Huge demand for Obama’s books

Barack Obama’s books, Dreams from My Father and The Audacity of Hope, are flying off the shelves since Obama turned a new page in world history. The books have reached the top five in the bestseller charts in both Ireland and England. Sales of both his books have more than quadrupled in Ireland since Obama was elected president, and many Irish bookshops are already sold out of the two titles. Before the US election, weekly Irish sales of both books were stagnant at around 100 copies each. Now weekly sales of both have topped the 1,000 mark. Obama's memoir Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance, written long before his political career began, is a remarkable story of one man's search for his identity. In The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream, Obama shares his personal views on faith and values and offers a vision of the future of America. Canongate, the publisher of both Obama books, said it has shipped 23,000 copies of Obama's first book Dreams from My Father and 20,000 of The Audacity of Hope to Ireland. "The demand for Barack Obama's books is unprecedented and we expect both books to be among our Christmas best sellers," said Joe Collins, deputy manager of Hodges Figgis bookstore in Dublin. "I can't remember Irish people being this interested in an American president."

We Are All Born Free: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Pictures

Some of the world’s best children’s book illustrators have come together to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with the publication of this beautiful book. All royalties from its sale will be donated to Amnesty International. Published by Frances Lincoln, who are the leading publishers of multi-cultural books for children, it will without doubt get people talking about the Declaration of Human Rights and how 60 years on there is still much to do to make the world a safe and peaceful place. Each double page spread presents a simple child-friendly version of each of the thirty articles with the most amazing illustrations from the best children’s picture book artists there are today, such as Nicholas Allan, Catherine and Laurence Anholt, Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick, Korky Paul and John Burningham. We Are All Born Free: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Pictures is published by Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, 2008.

Booktrust Teenage Prize

The winner of the Booktrust Teenage Prize 2008 was announced on the 18th of November. The judges selected six novels, coincidentally, three by men and three by women. The books were chosen for their scope of imagination, their originality, their writing and their overall appeal. The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness satisfied all these criteria to become the 2008 winner. Amanda Craig, Chair of Judges, said “The Knife of Never Letting Go made the judges laugh, cry and debate its contents with passion; a striking mixture of thriller, science fiction and literary tour de force”. The other five shortlisted books were Creature of the Night by Ireland’s prolific and multi award-winning author Kate Thompson. The Knife That Killed Me by Anthony McGowan, The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner, Snakehead by Anthony Horowitz and Apache by Tanya Landman.

An Accident 'at the gates of Coole.' by Michael O’Loughlin

In May 1921, Margaret Gregory was the sole survivor of an IRA ambush near Coole Park in which three people died. This traumatic incident has received little attention in works devoted to Yeats or Lady Gregory, but it looms large in local folk memory. In addition, it can be linked to other incidents which directly inspired Yeats' great poem 'Nineteen Hundred And Nineteen' and ultimately, it may well have been a crucial factor in the fate of Coole Park itself. Michael O'Loughlin will discuss this event and its repercussions, drawing on Yeats' poems and local newspaper reports of the time tonight, Thursday 27th November 2008, from 8.00pm – 9.00pm at the Coole Park Visitor Centre, Gort.

Popularity brings down EUROPEANA , Europe's Digital Library

Launched on 20th November, Europeana - the European digital library, museum and archive - slowed to a crawl following an average of 10 million hits an hour. At the moment the Europeana site is temporarily not accessible due to such overwhelming interest after its launch, and it is hoped to have a more robust version available by mid-December. For a preview of Europeana click here.

By mid-December at www.europeana.eu, Internet users around the world will be able to access more than two million books, maps, recordings, photographs, archival documents, paintings and films from national libraries and cultural institutions of the EU's 27 Member States. Europeana will open up new ways of exploring Europe’s heritage: anyone interested in literature, art, science, politics, history, architecture, music or cinema will have free and fast access to Europe's greatest collections and masterpieces in a single virtual library through a web portal available in all EU languages. But this is just the beginning. In 2010, Europeana will give access to millions of items representing Europe's rich cultural diversity and will have interactive zones such as communities for special interests. Between 2009 and 2011, some €2 million per year of EU funding will be dedicated to this. The Commission also plans to involve the private sector in the further expansion of Europe's digital library. In September 2007, the European Parliament supported, in a resolution voted by an overwhelming majority, the creation of a European digital library.

Europeana will make it possible to search and browse the digitised collections of Europe's libraries, archives and museums all at once. This means users can explore themes without searching for and visiting multiple sites and resources. Europeana was initiated by the Commission in 2005 and brought to fruition in close cooperation with national libraries and other cultural bodies of the Member States as well as with the strong support of the European Parliament. Europeana is run by the European Digital Library Foundation, which brings together Europe's major associations of libraries, archives, museums, audiovisual archives and cultural institutions. Europeana is hosted by the Dutch national library, the Koninklijke Bibliotheek.

Over 1,000 cultural organisations from across Europe have provided material for Europeana. Europe’s museums, including the Louvre in Paris and the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, have supplied digitised paintings and objects from their collections. State archives have made important national documents available, and France's Institut National de l’Audiovisuel supplied 80,000 broadcasts recording the 20th century, right back to early footage shot on the battlefields of France in 1914. National libraries all over Europe have contributed printed and manuscript material, including digitised copies of the great books that brought new ideas into the world.

Internet users will be able to find fascinating cultural objects on Europeana such as the 9th Symphony of Beethoven, footage of the coming down of the Berlin wall (Germany), the French Déclaration des droits de l'homme of 1789 or 'Les Fleurs du Mal' (1857) from the French poet Charles Baudelaire, the British Magna Carta of 1215 from the British Library in UK, the Divina Commedia by Dante from Italy or pictures of the house and the tomb of the Italian physicist and astronomer Galileo Galilei, several paintings by Vermeer such as 'Girl with the Pearl Earring' from the Mauritshuis in The Hague (Netherlands), paintings by Jan Van Eyck, such as the 'Madonna met kanunnik Joris van der Paele' of 1436 from the Groeninge museum in Brugge (Belgium), the 'Carta plana de parte da Costa do Brazil' (a map dated 1784), illustrating Portugal's former colonies, the medieval Codex Vysegradensis from the Czech Republic, works by the Hungarian lyrical poet Sandór Petofi from 19th century, the bronze medal portrait of Alfred Nobel from Sweden, original letters and music scores by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in Austria, the manuscript of symphony no. 5 by Jan Sibelius, his picture, and performances of his works in Finland, the handwritten text of 1563 signed by King Sigismund II Augustus (King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania) from the Lithuanian national library, the famous Slovenian folk song 'Sem hodu res zanjo' dated from around 1940, a history of the kings of Spain, written by the historian Prudencio de Sandoval and published in 1634, the manuscript of the ‘preludes’ by the famous Polish pianist Frédéric Chopin, a 15th century illustration of the ‘Danse Macabre’, from the Romanian national library, the cover of the ‘Righas Charta’, the cartographic masterpiece of the Greek enlightenment, by the Greek writer Righas Velestinlis, a photograph of the opening of negotiations between the two Cypriot communities in 2004, a Venetian map of Malta dated 1689, held by the National Library in Malta, a recording of the 1950 ‘Schuman declaration’, from the Centre Virtuel de la Connaissance de l’Europe in Luxembourg, the 19th century ‘Levski Ordinance to the workers for the liberation of the Bulgarian people’, the cover pages of the first edition of the Bible in Estonian (1739), the original film material showing the liberation of Denmark in 1945, a ‘Kalendarium’, a unique old book with type setting in red and black dated 1486-1504, held in Slovakia, posters announcing the 1933 Song Festival in Riga and the Latvian exposition of 1934 in Stockholm, the ‘Topographia hiberniae’, a map from the 11th century, representing the location of Ireland in Europe. Thousands of other unique pieces of European art, history and culture will also be available on Europeana.

Join us at the Ennis Book Club Festival 2009

Love to read? Then why not combine your love of reading with a great weekend away? The Ennis Book Club Festival, run in association with Clare County Library, is a unique literary and social gathering for book clubs and book lovers everywhere. The programme has a very broad brief, reflecting the reading passions and interests of the many people who attend the festival. It covers a wide and eclectic mix of writings including fiction, poetry, crime, short stories, food, memoir etc. Diverse themes are celebrated and explored through readings, lectures, workshops, debates, music, cookery demonstrations and even chocolate tastings! The festival also includes walking tours, advice on organising book clubs and reading lists, and opportunities to meet other Book Club members. The ideal recipe for a superb short break in the west of Ireland! Authors/speakers confirmed as of November 2008 include John Boyne, Jennifer Johnston, Salley Vickers, Gerard Donovan, Gerry Stembridge, Kevin Myers, Conor O’Clery, Mark O’Halloran, Aifric Campbell, Allan Guthrie, Rita Ann Higgins, Medbh McGuckian, Micheal O’Siadhail and others. Join us in Ennis from 6 – 8 March 2009 to share a joy of reading and to have a weekend break with friends in one of Ireland’s most picturesque towns. Further details at www.ennisbookclubfestival.com

The Witch’s Children Go To School

When little Gemma is afraid of starting school, the eldest witch’s child thinks she will solve the problem by turning her into an ogre. She hadn’t thought that this might scare her classmates so now it’s the turn of the second witch’s child to solve this problem. And she does, by changing the other pupils into storybook characters. Frogs, footmen, squirrels are everywhere. Young readers will thoroughly enjoy the zany storyline and teachers will particularly enjoy what the Little One does when the school inspector calls! Russell Ayto’s hilarious illustrations ideally match the author’s whacky storyline, to create a very original account of a different day at school, before everything returns reassuringly to normality. The Witch’s Children Go To School by Ursula Jones, published by Orchard Books in 2008, was the winner of the Funniest Book for Children Aged Six and Under in the recent inaugural Roald Dahl Funny Prize.

Biographies for Christmas

Books are always a welcome gift to receive at Christmas and publishers ensure that there is always a good supply of biographies from which to choose. This year’s offerings include books by some of Ireland’s biggest stars and should provide something to suit even the most difficult person on your shopping list. There is plenty of choice for sports fans wishing to find an autobiography in their Christmas stocking this year. Both Ronan O’Gara and Anthony Foley (Axel) have written books on their careers to date and offer real insights into the world of Irish rugby at the highest level. Final Whistle by Paddy Russell covers his 30 year stint as a GAA referee. Sonia by Sonia O’Sullivan takes us behind the scenes of international athletics and behind the mask of a brilliant, vulnerable sportswoman. Ronnie will delight not just music fans but anyone who was touched by the much loved Ronnie Drew, who died recently. His autobiography was completed by his son and daughter. Staying in the world of entertainment, Would the Real Gerry Ryan Please Stand Up features the broadcaster’s views on life, the universe and everything. Fans of Joe Dolan will find Joe Dolan by Ronan Casey to be hugely entertaining and a fitting tribute to a beloved performer. For those with an interest in politics, Brian Cowen by Jason O’Toole follows the Taoiseach’s life story from his early childhood in Clara right up to his early months in the hot seat. Jack Lynch by Dermot Keogh is an authoritative portrait of the man who spent two terms as Taoiseach. Tim Pat Coogan’s memoir reveals both the public and private lives of one of Ireland’s most influential commentators. Stepping Stones by Dennis O’Driscoll is a series of interviews with Seamus Heaney recounting his life and work in a lively and eloquent manner. Great Irish Lives is an unique collection of obituaries of Ireland’s most distinguished individuals from the last two centuries. The Limerick lawyer, John Devane, has written a harrowing and painfully honest story of how his childhood was destroyed by sexual abuse. Nobody Heard Me Cry is an unforgettable story of survival and hope in the bitterest of circumstances.

The Roald Dahl Funny Prize

The winners of the inaugural Roald Dahl Funny Prize were announced in London on November the 13th. The winner of the Funniest Book for Children Aged Six and Under was The Witch’s Children go to School by Ursula Jones and the winner of the Funniest Book for Children Aged Seven to Fourteen was "Mr. Gum and the Dancing Bear" by Andy Stanton, who has won numerous awards for his "Mr. Gum" books. The winners were presented with a cheque for £2,500 at a ceremony at the Unicorn Theatre, London. Michael Rosen, chair of the judging panel which included Ireland’s own funny man Dara O’Briain had the following to say about the winning books;
“The Witch's Children Go To School is a rumbustious tale in the tradition of mishievous spirits causing mayhem and disorder where it's least wanted. Every page shouts with the sound of chaos and surprise.”
“Andy Stanton has developed a comic style all of his own, full of ludicrous similes, uproarious bathos, absurdity and grossness. Mr Gum and the Dancing Bear fulfils the requirement that a truly funny novel should have at least a laugh a page and a gasp-making denouement.”
The full judging panel comprised the author Sophie Dahl, the comedian Dara O’Briain, author Kaye Umansky and author, illustrator and political cartoonist Chris Riddell.
The panel was chaired by the Children’s Laureate Michael Rosen.

Healthy Reading at the Library

Clare County Library this week launched our latest book promotion – the “Healthy Reading” scheme. The aim of the scheme is to make high quality self-help books more accessible to families and adults experiencing mild to moderate emotional problems. The scheme has run successfully in the UK for some time and is now being introduced in some Irish Libraries. All families have questions or difficulties from time to time and many people develop emotional or psychological problems at some stage during their lives. Very few, however, will come in contact with a mental health professional or have access to the psychological treatments that have consistently been shown to be highly effective in treating depression, anxiety and other conditions. There's a growing belief among health professionals that self-help books can really assist with issues like depression, anorexia, bereavement etc. But they have to be good quality books. The books on this scheme have been specially selected and recommended by GPs, psychologists, counsellors, psychotherapists and other health professionals. The term used for delivering psychological therapy by means of books is “bibliotherapy” and the effectiveness of bibliotherapy has been well established in many clinical trials. The best books can produce results comparable to those of drug therapy or psychotherapy. In the UK bibliotherapy has been recommended by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE). It can be used as a stand alone intervention, for clients presenting with milder clinical problems, or in addition to prescribed medication or counselling, or as a waiting list intervention. A booklist covering various topics such as depression, bereavement, self esteem, anorexia, stress etc. has been compiled and is available, along with the recommended books, throughout the Library service in Clare. Why not drop in to your local library and find out more?