The Brookfield Citizen

Brenda Metterville

As I re-read Mountains Beyond Mountains, I have discovered a new fascination with different aspects of Dr. Paul Farmer’s story. Previously I focused on his professional life and world travels—I felt he made the world health issue of his TB studies manageable and an empathetic accomplishment. His stoic determination to achieve his goals while maintaining his studies is a fine example of his brilliance. This time around I am discovering his personal life. Kidder’s references to Dr. Farmer’s childhood, including the “Warden” and the “Blue Bird Inn” and the further adventures of the Farmer family, are somewhat lighthearted. These observations fulfill the picture of where a man comes from and the endless possibilities of where he can go.

The Banister Book Group will be discussing this book on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 7:30 p.m. at the Library. Presently we have a small display of items (with some photographs) Barbara Clancy purchased on her trip to Haiti in 1989. We would enjoy sharing other tales, photographs and crafts from Haiti.

Dr. Paul Farmer received an Honorary Degree from Amherst College in May of 2005. Here is a link to his speech: http://www.amherst.edu/commencement/2005/honorands/farmer.html

Case of the Missing DVDs
“What a curious feeling,” said Alice after her fall down the rabbit hole in Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. We are currently struggling with this “feeling” at the Library. We are trying to figure out if it’s dismay, outrage, disgust, annoyance, disbelief, confusion or betrayal at the recent loss of DVDs from your collection. (Should we point out the obvious—FREE borrowing, NO fines). We may have not checked some of these titles out to patrons, but our thought is this is too many, and we would prefer these purloined titles be returned—via the book drop, as soon as possible. Friends and families, help us solve the case of the missing library DVDs.

Black Beauty, Chicago, Ghostbusters, Glory, Land of Little Rain, Legend, Ocean’s Twelve, One Fine Day, Pirates of the Caribbean, Secret Window, Shark Tale, Shrek, The Mirror has Two Faces, The Neverending Story, The Patriot, and Thunderheart.

Upcoming Events
Drop-in Crafts are offered Wednesday, Aug. 3 and 10, between 3 and 5 p.m. On Thursday, Aug. 4 at 6 p.m., create art in the style of Georgia O’Keeffe. Participants in the Summer Reading Program are invited to an Ice Cream Social on Thursday, Aug. 11 at 6 p.m., sponsored by the Friends of the Library. All summer readers are welcome to this family event. Your ticket is your reading log with five or more titles.

Read previous columns from the Library