In 1824, the English theologian and geologist William Buckland wrote a description of a long dead animal he called a Megalosaurus or “great lizard.” Working from a 166 million year old piece of fossilized jawbone, Buckland imagined an amphibious creature about 60 feet in length and weighing upwards of 3 tons. His description and the naming of Iguanodon just a year later inspired biologist Richard Owen to coin the term Dinosauria to describe this emerging clade of the evolutionary tree.
The author's biographical statement on the back flap of the jacket says that Nuttall has "had a lot of practice at making old words interesting," and it shows. I'd dare say reading this was even fun, along with being fascinating and very pointedly feminist. In this book, she explores the history of English words relating to women, to their bodies, social roles, and more. Specifically, she explores how our language has been shaped by patriarchal attitudes and has in turn worked to reinforce sexism.
If I had to use one word to summarize James by Percivel Everett, it would be stunning. From code switching language, lessons in translation from proper English to "slave talk" (correct incorrect grammar) to appeasing white people to stay safe, to conversations with John Locke and Voltaire, James narrates his story in his voice. What does it mean to be a slave in the American South in the 1800s?
Johnson County Library is pleased to announce that Theresa Kopper has won our writing contest on the theme What Remains Unspoken with her piece "Tea with Diamonds'."
Students of all ages are tasked by their instructors to track down relevant primary sources for academic research papers. These assignments can be both thrilling and stressful. You must pick a topic, learn what and where to research, write the paper, and cite your sources. I have a master’s degree in English, so I’ve been there. The struggle is real. The Johnson County Library offers patrons free access to several online databases spanning various disciplines to satisfy your academic research needs— and hopefully alleviate some of the stress. Several of these databases will even autom
Hello and welcome to #NoWaitWednesday, where we take a peek at a great book on the New Release shelves at one of our local Library branches that's hot, fresh, and eagerly waiting for someone to take a chance on it. Normally in this space we tend to look at newer authors who are lurking just under the surface - their books might be well-reviewed, but at the same time aren't household names or endorsed by certain book group-loving celebrities and thus aren't a part of a massively long hold list.
Johnson County Library is pleased to announce that Jamie Lynn Heller has won our writing contest on the theme What Remains Unspoken with her piece "What I meant when I said, 'I'll remember you'."
Jamie Lynn Heller’s book Buried in the Suburbs was published in 2018 (Woodley Press) and received the 2019 Kansas Notable Book Award. Her chapbook Domesticated : Poetry From Around the House was published in 2015 (Finishing Line Press). She has 90+ poems published in literary journals and magazines (for a complete list of publications see jamielynnheller.blogspot.com).
I have to admit, I was skeptical. Gaiman has long been one of my favorite authors. And anyone who has listened to one of his audiobooks or readings will attest to his eloquence and oratorical skills. Still, an album of music? I worried he was stretching himself a step too far.
Hello and welcome to No Wait Wednesday, where we spotlight a book that's ready and waiting on our New Release shelves in search of that one special patron to take a chance on it. We know that patrons don't like waiting on the holds list for that new celebrity-endorsed book, but if you take a peek at our collection - or just ask your local librarian - there's always a new discovery in several different genres to enjoy.
Hello and welcome to this week's No Wait Wednesday, where we take a look at an item on our New Release shelves at one of our local branch Libraries that's available to check out right now that deserves a second look - and sometimes a first one, too. Hundreds of new books come into the library each week, and it's impossible to keep an eye on everything. This is where your friendly neighborhood Johnson County Library staff comes in - we're always available to recommend a book (or a movie, or an audiobook, or a video game) that you might possibly love.
