Recommended Reading

June 18th is International Sushi Day, a day to celebrate the traditional Japanese dish which is typically comprised vinegared rice and assorted companions such as seafood and vegetables. The word "sushi" actually refers to the sour property of the vinegared rice rather than raw fish or seafood commonly included in sushi. There are a number… Read More

One of the most recognizable contemporary Turkish authors and recipient of the 2006 Nobel Prize in Literature, Orhan Pamuk has written dozens of books over the last four decades many of which are cerebral stories that feature questions of identity and explore the position of Istanbul and Turkey as places caught between two sides. To… Read More

Like many former Eastern Bloc countries, Poland has seen a tremendous amount of change in the last several decades. Many of the titles included in this list speak to the experiences of those in Poland working their way through these major shifts. With this list, you can learn more about Poland's literary landscape, read about… Read More

From time-traveling historical fiction to psychological thrillers, books have inspired many an adaptation for TV and film. Here are some of those TV adaptations along with their original stories for you to watch or read at your leisure! Big Little Lies - (Book: Big Little Lies - Liane Moriarty, TV Series) Game of Thrones (Book:… Read More

From the Iberian Peninsula to the shores of the Black Sea, Jewish communities have existed in Europe for centuries. These communities often established cultural, economic, and religious hubs for Jewish life in order to maintain their traditions while surrounded by non-Jewish neighbors. These Jewish hubs became known as shtetle or shtetls (from the Yiddish word… Read More

Los Angeles, 1972 It was in the small but mighty New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in South L.A. where Aretha Franklin recorded her fourth live album: Amazing Grace. Accompanied by the Southern California Community Choir and a stellar band including gospel giant Reverend James Cleveland, Franklin performed 14 tracks before an eager audience dotted with… Read More

Is someone you love coping with dementia? In honor of Dementia Awareness Month (September), the library and Family Services of Glencoe have compiled the following list of books with helpful information. Additional materials are available through inter-library loan. The library also offers memory exercise kits for checkout - ask a librarian at the reference desk… Read More

A nation of over 200 million people, Nigeria is a cultural and economic hub from its film industry globally referred to as Nollywood to its growing technology sector. Nigeria's literary tradition has also received worldwide acclaim with Nigerian authors winning awards such as the Nobel Prize in Literature which was won by Wole Soyinka in… Read More

Many a celebrity will pen an autobiography, memoir, or collection of essays in their lifetime but fewer venture into the world of fiction. From a Sherlock-themed mystery by six-time NBA MVP and basketball legend with an IMDb page Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to a collection of short stories from six-time Academy Award nominee and two-time winner Tom… Read More

Watch or revisit one of these award-winning documentaries that offer up glimpses across the globe from a group of stray cats living in Istanbul to one of the world's greatest sushi chefs in Tokyo! To find more documentaries, search for documentary films on our catalog and check out streaming titles from Hoopla and Kanopy.   … Read More