KC Public Library Blog
Experiencing Missouri: The Great Outdoors
The state of Missouri provides a multitude of opportunities for enjoying its many beautiful natural areas. This reading list includes books about the Show-Me State’s parks and trails, as well as books on camping, cycling, caving, backpacking, and fishing in Missouri.
Wonderment
What's more fun than wondering?
I wonder what stars are made of.
I wonder what makes rivers flow.
I wonder what elephants dream.
Will these books tell you? They might, or maybe they’ll lead you to new wonderings of your own.
Yours with snorts,
A Woman of Letters
How do you discuss a book when it is not at all what the readers expected? This was the conundrum that faced the Downtowners book group at yesterday's meeting. We gathered to talk about Letter to My Daughter by Maya Angelou and the book did not fail to meet expectations, but it didn't meet reader assumptions.
Military Histories
Check out these military histories about the battles near the Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War or a few regimental histories from other wars.
Art Spiegelman
Award-winning comics artist, editor, and writer Art Spiegelman celebrates his birthday this week. Born on February 15, 1948, Spiegelman’s two-volume graphic novel Maus won the Pulitzer Prize in 1992 and helped establish graphic novels as a form of literature.
The Kennedys & the Castros
Explore the relationships between two sets of influential brothers in these books about John and Robert Kennedy and Fidel and Raúl Castro.
Tramping Abroad with Twain
Jane Wood, chair of the English Department at Park University, served as armchair travel guide for many Mark Twain fans on Monday, February 9, when she presented her program "A Not So Innocent Abroad: The Travels of Mark Twain."
Travel writing has many proponents, according to Jane. Merchants, explorers, captives, castaways, even pirates and scientists, all recorded their exploits for future generations to enjoy.
Buffalo Soldiers
Buffalo Soldiers was a nickname given to the first black cavalry regiments of the United States Army by the Native American tribes of the West. Learn more about this often-forgotten chapter of American History in these nonfiction books for adults and kids.
Satire and Comedy: Novels
New York magazine once dubbed author Sam Lipsyte “one of the ten funniest New Yorkers you’ve never heard of.” Lipsyte presents a talk in the Library’s Writers at Work series on February 19. Here’s a list of satirical and darkly comic novels you might enjoy if you like Sam Lipsyte.
River of Stories
A book group co-sponsored by The Kansas City Public Library and the Kansas City Star brought eleven readers to the Central Library on Sunday, February 8 to discuss Mark Twain’s classic travelogue, Life on the Mississippi, and their comments and perceptions were as varied as their reading experiences.
That many candles would burn the book down
This year marks a very important date in literary history. It’s the anniversary of one of the oldest works in literature, The Tale of Genji.
E-Book Reading
Do you read books on your computer? How about an iPhone or a dedicated e-book reader like the Kindle? According to The New York Times, e-book use is on the rise.
The Food We Eat
Where does our food come from? How does the global food system impact us? These books examine the food industry, as well as how and what we eat.
Books by Mark Twain
Celebrate the life and work of Mark Twain by reading some of his novels, stories, travel writing, or autobiographical works.
Iranian Memoirs
This recommended reading list includes memoirs by Iranian women that depict the turbulent history and rich culture of their country and the people who live there.