Hoboken Public Library Blog

My husband, father, and I are huge Star Wars fans so we were very excited to get to see The Force Awakens on New Year’s Day.  It recaptured for me the excitement of the first three films I loved as a child.  If the new film has awakened a desire for more Star Wars, like me, check out the many Star Wars related items available from the Hoboken Public Library.

Star Wars in 100 Scenes, by Jason Fry

This thorough guide covers the first six Star Wars movies with 100 scenes that capture favorite characters and pivotal moments from the films.  It even includes behind the scene trivia.

Star Wars Omnibus: The Complete Saga, Episodes I-VI

This omnibus edition collects in one volume the comic book adaptations of all of the Star Wars films from Dark Horse.

Star Wars. What is a Wookiee?, by Linda Gambrell

Narrated by C3P0 this book allows young readers to learn about the other droids and aliens of the Star Wars Universe.  A fun way to encourage your next generation of jedi to read.

Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know, by Adam Bray, Kerrie Dougherty, Cole Horton, and Michael Kogge

This book goes beyond the six movies and also includes trivia and information from Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels.

Star Wars IV, V, VI [DVD, BluRay]

See the original films again or for the first time.  I recently showed my son A New Hope for the first time though The Empire Strikes Back, the first film I ever saw in the theaters will always be my favorite.

Star Wars I, II, II  [DVD, BluRay]

Though the prequels are often criticized by fans of the originals, especially with the unpopular Jar Jar Binks in The Phantom Menace, these films are still worth checking out at least once to see the complicated back story of Darth Vader.

Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga

For those looking to experience Star Wars, rather than just watch it, check out this video game for the Wii, which will have you playing through all six of the first movies in fun Lego style. Star Wars The Clone Wars: Lightsaber Duels is also available for the Wii.  For those preferring other gaming systems Angry Birds Star Wars is available for Xbox 360 and Star Wars The Force Unleashed II is available for the Xbox 360 and PS3.

Star Wars Character Encyclopedia, by Simon Beecroft

Kids (and likely also their parents) will enjoy this illustrated look at over 200 profiles from the Star Wars Universe.

William Shakespeare’s Star Wars: Verily, A New Hope, by Ian Doescher

If you are fan of the mashup genre, which takes things like zombies or vampires and mixes them with classic works of literature, then check out this retelling of Star Wars in iambic pentameter.  William Shakespeare’s The Empire Striketh Back: Star Wars Part the Fifth and William Shakespeare’s the Jedi Doth Return are also available.

The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia, by Stephen J. Sansweet & Pablo Hidalgo and Bob Vitas & Daniel Wallace ; with Chris Cassidy, Mary Franklin & Josh Kushins

Stop by the reference department to browse this definitive three volume set that looks at the movies, games, comics, novels, and more. It even includes a timeline of major events in the Star Wars universe.

How Star Wars Conquered the Universe: The Past, Present, and Future of a Multibillion Dollar Franchise, by Chris Taylor

If your curious how one movie spawned not only sequels and prequels, but an empire of merchandising, then you should enjoy reading Chris Taylor’s account of Star Wars and how it became a global phenomenon.

Wishful Drinking, by Carrie Fisher

I still remember being so excited to dress like Princess Leia for Halloween back when I was kid.  I wanted to be Carrie Fisher when I grew up.  Wishful Drinking though also captures the less glamorous side of her life and the struggles she faced with drinking and drug use.  Fisher manages though to keep her humor and spunk even through the rough parts.  It was great seeing her again in the new film; her daughter even has a cameo wearing her hair in the now classic side bun hair style.

Of course there is plenty more especially if you are looking for fiction that expands on the Star Wars Universe.  Kids can enjoy The Princess, the Scoundrel, and the Farm Boy: An Original Retelling of Star Wars: A New Hope by Alexandra Bracken or The Phantom Bully by Jeffrey Brown.  For adults there are books like Star Wars. Survivor’s Quest by Timothy Zahn.  Plus check out the animated continuation of the stories such as Star Wars, The Clone Wars (set during the time between Episodes II and III) and Star Wars Rebels (set between Episodes III and IV) on DVD.  If you have a favorite let us know in our comment section!

For those that prefer digital media, Hoboken Library Card and other BCCLS library card holders have access to Hoopla which has a variety of eBooks, digital audiobooks, and soundtracks available.

-Written by Aimee Harris, Head of Reference

It’s the time of year when you may have visitors from out of state or even from overseas visiting for the holidays.  For Hoboken residents there are lots of area attractions across the river in New York City to show off and our library card holders can borrow passes to get in free thanks to the Friends of the Hoboken Public Library.  Passes may be borrowed by Permanent Hoboken Public Library resident card holders in good standing for a 48 hour period.  Here are a few of my favorite choices and some books and DVDs available from BCCLS libraries to checkout before you go.

Intrepid Museum

My son loves all types of vehicles, including ships, and I can’t wait to take him to explore the Intrepid.  For military buffs both big and small it is a site not to be missed.  In Intrepid: The Epic Story of America’s Most Legendary Warship by Bill White and Robert Gandt, learn all about the history of one of the country’s most famous warships from its military service during battles in Word War II, its return to service during the Cold War, and how it was used to retrieve astronauts in the 1960s.  You’ll even find out about the process of turning it into a tourist destination.  Beyond the aircraft carrier itself, the museum also features original artifacts and interactive exhibits. The Library’s Museum Pass allows up to 6 people entrance to the Intrepid as well as Growler, the only American guided missile submarine open to the public!

American Museum of Natural History

My father was a biology and chemistry teacher and The American Museum of Natural History has always been his favorite museum.  I have many happy memories as both a child and an adult visiting it with him.  This is the perfect place to take visiting friends and family who are interested in science.  Windows on Nature: The Great Habitat Dioramas of the American Museum of Natural History by Stephen Christopher Quinn shows the awe inspiring images of the museum’s impressive dioramas and explains what went into their creation.  Or if you prefer shiny things check out Gems & Crystals from One of the World’s Great Collections by George E. Harlow, Curator of Gems and Minerals and Anna S. Sofianides.  Besides numerous nonfiction titles, you can also find plenty of fiction set at the museum with everything from mysteries to picture books including The Cabinet of Curiosities by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, Eloise and the Dinosaurs by Lisa McClatchy and illustrated by Tammie Lyon, and Murder at the Museum of Natural History by Michael Jahn.  Plus of course there is the charmingly funny Night at the Museum movie series starring Ben Stiller.  The museum is open daily from 10 am – 5:45 pm except on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Brooklyn Botanic Gardens

Living in Hoboken and North Jersey means many of us don’t have the space for the gardens that our hearts desire, but with the Brooklyn Botanic Garden so close by we can all enjoy nature’s beauty.  The museum pass includes admission for 2 adults and all children under the age of 16.  Check out this December bromeliads and other tropical plants cascading from the Conservatory skylight into a ground-level leafy mosaic in a display of kokedama (a type of indoor bonsai), part of the Garden’s annual holiday exhibit.  If your child has a green thumb he/she might be interested in the handbook Gardening with Children by Monika Hannemann or the fictional A Growing Suspicion: A Rebecca Mystery by Jacqueline Dembar Greene set at the gardens.

The Guggenheim Museum

I am a huge art fan so no matter what city I visit, I always need to check out some of the local art museums. But my favorite museum–not just for art, but the amazing building itself–The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, is right across the river.  Its unique snail shell design provides an unusual and fun art viewing experience as you slowly spiral past modern art masterpieces.  To learn more you can check out the 2010 documentary Frank Lloyd Wright’s Guggenheim Museum, a film by Neil Levine and Timothy Sakamoto, which looks at the iconic building designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. If you have a budding young art lover in your life they might enjoy the adventure of three curious mice in The Great Googlestein Museum Mystery by Jean Van Leeuwen or the picture book Speeding down the Spiral: An Artful Adventure by Deborah Goodman Davis and illustrated by Sophy Naess.  Right now until January 6, you can view one of the most comprehensive shows ever presented of the work by Alberto Burri. Plus see breathtaking works from the Guggenheim’s collection by Kandinsky, Picasso, Manet, Monet, Renoir, Seurat, van Gogh, Toulouse-Lautrec, and Cézanne.

The Hoboken Public Library also offers free passes to several other great area museums including the Children’s Museum of Manhattan, Cooper-Hewitt Museum, The Frick Collection, Museum of the City of New York, and the New-York Historical Society!  For more information is available on our website.

-Written by Aimee Harris, Head of Reference