Tag Archives: readgreatthings2018

Library celebrates their first Read Great Things Challenge

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Durham Tech Library celebrated the Read Great Things Challenge 2018 with tea and cookies on Wed. Dec. 12 from 11:00-1:00.  Participants talked about books they read this year, swapped books, and learned about the categories for next year’s Read Great Things Challenge 2019. Participants also picked up their fun tote bags and reading mascot pins.  It’s not too late to pick up your prize if you completed the challenge!  Simply stop by the library or complete your form online.

tote bag prize

Tote bag designed by Meredith Lewis

reading mascot buttons

Reading mascot pins designed by Meredith Lewis

book display

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Downstairs in the library we are featuring a display of books that Library Staff read and enjoyed for this year’s challenge.

Stay tuned for details about the 2019 Read Great Things Challenge.

Happy reading over winter break!

Celebrate reading all the great things in 2018!

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Durham Tech Library's Read Great Things 2018 Challenge Celebration! You're invited! Who: Anyone (faculty, staff, student, alumni) who participated in or completed the Read Great Things 2018 Challenge What: A celebration featuring tea, cookies, prizes for participation/completion, and a book swap When: Wed., Dec. 12 from 11a.m.—1p.m. Where: ERC 5-212 (upstairs faculty lounge) Stop by to pick up your participation prizes, have some tea and cookies, and (if you want) participate in a book swap. Completers should fill out the Read Great Things Completion form to reserve a tote bag prize. All participants are eligible for a reading mascot button.

Need some more details? Here you go!

  • Looking for the completion form so you can get yourself a tote bag? Here’s where you can find the Read Great Things 2018 Challenge Completion form.
  • Need more information about the Read Great Things 2018 Challenge? Here’s where you can find the Durham Tech Library blog post about the Read Great Things 2018 Challenge.
  • Looking for information about the Read Great Things 2019 Challenge? You can find out more at the celebration or posted on this blog in January. Subscribe to this blog to keep up-to-date.
  • What’s this about a book swap? In order to participate in the book swap, you should bring at least one used book that you no longer want and will trade it for a book someone else is ready to rehome. Feel free to drop off book swap books–in good used condition without significant stains, smells, or damage–before the event at either the Main Campus or Orange County Campus Library. Any books that are not swapped will be donated to the Durham Tech Little Free Libraries.

Contact Meredith Lewis (lewisma @ durhamtech . edu) if you have questions.

What We’re Reading: The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs

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The rise and fall of the dinosaurs: A new history of a lost world by steve brusatte

This book was read by Meredith Lewis, the [mostly] Orange County Campus Librarian, and is available for checkout at the Orange County Campus Library.

Title: The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World
Author: Steve Brusatte

Genre: Popular Science, General Dinosaur Awesomeness

#ReadGreatThings2018 Category: A popular science book; A book that takes place during or is about a historical event 50 years or more in the past [this historical event took place a few million years ago]

Find out more about the Read Great Things Challenge here.

Why did you choose to read this book?

Because dinosaurs are awesome?

Seriously though, I have a four-year-old friend who was telling me about all these dinosaurs that I never heard of. When I saw this book was coming out, I thought, “Self, if this isn’t a dragging and dull science-y book, you should pick that up because you’re not interested in watching Dinosaur Train (the PBS Kids TV show), but you do want to learn more about dinosaurs.” It was AWESOME, although I listened to the audiobook, so I missed out on the pictures. [The OCC copy is in print and full of pictures. I’d recommend this format over the audiobook for even more enjoyment.]

What did you like about it?

I’m going to make a list here:

  1. It’s an engaging history book–in this case, the history of the Earth through its prehistoric times and then after the extinction of the dinosaurs, which I knew very little about. 

  2. It goes into all the newer discoveries about dinosaurs that additional fossils have brought to light, especially regarding how dinosaurs differently evolved after the splitting apart of Pangaea. There are even vignettes where the author goes into, based on fossil evidence, that show how the dinosaurs likely interacted with each other.

  3. It has stuff about the fossil record and how paleontologists use it to draw conclusions and also how fossils are/were discovered and used.

  4. It has an international perspective of dinosaurs, which is cool because while T-Rex’s arms actually were used for something (though, yes, very short), a Brazilian big guy actually did have pretty much non-functional arms. Evolution is fascinating!

  5. It highlights a field in science I wasn’t that familiar with and name drops all these cool paleontologists that I’d never heard of before, but I’m super glad I know of them now.

Did it remind you of any other book, or a movie?

Am I allowed to say Jurassic Park here? Because of course. [Yes, I am allowed to say Jurassic Park.]

What feeling did the book leave you with?

Well, I’m really excited about dinosaurs.

Who would you recommend the book to?

Anyone who likes science or scientists and delving deeper into what people who “do” science actually do to gather their research. Anyone looking for a grown-up book about dinosaurs. Seriously. It was great. I’m going to buy it for several people for the holidays (and upcoming birthdays… and all occasions I can think of).

What would you pair this book with?

A continued appreciation of those awesome inflatable T-Rex costumes and how so many layers of knowledge and expertise go into scientific discovery. In honor of the East Coast (not us) getting some of our first snow, I’d like to share the following awesome video of an inflatable T-Rex ice skating in case you haven’t seen it.

[No transcript available, but to summarize: A person in an inflatable t-rex costume and white ice skates performs surprisingly well on an ice rink. Occasionally, the t-rex trips on its own tail. Hilarity insues.]

What We’re Reading: Open Mic Night at Westminster Cemetery

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open mic night at westminster cemetary by mary amato book cover

This book was read by Meredith Lewis, the [mostly] Orange County Campus Librarian, and is available for checkout at the Orange County Campus Library.

Title: Open Mic Night at Westminster Cemetery: A Novel in Two Acts
Author: Mary Amato

Genre: Fantasy [because ghosts talking and stuff]. Is there a “imagined conversations between ghosts in graveyards” fiction genre? Because this fits that one, too.

#ReadGreatThings2018 Category: A book that contains a supernatural creature, occurrence, or event

Find out more about the Read Great Things Challenge here.

Why did you choose to read this book?

The summary alone did it for me: A teenager wakes up in a graveyard, but instead of the numerous other ways that story could go, she discovers she’s dead… and already in trouble with the appointed rule-keeper of the cemetery due to language (strike 1) and emotional outbursts (strike 2). Lacy is charming and trying to be as self-aware as a new ghost can be while the other inhabitants of the graveyard both rely on their routine and want something more. Oh, and dead Edgar Allan Poe is there. Need I say more? 

What did you like about it?

It was just overall very charming. I also really like books where historical figures show up in some way. Oh, and there’s the whole graveyard fiction thing, which I also like (apparently). But seriously, the characters were engaging and it wasn’t too heavy– sometimes you just need a light read.

Who would you recommend the book to?

Anyone who needs a light read this time of year. Anyone who needs a little whimsy with their spirit of Edgar Allan Poe. Fans of open mic nights. 

What would you pair this book with? 

A little bit of bravery to stand up to “how things have always been done”… and some cinnamon crumb cake. 

How about some book friends (a.k.a. related reading recommendations)?

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Need help finding a book in-library or requesting a book through ILL? You can look it up in our catalog or ask a librarian. Don’t yet have a library card? Ask in the library and be sure to bring your Durham Tech ID.

What We’re Recommending: The #ReadGreatThings2018 Edition

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In a repeating series highlighting current and recent reads around Durham Tech, here are some of Durham Tech’s great faculty and staff’s recommendations to help you complete your Read Great Things Challenge:

The Last Days of Night by Graham Moore
A book that takes place during or is about a historical event 50 years or more in the past and A biography, autobiography, memoir, or a fictionalized account of a real person’s life. Recommended by Brittney VornDick, Physics Instructor. Available at the Main Campus Library
Educated by Tara Westover book cover
A biography, autobiography, memoir, or a fictionalized account of a real person’s life [and A book you chose for the cover]. Recommended by Paula Wilder, Director of English for Academic Purposes and Continuing Education for Non-Native English Speakers. Available at the Main Campus Library.
the fact of a body by: A Murder and a Memoir by alexandria marzano-lesnevich book cover
A biography, autobiography, memoir, or a fictionalized account of a real person’s life. Recommended by Dorothy Wood, Biology Instructor
A popular science book. Recommended by Janice Stuart, English Instructor, Gateway to College. Available at the Main Campus and OCC Libraries
A popular science book. Recommended by Janice Stuart, English Instructor, Gateway to College. Available at the Main Campus and OCC Libraries
Rhymes of the Times: Black Nursery Rhymes by Audrey Muhammad book cover
A book of poetry or a book written in verse and, not a category BUT, written by a Durham Tech advisor and instructor. Available at the Main Campus Library.
Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell book cover
A popular science book. Recommended by Shana Curl, ACA Instructor and Academic Advisor. Available at the Main Campus and OCC Libraries
Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler book cover
A biography, autobiography, memoir, or a fictionalized account of a real person’s life. Recommended by Stephanie Turner, Coordinator, Marketing and Media Relations
Ghost Talkers by Mary Robinette Kowal
A book with a supernatural creature, occurrence, or event. Recommended by Courtney Bippley, Reference Librarian. Available at the Main Campus Library
Golden: The Miraculous Rise of Steph Curry by Marcus Thompson book cover
A book about or that features sports and A biography, autobiography, memoir, or a fictionalized account of a real person’s life. Recommended by Mary Kennery, Library Technician. Available at the Main Campus Library
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande book cover
A popular science book. Recommended by Meredith Lewis, OCC Librarian. Available at the Main Campus Library
A book being turned into a movie or tv show in 2018. Recommended by Janice Stuart, English Instructor, Gateway to College. Available at the OCC Library
A book being turned into a movie or tv show in 2018. Recommended by Janice Stuart, English Instructor, Gateway to College. Available at the OCC Library
A book that takes place in a country or place you’d like to visit [Svalbard, Norway]. Recommended by Brittney VornDick, Physics Instructor.
A book that takes place in a country or place you’d like to visit [Svalbard, Norway]. Recommended by Brittney VornDick, Physics Instructor.
The Potlikker Papers: A Food History of the Modern South by John T. Edge book cover
A book about cooking or food. Recommended by Lea Bingham, English Instructor and ASUT Associate Dean. Available at the Main Campus Library
Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya book cover
A book with a supernatural creature, occurrence, or event. Recommended by Sara Juarez, Director of Interpretation / Translation Programs. Available at the Main Campus and OCC Libraries
I, Eliza Hamilton by Susan Holloway Scott
A book that takes place during or is about a historical event 50 years or more in the past [1968 or before] and A biography, autobiography, memoir, or a fictionalized account of a real person’s life. Recommended by Shana Curl, ACA Instructor and Academic Advisor
In Cold Blood: A True Account of a Multiple Murder and Its Consequences by Truman Capote book cover
A book that takes place during or is about a historical event 50 years or more in the past. Recommended by Meredith Lewis, OCC Librarian. Available at the Main Campus and Northern Durham Center Libraries
lincoln in the bardo by george saunders
A book with a supernatural creature, occurrence, or event and A biography, autobiography, memoir, or a fictionalized account of a real person’s life. Recommended by Mary Kennery, Library Technician. Available at the Main Campus and OCC Libraries
Ghost by Jason Reynolds book cover
A book about or that features sports. Recommended by Karin Abell, English as a Second Language Director
What Unites Us: Reflections on Patriotism by Dan Rather and Elliot Kirschner book cover
A biography, autobiography, memoir, or a fictionalized account of a real person’s life and A book you chose for the cover. Recommended by Gina Perryman, International Student Services and Study Abroad Advisor. Available at the Main Campus Library.
The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen book cover
A book with a supernatural creature, occurrence, or event. Recommended by Stephanie Turner, Coordinator, Marketing and Media Relations. Available at the Main Campus Library
I'll Take You There Mavis Staples, the Staples Singers, and the Music that Shaped the Civil Rights Era by Greg Kot book cover
Available at the Main Campus (ML 400 .K873 2014)
Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson book cover
A popular science book. Recommended by Paula Wilder, Director of English for Academic Purposes and Continuing Education for Non-Native English Speakers. Available at the Main Campus Library.
Willa Friday Culinary Cozy Mystery Series by Jamie Lee Scott box set image including Pasta, Pinot and Murder; Sushi, Sauvignon and Murder; Mousse, Moscato and Murder
A book about cooking or food. Recommended by Lori Heiger, ACA Instructor and Academic Advisor.
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle book cover
A book being turned into a movie or tv show in 2018. Recommended by Karin Abell, English as a Second Language Director. Available at the Main Campus Library
Book of Deacon by Joseph Lallo book cover
A book with a supernatural creature, occurrence, or event and A book you chose for the cover. Recommended by Lori Heiger, ACA Instructor and Academic Advisor.
Furiously Happy: A Funny Book about Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson
Available at the Main Campus Library
children of blood and bone by tomi adeyemi book cover
A book with a supernatural creature, occurrence, or event and A book you chose for the cover. Recommended by Shawna Daniels-Ash, Early Childhood Education Instructor. Available at the Main Campus and OCC Libraries

Need more information about how to participate in (and “win”) the Durham Tech Library’s Read Great Things 2018 Challenge? Click the following link for more information: #ReadGreatThings2018 Information

Need help finding a book in-library or requesting a book through ILL? You can look it up in our catalog or ask a librarian. Don’t yet have a library card? Ask in the library and be sure to bring your Durham Tech ID.

What We’re Reading: Dread Nation

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dread nation by justina ireland book cover

Available at the OCC Library on the New Book shelf

This book was enthusiastically read by Meredith Lewis, Orange County Campus Librarian.

Genre: Revisionist Zombie Historical Fiction, Supernatural fiction [not sure if it’s fantasy or science-fiction– I’m waiting for the next  books in the series to figure out how those zombies became zombies!]

#ReadGreatThings2018 Category: A book with a supernatural creature [yup], A book that takes place during a historical event 50 years or more in the past [Reconstruction-era America… but with zombies]

Find out more about the Read Great Things Challenge here.

Why did you choose to read this book?

Honestly, it was one of several this year that I read about, had a great premise, and also got really good reviews. I often wonder if books are as good as everyone says they are and this is one of several I’ve read lately that have lived up to their hype –see: Children of Blood and Bone (reviewed on the blog here, The Hate U Give, and I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter.

Despite the great reviews, I was a little torn because I actually hate zombies. A lot. If a zombie apocalypse actually ever occurs, I’ll have a hard time not just giving up because it’s too bleak. I don’t want dead people-like things eating my face. 

What did you like about it?

This is going to sound strange, but it was a really sassy and hopeful book. So it takes place during the Reconstruction era after the Civil War, except the war was finished because zombies started rising from the battlefield. Afterwards, newly freed slaves (and Native peoples, another interesting aspect to the book) are sent to combat schools to learn to kill the undead. Our intrepid heroine Jane is ready to graduate from Miss Preston’s School of Combat when… well, things go crazy and I don’t want to spoil the wonderful plot twists for you. Despite all the undead, Jane is always plotting on how to make her world better and how to get back to her family. In addition to the zombies, it casts a nicely critical eye on race relations and problems when marginalized people are put in opposition to each other. [Can you tell I was an English major? Look at that last sentence.]

Did it remind you of any other book, or a movie?

The deep-seated evilness of several of the characters reminded me of The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness. 

Who would you recommend the book to?

I’d recommend this to both people who do like zombies and people who don’t like zombies, and any people who like super engaging stories, awesome strong female characters, and are okay waiting for the next book in the series [2019 on Goodreads!]. 

What would you pair this book with? 

Some very sharp sickles. You know, for the zombie slaying. 

What We’re Currently Reading: Summer Reads Edition!

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In a repeating series highlighting current and recent reads around Durham Tech, here’s Durham Tech’s awesome faculty and staff’s current or recently finished summer reads:

Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly book cover
Kerry Cantwell, First-Year Experience Chair & ACA Instructor
Dune by Frank Herbert book cover
Available at the Main, Northern Durham, and Orange County Campus (PS 3558 .E63 D8)
The Brothers K by David James Duncan book cover
Pat Morris, Director of CAE
My Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie book cover
Stephanie Turner, Marketing and Media Relations Coordinator
Not That Bad: Dispatches from Rape Culture by Roxane Gay book cover
Marina DelVecchio, English & Humanities Instructor
The 1910 Slocum Massacre: An Act of Genocide in East Texas by E.R. Bills book cover
Carl Rupert, Math Instructor
heir of fire by sarah j maas book cover
Stesha Little, Gateway to College Resource Specialist
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty book cover
Lynn Unsworth, Leadership and Interpersonal Skills Development Regional Trainer
iq a novel by joe ide book cover
Judy Graham, EMS Program Specialist
The Transit of Venus by Shirley Hazzard book cover
Lea Bingham, Assistant Dean of University Transfer & English Instructor
The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende book cover
Rachel Lithman, English as a Foreign Language Instructor and Advisor
21: The Story of Roberto Clemente by Wilfred Santiago book cover
Erin Riney, Director of Center for College and Community Service, Service Learning Coordinator, & ACA Instructor
Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson book cover
DM Stearns, Criminal Justice Instructor
She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb book cover
Stephen Brooks, Main Campus Reference Librarian
Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan book cover
Bill Ingram, President
Gaddy's Song (Pettigrew Farm Series, Book 3) by Kathryn Ewers Bundy book cover
Lisa M. Blair, French & Spanish Instructor
The Assassination of Fred Hampton: How the FBI and the Chicago Police Murdered a Black Panther by Jeffrey Haas book cover
Darius Whitney, Southern School of Energy & Sustainability College Liaison
Clowns to the Left of Me, Jokers to the Right: American Life in Columns by Michael A. Smerconish book cover
Wayne Durkee, Criminal Justice Instructor
Educated by Tara Westover book cover
Cathy Collie-Robinson, Director and Instructor of Early Childhood Education
1633 by David Weber & Eric Flint book cover
Bill Stuart, Science Lab Manager
american war by omar el akkad book cover
Meredith Lewis, Orange County Campus Librarian
Swamplandia! By Karen Russell book cover
Eliza Murphy, ACA Instructor and Advisor
The President Is Missing by James Patterson and Bill Clinton book cover
Mary Kennery, Library Technician
Lock In by John Scalzi book cover
Paula Wilder, Director of English for Academic Purposes & Continuing Education for Non-Native English Speakers
Patrick Coin, Assistant Dean of Applied Technologies Programs & Director and Instructor of Environment, Health, and Safety Technology
Patrick Coin, Assistant Dean of Applied Technologies Programs & Director and Instructor of Environment, Health, and Safety Technology
ready player one by ernest cline book cover
Janice Stuart, Gateway to College English Instructor
the kitchen house by kathleen grissom book cover
Dorothy Wood, Biology Instructor
The Last Days of Night by Graham Moore book cover
Brittney VornDick, Physics Instructor
Unresolved issues by Wanda B. Campbell book cover
Johnnie Bratton, Program Director of Associate Degree Nursing & Coordinator of Therapeutic and Diagnostic NA Diploma Program
Miles to Go by Richard Paul Evans book cover
Patricia Neems, English as a Second Language Instructor
Swan Song by Robert McCammon book cover
Suzannah Price, English Instructor
A Historical Tour of Walt Disney World by Andrew Kiste book cover
Gilbert R. Umberger, Student Activities Coordinator
The Devourers by Indra Das book cover
Susane Boukamel, CAE Academic Alert Tutor for Reading and English
The Completionist by Siobhan Adcock book cover
Karin Abell, Director of English as a Second Language
Betrayed: A Rosato & DiNunzio Novel by Lisa Scottoline book cover
Christine Gunnigle, Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Clinical Coordinator & Instructor
Tricked (The Iron Druid Chronicles, Book 4) by Kevin Hearne
Walter Bartlett, Advanced Manufacturing Coordinator
Deep: Freediving, Renegade Science, and What the Ocean Tells Us about Ourselves by James Nestor book cover
Courtney Bippley, Main Campus Reference Librarian
animal farm by george orwell
Suzi Jaikaran, Human Resources Coordinator
The Power by Naomi Alderman book cover
Julie Humphrey, Library Director
ready player one by ernest cline book cover
Jessica Orio, Center for the Global Learner Program Specialist
A Dreamer’s Tales: Annotated Edition by Lord Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett Dunsany book cover
Peter Wooldridge, Vice President of Corporate, Continuing, and Public Services Education & ancestor of the author
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones book cover
Available at the Main Campus (PS 3610 .O63 A84 2018) and as an ebook through Dogwood Digital Library

Need help finding a book in-library or requesting a book through ILL? You can look it up in our catalog or ask a librarian. Don’t yet have a library card? Ask in the library and be sure to bring your Durham Tech ID.

Are you already reading for the Durham Tech Read Great Things 2018 Challenge? Find out more about the Read Great Things Challenge here.

 

What We’re Reading: Monstress (Vol. 1 & 2)

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monstress vol 1 by Marjorie Liu and illustrated by Sana Takeda book cover
Available at the Orange County Campus, volumes 1-4 (PN 6728 .M6548 L48 2019)
monstress vol 2 by Marjorie Liu and illustrated by Sana Takeda book cover
Available on the new book shelf at the OCC Library

This series was read by Meredith Lewis, Orange County Campus Librarian.

Genre: Graphic Novel/Comic Book

#ReadGreatThings2018 Category: A book that contains a supernatural creature [loads], occurrence [more than one], or event [very much yes]

Find out more about the Read Great Things Challenge here.

Why did you choose to read this book?

I picked up Monstress Vol. 1 a year or so ago in an effort to check out some new graphic novels. The graphics were beautiful and there was a weird multi-tailed cat in one of the preview images. I’m a simple person–I may have chosen it for both the positive reviews and the cats. It’s also really beautifully illustrated (and terribly bloody and twisted). 

I chose to continue the series because it’s dark and fascinating. The main character, Maika Halfwolf, is scarred emotionally from a war between entities in her world that left a huge number of beings dead and many more brutalized, but her physical scarring comes from a terrifying (and very hungry) monster that she shares her body with. She reluctantly takes on a half-fox and two-tailed necromancing talking cat as sidekicks. Look, it’s really weird (as I say out loud frequently while reading it), but really interesting. And it’s not as whimsical as the animals make it seem.

What did you like about it?

Maika’s exploration of where she ends and the monster begins is really fascinating, especially since they can see into each others’ memories. The second volume starts to clear up some of the mysteries introduced in the first volume, but I still have more questions! (Volume 3 comes out later this year, so I’ll just have to wait unless I want to buy individual issues of the comic.) 

Did it remind you of any other book, or a movie?

The second one reminds me ever so slightly of Pirates of the Carribean… but that’s only because there’s a ship and a terrifying island and ghosts.They do not share a similar tone AT ALL. 

Was there anything noteworthy about the book?

If you’re into awards, this (along with My Favorite Thing is Monsters, also available at the OCC Library) was nominated for a 2018 Eisner Award and Vol. 1 won a Hugo Award last year. 

Who would you recommend the book to?

If you’re into dark fantasy and beautiful art and weird stories with anthropomorphic animals and half animals and monsters, this is probably going to be your jam. All the trigger warnings, though. 

I found this Hollywood Reporter article interesting, too, for more information: ‘Monstress’: Inside The Fantasy Comic About Race, Feminism And The Monster Within

What We’re Reading: Educated

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educated a memoir by tara westover book cover

Available at the Main Campus Library on the New Book Shelf (CT 3262 .I2 W47 2018)

Educated by Tara Westover was read by Susan Baker, a Reference Librarian at the Main Campus, and Meredith Lewis, the Orange County Campus Librarian.

Genre: Memoir

#ReadGreatThings2018 Category: A biography, autobiography, memoir, or a fictionalized account of a real person’s life AND A book you chose for the cover [seriously, look at those layers]

Find out more about the Read Great Things Challenge here, and check out other beautiful and interesting book covers in the Main Campus library’s front window display to find your next great read.

Why did you choose to read this book?

Susan: I work with students in a community college. I have a son in elementary school.  So I think about education—how does it work?  What makes it good?—a lot. The combination of the title and the cool pencil graphic that is so much more if you look closely drew me to the shelf. I picked it, scanned the prologue—hmmm, this is good writing, and I want to know what happens….I was hooked.

Meredith: As usual (eye roll directed towards myself), I’d read some reviews on it and it seemed interesting– a story of not-quite-actually-home-schooled to PhD. I’m always interested in how people get from one place to another in their lives, especially in their education journeys, but this book was so much more than just that. 

 

Continue Reading →

What We’re Reading: The Secret Game

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the secret game: a basketball story in black and white by scott ellsworth book cover

Available at the Main Campus Library (GV 885.72 .N8 E45 2015)

This book was read by Charles Farrow, a Library Technician at the Main Campus Library.

Genre: Historical Nonfiction

#ReadGreatThings2018 Categor(ies): A book about or that features sports AND A book that takes place during or is about a historical event 50 years or more in the past

What is this book about? 

Sunday, March 12, 1944 at 11:00am. The Secret Game.

In this book, Scott Ellsworth writes about a day and time in Durham, North Carolina during the Jim Crow era when two teams from opposite sides of the tracks–Duke and NC Central– ignored Jim Crow laws and decided to play a game that was never supposed to happen. It started out as a challenge, but ended up being more than just a game.

Why did you choose to read this book?

I chose to read this book because of a conversation I had with my son about black athletes in the Hall of Fame from HBCUs and how the historically black colleges and universities that produced them have been overlooked in sports history. We also talked about the history of black athletes at places like the University of Alabama, Duke, and the University of North Carolina and when they were allowed to participate in various sports.

What did you like about it?

I like this book because it brings to light that being an athlete is not just about playing a game. For some, it goes deeper than that. This book reveals a deeper truth that sports are not just about winning and losing. It shows that some of our greatest challenges are not from a physical opponent, but from our own system of beliefs instilled in us from childhood. I like this book because it reveals to the reader that sports transcends race, culture, nationalities and shows us how to overcome barriers and adversity by working together as a team and being a team player.

Did it remind you of any other book, or a movie?

The movie Brian’s Song

What would you pair this book with?

I’d pair this book with an archaeological dig, since that’s how much work the author had to do in order to find out about and report about this game.