New Releases on DVD June 2009 Part 2

Be Kind Rewind

Two local outcasts attempt to save a local video store. Amateur film director Mike must find a way to save the business after his magnetized friend, Jerry, erases every movie in the store. Using an outdated video camera and their own special effects, the two embark on an adventure to remake all the movies, from “Ghostbusters” to “Driving Miss Daisy,” turning the two town misfits into local celebrities. Cast: Jack Black, Mos Def, Danny Glover, Mia Farrow, Melonie Diaz. Rated PG-13

The Caller

A corporate executive plans to blow the whistle on his company`s unsavory practices, putting his life in peril. Cast: Frank Langella, Elliott Gould, Laura Harring, Anabel Soda.  Rated PG-13

Confessions of a Shopaholic

A college grad lands a job as a financial journalist in New York City to support her shopping addiction. Cast: Isla Fisher, Hugh Dancy, Joan Cusack, John Goodman, John Lithgow, Kristin Scott Thomas, Leslie Bibb.  Based on the books by Sophie Kinsella. Rated PG

Days and Clouds

In this film about work and marriage by Bread and Tulips’ director Silvio Soldini, a well-off Genoa couple has to face self-image, marriage, and work problems when their financial world crumbles.Cast: Margherita Buy, Antonio Albanese, Alba Rohrwacher, Giuseppe Battiston, Fabio Troiano.
In Italian, English subtitles. Not Rated

Defiance

Three Jewish brothers escape from Nazi-occupied Poland into the Belarussian forest, where they join Russian resistance fighters. Cast: Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber, Jamie Bell, Alexa Davalos, Allan Corduner, Mark Feuerstein. Based on the book Defiance: the Bielski Partisans by Nechama Tec. Rated R

Gran Torino

Walt Kowalski is a Korean War veteran whose prize possession is a 1972 Gran Torino he keeps in mint condition. When his neighbor, Thao, a young Hmong teenager, becomes pressured by his gang member cousin to steal Walt’s Gran Torino, Kowalski sets out to reform the youth. Drawn against his will into the life of Thao’s family, Walt is soon taking steps to protect them from the gangs that infest their neighborhood. Cast: Clint Eastwood, Bee Vang, Ahney Her, Christopher Carley. Rated R

Humbolt County

A disillusioned medical student finds himself stranded for a summer in a remote community of pot farmers.Cast: Fairuza Balk, Peter Bogdanovich, Frances Conroy, Madison Davenport. Rated R

Inkheart

A young girl discovers her father has an amazing talent to bring characters out of their books. She must try to stop a freed villain from destroying them all, with the help of her father, her aunt, and a storybook’s hero. Cast: Brendan Fraser, Paul Bettany, Helen Mirren, Jim Broadbent, Andy Serkis, Eliza Hope Bennett, Rafi Gavron.  Based on the book by Cornelia Funke. Rated PG

The International

An Interpol agent attempts to expose a high-profile financial institution’s role in an international arms dealing ring. Cast: Clive Owen, Naomi Watts, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Ulrich Thomsen, Brian F. O’Byrne. Rated R

Killshot

Armand ‘Blackbird’ Degas is a Mafia hit man who shoots to kill and never leaves witnesses, until now. When Carmen and Wayne Colson see him at the scene of a botched murder attempt, they become his next targets. After entering witness protection, they discover the law isn’t on their side and decide to take matters into their own hands. Based on the novel by Elmore Leonard. Cast: Diane Lane, Mickey Rourke, Thomas Jane, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rosario Dawson. Rated R

Not Easily Broken

After years of disagreement concerning what true happiness, success, and love really are, Dave and Clarice Johnson have finally reached a breaking point in their marriage. Clarice is hurt in a car accident and the obvious truth is that more than just her injuries need immediate attention. Cast: Morris Chestnut, Taraji P. Henson, Maeve Quinlan, Kevin Hart, Wood Harris, Jennifer Lewis.  Based on the novel by T.D. Jakes. Rated PG-13

The Other End of the Line

When a beautiful customer service operator in India falls for a charming American executive over the telephone, they’re in for a serious case of mistaken cultural identity. With a penchant for all things American and a heart full of dreams, Priya flies to San Francisco to meet her destiny, and it looks like love at first sight. Now Priya and Granger must risk everything for true love. Cast: Jesse Metcalfe, Shriya Saran, Anupam Kher, Sara Foster, Austin Basis, Larry Miller. Rated PG-13

Priceless

When it comes to men, Irene has very rich tastes. One very confusing night on the French Riviera, she is duped at her own game. Cast: Audrey Tautou, Gad Elmaleh, Marie-Christine Adam, Jacques Spiesser, Vernon Dobtcheff, Annelise Hesme. In French, English subtitles. Rated R

Revolutionary Road

A young couple living in a Connecticut suburb in the 1950s struggle to come to terms with their personal problems. Based on the novel by Richard Yates. Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Michael Shannon, Kathryn Hahn, David Harbour, Kathy Bates. Rated R

Starting out in the Evening

An ambitious graduate student convinces a writer that her thesis can resurrect his career. Cast: Frank Langella, Lili Taylor, Lauren Ambrose, Adrian Lester. Based on the novel by Brian Morton. (2007) Rated PG-13

Waltz with Bashir

After not being able to recall the time he spent on an Israeli Army mission during the Lebanon War, Ari attempts to unravel the mystery by traveling around the world to interview old friends and comrades. As the pieces of the puzzle begin to come together, his memory begins to return in illustrations that are surreal. Hebrew or English dialogue. Rated R

Wendy and Lucy

Wendy is a down-on-her-luck girl who’s hoping to turn things around for herself with a summer job in Alaska, but finds herself stranded with no money in a small Oregon town. Cast: Michelle Williams, John Robinson, Will Oldham. Rated R

New DVDs: Made for TV and Feature Length Films June 2009 Part 2

Admissions

Charming 17-year-old, Evie rebelliously sabotages her interviews at prestigious colleges. To hide her deception, Evie lies about her savant sister’s poetry writing, setting off a chain of events which include the revelation of a long buried secret. Cast: Lauren Ambrose, Amy Madigan, Christopher Lloyd, Fran Kranz, Taylor Roberts, John Savage. (2004) Rated PG

The Affair of the Necklace

In pre-Revolutionary France, a young aristocratic woman left penniless by the political unrest in the country, must avenge her family’s fall from grace by scheming to steal a priceless necklace. Cast: Hilary Swank, Jonathan Pryce, Simon Baker, Adrien Brody, Brian Cox, Joely Richardson, Christopher Walken. (2001) Rated R

The Age of Innocence

Society scion Newland Archer is engaged to May Welland, but his well-ordered life is upset when he meets May’s unconventional cousin. Cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer, Winona Ryder. Based on the novel by Edith Wharton. (1993) Rated PG

Around the World in 80 Treasures

Architectural historian Dan Cruickshank embarks on a five-month, 34-country world tour visiting his selection of the 80 greatest buildings, artworks, and other man-made treasures that define human civilization. Originally broadcast on BBC in 2005. Not Rated

Barefoot in the Park

A young, newly wed couple set up housekeeping in an attic apartment near Central Park in New York City. Cast: Robert Redford, Jane Fonda, Charles Boyer, Mildred Natwick. Based on the play by Neil Simon. (1967) Not Rated

Bones: Season Three

A brilliant but cynical forensic anthropologist and an ambitious FBI agent partner up to solve some of the most baffling and bizarre crimes ever. Cast: Emily Deschanel, David Boreanaz, Michaela Conlin, T.J. Thyne, Eric Millegan, Tamara Taylor. Originally broadcast on television during the 2007-2008 season. Not rated.

Burn Notice: Season Two

A former spy uses his special ops training to help others in trouble. Cast: Jeffrey Donovan, Gabrielle Anwar.  Not Rated

Criminal Minds: SeasonThree

Agent David Rossi, the Behavioral Analysis Unit’s most prominent agent and founding member, returns to help the team solve cases while taking care of some unfinished business. Cast: Joe Mantegna, Mandy Patinkin, Thomas Gibson, Shemar Moore, Matthew Gray Gubler, Lola Glaudini, A.J. Cook, Kirsten Vangsness, Paget Brewster.  Originally broadcast on CBS during the 2007-2008 season. Not Rated

Da Vinci’s Inquest: Season One

Working with police and pathologists while fighting bureaucratic resistance, Vancouver city coroner Dominic Da Vinci relies on high-tech forensic science and old-fashioned shoe leather to illuminate the murky world in which men and women commit murder. Cast: Nicholas Campbell. Originally broadcast on television during the 1998-1999 season. Not Rated

Da Vinci’s Inquest: Season Two

This crime drama series follows the adventures of Dominic Da Vinci, coroner of Vancouver, British Columbia, as he investigates suspicious deaths along side the police. Cast: Nicholas Campbell, Ian Tracey, Donnelly Rhodes, Venus Terzo, Sarah Strange. (1998-1990) Not Rated

Da Vinci’s Inquest: Season Three

Follows the adventures of Dominic Da Vinci, coroner of Vancouver, British Columbia, as he investigates suspicious deaths along side the police. Cast: Nicholas Campbell, Suleka Mathew, Sara-Jane Redmond, Donnelly Rhodes, Venus Terzo, Ian Tracey, Gwynyth Walsh, Robert Wisden. Originally broadcast on television 1999-2000. Not Rated

Daniel’s Daughter

A successful New York magazine editor begins to question the life she thought she wanted when she goes back to her hometown to spread her estranged father’s ashes. Cast: Laura Leighton, Sebastian Spence.  (2008)  Not Rated

Dead Like Me: Life After Death

Set two years after the critically acclaimed Showtime series ended, the undead reapers are introduced to their new boss, Cameron Kane, whose new agenda creates disorder within the reaper clan. Cast: Ellen Muth, Callum Blue, Sarah Wynter, Jasmine Guy, Britt McKillip, Christine Willes, Cynthia Stevenson, Henry Ian Cusick. Based on the characters created by Bryan Fuller. 2007. Rated R

Enchanted April

Two upstanding married Englishwomen rent an Italian villa to get away from it all. At the same time, they’re joined by a less-restrained, younger woman who quickly has them re-thinking their lives. Cast: Miranda Richardson, Josie Lawrence, Polly Walker, Joan Plowright, Alfred Molina, Michael Kitchen, Jim Broadbent. Based on the novel by Elizabeth von Arnim. (1992) Rated PG

Ethan Frome

The story of a man torn between his joyless marriage to one woman and his lustful desire for another. Cast: Liam Neeson, Patricia Arquette, Joan Allen, Tate Donovan, Katharine Houghton. Based on the novel by Edith Wharton. (1993) Rated PG.

Every Picture Tells a Story

U.K. art critic Waldemar Januszczak hosts a fascinating series that answers some of the most enduring questions in art history. Includes eight great paintings, such as Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus, Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, and Rembrandt’s The Anatomy Lesson. Originally broadcasted on television in 2003.  Not Rated

The Grapes of Wrath

The story of the Joad family and their migration to California from their dust-bowl farm in Oklahoma during the Depression. Based on the novel by John Steinbeck. Cast: Henry Fonda, Jane Darwell, Charley Grapewin, Dorris Bowdon, John Carradine. (1940) Not Rated

The Great Gatsby

In 1920s Long Island, a mysterious American millionaire’s efforts to recapture the sweetheart of his youth result in tragedy. Cast: Robert Redford, Mia Farrow, Bruce Dern, Karen Black, Scott Wilson, Sam Waterston, Lois Chiles, Howard Da Silva, Roberts Blossom. Based on the novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald. (1974) Rated PG

Grey’s Anatomy: Season Four

Centered on the personal and professional lives of five surgical interns and their supervisors. Love, lies, and family ties are revealed as the surgeons of Seattle Grace discover that their choices have major unintended consequences. Cast: Ellen Pompeo, Sandra Oh, Katherine Heigl, Justin Chambers, T.R. Knight, Chandra Wilson, James Pickens, Jr., Patrick Dempsey, Kate Walsh, Sara Ramirez, Eric Dane. Originally broadcast on television during the 2007-2008 season. Rated TV-14

The House of Mirth

The glittering yet treacherous world of New York high society comes to life in the heartbreaking story of Lily Bart, a renowned beauty of exquisite charm who seeks a wealthy husband but winds up disgraced and discarded. Cast: Gillian Anderson, Dan Aykroyd, Eric Stoltz, Anthony LaPaglia.  Based on the novel by Edith Wharton. (2000) Rated PG

Jam: The Seven Year Saga of the American Roller Derby League

Diagnosed HIV positive in 1983, Tim Patten believes his passion for Roller Derby is now the thing that keeps him alive. He invests his life savings into creating the American Roller Derby League as an attempt to make the sport a national sensation again. (2006) Not Rated

Jean de Florette and Manon of the Spring

Based on the books by Marcel Pagnol. Side A. Jean de Florette: A man inherits a farm from his mother, but his powerful neighbor plots to steal it from him. Side B. Manon of the Spring: 10 years after his death, Jean’s daughter finds out about their neighbor’s treachery, and determines to take revenge. In French, English subtitles. Cast: Jean de Florette: Yves Montand, Gerard Depardieu, Daniel Auteuil. Manon of the spring: Yves Montand, Emmanuelle Beart, and Daniel Auteuill. (1987) Rated PG

Kiss Me Goodbye

The spooky fun begins when Kay Villano is one week away from marrying the serious Dr. Rupert Baines and an uninvited guest appears on the scene; the ghost of Kay’s dead, but oh so debonair, husband Jolly. Cast: Sally Field, James Caan, Jeff Bridges, Paul Dooley, Claire Trevor. (1982) Rated PG

The Note

Following a tragic plane crash, newspaper columnist Peyton MacGruder discovers a note that was from one of the passengers onboard. She sets on a quest to find the person for whom it was intended, and discovers the life it will change is her own. Cast: Genie Francis, Ted McGinley. Based on the novel by Angela Hunt. (2007) Not Rated

The Note II

Haunted by past mistakes, Peyton hesitates to take the next step with the man she loves. But a note from a reader warns about the regret caused by passion denied.  Cast: Genie Francis, Ted McGinley, Katie Boland, Kate Trotter, John Bourgeois, Genelle Williams, Maria Ricossa, John Bregar. Based upon the characters from the novel The Note by Angela Hunt. A Hallmark Channel original movie.  Not Rated

Of Mice and Men

In Depression-era California, two migrant workers dream of better days on a spread of their own until an act of unintentional violence leads to tragic consequences. Cast: John Malkovich, Gary Sinise, Casey Siemaszko, Ray Walston, Sherilyn Fenn. Based on the novel by John Steinbeck. (1992) Rated PG-13

Rob Roy

The story of the heroic Scottish Highlander who fought for family and country against the evil machinations of the British aristocracy in the 1700s. Cast: Liam Neeson, Jessica Lange, John Hurt, Tim Roth, Eric Stoltz, Brian Cox. (1995) Rated R

Sunday in the Park with George

A splendidly filmed performance of Sondheim’s musical about artist George Seurat. Features Sondheim’s usual compositional brilliance, offering discourse on live, love, and art. A must-see for musical theatre fans. Cast: Bernadette Peters and Mandy Patankin. (1986) Not Rated

Sunset Park

Teacher Phyllis Saroka takes the job as coach of the boys’ basketball team. Entirely unqualified, she’s only interested in an extra paycheck, until she starts to see the kids inside the players and decides to help them learn to win. Cast: Rhea Perlman, Fredro Starr, Carol Kane, Terrence DaShon Howard. (1996) Rated R

Trial and Retribution: Set 1

Follow the detailed investigations of two very different police officers thrown together by a series of gruesome crimes ranging from baffling murders to terrifying abductions. Cast: David Hayman, Kate Buffery.  Broadcast on British televivion 1997-2000. Not Rated

Ugly Betty: The Complete First Season

Betty isn’t like any of her coworkers at Mode, a high-fashion magazine. She’s smart, sweet, and hardworking, but she’s not thin and beautiful. As the publisher’s son’s secretary, she earns his respect as she guides him through the world of fashion. Cast: America Ferrera, Eric Mabius.  (2006) Rated TV-14

Ugly Betty: The Complete Second Season

Betty Suarez is smart, sweet and hard working. The only problem is that she’s not thin and beautiful like all her co-workers at Mode, the high-fashion magazine where she works. The only reason the publisher hired her to be his son’s secretary is that he thought Betty was someone who Daniel would never sleep with. Betty’s hard work and determination earns Daniel’s respect as she helps him find his way through the shark infested waters of the fashion industry. Cast: America Ferrera, Eric Mabius, Vanessa L. Williams, Alan Dale, Rebecca Romijn, Judith Light, Becki Newton, Ana Ortiz, Michael Urie, Mark Indelicato, Freddy Rodriguez. Rated TV-14

We Shall Remain

This American Experience series was broadcast on PBS in 2009.  The five documentaries span three hundred years tell the story of pivotal moments in U.S. history from the Native American perspective, upending two-dimensional stereotypes of American Indians as simply ferocious warriors or peaceable lovers of the land.  Narrated by Benjamin Bratt.

Wildfire: Season Three

This ABC Family series centers on the world of horse racing and a young girl named Kris Furillo who, after serving time in a juvenile detention facility, works as a stablehand and later a jockey at Raintree Farm. While at Raintree, Kris finds romance and competition with Raintree’s rivals, the prestigious Davis Farm, all while rising to stardom in the racing world. Cast: Genevieve Cortese, Micah Alberti, Ryan Sypek, Nicole Tubiola, Greg Serano. Originally broadcast on television during the 2007-2008 season. Not Rated

New Music CDs July 2009

Abnormally Attracted to Sin
Tori Amos
CD 781.63 AMO 2009
ABNORMALLY ATTRACTED TO SIN, Tori’s tenth studio album, is another innovative chapter in the artist’s trailblazing story. Every track on the album will be accompanied by a corresponding `visualette,’ featuring footage that has been captured over the past year. Shot in HD and Super 8, the visualettes will incorporate a documentary style.

Michael Bublé Meets Madison Square Garden
Michael Bublé
CD 781.63 BUB 2009
Following his first #1 Pop album and his third platinum-plus disc, 2007’s Grammy® winning Call Me Irresponsible, singing sensation Michael Bublé returns to the stage with the live CD+DVD package Michael Bublé Meets Madison Square Garden. Featuring powerful performances of his hits ‘Everything,’ ‘Home’ and ‘Feeling Good,’ he brings the December 5, 2008 concert at one of the most famous venues in entertainment history home to fans with Michael Bublé Meets Madison Square Garden.

Secret, Profane and Sugarcane
Elvis Costello
CD 781.66 COS 2009
The record was produced by T Bone Burnett and recorded by Mike Piersante during a three-day session at Nashville’s Sound Emporium Studio.

Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King
Dave Matthews Band
CD 781.66 DAV 2009
Produced by Rob Cavallo (Green Day, My Chemical Romance), Big Whiskey has been hailed by Rolling Stone as the group’s “heaviest album yet, both musically and emotionally,” which went on to note: “Throughout, Carter Beauford beats out elaborate, propulsive groves; bassist Stefan Lessard lays down Flea-style funk bass lines; violinist Boyd Tinsley plays cresting, intense runs; and Matthews mirrors Moore’s saxophone lines with scatlike singing.” Billboard, in a cover story on Dave Matthews Band, praised Big Whiskey as “its best album yet… Highlights include the funk-rock rave-up ‘Shake Me Like a Monkey,’ the stirring ballad ‘Lying in the Hands of God,’ the swampy rocker ‘Alligator Pie (Cockadile),’ radio-friendly fare like ‘Why I Am,’ which features playful horns over a solid rock riff and a hooky chorus, and ‘Funny the Way It Is,’ which parlays a subtle intro into a soaring, syncopated anthem.”

Terminator Salvation Original Movie Soundtrack
Danny Elfman
CD 781.542 ELF 2009
The Terminator franchise, whose first three films have grossed more than $1 billion at the box office worldwide, has been reinvented and reinvigorated on screen and on album with its fourth installment. Featuring an original score by four-time Oscar® nominee Danny Elfman (Milk, Big Fish, Good Will Hunting, Men In Black) and a flashback from Alice In Chains, Terminator Salvation – Original Soundtrack honors the past but begins again. Capturing what director McG calls “the delicate nature of humanity and the unrelenting brutality of the machines,” Elfman’s synthesizer/orchestral score for Terminator Salvation elevates and expands the sweeping soundscape of one of the most successful series of films in history.

Next to Normal (Original Broadway Cast) [CAST RECORDING]
Tom Kitt
CD 782.14 KIT 2009
Next to Normal has been described as a contemporary musical that explores how one suburban household copes with crisis. With provocative lyrics and an electrifying score of more than 30 original songs, Next to Normal shows how far two parents will go to keep themselves sane and their family’s world intact.

Amanda Leigh
Mandy Moore
CD 781.63 MOO 2009
2009 album from the singer, songwriter, actress and wife to Pop/Rock troubadour Ryan Adams. Amanda Leigh was produced by Mike Viola, leader of The Candy Butchers and co-songwriter for music from That Thing You Do and Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. The album’s direction is inspired by Moore and Viola’s mutual love for Paul McCartney’s Ram album and the songwriting of artists like Todd Rundgren, Joni Mitchell, CSNY and Nilsson. Mandy has sold over 8 million albums worldwide. Her critically acclaimed performances in movies such as Saved, American Dreamz and the more recent, Dedication, have made her one of Hollywood’s most desirable actresses.

The Eternal
Sonic Youth
CD 781.66 SON 2009
After years on Geffen Records, Sonic Youth return to an indie label with their sixteenth studio album. “The Eternal” is a supercharged rocker, recalling aspects of the Evol-Sister-Daydream Nation holy trinity, but with cleaner, louder production and more straightforward momentum. With Pavement’s Mark Ibold joining on bass, and producer John Agnello back at the controls, “The Eternal” takes the melodic songwriting of 2006’s “Rather Ripped” and slams down the accelerator pedal.

Something to Say
Matthew West
CD 781.7 WES 2008
Track Listing:     Intro — Something to say — The motions — You are everything — The center — Save a place for me — Life inside you — Safe and sound — The moment of truth — A friend in the world — All the broken pieces — Stop the world.

Angels and Demons Original Movie Soundtrack
Hans Zimmer
CD 781.542 ZIM 2009
Track Listing:     160 BPM — God particle — Air — Fire — Black smoke — Science and religion — Immolation — Election by adoration — 503.

New Non-Fiction, June/July2009

The Addict: One Patient, One Doctor, One Year
Michael Stein
362.293 STE 2009
The world of prescription drug addiction seen through the  story of a woman whose life was taken over by her desire for the next pill.

The American Future: A History
Simon Schama
973 SCH 2009
The noted historian looks at the multiple crises facing the United States with references to America’s past history.

Are You Kidding Me? The True Story of Rocco Mediate’s Extraordinary Battle with Tiger Woods at the U.S. Open
Rocco Mediate and John Feinstein
796.352 MED 2009
The dramatic showdown at the 2008 U.S. Open.

The Armchair Birder: Discovering the Secret Lives of Familiar Birds
John Yow
598 YOW 2009
Interesting facts about the lives of birds  outside your window.

Columbine
Dave Cullen
371.782 CUL 2009
A recounting of the horrific events at Columbine High School.

Complexity: A Guided Tour
Melanie Mitchell
501 MIT 2009
Fascinating and elusive questions are presented that the science of complexity is attempting to answer.

The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite
David E. Kessler
613.2 KES 2009
Why is it so difficult to resist certain foods and so easy to overindulge?

Essential Pleasures: A New Anthology of Poems to Read Aloud
Robert Pinsky, ed.
808.81 ESS 2009
A wide range of poetry for speaking and listening enjoyment.

Faith Under Fire: An Army Chaplain’s Memoir
Roger Benimoff
956.7044 BEN 2009
The author’s time as an Army chaplain in Iraq created a crisis of faith and a turning point in his life.

The Fires of Vesuvius: Pompeii Lost and Found
Mary Beard
937.7 BEA 2008
A penetrating look at the world famous archaeological site.

The Girls from Ames: A Story of Women & a Forty-Year Friendship
Jeffrey Zaslow
302.34 ZAS 2009
Eleven childhood friends formed a special bond growing up in Ames, Iowa.  A bond that has lasted through the years.

Go Down Together: The True Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde
Jeff Guin
364.1552 GUI 2009
The real story of Bonnie and Clyde is different from the myths that have grown up around them.  Fascinating.

The Horse Boy: A Father’s Quest to Heal His Son
Rupert Isaacson
618.92 ISA 2009
The author was devastated with his son’s diagnosis of autism. Discovering his son’s connection with animals, they went to Mongolia.

House of Cards: A Tale of Hubris and Wretched Excess on Wall Street
William D. Cohan
332.66 COH 2009
With the collapse of Bear Stearns in March 2008, the meltdown on Wall Street officially began. How and why?

K Blows Top: A Cold War Comic Interlude Starring Nikita Khrushchev, America’s Most Unlikely Tourist
Peter Carlson
947.085 CAR 2009
The true story of a stranger in a strange land: Khrushchev’s tour across America in 1959.

Liberty and Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto
Mark R. Levin
320.52 LEV 2009
The talk radio host discusses a conservative approach to government that includes greater freedom for individual Americans.

A Lion Called Christian
Anthony Bourke and John Rendall
599.757 BOU 2009
The heartwarming story of he reunion of two young men and their pet lion, Christian.

Old World Daughter, New World Mother: An Education in Love and Freedom
Maria Laurino
306.874 LAU 2009
The author of Were You Always an Italian? returns with a spirited look at life as a second-generation American.

One Hundred Essential Things You Didn’t Know You Didn’t Know: Math Explains Your World
John D. Barrow
510 BAR 2009
The uses of mathematics in explaining many of life’s most intriguing questions are entertainingly presented.

One Square Inch of Silence
Gordon Hempton and John Grossmann
333.78 HEM 2009
Silence is our nation’s fastest-disappearing resource.  The author is recording the natural terrestrial soundscapes before they vanish.

Rag and Bone: A Journey Among the World’s Holy Dead
Peter Manseau
203.7 MAN 2009
The author traces the trail of religious relics over the centuries.

Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus: How the Jewishness of Jesus Can Transform Your Faith
Ann Spangler and Lois Tverberg
232.9 SPA 2009
An inspirational tour of Jewish culture during the time of Jesus.

Soldiers Once: My Brother and the Lost Dreams of America’s Veterans
Catherine Whitney
305.90697 WHI 2009
When the author’s brother, a Vietnam veteran, died, he was 53 years old and living in poverty and had not seen his family in 16 years.

Start Where You Are: Life Lessons in Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be
Chris Gardner
158.1 GAR 2009
The author of The Pursuit of Happyness presents a look at  beginning anew.

The Towering World of Jimmy Choo: A Glamorous Story of Power, Profits, and the Pursuit of the Perfect Shoe
Lauren Goldstein Crowe and Sagra Maceira de Rosen
338.76 CRO 2009
The behind-the-scenes story of the one of the most talked-about brands. “A smart, sexy business book.”

Unfinished Business: What the Dead Can Teach Us About Life
James Van Praagh
133.91 VAN 2009
Emotional stories from a well-known medium

The Unforgiving Minute: A Soldier’s Education
Craig M. Mullaney
958.104 MUL 2009
The author had been graduated from West Point, attended Oxford as a Rhodes scholar, but was he prepared for war in Afghanistan?

Valkyrie: The Story of the Plot to Kill Hitler, By Its Last Member
Philipp Freiherr von Boeselager
943.086 BOE 2009
The author’s patriotism turned to disgust as he learned of the atrocities of the SS.  He and his brother joined a conspiracy to kill Adolf Hitler and Heinrich Himmler.

Weather’s Greatest Mysteries Solved!
Randy Cerveny
304.2 CER 2009
Sample mystery:  Why did T. Rex become extinct?  And there’s many more weather conundrums in this fascinating book.

Why Don’t Students Like School? A Cognitive Scientist Answers Questions About How the Mind Works and What it Means for the Classroom
Daniel T. Willingham
370.1523 WIL 2009
Why can kids remember the smallest details from their favorite television program, yet miss the most obvious questions on theiw history test?

New Fiction – June 2009

Admission
Jean Hanff Korelitz
F KOR
For years Portia Nathan has avoided the past, hiding behind her busy career as a Princeton University admissions officer.

Brimstone
Robert B. Parker
F PAR
Guns-for-hire Everett Hitch and Virgil Cole in a follow-up of their adventures in Resolution and Appaloosa.

Brooklyn
Colm Tóibín
F TOI
In the early 1950’s Eilis Lacey crosses the ocean from Ireland to make a new life for herself in Brooklyn.

Censoring an Iranian Love Story
Shahriar Mandanipour
F MAN
An acclaimed Iranian author explores what it’s like to live, love and be an artist in the Iran of today.

The Color of Lightning
Paulette Jiles
F JIL
Former Kentucky slave, Britt Johnson and his family travel to an uncertain destiny in the American West of 1863.

Deadlock
Iris Johansen
F JOH
United Nations artifact expert, Emily Hudson is held hostage by an evil captor determined to find a missing link to a legendary treasure.

Etta
Gerald Kolpan
F KOL
Beautiful and refined, Etta Place captivated the nation at the turn of the last century.  Here is her life as imagined by the author in this debut novel.

The Family Man
Elinor Lipman
F LIP
A contemporary comedy of manners featuring Henry Archer and complications with his ex-wife.  Amusing.

Figures in Silk
Vanora Bennett
F BEN
Two sisters discover passion during the War of the Roses — one with the king, the other in the world of silk.

First Family
David Baldacci
F BAL
Private investigators Sean King and Michelle Maxwell are brought into a terrifying situation involving the abduction of the President’s child from Camp David.

A Fortunate Age
Joanna Smith Rakoff
F RAK
The lives of several Oberlin graduates are traced as they chase their dreams in Brooklyn at the turn of the 21st century.

The Geometry of Sisters
Luanne Rice
F RIC
The complexity of emotions between sisters is revealed through the lives of three remarkable sets of siblings.

Intent to Kill
James Grippando
F GRI
Was the hit-and-run accident that killed his wife, Chelsea, really an accident?  Ryan James, a Boston sportscaster, has to find out, especially when he gets an anonymous tip: “I know who did it.”

The Last Secret
Mary McGarry Morris
F MOR
Nora Hammond seems to have the perfect life, until she learns of her husband’s longtime affair, and when a terrible incident from her own youth is revealed.

Laura Rider’s Masterpiece
Jane Hamilton
F HAM
An entertaining comedy by the author of The Book of Ruth.

Lavender Morning
Jude Deveraux
F DEV
Jocelyn Minton is a woman torn between two worlds.  A mysterious bequest from a loving mentor becomes an introduction to mystery and romance.

Loitering with Intent
Stuart Woods
F WOO
Stone Barrington is not having a good week and some discreet detective work in Key West doesn’t make it any better.

The Lost Quilter
Jennifer Chiaverini
F CHI
A quilt that was sewn by a runaway slave is treasured by master quilter Sylvia Compson, who uncovers the story of Joanna.

Nightwalker
Heather Graham
F GRA
What happens in Vegas sometimes doesn’t stay there.

Prayers for Sale
Sandra Dallas
F DAL
Colorado, 1936. Hennie Comfort is 86 and has lived in Middle Swan all her life.  Her friendship with newcomer 17-year-old Nit Spindle changes both of their lives.

The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet
Reif Larsen
F LAR
Twelve-year-old genius T.S. Spivet learns that he has received a prestigious prize from the Smithsonian and then starts out on a wild cross-country trip.  Great illustrations and great reviews.

Stone’s Fall
Iain Pears
F PEA
The story of the wealthy, influential John Stone and the mystery of his death.  By the author of  An Instance of the Fingerpost.

The Strain
Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan
F TOR
A vampiric virus infects New York City.  The contagion must be stopped before it infects the country.

The Story Sisters
Alice Hoffman
F HOF
Three sisters, Elv, Claire, and Meg, each have a fate that they must meet alone.  Vintage Hoffman.

Summer on Blossom Street
Debbie Macomber
F MAC
Knitting and life.  They’re both about beginnings and endings.

Sunnyside
Glen David Gold
F GOL
Charlie Chaplin is the central figure in this sprawling novel depicting the tumultuous years following World War I.

Thanks for the Memories
Cecelia Ahern
F AHE
Hope, love and second chances await two strangers, Joyce Conway and Justin Hitchcock, whose lives are at a crossroads.

Water, Stone, Heart
Will North
F NOR
Newly divorced, Andrew Stratton travels to an English village to learn the art of building stone walls.  A lyrical first novel.

Waveland
Frederick Barthelme
F BAR
Three very out-of-order lives try to find or reinvent themselves in the tattered landscape of Mississippi, post-Katrina.  Love, regret and redemption.

The Weight of Heaven
Thrity Umrigar
F UMR
After the loss of their only son, Frank and Ellie Benton continue to struggle, but hope that a job in far-off India will help them begin again.

Music CDs, June 2009

Greatest Hits II
Kenny Chesney
CD 781.642 CHE 2009
2009 collection from the Country music great, his second collection of hits, featuring 15 tracks including the brand new single ‘Out Last Night’ (only available on this collection!). Since his debut album 15 years ago, Chesney has managed to shift 25 million units and consistently plays live to over one million fans every year. Not bad for a seemingly average-guy from Knoxville, TN!

Live In London [LIVE]
Leonard Cohen
CD 781.62 COH 2009
For over four decades, Leonard Cohen has been one of the most important and influential songwriters of our time, a figure whose body of work achieves greater depths of mystery and meaning as time goes on. His songs have set a virtually unmatched standard in their seriousness and range. Sex, spirituality, religion, power – he has relentlessly examined the largest issues in human lives, always with a full appreciation of how elusive answers can be to the vexing questions he raises. But those questions, and the journey he has traveled in seeking to address them, are the ever-shifting substance of his work, as well as the reasons why his songs never lose their overwhelming emotional force. Documentaries, awards, tribute albums and the ongoing march of artists eager to record his songs all acknowledge the peerless contribution Cohen has made to what one of his titles aptly calls “The Tower of Song.”

21st Century Breakdown
Green Day
CD 781.66 GRE 2009
2009 release, the Punk trio’s long-awaited eighth studio album,. The album is the best-selling trio’s first studio album since 2004’s two-time Grammy Award-winning Punk Rock opera American Idiot, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard chart, spawned five hit singles, and went on to sell more than 12 million copies worldwide. 21st Century Breakdown is divided into three acts: “Heroes and Cons,” “Charlatans and Saints,” and “Horseshoes and Handgrenades,” and follows a young couple, Christian and Gloria, through the mess and promise of the century so far. Songs include “Know Your Enemy”, “21 Guns”, “East Jesus Nowhere”, “Before the Lobotomy”, and “Restless Heart Syndrome.”

X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Harry Gregson-Williams
CD 781.542 GRE 2009
Logan through time — Special privileges — Lagos, Nigeria — Wade goes to work — Kayla — Victor visits — Adamantium — Agent Zero comes for Logan — Logan meets Gambit — To the island — Deadpool — The towers collapse — Memories lost — –I’ll find my own way.

Sounds Of The Universe
Depeche Mode
CD 781.66 DEP 2009
In chains — Hole to feed — Wrong — Fragile tension — Little soul — In sympathy — Peace — Come back — Spacewalker — Perfect — Miles away ; The truth is — Jezebel — Corrupt.

Star Trek
Michael Giacchino
CD 781.542 GIA 2009
Original soundtrack to the highly anticipated 2009 motion picture. From producer/director J.J. Abrams (Lost, Mission: Impossible: III, and Fringe) comes a new vision of the greatest space adventure of all time, Star Trek, featuring a young, new crew venturing boldly where no one has gone before. Starring Chris Pine as Kirk, Zachary Quinto as Spock, Simon Pegg as Scotty, with Eric Bana, Winona Ryder and Leonard Nimoy. Michael Giacchino, who has served as J.J. Abrams’ musical lieutenant on all his projects, follows the extraordinarily rich musical legacy of Alexander Courage, Jerry Goldsmith, and James Horner, as he boards the Enterprise for her maiden voyage.

The Power of One
Israel Houghton and New Breed
CD 782.254 HOU 2009
1. My Name Iz – Everywhere That I Go – Just Wanna Say – Surely Goodness – The Power Of One (Change The World) – U R Loved – Moving Forward – I Receive – Saved By Grace – Every Prayer – Sing Redemption’s Song – Better To Believe – You Found Me – My Tribute Medley

Freedom
Mandisa
CD 782.254 MAN 2009
My deliverer — How much — He is with you — The definition of me (feat. Blanca from Group 1 Crew) — Not guilty — Leave it in the valley — Victorious — Broken hallelujah — Freedom song — Dance dance dance — You wouldn’t cry (Andrew’s song).

Nights in Rodanthe
Various Artists
CD 781.542 NIG 2008
Based on the #1 NY Times bestseller by Nicholas Sparks, “Nights In Rodanthe” follows a woman (Diane Lane) with her life in chaos as she retreats to the tiny coastal town of Rodanthe to tend a friend’s inn for the weekend. The only guest at the inn (Richard Gere) arrives with a storm closing in on the town. The two turn to each other for comfort and, in one magical weekend, set in motion a life-changing romance. The soundtrack features “In Rodanthe” written and performed by Emmylou Harris, along with heartwarming songs in the style of Piedmont Blues by such artists as Count Basie, Ruth Brown, Slim & Slam, Dinah Washington, and more.

Yes
Pet Shop Boys
CD 781.63 PET 2009
Limited edition 2CD includes extra CD of “dub” versions of the songs, specially produced and mixed by the acclaimed Xenomania.

Unstoppable
Rascal Flatts
CD 781.642 RAS 2009
With Unstoppable, Gary, Joe Don and Jay release their most powerful and accessible album to date, taking their career and country music another large step forward. Produced by Dann Huff and Rascal Flatts, the record applies the group’s formidable talents to a spectrum of songs that range from the pure drama of “Forever,” which deals, as the group has so often in the past, with the pain of a broken relationship, to the pure fun of “Summer Nights,” a romp through a world of coolers and bikinis guaranteed to be a concert favorite. The trio is as proud of the project as they’ve ever been.

The Sound Of Madness
Shinedown
CD 781.66 SHI 2008
The record opens with lead single “Devour.” Its heavy onslaught of ripping guitars and relentless drums would not sound out of place on a Guitar Hero soundtrack. Of the album, frontman Brent Smith says “In the seven years of this thing called Shinedown, I’ve seen a lot of different things – what we’ve all gone through on the road, things in our personal lives or witnessed firsthand through the fans that we’ve made and the relationships we’ve built with our audience. I think the biggest thing was I didn’t want to sugarcoat the way life can be sometimes.” Their face-melting rock comes as no surprise, considering that the band hails from sultry Jacksonville, Florida.

Hook Me Up
The Veronicas
CD 781.66 VER 2008
Three years ago, The Veronicas-identical twin sisters Jess and Lisa Origliasso-took their homeland of Australia by storm with their brilliant and phenomenally successful debut album, The Secret Life Of The Veronicas. Now a dramatic new sound marks The Veronicas’ musical coming of age on Hook Me Up. Their pop punk leanings have given way to a more sophisticated electro-beat feel, though still marked by the sisters’ signature harmonies and vocals, and innate pop sensibility.

Fork In The Road
Neil Young
CD 781.66 YOU 2009
The DVD in this CD+DVD package
features three live, never-before-seen concert videos, and videos for four songs on the album.
Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Neil Young is stirring things up again. This time he is rolling on down the road not only with an auto-centric concept album but with his own electric ride. Fork In The Road, whose largely ecocar themed songs he debuted in concert during the past year, will get a promotional push from the 1959 Lincoln Continental Young has converted to hybrid technology and which he plans to drive to Washington, D.C. With Fork In The Road as current as today’s headlines, the controversial and mad-as-hell Neil Young is still rockin’ the free world and once more is taking the road less traveled.

Roadsinger (To Warm You Through The Night)
Yusuf/Cat Stevens
CD 781.63 ISL 2009
In “roadsinger,” the illuminating title track to Yusuf’s new album, he asks, “Where do you go in a world filled with fright? Only a song to warm you through the night.” For decades, his has been the voice that has carried us through the darkness. One of the most influential and successful singer-songwriters of the last 40 years, Yusuf has provided the perfect salve for a troubled world–a beautifully nuanced, warm voice shielding us against harsh, turbulent times bringing songs of truth and hope.

New Mysteries, June 2009

About Face
Donna Leon
M LEO
Venetian Commissario Guido Brunetti and his wife Paola meet a mysterious woman at dinner party.  Is she somehow connected with a suspicious death and illegal garbage hauling?

The Joys of My Life
Alys Clare
M CLA
May 1199.Queen Eleanor has summoned five members of Hawkenlye Abbey to the Île d’Oléron to discuss the building of a chapel dedicated to the queen’s son, King Richard.

Borderline
Nevada Barr
M BAR
Anna Pigeon is trying to recuperate on a rafting trip with her new husband, Paul, but an attempted murder pulls her into a labyrinth of intrigue.

Cream Puff Murder
Joanne Fluke
M FLU
Hannah Swensen’s boyfriend becomes a murder suspect in this latest entry in the author’s bakery series.  Recipes, of course, included.

Cursed
Carol Higgins Clark
M CLA
Private investigator Regan Reilly returns to her old haunts in L.A. to help out a friend find the “no good bum” who owes her $100,000.

Dante’s Numbers
David Hewson
M HEW
A celebration in Rome of a new film version of Dante’s Inferno ends in chaos with one man dead, and the film’s star and a priceless relic missing.  Detective Nic Costa finds himself in a terrifying limbo.

Dead Man’s Puzzle
Parnell Hall
M HAL
Puzzles abound: who killed cranky hermit, Old Man Overmeyer?

Death and the Lit Chick
G.M Malliet
M MAL
Chick lit mystery writer Kimberlee Kalder is being honored at an exclusive writers’ conference at Dalmorton Castle in Scotland.  You know what happens next!

Dropped Dead Stitch
Maggie Sefton
M SEF
Kelly’s friend Jennifer is a top-notch knitter and party girl.  One night a stranger follows her home, and in the aftermath, Jennifer looks to her close-knit friends for support.

Execution Dock
Anne Perry
M PER
Victorian police commander William Monk is confronted with evil of the sex industry in the dark alleys along the River Thames.

Fatally Flaky
Diane Mott Davidson
M DAV
Colorado caterer Goldy Schulz encounters the bride from hell as well as another murder.  Goldy goes undercover in her chef’s outfit.

Frame Work
Anne G. Faigen
M FAI
When Sarah Brandau travels to Prague for a literary conference, her innocent purchase of an ornate frame plunges her into danger.

Grave Goods
Ariana Franklin
M FRA
England, 1176.  Adelia Aguilar, Mistress of the Art of Death, is called upon by Henry II to examine the skeletons of two individuals found in the ashes of Glastonbury Abbey.

Just Take My Heart
Mary Higgins Clark
M CLA
The veteran mystery author returns with the story of a legal battle over the guilt or innocence of man accused of murdering his wife.

The Killing Way
Tony Hays
M HAYS
Arthur has united most of Britain’s clans, but does not yet hold supreme power.  When Merlin is blamed for the brutal murder of a young woman, Arthur’s reputation is at stake.

The Long Fall
Walter Mosley
M MOS
Leonid McGill is an old-school private investigator, but the Manhattan of the 21st century has gotten a bit fancier.

Malice
Lisa Jackson
M JAC
Deception and betrayal confront New Orleans detective Rick Bentz as he is forced to confront the ghosts of his past.

Mating Season
Jon Loomis
M LOO
Detective Frank Coffin, who moves to Cape Cod to escape from his panic attacks, finds that murder can happen even in a small town when heiress Kenji Sole is killed.

A Quiet Flame
Philip Kerr
M KER
After being falsely accused of being a war criminal, ex-Berlin policeman Bernie Gunther is now in Argentina.  It’s 1950 and he is being  pressured by the local police to help in a case that began in 1930.

The Risk of Darkness
Susan Hill
M HILA widowed husband’s grief turns to violence and terror. Chief inspector Simon Serrailler finds himself with romantic concerns as well as police issues in his third outing.

Shadow and Light
Jonathan Rabb
M RAB
Berlin, 1927: the heyday of the Weimar Republic and German cinema is producing acclaimed films.  The death of a studio executive exposes the desperate side of Germany.

She Shoots to Conquer
Dorothy Cannell
M CAN
Amateur sleuth Ellie Haskell is stranded at Mucklesfeld Manor and finds herself in the middle of a TV reality show.

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
Alan Bradley
M BRA
Great reviews accompany this debut novel that revolves around Flavia de Luce, an 11-year-old science prodigy and her search for the murderer of the man she found in her cucumber patch.

Tea Time for the Traditionally Built
Alexander McCall Smith
M MCC
Mma Ramotswe is in personal need of her own formidable detection talents in this latest outing in the popular series.

True Detectives
Jonathan Kellerman
M KEL
The disappearance of Caitlin Frostig isn’t a usual case for the
at-odds step-brothers, Moses Reed and Aaron Fox, as they descend into the seamy side of Los Angeles.

Wormwood
Susan Wittig Albert
M ALB
Ex-lawyer and current herbalist China Bayles visits an historic Shaker Village for a brief respite and finds herself entwined in a modern-day mystery.

Wrongful Death
Robert Dugoni
M DUG
Successful attorney David Sloane takes on a challenging case in a suit against the U.S. government in the wrongful death of a national guardsman killed in Iraq.

New Releases on DVD June 2009

Bangkok Dangerous

A hitman in Bangkok pulls off a series of jobs, falls for a local woman and bonds with his errand boy. Cast: Nicolas Cage, Charlie Young, Shahkrit Yamnarm, Panward Hemmanee. Based on the 1999 film by Oxide Pang Chun & Danny Pang. Rated R

Bedtime Stories

A hotel handyman’s life is changed forever when the bedtime stories he tells his niece and nephew start to mysteriously come true. Cast: Adam Sandler, Keri Russell, Guy Pearce, Russell Brand, Richard Griffiths, Jonathan Pryce, Courteney Cox, Lucy Lawless, Teresa Palmer. Rated PG

Dark Matter

Elite local patron, Joanna Silver, welcomes Liu Xing, a Chinese student, to Valley State University. He enters the university with dreams of fame and a Nobel Prize. Cultural differences and school politics threaten his ambitions and result in unimaginable violence. Cast: Liu Ye, Aidan Quinn, Meryl Streep. (2007) Rated R

Faith Like Potatoes

A farmer moves his family to South Africa and suffers a series of seemingly insurmountable losses. Through unlikely friendships and much needed divine intervention, he discovers his life’s true purpose and it sustains his unwavering belief in the power of faith. Cast: Hamilton Dhlamini, Jeanne Wilhelm. Based on the autobiography of Angus Buchan. Rated PG

He’s Just Not That Into You

A hardline advice guy falls for a woman who seeks him out because she can’t figure out the men in her life. Cast: Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Connelly, Kevin Connolly, Bradley Cooper, Ginnifer Goodwin, Scarlett Johansson, Kris Kristofferson, Justin Long. Based on the book by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo. Rated PG-13

Hotel for Dogs

When foster children Andi and Bruce need somewhere to hide their dog, they transform an abandoned hotel into a place where no stray gets turned away. Cast: Emma Roberts, Jake T. Austin, Kyla Pratt, Lisa Kudrow, Kevin Dillon, Don Cheadle. Based on the book by Lois Duncan. Rated PG

Incendiary

A young wife and mother suffers a devastating loss when London is rocked by a shocking terrorist bombing in this dramatic thriller. Wracked with guilt over an extramarital affair, and trying to piece her shattered life back together, she becomes embroiled in the police investigation of the attack, and discovers that the authorities will do anything to cover up the terrifying truth behind it. Cast: Michelle Williams, Ewan McGregor, Matthew Macfadyen. Rated R

Last Chance Harvey

In London for his daughter’s wedding, a rumpled man finds his romantic spirits lifted by a new woman in his life. Cast: Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson, Eileen Atkins, Kathy Baker, James Brolin, Richard Schiff. Rated PG-13

New in Town

A Miami businesswoman adjusts to her new life in a tiny Minnesota town. Cast: Renée Zellweger, Harry Connick, Jr., J.K. Simmons, Frances Conroy, Siobhan Fallon Hogan. Rated PG

Nothing But the Truth

In Washington, D.C., a reporter faces a possible jail sentence for outing a CIA agent and refusing to reveal her source. Cast: Kate Beckinsale, Matt Dillon, Angela Bassett, Alan Alda, Vera Farmiga, David Schwimmer, Noah Wyle. Rated R 

Paul Blart Mall Cop

Mall security guard Paul Blart has always had dreams of becoming a state trooper. While nobody takes his present job seriously, all that changes when a team of thugs raids his mall. CastL Kevin James, Jayma Mays, Keir O’Donnell, Bobby Cannavale, Stephen Rannazzisi, Shirley Knight. Rated PG

Personal Effects

Ashton Kutcher stars as a broken man who sets off on a vengeance-filled search for his sister’s murderer, only to fall into the arms of a gorgeous older woman who may share the same torment. Cast: Michelle Pfeiffer, Kathy Bates, Spencer Hudson. Rated R

Smother

A thirtysomething unemployed man finds himself pressured by his wife to have a baby while his mother has decided to move in with the couple. Cast: Diane Keaton, Dax Shepard, Liv Tyler. Rated PG-13

Taken

A former spy relies on his old skills to save his estranged daughter who has been forced into the slave trade. Cast: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Leland Orser, Jon Gries, David Warshofsky, Katie Cassidy, Holly Valance, Famke Janssen. Rated PG-13

The Tale of Despereaux

Once upon a time in the far away kingdom of Dor lived a brave and virtuous mouse with comically oversized ears who dreamt of becoming a knight. Banished from his home for having such lofty ambitions, Despereaux sets off on an amazing adventure with his good-hearted rat friend Roscuro. The two go on a very noble quest to rescue an endangered princess and save an entire kingdom from darkness. Voices: Matthew Broderick, Robbie Coltrane, Dustin Hoffman, Richard Jenins, Kevin Kline, Frank Langella, William H. Macy, Tracy Ullman, Emma Watson, Sigourney Weaver. Based on the book by Kate DiCamillo. Rated G

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans

Explores the origins of the centuries-old blood feud between the aristocratic vampires known as Death Dealers and their slaves, the Lycans. Cast: Michael Sheen, Bill Nighy, Rhona Mitra, Steven Mackintosh, Kevin Grevioux. Rated R

Valkyrie

Based on the true story of Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg and his assassination plot targeting Adolf Hitler. Cast: Tom Cruise, Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, Carice van Houten, Thomas Kretschmann, Terence Stamp. Rated PG-13

The Wedding Weekend

When a group of college band mates reunite 15 years after graduation to sing at a friend’s wedding, they take a break from their less than perfect lives to spend a long weekend at a cozy Hamptons beach house with their spouses, children, friends and one sexy Swedish nanny in tow. Cast: David Alan Basch, Chris Bowers, Samrat Chakrabarti, Alexander Chaplin, Rosemarie DeWitt, Mark Feuerstein, David Harbour, Elizabeth Reaser, Reg Rogers, Molly Shannon, Liz Stauber, Camilla Thorsson.  Rated R

What Doesn’t Kill You

Two childhood friends from South Boston turn to crime as a way to get by, ultimately causing a strain in their personal lives and their friendship.  Cast: Mark Ruffalo, Ethan Hawke, Amanda Peet.  Rated R

While She Was Out

A suburban housewife is forced to fend for herself when she becomes stranded in a desolate forest with four murderous thugs. What starts off as a quick trip to the mall ends in the woods with a fight for her life. All she has is a toolbox and her will to survive. Cast: Kim Basinger, Luke Haas, Craig Sheffer. Rated R

New DVDs: Made for TV and Feature Length Films June 2009

Always

A legendary pilot with a passion for daredevil fighting sacrifices himself to save his best friend and then help his lover move on with her life. Cast: Holly Hunter, Richard Dreyfuss, John Goodman, Brad Johnson, Audrey Hepburn. (1989) Rated PG

Armageddon

The U.S. government calls upon an oil-well driller and his colorful crew to save the world by flying to an asteroid that’s on a collision course for earth and setting off a nuclear bomb to divert it. Cast: Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, Liv Tyler, Ben Affleck, Will Patton, Peter Stormare, Keith David, Owen Wilson, William Fichtner, Steve Buscemi. (1998) PG-13

Boston Legal: Season Five

In its fifth and final season, Boston Legal tackles some of today’s most inflammatory an sometimes irreverent social and moral issues.  Cast: James Spader, William Shatner, Candice Bergen, and John Larroquette.  Not Rated

 

Brothers And Sisters: The Complete First Season

Though they live very different and conflicting lives, the Walkers find unity under the family roof. Relationships bend but never break as they strive to find their own identities and embrace each other’s differences. Cast: Calista Flockhart, Sally Field, Rachel Griffiths, Ron Rifkin, Balthazar Getty, Patricia Wettig. (2006-2007) TV-14

Brothers And Sisters: The Complete Second Season

Sarah and Saul try to save the family company, while Tommy goes into business with Holly. Sarah and Joe divorce, Kitty and Robert get married. Cast: Calista Flockhart, Sally Field, Rachel Griffiths, Rob Lowe, Balthazar Getty, Patricia Wettig. (2007-2008)  TV-PG

Burn Notice: Season One

Covert intelligence operative Michael Westen has been punched, kicked, choked and shot. Now he’s being burned, and someone’s going to pay. When Michael receives a “burn notice,” blacklisting him from the intelligence community and compromising his very identity, he must track down a faceless nemesis without getting himself killed in the process. Meanwhile, Michael is forced to double as a private investigator on the dangerous streets of Miami in order to survive. Cast: Jeffrey Donovan, Gabrielle Anwar, Bruce Campbell, Sharon Gless. Originally broadcast by USA in 2007. Not rated

Captains and the Kings

Joseph Armagh is a poor Irish immigrant who is determined to create a better life for his family. He arrives in America in the mid-19th century. Through personal struggle, heartache and perseverance, he becomes one the the wealthest and most powerful men in the country. Cast: Richard Jordan, Perry King, Patty Duke Astin, Ray Bolger, Blair Brown, Charles Durning, Henry Fonda, Beverly D’Angelo, Jane Seymour. Based on the novel by Taylor Caldwell. (1976) Not Rated

Citizen Kane

The story of the rise and fall of a great man as the result of his accumulation of wealth and subsequent isolation from the world. Loosely based on the life of newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst. Cast: Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, Dorothy Comingore, Agnes Moorehead, Ruth Warrick, Ray Collins, Erskine Sanford, Everett Sloane, William Alland, Paul Stewart, George Coulouris; Host, David McCullough. (1941) Not Rated.

Coming Home

England between the wars is the starting place for this epic tale of love, friendship and the discovery of womanhood. Judith Dunbar is left behind at boarding school by her parents and sister, who are posted overseas in the days leading up to World War II. She comes of age in a time of turbulence and danger, but finds comfort in the wealthy Carey-Lewis family, whose estate on the Cornish coast, Nancherrow, becomes her surrogate home. Cast: Peter O’Toole, Joanna Lumley, Emily Mortimer, Penelope Keith, David McCallum, Susan Hampshire, Katie Ryder Richardson, George Asprey, Paul Bettany.  Based on the novel by Rosamunde Pilcher. (1998) Not Rated

East of Eden

The 1981 adaptation of John Steinbeck’s novel about two American brothers who battle like Cain and Abel over the same woman. Cast: Jane Seymour, Warren Oates, Timothy Bottoms, Bruce Boxleitner, Hart Bochner, Sam Bottoms, Lloyd Bridges, Howard Duff, Anne Baxter, Karen Allen.  Not Rated

e2 Design: Season Three

Brad Pitt narrates this PBS series highlighting new and environmentally friendly urban planning and design. Features include: Cairo’s Al-Azhar Park–a 500-year-old dump-turned “urban lung”–now provides vital green space and a source of civic pride. Melbourne’s cityscape was transformed, first in the pursuit of livability, then sustainability. World-class architect Renzo Piano draws on nature to create a structure that redefines a natural history museum for the 21st century. After Hurricane Katrina, the residents of New Orleans’ Lower 9th Ward banded together to rebuild their devastated community from the ground up. The partners of 2012 Architecture in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, are making surplus superfluous, reusing everything from I-beams and wood floors to car tires.

e2 Transport

Global in scope and comprised of six 30-minute chapters filmed in HD, this PBS series examines sustainable transportation alternatives with potentially far-reaching effects. This ongoing series explores real solutions to pressing environmental and social challenges, presented with a combination of compelling storytelling, proactive cinematography and emotive original music.

Forever Young

Mel Gibson is a test pilot in 1939 who puts off proposing to his sweetheart until it’s too late volunteers for a cryogenics experiment, reawakening in 1992. Cast: Elijah Wood, Isabel Glasser, George Wendt, Joe Morton, Jamie Lee Curtis. (1992) Rated PG

Inspector Alleyn Mysteries: Set 2

Inspector Roderick Alleyn is a Scotland Yard detective whose aristocratic breeding gives him access to the elite and their crimes.  Cast: Patrick Malahide, William Simons, Belinda Lang. Based on the books by Ngaio Marsh. (1992-1993) Not Rated

Jaws

The story of a killer shark that has taken over the waters near a seaside community, and the three men who set out to kill it. Cast: Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss, Lorraine Gary, Murray Hamilton.  Based on the novel by Peter Benchley. (1975) Rated PG

The Last Templar

An archaeologist discovers that a missing ancient decoder is linked to the Knights Templar, and together with the help of a FBI agent, tries to find the stolen artifact before it falls into the wrong hands. Cast: Mira Sorvino, Victor Garber, Anthony Lemke, Danny Blanco Hall, Kenneth Welsh, Omar Sharif, Scott Foley. Based on the book by Raymond Khoury. Made for TV in 2009. Not rated.

Love Takes Wing

The next chapter in the Love Series continues, as Dr. Belinda Davis leaves small-town life for the big city. Based on the book by Janette Oke. Cast: Sarah Jones, Haylie Duff, Jordan Bridges, Patrick Duffy, Cloris Leachman. Originally broadcast by The Hallmark Channel Apr. 4, 2009.  Not Rated

Lovejoy: The Complete Season Four

Ian McShane is back as Lovejoy, a loveable rogue and an antiques dealer with an amazing talent for spotting hidden treasures. When not looking for the odd collectible, Lovejoy spends most of his time using his con-artist skills to help out the less fortunate. His partners in crime are wealthy Lady Jane, his dim assistant Eric, and the genially intoxicated Tinker. (1995) Not Rated

Lovejoy: The Complete Season Five

A stolen Bacchus, china geese, dodgy Gillray prints, and very good fake porcelain – all very nice hauls for Lovejoy in spite of murder threats, kidnappings, and burglaries. But nothing compares to a night with beautiful auctioneer Charlotte! Cast: Ian McShane, Phyllis Logan, Dudley Sutton, Chris Jury. Originally released on BBC in 1996. Not Rated

Maverick

Comedy about a handsome gambler, a charming lady scam artist and a lawman, all headed for a poker tournament held on a river boat with a $500,000 pot for the winner. Cast: Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster, James Garner, Graham Greene, James Coburn, Alfred Molina. (1994) Rated PG.

Memphis Belle

Tells the tale of the Memphis Belle, an American B-17 during World War II. Cast: Matthew Modine, Eric Stoltz, Tate Donovan, D.B. Sweeney, Billy Zane, Sean Astin, Harry Connick, Jr., Reed Edward Diamond, Courtney Gains, Neil Giuntoli, John Lithgow. (1990) Rated PG-13

Midsomer Murders: Set Twelve

The cozy villages of Midsomer County reveal their most sinister secrets in these contemporary British television mysteries. Inspired by the novels of Caroline Graham, modern master of the English village mystery, the series stars John Nettles  as the unflappable Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby with Jason Hughes  as his earnest, efficient protégé, Detective Constable Ben Jones. Guest stars include Richard McCabe, Clare Holman, Peter Capaldi, Saskia Wickham, Dominic Jephcott, Siobhan Redmond, Juliet Aubrey, John Shrapnel, and Guy Henry. Not Rated

Murder Most English

Clad in tweed and puffing on a pipe, Detective Inspector Purbright pursues the evildoers of Flaxborough with a doggedness that belies his polite conversation and mild manner. Assisted by the ever cheerful Detective Sergeant Love and the sometimes helpful Chief Constable Chubb, Purbright serenely polices the clean but mean streets of Flaxborough.  Cast: Anton Rodgers, Christopher Timothy, Moray Watson.  Based on the series of detective novels by Colin Watson. (1977) Not Rated

The Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All

Lucy Marsden, a simple Southern girl, is thrown into adulthood when she marries a Civil War veteran haunted by nightmares of the war. Years later she looks back on the events of a life filled with drama, pain, joy, hardship and triumph. Cast: Diane Lane, Donald Sutherland, Cicely Tyson, Anne Bancroft, Blythe Danner, E.G. Marshall, Gwen Verdon. Based on the novel by Allan Gurganus. (1994) Not Rated

Once Around

The oldest daughter of a close-knit Italian-American family falls in love with an abrasive, obnoxious but forcefully charming businessman. He almost demolishes her family while winning her heart, but they all learn how to balance her happiness with the family’s survival. Cast: Richard Dreyfuss, Holly Hunter, Danny Aiello, Laura San Giacomo, Gena Rowlands. (1991) Rated R

Only You

A young woman flies to Italy with her best friend in search of the man she believes she’s destined to marry. Cast: Marisa Tomei, Robert Downey, Jr., Bonnie Hunt, Joaquim De Almeida, Fisher Stevens. (1994) Rated PG

Project Runway: Season 4

Supermodel and host Heidi Klum and fashion’s favorite mentor Tim Gunn are back with season 4 of Project runway. This season, Project runway catwalks its way deeper into pop culture popularity with its most glamorous panel of celebrity judges including Victoria Beckham and Sarah Jessica Parker and the most quotable contestant to date, Christian Siriano. (2007) Audience Rating: TV-14

The Ruth Rendell Mysteries: Set 3

Best-selling crime writer Ruth Rendell (Baroness Rendell of Babergh) explores the motives for murder across England’s many landscapes, from rock-strewn moors to suburban estates. Set 3 includes five complex psychological crime dramas based on her novels and seen on public television. Includes Episodes: Includes: Going Wrong, Harm Done, The Fallen Curtain, The Lake of Darkness, and You Can’t Be Too Careful.  Not Rated

The Ruth Rendell Mysteries: Set 4

Inspector Wexford delves into two harrowing murder cases. Simisola: a haunting case of multiple murder and racism. Road Rage: a deadly tale of eco-terrorism, out-of-control anger, and kidnapping. Cast: George Baker, Christopher Ravenscroft, Louie Ramsay. Based on the novels by Ruth Rendell. (1995-1998) Not Rated

She Stoops to Conquer

Kate is a well-bred lass who passes herself off as a barmaid in order to win the heart of her stuffy suitor. Full of mistaken identities and multiple deceptions, the play pokes fun at the various masks we all wear in different social situations. Along the way, each person learns much about the nature of true love. Cast: Mark Dexter, Susannah Fielding, Polly Hemingway, Ian Redford, Miles Jupp, Roy Marsden.  Based on the play by Oliver Goldsmith. (2008 television mini-series) Not Rated

Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Silk Stocking

When the murder of a penniless shopgirl is linked to the body of debutante Lady Alice Burnham, legendary sleuth Sherlock Holmes immediately begins to piece together the clues. Cast:Rupert Everett, Ian Hart. (2004) Not rated

Taking Chance

Kevin Bacon is featured in this HBO film about the remarkable true story of one soldier’s death in battle, another soldier’s journey of discovery and a nation’s reverence and gratitude toward its war dead. After hearing of the heroic death of a young Marine in Iraq, veteran officer Lt. Colonel Michael Strobl volunteers to escort the remains of Lance Corporal Chance Phelps back to his hometown in Wyoming. As Strobl crosses America’s heartland, he will find himself on an unexpectedly emotional journey into the soul of a country mourning not only Chance, but all of our country’s fallen heroes. Rated TV-PG.

The Three Musketeers

Three loyal swordsmen and an eager recruit battle enormous odds in their attempt to defeat an evil royal advisor and a seductive envoy plotting to overthrow the King of France. Cast: Charlie Sheen, Kiefer Sutherland, Chris O’Donnell, Oliver Platt, Tim Curry, Rebecca De Mornay.  Based on the novel by Alexandre Dumas. (1993) Rated PG

True Blood: Season One

This quirky HBO TV series based on the novels by Charlaine Harris stars Anna Paquin as Sookie Stackhouse, a telepathic waitress who lives in a small, Louisiana town that just happens to be cohabitated by both humans and vampires. Cast: Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Sam Trammell, Ryan Kwanten, Rutina Wesley, Chris Bauer, Nelsan Ellis, Jim Parrack, Carrie Preston. (2008) Rated TV-MA.

24 Season 7

Set in Washington, D.C. for the first time, the season opens four years after Season Six with CTU dismantled and Jack on trial for all his ‘misconduct’ at CTU. Jack’s day takes an unexpected turn when someone threatens the government and his expertise is needed again. Cast: Kiefer Sutherland, Mary Lynn Rajskub.  Not Rated

Walker Texas Ranger: The First Season

The complete first season of the television series about Texas Ranger Cordell Walker, bringing justice to the bad guys with his partner James Trivette, friend and ex-Ranger C. D. Parker, and County Assistant District Attorney Alex Cahill. Cast: Chuck Norris, Clarence Gilyard, Jr., Noble Willingham, Sheree J. Wilson. (1993-1994) Not rated.

Walker Texas Ranger: The Second Season

A veteran lawman with a two-fisted sense of justice tackles the most hardened criminals. Cast: Chuck Norris, Clarence Gilyard, Jr., Noble Willingham, Sherre J. Wilson. (1994-1995) Not Rated

Walker Texas Ranger: The Third Season

Martial artist and Texas Ranger Cordell Walker, one of the last old-fashioned heroes of the West, is a protective friend but a relentless foe who will stop at nothing to bring a criminal to justice. Walker works on instinct, often drawing on the traditions of his Native American ancestors. His partner, James Trivette, has a more modern approach to crime-solving. C.D. Parker, a retired Ranger, and Alex Cahill, the county assistant district attorney who shares a mutual attraction with Walker, support the Rangers in their battle to serve justice. Cast: Chuck Norris, Clarence Gilyard, Jr., Sheree J. Wilson, Noble Willingham. (1995-1996) Not Rated

Walker Texas Ranger: The Fourth Season

Cordell Walker is a Texas Ranger who commands with his kick instead of a gun. Joining Walker on his high-octane adventures are his partner, Ranger James Trivette, Assistant District Attorney Alex Cahill, and his best friend, retired Ranger C.D. Parker. This season, they throw down with a cop killer, track a cannibalistic thief through the wilderness, and face off with old adversaries. Cast: Chuck Norris, Clarence Gilyard, Jr., Sheree J. Wilson, Noble Willingham. (1996-1997) Not Rated

Zorba the Greek

When he hires an eccentric stranger named Zorba to work in a mine he has inherited on Crete, Basil, a timid English writer, finds himself drawn into a world far more exciting and dangerous than any he has known. Cast: Anthony Quinn, Alan Bates, Irene Papas. Based on the novel by Nikos Kazantzakis. (1964) Not Rated

New Biographies – May 2009

A. Lincoln
B LINCOLN
Ronald C. White Jr.
A well-reviewed, expansive biography of the president whose moral compass holds the key to understanding his life.

Abigail & John: Portrait of a Marriage
B ADAMS
Edith B. Gelles
The romantic story of two important figures of early American history.

Abraham Lincoln
B LINCOLN
James M. McPherson
A very concise, illuminating portrait of the 16th president.

Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist
Michael J. Fox
B FOX
The actor recounts his years with Parkinson’s Disease and learning to live a new life when he was happy with his old one.

The Art of the Heist: Confessions of a Master Art Thief, Rock-and-Roller, and Prodigal Son
Myles J. Connor and Jenny Siler
B CONNOR
The story of legendary art thief, Myles Connor.

The Black Girl Next Door
B BASZILE
Jennifer Baszile
The author relates her coming-of-age experiences in an exclusive California white suburb in the 1970’s and 1980’s.

Charles Darwin: The Concise Story of an Extraordinary Man
Tim M. Berra
B DARWIN
The fascinating story of the man and the idea.

Crazy Love: A Memoir
B STEINER
Leslie Morgan Steiner
Even though she seemed to have the perfect life, at 22-years-of-age, the author fell in love with the wrong person.

Growing Up Again: Life, Loves, and Oh Yeah, Diabetes
Mary Tyler Moore
B MOORE
The well-known actress recounts her life with diabetes over the course of the past 40 years.

Hands of My Father: A Hearing Boy, His Deaf Parents, and the Language of Love
Myron Uhlberg
B UHLBERG
The author’s first language was American Sign Language.  His second language was English and as he learned it, he became his father’s ears and mouth in his Brooklyn neighborhood.

Happens Every Day: An All-Too-True Story
Isabel Gillies
B GILLIES
Happily married, or so she thought, the author’s marriage dissolved and a friend told her that it “happens every day.”

Honeymoon in Tehran: Two Years of Love and Danger in Iran
Azadeh Moaveni
B MOAVENI
Reporting for Time magazine, the author married an Iranian man and learned about life on the inside of this tumultuous country.

I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti: A Memoir
Giulia Melucci
B MELUCCI
Fizzled romances and steamy recipes!

Last Lion: The Fall and Rise of Ted Kennedy
Peter S. Canellos, ed.
B KENNEDY
The tumultuous life of the youngest of the Kennedy brothers.

A Little Bit Wicked (Life, Love, and Faith in Stages)
Kristin Chenoweth
B CHENOWETH
The story of a talented gal from Kansas who takes Broadway by storm.

Losing Mum and Pup: A Memoir
B BUCKLEY
Christopher Buckley
The well-known author and only child of famous parents recounts the year in which both of them died.

Love Child: A Memoir of Family Lost and Found
Allegra Huston
B HUSTON
The author was four years old when her mother was killed and she was introduced to the film director John Huston with the words, “This is your father.”  Later, at age twelve, she was introduced to her real father, British historian John Julius Norwich.

Mistress of the Monarchy: The Life of Katherine Swynford, Duchess of Lancaster
B KATHERINE
Alison Weir
The story of the royal mistress who became one of the most crucial figures in the history of the British royal dynasties.

Mrs. Lincoln: A Life
B LINCOLN
Catherine Clinton
The author illuminates the remarkable, enigmatic life of the First Lady.

Not Now, Voyager: A Memoir
B SCHWARTZ
Lynne Sharon Schwartz
A memoir, both serious and amusing, about the world of travel with a personal look at the author’s experiences.

Paul Newman: A Life
B NEWMAN
Shawn Levy
The fascinating life of the legendary superstar.

Pretty in Plaid: A Memoir
B LANCASTER
Jen Lancaster
Think “David Sedaris with pearls and a supercute handbag.”

Red Princess: A Revolutionary Life
B DOLGOROUKY
Sofka Zinovieff
Born in St. Petersburg in 1907, Princess Sophy Dolgorouky’s early life was one of privilege, but ten years later, her family fled to England and then to Paris.

Seeking Peace: Chronicles of the Worst Buddhist in the World
Mary Pipher
B PIPHER
The author of Reviving Ophelia explores her own life story and the lessons she has learned.

Somewhere Towards the End
B ATHILL
Diana Athill
The 91-year-old author relates candidly the condition of being old — both the losses and gains.

Through It All: Reflections on My Life, My Family, and My Faith
Christine King Farris
B FARRIS
The only sister of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. relates her memories of growing up, family life and her revered brother.

The Ties That Bind: A Memoir of Race, Memory and Redemption
Bertice Berry
B BERRY
The author presents a reflective history of her family that encompasses both pain and hope.

Trailblazer: An Intimate Biography of Sarah Palin
Lorenzo Benet
B PALIN
An up-close view of the vice-presidential nominee from an assistant-editor of  People magazine.

The Urban Hermit
B MACDONALD
Sam MacDonald
Faced with the truth that both his debts and waistline were out of control, the author devised a plan to change his life.

The Yankee Years
B TORRE
Joe Torre and Tom Verducci
The noted manager took the Yankees, once again, to the playoffs and the World Series. What did it take to keep the Yankees on the top of the baseball world?