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May 27, 2021

In 2020, Taylor Swift released two albums, folklore and evermore, to critical acclaim. But her 2019 album Lover isn't one to be ignored. In fact, it just might be her best album. 

 

May 31, 2021

Just the Good Stuff has this magical quality where everything you make is somehow better than it ought to be.

April 25, 2021

Scott Carey looks normal, yet he is gradually losing more and more weight. The problem is he has no idea why this is happening, and he is scare of what might happen when the scale reads zero.

February 23, 2021

Wonder Woman’s place in DC’s trinity--along with Batman and Superman--has never been in doubt, but finding a story which suis not only her messy backstory but also the near-omnipotence of her powers has proved difficult for many creators.

February 22, 2021

Panel Discussion is a monthly book club for adults focused exclusively on comics and graphic novels. We meet (virtually) at 12pm on the first Wednesday of every month. 

March 04, 2021

The newest entry to the popular Best American series, Best American Food Writing started in 2018 with Ruth Reichl as the first editor and has been consistently outstanding.

February 10, 2021

Rob Liefeld's 1990s creation John Prophet character was reimagined in 2012 to great effect by a new generation of comics creators. 

December 09, 2020

It's insane that Eurocentric beauty standards have made people of the African diaspora think that their natural hair and skin color are unpresentable. --Me

January 07, 2021

If you feel yourself withdrawing from others right now after months of limited social interaction, I highly recommend this book.  

January 04, 2021

The difficult periods of life will hurt, but beauty can still found within them. Katherine May recounts a painful season and the inevitability of sadness in her nonfiction book Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times.   

December 18, 2020

If the commercial demands of winter holidays stress you out, December 2020 offers the chance to embrace a new way to be present with the season.

December 06, 2020

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned...especially when the woman scorned is a witch.  Maria Owen navigates joy, pain, and the trials and tribulations that come with love in Alice Hoffman's Magic Lessons.  

December 03, 2020

Here are two novels, a short story collection, three nonfiction books, and four movies that I wish had gotten more attention in this overwhelming year.  With a special focus on women authors and actors!
 

October 26, 2020

It’s open enrollment season for the health insurance Marketplace (“Obamacare”). Learn more about the benefits of Marketplace plans, and get local, 1-on-1 enrollment help starting November 2. 

October 16, 2020

A house that's "sick with rot, stinks of decay, booms with every single evil and cruel sentiment" would definitely get a five star rating on a "terrifying vacation destinations" booking site; and it is the absolute perfect setting for Sylvia Moreno-Garcia's chilling 2020 novel.

September 28, 2020

Harleen has spent her whole psychiatric career trying to understand and rehabilitate criminals. She's now in Arkham Asylum, interviewing the most deranged and maladaptive criminals anyone has ever seen, but one stands out above the rest:The Joker. With strange dreams come intense longing and obsession for the good doctor's Mr. Jay. This is Harleen's fall, and the rise of Harley Quinn.

September 03, 2020

Almost six months into constant cooking, you may feel in need of some inspiration.  Luckily, NPL has lots of eBook cookbooks that you can access immediately!

August 07, 2020

Vaccines have worked to stop the spread of serious diseases in recent history. All eyes are on the race to develop one for the virus that causes COVID-19. 

July 07, 2020

The toxic stress that Black, indigenous, people of color (BIPOC) experience from racism is known to cause chronic mental and physical health problems. National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month brings attention to this issue.

June 10, 2020

When kids learn and succeed in the kitchen it gives them confidence to try new foods and to be creative. A new series from Nashville Kids Cook provides a chance to learn these skills!

June 01, 2020

Frank Cotton is a hedonist. Frank Cotton is done with the paltry pleasures of this world, and is determined to find pleasure from beyond the human realm. Frank Cotton regrets that decision.

May 25, 2020

Drawing can help us express and process our emotions. It's also a popular way to share personal stories of illness, and to learn about health.

May 18, 2020

Since May is Mental Health Awareness Month, I think now is a good time to revisit one of my favorite subjects: being good to yourself.

May 14, 2020

Did you know that Asian Pacific American Heritage month is traditionally celebrated in May? This year, we might not be able to throw a big party, but that doesn’t mean we can’t get our Asian Pacific American read on.

April 25, 2020

How does a vacation to a far-off destination sound to you? Maybe with a beautiful, sandy beach or a picturesque french countryside; amazing right? And also not physically feasible for most people right now. But that doesn't mean you can't still go to these places, just check out one of these books. 

April 20, 2020

With Earth Day just around the corner, let's take a look at some ideas for easy, around-the-house activities you can do to help out the planet.

April 14, 2020

During these times of sheltering at home, patrons and staff alike are missing regular in-person library programming. Here at NPL in 2020, we also had to postpone special in-person library events for the year's Nashville Reads title, Dreamers by Yuyi Morales. While that is sad, the good news is that you can still enjoy books and activities inspired by the marvelous Yuyi Morales's works while you're at home! 

April 04, 2020
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Jessamyn Stanley speaks about how she got started on her yoga journey. She also speaks about how readers can get started on their own yoga journeys.

March 30, 2020
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We're turning off holds while we're closed. How do you keep track of books you want to read and movies you want to watch if you can’t put them on hold? Use the My Lists feature in our web catalog!

March 30, 2020

Even with all this free time, it can still be tough to find the motivation to write or get our kids to write. Here are a few of my favorite writing prompts to get the pen to the paper.

March 29, 2020

This is a great collection for the ghost story neophyte or for the old hand at enjoying ghost stories.  The editors present a collection that includes both classic and new tales from established authors in the genre. In bringing these masterful tales back from the dead, Ghost Stories will enlighten and frighten both longtime fans and new readers of the genre.

March 25, 2020

Periods of self-distancing and isolation can make us feel anxious and BORED. Here are some recommendations for ebooks that help you fill the time with activity or stillness.

March 21, 2020

If you weren't able to check out any physical books from the Library before self-isolating at home, or perhaps the one you have hasn't turned out to be very good - don't worry! Here are some recommendations for titles to check out NOW from the Library's Overdrive page. 

March 16, 2020

When it seems like everything has changed and nothing will ever be the same, books can be a welcome constant.

February 23, 2020

I’m really a ghost story kind of guy, but the title of this book intrigued me:  Mystery Writers of America Presents VENGEANCE, edited by Lee Child.  I remembered really fun stories about vengeance from my high school teaching days—“The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe sticking out most in my mind.

February 16, 2020

You know when you pick it up that a book whose writer has won the Nobel Prize in Literature is going to be an important read.  I picked up The Fifth Child by Doris Lessing because it piqued my curiosity. 

January 20, 2020

It's been 26 years in the making, but 2020 will be the year I finally learn to ride a bike - with the library's help of course.

January 17, 2020

What's good about frigid and dreary winter weather? It's the perfect excuse to curl up with a good book.

Check out this wealth of recommendations from some of our bloggers, and find out a bit more about them as you do.

December 23, 2019

Well folks here we are at the end of another year. I've laughed, I've cried, and I've definitely hit my reading goal. Let me tell you all about my 2019 stand outs.

December 09, 2019

My favorite holiday tradition is watching an old Fruity Pebbles commercial in which Barney Rubble, disguised as Santa, tries to steal Fred Flintstone’s cereal. 

November 25, 2019

Not sure what to bring to the table this Thanksgiving? Don't worry—I've got you covered.

November 21, 2019
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I love love love cozy mysteries. These books and shows are what I consume after reading and/or watching my other favorite genres—Horror and SciFi. Cozies are what I cozy up to when I’m feeling too exhausted and stressed. They are also what I go to if I don’t want to be overwhelmed by too graphic or too explicit content. All the TV series mentioned have books associated with the series. All of the series mentioned here are available from Nashville Public Library!

November 08, 2019

Even though most of Joan Samson's novel The Auctioneer takes place during the three seasons of the year that aren't winter, it possesses a bleak and chilly atmosphere that might as well be the coldest day in January.

November 07, 2019

A cookbook, an essay collection, a chef memoir, and a book by a James Beard Award-winning food journalist.

October 03, 2019

Mark your calendars! The Southern Festival of Books is October 11-13.  The festival takes place at Nashville Public Library and War Memorial Plaza and is free and open to the public.

September 23, 2019

In about a month, Silicon Valley will start its last season on HBO. Here's why you should get caught up before it ends.

September 19, 2019

Ronald Wimberly has gathered and presents quotes from a dozen black luminaries in mutliple fields. He provides illustrations of each person, some background information, and their most memorable quotes.

September 09, 2019

Right now, in the Pacific Ocean, is a widening gyre of plastic garbage, and among the junk food wrappers are heaps of forsaken toys, broken, exploded by firecrackers, and forgotten by spoiled children across the world. Intrepid explorers through this archaeological landscape will be able to timestamp their findings to the early to mid-1980s when they stumble upon the impressive figure of He-Man.

September 08, 2019

As a self-proclaimed “foodie,” I love trying new cookbooks and learning from different chefs. I recently discovered local Nashville chef and author Laura Lea Bryant, and her cookbook has quickly become a favorite.

September 05, 2019

It’s almost fall, which means it’s almost time to curl up with a blanket and hot chocolate and read some classics!  Here are some lesser-known suggestions.

September 01, 2019

Emily Guendelsberger spent several months working at an Amazon fulfillment center in Kentucky, a Convergys call center in North Carolina, and a McDonald’s in San Francisco.  Her account of this time is an enraging, eye-opening, essential book.

August 01, 2019

This novel was completely insane in the very best possible way. 

July 24, 2019

For two nights in January 1972, Aretha Franklin joined voices with the Southern California Community Choir at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles. The recording event was filmed and after thirty-plus years of legal wrangling, it is finally available to wow us all.

July 18, 2019

Warmer temperatures and longer days outside increase the risk for dehydration, especially for those in vulnerable populations like children and the elderly. If plain water isn’t your thing, check out these tips and tricks to maintain good hydration throughout the day.

July 08, 2019

Science fiction writers of the past dreamed of futures, dark and bright, in which humans traveled to the stars, colonized other worlds, and encountered aliens both friendly and deadly. In all their imaginings, did they ever see their genre--ghettoized for so long as just that, genre fiction, said with a sneer--gaining prominence, even prevalence in the culture?

July 04, 2019

Lieutenant Jacqueline 'Jack' Daniels' is a homicide detective whose personal life is perpetually in shambles. Unfortunately, fixing her life has to be put on the back-burner while she tries to deal with the maniacal killers running around her city.

 

June 20, 2019

This is the funniest and most enjoyable book I’ve read this year.  If you’re a little misanthropic and have a vacation coming up, you need to place your hold now.

June 10, 2019

Science fiction teaches us not to bother. Don’t investigate that derelict spaceship. Don’t try to figure out what “soylent green” is, because figuring stuff out only causes trouble. Sure, there are wonderful discoveries to be made, but sometimes it’s important for buried secrets to remain hidden, deep in the ground.

June 06, 2019

You’ve probably heard about the upcoming movie versions of The Woman in the Window, The Goldfinch, and Where’d You Go, Bernadette.  But are you ready for Lovecraft Country and Motherless Brooklyn?

 

June 02, 2019

One cannot, I think, err when choosing to read one of Joyce Carol Oates’ anthologies of stories.    This volume, Haunted:  Tales of the Grotesque, is as good as any other at introducing the reader to one of the great anthologists and short fiction writers of the last century. Winner of several  O. Henry awards for her short fiction, Oates has also received the Rea Award for Achievement in the Short Story.  Oates clearly knows her way around the shadows and mists on the dark side of the imagination.

May 28, 2019

When we think of raising children to be the best that they can be, we think of teaching them every single thing we can stretch into our time. Oftentimes, when we talk about teaching them the things they need to know, we think of popular mainstream subjects such as math, reading, science, and history. But, we also need to be encouraging them to be what they want to be, growing up and finding what makes them happy too.

May 20, 2019

Happy Asian and Pacific American Heritage Month! To celebrate, let me share with you one of my all-time favorite novels.

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May 19, 2019
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This book is a hugely entertaining work of pop history that traces the use of poison as a political—and cosmetic—tool in royal courts, from western Europe in the Middle Ages to today’s Kremlin. 

May 06, 2019
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Ten years ago aliens came down to earth and deemed humanity as not alive. Humanity has spent a decade studying these aliens, and grappling with the stunning fact that we are not alone and are unworthy of the aliens' time.

May 05, 2019

With another new episode of Game of Thrones airing tonight, and the series' end coming in just a few weeks, here are a couple of titles to binge and fill the void.

May 03, 2019
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Pulitzer Prize-winning author Alison Lurie offers here nine spooky tales of women  haunted by ghosts-both literal and metaphysical.  There is no clue, or introduction, to tell us why the focus is on women, only the stories, each with a female protagonist, grappling somewhere between the natural and the supernatural, the definite and the not-quite-defined.

April 22, 2019

As you have probably guessed, I read an incredible amount of young adult fiction and classic literature. But did you know personal essays are in my top 3 favorite genres? Check out some of my favorite writers.

April 21, 2019

Genetics is one piece of personal health and can help you understand your risk for inherited disease. Creating a simple medical family tree is considered one of the best genetic tests to share with your doctor. Best of all, it's free!

April 19, 2019
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It seems that many of the authors of ghost stories—including M.R. James and H.P. Lovecraft—point to the stories of Sheridan Le Fanu as the preeminent masterpieces of the genre.  As a ghost story enthusiast, it took me some time to get to him in my “studies,” but the wait and the reward were both well worth the wait.  In a Glass Darkly contains six stories considered by critics to be among Le Fanu’s best works. 

April 15, 2019

I love this cookbook because instead of offering specific recipes, it teaches you how to pair ingredients, often without a trip to the grocery store!

April 08, 2019

Conspiracy theories are beautiful and dangerous. Beautiful because they connect dots across social, political, and cultural spheres, creating a mosaic of intentions which seems deliberate. They’re dangerous for the exact same reasons. 

April 05, 2019
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What a great book of stories for the ghost story enthusiast who wants something different than the Victorian classics!  Editor Ellen Datlow says this collection of stories is designed to be scary—and indeed, even the most self-composed reader may find the hair rising and the skin creeping over this collection.

March 25, 2019

New to the world of anime and manga? So am I! Here are just a few reasons why you should give them a try.

February 17, 2019
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Do you feel like a captive to your phone?  You may want to check out this book.

February 10, 2019

Heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death in the United States, and 1 in 3 adults will be diagnosed in their lifetime. Show your heart a little love during American Heart Month with these healthy habit ideas and resources.

February 01, 2019

The announcement of the Caldecott, Newbery, and other recipients of the American Library Association (ALA) Youth Media Awards is a cause for celebration! Did your favorites win? Or what books will now be on your reading list? Check out our round-up (with links to our collection) below

January 31, 2019

I've taken quite a few literature classes in my day, and while some texts were a struggle to read (I still don't really know what happened in The Faerie Queene), others I couldn't put down. Here are a few of my favorite "required reading" books and their movie adaptations.

January 21, 2019

A fresh new year means it is time to set a fresh new reading goal. Whether you are hoping to finally break 100 books read in a year, or you are hoping to finish at least one book this year, here are a few ways you and I can reach our goals.

January 13, 2019

A planet covered in darkness and filled with monsters can be a serious impediment to true love.

January 03, 2019

All three of these books were very well-reviewed, but sadly are not racking up the holds queues that they deserve! Please consider helping to remedy that situation.

December 17, 2018

This year has been full of great reads. I found some excellent new series, a couple of graphic novels that made me cry, and lots of amazing YA novels. Here are some of my most favorite reads from 2018.

December 07, 2018
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When it’s cold outside, the sun refuses to show, and no amount of hot tea is enough to cure your winter-time blues: it might be time to warm up from the inside out with a good book. 

December 06, 2018

The year’s not quite over, but here are my top 5 picks in fiction, nonfiction, and movies, in no particular order:

November 29, 2018

Since 1988, December 1 has been World AIDS Day. Help break down stigma by checking out some library material on HIV/AIDS health information, its history and early activism, and the personal experiences of people living with and affected by this virus. 

November 21, 2018

During our annual Thanksgiving feasts, we gather around the table with those we love, and indulge in rich and delicious tradition. Health isn’t always the priority during the holidays, so here are a few simple tips and cookbook suggestions to make your Thanksgiving Day a little healthier.

November 20, 2018

As of today, there are just 10 more days till NaNoWriMo 2018 comes to an end and all of the word goals must be met. Here are a few non-writing tricks to help you push through these last couple of weeks.

November 05, 2018

It’s the time of year for feeling grateful. But let’s face it: with today’s busy lifestyle, even the best of us can have a tough time tapping into the “attitude of gratitude.” These books from NPL’s collection might help. From meditations on thankfulness to the essentials of mindfulness practice, these reads offer practical ways to focus on what matters and harness gratitude.

October 11, 2018

Welcome to Shocktober! (Thunder crashes) Today for your horrific pleasure, I bring you – THE FEMALE BRAIN! (Bwa-ha-ha)

September 30, 2018
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How can manga show us not just great stories, but deep characters as well? Find out inside as we look at some highly recommended dramatic manga series!

September 24, 2018

“...that country where it is always turning late in the year. That country where the hills are fog and the rivers are mist; where noons go quickly, dusks and twilights linger, and midnights stay.”

September 17, 2018

Pumpkin spice, hayrides, and sweater weather - oh my! Fall is just around the corner, and it's time to get cozy. Here are a few books I'm going to indulge in.

August 27, 2018

If you're looking for something exciting to read, I suggest browsing in the Young Adult section. Don't think reading about teenage drama is for you? Let me tell you, YA is so much more, and there is something for everyone.

August 13, 2018

Once, at a punk rock show in Kentucky, the lead singer of a Nashville band lamented the small turnout of the crowd. “I think Kentucky is more Southern than Tennessee,” he said. 

July 30, 2018
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Take a look into the world of manga genres by diving in and learning about Shojo, one of the most popular types of manga publications, and some shining examples!

July 23, 2018

UK's most intrepid musical occultists present four extended tones intended for spiritual transportation.

June 25, 2018
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Chances are good that you’ve heard library music at some point in your life and not known it.

June 07, 2018

The new Benedict Cumberbatch adaptation on Showtime is an excellent excuse to finally get around to reading Edward St. Aubyn.  

June 03, 2018

If you’ve already been to your local multiplex to experience avengers, wookies, and dinosaurs in action, get ready for something completely different: Movies @ Main’s Noir Summer. 

May 31, 2018

If you want a straight-up, studio-jam experience of the legendary Memphis music scene, this DVD will not disappoint you and will leave you wanting more and more and more...

May 28, 2018

Do you love Giant Robots? Drama? Larger than Life Action? Look no further than these excellent entries into one of the grandest animated series in all of Japan!

May 23, 2018

Philip Roth, America’s best-known writer of Jewish angst and second-best-known native son of New Jersey, died Tuesday evening at age 85.

May 17, 2018

Punk rock is the voice of the silenced. It rises in troubling times, disquiets in times of peace.  We take a look at some of  Nashville Public Library's most punk rock books by pioneers who were there for its rise, its fall, and its revival. After all, libraries are punk: what's more punk than free access to information?

May 03, 2018
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In The Recovering, author Leslie Jamison confronts her own alcoholism with the help of a chorus of famous drinking writers: Raymond Carver, Jean Rhys, Charles Jackson, and Denis Johnson, to name a few.  

April 26, 2018
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The book or the movie? An eternal question always likely to instigate some lively debate, although most folks will probably side more often with the book. And every now and then they’re definitely both worth heralding, which is the case here.

April 16, 2018

David Sedaris is set to visit Music City next week. Before he comes, here are a few of his essays and collections I consider "Required Reading."

April 12, 2018

To get ready for the upcoming release of Deadpool 2: The Search for More Money*, we're looking back at the movie career of Deadpool himself, Mr. Ryan Reynolds.

April 09, 2018

I’ve been wrong about a lot of things. The first time I used the internet I typed “X-Men” into a search engine and, finding the results unsatisfactory, said, “This will never catch on.”

April 08, 2018
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Johnny Smith wakes up from a coma to find everything around him changed, including himself.

March 29, 2018

Ah, here is something to be savored and enjoyed!  I make no bones about Flamenco’s being my favorite art form, but biases aside, this is a magnificent, gorgeous, jaw-dropping film by a master director, Carlos Saura.

March 15, 2018
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Searching for manga that will invigorate and fill your craving for adventure? Look no further than these two highly recommended series!

March 11, 2018

An award winning game designer tells what it was like to be at the center of Gamer Gate.

March 08, 2018

No, his mind is not for rent. To any God or government...

March 01, 2018

Are you trying to up the number of vegetarian meals that you eat each week?  Or just to eat less in general?  This beautifully designed cookbook will give you the inspiration you need.

February 25, 2018
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John Buchan's The Thirty-Nine Steps (and its multiple subsequent film and television versions) is likely the work most closely associated with his name.

January 25, 2018

A movie about a musical about one hit wonders with JC Chasez and Topher Grace? Yes please.

January 24, 2018
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Visionary science fiction and fantasy author Ursula K. Le Guin has passed away at the age of 88.

January 14, 2018

As a new year dawns, so do the opportunities to seek and find new connections! These manga series look into two vastly different ways of how sometimes relationships get complicated!

January 04, 2018
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Was your New Year’s resolution to be kinder to people?  You should read this book.

January 02, 2018
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Sue Grafton, author of the Kinsey Millhone alphabet mysteries and legendary pioneer for women in detective fiction, died last week at the age of 77.  

December 25, 2017
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Agatha Christie may have secured eternal recognition for a classic murder mystery involving a train and copious amounts of snow, but she wasn't the only skilled mystery writer of yesteryear to use those elements in service to an enjoyably twisty adventure.

December 11, 2017

Working in a library is a gift. There are no door-buster sales, no agitated customers (okay, maybe a few), and no Black Friday shenanigans. Instead of trampling over one another, our patrons wait patiently for the latest best sellers. Best of all, everything is free.

November 29, 2017

Rashad "thaPoet" Rayford shares his reading list for those who wish to further explore activism and civil rights in literature.

November 09, 2017

Welcome to Part #2 of my NaNoWriMo series. We are now nine days into NaNoWriMo, and at roughly 2,000 words a day, you should have written about 18,000 words. Are you keeping pace? Need help?

November 05, 2017

As the days get shorter and Halloween is not too distant in the past, let us preview some manga tales of the supernatural. One of these manga is an all-time classic, the other is still publishing! Join us as we journey into the unknown world of monsters and spirits!

November 02, 2017

Doesn’t the cooler weather make you want to get out the crockpot and start roasting vegetables?  Check out these three recent cookbooks for ideas.

October 31, 2017
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Short stories are one of the best ways to quickly inject some pleasurable fear into your veins this time of year.

October 19, 2017
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Greetings!  I’m always up for a good scare or haunting, and when this book came sliding through my hands, I set it aside out of a sense of duty because I am the Yankee who has lived here for twenty-five years and still doesn’t know enough about the Bell Witch to sound respectable around a cracker barrel.  

October 12, 2017

It’s almost that time of year again. We’ll soon know who is going to play in the World Series. Will the Cubs repeat or will it be another 108 years until we once again know the joy of victory?

October 05, 2017

Have you picked out who you’re going to see at the Southern Festival of Books October 13-15?
The festival is free and open to the public, and sessions take place at the Main Library and War Memorial Auditorium.

October 04, 2017

Last week, libraries nationwide celebrated Banned Books week.
This week, Nashville Public Library uniquely celebrates BAND Books.

October 01, 2017
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As a former high school teacher who served up Nathaniel Hawthorne to juniors via The Scarlet Letter for many years, I have a love relationship with Hawthorne’s extensive and beautiful vocabulary.  

September 28, 2017

The birthday train rolls on and the music theme continues. 

September 18, 2017

Who doesn’t love a haunted house story? This fall, as we head towards Halloween, watch the blog for reviews of great spooky reads.

The Haunting of Hill House is one of them, and one of the best examples I know of a “page turner.” I first came to know this story as a young child....

September 11, 2017

There’s a scene in Karin Tidbeck’s Amatka where the main character, Vanja, goes into a locked archive in her office to file papers and surreptitiously search for secret details about her commune’s past. Outside, a stern secretary watches the clock to ensure Vanja doesn’t spend too much time alone with these secrets.

September 10, 2017
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As summer turns to fall and everyone is back in school, we all face new challenges, difficulties, and tests in life. Usually everyone falls back on their friends to help them during these times and their friends are there for them. So what happens when the challenges are a little...alien?! Find out in this Manga Exploration!

September 06, 2017

1 in 5 adults in the United States will experience a serious mental health issue in their lifetime. Though stigma and shame can prevent us from seeking help, NPL and the local mental health service community are here to provide information, validation, and hope.

August 28, 2017

If today you were to spot a kid walking around and talking to themselves, you'd probably reasonably conclude that they were imaginative.

August 21, 2017
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Tony Chu is a cibopathic by-the-book cop who gets recruited by the Food and Drug Adminitstration to take care of some fowl business.

August 09, 2017

Glen Campbell died yesterday. While his death was not unexpected, it does give us pause to look back on his stellar career and graceful goodbye.

August 03, 2017

Whether you're pressed for time or need some vacation reading, short stories are the answer.

August 02, 2017
He wrote with Bob Dylan, played Dolly Parton’s husband, penned prize-winning off-Broadway plays and maintained a dignity to his work through the years that never betrayed his rough beginnings. When you consider a modern day Renaissance man, you could easily be referring to Sam Shepard. 

 

July 31, 2017

The end of Summer Challenge is bittersweet. It means school is starting up and the prizes have all been awarded. The good news is there’s a new Star Trek show premiering this fall, with a whole new cast and a whole new mission. Before the franchise begins this new chapter, let’s take another look at its past.

July 27, 2017

Six Scary Stories is a collection of horror short stories, hand-picked by Stephen King. Each tale takes the mundane and turns it into something horrifying!

July 06, 2017

Red alert!  There’s an incredible recent movie that you probably missed.

July 03, 2017

What happens if all your dreams come true when you're still teenager? Usually, you become Justin Bieber. Wil Wheaton avoided the path taken by most child actors, but his journey was still as bumpy as it was beautiful.

July 02, 2017
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Are you feeling the need for the regal in your reading life? Are you looking for manga that leaves a feel-good warmth with some laughs and drama along the way? Do we have some good news: it’s once again time to provide you with a classic and a popular manga to add to your lists!

This post's theme is stronger heroines, conquering their fears and defying limitations that imposed on them by others. One has the Princess due to a family title and the other has the title that they have given themselves. That being said, both of them hold the right to refer to themselves as Princesses at heart.

June 26, 2017

Ancestral homes often have a habit of feeling haunted, and when they appear in stories that mix the Southern Gothic genre with the supernatural, you can bet they probably are. 

June 21, 2017

With 16 free, weekly classes to choose from, get out your mat (or borrow one of ours) and join NPL for a summer of yoga! We've also got books and DVDs you can use at home.

June 19, 2017

Summer Challenge is the perfect time to do things with your family. Your space family from Star Trek: The Next Generation that is.

May 25, 2017

I laughed while driving in traffic. Yeah. It's that funny. (I was listening to the audio version. Don't freak out.)

May 07, 2017

Are you feeling like taking a manga break in the middle of a busy schedule of work and bustle? Again we take the time to compare an absolute must-read manga with an up-and-coming manga series. In this edition, we compare the classic slice of life manga Azumanga Daioh with the recently published Kiniro Mosaic!

 

May 04, 2017

This is my favorite type of nonfiction, where you learn a ton of stuff while laughing.

April 26, 2017

Jonathan Demme, Academy Award winner for Best Director for Silence of the Lambs, died today at age 73.

April 20, 2017

Animanga month is every March at Nashville Public Library. By now, you may need new ideas about what to read in the manga world. What to read among the hundreds of series that come out in a year? Look no further for something a little older along with something newly released in America!

April 16, 2017

Let me start out by saying that I usually have a harder time focusing on essay books, which may or may not be attributed to some mild attention problems. However, I loved every moment of Alan Cumming’s essays in You Gotta Get Bigger Dreams. 

 

April 10, 2017

Thirty years after the release of his most famous work, most people still don’t know the name Koji Kondo. This installment of the 33 ⅓ series goes a long way toward correcting that.

March 26, 2017

Want to improve your fitness but low on time? High intensity interval training, or HIIT, can help you get just as good of a workout in half the time!

March 16, 2017

She was convicted of murder at age nine. Now she is pregnant and in state custody at age sixteen. If Mary can't trust her mother, her social worker, or her own memory, how will she survive and make a better life for her and her baby?

February 20, 2017

African-American chefs, dietitians, and activists shed light on the health benefits of a plant-based diet, and its cultural ties to African and Carribean heritage.

February 19, 2017

Greetings!  I’m always up for a good scare or haunting, and when this book came sliding through my hands, I set it aside out of a sense of duty because I am the Yankee who has lived here for twenty-five years and still doesn’t know enough about the Bell Witch to sound respectable around a cracker barrel. 

February 06, 2017

John Olson of the band Wolf Eyes reviews one record per day for one year... from the best in death metal demo tapes to thrift store bin gospel.

February 02, 2017

This March 7 release will be one of the big hits of the season--put your copy on hold now!

January 25, 2017

Yeah, cheesy title. We know. But, want to know more about the woman who set the standard for women's early roles in television? We've got you covered.

January 23, 2017
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Frank's sole purpose in life is to experience the pleasures of the world, without consequence. Frank's brother just wants to be good husband, and live a quiet domestic life. Frank's actions pull his family into a horrifying world full of horror.

January 05, 2017

If your New Year’s resolution was to cook at home more often, this is the cookbook for you.

December 29, 2016
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Mkombozi was supposed to be Theia's savior, but destroyed it instead. Now, it has fallen to Eden to save Earth from the same fate that befell Theia, whether she likes it or not.

December 15, 2016

Unique and frightening, this anomaly of a novel combined mystery and horror to illusory, bewildering effect.

December 01, 2016

It's December, which means it's time for "best of" lists everywhere you look. Hurray!

November 24, 2016
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Not enough poultry in your life? Then you need POYO!!!

November 17, 2016

It's been a rough week: we've lost some talented people. Longing to know more about Gwen Ifill, Leon Russell, Leonard Cohen, or Janet Reno? We offer these selections.

November 03, 2016

Listening to The Bird and the Rifle for the very first time, I spontaneously burst into tears during track six.  That’s some impressive song crafting.

 

October 17, 2016

I love this cookbook for so many reasons--its fun, veggie-filled recipes, its attention to fixed grocery budgets, and its PDF version with a creative commons license for online sharing.

October 13, 2016
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Bob Dylan joins the ranks of previous American laureates in literature--Faulkner, Hemingway, and Steinbeck--with the honor of the Nobel Prize in Literature 2016, "for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition." On the occasion of this award, we offer a Dylan primer.

October 13, 2016
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Happy Artober! Let's celebrate with a book about food math that is so cool, even a nonmath person (like me) will love it!

September 22, 2016

It's Burn Notice meets Psych with just a hint of Jack Bauer for zest. How much better can you get?

September 21, 2016

When was the last time you were stopped in your tracks by a pleonasm or a zeugma? You probably wouldn’t know unless you consulted Mark Forsyth’s The Elements of Eloquence: Secrets of the Perfect Turn of Phrase (Berkley, 2013).

August 22, 2016

Edie has lost everything dear to her since being dragged into the immortal game. Now, she is more determined than ever change the past to prevent the future that she has experienced.

July 31, 2016

Most of us remember laboring through The Odyssey as high school freshmen; we learned at the time that there was another book by Homer—The Iliad—which was about the Trojan War prior to the taking of the City of Troy. If it wasn’t assigned, we didn’t read it, but what an opportunity missed, and how great it is that we can decide to read it as adults! 

July 25, 2016

Do you ever get to the bottom of a page and have no idea what you just read because your mind was wandering? While the book may be interesting, you find yourself worrying about the future or dreaming of the past? Come back to the present moment with the simple practice of mindfulness. 

July 07, 2016

Are you anxiously awaiting your copy of The Girls? Here are a few suggestions to tide you over until your hold arrives.

June 26, 2016

26% of Nashville Public Library visitors do not have internet access at home. Close to 50% use the Library’s internet when they come to our buildings. Without basic internet service at home, people are unable to apply for jobs, complete online homework assignments, or look up needed services.*

May 23, 2016

Good gossip! Here’s a book chock-full of juicy tidbits about the Presidential families, going all the way back to the Truman administration. You'll get to witness first-hand the details of life in the White House during some of its most tense and historical moments: the assassination of President Kennedy, the 9/11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, the Nixon disgrace and resignation, the Clinton sex scandal, told by those who saw the events unfold. These stories add another layer of interest to what we learned about these events through the news media.

May 19, 2016

Texas transplant, song-writer supreme Guy Clark died May 17 at age 74. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriter’s Hall of Fame in 2004.

May 19, 2016

Bright Lights, Dark Nights is a modern tale of first love between star-crossed teen lovers; Walter, the comic book nerd, who loves the Wu-Tang Clan and film noir and Naomi, the athlete, who just so happens to be the sister of Walter’s best friend.

May 08, 2016

Having read The Girl with All the Gifts, I was really excited to pick up the second book under Mike Carey’s new pen name. Mike Carey is very well-known in the comic book scene as the writer for the Vertigo comic book series Lucifer and 35 issues of Hellblazer (which was the basis for both the movie and television show Constantine).  He is the current ongoing writer for X-Men: Legacy and the Ultimate Fantastic Four for Marvel Comics.  These are just a few of his credentials in the world of comic books – he’s written fiction novels, as well.

May 02, 2016

First, I should say that I know this book isn’t new. It came out in 1987 when I was a delicate three-year-old child, who had not quite gotten to chapter books just yet. Misery is a psychological thriller about an author of famous Victorian-era romances who is rescued from a car crash by his number one fan, Annie Wilkes. The only problem? Annie Wilkes is completely off her rocker.

April 19, 2016

Happy Poetry Month! If you're not a big poetry fan, you need to check out Mary Oliver's new book because she'll convert you.

March 22, 2016

What? The library doesn't have enough weather books for you? Have no fear! ILL is here!!!

January 26, 2016

Imagine being a single mother to thirteen girls - all before you turn 21! Not many people would choose that life, but Katie did.

December 22, 2015

Whether you be a Grinch or a Who, tis’ the season to cozy up with a warm blanket, long book and a cup of hot tea.  In keeping with the holiday spirit, we’ve compiled a list of Young Adult books to keep you company as the nights get colder. Sing to the tune of “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”

November 30, 2015

What’s a girl to do when she has to leave her home, move to a strange country, and marry a man she’s never met? What can any woman do when she finds herself miles away from everything she knows, hemmed in on all sides by intrigue and shackled to a man who may be old, ugly, diseased, a drooling imbecile or all four at once? If she’s a queen, she might just take a handsome lover!

November 10, 2015

An original author, creating a fictitious author writing what amounts to fan fiction, that was then borrowed by another fictitious character for more fan fiction, and then back to the original author who took the fictitious author's character and wrote her own fan fiction? What's not to love about that?

October 29, 2015

You might not expect a novel about killer plants to be thoroughly lacking in over-the-top corniness, but John Wyndham's The Day of the Triffids handily pulls it off.

October 13, 2015

When we travelled to Italy, I really wanted to learn more of the language because Italians don’t, as a rule, speak much English. What no one tells you before hand is that Italian is hard to learn. When I came across this book, I was hoping that it would give me the added insight to get better at Italian.

October 01, 2015

We need diverse books! I’m sure you’ve heard this phrase or seen the hashtag on twitter in the past year. Per statistics compiled by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center, only 36 out of 3,500 children and young adult books published in 2014 were written by Latino authors.

September 22, 2015

 A Southern family dynasty romance? I’m so in. I have a real soft spot for Southern literature and family sagas, so to put those together was very exciting.

September 08, 2015

Who do I love? Hmm...let's see. I love my husband. I love my crazy kittens. I love my family. I more than like my job. I love...

Wait.

What?

Oh. Who Do You Love is the title of a book by Jennifer Weiner?

August 25, 2015

A few years ago we all (and I mean ALL of us) geeked out over a little book called Ready Player One. It was an epic battle filled with gaming, fun 80′s stuff, and adventure. It even made our Best of 2012 Popmatic Podcast episode as one of our favorite books of the year. Thanks Crystal for bringing us so much fun and entertainment!

August 15, 2015

Summer is winding down, the days are getting shorter, and the first day of school is just around the corner. Shake off your back to school blues and go on an end-of-summer vacation with a hot YA Road Trip title. Before hitting the open road, don’t forget to fill up the gas tank, pack some snacks, and create the perfect summer playlist.

August 04, 2015

This is a super enjoyable 40 minute PBS documentary (not including voluminous and very worthwhile bonus features) celebrating the rise and fall and ongoing club-like passion for the American station wagon.

July 29, 2015

Working downtown like I do it’s hard...no, nigh unto impossible to ignore the existence of the food truck phenomenon. A few of them even park directly in front of the library on 6th Avenue. And yet…I’ve never officially eaten at one.

July 17, 2015

Our whirlwind library culinary tour continues with one of my favorite ingredients - is it savory or is it sweet? Nope. It's just The Egg.

July 14, 2015

If Julia Child is the grande dame of cooking, then MFK Fisher is her counterpart in the land of food writers. There is no way we could possibly Savor Summer without mentioning her brilliance.

July 11, 2015

In anticipation of the release of the new Harper Lee title, Go set a watchman, you may want to visit the classic, the title by which all American modern fiction is measured, To Kill a Mockingbird. The new title was written before Mockingbird, remained unpublished and is a sequel to Mockingbird, telling the tale of the adult Jean Louise Finch Scout.

July 09, 2015

Food: the final frontier. These are the recipes of the Star Trek Franchise. Its continuing mission: to explore strange new dishes, to seek out new delicacies in new civilizations, to boldly go where no diet has gone before.

July 04, 2015

I came across Scowler while at the library. I did not check it out at that point, because while it piqued my interest, I am always somewhat hesitant to pick up teen novels. Many teen novels that I have read have diverse plots, and are well written. However, I would quickly discover that a major part of the books’ focus are on the main characters’ love lives— a love triangle usually ensues. I like romance in small doses. When I realized this book was a Horror/Suspense novel, I quickly ran to check it out from the library.

July 01, 2015

Kramer has teased readers with this work for thirty years. Four years ago, I mentioned I was anxious for it come out. All 775 pages of Volume 1 have finally arrived. Need blurbs? It’s the gay history of the United States. Kramer’s theories are so controversial his publisher would only release American People as fiction though it started as straight (forgive the pun) nonfiction. 

June 28, 2015

Superhero movies have dominated Hollywood for nearly a decade, but superheroes' popularity is nothing new. Characters like Batman, Captain America, and Wonder Woman have been popular for over seventy years, but many of their caped brethren have fallen through the cracks of history.

June 20, 2015
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The Summer Challenge theme this year is "Every Hero Has a Story." Check out these books with antiheroes - characters who lack conventional superhero characteristics, such as courage, idealism, and morality. You may just find your next favorite read!