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?

New Books on CD – May 2009

Abraham Lincoln: The American Presidents
CD B LINCOLN
George S. McGovern
The U.S. senator and presidential candidate presents an inspiring view of the 16th president.

Acing the Interview
CD 650.144 BES
Tony Beshara
Candid advice on dealing with the stressful job interview.

Agincourt
CD F COR
Bernard Cornwell
During the Hundred Years War, on October 25, 1415, 6,000 English troops defeated a French brigade of 36,000 men.

The Book of Unholy Mischief
Elle Newmark
CD F NEW
In Venice, 1498, rumors abound about an ancient book that holds the secrets to unimaginable power.

The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama
CD 973.932 IFI
Gwen Ifill
A look at contemporary politics and the impact of Barack Obama’s rise to political power.

Buyology: Truth and Lies About Why We Buy
CD 658.831 LIN
Martin Lindstrom
A look at the persuasive strategies  that work in regard to branding, marketing, advertising and packaging.

A Darker Place
CD F HIG
Jack Higgins
Famous Russian writer Alexander Kurbsky decides he wants to “disappear” into the West.

Enough Already: Clearing Mental Clutter to Become the Best You
Peter Walsh
CD 646.7 WAL 2009
How to deal with the overwhelming “stuff” in our lives.

The Forever War
CD 956.7044 FIL
Dexter Filkins
A portrait of the Taliban, the 9/11 events, and the war in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Heart and Soul
CD F BIN
Maeve Binchy
The stories of family, friends, patients and staff from a community heart clinic caught between the old and the new Ireland.

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
Jamie Ford
CD F FOR
Henry Lee recalls his coming-of-age during World War II and his Japanese girlfriend who was sent to the internment camps.

Intuitive Eating
CD 613,25 RES
Elyse Resch and Evelyn Tribole
Get off the roller coaster of chronic dieting and heal your relationship with food.

The Invention of Air: A Story of Science, Faith, Revolution, and the Birth of America
Steven Johnson
CD B PRIESTLY
A look at the contributions of Joseph Priestly and his influence on the American founding fathers.

The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon
David Grann
CD 918.1 GRA 2009
A mystery that reaches back centuries and an explorer’s sensational disappearance are featured in this tale of death and madness.

The Mighty Queens of Freeville: A Mother, a Daughter, and the Town That Raised Them
Amy Dickinson
CD B DICKINSON
The syndicated advice columnist shares her mistakes and the remarkable story of the wonderful influence of the women from her hometown.

Mounting Fears
CD F WOO
Stuart Woods
President Will Lee’s vice president just died in surgery and the new nominee may not be as innocent as once believed.

Nathan Hale: The Life and Death of America’s First Spy
CD B HALE
M. William Phelps
The life of the famous patriot whose last words were: “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.”

No Limits: The Will to Succeed
Michael Phelps
CD B PHELPS
The swimmer talks about his remarkable success at the Olympic Games.

The Num3rati
CD 303.483 BAK
Stephen Baker
Each individual’s digital and electronic transactions are being used by corporations and politicians to transform everyday experiences.

The School of Essential Ingredients
Erica Bauermeister
CD F BAU
Once a month, eight students gather in Lillian’s restaurant for a cooking class.  Each wants to learn the art of cooking, but each one is looking for a recipe for something beyond the kitchen.

The Silent Man
Alex Berenson
CD F BER
CIA agent John Wells thought he had reached his limit, but he is not at all prepared for what is about to happen.

Still Alice
CD F GEN
Lisa Genova
Alice, in the prime of her life, finds herself in a desperate battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

Tell Me Where It Hurts: A Day of Humor, Healing, and Hope in My Life as an Animal Surgeon
CD 636.089 TRO
Nick Trout
The humor and heartache that animals bring to their owners.

Terminal Freeze
CD F CHI
Lincoln Child
Scientists unearth an enormous ancient animal in the upper reaches of Alaska, but is it really dead?

Tried by War: Abraham Lincoln as Commander in Chief
CD B LINCOLN
James M. McPherson
The Civil War Scholar discusses how the current responsibilities of the American President were outlined by Abraham Lincoln.

Uncommon: Finding Your Path to Signficance
CD 170.44 DUN
Tony Dungy
The noted football coach discusses what is really important in each person’s life.

Very Valentine
CD F TRI
Adriana Trigiani
The beginning of a new trilogy by the popular author, features the dynamics of the  Roncalli and Angelini families in Manhattan and Italy.

What I Did for Love
CD F PHI
Susan Elizabeth Phillips
A crazy night in Vegas leads to an all-for-show marriage for down-on-her-luck Georgie York.

The White Tiger
CD F ADI
Aravind Adiga
Servant, philosopher, entrepreneur, and murderer, Balram Halwai is a very complex individual.

The Yankee Years
CD B TORRE
Joe Torre and Tom Verducci
What did it take to keep the Yankees on the top of the baseball world?

New Non-Fiction May 2009

13 Things That Don’t Make Sense: The Most Baffling Scientific Mysteries of Our Time
502 BRO 2008
Michael Brooks
A look at the frontiers of science where there may be  breakthroughs in the near future.

An Altar in the World: A Geography of Faith
Barbara Brown Taylor
248.4 TAY 2009
A noted author and Episcopal priest discovers the sacred in the small things we do and see.

A Comrade Lost and Found: A Beijing Story
Jan Wong
951 WON 2009
As a foreign student in Beijing during the Cultural Revolution, the author was asked by a young woman about getting into the United States.  To her lasting regret, Wong turned her into the authorities.

Confessions of an Alien Hunter: A Scientist’s Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
576.8 SHO 2009
Seth Shotak
The senior astronomer at the SETI Institute pits scientific truth against speculation and delivers some important news on the current state of our knowledge.

The Gamble: General David Petraeus and the American Military Adventure in Iraq, 2006-2008
Thomas E. Ricks
956.7044 RIC 2009
The author of Fiasco recounts the inside story of the Iraq war since late 2005 and the launching of the surge strategy.

The Gardner Heist: The True Story of the World Largest Unsolved Art Theft
364.162 BOS 2008
Ulrich Boser
Shortly after midnight on March 18, 1990, two men broke into the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston and committed the largest art heist in history.  The mystery is still unsolved.

The Great Decision: Jefferson, Adams, Marshall, and the Battle for the Supreme Court
347.73 SLO 2009
Cliff Sloan and David McKean
The power of the Supreme Court was established as John Marshall laid the cornerstone of the distinctive American rule of law in the case of Marbury v. Madison.

How God Changes Your Brain: Breakthrough Findings from a Leading Neuroscientist
612.8 NEW 2009
Andrew Newberg and Mark Robert Waldman
Based on evidence culled from brain-scan studies, and other research, the authors have concluded that positive spiritual belief changes the human brain for the better.

How We Decide
153.83 LEH 2009
Jonah Lehrer
How does the human mind make decisions? How can we make those decisions better?

Lucy’s Legacy: The Quest for Human Origins
Donald C. Johanson
569.9 JOH 2009
Groundbreaking discoveries that are transforming our understanding of how humans have evolved.

The Madness of March: Bonding and Betting with the Boys in Las Vegas
796.323 ZAR 2009
Alan Jay Zaremba
And you thought the madness was on the basketball court.

Madness Under the Royal Palms: Love and Death Behind the Gates of Palm Beach
305.5234 LEA 2009
Laurence Leamer
An inside look at an exclusive enclave of wealth and privilege.

No Angel: My Harrowing Undercover Journey to the Inner Circle of the Hells Angels
364.106 DOB 2009
Jay Dobyns and Nils Johnson-Shelton
The author was the first federal agent to infiltrate the inner circle of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club.

Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue: The Untold History of English
John McWhorter
420.9 MCW 2009
Hundreds of years of fascinating language lore is found in this lively history of the English language.

Out of Captivity: Surviving 1,967 Days in the Colombian Jungle
Marc Gonsalves, Keith Stansell and Tom Howes
986.1 GON 2009
Three American contractors crash-landed in the jungle of Colombia and became prisoners of the terrorist group, FARC, for over five years.

Passing Strange: A Gilded Age Tale of Love and Deception Across the Color Line
305.896 SAN 2009
Martha A. Sandweiss
The noted 19th century scientist, Clarence King, led a double life: as a white explorer and geologist and as a black Pullman porter and steelworker named James Todd.

The Persian Night: Iran Under the Khomeinist Revolution
Amir Taheri
955.054 TAH 2009
Who really rules Iran?  A look at one of the most secretive regimes in the world traces the historical, religious, cultural, and political roots of the current power structure.

Plain, Honest Men: The Making of the American Constitution
Richard Beeman
973.313 BEE 2009
The title comes from a quote by Pennsylvania delegate Robert Morris as he describes the summer of 1787 and their work to form a radically new form of government.

Practicing Catholic
282 CAR 2009
James Carroll
The author recounts his own personal story as a young priest and discusses the transformation of the Catholic Church.

A Saint on Death Row: The Story of Dominique Green
Thomas Cahill
364.66 CAH 2009
Imprisoned on death row for his role in a fatal shooting during a robbery, 18-year-old Green was transformed by the time of his execution at the age of 30.

Uncommon: Finding Your Path to Significance
170.44 DUN 2009
Tony Dungy
The noted football coach discusses what is really important in each person’s life.

Vanished Smile: The Mysterious Theft of Mona Lisa
R.A. Scotti
759.5 SCO 2009
On August 21, 1911, the unthinkable happened — the Mona Lisa vanished from the Louvre.  The theft captured the imagination of the world.  Here’s the story.

Vicksburg 1863
973.7 GRO 2009
Winston Groom
The important Battle of Vicksburg permanently turned the tide of the Civil War.  An engrossing narrative.

Where Our Food Comes From: Retracing Nikolay Vavilov’s Quest to End Famine
581.632 NAB 2009
Gary Paul Nabhan
A pioneer in the effort to buffer humankind against widespread famine was imprisoned by Stalin.  The author tells this extraordinary story along with his own efforts to ensure that the seeds which are the future of our food are preserved.

Wired for War: The Robotics Revolution and Conflict in the Twenty-First Century
355.020112 SIN 2009
P. W. Singer
What happens when science fiction starts to become reality on the battlefield?

You Are Here: A Portable History of the Universe
Christopher Potter
523.1 LYO 2009
The life of the universe, now 13.7 billion years old.

New Releases on DVD May 2009

Bride Wars

Two best friends become rivals when they schedule their respective weddings on the same day. Cast: Kate Hudson, Anne Hathaway, Kristen Johnston, Bryan Greenberg, Candice Bergen. Rated PG

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Benjamin Button is a not-so-ordinary man who began his life under unusual circumstances. Born in his eighties at the end of World War I, Benjamin ages backwards. Cast: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Taraji P. Henson, Julia Ormond, Jason Flemying, Elias Koteas, Tilda Swinton.Based on the short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Rated PG-13

The Day the Earth Stood Still

An otherworldly being’s arrival on Earth triggers an unstoppable series of events that threaten all of mankind. Cast: Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly, Jaden Smith, John Cleese, Jon Hamm, Kathy Bates. Based on the 1951 screenplay by Edmund H. North. Contains the 1951 film version as well. Rated PG-13

The Family That Preys

Working-class Alice and wealthy Charlotte are friends and mothers who have supported each other through all that their families have gone through over the years. Unfortunately, their families are now embroiled in a new turmoil –with each other. Can the two women save their children from the dark secrets and dirty deeds that threaten to destroy them all? Cast: Alfre Woodard, Sanaa Lathan, Rockmond Dunbar, KaDee Strickland, Cole Hauser, Taraji P. Henson, Robin Givens, Tyler Perry, Kathy Bates. Rated PG-13

Frost Nixon

Richard Nixon is the disgraced president with a legacy to save. David Frost is a jet-setting television personality with a name to make. This is the legendary battle between the two men and the historic encounter that changed both their lives. Cast: Frank Langella, Michael Sheen, Kevin Bacon, Rebecca Hall, Toby Jones, Matthew Macfadyen, Oliver Platt, Sam Rockwell. Based on the stage play by Peter Morgan. Rated R

Lost in Austen

Amanda Price is a devoted Jane Austen fan; often immersing herself into a world of dashing gents, elegant corsets and picturesque manor houses. Unsatisfied with her life and relationship in modern day London, Amanda’s ordinary existence is changed forever when she discovers Elizabeth Bennet alive in her bathroom and ends up replacing her in the very real fictional world of Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Cast: Jemima Rooper, Alex Kingston, Elliot Cowan, Hugh Bonneville, Gemma Arterton, Lindsay Duncan. Not Rated

The Marriage Counselor

Tyler Perry transforms the art of marriage, life, and family with a fun and fulfilling onstage experience. Includes original songs by Perry. Cast: Tamar Davis, Palmer Williams Jr., Tony Grant, Myra Beasley, Brandi Milton. Not Rated

Max Payne

Max Payne, an undercover DEA agent, is framed for the murder of a fellow agent and seeks to avenge the Mafia slayings of his wife and child. Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, Beau Bridges, Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges, Olga Kurylenko. Rated PG-13

Meet Dave

A crew of miniature aliens operate a spaceship that has a human form.  Cast: Eddie Murphy, Elizabeth Banks, Gabrielle Union, Scott Caan, Ed Helms, Kevin Hart. Rated PG

My Best Friend’s Girl

Tank Tuner, the Romeo of raunch, who learned behaving badly from his oversexed father, is a world-class jerk that other guys hire to show their girlfriends how much worse it could be without them. But Tank has finally crossed the wrong girl … Alexis. She is his best friend’s girl and the one girl who might be crazy as he is. Cast: Dane Cook, Kate Hudson, Jason Biggs, Lizzy Caplan, Alec Baldwin.  Rated  R

Seven Pounds

Tim Thomas is searching for a way to redeem his heavy conscience. He discovers he has the power to change the circumstances of seven strangers who deserve a second chance, but when one of them captures his heart, he must decide if he should reveal his dark secret. Cast: Will Smith, Rosario Dawson, Michael Ealy, Barry Pepper, Woody Harrelson. Rated PG-13

Traitor

When straight-arrow FBI agent Roy Clayton investigates a dangerous international conspiracy responsible for a prison break in Yeman, a bombing in Nice and a raid in London, all clues seem to lead back to former U.S. Special Operations officer, Samir Horn. Cast: Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Said Taghmaoui, Neal McDonough, Alyy Khan, Jeff Daniels. Rated PG-13

Yes Man

Carl Allen signs up for a self-help program based on one simple principle: say yes to everything … and anything. Unleashing the power of ‘yes’ transforms Carl’s life in amazing and unexpected ways, but he soon discovers that embracing every opportunity might just become too much of a good thing. Cast: Jim Carrey, Zooey Deschanel, Bradley Cooper, John Michael Higgins, Terence Stamp. Rated PG-13

New Releases on DVD April 2009

Doubt

Set in 1964,at the St. Nicholas in the Bronx. Father Flynn is a charismatic priest who is trying to upend the schools’ strict customs, which have long been fiercely guarded by Sister Aloysius Beauvier. The Sister is the iron-gloved principal who believes in the power of fear and discipline. With the winds of political change, the school has just accepted its first black student, Donald Miller. But when Sister James shares with Sister Aloysius her suspicion that Father Flynn is paying too much personal attention to Donald, Sister Aloysius sets off on a personal crusade to unearth the truth and to expunge Flynn from the school. Cast: Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Viola Davis. Based on the stage play by John Patrick Shanley. Rated PG-13

Marley & Me

A family learns important life lessons from their adorable, but naughty and neurotic dog. Based on the memoir by John Grogan. Cast: Owen Wilson, Jennifer Aniston, Eric Dane, Alan Arkin. Rated PG

Pineapple Express

Dale Denton is a lazy stoner who is the sole witness to a murder by an evil drug lord and a corrupt cop. Marked for death, Denton runs for his life, dragging his dazed dealer and his supplier with him on a hilarious adventure. Cast: Seth Rogen, James Franco, Gary Cole, Rosie Perez, Danny R. McBride.
Rated R

The Reader

Set in Post-WWII, Germany, Michael Berg is a teenager who becomes ill and is helped home by Hanna, a stranger twice his age. Michael recovers from scarlet fever and seeks out Hanna to thank her. The two are quickly drawn into a passionate but secretive affair. Michael discovers that Hanna loves being read to and their physical relationship deepens. Hanna is enthralled as Michael reads to her from different works of literature. Despite their intense bond, Hanna mysteriously disappears one day and Michael is left confused and heartbroken. Eight years later, while Michael is a law student observing the Nazi war crime trials, he is stunned to find Hanna back in his life, only this time as a defendant in the courtroom. As Hanna’s past is revealed, Michael uncovers a deep secret that will impact both of their lives Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Kate Winslet, David Kross, Lena Olin, Bruno Ganz. Based on the novel by Bernhard Schlink. Rated R

Role Models

Danny and Wheeler are two salesmen who trash a company truck while on an energy drink-fueled bender. Upon their arrest, the court gives them a choice – the two can either do hard time or serve 150 hours of community service in a mentorship program. After one day with the kids, however, jail doesn’t look half bad. Cast: Seann William Scott, Paul Rudd, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Jane Lynch, Elizabeth Banks.  Rated R

Slum Dog Millionaire

Jamal Malik is an 18 year-old orphan from the slums of Mumbai. With the whole nation watching, he is just one question away from winning a staggering 20 million rupees on India’s version of ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?’ When the show breaks for the night, police arrest him on suspicion of cheating. Desperate to prove his innocence, Jamal tells the story of his life in the slum where he and his brother grew up. Cast: Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Madhur Mittal, Anil Kapoor, Irrfan Khan. Based on the novel  “Q & A” by Vikas Swarup. Rated R

The Spirit

Denny Colt is a rookie cop who returns from the dead as The Spirit. He is a hero whose mission is to fight against the bad forces that lurk in the shadows of Central City. The Octopus kills anyone unfortunate enough to see his face. He has other plans for the city. He wants to wipe out the entire city. The Spirit tracks this cold hearted killer from the city’s rundown warehouses, through damp catacombs, to the windswept waterfront. He does this all the while facing a bevy of beautiful women who either want to seduce, love or kill the masked crusader.  Cast: Gabriel Macht, Eva Mendes, Sarah Paulson, Dan Lauria, Paz Vega, with Scarlett Johansson, and Samuel L. Jackson.  Based on the comic book series by Will Eisner.  Rated PG-13

The Wrestler

A professional wrestler makes his way through the independent circuit, trying to get back in the game for one final showdown with his former rival. Cast: Mickey Rourke, Marissa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood, Mark Margolis, Todd Barry, Wass Stevens, Judah Friedlander, Ernest Miller. Rated R

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

Affairs of the Heart

Romantic tales from the late Victorian high society of love and loss. These unfold from the country houses of England to the drawing rooms of New York, from the palazzos of Venice to the art studios of London. Scoundrels and schemers collide with ingénues and admirers in the terribly intricate affairs of the heart. Cast: Lynn Farleigh, Anna Calder-Marshall, Margaret Tyzack, Diana Rigg, Rosalind Ayres, Gayle Hunnicutt, Pamela Brown, Faith Brook, Anton Rodgers. Based on works by Henry James. (1974) Not Rated

Bernadette

In February of 1858, at the Massabielle grotto, 14-year old Bernadette, sees a light she later distinguishes as a beautiful young woman. The girl converses with the woman over the next few months. Crowds follow her and people are cured by the waters from a spring Bernadette has cleared. Secular authorities are threatened by the popular gatherings and subject the girl to police inquiry and medical review.  Cast: Sydney Penny, Roland Lesaffre and Michele Simonnet. Shot on location in France, this is the film that was chosen to be shown daily at the shrine in Lourdes. Not Rated

Berkeley Square

Three young nannies grow to be close friends as they manage the unpredictable road to love and happiness in the posh world of turn-of-the-century, upper-crust London. Cast: Clare Wilkie, Victoria Smurfit, Tabitha Wady. A BBC-TV production. (1998) Not Rated

Big Love: The Complete First Season

A polygamist and independent businessman lives in Salt Lake CIty with his three wives and seven children. He faces many challenges in meeting the emotional, romantic, and financial needs of his wives. Cast: Bill Paxton, Bruce Dern, Chloe Sevigny, Harry Dean Stanton, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Ginnifer Goodwin. Originally broadcast on HBO in 2006. Rating: TV-MA.

Big Love: The Complete Second Season

Season two finds the modern-day polygamist Bill Henrickson and his three wives struggling to pick up the pieces after first wife Barb’s outing at the Beehive Mother of the Year Ceremony. Second wife Nicki, learning that it was her father, Roman Grant, Prophet of the Fundamentalist Juniper Creek compound, who betrayed them, battles conflicting family loyalties. And third wife Margene, newly pregnant, fights for a bigger piece of the family pie with an eye toward bringing a new wife and confidante into the fold. Cast: Bill Paxton, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Chloë Sevigny, Ginnifer Goodwin, Amanda Seyfried, Douglas Smith, Shawn Doyle, Melora Walters, Joel McKinnon Miller, Daveigh Chase, Jolean Wejbe, Grace Zabriskie, Matt Ross, Harry Dean Stanton. Originally broadcast on HBO in 2007.  Rating: TV-MA.

Brown Is the New Green: George Lopez and the American Dream

This PBS film examining how efforts to profit from Hispanic American culture have contributed to the shaping of its contemporary identity. The documentary’s focal point is comedian George Lopez, an icon and advocate for Hispanic Americans’ move into the mainstream. Features conversations with members of the Hispanic American youth market. Also includes interviews with Lopez and other Hispanic Americans. Not Rated

City Lights

A tramp wins the love of a blind flower girl and attempts to obtain money from a millionaire to help her regain her sight. Cast: Charles Chaplin, Virginia Cherrill, Florence Lee, Harry Myers, Allan Garcia, Hank Mann. Originally released as a motion picture in 1931. Rated G

Crazy Mama

A celebration of ’50s America, following three women and the men they pick up on an absurd crime spree. Cast: Cloris Leachman, Stuart Whitman, Ann Sothern, Jim Backus, Tisha Sterling, Donny Most, Linda Purl, Bryan Englund, Merie Earle. (1975) Rated PG

Down from the Mountain

A documentary about the musical artists who performed the songs in the Coen Brothers’ film O Brother, Where Art Thou? Performers include: The Cox family, Fairfield four, Emmylou Harris, John Hartford, Chris Thomas King, Alison Krauss, David Rawlings, Gillian Welch, Ralph Stanley, The Whites. (2000) Rated G

e Squared: Energy

A six-part PBS Home Video film featuring people and places around the globe where efforts are being made to improve our environment for the future. Contents: Harvesting the Wind, Energy for a Developing World, Paving the Way, Growing Energy, State of Resolve, and  Coal & Nuclear: Problem or Solution? Narrated by Morgan Freeman. (2007) Rated TVG

Ellis Island

In this History Channel documentary narrated by Mandy Patinkin, immigrants of every ethnic background recall their extraordinary adventures, historians explore the sometimes insensitive national policies, and the Ellis Island Oral History Project reveals what the immigration experience was actually like. Features rare photographs and film. Not Rated

Heroes: Season Two

Season Two finds Hiro (Masi Oka) transported to 17th-century Japan and surrounded by samurai warriors — just in time for a solar eclipse. Can he fight his way back to the 21st century? Cast: Hayden Panettiere, Jack Coleman, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Masi Oka, James Kyson Lee, Milo Ventimiglia, Greg Grunberg, Ali Larter, Adrian Pasdar, Zachary Quinto. Originally broadcast by NBC during the 2007 season. Not Rated.

Hill Street Blues: The Complete First Season

Follow the lives of cops at an urban police station, from the traffic cops to the police chief himself, as they hit the streets of the city. Originally broadcast on television during the Winter 1981 season. Cast: Daniel J. Travanti, Barbara Babcock, Taurean Blacque, Michael Clohessy, Jon Cypher, Charles Haid, Veronica Hamel, Mimi Kuzyk, Kiel Martin, Michael Conrad, Robert Hirschfeld, Barbara Bosson. Not rated.

Hill Street Blues: The Complete Second Season

A very realistic view into the lives of the dedicated cops and detectives of an urban police station. Originally broadcast on television during the 1981-1982 season. Created by Steven Bochco. Cast Daniel J. Travanti, Veronica Hamel, Bruce Weitz, Charles Haid, Betty Thomas, James Sikking. Not rated.

How I Met Your Mother: Season Three

Thirty-year-old Ted is still looking for Miss Right, but his road to domestic bliss is improbably paved with punk rock girls, tattoos, adult video expos and an epic St. Patrick’s Day bender. Meanwhile, as Marshall and Lily adjust to the quirks of married life, the outrageously incorrigible Barney commits a major violation of “The Bro Code.” Cast: Josh Radnor, Jason Segel, Alyson Hannigan, Neil Patrick Harris, Cobie Smulders. Originally broadcast on television during the 2007-2008 season.  TV rating: G

In Treatment

Paul is a therapist who exhibits great insight and confidence when treating his patients. But Paul suffers crippling insecurities and is counseled by his own therapist, Gina. Adding to his list of growing concerns, his wife, Kate, who is overcome with feelings of neglect and resents competing for his attention. Paul’s patients undergoing treatment include: a young doctor who is in love with Paul; a Navy pilot who is reevaluating his life after a failed mission in Iraq; a teenage gymnast with suicidal tendencies; and a passionate couple who are troubled in all other areas of their lives. Cast: Gabriel Byrne, Dianne Wiest, Michelle Forbes, Melissa George, Blair Underwood, Mia Wasikowska, John Charles, Embeth Davidtz. Originally broadcast on HBO in 2008. TV-MA

The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice

On a deadly mission to recover the historic Judas Chalice, Flynn is saved by—and falls in love with—Simone, a dazzling French woman who harbors a terrifying secret. Cast: Noah Wyle, Bruce Davison, Stana Katic, Jane Curtin, Bob Newhart.  Based on characters created by David Titcher. Not Rated

Lion of the Desert

In the war waged by Bedouin patriots to combat Benito Mussolini’s Italian colonization in Libya, Omar Mukhtar, the Bedouin resistance guerrilla leader, has committed himself to a war that cannot be won in his lifetime. Cast: Oliver Reed, Anthony Quinn, Rod Steiger, John Gielgud, Irene Papas. (1979) Rated PG

Master of the Game

Sydney Sheldon’s lavish international saga spans a century and focuses on the Blackwell family’s rise to wealth, from 1890s South Africa where the family’s fortune is made in diamonds to the primary story of iron-willed Kate Blackwell, the driven, power-hungry head of the family’s embattled corporate empire. Cast: Fernando Allende, Dyan Cannon, David Birney, Harry Hamlin, Leslie Caron. (1984) Not Rated

Nashville

This Robert Altman film interweaves the stories of 24 characters over 5 days during a political rally in the capital of country music. Cast: Henry Gibson, Lily Tomlin, Ronee Blakley, Keith Carradine, Geraldine Chaplin, Barbara Harris, Karen Black. (1975) Rated R

The Passion of Bernadette

The saint of Lourdes enters the convent and endures various trials. Through it all, Bernadette trusts in God and remembers the Virgin Mary’s words to her: “I cannot promise you happiness in this life, only the next.” Based on actual testimony taken from the canonization investigation. Cast: Sydney Penny, Emmanuelle Riva, Catherine de Seynes, Malka Ribowska. (1989) Sequel to: Bernadette. Not Rated

The Riches: Season 2

The Malloys are consummate con artists who are posing as a wealthy suburban family. They are stealing the American dream, but their elaborate ruse may be stealing their very souls. Facing near-certain detection, the family is torn asunder as Dahlia and the children hit the open road, and embattled patriarch Wayne remains in Eden Falls, desperately scheming to pull off one last impossible con. Cast: Eddie Izzard, Minnie Driver, Shannon Marie Woodward, Noel Fisher, Aidan Mitchell, Todd Stashwick, Gregg Henry. Originally broadcast on television in 2008. Not rated.

Shane

A drifter and retired gunfighter assists a homestead family terrorized by an aging cattleman and his hired gun. Cast: Alan Ladd, Jean Arthur, Van Heflin, Brandon De Wilde, Jack Palance, Ben Johnson, Edgar Buchanan. (1952) Not Rated

Shirley Valentine

An English housewife, bored with her life, goes on a vacation with a friend to Greece and finds that there’s more to life than just dishes and laundry when she has a fling with a handsome man. Cast: Pauline Collins, Tom Conti, Julia McKenzie, Alison Steadman, Joanna Lumley, Sylvia Syms, Bernard Hill, George Costigan, Anna Keaveney, Tracie Bennett. (1989) Rated R

Sister Wendy: The Complete Collection

A collection of Sister Wendy’s art programs. Sister Wendy travels to museums in England and Europe and discusses some of the world’s finest art. Contents: Sister Wendy’s Story of Painting, Sister Wendy’s Grand Tour, Sister Wendy’s Odyssey, and Sister Wendy’s Pains of Glass. Hosted by Wendy Beckett. Originally produced for television broadcast in 1992-1996. Not Rated

Some Like It Hot

When two unemployed musicians accidentally witness the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, they trade in their union suits for flapper frocks and flee to Miami disguised as female musicians in an all-girl jazz band. Cast: Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, George Raft, Pat O’Brien, Joe E. Brown.  (1959)  Not Rated

Sunset Boulevard

The story of an aging film queen who prepares for her grand comeback to stardom. Cast: William Holden, Gloria Swanson, Erich von Stroheim, Nancy Olson, Cecil B. DeMille, Hedda Hopper. (1950) Not Rated

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles Season One

Sarah and her son John, tired of running from the agents sent from the future to kill them, try to stop the formation of the agency in the present, with the help of a girl with a mysterious link to the future. Cast: Lena Headey, Thomas Dekker, Summer Glau, Richard T. Jones. Based on the world created in the motion picture written by James Cameron and William Wisher. Not rated.

Weeds: Season One

After her husband’s unexpected death and subsequent financial woes, suburban mom Nancy Botwin embraces a new profession: the neighborhood pot dealer. As it seems like everyone secretly wants what she’s selling, even city councilman Doug Wilson, Nancy is faced with keeping her family life in check and her enterprise a secret from her best friend/PTA president, Celia Hodes. Cast: Mary-Louise Parker, Kevin Nealon, Elizabeth Perkins, Romany Malco, Tonye Patano. Originally broadcast on the Showtime Channel in 2005.  Rated TV-MA

Weeds: Season Two

Nancy Botwin is a soccer mom who had to learn how to deal – pot, that is – after the death of her husband. Now, her business is a hit. But keeping up with the neighbors in this suburban utopia isn’t easy. She is joined up with a few of her closest friends, and together they face life’s ups and downs – because even in paradise, nobody’s perfect. Cast: Mary-Louise Parker, Elizabeth Perkins, Kevin Nealon, Romany Malco, Hunter Parrish, Alexander Gould, Andy Milder, Justin Kirk.  Originally broadcast on Showtime television in 2006.  Rated TV-MA

Weeds: Season Three

America’s favorite pot-dealing, single soccer mom, Nancy Botwin, is more addictive than ever in the third season. But, when an offbeat way to make ends meet grows into a mini-empire, the mother of all dealers finds she may be in over her head –and on the verge of taking everyone one else with her. Cast: Mary-Louise Parker, Elizabeth Perkins, Kevin Nealon, Romany Malco, Hunter Parrish, Alexander Gould, Andy Milder, Justin Kirk. Originally broadcast on Showtime in 2007. Rated TV-MA

The Widowing of Mrs. Holroyd

When Lizzie Holroyd falls in love with another man, she wishes her boorish husband dead, a wish that comes horribly true. Cast: Zoë Wanamaker, Stephen Dillane, and Colin Firth.  Originally broadcast on BBC Television in 1988.  Not Rated

Wuthering Heights

Set against the stark beauty of the English moor, the mysterious gypsy boy Heathcliff, who has been adopted by the Earnshaw family, discovers his soul mate in his stepsister Cathy. As a man unable to have the love of his life, he seeks vengeance against anyone who comes between them. Cast: Tom Hardy, Charlotte Riley, Andrew Lincoln, Sarah Lancashire, Burn Gorman, Rosalind Halstead. Based on the novel by Emily Brontë. Originally released as a television motion picture in 2008. Not rated.