Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy: Four Women Undercover in the Civil War by Karen Abbott

Title: Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy: Four Women Undercover in the Civil War 

Author: Karen Abbott

Seventeen-year old Belle Boyd, a tempestuous Virginian, shot a Union soldier in her home and became a courier and spy for the Confederate  army. Though the flirtatious Boyd seduced men on both sides of the conflict, she actually had a serious crush on Stonewall Jackson, and on one occasion managed to thwart a Union plan to trap him in the Shenandoah Valley.

Abbott claims that “as many as four hundred women" in both North and  South posed and fought as men.  Canadian Emma Edmonds was one such woman. Edmonds came from an unhappy home, and finally fled when threatened with an arranged marriage to an elderly neighbor. Disguised as Frank Thompson, medic and mail carrier with Company F, Second Michigan Infantry, she infiltrated enemy lines and eventually witnessed the battle of Antietam, the bloodiest engagement in the Civil War.

Of the four women Abbott highlights, widow Rose O'Neal Greenhow is the best known.  Greenhow lived in Washington where she lobbied politicians on behalf of the confederacy.  She learned how to write messages in code and used her young daughter, Little Rose, to send information to Southern generals.  For a time, mother and daughter were imprisoned together. 

Elizabeth Van Lew, a wealthy Richmond abolitionist, was known to have Yankee roots, yet her wealth and Southern manners served as cover for a far-ranging espionage network.  She even managed to place Mary Jane Bowser, a former slave, inside the Confederate  White House.          

This is an exciting read which focuses on women who risked everything for a cause in which they believed. It also offers a fuller picture of people involved in the Civil War.
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Call us to check on an item's availability at 720-4106, or try our Barnard Crossing Branch at 663-3357. You can also check our online catalog 24/7 at http://greecepubliclibrary.org/. Click on the title above to link directly to the item in our catalog!   

 

Library Program: Book Discussion - The Age of Miracles

 Tuesday, February 24 at 2 pm and 7 pm                

Join Librarian Ann Patterson for a discussion of The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker in preparation for the author's visit to the library in March.

The Age of Miracles is Writers & Books' 2015 "If all of Rochester Reads the Same Book. . . " selection.

These book discussions require registration. You can register at the information desk or through our website.

Edge of Eternity by Ken Follett

Title: Edge of Eternity

Author: Ken Follett

Edge of Eternity, the third novel in Ken Follett's Century Trilogy, continues the saga of five interrelated families first seen in Fall of Giants and Winter of the World.  This third book introduces a new generation of men and women located in the U.S., the U.K., Germany and Russia.  These younger family members are linked by blood and also by tumultuous global events, including the Cuban Missile Crisis, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Civil Rights Movement, and Watergate.

As fascinating as Follett makes history, he is essentially a storyteller who lets his characters drive the action.  George Jakes is in Robert F Kennedy's Justice Department.  Dimka Dworkin is an aid to Nikita Khrushchev.  Jasper Murray is a journalist, and finally, Walli Franck is a rock 'n roll musician.  All are impacted in important ways by twentieth century milestones.  However, its the account of their ambition, insight, and passion which keeps the reader hooked for hours.

Ken Follett's books often require a big investment of time.  The Century Trilogy is worth it.
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Call us to check on an item's availability at 720-4106, or try our Barnard Crossing Branch at 663-3357. You can also check our online catalog 24/7 at http://greecepubliclibrary.org/. Click on the title above to link directly to the item in our catalog!  

Need some tech help?

If you're in need of some tech help, we've got you covered at the Greece Public Library! We're offering all new programs in 2015 to help you with computers, gadgets, and more!

For the month of January, we've got the following tech programs for adults:

• Introduction to Microsoft Word (January 20th - two time slots: 2:00 or 7:00)
• Getting Started with iPad (January 22nd - two time slots: 2:00 or 7:00)
• Cool Tech Gadgets - 3D Printing (January 23rd - demo in the library from 1:00-4:00)
• Learn to Sell on Etsy (January 25th - 6:30)

For more details, and to register for any of the above programs that require registration, be sure to visit our program calendar.

We look forward to helping you learn all about technology in the new year!

Huge book sale, coming right up!

The Friends of the Greece Public Library is a wonderful volunteer group who works tirelessly to raise funds and awareness for the library. They do this in a variety of ways with one of the biggest ways being their annual used book sales held several times a year. Their biggest sale of the year is held every January at the Greece Ridge Mall (near Bed Bath and Beyond).

This year's gigantic sale is coming up fast! It will be held January 15th - 19th this year with the following hours:

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday: 10am-7pm
Sunday: 11am-5pm (all books 50% off!)
Monday: 10 am-3 pm ($3.00 / bag sale!)

They will have a huge variety of books in all genres, and will include paperback and hardcover (usually $0.50 - $1.00... wow!). The last two days of the sale, you can score books for even cheaper with a 50% off sale and then a $3.00 a bag sale on the final day. Not only will you find some amazing deals, you will be supporting the library in a huge way.

Thank you to all the generous people who so kindly donate their books to our friends group, and an enormous thank you to our friends for their time, energy, and commitment to helping the library! 

New hobbies for the new year!

We've got some great books for those of you who may be looking for some new hobbies for the new year! Check some of them out below:

How to Knit: Learn the Basic Stitches and Techniques by Leslie Ann Bestor

Acoustic Rock Guitar Basics by Andrew DuBrock

Joy of Zentangle: Drawing Your Way to Increased Creativity, Focus, and Well-being by Suzanne McNeill

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Positive Dog Training by Pamela Dennison

Soccer Strategies: Attacking, Defending, Goaltending by Paul Fairclough

 

The Absolute Beginner's Big Book of Drawing and Painting by Mark Willenbrink

DIY Chalkboard Crafts by Lizette Schapekahm

Fashion Illustration Art: How to Draw Fun and Fabulous Figures, Trends, and Styles by Jennifer Lilya

The 4-Hour Chef: the Simple Path to Cooking Like a Pro, Learning Anything, and Living the Good Life by Timothy Ferriss

Mastering Running by Cathy Utzschneider

Blog Inc: Blogging for Passion, Profit, and to Create Community by Joy Deangdeelert Cho

Yoga for Dummies by Larry Payne

Review: The Mistletoe Promise by Richard Paul Evans

Title: The Mistletoe Promise Author: Richard Paul Evans Genre: Christmas fiction, contemporary Pages: 272 Published: 2014 Richard Paul Evans' novels are generally formulaic and cheesy... but I absolutely love them and can't get enough! This is my 6th RPE book and it was just as good as all his others. As usual, the characters endure some kind of hardship to find hope.  In this story, we meet Elise Dutton, a broken woman with a secret past that eats at her and causes her pain and guilt. She is approached in the cafeteria by a stranger who works in her building, Nicholas, who essentially asks her if she would like to pretend to be his girlfriend for the holidays so neither of them have to be lonely. She agrees to this "mistletoe promise" contract and finds herself falling for him for real, a man with a secret of his own.  This book was sweet, hopeful, and perfect for Christmas, as are all of his novels. I look forward to reading his books every Christmas. Unlike most of his other holiday books, this one did not seem to be based off a biblical story (though I could be mistaken). I liked the contemporary feel of this one, as well as the touching love story and messages of redemption. Another winner from RPE! I can't wait to see what he comes up with next year. 4.5/5 stars! ----- Reviewed by Stephanie As always, feel free to call us to check on an item's availability at 720-4106, or try our Barnard Crossing Branch at 663-3357. You can also check our online catalog 24/7 at http://greecepubliclibrary.org/. Click on the title above to link directly to the item in our catalog!