British novel about a hearing impaired retired professor of linguistics. Well written, interestingly plotted, with a sort BBC/Masterpiece Theater feel to it. It is very much a character driven story…s increasing deafness, and his family concerns. The professor explores various literature about and by the deaf and attends lip reading classes where he learns all sorts of interesting trivia. The story is spiced up by his involvement with a possibly psychotic American grad student writing her doctoral thesis on the linguistics of suicide notes….
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Decline and Fall
This hilarious BBC adaptation of Evelyn Waugh’s 1928 novel stars Jack Whitehall, David Suchet, and Eva Longoria. It’s on Acorn TV, which might still have a 30-day free trial–if not,…one awkward (to put it mildly) situation after another by some fateful twisted logic and his naive trust in a series of dubious characters he meets. It’s wonderfully escapist and makes fun of everything it touches….
Earth Day 2020 (the Pandemic version)
In this 10-minute video, violist Scott Slapin presents 400 years of music history in his basement (“The Pandemic Auditorium”) where the water pipes and exposed wiring make an acoustically and…concert attire. Excerpts of Bach, Paganini, Hindemith and Slapin’s own composition are interspersed with engaging commentary while a counterpoint of hilarious subtitles scrolls by. If you appreciate first-class musicianship combined with dry wit, plus you have a short attention span, this is the video for you!…
Spelling Bee
Like most librarians, I love words and games that involve language. This new one from the New York Times challenges you to come up with as many words as you can using…s many words as you can using just the 7 letters they provide. You can play it in fits and starts and it’ll track your progress throughout the day, making it very user-friendly during this strange, interruption-filled and routine-free time we’re currently living in. And lest you become too impressed with yourself, Spelling Bee has a rating system, from “Beginner” to “Genius”, to put you in your place….
The Art of Manliness podcast
With episodes like “The Boring Decadence of Modern Society”, “The Case for Being Unproductive,” and “What Board Games Teach Us About Life”, The Art of Manliness’s subject matter is delightfully…With episodes like “The Boring Decadence of Modern Society”, “The Case for Being Unproductive,” and “What Board Games Teach Us About Life”, The Art of Manliness’s subject matter is delightfully unique and often offers a perspective you don’t hear anywhere else. Please don’t let its name dissuade you–you don’t have to be a “manly” man (whatever that means), or even a man, to get something out of it….
Questionable Content
Questionable Content is a long running, slice-of-life, web comic focusing on a large cast of humans and robots living in a small college town which resembles Northampton to an extent…college town which resembles Northampton to an extent that cannot be ignored. (Scenes are occasionally set at the Smif College library, and a number of characters have been Smif College students or employees. And there are a lot of scenes set in coffee shops and bars.) The comic includes sci-fi elements, as evidenced by the many artificial intelligences amongst the cast, but the plot is driven by the interpersonal relationships and struggles you…
Invisibilia
Bernie Krause was a successful musician as a young man, playing with rock stars like Jim Morrison and George Harrison in the 1960s and ’70s. But then one day, Bernie…sode intrigues you, you will want to check out a podcast called Invisibilia. Produced by National Public Radio, Invisibilia explores the underlying forces that influence our behavior, ideas, and assumptions. Topics are wide-ranging and are told in an engaging and narrative fashion. One recent episode discussed a city councilor candidate who insists he is black, while his opponent accuses him of pretending to be black. The podcast asks “If race is…
Ian’s Shoelace Site
Sometimes its nice to dive into a seemingly trivial subject and learn what there is to learn. Shoelaces for example. We tie and untie them everyday, but what do we…ctions are, without a doubt, the sections on shoelace tying and shoe lacing. You can learn sixty-two different ways to lace shoes and the comparative advantages and disadvantages of each. And you can learn twenty different ways to tie your laces. Fieggen’s instructions are clear and the amount of detailed information he includes for each method is impressive. This is definitely the site to go to if you have a question about shoe laces, but it also…
Gastropod
Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley host a delightful podcast that explores food through the lens of science and history. They explore the origins of foods (who really did invent the…menus affect what we order?), the ecology of food (how can our food choices affect invasive species or the climate?). They explore unusual foods (the pawpaw, kelp, and kombucha) and common foods (butter, bread, salt, and beer) and everything in between. Most episodes are about 40 minutes long. All the episodes are great, but my favorites include: The Secrets of Sourdough Mango Mania: How the American Mango Lost its Flavor—and How it Might Just Ge…
99% Invisible
99% Invisible is a podcast that explores the effects of design on our lives and society in ways we generally don’t notice. The episodes delve into aspects of everyday life,…ld. Its about “all the thought that goes into the things we don’t think about”. The show’s name is inspired by a quote by Buckminster Fuller: “Ninety-nine percent of who you are is invisible and untouchable.”…
Valley Advocate Sessions
The Valley Advocate Sessions is presented by the Valley Advocate, Signature Sounds, and Northampton Open Media and regularly features short concerts by local musicians both seasoned and new. A recent…The Valley Advocate Sessions is presented by the Valley Advocate, Signature Sounds, and Northampton Open Media and regularly features short concerts by local musicians both seasoned and new. A recent contributor was Henning Ohlenbusch, who has been featured in our staff picks before and was one of Forbes Library’s 2018 Musicians in Residence….
LibriVox
LibriVox is a free source of public domain audiobooks read by volunteers from around the world. Most of the books are in English, but other languages are available as well…ooks read by volunteers from around the world. Most of the books are in English, but other languages are available as well with many titles in French and German and a not insignificant number of recordings in Ancient Greek. Titles for children and adults are available. I recommend starting with the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, both of which are available in variety of version by different readers….
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