Crank up the window fans and pop the popcorn! Our August movie selections feature films that make the dog days of summer look anything but sluggish. Whether the action is on the neighborhood stoops of Brooklyn or a freewheeling road trip to the Mexican border, heavy summertime heat has a magical way of distilling human impulses for the big screen. Check out our classic and contemporary staff favorites for your next home movie night.
Books About Artists
Have the amazing works in our Tiny Art Show inspired you to want more art in your life? (If you haven't seen the Tiny Art Show yet: we're having an opening reception for it on Monday, August 7th at 7pm but the art will remain in the display cabinet all throughout August!) Feed your artistic inspiration (or just your love for drama) with these novels about art and artists.
Camping is In-Tense
Are you nostalgic for your own summer camp experience? Maybe one of these novels will help you revisit your idyllic summer experience--or make you grateful that no one was ever murdered at your summer camp. And if you're looking to explore the great outdoors this summer (without committing to a week-long stay), don't forget about MHL's State Parks Pass!
Artist of the Month: August 2023 – Lori J. Cutter
Hi, my name is Lori J. Cutter. I’m an abstract fluid artist. I’ve been intrigued by how different color combinations can complement each other. When I was young my dad loved my odd-looking finger paintings so much that he hung them up on the walls. I use different fluid art techniques in my paintings and sometimes I incorporate more than a few technique combinations in one painting. I’m self-taught and I customized my own fluid paints. When the painting is done and dry, I use a protective layer of clear gloss urethane for long term, nonfading finishes.
August 2023 Book of the Month
Called charming and uplifting by Booklist magazine, The Little Italian Hotel by Phaedra Patrick is a perfect read for the sunny days of August!
August 2023 Puzzle: Seen on Highways
If you are planning a long road trip, games like The Alphabet Game and Ghost can help keep boredom at bay, but be sure to also load up on audiobooks! If your car has a CD player (and lucky you if it does!), then there are more than 4,000 audiobook CDs you can borrow from the library and almost 35,000 titles to choose from within our library's network! If your car has Bluetooth, Apple Car Play, or Android Auto—or an audio cable than can connect to your car stereo's AUX port—you can use your smartphone to play any of thousands more digital audiobooks using the Libby, by OverDrive and Hoopla Digital apps. Please get in touch if you would like us to help you find great books to listen to or to get set up with either of these apps.
Beach Reads Without a Wait
Are you looking for a hot novel to read while you chill at the beach? Maybe something like Lessons in Chemistry or Happy Place? Well, get in line--you'll have a bit of a wait for those titles, unfortunately. But hey, there were plenty of great books that came out last year, and I bet you haven't read all of them yet! Here are some great beach reads that should be a little easier to get your hands on this summer. (And if you want to go back further in time, here's our 2022 list of Beach Reads Without a Wait.)
Athletes With Disabilities
In honor of Disability Pride Month, why not learn more about disabled athletes and the way they compete? And if you're looking for more about athletes in general, did you know MHL now has a subscription to The Athletic?
Barbenheimer: Barbie vs Oppenheimer
July 21st is the day many cinephiles have been waiting for: the release date of two summer blockbusters, Barbie and Oppenheimer. Many fans have been having fun with the idea of two very different movies sharing a release date and have been preparing for a Barbenheimer double feature. If you're preparing for either or both of these films, here are some books to get you ready!
July 2023 Mid-Month Sudoku
This month's Sudoku comes with surefire way to make money using unassailable numbers logic: Ask a friend if you can borrow a dollar. If they say yes, tell them to give you just fifty cents of it. When they ask why, explain that that way they'll owe you fifty cents, and you'll owe them fifty cents, and you'll be even. Quod erat demonstrandum!