Staff Pick - Marvin Gaye's "Number Ones"

Marvin Gaye helped to shape the sound of Motown Records in the 1960s with a string of hits, including "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)" and "I Heard It Through the Grapevine".

In 1970, Gaye recorded his new composition "What's Going On" after he witnessed an act of police brutality at an anti-war rally in Berkeley.  Upon hearing the song, Motown’s Berry Gordy refused its release thinking the song "too political" for radio.   Finally released in 1971, it reached number one on the R&B charts within a month, staying there for five weeks, selling over two million copies. 

-Wikipedia

"What's Going On" is the song I think of when the TV news reports on the continuing problems in our society today. The CD “Number Ones” is a good way to introduce yourself to this man’s music, and if you already know him, a good way to revisit the hits that made him famous.

If you'd like to check out Marvin Gaye's "Number Ones," you can find it in our catalog by clicking here.

-Nancy J.

Staff Pick - Rocks: My Life In and Out of Aerosmith

Celebrity biographies are a “dime a dozen” anymore, but I do enjoy reading them.  Some are better than others, of course. Some celebrities can write well, and some should stay in their own arena.

The books that I am particularly drawn to are those about musicians.  I am curious about the lives of the men and women who shaped my musical tastes. Aerosmith is one of these bands.

Joe Perry is their lead guitarist and has written a biography of his life in and out of the hit-making power group. It is an interesting account of the band’s beginnings, their ups and downs along the road and of Perry’s role as a musician in his own right, and as a devoted husband and father.

If you'd like to read Rocks: My Life In and Out of Areosmith, you can find it in our catalog by clicking here.

-Nancy J

Staff Pick: The Mad Potter

The Mad Potter tells the story of George Ohr, an artist who lived in Biloxi, Mississippi during the late 1800's.  He discovered his love for pottery after working for a boyhood friend who owned a small pottery factory in New Orleans.  He took to it “like a duck in water” and was soon crafting creations of his own.

What began as a career with hopes of recognition and financial security gave way to George’s penchant for the whimsical and unusual.  Few bought his work, and like many artists, he became famous long after his death. George could not change his personality, anymore than he could  change his art to please others.  His work just didn't fit in with the times.  He was joyful and uninhibited in his creative life, truly celebrating individuality.

Retired in 1910, George told his children not to sell any of his pottery for 50 years.  Over 5,000 pieces stayed in storage until 1968, when an antiques dealer stumbled upon the collection at “Ojo’s Junk Yard and Machine Shop," Ohr’s son’s business.  Some of the newly discovered pottery sold for thousands of dollars.

This book is one of many new non-fiction selections in the children’s department of our library. If you'd like to check it out, you can place a hold on it with your library card number by clicking here.

-Nancy J

Staff Pick: Humans of New York

An instant #1 New York Times bestseller, Humans of New York began in the summer of 2010, when photographer Brandon Stanton set out to create a photographic census of New York City.

Armed with his camera, he began crisscrossing the city, covering thousands of miles on foot, all in an attempt to capture New Yorkers and their stories. The result of these efforts was a vibrant blog he called "Humans of New York," in which his photos were featured alongside quotes and anecdotes.

Humans of New York is the book inspired by the blog. With four hundred color photos, including exclusive portraits and all-new stories, Humans of New York is a stunning collection of images that showcases the outsized personalities of New York.

Surprising and moving, printed in beautiful full-color, Humans of New York is a celebration of individuality and a tribute to the spirit of the city. If you'd like to check out our copy, you can place a hold on it here with your library card number.

-Nancy J.