Patron Review: Dear White America by Tim Wise

Do white Americans benefit from white privilege?  Recently I was in group that was asked that question. Amazingly, or maybe not, one participant said that she has never so benefited.  This book is for her and others like her.

As Jim Wallis of Sojourners recently emailed me, America has been built by enslaving one race and ethnically cleansing another.

Tim Wise points out that whites have pretty much been able to go to school where ever each chooses, buy a house in most neighborhoods, get a mortgage at a somewhat reasonable rate, or go to another source to get a better rate, enroll in any college for which one has the funds and the test scores, and some even have the connections to get a good job with great benefits, when one has only mediocre abilities.

Regarding immigration, consider that our government passed NAFTA in 1993, for the benefit of multinational corporations.  “Since then, U.S. companies have flooded Mexico with agricultural goods (to the benefit of the U.S. farmer), which have driven down prices in Mexico, such that Mexican farmers cannot compete.  This causes Mexican farmers to leave rural areas for cities, but finding the labor market there glutted, they move farther North to support their families—as any of us would do, were we in their shoes.  In other words, to whatever extent migrants are crossing the border and thereby (ostensibly) taking other people’s jobs, it is only because the economy of Mexico has been considerably undermined by the policies of our country.” (Page 95).

I encourage all to read this letter and to become informed of the simmering racism that pervades the United States.

-Janice Gintzler, Acorn patron

This Week's Staff Favorites: Volume 42

Gobble Gobble Gobble
Twas the night of Thanksgiving and all through the house,
Relatives were screaming cuz Grandma saw a mouse,
That’s not a mouse, you crazy ol’ bat…
That’s Hannah and Her Sisters’ scrawny ol’ cat!
I can’t believe we’ve got to stay here for another two days,
Screw you and your “Ooh, let’s go Home for the Holidays!”
Now, honey, please calm down, let’s see What’s Cooking,
Oh, good lord, why is there fuzz on Aunt Polly’s plum pudding?
Cuz they’re trying to kill us! They’re nuts! I told you last year,
But, nooooo, you said, “That’s just crazy talk, dear.”
Now, go check the computer, there have to be some travel deals,
Please, I’ll take anything…Planes?  Trains?  Automobiles?
Honey, here, sit down, let me get you a drink,
They’re really not so bad, well, not as bad as you think,
You just need to give them a chance, you’ve got to be willing…
Willing?  Me?  Willing?  Come here, sweetie, it’s time…

…for a little Thankskilling!

- Danielle, Tech Services

The Bones of What You Believe by Chvrches
Hailing from Glasgow, Scotland, Chvrches (i.e., Churches with a “v” instead of a “u”) have crafted a synthpop masterpiece in their debut album, The Bones of What You Believe. I enjoyed this album so much that I quite honestly could not remove this album from my CD player. The songs are catchy to the point of infectious, and the energetic dance-inspired beats and the ethereal vocals are perfectly offset by the reflective, oftentimes melancholy, lyrics. Think Passion Pit, M83, Depeche Mode, and 80s-influenced electropop to get a general impression of what this band sounds like, but I suggest you check it out on your own if you have even the slightest interest in this music scene. The songs “The Mother We Share,” “We Sink,” and “Lies” come highly recommended as possible entry points. Put a hold on a copy today through SWAN.

- Zach, Reference

Golden by Lady Antebellum
The fourth album released by country group Lady Antebellum, Golden is an excellent mix of fun, upbeat songs as well as some slower ballads, all of which are great to sing along to. Even though the album has been out since May of this year, there are quite a few hits on the CD that have yet to be played on the radio. “It Ain’t Pretty” is my new personal favorite, but others such as “Better Off Now (That You’re Gone)” and “Can’t Stand the Rain” are quite catchy. I highly recommend checking out this CD, even for those who aren’t big country music fans. It’s available at Acorn and through SWAN.

-Lynn, Reference

Thank You For Your Service by David Finkel
Thank You For Your Service is a compilation of the true stories of several American soldiers after they have returned home from the war in Iraq. It is a sequel of sorts to The Good Soldiers, a work that tells the stories of these same soldiers while they were on the front lines. This book grabs your attention from the second you open it until you read the very last word. It is full of heartbreaking moments as well as a few happy ones. Not only does Finkel show us how the men were affected, but how their wives, doctors, friends, and children were affected as well. Finkel writes in such a powerful way that your heart will inevitably be touched by these stories. It is an absolute must-read.

-Donna D., Reference

Fitzgerald Family Christmas
The cover may seem schmaltzy, and the the title might scream Hallmark Channel, but you must believe me when I tell you that Fitzgerald Family Christmas is an incisive, witty little film about the ways in which parents and siblings inform our lives. Edward Burns (who also wrote and directed) stars as Gerry, the eldest son who became the grounded, acerbic patriarch when his father deserted the family two decades ago. His six siblings are in various states of disarray. For starters, Manhattan slickster Quinn (Michael McGlone) is plotting an ill-conceived proposal to his 22-year-old girlfriend, pampered Erin (Heather Burns) suffers from chronic unpleasantness, and baby-faced ruffian Cyril (Tom Guiry) has just completed a stint in rehab. The odds that this unbiddable clan will enjoy serene Yuletide blessings are further diminished when their father announces his intention of joining them for the festivities.

The spirited ensemble cast is superb, and somehow each character has emerged with a discrete, compelling personality. Burns has a gently trenchant way with dialogue and plotting that yields unforced epiphanies and satisfying transformations. I also highly recommend  Newlyweds, another Burns effort from 2012.

-Megan, Reference

This Week's Staff Favorites: Volume 41

Haiku!
Gesundheit.  Bless You.  À tes souhaits.  Salud.  Na zdrowie.

Well, thank you very much but I promise this isn’t about sneezes.  No, this is about the short, sensual, simple and striking poetic form that is haiku.  Yes, that seventeen syllable painter of pictures and sculptor of scenes that all of you were assailed with in school.  You were probably even forced, through threats and assorted forms of teacherly torture, to write one yourself at some point.  Ah, memories…

Five-Seven-Five.  Five syllables, then seven, then five again.  That’s all there is to it but, like so many other things in life, there’s profundity hidden within those seemingly shallow depths.  Originally a Japanese art form used to contrast everyday images and lifescapes against nature’s grandiosity and/or utter simplicity, it’s been adopted by writers across the world.  And, although I prefer the strictures of the original syllabic format, haiku has evolved to embrace other forms of short poetry and image crafting that move far beyond the original definition of haiku.

A good place to start your haiku adventure is the shelves of Acorn’s children’s department where there are several books available.  Outside Acorn, you can visit the first 100 years of English Haiku or narrow your focus a little and try out some haiku about love or cats or gay guys or rednecks or zombies or single girls. You can even, if so inclined, use haiku to cultivate awareness and open your heart.  There is, literally, something for everyone in the world of haiku.  And, if I haven’t convinced you yet, the next time you’re in the employee restroom, take a look above the paper holder, contemplate the deeper meaning of those words and realize that haiku, in its many forms, surrounds you daily…and that someone at Acorn beat me to the haiku love!

-Danielle, Tech Services

What Maisie Knew
What Maisie Knew stars newcomer Onata Aprile,  who plays the title role told through the eyes of a six-year-old as she tries to find equilibrium as her parents go through a bitter custody battle. The film focuses on her face and eyes that create several layers of emotion and struggle. This is one of those films where you want to shake the parents’ foundation to make them aware of the damage being done.  Segments of childhood are slipped in where they can, Maisie adjusting to situations as they come with grace and maturity. Dysfunctional is the key word throughout, however. Leave it to Maisie to show us the intense awareness, but we are left wondering what she really knows and understands. The film also stars Julianne Moore, Steve Coogan, Joanna Vanderham, and Alexander Skarsgard  this film is available from SWAN.

-Darlene, Circulation

Welcome Home Mama and Boris: How a Sister’s Love Saved a Fallen Soldier’s Beloved Dogs by Carey Neesley
When Carey Neesley’s younger brother, Peter, enlists in the Army, she is devastated yet proud of him. Her brother is her best friend and a father figure to her little boy, Patrick. However, in December of 2007, Carey’s world is turned upside down when she receives news of her brother’s passing while he is stationed in Iraq. Carey works hard to keep her brother’s memory alive and to help bring home the two stray dogs he befriended while overseas. The story is heartbreaking, but at the same time it showcases how different people and organizations came together to honor Peter by getting the dogs he loved to the United States. This is a quick read that I found difficult to put down. The book is available through SWAN.

-Lynn, Reference


Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened by Allie Brosh
This hilarious book has ruined me on reading other humorous titles for a while!  I was only tangentially familiar with Brosh's blog by the same name, but I was immediately familiar with the author's cover art as it has found its way into many Internet memes, probably the most familiar being CLEAN ALL THE THINGS.  Most of the stories are comical, and feature intentionally simplistically crude artwork to fully illustrate the emotion and tone of the story.  While most illustrations provide a tremendous amount of comic effect, it is the chapters on depression that the artwork captures the perfect tone to accurately convey the mental state of Brosh while she suffered through the worst of this debilitating and seemingly endless condition.  I cannot choose any one story as a favorite, and after finishing the book, I read Brosh's entire blog the following weekend.  Brosh is currently on a promotional tour for the book, and was interviewed by NPR's Terry Gross for Fresh Air earlier this week- it's a must listen!  I am looking forward to seeing what Brosh's next project might be.

-Jennifer, Youth Services

Enough Said 
Starring actors such as Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Seinfeld), Catherine Keener (Where the Wild Things Are), and the late James Gandolfini (The Sopranos), this romantic comedy tells the story of single mom and masseuse Eva (Louis-Dreyfus) as she attempts to cope with her only child’s departure to college. Along the way, she encounters Albert (Gandolfini), also a single parent with a daughter on her way to college. Eva and Albert hit it off, but Eva soon realizes that her new client is Albert’s ex-wife, Marianne (Keener). Not wanting Albert to know Marianne is her client and trying to keep Marianne from realizing she is dating Albert, Eva soon begins going to questionable lengths in hopes of maintaining her new-found friendship with Marianne, only to begin damaging her romantic relationship with Albert. Can she find a way to achieve balance? The chemistry between Gandolfini and Louis-Dreyfus is effortless and real. An absolute must-see.

-Donna D., Reference

Days Are Gone by HAIM
HAIM, a trio of L.A.-based sisters, recently released this assured, alarmingly catchy debut album. They've mined all the '70s and '80s radio staples you hadn't realized you missed, then added inventively tiered synthesizers to create something refreshing, resonant, and just plain fun. If you're wondering what the futuristic lovechild of "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" and "Rhiannon" sounds like, this one's for you. Days Are Gone can be requested from SWAN.

-Megan, Reference