The Capitol Hill branch library, 425 Harvard Ave. E., offers free programs all summer long to keep the whole family entertained.
A musical event featuring national recording artist Nancy Stewart is scheduled for 11 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 17. Stewart will host a program highlighting Washington state plants and animals titled, "Hooray for Washington." This concert is suitable for all ages.
In a program sure to dazzle and amaze, we will feature the juggling comedy troupe Brothers From Different Mothers at 4 p.m. on Aug. 23. This program is designed for children age 2 and older.
The Capitol Hill branch will host a program as part of The September Project. The September Project, co-founded by The Seattle Public Library, encourages people to come together to explore and discuss issues surrounding patriotism and democracy on Sept. 11, Patriot Day. Stay tuned to this column for further details about a film screening of "Unconstitutional: The War on Our Civil Liberties."
The Capitol Hill branch is now recruiting new members for our branch book group. It will meet on either the first Monday or Wednesday night of each month. If you are interested, please stop by the branch to sign up.
For more information on these and other programs, visit the library's Web site, www.spl.org, or call us at 684-4715.
Here are a few books to check out to read while the summer nights are still long.
'Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything' By Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
Mention the word "economics" and the average person's eyes tend to glaze over. The authors of "Freakonomics" try to change this in explaining some interesting aspects of behavioral economics by converting some of the more impenetrable concepts into terms and ideas that anyone can understand.
Using such examples as legalizing abortion and the resulting impact on crime rates; selecting baby names; the effectiveness of campaign finance funds; and even an activity as mundane as buying a car alarm, Levitt and Dubner display the economic incentives behind many common behaviors, incentives that are often totally subconscious. Who knew that many drug-dealing gangs have internal structures that strongly resemble those of large corporations - and why?
The main strength of "Freakonomics" is the authors' ability to convey complex theories through the use of interesting, easily understood examples that actually impact the lives of ordinary people. A fast read that can be a bit dry occasionally, but which also fascinatingly demonstrates often-unsuspected connections between many behaviors and their economic motivations.
'Mr. Muo's Traveling Couch' By Dai Sijie
Mr. Muo is a 40-year-old Freudian educated in France who returns to his native China to introduce psychoanalysis, and also to free his lady-love from jail.
The lady, named Volcano of the Old Moon, is a photographer who was imprisoned for taking pictures of police brutality. To win her release, Muo approaches the ruthless Judge Di, who agrees to give clemency - but only if Muo can provide him with a willing virgin for one night. And so the clueless Muo (a virgin himself), sets out across China on a bicycle in search of a suitable girl, interpreting dreams for a reluctant populace as he goes, often for free.
"Mr. Muo's Traveling Couch" is witty, humorous, and has great characterizations. The author was forced to undergo "re-education" during the Cultural Revolution, and knows all too well how different ideas would be greeted in the more remote, traditional areas of China. This is a funny, frequently poignant story with a bumbling yet oddly inspiring hero.
Katie Hilles is a librarian at the Capitol Hill Branch Library.[[In-content Ad]]
