Indiana Jones returns!

I have to admit that I am a big fan of the Indiana Jones' movies, so it is quite exciting to be just a couple of days away from his latest adventure, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. I can still remember when Raiders of the Lost Ark was released in June 1981 - I must have gone to the theater 3 or 4 times that summer to see it. Except for Star Wars, I had never been so enthralled with a movie that I wanted to pay to see it again....and again.

Some cool books are being published to help generate excitement over the newest Indy movie, and the library has quite a selection. Indiana Jones: The Ultimate Guide by James Luceno is a really fun book published by Dorling Kindersley. (If you're not familiar with this publisher, it's well worth checking them out. They publish a fantastic series called Eyewitness for children - the library has many, many titles.) The Ultimate Guide is packed with fun and interesting information about all four movies, and it has some great pictures.

Several novelizations of the movies are making appearances such as the omnibus edition, The Adventures of Indiana Jones by Campbell Black, James Kahn, and Rob MacGregor. If you're really more interested in the most recent film, try Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull by James Rollins. And I don't know about you, but a new movie from Steven Spielberg makes me think back on his other movies, so a new book available at the library sounds like the perfect choice: Empire of Dreams: The Science Fiction and Fantasy Films of Steven Spielberg by Andrew Gordon.

Now all I have to do is wait patiently for the May 22 premiere. I probably won't stand in line to see it on opening day (hey, I'm older now, and the fact that I'll probably be able to buy it on dvd within a relatively short time frame changes the whole experience), but I'll definitely go to the theater at some point so I can enjoy the action on a big screen. Wonder if Indy will have to face those darn snakes again?

Robert Ludlum: The cure for the common cold

Captain Criticism:
I've been out sick with a bad cold the past couple of days, and nothing makes me feel better than Robert Ludlum. Hmm...sounds strange, perhaps? But it's true. When I'm feeling ill (or "poorly" as we say in Indiana), I just like to curl up with my box of tissues, cup of hot tea, and any of the DVDs from the Jason Bourne series (Bourne Identity, Supremacy, and Ultimatum). Yes, I watched the movies, but they are based on books by Robert Ludlum.

The Spy Thriller is a very popular genre. Tom Clancy has the Jack Ryan series which includes The Hunt for Red October, and Patriot Games. (Okay, yes, those are movies also, what can I say?!) John Le Carre, a former British Secret Service agent, has written several books in this genre such as The Spy who came in from the cold, and The Constant Gardener. (Ah! That's a movie, too! Maybe I should just give up librarianship and become a movie critic!) And, well, I mustn't forget the James Bond novels written by Ian Fleming. Some of his novels include Casino Royale, For your eyes only, and You only live twice. (Yes, all movies. Spy thrillers make good movies! It must be true!).

There are many other wonderful authors writing in the Spy Thriller genre. The next time you are at the library, just ask one of our librarians and they will gladly assist you in finding a great spy novel!