Monroe County Public Library - Florida Keys

Each week, staff from the library recommend favorites from the collection for the Reel Recs feature in the Keys Weekly newspapers.

This week's recommendation of the 2008 mini-series adaptation of "Sense and Sensibility" comes from Community Affairs Manager Nancy Klingener:

"Emma Thompson won an Oscar for writing the screenplay of the 2005 film version of Jane Austen’s debut novel. But for all that film’s merits, and hers, she was just too old to play Elinor Dashwood. Which is why I was delighted when Andrew Davies, the writer behind the iconic BBC version of 'Pride and Prejudice,' took on this story in a three-part series. Every cast member is terrific, from Hattie Morahan as Elinor to the great Janet McTeer as Mrs. Dashwood. Dan Stevens, of 'Downton Abbey' fame, is just right as love interest Edward Ferrars and so is Dominic Cooper as the disastrously charming Willoughby. Three episodes lets the story breathe without demanding a longterm commitment. I’d watch the Emma Thompson version again if it popped up on my screen, but this is the one I return to as a reliable comfort watch."

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This three-part series is available on Kanopy, the library's streaming app.

For more information about how to get Kanopy and to see previous recommendations, go to keyslibraries.org/post/reel-recs.

ICYMI - our first branch is getting a new roof! The Key West Library branch will be closed for about four weeks, starting Monday, Sept. 21. Now is a great time to stop by and stock up! And we'll be hosting a pop-up library at the Harvey Government Center, 1200 Truman Ave., Key West, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday-Friday, while the building is closed.

Stop by your local branch - or pre-register online and get started right away!

Each week, staff from the library recommend a favorite from the collection for the Reel Recs feature in the Keys Weekly newspapers. This week's recommendation of "Outrageous" is from Community Affairs Manager Nancy Klingener:

"If you came up with the Mitford sisters for a melodrama, the characters would probably be dismissed as over the top. The 20th century aristocratic British family included a successful novelist (Nancy), two committed fascists (Unity, who adored Hi**er and shot herself when Britain and Germany went to war, and Diana, who left her wealthy husband for British fascist Oswald Mosely), a communist (Jessica, who eventually moved to the U.S. and wrote the bestselling exposé of the funeral industry “The American Way of Death”), and a duchess who restored one of England’s most impressive stately homes (Deborah, who became Duchess of Devonshire and mistress of Chatsworth). This six-episode series is set in the 1930s, as the sisters are coming of age and fascism is ascendant in Europe and threatening Great Britain. It’s dishy and disturbing in equal measure and even if it’s not 100% historically accurate, it’s an entertaining portrait of a remarkable family during a tumultuous time."

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You can watch this limited series on Kanopy, the library's streaming app.

For more information about how to do that and to see previous Reel Recs, go to keyslibraries.org/post/reel-recs.

Do you like to binge-watch or slowly savor TV shows? Either way, we’ve got lots of choices for you. Our streaming service Kanopy is featuring TV shows in September. Whether you prefer edge-of-your-seat drama, thought-provoking documentary, or beautifully crafted international television, the collection has you covered. Stream for free with your library card. Or if you prefer viewing TV old-school, request a DVD from our collection, from recent releases to old favorites.

TV Series in September On our Kanopy streaming app and on DVD, we have lots of great TV shows to choose from, from classics to new releases.

September is Library Card Sign-up Month!

We'll be celebrating with a special pop-up at the start of the Monroe County BOCC meeting on Wednesday, Sept 9, at the Murray Nelson Government Center, 102050 Overseas Highway.

A library card is a passport to a universe of information, education and enrichment - with no ads or subscription fees.

Find out more about everything a Monroe County Public Library card can do for you at keyslibraries.org.

And we've lost another icon. R.I.P. Tim Curry and thank you for all your amazing performances on screen, stage and more.

If you want to know more about Tim Curry, we've got his memoir "Vagabond" in print, eBook and audiobook.

In addition to his many other talents, Curry recorded numerous audiobooks that you can borrow from our collection, including works by Lemony Snicket, Garth Nix, Stephen King, and "Peter Pan" by J.M. Barrie. Explore and borrow them on the Libby app or here: keyslibraries.overdrive.com/collection/1831687

We will always love you, Dolly. 💔

Find books by and about the incredible singer, songwriter, actress, writer, and booklover at our branches and online at keyslibraries.overdrive.com/collection/1831520.

Want even more Dolly? Our music streaming service Freegal is featuring a Dolly playlist. And Ken Burns' Country Music documentary series is on Kanopy, our video streaming app. Get them now with your library card.

Each week, staff from the Monroe County Public Library recommend favorites from the collection for the Reel Recs feature in the Keys Weekly newspapers.

This week's recommendation of "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" comes from Community Affairs Manager Nancy Klingener:

"There have been, to date, 13 movies in the Star Trek franchise and this is my favorite by several light years. It’s miraculous it was even made after the snore-fest of 'Star Trek: The Motion Picture' and what a relief it was at the time. In this installment, the old Enterprise crew is pulled back together and encounters one of the greatest villains from the original series, Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalban). On the TV episode ('Space Seed'), the Enterprise crew left Khan and his shipmates on an uninhabited planet. In the movie, Khan is out for revenge, specifically against Capt. Kirk. Montalban and William Shatner are perfect antagonists, competing to see who can chew the most scenery. Kirk is also coping with advancing age and unexpected family – but mostly this is good old-fashioned swashbuckling, entertaining Star Trek, with some light literary dressing from 'A Tale of Two Cities' and 'Moby-Dick.'"

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This movie is available on DVD and on Kanopy, the library's streaming app.

For information about how to get movies from the library, and to see previous recommendations, go to keyslibraries.org/reel-recs.

Each week, staff from the library recommend favorites from the collection for the Shelf Help feature in the Keys Weekly newspapers. This week's recommendation of "The Collaboration" by Michael Idov comes from Community Affairs Manager Nancy Klingener:

"I don’t read a whole lot of espionage — but this book was described in its cover copy as 'Slow Horses' meets 'Red Sparrow.' I adore the first and enjoyed the second. “The Collaborators” exceeded my expectations. It has an entertaining and twisty plot, characters who are much more than cutouts, and a cynically realistic, if deeply disheartening, take on international relations. I’ll just say this: Even if events didn’t unfold exactly as portrayed here, the book makes a decent case that we weren’t actually the winners of the Cold War. Even better: the sequel, 'The Cormorant Hunt,' is already out and in the library collection.

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You can borrow this as a large print book, e-book or e-audiobook. To find out how, or to see previous Shelf Help recommendations, go to keyslibraries.org/post/shelf-help.