Lissa Staley helps people use the library. She is a Book Evangelist, Health Information Librarian, Arts and Crafts Librarian, Trivia Emcee, Classics Made Modern book group leader, and frequent library customer, especially with her preschool children. She reads a new book every few days, but recently loved "Swordspoint" by Ellen Kushner, "Love and Other Perishable Items" by Laura Buzo and "The Reluctant Assassin" by Eoin Colfer and is looking forward to "Homeland" by Cory Doctorow.
Contact Lissa at estaley@tscpl.org
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Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (1878) creates a epic tale of sex, duty, marriage and moral regeneration in this realistic novel of unhappy families set in imperial Russia. Critics describe it as flawless, the greatest novel ever written. Discuss at the library on Monday, April 8, 2013, 1:30–3:00 pm in the Marvin Auditorium 101C.
Whitley Johnson wants nothing more than to get out of town after graduation, to escape her depressed mother in Indiana and visit her fun-loving father’s condo by the lake in Kentucky for the summer. When she can’t remember the name of the guy she wakes up next to after getting drunk at a party on [...]
It’s been a great year for movies — Thad Hartman and Lissa Staley host a discussion with Brian about Oscar winning movies. Who do you hope takes home the Best Picture Oscar this year? What Academy Awards for Best Picture over the past 85 years do you think were most (or least) deserved? Share your recommendations with us!
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (1891) imagines a young man who sells his soul to ensure that a painting of him will age so that his own beauty never fades in this work of classic gothic fiction with a strong Faustian theme. Discuss at the library on Monday, March 11, 2013, 1:30–3:00 pm in the Marvin Auditorium 101C.
Could you compete with the top January 2013 trivia teams in Topeka on these Great Gatsby questions? What character is the narrator of The Great Gatsby? What was the birth name of the character of Jay Gatsby? What classic Nintendo video game features a princess who was named after the wife of F. Scott Fitzgerald? Who portrayed Jay Gatsby in the 1974 movie version of the The Great Gatsby? Answers are included at the bottom of the post.
This page allows the many authors of the 2013 Community Novel Project so share, trade and recommend online resources for research and inspiration while writing their chapters. Post your suggestions in the comments or email to Lissa at estaley@tscpl.org for inclusion. Speak-Easy We initially shared some discussion about using Speakeasy or Speak Easy or Speak-Easy [...]
Community Blood Drive
8:00 AM – 3:00 PM, Wednesday, February 13, 2013 in the Marvin Auditorium 101BC
You make a difference–there is an ongoing need in the greater Topeka community for blood donations.
It’s been a great year for books — Thad Hartman and Lissa Staley host a (31:38) discussion with Julie about disaster books and a (34:53) discussion with Brian about the disaster movie genre. What are your favorite disaster stories? Share your recommendations with us!
This debut novel is an historical romance, a contemporary romance, and a compelling issues novel about civil rights and women’s rights all tied up in an emotional page turner that will keep you hooked until the last page and leave you wishing it hadn’t ended so soon. In the author acknowledgements at the end she reminds the reader of her book’s message about racism and prejudice: “It’s up to you to be the change.” Reading fiction lets us explore other people’s lives with empathy. Read this book and be the change.
This is a must-read boy-next-door romantic teen story, well-written, with compelling characters and real life family issues. Coming of age stories are always relevant because we are all making choices every day that determine who we are and who we become. Check it out – My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick.
First off, this isn’t a novel about zombies, despite the deceptive title. What if the current pop-culture obsession with “brains” took a different turn? What if professional football declined, and professional trivia teams took their place, complete with overpaid players, competitive coaches, tabloid media, player infighting, rookies under pressure and all of the other fabulous [...]
