New Non-Fiction From Your Local Branch of JCPL Will Be Memorable!

Getting married is generally one of the most memorable occasions in your life. The birth of babies is next on the list for most folks. My niece got married last year, and had a baby just this past month, and as I related the news of the baby's birth to my 5 year old granddaughter, I tried to help her understand who my niece is by reminding her that she was the flower girl in her wedding last year, and that the little boy who stood up as ring bearer was my grand-nephew. After a bit of thought, she said that yes, she did remember the wedding, and she did remember little Clayton, who stood up in the wedding with her. Her recollection of her part in the wedding, however, went something like, "Oh yeah...wasn't Clayton the one I married that day? And you know what? I don't think I've seen him since!" Just goes to show that a five year old's memory of a special occasion is a far cry from the memory of someone my age. Speaking of age, as America grows older, it still focuses on its youth, but are we really "over the hill" at a certain age, or has our life just begun? "Lastingness: The Art of Old Age" delves into the idea of permanence, experience and duration, discussing the life-long habits of those who have thrived in old age, relinquishing the thought that younger is better. After all, in contest after contest, the elders of the tribe reign as the preferred, and are honored for their experience, training and life long achievements.

This title is just one in a long line of non-fiction books that are new to the Jasper County Public Libraries in Rensselaer, DeMotte and Wheatfield. Read on for more!

Living legend, Steven Tyler says, "I've been mythicized, Mick-icized, eulogized and fooligized," and that's just the beginning of his long list of "brain-jangling" tell all in "Does the Noise in My Head Bother You?" In his own voice, Tyler recounts his rock 'n roll days as lead singer of Aerosmith, playfully and poetically weaving the money, notoriety, motels, hotels, romance and rehab of his past into this meaningful memoir.

At one time or another in our lives, we all feel as though we could use or we would NEED a miracle to change or improve our circumstances. In "Make Miracles in Forty Days: Turning What You Have Into What you Want," author Melanie Beattie shares her own stories of overcoming obstacles and facing tragedy, offering help in the form of gratitude, surrender, and connecting with our essential power by implementing a six-week action plan that will jump-start the transformation to better mental balance. In this Miracle Workshop guide, twenty five year veteran, Beattie, provides us with the tools to acknowledge the pain we're feeling and progress over a forty day period to feeling more in control, less confused and more vitally alive than ever.

At the age of 53, John Kralik found himself at a crossroads in his life. Everything seemed to be slipping out of control and his personal and professional life were both in danger of failing. On New Year's Day of that year, a walk in the hills brought John to the realization that something had to change, and he began to change his thought process and beliefs by focusing on being grateful for what he had instead of dwelling on what he didn't have. "365 Thank Yous: The Year a Simple Act of Daily Gratitude Changed My Life" by John Kralik is the inspiring story of the day after day journey of one man who found "thank you" to be the word that changed his life forever.

Asking a five year old a question or to recall a story can be an eye-opening experience. But whether you're five or fifty, a trip to your local branch of JCPL can be an eye-opener too, and when you check out books from Rensselaer, DeMotte, or Wheatfield, we want to make sure that you enjoy your visit enough to come back again so that we won't be saying, "We haven't seen you since!"