Mr. Hollywood Speaks

A great movie can transport you to another time and place, just like a great book. Here at the library we have a wide selection of period-piece films. These are just a few to whet your appetite.

Taking place in China during the 1920s, The Painted Veil follows the story of a loveless marriage between a British doctor and his adulterous wife. Out of an act of vengeance Ed Norton takes a job in disease ravaged part of rural China, where his wife, Naomi Watts, must follow.

The Oscar-winning actress Kate Blanchet plays the title role in Elizabeth. In 16th century England, the newly crowned Queen Elizabeth must endure the mounting pressures of a council of suspicious advisers, calls for an heir to the throne, and a bitter fight with the Catholic Church. Elizabeth: The Golden Age, continues the intriguing story of the Virgin Queen and her ongoing battles fought with enemies near and far.

Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York tells a bloody tale of vengeance in 1840s New York, where the slums are run by a brutal gang of thugs. Leonardo DiCaprio plays the son of a slain Irish gang leader who must take revenge on their rival's ruthless captain, Bill the Butcher.

Immersing viewers in late 18th century England, Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice depicts a group sisters whose lives are upended when a wealthy man and his best friend come to town. Elizabeth Bennet, played by Keira Knightly, must duel with her sisters for the attention of a new suitor.

Blue Ribbon Book Stop

New York Times bestselling author Luanne Rice is a staff pick for spring reading. No relation to Anne Rice, Luanne Rice artfully blends romance and suspense into spellbinding page turners.

Many of her books are available in the fiction section of the library including Light of the Moon. In this lyrical novel, an accomplished anthropologist travels to the fabled French Camarge to see its famous white horses and investigate her family's history. Here she falls for a horse rancher and is taken into the confidence of by a group of gypsy women as she unearths secrets in the fog-shrouded landscape.

Check the library catalog for the new feature "Similar Books," which provides links to other books by the same author and other authors who are similar in style. One such recommendation is The Secret Between Us by Barbara Delinsky, another bestselling author. Family dynamics blend seemlessly with elements of romance and suspence in this story of a mother who covers up for her daughter in a car accident by claiming to be the driver.

Both Rice and Delinsky are blue ribbon authors in this popular genre of women's fiction. For other similar authors, check with a reference librarian.

Local History Book Stop

Walk into the past this spring, armed with one of these historic walking guides. It's the perfect time of year to take a stroll and soak up the atmosphere of one of the City's five bouroughs.

In Walking Brooklyn: 30 Tours Exploring Historical Legacies, Neighborhood Culture, Side Streets, and Waterways, native New Yorker Adrienne Onofri leads thirty urban treks, from the heart of downtown, over the Brooklyn Bridge, and out to the resurging East New York.

Get to know Manhattan better with Secret New York: Exploring The City's Hidden Neighborhoods by Michelle Haimoff. Best explored on foot, the City's distinctive neighborhoods provide ample opportunities to immerse yourself in the culture and history.

Greenwich Village Guide: Sixteen Historic Walks Includes Soho Tribeca And The East Village by Fred W. McDarrah and Patrick J. McDarrah introduces you to old and new Greenwich Village with its famous streets and rich past. Although this book was written in 1992, much of it is still relevant today.

Author Stephen A. Plumb recaptures some of the excitement and colorful history of New York's memorable people and their historic residences in Notable New York: The West Side & Greenwich Village: A Walking Guide To The Historic Homes of Famous (and Infamous) New Yorkers. From Bing Crosby to Babe Ruth, architectural historian Plumb puts a human face and history on otherwise unknown buildings.

For the armchair traveller or walking enthusiast who wants to step out of the City, Queens is an excellent alternative. The Neighborhoods Of Queens by Claudia Gryvatz Copquin captures the unique character of each area--Astoria, the Rockaways, Flushing, and more.

Look for these books on the April "Spring Fever" display, near the Circulation Desk. For walking and hiking closer to home, visit The Green Spot wall for information, or ask a reference librarian.

Book Discussion: Wait Till Next Year

Wait Till Next Year : A Memoir
by Doris Kearns Goodwin
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
7 to 8 p.m.
Riverhead Free Library Open Room

Join us for a discussion of Wait Till Next Year, the Long Island Reads selection for 2009. Long Island Reads is an island-wide reading initiative in which people from all over the island read and discuss the same book every spring. In her memoir, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Doris Kearns Goodwin recalls growing up on Long Island in the 1950s in a close-knit neighborhood filled with Brooklyn Dodger fans. For more information on the discussion, contact the adult reference desk at the library. All are welcome.

Born to be Wild

The weather is starting to warm up, so why not get some inspiration from these rugged traveling stories, and go out on your own adventure!


Pico Iyer has no shortage of global travel books. In Sun After Dark: Flights into the Foreign, Iyer delves into some of the most remote and mysterious locales around the world. This collection of essays gives a spiritual and philosophical twist to your standard travel lit.

No stranger when it comes to travel writing, Bill Bryson's In a Sunburned Country recounts his witty adventurs in the scorched outback of Australia. Not content with a standard tour of the Outback, Bryson provides a rich and funny account of Australian history and politics as well.

Ewan McGregor may be a world-renowed actor, but did you also know he's a real life adventurer too! Long Way Round : Chasing Shadows Across the World is the travelogue of McGregor and fellow actor Charley Boorman on a 20,000 mile journey across Europe, Asia, and North America, and all done with two BMW motorcycles. Be sure to also check out the six-hour TV documentary Long Way Round on DVD for more on their journey.


No Horizon Is So Far: Two Women And Their Extraordinary Journey Across Antartica by Liv Arnesen and Ann Bancroft is the true story of the first women's team to trek across the frozen continent. Both women are former teachers chronicling their milestone journey in a very unforgiving landscape that will inspire young and old alike.

In the News

You can't go very far today without seeing a news story about runaway corporate greed. So why not dig a little deeper into the headlines and check out all of these great books we have at the Riverhead Free Library.

Abraham L. Gitlow's Corruption in Corporate America delves into the underlying reasons for corporate greed and the scandals that arise. Examining each aspect of what makes up a corporation and what can and has gone wrong, Gitlow gives examples for stopping the criminal exploits of a greedy company.

Enron is the poster child for of today's major corporations falling by the wayside and going out of business. Bethany McLean exposes the company's bankruptcy scandal in The Smartest Guys in the Room : The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron.

Dangerous Business :The Risks of Globalization for America by Pat Choate takes a hard look at the globalization movement and its impact on U.S. government policies. Arguing against the interdependence and increasing greed of multi-national corporations, Choate's book takes aim at at a lot of the current problems the country is facing.

Jeff Benedict investigates a Supreme Court case involving eminent domain, a low-income neighborhood, and the pharmacy giant Pfizer. Little Pink House: A True Story Of Defiance And Courage details the uphill battle against the town of New London, Connecticut, sighting eminent domain as a justification for bulldozing a small section of the town in order to bring in big business from Pfizer.

Where the Fur Flies

Each day we hear of wonderful stories about human-animal relationships. Nothing can prepare us for the impact animals have in our lives. Below are a few of the true and wonderful human-animal stories that will touch your soul.

The Angel By My Side: The True Story of a Dog Who Saved a Man...and a Man Who Saved a Dog by Michael Lingenfelter & David Frei. Anyone who loves to watch the Westminster dog show on TV will recognize the name David Frei, one of the commentators for the show. His book is about a very special Golden Retriever dog with unique, life-saving talents. "Dakota" was named 1999 Service Dog of the Year by the Delta Society.

Amazing Gracie: A Dog's Tale by Dan Dye & Mark Beckloff. "Gracie" is a deaf and partially blind albino Great Dane with a delicate constitution and a penchant for small miracles. This book was nominated as a Young Adult Choice for 2002. "Gracie" also inspired owners Dan & Mark to start the bakery known as 'Three Dog Bakery'.

Wildlife can also teach us so much about life. Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl by Stacey O'Brien. Stacey was a student biologist who worked with owls. "Wesley" came into her life as a four-day-old barn owl. A very educational, captivating, loving story. A must read for all ages.

Enslaved By Ducks: How One Man Went from Head of the Household to Bottom of the Pecking Order by Bob Tarte. If you ever thought about caring for many animals, this is the book for you! You will find it useful and even have second thoughts about how many animals your really, really need or want. Owners will chuckle at the many situations presented, and pet owners will identify with them.

Beagle at large! Mornings with Barney: The True Story of an Extraordinary Beagle by Dick Wolfsie. I enjoyed this immensely! It was comical and so true for anyone who has ever owned a hound. This little beagle brought so much joy, happiness, and fun to a small town in Indiana.