Mercer County Library Blog

Is something out there? Summer is here and with it comes the time for camping, s’mores, and spooky stories told around a campfire. One of my favorite genres of scary stories to listen to and read about is cryptids. Whether you believe in them or not, it can be fun to speculate. For those who are not familiar with the term, cryptids are creatures that have not been proven to exist, but numerous people claim to have seen them. Cryptid sightings have occurred all around the world and over the centuries, even though the term “cryptid” was only coined in the 1980s. Though cryptozoology is not recognized by mainstream science, cryptozoologists and others define cryptids as being animals that could possibly exist in nature. This means that their biology could align with known animals. This differentiates them from mythological creatures, gods/demons, spirits, and supernatural beings. Think Bigfoot, the chupacabra, and the Yeti. Popular culture and folklore often group these unknown creatures...

Overshadowed by the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence this year is the 150th anniversary of another turning point in American history, the Battle of the Little Bighorn, in which George Armstrong Custer’s 7th Cavalry Regiment was defeated by rebellious Sioux and Cheyenne led by Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull. The battle took place on June 25th, 1876 in the valley of the Little Bighorn river in what is now the state of Montana. Custer had divided his regiment in the face of a superior enemy, and when he attacked, all the men under his direct command were killed. In comparison with the Civil War battles of just a few years before, Little Bighorn was not particularly large in terms of the numbers engaged and lives lost. But it has loomed large in the American popular imagination ever since, particularly in regards to the larger-than-life personalities of Custer, Sitting Bull, and Crazy Horse. When I was growing up, I saw Hollywood films about the battle lik...

What a gift it is to be able to open a book or press play for a movie, TV show, or song and be transported into another time. Historical Fiction is oftentimes one of the first ways many people encounter different cultures or time periods and it serves as both an excellent gateway to further discovery as well as entertainment. In December 2025, I wrote about some of  my favorite tropes for Romance books , and today I am pleased to discuss literary tropes within the Historical Fiction genre. Before we begin our exploration of the genre, let me provide a few definitions. A literary genre is a category of literature based on shared traits; some examples of genres include: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Romance, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Fantasy, etc. Also, it is very common to see some stories contain elements from different genres. A trope is a frequently used theme or plot device. Today, we will look at some books, film (screen), and song examples of Historical Fiction that exempl...

Every February you will see more red and pink, and possibly even smell chocolate in the air. Valentine’s Day must be approaching! While in modern times we associate the holiday with candy and gifts for loved ones, it actually has roots in early Roman times. Lupercalia was a Roman festival held on February 15, celebrating fertility and health. The holiday is also known as Saint Valentine’s Day, and as such honors two people with that name, Valentine of Rome (died in 269) and Valentine of Terni (died in 273). Details are vague, but both were martyred and subsequently made Saints. One or both might have married lovers after an emperor’s ban, resulting in their beheadings, or attempted to convert the emperor (unsuccessfully) to Christianity. Both were buried along the Via Flaminia, a Roman road, albeit in different locations. While it had its romantic origins in Lupercalia, love didn’t re-enter the holiday until 1382 when Chaucer wrote “Parliament of Fowls.” This work names St. Valentine’...

You may remember my writing about the Bucks County Ale Trail in one of my earlier posts. Highlighted on the tee shirt I received from visiting a certain number of breweries on the trail was Tranquility Brewing Company in Warminster. That’s one I hadn’t visited, so I started planning a day trip. Tranquility Brewing is in a building called “The ‘Fuge”. Huh…that’s an odd name. I had to know more. This began a fascinating dive into history. Did you know that Warminster was a major site for aeronautics research? After reading a bit on the internet, I found that there is a museum there dedicated to the history of the Naval Air Development Center and the Johnsville Centrifuge (a-ha – that’s what the ‘Fuge is!). A visit to the museum (and brewery) was on the schedule! A little backtracking to explain my interest – I’ve read many books about the space program. I wouldn’t say I’m into “space”, but I like learning about the engineering and what the scientists and astronauts worked through to g...

Every once in a while, I notice a quiet pattern in my reading — the kind that makes me pause and think, Wow… my subconscious is clearly obsessed with something. Recently, I realized that many of the books currently drawing me in share a powerful common thread: stories of women who were silenced, dismissed, punished, or quietly erased for being “too much,” “too different,” or simply unwilling to stay quiet. The status quo clearly does not like when women dare to stand up for themselves. Across so many different eras, you can find stories where fear shapes who is believed — and who is pushed aside. Time and again, women find themselves at the center of that fear. I’ve always found that I understand history best through its emotional undercurrents — through the lived experiences of the people inside it. The books I’m sharing here don’t just tell us what happened; they let us feel what it was like to live through it. Some of these books are still on my nightstand, while others I read year...

Part 1: Restoration Have I told you about the bell? When my sister bought a shelf on Facebook Marketplace, the seller said, "I have this giant old rusty ship's bell I've been trying get rid of. Want it for $20?" Amused, my sister shared the bell offer in our family group text. But what practical or even impractical purpose could a giant old tarnished bell have? Buying the bell could mean taking on a big piece of junk I now had to re-home. It was a terrible idea. I already pursue more hobbies than I have time for. Could my life really be missing... a big old beat-up bell? The answer was no. Unequivocally no. I told my sister I wanted it. The bell carried layers of scratches and tarnish and pockmarks, measured a foot tall and a foot in diameter, and had been cast in solid bronze. It weighed at least 70 pounds. It also had no mount—two steel bolts stuck out at the bottom. Without a base to bolt into, it would never ring. But I decided to make it shine. Not thinkin...

In preparation for celebrating Constitution Day and Citizenship Day at the West Windsor branch, I’ve been reading up on the history of American political thought. The West Windsor branch will host lawyer, professor, and NJ local government expert Dennis Galvin on September 17th at 7 pm. Constitution Day and Citizenship Day was established by law in 2004, following modifications from a law celebrating Citizenship Day enacted by President Harry Truman in 1955. Promoting civic engagement and encouraging education about the Constitution, Constitution Day and Citizenship Day is a time to explore our Americanness. The Constitution was signed on Sept. 17, 1787 by 39 of the 55 delegates sent by twelve states. Rhode Island, preferring the Articles of Confederation, feared too strong a federal government and did not send delegates. The Constitution was ratified on June 21st, 1788, with the required nine of thirteen states agreeing to adopt it. All thirteen states had ratified the Constitutio...

Noir storytelling has an interesting history. The term “noir” is a French word that translates to “dark” or “black” and was, as a storytelling genre, first paired with the word “film” by French film critics in the 1950’s to describe a style of Hollywood filmmaking in the 1940’s and 1950’s of crime films that focused on the seamier (dark) side of life. The classic film noirs include The Maltese Falcon (widely considered the first film noir), Double Indemnity , Strangers on a Train and The Postman Always Rings Twice . The term noir was then retrograded to include the novels and fiction that were the basis for the films made in the classic film noir period. They included the works of Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler and James M. Cain, from the 1920’s and 1930’s. Noir fiction than became a subgenre of crime fiction that focused on dark, cynical and pessimistic tones, and gritty urban settings. These novels featured morally flawed characters, usually fighting against societal corruptio...