La Crosse’s Comments (group member since Nov 08, 2017)

La Crosse’s comments from the La Crosse Public Library group.

Join our Chapters Book Club for this fall read, Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer.

Connect in person at these open book club events, or join us online in the discussion box!

- Tuesday, November 13th at South Community Library, 1:30pm
- Wednesday, November 28th at Main Library Trustees' Room, 7:00pm

Teaser Question: Does choice play a significant role in the characters' lives? What do their decisions demonstrate about the importance of retaining a sense of independence and control in the midst of chaos?

Here's a patron recommendation from Lindy, one of our library volunteers!

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland
Dread Nation

The Civil War has been halted. (Please note the language reflects the times!) Negro females ten and over are being sent to Ladies Finishing Schools to learn manners, how to assist “white” ladies and how to kill zombies. Yes Zombies!

Jane and Katherine break the rules of the finishing school at an educational lecture: Jane by carrying a revolver beneath her skirts and Katherine by wearing a bustle. Jane’s foresight saves several people when the lecture subject “turns” mid-lecture. Katherine’s offense almost keeps her from escaping. This is the kind of life available now and only clever and prepared people survive.

I found this a novel combination of inequality and discrimination in a suspenseful setting with fun, strong and resourceful characters. A sequel may lie ahead.

Thank you to all who came out and celebrated our one year anniversary of hosting Storytime for Adults! Congrats to all the winners of the swag! If you didn't get an awesome pint glass featuring the Storytime for Adults and Turtle Stack Brewery logos, you can buy one from Turtle Stack for $5, and all of the proceeds will benefit La Crosse Public Library! We'll be handing out more prizes next month, so stay tuned and until then, happy reading!

Here are the books, essays, and scary stories we shared this month!



Blogs and Essays:

I Work Security at Disney World...Well, I Mean, I Did
https://www.reddit.com/r/nosleep/comm...

An Open Letter to Balding Men from a Bald Man by Keith Plocek
https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/a...

An Open Letter to the Gentleman Blow-Drying His Balls in the Gym Locker Room by Ross Beeley
https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/a...

Plays:

Tape by Jose' Rivera
http://lib-serv.tccd.edu/faculty/seli...

What a phenomenal crowd turned out for this month's storytime with the theme, forbidden texts. Lots of great discussions on censorship and the freedom to read what you want. Here are the banned and challenged books, poems, and plays we shared from this month! Happy reading, everyone!

Hey Beth, it'll be August 7th.

Well, we stuck mostly to our theme of vacation blues this month! Shout out to Cloudy's Food Truck and our always friendly hosts at Turtle Stack Brewery. Here are the books, poems, and satires we shared this month!



Poetry:

Last Thoughts on Woodie Guthrie by Bob Dylan
https://www.bobdylan.com/songs/last-t...

Satirical Essay:
The Sea is My Mistress, Please Don't Tell My Wife by James Folta
https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/t...

The dog days of summer were a bit more bearable with another round of Storytime for Adults! Thank you to our host, Turtle Stack Brewery, for keeping us hydrated and to Cloudy's Food Truck for supplying tasty food! Here are the books and satires our library staff shared from this month!



Satirical Essays:

Other Moments in a Soccer Player's Life by Jamie Allen
https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/o...

An Open Letter to the Couple Who Found My Panties in Their Yard Last Summer by Sarah Johnson
https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/a...

I've Read 5 of the 143 Words in Your Facebook Status, and Now I Hate You, Old Friend by Shannon Reed
https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/i...

Join us for the Summer Chapters 2018 Lunch Hour Book Discussion series! Bring your lunch and we'll provide the beverage and dessert!

We'll discuss The Queen of the Night on Tuesday, July 10th at 12pm in the Main Library Auditorium.

Check out this discussion question to pique your interest!
What is Lilliet's belief in Fate? How does she see it ruling over her life? Do you think she is in control of her own actions? In what ways do you see her at the will of Fate and how does she make her own way in the world?

Another great summer storytime with guest Cloudy's food truck and our amazing hosts at Turtle Stack Brewery! Thank you to all who came out - we had a great mix of Storytime fans and newcomers!

Here's what we read this month for (un)Happily Ever After:

(Includes the play Post Its (Notes From a Marriage) by Paul Dooley and Winnie Holzman)

Satirical Essays:

Who I Am, In Order by Sam Weiner
https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/w...

When Making Love to Me, What Every Woman Must Please Keep In Mind by Mike Sacks
https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/w...

Thanks to all who came out for May's Storytime for Adults! It was great weather, great hosts at Turtle Stack Brewery, and food truck season is back with guest Cloudy's Food Truck.

Here are the books, short stories, and poems we shared this month for Apocalypse-a-Go-Go, a tie in to the 2018 La Crosse Reads book selection, Station Eleven. Check out more La Crosse Reads events now through June at http://www.lacrossereads.com/2018/.



Poem:
Darkness by Lord Byron
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem...

Mc wrote: "PATRIOTS is a good book"

Thanks for the suggestion!

Join our Chapters Book Club! Our May read for 2018 is Marlene by C.W. Gortner.

Join us for our library chats, or tell us what you think online! Discussion questions and book club dates below!

DISCUSSION QUESTION: Marlene Dietrich famously said that “I am, at heart, a gentleman.” Now that you’ve read part of her life story, what do you think she meant by that?

See the full list of discussion questions: http://www.lacrosselibrary.org/sites/...

JOIN US IN PERSON:
Tuesday, May 8, 1:30 pm, South Community Library
Wednesday, May 16, 7 pm, Main Library Trustee Room

Happy National Library Week! Thank you for celebrating with us at Storytime for Adults. Don't forget to check out all the other wonderful events for National Library Week (http://www.lacrosselibrary.org/nation...) and to stop in and a grab a copy of Station Eleven, the 2018 La Crosse Reads book pick!

Here are the titles we shared from this month!

Thanks again to the La Crosse community and our hosts, Turtle Stack Brewery, for another great night of Storytime for Adults! This was our biggest crowd yet!

Here's the list of books and essays we shared. Be sure to check them out from your local library!



Essays:
Closing the Gap by Heidi Blanke
https://heidiblanke.wordpress.com/201...

Since You're About to Be Orphaned, Young Future Superhero, Let Me Lay One Last Guilt Trip On You by Juliana Gray
https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/s...

Join our Chapters Book Club! Our March read for 2018 is The Midnight Watch by David Dyer.

Join us for our library chats, or tell us what you think online! Discussion questions and book club dates below!

DISCUSSION QUESTION: The historical incident that underlies The Midnight Watch seems to have slipped from public memory, even while interest in the Titanic has grown stronger. Why do you think that is?

See the full list of discussion questions: http://www.lacrosselibrary.org/sites/...

JOIN US IN PERSON:
Tuesday, March 13, 1:30 pm, South Community Library
Wednesday, March 21, 7 pm, Main Library Trustee Room

Thanks for coming out to another winter storytime! We got some good laughs in over our "Tainted Love" theme.

Here's all the books we shared from, so feel free to visit your local library and CHECK THEM OUT!



Articles and Plays:
Charm School Dropout by Rochelle Hartman
https://medium.com/@rochellehartman/c...

Sure Thing by David Ives
http://www.what.org/WHATsides/2012/03...

Thanks to all who came out in the cold for our first Storytime for Adults of the year! We had our biggest crowd yet!

By popular request, now you can see what books and stories we shared. Find the full list below, and save the date for our next storytime on February 6th. The theme is "Tainted Love."

Winter Blues Selections:

Join our Chapters Book Club! Our February read for 2018 is The Paris Architect.

Join us for our library chats, or tell us what you think online! Discussion questions and book club dates below!

QUESTION: In the beginning of the novel, Lucien didn't care about what happened to the Jews. Discuss how his character evolved throughout the novel. How did your opinion of him change?

See the full list of discussion questions here>>> http://lacrosselibrary.librarymarket....

COME TO BOOK CLUB:
Tuesday, February 13, 1:30 pm. South Community Library
Wednesday, February 21, 7 pm, Main Library Trustee Room