Blogs & Podcasts

Find early literacy tips and children's books on the Children's Blog. Discover your next great read on the Books Movies Music Blog. Dig into Nashville history with the Community History Blog. Listen to stories, history, and culture on NPL Podcasts. Please see this Note for Readers.

A baseball with a bat behind it.
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America's Pastime, baseball, is starting up. Picture yourself in the stadium. Smell the hot dogs and hear the crunch of peanut shells as their trampled. Now, pick up one of these books and enjoy!
Movie theatre snack counter.
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Believe it or not, many movies are adapted from books. More recently, several of those movies were once Young Adult books. Here's a list of upcoming feature films that are based on Young Adult novels.
Podcast
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Legends of Film: Peter Medak

During this episode we talk to director Peter Medak. Mr. Medak’s film credits include The Ruling Class, The Krays, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Medak discusses working with notable actors such as Glenda Jackson and Helen Mirren, his experience directing episodes of two critically acclaimed TV series: Hannibal and Breaking Bad, and finally, his justification for making another film adaptation of The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

book cover for manifest destiny. Seven characters in action with weaponry.
The worst thing about history is its lack of monsters. There’s Hitler, of course, the gold standard of historical bad guys, but when I say monsters I mean MONSTERS--mysterious, possibly hairy and/or scaly creatures of unknown origin, things you run from in the night and hope aren’t lurking under your bed. Unfortunately, monsters like Hitler are real and those other guys aren’t, but that leads us to the best thing about history: you don’t have to let facts get in the way of telling a good story.
Podcast
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Legends of Film: Steve Carver

During this episode we talk to Director Steve Carver. Carver’s film credits include Big Bad Mama, Capone, and Lone Wolf McQuade. Carver discusses working with the legendary filmmaker Roger Corman, and explains why it’s NOT a good idea to take over a film from another director.

Cover for "Stars My Destination".
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Suppose you were stranded in the scattered, floating remains of a demolished space vessel. Barely surviving by sheer will, hoping for rescue and constantly disappointed, hovering close to death for no less than 170 days…would you begrudge a passing ship that took notice of you but continued on its way? And what would you do about it?