Kitty Genovese: The Murder, the Bystanders, the Crime that Changed America
by Kevin Cook
2014
This book examines a murder that took place in Queens, New York in March of 1964.
Kitty Genovese was murdered while returning home from work at around 3:00 AM. Although a particularly brutal murder, it may have gone relatively unnoticed except that the chief editor of the New York Times took seriously an off-hand comment from a police officer who said that there were "38 witnesses who did nothing." The editor made it headline news.
Kevin Cook delves deeply into the police records of the time and discovers that there were in fact only six witnesses that the police tracked down, and only two who really saw what had happened. Unfortunately, they failed to act. One returned to bed and the other remained to watch, too fearful and drunk to call the police.
Many myths surround the murder of Kitty Genovese. Some say that no one called the police during the attack. But in fact, between one and three phone calls were made. One witness, who did not speak English well, panicked when the police answered and hung up. At least one of the other phone calls was recorded and police responded but were too late.
Coming so soon after the assassination of JFK, this crime caught the conscience of a nation that felt collectively guilty about the death of their president, and enhanced the view of the time that the nation was sinking into an abyss of amoral apathy. The crime almost immediately inspired countless experiments by social psychologists, who saw their field of study finally get some recognition and publicity. To this day, Genovese's murder is discussed in social psychology textbooks all over the world.
What I particularly like about this book is that the author obviously has deep feelings of loss over the death of Kitty Genovese, wondering what she would have done with a life that held so much promise. This is not a book that sensationalizes horrible crime, but instead attempts to give some small measure of comfort to those who new Kitty Genovese.
364.152 Cook.K (new section)
Marian
Librarian
Martinsburg Public Library
Here's what's happening at North Berkeley Library in July...
On Thursday, July 3rd at 10:00 AM, come celebrate Independence Day with us! We will read about our nation's birth and decorate red, white, and blue cupcakes!
Tuesday, July 8th, from 6:00-7:00 PM, join us for Science Fiction Night. Dress as a Sci-Fi character (or not) and enjoy an evening of activities and crafts!
On Thursday, July 10th at 6:30 PM, the Falling Waters Battlefield Association will give a presentation of "The Great Comet of 1861." At the end of June and beginning of July in 1861, a huge comet was visible in the night sky. Throughout the ages, comets have been seen by many as a sign from heaven or "harbingers of death and destruction." These beliefs were still held at the start of our Civil War, with both sides claiming the comet foretold victory for their respective causes and defeat for their enemies. Observations and data from this unique comet are still being studied by scientists today. Coming as it did at the beginning of the Civil War, this comet had a big social impact as well. Comet C/1861 J1 (its official name), discovered by Australian John Tebbutt, will be described on the evening of July 10th, as well as the explanation as to why it is called a "Great Comet." Contemporary accounts including newspapers and soldiers' letters describing this amazing comet, even some from Falling Waters, will be read. This presentation will appeal to Civil War enthusiasts as well as those not particularly interested in the Civil War.
On Saturday, July 12th at 11:00 AM, join us for a Duck Tape Regatta. Explore water science by designing and floating your own duck tape boat.
On Saturday, July 19th at 11:00 AM, we will be making marshmallow blowguns. Come join the fun! We GEEK marshmallows!
Also stop by on Thursdays for How Does It Work? Here's what to expect...
July 10 at 10:00 AM, we will offer activities and crafts about the sun.
July 17 at 10:00 AM, join us for a program on making music with a water xylophone. And then at 6:00 PM, come out and try flinging pumpkins with catapults.
July 24 at 10:00 AM, learn about robots using kits from NASA!
July 31 at 10:00 AM, make a tornado in a bottle and learn about these wonders of weather.
Engineering and Gardening Clubs will meet at 10:30 AM on Tuesdays, July 8th, 15th, and 22nd.
Lego Freeplay will take place on July 1st from 6:00-7:00 PM.
Family Lego Club will occur on July 22nd from 6:00-7:00 PM.
Stop by and guess how many Legos are in our jar. If you guess the closest, you will win a Star Wars Lego Kit! Winner will be announced at the Lego Club meeting on August 26th.
Spring Mills Readers will meet on July 23rd at 1:00 PM to discuss the novel The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.
Friends of North Berkeley Library will meet at 6:00 PM on July 22nd.
If you have any questions, please contact NBL at 304-274-3443. See you in July!
The winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction was announced not too long ago, and the Martinsburg-Berkeley County Public Libraries has it on our shelves!
The Goldfinch
by Donna Tartt
FIC Tart.D
We have this book in regular print and sound recording. Visit our website or call your local library today to get on the list for this popular new book!
And if you haven't heard the buzz about this book, here's some more information about it:
Young Theo survives an accident that kills his mother. Abandoned by his father, he lives with a friend's family in New York where his obsession with a small painting that reminds him of his mother leads him to the art underworld.
Did you know that the Martinsburg Public Library offers FREE computer courses on topics including beginning computers, email, using the Internet, and Microsoft Office applications? We do! Courses are offered on the last Saturday morning and the last Tuesday evening of every month (except December).
In June, the courses will be offered on Tuesday, June 24 from 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm and on Saturday, June 28 from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm. Please note that the computer lab will be closed to the public while the computer classes are being conducted on June 24 and 28.
Registration is required. Please contact the reference desk at 304-267-8933 to register for either of these times.
If you are interested in taking a computer course on your home computer, start by visiting the library's website. You can do so by clicking here. Then click on the tab at the top of the website labeled Resources. Click on Educational Pursuits, then Learning Express Library. Create an account with Learning Express Library 3.0 and get started with their Computer Skills Center.
You may also want to check out Universal Class courses, which you will find under Educational Pursuits on our website as well. All you need is your library card. If you do not have a library card, sign up for one today!
The Martinsburg Public Library will host a discussion with members of the Facebook group "Remember in Martinsburg when..." on Friday, June 20, 2014 at 2:00 pm as a special program for West Virginia Day.
Topics from the Facebook page will be presented and projected onto a screen in front of the audience, and the audience will be invited to share their memories related to those topics. Keith Hammersla, local historian and Director of Information Services at the Martinsburg Public Library, will act as moderator for the program. This is a good opportunity to learn more about the past of our local community.
To visit the Facebook page of "Remember in Martinsburg when..." just click here.
Also, a display of photographs of Martinsburg buildings, businesses, and street scenes will be on exhibit in the front foyer display cases facing King Street for the month of June. Most of the photographs show the town in the period between 1890 and 1965. Included also are a few photographs of some special events in town, such as one of the early soapbox derby races, one of the filming of a silent movie in front of the courthouse in 1915, and one of a concert band performing in the bandstand which stood in the center of the town square. This exhibit was planned as part of the library's anniversary celebration of West Virginia statehood on June 20, 1863.
