Posts by Nancy Aravecz

NYPL Digital Collections is in the process of digitizing back issues of The Villager, a weekly newspaper local to Greenwich Village. The papers are a treasure trove documenting historical events, activities, places, and people that helped to shape the Village and the city at large since it began circulating in 1933.

With the holidays at our doorstep, there’s one thing that’s sure to be on everyone’s mind: food! So naturally, this December we here at Mid-Manhattan decided to dedicate our monthly Open Book Night to a discussion of favorite food or cooking related books.

November is over, and with it, National Novel Writing Month. Mid-Manhattan’s aspiring novelists were dropping like flies in the third week of the month, but by the fourth week we had a strong showing of determined and focused writers.

After the optimistic glow of the first full week of National Novel Writing Month fades away, writers are met with a mammoth challenge: staying on task!

Week one of National Novel Writing Month is officially underway! We're just getting into the swing of things. Our writers have been diligently working on their books, and share what they've accomplished so far.

Once per week, we’ll be posting an update so that the greater NYPL community can get to know our writers and follow their progress. Who knows—maybe the next big best-seller will be written right here on the 4th floor!

October’s Open Book Night began with a 19th-century slasher story. We discussed Lizzie Borden and the fascinating tale of how she murdered her mother and father, and got away with it. Many more creepy suggestions followed.

For the reader who just can't get enough of those busy city streets, or is just dying to know where exactly in the five boroughs their favorite characters are inhabiting, here is a list of famous New York City-based novels according to the neighborhood in which they take place—complete with an interactive map of nearby landmarks and attractions!

That sticky summer humidity broke just in time to give us yet another gorgeous Open Book Night at the Outdoor Reading Room this past Friday night! Patrons of all ages spent the evening reclining on the lawn, enjoying a host of great recommendations, and, for the first time in 30 years, the relaxing sound of Truth and Beauty’s waters flowing nearby.

One really special thing about Mislaid is that despite how unconventional it is, it fits pretty squarely in with other works of Southern Gothic fiction. Whether you’re waiting to get your hands on your copy of Mislaid, or looking for some more weird Southern fiction to keep your mind busy after devouring this title in one sitting, here is a list of some titles that you might enjoy.

Reading (and watching) Wolf Hall was such an engrossing experience that it sent me into a tailspin where I read anything I could get my hands on about England during the Renaissance era. Here are some of the best books I found.

In honor of the late, great, Leonard Nimoy, here’s a list of Spock’s greatest moments. May he live long and prosper in our memories. Nimoy was a talented actor, photographer, and poet, who relished in playing the outsider, and inspired generations.

Shakespeare is so important that he is the only author to have his own Dewey Decimal number! The works of Shakespeare and their criticism all live under call number 822.33. With countless editions of the same play, and even more works written about that same play, it’s no wonder Shakespeare requires a number all to himself. This handy guide will de-mystify Shakespeare’s home in your library, and help you find the right book on the Bard for you.

With the holidays upon us, food is a topic at the front of our minds. The centerpiece of our tables, cultures, and familial traditions, food is nourishment for both body and mind. What we eat, however, is also at the center of a growing discipline that marries science and the humanities.

In response to rising concerns about the environment, a tremendous outpouring of fiction, nonfiction, movies, and music that tackle the issue both directly and indirectly have infiltrated our daily rosters of cultural consumption.

From September 5-14, fans of John Waters can enjoy a retrospective of his film career, courtesy of the Film Society of Lincoln Center. "50 Years of John Waters: How Much Can you Take?" will showcase 12 of the "Pope of Trash"'s most influential films. Here are some books to read before or after taking in the series.