A few months ago, someone told me I should start watching Downton Abbey. The title was familiar to me from patrons and coworkers talking about it at the library so I thought why not? I like a good British period drama. What no one told me is that I would watch 2 seasons in less than 2 weeks! Set in the 1910's and 20's in the Yorkshire countryside, what's not to love about the saga of the aristocratic Crawley family, their (mostly) faithful servants and friends? If the soap operaesque relationships and situations don't get you, World War I and it's effects will.

The filming of Downton actually takes place at the remarkable Highclare Castle, where Lady Almina, 5th Countess of Carnarvon, lived. I would highly suggest checking out the book, audiobook or eBook of  Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: The Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle by Fiona Carnavon, who is one of the current residents. It not only recounts Almina's life and accomplishments, but tells about how the people of the area were effected by WWI, and what it was like to actually be in the midst of that terrible conflict. For a look at things from the servants' point of view, try the book Below Stairs: The Classic Kitchen Maid's Memoir that Inspired "Upstairs, Downstairs" and "Downton Abbey" by Margaret Powell. And we now have Downton Abbey seasons 1, 2, and 3 available on DVD!

A weekend is a great time to read!!!

Edward Gorey wrote odd stories and rhymes that were both funny and macabre, and had that same sense in his illustrations. Sure they're strange, but I find them interestingly delightful. Look for Amphigorey and other works in our catalog. Please see the following for elucidation, interpretation, illumination, and a wildly grinning Wuggly Ump.

Choices. We've all made some good choices, and some bad. Decisions that we may not have had time to think about, that were an immediate response or pure instinct in a situation. That were made because we were young. Because we felt there was no choice.

The Other Wes Moore tells the true story of two men with the same name, about the same age, who grew up in similar circumstances, and ended up on opposite sides of the spectrum. Author Wes Moore found out about a man serving a life sentence who happens to also be called Wes Moore. He wrote to the jailed Wes, wanting to learn how he ended up in prison, while he himself was a Rhodes Scholar and successful businessman. They began a correspondence that led to meeting in person and discussing their lives. I feel that the book raises questions that merit thought and debate. How much does environment influence a persons behavior? Are your role models peers? Parents? Teachers? Is there someone to push you in the right direction? Who sees and hears what you need? And how do you respond? How do you make your own decisions? These are just some of the questions my book group raised. I'm sure there are a hundred more. What are the answers?

Do you know why you should never beam down in a red shirt? Or question why the captain and high ranking officers always come home, whereas ensigns are often expendable? If you do, you should read Redshirts. If you don't, I think you still may enjoy Redshirts. Can these incidents really be coincidence? Or is something lurking behind them? Local author John Scalzi's latest has just been nominated for a top science fiction honor - the Hugo Award for Best Novel! If you get a chance, check out all the 2013 nominees:

2312 by Kim Stanley Robinson 

Blackout by Mira Grant 

Captain Vorpatril's Alliance by Lois McMaster Bujold

Redshirts: A Novel with Three Codas by John Scalzi 

Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed 

An overview of the Hugo Award, as well as previous winners and nominees, can be found on the Science Fiction Awards Database, or go to the The Official Site of The Hugo Awards for oodles of information. This year's winners will be announced on September 1st. Scalzi also has a cool blog called Whatever.