Blog

Author Event: The Hundred Wells of Salaga

What immediately struck me about Ayesha Harruna Attah’s The Hundred Wells of Salaga was the vivid, evocative prose; while her writing was concise, the few details she allowed were beautiful, especially when she described a man’s lecherous behavior towards her protagonist, Aminah, in a Ghana marketplace. The “pads of his fingers settled on her the way one’s feet steady themselves on new ground: on tiptoes at first, and then with all of one’s weight” (Attah 11). The deft, careful beaut...

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02/21/2019 - 10:15am

New Titles List for the Week of February 18

BOOKS

FICTION
Ayesha Harruna Attah The hundred wells of Salaga
Sandra Newman The heavens
Yuko Tsushima Territory of light
Khaled Khalifa Death is hard work
Valeria Luiselli...

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02/20/2019 - 3:45pm

You Can Help School Libraries Here in the Bay Area and Those Affected by the Paradise Fire

As you know, there was almost total destruction of the town of Paradise this past November. Most schools were destroyed along with their library collections. The public library is still standing, but the library collection is a total loss due to smoke damage. Under-resourced public school libraries in the Bay Area also need books for their students. You can make a difference by donating new and gently used books for toddlers, children and young adults to...

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02/12/2019 - 4:45pm

Western Films -- DVD/Blu-ray display

The history of American cinema up to today has included the "Western" as a central genre. While inspired by popular literature, Westerns continue to tell stories about the perils settlers experienced during Western expansion. Mechanics' is home to an extensive collection of Western Americana, including many titles from the Western silver screen and television. 'Giddy-up' to the Western film display on the 2nd floor and take home DVD and Blu-ray from our diverse collection rangi...

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02/13/2019 - 4:00pm

New Titles List for the Week of February 11

BOOKS

FICTION
Amit Chaudhuri Friend of my youth
Mariana Dimópulos All my goodbyes
Yiyun Li Where reasons end
Elinor Lipman Good riddance
Peter Mendelsund...

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02/12/2019 - 12:45pm

New Display - Golden Gate International Exposition 1939-1940

The Golden Gate International Exposition (GGIE) was the last world’s fair hosted in the San Francisco Bay Area and a celebration of the completion of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay Bridge. The Mechanics’ Institute is celebrating the 80^th anniversary of the GGIE by hosting a series of lectures about the fair on Thursday, April 4^th and a...

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02/11/2019 - 2:30pm

Celebrating Black History Month

This month our audiobook selection honors Black History Month. Listen to and explore works by African American writers of both fiction and nonfiction. From L.A. detectives (Cinnamon Kiss) to U.S. history (We Were Eight Years In Power) – there’s something for everyone!

How Are You Going to Save Yourself by JM Holmes, read by Damien Christopher CD Fic Holmes

Native Son by Richard...

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02/07/2019 - 3:45pm

Iconography: an irreverent introduction

I have always had an amateur's interest in fine art. I never took a course in art appreciation but I have learned as much as I can from books and from a friend with an M.F.A. who acts as my personal docent when we visit museums together. I always wondered about paintings, from medieval times to the present, that included numerous objects for no apparent reason or people making unusual (to me, anyway) gestures. What do they mean? Why did this artist include a broken wheel in this painting...

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