Cook Memorial Public Library Podcast

Join Daniel Smith, Genealogy Librarian, as he explores the connections between seeds and our immigrant ancestors. You may be surprised to learn that many immigrants brought seeds with them to America. These seeds were so valuable that they sometimes went to great lengths to hide them. They were then able to grow these seeds once they settled, and they used what they grew to recreate foods from their homelands. During the episode, Daniel shares a couple of examples and then provides ways you can find your immigrant ancestors. The episode ends with some suggestions for those who may want to try growing heirloom seeds.

Join Daniel Smith, Genealogy Librarian, as he explores the connections between seeds and genealogy. You may be surprised what you can learn about your family's history from seeds! During the episode, Daniel shares what he has learned about his ancestors from the seeds his family kept, the records available, and the food prepared. He also gives a sneak peek at the next episode.

Becky and Nate are back for the 10th year in a row to discuss this Sunday's 97th Academy Awards cermony.

Listen and discover the films of 2024 - the movies getting all the buzz, must-see performances, filmmakers to know, overrated disappointments, and the overlooked films that you don't want to miss.

Remember, if you add a lot of movies to your watchlist the Library is here to help you find them!

Meet Allie, the newest Reference Librarian at Cook Memorial Public Library District! She and Hannah discuss recent reads, the neverending debate between hardcover versus paperback, and how Allie got into the library business.

Titles Referenced: Martina Calvi's The Art of Memory Collecting; Molly Baz's More is More; Franz Kafka's The Trial; Helen MacDonald and Sin Blanché's Prophet; Isabel Cañas' Vampires of El Norte and The Hacienda; Mona Awad's All's Well; Elizabeth O'Connor's Whale Fall; Caroline Woods' The Mesmerist

In this episode, Amy and Leah talk about authors who cross genres, topics, and age groups -- and why the change can be great for readers.

Authors mentioned in this episode:

Madeleine L'Engle

Judy Blume

Holly Black

Brandon Sanderson

Elizabeth Acevedo

Leigh Bardugo

Nicola Yoon

Ali Hazelwood

Click here to register for the Fall Book Buzz.

Click here to learn more about our new Silent Book Club.

For a personalized list of suggestions, visit our Ask A Bookie page.

Email us at [email protected].

Readers' Advisors Hannah and Marianne share their thoughts about all things historical fiction.

Titles mentioned in this episode:

George Orwell - 1984

Isabel Banta - Honey

The Sicilian Inheritance - Jo Piazza

All the Colors of the Dark - Chris Whitaker

Wild and Distant Seas - Tara Karr Roberts

The Emperor and the Endless Palace by Justinian Huang

James - Percival Everett

Tom Sawyer - Mark Twain

The Familiar - Leigh Bardugo

North Woods - Daniel Mason

I Am Homeless If This Is Not My Home - Lorrie Moore

The Women - Kristin Hannah

The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald

Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck

The Matrix - Lauren Groff

Three Fires - Denise Mina

The Rachel Incident - Caroline O'Donoghue

Tom Lake - Ann Patchett

Click here to request a personalized reading recommendation.

Contact us at [email protected]

Book Club Associate Amy and Readers' Advisor Marianne share titles guaranteed to get your book club talking.

Titles mentioned in this episode:

• This Tender Land, William Kent Krueger
• James, Percival Everett
• The Lincoln Highway and Table for Two, Amor Towles
• Hamnet, Maggie O'Farrell
• The Diamond Eye, Kate Quinn
• Solito, Javier Zamora
• Chain-Gang All-Stars, Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
• Yellowface, R. F. Kuang
• Romantic Comedy, Curtis Sittenfeld
• Lessons in Chemistry, Bonnie Garmus
• Remarkably Bright Creatures, Shelby Van Pelt
• The Guncle, Steven Rowley
• Land of Milk and Honey, C Pam Zhang (Marianne's review)
• Martyr!, Kaveh Akbar
• Happiness Falls, Angie Kim

Click here to request a list of personalized reading recommendations.

Click here to register for the Summer Book Buzz.

Click here for details on Summer Reading 2024 (registration opens June 1)

To contact Amy about a book club, email [email protected].

To contact us, email [email protected]

Erica and Brooke, one of the Library's Maintenance staff, talk about two new historical fiction titles and what we can learn from them.

Titles and authors mentioned in this episode:

• The Women by Kristen Hannah
• Cahokia Jazz by Francis Spufford
• China Beach (TV Series)
• Lou Berney
• S.A. Cosby
• Dwyer Murphy
• The Yiddish Policeman's Union by Michael Chabon

For a personalized list of reading suggestions, fill out our Ask A Bookie form.

Contact us at [email protected].

Erica and Bronwyn, the Library's Communications Coordinator, talk about the romantasy series that has taken over the internet: Sarah J. Maas's A Court of Thorns and Roses, the RenFaire, and how books are better with friends.

Titles mentioned in this episode:

• A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
• The Crescent City Series by Sarah J. Maas
• Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
• A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin
• Game of Thrones: the television series
• Dune by Frank Herbert
• Dune: the films
• The Eye of the World (The Wheel of Time, Book 1) by Robert Jordan
• Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
• Outlander: the television series

Want more ACOTAR readalikes? Fill out our Ask A Bookie form for a personalized list of suggestions.

Contact us at [email protected].

For the 9th year in a row librarians Becky and Nate discuss last night's Academy Awards ceremony and celebrate the year in film.

Listen and discover the highlights - the movies recognized by the Academy and the movies that were overlooked but not to be missed.

Then find out how your library card is the ultimate ticket to the movies.