Wrestling With Moses: How Jane Jacobs Took On New York's Master Builder and Transformed the American City by Anthony Flint (2009)

On August 4th, The New York Times Book Review published a review and excerpt from a book about Scranton native (and Central High School alumni) Jane Jacobs (1916-2006), urban renewal activist and author of The Death and Life of Great American Cities. The book, Wrestling With Moses: How Jane Jacobs Took On New York's Master Builder and Transformed the American City, was published in July 2009.

To read Chapter One from the book, titled "The Girl From Scranton," click here.

To place a hold on Jane Jacob's The Death and Life of Great American Cities, click here.

Much thanks to both Evelyn Gibbons and Peter Metrinko for this reference.

Woody Allen's "Whatever Works" (With Production Design by Wilkes-Barre Native Santo Loquasto) Coming to DVD and Blu-Ray October 27th

Keeping in tradition on smaller windows between theatrical releases and video releases, Woody Allen's latest comedy Whatever Works will be released on DVD and Blu-Ray on Tuesday, October 27th; it opened in theaters this past June. The Production Designer on the film is Allen's longtime collaborator and Wilkes-Barre native Santo Loquasto, who worked with Allen on over 20 of his films from 1987 through 2004, the last being 2004's Melinda & Melinda.

Lackawanna County Library System has ordered copies of the DVD of Whatever Works to borrow; to place a hold, click here. The library is also planning on purchasing a copy of the Blu-Ray for our collection as well, which cannot be reserved or placed on hold.

"The Magic of Scranton" by Anne Supsic from Sunday Philadelphia Inquirer (August 9, 2009)

The cover of the travel section of Sunday's Philadelphia Inquirer (August 9th, 2009, N1, N6) features an article by Anne Supsic titled "The Magic of Scranton," which details a trip she took to Scranton with her husband and grandson to see local sites like the Houdini Museum. The article is also accompanied by some excellent photographs of places in Scranton.

You can read the complete article online by clicking here.

Thanks to GlobalScranton for the scoop, and definitely follow them on Twitter (www.twitter.com/GlobalScranton)

The Crepes of Wrath: A Pennsylvania Dutch Mystery With Recipes by Tamar Myers (2001)

My esteemed colleague (and Queen of Local History) Judi K. is working her way through the Tamar Myers PA Dutch Mysteries with recipes and it seems in every one there is a reference to the much hated Chief of Police Melvin Stoltzfus, who once sent a gallon of ice cream via UPS to a relative in Scranton (1998's Between A Wok And A Hard Place and Eat, Drink, and Be Wary, as well as 2000's The Hand That Rocks The Ladle).

Judi just finished Myer's 2000 mystery The Crepes of Wrath and, sure enough, there was the Scranton reference. It occurs on page 6 at the beginning of the hardcover edition:

"Rumor has it our Chief of Police was kicked int he head by a bull--while trying to milk it. This rumor, I believe, was started by his mother. At any rate, Melvin is so out of touch with reality that he once mailed a gallon of ice cream to his favorite aunt in Scranton."

The Crepes of Wrath is available to borrow from the Lackawanna County Library System. To place a hold, click here.

Thanks again to Miss Judi K. for this reference.