When writing my article for this month, I wanted to try and make it a spooky or horror-themed one, as it is October. I had been toying with the idea of writing an article just about unlikeable characters, but then I realized that perhaps it isn’t the idea of a character being unlikeable that makes some of us shy away from reading about them. It is the idea of an unlikeable female character that strikes fear into us. After all, we as a culture have no problem consuming stories that have unlikeable male characters that do awful things. Look at movies like The Godfather, There Will Be Blood, The Wolf of Wall Street – all movies with unlikeable, awful male characters that remain popular cult classics today. We gladly consume these movies because we have no problem imagining a male character being rude or brusque or unlikeable. But once a book or movie has an unlikeable female character, that’s when we become uncomfortable, or even scared. I love reading books about unlikeable women because they offer a break from the impossible expectations that female characters are supposed to adhere to all the time. Women in stories are supposed to be nice, sweet, kind, maternal, and a million other things, all while having to maintain their “likeability.” If they don’t adhere to these tropes, then they’re written off as the evil villain of the story. These stories about unlikeable women show that women are multi-faceted, and that they don’t need to be nice and sweet all the time in order to be appreciated as characters.

Amy Dunne from Gone Girl is one of the best examples I can think of to illustrate the concept of the horror of the unlikeable woman. Without spoiling the story, Amy’s actions in the novel are horrifying, and what makes Amy herself a scary character is that all of her actions can’t be justified as a result of trauma or tragedy. Amy herself explains that, “I’d never really felt like a person, because I was always a product… I remember always being baffled by other children. I would be at a birthday party and watch the other kids giggling and making faces, and I would try to do that too, but I wouldn’t understand why” (Flynn). Amy is scary to us not just because she committed crimes and has the mind of a sociopath, but because she has never had feelings of sweetness, of kindness, of maternal instinct. Amy scares us because she gives us no room to pity or pamper her.

Similarly, the movie Midsommar ends with the protagonist, Dani, smiling for the camera, crowned with flowers, as she watches a building burn. The last lines of the script describe this moment: “A SMILE finally breaks onto Dani’s face. She has surrendered to a joy known only by the insane. She has lost herself completely, and she is finally free. It is horrible and it is beautiful.” Midsommar is branded as a horror movie because of its plot involving cults, white supremacy, murder, and other disturbing elements. However, similarly to Amy Dunne, I think the true horror of the movie lies in the ending shot of Dani, smiling with joy as she watches a horrific event unfold before her very eyes, and is reveling in the fact that it is happening. It is so hard to like Dani at this moment, and that is what truly scares us.

If the topic of unlikeable female characters both intrigues and terrifies you, then here are some book recommendations! Ottessa Moshfegh always comes to mind when I think of books with unlikeable or difficult female characters. Some of her most well-known works are My Year of Rest and Relaxation, Eileen, and Homesick for Another World, all works of literary fiction which feature protagonists whose actions and words are often so blunt and out-there that sometimes you’re forced to just put the book down and walk away for a bit to process what you just read. The New Me by Halle Butler follows a young woman working at a temp agency, hoping to be accepted there full-time, only to find that her personality can strike as grating and “weird” to most other folks. Here Comes the Sun by Nicole Dennis-Benn is another story about difficult and unlikeable female characters, this time set at a lush resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica. The story is about two sisters whose Jamaican village and lives are under threat from construction and expansion, and the two must make difficult, unlikeable choices in order to save themselves and their family.

If you’re more in the mood for fantasy, Nesta from the Court of Thorns and Roses series is known for being THE most difficult character in the books. Nesta is only a side character in the first three books and novella, but the fourth book, A Court of Silver Flames, focuses entirely on Nesta as the main character. Another fantasy series which also delves into the genre of sci-fi and fantasy is the Queen of the Tearling series, which takes place in medieval Europe where a young girl is told one day that she is the heir to an entire kingdom, and must take back the throne from her uncle. I loved this series because the main character, Kelsea, makes a lot of difficult decisions when it comes to taking back her kingdom and running it, and shows that she has no time for acting like a Disney princess when it comes to assuming power.

Dina Delic is the Assistant Children’s Librarian at the Morrill Memorial Library in Norwood, MA. Look for her article in the November 4, 2021 issue of the Transcript and Bulletin.

A long flat crocodile lay still on the shore with its mouth wide open. Two unsuspecting elephants came along and when they noticed it, perked up their ears and walked backward before fleeing in the other direction. Seeking revenge for the scare, their friend trotted down, ears confidently flared, and chased the croc into the water. Moving along we came across a canal that appeared as though one could walk along it, stepping on the muddy boulders. Upon closer examination, it turned out to be a trench full of about 20 hippos, creatures that we discovered are like the squirrels of Queen Elizabeth Park – ubiquitous. Back at the lodge, I sat on a rock for a while, as the baboons surrounded me, not threatening, but timidly coming closer, staring and voicing occasional barks.

My trip to Uganda revolved around animals – observing them by boat, truck and on foot, at sunrise and sunset, and after dark with a spotlight. I maintain a life goal to travel once a year to a country I’ve never been to before, and safaris combine two of my favorite things: adventure travel and animals. For me, nothing compares to seeing lions frolic, monkeys swing from trees, and zebras and giraffes graze in the wild. What drew me to Uganda in particular was the opportunity to bushwhack through the dense forest, to spend time with gorillas and chimpanzees up close and personal.

After a week without television, news, and 24/7 social media, I started tuning out worries about life at home, but leave it to COVID to snap you back to reality. On the way to Lake Mburo we stopped for the COVID tests required for our return flights. The organizers explained that it cost $50.00 for the swab and results within 24 hours. At the combination clinic and morgue complex a doctor greeted us and broke the news that they were no longer handling tourists’ tests and we’d have to go to a private clinic, for a significantly steeper price. A private clinic sounded appealing, in light of the garbage pile on one side of us, and lineup of uniformed prisoners awaiting tests on the other, but we had enough experience with Ugandan logistics to fear that this would not be straightforward and would cost precious time, so we pleaded for an exception.

After some failed negotiations we sulked back to the dirt parking lot. The doctor followed us though, and after a whispered conversation with our driver, asked us in hushed tones, “How much do you want to pay?” He offered a “discount” but suggested we go offsite. It seemed fishy, but we didn’t have much choice. We got in our vehicle and followed our new friend out of the gates, down the road past the bustling market, finally turning onto a dirt road, and driving up onto the hilly green of a golf course.

Outside of the van window, the doctor began preparing paperwork, when two young boys came along and interrupted. He assured them we were “just chilling,” and they warned that the golf course prohibited “just chilling,” but for a small fee they might turn a blind eye. Our briber got bribed, mid-bribery, but of course we forked over the 20,000 shillings the boys demanded. Resuming the tests, the gentleman handed us swabs and vials out of his pocket, and asked the driver to borrow his hand sanitizer. One by one he jabbed our nostrils through the van window, each time changing gloves and sanitizing, declaring, “You see, I am very professional!” After paying up we parted ways and waited for the test results to be delivered via WhatsApp.

Many folks feared the dangers of my voyage to Uganda, a land full of wild animals, potential disease, and a history of war and political instability. I felt safe during every moment of the trip, aside from this one sketchy encounter with perhaps the most dangerous predator, a fellow human. I had COVID and Yellow Fever vaccines, mosquito nets and DEET for malaria prevention, and experienced guides and trackers. I mainly worried about other people. Uganda’s history breaks the heart. Preparing for the adventure, I checked out The Bradt Travel Guide: Uganda and the Pimsleur Swahili CDs, but I also watched General Idi Amin Dada: a Self Portrait (the fictionalized Last King of Scotland may be more accessible), and read First Kill Your Family: Child Soldiers of Uganda and the Lord’s Resistance Army, learning about atrocities beyond imagination.

Hundreds of thousands died under the reign of Amin, followed by hundreds of thousands more being murdered, abducted and tortured by Joseph Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army. It defies belief; the LRA rebels alleged to fight for the Ten Commandments, yet killed, raped, and stole mercilessly, elevating Kony as a prophet and thinking themselves literally bulletproof thanks to God’s protection. An Atlantic article entitled “The Bizarre and Horrifying Story of the Lord’s Resistance Army,” by Max Fisher goes into more detail. Not everyone can stomach such content, however keep in mind we do teach about the Holocaust in schools, and read accounts of that tragedy, aiming to learn lessons from history and “never forget.”

Most of this horror occurred in the north, closer to the South Sudan border and far from the safari and trekking routes tourists follow. A devastatingly poor country, Uganda depends on animal-based tourism, and those in the industry suffered greatly while unemployed during COVID times; travelers are just starting to return. Both forest trackers and lodge security guards carry AK-47s, not really for killing, but for warning and scaring off predators, (whether wild animals or people). A former British protectorate, most people speak English, and those I met were incredibly hospitable. Beers cost less than a dollar and lodge cabanas are more spacious than US hotel rooms.

For so many reasons, I prefer safari travel to sightseeing in America or Europe. After watching animals all day, with expert guides explaining their habits and behavior, my travel-mates and I questioned, “Why doesn’t everyone want to come here?!” After a power outage, or helping push a truck stuck in the mud, or using a roadside outhouse, we would admit, “Well, this isn’t for everyone.” I can’t get enough though; I hear the Congo and Rwanda also have gorilla treks… both remain high on my “bucket list.”

Lydia Sampson is the Assistant Director at the Morrill Memorial Library in Norwood, MA. Look for her article in the October 21, 2021 issue of the Transcript and Bulletin.

Maybe it’s the way the sunlight shines brighter but fades faster during the daytime. Maybe it’s the way the nights begin to unfurl ever deeper, darker, and longer. Maybe it’s the sharpening edge of chill in the air. But every autumn, without fail, I develop a hankering for some great horror content.

When it comes to horror, I’m not a fan of gore, torture, or content that relies on a pure “ick” factor. Rather, I prefer my horror cerebral, weird, deeply unsettling, and beautifully composed. My favorite horror stories tend to blur genre lines; they’re difficult to categorize as one thing or the other, shifting in and out of science fiction or fantasy, mystery or suspense. They often haunt me long after I close the book or turn off the film. And they always have an extremely strong sense of place. For these reasons, I refer to these stories as “atmospheric horror.”

Have I managed to pique your interest? Good—because I have plenty of recommendations!

If you like a fantasy backdrop, Naomi Novik’s stand-alone novel, Uprooted, tells the tale of a kingdom threatened by a corrupted forest. The Wood, as it is called, crouches in the background of this book like a baleful creature—luring in the unsuspecting, manipulating and calculating its next moves, and operating like a character unto itself. Suffice to say that this book contains one of the most haunting sequences of horror I’ve encountered in a story, when several characters make a valiant but foolish attempt to strike at the heart of the Wood.

Another book that takes place in a corrupted wilderness is Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer. The story, which is science fiction rather than fantasy, reads like a fever dream in the best way possible. The narrative follows a small group of scientists investigating the mysterious “Area X,” which has variously swallowed, psychologically destroyed, sickened, or otherwise destroyed each of the prior researchers that have attempted to untangle its secrets. Once I cracked it open, I genuinely could not stop reading it until I had finished it; so make sure to clear out your schedule before you pick this one up.

If you need or prefer a short, fast read, I would recommend Scribe by Alyson Hagy, Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss, or In the House in the Dark of the Woods by Laird Hunt. The first two are both under 150 pages, and the last is 225 pages. Scribe is a fable-like, near-future meditation on life after some unnamed societal collapse. Ghost Wall tells the story of reenactors in Britain who, trying to replicate as accurate a historical experience as possible, up to and including discussions of sacrifice, begin to take things a little too far. In the House in the Dark of the Woods is reminiscent, in mood and tone, of the animated show Over the Garden Wall, a modern fairy tale where the main characters journey through a dark forest, meeting grim challenges along the way.

If you’re looking for something closer to reality, Sarah Schmidt’s historical novel, See What I Have Done, reimagines the story of Fall River’s very own Lizzie Borden. Schmidt zooms in on the household in a way that both emphasizes and exacerbates a feeling of overwhelming claustrophobia. By contrast, The Paper Wasp by Lauren Acampora, is set in the modern day and examines how the edges of reality can fray as a mentally unstable woman tries to renew an old high school friendship with a Hollywood star. More recently, Zakiya Dalila Harris’ The Other Black Girl has earned comparisons to Jordan Peele’s 2017 hit film, Get Out. I won’t say too much, for fear of spoiling the narrative, but the novel—like the film—examines the creeping dread and existential horror inherent in living within white supremacist systems as a Black person.

If you prefer nonfiction, don’t worry—there is horror out there for you too. Try Michelle McNamara’s phenomenal I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, chronicling the author’s deep dive into the then-unsolved Golden State Killer case. Descriptions of the killer’s activities will ensure you’ll check your closets and keep your lights on while you read. Alternately, a different kind of horror is described in In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado. This memoir details, in searingly lyrical style, how the author lived through and eventually escaped an emotionally abusive relationship.

Finally, if you’re looking for a movie to occupy an evening this autumn, options abound. Rosemary’s Baby (2000) and The Wicker Man (2006) are both classic tales about characters who are thrust into increasingly troubling situations among groups that might or might not be cults. For a slightly updated take on a similar set-up, consider Martha Marcy May Marlene (2012), in which a young woman attempts to re-assimilate into normal life after fleeing from a dangerous cult. If period films are more your speed, 2016’s The Witch can’t be beat—the cinematography and costuming are beautiful, and a sense of creeping dread permeates the entire experience of the movie. Finally, last year delivered two powerhouse horror/suspense films in The Lighthouse and Parasite. Despite their extremely different settings, each of these movies tackles the question of what the dual pressures of isolation and desperation will wreak on a human psyche.

Huddle up under a blanket, don’t answer that knock on your door, and keep the lights on—horror season is here.

Hilary Umbreit (they/them) is the Adult Services Librarian at the Morrill Memorial Library in Norwood, MA. Look for their article in the October 14, 2021 issue of the Transcript and Bulletin.

October is orange and black, ghosts, haunted houses, candy, leaves falling and best of all, pumpkins. You can carve, light up, cook, eat, and decorate them. There are more books about pumpkins than one can count, but depending on your need, your public library has some great choices.

Parties are popular in October for birthdays and Halloween gatherings. Even virtual parties in a pandemic call for fun costumes and decorations. Pumpkins and Party Themes: 50 DIY designs to bring Halloween Extravaganza to Life, by Roxanne Rhoads, has numerous ideas for carving and decorating pumpkins of all sizes and colors for party themes or just plain family fun decorating. Her book begins with a history of the jack-o-lantern and pumpkin carving basics. What is especially interesting is that if you don’t want your creation to rot away, she recommends using faux (artificial) pumpkins that can be purchased at a craft store or over the internet. They are called Fun-Kins and can be saved and re-used every year.

In Rhoads’ book you’ll find how to create a lace covered pumpkin, clock pumpkin, mermaid pumpkin, black cat pumpkin, just to name a few. Many of Rhoads’ carving and decorating directions include literary themes such as Edgar Allen Poe’s poetry, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The appendix of Pumpkins and Party Themes provides actual stencil templates to use when applying a picture from one of her many pumpkin designs.

For the cooks among us, a very comprehensive e-book is The Great Big Pumpkin Cookbook: A Quick and Easy Guide to Making Pancakes, Soups, Breads, Pastas, Cakes, Cookies and More by Maggie Michalczyk. Nutritional facts and an explanation of different types of pumpkins with great pictures precede the many varieties of pumpkin recipes. Those who don’t want to use real pumpkin will like the section, “25 ways to use a can of pumpkin,” which gives some interesting recipes for making popsicles, a face mask, and even a recipe for soothing a dog’s upset stomach.

Two other cookbooks for pumpkin lovers are The Pumpkin Lover’s Cookbook, by Lyuba Brooke, and Purely Pumpkin: More Than 100 Wholesome Recipes to Share, Savor and Warm Your Kitchen, by Allison Day. Both offer creative and intriguing recipes to explore.

For children and the young at heart, there are many books about pumpkins in the children’s department. Anyone seriously into carving pumpkins should look at How to Carve Freakishly Cool Pumpkins, by Sarah Schuette. When my grandson was very young he enjoyed the DVD, and picture book, It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, by Charles Schulz as well as the picture book, The Great Pumpkin Returns. See It Grow: Pumpkin, by Jackie Lee was a great educational book to teach him how pumpkins grow.

Beyond cooking, carving and decorating, a must-visit is the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular at Roger Williams Park in Providence, Rhode Island from September 30-October 31. Information and tickets are available on the website, www.rwpzoo.org/jols. Visitors walk along a path that displays thousands of beautifully decorated and carved pumpkins while listening to music along the way. It’s great fun for adults and children alike. You won’t be disappointed.

Norma Logan is the Literacy Volunteer Coordinator at the Morrill Memorial Library in Norwood, MA. Look for her article in the October 7, 2021 issue of the Transcript and Bulletin.

One of my favorite creation myths essentially posits that at the beginning there was an incredible noise and everything ever since has been the resulting vibrations, the ever-echoing waves from the first sound. We can see this in the shape of the milky way, images of weather patterns from space, cloud formations overhead, the swirling patterns in sand dunes and lines left on the beach when waves crash into shore. We can watch honeybees use movement to communicate pollen repositories and who knows what more. 

I recently attended my first Norwood Day and it was so wonderful to experience the tremendous community desire for connection and see more people out and about than I’ve ever seen here in Town. We had a great time giving out over 100 henna tattoos and talking about all the exciting things happening here at the library and what we’re doing out and about town and online. One of the personal highlights for me was watching all the dancing on the stage near our tables. From young people dancing the Macarena to very talented teens performing tightly choreographed routines, a dance leader teaching people a new dance, to our senior tap dancing group, everyone did such a wonderful job! 

While I took some dancing classes while I was in college (a little ballet, a little modern) I’m much more comfortable just dancing at a party (often to the embarrassment of my teen-aged kids). When a song just hits the right frequency I can’t help myself and have to start moving my feet. I hope you know the feeling. One of the things that many of us have missed during the past 18+ months is the ability to dance with each other, but we can always dance by ourselves, in our chairs, cars, and secluded in our own homes. With brave kudos to those brave soles getting up on the stage, I present some suggestions of music to listen to and videos to watch to inspire you to find the rhythm and join me for a dance!

WATCH

There are lots of ways to watch great dance. Probably the easiest and fastest connection is by logging into our Kanopy platform and browsing the over 200 films in the dance collection: https://morrill.kanopy.com/category/80

Our tap dancing seniors reminded me of how awesome this artform is when performed with spirit. Considered the “first genuinely all-American dance form,” you can watch some real legends and also appreciate some of the complicated racial tensions in the art form in Christian Blackwood’s film Tapdancin’.

There are many more dance documentaries to widen your knowledge. The King of Mambo Perez Prado follows the Latin American bandleader as they travel the world, igniting a global fervor for this Cuban dance developed in the 1940s.

If your only knowledge of Bob Fosse is a quick reference from Robin Williams in The Birdcage I encourage you to spend an hour and learn about this award-winning director, choreographer, and cinematographer in Bob Fosse: It’s Showtime. He brought us The Pajama Game, Sweet Charity, and Cabaret, among others, so you know it’s going to have some great dance!

Dive into the world of ballet with Restless Creature, an intimate portrait of Wendy Whelan as she prepared to leave New York City Ballet after three decades with the company. Watch her contend with serious injuries, brave surgery, and start exploring contemporary dance as she steps away from the world that elevated her to lofty heights.

We have lots of films about modern dance, and I’d like to direct your attention to a short piece introducing the vibrant diversity of contemporary dance in South Africa: Dancedance / Re Volution. Against a post-apartheid backdrop, this film highlights dance-makers finding news ways to address race and gender, grounded in history, memory, and personal identity.

There are so many great dancing traditions all around the world you could spend a lifetime learning about them and still have barely scratched the surface. I encourage you to not let the overwhelming diversity of expression deter you, and rather sample various styles and discover what stirs your heart and feet. Perhaps it will be The Next Samba, Play, Jankunú Play: The Garifuna Wanaragua Ritual of Belize, Puamana from Hawaii, Classical Indian Dance /Two Bharatanatyam Dances, or Bruk Out about the raw, energetic world of Jamaican Dancehall culture and the Dancehall Queens at its heart.

Listen

Hopefully some of those videos inspired you to get off the couch and start moving. When you need a soundtrack, turn to hoopla where Norwood residents can borrow up to ten items every month with your Morrill Memorial Library card. When you select from the incredibly extensive music collection you can even turn on a shuffle feature to play music from each album you’ve currently borrowed.

Embrace the Latin diaspora with some great Mambo (90 albums), Salsa (273 albums), Bachata (63 albums), Banda (> 1,000!), Tango, Merengue, Reggaeton, and so much more. If you’re looking for an introduction, I always like the Rough Guides from the World Music Network. Perhaps you just want to try your luck and dive into some of the sweet results you get with a search for “dance party” – I just got over 3,000 results!

If you’re looking for more guidance, I suggest exploring the amazing collection at AllMusic.com. Explore by genre and scroll to the bottom of every genre main page to find links to tons of subgenres. If any of the Latin styles I just referenced are unfamiliar to you, you can find all of them and more. Need help? Just come by the library, give us a call at (781) 769-0200, email us at norwood@minlib.net or use the form on this webpage: http://www.norwoodlibrary.org/home/about/contact-us/. 

Go get your groove on!

Clayton Cheever is the Director of the Morrill Memorial Library in Norwood, MA. Look for his article in the September 30, 2021 issue of the Transcript and Bulletin.