Plymouth Staff Choices

Journey Through Heartsongs
Written and Illustrated by Mattie J. T. Stepanek.
Adult Non-Fiction - Upper Level - 811.54 S

This is a beautiful collection of poetry from a very inspirational young man—Mattie Stepanek. Mattie suffered from a rare form of muscular dystrophy called dysautonomic mitochondrial myopathy. However, despite his suffering, Mattie was able to find constant joy in the most simplest of things. That is what his poetry in Journey Through Heartsongs is all about—having faith and spreading love (your “heartsongs”) to one another so that we can create a better world.

Some of the titles of his poems are: “Peace of Patience,” “Believing for the Journey,” “Touch of Heaven,” “Sunset,” and “Eternal Echoes.” Mattie truly was a special young man, and these poems are sure to inspire all those who read them!

Dexter by James Manos jr.
DVD Collection-Main Level TV DEX

Dexter Morgan is a seemingly typical guy who works for the Miami Police Department as a blood spatter analyst. He lives with a caring girlfriend and he has what appears to be a normal life, except for one detail: he’s a serial killer. Following a code his adopted father taught him, Dexter only hunts those he deems as evildoers. While some may view his habits as a “positive” channeling of his bloodlust, Dexter is well aware of what he is. Dexter sees himself as a hollow monster. Unable to form emotional attachments to the people in his life, Dexter struggles to emulate them so that he can assimilate with the rest of society. As the series progresses, bits and pieces of Dexter’s past are revealed shedding light into his disturbed nature. He also finds that he shares an affinity with another killer the police department is tracking known as the “Ice Truck Killer.”

Taken from Jeffry P. Lindsay’s series of novels the show actually does what few adaptations can and equals its source material in terms of quality. While many may think the show is glamorizing violence, it leaves its moral message in the eye of the beholder. One may find oneself suddenly rooting for Dexter even though despising him at the same time. Although it’s not for the squeamish, Dexter lends itself to a great performance by Michael C. Hall and a storyline that will have you clamoring for more.

Face of an Angel by Denise Chavez
Adult Fiction- Main Level- Chavez

This is the delicious saga of the Dosamantes family of Agua Oscura, New Mexico. Young Soveida Dosamantes dreams of becoming a nun, but grows up to enter a different kind of service: waitressing at the El Farol (“the Light”) restaurant. From her mother, Dolores, and grandmother, Lupe, Soveida learns what it means to serve a husband, recommendations she emulates with woeful results. Is it possible to find happiness serving only others? The novel is a rich mixture of Soveida’s intriguing family history, humorous waitressing advice, excerpts of term papers for her Chicana studies class, snippets of phone conversations, and Soveida’s own story. Each section is named after a member of the Catholic hierarchy of angels, and pondering how Chavez matched names and chapters is a worthwhile side project for any literary types out there.

Maxed Out: Hard Times, Easy Credit, and the Era of Predatory Lenders by James D. Scurlock
DVD 332.743 M
New Adult Nonfiction 332.743 S

The main theme of Maxed Out is that the rules of the credit game are changing faster than investors and consumers can keep up with them. James Scurlock demonstrates this by looking beyond the financial pages to tell the stories of real people caught up in the credit industry. In addition to the usual "talking heads" - economists, academics, financial advisers, and industry spokespeople - we hear the perspectives of collection agency owners, pawn brokers, real estate agents, and many others. But the real emotional punch of the movie is the unforgettable interviews with average folks caught in financial nightmares that they never saw coming and which they can not control.

Scurlock also deserves credit (excuse the pun) for identifying the hidden liabilities in the mortgage industry and correctly predicting the economic melt down that would ensue. (Maxed Out was completed near the end of 2005, when the housing/mortgage market was still going strong.)

Maxed Out also highlights some surprising facts about how the credit industry conducts business, such as:

• Most credit card companies and banks are MORE likely to loan money to borrowers who are LEAST able to pay off their debts, because these customers generate the most profits.
• Credit card customers who pay all of their charges every month are known within the credit industry as “free loaders” and “deadbeats.”
• Approximately 1 of every 10 credit reports contains, at least, one error and it is very difficult, if not impossible, to remove an error from a credit report.

One minor criticism of the movie is that it covers such a broad range of issues - credit cards, pawn shops, payday loans, sub-prime mortgages, Las Vegas real estate, gambling addiction, FICO scores, collection agencies, the Great Depression, the national debt, bank mergers, and more – that it can be hard to follow how all these things are connected. Luckily, most of these questions are answered in the companion book.

Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta
Teen Zone Fiction - Main Level - MARCHETTA

Saving Francesca is a captivating novel that focuses on a teenager named Francesca Spinelli and her experiences as an 11th grader at St. Sebastian’s school which has 30 girls and 750 boys! It’s a time of learning and change for Francesca as she tries to fit in with girls she doesn’t particularly feel drawn to and boys who aren’t so happy to have girls at their school. In the meantime, Francesca also deals with her mother’s depression. Her mother, Mia, is an outspoken and go-getter type of woman, but one day she is unable to get out of bed. This depression leaves a cloud of sadness over the entire family which includes Robert, Mia’s husband and father to Francesca, and Luca—the baby of the family.

Throughout this year, Francesca tries to come to grips with her mother’s illness and her new school. Luckily, Francesca finds friends in places she never thought possible and even falls in love for the first time with Will Trombal--one of the 12th grade leaders of the school.

Set in Australia, this is a novel that will definitely captivate its audience—teen to adult. The unlikely friendships that form between the kids at St. Sebastian’s are truly realistic, relatable, and enjoyable. Furthermore, the heavy theme of depression is something that most people have some experience with in terms of at least knowing someone who has dealt with this illness. There is hope in this novel through the everlasting friendships that Francesca makes and the resiliency of the human spirit. Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta is so well-written that in my opinion, it could definitely be made into a movie!

V for Vendetta
DVD Collection – Main Level – Adventure V
In a dark near-future world, Britain has been taken over by a fascist government, while the United States has dissolved into chaos. Evey (Natalie Portman) is a young news employee, out past curfew and rescued from thugs by a mysterious man in a black cloak and a Guy Fawkes mask (Hugo Weaving). He introduces himself as V and invites her to come with him to see a show. She watches in shock as he blows up a national monument to the accompaniment of the 1812 Overture on the emergency broadcast system. Evey has only been trying to blend in since her parents were killed in the brutal early years of the regime, but somehow she keeps tangling with V and risking capture by the government. The action is tense and the characters compelling. V is both extremely likable and very icky, a terrorist with an easy-to-support goal. The government is both a reflection of the Third Reich and a not-implausible result of a government which uses fear of outside attack to suppress dissent. The performances by Natalie Portman and Hugo Weaving – whose face we never see – were impressive. If you want a side of thinking with your dose of action, this is a great movie.

Mixed Nuts
Dvd Collection- Main Level- Comedy MIX

Imagine running a non-profit suicide prevention hotline at Christmastime, only you’re being evicted from your office, your fiancée has just dumped you over the phone, and your hotline is getting crank calls from a pervert/serial killer. Welcome to Philip’s life! His coworkers aren’t doing too well either: Mrs. Munchnik (Madeline Kahn) is stuck in the elevator with a re-gifted fruitcake, and Catherine (Rita Wilson) finds herself still living with her mother with only her job to comfort her. Add to that some visitors -an armed Santa Claus, an enraged pregnant woman, and a depressed transvestite with dance fever- and Philip (Steve Martin) is having one heck of a Christmas.

This 1994 film, if a little bizarre, never fails to give my family our holiday chortles, and we take this beautiful message from Philip to heart: “Just remember that in every pothole there is hope. Well, you see, pothole is spelled P-O-T-H-O-L-E. So if you take the P, and add it to the H, the O, and the E, and rearrange the letters... or contrariwise, you remove the O, T, and the L, you get ‘hope.’ So, just remember, in every pothole there is hope!”

Mama, I’ll Give You the World by Roni Schotter.
Picture Book Shelves – Lower Level - SCH

Young Luisa adores her mother, and her mother loves her very much as well. That is the main truth found within this beautiful picture book Mama, I’ll Give You the World by Roni Schotter. Luisa’s mother is a single mom trying her best to make ends meet and be a good mother. She works as a beautician at a place called “Walter’s World of Beauty.” After school, Luisa comes by, does her homework, and helps her mother style the customers. Their days are long, but their hearts are filled with warmth and love.

Mama is saving money for a special college fund for Luisa so that she can have the world someday. However, Luisa is determined to give her mother the world for her birthday.

Read this lovely and touching picture book and experience the everlasting bond these two share as mother and daughter. The illustrations are lush and gorgeous, and the text is lovingly written for all generations to enjoy!

Instrument by Fugazi
Dvd Collection - Main Level - Musicals INS

Part documentary, part live performance, Instrument captures the essence of the rock group Fugazi. Jem Cohen presents the band over a period of ten years with a mixture of 16mm, super video 8, and assorted other formats. Formed by Ian MacKaye (former member of Minor Threat), Brendan Canty, Guy Picciotto, (former members of Rites of Spring) and Joe Lally the group borrows from various styles of music. Dub, reggae, funk, and experimental noise are just some of the sound elements the band uses to elevate themselves beyond the simple trappings of punk. While you may hear a Fugazi song and think it sounds similar to bands like Television or Gang of Four, the next song may end up sounding like Radiohead. This versatility of sound coupled with the bands stance on the music industry is what really elevates Fugazi above others. The band has been known for putting on shows for free or as little as five dollars, and have shunned multiple offers from major labels instead forming their own record label. Although Fugazi isn’t for everyone, (there are loud guitars, there are screaming vocals) Instrument is a unique film that offers a perspective into a band that plays so well together one would think they have a psychic link amongst them.