CHILLING SCANDINAVIAN TALES

Everyone seems to have heard of "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo."  The trilogy by Stieg Larsson became quite a phenomenon a couple of years ago.  There was a Swedish movie series made of the three books and an English version of the first book, starring Daniel Craig. 

Before the trilogy was written Scandinavian mysteries were already popular, and they continue to grow in popularity. The works of more and more authors are being translated into English. These mysteries tend to be very dark and sometimes contain a lot of violence. They are definitely not cozy mysteries. The characters are usually well-developed and very often the books are written as series.

Right now there is a book display at the Mt. Pleasant Library with Scandinavian books, movies and books on CD.  You might be surprised how many authors there are. 

Here is a list of some Scandinavian authors from Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Finland.  Come check out one of these books and see what all of the interest is in these talented authors.

• Arnaldur Indridason
• Karin Fossom
• Ake Edwardson
• Kjell Erikson
• Henning Mankell  (author of the popular Wallendar series) (shown on PBS)
• Hakan Nesser
• Anne Holt
• Jo Nesbo
• Helene Tursten
• Kerstin Ekman
• Lars Kepler
• Asa Larsson
• Jussin Adler-Olsen
• Camilla Lackberg
• Karin Alvtegen
• Sjowall-Wahloo (a husband-wife team said to be the founders of the Scandinavian mystery genre)

Here is a link to a website about Scandinavian mystery writers that you might enjoy.

Please visit us and find out about these mysteries. 

Thanks for reading.

SUPPORT THE FRIENDS MEDIA DRIVE

Did you get a new I Phone for Christmas?  How about a new I Pad?
Do you have boxes of CD's that you no longer listen to or video games that your children have outgrown?  See below for details of the Media Drive. They will still accept these items throughout the year, also.
Please pick up a membership form at the library and join this important organization.  It's another way to support your library.
Thanks for reading.

Donate digital devices during FOL media drive through February 15
Donate CDs, DVDs, LPs, video games, iPods/iPads, eReaders, cell phones and other digital devices during the Charleston Friends of the Library’s media drive through February 15.
	Donations are accepted at any branch location, and items will be sold online or at upcoming book sale events. For more information, contact Emily Everett at 805-6882 or by emailing director@charlestonlibraryfriends.org.
	The 2014 FOL annual membership goal is $30,000, and more than $10,000 has already been raised.

WHO'S IN YOUR FAMILY TREE?

Did you ever wonder who your ancestors are?  Where were they from and how did they end up in America?  Genealogy is one of the most popular hobbies in the U. S. 

Would you like to start searching for your ancestors?  There is more and more information available online now and many books about genealogy have been written.  You may even find that someone  has already written a book about your ancestors.

Charleston County Public Library has two databases that are extremely valuable for genealogists.  Ancestry Library Edition has millions of names in its databases and is available only in the library.  You may access Ancestry.com through your home computer, but there is a charge.  Heritage Quest is available at home and in the library.  The census records for 1790-1940 are available through both of these databases.

The first place to begin your search is with your own family members.  Interview them and get as much information as possible.  Then you'll be ready to search online and in books.  Here are a couple of books to help you begin your search:

The South Carolina Room at the Main Library on Calhoun Street is also a great resource.  The staff there is very knowledgeable and can help you.  All of the items in the SC Room must be used there.

Another resource is Interlibrary Loan.  If you find a title that we don't have in our library system, we can try to order it from a system outside of Charleston County.  There is a $2.00 fee if we are able to borrow it from another system.  Please contact us for more information about Interlibrary Loans.

We'll be happy to help you get started.  Please call 843-849-6161 or stop by the Reference Desk.  We look forward to helping you.

Thanks for reading.

FEBRUARY CALENDAR

It's not too early to start planning for next month's library programs.  Look over our calendar and make your plans.  We have a lot of great programs for children and adults!  Thanks for reading.

STAY WARM WITH A COZY BOOK!

Wow is it ever cold!!!  My birdbaths were frozen this morning, so I put out a dish of water for the birds and it froze in no time.
How about a cozy mystery to keep you warm?  It's nice to stay indoors on a freezing day like today and curl up with a good book.
Just what are cozy mysteries?  They are books featuring amateur crime solvers, and set in bucolic small towns or villages.  Usually the main characters are women, but not always.  There's very little graphic violence or sex and rarely profanity.  Very often the books are written as a series where readers become involved with likable characters.  A very good website that you might enjoy is all about cozy mysteries.
Cozy mysteries often have clever titles such as "Litter of the Law" by Rita Mae Brown and "Gone with the Win" by Mary Daheim.
There are various types of cozies such as gardening, culinary, antiquing, beading, quilting, knitting, genealogy, holiday-themed, paranormal, NASCAR, birdwatching and all sorts of animals. There's even one featuring a librarian!
One of the most famous amateur sleuths is Miss Marple in the series by Agatha Christie. Christie's Hercule Poirot series is another you might enjoy.
Here are just a few other cozy mystery authors: 
Alan Bradley
Laura Childs
Diane Mott Davidson
Mary Daheim
Anne George
M. C. Beaton
Jeanne M. Dams
Monica Ferris
Donald Bain (Jessica Fletcher)
Joanne Fluke
Earlene Fowler
Dorothy Sayers
Kate Sedley
Ellis Peters

How about a cozy TV series?  Try "Miss Marple"; "Hercule Poirot"; "Midsomer Murders";
"Brother Cadfael"; or "Rosemary and Thyme".

If you'd like to find more cozy mysteries visit our website or call (843) 843-6161.
Stay warm and thanks for reading.