Tagged Reviews
The Handmaid’s Tale: A Classic Dystopia Comes of Age
"Hate-watching"—watching something you dislike for the oddly enjoyable/satisfying/fun experience of hating on it—has become a staple of our media times. I am typically a literary purist, holding a book as the one…
December is Read A New Book Month!
Did you know that December is Read A New Book Month ? That’s right, the perfect excuse to dig into something you haven’t read before, especially as the temperatures continue to drop and the idea of leaving the house and the…
Graphic Novel Memoirs
I love a graphic novel—and even better I love a graphic novel memoir . There is something so much more intimate about reading the words AND pictures when someone shares her story. Or maybe I’m just a slower reader when it…
Children's Books for Your Next Roadtrip!
August is hot and steamy in Philadelphia... a perfect time to take a vacation to somewhere sunny, beachy, or just far away. Need some books to keep the kids busy? Here you go! Everything Goes On Land by Philadelphia’s own Brian…
Helpful Books about Gender Identity for Children
Post written by Mary W. Most of us have read, or at least heard of, Heather Has Two Mommies by Lesléa Newman and Laura Cornell, which was recently reissued this year. In addition to this book, there many others that deal…
Children's Book Reviews now in The Notebook!
Need another place to find book reviews for great new children’s books? Well, good news! The Free Library of Philadelphia has an exciting new feature in The Notebook , the newspaper for Philadelphia’s Public Schools. The…
Free Library of Philadelphia Mobile Site 3.0
The Free Library of Philadelphia has released the newest version of our mobile site ! The new mobile site (version 3.0) uses responsive web design and provides an optimal viewing experience on all browsers and most mobile devices,…
Books That Shaped America
The Library of Congress , in celebration of National Book Festival has an exhibit featuring " Books That Shaped America ." They curated a list of 88 books which they feel are influential and shaped our nation. The list is…
“Hardback Favorites” - Margot Livesey
As I’m sure many of my fellow readers do, too, I have an extensive and ever-rotating list of favorite authors. I look forward to reading their new works and enjoy exploring their back lists of novels and stories. Frequently,…
Attention Job Seekers: The Free Library has the Resources You Need for Your First Job, Next Job, New Job
We pride ourselves on being the Free Library of Opportunity, providing the resources, services, and programs that help our users find success in whatever task they’re tackling. For job seekers, that means providing free Wi-Fi to…
The Criterion Collection and Subtitles Aren't that Bad
If you’re a movie lover, then you might be familiar with the video distribution company The Criterion Collection . This company is known for re-releasing classic and foreign films, as well as films made by celebrated directors.…
2011 Street Lit Book Award Medal Winner and Honor Books
The Street Lit Book Award Medal Committee comprises of a group of volunteer librarians and library workers from across the U.S. who work with Street Lit and its readers in public and school libraries. The Committee collected, discussed,…
Most Circulated Titles at the Free Library, Part III: Children's
What are the kids up to these days? Reading a diverse array of books and graphic novels and watching some clever TV shows and films, as it turns out! Here are our most popular titles for children in a variety of…
Most Circulated Titles at the Free Library, Part II: Digital Media
Last Monday, we revealed the most circulated books, DVD films, and DVD television shows for adults at the Free Library in 2010. This week, we're revealing the most circulated digital titles of 2010--both ebooks…
Most Circulated Titles at the Free Library, Part I
We are often asked which titles are the most frequently checked out here at the Free Library. To answer this question, our hardworking Materials Management staff has compiled several lists of the top 10 circulated book and…
Films Inducted into the 2010 National Film Registry
The National Film Registry Board under the Library of Congress selected 25 films they deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" for the 2010 year. I was happy to see a couple of my favorites made the…
Harry Potter - The Book that Keeps on Giving
As I pre-ordered my tickets to the next Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I , I realized it’s been a while since I’ve re-read the series . I was first introduced to the series in June of 2007 when…
Philly on Film
I was born and raised in Philadelphia, and in my very biased way; I believe it’s the best city in the world. So whenever I watch a film and notice parts of Philadelphia I get excited. It always feels good to see my hometown…
100 Best First Lines from Novels
The American Book Review released a list of what they consider the 100 Best First Lines from Novels . It's a pretty interesting list, and some of my personal favorites made the cut: #5. Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins.…
Time Enough at Last
One of my favorite The Twilight Zone episodes is " Time Enough at Last " which stars the brilliant Burgess Meredith as Henry Bemis. Henry is a lover of books who is constantly belittled for his love of reading. One day, Henry…