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
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