Danbury Library Blog

A search of the library’s catalog reveals that Marie Antoinette has sparked the imagination of many novelists and scholars. A recent movie inspired at least one magazine cover.

A new book about the guillotined queen hones in on her celebrated fashion sense. Queen of Fashion: What Marie Antoinette Wore to the Revolution follows the famed fashion plate from her ritual stripping by the French court to her execution in a martyr’s dress. As the queen, clothes were the only form of political expression afforded to Antoinette and her boundary-breaking outfits both endeared her to her people and provided them with the ammunition to convict her of treason.

Posted by Kate at 12:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Station manager Arthur Carlson uttered the above in that famous episode of 'WKRP' in which turkeys were thrown out of a helicopter hovering above Cincinnati as part of a Thanksgiving promotional stunt. Tragedy ensued for the turkeys and , I believe, a number of parked cars.

We know turkeys can't fly--at least not very well. We also know turkeys taste pretty darn good. There are some wonderful new cookbooks to get you through this holiday season. The Joy of Cooking is celebrating its 75th anniversary with a new edition. Also, 150 Best American Recipes is another great source for classic dishes. Enjoy!

Posted by Mary at 11:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The dude doth protest too much, methinks.

Some interesting insights & opinions on the latest OJ bombshell. To refesh your memories (must we?), here a few of the copious books on the subject.

Would anyone care to suggest a more appropriate title for this "creative" work?

Posted by Claudia at 11:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Do you know that Danbury's population has tripled since the 1950s. People say location, location, and location. Well, Danbury is located on the border of New York and Connecticut, and, is located within driving distance of both Boston and New York City. Corporations like ATM, Ethan Allan Interiors Inc and Praxair offer many job opportunities. A house in Danbury costs a quarter of the price you would pay in Westport or Greenwich. Candlewood Lake, Richter Park, and the Military Museum of Southern New England are wonderful recreational opportunities visited by thousands of people from surrounding towns. Danbury Hospital is one of the finest hospitals in New England. According to a local newspaper's survey Danbury Library's reference librarians provide the best reference services in region. And if you explore more, you will find even more reasons to visit or live in Danbury. Here are a book for you to read about Danbury.

Posted by Yan at 10:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

P. T. Barnum, America's greatest showman, had a lot of local connections. He was born in Bethel in 1810 and also served a sixty day jail sentence in Danbury for an item that he published in a newspaper that he owned. Upon his release from jail there was a parade to celebrate his regaining his freedom. He was Mayor of Bridgeport for two years and lived in a fabulous mansion there which he named Iranistan. He donated a ceremonial fountain to the town of Bethel.

Danbury Library has many books about Barnum including his autobiography entitled "Struggles and Triumphs" and a rare copy of a 1934 screenplay called "The Mighty Barnum" which starred Wallace Beery as the great showman. To learn more about his fascinating life log on to www.barnum-museum.org.

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Posted by John O'Donnell at 09:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

marked the end of World War I with the signing of the Armistice in 1918. Made a legal holiday in 1938 to honor all veterans, living and deceased, Armistice Day was officially renamed Veterans Day in 1954.

Most of us have a connection to someone who has served in the military--you may just not be aware of this or don't know how to find the information.

My search of the Ancestry database --which you can access here in the library--yielded some surprising results. I was interested in learning about my great great grandfather, Peter Huntoon. I knew he lived in Maine before moving the family to Massachusetts. As a result of searching Ancestry, I discovered Peter was a 'wagoner' in the Civil War for the state of Maine. He enlisted in October of 1861 at the age of 35 and was discharged with a Distinguished Service mention. He then collected a Civil War Pension which he received in Maine, then Connecticut and then Massachusetts where he lived until his death. All of this information was news to my family members. Now we have another veteran to remember and honor on Veterans Day.

Posted by Mary at 03:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)