An Alligator once roamed in Denton!

In July of 1895, an alligator was caught in Pecan Creek (that’s the creek that runs through town – across Carroll Boulevard, around the Emily Fowler Library, and further).  This article ran on July 18, 1895 in the Denton County News.

There was a follow-up article on July 25th:

-leslie

New DVDs you can put a hold on

1. Baby Mama

2. The Counterfeiters

3. The Forbidden Kingdom

4. Forgetting Sarah Marshall

5. Young @ Heart

 

Great summer read for those who like horror and gritty protagonists

I’m not even finished with The Wolfman, but I just had to tell someone about it.  The main character is a werewolf.  He was infected while on tour of duty in Vietnam.  Actually, he died there, as the main character says.  The man who came back was broken and became a drifter – like Dr. David Banner, the Incredible Hulk.  Imagine finding out that you are unable to control yourself.  You are a killer, a monster, and yet you are unable to end your life.  And then finding out one day that you could control who you killed.  That’s where the story picks up: Marlowe Higgins can now control his destiny.  He looks in the paper for crimes and then unleashes his monster on the real ”monsters”.  And now he is up against a serial killer.  Things will never be the same for him.

This is an adult book, for language, sexuality, and gore.  After all, the main character is a murderous werewolf.  He just can’t help it. 

Pluses:  the writing is good, the characters are likable, and the dialog is witty.  The author got it right.  Unfortunately, he died after this book was published and there will not be another.

-Leslie

 

Animanga Poster Contest Winner!

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Animanga Poster Contest!

We have a winner and 6 runners-up! 

Congratulations to Dylan Uzzel, his poster was chosen as the official winning poster.  He will receive the Animanga Gift Basket!

Dylan’s Winning Poster

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Congratulations as well to the runners-up who will receive a small token for their beautiful artwork:

Ann Adams

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Emily Fu

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kendal Lou Dickson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Michaela Yarbrough

 

 

 

 

 

 

Charity Hayes 

 

Jennifer Moor

 

Graphic Novels Vindicated

Do you enjoy graphic novels, but consider them a guilty pleasure?   Do you encourage your children to read “real books” instead of the latest manga from Tokyopop?   Well, the good folks at the New York City Department of Education have declared graphic novels a valuable educational tool.  Feel guilty no longer and get a graphic education!

-Dana

New DVDs you can put a hold on

1. Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay

2. Leatherheads

3. Nim’s Island

4. Prom Night

5. Shine a Light

6. Smart People

Denton Public Library offers E*books for your portable device

Customers of Denton Public Library are now able to access a collection of electronic book titles by visiting http://denton.lib.overdrive.com.  Card holders can checkout and download some of the same fiction, test study-guides, and best-sellers found in the physical library.  Once downloaded onto a personal PC, these titles can be transferred to compatible devices.  Now you can read books on the go!

 

To checkout and download titles, patrons will need a library card and an Internet connection. Card holders can check out up to five titles at one time.  After a 21 day lending period, the downloaded titles automatically expire and are checked back into the collection, so there are never any late fees.  If a title is not available, users can place a hold and will be notified via email when the title is available for download.

 

To learn more about the service, users can read the Quick Start Guide or watch the Download Digital Media Guided Tour, available on the digital site.  The free and easy to use technology is provided by OverDrive, Inc. of Cleveland, Ohio.  To start browsing and downloading from this dynamic digital collection today, visit http://denton.lib.overdrive.com.

Interesting Bicycle Race

Found this in March of 1895 in the Denton County News.  I believe the old fairgrounds were located on somewhere around Welch, between Hickory and Eagle.  Maybe across from the UNT Art Building.  May be some petrified livestock patties under all that asphalt.

If you can’t tell, I’m a fan of bicycles.  It would be fun to find some old bikes and do a reenactment of this race.  But, I’m sure there’s one going on every day, with someone having their moment of glory.

-Leslie

New David Sedaris

David Sedaris’s newest book, When You are Engulfed in Flames, will be here soon.  Don’t forget to put it on hold!  I just remembered and am hold number 14 of 14, but don’t despair!  If you need a Sedaris fix sooner than that, we have his other titles that are just as good, although not as shiny and new.

If you are not familiar with David Sedaris, you really should be, because he is one of the most popular and critically acclaimed humorists of the last fifteen years.  Perhaps you are familiar with his sister, Amy, who starred in the Comedy Central series, Strangers With Candy and worked closely with Stephen Colbert in Second City.  I recommend getting to know both Amy and David Sedaris’s work, because in their case, comedic talent is genetic.

 -Dana

 

New DVDs you can put a hold on

1. 21

2. The Band’s Visit

3. The Bank Job

4. Shutter

5. Under the Same Moon