Book Suggestion

Paperwhite Narcissus

written by Tom Baker

Looking for a good book about self-discovery? Interested in keeping your brain engaged with a compelling novel during these snowy days? Paperwhite Narcissus might just be the book you’ve been looking for.

In this relatively short novel, we follow Tim as he navigates through his senior year of college. After the death of his mentor, Red Ryder, he tries to deal with her absence while also figuring out who he is. As if that weren’t enough, Tim is stuck deciding whether or not it is worth applying to graduate school, when the fear of being drafted into the military looms around him. This leads him on some strange adventures as he tries to uncover who he really is.

Come check out this book and many others over at the library! We’ve got many new books out on display that are ready to be checked out and read throughout the holiday season.

Native American Heritage Month Book Display

Red Bird Sings

Q. L. Pearce & Gina Capaldi

In honor of Native American Heritage month, Stewart Memorial Library has created a display to showcase some of the wonderful works about, or written by those of Native American decent. Stories both new and old, fictional and non, are out for your viewing pleasure on the main floor and the basement level of the library. 

One of these incredible works, Red Bird Sings written by Q. L. Pearce and illustrated by Gina Capaldi. This captivating picture book tells the tale of Zitkala-Ša, a poet (whose work you can also check out at our display), activist, and musician who is trying to find a way to speak her mind in a world ruled by oppressors. The reader travels with Zitkala-Ša as she grows, learns, and discovers her voice and potential in the world. Her drive to do more for herself, while also standing up for her people is what makes this piece so incredibly moving. And if her bravery and poise wasn’t enough, then the artistic illustrations just might do you in. 

Give yourself a break from all the cramming, writing, and stress of classes to come enjoy the tale of Zitkala-Ša and so many other Native Americans. All books are available for check out on the main floor. Don’t miss out!

-Review by library student worker Samantha Jankowski

Can't get enough of Harry

The adventures you go on with Harry and the gang are far more interesting than anything that happens in the ordinary world. We cling to all things fantastical; when Harry has to fight the dragon, or must confront Lord Voldemort face-to-face. These are the things I come back for every summer. I just can’t seem to get enough of that Harry Potter action. When you lead an ordinary life extraordinary things make it fun—even if they only happen on paper. You put yourself in the book; you live your life with Harry. What I think makes Harry’s story so relatable, is that—along with the extraordinary—they also face problems with things every teenager faces—relationships, school, friendships. While not many of us are being hunted by a dark wizard, many of us have faced feeling alone, in a new place or getting into a fight with our best friend. With these things that happen, it makes it easy to see yourself as Harry going through the craziness that is being a teenager. You slip into Harry’s world and fight battles with him. It is exciting, and nerve-wreaking; which makes the adventure so great. Every time I go back to the books and read them again, I read them from new perspectives and catch things that had happened, which I never realized before. It makes the journey seem new each time. Even if it is the same books, it is always a new me that gets to experience them. ~Brittany (Editor's note---all Harry Potter books and movies are available at the Stewart Memorial Library.)

Accused--Book Review

Ever just want to sit down and get lost in a book? The Stewart Memorial Library has many books that can transport you to a different place; we have thrillers, romance, and mysteries. If you are looking for a thriller I would recommend the book Accused by Lisa Scottoline. It is a thriller about three women in the law firm, Rosato & Associates. They are given a case by a thirteen year old, Allegra Gardner; this young girl’s sister was murdered six years prior. The case at the time was solid, the man who was accused, Lonnie Stall, was seen fleeing the scene; his blood was found on the sister and her blood was on him. He also plead guilty at the trial. Open and shut, right? But there is a twist, Allegra does not believe that he is guilty and wants Rosato & Associates to reopen the case. Now the question is whether or not they should take the case; Allegra’s family is powerful and influential so taking this case would be risky. But was justice really served those 6 years ago? These three women and a thirteen-year-old will find out.

Does this book interest you? Come check it out! Located in the browsing section on the first floor of the library, the call number is PS 3569 .C725 .A65 2013. ~Ashley K.

Fault in our Stars--Book Review

Two weeks ago during my shift I was browsing the library catalog and saw that The Fault in our Stars was downstairs in the Youth section. I was quite excited because I had been on hold for it the whole four weeks of my winter break at my library back home. I had heard so many good things about the book so I started it right after my shift ended. Well now as I sit here, two weeks later, with the book finished I am saddened to say that I think it is probably one of the most overrated books I've ever read.


The book is about Hazel, a teenager living with cancer who knows that she only has a few years left at best. She has pretty much come to terms with her diagnosis and is just taking life day-to-day. At a cancer support group, she meets Augustus Waters who is another very charismatic teen cancer survivor. As you can assume, the two end up falling for each other and there is a lot of conflict about allowing themselves to get close to another person and make their lives meaningful given their short time that they have left. I've read my fair share of romance/ terminal illness books and frankly this just seemed like every other one. Other than a sub-plot about corresponding with an author who they both idolize (a storyline which in my opinion felt very unlikely, forced, and a little over the top), the plot was pretty predictable. While I liked the character of Hazel and connected with her views on life and it's meaning, I never warmed up to Augustus. And I get that he wasn't always supposed to be the most likeable character but I just never developed a strong yearning that he and Hazel were meant to be.

While I appreciated John Green's attempt to try to throw a twist on your typical cancer romance novel, I just don't think it worked for me. I'm sure a lot of my opinion on this book was influenced by the mass amount of hype that it got. I probably set my expectations way too high and expected way too much. I would like to state that it wasn't a bad book, it definitely kept my focus and I was motivated to finish it, it just wasn't very memorable. If you're into teen romance novels, there's a good chance you might like this book. As for me, I think I'm all teen romance-ed out and will be sticking with adventure/ mystery books for the forseeable future. ~Bellamy

Did Monkeys Invent the Monkey Wrench-Book Review

Ever wonder what it's like to visit an old hardware store? Ever wonder how rubber came to be or who invented the Vice Grips? Look no further than the book, Did Monkeys Invent the Monkey Wrench, by Vince Staten. This book is chalk full of witty humor along with quite an insight into the world of selling nuts and bolts. Believe me, this is not a book that will bore you to sleep. It may just keep you up in the wee hours of the night, just like the running toilet did in your home. This easy to read book is perfect for those that like tinkering with hand tools, even if you are not very successful. Even the author claims to not be a handyman, but he has a plethora of knowledge on the tools handy persons use. Pick up this book and get a glimpse into a culture that may one day be gone. Tyler G.

Brothers in Hope--Book Review

The Stewart Memorial Library is the heart of Coe College. Here at the library our staff is committed to ensuring your needs are met in a quick and appropriate manner. We accommodate majors of all sorts. For example, if you are majoring in elementary education a book you may use in helping to construct a lesson plan would be Brothers In Hope by Mary Williams . This book is about a young boy in Sudan who fled from his village, and later found other boys who had done the same. Together, the boys face numerous hardships and dangers along the way to finding a new home. Through mutual support and faith in each other, the boys were able to find a new home. The book is located in the Browsing Area on the first floor of the library. The call # is Youth Picture PZ7 W66699 Br 2005.
If you are unsure about books pertaining to your major, then don't hesitate to come by and ask, we’ll be waiting just for you! Nathan B.

Bones of Paris--Book Review

The Stewart Memorial Library has much to offer to people with all types of interests. For example, if someone is just looking for something to read for leisure and have an interest in suspenseful fiction and like France, and more specifically Paris, they may be interested in The Bones of Paris by Laurie King. This book involves a little bit of history, especially about the lives of those famous writers and artists that made up the infamous Jazz Age of the 1920's. In this book you will be following an investigator from the United States who was hired by an American family from Boston who's daughter moved to Paris to pursue her dreams of being an actor/model, but then suddenly lost all contact with her family who began to worry. The investigator, Harris Struyvesant, was more than happy to take the job and have the opportunity to walk the streets of Paris and sit in all the wonderful cafes and bars. He saw this as more of a vacation because he felt that he would find the young woman in the arms of some up and coming artist, which happens to many. But as his search continues it takes a turn he wasn't expecting because now the trail leads him in search of a....murderer.

If this book sounds interesting to you then don't hesitate to come check it out, it'll be waiting just for you! It is located in the Browsing Area on the first floor of the library. The call # is PS3561 I4813 B66 2013.

If you have any questions don't be afraid to ask, anyone from the Circulation or Reference desk would more than willing to assist you! Rachel S.

More notes from a Circ worker...

My name is Bellamy and I’m an Elementary Education major at Coe. This is my second year working at the library and I love it. This semester I’m taking a class on children’s literature that requires me to read and bring in a selection of children’s books to class every Friday. I’ve been able to find all of my literature selections for this class from the children’s section of the Coe library. This area is located in the basement of the library and houses picture books on one side and chapter/young adult books on the other. At first I wasn’t sure if the library’s children section would have enough of a variety for all of different types of genres that I had to obtain. But now it’s halfway through the semester and week after week, I’ve been able to find great quality children’s literature books. The children’s section in the library may appear small, but there’s lots of great material!

Book Thief

The end of September and start of October are always punctuated by Banned Book Week, which is, in short, a celebration of books that tend to be challenged by various groups because of content, word choice, characters, titles, covers, and so on. And while that could be a perfect excuse to wax poetic about Mark Twain, Voltaire, or yes, even Harry Potter, my annual celebration of Banned Books is to reread a very ironic book on that list:

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

 Why is it an ironic choice? Because The Book Thief is not only a surprisingly funny and heartfelt story about World War II Germany, it centers on books and book burning.

The New York Times described the book as “not really… ‘Harry Potter and the Holocaust.’ It just feels that way.” It’s narrated by Death, who shouldn’t be as fabulous as they are, but they’re fabulous (even if I can’t shake the image of Death being a tiny, sassy Australian woman). The main character (the titular “Book Thief” who is really named Liesel) is an adolescent girl whose life has been tinged with death, but has remained resilient, warm, kind, and sweet. The first book she steals is a manual for grave diggers, and her love of learning proves insatiable. She and her adopted family show a tiny slice of the War from the perspective of German citizens and every act of defiance her family commits feels like a victory.

It’s completely worth the read, and the film version is set to be released in early November. ~~Maisie

Editor's note--If interested, call # is PR 9169.4 Z87 B66 2006

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

As the library main floor has stated it is National Honey month! The month of September also pays homage to something else, Hispanic heritage.

What does this have to do with the library? The library has a plethora of Hispanic authors for you to read as well as their biographies! Read authors like Sandra Cisneros, who graduated from the Iowa Writer's Workshop and was taught by Gordon Mennega himself! Read Gary Soto a poet and writer focused in Chicano youth fiction. Prefer classic? How about the ever famous Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Carlos Fuentes (I recommend The Death of Artemio Cruz), and Isabel Allende!

Not really into books? The AV department has a wide variety of Hispanic subject movies that are both in Spanish and English. There's Selena, about a great Tejana singer and the tragic result of her fame, starring Jenifer Lopez. Or try Vicky Christina Barcelona to see Penelope Cruz do her thing! For practice with Spanish watch Volver or Biutiful.

As always keep reading and stay classy, Coe College!~~~~Paulina

Even though we're not supposed to talk about it, Cat Widder found the Fight Club squirrel!

Fight Club is a book about a man finding an outlet in punching people--leading up to a dramatic twist end!

Manliness

Ever wonder if there was more to being a man than having six-pack abs? The book, "The Art of Manliness: Classic Skills and Manners for the Modern Man" will teach you how to handle nearly any situation life may throw at you. From learning how to live a virtuous life like Ben Franklin to getting fitted for a suit, this book has it all. As the introduction of the book states, "Our goal with this book is to hopefully encourage a new generation of men to pick up where their grandfathers left off in the history and legacy of manliness." You can read this cover to cover or pick out sections to read as this book is both fun to read and packed full of useful information. Stop reading ridiculous memes on the internet and do yourself a favor by reading this book.

Ninja Squirrel has been found!

Looks like she just earned her black belt in awesomeness! Here's our first certified Ninja Squirrel winner, Laura! She found Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, a parody of the timeless Jane Austen novel which pairs Regency romance with a Zombie apocalypse, creating a delightful read for a summer afternoon read. Check it out! Call number is PS3607 .R33848 P75 2009.

Check out twitter for further clues to other Ninja Squirrel sightings. @StewartNinjaSquirrels

Unbroken by Hillenbrand

One of the best books that I have ever read is Unbroken. The story of an Olympic level sprinter, he was in the 1936 Games in Berlin, who was drafted into the Army Air Force during World War II. The book details Louis Zamperini’s incredible story of being shot down during a mission, spending over two months floating in a small rubber raft in the Pacific and being rescued by a Japanese boat. He then spends the remainder of World War II stuck in a variety of prison camps. Written by the same woman as Seabiscuit, also a really good book and movie, this tale runs the full gamut of emotions. ~Andrew, Reference student

The library owns a copy of this book.  The call number is D805 J3 Z364 2010 and is located on the 2nd floor.  I agree with Andrew.  This book was an amazing testament to human suffering, loss of dreams and the ability to forgive. ~Sandy

One Second After

One day last week Tyler came into work tired because he stayed up too late reading a book.  When I asked him about this book and why he found it so captivating we had a short discussion about how we would react to an emergency situation and how Cedar Rapids reacted to the flood.  I asked him to write a review so maybe others would have an interest.  Currently the Coe Library does not have the book on the shelves but it is a current topic about our society.  Here's his review......Sandy

Imagine living in a world where there was no electricity.  Imagine not being able to take a normal shower or going to get food at the nearest grocery market.  In the book, One Second After, written by William R. Forstchen, a father and his family must learn to adapt and survive after an electromagnetic pulse has disabled all electronics around him.  He has to do things no one in their lifetime should have to do, all for the safety and survival of those he loves.  This riveting book does not hold back as it throws countless obstacles and problems at the main character, John.  If you have ever wondered what the significance of learning the history of our nation or why you had to read Animal Farm in high school, this book can show the value of such information.  Once this book starts, it is a slippery slope down to the end as you read about how morality and civilization can change only one second after an EMP strike.   T. Gunderson

 

On Display

Have you noticed the display of journals on the first floor of the library?  We are highlighting some titles for leisure reading on various subjects.  The titles range from ArtNews to The Writer to Technology Review and are located close the the Whipple Browsing area.  These can still be checked out for 3 days but feel free to browse through them while enjoying the peacefulness of the library.

Student recommends "Animal Farm"

Book Review: Animal Farm

               Animal Farm is a rather short book, and is a very easy read as it is very hard to put down. It raises very interesting and frighteningly realistic issues by putting forth a scenario in which farm animals, fed up with the treatment given to them by their human owner, rebel and take over the farm on which they’ve spent their entire lives. The pigs, being the most intelligent of the farm animals, naturally take over as the leaders, thus setting the mood for future trouble. What ensues is not, as the animals had hoped, freedom, but rather a coup of sorts. As the story continues, it is obvious that the same problems from before have been reestablished tenfold, and now the animals must find a permanent solution. However, this proves to be an immensely difficult task, and the animals go through much strife and conflict in their attempts to achieve this goal.

This book has excellent themes and raises very interesting questions, with countless ways to view each question. One person might say that there can’t ever be both a functioning and completely satisfied society while there is present a leadership class, while another might say that the animals simply perceived their previous situation as much worse than it actually was. No matter how you approach it, however, this book will definitely challenge you to think.  ~Circ student John Clark

Braydon Roberts - Introduction and Book Recommendation

[caption id="attachment_1140" align="alignleft" width="163"] Braydon[/caption]

The library cannot provide its extended hours and services, during the academic year, with-out the help of its student workers.   We are deeply appreciative of all the work they do and would like to showcase them on the blog this semester.  We have asked them to recommend a book or media item to the Coe community and will post a brief introduction and their suggestions in the coming weeks.

Library student worker Braydon Roberts is a sophomore who works in the George T. Henry College Archives.  He suggests the Book "Catch 22" by Joseph Heller, because "It is a classical work set during World War II that also involves a lot of humor."

Catch-22 in the Library Catalog

Catch-22 is set in the closing month of World War II, in an American bomber squadron on a small island off Italy.  Its hero is a bombardier named Yossarian, who is frantic and furious because thousands of people he hasn't even met keep trying to kill him. (He has decided to live forever even if he has to die in the attempt.)

His problem is Colonel Cathcart, who keeps raising the number of missions the men have to fly.

-from the description on the book jacket

~Sara Pitcher, Archives Assistant