It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas, at least to me, now that the winter cold is finally upon us. It always takes me a bit longer to get into the Christmas spirit than most people I know. I won’t say that I’m a Grinch or anything but, when it comes to the holidays, I’m definitely more of a Charlie Brown.

It had been years since I’d watched the beloved Christmas classic A Charlie Brown Christmas so I figured now was as good of a time as any for a nostalgic dose of holiday cheer. I needed a little reminder of the true meaning of the holiday and, thanks to the Peanuts gang,  I’ve got a new lease on this Christmas season.

As a little kid the original Charlie Brown Christmas special was a holiday tradition. But even then I can’t say that I truly understood the plight of our greatly put-upon protagonist Charlie Brown. In those days I couldn’t understand why Chuck was so glum; it was Christmas, after all. In hindsight, of course, it’s easy to see why Charlie Brown, a youngster possessed of a thirtysomething’s melancholy,was having trouble getting into the Christmas spirit. He’d become disenchanted with the commercialism of the holiday, a  complaint that has grown much timelier in this day and age. His efforts to celebrate Christmas in a more meaningful way–from agreeing to direct the Christmas play to selecting a spindly, pathetic Christmas tree–are unpopular at first. But eventually the gang come to appreciate Charlie Brown’s sensitivity and simplicity–at least, until the next holiday special rolls around.

This is one of my favorite Christmas programs of all time for a number of reasons–the sweet and simple story featuring Charles Schulz’s well-loved characters, the use of non-professional children in the voice cast. But one of the things I love most about this special is its  soundtrack by Vince Guaraldi, a charming score that lends a sweetness yet sophistication to the show. Not only does this soundtrack boast “Linus and Lucy”, the song that has come to be the Peanuts theme but it also features one of my favorite modern Christmas songs “Christmas Time is Here”.

I can’t think of a better way to get into the Christmas spirit than this:

Sesame Street is turning forty! Who knew? I had no idea Sesame Street was “born” in 1969. The pioneering PBS show was intended as a learning tool to help inner-city kids with reading and math but it seems like almost everyone checked out the show at one time or another.  Sesame Street is famous for weaving fun into an educational message.

The show has eight million viewers in over one hundred and forty countries around the world and an impressive twenty-two Emmy Awards on the shelf.  But with 4,169 episodes in the can (is it Oscar the Grouch’s Garbage Can?), Sesame Street still has some tricks up its sleeve: First Lady,  Michelle Obama, is set to guest star on the first show of the 40th season. She’s going to help Elmo teach children the benefits of healthy eating and exercise.

I asked my friends and co-workers about their memories of the show and both children who watched the show and their parents who encouraged them to watch it had vivid memories of episodes and the over two hundred and fifty celebrity guest hosts.

You can check out Sesame Street DVDs from the library. The early episodes come with a disclaimer. Maybe because Cookie Monster smoked a pipe. But then he ate it.

The 2009 Fall television season is starting which probably has little to do with books, the Library and real life in general. But this season I’ve noticed that at least two new programs are based on books ( “Hurrah! Relevancy achieved! Click “Publish”. Good night!”).

I was intrigued to learn that ABC is premiering a new show based on John Updike’s novel The Witches of Eastwick. Also airing is a new CW show, The Vampire Diaries,  based on books by L. J Smith (even though I probably shouldn’t mention this one  because this book series isn’t in our catalog… sorry). But these shows make me curious about how many other TV shows were born from the pages of a book. I did some searching and discovered that Hollywood has a long tradition of mining literature for small-screen fodder…even nowadays. Books on television–who knew?

There are several shows I’ve considered watching but feel like I’d be at a loss because I’ve missed a few seasons. But perhaps I should try reading the book that the show is based on first. Using the library to bolster my TV viewing habits isn’t really as cheesy as it sounds, is it?

Maybe I could pick up Charlaine Harris‘  Southern Vampire Mysteries novels to see what the deal is with True Blood (I have a friend that I’m not allowed to speak to when this show is on). Or I can read Kathy Reichs‘  Temperance Brennan novels before watching the FOX TV show that’s based on them. But as I continue to read reviews and summaries of these shows I’m reminded that film and television shows are often loosely–very loosely– based on the popular books that they draw from. That said, maybe it’s better to simply enjoy the books separately from the TV shows inspired by them.

Still DCPL holds a wealth of Primetime-related materials, whether you’re reading books in their pre-television adaptation form or if you’re catching up on the continued stories of your fave TV characters long after their shows have aired. DCPL has several books based on two shows I liked: Buffy The Vampire Slayer and the prematurely canceled Sci-Fi series The Dresden Files. That, of course, brings to mind one great advantage that good old-fashioned books have over television–greater latitude and freedom to allow their stories to unfold.

Here are some really fascinating books on television in general. You can read these while you’re waiting for the Game of Thrones television series to commence (yep, the George R.R Martin classic is coming to a small screen near you):

Prime Time, Prime Movers by David Marc and Robert J. Thompson

One Nation Under Television by J. Fred MacDonald

The History of Television, 1880-1941 by Albert Abramson

I’m no history buff, but recently I thought it would be interesting to read something about one of our overlooked founding fathers, John Adams. Unfortunately, the book (John Adams by David McCullough) is 752 pages long—too long for a passing interest, especially with 5 other books on my bedside table. So, with J’nai’s post about how to talk about books you haven’t read in mind, I will now talk about how much I loved this book. How do I know?  Simple: the book has been made into an HBO miniseries.

I half-expected it to be boring, as historical recreations often are. But I was pleasantly surprised by how good it was! So far, I’ve finished the first disc and I can’t wait for discs two and three (I’m #22 and #17 in the respective queues (and yes, library staff have to wait for holds just like everybody else!)).

The series covers Adams’s life from his days as a lawyer in Boston after the Boston Massacre up to the years after his presidency, including his death. Paul Giamatti gives a great performance as John Adams, but what really makes it work is the whole cast. The founding fathers come to life with David Morse as George Washington, Stephen Dillane as Thomas Jefferson, and Tom Wilkinson as Benjamin Franklin. You can really taste the dynamic in congress as these men and their radically different personalities clash and come together towards a common goal.

I’ve not mentioned Abigail Adams (played by Laura Linney) yet. Though she was not an official politician, the series gives us a glimpse into how influential she was for John. I got the sense that she grounded him, and kept him honest. Her intellect and wisdom was a good complement for John’s passion and integrity.

You should really check out this series. I found it highly entertaining and educational as well. History doesn’t have to be boring!

Television ads have taken on a more and more influential role in determining presidential campaign outcomes through the years.  Although the messages have been similar, the ads themselves are varied and always evolving.  I found a website this week called The Living Room Candidate which has an archive of over 300 past presidential TV ads since 1952.  In addition, it also provides historical context for each presidential race and the effects that the ads had on them.  Check it out if you’re interested in the past of this medium and how it has affected the course of history.

My wife recently had to take an entrance exam for graduate school and had to study up on some of the great figures of western civilization.  So we decided to watch the DVD edition of Civilisation: A Personal View by Lord Clark, a television series originally produced in the late sixties by BBC 2.  Kenneth Clark acts as tour guide and museum curator as he leads the viewer from the beginnings of the middle ages all the way to present day.  He follows the development of civilization through the lens of the arts, including visual arts, literature, and music that truly express the great potential of humanity as creators and not destroyers of society and beauty.  The series was produced and released during the turbulent sixties and serves as Lord Clark’s answer to a time of great cynicism that grew under the threat of global nuclear annihilation.

Visually stunning, with lovely classical music and insightful commentary, Civilisation pleases the mind, the heart, the ears, and the eyes.

It’s not crazy to say that one of the things that Georgia is known for is the food. We are the “Peach State” but we also grow peanuts, pecans and poultry in abundance. We are the home of Waffle House and Coca-Cola. We have restaurants associated with Gladys Knight, Emeril, and Ashton Kutcher.

Georgia also boasts serious coverage on the Food Network; ubiquitous Savannah chef Paula Deen shows viewers the tasty evil of Southern food. Alton Brown wears many hats in the food world: from Iron Chef America Commentator, riding a motorbike around America discovering hidden culinary gems, or on his classic science meets pop culture show “Good Eats”.

Still publishing cookbooks, Nathalie Dupree visited many television viewers spreading the gospel of Southern cooking when the only food networks were public broadcasting. In Decatur, Watershed chef Scott Peacock published The Gift of Southern Cooking with his mentor the late Edna Lewis, one of the early masters of Southern cuisine.

Other Georgia Cookbooks found in your library:

Agnes & Muriel’s Cafe Cookbook- Easy comfort food from the midtown Atlanta restaurant.

Atlanta Cooks – Recipes from the chefs, bakers, and pastry chefs from restaurants such as Bacchanalia, Food 101, Canoe, and the Sweet Auburn Bread Company.

Atlanta Cooks at Home – More recipes from local chefs of Rathbun’s, Shaun’s, Sala, Woodfire Grill, and Joel.

“I’m Just Here for the Food: Food + Heath = Cooking” – Alton Brown’s book where he is one part Mr. Wizard and one part Emeril, making cooking and science fun!

Nathalie Dupree’s Southern Memories: Recipes and Reminiscences – Some recipes, some culture, and a lot of Southern style.

Paula Deen: It Ain’t All About the Cookin’ – Only the most recent book by the prolific Paula Deen, also look for “Lady and Sons” cookbooks.

Books found at your library have always been fodder for movies, but the television line-up this fall continues the trend of books made into television series.

ABC’s new series “Women’s Murder Club” is based on a James Patterson series about a group of friends with different careers who also fight crime, the most recent addition is “The 6th Target“.

New on the CW, the wildly popular “Gossip Girl” books by Cecily von Ziegesar can also be found in the paperback collection in various libraries, call first to see if your library has it.

“Bones“, on FOX, is based on the Kathy Reichs series featuring forensic scientist Temperance Brennan. Her most recent book is “Bones to Ashes”

“Dexter” is a show that could only be on cable; Showtime to be precise. Based on novels by Jeffry Lindsay such as “Dexter in the Dark“, this dark series is about a serial killer who targets criminals.

Want a TV show about a private detective who also happens to be a wizard? Check out Sci-fi channel’s “Dresden Files” based on the Jim Butcher novels such as “White Night: a Novel of the Dresden Files.”

Based on the 1979 Stephen King novel “Dead Zone“, the USA network series starring Anthony Michael Hall is now in its 7th season.

In the excitement about the release of Ken Burns’ The War on PBS last week, don’t forget about one of Burns’ other popular projects which the library owns on DVD.

Ken Burns’ epic history of baseball, which DCPL recently acquired on DVD, is long.  Consisting of nine episodes, each roughly two hours long, Baseball delves into America’s Pastime in as much detail as one might expect from a college course.  The beauty of this series, though – the reason why it still stands up fourteen years after its release – is that you don’t mind the length.  Baseball is Ken Burns storytelling at its finest, using old photographs, films, and many of today’s finest film and stage actors to weave a spellbinding tale of romance and friendship, prejudice and disgrace, defeat and victory.

From the fascinating biographical portraits of Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Ty Cobb, Satchel Paige, and Jackie Robinson, to the play-by-play of bygone world series that brings you to the edge of your seat, to the exploration of baseball’s social implications surrounding racial segregation, Baseball offers a very entertaining and complete history that leaves you wanting more, even after all that time you’ve spent watching it!

Click here to get the first episode of Ken Burns’ Baseball.

The library also owns many other Burns projects on DVD.  Here’s a small sample:

The Civil War

Mark Twain

Jazz