December 2009 Staff PicksLike this list

13 items

• The Calligrapher's Daughter

  a Novel

  Kim, Eugenia

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  Eugenia Kim’s sweeping debut novel covers thirty years of Korean history and thirty years of the life of Najin, a character inspired by the author’s mother. Set in Japanese-occupied Korea, the story begins in 1915 when Najin is five years old. The…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Ex Libris

  Confessions of a Common Reader

  Fadiman, Anne, 1953-

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  Anne Fadiman’s collection of essays on the joy of reading is a delight. She writes with humor and a real passion for her subject, the written word. In “Marrying Libraries” she details the experience of when she and her husband finally decided to…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Hound of the Baskervilles

  Doyle, Arthur Conan, 1859-1930

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  The beloved Sherlock Holmes made his first appearance in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "A Study in Scarlet" in 1887, and all of the original Holmes stories are worth reading. (The first collection of short stories, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, is…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Roommates Wanted

  a Novel

  Jewell, Lisa

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  Lisa Jewell, one of the more successful of the early batch of British chicklit authors, has written a novel that keeps some of the hopeful yearning of chicklit, but combines it with a more mature style. Struggling poet Toby owns a house in London…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Second City Unscripted

  Revolution and Revelation at the World-famous Comedy Theater

  Thomas, Mike

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  Chicago's legendary Second City theater, which has helped make our city famous for its improv comedy scene, has launched so many great careers that it's a bit mind-boggling. Joan Rivers, Peter Boyle, Harold Ramis, John Belushi, Bill Murray, Dan…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• East of Eden

  Taken by Trees (Musical group)

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  Many pop musicians have made forays into the realm of “world music” with differing amounts of success. Victoria Bergsman, former member of the Concretes and guest vocalist on Peter, Bjorn and John’s “Young Folks” single, has done just that on her…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Journey to the New World

  Isbin, Sharon

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  Grammy Award-winning guitarist Sharon Isbin’s new album is a musical journey starting in the British Isles in the 16th century and ending in contemporary America linking folk music traditions across continents and time periods. Joan Baez provides…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Troubadour

  K'Naan

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  K’Naan was one of the most talked-about acts at SXSW in 2009. This hip hop-artist, who grew up in war-torn Somali and now makes his home in Toronto, draws from diverse influences, and it is evident in his energetic, buoyant sophomore album. With a…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

  Phoenix (Musical group : France)

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  The first two cuts ("Lisztomania" and "1901") on Phoenix's hilariously titled new album have been getting most of the love, but there's plenty more to enjoy on the rest of the album, an 80s-influenced outing of dance-pop with a mostly instrumental…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Great Buck Howard

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  Disillusioned law-school dropout Troy Gabler (Colin Hanks) needs a job. Has-been Buck Howard (John Malkovich), a mentalist with an out-of-date act, needs a road manger. The cheesy entertainer, loosely based on the real-life Amazing Kreskin, likes to…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Love Actually

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  This ensemble film showcases a bevy of stars from both sides of the pond. It is a Christmas movie at its heart and is especially enjoyable during the holiday season, but with multiple story lines and wonderful performances it can be viewed anytime a…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Miracle on 34th Street

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  Released in 1947, Miracle on 34th Street is a charming holiday film. Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn) finds himself recruited as Macy’s department store Santa Claus, a role for which he is naturally suited: not only does he look and act like Santa Claus,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Thin Man

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  Retired detective, Nick Charles, is pulled into a case when a friend’s father has disappeared and his lover is found murdered, making him the prime suspect. However, the murder mystery is secondary to the dashing Nick Charles and his stylish wife,…Read moreRead more of this annotation