| 50 Years of Hip-hop 50 years ago, on August 11, 1973, some teenagers threw a back-to-school party in the rec room of their apartment building in the Bronx. And presiding over it all was deejay Kool Herc. Since then, hip-hop has evolved and it has exploded. It is impossible now to imagine the world today without this music and its culture. With its roots in block parties and DJing, hip-hop quickly expanded to include rap, breakdancing, and graffiti art, becoming a voice for marginalized communities to express their experiences, struggles, and aspirations. From the pioneering works of artists like Grandmaster Flash and Afrika Bambaataa to the mainstream success of icons like Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G., hip-hop has continually pushed boundaries and challenged societal norms. As it enters its fifth decade, hip-hop remains a vibrant and influential force, shaping music, fashion, and language across the globe. Explore the genre with these titles |
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| Books on the Air An overview of talked-about books and authors. This weekly update, published every Friday, provides descriptions of recent TV and radio appearances by authors and their recently released books. See the hot titles from the media this week. |
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| James McBride James McBride is an award-winning author, musician, and screenwriter. His landmark memoir, The Color of Water spent more than two years on the New York Times bestseller list. A native New Yorker and a graduate of New York City public schools, McBride studied composition at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio and received his master's degree at the Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia University. In 2015, he was awarded the National Humanities Medal by President Obama “for humanizing the complexities of discussing race in America.” He holds several honorary doctorates and is currently a Distinguished Writer in Residence at New York University. A noted musician and composer, McBride has toured as a saxophonist sideman with jazz legend Jimmy Scott, among other musicians. He has written songs for Anita Baker, Grover Washington Jr., Pura Fé, Gary Burton, and even for the PBS television character “Barney.” Check out his books here. |
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| Library Reads Library Reads-The top ten books published this month that library staff across the country love, with additional hall of fame authors. Check them out here |
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| Think before you speak. Read before you think.-Fran Lebowitz, The Fran Lebowitz Reader
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