The Quillmark
Newsletter of the Friends of the Hamden Library
Volume XVII, Issue 2 September, 2006
The officers of the Friends of the Hamden Library welcome our members back from the summer holiday. We begin the fall season with two programs.
The first program of the fall season
Wednesday, September 20, 2006 7:30 pm
Wilder Auditorium
Miller Memorial Central Library
2901 Dixwell Avenue
James Sinclair
Director, Orchestra of New England
The music of George Gershwin
The second program of the fall season
Wednesday, October 18, 2006 7pm
The Social Hall
Miller Memorial Central Library
George Greer, President: Housatonic Civil War Roundtable
Mr. Greer’s presentation, “This Flag….These Men” will tell the story of the historic Mount Suribachi flag raising on Iwo Jima during the Second World War and the fate of the six servicemen involved.
The photographic documentation of this event, taken February 23, 1945 by Joseph Rosenfeld won him a Pulitizer Prize. Mr. Rosenfeld said when interviewed that the image always remained in his mind. He died on August 20, 2006
To the Readership:
The Program Committee for Friends of the Hamden Libraries would he happy to receive suggestions for future programming. Some topics proposed are the theatre, potential weather changes and publishing.
Please send your ideas to Evelyn Skelly, Friends of the Hamden Library, Miller Central Library, 2910 Dixwell Avenue, Hamden, CT 06518.
Book Review:
After the End of History, the Curious Fate of American Materialism
by Robert E Lane
This scholarly book on capitalism and human needs is cleverly written as a dialogue between two friends, Adam and Dessie, an economist and a philosopher. Both are highly sophisticated and both are hooked on spanakopita, (Greek spinach pie) which they consume at Clark’s Dairy in downtown New Haven once a week.
In eight chapters (eight spanakopitas) they discuss in a witty manner the pros and cons of their ideas with extensive bibliographical references. The format makes for easy reading of a serious concern about wealth and human happiness, materialism, quality of life and ethics.
Ottilia Koel
News from the bookstore
Second Hand Prose Shop
Thanks to our loyal volunteers who worked tirelessly to ready books and baked goods for the summer sale August 1st and 2nd. Despite an unexpected thunder storm Tuesday evening, and excruciating heat on Wednesday, we achieved revenues of more than $3,000.
Those books that are not sold are either returned to our Second Hand Prose Shop, or dispersed to the following: New Haven Reads, prisons and hospitals and other charitable organizations, with the remainder being recycled.
The Second Hand Prose Shop will resume our winter schedule on September 5th.. We offer outstanding bargains and literary gems to the discerning reader and welcome your patronage.
Fall /Winter Bookstore schedule:
Tuesday through Friday-11am-5pm
Wednesday evenings-6:30-8:30pm
Saturday-11am-4pm
Jean Akin, Michael Wheatley
Book Review:
Small Island
by Andrea Levy
This novel has particular resonance given the racial clashes which have recently occurred in England. Set in London just after WWII when an influx of Jamaicans arrived hoping to create decent lives in the “motherland.” The narrative is seen through the experiences of two couples, Hortense and Gilbert, black Jamacains and two indigenous Caucasians, Queenie who befriends the couple and her racist husband, Bernard. As their stories unfold, the couples learn to live with their changing environment. Though the individuals have good intentions, they learn to confront their own prejudices, accept disappointments and adjust to the expanding business and social society in the post war period. Small Island refers to both islands, Great Britain and Jamaica, and the larger world made comprehensible through its principal characters.
Ina Jaffee
Staff Members honored
Robert Gualtieri, Chief Librarian together with members of the department have planned an event to honor those staff members who will be or have retired and those who have left the service. The location will be the Playwright Irish Pub and Restaurant in Hamden on Friday September 15th. The honorees are Anne Gurr, Velta Inglis, Celeste Karhl, Annette Carlquist and Harriet (Hal) Matthews.
Quillmark contributors: Jean Akin, Judy Lhamon, Evelyn Skelly, Ottilia Koel, Mary Ann Quinn
Editorial staff: Louise Keane, Louise Brundage, Alan Grecco, Bernice Gillman & Ina Jaffee, editor