Each year, America’s National Parks receive around 300 million visitors. Are you one of them? If you’d like some tips for how to visit one, or if you’d like to revisit fond National Park memories, here are some travel guides and memoirs for you to check out.
August 2023 Mid-Month Sudoku
This puzzle drops on August 15, which is also known as National Lemon Meringue Pie Day. In honor of this fact, we searched "Lemon Meringue Pie" in New York Times Cooking to see what came up. (We recommend you not do this while you're hungry or you'll go crazy.) It's got recipes with names like Cranberry Lemon Meringue Pie, Extra-Lemony Meringue Pie, Dolester Mile's Lemon Meringue Tart, Lemon Meringue Pots de Crème, and more.
Elvis Week
Every year, fans of Elvis Presley make a pilgrimage to Graceland to celebrate Elvis Week from August 9-16. This marks the week leading up to the anniversary of Elvis's death on August 16th, 1977. If you can't make the trip to Memphis yourself, you can check out one of the many books and films featuring Elvis and his legacy, including artists who inspired Elvis himself.
Hot Summer Movies for Hot Summer Nights
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.)