The Eternal, Sonic Youth’s 16th studio album, marks their departure from Geffen Records, the band’s label for 18 years. The Eternal was recorded with bassist Mark Ibold, formerly of Pavement, with whom the band had previously toured. Also for the first time, Thurston Moore, Kim Gordon, and Lee Ranaldo share lead vocals — and quite well I might add, especially on the tracks "What We Know" and "Leaky Lifeboat (for Gregory Corso)."

"Antenna" and "What We Know" are my two favorite tracks on the album. When I first listened to "Antenna" I thought there was some strange jet flying over my apartment. I paused the song, looked out my window and saw nothing. Seconds later I realized that it was just an effect used in the song. "What We Know" is one of the album’s catchiest and more accessible tracks; it has a great chorus using Gordon and Ranaldo’s harmonized vocals.

What I find amazing about this album is that even though Sonic Youth has been recording music for more than 20 years, and certain members are approaching the age of 60, they still can create some of the loudest, most intense, and original music to date. Even more compelling is the fact that every album they have released over the past 10 years has consistently been of exceptional quality.

Sonic Youth broke new ground on 1988’s Daydream Nation, and 27 years later they show that they still have the chops to put most modern rock acts to shame. They will eternally be the kings of alternative music.

Mike Dwyre – East Columbia Branch

"My firm forges client signatures on documents."
"When I was in college I made $ writing papers for other people."
"Thirty years ago I stole the pillowcase we shared, and have kept it unwashed ever since."
"My first wife left me for another man and for some strange reason, I secretly wish my second wife would do the same."

With these words (and many more like them) Frank Warren, the force behind PostSecret, offers his latest collection of postcard confessionals that is as fascinating, sad, sweet and (sometimes) funny as the previous three, full of dark secrets and painful realizations.

Both in his books and on his web site (postsecret.blogspot.com) Warren reminds us that we ALL have our own little dark corners of the soul. You might be surprised at how many of them are pretty big in the "it hurts" department or how many of them have been rattling around in people’s hearts for years, sometimes decades, yearning to be set free and expressed in a safe environment.

No one wants to drown in her sorrows or enjoy others’ torments, but there is a wondrous, small lifting of loneliness when we discover that perfect strangers share our not-so-unique-after-all fears and hidden truths. A Lifetime of Secrets stings you with the little messages scattered throughout its pages.

The postcards that resonate with many readers are the heartbreaking pleas, rants against the self, or the endearingly honest sharing of childhood memories which cannot be let go of easily. The simplest ones, accompanied with beautifully constructed drawings or collages, hit home the hardest. One PostSecret contributor, for instance, sent in a picture of her dog, along with the words, "I’m afraid no one will ever love me as much as my dog does." Another, more lighthearted one goes: "Watching my husband play his guitar at church turns me on so much…it distracts me from worshiping God."

A Lifetime of Secrets reminds us that sometimes we can see ourselves in strangers more than we can in our friends or families. It’s a scary thought, but also a strangely comforting one.

Angie Engles – Central

During a year’s sabbatical from The Baltimore Sun, then-reporter David Simon spent a career-changing year as an intern with Baltimore City Homicide Detectives. The result is the breathtaking Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets. Simon’s book deals with universal themes of humanity, morality and justice, and doesn’t necessarily focus on the details of the crime scenes. Instead we’re treated to a series of consistently moving and effective chronological essays, following three of the homicide unit’s six squads throughout an entire year. If you’re a fan of true crime, or are interested in Baltimore, this is the book for you.

By focusing on the detectives and their relationships to the cases, Simon finds meaning among chaos. Each detective is characterized in a particular way. Garvey is enjoying the perfect year, Worden is the wise old-school detective of the shift, and Edgerton is the studious and somewhat anti-social loner. As the detectives investigate their cases, we follow along and are encouraged to go beyond the details of the scene to consider the larger impact of events. Simon calls the murder case pursued by Detective Tom Pellegrini “the spine of the book." Pellegrini’s prolonged efforts to identify and successfully charge a suspect in the murder of Latonya Wallace ground and balance everything else that occurs. With this traumatic case as a counterweight, all of the unit’s other triumphs and successes are seen as secondary.

As the book concludes, Simon previews his later work, broadening his scope away from the unit and putting us on the streets with a wounded suspect whose story is quickly unraveling. This foreshadows The Corner, Simon’s attempt to mirror his experience with the city’s detectives by observing events from the sidewalk instead of an unmarked Chevrolet.

Since the publication of these works, David Simon has moved into television, writing and producing multiple landmark series including Homicide, The Corner, The Wire, and Generation Kill. He’s now working alongside former cast members and colleagues, developing Treme, an HBO series about a neighborhood in post-Katrina New Orleans. To explore the roots of these exemplary community stories, check out Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets.

John Jewitt – Savage Branch

I was almost late for work because of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Don’t let the teen label fool you; this book is for adults, too. Collins delivers an intense novel with "edge of your seat" action.

The annual Hunger Games are a last man standing battle-to-the-death — in which contestants (aka "tributes") are children ages 12 – 18. The champion wins a life of luxury and extra concessions for his or her district. Tributes are selected by a lottery called "the reaping," although volunteers are also accepted.

Katniss, from the coal mining district of Appalachia, helps her family survive by illegal hunting in the local woods. When, against all odds, her younger sister’s name is drawn, Katniss volunteers instead. Her fellow tribute, Peeta, excels at the mental aspect of the games, while Katniss masters the physical. They make a devastating team, except they work with the knowledge that only one person can win. Who wins? I’m not telling!

The Hunger Games offers the ultimate in reality TV as it’s broadcast in real time from the arena, a closely controlled area of wilderness. Each year the arena holds different challenges, from freezing temperatures to a lack of water. The games definitely favor those candidates who have spent their youth in training, instead of simply surviving. The author doesn’t pull many punches as the contestants have to cope with their horrible circumstances, including sometimes brutal consequences. In one section Katniss blows up a supply depot and has to continue despite being deaf in one ear after the explosion shatters her eardrum.

Beyond the arena, Collins does a great job of painting the big picture. The decadent capital city contrasts strongly to the poverty of Katniss’ District 12, and it becomes clear that the politics are positively Orwellian. The government uses the games to control the outlying districts, until this year, when the contestants seem to turn the games against the authorities.

The annual Hunger Games may have ended, but the more important maneuverings have only begun. Unfortunately, I have to wait for the sequel (to be published this fall) to learn whether a happy ending will work out in Collins‘ desperate view of the future.

Kristen Blount – Administration Office

Crossing the Atlantic in a rowboat is not on my list of “adventures to have before I die.” Nevertheless, reading Tori McClure’s fascinating memoir of her voyage on unpredictable seas was an adventure in itself.

On June 14, 1998, McClure launches her 23-foot rowboat, the American Pearl — a vessel light enough to ride the waves “like a cork,” but with ballast enough to withstand (she hopes) the stormy Atlantic. For 85 days she is pummeled by walls of waves, shares her meal time with circling sharks or dolphins, and reads or listens to CDs for inspiration. Page after page I was riveted by the author’s description of the challenges, sudden terrors, and also bliss of the solitary rower: the incomprehensible pain of rowing 10 hours at a time and the joy of life pared down to the essential.

But I like that A Pearl in the Storm is much more than just a paean to physical and mental superiority. The author’s courage and self-discipline have been earned over a lifetime. Interspersed with details of her life at sea is her story of growing up. As a child, she feels helpless as she battles the bullies who prey upon her disabled older brother. With parents either inattentive or indifferent to her constant fighting, she fortunately captures the attention of a teacher who arranges to have her transferred to an academically challenging, yet nurturing private school.

Most appealing is a willingness to expose her fear and self-doubting, despite a desire to conquer her sense of helplessness. Not your typical high achiever, McClure reveals her courage, resourcefulness, and self-awareness throughout the memoir. I found myself thoroughly engaged by this “pearl” in the dragon’s grasp.

Ginny Leslie – Miller Branch

Create cute sculpted wool pets including penguins, sheep, bunnies, frogs, turtles, ladybugs, birds, gnomes, and mermaids using dry wool roving, a barbed needle, and foam. In Wool Pets: Making 20 Figures with Wool Roving and a Barbed Needle, Laurie Sharp’s easy-to-follow instructions are accompanied by stunning step-by-step photographs. Make imaginative hand-crafted wool pets as gifts for friends and family. Useful fiber and educational web sites for supplies, kits, and ideas are found under resources. Inspiring! 

Barbara Stommel – Central Library

I wanted very much to not like this book. You see, I want all new recruits to the old boys’ literary club to be thwarted. With the arrogant predecessors slowly passing or becoming less a force of nature (think Mailer, Updike, and Roth), I don’t want to see a new group formed. But the literary world, ever so dependent on its comfortable categories, seems set on keeping the tradition of the white male elite, as leaders of the canon, alive and well. And, Mr. Chabon is near the head of the class.

This irks me to no end, but what irks me even more is that he kind of deserves the attention. Okay, he definitely deserves it. The man can write. Fine, I said it. I listened to The Yiddish Policemen’s Union upon the recommendation of my witty and wonderful coworker Nancy Hariani, who not only recommended, but highly recommended the audiobook because of Peter Reigert’s masterful reading. And I arrogantly thought, "An alternative history, I’m sure to despise this one." Boy, was I wrong.

After WWII the Jewish community is relocated to the Alaskan territories to form its own "country" of Sitka. Chabon takes us to this world just as Sitka is about to revert back to U.S. control. This sounds complicated, political and full of social commentary. And it is; however, Chabon spices it up by not making it just an "important work" (please read ironically).

We meet the main character — tough-talking, funny, down-on-his-luck Detective Meyer Landsman — as a corpse is discovered in the flophouse where he’s been staying since his marriage failed. (Yes, Chabon gives us the grittiest of gumshoe novels…with several curve balls thrown in.) As Landsman battles some personal demons, his precinct is going through upheaval, and his new boss is his estranged wife Bina. It just so happens that the corpse is the son of a powerful Rabbi who Chabon depicts as akin to a scary mob boss. Oh, yeah, and the dead man was thought by many to be the Messiah.

As complex, and well, frankly, weird as this sounds, The Yiddish Policemen’s Union was an incredibly entertaining experience. Chabon’s characterizations are so rich and believable that I found myself genuinely wanting to hang out with Bina, Landsman, and his partner, the hilarious and fascinating Berko "Johnny Bear" Shemetz. In fact, I found myself longing for this to be, gulp, a series.

Man, crow burns going down.

Joanne Sobieck-Lingg – Central Library

Good Enough is a window into the world of Asian American high school teens striving to find true happiness in life, reacting to high-pressure parents, and dealing with the racism around them. It is Paula Yoo’s first teen novel after her picture book biography Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story (2005). The author introduces us to Korean culture by interspersing ethnic recipes and famous Korean figures into the story. Who would have guessed that Koreans love Spam? A lot of what Yoo writes in this novel likely mirrors her own life experiences.

Using light-hearted humor, the author touches on the issue of racism in school and in the community.  Patti Yoon, the protagonist, is told by her parents to never “rock the boat”, which she takes to mean “never stand up for yourself” when encountering name calling. This advice is given to avoid any potential consequences from “rabble rousing” behavior that could possibly jeopardize Patti’s chances of getting into “HYP” (HarvardYalePrinceton)!

Yoo’s story replicates the lives of numerous Asian American teens of immigrant families. The expectations on these children to attend the best colleges often increases stress and strain in family relationships. Many high school seniors will probably relate to Patti’s life of SAT prep, college applications, and resume building. Good Enough’s laugh-out-loud humor but deep issues will hit home with a wide range of readers, parents included.

Mai-Leng Ong – Administration Office

Dr. Mike Cranfield, director of the world-renowned Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project (MGVP), discusses his work providing health care to endangered gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda, and The Democratic Republic of the Congo. MGVP is a rare conservation program offering treatment to an endangered species in its natural habitat. Dr. Cranfield is also Director of Research and Conservation at The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore.

We invite everyone ages 11 and up to join us for an exciting look at Dr. Cranfield’s work with endangered gorillas on Wednesday, July 8 at 7:00 pm at Central Library. Register online or call 410.313.7860.

Elaine Johnson – Central Library

21: Bringing Down the House is subtitled “The Inside Story of Six MIT Students Who Took Vegas for Millions.” Author Ben Mezrich taps into our fascination with Las Vegas, and our deep-seated (though completely unfounded) belief that it is possible to outthink a casino game. Mezrich’s writing is high-octane and accessible — the movie script was already dancing in his head.

The book follows Kevin Lewis’ experience with an MIT blackjack team that played Vegas in the early 1990s. Lewis was part of a small group of card counters, using a system of signals to win big at blackjack in casinos across the country. There are enough details of the students’ card-counting operation to engage and keep us interested without requiring an advanced degree in mathematics or anything beyond a basic understanding of the game. The real draw is the exploration of Lewis’ remarkable double life in which he was an MIT student during the week, and a casino high-roller, with all of the accompanying perks, on the weekend. The paperback edition, issued as a companion to the movie 21, includes an interview with Jeff Ma, the real Kevin Lewis, and Mezrich’s principal informant

Mezrich has followed up 21 with Busting Vegas, Ugly Americans and Rigged, each of which takes the same biographical approach to exposing the inner workings of a complicated financial system, understood by few and manipulated for profit by even fewer. In addition, Kevin Spacey recently produced 21, a movie based on the book, starring Jim Sturgess (Across the Universe) and Kate Bosworth. The movie takes considerable liberties with the story, but is engrossing and worth a look.

For an intimate view of the thrill and dangers of counting cards to win big in Vegas, check out Ben Mezrich’s 21: Bringing Down the House.

John Jewitt – Savage Branch