Scott Handville, Assistant Director, Author at Gardiner Public Library

I JUST CAN’T STOP !

October 13, 2018 by Scott Handville, Assistant Director

I JUST CAN’T STOP !

Do you remember the first book that you just couldn’t put down? Like it’s 2 AM and you KNOW that you have to get up at 7 AM but you just can’t stop reading. You HAVE to find out how things end up before you can even think about sleeping regardless of how tired you may be. For me, that book was And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie, and I was in eighth grade.

The book’s synopsis from Amazon.com says, “Ten strangers are lured to an isolated island mansion off the Devon coast by a mysterious U. N. Owen. At dinner a recorded message accuses each of them in turn of having a guilty secret, and by the end of the night one of the guests is dead. Stranded by a violent storm, and haunted by a nursery rhyme counting down one by one . . . as one by one . . . they begin to die. Which among them is the killer and will any of them survive?” As the guests continued to be killed, I had to keep reading to find out who would be next and – most importantly – who was the murderer. As I grew older and read more and more books, I discovered that this plot was classic Christie and has since been reworked by many mystery authors. At the time I was enthralled. I continue to be so many years later. If you have read this book, you know Christie continues to surprise you right through the last chapter of the book.

The only other book that I remember not being able to put down and having to read until I lost consciousness or finished was Stephen King’s first book Carrie. Once upon a time, King was an unknown and picking up his first book was stepping into uncharted waters. I really had no idea what I was getting into. Amazon.com says of this book, “Stephen King’s legendary debut is about a teenage outcast and the revenge she enacts on her classmates. Carrie White may be picked on by her classmates, but she has a gift. She can move things with her mind. Doors lock. Candles fall. This is her power and her problem. Then, an act of kindness, as spontaneous as the vicious taunts of her classmates, offers Carrie a chance to be a normal…until an unexpected cruelty turns her gift into a weapon of horror and destruction that no one will ever forget.” And how ! As the plotline played out, as Carrie went to the prom of her dreams, as her mother began acting crazier and crazier….this is not something you want to put aside and continue with the next day when you might have some spare time. Holy mackerel ! What is going to happen next ????

And so….what was YOUR first book where you said, “ I JUST CAN’T STOP ! “ ?

Unsung Heroes

September 8, 2018 by Scott Handville, Assistant Director

Recently I saw the film, The Way We Get By, directed by Aron Gaudet who grew up in Old Town, Maine. Many of us here in Maine have heard of the troop greeters at the Bangor Airport. Actually, I have been there at the same time waiting to fly out. At the time I didn’t really know what was going on. This is a wonderful film about some wonderful Mainers who are making a huge impact in such a small, personal way.

The product description from Amazon.com says: “The SXSW Special Jury Award winning The Way We Get By is a deeply moving film about life and how to live it. Beginning as a seemingly idiosyncratic story about troop greeters – a group of senior citizens who gather daily at a small airport to thank American soldiers departing and returning from Iraq, the film quickly turns into a moving, unsettling and compassionate story about aging, loneliness, war and mortality.

When its three subjects aren’t at the airport, they wrestle with their own problems: failing health, depression, mounting debt. Joan, a grandmother of eight, has a deep connection to the soldiers she meets. The sanguine Jerry keeps his spirits up even as his personal problems mount. And the veteran Bill, who clearly has trouble taking care of himself, finds himself contemplating his own death. Seeking out the telling detail rather than offering sweeping generalizations, the film carefully builds stories of heartbreak and redemption, reminding us how our culture casts our elders, and too often our soldiers, aside. More important, regardless of your politics, The Way We Get By celebrates three unsung heroes who share their love with strangers who need and deserve it.“

You can reserve this film online via the Minerva system or just give us a call and we will do it for you.

Cook Out Time!

July 21, 2018 by Scott Handville, Assistant Director

One of the many joys of summer is planning and enjoying a meal outside, with or without a BBQ. One of my favorite dishes is Potato Salad because of the many variations that can be made. Here is the recipe for Creamy Potato Salad featured in the book “The Great Potluck Cookbook” from Good Housekeeping. Come borrow this book or enjoy another one of the many waiting for you at the Gardiner Public Library.

CREAMY POTATO SALAD

Makes 10 side-dish servings

4 pounds red potatoes, unpeeled

2 ½ tsp salt

1/3 cup cider vinegar

1 Tbl sugar

1 Tbl spicy brown mustard

¼ tsp ground black pepper

½ cup mayo

2 stalks celery, thinly sliced crosswise

In 4-quart saucepan, place potatoes, 2 tsp salt, and enough water to cover; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until potatoes are fork-tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain; cool slightly.
Meanwhile, in a large serving bowl, combine vinegar, sugar, mustard, pepper, mayo, and remaining ½ tsp salt.
When potatoes are cooked enough to handle, cut each into quarters or eights if large. Add celery and warm potatoes to dressing in bowl; gently stir with rubber spatula until well coated. Let potato mixture stand 30 minutes to absorb dressing, stirring occasionally.
Cover and refrigerate until completely cold, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.