Posts by Marie C. Hansen

Damien W. Echols, 36, Jason Baldwin, 34, and Jessie Misskelley Jr., 36, known as "the West Memphis Three" were released from prison Friday morning after spending 18 years behind bars. Their trials and convictions have been under scrutiny, many people believing the three to be innocent. Brush up on your knowledge of this historical case with the following materials available through NYPL:

Nick Tosches is the author of In the Hand of Dante, Hellfire, Dino: Living High in the Dirty Business of Dreams, The Devil and Sonny Liston, Trinities, and numerous other books, poems and articles, some of which have been collected in the 30-year retrospective anthology, The Nick Tosches Reader. On Friday September 9th, Nick Tosches will give a rare in-person reading after-hours in the main reading room of the Jefferson Market Branch Library in celebration of his new release on Kicks Books Save the Last Dance for Satan. Doors open at 8pm.

Melissa Walker's newest book, Small Town Sinners, is about a girl named Lacey that is torn between falling in love and keeping her faith — all while taking a lead role in her town's sin-depicting haunted house.

Jefferson Market Library's Summer Art Display, Valhalla Hospital: The Art of the Moody Wallen Band, exhibits over 50 line drawings, watercolors, acrylics, and oil paintings throughout the entire building, as well as a visual installation display and rotating video program every Thursday from 5 to 6 p.m. through August 18, inside the program room.

When Bill German was a teenager, he created a zine about his favorite band, The Rolling Stones, called Beggars Banquet. The year was 1978, and little did he know, but the pages he was diligently printing at his Brooklyn High School would later lead him to become the band’s official historian for over two decades. He traveled the world with them, stayed at their homes, witnessed their concerts, recording sessions, and in-fights and lived to write a book about it: Under Their Thumb. Saturday May 21st 2pm at Tompkins Square Library, Bill German will share humorous Stones anecdotes and never before seen photographs. 

Sometimes it isn't about the destination. Here's a list of all things that take me on a mental trip across America's highways.  

In celebration of Women's History Month, I have put together a list of works that I feel are essential to feminist theory/feminist thought. From proto-feminism to third-wave post-modernist, here are some of my (mostly Western) favorites. What are some feminist works you favorite or feel are essential to the canon?

Last week I finished an amazing book about Greenwich Village in the 1960s called A Freewheelin' Time. This weekend, I found out that the author of the book, Suze Rotolo, passed away on Friday. Her death also coincides with the 50 year anniversary of Bob Dylan's first arrival in Greenwich Village. I figured that such a synchronicity calls for a blog post!

On January 31st 2011, President Barack Obama proclaimed February 2011 as National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month. In his proclamation Obama stated,

"Each year, about one in four teens report being the victim of verbal, physical, emotional, or sexual violence.  Abusive relationships can impact adolescent development, and teens who experience dating violence may suffer long-term negative behavioral and health consequences.  Adolescents in controlling or violent relationships may carry these dangerous and unhealthy patterns into future relationships.  The time to break the cycle of teen dating violence is now, before another generation 

On January 31st, Jefferson Market Library will hold its fourth presentation in the Indie Film Series, with Our Hawaii. The film challenges the assumption that all surfers are from California by looking at New York City's own Rockaway Beach surfing scene. Following the film will be a Q&A with the director, punk-rock sociologist Donna Gaines, and several of the surfers from the film.

From addiction and cutting to depression and bipolar disorder: a list of memoirs and autobiographical books by women describing their struggles.

Did you get an eReader for the holidays? If so, here are some digital versions of popular YA books you might want to check out.

One of the three components to NYPL's mission statement is to "strengthen our communities." At Jefferson Market Library we decided that one way to strengthen our community is to highlight the talents of those that live here. So, we created the Non-Print Indie Film Series. Every Monday in January and February a different local filmmaker will showcase their work. There will be screenings, panels, and interviews with a diverse group of New York City's own indie filmmakers.  In addition, we will be posting short interviews with the filmmakers each week on our blog.

Pamela Des Barres, ground-breaking sexual liberator, creative muse, groupie queen, and best-selling author lets us know her top five favorite books and what she loves about them. The books, she says, are "in no particular order except Number One..."

For as long as I can remember, every Thanksgiving me, my mom, dad, and sister would pile into the family car and drive to my uncle’s house while listening to Arlo Guthrie’s song Alice’s Restaurant. The 18-minute 34-second song tells the story of Guthrie’s arrest on Thanksgiving Day as well as his experience as a draftee reporting to the New York City induction center during the Vietnam War. The song has become as much a part of Thanksgiving to me as turkey and gravy and my uncle's amazing baked clams. Before, during, and after the song my parents always provide a running commentary, interjecting with vignettes about 1960s counter-culture, the draft, and even one 

When I asked Vince Clarke, founding member of Depeche Mode and musical genius behind synth bands Erasure & Yaz, to list his top five favorite books of all time he said, "that's impossible." Therefore, Vince shares with us (in his words) just "5 books out of 1000" that he enjoys:

Did you know that incarcerated teens attend school and go to the library? Recently, I had the pleasure of talking with some of the librarians at Passages Academy, a school program located inside correctional facilities for teens. Here's what they had to say:

In the past three weeks, a tragic pattern has arisen. Four gay teenagers have committed suicide because of repeating bullying about their sexual orientation. Two of the victims were just thirteen years old. Although it seems that we are making progress each day with the gradual adoption of gay marriage, these recent events are a painful reminder that there is still so much more work to be done. It is important that we support each other during this time. Remember that the New York Public Library is a place where all people, of all races, religions, genders, ages, and sexual orientations are welcomed. If you or someone you know is dealing with LGBTQ bullying, here are some resources that 

It's the end of the summer. Time for falling leaves, pumpkins, and going back to school. This week The Undercover Muffins, Jefferson Market's Teen Book Club, reflected back on summer with their favorite books, music, and movies from the "season of sun."