It’s time for Summer Reading, and this year’s theme is Plant a Seed, Read. Like the farm-to-table theme, the library provides resources for you to grow and flourish. Plant a seed of knowledge with these new PBS shows, available for checkout at The Library. (Descriptions below provided by the publisher.)
Cooking with Legends: Ming Tsai & Rick Bayless
Cooking with Legends: Ming Tsai & Rick Bayless refers to multiple guest appearances by renowned chef Rick Bayless on Ming Tsai’s PBS cooking show, Simply Ming, highlighting East-meets-West cuisine, especially Mexican flavors with Asian twists, featuring dishes like Mexican adobo tacos with Moo Shu wraps, swordfish, and Okonomiyaki, showcasing their collaborative spirit and culinary expertise. These episodes blend their distinct styles, creating unique fusion dishes and exploring themes like comfort food and seasonal ingredients.
Nineteenth-century writer Henry David Thoreau helped shape ecology, modern environmentalism, and nonviolent resistance, yet his life has often been reduced to the myth of a solitary hermit by a pond. In truth, he was a teacher, scientist, and outspoken activist who engaged deeply with society while continually questioning its values. Living in a nation struggling to uphold its ideals amid corruption, slavery, and the forced removal of Indigenous Peoples Thoreau sought truth and a meaningful life in what he described as a culture of “quiet desperation.” This pursuit led him to live simply and deliberately for two years in a cabin he built at Walden Pond, before returning to society to share what he had learned. The author of Walden, Civil Disobedience, and numerous essays, journals, and books, Thoreau’s words resonate urgently today as humanity seeks to live in harmony with nature and with one another.
Of The People: The Women of the Civil Rights Movement
Of The People: The Women Of The Civil Rights Movement shines a light on the often-overlooked women whose courage and leadership shaped one of the most transformative eras in American history. While names like Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X dominate popular narratives, this work centers the voices and stories of women who organized, strategized, and sacrificed to dismantle segregation and secure voting rights. From grassroots activists to national leaders, these women such as Ella Baker, Fannie Lou Hamer, Septima Clark, and Dorothy Height fought not only against racial injustice but also gender discrimination within the movement itself.
An archaeological detective story opens a door into an extraordinary moment in the story of Ancient Egypt, as the discovery of a long-lost cemetery not far from King Tut’s tomb shines a light on an often-overlooked Egyptian kingdom. About 2,700 years ago, kings from Nubia – present day Sudan – conquered Egypt, and during their reigns, shifted the status of Egyptian women. Archaeologists and historians reveal how the ascent of The God’s Wife of Amun lifted some women to the highest echelons of religious, political, and financial power in the ancient Egyptian empire.
Celebrating the life and career of actor Dick Van Dyke on his 100th birthday; featuring never-before-seen footage, photos and home movies that detail his legacy in show business.
During the month of June, look for the “Plant a Seed with PBS” displays at all three branches for more PBS recommendations.
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