Gene Hackman knew from childhood that he wanted to be an actor, but his path was not an easy one. Hackman was born 90 years ago, on January 30, 1930 in San Bernardino, Calif. His family moved frequently, and his father eventually left. He ran away at 16 to enlist as a Marine and served…
Top Picks: Sci-Fi Star Sigourney Weaver
While Sigourney Weaver celebrates her 70th birthday in October, let's celebrate her career spanning four decades with a look at her most remarkable work. Weaver is best known for her role as Warrant Officer Ellen Ripley in the Alien film franchise. When I watched the first movie, Alien, as a pre-teen, both fascinated and scared…
Napoleon Bonaparte’s Life and Legacy
In honor of Napoleon Bonaparte's 250th birth anniversary, Joanna recommends books exploring his life and place in history.
Books to Celebrate National Nurses Week
Ever stay in the hospital? Or have a friend or family member in the nursing field? Then you realize how hard these people work! Whether in a rural area or a big city, nurses care for people in ways that bring comfort and save lives. They are present for people’s greatest joys and sorrows. This…
Movies to Celebrate National Library Week
Just in time for National Library Week, the Emilio Estevez film The Public is out today, taking on the important question of what role libraries play in our communities and who we serve. Librarians have a long history as heroes—did you know Barbara Gordon, aka Batgirl, had a doctorate and was the head of Gotham…
Romance: The Chicago Way
Joanna recommends romances set in Chicago to keep you warm on these frosty nights.
Writer Dorothy Parker: 125 Years of Humor, Intellect
Who doesn’t dream of having the perfect comeback? The witty quip? Dorothy Parker was famous for her bon mots and her celebrity in 1920s New York. In addition to being a member of the Algonquin Round Table—a group of artists that met for lunch every day for 10 years—she was the first female (and youngest…
Hot New Paperbacks to Celebrate Paperback Book Day
Consider the humble paperback: While often derided as low budget or an airport read, these workhorses are beloved by millions of readers for their compact size and inexpensive cost. First introduced in Britain in the mid-1800s, the paperback enabled many literary debuts and extended the reach of classic and scientific authors through reprinting and wider…
Happy 80th Birthday, Joyce Carol Oates!
Joyce Carol Oates, born June 16, 1938 in Lockport, NY, is an incredibly prolific author who's also versatile in different formats—novels, short stories, essays, plays and memoirs. Having written a hundred books, Oates has covered a wide range of topics, from boxing, starlets and rebellious teenage girls to serial killers, gothic horror tales and dysfunctional…
Happy 60th Birthday, Michelle Pfeiffer!
Famous for her string of box office hits in various genres throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the talented Michelle Pfeiffer has appeared in over 40 films throughout her career. Born April 29, 1958 in Santa Ana, Calif., Pfeiffer began acting after winning the Miss Orange County pageant at 19. After a bumpy start with Grease…
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