Northeast
Neighborhood Library

Solitude

A Life Apart From The World

Everyone, at some point or another, seeks out some alone time—to get away from the noise, to escape the pressures and stress of everyday life. Solitude has a healing quality that renews, strengthens and fortifies. There are some people that choose a life of solitude for any number of reasons and others that find themselves alone through no choice of their own. The following are some recent and classic accounts of the solitary life.

Walking The Way

The Allure of the Camino to Santiago de Compostela

For centuries pilgrims have walked the Camino to Santiago de Compostela (The Way) in northwestern Spain. The cathedral in Santiago is believed to be the resting place of St. James the Apostle, one of the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ. During the Middle Ages making a pilgrimage was a popular form of piety. Pilgrimage to Santiago became one of the three main pilgrimage destinations after Rome and Jerusalem.

Folk Tales with a Twist

Folklore gives context to cultural traditions and explains the natural world. Across time and generations, oral stories built and strengthened ethnic, tribal and national ties. The Brothers Grimm popularized traditional Western (German) folktales in the 19th century when they published oral tales such as Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and The Frog Prince.

Children

Laugh it Off

Surviving Parenting with Humor

Sometimes as a parent you are overwhelmed, lonely and just want to cry or scream. You are not alone. These authors look at the challenge of being a parent (mostly a mother) and laugh about it. They are honest to the point of absurdity and help the reader see the humor in the fact that your 2-year-old has a mental breakdown when you put his toast in the toaster because he really wanted just bread with jelly on it despite the fact that he continues to call it "toast." All of these authors have very different experiences and points of view, but they are all great reads.

Jedi Jamboree: A Star Wars Party!

Excited about the new Star Wars movie? We are too! Come join us on Tuesday, December 12 from 3:30 to 5:00 pm for an afternoon of games, trivia, crafts, and snacks! Test your skills at the Jedi Academy and enter to win awesome prizes! Dressing up as your favorite Star Wars character is highly encouraged! All ages welcome; activities most suited for ages 6 to 12; no RSVP necessary

Northeast Library Customer Wins a Chromebook

Winning Essay for Summer Reading Book Review Contest

The Northeast Library is pleased to announce that one of our customers is a winner of the Summer Reading Book Review Contest! The winner is Estela Milan, age 13. Her award-winning essay can be read below.

Summer Challenge

Inspirational Books

Classics you've been meaning to read

Below are five inspirational books to read in order to find happiness, meaning, and joy in life (if you don’t already have these things or are looking for a reminder). They are five of the most recognized books in the genre of personal development and self-improvement books.

Sit and Stay

Dog Stories with a Lesson

Many people adore dogs. It’s no surprise dogs have begun to show up in schools, libraries, hospitals, senior centers and other places where their calm nature is put to work lifting spirits and building confidence. In a 2009 study of the SitStayRead program, a literacy project that brings therapy dogs into Chicago's public elementary schools, researchers saw a 20 percent increase in oral reading fluency among the 152 second graders studied.

Number, Please!

Numbers in the title, numbers all around

For some reason, all the books in this list just happen to be a little dark. Earth is destroyed, supernatural forces are at work, we face our humanity (or lack thereof), war is peace… you get the idea. But another common factor they share is their top-notch writing. Snuggle up with some tea and a purr-y cat and pick up one of these number-titled page turners. You may want to leave the light on, too.

What it Means to be American

This eclectic mix of books features different genres, perspectives, and approaches to answer the question: "What does it mean to be an American?" Some are memoirs, some are histories, some social science and poetry thrown in for good measure. While none of these books by themselves or even as a collection completely answer the complex question, they do begin to describe the multiple facets of what it means to call oneself an American.

Northeast Neighborhood Library