Hi, guys!  Since this is a clean slate, so to speak, with a new year and "no tracks in the snow yet"--let's begin it with a "true" column, okay?  (In other words, Non-Fiction). As I start writing this, it's no rain, no snow, but gray and overcast--and I can hardly believe the "goodies" in my house, left from the holidays-- purchased by me or as gifts or little elves' presents! Manny, the German Shepherd I helped bring up along with his OWNER ON THE REGISTRATION PAPERS, Dennis--but he's half mine and all 3 of us know it!--anyway, Manny and Trooper, my Belgian Sheepdog, can't have any of these sweets (except for the half-inch piece of Cashew brittle they had this morning!) so I guess it's up to HImself and I. 

Did you see any good Football games last week-end?  With a residence in Kerrville, Tx., I have to start paying attention to the Texas schools and, I suppose, the Cowboys and that's o.k. because I still pay attention to when the Bears play (being from Chicago) and once in a long while see, in college games, the mention of Dartmouth, where my favorite uncle,  Jess Hawley, coached Football. So, it's not just the Kansas or Texas teams I perk up my ears at the mention of their name.

You know something?  I think--emphasize "THINK"--that K.U.'s tune for their Alma Mater is from Cornell Univ. And you know something else? I think my high school graduation march, down the hill in Bristol, Va., was done to that same tune!  I knew you'd want to know that. But, seriously, I wish someone would ask someone in authority at K.U.AND KINDLY LET ME KNOW.

Speaking of Football--isn't it clever how I segue into one topic from another?--"300 Pounds of Attitude: The Wildest Stories and Craziest Characters the NFL Has Ever Seen", by Jonthan Rand, is a genuine hoot! Great quotes and anecdotes from players whose names you know; i.e. Deion Sanders, cornerback, said to his Baltimore Ravens team--"When I get into the end zone, stand back and let me dance first--THEN you can congratulate me" and the great linebacker, Mike Singletary talking about his Chicago Bears teammates, "I'm not sure if you want to take these characters home with you, but you definetly want to take them to war."

Lots of famous names and if you're a football fan, you'll eat this one up and I've GOT to finsih this review with a Peyton Manning story--he's good looking, very sure of himself, makes great ads on TV, and seems to be a right good Football quarterback--he says that he "was accustomed to being thrown into the fire after becoming the starter early in his freshman season at Tennessee."  His first time in the Volunteer's huddle, Manning broke into a pep talk about going down the field and scoring and being a winner and a senior linebacker snapped, "Just call the (bleeping) play, Freshman." What a hoot! 

Ever wondered where the origin of dumping a bucket of Gatorade on the winning coach became a post-season tradition?  Read this next book with a mixture of awe and humbleness; "Scott of the Antarctic; A Life of Courage and Tragedy", by David Crane. To some, Robert Falcon Scott was a hero, but to others he was an irresponsible fool and this is a more balanced and nuanced retelling than any of the others had.There are astounding scientific achievements and personal vignettes that all combine to show his adventursome spirit and this book's author includes some excerpts from Scott's own diaries and letters.

Remember how I said I was from Chicago? The next book is"Death in the Haymarket; A Story of Chicago, the First Labor Movement and the Bombing that Divided Gilded AgeAmerica:, by James Green, re-creates a pivotal moment in this country's labor movement, the greatest since the Civil War, and the bringing in of the 8-hr. workday. This book "gives us a rich portrait of Chicago, the Midwestern powerhouse of the Gilded Age and we see the great factories AND their wealthy owners----and an intimate view of the communities of immigrant workers employed to work for them."  All of a sudden, I'm reminded of the Polish nanny who was with me for about 4 years and both Mother and I adored her! 

To go on, this author deals well with bringing out the personalities of all levels of economic, social, and political level but the big question, as you can imagine, was "Who threw the bomb at the main body of police, which, naturally, touched off THEIR reaction to the menacing crowd?" Several theories abounded and then the Governor, John Peter Altgeld announced that he was pardoning the men who had been convicted during a trial of being behind the violence because "a packed jury had been selected to convict and because much of the evidence given at the trial was a pure fabricatioin, the defendants were not proven guiilty of the crime charged against them" and finally, and most provocatively, "because the trial judge was either so prejudiced against the defendants or else so determined to win the applause of a certain class in the community, that he could not and did not grant a fair trial." Strong words! For all history buffs, this is your book--so, come in and check it out.

Let's end on a lighter note, in this cold, melting-ice weather, with the wonderful Peter Mayle's "Provence A-Z" and see what delight we can find in it. This is not a conventional work of reference but rather a gathering of things that, over 20 years of living there, Peter has found to be funny, odd, delicious and some things and habits of the natives.  There's a museum dedicated to the French Foreign Legion--and a museum of the corkscrew-- the origins of their famous song, "La Marseillaise"--and the life and songs of a character named Fanny!  Plus, of course, he discussed olives, gestures, truffles, and cheeses--and France should make him an honorary SOMETHING for his having sung the praises (and drunk their prized wines and rhapsodized over them!) of Provence's weather, food, farmhouses and gestures! 

Concerning the latter, theirs is the famous Gallic shrug of the shoulders--not polite spasms but really full blown!--the upraised INDEX finger for instant silence and the wagging back and forth of same in the definete cadence of the metronome--and what gesture indicates violent, definitive disagreement and not to be argued with!  A charming book and certainly MUCH more interesting than the majority reference book--possibly one to be read with a glass of excellent Chardonnay. Come in and see if I'm right.

So, mes enfants, time to bring this to a close, pour the hot water over the teabag, and sit back and congratulate myself on another book column shared with friends. Later this month, I head for Kerrville for a week looking for treasures for a house, absorbing local color and excellent Mexican food but before I go, I will have another column for you for Sunday, Jan.14.  So, join me for the next 3 weeks enjoying sunshine, bar-b-q, walking the dog, favorite TV shows returning, Bowl games and enjoying a good dinner at one of the local restaurants. 

I'll be doing radio Public Service Announcements on KSCB and KSLS in the next few days and, as always, if you have any comments or questions for the library, let me know or my director, Kristen Becker. Happy New Year, dear hearts, and let me know IF you read this column and any compliments you may have! Bye!