“The dystopia described in George Orwell’s nearly 70-year-old novel 1984 suddenly feels all too familiar. A world in which Big Brother (or maybe the National Security Agency) is always listening in, and high-tech devices can eavesdrop in people’s homes. (Hey, Alexa, what’s up?) A world in which the government insists that reality is not “something objective, external, existing in its own right” —… Continue reading 1984
Category: Classics
Lord of the Flies
In researching for a book entitled Humankind: A Hopeful History (due out this June), historian and author, Rutger Bregman came across a story of some schoolboys who were shipwrecked just like the fictional characters in William Golding’s novel Lord of the Flies. The boys set off in a stolen boat from the island of Tonga… Continue reading Lord of the Flies
What’s Going On? Marvin Gaye’s Classic Album Revisited On His Birthday
Marvin Gaye’s quintessential album looked at the forces shaping American culture and himself at the beginning of the 1970s. It records Marvin as he soulfully and eloquently sings about a country affected by the Vietnam War, division, drug addiction, poverty, and racial discrimination. Much like the 1970s, the country is divided as ever over politics… Continue reading What’s Going On? Marvin Gaye’s Classic Album Revisited On His Birthday
Reading Time
In this time of social distancing, we are all finding ways to fill our time and finding that we now have time for things that we never did before. My teenage daughter took it upon herself to organize our home office. My mom’s neighbor spent 2 ½ hours organizing his light bulbs! Yes, these are… Continue reading Reading Time
More E-Resources – Books and Art Images
In addition to the E-Resources you can find in the Moraine Valley library catalog (see previous blog post), this article will link you to 25 different pages with free books available in the public domain. Looking for art images? Through the Moraine Valley library, you have access to the Oxford Art Online database and the… Continue reading More E-Resources – Books and Art Images
18 years ago a cinematic adventure began…
“It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.” Bilbo Baggins, “The Fellowship of the Ring” by J.R.R. Tolkien On December 10, 2001, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring… Continue reading 18 years ago a cinematic adventure began…
Make it a Hobbit to Look for the Science
November 11th marks the 65th anniversary of the publication of The Two Towers, the second book in J.R.R. Tolkien’s famous Lord of the Rings trilogy. Central to the story are the Hobbits, peaceful, large-footed people of short stature that love the comforts of home. Most people accept that Middle Earth and its inhabitants are fantasy,… Continue reading Make it a Hobbit to Look for the Science
1984
This year marks the 70th anniversary of George Orwell’s novel, 1984. Numerous scholars, historians and journalists note that many of the literary components of 1984 (setting, plot, theme, characters, etc.) mirror life in 2019. This is a novel that spotlights the evil of governments that allow their citizens no freedom of individual thought. It includes… Continue reading 1984
Handmaid’s Tale (Seasons 1 & 2) Available
Handmaid’s Tale fans: we just got season 2! The 3rd season premieres June 5th. We have BOTH season 1 & 2 available in our collection if you need to catch up. Watch the season 3 trailer here. Handmaid’s Tale resources available in our collection.
PBS’s Masterpiece Les Miserables Adaptation
Last Sunday (4/14) PBS’s Masterpiece premiered a new adaptation (non-musical) of Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables. It continues this Sunday for the next five weeks. “Les Miserables ranks among the greatest novels of all time. In it, Victor Hugo takes readers deep into the Parisian underworld, immerses them in a battle between good and evil,… Continue reading PBS’s Masterpiece Les Miserables Adaptation