Read Alike: The Painted Girls

The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan has received praise from critics and was selected as an Indie Next title for January by the American Booksellers Association.

This is Ms. Buchanan's second work of historical fiction, and both of her novels have been carefully researched regarding the real people and events she describes. She was born and raised in Niagara, Ontario, which helped to inspire her first novel, The Day the Falls Stood Still which tells the story of the arrival of hydroelectric power at Niagara Falls.

Photo by Frank Kovalchek

Before becoming a novelist, she received an MBA and worked for IBM. You can read more about Ms. Buchanan, arrange for her to talk with your book club over Skype, or see what book she's currently reading on her website: www.cathymariebuchanan.com

The Painted Girls tells the story behind Degas' sculptures and paintings of ballerinas, and draws special inspiration from the sculpture at left, La Petite Danseuse de Quatorze Ans (The Little Dancer of Fourteen Years). The story of three sisters of low birth, who seek to survive in the world of ballet, is told from the perspective of Marie van Goethem, who posed for Degas' statue. The novel is compelling and romantic, and Buchanan paints an atmospheric picture of life in 19th century Paris. As Susan Vreeland says in her review for the Washington Post, this "is a captivating story of fate, tarnished ambition and the ultimate triumph of sister-love."

If you're interested in reading more novels about the reality behind famous works of art, the work of Susan Vreeland would be an excellent place to start after you've finished The Painted  Girls. Ms. Vreeland is the author of several lyrical novels that illustrate the worlds and minds of artists and their art. Her titles are well-researched, leisurely paced, and character-driven.

• In Clara and Mr. Tiffany, she tells the story of Clara Driscoll, an employee of Louis Comfort Tiffany, and the creative mind behind the iconic Tiffany lamp. This lushly visual novel explores the life of the little known artist and the dynamic period at the turn of the century.
• Her Luncheon of the Boating Party tells the story behind Renoir’s famous painting, and the real people depicted upon his canvas.

Tracy Chevalier's first novel, Girl With a Pearl Earring, is a character-driven and lyrical imagining of the story behind Vermeer's famous painting. Sixteen-year-old Griet is a maid for the Vermeer family, with an eye for beauty and order, which attracts the attention of the artist. The novel was also adapted as a film starring Scarlett Johansson and Colin Firth.

Sacre Bleu by Christopher Moore is a more irreverently whimsical examination of an artist's inspiration. Though his offbeat novels aren't for everyone, readers familiar with the art world of 19th century France are sure to find a few laughs in Moore's dark humor. Sacre Bleu is the story of Lucien Lessard and his friend Henri Toulouse-Lautrec's quest to find the truth behind the death of Vincent Van Gogh.

Other novels of artistic inspiration worth checking out:
Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin
The story of the woman who inspired Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, Alice Liddell.


Loving Frank by Nancy Horan
The Women by T.C. Boyle
Two books about the life and loves of Frank Lloyd Wright, and topic of a staff review by Betty.

Girl Reading by Katie Ward
Ms. Ward takes inspiration from seven paintings of women reading from different periods throughout history in this collection of short stories.

Eight Girls Taking Pictures by Whitney Otto
Ms. Otto's novel takes its inspiration from the lives of 19th century female photographers, though the characters in this collection are fictional.

Please stop by the Recommendations Desk on the first floor, check out NoveList Plus on the library's website, or visit W. 11th & Bluff next week for more reading suggestions. Or submit a Personal Recommendations request, and we'll create a reading list just for you!

The Repurposed Library: 33 Craft Projects That Give Old Books New Life by Lisa Occhipinti

Don’t get rid of your print books just yet! After reading The Repurposed Library, you may find yourself compelled to visit area thrift shops to buy older cloth-bound books—not to read— but to decorate your home. Try doing this with your e-reader! Oops, I take that back; page 85 shows a “Kindle Keeper” made out of a colorful illustrated Western history book repurposed to hold a pad of paper and a Kindle.

Lisa Occhipinti rescues orphaned and outdated books from flea markets and library sales, and turns them into art objects and practical items for the home. The book shows delightful photographs of white doves perched in trees (made from book pages) and mirrors inserted into hanging book covers (one project’s selection is entitled Five Minute Biographies by Dale Carnegie). Directions are clear and project suggestions are simple enough to be both doable and beautiful, especially if you appreciate Shabby Chic design.

One project cleverly converts a Tuscan-colored cover of And Tell of Time by Laura Krey into a clock! My own favorite is the “Book Ledge” on page 43: Three cloth-bound books are stacked as a “bookshelf” for your wall. The wonderful colors used in dyeing these older book covers would make Martha Stewart jealous.

Similar titles in our Library’s collection with inventive ideas for repurposing books include Eco Books: Inventive Projects from the Recycling Bin by Terry Taylor (2009); and Making Handmade Books: 100+ Bindings, Structures & Forms by Alisa Golden (2010). Check out these Dewey subject ranges in the second floor stacks: 686.3 and 745.5.

A final note of caution: These creative suggestions are not recommended for turning our Library books—which are for reading—into Book Burst decorations for your wall. Anyone attempting to do so will be punished! But you might think twice before tossing those Reader’s Digest condensed books.

~ Mirdza Erika Berzins, Adult Services

"The Family Fang" by Kevin Wilson

I did not have great expectations the first time I checked out The Family Fang. I'd seen a good review somewhere and added it to my list without paying much attention. Mr. Wilson's first novel then spent three weeks getting bumped lower and lower on the To Read pile until, finally, it was due the next day.

I freely admit that the title had me thinking it was yet another vampire book (specifically, The Radleys by Matt Haig). You can imagine my surprise when I finally opened to the first chapter and found, not a family drama about blood sucking, but a family drama about performance art.

I loved the forty or so pages I was able to read before reluctantly having to return the book for the next person on the holds list. When the end of year Best of 2011 lists started to come out, and "The Family Fang" showed up, I really kicked myself. And then I placed another hold.

There are many parts to this novel that I loved. Every other chapter is an account of an Event; one of the insane art pieces created by the Fangs and their children. The opposite chapters tell of the Fang children's, Buster and Annie's, lives as adults, and how profoundly their childhoods have screwed them up.

I adored the dark humor of this book, and the chapter about the chicken coupons was one of the funniest things I've ever read. I found myself entirely invested in Annie and Buster's quest to understand their parents final artistic event, but I was somewhat disappointed by how things wrapped up (vague, I know, but I don't want to spoil anyone).

I'll definitely be adding Kevin Wilson's first work, a short story collection called Tunneling to the Center of the Earth that was awarded a Shirley Jackson Award in 2009, to my To Be Read list.

~Sarah, Adult Services

Staff Picks: The Best Books of 2011

The best books of 2011 as selected by the staff of Carnegie-Stout Public Library, or at least a short list of our favorite reads in fiction, biography, graphic novels, and more!


Amy, Youth Services - Wither by Lauren DeStefano
This book was a neat twist to all the futuristic dystopian society books out there. This book was creepy, romantic, and had an interesting storyline. It's the first in a series.




Michelle, Circulation - Sister by Rosamond Lupton
A mystery surrounding the disappearance of a New York career woman"s (transplanted from England) sister back in England. The story is told from older sister Beatrice's point of view. She is called back to England by her mother because her sister, Tess, has disappeared. Although they are vastly different the sisters have stayed in touch and are very close. Bea narrates the story as if she is talking directly to Tess and also as she tells it to a detective. I found the narration very interesting and did not figure out the surprise ending until nearly finishing the book. Loved the voice and loved the mystery.



Sharon, Youth Services - Life by Keith Richards
I actually listened to this and although it was twenty discs long I had a hard time getting out of my car wanting to know what happened next. Johnny Depp & Joe Hurley do a fabulous job narrating but when Keith himself takes over - well let's just say it's a "hoot"
Keith makes no apologies, sets straight the many rumors surrounding himself and for Rolling Stones fans, like myself, he shares his knowledge and love for his music and his mates.



Andrew, Adult Services - Finder Vol. 1 & 2 and Finder: Voice by Carla Speed McNeil
These impeccably crafted science fiction comics establish a complex futuristic world but focus on compelling character and interpersonal relationships. Speed McNeil has obviously accomplished some deep and fascinating worldbuilding but does a masterful job of revealing only what's necessary for each short story, never bogging the reader down with needless factoids or technobabble.



Michelle, Circulation - Falling Together by Marissa de los Santos
This is more of a love story with a little bit of a mystery thrown in. It revolves around the friendship of 3 people who meet in college and form an unlikely bond. Something causes them to agree to end their friendship for 6 years until they are drawn back together for the very sake of that friendship. It has some smart dialogue that made laugh out loud a few times. I found the writing very engaging and finished the book with that feeling of having had a satisfying read.



Sarah, Adult Services - Bossypants by Tina Fey
I know this is one of those books that people have been talking about all year, but this is the first time since Kindergarten that I've really loved an audiobook. Ms. Fey was the perfect companion for an otherwise long and otherwise boring drive. Her self-deprecating humor and obvious balance in a way that made the miles fly by.



Allison, Adult Services -5 Very Good Reasons to Punch a Dolphin in the Mouth (and Other Useful Guides) by Matthew Inman
Written and illustrated by the creator of the blog "The Oatmeal" this book manages to be both hilarious and informative. Learn the proper way to use a semicolon from a party gorilla, why Nicola Tesla was the most awesome geek who ever lived and eight ways to prepare your pets for war (bunnies are ideal for special ops!) Caution: not suitable for work, children or while eating.



Danielle, Youth Services - The Death Cure by James Dashner
The Maze Runner Trilogy by Dashner is a great YA dystopia series that will keep you on the edge of your seat with action and suspense. I highly recommend the audio book versions as the characters really seem to come alive.



Mike, Adult Services - How the End Begins: The Road to a Nuclear World War III by Ron Rosenbaum
Contrary to popular belief, the likelihood that we'll all be incinerated in a nuclear holocaust has actually increased since the end of the Cold War -- it's a matter of when, not if. "At least you can't say you haven't been warned," Rosenbaum concludes.



Mirdza, Adult Services - Pilgrimage by Annie Leibovitz
Photographer Annie Leibovitz (of Rolling Stone and Vogue fame) traveled to locations she could explore and document with no other agenda than curiosity. These included Niagara Falls, Old Faithful, and the homes of Virginia Woolf, Emily Dickinson, Thoreau and Emerson, Elvis Presley, Freud, and Eleanor Roosevelt, among others. “When I was watching my children stand mesmerized over Niagara Falls, it was an exercise in renewal, it taught me to see again.” Leibovitz provides commentary about the history of these places and Doris Kearns Goodwin writes an introduction.



Michelle, Adult Services - Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning
I'm not sure this is the BEST book I read in 2011, but it certainly was the one I was most anxious to read. I absolutely HAD to know what happens to Jericho Barrons. And what exactly is Barrons? Fae? Druid? Seelie or the Unseelie King? A male sidhe-seer? The sixteen month wait between Dreamfever and Shadowfever seemed like forever. This is only book I ever pre-ordered from Amazon.



Amy, Youth Services - Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
This book was such a breath of fresh air this year. It's quite the story and very funny.

The Fart Party and Drinking at the Movies by Julia Wertz

I first noticed Julia Wertz's graphic novel Drinking at the Movies late last year while skimming lists of the best books of 2010. When I took a closer look, the titles of Wertz's earlier comics, The Fart Party Volumes 1 and 2, intrigued me. As Mario Anima of FanboyPlanet.com put it, "Lets be frank here, farts and party together at last? I’m there."

Actually, as a blurb at the end of Drinking at the Movies points out, "The Fart Party Volumes 1 and 2 have nothing to do with farts or parties." Rather, Wertz's autobiographical comics detail her relationships during her 20's, her low-paying jobs, her move from San Francisco to Brooklyn, and her developing artwork.

"I came up with the name 'Fart Party' when my boyfriend couldn't stop farting," Wertz told the SFist in 2006. "I suggested we throw a party and fill the balloons with farts. When we want people to leave, we pop the balloons. A lot of people don't like the name 'Fart Party.' But that's okay 'cause I don't like a lot of people."

In a slightly more conciliatory tone today, Wertz uses the title Museum of Mistakes: The Comic Formerly and Regrettably Known as 'The Fart Party' on her website at http://www.juliawertz.com/.

Julia Wertz's comics are as good, if not better, than a lot of contemporary literature. Los Angeles Times Book Critic David L. Ulin calls Wertz's work "funny and outrageous, but also serious, since what Wertz is tracing is the difficulty of knowing how to live." He says it's "a quiet triumph, a portrait of the artist in the act of becoming, a story with heart and soul."

Personally, I like Wertz because she eats cheese in front of an open fridge, refers to current affairs as "nooze," and thinks the public library is "one of the top five places to kick it."

But most of all, I'm a fan of Julia Wertz because she creates art out of ordinary, everyday experiences, and she makes it look so easy, as if anyone could do the same.

~Mike, Adult Services

Shattering Silence

The October 2009 issue of the Iowa Genealogical Society Newsletter (PDF--1.42 MB) contains an article of interest. In October the Iowa Department of Administrative Services will dedicate a new sculpture, which will be displayed near the Judicial Branch Building on the Capitol Complex in Des Moines. Shattering Silence is a creation of Des Moines artist James Ellwanger, and is constructed of native Iowa stone and highly reflective steel. It commemorates the first ruling handed down by the Supreme Court of the Iowa Territory in 1839.

It so happens there is a Dubuque connection. Ralph, a slave for a Mr. Montgomery in Missouri, had contracted with his owner to pay $550 over five years for his freedom. Ralph was hoping to earn that money by working in the lead mines around Dubuque. Unfortunately, Ralph was unable to accumulate enough money. When two bounty hunters planned to return Ralph to Missouri, a local farmer intervened. The local magistrate was notified and the case wound up in the Territory’s high court.

The court's ruling confirmed Iowa's position as a free territory. The court ruled that "Ralph was neither fugitive nor slave. Since his owner had permitted him to live on Iowa soil, he had become free and a court could not return a man to slavery on non-payment of a bad debt." Slavery was prohibited in Iowa, so Ralph was free. Doug Donald and Lenore Howard portrayed this event in their dramatization, "In the Matter of Ralph, a Black Man."

If you are interested in knowing more, Ralph Montgomery is listed in our obituary index. You can also check his entry in Encyclopedia Dubuque.

I find Dubuque history so fascinating! David Rorer, who was Ralph's attorney, is also credited with coming up with the nickname "the Hawkeye State."

~Betty, Adult Services

Calling All Local Artists

Art @ your library® - - Call for Art

Calling all local artists! Celebrate at our mini-grand opening of the newly renovated second floor Rotunda area of the Library with your art on exhibit! The popular Carnegie-Stout Public Library’s Art @ your library® event is scheduled for November 20, 2009, just in time for holiday shopping.

If you are interested in submitting your work, artwork submission forms are available online. Each artist may submit up to three pieces of 2D or wall hanging works of art by October 15, 2009. The maximum allowed size is 2’ x 3’ and may represent a theme of your choice. Submissions can be sent via email (scanned or jpeg images not to exceed 2MB) to shenricks@dubuque.lib.ia.us or be delivered on a CD. The Library’s Art Subcommittee will review all submissions and notify artists during the week of October 26th.

For more information call the Library at 589-4225 option 7.

Adult Summer Reading Program 2009

Be Creative @ Your Library®
June 8 to August 7, 2009


Carnegie-Stout Public Library will begin its third Summer Reading Program for Adults on June 8, 2009. The Program will continue through August 7, 2009. The Rules "R" this easy:

Register at the Information Desk or on our web page
Read or listen to 5 books
Record the titles on your Reading Log
Return the completed Reading Log to the Information Desk.

Programs are designed to stimulate the imagination and explore subjects like gardening, beading and songwriting. Louis Ferrante, an ex-mafia thug, will share his journey from robbery to writing in his memoir, Unlocked. We will feature another program designed to encourage participants to write their own memoirs in only six words.

Adults with an artistic bent will also be given an eclectic list of materials to create an 11” x 14” poster visualizing a scene or character from a favorite book. These artworks will be displayed in the Library.

For more information, call the Information Desk at 563-589-4225, option 4. Get those creative juices flowing!

The first program for adults is on Tuesday, June 9 at Prescott School at 6:30 p.m. The Herb Society of Dubuque will present a workshop on container herb gardening. The program is free, but registration is required. Call the Information Desk at 589-4225, option 4.

~ Betty, Adult Services

Curtis Collection Dubuque

"Joseph–Nez Perce" by Edward S. Curtis
Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division

What is the Curtis Collection?

Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952) was a photographer of Native Americans. His main work, The North American Indian, was published between 1907 and 1930 in limited edition and was sold by subscription. Fewer than 280 sets of The North American Indian are thought to exist today.

A set of The North American Indian was donated to Carnegie-Stout Public Library in Dubuque in 1909 by Emma H. Ward in memory of her husband, Hiram, a local philanthropist. The collection includes twenty volumes of illustrated text maintained at Carnegie-Stout Public Library, and about seven hundred large-sized photogravures, or prints made from photographic images, on long-term loan at the Dubuque Museum of Art.

Where can I see the Curtis Collection?

Nine of the photogravures from the Curtis Collection are currently on public display at the Dubuque Museum of Art. Admission is free.

The volumes of illustrated text can be viewed at Carnegie-Stout Public Library by appointment by calling Library Administration at 563-589-4225 option #7.

More Information

Carnegie-Stout Public Library, Dubuque

Books about Curtis at Carnegie-Stout Public Library

Dubuque Museum of Art

Edward S. Curtis's North American Indian, American  Memory, Library of Congress

Edward S. Curtis Collection, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress

Edward S. Curtis's The North American Indian, Digital Library Collections, Northwestern University

Frontier Photographer: Edward S. Curtis, a Smithsonian Institution Libraries exhibition

Edward Curtis, American Masters, PBS

Selling the North American Indian: The Work of Edward Curtis by Valerie Daniels