Donations!

Virtually every week someone brings in a box or bag or books for our library. Usually these are put in the book sale. Quite often, however, a title will catch my eye. One such book was Hypocrite in a Pouffy White Dress by Susan Gilman. Reading her descriptions of her experiences growing up in New York in the early 1970s, watching and listening to The Partridge Family and the Jackson 5 (including the Saturday morning cartoons of the same name) is hilarious and reminded me of my own childhood. Her description of an increasing larger-than-life show-and-tell (where she eventually changes her name from Susan to “Rhinestone Gilman” and later “Sapphire Gilman” because her initials will be the same) made me laugh out loud. (Judging by my daughter’s actions, five-year-olds
haven’t changed much.) The jacket blurb from Frank McCourt says it all: “Thank you, O Lord for sending us Susan Gilman’s tales.”


Today a patron brought in half a dozen books on dogs and how to care for them. It is my firm belief that animals in general and pets in particular enrich our lives. I was interested to see that one title dealt with caring for dogs that are blind. What’s the point you ask? Compassion, for one. How we treat animals is usually a strong indicator of how well we treat each other, whether the elderly, the young, the infirm, and those who are down on their luck. Perhaps someone soon will have a need to care for an animal that is blind. Hopefully, this book will be a big help for them.

So, bring on those donations! I am interested to see what hidden gems the next batch will reveal.

(All BPL locations will accept book donations. Thanks for your support!)

Submitted by Jonathan Newman
Avondale Library

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