Archive | December, 2019

My Eclectic Holiday Playlist: Christmas Music You Can Stream from the Hoboken Public Library

18 Dec

It can seem a little decadent to purchase holiday CDs to listen to for just one month a year, so I prefer to stream my favorite Christmas tunes.  Hoboken Public Library residents have access to streaming music from Hoopla and Freegal.  Both services have tons of albums and songs to choose from such as Merry Christmas from Mariah Carey or if you prefer A Jolly Christmas From Frank Sinatra.  I have some quirky favorites I’m sharing below that put an unusual spin on the holiday classics.

Lindsey Stirling’s Warmer in the Winter
Warmer in the Winter
Warmer in the Winter is one of my favorite Christmas albums.  Lindsey Stirling rose to fame with her riveting music videos where she energetically dances while playing the violin.  With the violin being one of my favorite stringed instruments, I love her version of the Dance of the Sugar Plum and fun take on You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.  Some tracks have guest vocalists; Warmer in the Winter is the cheerful title tune that will have you wanting to sing along.  Another bouncy upbeat Christmas favorite of mine is Gwen Stefani’s You Make it Feel Christmas.

Blackmore’s Night’s Winter Carols
Winter Carols
Blackmore’s Night is a traditional rock folk duo inspired by renaissance music, featuring Ritchie Blackmore (from metal bands Deep Purple and Rainbow) and Candice Night, who adds beautiful vocals.  Since I’m a fan of renaissance inspired music, Winter Carols is another favorite. I especially like their version of I Saw Three Ships.  If you enjoy this one also check out Mediaeval Baebes’s Mistletoe & Wine and Loreena McKennitt’s A Midwinter’s Night Dream for more traditional inspired carols, which I also love.

Christmas with the Puppini Sisters
Puppini Sisters Christmas
For a retro sounding Christmas going a little less far back in time, stream Christmas with the Puppini Sisters.  The other two members are not actually related to Marcella Puppini instead their name was inspired by the Andrews Sisters.  All of the Puppini Sisters albums are worth checking out, but I especially can’t resist their fun take on Christmas classics during the holiday season.  I particularly like their take on Here Comes Santa Claus and Winter Wonderland.  They also have a fun version of Mele Kalikimaka, for another great cover of the classic Hawaiian Christmas song check out the one from duo She & Him’s Christmas Party.

Ornamental (A Projekt Holiday Compilation)
ornamental
Projekt Records was known in the 90’s for its Ethereal Gothic music including the founder Sam Rosenthal’s Black Tape for a Blue Girl.  Being a fan of many of the artist on the label this in another favorite that might appeal to those who don’t like the traditional pop sound of a lot of Christmas classics.  It includes great tracks by Nicki Jaine, Jill Tracy, Ego Likeness, Love Spirals Downward, and for Steampunk fan’s Abney Park with Steampunk Jingle Bells.  Some of the artists on the compilation also have their own holiday albums so you can also check out Spellbound in Winter by Unto Ashes.

Pokémon Christmas Bash
pokemon christmas
This is a favorite of my son who is Pokémon crazed.  It features silly Pokémon holiday inspired tunes like I’m Giving Santa a Pickachu for Christmas and Pokémon Christmas Bash.  It won’t blow you away with its vocals and music, but for Pokémon fans it is a fun background if Santa is bringing the new Sword and Shield Games.  If you like a little humor with your Christmas celebrations also check out Shonen Knife’s celebration of all things scrumptious with their Sweet Christmas.

With Hoopla you can borrow up to 10 albums of music per month (or books and movies).  Freegal lets you stream three hours of music per day and if you find a must have song you can download 5 songs per week that are yours to keep.  Freegal even creates holiday playlists if you like your Christmas Rockin’ or you prefer a Country Christmas.  For those celebrating Hanukkah this month, you can check out a variety of albums available on Hoopla.  Prefer to listen to music on CD; come in and browse our holiday collection in the first floor media room near the fireplace at the main branch!

No matter what holiday you typically celebrate this time of year, if you are Seinfeld fan, stop in for our Festivus for the Rest of Us celebration on December 19 at 7 PM!

Looking to give the gift of reading this holiday season; check out these great reads for kids, adults and teens recommended by the BCCLS Staff.  You can find out our staff’s holiday favorites from a previous post.  Also check out a post about recommended Christmas movies.

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Head of Reference

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Learning about Iran Through Two Classic Books: All the Shah’s Men and Persepolis

11 Dec

Many people learn about Iran because of its hostile relationship with the United States, but the history and culture of the country is much more complex than it is often portrayed. Two classic books, All the Shah’s Men by Stephen Kinzer and Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, are compelling stories that provide great context for understanding Iran in 2019.

All the Shah’s Men focuses on a 1953 coup d’état led by the U.S. and Great Britain against Iran’s democratically elected president Mohammed Mosaddegh. Mosaddegh was a progressive leader who supported religious freedom, women’s rights, and empowering the poor in his country. He was elected  by promising to nationalize the British oil companies operating in Iran that were siphoning all of the wealth they were generating out of the country. This greatly angered the British and at the height of Cold War hysteria, President Eisenhower began to fear that Iran would fall to Communist rule. Kinzer’s book explains how the coup against Mosaddegh was orchestrated, going into great detail about secret plots, propaganda campaigns, and international conspiracies. This is history written as a spy novel and a suspenseful story that describes an Iran that was on the verge on becoming a secular democracy before it was so cruelly undermined.

Persepolis picks up shortly after the events of All the Shah’s Men. Marji is a ten-year old girl in 1980 who is growing up during the Islamic Revolution, a time when her country is becoming increasingly religious and more restrictive of women’s freedoms. Had Mohammed Mosaddegh stayed in power, Marji may have grown up in a much different country, but his ousting created an opening for religious fundamentalism to thrive. Persepolis is a graphic novel that provides an on the ground view of what life is like for someone living through these events. Marji is a smart and observant narrator who makes life Iran understandable to an audience of all ages. Satrapi’s wonderful art and storytelling have made Persepolis one of the most critically acclaimed graphic novels of all time.  You can also borrow the sequel and an adaptation on DVD.

Reading both books together gave me a great overview of Iran’s modern history. What new and countries and cultures have you learned about through the resources available at the Hoboken Public Library?  Share with us in the comments.

Written by:
Karl Schwartz
Young Adult Librarian

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