Central Library that is to feature a wireless training center, seven private study rooms, seating for 60 laptop computer users, 25 PCs, and a help desk for reference service and on-demand training. » » »

Las Vegas Clark County Library District Cutbacks
Facing a $5.5 million shortfall, the Las Vegas Clark County Library District is cutting across the board, trimming 93 positions as well as hours and materials. » » »

Illinois Regional Libraries Slashing Services
It's no better in Illinois; the state's nine regional systems are reducing staff and services due to shrinking funding, with five of the systems discussing a possible merger. Veteran director Sarah Long is among those facing layoffs. » » »

Top Galley Grabs at BEA
If you're hitting BookExpo America this week, here are the top galleys to hunt down on the showfloor. Print this out and take it along. » » »

Where To Eat at BEA
Also for librarians (and lesser people) attending BEA, local foodie librarian Tara Lannen-Stanton provides a full menu of places to stuff your face New York style near the Javits Center and around town. Print this one, too. » » »

Blogs

LJ Talks To

Author David Morrell
In Thrillers: 100 Must Reads, the genre's top names reflect on the suspense classics of the past—from the Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur to Dan Brown's contemporary classic, The Da Vinci Code. One of the editors of this essential reference is David Morrell, author of First Blood, which introduced Rambo and set the template for the modern action novel. Seattle PL's Jeff Ayers chats with Morrell about the book's nexus. » » »

Wyatt's World

Wyatt's World: Dracula Turns 113—Five Evolutions

• The Strain by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan (Morrow)
• Already Dead by Charlie Huston (Del Rey)
• Salem's Lot by Stephen King (Pocket)
• Fevre Dream by George R.R. Martin (Bantam)
• Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story by Christopher Moore (S&S)

Review

Larsson, Stieg. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest.

Knopf. May 2010. c.576p. by tr. from Swedish by Reg Keeland. ISBN 978-0-307-26999-7. $26.95.F

The final volume of Larsson’s best-selling Millenium trilogy begins where The Girl Who Played with Fire left off: Lisabeth Salander lies comatose in a Swedish hospital, a bullet in the head, while a few rooms away her father, a Soviet defector, recovers from the severe axe wounds she inflicted. Meanwhile, journalist Mikael Blomqvist sets out to clear Lisbeth of murder charges by exposing a secret group of Swedish intelligence officers who had conspired to protect her father’s identity by nearly destroying Lisbeth. Unfortunately this crackerjack opening is follwed by pages of tedious plot rehashing and dry summaries of Swedish history and politics. Because Larsson’s fascinating heroine is off stage for much of the early action, the novel lacks its predecessors’ compelling narrative drive, although a few surprising scenes will keep readers hanging in there. Their patience will be well-rewarded in the final 200 pages when Larsson ties his multiple plot threads together into a satisfying conclusion. Larsson’s other female characters, including Annika, Mikael’s lawyer sister who kicks some serious legal butt at the climactic trial, and Berger, Mikael’s old lover and business partner, who battles sexism at a major newspaper, play bigger roles here and reflect the author’s passionate opposition to misogyny and injustice. Verdict Despite its flaws, this is a must read for Larsson fans. New readers should start with The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 1/10; 500,000-copy first printing.]

—Wilda Williams, Library Journal

Xpress Reviews

Xpress Reviews—First Look at New Books
Tolstoy & Winters's Android Karenina, the Brafmans' Click: The Magic of Instant Connections, Dyer's Climate Wars: The Fight for Survival as the World Overheats, Schatzker's Steak, and more reviews just in! » » »

Magazine Highlights

Ever Evolving: SLA Conference Preview
SLA's conference touches down in New Orleans. To make the Big Easy even easier, use our guide to help plan your schedule. » » »

Digital Dreams and Dashboards: Notable Government Documents 2009
ALA's Government Documents Round Table has tapped 39 publications as 2009's best. Subjects range from immigration to climate change to historic buildings. An eclectic list. » » »

NextGen: Are Your Really Next Gen?
The original NextGenners are graying and now often are in senior-level jobs. Katherine Furlong offers a shopping list to test yourself to see if you still qualify. » » »

eReviews
LaGuardia says that users won't have to battle with ABC-CLIO's United States at War: Understanding Conflict and Society, Release 2.0 to find top information, dubbing it a "wiz-bang resource of substance." » » »

The Reader's Shelf: First-Rate Genre Reads—The Best of the Short List
Each year the American Library Association's Reference and User Services Association's Reading List Council picks top titles in multiple genres. While the winners get all the play, the other contenders also are great reads. Here's a handful not to miss. » » »

LJ Alerts

Best Sellers

Job of the Week