ROOM and Greek Cheese

Sure, we would always like everything to be a completely perfect experience. We are always in search of our new favorites: possibly the next movie we watch, the next restaurant we visit, etc. But the reality is that perfection only comes along once in a great while. As we wait for the next perfect experience (vacation, DVD rental, etc.) we should appreciate the greatly positive experiences that come along at more of a regular rate.

For instance, my wife and I visited a Greek restaurant for New Year's Eve a few years ago. Our time there was far from perfect, mainly due to the waiter's stubborn refusal to bring more water to our table after delivering the saganaki (Opa!). But the food was terrific, the ambiance was incredible, and the tile-work in the washroom is what I envision as we currently plan our bathroom remodeling project. All of the positive parts came together to create a fantastic time.

Now as Bill Cosby would say, "I told you that to tell you this". I've recently read the book Room by Emma Donoghue for an upcoming book discussion, and while it wasn't perfect, it was certainly in the next neighborhood over. The first page of the book reveals that the book is narrated by a five year-old boy named Jack: Donoghue uses this young voice (successfully, I think) to soften the blow of the issues and themes she tackles. She also utilizes Jack's fresh perspective to raise questions about corners of our everyday world that we never thought twice about. I will eschew examples as I don't want to broadcast any parts of the book out of context (Amazon can do that).

I felt Donoghue could have used some clarification when waving her descriptive powers, and she also could have fleshed out a few of the supporting characters: some were hardly there. However, the pacing of the story, the characterization and pathos of the two main players (Jack and Ma), and the recurring themes of motherhood, language, isolation, and discovery were all on target. The sum of these pretty good parts created a solid, likable novel that I read in four sittings. Is it my favorite book? No. Is it in my top 15 novels? Probably. It certainly is worth its hype.

So what does Room have to do with Greek cheese? Well, nothing really, besides the fact that saganaki seems like the paragon of all experiences (flaming cheese!) until you succumb to the Saharan thirst that comes from ingesting this almost-divine food. There again, not perfect, but close. A key difference? It takes me only one sitting to eat saganaki.

How about you? Any thoughts on Room? Or saganaki?

Spotlight on Words

The language of the Readers' Services staff can sometimes get complicated. Ask us about a documentary film and how to find it, and we launch into a description of the Dewey Decimal System. But during a good part of our day we just talk in plain English about blockbuster movies like Die Hard or Public Enemies. Or we direct you to a magazine or a tabloid to find out which celebrities are in the limelight or who won an Oscar or a Tony award. After a few general questions, we can decipher a book title from a cryptic request as we use the library catalog or the online site Amazon.

Our training and natural curiosity won't stop at that though. You may be off to enjoy your findings but we'll be searching the nearest reference sources to better understand the etymology of the words we just spoke.

Amazon - Greek legends of 5th century BC describe strong, courageous women warriors of Asia Minor as Amazons.

Blockbuster - A word coined during WWll for a massive bomb capable of leveling a block.

Die Hard - This was the battle cry of William Inglis during the Napoleonic Wars imploring his troops to stick to the battle and not give up.

Limelight - In the early 19th century, the mineral lime was heated to incandescence to improve the lighting in gas lit theaters. The bright white light was directed on the actors for better visibility. (See photo)

Magazine - Borrowed from the Muslim word makhazins which describes a fortress like storage facility holding a collection of equipment. By the 17th century Europeans were using the word to describe any miscellaneous collection of things.

Oscar - The film award statue went unnamed until the 1930's when the Academy's librarian Margaret Herrick said it looked like her Uncle Oscar and the name stuck.

Public Enemy Number One- Used by FBI director J. Edgar Hoover in reference to John Dillinger. This phrase has come to represent any criminal whose crimes are particularly heinous and a threat to the public.

Tabloid - Coined by the pharmaceutical company Burroughs, Wellcome in 1884. Tabloids were specially formulated pills that were highly concentrated and easily swallowed. First used in a journalistic sense in 1900 by Alfred Harmsworth.

Tony - The award for excellence in Broadway theater was named after Antoinette Perry, an actress, director and founder of the American Theater Wing.


Check out these sources:
What's in a Name by Eugene Ehrich
Word Origins and How We Know Them by Anatoly Lieberman
Dictionary of Historical Allusions and Eponyms edited by Dorothy Auchter

There's More to the Cello than Yo-Yo Ma, Or, Introducing the Best 100 of Classical Music Series

Yo-Yo Ma is a brilliant cellist, wonderful ambassador for classical music, and has been characterized by Smithsonian Magazine as "the nicest guy in the classical music business." So why have I titled this post "There's More to the Cello than Yo-Yo Ma?"

Because great as he is, there are other wonderful cellists, and I'm a bit puzzled by people eager to attend the concerts of classical superstars like Ma and Itzhak Perlman but who have little curiosity about other cellists and violinists respectively. If you like Yo-Yo, you might enjoy other cellists as well.

Cello CDs purchased for the library in the last couple years include Zuill Bailey's recording of the Bach Cello Suites and a compilation called Best Cello 100. Even if you're not a classical music aficionado, you've probably heard the Prelude to Bach's Cello Suite No. 1, which has been used in an American Express commercial among many other commercials and movies. It's a stunning piece of music, and although I have a friend who insists that Janos Starker's recording of the cello suites is THE recording, I prefer Bailey's interpretations with his lighter touch, heightened dynamic contrasts and, at times, unusual phrasing. There's an improvisatory feeling to his performance of Cello Suite No. 1 that I prefer to Starker's. You can hear Zuill Bailey performing the 1st Cello Suite here, and Janos Starker's version of the first movement--the Prelude--here. Feel free to comment on which you prefer. Dissent is welcome!

We also own Pablo Casals' recording of the suite on the aforementioned Best Cello 100 CD. For someone looking to branch out from Yo-Yo Ma or for anyone who loves the cello, the Best Cello 100 is a great starting place. The compilation is a 6-CD set featuring 100 classics of the cello repertoire performed by acclaimed cellists including Starker, Mstislav Rostropovich, Jacqueline du Pré, and Truls Mørk.

Other titles in the Best 100 series that we own are:

Best 20th Century Classics 100
Best Baroque 100
Best Classics 100
Best Classics 100 Volume 2
Best Guitar 100
Best Romantic 100
Best Violin 100

Check them out today!