The Library in June: Dance and Music Month

by Anne Pelish

Dance and music are the themes of the June library display. The RVM library has an extensive collection of dance and music books, both fiction and non-fiction.

Below are some of the books that will be represent the theme of dance.

Non-fiction books include Perspectives on Korean Dance (793.3) by RVM resident Judy Van Zile. It is the first comprehensive English language study of Korean dance. The book is lavishly illustrated with 42 color plates and includes a helpful glossary of Korean terms. Moving Line (741.9) by Channing Penna, also an RVM resident, is the outcome of a seven-year exploration of the science and humanity of movement. Celebrating Dance: Three Decades at Humboldt State with Kay Gott Chaffey, 1950-1982 (792.8) is by a former RVM resident, Kay Gott Chaffey. Dance While You Can (921) by Shirely Maclaine shares deeply personal stories about her family: her parents, her brother, and her only daughter—and about her life in the movies over four decades.

Fiction includes mysteries such as Death Dance by Linda Fairstein and Habor Nocturne by Joseph Wambaugh. Other fiction includes Hula by Jasmin Hakes — a tale of mothers and daughters, dance and destiny, told in part in the collective voice of a community fighting for its survival. Dancing at the Rascal Fair by Ivan Doig is an authentic saga of the American experience at the turn of the last century and a passionate, portrayal of the immigrants who dared to try new lives in the imposing Rocky Mountains.

Sharing the theme of dance is music which is a universal language that transcends linguistic and cultural barriers.

Simple Dreams (921) by Linda Ronstadt reveals the eclectic and fascinating journey that led to her long-lasting success, including stories behind many of her beloved songs. 3 Shades of Blue: Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, and the Lost Empire of Cool (781.65) by James Kaplan captures how that golden era came to be, and its pinnacle with the recording of Kind of Blue.

Fiction is represented by Ann Patchett’s spellbinding novel, Bel Canto, about love and opera, and the unifying ways people learn to communicate across cultural barriers in times of crisis. The Chopin Manuscript by Jeffery Deaver is a unique collaboration by 15 of the world’s greatest thriller writers. The Cellist by Daniel Silva features legendary spy Gabriel Allon in another mystery/thriller. The Music Shop by Rachel Joyce tells how love, friendship, and especially the healing powers of music all rise together into a triumphant crescendo.

Check out these and many other books on the June display table.

Kathleen Jensen samples the June display collection.