The Death of Stalin (2018)

death of stalin

Okay, so I’ve never really watched the show Survivor, but the catchphrase is embedded in my brain from years of commercials: “Outwit, outlast, outplay.” If one were to devise a similar catchphrase for the historical comedy film The Death of Stalin, it would probably be “Out-scheme, out-mourn, outlive”. . . .

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Old Favorites: Arthur Miller

We’re focusing on newer books, movies, and television shows for 2019, but that doesn’t mean we’re entirely ignoring old favorites! After all, what’s that saying–what’s old may just become new again (or something like that)?

I’ve always loved reading plays–and especially mid-20th century American plays. My favorite playwright would probably be Tennessee Williams, but I also always enjoyed Arthur Miller’s work. Today marks 66 years since his play The Crucible premiered, and what better time to explore the life and career of this master of the American stage?

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Guest Blogger Courtney: Independently Published Books, A Reader’s Perspective

[Usually blog posts are written by Shirley, Berryville’s library services associate, but today we have a special treat–a guest review written by Courtney, one of our local business owners and fellow book bloggers. She wrote an excellent piece on historical Christian fiction for us last year. This time, she’s talking about indie authors.]

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Book Buzz: Short Story Anthologies, Standalone Debuts, and Libraries

Every month, we’re profiling new-ish releases that are getting critical and commercial buzz. For January, we’re looking at a prestigious annual literary collection, a standalone mystery from one of the most popular crime writers working today, and a profile of the Los Angeles library system.

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Ideas for 2019?

design-2019-2018-to-reach-new

Happy New Year, everybody!

This year, we’ll be continuing our sneak peeks at newer book releases, celebrations of notable events in literary history, and book, television show, and movie reviews.

And to that end, I was wondering what you wanted me to review.

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Old Favorites: A Christmas Carol

We’re focusing on newer books, movies, and television shows for 2018, but that doesn’t mean we’re entirely ignoring old favorites! After all, what’s that saying–what’s old may just become new again (or something like that)?

Is it really Christmas until you’ve either read or watched or listened to A Christmas Carol? Tiny Tim and Scrooge have been a holiday tradition for over 175 years. In fact, December 19 marks the anniversary of its publication in 1843. In that first year, it had sold out by Christmas Eve, and it remains a perennial favorite even now.

And here at the library, we’ve got a variety of traditional and contemporary ways for you to enjoy A Christmas Carol.

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Rustler’s Rhapsody (1985)

Ruslter's Rhapsody

It’s that time of year where entertainment is Santa, Christmas, and snow, non-stop. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but if you, like me, need a break from all that, perhaps 1980s cult classic comedy Rustler’s Rhapsody will do the trick!

Rex O’Herlihan (Tom Berenger, Platoon, Gettysburg) is a singing cowboy, one of the good guys. You can tell because he has a fancy wardrobe and follows a code of honor that involves only shooting the bad guy in the hand. This plays well in the singing cowboy movies he was designed for but is substantially less useful when he’s dropped into the real world. . . .

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Book Buzz: Featured Creatures, Suspense, and Rake Thieves

Every month, we’re profiling new-ish releases that are getting critical and commercial buzz. For December, we’re looking at an unusual, animal-centric memoir; a pulse-stopping suspense novel; and a hilarious ode to the quirks of families.

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