We’re at a loss for Words Because of the uncertainty of the future, we will not be publishing our monthly newsletter, Words, in April. We are busy rescheduling as many cancelled events as possible and planning new events for the upcoming months.

Please enjoy the following editorial excerpts from what would have been Issue 13 Volume 4 of the library’s monthly newsletter... a Monthly Publcation of the Wallingford Words Public Library Excerpts from the Lost Volume 4

New in Novels Part 1 of 3 by Cindy Haiken In The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Shakespeare’s character Proteus remarks: “O, how this spring of love resembleth the uncertain glory of an April day.” As flowers start to blossom, daylight lasts longer and spring school vacations beckon, there is a slew of wonderful new novels to engage and enthrall you. Here is a small sample:

Afterlife by Julia Alvarez – Reeling from her husband’s sudden death, an immigrant writer is further derailed by the reappearance of her unstable sister and a plea for help by a pregnant undocumented teen.

The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd – A first- century female Jewish intellectual fights the limitations imposed on women and finds both her voice and her destiny. New in Novels Part 2 of 3 by Cindy Haiken

The Book of Lost by Lisa Wingate – A teacher uncovers the story of three Reconstruction-era women and how their tale connects to her own students’ lives.

Death in Her Hands by Ottessa Moshfegh – After she discovers a note and a gravesite while walking her dog in the woods, an elderly widow becomes obsessed with learning the victim’s story.

The Love Story of Missy Carmichael by Beth Morrey – When she finds herself alone at age 79, a woman forges unexpected ties with two strangers and their spirited dog, discovering the power of friendship, family and self-forgiveness along the way.

The Moment of Tenderness by Madeleine L’Engle – This collection of short stories by the late author of the Newbery Award-winning A Wrinkle in Time draws on L’Engle’s early life, career and faith to convey uplifting messages about the power of hope. New in Novels Part 3 of 3 by Cindy Haiken

Redhead by the Side of the Road by Anne Tyler – A tech expert and building superintendent finds his stable and set routines upended by his significant other’s eviction and the appearance of a teen at his doorstep who claims to be his son.

Simon the Fiddler by Paulette Jiles – Conscripted into the Confederate Army after nearly escaping the Civil War, an itinerant fiddle player joins a ragtag regimental band playing for both sides of the conflict before falling in love with an indentured Irish governess.

Also of note this month is the 10th Simon Serrailler mystery by Susan Hill (The Benefit of Hindsight), the 30th installment in the Prey series by John Sandford (Masked Prey), the 3rd Daniel Pitt thriller by Anne Perry (One Fatal Flaw), the 6th Amos Decker mystery by David Baldacci (Walk the Wire) and new novels by John Grisham (Camino Winds), James Patterson (Revenge), Alexander McCall Smith (The Talented Mr. Varg), Robyn Carr (Sunrise on Half Moon Bay) and Danielle Steel (The Wedding Dress). a Monthly Publcation of the Wallingford Words Public Library Excerpts from the Lost Volume 4

Title Cards Part 1 of 4 by Chris Ciemniewski Bottle episodes are tv episodes which feature only a handful of characters in a single location throughout the episode. The term was coined as “ship in a bottle” episodes during the production of Star Trek for episodes which take place entirely aboard the Starship Enterprise. Originally these episodes were meant to lower production costs because they were cheaper and quicker to produce, but in recent years they’ve become an art form themselves. Because they are so character-centric and offer a straighforward premise they usually require little understanding of the rest of the show’s narrative, making them a great way to sample a new show without starting from the first episode. Title Cards Part 2 of 4 by Chris Ciemniewski (, S3 E10) is one of the most critically acclaimed bottle episodes of all time. Walter White and Jesse Pinkman are hired by a drug-lord to cook meth in an undeground lab. Already dealng with trust issues with each other, Walter finds a housefly in the lab and insists that they must exterminate the fly before they continue cooking meth otherwise it could contaminate their work. Leaning into comedic absurdism, the episode follows their personal struggle as well as their struggle to get rid of the fly.

Out of Gas (Firefly, S1 E8) is a literal ship in a bottle episode taking place aboard the Spacecraft Serenity. After an engineering accident, Serenity’s life support systems become inoperable. Captain Malcolm Reynolds orders his crew to evacuate the ship on smaller vessels while he stays behind to wait for a response from their radio distress signal. With thrity minutes of oxygen remaining, the episode is an ode to a dying captain’s dedication to his ship. Title Cards Part 3 of 4 by Chris Ciemniewski For those who like a bit more realism in their tv dramas, The Suitcase (Mad Men, S4 E7) offers a 1960s peek at office life. Advertising agents Peggy Olson and Don Draper spend a night in the office brainstorming adverts for their Samsonite Suitcase campaign as the deadline quickly approaches. Over the course of the night the two discuss how they’ve both had to cancel major events to work overtime on the project. The night devolves into drinks, gossip, and introspection about themselves and their office life. But will this shared experience have reverberations the following day or will it be back to the grind as usual? is a show most often featuring big, epic episodes, but a couple of the show’s stand-out stories have been bottle episodes. Midnight (Doctor Who S4 E10) sees the The Doctor (played by David Tennant) stranded in a bus with a handful of tourists on a planet with a toxic atmosphere. One of the passengers becomes possessed by an unknown entity and begins verbally mimicking the other passengers while in an incapacitated state. The episode showcases the hysteria of humans when confronted with something they do not understand. As The Doctor tries to calm them down, he becomes possessed himself and is left inhibited and at the mercy of their mob mentality. Title Cards Part 4 of 4 by Chris Ciemniewski No show has perfected the bottle episode quite so well as Community, with many of the show’s episodes written in whole or in part as bottle episodes. Out of all of them, Remedial Chaos Theory (Community S3 E4) is probably one of the most amusing. The ensemble cast of community college students are gathered at an apartment for a night of Yahtzee. When their pizza delivery arrives, they decide to roll the dice to decide who should answer the door. With each roll of the dice we see a different potential outcome for the night depending on which character answers the door. a Monthly Publcation of the Wallingford Words Public Library Excerpts from the Lost Volume 4 Max Facts by Max Spurr Earth Day is coming up on April 22nd! Earth Day is a great reason to start thinking about the things you use, and how you can reduce your impact on the Earth. We have lots of tools and equipment to help you out with your Earth Day goals. Have any old t-shirts laying around? Use our sewing machines to make them into reusable tote bags, or maybe a pillow case (or even a quilt if you are brave). Do you have any old drinking glasses you don’t use a lot? Make them into your new favorite glasses with a cool new design using our laser cutter! There are lots of other things you can do too. Sometimes all it takes is some paint and a nice vinyl decal from one of our Cricut or Silhouette machines to turn a tin can into a stylish organization tool. If you don’t need to drive very far, consider using a bicycle instead (and fixing it here in the Collaboratory). Finally, if you really want to celebrate Earth Day the right way, stop by our Seed Library and grab some seeds to plant! If you get a good garden going, you’ll be helping the environment, reducing your carbon footprint, and saving money, all at the same time. Happy Earth Day! a Monthly Publcation of the Wallingford Words Public Library Excerpts from the Lost Volume 4 A Few Words on The US Census Every 10 years, the United States takes a count of every person living here. Responses to the 2020 Census are confidential, secure, and protected by federal law. This is a fundamental part of America’s democracy and is written into the Constitution. But the Census is so much more than just a count. Census information is used to determine allocations of federal funds for public education, public housing, infrastructure, and more—as well as the number of seats Connecticut has in Congress. Because so much is at stake, it’s critical that everyone be counted in the 2020 Census.

We cannot be a government by the people and for the people, if we do not count every resident. Make your voice count. Participate in Census 2020!