February Birthday Quiz

February…As every school child knows that is the month we celebrate the birthdays of Presidents Lincoln and Washington. But do you know some of the other famous people whose birthdays are this month?  (The answers are on the lines directly after the questions:  simply highlight the area – the answers will be visible.)

1. Two other presidents?

 William Henry Harrison (2/9/1773) and Ronald Reagan (2/6/1911)

2.  Fabled buffalo hunter and showman?

Buffalo Bill Cody (2/26/1846)

3.  Country singer known as “The Man in Black”?

Johnny Cash (2/26/1932)

4.  Authors of the books Les Miserables, Great Expectations, Grapes of Wrath, and Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea?

Victor Hugo (2/26/1802) , Charles Dickens (2/7/1812), John Steinbeck(2/27/1902), and Jules Verne (2/8/1828)

5.  Composer of The Messiah?

George Frideric Handel (2/23/1685)

6.  Chicago Bulls basketball superstar?

Michael Jordan (2/17/1963)

7.  First man who flew solo nonstop across the Atlantic (leaving from Long Island!)?

Charles Lindbergh (2/4/1902)

8.  Famed American suffragette?

Susan B. Anthony (2/15/1820)

Come to the third floor of the library to see a selection of books by and about these (and other) famous February “babies.”

- posted by Brenda, Reference Services

Questions About Books: 2012, Part 8 (The Last…Really!)

Syosset R and R tries to follow as many other book blogs as time allows just because we love books and we also like to see how others are doing it.  Recently we saw a blog post onThe Broke and the Bookish called “Julia’s End of Year Book Survey” in which a list of questions about books for 2012 were answered.  The list originated as a survey on the blog The Perpetual Page Turner where it is to be found yearly.  Syosset R and R has circulated some of the questions to our library staff and hope to be publishing the answers that we get back throughout the first half of January 2013.  So our thanks to both of the aforementioned Blogs for the inspiration.  Here’s the eighth and last installment (we promise) of questions, answered by Evelyn, Readers’ Services Librarian.  Syosset R and R would like to thank those who took the time to answer our questions.

Best Book You Read in 2012?

 The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Stedman

Book you recommended to people most in 2012?  Wild by Cheryl Strayed.

Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2012? Quirky and funny………Where’d you go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple

Favorite book cover in 2012?  

Most beautifully written book read in 2012?  In the Shadow of the Banyan by Vaddey Ratner.

Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2013?  Edward Rutherfurd who wrote New York and many other historical fictions books is coming out with Paris in March.  I can’t wait.

- posted by Sonia, Readers’ Services

Questions About Books: 2012, Part 7 (The End)

Syosset R and R tries to follow as many other book blogs as time allows just because we love books and we also like to see how others are doing it.  Recently we saw a blog post onThe Broke and the Bookish called “Julia’s End of Year Book Survey” in which a list of questions about books for 2012 were answered.  The list originated as a survey on the blog The Perpetual Page Turner where it is to be found yearly.  Syosset R and R has circulated some of the questions to our library staff and hope to be publishing the answers that we get back throughout the first half of January 2013.  So our thanks to both of the aforementioned Blogs for the inspiration.  Here’s the seventh and last installment of questions, answered by Lisa J., Readers’ Services Librarian.  Syosset R and R would like to thank those who took the time to answer our questions.

Best Book You Read in 2012?

Behind The Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death & Hope in a Mumbai Undercity by Katherine Boo.

Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going to Love More But Didn’t?

The Testament of Mary by Colm Toibin

Book(s) you recommended to people most in 2012?

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey, Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo, The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka,  The World We Found by Thrity Umrigar and The Story of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon

Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2012?

Turn of Mind  by Alice LaPlante and Defending Jacob by William Landay.

Favorite book cover in 2012?

Telegraph Avenue by Michael Chabon

Best Book You Read That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else?

Defending Jacob by William Landay

Most beautifully written book read in 2012?

The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka

Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2013?

And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini, David & Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell, How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia by Mohsin Hamid and The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout.

- posted by Sonia, Readers’ Services

Questions About Books: 2012, Part 6

Syosset R and R tries to follow as many other book blogs as time allows just because we love books and we also like to see how others are doing it.  Recently we saw a blog post onThe Broke and the Bookish called “Julia’s End of Year Book Survey” in which a list of questions about books for 2012 were answered.  The list originated as a survey on the blog The Perpetual Page Turner where it is to be found yearly.  Syosset R and R has circulated some of the questions to our library staff and hope to be publishing the answers that we get back throughout the first half of January 2013.  So our thanks to both of the aforementioned Blogs for the inspiration.  Here’s the sixth installment of questions, answered by Brenda, Reference Librarian:

Best Book You Read in 2012?

The Women of the Cousins’ War by Philippa Gregory.

Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going to Love More But Didn’t?

Well, I am not sure I expected to LOVE it but did expect to like it more based on other’s comments: Porch Lights by Dorothea Benton Frank.

Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2012? 

Um…probably Kate Morton’s The Secret Keeper.

Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2012 to finally read?

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by  Jamie Ford(which I liked!!!).

- posted by Sonia, Readers’ Services

Questions About Books: 2012, Part 5

Syosset R and R tries to follow as many other book blogs as time allows just because we love books and we also like to see how others are doing it.  Recently we saw a blog post onThe Broke and the Bookish called “Julia’s End of Year Book Survey” in which a list of questions about books for 2012 were answered.  The list originated as a survey on the blog The Perpetual Page Turner where it is to be found yearly.  Syosset R and R has circulated some of the questions to our library staff and hope to be publishing the answers that we get back throughout the first half of January 2013.  So our thanks to both of the aforementioned Blogs for the inspiration.  Here’s the fifth installment of questions, answered by Stacey, Librarian Trainee:

Best Book You Read in 2012?

The best book I read this year had to be either Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia or Rules of Civility by Amor Towles

Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going to Love More But Didn’t?

World War Z by Max Brooks. I love the zombie apocalypse and I had started reading it a last year but never finished. When I read it for a book club I thought it would get better but it never did.

Book you recommended to people most in 2012?

It’s a tie between The Newlyweds by Nell Freudenberger and I’ve Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella.

Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. I never really read any mystery genre books and I fell in love with the book.

Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2012?

I really enjoyed The True Story of Hansel and Gretel by Louise Murphy and read it in a day but for a 2012 book it would have to be Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness because I was so excited to read the next book in her trilogy.

Favorite book cover in 2012?

Mix between Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness, Arcadia by Lauren Groff, and A Hologram for the King by Dave Eggers.

Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2012 to finally read?

Animal Farm by George Orwell, I never read it in high school or college.

Best Book You Read That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else?

Fables vol.1 by Bill Willingham, it was recommended in a title swap and I fell in love with the series.

Favorite new author(s) you discovered in 2012?

I would have to say Laurell K. Hamilton, A.J. Jacobs, Eric Kester, Jay Asher, Elin Hilderbrand, and Kami Garcia.

Most beautifully written book read in 2012?

It is a tie between Summerland by Elin  Hilderbrand, Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness, and Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia. All are beautifully written in different ways.

Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2013?

The one that comes to the top of my mind is Gates of Paradise by Melissa de la Cruz. I know there are plenty of others.

- posted by Sonia, Readers’ Services

Questions About Books: 2012, Part 4

Syosset R and R tries to follow as many other book blogs as time allows just because we love books and we also like to see how others are doing it.  Recently we saw a blog post onThe Broke and the Bookish called “Julia’s End of Year Book Survey” in which a list of questions about books for 2012 were answered.  The list originated as a survey on the blog The Perpetual Page Turner where it is to be found yearly.  Syosset R and R has circulated some of the questions to our library staff and hope to be publishing the answers that we get back throughout the first half of January 2013.  So our thanks to both of the aforementioned Blogs for the inspiration.  Here’s the fourth installment of questions, answered by Jackie, Head of Readers’ Services:

Best Book Read in 2012?

National Book Award for Fiction 2011 winner Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward & City of Women by David R. Gillham

Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going to Love But Didn’t?

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Book You Recommended to People Most in 2012?

The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer

Book You Can’t Believe You Waited Until 2012 to finally Read?

The Call of the Wild by Jack London

- posted by Sonia, Readers’ Services

Questions About Books: 2012, Part 3

Syosset R and R tries to follow as many other book blogs as time allows just because we love books and we also like to see how others are doing it.  Recently we saw a blog post onThe Broke and the Bookish called “Julia’s End of Year Book Survey” in which a list of questions about books for 2012 were answered.  The list originated as a survey on the blog The Perpetual Page Turner where it is to be found yearly.  Syosset R and R has circulated some of the questions to our library staff and hope to be publishing the answers that we get back throughout the first half of January 2013.  So our thanks to both of the aforementioned Blogs for the inspiration.  Here’s the third installment of questions, answered by Susan Health Services Librarian:

Best Book You Read in 2012?

A Land More Kind Than Home by Wiley Cash, Canada by Richard Ford

Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going to Love More But Didn’t?

Magnificence by Lydia Millet

Book you recommended to people most in 2012?

Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple, and Canada by Richard Ford

Most beautifully written book read in 2012?

A Thousand Mornings by Mary Oliver

Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2013?

Life After Life by Kate Atkinson

- posted by Sonia, Readers’ Services

Questions About Books: 2012, Part 2

Syosset R and R tries to follow as many other book blogs as time allows just because we love books and we also like to see how others are doing it.  Recently we saw a blog post onThe Broke and the Bookish called “Julia’s End of Year Book Survey” in which a list of questions about books for 2012 were answered.  The list originated as a survey on the blog The Perpetual Page Turner where it is to be found yearly.  Syosset R and R has circulated some of the questions to our library staff and hope to be publishing the answers that we get back throughout the first half of January 2013.  So our thanks to both of the aforementioned Blogs for the inspiration.  Here’s the second installment of questions answered by Erica, Reference Librarian:

Best Book You Read in 2012?

Impossible to answer – they were all great!

Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going to Love More But Didn’t?

“Macbeth” William Shakespeare

Book you recommended to people most in 2012?

“The Unicorn Sonata” Peter Beagle

Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?

“Cathedral, Forge, & Waterwheel” Joseph & Frances Gies

Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2012?

“The Hunger Games” Suzanne Collins

Favorite book cover in 2012?

“The Night Circus” Erin Morgenstern

Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2012 to finally read?

“The Hunger Games” Suzanne Collins

Best Book You Read That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else?

“Daughter of Smoke & Bone” Laini Taylor

Favorite new author(s) you discovered in 2012?

Laini Taylor

Most beautifully written book read in 2012?

“Tamsin” Peter Beagle

Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2013?

“Fearless” Cornelia Funke

- posted by Sonia, Readers’ Services