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Articles written by Ennifer R. Hoffman


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  • Books to Borrow Williamsburg Public Library Recommends

    JENNIFER R. HOFFMAN|Nov 14, 2024

    "Native Nations" dispels misconceptions many non-Native American people have learned over the years, whether in school or while looking at museum displays. It is true that we have come a long way with updating curriculum to be more accurate and museum settings not including Indigenous peoples with the Neanderthal exhibits. Textbooks went from teaching about ruthless savages to more accurate depictions. Depending on a person's age and location, schooling and historical accounts may have differed...

  • Books to Borrow Williamsburg Public Library Recommends

    JENNIFER R. HOFFMAN|Nov 7, 2024

    Author Deborah Willis begins her tales in the dark with “The Dark.” Best friends Andrea and Jess do everything together, including sharing a bunk and sneaking out every night at summer camp. They thought they were in love, but they also planned to meet boys to fall in love with that summer. When camp ended, they stayed friends and when summer camp began again, they made new best friends. Life went on. They got boyfriends; they grew up. Life is made of moments. Willis’ stories tend to focus on the moments. They are not all fairytales in the s...

  • Books to Borrow Williamsburg Public Library Recommends

    JENNIFER R. HOFFMAN|Oct 31, 2024

    What would you do if your friend invited you out late at night? They are not acting like themselves and you don't know what to do next. Oh, and you haven't talked to them in years. Find out what Kira does in this situation in "Host." "Surf," finds friends caught up in fun and partying at a beach. They end up surfing after dark while drinking. That sounds like a mistake in itself, but after one friend finds a severed digit floating in the surf, things are about to get much more alarming. Darcy...

  • Books to Borrow Williamsburg Public Library Recommends

    JENNIFER R. HOFFMAN|Oct 24, 2024

    It's almost time for Halloween. That means most stores have their Christmas decorations out and ready! We're not sure if we should say "Trick-or-Treat" or "Scary Chr..." I mean "Merry Christmas." Most of us are used to tales of horror at Halloween. In many areas of the world, it is commonplace to celebrate with ghostly tales at Christmastime. Yuletide ghost stories were more common than one might think. In the Victorian era, it was quite common to share ghost stories with eggnog and sugar...

  • Return to the Big Valley

    JENNIFER R. HOFFMAN, Williamsburg Public Library|Oct 17, 2024

    Three Brunstetter authors offer three new stories of love, hope, and faith in Amish Pennsylvania with “Wilma’s Wish,” “Martha’s Miracle,” and “Alma’s Acceptance.” Wilma Hostetler wants nothing more than to start a family with her beloved, Israel Zook. She looks to her friend Deanna for inspiration as her wedding date approaches. Deanna’s positivity throughout the many trials her life has handed her shines through as a beacon of hope to her dear friend. Wanda E. Brunstetter brings us “Wilma’s Wish,” a story about hope, love, and overcoming loss...

  • "What You are Getting Wrong about Appalachia" by Elizabeth Catte

    JENNIFER R. HOFFMAN|Oct 10, 2024

    By Jennifer R. Hoffman Appalachia. What does one think of when they hear the term, Appalachia? For those who've read J.D. Vance's best-seller, the term "hillbilly" may come to mind. If you know a little about the region, coal-mining might be at the top of your Appalachian facts list. That's something you'd be getting right about Appalachia. Appalachia is a long, diagonal region that stretches across thirteen states from New York clear down to Alabama, spanning 206,000 square miles and...

  • Books to Borrow Williamsburg Public Library Recommends

    JENNIFER R. HOFFMAN|Oct 3, 2024

    Father Caspian feels out of place wherever he is placed. He feels he is not your typical priest and he may be right. When we meet the somewhat less than zealous priest, Father Caspian has just been sent to run the Sister Mary Margaret Mission for Those Experiencing Homelessness. Father Caspian seems to be lacking in every way regarding initiative when it comes to the priesthood. Or life, for that matter. He just can't seem to get it right. He says the wrong thing, upsets the wrong people, none...

  • Books to Borrow Williamsburg Public Library Recommends

    JENNIFER R. HOFFMAN, Williamsburg Public Library|Sep 26, 2024

    Art Barbara has to be one of the least cool guys in high school. He begins his story by telling us Art Barbara is not his name. He then takes us to the late 1980s, telling his tale from where he believes it all started. Where did it start, you may ask? According to Art Barbara, it's where everything changed, and not necessarily for the better, though it seemed like that at first. In Art's opinion he could not count all the ways he was uncool. He wore a bulky back-brace for his scoliosis, he was...

  • Books to Borrow Williamsburg Public Library Recommends

    JENNIFER R. HOFFMAN, Williamsburg Public Library|Sep 19, 2024

    Many of us pass recipes through generations with our own family cookbooks. Max Miller has taken recipes from ancient texts and passed them onto us all by modernizing them to fit today's world. The author takes us through not only the history of the recipes and flavors of the world, but his journey into baking as well. After a friend's illness led to an all-day baking show binge instead of vacation sight-seeing, he was hooked. Miller believes food has the power to bring humanity closer together....

  • Books to Borrow Williamsburg Public Library Recommends

    JENNIFER R. HOFFMAN|Sep 12, 2024

    Love. There is not much more powerful in this world than love. Feyi Adekola had a love once. It's been five years since the accident. When her husband was killed, a part of her died, too. She's finally learning to be whole again. Well, she's learning to live again, learning to feel human. She may never be whole; there will always be a gap where the loss of her husband cannot be filled. It will not heal any more than the scar on her hand will mend completely from the same accident that took away...

  • Books to Borrow Williamsburg Public Library Recommends

    JENNIFER R. HOFFMAN, Williamsburg Public Library|Sep 5, 2024

    Perly Dunsmore is the best thing to happen to Harlowe's people and their farmhouses since indoor plumbing. Or is he? They've got police deputies now instead of just the one policeman. Of course one was fine for the town for years, but they've got to move with the times. Crime is getting out of hand these days, what with the strangling that happened in the last year. The town of Harlowe is growing and prospering since Perly's auctions have started. A few townspeople see the outsider as trouble....

  • Books to Borrow Williamsburg Public Library Recommends

    Jennifer R. Hoffman|Dec 29, 2022

    Air in. Air out. Repeat. Nothing is more important than the way we bring life-sustaining oxygen into our bodies. As humans, we pretty much have the technique of breathing down. Yet, according to journalist, James Nestor, we don’t. In “Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art,” Nestor provides an interesting spiritual, cultural, and evolutionary history of the way humans breathe and why he believes we have been doing it wrong for a very long time. Regardless of how hard we try with diet and exerc...

  • Books to Borrow Williamsburg Public Library Recommends

    JENNIFER R. HOFFMAN|Dec 15, 2022

    Alive and going home. Surely it must be a dream. Worried he might awaken back in Iwo Jima, still fighting or maybe not make it at all, Stuart “Tex” McAnally steadied himself and reassured himself he was really going home. Many weren’t so lucky. Stuart McAnally, 96-year-old World War II veteran, reminisces with his daughter Tamra McAnally Bolton, who has captivatingly communicated his musings in this unique volume. McAnally retells the little known history of C Company, 31st Construction Battalion, and their heroic acts during the early days of...

  • Books to Borrow Williamsburg Public Library Recommends

    Jennifer R. Hoffman|Dec 8, 2022

    “Come out, come out, wherever you are.” Mack knows she can win. She was champion at this game when she was little, when it mattered most. She was the only winner that fateful day, the last day she played hide-and-go-seek with her family, not that she felt like she won. She was the sole survivor then. She can do it again. Mack knows how to hide. The challenge? Spend a week hiding in an abandoned amusement park. Don’t get caught. Fourteen competitors. Seven days. It’s going to be the most epic ga...

  • Books to Borrow Williamsburg Public Library Recommends

    JENNIFER R. HOFFMAN|Dec 1, 2022

    The authors of best-selling “Hello Cupcake!” are at it again with their eye-popping designs, unique ideas, and easy-to-follow instructions. In this volume you will find cakes for every occasion – holidays, birthdays, or just for fun. There are countless interesting ideas to do with kids or for an enjoyable day of baking alone. Simple instructions make for less stress and a more entertaining cake making experience. These bakers really think outside the cake pan. With more than just cake and icing...

  • Books to Borrow Williamsburg Public Library Recommends

    JENNIFER R. HOFFMAN|Nov 23, 2022

    Dr. Ronald L. Mallett holds the belief that this century will be when time travel becomes a reality. Born in Roaring Spring, PA-native Mallett dreamed one day he would help join science fiction and reality in bringing his life long goal to fruition. After the loss of a parent, Mallett vowed to one day invent the very means of being able to see his loved one once more — the time machine. His creativity and intellectual capabilities could certainly help to make it a reality. His love of reading p...

  • 'Dark and Shallow Lies' by Ginny Myers Sain

    JENNIFER R. HOFFMAN|Nov 17, 2022

    “There’s nowhere left to hide except inside the dark.” Greycie, known to many as Grey, is one of La Cachette’s summer children. There were ten. After the murders there were eight. Now there are only seven. Maybe there was more to the summer children and their history than they ever realized. Grey is desperate to find out the truth. Elora, her best friend and “twin flame,” went missing just six months before Grey returned home to the small bayou town and self-proclaimed Psychic Capital of the Wor...

  • Books to Borrow Williamsburg Public Library Recommends

    JENNIFER R. HOFFMAN|Nov 10, 2022

    She thought she would be the perfect mom. Now she’s just trying to be a good mom. She doesn’t feel like she’s even getting that right. At this point she’s just trying to not be a failure. Ashley Keller thought she’d be the mom everyone wanted to be, but instead ended up being an accidental stay-at-home hormonal mess who wore the same bargain-brand yoga pants far too many days in a row and washed her hair too infrequently to feel human sometimes. The laundry was taking over the house, spaghetti...

  • 'Universal Studios Monsters: A Legacy of Horror' by Michael Mallory

    JENNIFER R. HOFFMAN|Nov 3, 2022

    Horror movies' most memorable monsters can all be found in one place in Michael Mallory's magnificently mastered volume, brimming with Universal Studios' Hollywood horror icons. Universal Studios was Hollywood's number-one studio for horror pictures worldwide spanning the 1920s through the 1950s, and the original monsters and pictures are still unforgettable today. Moviegoers were frightened by creatures like Dracula and Frankenstein's monster, as well as the beast from "The Creature from the...

  • Books to Borrow Williamsburg Public Library Recommends

    JENNIFER R. HOFFMAN|Oct 27, 2022

    Just how bulletproof was George Washington? What is the secret of Oppaymolleah’s Curse? What really crash-landed one wintry evening in Kecksburg in 1965? Read about this and more in “Legends & Lore of Western Pennsylvania.” Thomas White not only provides interesting legends and lore, but the history surrounding the stories. Spinning a fascinating web of narratives, White chronicles tales that reach from the Alleghenies to Pittsburgh, through Philadelphia and Gettysburg. Look for buried treasure...

  • Books to Borrow Williamsburg Public Library Recommends

    ENNIFER R. HOFFMAN|Oct 20, 2022

    “The Day You Begin” by Jacqueline Woodson: In a world where not everyone is quite like her, a little girl nervously begins a new day and finds that maybe she will find someone just a little like her. She will gain confidence and feel stronger than she did when she began. Then she will realize, though some may be a little like her, no one is quite exactly like her either, and that can be a good thing. It’s great to find stories we can identify with. Some may even help us through tough times...

  • Williamsburg Library's Picture Books for Kids

    Jennifer R. Hoffman, For the Herald|Oct 20, 2022

    "The Day You Begin" by Jacqueline Woodson: In a world where not everyone is quite like her, a little girl nervously begins a new day and finds that maybe she will find someone just a little like her. She will gain confidence and feel stronger than she did when she began. Then she will realize, though some may be a little like her, no one is quite exactly like her either, and that can be a good thing. It's great to find stories we can identify with. Some may even help us through tough times or...

  • Books to Borrow Williamsburg Public Library Recommends

    JENNIFER R. HOFFMAN|Oct 13, 2022

    Matt Dillon was in charge of law in Gunsmoke’s Dodge City. People often had no respect for the law in the Wild West, so the marshal had his work cut out for him. Gunsmoke was one of the longest-running TV shows in history, airing for 20 years. Readers can relive watching their favorite western drama with this collection featuring best-loved characters like Doc Adams, Miss Kitty, Chester, and of course, Marshal Matt Dillon. Gunsmoke began as a radio drama and was adapted for television f...

  • Books to Borrow Williamsburg Public Library Recommends

    JENNIFER R. HOFFMAN|Jan 13, 2022

    Thomas Neill Cream, a doctor from Canada, gained release from Joliet prison in the summer of 1891. Cream left the states to practice his trade in London, where no one knew him or of his dark and murderous past. Cream’s license earned him faith and trust that he most certainly did not deserve. “When a doctor goes wrong, he is the first of criminals,” according to Sherlock Holmes, well-known fictional detective who was just being introduced during the time Cream was practicing his skills. Cream ch...

  • Books to Borrow Williamsburg Public Library Recommends

    JENNIFER R. HOFFMAN|Jan 6, 2022

    Storyteller, Edward Carey reimagines the classic fairytale, Pinocchio, in this narrative about a carpenter who one day realized he didn’t want to be alone. In “The Swallowed Man,” we meet Joseph Lorenzini. We follow the story through Giuseppe’s eyes, after he’s been swallowed by a monstrous fish. Readers may remember him as Geppetto, from the original novel or Disney film. He longed for a son, and in a frenzy of workmanship, he created one. Out of wood. The book reads as a diary. Joseph fo...

  • Books to Borrow Williamsburg Public Library Recommends

    JENNIFER R. HOFFMAN|Dec 30, 2021

    Many may remember Highlights for Children, a favorite magazine from our youth that contained various interesting activities to do - like word searches, mazes, and of course the picture finds in which everyday items were hidden into a larger picture for all to find. The “Highlights Book of Things to Do” includes many activities similar to those found in the magazine, and so much more, such as recipes, art projects, and science experiments. The book is broken down into things to do inside, outside, in the kitchen, with recycled materials, and man...

  • Books to Borrow Williamsburg Public Library Recommends

    JENNIFER R. HOFFMAN|Dec 23, 2021

    The world of dreams is fascinating. Charlie Crabtree was so enamored by it he wanted to live there. He would do anything to escape the real world to live in the dream world. No price was too high. Sacrifice. Murder. And, because of his dark imagination and what others believe he may achieve, grisly murders continue to happen so others can join him. Paul Adams knew Charlie as part of his outcast friend group. We meet Paul as a teenager, being taken in for the murder of a friend. We meet him...

  • Books to Borrow Williamsburg Public Library Recommends

    JENNIFER R. HOFFMAN|Dec 16, 2021

    Born into slavery, by age eight Mary knew the plantation rules well. “Never stop working” was number one and it didn’t matter what the reason. She never stopped working. Slaves were also not allowed to learn to read or write, so for the time being, she did not learn to read or writer, either. She dreamed of the day she’d be as free as the birds she saw flying over the Union Springs, Alabama plantation she lived on. One day, she would learn to read. Mary was 15 years old when the Abraham Lincoln...

  • Books to Borrow Williamsburg Public Library Recommends

    JENNIFER R. HOFFMAN|Dec 9, 2021

    Tiny Tales is a collection of anecdotes about a wide array of characters. Mccall Smith includes mere snippets of his characters' lives. Many stories may be only a few moments of an individual's lifetime. Just like in real life, they may seem unimportant to one person, but to the individual experiencing them they can be epic and have immense impact. The stories are about love, kindness, nostalgia, strangeness, and friendship. Read about a progressive Viking, an opera singer who couldn't sing,...

  • Books to Borrow Williamsburg Public Library Recommends

    JENNIFER R. HOFFMAN|Dec 2, 2021

    We begin and end in the same time frame, with an entire lifetime in between. “Island Queen” is an extraordinary historical novel based on the amazing real-life Dorothy, a free woman of color who bought her freedom from slavery, rose above the abuse she’d faced, and became one of the wealthiest, most powerful landowners in the colonial West Indies. Miss Dolly, as Dorothy was known, was always a force to be reckoned with. Facing oppression not just because of the color of her skin, but also as a...

  • Cook's Illustrated: Meat Illustrated by America's Test Kitchen

    JENNIFER R. HOFFMAN|Nov 18, 2021

    “Meat Illustrated” contains over 350 recipes for beef, pork, lamb, and veal, covering how to cook different meats and describing the different cuts and which part of what animal they came from, as well as the best ways to cook that particular piece of meat. Providing protein and essential nutrients, meat is an important staple in the diets of many. From pork loin roasts, ground beef, and short ribs to porter house, flank, or rib steaks, Cook’s Illustrated provides delightful recipes to tempt...

  • Books to Borrow Williamsburg Public Library Recommends

    JENNIFER R. HOFFMAN|Nov 10, 2021

    Nathan grew up in a house in the country with his abusive father. In the same hometown, Maddie made things as early as she could remember, even if she couldn’t remember everything that happened while making them. Set in rural Pennsylvania, their hometown is also home to tunnels, mountains, and coal mines where many accidents have occurred. So many, one might ask if they were really accidents. Something sinister lurks there in the shadows and it preys on fears and regrets. Author Chuck Wendig lives in Pennsylvania. Some things in this book will...

  • Books to Borrow Williamsburg Public Library Recommends

    Jennifer R. Hoffman|Feb 4, 2021

    Reading this book not only reveals helpful advice to parents of all types, but also helps the reader set their worries aside. "The Power of Showing Up" tells us don't worry about messing up: Be Present. As a parent, ever wonder "How can I make sure my kids are ready for the world? How can I do a good job as a parent?" According to authors Daniel J. Siegel, M.D. and Tina Payne Bryson, PH.D. the answer is simple: "Show up for your kids." In the remaining pages, they explain what they mean by that...

  • They Came from Blair County By Eric Shields

    Jennifer R. Hoffman|Jan 28, 2021

    In his first book, local author Eric Shields tells the stories of Blair County natives who've achieved notability in their lives. Shields examines the personal and professional accomplishments of more than 31 individuals from Blair County, past and present, from commonly known local celebrities such as Charles M. Schwab and Wilmer Stultz to others that many Blair County residents may not realize are from the area. MMA Fighter Charlie Brenneman, famous gossip columnist and actress Hedda Hopper,...

  • If It Bleeds By Stephen King

    Jennifer R. Hoffman|Jan 14, 2021

    "If It Bleeds" contains four short stories to keep horror fans up at night. Never before published, these novellas will have the reader turning the page, asking for more. "Mr. Harrigan's Phone" and "Rat" are classic King tales reminiscent of his definitive style of horror story-telling. Like something right out of "Creepshow," though updated for the times, "Mr. Harrigan's Phone" is a classic ghost story complete with revenge from beyond the grave. The true terror in this tale may not be the...

  • The Christmas Table By Donna VanLiere

    JENNIFER R. HOFFMAN, Williamsburg Public Library Staff|Dec 17, 2020

    The Williamsburg Public Library is thankful to receive a yearly donation from the Lion's Sight Conservation of Blair County. This generous donation makes it possible to purchase large print books through a monthly subscription service for our collection. "The Christmas Table," by Donna VanLiere, is one of the newest additions to our large print shelf, just in time for the holidays. This heartfelt tale brings family, love, joy, hope, faith, and even (or especially!) cooking into an enjoyable...

  • Book Wish Tree 2020 At W-burg Library

    JENNIFER R. HOFFMAN|Dec 10, 2020

    It’s that time of year again. The Book Wish Tree is up and decorated at the Williamsburg Public Library! Many of our patrons’ favorite best-selling authors grace the tree this year as well as some new additions for our collection. What is the Book Wish Tree? Every year at this time, one of our trees is decorated just a little differently than the others. This tree has hand-made decorations created by staff and helpers. The ornaments have books added to them from our library’s wish list. Patrons can choose from these book ornaments and donat...

  • Library Offering Contactless Services

    JENNIFER R. HOFFMAN, Williamsburg Public Library Staff|Dec 3, 2020

    Due to recent circumstances, beginning Monday, Nov. 30, our Williamsburg Public Library will be providing contactless service as well as offering appointments for computer use and browsing for books, movies and audiobooks. We also offer faxing and copying; appointments can be made for these services as well. Contactless services include The Little Porch Library, our Bag a Book Program and the Parking lot WiFi. With The Little Porch Library, patrons can still have access to books during all...

  • Books to Borrow Williamsburg Public Library Recommends

    JENNIFER R. HOFFMAN|Feb 28, 2019

    The small town of Castle Rock is the setting of some of Stephen King's most memorable tales. Like in so many small towns, everyone in Castle Rock seems to know everything almost before it ever happens. For this very reason, Scott Carey chooses to reveal his unusual situation to only one very close friend, who also happens to be his doctor. Scott is losing weight. For many this would be a good thing, but Scott's weight loss is anything but ordinary. There's no explanation for it. And, he weighs...

  • Books to Borrow

    JENNIFER R. HOFFMAN, Williamsburg Library|Jan 31, 2019

    "How well you live your life is largely determined by your attitude toward other people." ~Cal Turner Jr. Cal Turner Jr. has had a pretty full life. The first in his family to graduate college, he also obtained his pilot license, enlisted in the U.S. Navy, and came back home to join his father in the family business by the age of 25. He served as CEO of the Dollar General Corp. for 37 years. In his book, Cal Jr. offers the story of his journey, business advice and even family turmoil. His...

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