A call to remember notable events, especially surprise attacks and disasters, is a well-known trope in the cultural memory. As George Santayana quipped, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." So, in case you have forgotten, here are some resources for remembrance of things past:

Remember the Alamo

The Alamo: a cultural history by Frank Thompson

Sleuthing the Alamo: Davy Crockett's last stand and other mysteries of the Texas Revolution by James E. Crisp

The Alamo [videodisc] by The History Channel

Remember the Maine

How the battleship Maine was destoyed by H.g. Rickover

Why does e=mc2: (and why should we care?) by Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw

Going home to glory: a memoir of life with Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1961-1969 by David Eisenhower with Julie Nixon Eisenhower

Twilight at the world of tomorrow: genius, madness, murder, and the 1939 World's Fair on the brink of war by James Mauro

The girl in the song: the true stories behind 50 rock classics by Michael Heatley

Deadly spin: an insurance company insider speaks out on how corporate PR is killing health care and deceiving Americans by Wendell Potter

Saturday, January 15 would have been Martin Luther King Jr.'s 82nd birthday. We celebrate his life, his message, and the spirit of the Civil Rights movement on the third Monday of every January. For some, this means a day off of work or school; for many others it's a day of community service (Find volunteer opportunities on the All for Good site). Whether you choose to serve, attend special community events, or simply reflect, Canton Public Library has useful resources for you:

Martin Luther King — Books

Behind the dream: the making of the speech that transformed a nation by Clarence B. Jones and Stuart Connelly

Looking for some fun historical reads? Look no further.

Sugar changed the world: a story of magic, spice, slavery, freedom, and science by Marc Aronson and Marina Budhos

Countdown by Deborah Wiles

Journey into Mohawk Country as written by H.M. van den Bogaert with artwork by George O'Connor and color by Hilary Sycamore

The trouble begins at 8: a life of Mark Twain in the wild, wild West by Sid Fleischman

Marooned: the strange but true adventures of Alexander Selkirk, the real Robinson Crusoe by Robert Kraske

Geraldine Hoff Doyle, the Lansing, Michigan resident best known as "Rosie the Riveter" died today at the age of 86. She was 17 when she posed for the now famous photo that was used for the "We Can Do It!" poster campaign to encourage women to enter the work force during World War II. Read more about this amazing woman here at the library.

The lady in the tower : the fall of Anne Boleyn by Alison Weir

The comforts of home : thrifty and chic decorating ideas for making the most of what you have by Caroline Clifton- Mogg

Lives like loaded guns : Emily Dickinson and her family's feuds by Lyndall Gordon

The men who stare at goats by Jon Ronson

Annie's ghosts : a journey into a family secret by Steve Luxenberg

Manhunt : the twelve-day chase for Lincoln's killer by James L. Swanson

Krakatoa : the day the world exploded, August 27, 1883 by Simon Winchester

Eiffel's tower and the World's Fair where Buffalo Bill beguiled Paris, the artists quarreled, and Thomas Edison became a count by Jill Jonnes

The devil in the white city : murder, magic, and madness at the fair that changed America by Erik Larson

Isaac's storm : a man, a time, and the deadliest hurricane in history by Erik Larson

Give thanks for the picture book with these wonderful Thanksgiving stories. Enjoy some turkey tales while waiting for the special holiday to arrive!

Gus, the pilgrim turkey by Teresa Bateman ; illustrated by Ellen Joy Sasaki

The Berenstain Bears' Thanksgiving by Stan & Jan Berenstain

An old-fashioned Thanksgiving by Louisa May Alcott ; illustrated by James Bernardin

Little Bear's Thanksgiving. Illustrated by Mariana by Janice

Franklin's Thanksgiving by [written by Sharon Jennings] ; illustrated by Brenda Clark

The New York Public Library posted a list last month with many of the books that appear or are mentioned in the acclaimed TV series Mad Men. If you love the show, or are looking for what people may have read in the 1960s, these are the titles from the NYPL list that CPL has:

The best of everything: a novel by Rona Jaffe

The chrysanthemum and the sword: patterns of Japanese culture by Ruth Benedict; with a foreword by Ezra F. Vogel

Exodus by Leon Uris