The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO

Globe Life

October 12, 2007

Book review: Make it work with Tim Gunn's new guide

‘Tim Gunn: A Guide to Quality, Taste and Style’

By Tim Gunn and Kate Moloney

“Tim Gunn: A Guide to Quality, Taste and Style” is a fun and informative read from the host of the television show “Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style” and one of the stars of “Project Runway” (both on Bravo). If you’re familiar with Gunn and his signature line “Make it work,” you’ll know if you’ll like this book.

The tone is just the same as his television work, and he brings the same prescriptive style as well. While the book focuses on finding your own style, it also contains lots of useful information on what to buy and how to shop for it. Of course, my favorite parts are the what not to buy (or do) bits, like the advice to kindly conceal your midriff unless you are in a workout class and to please refrain from wearing cotton flannel drawstring-waist pants (aka pajama bottoms) when you leave the house.

A lot of the material here will be familiar to anyone who has ever paid any attention whatsoever to fashion, but there are a lot of good reminders even for those who have, like not buying things according to the size label (hey, who’s going to see it?) and how to weed out your closet. More than anything else, it’s a fun read if you enjoy Gunn’s writing style.

Playaway devices

For audiobook readers, here’s some interesting news. We are in the process of introducing a new format to the library: Playaway audio books.

A Playaway is a self-playing digital audio book that comes pre-loaded on a small storage device. Each Playaway can hold content that ranges up to 24 hours of play time and is about half the size of a deck of cards. No discs or tapes to shuffle or lose, and far more easily transported than a cassette or CD players! Unlike most audio formats, you can also control the speed of play, so you can listen more quickly if you like (or just speed through the parts you don’t care much about). You can also bookmark the Playaway so that you can pick up where you left off, or mark passages you want to listen to again later.

The Playaway device was designed with a universal headphone jack to work with almost any type of headphone, speaker or car adapter. We will be selling headphones for patrons who do not have them, but obviously better headphones will provide a better listening experience.

The Playaway devices can be checked out for 21 days, and will be limited to one per patron, at least until we have more of them! Once the collection grows, we will expand the number each patron can have at one time.

You can check our catalog to see what titles we own by doing a keyword or subject search for “Playaway.” We have bought 61 Playaways so far, and will be adding more over the coming months. Most of the titles are children’s and teen titles, but more adult titles are on the way. Some of the titles we have now are David McCullough’s “1776”; “Mossflower,” by Brian Jacques; “Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America,” by Barbara Ehrenreich; and “The Ninth Key,” by Meg Cabot.

We hope that the Playaways will be popular and that you will find them convenient and easy to use. Drop by and check one out!



Linda Cannon is the collection development librarian at Joplin Public Library.

Text Only
Globe Life
  • 020212-LIFE-horses3.jpg Students add vision to collaborative exhibit

    In a “secret room” upstairs at Spiva Center for the Arts, an art project began last week that won’t be finished for 18 more days. That’s because it is being created by more than 1,100 artists.

    February 6, 2012 1 Photo

  • Cari Rerat: Pair of graphic novels tell tales of heroism

    Witty banter, blood-soaked violence, and old-school sound effects make this one of the most fun graphic novels I’ve read in a long time.

    February 6, 2012

  • Frankie Meyer: Celebrity genealogy hunt makes return to TV

    At last, my favorite series is returning for its third season. “Who Do You Think You Are?” is scheduled for 8 p.m. on Fridays.

    February 6, 2012

  • Frankie Meyer: Church minutes can provide details about ancestors

    As you compile your family history, you will often learn the name of the church that an ancestor attended. Novice researchers sometimes ignore that type of detail, not realizing that church records can provide details that blast through the brick walls of research.

    January 31, 2012

  • Phyllis Seesengood: Prequel takes Jack Reacher book series back in time

    “The Affair,” by Lee Child, is the 16th book in the series of Jack Reacher thrillers and is a prequel to the other books. It takes us back in time to March 1997, where we learn valuable information about Reacher’s background and his reasons for leaving the military. 

    January 31, 2012

  • Life_Watson poster 2.jpg B-easy does it

    Chris Watson, a Pittsburg State University graduate and Kansas native, was visiting a local video store when he stumbled across three horror movies he’d either produced, directed, directly written or co-written over the last eight years.

    January 31, 2012 3 Photos

  • Book highlights opposites in animal kingdom

    Even in science opposite attract. It’s the opposite ends of a magnet that attract. Don’t try to connect the south poles on two magnets, because it’s not going to work. Opposites attract.

    January 23, 2012

  • Cemetery research can yield details about family

    Through cemetery research, family history researchers can learn details such as names of spouses and children, military service, hobbies and religious preference, as well as the date and location of birth, marriages and death.

    January 23, 2012

  • 011912ArtFeeds1CMYK.jpg Art class helps kids deal with feelings from tornado

    And while this innovative program received national attention -- thanks to the Joplin-based episode of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” on Jan. 13 -- Bourne’s mobile arts center, dedicated to the growth and healing of children through art, had been up and running long before the EF-5 tornado suddenly spiraled out of the clouds.

    January 23, 2012 1 Photo

  • Danya Walker: Non-fiction work examines history’s infamous mistresses

    Many times, the cover and title of a book promises a much more risque read than is actually delivered. “Mistresses: A History of the Other Woman” by Elizabeth Abbott is one such book.

    January 16, 2012

Facebook
Poll

Joplin City Manager Mark Rohr wants the city to distribute weather radios to all Joplin homes that don’t have one. That’s 11,000 radios. Do you think that’s a good use of $300,440?

Yes.
No.
     View Results
Parade
Magazine

Click HERE to read all your Parade favorites including Hollywood Wire, Celebrity interviews and photo galleries, Food recipes and cooking tips, Games and lots more.
Facebook
Poll

Joplin City Manager Mark Rohr wants the city to distribute weather radios to all Joplin homes that don’t have one. That’s 11,000 radios. Do you think that’s a good use of $300,440?

Yes.
No.
     View Results
Twitter Updates
Follow us on twitter
Follow me on Twitter
NDN Video
Obama Scraps Birth Control Mandate US Airmen's Killer Sentenced to Life in Germany Raw Video: Deadly Blasts in Syria Romney Slams President Obama at CPAC Gingrich: Pres. Obama 'waging War on Religion' Navy Names Ship for Gabrielle Giffords 5 Killed in Wrong-way Crash on I-10 in La. Denver's Largest-Ever Drug Bust Nets Dozens Marines: No Punishment for Nazi-like Flag Vets Look to Translate Military Skills Into Jobs Raw Video: School Bus Burst Into Flames LA School Reopens Amid Sex Abuse Scandal $25B Settlement Reached Over Foreclosure Abuses Pentagon: Allow Women Closer to Front Lines LA School in Sex Abuse Scandal Reopens Raw Video: Italy's Mount Etna Bursts Into Life Greeks March; Angry Despite Debt Deal Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service Ga Girl Fights Off Kidnapper at Walmart Skip the Coffee Cup and Inhale Your Caffeine Fix
House Ads