Blog: Eric P

9 Television Stars Who Left Us in 2023

Television personalities face the threat of cancellation but also enjoy the possibility of immortality through reruns and binge-watching. In that sense, these nine figures will always be with us.

Found in Translation: Literature in Other Languages

Gifted translators like Edith Grossman break through language barriers to introduce readers to the great literature of the world, so you can finally find out what people mean when they talk about Don Quixote and windmills.

Sinéad O’Connor (1966-2023)

The Irish musician Sinéad O'Connor had one massive hit and a lifetime of influence. Regrettably for those of us who were fans, July 26 was the last day of our acquaintance.

15 Tony Award Winners

This Sunday night is the 76th Tony Awards, the biggest night in American theater. Or at least the biggest night in a certain fourteen-square-block section of American theater.

3 Was the Magic Number

De La Soul, featuring the late David Jolicoeur, so thoroughly reimagined hip hop that their records sounded like transmissions from another reality. Plug Two, over and out.

Knock at the Cabin and 10 Creepy Reads

Did you read the novel "Knock at the Cabin" is based on? Did it leave you feeling unsettled, aghast, consumed with despair about human nature? Here are ten books to keep those feelings flowing.

Leaving Funky Town: So Long, Winkerbean

The newspaper comic strip Funky Winkerbean has been telling stories about its Ohio-based characters day by day for fifty years. But at the end of this month, that all changes.

10 of the Best Angela Lansbury Movies

Jessica Fletcher, a talking teapot, Sweeney Todd's enterprising neighbor -- Angela Lansbury was different things to different people, but she was always beloved.

Top 10 Worst Schools in Books

By now everyone's gone back to school for fall. Which is sad. But at least you're not at one of these schools. So that's something.

Banned Books Week: Anna in the Tropics

A Florida school district decided their high schoolers weren't mature enough to see a Pulitzer-winning play. Was it a pedagogically appropriate decision, or an overcautious curtailing of the students' intellectual development?

5 Books with Terrible Hotels

Have you ever listened to friends complaining about a disappointing hotel or a vacation spot? Well, the people in these books have entered the chat.

The Godfather of Comedy

Comedy writer Paul Mooney worked with household names without ever quite becoming one himself, but the mark he leaves on American culture is unmistakable.

The Comedy Stylings of Charles Grodin

The actor Charles Grodin left his mark on film, in books, and on late-night talk shows, but if all he'd ever done was irritate Robert DeNiro and romance Miss Piggy that would have been more than enough.

“Party Up” and Beyond

DMX left behind a robust catalog of gruff and visceral hip-hop tracks. If you want to go beyond megahit "Party Up" you're going to have to use your library card up in here, up in here.

Race and Police Violence in Children’s Books

News items about police violence involving Black Americans have become so prevalent even young kids can't help but become aware of them. Here are some books to help them make sense of it all.

Beverly Cleary, Age 104

Beverly Cleary, who died March 25 at the age of 104, was once named a “Living Legend” by the Library of Congress, and rarely has such a distinction seemed so well-deserved.

Comics About Girls By Women For Kids

There was a time in human history when some people didn’t think comics were suitable reading material for girls. (There are some, even today, who don’t think comics are suitable reading material for anyone, but that’s a whole other outrage.)

The Performances of Yaphet Kotto

Yaphet Kotto built a distinguished and celebrated career on stage and screen, but certain fans of "Midnight Run" he'll always have a special place in our hearts as the other Alonzo Mosely.

Daft Punk is Playing at Your House

Daft Punk became one of the most influential acts in pop and dance music. Which is why the French have that old saying: Never underestimate a couple of guys in robot helmets.

More Plays by Black Playwrights

Much of the most vital writing in the American theater today is coming from Black playwrights. Let the library acquaint you with a few

Books About the Trump Administration

Publishers love putting out books about whoever the current president is, but public interest in those titles tends to plummet as soon as the White House changes hands. Which makes sense: people love reading

Award-Winning Books 2020

The transition from an old year to a new one carries with it many benefits. A chance to reflect. A chance to try new things. A chance to pretend that you’re going to start exercising

Music and Dancing and All That Jazz

If it weren't for iconic dancer and choreographer Ann Reinking, there'd be an Ann Reinking-shaped hole in the middle of American culture -- and in the middle of the movie "Annie."

The Spy Who Wrote a Whole Lot of Books

Acclaimed spy novelist John le Carré recently died, leaving some readers nostalgic for his deftly plotted, character-centered espionage yarns and others realizing they've never read a John le Carré book. Time to fix that.

Thanksgiving Movies and TV Shows

Thanksgiving is a time to count our blessings. And besides family, friends, health, good fortune, coffee and pizza, is there anything we're more thankful for than stuff we can watch on TV?

American Politics in Movies

If this election year has gotten you to a point where you've had it up to here with real-world politicians, these movies offer you the chance to take a break and spend some time with fictional politicians.

Reading the Supremes

If you're curious about the Supreme Court, the many books published about the late and legendary RBG are just the tip of the Ginsburg. I mean iceberg.

Presidents in Picture Books

When you're President of the United States, you not only get use of a plane and an in-house bowling alley, you may also wind up the star of a children's picture book, possibly alongside a talking aardvark.

Picture Books About Imagination

With a purple crayon like the one Harold has, a person could solve all kinds of problems. This post includes a ton of imaginative picture books kids and parents will appreciate.

Good Day, Good Reads

Some days are good; some days aren't. As this picture book makes clear, it's as simple -- and as complicated -- as that.

Picture Books With Metaphors

This post includes a variety of children's books by award-winning author Jacqueline Woodson along with a nice selection of picture books with metaphors.

Ruth Bader Ginsblog

In her twenty-five years on the Supreme Court, Ruth Bader Ginsburg has become both an influential jurist and a pop culture icon, and the library has books about her that are as idiosyncratic as she is.

Plays by African-American Playwrights

For decades, African-American playwrights have pushed the American theater to embrace bold, daring and popular new forms and have, in the process, contributed some of the most enduring stories and characters in the American literary canon. The library has on its shelves an assortment of scripts from this robust tradition.

Book, Humbug!

The new movie The Man Who Invented Christmas purports to tell all about Charles Dickens and his most famous creation. But there's more to it than that.

Theater Nerds Unite

Celebrating the 60th anniversary of the musical West Side Story by exploring library materials that might be of interest to theater geeks.

Songs of Summer

Summer will be over before you know it. Make the most of the remaining days of sun and fun with this playlist.